Ocean City Magazine June 2023

June 2023

"That the sea is one of the most beautiful and magnificent sights in Nature, all admit." - John Joly IN

Local artist Lauren DeMarco created our June cover of a birds eye view of the fabulous Ocean City beach. See more of Lauren's work at @Laurenspired on Instagram. This issue and previous issues are readable on www.ocnjmagazine.com.

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Horoscopes

Needing some guidance from the stars? Our horoscopes are sure to prepare you for the month ahead.

SPOT THE SURFER

We've hidden a surfer in one of the ads in this issue. Email us with the ad she is surfing on at editor@ocnjmagazine.com. A winner will be chosen on July 1 from correct entries to win a $50 gift card to Cousin's

On the Radar

THE LIST

Happy June!

June means that summer is in full swing. The Ocean City Chamber Farmer's Market starts up for the season, plus there’s plenty of fun, events, and sweet treats to be had all over the island and its surrounding communities.

1. Nuts about you

Sip on a peanut butter milkshake from Johnny B Goode Ice Cream Parlor, 1363 Asbury Avenue and 34th Street and West Avenue, after a long day on the beach.

2. Fresh, never frozen

Pick up some local produce and shop local crafters at the Ocean City Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 8am-1pm.

3. We can’t all come and go by bubble

Snag tickets to see Kristen Chenoweth perform with the OC Pops at the Music Pier on June 25 at 7:30pm.

4. Boogie oogie

Get a fresh boogie board for the new summer season at Surf Mall, 1154 Boardwalk.

5. Berry happy

Fuel up for a day of fun with a Jersey blueberry waffle at Hooked on Breakfast, 916 Asbury Avenue. The waffle is topped with fresh juicy blueberries and dusted with powdered sugar and served with butter or whipped cream.

6. Fore!

Play a round of mini golf and say hi to Fred and Barney at Tee Time Golf, 640 Boardwalk.

Good to Know

On June 1st, the sun rises at 5:33am and sets at 8:18pm. On June 30th, the sun rises at 5:34am and sets at 8:28pm.

Aries

March 21 - April 19

June looks like a passionate month for most Arians though we recommend you not rush to make decisions regarding your love life. Financially, it’s time to prove you have selfcontrol and show restraint in spending money. Don’t get tempted by financial speculation or various earn-quick schemes. Also, you shouldn’t allow people around you to influence you. Be careful not to go overboard professionally or in your love life.

Taurus

April 20 - May 20

It’s a great time to deal with family life, improving your living space, or choosing a “nest” to settle in with your better half. You could meet interesting people, but you shouldn’t start to imagine stories of undying love. Relationships that start during this term don’t stand much chance to last in the long run. If your income doesn’t seem to satisfy your for the medium or long run, it’s time for professional reorientation, looking for a better job, setting off a new path.

Gemini

May 21 - June 20

If you’re single, you could meet someone who attracts you right away or you could flirt with a neighbor or a coworker. But odds are pretty slim you’ll end up with a serious relationship. Be open to learning new things, collaborating, exchanging information and experiences with those with whom you work. It’s time to deal with your inner universe, your deepest fears, and exploring the impact that your feelings have on your health.

Cancer

June 21 - July 22

You shouldn’t rush to make important decisions when it comes to your love life or marriage. The experiences of the past can prove to be an excellent source for learning. Professionally and in business, although you don’t have to fear major obstacles from the outside, you could become your worst enemy because of aggressive attitude or impulsive decisions. If you manage to control these tendencies, you’re not in for any major issues. Don’t act impulsively!

Leo

July 23 - August 22

Avoid imposing your point on view and wanting to be the center of attention and making decisions for your better half. June favors the professional success of Leos or launching a business of their own. You have every chance at being successful and notorious, particularly if you have a job related to the artistic area, the entertainment industry, or stock exchange investments. You want social recognition and a good professional reputation, but you can’t get them by force. You stand to gain from being moderate and cooperative.

Virgo

August 23 - September 22

It’s not a good time to begin new relationships. If you have to make some decision about a divorce or a marriage, you shouldn’t hurry. Your inner agitation can exhaust you. Healthwise, to be in shape, be careful about your diet. Try to eat lighter, without going overboard and without rushing. Finally, before making any radical decisions, make sure you truly know what you expect from the ties that are important to you, particularly in love.

Libra

September 23 - October 22

If you’re single and looking for love, you could have intense experiences during the last part of the month. Financially, it’s time to analyze your sources of income and how you spend or invest money. Remember some older business idea or initiative you’ve had at some point, wanting to start something of your own but that you gave up on. Until winter, you have time to rethink and get ready to launch.

Scorpio

October 23 - November 21

Don’t think about arguments and counterarguments for a while, and just focus on what is essential: prove to your better half how important they are to you and pay more attention to their needs and desires. Careerwise, you should pay more attention to your professional ties to coworkers, higher-ups, clients, or business partners (as the case may be). Finally, make more time for all your loved ones or for dealing with a family matter. You stand to gain from avoiding forceful action.

Sagittarius

November 22 - December 21

Deal with improving your relationship, communicating honestly and calmly with your better half. Be patient and mindful not to take on to many professional responsibilities. If you feel overwhelmed, tired, or confused, ask advice of one of your parents or someone to whom you feel close to emotionally. Financially, analyze the money you’re saving up for a realestate investment or for redecorating your home. You could find you need to adjust some plans about the investment you plan to make or to revise the budget and so on.

Capricorn

December 22 - January 19

You stand to gain from being open to the needs and desires of your better half and not making all the rules yourself. Healthwise, your ability to recover is very good, provided you don’t get troubled by your own feelings. That doesn’t mean you should ignore them, but you should try to see what their deeper cause is maybe by seeking the help of a specialist. With a little effort and by letting go of wasteful habit, you can use your resources efficiently so that you feel secure again, just the way you like it.

Aquarius

January 20 - February 18

Show patience so your better half has enough time to think things through so you can reach common ground. You have great odds at finding wise solutions for issues you’ve been concerned with for a while. Make more time for activities that relax you and for resting. Be careful during the last days of the month because you risk really affecting the harmony in your family or in your life as a couple. Careful what you say and particularly how you say it!

Pisces

February 19 - March 20

At home, It’s time to seek dialogue, listen carefully to what your partner has to say, and don’t shoot out verdicts. Pisceans looking for a job need to be careful about how they come across at interviews. A little modesty won’t hurt when presenting your talents and skills. The key to success is your intelligence and adaptability, not in being stubborn and self-sufficient. - by Eastrolog.com. For entertainment purposes only.

From the Editor

Spring for my family was filled with regattas from Lake Lenape to the Schuylkill. The OCHS Crew team had a fantastic season - GO OC!

"The arts affect everything in your life. People just don’t necessarily think about it that way. From the clothes you wear to the house you live in to the cereal box you open in the morning. … Art is an integral part of everybody’s daily life" - Rae Jaffe.

This quote kind of blew my mind while I was editing the feature about the FAL and its Art on Asbury gallery (page 52). Rae is a local artist and president of the Fine Arts League (and a previous OC Mag cover artist.) It was mind blowing because it's true... there is art everywhere you look, from the pages of this magazine, to the beach chair you're (hopefully) sitting in right now, to the bathing suit you're wearing. From concept to design with all the wonderfully creative steps between, it is someone's creativity come to life in each of these. And that is reason enough to celebrate and show the love.

Supporting local artists and the creative community has been a mission of this magazine since it began back in 2010. There are so many inspiring people out there, bringing their passion to life with bravery and grit. Ask anyone, starting a

An anthem for art Stef

small business, or putting yourself and your work out there, takes an enormous amount of will and strength. But creating and bringing your art to the world whether it's through cooking, gardening, writing, drawing, crafting, etc, is what makes it all go 'round.

And somehow it's gone round and become June again. It's time to watch the graduates fling their caps into the air at Carey Stadium, time to bust out your wetsuit top for Boogie Board club, and time to worship the sun. This year the solstice is on Wednesday, June 21.

Hello summer in the OC. This month in OC Mag, find must haves to calm you down (and hopefully make you smile), an article on the simple, but sensational pierogie - and how it's become the latest Boardwalk must have snack, and a trio of books to pop into your beach bag. Learn more about those adorable and hysterically skittish piping plovers you see on the shores, and go behind the scenes with the Ocean City Theatre Company's 2023 season, another group keeping the world turning with its awesome art.

See you on the beach!

Shore Eats In the Kitchen

THE PIEROGIE PLACE

WHEN you think of eating your way down the Ocean City Boardwalk, a few things immediately come to mind. The saucy, cheesy sensation that is a slice of pizza. Crispy, salty fries served with ketchup and malt vinegar. A soft-serve ice cream cone topped with rainbow jimmies. Crunchy, warm caramel corn – with the lid off, of course. Sticky, sweet salt water taffy. Decadent pieces of fudge.

When it comes to food, these are the staples of a trip to Ocean City. Something that, up until recently, required little-to-no deviation. Bob Dylan surely wasn’t talking about shore town delicacies when he sang, “The times, they are a’changing” – but if the shoe fits, wear it. Times are changing on the Ocean City Boardwalk, and there’s a new-ish eatery on the scene that’s worthy of joining the rotation of traditional beach snacks. The walk-up service in question? None other than The Pierogie Place, entering its third season at 1348 Boardwalk in America’s Greatest Family Resort.

Husband and wife team Liz and Dan

Kulchyckyj started their tasty business on the Wildwood Boardwalk in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One morning on a walk or bike ride on the Boardwalk, we saw a shop for rent,” Liz explained. And the rest, as they say, is history. Their first shop opened within five weeks of signing the lease, and the business took off.

“People enjoy it a lot,” Liz said, adding, “We were pleasantly surprised!”.

