The 2022 Holiday Season is off to a wonderful start here in Sea Isle City. During Thanksgiving Weekend, we kicked-off this year’s festivities with a very well-attended Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony that delighted thousands of spectators on Friday night. Then, members of Sea Isle City’s business community kept the fun going strong throughout the remainder of the weekend with additional holiday events, including a Winter Village at The Ludlam, where there was ice skating and other enjoyable activities.

I want to thank all of the participants in this year’s Holiday Parade, including the numerous fire companies from neighboring communities that decorated their fire engines and delighted the people of Sea Isle City with their colorful displays of light. My thanks also go to the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce for serving complimentary hot cocoa to the families who attended our Tree Lighting Ceremony at Excursion Park.

Last, but not least, special thanks go to the City’s Department of Community Services / Division of Tourism, who once again organized this year’s Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting. –Great job, Team Tourism!

Now that the holiday season is underway, I want to remind everyone that Sea Isle City’s retailers and other business owners are eager to help you find gifts for each of the people on your Christmas list – so please remember to “Shop Local” this year and support Sea Isle’s business community anytime you can!

Our 2022 Holiday Toy and Food Drive is off to a good start – but we still need help to make sure that families in need have a happy Christmas. So, please consider making a donation of non-perishable food items or unwrapped toys at any of our drop-off locations around town. Speaking of which, I want to thank all of the local businesses that offered to collect donated items for us this year, including Crest Savings Bank, First Bank of Sea Isle City, Mrs. Brizzle’s Buns & Deli, Rick’s Breakfast House, and Sands Department Store. You can also drop-off donations at City Hall, the Welcome Center and KIX Package Goods. For more information about this year’s Toy and Food Drive, please see the special section in this week’s newsletter.

Another event that always brightens the season is Sea Isle’s annual Holiday Lighting Contest, which is hosted by the City’s Division of Recreation. This friendly competition is open to all local homes and businesses – but you must register your address in order to be added to the list of property’s that will be judged. The cut-off date to enter your home or business in this year’s Holiday Lighting Contest is December 7 – so hang those lights, put out your favorite decorations, and help enhance Sea Isle City’s festive holiday atmosphere!

Looking ahead, this weekend we are hosting our first meeting with the members of Sea Isle City’s newly formed Youth Recreation Committee, which is comprised of local students, who we will be speaking with at length regarding the recreation needs of our community. This committee was formed in advance of the construction of our future Community Center – which is still on-track to be built beginning in 2023. As you will likely recall, when completed, our Community Center will have a state-of-the-art gymnasium, an elevated walking track, and separate rooms for fitness classes, meetings, and other functions. Furthermore, we believe the Community Center will be an ideal place to meet new friends, explore new interests, and fully enjoy life in Sea Isle City. So, please keep your eyes on the horizon, and we will keep you informed as this important project comes to fruition.

Also this weekend, there will be a Holiday Open House inside the Sea Isle City Historical Museum on Saturday, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. At approximately 12 noon during the Open House, I will have the honor of being on hand while the members of the Sea Isle City Historical Society officially unveil their newest artifact, a wooden carousel horse that once graced Sea Isle City’s old boardwalk before the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 rolled through town and destroyed Sea Isle’s beloved merry-go-round. I hope you will be able to join us as we welcome the horse back home to Sea Isle City after more than 70-years, because it truly will be a memorable day for our community.

Looking further down the road, we have received confirmation from Mike’s Seafood that they will once again be hosting their Run-Walk for Autism on Saturday, February 18, 2023. We are very happy to have this family-friendly event return to Sea Isle City and to anchor the long President’s Day Weekend – so make plans now to be in Sea Isle City in February, so you can celebrate the winter season in style!

In an effort to make your local government more accessible, earlier this year we instituted a plan to open City Hall’s offices on several Saturday mornings throughout the year. This Saturday, December 3, is one of those days. So, please stop-by 233 JFK Boulevard on Saturday, from 8:30 AM to 12 noon, if you need to pay your utility bill or visit any of our municipal offices at City Hall.

We have two “Shout Outs” this week. The first goes to sisters Brynn and Kiera Cunningham, a pair of Sea Isle City residents who are members of the Upper Township Youth Wrestling Team. Both sisters recently competed in The World of Wrestling Kick-Off Classic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and both did extremely well in the competition, with Kiera winning first place in her weight class and Brynn taking home fifth place honors in her division. Congratulations Cunningham Sisters – Sea Isle City is very proud of you both!

Our next “Shout Out” goes to the Giordano family for placing another Christmas tree on the 44th Street beach for all to enjoy. This is the third year the Giordanos have brought joy, happiness and the holiday spirit to our community in this way, and I am very grateful for their efforts. Thank you Nick, Shannon, Gracelynn, Giovanni and Vincenzo!

Please don’t forget that freedom isn’t free and be sure to say “thank you for your service” whenever you see a veteran

Smile…You’re in Sea Isle,

Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio