By Doug Carman, Staff Writer
EAST WINDSOR — A volunteer firefighter was posthumously recognized for 42 years of service in East Windsor Tuesday evening at the municipal building.
Carole Genovese, widow to the late Joseph Genovese, accepted the Sylvia Weiss Senior Citizen Award for Outstanding Service as a Volunteer Tuesday evening after Mayor Janice Mironov announced that Mr. Genovese had earned the honor.
Ms. Genovese smiled as she held the plaque recognizing her late husband, saying she was grateful her husband had been recognized this way.
”I was very in awe about that… I certainly didn’t expect that,” Ms. Genovese said Thursday. “It showed how much the township respected him and his 42 years of volunteerism for the fire company.”
According to a news release from Mayor Mironov, Mr. Genovese was a charter member of East Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 and served there for 42 years until his death earlier this year. During his service, he held all the offices within the company at some point, including that of President, and he was honored as the “East Windsor Township Firefighter of the Year” in 1981 and 2008.
Mr. Genovese also volunteered with the fire police as a lieutenant, served with the Mercer County Fire Police and the Mercer County Firemen’s Association.
”The tremendous commitment shown by Joe Genovese through his 42 years as an active volunteer firefighter and his many acts of personal kindness were highly valued by us all,” Mayor Mironov said in the release. “Joe visited the East Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 virtually every day, whether he was responding to calls, checking on equipment, or attending drills and meetings. Joe was a real treasure to the fire service and to our community, and set a marvelous example for people of all ages.”
According to the release, the Sylvia Weiss award is presented annually by the East Windsor Township to recognize a senior citizen “who has exhibited outstanding service through volunteerism to the community by way of schools, religious institutions, service organizations or directly to the public.”
The selection committee for this year’s award included East Windsor Councilman Perry Shapiro, Commission on Aging Chairperson Ondina Jeffers and East Windsor Police Chief William Spain.

