From the issue of Nov. 10, 2005.
Family thankful for community’s help
To the editor:
With heartfelt thanks.
Last spring, our family lost our home and all our belongings to a devastating fire.
Six months have passed and there has not been one day that we have not thought about that terrible day and how thankful we are to have each other.
And we don’t mean just our family it took this tragedy for us to realize what an awesome community we live in.
The outpouring of support that we received in so many ways from so many people, some of whom we don’t even know, has been overwhelming.
We cannot even put into words how much this has meant to us.
We want to extend a very special thank you to all of the firefighters from the Hillsborough Vol. Fire Co. 1, 2, 3 as well as the firefighters who also responded from Neshanic Station, Manville, Finderne and Branchburg for your effort in trying to save our home and keep everyone safe.
We also want to thank the Hillsborough Police Department, Hillsborough Rescue Squad, EMS workers, township officials, Ladies Auxiliary Fire Co. 2 and everyone else that we are forgetting to mention, for the terrific job you did that day.
It was also very comforting for us to see many familiar faces working at the scene.
Everyone of you who were there that day and beyond to offer us support have touched our lives in so many ways.
We also received so much support from many businesses and organizations in Hillsborough as well as some outside of Hillsborough.
Special thanks goes to: Hillsborough Board of Education, Hillsborough Township Public Schools, Hillsborough HEA Philanthropic Fund, Hillsborough Middle School Theatre Group, Hillsborough High School Class of 2005, Hillsborough High School Raiders Football, JV Softball Team, Hillsborough High School Basketball Team, Hillsborough High School Baseball Team, Jr. Raiders Football & Cheerleading, Sr. Softball League (Cardinals), Hillsborough Little League, Hillsborough Recreation Softball, Hillsborough Hustle, Girl Scout Troops 561, 576, 143, 390, 162, 642, Mom’s Club of Hillsborough Social Services, Hillsborough Post Office, Mary, Mother of God Parish, Mary, Mother of God CYO, Manville Reformed Church, Four Seasons, Commerce Bank workers, Bagel B.O.P., Wawa, Pathmark, Fancy Nails, Signature Salon & Spa, Super Sundaes, Dee Ziner Dog Grooming, Hillsboro Pharmacy, Roman Jewelers, Angelo’s Pizzeria, Alphonso’s Pizzeria, Kohl’s, Shop-Rite, Old Man Rafferty’s, Applebee’s, H & M Telephone Workers, Russo’s Pizzeria, Learning Express, National Starch, Johnson & Johnson, Chimney Rock Inn, Dr. Dubitsky D.M.D. Office, Street Dreams Car Club, Nail Arts of Nails, Foreign Specialties, Manville Diner, Cafe Piazza, Milan Rose, Dr. Stephen DeCasperis D.M.D. Assoc., Neshanic Reformed Church Sunday School Class, Hillsborough High School Science Department, St. Joseph’s 2005 sixth-grade class and Hillsborough High School cheerleaders.
If we inadvertently left any businesses or organization off this list, we apologize, but please know your thoughtfulness did not go unappreciated.
We are so thankful we live in a community where everyone comes together in a time of crisis.
That has been the positive that has come out of this tragedy, and has been the reason we have been able to deal with all of this.
Your kindness and generosity will never be forgotten.
The Dembiec
and Bisconti Family
New Amwell Road
Volunteers key to events’ success
To the editor:
I would like to thank all the volunteers who made Red Ribbon Week and the Red Ribbon Sock Hop a great community event this year.
The Red Ribbon Sock Hop was held on Oct. 21at the Auten Road Intermediate School with over 700 people in attendance. This event was the kick off for Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31, with families enjoying an evening filled with games, music, dance, refreshments, face painting and tattoos.
In addition to Daisy the Clown and Ciggy Butts, the Million Dollar Machine, an interactive robot also joined us this year sharing drug-free messages.
The success of Red Ribbon activities is due to the dedication of hard working volunteers from the following community groups: Red Ribbon Committee, Life Skills Committee, Municipal Alliance Members (a municipal community for drug and alcohol prevention and education), CAT Coalition (Communities Against Tobacco), Police Department, Brownies, Girl Scouts and five employees from Kohl’s Department Store.
