Bill & Connie,

Hello from GERMANY! Well after being delayed in Kuwait due to plane issues we finally flew out 2 days later and reached Rammstein Airbase at 7pm on 24 JAN 08.
From here we had a big formation and turned in all of our weapons and sensitive items and start to begin in processing stage. After about 2 hours in Rammstein
we took a 1 1/2hr bus ride to Hanau were we downloaded all of our rucksacks and gear and the soldiers signed for their rooms. After all was finished we marched
over to the Gym singing cadence and it was finally then when it all hit me that were HOME and everything we did and accomplished over the past 15 months. It\’s
sad that we lost (3) soldiers: SGT Horner (sniper fire), SPC Murchinson, and SPC Farrar (IED\’s/ EFP\’s) and they couldn\’t be here to celebrate and they had
their lives taken away defending our country and what we believe in.

I know I will never forget my fallen soldiers and thank everyone who prayed and my angels who showed mercy upon me and the rest of us that were allowed to
return home to our husbands and wives, mothers and fathers , sons and daughters. They paid the ultimate sacrifice that only a soldier can truly explain to
you not someone who\’s sitting back at home bad mouthing our government, our President, and our country and all its people who are out there that support our troops every day and the battle and struggles that they go thru on a daily basis in order to keep our world safe from terrorists and evil people.

Well now we are going thru what we call Re-integration which is 7 days of basically updating each soldier\’s entire medical, dental, finance, personal records. We have to go thru different agencies who help support the soldiers and any issues they might have or been thru such as Chaplain and mental health services for any traumatic experiences that each soldier have experience over the past 15 months. Once all this is completed I we get to take BLOCK LEAVE (Vacation).

My wife Renata and I are going to Thailand from the 4-15 February then I will be coming to New Jersey hopefully from the 17-27 February. From what I saw in
the links my wife emailed to me Thailand was really beautiful where were going. My younger brother Chris is expecting his first child with his fiancée Stephanie. I am looking forward to seeing my Pop Pop who always asks my Aunt Cass and Uncle Tom when I am coming home. Everything else here is well and I hope all is well with you and your family.

Sincerely
Joseph Farley

Note: Joe was born and raised in Gloucester City and is a graduate of Gloucester City High School.

Related: Letters from Iraq

source www.courierpostonline.com

Bob Dacierno, 62, still loves the summer game even in the dead of winter and even well past his playing days.

\”It is an everyday sport,\” he said, \”you are going bad one day and the next day you are a hero.\”

The former Gloucester Catholic High School star, who was named All South Jersey and first-team All State as a senior third baseman for the Rams in 1963, never got to live out his dream and become a Major League baseball hero.

Life got in the way after Dacierno was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of high school and went on to play for Tom Lasorda in Pocatello, Idaho in the minors.

Dacierno came home twice during spring training because his mother was sick back in 1966 — and he never went back the second time.

 

 

Vita500 announced a shared title sponsorship of the Greisiger Racing Formula One Racecar. This multi-sponsor relationship will kick off at the 16^th annual WIP Wing Bowl on Friday, February 1, 2008 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Preceding this event, on Thursday, January 31, the Formula One Racecar featuring the Vita500 logo will be on display at Heritage Dairy stores throughout Southern New Jersey including the Swedesboro, National Park, Gloucester, and Logan Township locations.

The car is scheduled to be on display today, Thursday at the Heritage Store, Broadway and Hudson in Gloucester City between the hours of 3 PM and 5 PM. Vita500 energy drink, a vitamin-rich energy soft drink, unique from competitors for its absence of caffeine and preservatives, now available from wholesale distributors, and in convenience and grocery stores throughout Philadelphia, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. The drink is a featured beverage at the Heritage\’s Dairy Stores found throughout Gloucester, Salem, Camden, Atlantic and Cumberland Counties in New Jersey.

for more info click

By Hank F. Miller Jr

I received this from a good friend awhile back.  

 

Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced at church services:

The Fasting & Prayer Conference: includes meals.

The sermon this morning: \”Jesus walks on the Water.\” The sermon tonight: \”Searching for
Jesus.\”

Ladies, don\’t forget the rummage sale. It\’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth
keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

Remember in prayer the many that are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard
to love. Say \”Hell\” to someone who doesn\’t care much about you.

Don\’t let worry kill you off — let the Church help.

Miss Charlene Mason sang \”I will not pass this way again,\” giving obvious pleasure to the
congregation.

For those of you who have children and don\’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: \”Break Forth into
Joy.\”

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be \”What Is Hell?\” Come early and listen
to our choir practice.

Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and
to the deterioration of some older ones.

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be
used to cripple children.

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want
remembered.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM – prayer and medication to follow.

The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the
basement on Friday afternoon.

This evening at 7 PM there will be hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in
the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric
girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare\’s Hamlet in the Church
basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double
door at the side entrance.

 

Warm Regards from Kitakyushu City, Japan.

Hank F. Miller Jr. 

Related: When East meets West

Approximately 83,000 employees at an average salary of $50,000 equals … let\’s see … $4.15 billion. That\’s only for salaries. Add 10 percent for payroll taxes and another 3 percent for minimal pension costs and that equals an additional $540 million.

Therefore, labor costs alone account for at least 14 percent of the total 2007-08 New Jersey budget. That doesn\’t even include health benefits.

Now Gov. Jon S. Corzine has outlined his plan to raise revenue so the state can meet its obligations.

He says the debt of the state of New Jersey is equal to $45,000 per household, and this is why the Legislature must continue to raise \”revenue.\”

ote that I said raise \”revenue\” and not raise taxes.

