by Phyllis Lacca
The old saying goes, “Records are meant to be broken.” With the help of the community, that’s exactly what OceanFirst Bank intends to do to the Guinness World Record for Sand Angels, and for very good causes.
On Saturday, October 28, 2017, at 10 a.m. in Seaside Park, NJ, almost five years to the day since Superstorm Sandy made landfall across the New Jersey coastline, OceanFirst Bank will team up with New Jersey Natural Gas, NJ101.5, WOBM, the Asbury Park Press and the Causeway Family of Dealerships to try and break the Guinness World Record for “Most Sand Angels Made Simultaneously.” Currently the record is 1,387 held by Ludington, a city in Western Michigan. The event is being staged to raise money for the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group to help those still impacted by Superstorm Sandy and the Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services in support of relief efforts aiding recent victims of the 2017 Hurricanes.
Registration is $5 and can be done online by visiting oceanfirstangels.com. There will be free T-Shirts for the first 1,500 participants, and 100% of the funds raised will go to support disaster relief and recovery. Both the OceanFirst Foundation and New Jersey Natural Gas will donate $10 for each of the first 1,500 registrants.
“As New Jersey’s leading community bank, OceanFirst was proud to play a major role in helping our neighbors and local businesses get back on their feet following Superstorm Sandy in October of 2012,” said Christopher D. Maher, Chairman & CEO of OceanFirst Bank. “Five years later, there are still people and businesses working to fully recover from the devastation caused by Sandy. We thought this would be a fun event and great way to pull the region together to help raise money for those affected by Superstorm Sandy and the recent hurricanes.
“We appreciate the support we’ve received to date from the community and our sponsorship partners, New Jersey Natural Gas, Townsquare Media and Causeway,” Maher continued. “We look forward to shattering the Guinness World Record for Sand Angels, and raising much needed funds for these worthwhile organizations and the people and businesses they support.”
The OceanFirst Bank Sand Angels Guinness World Record event will be held rain or shine on the beach in Seaside Park, NJ, on October 28, 2017. If you cannot participate in the World Breaking effort, but would like to help, you can visit oceanfirstangels.com to see job descriptions for volunteers and stewards, or email cferro@oceanfirst.com with “Sandy Angels Helper” in the subject line.
MAKING A WORLD RECORD SAND ANGEL
Making a Sand Angel isn’t as easy as you may think. Guinness has some pretty strict rules and can disqualify you if they are not followed. Here are the steps to Making a Sandy Angel:
- Line up next to each other or spread out around the area.
- Stand far enough apart so that when you spread your arms you can’t touch the person next to you.
- Fall gently into the sand onto your back.
- Keep your entire body flat in the sand.
- Brush your arms between your head and waist in a sweeping motion.
- Move your legs apart as far as they will go and then together.
- Repeat these motions (it’s like doing a jumping jack while lying down) until you have made indentations in the sand.
- Someone will stand at your feet and pull on your arms to help you up.
- Be sure to get up without stepping on your sand angel or making a handprint in the middle of it.
- All participants must make their sand angel for at least 30 seconds.
ABOUT OCEANFIRST BANK
OceanFirst Bank, founded in 1902, is a community bank with $5.2 billion in assets and branches located throughout central and southern New Jersey. OceanFirst Bank delivers commercial and residential financing solutions, wealth management, and deposit services and is the largest and oldest community-based financial institution headquartered in Ocean County, New Jersey. For more information on OceanFirst Bank, call 888-623-2633 or visit www.oceanfirst.com.
ABOUT OCEAN COUNTY LONG TERM RECOVERY
Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group: Established in November 2012 in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (OCLTRG) has been a trusted resource and lifeline for households, helping them navigate the complexities of the recovery process. Since the OCLTRG began assisting Sandy Survivors in 2013, more than 2,300 families have been helped by the OCLTRG and their partners. OCLTRG has hosted 250 recovery workshops, assisted 5,000 residents with recovery services, and facilitated $12 million to homeowners.
ABOUT THE SALVATION ARMY’S EMERGENCY DISASTER SERVICES
The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services: The Salvation Army began offering assistance to disaster survivors after a major hurricane hit Galveston, TX in September 1900. Since then, The Salvation Army has responded to numerous natural disasters, transportation accidents, civil unrest situations and terrorist attacks. By providing beverages, meals, and emotional and spiritual care to first responders and survivors, The Salvation Army strives to bring hope and healing to people who find themselves in the midst of extremely difficult situations.