Times Talk
Auction participants at The Wetlands Institute’s 12th annual Summer Celebration.
WETLANDS INSTITUTE’S SUMMER CELEBRATION A HUGE SUCCESS
The Wetlands Institute’s 12th annual Summer Celebration at the ICONA in Avalon on Saturday, July 25 drew a whopping crowd of 230 and raised $370,000.
The event, held from 6-9pm, included a silent auction, live auction, live band, and good food. The celebration was sponsored by 56 organizations (corporate and individual). The attendees included staff, volunteers, board members, and supporters.
“The Summer Celebration provides a larger platform for the community and corporate sponsors to engage in our mission and our support,” said Dr. Lenore P. Tedesco, The Wetlands Institute’s executive director. “A lot of them come to this event first, and then they discover the institute, so it’s a two-way thing. And it’s certainly gotten larger over the years, that’s for sure.”
The funds raised will go toward conservation, research, and education of the marsh ecosystems.
Brian Taff of 6abc Action News served as the emcee of the night, having previously become involved with The Wetlands Institute organically. Also on hand was former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski, who helped keep the energy high and raffled off Eagles tickets.
Among other items for bid were tickets to a Keith Urban concert at Hard Rock Atlantic City, VIP tickets for the Oct. 26 Eagles-Dallas Monday night game, courtside tickets to a 76ers game, and handmade items including a 15-inch wood-fired handmade vase, a Josef Kote 36-by-24-inch painting, and a cherry wooden bowl.
There was also an option for mission-based support where attendees could choose which programs their donations went toward.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and it supports our operation and our mission specifically: research, conservation, and education. This helps fund all of that,” Tedesco said.
“We are really excited to have the Summer Celebration event and the support of the community to help us advance the mission of The Wetlands Institute.”
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT A FUN EVENT FOR PUBLIC & FIRST RESPONDERS
National Night Out is an annual event that is designed to promote positive relationships between the community and law enforcement. These events aim to strengthen community spirit and help make neighborhoods safer. In addition, police officers, firefighters, and other first responders educate the public about resources and services that help keep everyone safe.
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Avalon and Stone Harbor joined the other towns across the United States in celebrating the event.
Avalon’s National Night Out was held at Surfside Park from 6-8pm. Attendees had the chance to interact with representatives from the police and fire department, public works, rescue teams, and the beach patrol. There were plenty of activities for children to enjoy, including face painting, balloon art, a pull-up bar to test their strength, and a firefighter hose they could use to spray water at a makeshift house.
Children were especially excited to explore various emergency vehicles and get an up-close look at the impressive equipment. They had the chance to sit in the front seat of a police car, and climb into the massive, heavy vehicles of public works. Families also had the chance to meet characters from “Toy Story” and take pictures with them.
Meanwhile, Stone Harbor’s festivities took place at the 95th Street Water Tower Plaza. The event featured interactive games and family-friendly activities. There were complimentary snacks and delicious lemonade. Attendees got to see local emergency vehicles, throw balls at a dunk tank, get their face painted, and observe horseshoe crabs brought by The Wetlands Institute. Also, several municipal departments had tables set up throughout the venue to engage with and educate the public about local resources.
At both locations, the event had many police officers, firefighters, and rescue personnel in attendance, allowing residents to meet and talk with the individuals who actively serve the community. It was an incredible night filled with laughter and fun that brought together the local community and strengthened connections with law enforcement.
Avalon Garden Club members (from left): Doreen Adams, Cynthia Vogt, Karen Dechert, Pat Fleischman, and Serena Smith.
GARDEN CLUB MARKS 50 YEARS OF BEAUTIFYING AVALON
The Avalon Garden Club celebrated its 50th anniversary with a variety of activities throughout the year, and a big one still to come.
The club’s activities to date have included the AGC Card Party and the Arbor Day celebration in April, the AGC Plant & Bake Sale, Avalon Annual Yard Sale, the Memorial Day parade in May, and the club’s biggest event, the AGC Annual Flower Show, in June.
“We are celebrating a special year of giving back to the town, and we are honored to do it,” said club president Nancy Hudanich, one of the founding members in 1976.
In addition to the club’s annual projects, this year, the AGC spruced up the landscaping around Community Hall at 30th Street and the beach. “That was our way of celebrating our 50th with the borough of Avalon,” said Hudanich.
The club’s culminating celebration will be a luncheon at the Union League Whitebrier on Sept. 24. The celebration is open to members, and the invitation will be extended to all past presidents.
“We are an organization going into the 51st year, started by people who just wanted to beautify Avalon and sustain the environment,” Hudanich said. “The Avalon Garden Club is about the people and their dedication. The luncheon is a beautiful ending celebration for the 50th anniversary, and in October, the Avalon Garden Club officially turns 51.”
Work to replace the 96th Street Bridge drawbridge and span is scheduled to start this fall.
96th ST. BRIDGE WORK NOW SET FOR 2030 COMPLETION
The projected timeline for the repair of the 96th Street Bridge has changed. The original project timeline had the bridge being in full operation by the summer of 2029, but the new schedule has the project wrapping in the summer of 2030.
Now, in the fall of 2028 to the spring of 2029, the drawbridge and span will be demolished. No traffic will be able to cross during this time, but there will be unlimited boat clearance. This phase is when the major closure will occur.
That summer, a temporary fixed span will be installed, allowing traffic to cross and there will be an 11-foot, 4-inch clearance for scheduled boat access. From the fall of 2029 to the spring of 2030, a new drawbridge and span will be installed. In the summer of 2030, testing will begin, and then the bridge should be in full operation.
This project is a long time coming for Stone Harbor and will improve both marine and traffic access to the island once completed. The good news for residents and visitors alike is that vehicles are expected to be able to cross from one side to the other during the summers of 2029 and 2030.
