Ocean Grove, summer 2015. Paul Goldfinger photo © Blogfinger.net.
August 13, 2015,
To the Editor @Blogfinger.net:
My wife and I along with another couple spent the day in Ocean Grove, NJ. We are from Phillipsburg, NJ and had never been in OG. During the course of the day we sat on a bench facing the ocean as many others do while at the shore.
We were facing lifeguard stand #4, when the clock struck 5 pm. We watched the routine that takes place at the end of a long day in the sun; making sure everyone is safe. My friend and I are both veterans—he Army, me Navy. We are both active in our community with patriotism and Americanism.
We were curious to watch what would be done with the American flag at the end of the shift. We sat in amazement as we watched the lifeguards not only handle the flag properly and respectfully, but we watched them fold the flag in the proper manner.
Very, very impressive! We were so pleased to watch this perfectly executed folding of the flag, we decided to high tail it to the area where the lifeguards from stand #4 store their equipment. We introduced ourselves as veterans and expressed our appreciation and gratitude for the way they conduct themselves on the beach, and for their handling and storing of the American flag. We were informed that all lifeguards perform the same duty and ceremony at their respective stations.
Please know, all veterans, their families, those presently serving and our homeless veterans would be proud of the lifeguards in Ocean Grove.
A true sign of Patriotism and Americanism.
Bill Nixon, US Navy Veteran
Barry Willever, US Army Veteran
Editor’s Note: Thanks to Bill Nixon and Barry Willever for their service and for their praise of Ocean Grove’s excellent life guards.
OG is traditionally a patriotic place going back to Pres. Teddy Roosevelt and before that to Pres. Grant who spoke to a large group of Civil War veterans in the Auditorium.
Today many Grovers fly American flags with pride, and our glorious July 4 parade, sponsored by the OG Camp Meeting Association, offers a major tribute to our country. —–Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Main Avenue, Ocean Grove, NJ. July 4, 2015 parade. Paul Goldfinger photo © Blogfinger.net.
From Finian’s Rainbow
“On the day I was born, said me father, said he
I’ve an elegant legacy, waitin’ for ye
‘Tis a rhyme for your lips and a song for your heart
To sing it whenever the world falls apart
“Look, look, look to the rainbow
Follow it over the hill and the stream
Look, look, look to the rainbow
Follow the fellow who follows a dream.”
ASTRUD GILBERTO
Rainbow has some wonderful songs and memorable characters but some of the plot lines are, how to put this delicately, dated and not very PC. There have been a few attempts to revive it, with tweaks to the book, but most have failed. Saw a concert version and enjoyed it immensely years ago.
Ocean Grove is truly a wonderful example of American patriotism. One only has to walk down a lane of tents to see how glorious “Old Glory.” reigns.
However one does not have to go far to see our flag being displayed incorrectly. Backwards, wrong-sided, you name it. Here is an excellent link for some basic flag etiquette:
http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/displayonly.htm