Our state politicians no longer raise taxes. Instead, they burden us with all kinds of business-related and personal fees, costs, tolls, etc. so they can say they didn\’t raise taxes and continue to get elected. But nowhere did I see the governor or any of our elected officials mention the obviously bloated state labor force as a potential source of cost cutting.

Let\’s demand that our elected officials begin to cut costs as opposed to raising revenue to keep us afloat. In fact, I have a proposal for our government.

I will secure a home equity loan on my house for $45,000. With that money, I will pay off my share of the current state debt with the proviso that I must be consulted before any additional costs are added into the state budget. If I don\’t agree, I will veto any new spending.

I refuse to allow these Trenton spendthrifts to continue to pile on the debt. I will accept no more. If each of the households in New Jersey will do the same, we can pay off our state debt and not increase tolls. We can regain control of our state and send a clear message to the New Jersey politicians that there is a solution to our problems.

Gov. Corzine, state lawmakers: Stop the nonsense.

 

MARK MOROWITZ

Linwood

KLIMOWICZ ADDS 15TH DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey women’s basketball team hosted Scarlet Raptors of Rutgers University-Camden on Wednesday night in Packer Hall on Saturday. TCNJ cruised to a67-29 win to improve to 14-5 overall and 5-2 in the NJAC, while Rutgers-Camden drops to 7-12 overall and 1-6 in the league.

TCNJ led 32-9 at the break, holding the Scarlet Raptors to a season low for points in a half, yielding only nine as they shot only 10.0% (2-20).

TCNJ’s junior center Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) added her 15th double-double of the season as she tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds and four blocks. Overall on her career, she has now added double-digits in 24 games with the Lions. She also surpassed the 900 career point plateau as she played her first season at St. Joseph’s University, tallying 275 points and earning Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year honors. She also now has 641 career rebounds as well 909 points.

TCNJ’s rookie forward Kelsey Kutch (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) contributed 15 points, while senior Sara Best (High Bridge, NJ/Voorhees) added 14 points with four rebounds, five assists and five steals. TCNJ’s sophomore center Alexandra Gregorek (Mahwah, NJ/Academy of the Holy Angels) also added 10 points with seven rebounds off the bench as the Lions held a 42-31 edge o n the boards and forced 29 turnovers.

For the game, TCNJ shot 46.9% from the floor, while limiting the opposition was held to 22.2% (10-45).

RUC’s senior guard Imani Hafiz (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) collected one steal to pull her even closer the Scarlet Raptors’ career steal mark as she is now just three shy of the current mark held by Tamara Carey (1991-95) with 345. Hafiz now has 343 steals with the Scarlet Raptors.

Senior center Amber Parker (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) netted a team-best nine points while hitting 4-of-8 from the floor.

TCNJ returns to action on February 2, traveling to NJCU for a 5 p.m. NJAC match-up, while RUC hosts Montclair State University that same day with a 1 p.m. start.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Lautenberg introduces gun show bill WASHINGTON – People wouldn’t be able to buy firearms at gun shows unless they first undergo background checks under legislation Sen. Frank Lautenberg introduced today.

On January 29, 2008. Age 80. (nee Kammauf) Of Gloucester City. Loving wife of the late Earle S. Lafferty. Devoted mother of Bruce W. Lafferty (Eileen), Janet L. Malone (late Jimmy) and Elaine R. Hancock (Fran). Beloved grandmother of John S. Hancock (Kerri), Heather Rose Hancock, Meghan E. Goins (Michael), Eileen Rose Lafferty (Fiancé Paul Marmino), Carey Ann Lafferty, William E. Malone and Timothy J. Malone. Beloved great-grandmother of Sydney Anne Hancock and Ryan John Hancock. Dear Sister of Vincent Kammauf (Floss) and the late Jeanne (Sweeney) Becker. Loving Sister-In-Law of Eleanor Richter. Survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Claire was born, raised and lived her entire life in Gloucester City. She was a 1944 Graduate of Saint Mary’s High School (now Gloucester Catholic). Claire was a lifelong parishioner of Saint Mary’s R.C. Church in Gloucester City and was a devoted member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas: Court Giese Council # 439. Relatives, friends and Catholic Daughters are kindly invited to attend her viewing on Saturday morning from 8:30 to 10:30 am at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 am at Saint Mary’s R.C. Church: 426 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Interment New Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. There will be no evening viewing. Family requests memorial donations in Claire’s name to Saint Mary’s R.C. Church: Special Fund: at the above address. Please write Claire Lafferty in memo. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccanhealey.com under online obituaries of Claire C. Lafferty.

On January 28, 2008. (nee Rich) Age 88. Of Stanfill Towers in Haddon
Hts. Formerly of Lock Haven, PA. Loving wife of 20 years to the late
Boots Merrill. Loving and devoted mother of Evelyn J. (Edward) Morris of
Oaklyn and Joan (Dick) Doebler of Jersey Shore, PA. Caring grandmother
of 3 and great-grandmother of 6. Also survived by her sister Evelyn
Keyes of NY, her brother Warren Rich of PA. and many nieces and nephews. Alvina enjoyed traveling, boating and trips to the casinos. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend her viewing at the Yost-Gedon Funeral Home Saturday morning from 11 am to 12 noon. Methodist Service will begin at 12 noon in the funeral home. At the request of the family, cremation will be private. The family requests memorial donations in Alvina\’s memory to: Emmanuel United Methodist Church: 21 East Cedar Avenue Oaklyn, NJ 08107. Please write in the memo of the check: Alvina V. Merrill. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Alvina V. Merrill. Local Funeral Arrangements are through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City, NJ. Phone: 856-456-1142