What makes the story even more unbelievable is the fact that they were even in the area to begin with. The Kulchyckyjs are expatriates – living life as American citizens abroad, first for 23 years in Ukraine then for three years in Malta. The family flew home for Dan’s mother’s birthday in early 2020 and found themselves grounded for the foreseeable future with the global pandemic placing a stranglehold on travel.

The Kulchyckyjs could have done what everyone else did while isolating: learn to bake banana bread for fun and Zoom call with friends whilst working from home. Instead, they put a decade-old pipe dream to work and changed their lives during unprecedented times.

“We had been talking about a pierogi business

for 10 years on and off,” Dan said. “When COVID hit and people were backing out of lease agreements, it was time for us to take it on.

“Sitting around and doing nothing is not in our blood,” he continued. “It was an opportunity to seize the moment. We were going to do it sooner or later. [The pandemic] pushed us ahead.”

How they expanded to a second location is also an almost serendipitous tale. Word of a pierogi place serving homemade savory and sweet treats spread near and far. Some of the Kulchyckyjs’ regular customers were traveling south on the Garden State Parkway from Ocean City to satisfy their cravings – and practically begging for a second location to open in their backyard. Liz and Dan obliged the following summer and made Ocean City their second location.

Since then the family has opened three other locations: one on Rowan University’s campus, one in Section 125 of Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and one near the Wildwood Convention Center. They plan to open their sixth location this fall in Center City Philadelphia.

Opening six locations in three calendar years is nothing short of impressive, but the success hasn’t gone to their collective heads. The business was founded on family. The Kulchyckyjs and

Husband and wife duo are changing the food game down the shore and making a difference across the globe

The Pierogie Place in Ocean City is located at 1348 Boardwalk.

The Pierogie Place Top Tip: KEEP IT FUN, KEEP IT CLEAN

When it comes to anything in the kitchen, the Kulchyckyjs – owners of The Pierogie Place –have two tips: Have fun and keep it clean. That recipe is simple, yet effective. Kind of like a pierogie, when you think about it.

their three children, in addition to 10 nieces and nephews, have helped grow the business over the years.

“All three kids are following their own path and where they are in life, but we’re still a family business,” Dan said. “The kids are all a part of the visionary part of it. It’s the biggest benefit of doing the family business.”

Dan prides himself on working the back of house and operational side of things, whereas Liz is the face of the company, working in the front meeting with customers.

Dan and Liz haven’t forgotten their Ukrainian roots, either. The family is constantly raising money to send back to their second home – from

hospitals to grass roots efforts, Liz said she’s been promoting fundraisers since the war started in 2021.

“People can donate and be assured the funds are getting sent to Ukraine where funds need to go,” she said.

Liz added she even plans to hire Ukrainian students to work at their stores this summer through a J-1 visa program. Making a difference isn’t easy, but it starts with having your head and heart in the right place. Anthony Bourdain may have said it best: “Food may not be the answer to world peace, but it’s a start.”

And for the Kulchyckyjs, it all starts with the

humble pierogi – tender, boiled dough stuffed with savory or sweet fillings and served with a coordinating topping.

So, next time you find yourself strolling down the 1300 block of the Ocean City Boardwalk, be sure to stop off at The Pierogie Place and sample one of its 11 pierogi flavors. For those who like it a little bit spicy, Liz recommends the jalapeno cheddar pierogi. Dan said his favorite right now is the vegan cheddar. For the sweet tooths out there, the strawberry with sweet cream sauce is a great option.

But then there’s old reliable, the winner on The Pierogie Place’s Instagram page March Madness poll: Traditional potato and cheese made with farmer’s cheese or potato and onion.

“They’re the two flavors that taste just like my grandmothers,” Liz said. “That’s special to me.”

The Pierogie Place is located at 1348 Boardwalk in Ocean City.

Text by Anthony J. Mazziotti III. Photos provided by The Pierogie Place.

Traditional potato and cheese pierogies topped with classic caramelized onions and sour cream.

Funnel Cake Ice Cream

Bring a taste of the Boardwalk to your next dessert

INGREDIENTS

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 package funnel cake mix*

Vegetable oil

Confectioners sugar

Funnel cake toppings: Nutella, salted caramel, cherry or strawberry pie filling, fresh fruit, etc

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla until sugar is dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for one to two hours.

While the ice cream mixture chills, make the funnel cakes. In a medium bowl, combine funnel cake mix and one and one third cup water. Add about an inch of oil to a pan and heat to 350 degrees. Transfer batter to a pitcher with spout or funnel and drizzle mixture over the hot oil to form a random pattern. Cook for about 30 seconds or until golden brown then,

using metal tongs, carefully flip and cook other side for another 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate to cool and dust with confectioners sugar. Repeat until all of the batter is used.

Transfer the ice cream mixture to base of an ice cream maker and follow machine's instructions. Once the ice cream is almost finished mixing, break up the funnel cakes and add to the mixture. Mix until combined. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until completely firm. Serve the ice cream with your favorite funnel cake toppings.

*I found the funnel cake mix on Amazon. Some local stores may carry it, too.

Follow Amy Mahon on Instagram @ sundaygirleats and at www.etsy.com/shop/ beachgirlacrylics.

Top row: In a medium bowl, pour in your sugar, heavy cream, milk, vanilla and whisk. Middle row: Use funnel cake mix for your "cakes." Drizzle the batter into the oil. Follow your ice cream maker's instructions. Line up your favorite funnel cake toppings. Bottom row: Dust the funnel cakes with confectioners sugar. Mix in the toppings. Photos by Amy Mahon.

Shore Eats The Dining Guide

BREAKFAST I LUNCH I SWEETS

Aneu Kitchen Grab and go gourmet market. Breakfast sandwiches, heat and eat entrees, beach delivery. 5501 West. 609232-7075, www.aneucatering.com.

Asbury Kitchen Extensive and healthy menu. Inside and outside seating, gluten free options. 624 Asbury. 609-399-3639, www.asburykitchen.com.

Augie's Omelette & Waffle House Breakfast and lunch with unique items like the peanut butter and jelly waffle. 9th & Atlantic, 391-0222.

Aunt Betty's Seriously fresh ice cream. 2100 Asbury; 40th & West. 398-4001; 398-4005.

Blitz's Market Breakfast sandwiches, pickle sandwiches, burgers, steak sandwiches, vegetarian and vegan options, smoothies, catering, and more. Open year round. 2100 Asbury, 609-399-6080.

Christine's Italian Pastry Shoppe Custom cakes, delish pastry, gluten free options. 314 Tilton, 646-5666.

DeFelice Exquisite Cakes Online bakery delivering pies, sheet cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cheesecakes, mousse cakes, strawberry shortcake, birthday cakes, wedding cakes, and more to the South Jersey area. 609545-8942.

Goji Cold pressed juices, coffee, treats, smoothies, bowls, plant-based eats. 612 Asbury, 814-2816.

Hooked on Breakfast From crepes to choc chip cannoli pancakes, this eatery has a menu to please everyone. Daily specials, outside dining. 916 Asbury, 938-9285.

Johnny B Goode Waffles, ice cream, family entertainment, fresh made fudge and other confections. Outside dining. 14th & Asbury, 525-0646 & 34th & West, next to Hoy’s, 525-0648.

Johnson’s Popcorn One whiff of this corn a cookin, and you'll be hooked. 1368 Boardwalk, (800) 842-2676. Open year round.

Nauti Donuts With flavors like Mermaid’s Delight (strawberry icing, Fruity Pebbles, and marshmallow drizzle) and the Salty

Dog (maple icing, pork roll, and a salted caramel drizzle) you’ll feel like a sailor navigating waves of a dessert ocean. 2133 Asbury, 609-938-2253.

Ocean City Coffee Company Fresh brews, coffee drinks, bites. 9th & Boardwalk, & 1066 Boardwalk, 917 Asbury, 399-5533. Open year round.

Positively Fourth Street Breakfast and lunch. Dinner in season. Innovative dishes. Outside dining. 400 Atlantic, 814-1886.

PIZZA I BURGERS l FRIES l SANDWICHES

Flippers Grille Outside Port-O-Call Hotel. Burgers, etc. 1510 Boardwalk, 3998812.

Jilly’s Ice cream and fries... best day ever! Ice cream, 1172 Boardwalk. Fries, 1034 Boardwalk.

Kirk’s Pizza Amazing steak sandwiches. Outside tables. 44 Route 9, Marmora. 390-1845.

Manco & Manco Pizza Thin crispy pizza that's a must try. Three locations on the Boards. 7th, 9th, and 12th Streets, and now available at Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia. Go Phillies! 399-2548.

Prep's Pizzeria Stromboli, calzones, sandwiches, pizza and a dairy bar with all your favorite ice cream dishes and hot homemade waffles. 10th & Boardwalk, 398-0636.

Sandwich Bar We're a bit obsessed with the chicken cutlet with rabe. We have to go get one right now. Cash only. 3255 Asbury, 741-9888.

GLOBAL CUISINE I SEAFOOD

Adelene Serving breakfast and lunch daily. Burger Bar. Gorgeous beachfront space. 1510 Boardwalk, 800-334-4546.

Cold Spring Brewery NJ's first nonprofit brewery. Free parking, wifi, indoor/ outdoor seating, growlers, crowlers, and cans available. 733 Seashore, Cape May. 609-854-3077.

Cousin’s Varied and sophisticated menu. Outside dining, catering too. 104 Asbury, 399-9462.

Thank you to all the restaurants who support Ocean City Magazine and the Ocean City Guidebook. Please visit them and tell them we sent you!

Crab Trap Seafood, prime rib, steak and pasta dishes. 2 Broadway, Somers Point, 927-7377.

