Ocean City Beach Patrol Reunion

THE OCEAN CITY BEACH PATROL will be celebrating their 123rd year as a city-paid squad at the 83rd annual Reunion/Hall of Fame party Saturday, August 14, 2021, on the lawn of the Bayside Center, 520 Bay Avenue in Ocean City.
The reunion is always held the day after the South Jersey Lifeguard Championships. This summer the 81st annual rowing and swimming tournament will be held on Friday, August 13, 6:30pm on the 33rd Street beach in Longport.
The first South Jersey championship was held in 1924. The OCBP has dominated the tournament winning 34 times. The Ventnor City Beach Patrol is a distant second with 16 wins. Ocean City rowers and swimmers have won the most individual titles. This year Matt Garbutt, Stephanie Hauk and Erin Curry will be inducted into the OCBP Hall of Fame.
The 25th annual Robert Stowe Jr. Award will be presented to Jeff Garbutt for his outstanding service and contributions to the profession of ocean lifesaving in Ocean City. The following are Stowe Award winners: Fred Miller, George T. Lafferty, Chet Derr Jr., Thomas H. Heist III, Alfred “Bud” McKinley, Vince Hink, Bill Dorney, Joe Grimes, Angelo Psaltis, Joe Schmitt, Anne Copeland Merrill, John McShane, Sam McDowell, Bob French, Jack Brooks, Bill Pugh, Russ Leary, Bob Speca, Jim Sullivan, Chuck Betson, Tom Mullineaux, John Loeper, Tony Mehalic, and Bob Ogoreuc.
The members of the Ocean City Beach Patrol are proud of their history and record of accomplishments, and the annual reunion gives everyone an opportunity to celebrate the 123-year-old tradition of excellence in the lifesaving profession.

Find this story and more in our August magazine.