The Gloucester City Tree and Beautification Committee presented a state award to City Council during last week\’s meeting.

The award had been received during the 15^th annual Green Community Achievement Awards Presentation in Cherry Hill October 27. It was part of the 82^nd annual Tree Federation Meeting sponsored by the NJ Tree Foundation.

The Gloucester City Tree and Beautification Committee was the only one in the state to receive this award, under the \”Civic Association Category.\”

The Committee is a volunteer-based group of residents advocating for community trees, and the group works cooperatively with City officials, the Public Works Department, and the residents to improve community safety, enhance neighborhoods through the planting of trees, and educating people about the benefits of their community forestry resources.

Gloucester City became a partner in the Foundation\’s Ten Cities Initiative in the spring 2005, by which City government established the tree committee, cooperatively adopted a five-year Community Forestry Plan, (approved by previous and current Mayor and Council), and hosted community tree planting events.

In two years, the NJ Tree Foundation and the Committee were able to work with hundreds of volunteers, plant more than 100 new shade trees, and provided a $25,000 match in donated items and labor to successfully complete the Initiative\’s requirements.

The initial contact was made in 2005, when Shannon Buckley of the Foundation made contact with the Public Works Supervisor Bowie Johnson and the Community Development Office Project Coordinator Eric Fetterolf. They met with Paul Kain, Clerk/Ad-ministrator, and Gina Dunphy, UEZ Coordinator.

Afterwards, Mayor and Council and recommended that the City proceed with developing the five-year Community Forestry Management Plan (CFMP).

Fetterolf contacted Mic-key Riggins, certified tree expert, who was already familiar with Gloucester City and its efforts.

Back in 1999, Riggins and Fetterolf worked together in the \”Gloucester Green\” program where a number of trees were purchased and planted on public lands (Proprietor\’s Park, Martins Lake, and the Fort Nassau/Jogging Track).

An additional 32 trees were purchased, delivered and planted by residents in their yards with additional being started by the Water Works Department.

The CFMP was approved by the state in April 2007.

The Tree and Beautification Committee was form-ed and initial active participants included members from the community, the City government and school officials. The people who had initial input on the CFMP and various tree events included residents Karen McKinney, Kate Sheridan, Dot Evans, Marylou Furfari, Kathy Brandt, and Carol Mahan, Cathy George, Joan Chal-mers, Maureen Knipp, Linda Lord, Louisa Llewellyn, Tom Gurick, Alison Maloney, Meghan O\’-Connor, Dorothy Stanitis, Charles Kain, James \”Bow-ie\” Johnson, Fred Schin-dler, Paul Kain, Gina Dunphy and Thomas Kilcourse.

Later, more people came to the meetings to help, including Frank Wunsch, Tisa Batchelor, Christie Cooper, Dave Stallwood, Susan Hathcock, and Patrick Keating.

In January 2006, the committee selected Chairperson Frank Wunsch, Vice Chairperson Marylou Furfari, Treasurer Dot Evans, PR/Marketing Tisa Batchelor and Acting Secretary Eric Fetterolf.

In January 2007, the committee selected Chairperson Tisa Batchelor, Vice Chairperson Marylou Furfari, Treasurer Karen McKinney, PR/Marketing Susan Hathcock and Acting Secretary Eric Fetterolf. Other members include residents Adrienne Scheick, Dori Wakso, Kathy Hauckes, Mike Sheridan, Bruce Marks, Jesse and Harriet Torres, and John Schmidt.

The Committee currently has six members who completed the initial NJ Department of Forestry and Shade Tree Federation Core Training: Eric Fetterolf, Dot Evans, Frank Wuncsh, Marylou Fufari, Adrienne Scheick and Kat-hy Hauckes. Three Public Works employees, Dylan Moore, Alex Tedesco and William Rusk, also completed the initial training.

Committee member Ad-rienne Scheick and Gabe Parent (representing City Engineer Remington & Vernick) are working on completing a Tree Inventory for the City of all street trees. Tisa Batchelor, and others are putting together a plan for an Arboretum at Proprietor\’s Park.

Karen McKinney and others are planning a workshop in the Spring. Adrienne is also putting together a brochure and a list of optimum tree specials.

The Committee, planted some beautiful mums at the Lady Statue at the Proprietor\’s Park. The flowers came from the Gloucester City Water Works Plant.

