Commentary: Thank You Dave Patnaude

By the time you read this, the annual circus that is Shore Dreams For Kids will be long gone from Seaside Heights, N.J. The event, which provides a day of powerboat rides, food and carnival-style rides for mentally and physically challenged children and adults—and their families—happened last Saturday. Unless the bagged trash hasn’t been picked up, the only signs Shore Dreams was even there will be the trampled grass on the ball field across from the Seaside Heights Municipal Docks.

nassoandpatnaude

Buddies for life—Joe Nasso (left) and Dave Patnaude.

That’s OK, grass grows back. Shore Dreams For Kids, which isn’t the largest event in the go-fast boating world but is one of the longest-running and most important, is worth it.

In a couple of weeks, the organization’s board of directors will get together for what board president Joe Nasso calls a recap meeting. “We’ll start talking again in September and then get the ball rolling again,” he said.

That ball will roll without Dave Patnaude next year.

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