Friends,

Our collective efforts to present the 2010 Avalon Green Fair on Saturday, October 9th, yielded a very successful outcome. This year, more than 1,300 people attended the fair and we received 430 completed surveys. Those surveys provided very valuable input into the customer satisfaction with the fair and also provided us with useful data regarding areas of future focus. We polled all of our vendors and exhibitors at the conclusion of the fair and they were all very pleased. They enjoyed attendees’ interest in their services, and they were engaged in dialogue that provided a generous number of booked appointments.

We want to especially thank our friends at Barth Cooling and Heating for being our prime sponsor; Barth was able to book over 40 appointments as a result of participation in the Avalon Green Fair. Barth also participated in our very valuable video segments that provided plenty of information to our guests. We also want to thank Mercury Solar, Bayshore Landscaping, and Powell Energy for also participating in our video segments. Bayshore Landscaping also provided the Green Fair with a beautiful entrance into the fair at the registration table.

I would like to thank our participating vendors who provided very valuable door prizes for the Avalon Green Fair. They include Grace Energy, Bayshore Landscaping, Mercury Solar, Marriner’ s Landscaping, Broadley MDI, April Landscaping, Powell Energy, Seashore Ace, Brite Idea Energy, Cape May County MUA, and Green Sun. Many thanks too to our exhibitors who provided valuable information during the fair, including the Wetlands Institute, Cape May County MUA, Avalon Garden Club, Avalon Environmental Commission, Cape May County Technical High School, South Jersey Gas, New Jersey American Water Company, Atlantic City Electric, and New Jersey Clean Energy.

I also would like to recognize our friends at the Avalon Chamber of Commerce for once again allowing the Green Fair to co-exist on a great postseason weekend right next to the chamber’ s popular Seafood Festival. The Avalon Home and Land Owners Association generously supported the Green Fair by providing signage. The Avalon Seniors Club, Avalon Republican Club, Avalon Democratic Club, and Avalon Lions all provided volunteers to help with the fair. Teri Breslin did an amazing job setting up a Green Fair display at the Avalon Free Public Library.

The Avalon Department of Public Works, under the leadership of Bill Macomber, greatly supported the event. The Avalon Department of Recreation provided the Green Fair with a tremendous level of support and once again made Community Hall a perfect place to host the fair. Radio station WCZT 98.7..the Coast did a free, on site two hour live radio show to support the Green Fair and Seafood Festival.

The Avalon Green Fair can only move forward with the support of Avalon’ s administration, including Mayor Martin Pagliughi, the entire Avalon Borough Council, and Avalon Business Administrator Andrew Bednarek. It is their leadership and vision that makes the green fair a huge success every year. I want to personally thank our community volunteers who spent the day with us, including Carol Hensel, Janet Sikora, Kathleen and Chuck Walsh, Nancy Runzer, Sue Ellenberg, Bob Baxter, and Barbara Catanese.

Last, but not least, I want to express my deep appreciation to the Avalon Green Team volunteers who work on this effort on a year-‘ round basis: Neil Hensel, Dave Ellenberg, Michelle Petrucci, Mike Matt, Brian Reynolds, Paul Short, Bill Burns, Harry Keyser, Tom McCullough, Joe Meschino, Terry Sasdelli, Jeff Hesley, and Scott Wahl. Finally, on a personal note, a thanks to Scott Wahl for his expertise, enthusiasm, and constant support were critical to the Green Fair’ s success.

Thanks to all for everything you do to make Avalon a great place to live, and “ Greener by a Mile”!

Proudly, your chairman

Jim Collins