By RICHARD VIRGILIO
For the ninth year, locals share their favorite memories and moments of 2016.
Going with my daughter, Emilyclare, the day after Thanksgiving to pick out her wedding gown was the best time. She had quite the entourage (seven guests) and found the most perfect dress. Great day that I will remember forever!
– Janet Manni
Planting a memorial garden in Library Square Park for the 49 Orlando Pulse nightclub victims with the wonderful community and Sunshine Girls Charity. Our goal was to share a message of kindness and diversity to help teach our children the meaning of love and acceptance. It was a heartfelt and emotional day for anyone touched by that tragedy. Love will always win.
– Janice Molloy
My greatest memory was the brilliant display of 1200 tulips that bloomed in Merchants Park this past Spring thanks to the inspiration of the Asbury Shuffle Merchants Guild and the indefatigable hard work of the Environmental Shade Tree Commission. They have created a Living Welcome to Asbury Park.
-Tom Pivinski
The presidential election was certainly not a highlight. The main source of culture and enjoyment these days is the fantastic ShowRoom arthouse movie theater. Everything I see there makes me happy.
– David Bates
Although the outcome was not the one I had hoped and prayed for, the most momentous moment of my 2016 is still when I cast my vote for the person I believed was the most highly experienced, capable, and qualified candidate for the presidency who was also of my gender. I don’t think those of us who aren’t in underrepresented groups can fully appreciate how this felt. And although the “glass ceiling” wasn’t totally broken on election day, there were more than 65 million cracks added. It just can’t possibly hold much longer can it?
-Claire Antonucci
My favorite memory was Jane’s Addiction playing The Stone Pony Summer Stage on July 16 in a misty rain bathed in purple light. The tour was the 25th anniversary of Lollapalooza and I worked on the first four Lolla’s. They are friends so it was extra special to me, full circle kind of stuff. The Pony crowd was amazing, giving the band back the love, Perry Farrell even busted out a bottle of red for the front row. One for the ages!
– Tim Donnelly
One of my best memories of the year is listening to the Go Go s concert on the AP Boardwalk.. we were by the Splash Park and we could see and hear everything. Great show shared with great friends and family! Beautiful summer night ! Lots of people! The Boardwalk is back!
– Carol Scollay
I love returning to Asbury Park each year to chart its metamorphosis. My October trip didn’t disappoint! It was fun to stay at the Asbury Hotel, the freshly re-imagined Salvation Army home so I could be closer to the Boardwalk and tap memories for a new literary project I’m working on. I appreciated that the hotel staff finally agreed the oil portrait hanging in the lobby was that of Bishop Francis Asbury – it’s all in the branding, kids. Loved running into Brett Colby, ArtsCAP impresario and opera/musical theater contributor to the anthology “Asbury Park: Where Music Lives” on the Boardwalk along with a couple from Jersey City who owns “Asbury Park’s Glory Days” (and to think they randomly stopped me with a request to snap their picture!). As always, my stay was just too brief.
-Helen-Chantal Pike
During the winter of 2016, I was part of a committee to help program a 10-week music series in Springwood Park for the Levitt grant that was received by the Asbury Music Foundation. At this time, the park was just an empty lot and we were not fully convinced that it would actually open in time for the mandatory series to begin. We spent the next few months meeting regularly, watching the park evolve to include a stage, landscaping, playground and other amenities that made us all proud to be a part of this endeavor while focusing on the many genres of music and the various choices that we would have to make. We obsessed over each decision. Our hope and goal was to create a cultural environment that the entire City would support and enjoy. So after many ups, downs, set-backs, challenges and obstacles, one of my favorite moments of 2016 was being in the very newly-opened Springwood Park during the evening of June 27, along with hundreds of others, to witness the first-ever concert by Gedeon Luke and the People. That summer music series brought the entire Asbury Park community together each Monday during the summer of 2016.
– Asbury Park Councilwoman Eileen Chapman
Hanging out over the summer at the Springwood Ave Park and listening to great music with amazing people.
– Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn
My memory is the first volunteer clean up at Merrick Farm in the Spring of 2016. Being able to use my company’s resources to kick-start an iconic Monmouth County Organic Farm and engage the local community in the process is food for the mind, body and soul and I’m grateful.
– Marilyn Schlossbach
I’m proud we expanded to include personal training and small group fitness classes to our list of services at Kur? The personal training was so successful out of the gate we won an award for it this year.
-Troy Teeboom
Thank you always for your readership and support. Wishing you a healthy, peace and love-filled 2017.
