What, is summer almost over this year already?
By:Mary Ellen Zangara
What did you do this summer? It’s hard to believe the summer of 2000 is almost over. There was plenty to do for some to have a fun-filled vacation.
The swimming weather wasn’t exactly the greatest this year. Temperatures were a lot cooler than normal, but many kids still used the town pools. Memorial and Cooper pools gave the residents another way of cooling off this summer. Both pools officially close this Saturday Sept. 2.
| We always had something to do and there just isn’t enough days and time to do everything you want to do. |
Camps were also a big part of Manville kids lives for the summer. Some went to sports camps for soccer, basketball, softball, cheerleading, etc.
Others went to Scout camps. Cub Scouts went to the Sourland Mountains in Belle Mead for a week of day camp, traveling back and forth to town on the camp bus.
Scouts E.J. Komoroski, Kevin Sellar, Eric Kolibas, Michael Lavelle, Matthew Zangara, Douglas Bradley, Jacob Hunt, Danny Allen, John Cortelyou, Shawn Kaminski and Andrew Ferretti all attended the new camp in July.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 193 also went to summer camp during August spending the week away at Camp Alimuchy in New Jersey. Some Girl Scouts in town also went to day camp.
Manville High School held its annual band camp last week for all the members to get a head start on the half-time routines for the upcoming football season. Everyone spent the day learning new music routines, and for some this was a brand-new experience.
All the sports teams from MHS have been busy practicing for a few weeks now. Football, girls and boys soccer have been hard at work shaping up their skills for the new season. The new sports season begins next week already.
The library held their annual summer reading camp on Mondays and the participants all enjoyed the time spent there. The library also held a preschool craft program and the kids made all sorts of crafts to take home. Concerts were also held for all to enjoy.
Some of the vacationers spent their summer working. For some, the work was fun for others it was a way to make some extra money for future use.
Lifeguards at the pool had a fun summer sitting on the side of the pool watching and keeping the kids safe and getting a great tan.
Veteran lifeguard Suzanne Muszynski was the pool director for the summer. Suzanne has been a lifeguard for a many years. Danielle Mehalick has also spent a few summers at the pool along with A.J. Asher and others.
Newcomers Lisa Lavenia, Deena Giles, and Kim Kaminski spent their first summer lifeguarding.
I heard some great travel stories from residents too. Pam Shields took her two daughters, Ashley and Casey, and drove cross country to her sisters in Kansas.
The three piled into Pam’s little red car and headed west for two weeks. Both girls said the trip was fun and they saw lots of sights along the way. The Shieldses also spent every Monday at Great Adventures’ new water park Hurricane Harbor. They have season passes.
Kevin and Vicky McHugh just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Ireland. The two went abroad with about 19 members of Kevin’s family. Vicky told me the "the trip was great," showing a bracelet she purchased while there.
The Santoro family spent a week of their summer vacation at the Jersey Shore at Long Beach Island. This is an annual event for them and they always enjoy the beach.
Too bad the week in July they went the weather wasn’t the greatest. But everyone had a good time anyway. Barbara, Catina and Timothy also spent their Wednesdays at the summer movie camp at Bridgewater Commons.
As for me this was the first summer we didn’t go anywhere or do anything. It just happened that way. Usually we go away somewhere but this summer we didn’t. Our last trip was in May to Florida, so I guess you could count that as an early vacation.
Matthew went to Scout camp for a week and also went to soccer camp at Raritan Valley Community College for a week. He spent days at his friends’ houses doing activities with them.
Jason had the Police Academy camp after school let out in the end of June, and spends every Tuesday afternoon volunteering at Somerset Medical Center’s emergency room.
And Michael spent his summer at Camp Mommy. We did go to the movie camp on a few Wednesdays too.
I guess with everything going on for us, it was just hard to try and find the time to go away. We always had something to do and there just isn’t enough days and time to do everything you want to do.
I had all these great plans but they never became a reality. There’s always next summer!
Mary Ellen Zangara is a lifelong resident of Manville.