COVID-19

The pandemic started as a virus that traveled from Wuhan China to Europe and then worldwide in the span of a few months. There was global panic and governments had no idea how to respond. The virus was particularly deadly to people with co-morbidities, especially the elderly. Very quickly masks, gloves and cleaning supplies disappeared from the shelves. Hospital executives and doctors noted that without proper protective equipment, they would have problems with surgery, other diseases, and with treating patients with the virus.

OEM kept the beaches open, keeping Sea Girt active

In March, President Trump made the decision to close the country for two weeks. His medical experts wanted the time to slow the spread of the disease. But once schools and businesses closed, it became very difficult to do an about-face and return to normal. For many, remote learning, work, and shopping became the new norm. Churches closed, and wakes and funerals went virtual. Zoom became one of the few ways people could come together. Unless they were deemed ‘essential’, many businesses, like the Lanes at Sea Girt, closed up, never to reopen.

The government flooded the system with money for healthcare and business support, as well as those put out of work, but there was an uneven distribution. The economy, which had been humming, was brought to a standstill. The decisions eventually cost President Trump his second term (for now), as Joe Biden won the Presidency via almost universal mail-in voting.

City dwellers in small apartments felt trapped. One of their outlets was the Jersey Shore. Sea Girt boomed. Governor Murphy pleaded with people not to go to their homes at the Shore, noting the healthcare infrastructure, particularly on the barrier islands, was ill-prepared during the offseason. The pleas fell on deaf ears.

The boards were closed for a short time. They reopened before the summer

To their credit, Mayor Farrell and the council kept the beaches open. The boardwalk was closed for a short time in the spring, but quickly reopened. There were parking restrictions and limits on the number of daily badges sold. Other towns put daily admission online and they were sold out before 5AM. When people arrived to Belmar or Spring Lake without a reservation, they were directed to Sea Girt, where they might be able to purchase a daily.

The eighth-grade students at SGES took their senior pictures, even though school was closed. A photographer volunteered to take the shots with a telephoto lens. Since international travel was limited, the price for summer rentals soared.

Some towns were outright unfriendly, as the shore became a respite from more crowded areas.

The library did pick up and drop off service, and librarian Lisa Luke sponsored a writing activity for residents to preserve their COVID year memories in a book, Sea Girt Strong, that she published with Judith Jones Ambrosini. Every daily activity was colored by a response to the virus, but Sea Girt only had a handful of cases and one death in 2020.

Creativity led to a book of Sea Girt Memories , Available at the Sea Girt Library

The beach was a friendly place to ride out the pandemic. Outdoor activity was encouraged. Kathleen Witee Davis continued her Yoga on the Beach, which was more popular than ever.

Councilwoman Diane Anthony, head of Parks and open space supported the formation of a Sea Girt Parks and Open Space Committee. Their goal was to give some love and attention to Crescent, Baltimore, and Edgemere Parks.

In 2017, Crescent Park had been the subject of a study by the Audubon Society. They developed a Stewardship plan for the unique maritime forest, noting that it had been overrun with English ivy, and the canopy of hollies was choking all the young deciduous trees. It needed to be managed to survive.

Edgemere, an open space set aside by the Sea Girt Land Improvement Company at its founding in 1875, was intended to allow for residents to enjoy the wood along the shores of Wreck Pond. Left to its own, it had become a tangled mess. Charlie Kane and his scout troop 23 planted ferns and removed invasive species in 2019 for an Eagle Scout Project. Diane, in appreciating the work, wanted to continue the effort. COVID allowed more people to volunteer to remove trash and invasive weeds, which blocked views and access to the water.

The job was bigger than the small group could accomplish over a few weekends. Grants and funding were available for park and environmental improvement. Groups modifying land near bodies of water needed to be conscious of a patchwork of laws governing erosion, DEP, and species protection.

Alan Zaken and Mike Meixsell were selected as officers to coordinate with the Borough Council for their expertise with land use and the law.

They acknowledged that progress on the local environment takes years. They rebranded the effort as the Sea Girt Conservancy, sought 501-c3 approvals to accept tax-deductible donations, and recruited members.

Councilwoman Diane Anthony stands at the Edgemere educational sign (Monmouth Conservation)

Donna Thurston an educator became Secretary and was a public voice for explaining the efforts. Leanne R. Hoffmann was recruited for engineering and public works experience, and they even have a weed science manager in Mike Matthews who is also on the Shade Tree Commission.

In September SGES started right on time with half day in school sessions, while much of the country was shuttered. By the end of the year vaccines were announced and there was hope that normalcy would return…