Last year at this time, we preached how important it was to stay local for the summertime. We said that the 102 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends are “crucial” for the Jersey Shore, which, no matter where you live in our fine state, has a vital impact on our economy.
We are now a year-and-a-half removed from the devastation that was caused by Hurricane Sandy, but some Shore towns are still fighting to fully recover. Beach remediation is all but complete, and the boardwalks and shops are up and running, for the most part — at least those that decided to rebuild.
But these Shore towns still need our support.
Beach Season 2013 was not a good one. As if rebuilding from Sandy wasn’t bad enough, an incredibly wet June kept visitors away from the Shore during prime weekends. Sales for stores in the hardest-hit areas of the storm were off anywhere from 20–40 percent last year, according to state economic reports. And Gov. Christie’s office estimated that companies lost more than $63 million in business due to the storm.
So what’s the message here? It’s simple: Visit the Shore this summer, and visit often.
New Jersey residents often take our coastline for granted, but we should realize how lucky we are to have such a gem this close to home. So let’s pay it back this summer.
There are fewer than three weeks until the official start of the summer beach season, but with schools letting out a little later this year thanks to the snowy winter, there is still plenty of time to plan your summer vacation at the Jersey Shore.
The beach towns need your support, now more than ever. Let’s all dedicate at least part of our summer to giving back.
