Large crowd awaits the Governor of New Jersey: Chris Christie.  All photos by Paul Goldfinger @Blogfinger  ©  Click on all images to enlarge.

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.

Despite concerns about the weather, it was a sunny breezy festive day for the late morning cutting the ribbon ceremony on the boardwalk in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. A large and happy crowd assembled in front of a raised platform for the speakers and along Ocean Avenue. A band played, lead by Harry Eichhorn, and free ice cream sandwiches were being distributed.

Crowd along Ocean Avenue. ©

The media was out in full force with reporters, videographers and photographers along with trucks from Fox News TV and WABC TV.

The Governor arrived in a black SUV, right on time. He wore chinos and a red Rutgers shirt.   He walked briskly, right up to the platform.

Gov. Christie arrives with his entourage  at the Ocean Grove beachfront and walks onto the new boardwalk. Cheers and applause. ©

Dale Whilden, COO of the Camp Meeting Association, was the MC and he gave the first speech. He thanked just about everyone who helped get us from Sandy until now including over 1,000 volunteers (but not by name). He said that our boardwalk is the “Jersey Shore’s boardwalk.” As he introduced Governor Chris Christie, he said the Governor was “the backbone” of the effort to turn FEMA around.

CMA President Dale Whilden (L to R), Sen Jennifer Beck, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande,Rep. Chris Smith, Mayor Michael Brantley © Taking the new boards for a test drive and bragging about the FEMA victory.

Gov. Christie gets his closeup. ©

Senator Jennifer Beck.

Congressman Chris Smith ©

Mayor Michael Brantley ©

Ribbon cutting (really). ©

Here are some selected quotes from the event:

1. Governor Christie: “The Ocean Grove boardwalk restoration was the last one and the hardest one.”

“Rep. Chris Smith was relentless in getting FEMA to change its mind, and we couldn’t get it done without him.”

” State Sen. Jennifer Beck was constantly calling me and my office to push to solve Ocean Grove ‘s dilemma. I’m glad to have her as a partner”

“It took the most jumping up and down and the most yelling and screaming and that’s what they brought me in for.”

“A lot of folks still need help. It will take years to fully recover.”

2. Rep Chris Smith, “The denials by FEMA were unyielding at first. But FEMA had it wrong.”

“Support at all levels of government were essential—it was teamwork. But the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association’s leaders worked so hard to explain its position and they made the critical difference.”

3. State Senator Jennifer Beck came to the microphone with a big smile and exclaimed, “How beautiful is this boardwalk!!”   And the crowd roared its approval.

Sen Beck gave high marks to the Governor and to Marc Ferzan from the Governor’s office of recovery and rebuilding.

4. Mayor Michael Brantley thanked his staffers from Neptune Township who worked hard on the Ocean Grove boardwalk.

Gov. wades into crowd and poses with kids. ©

After the ribbon cutting, which was a photo op lasting a few seconds, the Governor delighted the folks by wading into the friendly crowd: taking selfies, giving hugs, greeting babies, talking issues and posing for photos. He stayed for about 30 minutes before getting back into his vehicle.

Gov. works the crowd. ©

Gov. poses for another photo. He’s really good at mingling with the folks.—making up for lost time. ©

All in all, it was a wonderful event–unusual for our town in that a large crowd assembled to join together and be happy for Ocean Grove  which had seemingly been ignored by FEMA but now was ready again for its favorite time of year.

THE BEACH BOYS: