A day on the diamond to remember
West Orange Local 25 member
n PHOTOS BY DANI ALLEN PHOTOGRAPHY
On July 14, West Orange Local 25 and
Millburn Local 34 hit a grand slam for a
great cause. The Second Annual Sean M.
Cassels Memorial Softball Tournament
was held at O’Connor Park in West Or-
ange, where members dedicated an af-
ternoon to raising awareness for mental
health and suicide prevention.
Sean Cassels was a Local 25 member
who passed away in 2016 and left behind
a wife and three young sons. Cassels’
brothers in law enforcement from Local
25, Local 34 and Essex County Sheriff’s
Officers Local 183 came together to plan
the softball tournament as a tribute to the
officer’s love of baseball and commitment
to public service.
More than 300 people gathered to
support the event and remember their
brother in blue while raising money for
his sons’ education. Twelve teams partici-
pated, including members from Paterson
Local 1, Passaic County Corrections Offi-
cers Local 197, Springfield Local 76, South
Orange Local 12 and the West Orange
Fire Department. The day was filled with
laughs, memories, some tears and plenty
of home runs as PBA members showed
out-of-the-park support for Cassels. d
Burlington County Correctional
Officers in the community
Members of Burlington County Cor-
rectional Officers Local 249 participated
in a community outreach initiative that
provided officers the opportunity to form
bonds with families and give back to their
neighborhoods.
Officers enjoyed some competitive fun
during the kids vs. correctional officers’
basketball game that took place during
National Night Out in August. Local 249’s
participation in the community-building
campaign helped unite members with the
neighborhoods they serve. Municipalities
from Burlington City, Browns Mills, Maple
Shade and Lumberton also participated in
National Night Out, where attendees en-
joyed a cookout, games and interactions
with the officers.
Local 249’s community outreach initia-
tive also led members to volunteer with
Habitat for Humanity. Each year, mem-
bers participate in this important initiative
to give back outside of the job. Members
spent two days contributing yard work
and hard labor to build suitable homes for
families in need.
Members also attended the Burlington
County Farm Fair to promote their pres-
ence in the community. d
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ SEPTEMBER 2018