Mainland Journal from Pleasantville, New Jersey • A5

MAINLAND JOURNALWEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017 5A BRIGANTINE Joggers and passers-by help but stop at the seawall walkway by Brigantine Av- enue and 14th Street in Brigantine. Three men were standing in black, ghoulish garb with their faces painted a deathly white. One man had fake vampire teeth put in while the other was banging a bat wrapped in duct tape against the ground. The three men were standing at the same location where they used to get paid to scare adults and children the former spot of the Seahorse Pier and the Brig- antine Castle. The castle, constructed as a dark and dreary haunt- ed house, first opened in 1976 as an interesting juxtapo- sition to the lively Brigantine Beach.

While it was vis- ited by millions of tourists, the castle lived a short life after it was hit by heavy storm damage in 1982 and, five years later, burned down along with the pier. Now, on a recent Thursday in Brigantine, a couple of the workers were dressed up and reliving the old days. The guys are part of a Facebook page dedicated to its memory. The page includes more than 2,000 members. Paul Spatola, 52, of Somers Point, said that a group of workers get together every year after Labor Day in Brigantine to head to a restaurant or bar to grab drinks, reminisce and tell stories from their summer days working at the castle.

would rent a house and pay a couple bucks a week and all stay Spatola said as he pushed the black hair from his wig out of his eyes. would be going to work, go to dinner, go back to work and then just go home and Jim Croft, who worked at the castle for one season when he was 23, recalled one night when he tossed a blood capsule into his mouth and targeted a girl who was quivering in the corner. He approached her, bit down on the casing and stared at her with blood drip- ping down his chin. He said she dry heaved before running out of the room. Now, Croft was standing on Brigantine Avenue with his old makeup.

had this makeup on at this location in 36 years. kind of surreal and kind of cool at the same said Croft, 59, of Tabernacle. Tim Riess is standing close by Croft, with a big beard and bat in hand. He recalls one time he thought he scared a girl to death during a shift at the castle. A 12- year-old was approaching the exit when Riess decided to get one last scare in.

whole idea was to get people to run out into the lobby so people waiting in the lobby would see everyone coming out said Riess, 55, of Galloway. As the girls sprinted towards the lobby, Riess through a rub- ber mallet at the door as it shut. A few years later, Riess was working at a Staples when a younger female employee told him a story of a man who nearly hit her with a mallet at the castle. But that was the perks of the job, he said. He recalled one time he jumped out to scare a girl only to be met with a fist to the chest from her boyfriend.

Another time he scared a group so bad that they ripped a velvet rope off the wall to escape. While some rooms, like the could reach close to 110 degrees on a summer day, the fun was in entertaining a crowd. grownups and grandparents we scared them all. It was Riess said. was like a family.

We worked together, played to- gether and partied together and had a great Croft said. Haunted house staffers reminisce Former Brigantine Castle workers gather annually to tell tales of their haunts The Brigantine Castle was built in 1976, but suffered heavy storm damage in 1982. FILE PHOTO MAXWELL REIL AND SHANNON PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY Hammonton Senior Center 310 Bellview Hammonton, NJ. (609) 645-7000 6537 Suggested $1 Donation for Ages reserve or cancel meals 3 days in advance. 2017 Menu Week of October 30-November 3, 2017 Today: 1 Pork Loin with Gravy, Sweet Potatoes with Apples, Mixed Vegetables, New York Rye Bread, Petite Banana Thursday: Turkey Tetrazzini, Italian Green Beans, Wheat Bread, Orange Pineapple Juice, Iced Chocolate Cake Friday: Minestrone Soup, Corned Beef Cheese on Deli Rye, Creamy Coleslaw, Black Bean Salad, Lite Jello with Fruit Week of November 6-10, 2017 Monday: Salisbury Steak Mashed Potatoes, Diced Carrots, Fresh Baked Cornbread Rice Pudding, Pineapple Juice Tuesday: Election Day Wednesday: Chicken Francaise, Buttered Noodles, Vegetable Blend, Wheat Bread, Blueberry Buckle Thursday: Breakfast for Lunch! Scrambled Eggs Cheese, Pork Sausage Links, Potatoes, Biscuit, OJ Golden Banana Friday: Day Observance Week of November 13-17, 2017 Monday: Barley Soup, Meatloaf Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas, Mandarin Oranges Tuesday: Penne Pasta with Meatballs, Parmesan Cheese, Italian Green Beans, Italian Bread, Tapioca Pudding Wednesday: Chicken Arroz con Pollo, Fiesta Rice, Buttered Spinach, Wheat Bread, Apple Crisp Thursday: Hot Dog, Sauerkraut, Mustard, Relish, Slow Cooked Baked Beans, Cantaloupe Wedge Apple Juice Friday: Breaded Flounder, Scalloped Potatoes, Vegetable Blend, Whole Grain Rolls, Golden Banana Chocolate Milk Week of November 20-24, 2017 Monday: Chicken Asian Stir Fry, with Rice, Crunchy Chinese Noodles, Sesame Broccoli, Fresh Buttersplit Roll, Iced Brownies Tuesday: Hot Ham and Cabbage, Oven Browned Potatoes, Dilled Baby Carrots, Wheat Bread, Fruit Cocktail Wednesday: Tomato Bisque Soup, Carved Ham with Raisin Glaze, Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes Special Holiday Desserts Thursday: Thanksgiving Day Observance Friday: Apple Juice, Chili Con Carne, Tortilla Chips, White Rice, Fiesta Corn, Wheat Bread, Chocolate Pudding with Whipped topping Week of November 27-November 28, 2017 Monday: Hot Roast Beef Baked Spinach, Buttered Noodles, Pineapple Bread Pudding Tuesday: Baked Fish in Lemon Butter Sauce, Hoppin John Collard Greens, Fresh Buttersplit Roll Pecan Pinwheels subject to change all meals served with low fat milk This service has been funded or partially funded through a grant provided by the Atlantic County Area Agency on Aging, under the Older Americans Act of 1965 HAMMONTON SENIOR MENU Tomato Bisque soup is on the menu for Wednesday, Nov.