The committee is also raising funds for the restoration of the iron lady and received their first $51.00 in donations during a recent park festival.

The Committee worked with the local Cub and Boy Scouts in remulching trees at Proprietor\’s Park and planting trees in various parts of the City. Unfortunately, in May 2007, vandals broke branches and damaged some of the new trees on Nicholson Road and most of the new trees on Broadway. The committee is offering a $100 reward for information that will lead to an arrest of an individual(s) that damaged those trees.

One recent accomplishment was that members judged decorations provided by organizations for the 12 spruce trees near the Municipal Complex during the holiday festival. The Committee has made recommendations for hanging baskets, more benches, and black wrought-iron fencing for the Broadway and Monmouth area.

Finally, at last week\’s Council meeting, the committee presented a letter to Mayor and Council asking the city to contact PSEG and their subcontractor(s) to temporarily cease pruning trees by the utility wires in the city until the city and committee can meet with PSEG and/or their subcontractor to go over the pruning techniques and standards that are supposed to be used.

There is a real need for additional volunteers to serve on the Committee.

Those with a green thumb, or who enjoy beautifying the City, contact Eric Fetterolf at 456-7105 or [email protected]. information can be viewed on the city website, www.cityofgloucester.org.

The committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at 313 Monmouth St. The next meeting is February 14.

 

 

Photo By Bill Bates

 

BROOKLAWN WATER MAIN BREAK – Last Tuesday\’s rush hour traffic was snarled a little bit when officials from NJ Department of Transportation and the Brooklawn Department of Public Works had to shut down two lanes of Route 130 South. This all happened in front of The Glassman Incorporated late Tuesday afternoon just as the rush hour traffic was about to begin. Worker\’s from Westville DPW assisted in the repairs which reopened all lanes of traffic several hours later.

Thomas J. Amos of Oak Valley, Deptford on suddenly on Feb. 2, 2008. Aged 51 years.

Tom was born in Philadelphia and was a graduate of Deptford High School.

A member of Teamster¹s Local #676, Tom worked as an electrician for PATCO for over 5 years. He was employed for many years with Georgia Pacific in Pennsauken. Tom loved the open road and a ride on his Harley was like heaven to him.

He is the devoted father of Alycia Marie Mack, loving brother of Henry D., III, Robert F. (Debbie), Michael J. (Dawn) and Margaret Mary Amos; former husband of Barbara Cohen and family; dear uncle to seven nieces and nephews.

Viewing Thursday 6:30 to 9 p.m. and Friday 9 to 9:45 a.m. in the McGUINNESS FUNERAL HOME, 34 Hunter St., Woodbury. Funeral Service Friday 10 a.m. in the Funeral Home. Interment Woodbury Memorial Park, West Deptford.

Tributes and memories may be shared at:

www.mcgfuneral.com

KILLE, MARGARET
Age 91, formerly of Bellmawr and now living at the Pitman Manor in Pitman passed away on February 3, 2008. Born in Centerton, Mrs. Kille was the daughter of Martin Luther and Ada M. Hepner. Over the years, she was an active and loyal member to the Brooklawn United Methodist Church.
She is survived by her son Willard Kille of Chestertown, MD., two grandsons, Chuck and Sean as well as three great grandchildrenCameron, Tanner and Logan. She was predeceased by her husband, William Kille and her siblings, Arthur, Martin, David, Lemuel and Harold Hepner,Edith Hepner, Mary Warner and Hazel Kesler.
Services will be held on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at the ADAMS FUNERAL HOME, 111 S. Main St., Elmer, NJ. The viewing will begin at 1:30pm with the Service following at 2:30pm. Interment will take place at Olivet Cemetery in Pittsgrove. www. adamsfuneralhome.org

Bernice M. Heitzmann, 85, of Little Egg Harbor Township, passed away, Sunday, February 3, at Southern Ocean County Hospital, Stafford Township. She was born in Gloucester City, NJ., moving to Little Egg Harbor Township in 2003. She was retired from Food Fair, Camden, N.J., where she was a Front End Manager.

She is survived by daughter, Patricia Kanady and husband Robert, of Tuckerton, brother, George R. Verfaille, of Williamstown, NJ., sisters, Dorothy Clark, of Sacramento, CA., and -Anne Walls, of Gloucester City, NJ., grandchildren, Skeeter Kanady, Jacqueline Harris, and husband Howard, and Patricia Robinson, great-grandchildren, Samantha and Brooke Robinson.

