By: Victoria Ford. NJ Maritme Museum with trash caused by Sandy. Photo credit: Victoria Ford. Continued on page 19

Transcription

1 By: Victoria Ford NJ Maritme Museum with trash caused by Sandy. Photo credit: Victoria Ford early a year after Superstorm Sandy struck the Jersey shoreline, the arts and heritage organizations of Ocean County are, in some ways, still reeling from the impact. But what they all share is a spirit of resilience sprung from a belief in the enduring power of the arts and the vitality of history, as well as the important humanitarian lessons to be gained from both which has carried them thus far through the recovery process and will continue to buoy them in the months and years ahead. * * * As contextualized by Mary Eileen Fouratt, Executive Director of the Monmouth County Arts Council: The hurricane was very difficult for many arts organizations. For some, the storm inflicted physical damage to their facilities, while others were affected indirectly, as a result of devastation felt throughout their communities and their members losses of homes and businesses. What we re seeing is that, through our program ArtHelps, where, we re able to fund some of these groups to do community arts projects that can help rebuild the spirits of their communities while everybody else is doing physical rebuilding, that it s really helped to lift some of the sadness and depression and loss, and it is helping communities to process their loss and even envision their future. Meanwhile, down in the southern portion of the county, at Surflight Theatre, Director of Marketing and Public Relations Bill Martin admitted, it s been hard work, a rough spring and summer, with crowds sparse in the months of June and July, he said. With fewer-than-normal rentals available for visitors, it has been difficult at times to stay positive. Luckily, hope is on the horizon, and a sense of optimism pervades the theater staff. Ticket sales right now are wonderful, he said, and a full house always bolsters morale among casts and encourages them to give even more of themselves onstage. It s also wonderful, he said, to see guests once again lining up around the block for the Show Place Ice Cream Parlour. Children s Theater, too, is thriving. Continued on page 19 18

2 Impact from page 18 Still, realistically, he said, it will take a few more years before everything is fully back to normal. Surflight lost some 3,000 costumes (totaling some 8,000 pieces), he said, though the theater is no stranger to the art of doing more with less, being economical with resources. Gradually, donations will help to rebuild the wardrobe and set pieces. Patrons have already been incredibly generous, he added; and volunteer contributions of every kind, from Boy Scouts, to NJ Institute of Technology, to Jetty, have been overwhelming. Because nonprofit arts organizations rely on the public s generosity and support continually to operate as it is, in times of crisis they are especially vulnerable and struggle even more. Insurance does what it can, but funding is always a challenge, and a risk, as governmental support is always tenuous at best and can t be counted on. NJ Council on the Arts recognizes the real value in such organizations: creating culture, which continues long after other aspects of human life fade away. That s what tells the rest of the world we were here. In a nutshell, Martin said, Surflight is grateful for all the help it has received, while ever continuing to seek all the help it can get. Just a few blocks away from Surflight at the Museum of New Jersey Maritime History, founder and Director Deborah Whitcraft recalled: When Superstorm Sandy struck, we converted the NJ Maritime Museum into an emergency shelter for several neighbors who failed to heed the order to evacuate. Although none of the museum s two floors of exhibits were impacted, the flood waters came within five inches of the museum s first floor, destroying the garage workshops and hydraulics for the elevator. During the storm, my husband (Jim Vogel) worked to direct floating wreckage away from the building, which, if not redirected, would ve caused extensive damage to the structure. Subsequent to the floodwaters receding, we worked to remove destroyed machinery, tools, drywall and insulation. Once people were permitted back to LBI, we reopened the museum to the public, although we could not provide elevator access. Because we stayed, we were able to take hundreds of photos of storm damage island-wide and to create an exhibit of the devastation to LBI s businesses and residential properties. The number of visitors to LBI has been substantially reduced due to Sandy, but those who have opted to return have been extremely supportive. Nearby, at the Long Beach Island Historical Museum, Historical Society President Ron Marr said the storm s impact on the museum could be measured in three major ways: in terms of damage to the structure (resulting in $120,000 worth of repairs); in terms of a drop in attendance and patronage in the ensuing year; and shorthandedness. The museum was able to recoup $100,000 through various channels including insurance, FEMA and other grants, and the membership has made up the balance. Perhaps the greatest blessing was all the exhibits and artifacts were spared. But business has been down, so income is off. The volunteers are not back yet, he said. Patrons generally tend to be mostly young people and families. On the bright side, some of the repairs the roof, for example were repairs that would have needed to be done in the next 10 years anyway. 19 Continued on page 33 Spring 2014

