Letters-May 5, 2005

United Way dinner

great success
To the editor:
   The United Way of Hunterdon County board of trustees, Signature Event Committee, dinner co-chairman Paul Sauerland Jr. and staff would like to thank everyone who helped make the second "Celebrating Community Caring" event a great success.
   The evening attracted nearly 170 attendees.
   Kathleen Zuback, a longtime community volunteer, was presented the Volunteer of the Year award by board of trustees President Don Pinner.
   The event raised $12,500 to benefit the community impact work of the United Way. The proceeds will go to our community fund, which directly benefits over 50 programs delivered by our 26 member agencies.
   We would like to thank the following businesses, organizations and individuals for their generous donations to our live auction:
   AAA Guaranteed On-Time Limousine, Basil Bandwagon Natural Market, Bellewood Massage Therapy, Bishop & Bishop Wine and Spirits, Blue Cactus Southwest Kitchen, Carol Beeder’s Heartstrings, Citispot Beverage, Clinton Book Shop and Clinton Canoe & Kayak.
   Also, Clinton Station Diner, Continental Airlines, Courtyard by Marriot in Lebanon, Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club Pro Shop, Hunterdon Health & Wellness Center, Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, Hunterdon Museum of Art, Jayne’s Hallmark, John Gaddy’s Karate Studio, John Goodyear and Marsha Brown Restaurant.
   Also, Michael Kallam, Panache Hair Salon & Day Spa, Rick’s Restaurant, Sandrian Camera Shops, Saunders Jewelry, Sergeantsville Inn, Signature Image, Sunny Nails & Spa, Tomato Café, Ye Olde Sub Base and Yoga Phoria.
   Special thanks go to Dan Torrone of Doctor D Entertainment for serving as emcee of the event, Harrie Copeland IV for being our auctioneer and to ExxonMobil Research & Engineering for the donation of several posters for the event.
   We would especially like to thank our event sponsors Peapack-Gladstone Bank and Sprint.
   Thank you to everyone who donated items for our silent auction as well as everyone who purchased space in our ad journal — Alfonsos 202, Anderson House, Ann & Paul Sauerland, Arc of Hunterdon County, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Bill Healy Crystal, Bishop’s Thriftway, Blockbuster Inc., Bonnie Duncan, Boy Scouts-Central New Jersey Council and Briteside Adult Day Center.
   Also, Catholic Charities, Central Liquors, Clancy’s Roadhouse, Don Manuel Gonzalez, ExxonMobil Research & Engineering, Flemington Car and Truck Country Family of Dealerships, Flemington Furs, Freedom House, The Fudge Shoppe and Girl Scouts Rolling Hills Council.
   Also, Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis LLP, Herder-Tarricone Associates, Hesco Lighting Showrooms, Huggables II Hallmark, Hunterdon Drug Awareness Program, Hunterdon Healthcare System, Hunterdon Helpline, Hunterdon Hospice, Hunterdon Prevention Resources and Jake’s Restaurant and Bar.
   Also, Jeanne Cassano, Karen Widico, Literacy Volunteers of Hunterdon County, Liz and Bob Schmid, Meals on Wheels, Medisys Health Communications, Morgan Stanley, NORWESCAP, Red Horse Mobil Mart/Deli and Round Valley Youth Center.
   Also, the Salvation Army, Shaker Café, Somerset Patriots, Toy Kingdom, the Union Hotel, Visiting Health & Supportive Services, Volunteer Guardianship One-on-One, Women’s Crisis Services, Yardville National Bank, YMCA of Hunterdon and the Youth Center in Glen Gardner.
   We look forward to working with all of you again next year and appreciate your continued support.

Politician thanks

officials, volunteers
To the editor:
   Bucks County can be very proud of its community togetherness and spirit that was evident April 4 when the Delaware River overflowed its banks and flooded parts of New Hope Borough and Solebury Township.
   During the initial aftermath and in the following days of the cleanup, I could not have been more proud to represent these areas.
   So many people came to together by helping out wherever they could. There isn’t space to name each of you individually, but I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
   Also, I would like to extend my thanks to all of our local volunteers and officials for the tremendous job they did in responding to this disaster.
   They include, but are not limited to New Hope Borough Council Manager John Burke and Assistant Manager Janelle Hammond; Solebury Township supervisors and Manager John Granger; both police departments from New Hope and Solebury; New Hope Eagle Fire Company; Daryl Jurbala, deputy emergency management coordinator; Craig Forbes, assistant fire marshal and deputy coordinator of emergency operations; Fire Chief Tom Markey; police chiefs Rick Pasqualini and Richard "Duffy" Mangan; Bill Brady from PECO; Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority; and the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
   This was an impressive group who worked by consensus in the sole interest of public safety and getting residents and business owners back into their properties as quickly as possible.
   Again my deepest thanks.

New inn

owners welcomed
To the editor:
   Lambertville House, the "Grande Dame" of Lambertville, enters another era of her long and varied life.
   April 14, the Michaels welcomed to the hotel the new owners, Mr. and Mrs. Edric R. Mason Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas DelCampo.
   At this time of transition, the Michael family would like to thank many people for a rewarding and productive 10 years since obtaining the property in 1995.
   Our thanks first to the City of Lambertville: the mayor, officials and residents for embracing with such enthusiasm our plans to bring the hotel back to life.
   To the AAA Club of New Jersey for honoring the Lambertville House with its prestigious Four Diamond Award for the last seven years.
   None of the past successes, which we have achieved, would have been possible without our dedicated and loyal staff. Our family thanks each of you for the important roles you have played in making Lambertville House a very special destination
   As we complete this gratifying chapter of our lives, we wish the Masons and DelCampos all the same success and enjoyment we have been fortunate to have during our hotelier days.

