Thousands Tune In Virtually To Remember American’s Fallen

By Cheryl Conway

The in-person crowd was missing but surely not the pomp and circumstance displayed at the local annual Memorial Remembrance Day Ceremony this past Monday, May 25.

Sponsored by the All Veterans Memorial and All Veterans Alliance, the 2020 Memorial Day Ceremony was held at 11 a.m. at the AVM in Budd Lake with the permitted 25 guests on the ceremonial grounds, and several other limited  spectators watching from the parking lot and the area surrounding the site. The other thousands of viewers watched virtually via the mayor’s Facebook page.

Mt. Olive Twp. Mayor Rob Greenbaum’s Facebook page, as of Monday, showed that the livestream was up to 2.7 thousand views. In order to adhere to the New Jersey Governor’s executive order that permits outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people due to COVID-19, the mayor allowed for the ceremony to be held at the AVM and provided livestream on his page.

Despite its limitations, the ceremony paid tribute “to remember the sacrifices of America’s fallen from the Revolutionary War to present,” as spoken by ceremony’s narrator, retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rob Bedell, who also recognized front-line medical workers battling in the ongoing war against COVID-19.

“As you can see this year’s ceremony is much different from years’ past,” says Bedell. “Instead of in-person on the grounds of the All Veteran’s Memorial,” people are “watching from the safety of your homes. Instead of procession of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and cadets, flags and uniforms are on static display.

“Although this time-honored ceremony might be different in its presentation, what has not changed is our community’s heart to honor our nation’s fallen soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen and coast guardsmen,” says Bedell.

“We would also be remiss to not acknowledge and thank our medical workers and first responders who have been battling the ongoing war with the COVID-19 virus,” he adds. “We have lost many Americans these past few months, some of which have been our comrades at arms who’ve survived the battlefield but have succumbed to this deadly virus. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those family and friends of these brave people.” 

In his welcoming remarks, Bedell also thanked the mayor “who recognized the importance and essential need for a community to publicly honor Americans fallen especially on this day of Remembrance.”

He also thanked the local Boy Scout Troop Post 249 “for setting up period uniform displays and the American flags,” and the AVA “who tirelessly serve the veterans of this community and abroad through outreach programs and annual remembrance ceremonies in the creation and upkeep of this magnificent All Veterans Memorial located in the heart of our community.”

Following the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, Rabbi Yaacov Shusterman, spiritual leader and co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Northwest New Jersey in Flanders, gave the invocation.

“We come to pay humble tribute to our fallen comrades from all conflicts, to ensure that the stewards of freedom protected us from the harm of ignorance and tyrannical people,” says Shusterman. We may not be gathered in large masses today but our love and gratitude is not lost to the sentiment of a crowd.

“We are eternally indebted for every soldier, sailor, marine, and airman who have and will sacrifice their lives to protect others selflessly, even through a pandemic of this magnitude.”

AVM and AVA Founder Charlie Uhrmann gave the keynote speech and spoke about  “The Cost of Liberty.” 

She states, “I stand today amid these venerated stones not to mourn the late American heroes they commemorate, but rather to thank those heroes wholeheartedly for their brave commitment to preserving liberty in this great country. Samuel Adams once postured that “all might be free if they valued freedom and defended it as they ought.” While that simple sentiment holds a powerful truth, it fails to convey the exorbitant cost of defending freedom: Precious human life.”

Uhrmann went on to share the statics of those American soldiers who have died over the years since the first casualty of the American Revolution that occurred “one quarter of a millennium” ago when  “proud dockworker Crispus Attucks and four other American colonists were shot and killed during a brawl with British redcoats who were sent to enforce the Townshend Acts,” in the Boston Massacre.

“I have to imagine that he understood the value of liberty deep in his bones, perhaps better than anyone,” says Uhrmann, about Attucks who escaped the bonds of slavery as a young adult. “Men like Attucks are an eternal reminder that liberty is not given; it is taken and protected by any means necessary. Nearly every one of us personally knows and loves at least one veteran who has followed the example set by Attucks, and placed his or her ‘precious human life’ as an obstacle between our American liberties and those who would seek to corrode them.

“In the 250 years since the Boston Massacre, 1.2 million American soldiers have died in service of our country,” says Uhrmann. “That puts the cost of liberty at about 13 ‘precious human lives’ per day on average, dating all the way back to the dawn of our one nation under God.”

