Letter from the editor
One of my earliest memories was playing with my grandmother’s patchwork quilts. I was either hiding in them or draping them over a table to make a secret clubhouse. I would wrap my dolls and even my cat up in them. Sometimes I simply threw the quilts in a heap, sat in them and pretended I was a bird in my nest.
As the years went by, I grew up, but the quilts remained. We came to refer to them as the “Grammy blankets” and stored them in a nearby closet. I can still hear my parents voice, ” You’re cold? Or sick? Get a Grammy Blanket.” Sometimes we pulled one out simply because we were feeling nostalgic. They were hand sewn by my grandmother, Grammy Agnes during the Great Depression. Needless to say, they weren’t pretty or fancy, but kept her family warm. The colorful quilt was made from whatever scraps of fabric Grammy could find. Over many years, they became faded, worn and frayed. They also become more comforting.
I believe our lives are like those patchwork quilts, made up of all of our experiences, the things we create and the stories we tell. Stories are what we do best at Shore Local. As a team we tell YOUR stories – features about the people, places and events that make up our community. Sometimes when I am working on our website, I am flabbergasted by the sheer number of stories we have shared since we began publishing, five and a half years ago.
The people I’ve met along the way and the ability to share their stories is my favorite part of my job.
Shore Local is SO much more than just my stories. It is Krystle Bailey, who along with hundreds of other features, told the story of segregation on the Atlantic City beach and how historians are preserving the iconic Chicken Bone Beach and something beautiful has come from it. Another contributor is Steffan Klenk, who meticulously coordinates all of the events and entertainment listings, writes features, takes photos and keeps us informed of all that is happening in the region.
Shore Local is Nancy Adler, who offers awesome advice on nutrition and wellness and Jeff Whitaker, whose personal takes on life inspire and encourage us. It is experts in their field like and Bonnie Dodd-Miller, Joe Massaglia, and Elisa Jo Eagan that share their experiences and insights. Shore Local is Raymond Tyler and Pete Thompson, both masters of story-telling. It is Chuck Eberson who uses humor to share his “Senior Moments.” It is my daughter Sarah, who visited every coffee shop in Ocean City (and Absecon Island) and detailed every flavor of each signature drink. It is Donald Kravitz who photographs the biggest stars and the babies at the baby parade and generously shares it all. It is Marc Berman, who adds expertise and a little spice and humor to our talk radio show.
At Shore Local, we aren’t trying to communicate news. We are telling stories. Our writers paint a picture of our neighborhood in rose colors and pastels, and I am proud of the work they are doing. We wouldn’t be the same without them. To our writers, thank you for contributing to our little magazine. The stories you tell matter.
Peace & Love,
Cindy