Deauville Inn Recent renovations give the restaurant a modern flair. Fresh seafood, salads, and sandwiches... try the prime rib dip. Full bar, outside dining. 201 Willard, Strathmere, 263-2080.

The Farmstand at 14th A healthier, lighter simpler style with plenty of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Burgers and chicken too! Outside dining. 1368 Boardwalk, 3993439.

Hula Restaurant and Sauce Company Tasty Hawaiian cuisine. We love the Firecracker Shrimp. Outside dining. 940 Boardwalk, 399-2400.

Mama Mia's Gourmet pizzas, calzones, flatbreads and fine dining entrees. Delivery anywhere on the island. 4 Roosevelt, Marmora, 624-9322.

Ocean City Restaurant Association Member restaurants all over the island. Eatinocnj.com.

Oves Restaurant Fresh seafood dinners, homemade apple cider donuts. 4th & Boardwalk, 398-3172.

Spadafora's Restaurant, Clam Bar, and Seafood Market Famous dockside fresh local flavor. Outside dining. 932 Haven, 398-6703.

Somers Point Brewing Company A local, independent craft brewery, with an indoor tasting room. Their motto is simple — drink local, eat local. 705 W New York Avenue, Somers Point, 788-0767.

Tokyo Mandarin Chinese and Japanese cuisine, BYOB, sushi bar. 4 W. Roosevelt, Marmora, 390-8883.

Tuckahoe Inn Waterfront dining with live music. 1 Harbor Road & Route 9, Beesley’s Point, 390-3322. Open year round.

Yesterday's Creekside Tavern An iconic year round sports destination. Newly renovated, live music, indoor and outdoor dining, open daily. 316 Roosevelt, Marmora, 609-390-1757.

Choose

WITH LINDA ARCEO

Rosé Margaritas

Synonymous with the summer season, rosé rules. When choosing a wine to compliment your days in the sun and sand, rosé is a perfect choice. For this month’s cocktail, we are pairing crisp, refreshing rosé with the ingredients of another summer cocktail favorite to create rosé margaritas or rosaritas. Try this new twist on the classic margarita, and you’ll be saying rosé all day. Cheers!

Serves 2

4 oz. tequila blanco

1 oz. triple sec

1 cup rosé

1 tbsp agave

Juice of half a lime

Lime slices for garnish

Coarse salt rim, optional

1. Run a slice of lime along the rim of your glasses and dip the edge of your glasses in coarse salt to rim.

2. Fill glasses with ice cubes.

3. Place tequila, triple sec, rosé, agave and juiced lime into a cocktail shaker. Place the lid on tightly and shake well.

4. Pour the contents over the ice and finish with a lime slice garnish.

Good to Know

IYKYK

THERE can never be enough sweet treats offered on the island. This month, there are two new options to find cookies and ice cream all over town. Check out our guide to the comings and goings in June and find a list of upcoming events.

WHAT’S NEW

Beach Krew is moving into Pedego, 621 Asbury Avenue. The beachy lifestyle brand will sell high-quality apparel.

Mindfully Active, an art therapy and counseling center, will be opening a second office at 10 E. 9th Street. Their original office is located in Galloway.

Payton Jewelry is opening a third location inside Carpenter’s Square Mall at 31 Perry Street, Cape May. Their other locations are at 952 Boardwalk and Doylestown, PA.

Good Deeds Market has opened the first zero-waste lifestyle store in Cape May County, also inside Carpenter’s Square Mall at 31 Perry Street, Cape May.

A second Auntie Anne’s/ Cinnabon will be located at the corner of 8th and the Boardwalk.

Want Churn House for your next special event? Rent the Churn Cart for graduations, weddings, and more. Choose from two flavors of “Churnwiches”- cereal infused cookie sandwiches.

Sunsmiles for Kids is moving into Fabiana Edward’s old spot at 815 Asbury Avenue. They will sell swimwear and beach

apparel.

You can get your Peace Pie fix at Peace of Wood this summer. Peace Pies are cookie sandwiches with a scoop of pie filling layered between the ice cream and cookies.

There are plans to convert Blitz’s Market on 34th Street into a mini-golf course.

EVENTS

The Ocean City Flower Show will be held on June 2, 3, and 4 at the Ocean City Music Pier.

Ocean City will host the inaugural OC Pride Fest 2023 on June 10 from 9am-1pm. Nor Easter Nick will kick off the Pride Walk's Opening Ceremony starting at 9am at 6th & the Boardwalk.

The Farmers Markets will start for the season on June 14 at the Ocean City Tabernacle from 8am to 1pm.

The Health & Fitness Expo is on June 17. Explore health food and wellness product vendors, various yoga and fitness classes, western line dance and ballroom dance classes, 9am2pm at the Music Pier.

The Antique Auto Show is June 24 from 9am-2pm on the Tabernacle grounds. Boardwalk parade after 2pm.

The first Wacky Wednesday of the season is June 28 with a theme of Taffy Sculpting. Contest is free but only open to the first 250 participants of all ages. 10:30-11:30am at the Music Pier.

-Megan Antosy and Stef Godfrey

FEEL BETTER FAST — AND GET BACK TO THE FUN.

On the Boards

This page, clockwise from top: Pat, Emilia & Katelyn Siedlecki; Becca, Alijah & Adam Pratt; Jessica Schappelle, Clara Greskoff & Danielle Overbeck. Opposite page, clockwise from top: Alex Fischer, Ella Wetzel, Melkon Alayan & Siena Wetzel; Ron & Meadow Sabine; Will, Liam & Jennifer Adorno.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

On the Boards

Opposite page, clockwise from top: Bryce Mellen, Sydney Zellers, Cassondra Mellen & Evan Vandzura; Kristy Cavill & Jimmy Southard; Spencer Foglio, Landon Foglio, Audrey Hay, Jules Hay, Emmett Foglio & Amelia Hay. This page, clockwise from top: Jamie Schoopachevich, Leeyat Amar & Melody Amar; Olivia, Zara & Demonte Shaw; Eric Butter & Susan Rich.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

Local Ocean Snapshot

Martin Z Mollusk

This page, clockwise from top: Ryan Dunn, Marigold Dunn, Scott Horner, Paul Gallagher & Paul Boardman; Ollie, Kelly, Clay & Poppy Hudak; Donna Oves, Grace Oves, Sara Clark & Lyla Clark.

Opposite page, clockwise from top: Nor’easter Nick & Brandon Panter; Brynn & Carter Flatley; Bob, Henry & Noreen Moore.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

Local Ocean Snapshot

Spring Block Party

This page, clockwise from top: Hannah, Travis & Hank Tomlin; Ashley, Mark, Marley & Mia Raider; Everly & Alison Watson. Opposite page, clockwise from top: Bella Baron, Colleen Quirk & Dawn Robinson; Brielle Mcdowell & Paloma Chevere; Colleen & Bob Snodgrass.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

125 Years of Lifeguards in Ocean City

BY FRED MILLER

THIS summer the Ocean City Beach Patrol will be celebrating the 125th anniversary of professional bather protection in America’s Greatest Family Resort.

The summer of 1898 was the busiest in the resort’s history and with the huge increase in ocean bathers came drownings and near drownings. City Council decided it was time to hire lifeguards.

A special meeting was held on August 3, 1898 and councilmen Harry Headley, R. B. Stites, Nicholas Corson, Hiram Steelman, Joseph F. Hand and Mark Lake voted to “appoint three lifeguards to patrol the surf to render assistance when it may be required.” Thus, Ocean City became the only the second municipality in New Jersey to pay for bather protection. The pay was to be $40 a month for working every day from 9am to 3pm.

The following day R. Curtis Robinson, editor of the Ocean City Sentinel, and longtime supporter of city paid lifeguards, reported the councilmen’s historic decision: “The sea will be robbed of its terror by the appointment of three lifeguards by city council last night. The peerless beach here has long been a temptation to bathers to indulge in reckless behavior in the surf, and while there have been marvelously few drownings since the foundation of the resort, yet a number of narrow escapes have occurred, through the imprudence of bathers who have gone to extremes in trifling with the waves. It was therefore decided last night to appoint lifeguards, whose duties should be as much of a police nature as otherwise, in order to prevent reckless conduct in the surf, and to rescue any who might be foolhardy enough to

disregard the warnings given them.

“The men appointed are Joseph P. Krauss, George W. Lee and William Scull. The first named will be captain of the force and will have authority to decide where each guard is to perform duty. The guards are by their appointment made conservators of the peace, with the functions of special policemen, and will have the power to arrest any fractious bather who persists in violating the warnings. Under the circumstances, it will be seen that the most inexperienced bathers need have no fear whatever as the entire bathing territory will be patrolled by experienced and efficient lifeguards, who will be on the constant lookout for imprudence and accidents.”

In 1910, Mayor Lewis Cresse named Krauss to fill the newly created position of superintendent of lifeboats, and appointed Alfred R. Smith as captain of the lifeguards. The two men guided the lifeguards until 1920. In the spring of 1920, Ocean City’s commissioners made two decisions that still influence the resort—they chose the motto America’s Greatest Family Resort, which is still used today, and appointed Jack G. Jernee as captain of the lifeguards.

Previously, the men who protected the bathers were called Ocean City Life Guards, and old photos show the men proudly wearing their uniforms lettered O.C.L.G. Captain Jernee changed the name to Ocean City Beach Patrol (OCBP).

Jernee used the experience he had gained in the U.S. Life Saving Service and the U.S. Coast Guard to build the patrol into one of the finest lifesaving squads in the country. He began testing applicants to determine their qualifications for the job, rather than simply

Top: Jack G Jernee was captain of the OC Lifeguards from 1920-1942.

Center: Jack Kelly (standing) and Joe Regan won the 1944 SJ doubles rowing race.

appointing them, and he mandated training for members of the beach patrol.