Uhrmann speaks how American patriotism continues and points to recent protests to safeguard individual liberties.

“Our voices are as loud now as ever,” she says. “Consider that the five largest protests in United States history have all taken place across the past few years. Notice that nearly every day these past few weeks, footage of a protest in some state or another was aired on national television. Samuel Adams would be proud, having once preached that, “For true patriots to be silent, is dangerous.”

She says the underlying message is that “the American people do not cower in the face of perceived oppression, but instead rise to meet it head-on, as our predecessor Crispus Attucks did so long ago.” She also calls for the need to act as one nation, despite the political divide.

“We cannot let that push us to forfeit our civility towards one another,” she says. “Each one us is acting with the common intent to safeguard the liberty deep within the soul of American patriotism. Perhaps if we approached our differences with that understanding, the chorus of our voices in renewed unity would deafen our foes and buttress our troops to a degree that defies our very imagination.”

Following Uhrmann’s speech, the setting of a service paver took place to honor U.S. Army Captain Herman Rosenberg who fought in the WWII Battle of Luzon. The other designated pavers were set privately following the ceremony.

Memorial wreaths were then placed by five members of the Morris Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. They included: Corresponding Secretary Katherine Newcomber, representing the U.S. Army, laying a wreath at the Global War On Terror Memorial Bridge; Chapter Regent Carrie Efinger, U.S. Navy, laying a wreath at the War Dog Memorial; First Vice Regent Peg Shultz, U.S. Air Force, laying a wreath at the Spiritual Cenotaph; Registrar Becky Wilder, U.S. Coast Guard, laying a wreath at the Warrior Obelisk; and Past Chapter Regent Patricia Sanftner, U.S. Marine Corps, laying a wreath at the POW/MIA/PTSD Remembrance Wall.

Toward the close of the ceremony, a moment of silence was held, followed by the playing of "Taps" by Christine Emmet of the U.S. Marine Corps., and benediction by Shusterman.

“As we have paid homage to their lives given to our freedom; 

seen and heard stories of great sacrifices, honor, and selfless service to all our fellow mankind; we are humbled,” says Shusterman.

“Be with us and guide us forward to love and support each other no matter the race, color, creed or abstract of our views of or faiths,” he says. Let us be the world community of love and harmony. Let no problem be great enough to conquer that loving spirit.

“We should be so proud and hearts filled with warmth to know and have shared our lives with so many generous and amazing people,” he continues. “We make this world absolutely wonderful.

“Bless everyone who has made our country run during this time and all the essential workers everywhere for all they are doing we will heal united we will rebound stronger than before,” he concludes. “Until then, bless all of those who serve and sacrifice in the name of the greater good and God bless America.”

For a full view of the livestream, visit https://www.facebook.com/148566751876210/videos/272075647320102/

By Cheryl Conway 

The restricted number of attendees at the local Memorial Day Ceremony did not rid the parade for local Boy Scouts who still made their presence known with their flags, displays and tents.

Boy Scout Troop 249 of Budd Lake, out of St. Jude’s Church, participates every year in the Memorial Remembrance Day Ceremony held at the All Veterans Memorial in Budd Lake but for this year’s event it had to adhere to social distancing guidelines. The governor’s executive order did not infringe on the scout’s important role.

Out of the 15 members of the local Boy Scout troop, ages 12-17, eight were involved in setting up 200 American flags at the AVM, four WWII Tents and uniform displays representing each war, according Robert Brauman of Budd Lake, Troop committee-member and treasurer of Boy Scout Troop 249.

On Sunday, May 24, the day before the ceremony, the Boy Scouts set up the displays. From 2 p.m. to about 5:30 p.m., they set up the flags, tents and uniforms, says Brauman.

For the past few years, this troop has dedicated itself to attending the annual ceremony to teach others about the meaning behind the day as it’s their “civic responsibility and patriotism,” says Brauman.

“This year,” the Boy Scouts had “less opportunity to set up at cemeteries because of the virus,” says Brauman. Some members of Boy Scout Troop 249 are members of the ROTC at Mt. Olive High School which organizes a display at local cemeteries, says Brauman, adding that the effort is not a Boy Scout event. He says he “didn’t see any opportunity or email to set that up this year” by the ROTC.