In addition, various student groups helped including SLC (Student Leader Committee), REBEL and REBEL 2 (Reaching Everyone By Exposing Lies), Pride (Peers Respecting Individuals Differences Every Day), and PUSH (Prevention Using Student’s Help).
Various businesses contributed to the Sock Hop including: Kohl’s, Path Mark, Shop Rite, Stop and Shop, The Margarita Man (provided Slush) Wal-Mart, as well as, several individuals also donated refreshments.
This year, for the first time, Red Ribbon Week sponsored a food drive "I Can, You Can, Be Drug Free" through SHIP (Summaritan Homeless Interim Program). Executive Director Tom O’Leary from Somerville brought the "SHIP on Wheels" food truck to each school and did a presentation to students about SHIP and where the food is donated.
He shared with students that some of the people receiving the food struggle with drug and alcohol problems and that he uses the food distribution time with recipients an opportunity to educate about resources for getting help.
Other highlights of Red Ribbon week included door decorating contests, K-8 grade CD cover contests – "You Have the Power to Create Drug-Free Music," Safe Homes Campaign, Parenting Leadership Corps Presentations, "Say BOO to Drugs" Dance for middle school students sponsored by the Student Leadership Corps.
There was a great presentation given by the Hillsborough Township Police Department at Hillsborough High School "Smart Parents Safe Kids" whereby residents were educated about drugs and gangs in Hillsborough.
The streets of Hillsborough, homes, churches, schools, businesses and the municipal buildings all got involved by decorating and spreading drug-free messages.
A special thank you to Diane Handwerk for overseeing the entire event and Hal Blackstone, principal of Auten Road Intermediate School for the use of his school and support.
In addition, I want to thank Donna Lukiw and John Patten for the additional publicity in the Hillsborough Beacon promoting Red Ribbon Week Activities.
To sum it up … a great community event with a strong community message.
Nancy Speelman
Chairperson, Hillsborough Millstone Municipal Alliance
PBA supports charter change
To the editor:
Hillsborough Policemen’s Benevolent Association, Local 205 is a non-profit labor organization whose membership consists of sworn municipal police officers employed by the Township of Hillsborough. Local 205 is devoted to maintaining a safe and fair working environment for its members so that they may effectively protect and serve the residents of the township.
In addition to its role as a labor union, PBA Local 205 prides itself on its reputation as a viable community organization, devoting itself to the preservation of a high quality of living in the Township of Hillsborough and the entire State of New Jersey.
The dedicated officers who comprise our membership not only devote their professional lives to the protection and quality of life of our citizens, but do so in their leisure time also.
Many of our officers are not only employees of this township but are also residents.
I would like to first point out that our organization is not choosing a political party. We are simply supporting a change in how our town’s government is structured.
I know some of our residents were surprised to see our organization taking a political stance in these recent elections. What some of you may not realize is that on a daily basis we, the police officers of Hillsborough PBA Local 205, have to deal with all of our towns politicians.
It is our township committee who directly affect our working environment and our ability to serve our community.
Recently a lieutenant retired from our ranks after 25 years of service. Our Township Committee chose NOT to replace this officer and in fact voted to eliminate this position entirely.
Lowering the number of officers we have to serve our community just does NOT make sense as our town continues to grow.
This Township Committee is also the same group that took over 18 months to negotiate a contract with our members. It is time that our town has a government who will not only support our officers but work directly with our officers so that we can provide our community with the top notch protection and service it deserves.
We are asking that our community continue their unwavering support of its police department and become involved in how our town government effects YOUR police department.
Hillsborough PBA Local 205 would like to personally thank all of our supporters. Each year we are able to offer scholarships to our community, support our local Scouts and athletic organizations and provide service to other organizations like the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.
All of this would not be possible without our community. In the upcoming months we will also be asking our community to join us in raising funds for our southern neighbors that were victims of those devastating hurricanes. We have always valued our community and what it offers.
It is our intent to keep working hard to protect and serve our citizens and I hope that our community can understand our need for change and support our officers and Hillsborough PBA Local 205.
Ted Lewis
President, PBA Local 205