During Jernee’s tenure, which ended in 1942 when he joined the Navy, members of the Ocean City Beach Patrol received national attention for their lifesaving skills, their athletic prowess, and giant water shows in the Flanders Hotel swimming pools. The water shows featured comedy acts, high diving acts, swimming races that pitted the area’s fastest swimmers against the Ocean City lifeguards.

It was during the summer of 1927 that John B. Kelly began his association with the OCBP. Kelly was a gold medalist in the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games. Kelly and Jernee were friends until Kelly’s death in 1960. When money was tight in the 1930s, Kelly, a multi-millionaire, bought whatever the patrol needed.

His support of the local competitors paid off: the OCBP won almost every tournament they entered including the 1933, 1934 and 1935 National Lifeguard Championships.

In 1932, with Kelly’s support, Lifeguard Charles Kieffer won a gold medal rowing in the Olympic Games’ Pair with Coxswain event.

The OCBP received more national attention in 1941 when Lifeguard Archie Harris, competing for Indiana University, won the NCAA championship in the discus with a world record throw of 174 feet. While he was a student at Ocean City High School, Harris won the state championship in the discus, shot put and javelin throwing contests.

The summer of 1942, the first summer America was fighting in World War II, was a time of change for the Ocean City lifeguards. Captain Jernee left his beloved beach patrol to join the Navy, and Thomas A. Williams, a lifeguard since 1922, became the fourth captain.

Many of the lifeguards from the 1941 squad also joined the armed forces, leaving a lot of openings on the patrol. John B. Kelly’s son, Jack, was one of the rookie lifeguards on the 1942 beach patrol.

Jack Kelly quickly developed his rowing prowess. In 1943, he teamed with Sims Drain to win the OCBP doubles rowing championship. The following summer, rowing with Joe Regan, he repeated the feat.

After Kelly won the 1944 national schoolboy

competitions were held in 1924, 1925, 1926, 1936 and 1937. The Atlantic City Beach Patrol won the first two, Wildwood won the next two, and Ocean City won the 1937 title.

With John B. Kelly’s support, the Ocean City Beach Patrol hosted the sixth South Jersey Lifeguard Championship on September 1, 1944 on Tenth Street beach. The rough ocean and strong winds made the trip to the half-mile flag buoys very difficult for the 10 competing crews. A couple of lifeboats capsized on the way out.

Kelly and Regan had a difficult time getting through the surf and were the third boat to reach the half-way point. But they stepped up their stroke on the inward journey and forged to the front. They crossed the finish line at 11 minutes and 58 seconds, 17 seconds ahead of the Atlantic City crew of Tom Detweiler and Joe Broome Jr.

Jack Kelly Jr. was considered the fastest rower in the world after he won the Henley Regatta’s Diamond Sculls at Henley, England.

Jack’s sister, Grace, who became a movie star and princess, was often seen at lifeguard competitions in the 1940s.

Captain Williams retired in 1962, and George T. Lafferty became the fifth captain of the lifeguards. He had been an Ocean City

lifeguard in the late 1930s, but left for a career in the Navy.

During the Lafferty years, 1962 to 1983, the OCBP was the athletic power in South Jersey winning 15 South Jersey Lifeguard Championships.

In 1976, Lafferty hired the patrol’s first female lifeguard, Judy Leichner, after she scored high in the tryouts.

The year he retired, the OCBP yearbook was dedicated to Captain Lafferty: “He has worked tirelessly to ensure that the lifeguards he produced served the public with dedication, skill and professionalism.”

The Ocean City Beach Patrol’s tradition of excellence in bather protection has continued under the leadership of Oliver Muzslay, Alfred Bud McKinley, Thomas Mullineaux, Mark Jamieson, and Erich Becker.

Top Right: 2023 beach tag.

Above: The OCBP logo.

MEET THE MAKER ///

CONTEMPORARY ARTIST

Tim Smith

By Ava Saric

Growing up in nearby Northfield with a passion for baseball and the hobby of art itself, one thing was always consistent in the life of contemporary artist Tim Smith. He always had the ambition to improve. Attending college at Arcadia University and specializing in education, Tim’s path toward teaching seemed inevitable, but his love for art never faded.

Rounding his eighth year with the Upper Township School District, Tim began to acknowledge himself as a true artist with the potential of molding his talents into a career. Although uncertain of his future success, he decided to take a leap of faith and follow his forever dream of art full time.

“In 2015, I had an injury where my mobility was very limited,” Tim explained. “I needed an outlet and a space to keep working, so for the first time since high school, I began to draw.

“I felt like it had filled a void in me that I didn’t even know was there, where I could always be working toward something bigger than myself.”

Prior to this career change, Tim admitted that he never considered himself an “artist” and deemed his abilities a creative instinct.

“From an early age, creating was a part of my life,” he said. “I loved watching and learning from my brother and uncle, as they were always great artists. But to me, the idea of calling myself a professional was a little presumptuous.

“There were individuals who dedicated their lives to studying and practicing art, where I just created for enjoyment,” Tim continued. “Over time, I realized that I was always an artist, and as soon as I believed this, the world would too.”

With this mindset, Tim began revisiting his style in the form of black and white portraits, adding color where he could and learning the true depths of his talents. Suddenly, unique sketches of animals and athletes turned into large paintings of breathtaking landscapes, where Tim continuously worked to push the envelope of his artistry.

“I became obsessed once I started bringing more vibrant tones into my work,” he said. “When I create I move around a lot, because I want people to see the action and emotions

that go into it. How I make others feel with my art is really important to me.”

Enjoying everything he creates, there is no personal favorite, but simply appreciation for the pieces that present meaning and movement. More recently, Tim has loved incorporating aspects of life that he connects with most, such as beachscapes and ocean life. The shore has always been a special place for Tim, as he is currently devoting most of his work to displaying the beauty of this experience.

Aside from the inspiration of art itself, Tim finds motivation in knowing that there will always be room for improvement.

“I continuously aim to better myself, personally and professionally, and art gives me the platform to do so,” he reflected. “With that, being able to create something that will have an impact long after I am gone has always been something that keeps me excited about what I do.

“I want my work to touch the hearts of as many people as possible.”

Tim is determined to take his dream to the next level, with hopes to display his artwork at additional galleries, restaurants and shows. But no matter how successful he becomes, his roots will always run deep. To make sure, Tim currently offers art lessons at his studio in Upper Township with students from kindergarten through high school, where he shares his knowledge, passion and love for art.

As Tim is extremely proud of how his company continues to grow, he acknowledges that this success did not come without risk.

“When making my decision to leave teaching,” Tim explained, “I knew that providing for my family would look a little different. But I wanted to show my children that you should never do something for a paycheck and always do what makes you happy.

“Art has opened a whole new world of opportunities for me,” Tim continued, “and I could not be more excited to see what’s next.”

To learn more about Tim Smith and take a peek at his artwork, check out his socials below, where you can keep tabs on his upcoming events, merchandise and more.

Instagram: @timsmithart

Facebook: @theartworkoftimsmith

Tik Tok: @timsmithart

Website: www.theartworkoftimsmith.com.

Challenge is a part of life, change is inevitable and the fear of the unknown can be daunting – but it is in these moments where we find our power.

6. Sweat Sesh A comfy sweatshirt is essential to summer at the shore. Word.

5. Fresh Pow Pow Bath people - this brulee powder milk soap is low key what's up.

4. The GOAT In an ironic twist... goats kinda do make GOAT body products.

3. Clean Scene Calm your skin down with the soothing suds of dead sea mud soap. Say that in an Al Green voice - it works better.

7. You're Flagged Make this cross stitch pattern and you'll have an heirloom souvenir of your OC summer.

Artisan Body Products, 920 Asbury

2. Flock It Birds can be both soothing and terrifying. As for this oversize bag, it's dope.

1. Chime In Your porch wants this. Barefoot Trading Co, 1070 Boardwalk

JiLLy's, 1048 Boardwalk Scrim Discovery, 924 Haven

by Stef Godfrey

JUNE MUST HAVES

2. Misty Morning I just wanted a reason to say "apothecary." Also the candle smells fab.

Interiors by Joann, 743 Asbury

3. Catch Fire You don't display your matches in an apothecary jar? Start here.

1. Be Artsy Art is everything or everything is art. It's one of those. Or both.

Art on Asbury, 711 Asbury

4. Reading Rainbow I judged all these books by their covers. Thumbs up all around.

Sun Rose Words and Music, 756 Asbury

1. Bead Time Don't wake the baby. Seriously, don't.

You need this teether for the photos alone. Baby soothed is a bonus.

ASBURY AVE. 6-14TH • OVER 100 SHOPS & CAFÉS JUNE MUST HAVES

3. In Stitches Cross stitching is the new knitting. That's oddly hard to say.

Bowfish Kids, 956 Asbury Scrim Discovery, 924 Haven Cap Swag, 1128 Boardwalk

EVENTS ON ASBURY

Whether you’re planning a girls’ weekend, a weeklong family vacation, or a romantic getaway, there’s a reason every season to visit Downtown Ocean City, New Jersey.

FUNTASTIC TUESDAYS

Free Entertainment • 10am - 1pm

Every Tuesday from July 11 to August 29 Downtown, 6th-11th on Asbury Ave

FARMERS MARKET

New Jersey fresh produce & local crafters • 8am - 1pm

Every Wednesday from June 21 to September 13 Tabernacle, 6th & Asbury Ave

MARKET DAYS

Free entertainment • 10am - 1pm

Every Thursday in July & August Downtown, 6th-11th on Asbury Ave

UNIQUE BOUTIQUES EXCEPTIONAL EATERIES DISTINCTIVE CRAFTS

DOWNLOAD THE NEW OCEAN CITY VACATION MOBILE APP

4. Hey Youse Guys

Youse wanna bet on that? Slide this soft tee on and show your Philly pride.