Following guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and the state, Brauman led his troop in setting up the display at the AVM. The boys wore masks and kept their distance. Since Sunday was the first day for the governor’s increase to 25 people at outdoor gatherings, the Boy Scouts were allowed to show up as a larger group.

Whether they were allowed to attend or not, Brauman says it “comes down to the day. They were glad to be involved; not being a public event but to set up the day before. They like putting up the tents.”

Some of the boys, who are involved with the Adventure Troop, have served as reenactors at the AVM ceremony. This year, they did show others the tents when they set them up.

“They didn’t dress up but we will be back to it next year,” says Brauman.

AVM and AVA Founder Charlie Uhrmann provided the Boy Scout Troop with the flags, tents and uniforms. The boys then built the stands, painted the posts and then dressed them in uniforms, he says.

The boys who were involved this year included: Robbie Brauman, Shane Suralik, Shawn Leyson, Cole Vogt, Matthew Reiner, Oliver Huynh. Representing Cub Scouts, Pack 249 included: Owen Vogt and Sean Dwyer.

Food Drive Tomorrow, May 31

By Cheryl Conway 

The seeds have been planted, literally in his front-yard garden, as well as in his mind to help as many people as he can during this pandemic.

Clover Hill resident Bobby Varua of Flanders has been collecting food for the Mt. Olive Food Pantry for the past several weeks by hosting weekly food drives in his neighborhood. The famous chef now cooks up the idea to collect food for a neighboring town in need.

“This amazing town of Clover Hill/ Mt. Olive will be collecting on May 31st to assist another neighboring town in need... Dover, N.J.,” he states.

Varua posted his next food drive on the Facebook Clover Hill Community Forum Page.

On Sunday May 31, he writes, “My wife Jennifer and I will drive around between 2 -4 p.m., like we’ve done before, to collect donations. Please mark the bag or box with “DOVER.”

He also says he will be leaving his small trailer in front of his house for donations. “If you’re out and about, please feel free to drop off,” he writes. “I will most likely be outside tending my mini farm of vegetables in the front.”

Varua’s food collections have been driven by his calling to help those who are struggling with feeding their families due to job loss as a result of COVID-19. Not estranged from the aftermath of the pandemic, Varua has also been laid off as a chef along with his wife, Jennifer who worked in hospitality.

Varua worked as an executive chef at Americana Kitchen and Bar in East Windsor up until the week after St. Patty’s Day; Jennifer Varua was the director of sales at the new MC Hotel in Montclair before it closed from COVID-19.

With three kids to provide for, they thankfully have a “nest egg,” but Varua realizes other families do not and they are relying on their local food pantries for food.

The couple has done their part in collecting food for the local pantry; now they are extending their reach to help those in Dover.

“It’s been a couple of weeks since our last food drive pick-up for The Mt. Olive Pantry,” writes Varua. “Jennifer and I have been staying in contact with Susan who manages the pantry. As of two days ago,” he writes earlier this week, “The Mt. Olive Pantry is in pretty good shape according to Susan. She said there has been a couple of new families coming to the pantry, which she expected, as this unprecedented unemployment is slowly affecting some of our fellow Mt. Olive neighbors.

“But altogether, the pantry is doing well,” he says, unlike “the town of Dover,” which “has been severely affected by this outbreak, recording some of the highest positive testing as well as one of the areas recording some of the most significant deaths in N.J.”

Some of those struggling are members of his former culinary team when he worked as the Chef of The Madison Hotel & Rods Steakhouse in Morristown back in 2013.

“Most of these men are from Dover, have lost their jobs and unfortunately cannot claim unemployment and receive aid from our government,” he says. “One of my last chefs has three children, from Dover, and is struggling to put food on the table for his kids.”

Photo: By Molly Conway, MOHS Senior

After news that in-person graduations will be allowed in New Jersey, the Mt. Olive School District is looking at options for an outdoor graduation for high school seniors from the class of 2020.

Mt. Olive Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Zywicki made the announcement during this past Tuesday’s Parent University for all parents and provided another live update via Facebook on Thursday.  He is proposing July 8 for graduation day with July 9 as the rain date, and the decision will need approval by the Mt. Olive  Board of Education at the next BOE meeting set for June 8 at 6:30 p.m.

The announcement brings hopeful news to hundreds of seniors and their parents wishing upon an in-person graduation after COVID-19 has put the breaks on social gatherings or limits to 25 people outdoors to stop the potential spread of the virus.

