Sister James Dolores Named ROA ‘Citizen of Year’

STONE HARBOR — Sister James Dolores, who does her best not to be the center of attention, was named the Realty Owners Association (ROA) Citizen of the Year on Sept. 22.
A familiar face throughout the resort, Sister James Dolores, 76, was just a year old when the order to which she belongs, Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, bought the beachfront property at 111th Street and built Villa Maria By the Sea retreat so members of the teaching order would have a serene place to rejuvenate in the summer.
Sister James, as she is better known, is caretaker and property manager of that parcel on the beachfront in the borough’s south end.
Charlie Tomlinson, ROA vice president, presented the award to Sister James. Loud applause followed from membership who convened in Borough Hall at 9 a.m. for a joint ROA Fall Membership-Borough Council Meeting.
Accepting the award, Sister James quelled a rumor that had Villa Maria to be sold. She said there was no truth in it, and that Villa Maria By the Sea would remain an active part of the borough as long as the people continued to support the retreat.
Villa Maria By the Sea, said Sister James, is not owned by the Church or diocese, but rather by the order. It pays taxes, she said, and it the intent of the order to continue doing so.
It was an accident that injured her leg that forced her to retire from those Philadelphia-area classrooms and, in 1993, relocated permanently to Villa Maria. Her career spanned a number of schools in the metropolitan area from the City of Brotherly Love, where she was a native.
At the time of her relocation, Villa Maria was structurally sound, but was in need of some major modernization and repairs.
In her untiring manner, Sister James immediately set about to fix up the retreat house. It was a job that was never completed, and continues until the present.
Before the order changed to more modern garb, it was a curiosity to see the black robed nuns enjoying the cool Atlantic surf. The nuns realized that stretch of ocean was not theirs alone, but, being God’s gift, was something to be enjoyed by others, in particular surfers, who sought out the “break” at the Villa Maria beach.
The nuns allowed those surfers to use that beach and ride its waves, thus became the term, “Nuns’ Beach” for that stretch of sand and surf.
In 1996, as a thank you for allowing them to use the beach, those surf-loving wave riders held the first of what would become the “Nuns’ Beach Surf Contest” held each September.
Proceeds from the event are still given to the retreat to help offset maintenance.
Over the years, Sister James has helped at that event, not only to assist in raising funds, but as a way to continually maintain a close relationship with the surfers and greater Stone Harbor community.
She has been a tireless worker bringing about improvements and repairs to the huge edifice and its manicured grounds. She ensures that the retreat is an active participant in the borough’s activities and beach replenishment.
New officers of the 1,000-member ROA were introduced at the meeting including Charlie Tomlinson, vice president, and Frank Byrne, secretary.
President Jeff Alderton and Treasurer Amy Welsh continued in their offices for another year.
Tomlinson has been vice president of the past two years, and was reelected to serve another two years. An architect and LEED professional, he is one of the founders and past president of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and served on the board of the U.S. Green Building Council. He and his wife, Sherry, are full-time borough residents.
Byrne is the new secretary, who completed his first year as a trustee. He is a major account executive with Canon Business Solutions after having retired by Xerox Corp.
He is an experienced homeowners’ association board member from Pennsylvania, and a part-time resident from Gwynedd Valley, Pa.
Trustees who were approved and confirmed who will serve three-year terms include: Daniel F. Brown, William R. Dougherty, Terrance Fortino, Jerry Pasquarella, Linda Ready, Michael J. Riener, Diane Velletri and Ronald Workman.
Parts of this story were first published at capemaycountyherald.com
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com