Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Company Launches Recruitment Campaign

SHIP BOTTOM – Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Company is an exciting place to volunteer! Fires, water rescues and vehicle rescue calls keep volunteers busy saving lives and protecting property. That is why Ship Bottom has launched a four-year recruitment campaign to grow the volunteer base of seasonal and year-round lifesavers. No experience is needed and all training and gear are provided at no charge.

To kick off the campaign, volunteers participated in a branding process which led the slogan “Neighbors Saving Neighbors from Land to Sea.” The tagline is intended to showcase the range of lifesaving coverage the fire company provides, coverage that spans all the way down to 85th Street with the inclusion of Brant Beach and mutual aid within Surf City.

A new recruitment website, ShipBottomFirefighters.org will be used throughout the campaign to learn more about the fire company and the seasonal and all-year opportunities available. Website visitors can fill out a short inquiry form to express their interest in volunteering. In addition, social media management, yard signs, brochures, targeted face-to-face recruitment program, a recruitment video, and more are included in the campaign.

Ship Bottom Fire Company’s recruitment campaign will run for four years, and comes at no cost to taxpayers. This is being funded in its’ entirety through the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Opportunities For All

Whether it is responding to fire calls, rescuing people from cars or the ocean, managing traffic and crowd control at an emergency or helping out at the fire company, volunteer opportunities are plentiful! Residents interested in getting involved should keep in mind that no prior experience is necessary since training will be provided for free.

The following volunteer opportunities are available for seasonal or all-year residents: www.TallwoodsCareCenter.com

Firefighter: Our volunteer firefighters are trained and prepared to handle any situation such as fires, water rescues, car accidents and other emergencies. All training and gear are provided at no charge.

Water Rescue : Put your lifesaving skills to work as a member of our water rescue volunteer team. In addition to Ship Bottom, our coverage area includes Brant Beach and we provide mutual aid to Surf City.

Junior Firefighter: Teen volunteers will be trained on how to assist on fire calls, run the hose and assist with ladders. Once 18, juniors can become active volunteer firefighters with Ship Bottom or pursue an emergency services career.

Fire Police: Help bring calm and order to a stressful situation by directing traffic and crowd control at the scene of emergencies.

Administrative Volunteers: Put your talents and skills to work in a non-firefighting role at the fire company or in the community on our behalf. Let us know your interests and we will identify the perfect role for you! Administrative, fundraising, event support truck maintenance and many more opportunities exist.

“We have volunteer opportunities for everyone, whether you live here only in the summer or all year long. Join us, train with us and start saving the lives of your neighbors. There is nothing more rewarding than that,” says Chief Todd MacLennan.

For more information or to fill out an inquiry form, visit ShipBottomFirefighters.org.

Volleyball:

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“It just means that we are doing something right,” he said. “All of the methods that we use and the lessons that we are trying to teach are paying off on some level. How do you become successful in anything? Hard work, passion, commitment, responsibility, desire, etc. When you bring hard work and enthusiasm to any aspect in life, it gives you a chance to be successful. That is at the root of what we are trying to accomplish. You need a strong foundation. We try to help build that foundation. And we try to help mold good people.”

Southern has won 13 South Jersey sectional titles. The Rams have earned seven No. 1 state rankings. They have been ranked among the state’s top five teams in 20 straight seasons. They have won 20 consecutive Shore Conference division titles from 2003-2023. They own 13 Shore Conference Tournament titles. They are 331-7 all-time against Shore Conference opponents.

Also assisting on coaching duties were Brian Roberts (2002-2004), Emin Tanrikulu (20052007), Mike Benedict (2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009), Leith Wenrich (2007), Paul Lovas (2008-2018), Ryan Fredrickson (2010-2013, 2017-2023), Todd Elsasser (2014-2015) and Eric Sharkey (2016-2023). Wenrich, Fredrickson, Elsasser and Sharkey played under Maxwell.

“I have been blessed with some great individuals on my coaching staff,” Maxwell said. “I need people who know the game of volleyball, but more importantly I need good people ... solid people with good values and morals who are capable of teaching young men how to be good human beings. In our program, that is where we start. We want our young men to understand the values like hard work, responsibility, commitment, trustworthiness and reliability, etc. If we can get kids to buy into those qualities, we can get them to perform for us on the court. I have had coaches who model those behaviors so that our players understand what that looks like.”

Maxwell’s girls team won the Group IV state title in 2008. The Rams bested favored Hunterdon Central in the championship match.

“It was one of great team chemistry as well,” he said. “It was an incredibly hard working group from day one that season that had its sights set on something extremely high. We had been on the edge of greatness for a few years prior. We kept knocking on the door. I believe that Hunterdon Central had won the previous two Group IV state titles. So again, one of the things that plays into this is that you have to keep working hard every day and keep improving. Work on your game. Recognize your weaknesses and don’t allow an opponent to outwork you.”

They have been ranked among the state’s top 20 teams in 14 seasons. Cathy Maxwell, who coached the Rams from 1999-2001, posted a 50-17 overall record. The Rams won Shore Conference division titles from 2002-2014 and 2017-2022.

Southern won Shore Conference Tournament titles from 2004-2008 and in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2019 and 2022. The Rams are 369-40 all-time against Shore Conference opponents. They were Olympic Conference champions from 2003-2005.

“I am still having so much fun coaching the girls and boys teams,” said Maxwell, a United States history teacher at Southern. “There is no set plan to stop. I love the daily grind of preparing a team and going through the whole process of watching a team mature and develop team chemistry. And then there is the stretch run of postseason play. That gets the juices flowing. And the ultimate is to celebrate success. And to see the joy of your players celebrating what they worked so hard for.”

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