From the issue of Nov. 17, 2005.
Appreciation to community
To the editor:
As we go through a very challenging time, we have been so fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful community. We are so grateful to everyone who coordinated and donated at the car wash at Crossroads South Middle School, the mums sale at the Kendall Park Volunteer Fire Department and at the Dardani Haunted Trail at Woodlot Park. There are so many others in our community to thank including our neighbors, our friends, the teachers and other professionals at the high school who have been so helpful.
We truly appreciate your generosity, support and prayers for Amanda and our family.
A special thanks goes to: Clark Winkler, Winkler Construction; Donna and Tim Corris; Desire Perez and her brother Bret; Kendall Park Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxillary; Kendall Park Volunteer Fire Department; Crossroads South Middle School; Tom and Carolyn Dardani and the Haunted Trail volunteers.
Mike and Glori Callagy
Kendall Park
SBAA success a team effort
To the editor:
Last week marked my final week as president of the South Brunswick Athletic Association, and I wanted to send parents a brief note of farewell and thanks.
For those who may not recall, I became president of SBAA for the 1996-97 term and have continued in this leadership role until last week. I strongly believe that it is important for the leadership of organizations to change not just for change’s sake but for the opportunity for new, diverse thinking and a renewal of focus and delivery of services.
I remember feeling a great deal of confidence when I became president not because I believed that as an individual, I could change the way baseball was organized in South Brunswick or that the program would suddenly get better, or that I could grow the program, or that all youth sports issues would miraculously disappear.
My confidence was based on the parents of the children participating in the youth baseball program in South Brunswick and the SBAA Board of Directors that was also volunteering their time along with me. I knew that when parents are given a job to do, no matter how difficult, parents as volunteers always rise to the occasion. In the many conversations during those first days and months as SBAA president, one message came through loud and clear: "We can get the job done."
And that’s exactly what we’ve done. Together, we have accomplished many things. With parents’ support, we have 1) implemented on-line registration, 2) developed the ability to accept credit card payments, 3) improved the summer and fall baseball programs, 4) upgraded the quality and training of umpires, 5) developed a good working plan for use and upkeep of fields with the township and the Board of Education, 6) developed an equipment renewal purchasing program to assure appropriate safety equipment is in place, 7) upgraded the uniform program to major league uniforms, 8) implemented a girls’ tournament softball program, and 9) found what I consider is a good formula to balance the funding and the support of the tournament baseball program sponsored by SBAA with the recreation program.
Most recently, I have spent considerable time focused on a succession plan for the board. I think we have accomplished a good plan and have begun the transition. I must pause for a moment to acknowledge two very significant past members of the board who helped craft the plans that contributed to the accomplishments of the SBAA program improvements. They are Gary Mariano and Sid Lee. May they rest in peace.
The board and the parents of South Brunswick youth will still have many challenges to face, but also many more opportunities that we (together) are now in a better position to take advantage of, thanks to tremendous progress we have made over the past nine years. The new SBAA president, Anthony Feltre, has been an integral part of this progress. With the current executive board, along with the 11 other directors of SBAA, I know that our community youth baseball association is in good hands and that our children’s best days playing baseball in South Brunswick are still in front of us all.
It is with great satisfaction of our many accomplishments that I step aside and assume the role of director of safety and umpires for SBAA. I encourage parents to continue to stay involved in their child’s sports development. There is still much work to do to improve the programs. Volunteers are always needed to make the programs better. I am confident that together we can continue to get the job done.
Thanks to all for their support, dedication, and most of all, for being a part of our children’s experience in youth sports.
Robert F. Long
Kendall Park
Volunteers paved road for runners
To the editor:
On Sunday, Oct. 30, more than 250 runners and walkers gathered at South Brunswick High School for the first Run with the Vikings 5K. The race raised more than $4,000 for the Viking Athletic Club, which benefits the student athletes and marching band of SBHS.
I write to thank the host of people who volunteered their time and effort. More than 60 people (parents, students, friends, family, members of the Viking Athletic Club and most importantly the South Brunswick Police Department and emergency services) assured that this inaugural event would run smoothly.
In addition, I offer congratulations to the runners, whose ages ranged from 4 to 80, and upon whose energy and enthusiasm I relied. Finally, I must also commend our sponsors, whose donations of food, drink and prizes provided a perfect ending to our event. Dayton Auto Group and Awardpros were our lead sponsors; Dawn Defeis Burger of ReMax, Whole Foods Market of Princeton, Commerce Bank and Brunswick Urgent Care were generous bronze-level sponsors; Curves, Giuseppe’s Pizzeria, In Home Technologies, Joseph Del Guercio, CLU, ChFC, Acme Nissan, The Stephens Company Insurance-Sean Brady, D’Bella by Donna, PAL (in memory of Sid Lee), Arthur and Debbie Roedel, Lawrence W Brent DMD and Regency Cleaners, contributed at the family level. Our post-race spread (drinks, bananas, yogurt, subs, snacks, bagels and muffins) was provided by Bagel Express, Wawa, Tastee Subs, Joe’s Deli, Pierre’s, Quiznos, My Favorite Muffin and Whole Foods Market.
