BERKELEY – Six local students were honored for their patriotism and their skill in discussing democracy at a recent Township Council meeting.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars run two competitions every year. The Voice Of Democracy is for speeches recorded by 9th-12th grade students and the Patriot’s Pen is for essays by 6th-8th grade students. They are competing for scholarships. If they place, their work is then sent up to the next region for even larger prizes. The national first place winner for Voice Of Democracy is a $35,000 college scholarship and the top national prize for Patriot’s Pen is $5,000.
Post 9503 Commander James Ramnytz said that the speech topic for Voice Of Democracy was “Is America today our forefathers’ vision?”
Ramnytz asked the audience to imagine what their answer would be for a heavy topic such as that, then realize that this question is asked to high school students. It’s a big ask but the children rose to the task.
The Voice of Democracy winners were:
1st Place – Lucia M. Street
2nd Place – Matthew Tsucalas
3rd Place – Hiqmah Arowolo
The Patriot’s Pen essay contest is open to middle school students. This year’s theme was “My voice in America’s democracy.”
Again, Ramnytz said this was a theme that required a lot of thought, and that even adults might have a hard time writing an essay about it. However, the VFW received 79 entries from local students.
The Patriots Pen winners were:
1st Place – Amy Martinez Vazquez
2nd Place – Connor J Jakalow
3rd Place – Madison McInerney
Next year’s theme for both contests is “How are you showing patriotism and support for our country?”
In related news, the Township Council named April 6-12 National Library Week.
Veterans In Town
Councilman James Byrnes noted that there are parking spots for veterans at town hall and suggested that shopping areas set some up as well. The town’s sign shop might be able to help with the cost of making them.
He also said that the Tunnel To Towers development will be clearing land soon at the intersection of Atlantic City Boulevard (Route 9) and Sloop Creek Road.
Tunnel To Towers is building a veterans village with 99 apartments and 25 single-family homes. There will also be workers on site to help them receive services.
A deed restriction has been recorded so that the homes will only go to veterans, Mayor John Bacchione said.
He said that he was recently on the phone with Governor Phil Murphy regarding this project. He asked for the governor’s help in securing permits for the work that has to be done and Murphy said he would help.
There will also be services provided on site for the veterans, such as case management, behavioral health and financial literacy. Anything that they might need that Tunnel To Towers doesn’t provide would be brought in by other nonprofits in the area.
Recently, The Berkeley Times asked G. R. Phillip Zimmerman, director of the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau, his opinion on the development. He said he endorses it wholeheartedly.
“Housing is healthcare,” he said. “This is an ideal situation.”
“When someone is homeless, they feel they have no value,” he said. Lending the helping hand is a lifesaver.
For more information, including how to donate or how to get help as a veteran, visit T2T.org.
