def #56 03/12/08

GRANTS HELP PROMOTE TOURISM YEAR-ROUND

TOMS RIVER – With so many locations throughout the United States attempting to attract tourists to their respective destinations, Ocean County is continuing its efforts to bring them here by helping to promote a host of tourism programs and activities.

Now in its 20th year, the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders is getting ready to award $60,600 in grant money to 61 organizations throughout Ocean County under the Tourism Promotional Matching Grant Program.

“We know the importance of tourism here in Ocean County,” said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “Tourism is one of our leading industries and provides more than 65,000 jobs annually right here in the county.

“When there is a downturn in the economy it is even more important to promote the tourism programs here in order to continue to attract visitors who in turn help the area businesses,” said Vicari, who also serves as liaison to tourism.

The Board of Freeholders is expected to award the grants during its regular meeting March 19.

Grant amounts range from $500 to $1,450 and are used to promote events throughout the county, including both those communities that are traditionally tourism towns like Beach Haven and Point Pleasant Beach to the nontraditional tourism communities like Plumsted Township.

Communities such as Pine Beach and Berkeley Township receive grants for one of the largest runs in Ocean County and a multi-state fastpitch softball tournament respectively.

“These events draw participants from around our state and other states,” Vicari said. “People come to them because they are promoted.”

Grant recipients must match the grant dollar for dollar - so at a minimum, the county grant program is putting $121,200 back into promoting tourism.

“The Ocean County Tourism Advisory Council is extraordinarily appreciative for the Freeholders' support for this industry, not only in the past, but now during economically challenging times,” said Maria Maruca, past council chairperson. “They have the wisdom to realize that now is the time for us to aggressively pursue encouraging new visitors to come to the shore.

“If the visitors have not been here for a while, it is a great time to remind them to renew old acquaintances,” she said. “Funding programs such as the tourism grants and our advertising schedule put meaningful dollars into that effort.”

Organizations can only apply for one grant and awards are competitive based on a point system, which is included in the grant application.

The grant cycle is opened every December, and grants are awarded the last business day of January.

Determination is made by a committee of volunteers from the Ocean County Tourism Advisory Council and was chaired by nonvoting member Peter Schnell, a past chair of the council who lives in Florida and who returns to Ocean County annually to help chair the grant committee.

Grants are awarded to programs that integrate well with the overall county tourism program.

The grant committee looks at a number of areas in the grant application including whether the event would attract visitors to the area and create a positive ambiance, how the umbrella tourism logo will be used, the past performances of an organization, if the event will attract visitors off-season, midweek and encourage overnight stays, the quality of the event, and additional points for new or expanded aspects that could result in growing an event.

“Ocean County businesses rely heavily on tourism and the better we fare with promoting events the better the tourism economy does,” Vicari said. “I want to thank our Tourism Advisory Council for making certain Ocean County continues to be one of the best places to visit not just in New Jersey but the U.S.”

The following is the list of grant recipients:

Alliance for a Living Ocean, Beach Haven, Summer Events Brochure, $900; Barnegat Bay Decoy/Tuckerton Seaport, Tuckerton, Tuckerton Seaport Promotion, $1,300; Bay Head Business Association, Bay Head, Events in a Brochure, $1,050; Beach Haven Borough, Beach Haven, Calendar of Events, $1,450; Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association, Beach Haven, Events Guide, $1,450; Beach Haven Community Arts Program, Beach Haven, Concerts on the Green, $500; Berkeley Girls Softball League, Berkeley Township, Barracudas Fastpitch Softball, $600; Berkeley Township, Bayville Community Pride Day, $600; Brick Township Recreation, Summerfest & the Arts, $1,300; Eagleswood Township, West Creek, Country Fair, $500.

And, Eagleswood Volunteer Fire Co #1, Sand Hare Scrambler & Race, $600; East Coast Boat Racing Club of NJ, Barnegat Township, 2008 Racing Season, $1,450; Friends of Barnegat Lighthouse, Barnegat Light, 150th Lighthouse Anniversary, $500.00; Garden State Philharmonic, Toms River, Season Brochure, $1,050; Harvey Cedars Activity Committee, Harvey Cedars, Summer Events, $1,000; Jackson Twp Department of Recreation, Summer Concerts Series $1,050; Joseph P. Hayes Theatre Inc./Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven, Surflight 2008 Theatre Program, $1,450; Lacey Township Municipal Alliance, 5K & One Mile Run, $500; Lakewood Historical Society, Inc., Heritage Museum Brochure, $1,050; Lakewood Lions Club, Renaissance Festival, $1,050; Lavallette Borough, Recreation Activities, $1,050; Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, Summer Camp Marketing, $1,300; Long Beach Island Historical Association, Beach Haven, Events in a Calendar, $500; Long Beach Township, WaterFest, $900.

Also, Long Beach Township Beach Patrol, Lifeguard in Training Tournament, $900; Museum of NJ Maritime History Inc., Beach Haven, Promotional Brochure, $700; NJ Lighthouse Society, NJ Lighthouse Challenge, $1,450; Ocean County Artists’ Guild, Island Heights, Creative Expressions, $1,000; Ocean County Board of Agriculture, Toms River, Ocean County Fair, $1,450; Ocean County Library, Toms River, Bookfest 2008, $600; Ocean County Mayors’ Association, Island Heights, Golf Digest, $900; Ocean County YMCA, Toms River, Art & Decoy Show, $1,300; Ocean Running Club, Toms River, Seaside Marathon & 5K Run, $ 800; Ocean Township, Waretown, Founders Day, $600; Pine Beach Borough, 5K and 1 Mile Riverside Runs, $900; Pine Shores Art Association, Manahawkin, Arts for the Community, $500; Plumsted Township, New Egypt, Main St 2008 Brochures, $900; Point Pleasant Beach, Inlet Boat Parade, $1,000; Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce, Festival of the Sea, $1,050; Point Pleasant Elks BPOE 1698, Fluke Tournament, $1,450; Point Pleasant Lions Club, Hey Rube Get’a Tube, $800; Rotary Club of Toms River, Sailfest, $ 900; S.A.G.E. Foundation Inc, Lakewood, Opening of Hearts & Minds, $1,050; Seaside Heights Business Improvement District, Vacation Planner, $1,450.

And, Seaside Heights Tourist Development Commission, Annual Clownfest, $1,450; Seaside Park Borough Recreation Department, Recreation Schedule, $700; Ship Bottom Borough, Celebration of Public Events, $1,050; Ship Bottom Irish Festival/Hibernians, Irish Festival, $600; St. Francis Community Center, Brant Beach, Commemorative Run, $1050; Stafford Township Education Foundation Inc., Cultural Guide, $1,450; Stafford Township Historical Society, Inc., Stafford Heritage Weekend, $1,300; Stafford Township Recreation, Special Events, $900; Strand Ventures Inc – Strand Theatre, Lakewood, Fall Mailer, $600; Summer in the Park, Seaside Park, Events/Concerts Series, $1,000; Toms River Board of Education/Ritacco Center, Poland Springs Events, $1,300; Toms River Business Development Corp., Toms River, Pizza Pasta & Pastry Festival, $1,300; Toms River-OC Chamber of Commerce, Toms River Visitors’ Guide, $1,050; Toms River Volunteer Fire Co #1 Inc., Toms River Halloween Parade, $600; Tuckerton Economic Development Commission, Map & Guide, $1,450; Vintage Automobile Museum of New Jersey, Brick, Vintage Auto Shows, $1,300, and Waretown Volunteer Fire Co #1, Annual Haunted Hayride, $700.


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