2. Soothe Moves

1 2 3 4

Shopping OC Store Guide

DOWNTOWN

Art On Asbury The gallery offers work from over 50 local artists in watercolor, oil, acrylic, mixed media, photography, pottery, textiles, and sculptures. Original art, giclees, and prints are available for sale. 711 Asbury, 8140308.

Artisan Body Products Organic, vegan, and gluten free soaps. Bathroom accessories, mens soaps and shaving needs, lotions and scrubs, gifts. 920 Asbury, 398-5661.

Bowfish Kids Posh children's seaside boutique. Organic cotton baby clothes, everyday staples for boys and girls, and superfun dress up clothes for your mini. 956 Asbury, 938-1901.

Capella's Oil & Vinegar Tasting room with oils and vinegars, curated home goods, specialty foods. 1123 Asbury, 609-568-6659.

Downtown Ocean City 100+ distinctive shops, cafes, galleries, spas, and salons, Downtown Ocean City is home to the best in shopping, dining, culture, and relaxation. From 6th to 14th Streets on Asbury, 800-BEACH-NJ.

Kay Jay's Doll Shoppe Your at the shore toy store. An Ocean City destination since 1985. 737 Asbury, 399-5632.

Primitive Beach Locally-sourced coastal merchandise with soulful vibes. Be unapologetically you. 601 E. 9th, primitivebeachboutique.com.

Salty Seahorse Original art, jewelry, candles, pottery, and more. 714 Asbury, 609-938-9173, www.saltyseahorse. com.

She'z the Boss Apparel, accessories, and more. Getting to chat with owner Jackie is part of the fun. Tell her we said hi. 709 Asbury, 609-226-4880.

Thank you to all the businesses below who support Ocean City Magazine and the Ocean City Guidebook. Please visit them and tell them we sent you!

Shop Local Featuring over 20 local artists. Candles, keychains, jewelry, wall art, and more. 620A Asbury.

Sneaker Shop Janet and Maureen know their stuff. Specializing in running footwear and apparel. They strive for the perfect fit. 704 Asbury, 391-5223.

Stainton's Gallery of Shops Featuring gifts, clothes, jewelry and more. 810 Asbury, 545-8681; 1216 Boardwalk, new location.

BOARDWALK

Jilly’s T-Shirt Factory Get your Phillies at Jilly’s and lots more. 762, 936 and 1048 Boardwalk, 385-1234.

LEH Soap Using the best ingredients nature offers to make their small batch skincare. Also carrying an array of specialty bath and body products including Naked Bee, Farmhouse Fresh, Mistral, and more. 1312 Boardwalk. 937 Asbury, open year round.

Surf Mall The indoor shopping mall is filled with everything from novelty t-shirts to incense, sunglasses, an oxygen bar, beach essentials, games, trendy toys, surf gear, tie dye, jewelry, kids gear, posters, tapestries, and so much more. 1154 Boardwalk, 3981533.

Fudge Kitchen Candy that melts in your mouth. Huge selection of handwhipped creamy fudge, sugar-free selection, salt water taffy, choc-covered pretzels, wedding favors, corporate gifts. Open everyday, year round. 800 Boardwalk, 398-7457.

Marty's Sportswear Apparel, jewelry, art, home goods, shoes, and accessories. 1262 Boardwalk, 398-1961.

Payton Jewelry Handmade jewelry, apothecary line, handpicked accessories. 952 Boardwalk, 938-1276.

Shriver’s Salt Water Taffy & Fudge Shop the largest selection of candy in Ocean City while watching production of their fabulous sweets. Ships anywhere in the US. 9th and Boardwalk, 399-0100.

BAY/WEST AVENUE & SIDE STREETS

Scrim Discovery Varied and abundant supply of hand-painted needlepoint canvases by more than 60 artists. The 1,900 square foot store houses a top notch inventory and many needlework accessories. Creative finishing services. 924 Haven, 398-6659.

Shoemaker Lumber For all of your summer outdoor needs. From Beach Chairs, Deck Chairs, Trash Corrals to Weber Grills, they are in stock with free local delivery. 1200 West, 3990150, www.shoemakerlumber.com.

Heritage Surf and Sport Surf lessons, camp, and women's surf club. Apparel and footwear for the entire family. Accessories and gear for the surf and sand. Fully stocked boardroom with accessories. 740 West, 398-6390 & 14th & Boardwalk, 391-SURF.

ON THE WAY TO OC

Yes She Can Bras, bra-sized swim, sleepwear, lingerie, shapewear, workout clothing. Professional bra fittings too. 50 Tuckahoe Road, 478-3266.

DTM Power Sports Street legals, motorcycles, side by sides, ATVs, Jetskis. Two locations. Newfield, NJ and 551 Roosevelt (All Seasons Marina), Marmora.856-712-0099, www.dtmpowersports.com.

TRENDS

WORKING OUT

THERE’S something for everybody on this barrier island, which is part of what makes Ocean City one of the greatest places in the state.

It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about pizza places or ice cream parlors, T-shirt shops or novelty stores –Ocean City is a smorgasbord come to life where one can pick or choose their favorite things to create their own perfect beachside experience.

Ocean City’s gyms and fitness centers are no exception. Exercise has become an especially growing trend over the past few years. (Getting healthier to improve immune health during a pandemic? Yes, please.) And lucky for Ocean City Magazine readers, the island is ripe with gyms, studios, and outdoor fitness classes to choose from.

Even though summer is fast approaching (it officially arrives on June 21, or a week earlier if you’re going by the Martin Z. Mollusk timetable), there is still time to find a workout program that fits your wants and needs.

If you’re self-motivated, there are plenty of ways to stretch those muscles and get your heart pumping, from running on the Boardwalk to lunging on the beach. Of course, self motivation (especially when you’re in a beach mindset) is not always easy to muster.

For those who need a bit more structure, perhaps a brick and mortar location such as Local Gym and Fitness at 908 Asbury

GYMSANITY

Gyms and studios are plentiful throughout Ocean City like Local Gym, pictured left, and Diamond Barre Fitness, right.

Avenue would be more your speed. Business partners Mark Impagliazzo and Fritz Hastings -- who own the gym with Patrick Carr and Russell Snow -- have been in the fitness industry since 1990 and can answer just about any question one could have when it comes to working out and getting in shape. Mark, a now-retired physical education teacher and football coach, founded his first gym with good intentions: to provide his students with a proper place to workout since his school’s weight room was sized inadequately.

“Ever since I got into coaching this is what I wanted to do –help the kids,” Mark said.

Of course, Mark prides himself on providing a safe space for people of all ages to work out.

“We have a tremendous mix of males and females,” Mark said. “We have seniors that come in, too. Everyone respects each other, everyone is friendly. It really is a family atmosphere.”

Local Gym and Fitness boasts a 4,000 square foot facility divvied up into a front section with 25 pieces of cardio equipment, a matted mezzanine area with light dumbbells, and a traditional area with isolation machines and free weights. And a fun bonus are the 12-foot-tall sliding glass doors that bring in a sweet sea breeze when the weather is right. Out back, a large garage door leads to the back alley for outdoor workouts. Memberships come as short as day passes but can go as long as three months.

Of course, for those not so sure a traditional gym is their cup of

By Anthony J.

Exercise is always on trend, and summertime in Ocean City doesn’t mean having to skip your workout

Mazziotti III

tea, maybe a place such as Diamond Barre Fitness on the second floor of 750 Asbury Avenue can quench their thirst.

The studio was founded in 2017 by Holly Wentz, a dance major and 10year barre instructor. Barre, for those who aren’t familiar, is a dance-based fitness technique that combines yoga, pilates and ballet into a low impact workout.

“The whole thing is set to music,” Holly explained. “You’re going to work each muscle group and stretch after class. You don’t need any dance experience, we’re beginner friendly and it’s easy on the joints because it is low impact.”

Diamond Barre offers a variety of classes ranging from 45 minutes to an hour in length. Class sizes in the studio are capped at 16, but numbers grow to 25 for the studio’s beach classes on 24th Street. Men and women of all ages take part, according to Holly, and some long distance runners and crossfitters come in to rehab their joints when they might be overworked, too.

“It’s easy on the body. That’s what’s great about barre and pilates,” she said. “There’s something for everyone.”

Much like Local Gym and Fitness, Diamond Barre offers memberships as short as a day and up to two months. Traditional workout attire is perfect, and the only requirement is grip socks, which the studio sells.

“Come in! We’re a super welcoming space,” Holly said. “It can be intimidating walking into a studio. We’re really big on making everyone feel welcome. Even if you’ve never worked out, we can help you through that.”

After all, when it comes to working out, what matters most is finding an environment that fits your needs and instructors that are passionate –

especially considering the benefits working out has to offer, whether it’s followed by an afternoon at the beach or a day in the office.

“It’s adopting a lifestyle,” Mark said. “For me, I’ve taken on kids that have never walked into a gym before and I know I had an impact on their life. That’s truly gratifying. I don’t do it for the money. I know what it did to me when I was young. I want to pay it forward.”

To take a deeper dive into OceanFirst’s efforts and the foundation, visit www.oceanfirst.com

OCEANFIRST shop talk

PROVIDES

“AFTER 32 years in banking,” Jeffrey Ropiecki said, “I have chosen to spend the past 10 years here at OceanFirst Bank because of their unwavering dedication to the community.”

Jeff – the vice president and relationship manager of OceanFirst Bank’s South Jersey region – first came to know the bank through a merger at his previous employer. With numerous locations throughout the state, OceanFirst has acquired alternate businesses through these types of mergers and acquisitions.

