Letters-Dec. 28, 2006

Y raises $23,821

at Comedy Night
To the editor:
   The Hunterdon County YMCA hosted its 15th annual Comedy Night in November and is grateful to our community members who purchased tickets and attended the event.
   There were 508 people enjoying an evening of laughs at the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse while being entertained by comedians Tina Giorgi, Brian Kiley and Eric McMahon.
   The Y raised $23,821 through ticket sales, and all proceeds will benefit the YMCA’s financial assistance program. The financial assistance program assists individuals and/or families with participating in the Y’s programs and/or services who would otherwise be unable.
   In 2006, the financial assistance program distributed $220,000 to more than 1,700 people.
   The YMCA gratefully thanks and acknowledges sponsorship of the 15th annual Comedy Night to the following individuals and businesses:
   Silver Plus sponsorship — Tom and Jane LaMarca.
   Silver sponsorship — Commerce Bank; ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co., the Lewis Agency & Financial Group, Allstate and Yardville National Bank.
   Bronze sponsorship — Archer & Greiner, Clarke Caton Hintz, Gebhardt Kiefer P.C., Maser Consulting P.A., Motta Electric Inc., Norris McLaughlin & Marcus P.A., Unity Bank and Whitehouse Rotary Club.
   Friends of the YMCA — Bryce Thompson Foundation and Kenneth Johnson.
   Visual equipment was donated by ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co..
   Door prizes came from La Casa Bianca, Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, Hunterdon County YMCA, Hunterdon Prevention Resources and Tewksbury Historical Society.
   Annual Comedy Night Committee members were Dan Leta, chairman, Bob Kreilick, Tom LaMarca, Bob Luciano, Jim Lewy, Libby McDonald, Shaun Van Doren, Alex Van Veldhuisen and Lynn Yates.
   For information on sponsorship of the 2007 Comedy Night, contact Daina Bungs at (908) 236-7879, ext. 10, or [email protected].
   For information on becoming a YMCA member, contact the Welcome Center of the Deer Path branch at (908) 782-1044 or the Round Valley branch at (908) 236-0055.

Build on what

Stockton started
To the editor:
   To the citizens of Stockton:
   In serving as Stockton’s mayor over the past four years, I want to say what an honor and privilege it has been for me to represent you and the borough during this time.
   Public service to one’s community is both time consuming and fraught with, well, politics! But because I believe our community is worth the effort, and we have benefited from the dedication of those I have had pleasure of working with in getting important goals accomplished on the borough’s behalf, I am grateful to all for all we have achieved.
   We’ve gotten a lot done over the past four years — the preservation of the My Ben property, the final completion of a 10-year-old sewer infrastructure loan project, the establishment of an Environmental Commission, creating the LOSAP program for our volunteer firefighters, the reconstruction with proper drainage of Mill Street and the pending reconstruction of Bridge Street — all done at minimal taxpayer expense because the borough received more than $3 million in grants.
   We also weathered two devastating floods, conducted a county ordered property revaluation and had an emergency closing of our bridge due to safety concerns from excessive erosion.
   There are a number of things we as citizens of one of the smallest communities in New Jersey need to be concerned about as we move into 2007 and beyond.
   Of greatest importance is the Stockton School. The school needs to remain a vital part of our community. Without our school, our property values will decrease as young families with children who would consider purchasing a home here would look elsewhere.
   Also, it is not, as some may contend, less expensive to educate our children elsewhere. I believe without our school, we must also question why the borough needs to exist.
   Although we may consider shared services or other collaborations regarding the school, those endeavors must keep the school open so children from Stockton get the chance to go and walk to school in Stockton.
   I’m also concerned about the state’s effort to reduce property taxes. It seems like at almost any cost!
   Stockton does pretty well in managing our small budget and in getting things done. Because I do not believe "bigger is always better," we must, as one of New Jersey’s smallest community’s, be watchful and dedicated to both protecting and preserving our identity and preventing unwanted Trenton mandates that will increase rather than reduce our taxes.
   Who knows what the governor and Legislature will come up with in their continuing attempts to reduce taxes statewide, but, so far, their proposals will only cost Stockton taxpayers more than we pay now.
   If we as citizens, and the new mayor and Council, want to build on what we have started — for example, obtaining more grants for traffic calming or historic preservation — there are great opportunities for Stockton to continue to get needed dollars from the county, state, federal and nonprofit sources that can help improve our community and move it forward as has been done during the past four years.
   Serving as your mayor has been a wonderful experience because I have had the chance to work with so many who are committed to making Stockton and New Jersey a better place to live!
   I have made lifelong friendships for which I am both thankful and proud.

