This Inspiring Story Brought to You by Grape-Nuts

'Oh Sandy' Anthology Uses Humor to Examine Seriousness of Historic Storm

A Matawan man with close ties to Union Beach was one of several Sandy survivors to be published in the collection titled "Oh Sandy: An Anthology of Humorous Stories for a Serious Cause."

Hurricane Sandy was no laughing matter for those people displaced from their flooded homes, for those throwing out hundreds of dollars worth of food after losing power or for those who lost their homes entirely.   However, they say laughter is the best medicine. "When you are gutting people's houses, you either start laughing or start crying and don't stop," said James Butler, a former Union Beach resident who continues to coach youth soccer there. "When you are dealing with tragedy there is at first shock and then you kind of move on to the gallows of humor." Each day after the storm, Butler, now a Matawan resident, visited Union Beach to help his parents, his childhood friends and his soccer players' families clean up and rebuild.  He …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)
• Videos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

"I Only:" It Means A Lot More Than You Think

What you think isn't much means the world to those struggling in the wake of Sandy

While friends and family at the Jersey Shore were still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Sandy, they sprang into action. Volunteers from across the nation started collecting items to help people devastated by the storm. People without homes. People they'd never even met. Often, they heard the phrase, "I only." But as Debbie Nelson, one of those who rallied friends and communities to help those of us here will tell you, "Every 'I only' is like a penny: put a bunch of them together and they add up." *** Debbie Nelson watched the reports about Hurricane Sandy with concern. The mother from Dallas had one son living in the Belford section of Middletown, and the grandfather of her older children lived in Barnegat. She had been struggling …

• Photos (3)

Fifth Annual Skate for Wishes Hosted by Local Alumni

Katee Blizzard and Kasey Beatty, 2011 graduates of Ocean City High School, host the event on New Years Eve.

  For more than 30 years, the Make A Wish Foundation has granted more than 141,000 wishes of children with life-threatening diseases. The foundation boasts that it makes a different child's wish come true every 41 minutes. Since 2005, Katee Blizzard has hosted a local Skate for Wishes event raising money for the national foundation. This year, Blizzard and her friend Kasey Beatty have planned the event for New Year's Eve and hope to raise $2,000. Both girls are residents of Ocean City, 18 years old, and members of the Ocean City High School graduating Class of 2011. Blizzard had been skating for many years when she decided she wanted to support the Make A Wish Foundation. "I wanted to mix my joy of ice skating and desire to help people, so…

• Photos (2)

Ocean City's 'Charity Chicks' Spread Holiday Cheer

Little Miss Ocean City Cassidy Diamond created a group to make cookies for the homeless and cards for U.S. troops.

  A smell of fresh-baked cookies wafted down the hallways of the Ocean City Community Center on Saturday, leading noses to six girls and their moms making a beautiful mess in the Senior Center kitchen. The Ocean City Charity Chicks were dedicating their time and skills to make cookies for the homeless and to have a good time while doing so. Little Miss Ocean City Cassidy Diamond formed the group just a few months ago, after finding that most groups require volunteers to be 16 or older. She invited her friends and asked for her parents help, and she eventually hopes to create a long-term volunteer group for children ages 10 to 12. Diamond is joined by her friends Julia Pestallozzi, Julia Keating, Samantha McConaghy, Isabella Bozzi, Victoria…

• Photos (7)

O.C. Needs You: 6 Boards and Commissions Seek Volunteers

The city hopes to fill vacancies on the Aviation Advisory Board, Environmental Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Local Assistance Board, Planning Board and Utility Advisory Commission.