Times Talk
EMS Receives Senory Kits from Shore Medical
From left, Thomas Burns, Sea Isle City EMT; Sherri Richmond, MSN, RN, Administrative Director of Emergency Department, Pediatrics and Respiratory, Shore Medical Center; Sea Isle City EMS Chief Bruce Knoll; and Michael Smith, RN, ED Clinical Development Supervisor & Pediatric Nurse Liaison, Shore Medical Center.
In early July, the Sea Isle City EMS team received three sensory kits for their ambulances from Shore Medical Center. The kits are intended to assist patients who are neurodivergent and have different sensory needs.
“About a year ago, our volume was really increasing with neurodivergent patients, and we had one of the ambulance squads come in,” said Sherri Richmond, the administrative director of the emergency department, pediatrics, and respiratory at Shore Medical Center. “They brought in a patient, and I met with one of the EMTs. She asked about how we could do better.”
Before the kits were created, which are complete with noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets, shaded safety glasses, fidget and sensory toys, and laminated communication boards for nonverbal patients, the staff created an educational program for EMS members.
“One of the first things we did was offer education to the 9-1-1 squads,” Richmond said. “Our pediatric liaison, Mike Smith, developed an educational program for our EMS providers, which provided them with a course.”
The program was used in several New Jersey counties and towns before coming to Sea Isle City.
“We did an assessment with the chief [Bruce Knoll], and he said that Sea Isle wanted to participate in this program,” Richmond said. “We were able to develop the boxes, which contain many helpful tools for 911 providers when they arrive on scene.”
The program has already seen positive results.
“By the time the patient arrives at the emergency department,” Richmond said, “a lot of times the situation has already been de-escalated, and the patient is comfortable.”
For Sea Isle EMS Chief Knoll, this cause hits close to home for several reasons.
“We have quite a population of both visitors and year-round residents with sensory needs, so having these kits on our ambulances is an important asset that helps our staff provide quality care,” Knoll said. “It’s also personally meaningful to me – I have a son with sensory needs, so this ensures we’re equipped to care for people like him.”
Richmond urges those with neurodivergent family members to disclose to the EMS team about their loved one's needs while calling in an emergency to help them get the best care possible.
“Sea Isle has really embraced this program,” she said. “It is remarkable, the engagement that these EMTs have to do what’s best for neurodivergent patients.”
City Council Installs New Members
Sea Isle City Council members pose during the reorganization ceremony. From left, Frank Edwardi Jr., Ian Ciseck, Mary Tighe, Mike Jargowsky, and Bill Kehner.
Mike Jargowsky and Ian Ciseck were installed as Sea Isle City Council members and incumbent Mary Tighe was confirmed as City Council president on July 1. In attendance were family members, the VFW Post 1963 color guard, Boy Scout Troop 76, and several community members.
“I grew up in this town,” said Jargowsky, a retired captain of the Sea Isle City Police Department. “It was instilled early on by my parents to give back to the community. I’ve always had that mindset to give back to the community in any way I could. That's just been my life.”
He noted that he sees a lot of potential for the city. “There are really good leaders in this town in all facets,” he said. “But you can never sit on your laurels. There's always a better way to do things. I want to make sure we continue our great progress.”
Ciseck has been a full-time Sea Isle resident for more than two decades and has been a real estate agent with Long & Foster for 17 years. He said that when his wife and several mothers in the community presented ideas to the council, they were told that the council would get back to them. The response, he said, inspired his candidacy.
“When you organize, you ask questions, you present ideas to the council, and they ignore you, maybe it's time to run for council,” he said.
In addition to transparency, Ciseck aims to tackle the outsourcing of youth programs in the city.
“For five months out of the year, we will have no difficulty using the new rec center building," he said. “It is really going to come down to those other seven months. And having the experienced staff who have the background of fitness, nutrition, and running events, is very important."
“There are programs we might be able to provide to not just Sea Isle, but also the surrounding communities. We would rather stay here and support our local neighbors, friends, and family,” Ciseck added, highlighting the importance of driving the local economy, especially in the off-season. “I think Sea Isle has been doing a good job, we just have to keep moving in the right direction.”
City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 10am on the third floor of City Hall.
Sea Isle City Cats Aims to Help Feral Population
Volunteer Amy Horn with adoptable cat, Freddy.
Sea Isle City Cats is a volunteer cat rescue organization that works year-round to help the stray cat population on the island. The organization has developed an efficient catch, spay, and neuter program that other cities have used as well.
