ORTLEY BEACH – Ortley Beach, which was all but decimated by the pounding waves, heavy winds and high tides brought on by Superstorm Sandy five years ago, will remember the storm with a special mass and remembrance on Sunday, Oct. 29 at St. Elisabeth’s Chapel by the Sea, followed by a community building event on the nearby beach.
The mass will begin at 9:30 a.m. at 5 Third Ave, next to the public parking lot. Refreshments will then be served in Fellowship Hall and members of the community can share their Sandy survival stories. The group will then take to the boardwalk and beach for a “celebration of survival” and colored-sand ceremony to symbolize how the community came together in its commitment to the sea and the shore.
Ortley Beach was referred to as “Ground Zero” during Sandy’s destruction, as much of the barrier island was reduced to rubble and residents were left to rebuild their homes and their beloved community.
St. Elisabeth’s Chapel by the Sea, built in 1885, was also a casualty of the storm, but after four years of rebuilding, it held a dedication ceremony in July that served as a symbol of the beach community’s resiliency and commitment to recovery after the storm.
The “Commemoration of Superstorm Sandy and a Celebration of Survival” is being held by the Ortley Beach Voters and Taxpayers Association, in partnership with St. Elisabeth’s Chapel. The public is invited to attend free of charge.
