From the July 19 edition
Rotary Club: area’s best-kept secret
To the editor:
I would like to let everyone in on the best-kept secret in the areathe Wrightstown Area Rotary Club (WARC). This community service club serves the towns of Springfield, Mansfield, Chesterfield, North Hanover, New Hanover and New Egypt.
We give scholarships to graduating seniors from Northern Burlington High School, New Egypt High School and graduates of the National Guard’s Challenge Program at Fort Dix. Our club honors the outstanding sixth-grade students from the sending district schools and recognizes the outstanding teachers from those schools also.
We sponsor Interact Clubs in both high schools, Career Day at NBC and send several high school students to the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy at Georgian Court University each June. The Rotary Club is a proud supporter of the Gift of Life Foundation, which provides medical care and lifesaving surgeries to children in third world countries.
We have raised money for tsunami and Katrina relief and participate in the Adopt-a Highway program four times a year. Senior citizens groups of the area are our guests for Thanksgiving dinner each year. The Rotary District founded and annually supports an orphanage in Santo Domingo, which houses 135 children.
This year we also honored Marlene Walls, a Springfield Township resident, as a local hero for her support and fundraising efforts on behalf of 2001 NBC graduate Staff Sgt. Andrew Robinson who was critically wounded in Iraq last year.
The Wrightstown Rotary Club meets every Thursday night at the Garden State Diner at 6 p.m. I like to say that we are neighbors serving our neighborhood. If you would like to join us or have an idea for a community project, check us out. As the current President of the club, I would like to invite you to dinner and see what we’re all about. I’ll save you a seat!
Patricia G. Steel
Springfield Township
Bordentown roast enjoyed by all
To the editor:
On behalf of the 325th Anniversary Roast Committee, we would like to thank everyone who helped to make the Honoree Celebration Roast a huge success.
First, thank you to all of the people who helped us plan and execute this event: Larry Denney, Heather Cheesman, Jim Brimmer, Suzanne Wheelock, Ed Koenig, Debbie Cramer and Terry Johnson. Months and months of planning coupled with last minute running around resulted in a great evening.
To the honorees: Gloria Scholey, Barry Hausser, Quentin Hausser, Ellen Wehrman, Steve McGowan, Vivian Ward, John Imlay and Joe Lawrence. We certainly thank you for your participation and all that you’ve done for the community over the years. Thank you so much for agreeing to participate and we hope you had as good a time as we did.
To Mayor Bill Collom and Assemblyman Joe Malone: we greatly appreciate the proclamations bestowed on the honorees. Thank you for your additional support in recognizing our honorees with the admiration they deserve.
To Mastoris, American Trophies & Awards, Hometown Office Supplies, Jasper Daniels (Father and Son) & Mimosa Flower Shop: thank you for helping us create a magical evening. A big thank you as well to Betty Ann’s, Jester’s and Bordentown Home for Funerals for the donated door prizes.
To Pete Ciarrocca and Shoppe 202: thank you for the photographs and photo presentations. You really helped make the night special.
We really appreciate all of the businesses and people who put ads and messages in our program. Hopefully, the program will become a keepsake for years to come. And a very special thank you to all of the wonderful people who purchase tickets and supported our event. Without you this could never have happened.
Last but certainly not least, a round of applause for Ed Koenig. You are one super talented guy who made the night spectacular. We really can’t thank you enough.
Robert and Stephanie Pecht
Co-chairpersons
325th Anniversary Roast Committee
Vote out incumbents in state races
To the editor:
I have to assume that Gov. Corzine is getting ready to do a tap-dance. After the November elections, of course. On June 29, 2007, he put out an eight point plan, entitled "Core Principles on Asset Monetization." Point 2 talks about allowable use of proceeds from asset monetization. "Allowable uses of proceeds (reducing state debt and capital investments) will be identified upfront and subject to public and/or legislative approval with safeguards against diversions for other uses."
Right upfront, that sounds good. My question would simply be, if the assets in question aren’t sending any money to the state treasury right now, how will it do it when the asset is turned over to some private entity, without raising the cost of using that asset.
If that is all it takes, we don’t need a private entity. Just raise the use rates (tolls) and have that increase sent directly to the treasury. No middle man is needed. Now on July 10, 2007, we have Senator Raymond Lesniak, changing Gov. Corzine’s words just a little. He states that the money raised from the assets would be used to pay mounting debt and free money for unmet needs.
Remember that in point 2 of the eight-point plan, it is stated that anything he does will have to be approved by the public, and here is the kicker, or by the Legislature.
Now, in addition to that, we have another vague term being used, that is, "unmet needs." Maybe, before the November election, Senator Lesniak can tell us what those "unmet needs" are. I have a better idea. In November, just vote out the incumbents. Regardless of party affiliation. If the voters of New Jersey will do that, they won’t have any need for asset monetization.
Fred S. Tuccillo
Trenton

