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FLORENCE: Secretary bows out

By David Kilby, Special Writer
   FLORENCE — Whenever there’s a small town with a strong community life like Florence, there’s at least one behind-the-scenes hard worker like Administrative Secretary Janice Carey, who retired last week after 20 years of work with the township.
   Her contribution will be missed as the Township Committee clearly conveyed at its meeting July 18, but the community certainly doesn’t feel like they’re losing her as a friend.
   Ms. Carey, 71, is a lifelong resident of Florence. She was hired in the clerk’s office in 1991 and moved to the administrative office in 2000. Before working for the township, she worked in various businesses throughout town.
   Her four children, Le Ann, Linda, Bob and Tim, and many of her grandchildren came to the meeting to be by her side during the township’s formal recognition of her retirement.
   Township Administrator Richard Brook had many grateful words to say to Ms. Carey for her “efficient and effective” work.
   ”Her vacation day is going to the firehouse and making hoagies,” Mr. Brook said.
   ”You are the main thrust of our organization as you know,” Mayor Craig Wilkie said to Ms. Carey. “And her family commitment is one of the things where she goes above and beyond.”
   ”When she takes on a project, she does so with veracity,” Mr. Brook added. “But when I talk about depth of character, when you see how she is with her family, how proud she is of her grandchildren. As spectacular a worker as she is, she’s an even better person inside.”
   Former Mayor Bill Berry came up from the public to speak to Ms. Carey and thank her for her work and recalled the many times Ms. Carey decked the halls of township hall during Christmas time.
   ”Behind Brook’s expertise is an organized woman,” he said at the meeting.
   ”My four years as mayor you made easier for me,” he added, turning and addressing Ms. Carey directly.
   ”Over the course of her career, I’ve worked with a lot of people, and there have been good people who’ve come and gone,” said Sandy Blacker, former chief financial officer of Florence. “But with Janice, it goes on and on. I’m not going to miss her because she’s still my friend.”
   Ms. Carey was reluctant to give a speech of her own when everyone told her to, but at last decided she has her own words of gratitude to share with her friends and neighbors.
   ”Thank you to all of my coworkers,” she said while holding the bouquet of flowers the committee gave to her . “I love you dearly and, of course, to my family, which right now is everything. It’s been a journey, and it’s been great.”
   She said in her retirement she will spend more time with her family and continue to help out at the firehouse.
   After the short meeting, everyone had cake and snacks to celebrate Ms. Carey’s career.