An Ideal Neighborhood Celebration

The Ideal Beach Community Association held its second annual My Neighborhood Celebration event on Saturday. The family-oriented party took place on the Tonya Keller Community Center field.

Attractions included a petting zoo, pony rides, a tour of a East Keansburg fire truck for kids, pizza donated by Anthony's Pizzeria in Keyport, and music played by No Limit DJs, who volunteered their time.

Middletown Township Mayor Anthony Fiore and Committeemen Gerry Scharfenberger, Steve Massell, and Kevin Settimbrino also stopped by to mingle with the community.

"The Association is made up of a group of volunteers and neighbors who raise money and give our time," said IBCA president Kathy Grano. "It's important for the neighborhood and makes for a stronger community."

The second grade winners of a Ocean Avenue Elementary School art and essay competition where youngsters drew and wrote what they liked most about the Ideal Beach community were announced, and their works were presented to the crowd. You can see the winning drawings in the photo gallery above.

"We think we've had a great time today, we had a tremendous amount of people coming out," said IBCA secretary Greta Siwiec. "It's a great thing for the neighborhood, it really brings a lot of camaraderie and brings us all together."

Since its founding two years ago with a Neighborhood Preservation Program grant, IBCA's mission includes a neighborhood watch to deter and stop crime, assistance and support for elderly and new residents of Ideal Beach, and creating a sense of community.

They are a self-described energetic group of volunteers dedicated to improving the place where they live, and they encourage all locals to stop by their meetings at the Tonya Keller Community Center on the second Tuesday of every month.

The day's major sponsors were Sestito Financial and Decker Wright Computer Repair. A full list of sponsors can be found on the organization's website, www.myidealbeach.org