Mayor's Message - September 2024
I hope you had a great summer - now on to one of my favorite seasons on our island – fall!
I have written in past messages about community and what that can mean or feel like. I came across an article recently that captured beach living well. It is from the New York Times, The Morning on June 24, 2024, article by Melissa Kirsch titled “Consider the Beach”. Here is a portion of that article:
The beach for me these days is participatory performance art. I love to see people unfurl their beach selves under the sun’s spotlight. To see how they’re adorning themselves, the music they’re blasting, the way they stake their territory, their peculiar rituals and accessories.
I like the community aspect of it all: Your music is, for better or worse, my music, for you are my neighbor for one brief day and this is our pop-up neighborhood. I like to eavesdrop on people’s conversations and observe how they discipline their children and, if they seem interesting, offer them some of my chips.
We’re all in this together, I think, in my dopey sun-drunk stupor. Today, we live here, not in our houses or apartments with their climate control and Wi-Fi and roofs, but here, outside, exposed to the elements and the gulls and the gaze of others. Today, we agree, life really and truly is a beach, or at least this beach, and here we are, living that life as extravagantly as we can manage.
We get to live here and visit the beach all the time! What a great community we get to call home. There are many ways to enjoy the beauty of our island and all it has to offer including venues to meet new neighbors or renew acquaintances. We have several great events coming this fall that I encourage you to take part in and feel the sense of community our city offers.
Tuesdays through October, Free Beach Yoga, 7:30 a.m. at 25th Ave Beach Access.
September 4, Keenagers, Senior Social luncheon and entertainment, 12:00 p.m., at the Rec Center. This is the first meeting of the season
September 9, Community CPR Certification with IOP Fire Department, 9:30 a.m. at the Rec Center. Cost is $25 per person.
September 12, Sea Stroll and Learn, 7:30 a.m. at 25th Ave Beach Access with Coastal Expeditions.
September 19th – Famers Market & Outdoor Movie (Movie TBA) at the Rec Center. Market will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Movie will be held on the soccer field and will start around 7:30 p.m.
September 27, Coffee with the mayor, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the marina.
Updated and additional information can be found at iop.net and you can receive updates by signing up for Sunnie – the City’s AI platform for sending updated messages direct to your mobile device. To get started text “hello” to (877)–607–6IOP (467) or visit iop.net.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve! See you around the island.
Phillip Pounds, Mayor IOP
843-252-5359
ppounds@iop.net