VIETNAM VETS HONORED ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PEACE ACCORDS

By Stephanie Faughnan

BARNEGAT – The community came together once again on March 29 to honor Vietnam veterans - this time, on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. The date is officially known as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Sale Of School Parking Lot Declined

By Chris Lundy BERKELEY

– As of right now, the Central Regional School District is not going to be selling the Middle School’s overflow parking lot, officials said.

For the event’s organizer, Barnegat resident Thy Cavagnaro, showing gratitude to Vietnam veterans is a deeply personal matter. Thy said she was just a young girl when her family escaped the fall of Saigon and was welcomed to the United States (Vets - See Page 5)

As overflow parking, this is not used most days. Events are usually held at the neighboring high school so most people park there.

This is at the very least being paused right now as the district conducts their superintendent search, Business Administrator Kevin O’Shea said.

At a recent Board of

Education meeting, a bid to purchase the land by Radix Capital, LLC was rejected. “CRSD is not moving forward with the sale of the land and the proposed project,” interim Superintendent Douglas Corbett said in an interview after the meeting. “The lot is being used for overflow parking. The proposed plan was for commercial usage. The bid was reviewed by the Board Attorney, Mr. Dasti, and based on his input the BOE felt it was in the best interest not to

(Parking - See Page 6)

$1995

Includes: arrangement conference, removal from place of death, alternative container Batesville ccbmdfc, transfer to crematory, crematory fee

“We are dedicated to exceeding expectations and delivering a standard of service that is 100% guaranteed.”

Relay:

Continued From Page 1 a relay.

This year’s theme is “Relay Around the World,” said organizer Robyn Griffith. This event is commonly referred to as the Berkeley-Lacey walk. It can be found by visiting Cancer. org . Click “Relay For Life” toward the bottom of the page, and then click “Join A Relay.”

As usual, the relay will start on Saturday with a Survivors Luncheon at noon followed by opening ceremony held around 2 p.m.

Anyone interested in becoming part of the planning committee can come to the meetings on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Berkeley Recreation Building, 630 Atlantic City Boulevard (Route 9).

Last year was feared to be the last Berkeley-Lacey relay, the event’s leaders said at the time. It is a huge undertaking and COVID-19 made gatherings of cancer survivors and caretakers a dangerous idea. However, there was clearly desire from locals because the event raised about $42,000, more than twice their initial goal.

Other Charities

There are simple ways that you can help in your community.

Pop tops from aluminum cans (soda, beer, etc.) are being collected by Griffith to help support the Ronald McDonald House Charities in the fight against pediatric cancer.

The same aluminum cans from the pop tops are being collected to support Relay for Life “Cans For A Cure,” Griffith said. These cans will be recycled and monies made will be donated to Relay to help support patient programs.

“With the “Cans For A Cure” fundraiser, I am personally trying to raise $10,000 or more. If I do I will be shaving my head at the Relay event,” she said. “In order for me to save the hair I need to raise $15,000 or more (All in the name of charity.)”

Additionally, she is also collecting clear and white bottle tops from water bottles and similar containers. Those are then turned in and melted to help make prostheses.

Griffith is known locally for helping the WJRZ holiday fundraiser which collects food, toys, and other supplies just before Thanksgiving. They can be seen filling a huge Pepsi tractor trailer in front of the ShopRite on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River. Last year, the radio station collected tons of donations and money for Fulfill, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Jersey Shore Animal Center.

Anyone needing more information about these charities can contact Griffith at rnofgnt@yahoo.com.

Letters: Continued From Page 1 as refugees.

Clad in a traditional Vietnamese dress, she spoke about the incredible support she and her family received from Americans who opened their homes and helped them integrate into society. Meanwhile, Thy also took the opportunity to address the mistreatment of Vietnam veterans. She recognized the trauma the returning soldiers endured, being forced to fight in a war they didn’t want to be in and being ostracized when they came home.

“You survived the majority of your lives for many, many decades by not talking about the war nor your participation in it,” said Thy. “To hide and bury that part of your history deep down inside you. You’ve been through hell and back, lived a nightmare, and are still living it at times – for people like me.”

A hush swept over the room as many attendees’ eyes seemed to drift back to their times overseas. The moment was not lost on Major General Clark Martin, a Vietnam veteran with 100 combat missions flown over Vietnam.

“There were actually as many veterans in this room that I stood with in line in Bangkok for five hours waiting to get on a DCF to fly back home from Southeast Asia,” recalled Martin. “That airplane held 286 of us.”

Martin shared details of his service, saying he enlisted rather than waiting for his number to come up in the draft. He saw military duty as his patriotic duty, while others volunteered to fight, hoping to have more control over where and when, and how they served. Some saw the military as a means of economic security or a way out of bad situations. Those drafted were pulled away from their lives – something Martin said today’s youth could not begin to imagine.

Some would give the ultimate sacrifice never to return home to loved ones. Those who made it back faced ridicule, heckling, and were even spit upon.