“We as humans have to be human and take care of these animals,” Kathy Goodwin, the treasurer of Sea Isle City Cats, explained. Goodwin first got involved with the organization after her previous cat died, and she adopted her cat Madde from Sea Isle City Cats 11 years ago.
“That's how I met them. It was nice to meet people with similar mindsets on wanting to take care of these kittens,” she elaborated.
Make no mistake, the volunteers work year-round despite the population swelling during the summer. “We don't just close up and go away in the winter,” Goodwin said. “We actually helped a litter of cats in January this year.”
In addition to running year-round, Sea Isle City Cats is made up completely of volunteers. They get some help from the mayor and local government, but they mainly rely on volunteers and donations to care for the cats. The organization is always looking for volunteers who are interested in the cause. In addition, people can shop at The Crooked Tail at 4208 Landis Ave.
The shop is owned and operated by Sea Isle City Cats and features items donated by locals, such as toys, games, books, household goods, decor, and clean clothing. All proceeds from the items you buy go toward the cats’ needs. The store is open from 11am-2pm every day except Tuesdays.
Just behind the shop is The Peaceful Garden, an abundantly lush display of plants and flowers where people can go to honor any pets that have graced their lives.
“We are invested in Sea Isle,” Goodwin said. “We are invested in this mission. We believe that being kind to animals makes Sea Isle a better place to live in and visit.”
To donate, adopt a cat, or get involved with volunteering, you can visit seaislecitycats.com.
Flag from U.S. Embassy in Kabul Flies in Sea Isle
Mayor Desiderio (center) with members of the Connolly family, representatives from VFW Post 1963 Auxiliary, and members of the Sea Isle City Police Department with a flag that once flew over the US embassy of Kabul, Afghanistan and was on loan and flew temporarily in Sea Isle’s Veterans Park.
An American flag that once flew over the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, was raised June 23 in a ceremony at Veterans Park to begin its three-day stay in Sea Isle City.
The flag was brought here by the Connolly family, sixth-generation Sea Isle visitors who were close friends with a U.S. Navy Commander stationed at the base. On Aug. 31, 2021, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul suspended operations at the base. The flag serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that members of the armed forces make every day to protect and defend the freedoms we enjoy in the United States.
The Connolly family’s goal is to fly the flag in each of the 50 states, and New Jersey was the 11th stop. It has flown in parades, at several schools, and even some sporting events. From Sea Isle, the flag was headed to Cooperstown, N.Y., then several other states later this summer.
Mayor Len Desiderio, members of the Sea Isle Police Department and VFW Post 1963 Auxiliary, and Sea Isle residents and visitors were on hand for the ceremony.
Diaper Dandies Highlight Sara the Turtle Festival
Diaper Derby winner Lainey Sullivan (11 months old) poses with mom Emily, flanked by runner-up Miles Stewart (also 11 months) and mom Jill (left) and third-place finisher Jimmy Kerr (14 months), with mom Trish.
The annual Sara the Turtle Festival, named after Sea Isle City’s beloved mascot, offers a fun, educational experience every year at Excursion Park. The 2025 event on June 23 proved to be no exception.
Children enjoyed free crafts, a DJ, inflatable games, and even Rita’s water ice. There also were hands-on nature activities and exhibits from The Wetlands Institute, Sea Isle Terrapin Rescue, Sea Isle’s Environmental Commission, Sea Isle City Beachcomber Guides, Brigantine’s Marine Mammal Stranding Center, and more. But that was not all.
The fan favorite every year is the Diaper Derby.
The format is simple. Infants are placed in the center of a circular tarp by their mothers. Once the DJ says “Go,” the moms race to the edge of the circle. The baby who crawls to their mother first wins.
Finishing first in the Diaper Derby was baby Emily, with mom Lainey Sullivan from Crescent, Pa. Second place went to baby Miles Stewart and mom Jill, of Burlington, N.C. Coming in third was baby Jimmy Kerr with his mom Trish from Glenside, Pa.
Each of the winning duos went home with a miniature trophy and an Environmental Commission 2025 “Save the Turtles” T-shirt, among other things, so that they can remember their derby success forever.
The event is always held in June during the diamondback terrapin egg-laying and road-crossing season. Exhibits help raise funds and awareness that go toward helping keep the turtles healthy and safe.
Women’s Lifeguard Conference Returns to Sea Isle
Lifeguards from 16 New Jersey towns attended the South Jersey Women’s Lifeguard Conference in Sea Isle City on June 26.
On June 26, 61 female lifeguards from various Jersey Shore towns congregated in Sea Isle City for the second straight year to facilitate communication between towns such as Avalon, Atlantic City, Cape May, Wildwood, Sea Isle, and more. The networking event was organized by Bridget O’Hanlon, who is in her 10th year with the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol.
