Community Corner
Ceremony Will Honor Berkeley Lifeguard Killed Last Summer
This Friday, a ceremony will be held at White Sands Beach in South Seaside Park to honor lifeguard Keith Pinto, who died last year.
BERKELEY, NJ — Berkeley Township officials have announced that a ceremony will be held at White Sands Beach in South Seaside Park to honor the lifeguard who was struck by lightning and killed there last summer.
In Aug. 2021, Keith Pinto died while on duty after he and seven others were struck by lightning. Read More: 19-Year-Old Lifeguard Killed By Lightning Strike On NJ Beach
A ceremony will be held to honor Pinto on July 1 at 12:30 p.m. at 22nd Avenue White Sands Beach, Berkeley Mayor Carmen Amato said.
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"Keith died in the line of duty, with dignity and honor, watching over his beach," he wrote in a Facebook post. "This ceremony will ensure he will never be forgotten."
At a recent Township Council meeting, Amato called for the 22nd Avenue beach to be renamed for Pinto.
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"Our hearts go out to the Pinto family," Amato said at the time.
A lightning detection system was installed recently to protect lifeguards and beachgoers. Read More: Lightning Detector Installed At Berkeley Beach
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