Seaside, Oregon Lends Some Help to Seaside Heights [AUDIO]

Seaside Heights, New Jersey is getting some support from a city with a similar moniker 3,000 miles away.

Seaside Oregon is lending support to its Jersey Shore counterpart, holding several fundraisers to help finance a new entrance for the storm-ravaged borough.

Seaside, Oregon Mayor Don Larson sees a lot of similarities to the Jersey borough, both are coastal towns with tourism-driven economies and both are acutely aware of the damage natural disasters mean for them.

Larson notes when he saw the aftermath in Seaside Heights after Superstorm Sandy it was difficult for him not to picture his Pacific Ocean city.

“And we sit here able to possibly help in the horrendous devastation and we’re aware that we could have a tsunami.”

Larson was made aware of the plight of Seaside Heights town by  Gail Hand, a local motivational speaker.

Hand is a regular visitor to the Jersey Shore and brought the similarly-named municipality to his attention.

“I like to go for projects that help and also create a sense of giving and support.”

Starting March 22nd, the beginning of spring break in Oregon and going throughout the weekend, three separate fundraisers will be held.

On the 22nd a Rock and Swim will be held at the local swim club, the 23rd will have a Skate Competition, and the 24th and final day will feature a Pancake Dinner and Raffle which Larson notes will involve the neighboring cities of Portland, Cannon Beach, and Astoria.

Most of the fundraisers will have modest five dollar entry fees and any additional donations can be mailed to the Seaside Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 634, Seaside, OR 97138. Mark the check: "Seaside helping Seaside!"

The proposed entrance, which depicts a carousel horse with a child sitting on it, will cost approximately $70,000 to $80,000. Larson doesn’t have any firm estimates on what the trio of fundraisers will net, but is hopeful it can make a significant dent.

“I can’t say that we will get that [70K], but I would assume as we would assume that we get or they get, would be nice.”

Larson says as a mayor he feels extremely close to his city, noting that “when somebody hurts in a town of sixty five hundred, I share that feeling. So I can’t imagine what the mayor of Seaside Heights has been going through.”