Man grateful

for support
To the editor:
   I would like to thank everyone for their cards and flowers during my recent stay in a nursing center.

Thanks to

show volunteers
To the editor:
   We would like to thank all the community members who turned out in support of the annual New Hope sculpture exhibition.
   A special round of applause goes to our business partners — The Elliott Building Group Ltd., Tom and Alycia Scannapieco, who donated use of the building at 2 Stockton Ave., and George E. Michael Inc. Also, to our patrons — Mr. and Mrs. M. Chukusky, Robin and Brad Elliott, Steven and Marianne Snyder, Univest and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers.
   More applause to sculpture site sponsors, Triumph Restaurant & Brewery and The First National Bank & Trust of Newtown, and site hosts, Union Square, Labor & Logistics Management, Triumph Restaurant & Brewery, The Wedgwood Inn, New Hope-Solebury Library, New Hope Historical Society, Celtic-Iberia Traders, Ground Grippers, Wild Endeavors, the Borough of New Hope and Golden Door Gallery.
   Special thanks for assistance provided by John Burke and Janell Hammond at New Hope Borough Hall, Borough Council President Richard Hirschfield, Mayor Larry Keller and all council members, Len Scannapieco, Daryl Jurbala, Russ McClaughlin, Rick Pasqualini and the New Hope Police Department.
   Special appreciation goes to all the area businesses that contributed materials and services, including ticket outlet E.M. Adams Gallery, Niece Lumber, DelRay True Value Hardware, River Valley Restorations, Rosemoon Signs & Designs, Hood Floors, John & Peter’s, Finkle’s, Larsen Designs, Neshaminy Manor, Solebury School, Tom and Patty Lynch, Bullock Marketing & Design, Jack Stewart Design, Riverrun Gallery, Eplanners and Eric Rents.
   More kudos to the restaurants and chefs who presented fabulous food, including Jim Hamilton, Hamilton’s Grill Room, John Larsen, John & Peter’s, Occasions, Pam Hueber, Kathy Bates, Meil’s, The Café at Rosemont, Havana, Thomas Sweet Ice Cream, Triumph Restaurant & Brewery, Laurie Terp, Robin Elliott, Leslie Crilley, Marilyn Bullock, Elaine Daniels, Clemen’s Family Market and Giant Food Market.
   A standing ovation goes to an amazing committee comprised of Joan Arkuszewski, Beth Brody, Marilyn Bullock, volunteer coordinator Leslie Crilley, John Danaher, food chairman Elaine Daniels (assisted by Kathy Bates and Pam Hueber), Robin Elliott, Harry Gordon, Wendy Gordon, Jim Hamilton, Mayor Larry Keller, Chris Langhart, Joanne Lutostansky, Eric Silverman, Mike Coluccio, Chuck Kumnick, Dana Stewart, site chairman Jack Stewart, George Terp and ticket chairperson Dr. Rey Velasco.
   And last, but not least, all the great volunteers — Joanne Baer, Ruth Hirschfield, Gordon Nieburg, Libby Nieburg, Ray Mathis, Ginger Shelley, New Hope-Solebury High School theater students, Brent Gordon, Sandy Langhart, Don McGee, Eva Storey, Jan and Paul Witte, Susan Brussock, Ronah Gabell, Betty Baer, Donna Liese, Lisa Mui, Don Jordan, Jill Burstein, David Newhart, June and Earl Bierman, Frances Heinrich, Elsa Wise, Kathy Creek, Sherry Baker, Nancy Anderson, Elizabeth McCue and Charlie McCullough.

Disappointed in

murder story
To the editor:
   I have enjoyed reading The Beacon for over 30 years.
   It was always the epitome of the hometown newspaper, full of heartwarming stories and local information.
   In recent months, I have noticed a definite change in the content of your paper. I find myself wondering what separates The Beacon from all those seamy supermarket tabloids.
   Stories of interest have been replaced by sensation-seeking headlines such as the story on the fire at the Cartwheel. If that weren’t tasteless enough, this week you reported on the death of a longtime resident with unnecessary graphic details and a total loss of sensitivity.
   Sue was born and raised in this town where many of her family members and friends still reside. As a classmate, I was sickened by the details revealed in your article. I cannot even imagine how her sister, brother, nieces and nephew must have felt in reading your front-page report.
   These graphic details were totally unnecessary in the reporting of the story. How important is the number and depth of the stab wounds to the general public? Medical reports seized from the scene should have remained confidential.
   Because we are fortunate enough to live in an area where violent crimes rarely occur, I am certain that your reporter had little experience in writing this type of article. May I suggest that Linda Seida receive some sensitivity training? Perhaps she would be better suited working for the Trentonian or a New York paper.
   If this is the best that your paper can do, I will gladly volunteer my services. Even without formal training I feel I could report the facts without resorting to sensationalism and exploitation.
   I am deeply disappointed in The Beacon and will not be renewing my subscription. If I want to be shocked and sickened, I can buy a "rag" in any grocery store.
   I think you owe an apology to the Pearson and Rock families as well as the countless friends and classmates of Susan Czarny.