Dunellen revs up support for injured firefighter
n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI JR
Dunellen is a small town with a lot of heart. That’s why when Joe
Keleman, a long-time first responder and volunteer in the commu-
nity, was critically injured in an explosion that destroyed his home,
Dunellen Local 146 knew that they needed to do something to help.
Local 146 State Delegate Joe Dudley is one of many first re-
sponders who have come to know Keleman well over the course
of Keleman’s 27 years as a volunteer firefighter and Public Works
employee. Following the accident that took place on June 11, when
a gas appliance exploded in his home overnight, Dudley began to
organize a car show that would bring the community together in
support of a man who had given back to Dunellen for decades.
“Obviously insurance is going to at some point take care of help-
ing him replace some things, but in the interim, folks like us and
the community wanted to step in and help bridge that gap,” Dud-
ley shared.
On Aug. 27, hundreds of first responders and local residents
spent the day at Skinner Plaza in Dunellen for the “Cruising for
Joey Car Show.” Food vendors, local businesses and over 150 an-
tique