“Eight days ago I asked everyone to please, please chill out; that I thought there’d be good news coming,” says Zywicki. “That came today! That’s really, really good news!”

As of now, Zywicki says there are three options on the table for high school graduation: Traditional graduation with all students and their guests at Marauder Stadium; Outdoor graduation at the stadium with social distancing in place with students and two guests; Outdoor graduation with just students and some members of administration and the board.

The result will most likely be option two or three, he says, since the current mandate limits outdoor gatherings to 25 people.

Zywicki says he is awaiting guidance from the N.J. State Department of Education on the details and specific guidelines for these permitted outdoor graduations.

He needs to see “what the parameters will actually be.”

Zywicki gave a quick update on his Facebook page on Thursday, May 28, saying that as of now the limit would be for 25 people at the graduation, based on the outdoor mandate, but he is hopeful that number will increase by July 8. If the limited number still exists, the school district could have multiple sessions for graduates.

Social distancing will be required which means “yes” students will have to wear PPE (masks), he says. Another suggestion is for temperature checks for students to attend.   

As far as an in-person graduation for eighth graders, that “will still be virtual,” he says, adding that they may do a car parade. “We can’t do a clap out for fifth graders” neither.  

Last Day, Pick Up, Reentry Plans

He is also looking at the last day of school to be June 23 for five schools and a half day for the Mt. Olive Middle School on June 24. The BOE will also need to approve these dates.

The district needs to adhere to the 180-day school year, and with that it “can’t end it early,” he notes.

Zywicki’s live-feed on Facebook froze after these announcements but he was able to resume the session shortly thereafter.

His live-feed freezing is just another testament to “Adaptability and perseverance,” says Zywicki, like the students need to adjust with distance learning.

Details on locker-clean out will be coming next week, he says. He is looking at June 15 for elementary schools to pick up items via drive-thru; June 29 for MOMS; and last week of June for high school students.

“Please be patient with us,” says Zywicki, as the executive order remains that they cannot yet enter the buildings but he is hoping that rule gets lifted.

High school yearbooks will be mailed to those students who ordered one; MOMS students can pick up their yearbooks on June 19.

Unemployment is up with many businesses closed, but not for these 8-year old students at Chester M. Stephens Elementary School in Budd Lake.

All jobs are essential for these 115 students in five second grade classes at CMS, who have been working in jobs for a favorite school program called Kidsville. The hands-on-experience that engages students in a realistic community started last week and will continue for the next two weeks.

Through the program, students are working in real-to-life jobs and learning many life lessons.

“There are a ton of lessons throughout the program,” says Ann M. Scotland, second grade teacher. “Students will learn new vocabulary, the management of specific jobs, balancing their money, having clarity of how their academics are meant for living, and possibly even having a new appreciation of their parent’s adult responsibilities.”

Scotland brought back the program to CMS just last year after the school did not offer it for about 12 years. When the Kindness Tour began, it was too much to offer both programs.

Kidsville is a mock community that the students participate in, providing each an opportunity to work at different jobs. Scotland decided to offer it this year, as well, despite the distance learning.

“The 2nd grade social studies curriculum has our students learning about working and sharing in a community,” says Scotland. “The boys and girls learn about jobs that are making goods or providing a service. They learn about having a salary and using their money for needs vs. wants. In addition, they learn about taxes and how the care of the community is shared among its members.

“After last week’s virtual lessons that highlighted all of the above, we felt it was time to offer a hands-on experience that could further their understanding,” says Scotland. “It was a great opportunity to move away from their screens and put some of their learning into action. This realistic community offers clarity to our day-to-day living and the responsibilities that are needed.”   

For the Kidsville Launch, students reviewed slides and had to pick their type of employment by reading each job description, earn an income and pay taxes.

“In the slides are a bunch of suggested jobs,” says Scotland. Some jobs include social worker, landscaper, teacher, cook, engineer, housekeeping, reporter, hairdresser, librarian, weather person, musician. They were given job responsibilities and descriptions for each job.

For a landscaper, for example, students are directed to: “Work out in your yard. Help mom and dad pull weeds. Plant flowers. Make signs for your garden. Water plants in your home and outside.”

