Point
Beach’s Casey Loundy, 17, who is a tennis player for the high school, recently
approached the borough council about making Point Beach a military-friendly
community. Photo by SUEANNE
GOSS, STAR NEWS GROUP
By Chris Sheldon
POINT PLEASANT BEACH — A senior from Point Pleasant Beach High
School is looking to make the borough a more military-friendly community.
Last
week, Casey Loundy, 17, a resident, here, and her father, Mike Loundy, attended
a Point Pleasant Beach Council meeting, where Casey was asked to describe her
mission.
Casey
— who is a National Honor Society member and plays three high school sports,
including tennis — wrote a letter addressed to the council, which all the
council members had an opportunity to read. Needless to say, Council President
Ray Cervino and Councilman John Mercun were both impressed by Casey’s plan.
The
council promised Casey that the governing body will draft an ordinance to make
the borough a military-friendly town, and added the commitment to its consent
agenda for the evening. The council voted unanimously to commit to the
ordinance.
Making
a town military-friendly means getting businesses in town to provide discounts
to past and present members of the military. It also involves getting beaches
to offer past and present members of the military discounted beach badges.
This
all came about through a World War II project Casey did last year at school,
where she was asked to interview someone who served, or knew someone who
served, in World War II and write a report about that person.
Casey
chose to write her report about her grandfather, Sidney Loundy, formerly of
Seaside Heights, who served in the Army in World War II.
Sidney
Loundy died before Casey was born, so she interviewed her grandmother, Adele
Loundy, read a diary that belonged to her great aunt, Leatrice Loundy, and also
pulled out information from her grandfather’s discharge papers.
Sidney
Loundy stormed Normandy Beach in France during World War II, and was later
wounded and taken prisoner during the Battle of the Bulge.
His
prison camp was liberated by Gen. George S. Patton, just before the war ended
in 1945.
Sidney
Loundy received various medals and commendations for his service, as well as a
Purple Heart for being injured during the Battle of the Bulge.
He
was also one of the founding members of the Seaside Veterans of Foreign Wars
[VFW] unit and American Legion Post 351, which assisted returning members of
the military.
Casey
said she did not know much about her grandfather before doing the report, and
said it was a great way to learn about all the great things he had accomplished
in his life.
It
was after doing this report last school year that Casey began her quest to make
towns in New Jersey military-friendly.
“I
realized we should be doing something for these [military] men and women and
their families today, like my grandfather did,” Casey said in her letter to the
council.
In
April, Casey proposed the idea of a military-friendly town to the Seaside
Heights Borough Council, which elicited a positive response, as the council
drafted an ordinance, to make it a military-friendly town.
“Seaside
Heights decided to allow military members, both past and present, with a valid
military ID, and their families, to access their beaches for free, which at the
time was contrary to state law,” Casey said in her letter to the council.
The
only people that were previously allowed discounted beach access were children
under the age of 12, senior citizens and people with disabilities.
“The
town took the bold move and allowed this, as long as military members were
tracked and went to lifeguard headquarters to receive their beach badges,” Mr.
Loundy said.
The
Seaside Heights Council also requested that businesses in town offer some form
of discount to past and present members of the military.
Casey
said she visited several businesses in Seaside Heights, and, so far, has
obtained discount plan offers from 70 business in town, including restaurants,
parking lots, hotels and amusements, all of which would be willing to provide
military discounts.
“Some
businesses discussed feeding military members for free at certain times,” Casey
said in her letter to the council.
Casey
even created a small, military-friendly display sign that will be donated to
each business that decides to offer military discounts.
“To
have all these stores contributing, it’s nice to see them giving back to people
who are serving for us every day, as well as their families,” Casey said.
Casey
said the resulting press and radio coverage of her actions may have prompted
the New Jersey State Senate to adopt legislation proposed by State Sen.
Christopher Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblyman Daniel W. Van
Pelt last year. The officials’ proposed legislation called for towns to be able
to decide for themselves whether to provide free or reduced beach badges to
active military and New Jersey National Guard personnel. Under the proposed
legislation, the military members’ spouses and children under the age of 12
would also be given the free or discounted beach badges.
The
legislation was adopted this year, on June 25.
After
her success in Seaside Heights, Casey sent letters detailing her mission to
several other towns, including Point Pleasant Beach, Atlantic City, Ocean City,
Lavallette, Mantoloking and Sea Girt.
“It
got to be a big deal and caught fire pretty quickly,” Mr. Loundy said.
In
order for Point Pleasant Beach to become a military-friendly town, the council
must draft and pass an ordinance, similar to the one passed by Seaside Heights.
Casey
said that if the council approves the ordinance, she will begin visiting
businesses in Point Beach, just as she did in Seaside Heights, to get them to
cooperate and provide military discounts.
“I’m
happy to see that my hometown is going to follow through on this, and it’s
great to see the council contribute as well,” Casey said.
Casey
said she hopes to “have all the New Jersey beaches free for past and present
military members and their families.”
Mr.
Loundy said he is proud of his daughter and all the hard work she has done.
