Letters and Commentary

457

Helping People in Crisis Continue to Get Needed Services
To the Editor:
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Friends of 180 and their loved ones during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. We know so many in our community are struggling and hope that you were not seriously affected. We know, too, that in the days and weeks to come our community will work together to lessen the hardships brought about by this terrible storm.
At 180, our emergency shelter and transitional housing clients remained safe during the storm. Despite their own personal struggles, our staff maintained continual contact with these families. Our domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines and the 2NDFLOOR Youth Helpline also continued to serve as a resource for callers, and we have begun to experience an uptick in calls. As of Nov. 3, all of our programs and services were back to full operation. Volunteers began serving clients at police departments and hospitals this past weekend as well, with Sexual Assault Response Teams and Domestic Violence Response Teams answering victim’s calls for assistance.
With so many Monmouth County lives affected by the wrath of Hurricane Sandy, 180 remains committed to helping families in need. We know many of our clients will be seeking our services and will find it hard to get to counseling sessions and court, while others will struggle to put food on the table.
Here is how you can help:
If you are able, you can help 180’s families to continue receiving the services they need during this difficult time by donating gasoline and food gift cards.
All gifts are tax-deductible. Gift cards may be delivered or mailed directly to 180’s administrative offices at:
180 Turning Lives Around
1 Bethany Road, Bldg. 3, Suite 42,
Hazlet NJ 07730
Attn: Development
Or, you may simply log on to 180’s website at www.180nj.org to make a donation.
180 staff remains dedicated to supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence. Please take a moment to help us help them.
Anna Diaz-White
Executive Director,
180 Turning Lives Around, Inc.
 
‘Mayor Ann’ Remembered as a ‘Beacon of Optimism’
To the Editor:
I recently learned that former Mayor of Tinton Falls Ann McNamara passed away on Nov. 14. “Mayor Ann” was a close friend of Ranney School, partnering with the school and me on most of our capital expansion projects. The support she provided at the municipal level had an enormously positive impact on our planning board hearings. Her deep affection for our school and her close friendship will be sorely missed.
Ranney School honored Ann starting in 1999 with the creation of the Ranney School Leadership Award given in her honor. The award is given each year at graduation to a member of the senior class whose demonstrated, decisive, and successful leadership has resulted in observable achievements that enhanced the quality of life at school. Up until a few years ago, Ann joined us for graduation so that she could offer her personal congratulations to the award recipients.
On a personal level, when I arrived at Ranney School in 1993 as head of Ranney School, Ann reached out and welcomed me to Tinton Falls. She was always available when the school entered new expansion projects, and offered me considerable guidance and mentoring. Ann also accepted many Ranney School invitations to student events and programs; she exhibited leadership in an honorable fashion and with great poise. Her presence on the Ranney campus represented not only an expression of respect for the school and its role in the Tinton Falls community, but it also spoke of her dedicated leadership to the people and institutions in the town she led.
She was more than a mayor to me; she was a guide and beacon of optimism at times when we needed to be reassured that our school was going to make it through the complexities of municipal hearings and the multitude of regulations and variances. Her steady and calm personality but strong commitment to doing the right thing for her community are glorious memories. Character and ethical leadership defined her professional life, and her warm smile and welcoming hug a symbol of her inner side. She was one of the most authentic people I have ever known. Ann was always at my side, and her friendship was a true gift.
Such people live on forever in our hearts – she will definitely be a permanent part of our school’s history and her kindness and friendship an enduring blessing and cherished legacy.
Lawrence S. Sykoff, Ed.D.
Head of School
Ranney School
Tinton Falls
 
A Big Thank You to Out-of-Staters Who Came to Help
To the Editor:
I am not much of a Dear Editor type since I am private about most things. However, I want to take this opportunity to very sincerely thank the many out-of-state state troopers and electric companies.
They have been gracious, hard working and upbeat. Always a smile, a thumbs up or a honk of their horn while driving by.
Mississippi, Alabama, Ohio, Minnesota and others. Simply wonderful people. They have answered our call for help and deserve praise.
Jay Crowell
Little Silver
 
Learning About the Importance of Protecting the Environment
Letter to the Editor:
Thank you to all the science enthusiasts for attending the Brookdale Community College Environmental Club’s “Science Monday” meetings at Brookdale Community College (BCC).
The last meeting of the semester will be held on Monday, Nov. 26, and will feature noted nature and wildlife photographer Herb Segars, who specializes in marine sub­jects. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Warner Student Life Center, Mr. Segars will describe some of the many photographs he has taken of the underappreciated aquatic world off the New Jersey coast.
The Brookdale Community College En­vi­ron­mental Club’s “Science Monday Presen­tations” are held on the fourth Monday of each month (except December and August). The free presentations, open to the public, are hosted by Brookdale Community College’s Environmental Club to encourage both BCC students and the Monmouth County community to be informed and involved in county, statewide and national issues on the importance of strong environmental regulations and enforcement.
College students and members of the N.J. Friends of Clearwater and the Jersey Shore (Monmouth) Group of the Sierra Club are regular attendees at these meetings. At each meeting light refreshments are served at 6 p.m. and presentations start at 6:30 p.m.
The Environmental Club is appreciative of the Sierra Club and Clearwater for their support and help with arrangements of speakers for the Science Monday meetings. Future presentations beginning in January will include:
1) The role of watershed management and pollution control
2) Doug O’Malley, interim executive director of Environment New Jersey, will discuss his organization’s recent report on the deteriorating water quality in N.J.
3) Tony MacDonald, director of Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute, will discuss the problems that must be addressed to protect coastal and global ocean resources in the 21st century
4). Sustainable farming/local produce movements
We look forward to welcoming community to the Nov. 26 presentation. Any questions, please feel free to contact me at 732-857-5305.
Thank you.
Bob Macaluso
Director, Western Monmouth Branch Campus
Brookdale Community College
 
Two River Moment

 

All aboard! The railroad has long been a vital part of transportation in the Two River area. This is the Red Bank train station during the turn of the last century. This photo is courtesy of Dorn’s Classic Images.