22. GETTY IMAGES The American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Blood Services Region has issued an appeal for blood donors. All blood types are needed, but especial- ly positive, negative, negative and A negative in order to meet patient demand and prevent a blood shortage. The following blood drives are scheduled in South Jersey: Weekly: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Tuesdays, 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thurs- days, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturdays, Pleasantville Donation Center, 850 N. Franklin Pleasantville.

Nov. 6: 2:30 to 7:30 p.m., St. Katharine Drexel Roman Catholic Church, 675 W. Jersey Egg Harbor Township. Nov.

7: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., St. Augustine College Preparatory School, 611 Cedar Richland. Nov. 10: 11 a.m.

to 4 p.m., Insurance Agencies, 1601 New Road, Northfield. Nov. 10: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Golden Nugget, 1 Castle Atlantic City. Nov.

15: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Resorts Hotel Casino, 1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City. Nov. 16: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wawa Pleasantville Training Center, 6801 Fire Road, Egg Harbor Township.

Nov. 17: 2:30 to 7:30 p.m., Hamilton Mall, 4403 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing. To make an appointment, call (800) GIVE-LIFE or visit www.redcross- blood.org. BLOOD DRIVES DJ -1 00 00 17 62 2 Providing Quality Orthopedic Care Roy B. Friedenthal, MD Ronald L.

Gerson, MD CENTRAL ORTHOPEDIC ASSOCIATES 820 South WHP Hammonton, NJ 08037 403 Commerce Lane, Suite 3 West Berlin, NJ 08091 609-561-8787 Celebrating Over 30 Years! Christopher Michael Ski- erski, of Philadelphia, PA, passed peacefully in his home surrounded by loved ones on 26 October 2017 in Egg Harbor City, NJ. Chris- topher is survived his son, CMSgt Christian Skierski, of Egg Harbor City, NJ and his wife, Barbara and their three children, Nicholas, Ava, and Megan; his son, Michael Christopher Skier- ski of Philadelphia, PA and his wife, Kelly, and their two children, Michael and Ryan; and his daughter, Nicole Skierski and her daughter, Adrianna. Christopher was a graduate of St. University, retired as the Di- rector of Financial Report- ing for NJ Transit in 2015 and fromSEPTA as theMan- ager of General Accounting in 1987. Chris served our country with honor in Viet- nam as an Army Specialist.

The family thanks the dedicated staff at Atlanti- Care Hospice Palliative Care for their support and compassion. A memorial will be held at the Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery on Wednesday, November 1st at 11:00 am. Arrange- ments have been entrusted to Wimberg Funeral Home, 400 Liverpool Ave, Egg Har- bor City 609-965-0357. For condolences, please visit wimbergfuneralhome.com In lieu of condo- lences may be made in the form of donations to the Last SaluteMilitary Funeral Honor Guard. CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL SKIERSKI PHILADELPHIA Mary Lou Smith of Egg Harbor Township and for- merly of Ventnor, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, October 19, 2017, surrounded by family.

Mary Lou was born on October 22, 1932 in Philadelphia, PA. to Edward F. Kane and Mary Louise (Bateman) Kane. She was predeceased by her husband James F. Smith, her parents, stepfather P.

William Callahan, and her sister Eleanor McCreavy. Mary Lou is survived by nine children: James Jr. (Terri Lee) of Margate, NJ; Patrick (Jane) of York, Michael (Helen) of Vent- nor, NJ; Daniel (Kari) of Egg Harbor Township, NJ; Thomas Andrew of Naples, FL; Stephen (Deborah) of Naples Marylou Hen- derson (Rob) of Yardley, PA; Beau Bernicker (Chris) of Wynnewood, and Brian (Jean) of Hammonton, NJ. She is also survived by her brother; Edward F. Kane (Cathie) of Ocean City, NJ; seventeen grandchildren and two great-grandchil- dren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated for Mary Lou Smith Tuesday, October 24, 2017, at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 724 Maple Avenue, Linwood. The family requests that, in lieu of donations be made to: Heartland Hospice 2 Braddock Drive, Somers Point, NJ 08244 or the char- ity of choice. Arrange- ments by the Gormley Fu- neral Home LLC, AC. MARY LOU SMITH EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP OBITUARIES DJ-1000015761 Please recycle this newspaper.