For a teacher: “Help your younger brother or sister with their schooling. Read to them. Create a Flipgrid and teach a classmate about something that you are good at. Make an anchor chart about something you are good at. Use text and graphic features.”

For a cook: “Help mommy and daddy with meals. Set the table. Make a fun dessert with mom/dad. Create a Flipgrid of how to keep your kitchen healthy as you cook. Share favorite recipes.”

For a hairdresser: “Style a family member’s hair. Brush it and create a new do each day. You could braid it, put it in a ponytail, give it spikes, put a pretty bow or headband in. Take a picture of the final outcome.”

“They could come up with additional “career paths” if their bosses (parents) agree,” says Scotland. “They needed to work at a specific job in their three-day work-week for 30 minutes; we have social studies three days. Workers needed to stay with the same job for the entire week. They could switch career paths (encouraged to because they can experience more than one type of job) the next week. Kidsville will run for three weeks. So our workers will experience three jobs.

“We had Google Meet Launch with students and parents to set everything into motion,” she explains. “We will have a closing of Kidsville with a dialogue that can reflect on the experience. We will also have a “ticket out” that the children will offer a written reflection.”

Each week students get paid a salary with payday every Friday. Students will earn $2 for the week; with 50 cents taken out to pay taxes, mortgage/rent, clothing and groceries. Students will be left with $1.50 to spend on wants with a choice of options offered at the Kidsville General Store in which kids can decide what to spend their money on or whether to save it. Some of these wants include: Snacks, crafts, video-game time, facetime with a friend, dinner choice, game night, staying up later and even movie night.

The parents serve as the bosses, adds Scotland.

“They have to agree on what job will take place for the week,” she says. “They are also the “bankers,” paying their students their $2 weekly salary. “The parent will monitor the balancing of their little workers debit card. The parents will also make sure the worker pays his/her needs for the week.” 

Even if this lesson is brought to these students virtually, they are learning so much.

“Whenever you can have the students experience his/her learning, the imprint is huge,” says Scotland. “They have to be responsible and carry out their duties. Students are asked to keep in mind the skills that are required for the job they are doing. The open-ended question of what academics keep showing up as you work is presented to them. Do they see reading, math, writing, technology, collaboration? We want them to make the connection of how their schooling has purpose beyond the school walls.

“In addition, they are learning how to balance their money,” says Scotland. “This entire experience mimics adult decisions of balancing needs vs. wants and the sacrifices that are sometimes required for bills to be paid. The vocabulary comes into focus for them.”  

The community has also been quite supportive, notes Scotland.

“As the first week of our community has begun, we have had a variety of professions open their doors,” she says. “We have had students become landscapers, engineers, beauticians, security guards, chefs and meteorologists. In truth, they have embraced this experience full force and have gone way beyond our expectations. I think they enjoy having choice, movement and time to be creative.”   

With the effects of COVID-19 surrounding the students, Scotland says there was not a need to make the pandemic a focus to this year’s lesson.

“We haven’t highlighted COVID-19,” says Scotland. “We have talked about the purpose of their jobs and its value but not connecting it to the current event of COVID-19. They recognize the specific jobs that need or require certain types of clothing. Some have dressed the part perfectly.

“The real-life experience of this pandemic surrounds them daily,” says Scotland. “They are living this reality and are becoming experts at how to handle social distancing. The boys and girls have faced the truths of this pandemic by not seeing their friends, missing recreational activities, missing extended family, not being able to attend school physically. Some have parents that are essential workers and see first-hand the toll it can take. During our Virtual Kindness Tour we extended our love to those individuals. Kidsville was a time to offer them some “normalcy,” even if it was the old normal.”   

With still one more week of Kidsville to go, students and parents are enjoying their tasks at hand.

“The feedback has been positive,” says Scotland. “The parents were ready to play their role and the students were excited to get to work. During our google meet you could hear the excitement as the kids started to chat about what work force they were going to join. The enthusiasm continued into this week as the jobs started to take form. We have a second grade Kidsville Classroom and the comments, pictures, and Flipgrids have been amazing. It is our hope that the dialogue will continue, and we will hear all that they have learned from the experience.”

The teachers are pleased with the excitement and energy carried out by their little workers.    

“We are excited about how motivating this has been for many of our students,” says Scotland. “They are connecting through their participation and enthusiasm for the program. Being able to network as a school family despite being in our homes is a gift.” 

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