Ocean City Fishing Club Open House Brings in 145 Pounds of Food, Over $230 in Donations

Ocean City, NJ -- The Ocean City Fishing Club drew 660 visitors to its first Open House of the season on Thursday, July 21.

Those visitors brought with them 145 pounds of non-perishable food and $231 in cash donations, according to the fishing club.

The food and money collected during the two-hour event was turned over to the Ocean City Community Food Cupboard.

This is the third consecutive year that the fishing club has opened its clubhouse doors and 635-foot pier to the public during Ocean City’s “Family Night on the Boardwalk.”

People came from places as far away as Colorado and as near as the town’s south end. They were welcomed by club president Augie Conte, Jr., watched surfcasting demonstrations, and learned about baits and equipment used on the pier.

Ocean City’s official mascot, Marvin Z. Mollusk, also joined in the evening’s entertainment.

The fishing club will hold one more Open House this summer, on Thursday night, Aug. 4, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., when guests will again be encouraged to bring donations of food. The club is located at the Boardwalk near 14th Street.

Founded in 1913, the Ocean City Fishing Club is the oldest, continuously operating fishing club in the United States.

The attached images were provided by the Ocean City Fishing Club:

Photo #1: Fishing club trustee Bob Dever lets Lana Mumman, 12, of Ocean City, hold a small sand shark before he releases it during a surfcasting demonstration at the club’s Open House on July 21.

Photo #2:Club member Gene Lindacher shows Marvin Z. Mollusk how the Ocean City Fishing Club uses a net to bring in big catches from the pier.