Freeholder Fan Bids Fond Farewell

CREST HAVEN – Eight years ago, Pete Gilson walked into his first Cape May County Freeholders meeting. On Oct. 22, he sat in on his last. In the long span between, Gilson was privy to untold resolutions, witnessed progress in the making, and no doubt held audience to a bit of bickering here and there. But in all that time, he did his best to never miss a meeting.
“Only when I had an operation on my prostate did I miss one meeting,” Gilson said and then went on to admit that he may have missed one or two others. “I always tried to schedule my vacations around the meetings. And if I knew I was going out somewhere, I made sure to be back in time.” In fact, for a time, Gilson had a regular poker game with friends that met on Tuesday nights. Once he started going to Freeholder meetings, he asked his fellow card sharks to kindly move their standing event to Wednesdays so that he wouldn’t miss a meeting.
Gilson lived in Philadelphia and worked in a metal supply store for 34 years and part time in a deli and supermarket for 27. When he moved to Cape May County 20 years ago, Gilson lived at Lake and Shore Campground in Ocean View. He fell in love with the area and eventually moved to Carol Lynn Resorts in Woodbine, where he resides.
He first found his interest in local government when he “met a couple politicians that made me want to see what was going on. I wanted to become educated in the county news so I started going to the Woodbine Borough Council meetings. I attended those for about four years and in that time… that’s when I started going to the freeholders’ too. I guess I’m just very inquisitive about how the government works.”
After a while, council members began to recognize Gilson as a regular and he became friends with them. “Pete is a kind and wonderful person, and we have become good friends,” confirmed Freeholder Kristine Gabor. “I got used to seeing Pete’s friendly face every time I walked into the room. He always left a snack (cookies or granola bars) for us at our seat before freeholder meetings. Whenever he had the chance (outside of meetings) to ask me to dance when he was with the string band or at the (annual) Senior Jamboree I always said yes. Hopefully, I will still get the chance for another dance in the future!”
As a member of the Cape May County String Band, Gilson dances, sings, “and even tells a few jokes at the concerts. I wear a tuxedo to the events and try to get the crowd going. My son is also a dancer and joins me up there sometimes. We go to nursing homes and try to cheer up the people. It’s a very rewarding experience. You see it in their faces, that they appreciate it. You get more appreciation there, at the nursing homes, than anywhere else, it seems.”
As Gilson sat in meeting after meeting, perhaps some of the calls to action he witnessed began to rub off on him because in 2008, he was inspired to give something back. What Gilson wanted to impart on the community he loved so dear was more than money; it was hugs. He got the simple idea when he realized there are plenty of people out there in need of a good hug, “especially seniors who are grieving the loss of a spouse.” And so began the ‘Everybody gets a hug’ campaign.
“I just always like to give hugs,” Gilson said. “When I started the campaign it was just me and Freeholder Lenny Desiderio. We went around holding up a sign that said ‘everybody gets a hug.’ We went to every municipality around here and I distributed bumper stickers that said ‘Cape May County is more than just beautiful beaches.’ I wanted to promote the friendliness of Cape May with hugs!”
“I just love it down here in Cape May County,” Gilson said. “And the more I got involved with the freeholders, the more I understood about local government. And I think more people should understand what’s going on and get involved. More people should go to meetings.”
At 81 years old, Gilson can no longer drive at night. That was the reason his eight-year streak of attending freeholder meetings came to an end. At his last meeting, Gilson thanked freeholders for allowing him to sit in and observe for all these years.
“My favorite part of the meetings is the caucus,” Gilson said. This is the open part of the meeting where all the discussion happens. Freeholders propose and debate resolutions, outline upcoming county projects, review budgetary concerns, appoint or adjust general staffing and promotions, give a venue for people to offer donations to various organizations, bestow awards and much more. Amidst all this activity and conversation, the public is invited and encouraged to speak out on anything and everything that occurs in Cape May County. It is during these moments when the government finds itself being by and for the people.
“You get such an insight into what’s going on during the caucuses,” Gilson said. “The school budgets were always the most interesting to me—especially the special services school.” Having three learning disabled children of his own, Gilson paid the closest attention when this subject was broached. “Of course, my kids are all grown now, but still, I’m always interested in this subject.”
One of the least interesting things about the freeholder meetings, for Gilson anyway, was when he disagreed with budgetary issues. “As a taxpayer though,” he said, “you can’t always agree with everything.”
What Gilson will miss the most about the freeholders meetings, he says, is “everything. I was always the first person to sit down at the meetings. I just liked being there.”
Though he can no longer drive at night, Gilson says he is “going to continue to participate in everything else that I can, as much as I can, during the daylight.”
Gilson and his string band will be performing next at Disability Awareness Day at Avalon Elementary School Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. If anyone plans on attending, they can spot Gilson easily enough. He’ll most likely be the one offering hugs.
To contact Bryon Cahill email bcahill@cmcherald.com.