Superstorm Sandy monument going up in Toms River

TOMS RIVER – A monument to symbolize the resiliency of Ocean County residents after superstorm Sandy will be unveiled at a ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 14.

Local philanthropist Jay Grunin, 71, of The Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation, offered a sneak peek Friday of the work of art that is now being erected near the intersection of Route 37 East and Main Street.

“The grandeur and magnitude of the exhibit will amaze you,” Grunin said.

The $500,000 outdoor display features the bronze statues of a traditional family of five on the Seaside Heights boardwalk. The father, with his wife and three children, stands about eight feet tall. In tribute to its host town, the eldest son has been made a Toms River Little League player to recognize its celebrated program, which culminated in a Little League World Series win in 1998. Toms River is competing now in the Little League Mid-Atlantic Regional games in Bristol, Conn., after winning the New Jersey state championship on Monday.

Artist and sculptor Brian Hanlon of Toms River was commissioned by the Grunins to design and create the monument, built on land owned by the Toms River municipal government.

Hanlon explained at the groundbreaking ceremony in May that the “family” would be mounted to a granite base resembling a boardwalk. Beneath the base is a sculpture of water symbolizing the flood waters of Oct. 29, 2012, from which the family had “risen.”

The Grunins, who are longtime real estate developers, are among the most generous benefactors of the arts and sciences in Ocean County. Earlier this year, the couple donated $3.5 million to Community Medical Center to upgrade the hospital’s ability to treat brain injuries and disorders. In May, they donated more than $5.7 million to Ocean County College to establish a center for the arts.

Erik Larsen: 732-557-5709 or elarsen@app.com