Photos from Liz Jeressi's Birthday Celebration in Asbury Park

Penguins and K9s and more, Oh My!

It was quite the show this past Friday from the Asbury Park Boardwalk Studio as we celebrated my birthday with some unique fun.

(Tom Hayes, Liz Jeressi, Sylvia Cioffi, and the Asbury Park mayor, Sylvia brought the shirts in honor of the penguins.)

It started with Sylvia Cioffi from the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce and Toms Hayes from NJNG sneaking into our on-air trailer on the boardwalk mid-week so that when I walked up last Friday morning I would see birthday decorations everywhere.

I was so surprised when unexpected friends, family (Annie, Andrew and little Andrew), and listeners showed up throughout the morning to hang out for some of the show. Many of them are pictured here, but there were even more, so, to all of you; THANK YOU FOR COMING!

(Canine Crime Fighting K9 Sky, Liz Jeressi, and Brick Town Veterinary Hospital's Adam Christman)

The first of several birthday cakes (pictured above) and cupcakes that were brought was a pyramid of ice cream sandwiches, thanks to our buddy Bob Bart, who also stuck around to take plenty of photos that I have yet to see. (Special thanks to Tom Hayes for the awesome cheesecake and to Purple Glaze for the special birthday donuts, too!)

A special thanks to our traffic girl Nancy Reamy and her husband Chris for being there for the one and only time all summer! If you've never met Nancy, you'll see her in some of these photos! Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni came to celebrate with us, as did Soul Kitchen's Cindy Sobieski, and so many more!

(Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden and Jenkinson's Aquarium's Nicole with an adorable penguin...Danni is in the background with the second adorable penguin.)

Of course a HUGE thank you to Cindy Claus at Jenkinson's Aquarium for arranging to send two penguins to the Asbury Boardwalk along with 'Penguin Whisperers' Nicole and Danni! Even Asbury Park Mayor John Moor wanted to be there to spend the morning with us and the penguins!

It was such a bonus when our great friend, comedian Jeff Norris, showed up and had us laughing 'til we were in tears!

(Jenkinson's Aquarium penguins and their handlers with Nancy Reamy, Liz Jeressi, and Nancy's husband Chris)

From Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden bringing me a K9 officer and two of the most amazing crime-fighting dogs I've ever seen (thank you, Kurt Kroeper!), to my very talented friends Mark Megill and Adam Christman singing me renditions of Happy Birthday, it was a day full of festive fun...

...and LOTS of baked goods, LOL!!!

(Tom Hayes, Jeff Norris, Liz Jeressi, Nancy Reamy, Lou Russo, Nancy's husband Chris, and Joe C.)

Whether you stopped by to deliver a message on-air wishing me a happy birthday (Peaches!) or you just showed up for the penguins or to drop off gifts and goodies, I'm so glad you stopped by!

If I didn't have a lot of time to spend individually with some of you who made the trip (Billy, Millie and Don, Moe, Alan Stern, Judy, and Gary Gellman)...it still meant the world to me to see your face and perhaps give you a hug :)

(Lou Russo and Sylvia Cioffi)

And if you weren't able to make it, you'll get a little bit of an idea of the fun we had through these photos, courtesy of everyone from Sheriff Golden to Sylvia Cioffi and those who grabbed my phone to take photos for me!

It really was a great birthday and I am blessed to have you all in my life :)

(Liz Jeressi and our friend Cindy from Soul Kitchen)

And PS: to Joe C. from our Promotions department who had to put up with my antics, Lou Russo who was forced to put up with all the mayhem, and to Dan Alexander who had to run the whole show back at 'mission control', of course I appreciate you all so much!!!

(Nicole from Jenkinson's Aquarium really does have the love of all the penguins!)

(Penguin Paparazzi!)

(Nancy Reamy, Joe C., Lou, Nancy's husband Chris, and Sheriff Golden)

(Liz Jeressi and her great friend Lorraine Tesauro)

(Monmouth County Sheriff's Department Officer Kurt Kroeper and K9 dog Gunner!)

(Jenks handlers and penguins with Annie, Liz, little Andrew and Andrew)

(Danni, an adorable penguin, and Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden)

(These two boys adored both K9 Sky and their NJNG superhero capes!)

(Sylvia with her wonderful assistant Matt)

(Tom, Sylvia, Gary Gellman and Claire Antonucci in the background, and Liz Jeressi)

(The Asbury Park mayor and crowd having so much fun!)

(Just some of the explosion of birthday decorations in the Asbury Park Trailer Studio)