Nightmare in Strathmere and other news from the Strathmere Improvement Association

To all Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors,

This is a special week - looked forward to almost as much as the Fourth of July Holiday! "Nightmare in Strathmere" takes place this Saturday evening!

Shown above is last year's boat parade. You can see how much fun all those people are having! The fun is not limited to those with boats or docks. The Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club, which sponsors the event, gives three categories of awards: boats, docks and houses off the bay. So get your thinking caps on and decorating skills out and get into the fun.

This is the principle fund-raiser for the SFEC, which makes many donations to Strathmere causes, including the Fire Company, the Beach Patrol, fishing organizations, the Star Party, the Wetlands program (see below) and others. They also build a number of osprey platforms in the wetlands. They raise funds by selling tee shirts and raffle tickets. This year's tee shirts (depicting an osprey on a channel marker) are available at the Hollingers on Bayview at Prescott. Raffle tickets ($10 for a book of 10) are available at Frank's Boats or Whale Creek Marina, and in front of Twisties that evening.
First prize is $1000 - second and third are $300 and $200.

The boat parade starts at the boat ramp at 6:30 (see it from the street ends and the playground!) and the awards and raffle drawing take place at the Deauville Beach House at 9:00 pm. Even more info at strathmerefishing.org. The State Police will be providing extra coverage Saturday as part of the program sponsored by the Strathmere Volunteer Fire Company (see SIA donation, below).

Also, as part of Nightmare, there will be a sand-castle building contest for children 12 and under on the beach at Webster at 10:30 Saturday morning. Get your decorating done early and come down and support the kids!

There is also a big event tomorrow evening, Tuesday, August 18, at the Schiavo Library - a presentation by the Wetlands Institute from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, entitled "Sea Creatures with Amazing Features" - for the whole family and also sponsored by the SFEC. Bring your beach chairs!
Check the library calendar website for other events.
You might also check the Strathmere Blog to learn of the great display of Strathmere Vintage Postcards at the library. Then go see it!

And don't miss the SFEC Kids' Surf Fishing Tournament from 9:00 to 11:00 at the Prescott Street beach on Saturday morning, Labor Day Weekend, September 5.


Upcoming Events (update your calendars):

*"Sea Creatures with Amazing Features" at Schiavo, 7:00 pm Tuesday, August 18
* Sand castle building contest, 1:30 Saturday, August 22 at the beach at Webster
*"Nightmare in Strathmere" Boat Parade, 6:30 pm, Saturday, August 22.
*"Cooking with Books" contest at Schiavo Saturday, August 29
*Last day of Flounder Season, Friday, September 4
*SFEC Kids' Surf Fishing Tournament, 9:00 - 11:00 am, Prescott St. Beach, Saturday, September 5
*Strathmere Ensemble Labor Day Concert at 7:00 pm Saturday, September 5
*Monday, September 7 (Labor Day): Trash and recycling pickup.
*Star Party on the Beach at Randolph, 8:00 pm, Friday, September 11
*SFEC Meeting 5:00 pm Saturday, September 12
*SIA Election Meeting 8:00 pm Friday, September 18


Some additional Strathmere websites:
Carol Baker's wonderful Strathmere History website at http://www.strathmere.net/
Strathmere Blog: http://www.strathmere.blogspot.com/
Strathmere Volunteer Fire Company: http://www.strathmerefire.com/
Citizens for Strathmere and Whale Beach: http://www.cfswb.com/
Strathmere live oceancam: http://www.strathmere.tv/
Strathmere Bay Tides: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/get_predictions.shtml?year=2009&stn=4720+Atlantic+City&secstn=Corson+Inlet,+Strathmere,+Strathmere+Bay&thh=%2b0&thm=31&tlh=%2b0&tlm=38&hh=*0.95&hl=*1.00


SIA Donation: Thanks again for buying so many tee shirts, hats and visors. At our July Meeting, the SIA voted to donate $3000 to the Fire Company's program to provide overtime State Police protection to Strathmere. At the August Meeting, Joe Furey explained the program and praised its effectiveness.

The Strathmere Improvement Association includes all owners in Strathmere and Whale Beach and many visitors. It was founded over 50 years ago as a community organization with the simple objective of making Strathmere a better place. We are proud of the organization's many accomplishments over the years.

Thanks to all who have made their dues payments. Dues for the SIA are $10 per adult per year. The dues and the fund raisers provide for printing the trash regulations, mailing the post cards, funding the Fourth of July Parade, and our share of the Star Party and Christmas Party. As noted, we also donated money to help pay for extra State Police protection. If you have adult children or relatives (or visitors) who visit Strathmere, please forward this message to them - perhaps they'd like to be members also.
Please send dues payments to SIA at PO Box 57, Strathmere, NJ 08248. Remember to tell us your e-mail address!

Please let us know if you have comments or suggestions for the newsletter or for SIA in general, or if you'd like us to change your e-mail address in our records. You can contact us by responding to this e-mail (sia6@comcast.net), or mailing SIA at PO Box 57.


Thanks to all for your continuing support!



Butch Vandegrift - President
Ken Weaver - Vice-President
Donna Diefenderfer - Treasurer
Debbie Vandegrift - Secretary