Learning firsthand of OceanFirst’s motivating leadership, investment in their employees, and efforts to provide the necessary amount of education, training and tools for a job well done, it was a no brainer for Jeff to make OceanFirst Bank his permanent home.

Initially established in 1902 by 18 local business people with the primary focus on mortgages and savings, the development of OceanFirst Bank has been nothing less than extraordinary. It has been an upward trajectory and expansive growth.

Giving back to the community is important to OceanFirst Bank. They are the first bank to create a foundation as a part of its own initial public offering (IPO). Shifting from being accountable for only their depositors to a publicly traded company was just the beginning of OceanFirst Bank’s efforts toward giving back. It was imperative that they gained approval from these depositors, regulators and the FCC. This process was new territory for everyone involved, but these steps have proved

to be an essential part of the business and foundation’s success.

“We were fortunate enough to get those approvals,” Jill Apito Hewitt, senior vice president and director of corporate communications and marketing, said. “We carved out a percentage of our IPO and made that a onetime donation to establish the OceanFirst Foundation.

“OceanFirst Foundation was created with $13.1 million worth of stock, which is 100 percent invested in OceanFirst stock, rather than alternate companies,” Jill continued. “Although they are completely separate entities, the success of OceanFirst Bank drives the ability of OceanFirst Foundation to give back to the communities.”

Thankfully, with continuous success for both, the foundation has grown into the powerful and communityfocused organization it was initially created to be. Every year, OceanFirst Foundation gives $1.8 million to local nonprofits. Since 1996, $45 million has been raised.

As there is always an ongoing effort to help the community around them, OceanFirst Bank encourages their “WaveMakers” employees to volunteer whenever they can. Closing the office for their annual CommUNITYFirst Day in 2022, 750 employees across five different states spent the day supporting local nonprofits in a variety of different ways. With excitement and true appreciation, OceanFirst is already looking forward to this year’s event, hoping to increase numbers and leave an even bigger imprint.

At his first CommUNITYFirst Day, Jeff remembers having the opportunity to volunteer for an organization

OCEANFIRST BANK AND ITS PARTNER FOUNDATION

NOT ONLY FOR THE COMMUNITY’S FINANCIAL NEEDS, BUT FOR THE NEEDS OF ITS HEART, TOO

that is near and dear to his heart – and his son’s.

“My family and I have always supported Hearts Therapeutic Riding Center,” Jeff explained, “but I had the opportunity through OceanFirst to go out with some of my coworkers at the Linwood Regional Office and create an obstacle course for clients to ride the horses through. I will forever be thankful to be a part of a corporation that offers such incredible opportunities.”

Outside of this day of community love, OceanFirst Bank is always aiming to broaden the horizons of volunteer work. With a volunteer database full of opportunities for their employees, OceanFirst even implemented Volunteer Time Off (VTO) throughout the organization to emphasize a priority on the community.

The work toward improvement does not stop there, as OceanFirst places significant value on diversity, equity and inclusion within its workforce, too. Chairing the bank’s Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) Committee, Jill touches on the numerous programs and achievements in the area.

“As inflation was starting to get a little crazy last year, our focus on our employees remained. All of our workers received additional support,” she said. “Individuals making under $100,000, there was a five percent increase to their salaries, and those making above obtained a one-time payment of $1,000.

OceanFirst Bank has made strides to evolve and as the world of technology advances, they work to follow.

“Banking is a relatively simple business. We take money in the form of deposits and push it out in the form of loans, but understanding this flow of money and the current needs of the market is essential," Jeff said. "Serving the consumers in the businesses, having an understanding of this and being able to respond in such a way is imperative for our success.”

Text by By Ava Saric

Birds of a Feather.

It’s not easy to be a beach nesting bird in New Jersey, but thanks to the state’s department of environmental protection, our feathered friends get a lot of help

Text by By Kristen Dowd Photos by Susan Allen

EACH March, after spending the winter soaking up the warmth of tropical Bahamian air, piping plovers start to appear on the beaches and barrier islands that make up the New Jersey coastline.

These small, sand-colored shorebirds can be spotted from Sea Bright to Cape May, and their first order of business after this approximate 1,000-mile journey is not to relax, but to prepare for nesting.

“Males arrive first, and then females arrive a week or two after,” Emily Heiser explained. “Males set up the territories and, once they successfully attract a female, mid- to lateApril is when they really start nesting.”

As a full time assistant biologist with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife, Emily has been working with the state’s beach nesting bird project since she started seasonally with the department in 2008. The project monitors and helps protect the federally threatened and state endangered piping plovers – along with black skimmers, American oystercatchers, least terns, common terns and royal terns –that maintain nesting sites on state, county and municipal property.

Monitoring the nesting sites is no simple task. After all, in considering piping plovers alone, there were 118 pairs that nested in New Jersey last year, including 10 in Ocean City, nine in Corson’s Inlet State Park, three in Strathmere and three in the Malibu Beach Wildlife Management Area over the Longport Bridge. Of course, compared with managing and protecting these nesting sites from intrusive humans, curious pets and varied predators, monitoring may very

well be the easier part of the job.

“These birds are in an environment that is so dramatically changed from what it used to look like that it’s difficult to imagine that we’ll get to a place where we’ll say we did our job,” Christina “Kashi” Davis, who has been the state DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife principal zoologist for nearly two decades, said.

“We don’t really think of it as their recovery,” she continued. “They are always going to need some human intervention to help them persist.”

Nesting sites.

This human intervention, according to Kashi and Emily, includes symbolic fencing (which is fencing constructed of string connecting PVC pipe or steel posts) with signage.

“It’s delineating that here is the area where nests can be. Please don’t go in there,” Kashi said.

In some cases, the NJDEP team also uses protective enclosures, which have both benefits and detriments for these little feathered friends. Constructed of metal fencing that permits parents to freely go in and out, the enclosures also have netting on top to keep predators at bay.

“It does totally take away any camouflage they have. We think long and hard before we use an enclosure,” Kashi said. “By and large, they still increase hatch success.”

Piping plovers, along with American oystercatchers, are considered territorial nesters. In other words, they want to nest solo, and this means a fenced-off partition on the beach may only be protecting a single nest. This can cause a bit of confusion for beachgoers, especially if they have seen areas roped off for the other beach birds the NJDEP

monitors. These birds are colonial – or group – nesters, so it is much easier to see why an area is protected from traipsing feet.

“We’re really cognizant of not having fence up that’s not necessary,” Kashi stressed.

On top of that, piping plover nests are camouflaged so well that even eagle-eyed onlookers may not be able to spot one. They are not what one typically envisions when thinking of a bird’s nest; there is no circular structure built with twigs and dry grass.

“They’re beach nesting birds because they lay their eggs directly in the sand. When we talk about nest building with beach nesting birds, it’s really about a depression in the sand,” Emily explained, adding sometimes these depressions can be lined with pieces of seashells but are often nondescript – much like the eggs themselves.

“The eggs are cryptic, and they look very much like sand,” Emily said. “That’s why we’re so worried about human disturbance and why we rope these areas off. These eggs are very difficult to see.”

A piping plover clutch includes four eggs once a season, although if they lose a nest, they may lay a second cycle. Nests can be found anywhere from the high tide line to the toe of the dune.

“And hopefully it’s somewhere in a sweet spot in the middle, where it’s not too flood-prone and not where mammalian predators find them,” Kashi said.

It takes 27 to 28 days for a clutch to hatch, and once they do, the baby birds are up and going right away. They leave the nest and don’t return, although parents do help them out at first.

The NJDEP’s goal is to see one and a half chicks survive per brood. However, over the last two years, the piping plover statewide productivity rate was only 0.85 fledglings per pair.

“They’re doing okay,” Emily said, “but we’re not hitting that goal.”

Outreach and education.

Kashi and Emily are joined by six seasonal workers in the monitoring and management of New Jersey’s beach nesting birds along more than 100 miles of shoreline. That’s a lot of work for a team of eight, which is why the group is dependent on – and incredibly thankful for – dedicated volunteers up and down the coast.

Some volunteers reach out to the department directly to find out how they can help. Others are inspired when they run into Kashi, Emily or another member of the team out on the sand, who are all happy to take onlookers under their wing to share a bit of beach birding insight.

“We want everybody to get the message and understand,” Kashi said. “A sign just can’t provide that.”

The team is also thankful for the landowners, state park workers and municipalities that support their mission.

“There have been a lot of people along the way who have helped shepherd and steward these birds to where they are now,” Emily added.

Despite the efforts, the piping plover numbers are a bit of a “roller coaster,” according to Kashi. This bird’s survival is more difficult than that of colonial nesters, which have strength in numbers.

Dangers lurk everywhere, including the threat of a literal fox in the henhouse – or piping plover house, as it were. There are also coyotes, opossums, skunks, minks and even feral cats that pose threats. Ghost crabs go after the baby chicks.

Even a perfectly obedient, leashed dog can cause major problems for a piping plover, who perceives this dog as a threat and spends time trying to distract the animal from its brood, which are then left open to actual predators. Dangers come by sky, too, with laughing gulls, fish crows, peregrine falcons and great horned owls hunting eggs, chicks and even adult piping plovers.

“We always say if something can eat a piping plover egg or chick, they eat a piping plover egg or chick,” Kashi said. Add to this human disturbance, flooding, storms and the rising sea levels, and the piping plover’s plight is anything but easy.

“We have to temper our expectations on what these birds are able to accomplish. The system is so different from what they evolved to live in,” Kashi said.

“We wished they were doing better,” she admitted, “but we’re very proud of the work we’re doing. If we weren’t doing what we’re doing, piping plovers would have blinked off the map in a lot of places.”

Emily agreed with this sentiment.

“It’s also hard to look at the beach as a natural system,” she added. “These are spaces where wildlife lives and are trying to raise their families, so it’s important to remember that.”

