You don’t have to look far for signs of generosity in the Cape May community. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and with it comes Operation Fireside. A program where recruits from the Cape May Training Center of the United States Coast Guard get to go home with area families for a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.
Credit Jack Ley Cape May VFW Post 386
For the recruits, many of whom are away from home for the first time, the dinners are a welcome break from the rigorous eight-week training program of boot camp. Recruits in training participate in each year’s Operation Fireside! For over 40 years, the Training Center Cape May has partnered with the American Red Cross New Jersey Region to place recruits in the homes of local community members for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
This is where the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Auxiliary Post 386, the Cape May Veterans Home Association, and the American Legion team up to host 50 Coast Guard recruits as a group at the VFW post on Congress Street. With just a simple sign-up form at the bar and a Facebook post on Cape May Live, the community covered the entire cost of dinner for the 50 recruits.
“Thanks to the generosity of our entire Cape May community (Veterans Home Association, VFW 386, Auxiliary 386, American Legion Post 193, local businesses and organizations, and people who just love Cape May), the Thanksgiving Day holiday dinner for 50 Coasties is wholly paid for!” Jan Pask in a Facebook post. “In fact, not only did the community cover the expense of Thanksgiving, but a huge dent was put into the cost of dinner for Christmas.”
The visual of efficiency in the motion of Operation Fireside is nothing short of amazing. Orchestrating the delivery of the entire recruit population into the VFW and homes in the Cape May County area is quite a feat. Getting them back to base by 8:00 PM is the cherry on top of the pumpkin pie.
Many forms of generosity
Generosity isn’t always out of the pocket, but occasionally out of the heart. This recent incident in West Cape May was written about in a Facebook post on Cape May Live.
“The Cape May area has so many kind people, and I am forever grateful,” Christine Stamets wrote in a post on Facebook. “Thursday on Stevens Street, my mom had a seizure in the car while I was driving her and my cousin, visiting from Germany.” “A lovely lady named Louise, and her wonderful companion, took time from their bike ride to help us, offering assistance, rides, and emotional support. “Also, I am thankful to the compassionate police and EMTs who were there in a flash.” Kindness and generosity abound in Cape May, manifesting themselves in various forms.
National Seafood Month
In other news around town, October is National Seafood Month. The United States is recognized as a global leader in sustainable seafood for both wild-caught and farmed species. U.S. fishermen and fish farmers operate under some of the most robust and transparent environmental standards in the world. Locally, operations such as Lunds Fisheries will tell you, National Seafood Month is about more than the meal. It’s about the harbors, the docks, and the communities that make seafood possible. For us, it begins here in Cape May.
Since 1954, the Lund’s Fisheries brand and products have inspired trust and confidence worldwide. With locations on both coasts of the USA, Lund’s is the only domestic producer of 3 squid fisheries. The highest (most significant and valuable) scallop fishery is the world’s largest wild scallop fishery, operating along the U.S. Atlantic coast from Maine to the Mid-Atlantic region.
Scallop Shack Farms, a local retail outlet situated near the Cape May County airport, exemplifies a small-scale, family-owned fishery operation. Brady Lybarger not only catches scallops but also creates some of the most compelling and entertaining stories about the fishery on his Instagram page by the same name as his shop.
While the exact 2024 total U.S. scallop revenue has not been published yet, the year saw a projected 27.4 million pounds of landings, accompanied by significant, record-high prices, particularly for larger scallop sizes. Since National Seafood Month has a while to go, we are not limited to just scallops in Cape May. Oysters are readily available at many of our fine eateries.
Oyster Bay on Lafayette Street boasts buck-a-shuck oysters from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM every day at the bar. And Lucky Bones has brought back Oyster Wednesdays for the fall. Lucky Bones pairs Kings Points and South Bay Salts, along with a new feature from the brick oven—Oyster Casino.
Whatever your vice, oysters, scallops, or turkey with all the trimmings, you can find it in Cape May. Sharing your money or your heart with strangers might be the pearl in the oyster.
