NORTH BRUNSWICK — Happy birthday, North Brunswick.
In commemoration of the township’s 230th anniversary, Michael Hritz and Richard Liguori are co-chairing a gala, which will honor several local small-business owners in October. Invitations will be mailed this summer, with an open invitation going out to all residents.
“The committee selected eight individuals we feel represent an outstanding crosssection of our business community,” Hritz said.
This year’s honorees are:
• Nino and Teresa Bellavia of Nino’s Pizzeria — In 1973, the couple opened a pizza place in a small white building on an almost-empty lot. The business was expanded to become Nino’s Pizza Plaza in 1985. Since then, the pizzeria has been taken over by their son, Anthony, and has become a staple along Route 130.
• Anthony Camaioni of Cameo Dry Cleaners — Camaioni has been in the drycleaning business for more than 35 years. Located in the North Village Shopping Center on Route 1, the dry cleaners now includes the services of son Anthony, a volunteer firefighter, who helps manage the business. The elder Camaioni has also been active in community service, including the town’s Planning Board and Italian American Social Club.
• Frances DeVries of DeVries Landscaping and Garden Center — Albert De- Vries opened a small landscaping center in 1953 along Route 27 on a site that housed an old barn he admired; in 1979, Frances joined the family business.
• Anthony and Carmine Nastus of Nastus Brothers Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning — The longtime residents established their business out of Carmine’s house in 1979 and has since expanded to employ 24 people.
• Elizabeth Price of Dance Dimension —The dance studio on Georges Road is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and was bought by Price 28 years ago. One of three original studios in the Brunswick area still in existence, the school focuses on 3-year-olds to college-aged girls in both recreational and competitive dance.
• Nicholas Puleio Sr. of Puleio’s Service Center — Puleio established his own business in 1963 after building his own tow truck. Today, operating from a facility on Livingston Avenue, the company has grown to become a prominent towing and truckand trailer-repair business as well as a primary community sponsor.
“These are eight longtime residents who have built their small businesses in town, and to this day … many have been in operation 35 to 50 years,” Hritz said.
Hritz himself is involved in the town as director of the Department of Community Development and director of the Adult Drama Group. However, his idea was to create a non-township affiliated, nonpolitical event to acknowledge the history of his former hometown. He said his purpose is to ensure a large community gala for neighbors to share in the contributions of local residents.
“I wanted to have a big community event, a dinner to celebrate the township,” Hritz said. “The purpose is to promote goodwill and celebrate the township’s history.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity to pause and reflect on our township’s history,” Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack commented, “and gather once again as one community to celebrate what we all know: North Brunswick is a great place to live and work. I have no doubt this will be another first-class event, and I am expecting a memorable evening filled with incredible food, music and goodwill.”
Hritz organized a similar milestone event five years ago in recognition of the town’s 225th anniversary. It had followed in the tradition of the Golden Ball and the Library Ball in the late ’60s and early ’70s, as well as the 1979 celebration of the town’s bicentennial.
There was an extended cocktail hour with a pasta station and hors d’oeuvres, an 18-piece orchestra, a six-piece band, a commemorative video presentation and a surfand turf dinner.
The honorees were Jack Borrus of the Borrus, Goldin, Foley, Vignuolo, Hyman & Stahl law firm, which represents the town’s Board of Education; Robert Campbell, who was the former vice chairman of the board at Johnson & Johnson and chair of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey; George Logan of George Logan Towing; Richard Malouf of the Malouf Auto Group; Richard Selover of Selover Funeral Home; and Gloria Zastko of Gloria Zastko Realtors.
“It was just a great event. For months and months people were talking about how great it was,” Hritz said.
This year’s black-tie-optional gala will be held Friday, Oct. 23, at the East Brunswick Hilton, Route 18. Tickets may cost upward of $100 based on a survey conducted by Hritz, asking previous attendees if they would attend if the ticket prices were higher than five years ago. The final cost has not yet been set, and Hritz said he would try to solicit corporate sponsors.
Details of the event will be announced closer to the date, but Hritz said all of the town’s former mayors are invited to the celebration, including David Spaulding, Paul Matacera and Sylvester Palladino.
Volunteer committee members include Connie Adamo, Derek Dickinson, Nansi Krauss and Nancy Nicola. The affair is strictly a volunteer effort and is not associated with the township.
“This is the type of event you save and make an exception for. We’re hoping people will share that notion and participate,” Hritz said. “It’s akin to a wedding or anniversary — you make certain allowances to make it as memorable as possible.”
For more information or to request an invitation, contact Hritz at [email protected].
Contact Jennifer Amato at