The Recognition of Mayor William Rosenblatt

THE RECOGNITION OF MAYOR WILLIAM ROSENBLATT -- (Extensions of Remarks - October 04, 2004)

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise an exemplary individual, and a good friend, Mayor William Rosenblatt. I have known Mayor Rosenblatt for quite some time now, and, in this time, I have always been impressed by his commitment to his community, as well as his sense of obligation towards the preservation of our beaches. This weekend, he will be a deserving recipient of the 'Big Kahuna' award, presented by the Surfers' Environmental Alliance (SEA). As he receives this fitting tribute, I would like to take a moment and laud Mayor Rosenblatt for all that he has done for the beaches of New Jersey.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Rosenblatt attended Montclair University, and after he received his masters degree from Rutgers University, he completed his post doctorate training at the Mind Body Institute at Harvard University. Previously he has served as the director of behavioral medicine at Monmouth Medical Center and an adjunct faculty member at Monmouth University, Rutgers University, and Kean University-just to name a few.

Mayor Rosenblatt has been surfing for 42 years, mostly in New Jersey. His commitment and love for the sport is exhibited in his membership to organizations such as Clean Ocean Action and Surfers Medical Association. In addition, he is the proud co-founder of the Jersey Shore chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, and he sits on the National Board of Directors for the organization. As the Mayor of Loch Arbour for the last 7 years, William Rosenblatt has served proudly and has done a tremendous job. Time and time again, Mayor Rosenblatt has let his actions serve as an example for the rest of the community. By serving as beach captain for the Loch Arbour/Allenhurst Beach sweeps, and writing a surfing column in the Asbury Park Press for the last 3 years, few can deny this individual's obvious passion for the sport of surfing and adoration for our beaches.

The Surfers' Environmental Alliance, identifies a 'kahuna' as a "respected elder of the sport, a mentor to young surfers." This is a fitting description of Mayor William Rosenblattt, who is not only a mentor to young surfers, but also a highly regarded and respected leader in his community, as well as the sport of surfing. Mr. Speaker, once again, I congratulate my friend in receiving this honor and would like to commend the SEA for their work, and for recognizing the contributions of Mayor Rosenblatt.