“We had a great turnout again,” she said. “We actually invited three northern patrols, though we called it the South Jersey Women’s Lifeguard Conference. We opened it up to anyone who wanted to come down, discuss, and share their ideas. It was nice to collaborate with the girls up north.”
The Sea Isle City Beach Patrol consists of 38% women, and 53% of the 2025 rookie class is female. Says O’Hanlon: “Females and lifeguarding are absolutely present in 2025.”
One of the biggest goals of the conference each year is to grow the network of female lifeguards in New Jersey, and conferences like the one in Sea Isle this year play a major role in doing so.
“We're hoping that since we hosted this summer and created a safe space, that this network continues to grow,” O’Hanlon said. “We hope that next summer another patrol will pick the event up and that this event keeps going. Then we can travel to them next summer.”
For those interested in getting involved with the beach patrol or becoming a lifeguard, O’Hanlon offers simple, direct advice while reflecting on her own experience:
“I always looked up to lifeguards when I was little. If you have any questions, talk to lifeguards on your beach about the water conditions. If people want to try out, I would encourage them to keep running and swimming. When you join this job, you never stop running and swimming. It's always the things you do every day.”
For more information, visit sicbp.com or email Bridget at Ohanlonteachbeach@gmail.com.
SIC Beachcombers Welcome New Guides
From left, Beachcomber Guide Chairperson Sue Williamson with the new volunteers: Susan Ahern, Vicky Bergeman, Tiffany Mercer, and Linda Wargo.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, the Sea Isle City Beachcombers offers educational walks on the island's beaches. On Tuesdays, the walk is held at the 29th Street beach off the Promenade. On Thursdays, the walk is held at the Townsends Inlet Waterfront Park Pavilion. People are asked to arrive around 9:30am; the program starts at 9:45am.
“It's an all-volunteer program,” coordinator Sue Williamson says. “The program has been in effect for almost 40 years. There’s actually a whole book in the Sea Isle Historic Museum that talks about the origins of it and the two ladies who started it.”
This is Williamson’s 10th year involved with the Beachcombers. She plays a major role in recruiting new greeters and guides.
“Two guides also retired in the spring,” she says. “So, I was scouting for people on our Facebook page called Sea Isle City Beachcombers. I put something on there, and people replied.”
But Williamson reached out to one of the new guides directly.
“I was still looking for somebody, and I remembered I had spoken to a woman a couple of years ago,” she says. “I reached out to her and although she teaches in China, she is here for the summer. Lo and behold, we have Pamela with us on Tuesdays this year.”
Although she is traditionally a guide on Tuesdays, Pamela Rampley was a volunteer on Thursday, July 17, at the inlet.
“I’m a science teacher and I have off in the summers, so it’s a perfect opportunity to volunteer, help out, and give back to the community,” Rampley said excitedly.
The educational part of the program is one of her favorite aspects of the guided beach walks.
“Not a lot of people know about the dunes and how they protect the island,” she said. “We don’t want to damage the plants that grow on the dunes,” she expounded.
Rampley herself remembers being educated when she took her kids to a guided beach walk a few years ago.
“I learned new stuff by coming to this program with my own kids a few years ago. We all have a lot to learn,” she noted. “I think that’s a pretty cool aspect of this, that we can educate the grandparents, parents, and the kids.”
For anyone interested in becoming a guide, Rampley says to “go for it. It’s such a joyful experience being able to educate and meet with the families. You’re providing a service for others, but you’re also getting a really rewarding opportunity and experience for yourself.”
We give the kids a bucket. If people want to make a donation, it helps pay for the buckets and shirts, and other needs to keep the program going.”
“It used to be mainly kids that we were educating. It's an educational program to teach kids and adults about the environment and how to protect the dunes, and this really sacred area. We also teach them about what's in the water and what they can find on the beach.”
“At the inlet, it's part bay and part ocean, so it's a little more unique. On Tuesdays they meet at the promenade and go right up to the beach.”
“Especially since we had beach replenishment last year, and we saw how shrimpy our southern beaches got, the one thing we really stress is not walking on the dunes and why we need to protect the dunes.”
Pamela Rampley:
“I love interacting with the families and kids and sharing a little bit about the beach eco system with them. I think its really important because we want the beach to be here forever, so educating people about how they can be protective of the environment while enjoying at the same time is really cool.
"When kids find things that are still alive we encourage them to put them back in so that those organisms can thrive and future generations can be here to enjoy them too.”