A viewing will be held Thursday, February 7, from 9 to 10 a.m., with a service at 10 a.m., at WOOD FUNERAL HOME, 134 EAST MAIN STREET, TUCKERTON.

Cremation is private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Deborah Heart and Lung Center, Browns Mills, NJ.
Published in the Gloucester County Times on 2/5/2008.

Source www.siouxcityjournal.com

\”So, I treat every call with rabbit manure, blood and sediment from beer kegs,\” he says. \”The violin is a musical instrument and so is a turkey call. After they are dry I hand rub them with lacquer.\”

Turpin charges $40 plus $5 shipping for his calls and includes rosin with them. Rosin, he say is much better than chalk and doesn’t break down with moisture.

\”I’ve had calls I haven’t rosined for two years,\” he says.

Turpin says the most common mistake turkey hunters make is moving around too much.

\”When you hunt turkeys, get in a spot, sit down and stay still,\” he says. \”A lot of times when a turkey comes in they are looking. His eye is in the top quarter inch of his head so he doesn’t have to show you much. If you are moving around, he’ll identify that. Camo is important, but the main thing is to be still.

Calling too much is another mistake.

\”You can put too much emphasis on calling,\” he says. \”You might be satisfying our own ego there.\”

Today, Nebraska has more turkeys than ever.

\”The reintroduction of the wild turkey is absolutely one of the Cinderella stories in this state,\” he says. \”We originally thought there were only three places in the state where they could exist. Look at them now. They are under every leaf.\”
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Talk to the dog in a normal voice. No screaming or yelling at him.

• Approach the dog quietly. Walk, don\’t run. Make a fist and let him sniff you before you touch him.
• Pet the dog gently, on the back, from head to tail. No petting tail to head.
• Be kind to the dog. No hitting or kicking allowed. No jumping on the dog.
• No riding the dog like he\’s a horse. No stepping on the dog\’s toes.
• No dressing up the dog in doll\’s clothes. No pulling tails or ears.
• Play fetch. No roughhousing. No tug-of-war. If you\’re not sure, ask Mom or Dad.
• Remember that dogs get tired too. If the dog is sleeping, leave him alone.
• If the dog is in his crate, leave him alone. That means you play in another room or away from the crate. No sitting on top of the crate while the dog is in it. No putting food or toys in through the openings. When the dog is in his crate, pretend there is a big DO NOT DISTURB sign on the crate door.
• If the dog is doing something wrong, tell him \”Angghhh\” in a low, serious voice.
• If the dog does something right, sound happy and excited when you tell him, \”Good boy.\”
• If you have permission to give commands to the dog, only give a one word command. Say \”sit,\” not \”sit down.\” Only say it once and only say it if you know how to make the dog do what you want.
• Try to make sure all visitors read this list or have it read to them. You are responsible for protecting your dog from people who might not know how to treat a dog.
• Some people food can make a dog really sick, so no sharing your snacks with the dog and no feeding him from the table.
• Be patient. Before you know it, the dog will be trained to accept commands from you and ready to be the friend you really want to have. In the meantime, practice giving commands to your stuffed animals.
• Love your dog but respect him too.
• Photo: Please Welcome \’Riley Joseph Woods\’ to the Pet Tips Column  

http://www.growingupwithpets.com./just_for_kids/en/rules.shtml 

 

Help Wanted

Seeking qualified applicants to serve as UEZ Coordinator & Director of Community Development – responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing programs and services for the Gloucester City business community while enhancing community awareness of the program in coordination with local and state government. Applicant must have vast economic development experience, with excellent oral, written and computer skills with strong financial management background. Proven ability to obtain and manage grants a must. Bachelor’s Degree preferred. Salary commensurate with ability and experience. Residency not required.
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At the beginning of each school year, one school in each of the 50 states is selected to receive a short visit from Owney, the unofficial mascot of the United States Post Office. This year, Owney will be visiting the third graders in Mrs. Oliveti\’s class at Mary Bray Elementary School in Mount Ephraim, New Jersey. After hearing this exciting news, the students in Mrs. Oliveti\’s class read about Owney\’s life, tracked his journey thus far on a map of the United States, and created banners to welcome the guest of honor. Be on the lookout for more information about Owney\’s stay in NJ.

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