The New Jersey Marine Corps Detachment
prepares donations for returning soldiers
By:Mary Ellen Zangara
The New Jersey Marine Corps Detachment may be a fairly new organization in the Central Jersey area, but the group based in Manville has already made an impression on soldiers returning from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Detachment members spent hours on Sunday packing much-needed items for soldiers at the American Legion Post 304 on Main Street, packing several boxes for delivery Monday to the Lyons Veterans Affairs hospital.
Fred Hoover, adjutant of the organization, said that the packages were going to soldiers.
"They are coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan and there is a need of clothing for the wounded," Mr. Hoover said.
Mr. Hoover said the project is sponsored by donations from area corporations and individuals, and helps soldiers wounded overseas as the military hospital in Bethesda, Md., and the Walter Reed Army Hospital are being restored.
"Right now we are going to Lyons VA hospital and we will give them this stuff," he said. "The other packages are made up of various things that they will need when they come back from Iraq they aren’t given anything at the hospital.
"So they need virtually everything underwear, sweatpants, sweatshirts, toothbrush, toothpaste anything they might need in the hospital," said Mr. Hoover.
The organization was able to purchase over $12,000 worth of clothing from the Hazlet K-Mart at a discounted rate. Volunteers paired socks, folded underwear and other items of clothing by gender and packed them into boxes and labeled them.
Four cases of clothing hats, jackets, T-shirts, and socks were purchased from Abilitees in Metuchen, a sports uniform wholesaler.
The organization’s members are former Marine Corps veterans and civilians. Their mission is to keep the honor, discipline, pride and unity of the Marine Corps.
"Our primary commitment is to support Marine Corps personnel and their families," Mr. Hoover said. "We also participate in Toys for Tots, restocking the Somerset and Middlesex County food banks, packages for the wounded Marines returning from combat areas and various community functions needing our participation."
The group has been in existence for a little over a year, and right now has 33 members, some of whom are active Marines. Some of their members are disabled but they still come to help. They are welcoming new members both Marines and civilians to join them with their volunteer work.
Manville’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2290 helps by letting the Detachment hold their meetings at the hall and the American Legion post helps them out also by giving them the use of its hall when needed.
Commandant Hank Eichert would like to see the group grow.
"We have a lot of projects slated but we don’t have the help," he said. "We would like to have some more Marines as it’s a Marine unit."
The officers of the New Jersey Marine Corps Detachment include Bob Porchik, senior vice commandant; Ron Farneski, judge advocate; the Rev. Daniel Sloan, pastor of Christ the King Church, chaplain; Steve Szabo, historian; Alice Day, paymaster; and Lois Denny, associate director.
"When we go down the sidewalk we grab them nobody gets past us," joked Mr. Eichert.
The veteran Marines also work with local Girl Scouts and Boys Scouts doing flag demonstrations and flag folding. They also do funerals with a flag folding ceremony. In June, they participated in the Flag Day ceremony at the American Legion Post 304.
The group will have another fundraiser at the Wal-Mart on North Main Street on Sept. 1 – 3 collecting money to help send packages to the active soldiers and to the wounded.
"God Bless the people in this area Manville, Bound Brook, and Somerville," said. Mr. Eichert. "They are the most patriotic people I have ever seen in my life. They come out, they give and they know what it is all about. We have been adopted by Manville and it has been tremendous."
For more information about the group or to become part of the New Jersey Marine Corps Road Detachment you can call 732-846-0611, 908-839-5200 or 908-839-5201.