To see more of Sue Allen's photos - follow her at @What.Sue.Seas on Instagram.

Taking Center Taking Center Taking Center

From ‘Wizard of Oz’ to Broadway Babies, nonprofit Ocean City Theatre Co. packs its 2023 season with theatrical opportunities for all ages in hopes to boost support

Written by Kristen Dowd. Photos courtesy of Ocean City Theatre Company.

Stage Stage Stage

THE Greater Ocean City Theatre Company has set the stage for its comeback. Now the nonprofit just needs the community to remember the show must go on.

“This is in many ways a make-or-break summer for us,” Michael Hartman, OCTC artistic director, said. “If we don’t get to the level we were pre-pandemic, we will be forced to make some pretty drastic changes to our programming and the structure of our nonprofit.”

Michael founded the company in 2007 to provide professional and educational theater opportunities to this barrier island community and beyond. The group’s robust slate of 2023 productions and programming is proof that this mission has blossomed, despite when the worst kind of showstopper showed up in COVID-19 three years ago.

“The pandemic really has impacted live theater and music,” Michael said, “and we still have yet to experience a ‘normal’ summer since 2019.”

In addition to a loss of revenue in ticket sales and camp registrations, the OCTC took a hit with donations and corporate sponsorships, too. The nonprofit is always looking to increase its giving, and donations can be made right on the website at oceancitytheatrecompany.com/get-involved/onlinedonation. Sponsorship information is on the website as well.

While the group is appreciative of the support it receives from the city, the association has been a bit of a detriment in terms of donations.

“People assume we are funded by the city, and we’re not. We are our own nonprofit,” Michael stressed. While giving going into the summer was down, camp registration and ticket sales looked promising. And with an extensive schedule of theatrical entertainment all summer long, the OCTC team is optimistic.

One past Ocean City Theatre Company Broadway production brought doo-wop to the stage in Sh-Boom! Life Could Be a Dream.

The OCTC Jr. Company brought the wacky and wonderful world of SpongeBob Squarepants and friends to life last summer with The Spongebob Musical.

Back to Broadway

OCTC will come full circle with its impressive Broadway series this summer. The Wizard of Oz was the first professional show to hit the OCTC stage 16 years ago, and 2023 marks the first time the nonprofit brings back one of its Broadway hits.

“We’re really excited. We’re teaming up with the Ocean City Pops for the production,” Michael said.

The Wizard of Oz will be held at the Hughes Performing Arts Center at Ocean City High School with show times at 7:30pm on August 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 and 11. Matinees are at 2pm on August 3 and 10.

The show features a cast of professional performers who auditioned in New York City. ZFX Flying Effects will send Glinda the Good Witch skyward in her bubble, not to mention adding a bit of airborne magic to the flying monkeys, too.

“It’s all the excitement that goes into a fully-staged Broadway musical, complete with a full piece orchestra provided by the Pops, at a major fraction of the cost of a Broadway show – right here in Ocean City,” Michael said.

Tickets are only $30 for general admission and $25 for senior citizens and children 12 years old and younger.

“When we did The Wizard of Oz 16 years ago, we sold out the run,” Michael said. “That’s a pretty high bar to do that again, but we’d love to see that happen.”

Children’s Series

A perfect beach day afternoon can kick off with the OCTC Children’s Series this summer when it returns to the Ocean City Music Pier. After taking in a Tuesday morning 10:30am live, professional theater production, families can then more or less walk out the door to the beach.

The 2023 schedule includes Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat on July 11, Red Riding Hood’s Woods on July 18, Pinocchio on July 25 and Rapunzel on August 1. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

“The series is performed by musical theater professionals and people in the industry who are in college,” Michael explained. “The shows are for children and families. It’s meant to be an affordable, low-cost way for families to experience theater.

“Often it’s a child’s first introduction to theater, which is very special for us,” Michael continued. “It’s also a chance for us to incorporate education, literature and creativity in the summer season when kids, in their minds, are off from school.”

Broadway classics appeal to generations, including this past performance of The Sound of Music.

The next generation of performers

Education is a huge component of OCTC, evident in its theater camps, classes and lessons taught by industry professionals.

“We also, through our education, really want to be inclusive and tackle theater and performing arts so that it is a journey, so that students are always learning and always growing,” Michael said. “It’s important that every phase of their journey through theater, music, dance – they’re engaged and growing. That’s why we start our programming at the youngest of young all the way up through adults.”

More than 300 kids come through the OCTC educational programs in a given year. This summer features all of the typical camps, as well as some new offerings.

The Stars program is geared toward teenagers and adults with physical, cognitive or intellectual disabilities. The six-week $60 program – which can also be attended individually for $10 per class –gives attendees the chance to build theater skills and socialize. A showcase for family and friends caps off the program.

OCTC incorporates music and theater into the tiniest of fans with its new Broadway Babies program, which is for children from age eight weeks through three years (and their grown-ups, of course). Babies interested can have their adults sign up for one class or all six, which run on Saturday mornings from 9 to 10am, June 24 through July 29. Cost is $18 per class or $108 for the series. Babies will move and groove to Broadway hits with the help of props and musical instruments.

Young professionals

The OCTC Jr. Company is unique in that it gives students an opportunity to experience what it’s like to be part of a professional company, from auditions to rehearsals, while still, of course, having fun. The Jr. Company will perform two musicals this summer at the Ocean City Music Pier.

“We try to replicate what it’s like doing a professional show as best we can with student performers,” Michael explained, “with expectations and a different level of standards.”

OCTC is one of the first to get to perform Mean Girls on stage. The show features students entering ninth through 12th grades and is at 7:30pm on July 21 and 22. Legally Blonde The Musical Jr. will highlight the talents of rising fifth- through eighth-graders at 7:30pm on August 25 and 26. Tickets are $15.

The OCTC Jr. Company auditions and rehearses as a professional theater company for its summer shows. Last year’s included Shrek The Musical Jr.

An identity – and future – of its own

“Theater, from an audience perspective, is an opportunity for people to walk in and sit shoulder-to-shoulder with someone you don’t know and have a shared experience,” Michael said. “Theater really can be a center point of a community.”

To that end, the goal of OCTC is to appeal to everyone in the community. The company works with the city and Ocean City Pops in assessing what will be a good fit and sell tickets.

According to Michael, as the premier theater company in “America’s Greatest Family Resort,” it’s also important to appeal to the families of the community – which doesn’t necessarily mean a mom-dad-kid dynamic.

“I like to challenge the thinking of what a family is,” Michael said, explaining that this could be parents or grandparents, chosen family members, neighbors and beyond. “We want to offer a program that appeals to all of the different types of families that either live or visit the Ocean City area.”

Robust ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and generous donations will make a world of difference to OCTC in 2023. The nonprofit’s new digital box office – accessible at oceancitytheatrecompany.com – curbs added fees and gives the opportunity for a total cost to be “rounded up” to the next nearest dollar as a donation. Additionally, patrons can further donate when they buy their tickets.

“Over time,” Michael said, “those small donations will make a huge impact on our little operation.”

Nonprofit Ocean City Fine Arts League provides a home for every artist, artistic opportunities for the community and a gallery that regularly rotates exhibits

By Chelsea Valcourt

FORMED

IN

2002 BY James F. Penland

Art on Asbury

and

Joe Kardonne,

the Ocean City Fine Arts League fosters creativity and artistic expression within its community. The nonprofit is a co-op of volunteers and offers a host of activities, shows and artistic support.

“We’re a good gallery for emerging artists and we also have a lot of established professional artists,” OCFAL president Rae Jaffe said.

“We don’t care what background you’re from,” she continued. “We have a lot of people that, when they retire, they get interested in art. Some are taking classes and then they want to share their work. We’re welcoming to everybody who is interested.”

Although the COVID-19 pandemic forced many of the nonprofit’s outreach programs into an indefinite hiatus, in the past OCFAL has been able to offer art-centric programming to artists of all ages, including movie nights at the Ocean City Free Public Library with film discussions and drawing events with live models. One program that will definitely be starting back up, according to Rae, is the Thursday morning Kids Create summer class. Young artists are invited into the gallery space and provided with art supplies to express their creativity through drawing. The overall purpose of this program is to encourage artists and get them familiar with and comfortable in artistic spaces.

“The arts affect everything in your life. From the clothes you wear to the house you live in to the cereal box you open in the morning. … Art is an integral part of everybody’s daily life,” Rae said. “People just don’t necessarily think about it that way.”

In addition to offering local art opportunities, OCFAL also maintains a downtown gallery storefront on Asbury Avenue. Art on Asbury is a narrow art space between 7th and 8th streets, where OCFAL members can display and sell their artwork. Art in the space ranges from pottery to watercolor and acrylic paintings to wooden structures and more.

Participating artists pay a $35 yearly fee for a biography and 10 images to be posted onto the OCFAL website. They are able to volunteer at the gallery or opt into a $35 monthly fee to rent wall and/or rack space to present and sell their artwork. Additionally, the annual fee affords artists a discounted entry fee into the nonprofit’s monthly themed shows.

The upcoming show schedule features a flower theme in June; “Summertime: Iconic Ocean City’’ in July and August; “Critters: All Things Great & Small’’ in September; “Nostalgia” in October; “Anything Goes” in November; and a “Petite Show’’ in December. The entry fees for these shows are then dispersed back to the artists in the form of prizes.

“It’s rewarding seeing how happy people are when they get their work on the wall at a show,” Rae said. “They don’t even have to win a prize to be excited about it.”

