Reader Submitted
To the editor:
I am honored to know Phil Volpe for 20 of his 24 years as a resident of Hopewell Township. His integrity, charity, enthusiasm, leadership, and commitment to maintaining the traditional values of Hopewell Valley have been recognized by civic groups over the years. Phil has been the recipient of Hopewell Valley Mayor’s Breakfast 1999 Award by the Municipal Alliance, the Pennington Fire Company 2008 Person of the Year, The Mid-Jersey Chamber of Commerce Hopewell Chapter Business Person of the Year 2013 Award, and The Hopewell Valley YMCA 2015 Larry Rothwell Social Responsibility Award.
We served together during most of his 17 years on the Hopewell Valley YMCA Board, six years as president. When we first joined the Y Board, annual donations approximated $5,000 which he, as head of the development committee, increased to an average of $100,000.
While Phil’s efforts have benefited all residents, he has been especially supportive of seniors and teens. Phil is the reason Hopewell Valley received funding for the Director of Seniors. Phil and I hosted a dinner in 2005 with Barry Rabner, CEO of Princeton Healthcare System. Mr. Rabner asked how he could support our residents, and Phil encouraged the funding of a Senior Director which they did for several years. Phil has also assisted seniors of Brandywine and homebound seniors as Eucharistic Minister of St. James. As a Hopewell Township Committee member, Phil would prioritize a Senior Center.
Phil has also positively influenced the Valley’s youth through his coaching of athletic teams, teaching CCD, and hiring 55 students at his Cream King business. During the summer Mondays, 20 percent of Cream King’s sales were contributed to local charities, amounting to over $46,000 the last ten years.
Phil is fiscally responsible with ‘Big business’ expertise in budgeting and negotiating contracts as large as a couple hundred million dollars He is committed to cutting the Hopewell Township’s high debt to revenue ratio.
Phil is a visionary, is loyal to family and community values, is respectful of viewpoints, and he will be a tremendous asset to the Hopewell Township Committee. He emulates high quality and commitment. I strongly endorse Phil Volpe as a member of the Hopewell Township Committee.
John S. Phillips
Pennington