In total, more than 50 local businesses offered support for this event. Congratulations to all of you for coming out early on your day off to make this event successful.
I hope to see everyone again next year at the second event.
Bob Tona
South Brunswick
A generous community
To the editor:
In South Brunswick, we are fortunate to have such a generous community that always steps up to the challenge to assist its neighbors. In recent weeks, South Brunswick Rallies for Relief has asked the community to extend itself to help the community of D’Iberville, Miss.
This community always steps up, when called upon.
During the South Brunswick High School Homecoming Game held Nov. 4, South Brunswick residents donated $187 to South Brunswick Rallies for Relief. These funds will be added to other collected donations and used to purchase gift cards and other items needed by residents of D’Iberville as they continue to rebuild their lives in the months following Hurricane Katrina.
In addition, two grocery carts filled with non-perishable food items were collected that night and donated to the South Brunswick Social Services’ Food Pantry. The donated items will help the pantry provide hearty meals to South Brunswick residents during the holiday season.
The drive would not have been successful it if were not for the efforts of so many who helped coordinate the event, including members of the South Brunswick High School Viking Volunteers and the high school athletic department. Your efforts made the drive run smoothly; we couldn’t have done it without your help.
Of course, we thank all of the South Brunswick residents for their donations. Without your generosity, we would not be able to assist those in need in our own community or in Mississippi.
It’s wonderful to work in a community as generous as this one.
Rebecca Leonard
South Brunswick
Rallies for Relief
South Brunswick
Ms. Leonard is the public information officer for the South Brunswick school district.
Scouts rose to occasion
To the editor:
As the holidays approach, it’s the time of year again for the local scouts to help out those less fortunate with their annual Thanksgiving food drive.
Again, this year more than any other past year, we had more volunteers and more food. We feel we had at least 5 percent to 10 percent more donations.
I want to thank the following troops and packs as well as all the amazing parents who helped out this past Saturday and Sunday. They are Troop 10, Troop 90, Troop 888 and Troop 100. The following packs are Pack 107, Pack 108, Pack 98 and Pack 100. They collected and helped sort food from all over South Brunswick. Many spent upwards of four to five hours at the Community Center helping us get ready for the program.
Many people helped us this past weekend, but first and foremost I want to thank Frank Gramieri for all of his time and effort into organizing this event. I also would like to thank Scott and Karen Williams, Paul Garrin, Jerry Case, Cliff Longley, John and Michael Pignot, Joe Zamorski and Arthur Roedel who came in both Saturday and Sunday as well to help us. I hope I did not forget any of the other dads, but if I did, I apologize. These dads organized, lifted, and lifted again boxes and boxes of food, emptied trash bags etc. for hours, and then supplied pizza for all of the volunteers. Without your help this weekend would not have been as successful or run as smoothly as it did. Thank you.
We also want to thank both Bob Webber and Mark Langone for coming in on a Sunday to help ensure that all of the food and tables were out of the gym for the start of Mondays work day at the Community Center.
And finally, three special thank yous. One, to the St. Cecilia’s Youth Group for making more than 200 pumpkin breads to add to each basket for the holidays, one to the high school students who donated food at the homecoming game and the other to Debbie and Arthur Roedel for their generous contribution in Stop and Shop gift cards to enable us to give each family a card to purchase a turkey.
LouAnne Wolf
Director
Social Services
South Brunswick
A successful haunted trail
To the editor:
With very special thanks to all those folks who volunteered their time this year to make the 2005 Dardami Haunted Trail and Hayride another success. This year our donations totaled $17,844.87 and were distributed as follows:
From Haunted Trail Proceeds: $3,518.72 to Amanda Callagy (Sandhoff’s Disease); $2,518.72 to Ryan White (Muscular Dystrophy); $900 to Kendall Park first Aid Squad; and $500 to St. Cecilia’s Youth Group.
From Haunted Hayride Proceeds: $8,007.43 to Project Graduation; $200 to South Brunswick PBA Local 166; $200 to South Brunswick FOP; $1,000 to South Brunswick Lions Club.
Special thanks must be given to CH Excavating, South Brunswick Contracting and Madden’s Nursery for providing haycarts, tractors, hay, and drivers for the hayride; Active Imprints for advertisement; Kendall Park and Kingston First Aid Squads for continued help and support; Kendall Park and Kingston Fire Company for covering our bonfire; South Brunswick Police Department; Monmouth Mobile Home Park; South Brunswick Lions Club; and, of course, the South Brunswick Department of Recreation and Community Affairs.
Thank you to the entire Skull Crew for all your time and creativity, and thank you, the community for coming out and enjoying the event. We could not have raised this money without all of you.
Tom and Carolyn Dardani
Monmouth Junction