Community of Light

had much support
To the editor:
   Nearly 15,000 luminaries were lit throughout Hunterdon County on Sunday, Dec. 17, reflecting SAFE in Hunterdon’s message of a "Community of Light: Peace Begins at Home."
   The event created a contagious sense of camaraderie among our neighborhoods and towns. Our county came together and embraced the issue of domestic violence as it was illuminated to bring the message of "Peace Begins at Home" to all.
   There are so many people, organizations and businesses to thank for this wonderful show of support. The COL Committee, chaired by Marisa Jaffe, coordinated events throughout the county and raised nearly $20,000.
   Signifying the impact of SAFE in Hunterdon’s outreach efforts in educating our young people about domestic violence and sexual assault, many volunteers this year were students. It was amazing these children and young adults took time to come out on a Sunday afternoon and evening to put the luminaries together and light up the town. There was great energy in these young people, and they were all very humble, too.
   We offer thanks to the Girl Scouts, the ARC, the Boy Scouts, contemporary social problems class from Hunterdon Central Regional High School, North Hunterdon Regional High School Interact Club, Top Gun softball families and youth groups from surrounding churches and the Flemington-Jewish Community Center for lighting the streets of Flemington and the surrounding circles.
   Also, Helen Branch and the Key Club and National Honors Society at Voorhees High School; students and members of the Crisis Intervention Team at South Hunterdon Regional High School for lighting the City of Lambertville, the bridge to New Hope and the town of Ringoes; the Tewksbury Women’s Club, led by Vera Sikora, and everyone involved in the Village of Oldwick’s Holiday Festival.
   Also, ATT Pioneers sponsored the Milford bridge and joined the Flemington group in lighting the Route 12 circle; the staff of Timberline, led by Tina Pavlon, for lighting Liberty Village Premier Outlets; the volunteers who lit the Stockton bridge; the owners and staff at the Shaker Café, which had a packed house of mostly young people, and all of the many other volunteers and residents who lit luminaries to display their support.
   Additional gratitude to the sponsors of this year’s campaign: All Women’s Health Care, Hunterdon Democrat, Louie & Lenny, Ronpak, Sonofi-Aventis, Turntable Junction and Yardville National Bank.
   Their efforts ensure our success.
   One volunteer was heard to say, "Communities of Light is a great reflection of what we can all do for SAFE in Hunterdon — be a community of light for all who live with domestic violence."
   The spirit of the evening was very positive and indicative of the meaning of the holiday season, giving to those in need, expecting nothing in return and taking time to enjoy those around you.
   Peace.

Thanks for help

with Angel Patrol
To the editor:
   On behalf of the board of trustees and staff of the Hunterdon County YMCA, I wish to convey our thanks for the tremendous support shown by our members and the Hunterdon County community for our annual holiday Angel Patrol program.
   Your generosity helped make the holidays joyous for many in our extended community family who are experiencing financial hardship at this time.
   The response this year was overwhelming. More than 2,000 items were collected and distributed to 12 individuals and families and several community agencies, including Anderson House, Fisherman’s Mark, Friendship Center for New Beginnings, Hunterdon Youth Services, Hunterdon County Youth Shelter, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Open Cupboard Food Pantry and Women’s Crisis Services.
   I would also like to thank our community partners, Team Link, Quantitative Technologies Inc., Maser Consulting, Newcomers Club Central Hunterdon County, Hunterdon County Planning and Zoning Administrators Association and the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, whose generosity and assistance was again incredible.
   Last, but not least, I’d like to express my appreciation to the staff and volunteers of the Hunterdon County YMCA, who spent countless hours sorting, wrapping and distributing the gifts.
   You and the Hunterdon County community have shown yourselves to be true angels: messengers of the real meaning and spirit of the holiday season.

Heart Walk

saves lives
To the editor:
   Thank you Hunterdon County!
   As a local business leader and chairman of the fall 2006 American Heart Association Hunterdon-Somerset County Heart Walk, I want to thank the businesses, community organizations, residents and survivors of heart disease and stroke from throughout Hunterdon County for making the Hunterdon-Somerset County Heart Walk such a great success.
   Hundreds of walkers joined us at Duke Island Park, raising more than $200,000 to help fund research, community programs and education to help save lives — the lives of our loved ones, family members, friends and coworkers right here in Hunterdon County.
   Thanks to your support and with events like the Hunterdon-Somerset County Heart Walk, the American Heart Association has funded lifesaving research that has brought us such milestones as CPR, microsurgery, artificial heart valves, the pacemaker, coronary bypass surgery, heart valve replacement surgery and much more.
   The Hunterdon-Somerset County Heart Walk theme — "Walk. Change tomorrow. Today" — encouraged everyone to make exercise a regular activity of daily life. Being physically active can help reduce or eliminate risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
   The success of the Hunterdon-Somerset County Heart Walk would not have been possible without the support provided by local volunteers, sponsors and teams.
   I want to recognize the special contributions to the Hunterdon-Somerset County Heart Walk by national presenting sponsor Subway; local 2006 silver level sponsor Ethicon; and official media sponsors News 12 New Jersey, Patriot Media and WCTC 1450 AM.
   Be sure to wear something red Friday, Feb. 2, the fourth annual American Heart Association "National Wear Red Day for Women."
   Wear something red to bring attention to the number one killer of women — cardiovascular disease.
   For more information about heart disease, stroke, exercise, the "Go Red For Women" movement or the Heart Walk, visit www.americanheart.org or call (800) AHA-USA1.
   To learn more about "National Wear Red Day for Women" or to obtain a free "Wear Red Day" kit, call (609) 208-0020.