Mayor Beth Holtzman, left, joins participants of the Ventnor City Beach Patrol Junior Lifeguard Camp 2022.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – The city’s annual Junior Lifeguard Program has grown over the years to include hundreds of children and teens, who not only learn some of the ins and outs of becoming a lifeguard, but also how to respect the ocean.
According to Lt. Meghan Holland, who organizes the annual camp, approximately 120 children ages 10-14 participated in the second week of the program, July 12-14. Last week, there were 250 5- to 9-year-olds participating in week one of the three-week camp.
“This was our biggest year ever,” Holland said.
Mayor Beth Holtzman, who joined the junior lifeguards on the beach in front of the new Ventnor Beach Patrol headquarters currently under construction on the beach and boardwalk at Suffolk Avenue, said the programs has grown from just 12 participants to hundreds of future lifeguards.
“Today, all I saw was all these red T-shirts,” she said.
Next week, for the first time ever, the Explorer Program will include teens, ages 14-17, who are interested in becoming lifeguards next year.
“It’s the first time we are doing it to get those more seriously interested in becoming a lifeguard a chance to experience the more challenging aspects of the job,” Holland said. “We want it to be fun and educational so we will get them out rowing a surf boat and using the paddleboards and jet skis. It will be their first introduction to lifeguarding.”
Holland gave a shout out to the lifeguards on her team who help make the camps fun for the children and cook up the burgers for the hungry athletes on the last day of camp.
“I couldn’t do it without them. They have been fantastic,” she said.
Two sets of twin participated in the Junior Lifeguard Camp. Stella and Elena DeVeau of Summit, and Elena and Grace Ware of Ventnor.
Among the participants were two sets of twins – Stella and Elena DeVeau of Summit, and Elena and Grace Ware of Ventnor.
“It was fun,” twin Grace Ware said. “We did a bunch of different things and learned about the boat, how to use the can, and we learned how to retrieve something from the ocean.”
Elena Ware said the surf dash was her favorite event.
“We’re not sure if we really want to be lifeguards, but our dad was a lifeguard for a while,” she said.
Jen Kummings of Northfield had two of her children attend the camp this year. Her son Kaden, 8, attended the first session, and Kieran, 12, attended this week.
“They love it,” she said. “We’ve been coming every summer for about 10 years.”
Her older son, Colin, now 15, was scheduled to attend again this year, but a mishap caused him to break his wrist so he could not participate, but he plans to become a lifeguard next year.
“My nieces and nephews are lifeguards,” she said. “Megan teaches them a lot of the skills needed to be a lifeguard, but more importantly, how to know the ocean. Even if they don’t become lifeguards, it’s important to learn how to be safe in the water.”
Beach Patrol Capt. Gary Howarth gave a member of the next generation of Howarths on the Beach, Brook Clark a ride in his dune buggy.
Capt. Gary Howarth gave participant Brook Clark a ride in his dune buggy. She is the granddaughter of the late Capt. Billy Howarth, an icon of the Ventnor Beach Patrol.
“It’s a Howarth family tradition,” Capt. Gary Howarth said. “It started with Bill Howarth Sr. who had four sons, including Billy, who had three daughers who are lifeguards. Brook is the next generation of Howarths on the beach.”
Matteo Bittar, 11, came all the way from Madrid, Spain to visit his grandmother, Jane Nahas, for two weeks and participate in the three-day camp.
“This was fun. I got to meet a lot of new people and plan to keep in touch through texting,” he said.
His favorite activity was retrieving tennis balls that were tossed into the ocean, he said.
His sister Natalia, 13, enjoyed the surf dash the most.
Both said they intend to become lifeguards one day.
“My mom Jamie Nahas was a lifeguard in Ventnor for seven years,” Matteo said.
The final day of the camp included competitions, just like the real lifeguards have to keep themselves fit and ready for anything.
Before the participants lined up for burgers, chips and treats, Holland gathered them around a surf boat, where she stood above them announcing the first, second and third place winners in several key events. Each of the winners received medals for their victories.
The the age group winners in three categories are:
Beach Run
7 and under Girls:
– 1st place: Sophie Klein
– 2nd place: Aria Russo
– 3rd place Sydney Klauder
7 and under Boys:
– 1st place: Julian Polinski
– 2nd place: Wesley Sturgill
– 3rd place: Steven Zematitis
8-9 Girls:
– 1st place: Scarlett Heney
– 2nd place: Sophia Acosta
– 3rd place: Lilah Gilligan
8-9 Boys:
– 1st place: Caden Kummings
– 2nd place: Ryan Perez
– 3rd place: Cash McCool
10-11 Girls:
– 1st place: Brooke Karp
– 2nd place: Verona Reilly
– 3rd place: Mia Colozzi
10-11 Boys:
– 1st place: Bryce Constabile
– 2nd place: Gino Lusi
– 3rd place: Ben Masabini
12-14 Girls:
– 1st place: Abbie Ellis
– 2nd place: Katherine Downey
– 3rd place: Raeleigh Narkiewicz
12-14 Boys:
– 1st place: Roman Lee
– 2nd place: CJ Maddalo
– 3rd place: Cooper Blynt
Beach Flags
7 and under Girls:
– 1st place: Sophie Klein
– 2nd place: Sydney Klauder
– 3rd place Eliana Acosta
7 and under Boys:
– 1st place: Tommy Higbee
– 2nd place: Chase Elko
– 3rd place: Domenic Renzi
8-9 Girls:
– 1st place: Leighton Derewal
– 2nd place: Rayland Springer
– 3rd place: Ava Trigani
8-9 Boys:
– 1st place: Caden Kummings
– 2nd place: Ford Masso
– 3rd place: Carter Smith
10-11 Girls:
– 1st place: Brooke Karp
– 2nd place: Verona Reilly
– 3rd place: Nina Tomiselli
10-11 Boys:
– 1st place: Gino Lusi
– 2nd place: Nick Foschini
– 3rd place: Austin Zematatis
12-14 Girls:
– 1st place: Abbie Ellis
– 2nd place: Raeleigh Narkiewicz
– 3rd place: Natalia Bittar
12-14 Boys:
– 1st place: Jake DelRossi
– 2nd place: Roman Lee
– 3rd place: Matty Giannattasio
Surf Dash
7 and under Girls:
– 1st place: Vivian Ford
– 2nd place: Sophie Klein
– 3rd place: Aria Russo
7 and under Boys:
– 1st place: Wesley Sturgill
– 2nd place: Michael Fitzgerald
– 3rd place: Smith Masso
8-9 Girls:
– 1st place: Scarlett Heney
– 2nd place: Kyler Smith
– 3rd place: Michaela Klauder
8-9 Boys:
– 1st place: Miller McCool
– 2nd place: Caden Kummings
– 3rd place: Carter Smith
10-11 Girls:
– 1st place: Brooke Karp
– 2nd place: Devon McCarron
– 3rd place: Mia Colozzi
10-11 Boys:
– 1st place: Gino Lusi
– 2nd place: Emmett Malia
– 3rd place: Jeremiah Scates
12-14 Girls:
– 1st place: Abbie Ellis
– 2nd place: Natalia Bittar
– 3rd place: Lorelei Hanlon
12-14 Boys:
– 1st place: Jake Chapman
– 2nd place: Cooper Blynt
– 3rd place: Roman Lee
Copyright Mediawize, LLC 2022