For updates, visit stoneharbornj.org.
STONE HARBOR BEACH REPLENISHMENT SET FOR NOV. 14-DEC. 20
Stone Harbor will begin beach replenishment on Nov. 14 after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District awarded a $15.8 million contract to Norfolk Dredging Company on June 5.
About 538,867 cubic yards of sand will be pumped to beaches from 98th Street to 114th Street and from 120th Street to the terminal groin. Sand will be added from the base of the dunes to the waterline, and certain beach access paths will be repaired as well. The U.S. Army Corps will conduct preconstruction surveys to determine if any additional areas should receive sand during the project.
The dredging will take place in Hereford Inlet and Townsends Inlet in Cape May County. The use of the sand from these inlets is a huge step in beach replenishment for both Stone Harbor and Avalon, as Hereford Inlet will provide a more cost-effective and efficient source for dredging.
Through the borough’s partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, no local tax dollars will be used for this project. The federal investment represents a commitment to protect homes, businesses, and infrastructure on Seven Mile Beach while strengthening coastal resiliency.
The beach replenishment project is scheduled to run through Dec. 20, and Stone Harbor beaches should be up and running for the 2027 season.
Avalon police pose with the donation from the borough’s pickleball community as part of the APD’s Christmas in July fundraiser.
PICKLEBALLERS ADD $3,000 TO APD’S CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISER
The Avalon Police Department has a holiday tradition of acquiring Christmas presents for children in need. Last year, it gained a partner in the cause.
The Seven Mile Beach pickleball community this year held its second annual Christmas in July fundraiser to help out.
“I was aware that the policemen who run the Christmas in July fundraiser put big donation boxes out, but they weren’t getting much stuff,” said Jill Mauger, a member of the Avalon Pickleball Committee. “We thought it was a good idea with our big pickleball population to put it out to the whole community to raise monetary donations.
“We put it on our TeamReach [with 2,695 participants], we advertised it [at the courts], we had a donation bucket, and we took Venmo. We did very well.”
The fundraiser took place from Thursday evening to Tuesday evening and generated more than $3,000 to purchase holiday gifts for children in need. This was a $500 increase in donations from the pickleball community’s 2025 fundraiser for the same cause.
“People have shown to be extremely generous,” said fellow pickleball committee member Jim Garland. “Typically, when you come to play pickleball, you’re not bringing donations. Venmo’s made it a lot easier.”
Said Mauger: “Last year, I get a text from Detective Sgt. Greg Armstrong who said, ‘We’re going shopping on so-and-so date’ and I went.
“I never knew that all the police go and they have a list of what all the children want. The policemen even wrap the gifts. They do the shopping in late November or December and there’s very few people [at Seven Mile Beach] at that time. That’s why supporting them while everybody’s here makes so much sense.”
On July 28, the Avalon Police Department visited the pickleball courts at the 8th Street Complex on Dune Drive to express their thanks. Armstrong, Police Chief Jeffery Christopher, Capt. Sean McNair, and administrative secretary Alexis Hagner were presented with the $3,000 donation by Mauger and Garland.
The pickleball community is no stranger to supporting local causes. Each year the community also works with the Redeemer Food Pantry and the Cape May County Animal Shelter.
“We’re trying to make an impact on the community beyond just the sport of pickleball,” Garland said. “It is a great way to get people together and share common interests and opportunities.”
FOURTH LEAHY SIGN CAPS ‘WELCOME TO AVALON’ SERIES
You might have noticed over Labor Day weekend that the fourth and final version of Jim Leahy’s iconic “Welcome to Avalon” signs has been posted on Avalon Boulevard.
The series began in January with the first of four signs created by Leahy, a local sign maker responsible for much of the signage seen on businesses and public facilities throughout Avalon and Stone Harbor from the 1950s through the 1980s. His distinctive “Leahy” signature was instantly recognizable and remains familiar to many people more than four decades after his passing.
The program is presented this year by the Avalon Historical Society, Borough of Avalon, Avalon Free Public Library and Avalon History Center. As each sign was posted along Avalon Boulevard, a limited-edition, numbered collector’s card depicting the sign has been offered free of charge at the Avalon History Center. The fourth card is now available, along with earlier versions while supplies last. Cards are limited to one per person.
The fourth and final sign, circa 1982, is believed to be Leahy’s last hand-painted welcome sign after nearly 50 years of creating signs for the community.
According to local lore, a panel of Cape May County mayors visited municipalities in the early 1980s and offered suggestions for enhancing their appearance and appeal to visitors. The panel reportedly encouraged Avalon to elevate its welcome signage by embracing sandblasted signs, a relatively new and popular style at the time.
The change marked the end of an era. For nearly five decades, Leahy’s work had welcomed generations of residents and visitors to Avalon and Stone Harbor. Today, those familiar signs continue to hold a special place in the memories of longtime visitors to Seven Mile Beach.
Celebrate the life and contributions of Jim Leahy with a visit to the Avalon History Center on 39th Street. Pick up the final limited-edition collector’s card, or add any remaining earlier versions to your collection while supplies last.
HISTORIC MARKER NOMINATIONS INVITED
The Avalon Historical Society is accepting nominations for its 2027 historic markers, honoring people, places, businesses, and events that have shaped Avalon. Anyone may nominate a candidate, and once nominated, candidates remain on the ballot. Each spring, a blue-ribbon panel votes on the nominees, with top vote-getters receiving historic markers.
Submit a paragraph of 100 words or fewer explaining why your nominee deserves recognition, along with your name and contact information, to AHS – Historic Markers, P.O. Box 134, Avalon, NJ 08202, by Dec. 1, 2026. A future website is planned, with QR codes on the markers providing access to more detailed stories about each honoree.