3 Impact from page 19 Add to that, the handicap lift due to arrive next week, and the place would be on its way to upgrades. Owing to the building s age (1882), it was sturdily built, and elevated, to withstand coastal storms, although, because in an old building things aren t square, its age also complicated matters. But, proving experience is a virtue, the building had been storm-battered and restored once before. After a 1901 storm had blown a steeple off and washed the building clear out into the middle of Beach Avenue, the structure was rebuilt and reinforced to withstand future storms. It was re-sided in cedar, which is about the most resistant to coastal storms as you can get, according to Marr. Settlers to New England in the 17th century recognized that. Cedar made sense for the hot, dry summers, cold winters and high winds. By next year, he said, hopefully, recovery would be farther enough along that patronage would be restored. But dips and spikes in the pattern are a part of the bigger picture, he said, which indicates this year s attendance was about the same as in 2010, at a time of economic crisis. Neighboring businesses noticed similar trends, he said. We re very seasonal, he said and therefore tourism-reliant. Of the total visitors, only about half are from New Jersey, with the others being from Philadelphia, New York and elsewhere. The museum is also weather-dependent; rainy days see higher numbers, naturally. It s been a tough year for us, and I suspect (residents will) continue to feel the financial squeeze the next couple of years. Marr predicts it ll take about that long for everything to shake out and, eventually the whole mess will be a non-event in the sense that human nature is such that memory lessens impact over time. In some ways, the Island will restore itself to be more upscale while others fall, he added, which may result in a greater disparity between economic classes. Some have already fixed up to sell, others who were homeowners plan to sell and return as renters. But it will take at least another year or two to shake out. I think people are still feeling it, psychologically, he said of Sandy s impact locally. They know we ve turned a corner, but they also know many friends and family members are still struggling, which slows the recovery process. Most of those who returned soonest, he observed, were those who could afford to lay out the repair costs up front, he observed. And many of those wealthy, granted, are economizing, cutting back. But those who don t have the resources aren t back in their houses yet, because they re awaiting insurance monies. Throughout much of Beach Haven Gardens, he remarked, the houses are either demolished or put up for sale. Marr worries the Island s middle class, many of them retirees who bought their homes 25 years ago, may find themselves squeezed out, he continued. In fact, that demographic makes up the bulk of the Historical Society s membership and volunteers, he said. Currently the society has 350 active members, but that number has declined in the last decade or so from a whopping 800. When the organization took over the former Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in 1976, it picked up a lot of church members who wanted to assist in the building Continued on page Spring 2014

4 Impact from page 33 preservation efforts, he explained. Since then, however, many former society members have passed away or relocated to Florida fulltime. Across the bay, the Tuckerton Seaport has weathered the last year with compassion, dedication and panache, much like the true baymen who lived in the Barnegat Bay traditions. The Seaport sustained $350,000 worth of storm damage, according to Executive Director Paul Hart, but luckily most of the damage was structural; little to no priceless artifacts were lost. Five out of the 17 buildings on the site remain closed while under repair/renovation: two houseboats, Kelly s Oyster House, Hester Sedge and Dayton s Saw Mill. Progress has been slow but steady, Hart said, expressing heartfelt gratitude for the many volunteers who offered help both physically and financially in the recovery effort. Many donors have come forward with historic artifacts to add to the Seaport s collection, he added. After the storm struck, as soon as the electricity was restored, the Seaport was opening, functioning as a community center for information and aid. As far as visitation, June was a rather wet month, and July was so-so, but August was spectacular, so the summer as a whole ended up being fairly fruitful. Fortunately, the Seaport is a year-round organization, so the calendar of events continues, as the work and progress continue. Now that fall has arrived, school field trips are up and running, and a cooperative program called ArtHelps: The Voices of Barnegat Bay, wherein students from participating schools learn traditional crafts (carving, boat building and basket making) while discussing their feelings about the Sandy experience, will run through the winter months. The program has been adapted to suit the specific purpose of Sandy recovery, to help youngsters coming to grips with a sense of place, as it relates to past, present and future. Meanwhile, exhibits that were damaged are being examined and fixed/ modified as appropriate, and the mission has been re-focused, Hart said. Sandy may have made her mark on the property in a tangible way, but she couldn t tear the fabric of tradition that has made the Seaport a beloved cultural treasure for more than 13 years. The positive attitude is what it s all about, Hart said. At the New Jersey Museum of Boating, all is well as can be, according to museum co-founder Bob O Brien. The museum itself, located in a boatyard, was badly flooded, he said, but repairs are underway, and we expect to reopen on Aug. 25. Not too much was lost, except some nautical books that were in the lower part of the bookcases; the new $6,000 floor was able to be cleaned and repaired at little cost. Notably, the Museum of Boating opened its doors and floors last year to share space with the Vintage Auto Museum of New Jersey, thus effectively joining under one roof many New Jerseyans two fondest pastimes, on the water and on the road. Here s Vice President John Mahoney on the superstorm s impact: In early 2012, Bob O Brien of the Boating Museum offered half of the 4,400 square-foot building to the Vintage Auto Museum, which had been for 12 years Continued on page 35 34

5 Impact from page 34 prior a museum without walls, with cars, artifacts, memorabilia, even a history program for high school kids but nowhere to hang the sign. The state s only public car museum opened its doors on June 17, Museum members were overwhelmed by the positive response. Unfortunately, the dreams of so many lasted a scant 134 days, Mahoney said. Sandy swiftly destroyed months, even years, of hard work, bringing 52 inches of water into the building; ruining furniture, half the library, and all the contents of two glass display cases; and flooding the cars in the museum. At first, members wanted to give up, to simply lock the doors and walk away, their spirits broken. But, in due time, they realized their loss was not only their own. Feeling they owed it to the car loving public to restore the unique family attraction, they did the necessary work and reopened on Aug. 2, No fanfare. No media coverage. Just open the door, and chase away the blues, Mahoney said. The cars now on display include a 1915 Ford Model T, a 1957 Ford Thunderbird and a 1941 Cadillac. The museum is still small, but the hearts of the members and trustees are bigger than ever, he said. In the event that another Sandy (by a different name) ever strikes again, he said encapsulating the spirit of countless other hard working, passionate residents of Ocean County and the Garden State as a whole their sleeves are already halfway rolled up. Damaged First Floor and Elevator at NJ Maritime Museum. Photo credit: Victoria Ford 35 Spring 2014