Times Talk
The newly elected officers of VFW Post 1963’s Auxiliary: (back, from left) President Peggy Moore, Secretary Ellen Meyers, Guard Brian Moran, Trustee Barbara Haines, and Treasurer Ruth Brown, with Post 1963 Commander Mark Lloyd (2021-23) and Auxiliary President Patti Lloyd (2019-23); and front, from left: Trustee Barbara Cummings, Senior Vice President Diane McCool, Trustee Linda White, Chaplain Stephanie Jones, Patriotic Instructor Maryann Hamilton, and Historian Karen Haugh. Not pictured: Junior Vice President Jim McGowen.
The recently elected officers of VFW Post 1963: (back, from left) President Joe McLenaghan, Trustee Steve Burns, Trustee Frank “Ace” Diamond, Adjutant and Trustee Tom McCool, and Trustee Ed Cook with Commander Mark Lloyd (2021-23); and seated, from left: Junior Vice Commander and Service Officer John Orlowski, Senior Vice Commander Tim Macaleer, Sergeant at Arms Jim Gibbons, Chaplain Vice Conte, and Quartermaster John Felicetti.
VFW POST 1963, AUXILIARY INSTALL NEW OFFICERS
The members of Post 1963’s Auxiliary and the Veterans of VFW Post 1963 of Sea Isle City administered the oaths of office to their 2023 officers in two separate gatherings.
On May 8, the Auxiliary installed Peggy Moore as the president during a swearing-in ceremony. Moore has been a member of the Auxiliary since 2019 and recently served as the senior vice president. She succeeded Patti Lloyd, the president since 2019 who has helped the Auxiliary become one of the largest in the state.
A week later, the veterans of Post 1963 swore in their new officers, including new commander Joe McLenaghan. McLenaghan is an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War as a flight engineer on a Chinook helicopter. He takes over for fellow Vietnam vet Mark Lloyd, the commander since 2021.
The new officers officially assumed their positions after the state-wide VFW Convention, held in June in Wildwood.
ITALIAN AMERICAN CLUB HONORS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS, VOLUNTEERS
The Italian American Club of Sea Isle City honored its 2023 scholarship winners on June 6 with a dinner at Oar House Pub. The five high school graduates who were honored are Eleanor Kutschera, Luke Monichetti, Moustafa Nasr, Taj Turner, and Caelan Watts. The scholarship recipients were chosen based on their exemplary community service and will all be going on to higher education.
The club also honored its Volunteers of the Year: Trish Jackson, Debbie Brennan, and Marisa Freda. They planned and organized many events during the year such as bus trips to New York, craft nights, and wine tastings.
Sea Isle and Cape May County officials pose with $400,000 check for water infrastructure projects that each municipality in the county received. From left: County Commissioner Andrew Bulakowski, SIC Council member Frank Edwardi, Council President Mary Tighe, Council member William Kehner, SIC Mayor Leonard Desiderio (also director of the Cape May County board of commissioners), and Council members J.B. Feeley and Jack Gibson.
COUNTY DISTRUTES GRANTS FOR WATER PROJECTS
Each of the 16 municipalities in Cape May County is receiving $400,000 to be used for priority drinking water, stormwater, and sanitary sewer infrastructure projects. The subrecipient grants come from a $6.4 million total granted by the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio, acting in his new role as director of the county’s board of commissioners, spent much of May presenting the subrecipient grants to the municipalities.
“Coming in as the new Director, it was a goal of mine to establish closer relationships with each of the municipalities of the County, which encouraged me to implement quarterly Mayors Roundtables with the Mayors to discuss shared issues in our local communities,” Desiderio said in a press release from the county.
“The first Mayors Roundtable included the announcement of this first of its kind grant opportunity for the County, touching each of our 16 municipalities at once. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues on the Board of Commissioners that understand the critical needs of each of our towns to make storm sewer, sanitary sewer and drinking water improvements for the health and safety of our residents.”
Chamber President Brian Heritage with Dante Edwardi...
… with Luke Monichetti ... …
... with Noah Grdinich ...
CHAMBER AWARDS FIVE SCHOLARSHIPS
The Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization presented five students with its 2023 scholarship awards during a parade through town on June 8. This year’s recipients and the colleges they will attend in the fall include Luke Monichetti (Stockton University); Dante Edwardi (FaIrleigh Dickinson University); Morgan Rebock (Rowan University); Noah Grdinich (United States Military Academy West Point); and Eleanor Kutschera (Northeastern University).
“We’re so proud to honor these students through our annual scholarship parade,” said Brian Heritage, the Chamber president. “We know each of these students will make Sea Isle City proud in their future endeavors!”
... with Morgan Rebock ...
... and with Eleanor Kutschera
