Senior Moments
On Sunday, Sept. 13, the Viking Rowing Foundation located at the Doctor W. John Holland Boathouse in Ventnor, held a ceremony in which 19 South Jersey rowers were inducted into the Ocean Rowing Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was first instituted in 1970 and went year to year until unfortunately falling dormant. This year, with the help of Ward Holland, son of “Doc” Holland and the Hall of Fame committee, Dennis Funk, George Miller, Tom McCann and Megan Holland Robinson, new life was fittingly breathed into the Hall of Fame. The criterion to be inducted is simple; the lifeguard had to win the South Jersey Championships, the pinnacle of lifeguard races held along the southern New Jersey beaches. Often, South Jersey champions qualified by mere seconds over a very talented pool of competitors.
Homage was also paid to the lifeboat builders, the Van Sant and Van Duyne families whose boats have helped lifeguards save thousands of lives along the Jersey shore over its long history. The ceremony was well attended by multi-generations of rowers as well as family and friends.
Ward Holland began the ceremony with the christening of a new eight-oared racing shell donated by Norma Paludi, widow of Lou Paludi, former Chief of the Ventnor Beach Patrol. One cannot speak about the South Jersey rowing scene without mentioning “Doc” Holland, Stan Bergman, also former Chief of the Ventnor City Beach patrol and Paludi. Norma christened the shell by pouring champagne over the bow. Anonymous sources say a few sips of champagne may have been ingested in the process.
The Hall of Fame committee then proceeded to induct the following rowers:
- Atlantic City Beach Patrol: Michael Doherty
- Atlantic City Beach Patrol: Jim Smith
- Atlantic City Beach Patrol /Margate City Beach Patrol: Chuck Gowdy
- Ventnor City Beach Patrol: David Funk
- Ventnor City Beach Patrol: Andrew Funk
- Ventnor City Beach Patrol: Michael Tripician
- Margate City Beach Patrol: Chris Graves
- Margate City Beach Patrol: Ryan Pizagno
- Margate City Beach Patrol: Greg Smallwood
- Margate City Beach Patrol: Ashton Funk
- Margate City Beach Patrol: John Swift
- Ocean City Beach Patrol: Carolyn Heiner (Stephanik)
- Sea Isle Beach Patrol: Joann Palombo (Lombard)
- Sea Isle Beach Patrol: Megan Wilken (McCormick)
- Avalon Beach Patrol: John Glomb
- Avalon Beach Patrol: Dr. Erich Wolf
- Stone Harbor Beach Patrol: Kelly LeBlanc (Bainbridge)
Honorary Inductions for Boat Craftsmanship:
- The Van Duyne Family
- The Van Sant Family
- Bob O’Donnell
Surfboats have been around for about one hundred years, their construction handed down from family to family. Now, the ubiquitous Van Duyne surfboats
along with other variations are built by Christopher Denn and family of Oar House Products in Cape May County. This will ensure the saving of lives along the southern New Jersey beaches and will continue in the manner which has served the public well for decades.
Ward Holland closed by saying that his father, “Doc” Holland had great dreams and visions as it related to rowing. I think we all would agree that those dreams and visions have come to fruition thanks to the local boat builders and the strong men and women who row those boats.
Charles Eberson has been in the newspaper business for over 25 years. He has worked as a writer, advertising executive, circulation manager and photographer. His photography can be viewed at charles-eberson.fineartamerica.com