The space also serves as a meeting ground for artists. During soon-returning gallery opening events, artists from the co-op have a chance to meet and talk with other creatives. It strengthens the local artist community and allows for further personal expression, according to Rae. These opening night events take place at 7:30pm on the second Friday of each month and run parallel to the Ocean City Arts Center’s exhibit receptions. In addition to the work displayed in the gallery by contributing artists, the OCFAL manages a small collection of artwork created by its late

co-founder Joe Kardonne. Joe got his start in the art world through murals and commercial art and, after traveling the world and creating art, he retired in Ocean City and set up his own studio at 500 Bay Avenue. He passed away in 2005 with two paintings still drying in that studio. The Art on Asbury gallery displays a rotating exhibit of his work and the full, extensive collection can be viewed and pieces purchased upon request.

The gallery is open year round, seven days a week from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and 10am to 3pm on Sundays. Public admission is free and visitors are encouraged to support these artists by purchasing artwork they enjoy.

“We encourage people to come because we have a different show every month and people change the work on their walls,” Rae said. “So any time you come in, even if it’s one week from the time you’ve been in there, you could see new work.”

A COTTAGE on the rocky shoreline, with knotty pine floorboards and windows that are nearly always open. The smell of evergreens and brine wafting in on the breeze, and white linen drapes lifting in a lazy dance.

WHEN we were young, the idea of death was so far away, we used to dream up ways we could haunt each other. It became a game. We dealt with it playfully over gigantic hot chocolates, boxed yellow cake, or in front of vanity mirrors.

THAT summer, the summer of ‘77, everything had edges. Our laughter, the sideways glances we gave and got. Even the air was blade-sharp. I figured it was because we were growing up.

Thank you to all the businesses below who support Ocean City Magazine and the Ocean City Guidebook. Please visit them and tell them we sent you!

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WITH LAUREN DECKARD

By Lauren Deckard, LMT, NASM-CPT Owner of Peak Mobility

5 PREGNANCY-SAFE STRETCHES TO KEEP YOU MOVING WELL

Before sciatica comes knocking and potential intermittent heartburn takes hold, it’s so important to stay as active as you can during pregnancy to maintain good physical and mental health. Stretching is a great way to keep your body limber and relieve some aches and pains you may experience, especially toward that final trimester. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the hormone Relaxin increases during pregnancy which can create room for overstretching. Be sure to listen to your body, move slowly, and do not push yourself too far. Here are five great stretches that are safe for pregnancy. Please consult your doctor before beginning any exercise or stretch routine.

1. Pelvic Tilt Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, preferably with a squishy yoga ball between your knees if you have one. Gently tilt your pelvis forward, pressing your lower back into the floor. Hold for a few seconds, then release. This stretch can help relieve lower back pain. Only repeat 5-10 times as lying on your back is not recommended the further along you are into pregnancy.

2. Seated Forward Bend

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Reach your arms forward and fold your torso over your legs, keeping your back straight. Hold for a few seconds, then release. This will get trickier as your belly grows, but you can do it, mama! This stretch can help relieve tension in your lower back and hamstrings.

3. Cat-Cow Stretch

On comfortable flooring, start in a quadruped position with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. On an exhale, slowly pull your navel toward your baby as you gently round your spine - dropping your head and tucking your tailbone under (cat pose). On the inhale, gently release and lift your head toward the sky as you add a small arch to your back (cow pose) - don’t push yourself on the extension! This stretch can help relieve tension in your spine. Repeat 5-10 times as comfort allows.

4. Shoulder Stretch

Our changing posture tends to tighten our pecs. In a door frame, bend each arm at 90 degrees and place on either side of the frame. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keeping your arms stationary, gently push your body through the door frame until you feel a solid stretch. This stretch can help relieve tension in your shoulders, pecs, and upper back. Hold for 15 seconds, break, and repeat 5-10x.

5. Hip Flexor Stretch

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and take a big step forward with your right foot. Bend your right knee and lower your left knee to the floor. Keep your torso upright and gently push your hips forward. Hold for a few seconds, then release. Repeat on the other side. Repeat 5-10 times each side. This stretch can help relieve tension in your hip flexors.

Remember to listen to your body and stop any stretch if you experience discomfort or pain. If you’re having additional day-to-day discomfort, try to find a local pelvic floor physical therapist that you trust, as well as a chiropractor who specializes in the Webster Technique (this will give you much more relief than a regular chiropractor). As someone who at one point couldn’t put her own pants on without pain, I swear by both and have gone to them regularly.

Reclaim Independence in Senior Living

Assisted Living at United Methodist Communities at The Shores provides assistance with activities of daily living so that you or your loved one can reclaim independence. In a secure environment, our residents feel empowered to rediscover their interests and confidently do more of the things they’ve always wanted to do.

To learn more about Assisted Living at United Methodist Communities at The Shores, visit TheShores.UMCommunities.org.

2201 Bay Avenue, Ocean City, NJ 08226 TheShores.UMCommunities.org

609-473-1958

Residential Living | Assisted Living | Rehabilitation | Tapestries® Memory Care Respite | Bridges℠ Hospice and Palliative Care | Long Term Care | Transitions

OC Services Directory

PLACES TO STAY

Atlantis Inn Boutique Hotel European-inspired hotel, beach block location. 601 Atlantic Avenue, 399-9871.

Beach Club Hotel Ocean views, pool, sun terrace. 1280 Boardwalk, 399-8555.

Beach Club Suites Near Boardwalk, well-appointed, one-bedroom suites. 1217 Ocean Avenue, 399-4500.

Ebb Tide Suites One and two bedroom apartments with balconies steps from beach. 1001 Little Atlantic Avenue, 391-9614.

Ocean 7 Family-friendly property with standard and king efficiencies or two room suites. Heated outdoor pool. 870 East 7th, 609-398-2200.

Pier 4 Contemporary, four story high rise hotel with spectacular bay views. Family-run. 6 Broadway, Somers Point. 609-927-9141.

Scarborough Inn Ocean City's oldest hotel, built in 1895. From iconic pink fish scale shingles, to Benny Goodman playing on the gramophone, this inn brings a cozy vibe. 720 Ocean, 609-399-1558.

Jilly's Properties Several options for your stay. Clean, affordable, and unique properties in top locations. 609-385-1234.

Harris House Motel Clean, comfy and quiet rooms and a heated pool. 1201 Ocean Avenue, 399-7800.

The Impala Island Inn Refrigerators, free Wi-Fi and cable. 1001 Ocean Avenue, 399-7500.

Osborne’s Inn 50 yards from Boardwalk, free WiFi, ocean view decks, parking and beach tags. 601 East 15th Street, 398-4319.

Port-O-Call Hotel Wi-Fi, meeting areas for gala receptions, small board meetings or large conferences. 1510 Boardwalk, 399-8812.

Wild Dunes Inn Luxurious suites – spacious and furnished near Boardwalk. 801 10th Street, 3992910.

ASSET MANAGEMENT

Reich Asset Management 110 Roosevelt Boulevard, Marmora, 486-5073.

INSURANCE AGENCY

McMahon Insurance Agency Multiple locations, 399-0060.

REALTORS

Monihan Realty Multiple locations, 800255-0998.

Berger Realty Multiple locations, 888-3990076.

Pete Madden Goldcoast Sotheby's 200 34th Street, 513-4781.

Daniel Maimone Remax 3301 Bay, 6709978.

Long & Foster 14 E. 9th Street, 398-6762.

MEDICAL

Atlantic Coast Dentistry 450 Shore, Somers Point, 601-9566.

Ocean City Dental Center 6th & West, 399-4542.

Ocean City Family Practice Center 500 6th Street, 399-1862

Cape Regional Urgent Care Quick, convenient, quality care. 8 Route 9 South, Marmora, 465-6364.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT/ MARKETING/DESIGN

Gone Native Communications Newsletters, books, magazines, ad design, brochures, rack cards, logos, more. Call 609525-4830.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Memories by Maria Photography Engagement, wedding, and family photography. www.memoriesbymariaphotography.com.

Kelly and Craig Photography Jersey Shore residents who work up and down South Jersey's coast. 267-614-5335, www.kellyandcraigphotography.com

RETIREMENT

UMC The Shores Excellent care, friendly residents, delicious food - retirement living at its best. All levels of care offered. 2201 Bay Avenue, 609-399-8505.

Thank you to all the businesses below who support Ocean City Magazine and the Ocean City Guidebook. Please visit them and tell them we sent you!

All About the OC

The Welcome to Ocean City Guidebook 2023 is available in hotel/motel rooms and rentals all over the island. This hardback book is a fab guide to the island and its surrounding communities. Loads of fresh, colorful pics, and helpful text inside.

Get yours for $25 at www.ocnjmagazine.com. While you're there... you can read this issue, previous issues, and so much more.

©2023

Ocean City magazine

Editor in Chief

Stefanie Godfrey

editor@ocnjmagazine.com

Sales Director

Bill Godfrey localocean@comcast.net

Graphic Design

Kirsty Smith

Editorial

Kristen Dowd

Contributor/Sales

Megan Antosy

Contributors

Fred Miller, Lauren Deckard, Amy Mahon, Linda Arceo, Anthony J. Mazziotti III, Chelsea Valcourt, Ava Saric Photographer

Kerri Janto

Cover Artist

Lauren DeMarco

IG @laurenspired

Cuddler in Chief Olive the Bernedoodle

OC Services Real Tour

Four Units!

Situated at 14th Street and Boardwalk, each of these luxury oceanfront homes boasts panoramic ocean views, six bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms and is furnished with private elevator and high end amenities throughout. To be completed June 2023.

Listed by Peter Madden at Goldcoast Sotheby's, 200 34th Street, Ocean City, NJ Contact Pete

Last Shot

Music Man

Martin Z Mollusk was serenaded as he prognosticated. He predicted an early summer.

Photo by Kerri Janto. See more snapshots of life in and around OCNJ on page 20.