“The US war in Vietnam triggered the most tenacious anti-war movement in US history,” Martin said. “Seems to me when I left in 1967, I was a patriot. When I returned in 1968, I was a criminal. And, I’m sure that’s what happened to a lot more people.”

Thy and her husband Jim began a local campaign of thanking Vietnam vets that included the erection of a memorial monument in the downtown area in 2018. One of the couple’s goals is to involve local students in the annual events so that the legacy of gratitude can continue for years to come.

As part of the event’s opening ceremony, the flag was presented and displayed by the Barnegat High School Navy ROTC Color Guard, while the pledge of allegiance was led by Vincent Lorenzo, a fifth-grade student who had been the event’s keynote speaker the previous year.

Students from the Russell O. Brackman Middle School Chorus sang the National Anthem, while a local group named the Waterview Singers delivered “God Bless America.”

When the Armed Forces Medley was played by the Barnegat High School Marching Band, representatives from each branch of the military stood with pride.

The event was graced by the presence of local and state officials, including Assemblywoman Diane Gove, Barnegat Mayor Pasquale “Pat” Pipi, the entire Township Committee, Stafford Mayor Greg Myhre, and the members of the Stafford town council, some of whom also delivered speeches.

Hannah Cronen, a junior at Barnegat High www.TallwoodsCareCenter.com

School, distinguished herself by playing “Taps” on the bugle, honoring both the living and fallen veterans who served their country with time and sacrifice. The slow and mournful notes acted as a deeply meaningful tribute.

American Legion Post 232, VFW Post 10092, the Barnegat Township Committee, Barnegat Schools and the Cavagnaros co-sponsored the event, which included refreshments supplied courtesy of Wawa and Barnegat BD Bakery classes.

Town: Continued From Page 1 to bond for items that have five or more years of useful life.

The following purchases will eventually be made: Five outfitted police vehicles, totaling $442,814. These have an average period of usefulness equal to five years.

Equipment for the Division of Emergency Medical Services (the paid ambulance squad run by the police), including an automated external defibrillator (AED), chest compression device, ambulance remount (when they take the back of an ambulance and put it on a new chassis), power load systems and laptops, for a total of $324,983. This equipment would also have a usefulness equal to five years.

A street sweeper for the Division of Streets and Roads, with an estimated cost of $314,490, and an average period of usefulness of 15 years.

A robo garbage truck and a rear loader/ garbage truck with a plow for the Divi -

Parking:

Continued From Page 1 move forward.”

The minimum asking price in the bid was $1.5 million, O’Shea said.

“We had three or four groups inquire about the project but ultimately only received the one bid,” he said. “The bid was rejected because the way it was proposed was essentially not able to be accepted. Our attorney reviewed everything and ultimately the way it was proposed (it) would not have been approved by the NJ sion of Sanitation and Recycling, with an estimated cost of $670,911 and an average period of usefulness of 10 years. Equipment for the Bayville, Manitou, and Pinewald volunteer fire companies at an estimated cost of $286,201 and an average period of usefulness of five years.

Equipment for the volunteer first aid companies, including Bayville, Silver Ridge, Tri-Boro, Holiday Heights, and Holiday City at Berkeley, with an estimated cost of $131,038 and an average period of usefulness of five years. Engineering, legal fees and other soft costs adding up to $100,000

New Chief Financial Officer

In related news, the township hired Christine Manolio to be the chief financial officer. In this role, she will be overseeing all the budgetary portions of the town’s day-to-day operations. She used to be the CFO for Toms River.

At the end of last year, Fred Ebenau retired as Berkeley’s CFO.

An ordinance from February listed the CFO salary range as between $60 and $80 per hour.

Department of Education.”

It is unknown how this construction would have changed traffic in the area as that would be worked out during the planning stages of whatever was proposed.

The land is close to the Garden State Parkway, which is favorable for commuters.

A few years ago, a single-family home at the corner by the High School’s parking lot entrance was torn town and a 7-Eleven was built in its place. This led to concerns by neighbors of additional traffic and garbage overflow from a commercial building moving in to a residential area.

Meeting To Be Held About Cable Companies

BERKELEY – There will be a public hearing regarding the franchise agreements for Cablevision (Optimum) and Comcast (Xfinity) cable companies at the Berkeley Township Municipal Building, 627 Pinewald-Keswick

Road, Bayville, on Monday, April 17 at 5 p.m.

This will be immediately followed by the Township Council meeting.

The public is invited and official action will be taken at both meetings.

D.A.R.E Car Show

BERKELEY – D.A.R.E Car Show will be on June 3 (rain date June 4) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Veteran’s Park, 489 Forest Hills Parkway, Bayville.

Donation of $10. Enjoy trophies, raffles, DJ, food and giveaways. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. For more information, contact Biff at 848-221-4515.

Free Grief Share Meetings

BAYVLLE – Free Grief Share Meetings are every Tuesday at 7 p.m. All materials and workbooks are free. They offer support, encouragement and hope to those who have suffered a loss. Meetings held at Emmanuel Community Church 331 Wheaton Avenue, Bayville.