NORTH BRUNSWICK — To celebrate cultural unity and community togetherness, North Brunswick will hold its 29th annual Heritage Day Festival on Sept. 24.
From 12 to 5 p.m. at Babbage Park, visitors can enjoy music from Ramblin’ Dawgs, Mariachi Oro De Mexica and children’s performer Mr. Ray. There will be ethnic dance troops, face painting, Timbo the Clown, a unicycle and juggling show, pony rides, a petting zoo and carriage rides.
Food vendors will include C&G Steak & Sausage, Harvest Specialty Deli, Domino’s Pizza, North Brunswick American Legion Post 459, Maria Tasty Ice Cream and Maglione’s Italian Ice.
At 7 p.m, at North Brunswick Township High School, the VooDUDES will perform before a fireworks display.
Also during the nighttime event will be the presentation of the Ann Marie Chandlee Heritage DayAward, in honor of a longtime and well-known township volunteer.
Jocelyn and Raymund Caffrey This year’s honorees are Jocelyn and the late Raymund Caffrey Jr.
“I’m really honored to be chosen to receive it. My husband and I both worked on the Heritage Day Committee for a number of years. I knew Ann Marie personally … she was really such a wonderful person,” Jocelyn said.
The Caffreys came to North Brunswick seven years after living in Illinois at the urging of a family member 45 years ago. Jocelyn still lives in their original house, which had been built in 1965. They have five children, the youngest of whom was born in North Brunswick.
“It’s the people, it’s the camaraderie. Everybody is nice. It’s a small town, not a big city. I think everybody knows one another,” she said of remaining in town for so long.
For nearly five decades, the Caffreys decided to dedicate themselves to serving the community before Ray passed away in January at the age of 80. They had celebrated 54 years of marriage.
“I’m sure that [Raymund] would’ve been very proud. He was humble, he was very outspoken, but he was very patriotic in so many ways. We had some fond memories and a lot of laughs in the things we did,” Jocelyn said.
Ray served in the Air Force during the Korean War and became a life member of the American Legion Leigh A. Pardun Post 459 in North Brunswick where he was a past commander.
He was a member of the organization’s 40/8 Club, and each Memorial Day would lead theAmerican Legion flag program that placed flags on the graves of veterans at Van Liew Cemetery.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 257 of New Brunswick, the North Brunswick Republican Club and the North Brunswick Memorial Day Parade Committee. He was honored as a grand marshal of the Memorial Day Parade.
Following his retirement as a bus driver for Suburban Transit in New Brunswick, Ray became a school crossing guard for North Brunswick for several years.
He was also an avid sports fan, especially following the University of Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.
“I don’t think there was one sport he’d miss on the TV,” his wife said, noting that she will continue their tradition of going to Notre Dame for a game once a year.
Jocelyn has been a leading member of the township’s Adult Drama Group for 29 years, featured in many leading roles. She is active with the North Brunswick Humane Society, North Brunswick Care to Walk and the North Brunswick Republican Club.
Jocelyn is a member of American Legion
Post 459 Women’s Auxiliary, volunteers at St. Peter’s University Hospital and is a member of St. Peter’s University Hospital Ladies Auxiliary. She also works one day a week and one Saturday a month as a dental hygienist in East Brunswick.
Jocelyn is a member of the Golden Age Club at St. Mary of Mount Virgin R.C. Church in New Brunswick.
“We kind of worked as a team, my husband and I. We both complemented each other. … We stuck together through thick and thin … and managed to get through it all and have a very good life,” the grandmother of 13 said.
As for Heritage Day, the Caffreys would always help out in the morning, go home so Raymund could watch his sports games during the day, and then attend again at night.
“I think it brings us all together as a group. It doesn’t depend upon what nationality you are or what color or race you are, it brings everyone together as one. I think that’s very important in this day and age. We all have to stick together,” Jocelyn said.
The rain date for Heritage Day will be Sun., Sept. 25 at the same times and locations.
The Heritage Day event is made possible by grant funding from the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission and the Township of North Brunswick.
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].