The Hammonton Gazette 04/08/15 Edition | Page 6

Page 6 • Wednesday, April 8, 2015 • The Hammonton Gazette The Hammonton Gazette “The Paper of Record” gabriel J. donio, Publisher gina rullo, Editor-in-Chief dan russoman, Sports Editor benny Mendez, Staff Artist Marysusan hoffman, Paul J. Macrie iv, Michael hozik, donna brown, Joseph bruno, brittany Mauro, lauren bucci, lauren crescenzo Staff The Hammonton Gazette is located at 233 bellevue ave. to reach a staff member, call 704-1940 or fax at 704-1938. the mailing address is P.o. box 1228, hammonton, nJ 08037. editorials The Hammonton Gazette is published Wednesdays, by The Hammonton Gazette, Inc. Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. ISSN 1093-6181 it’s awards season It’s time to honor Hammonton’s best. Spring brings Hammonton’s annual awards season with it, and this year the Hammonton Lions Club’s Citizen of the Year Dinner honoring Paul Galletta has the added bonus of being one of the first events in the newly-renovated Tomasello Winery. Galletta will be honored at a dinner on May 7. For information on purchasing tickets to the Hammonton Lions Club Citizen of the Year Dinner, call 561-3904, 561-0482 ext. 100 or 561-7012. On May 19, Robert Schenk will be receiving the Nice Going Award and Varga’s Bellevue Drug Co. will be receiving the Business of the Year Award as the Greater Hammonton Chamber of Commerce holds its annual Awards and Installation Dinner at Villa Manor in Winslow Twp. Call 561-9080 to purchase tickets. These awards are among the highest bestowed on any Hammontonian, and are always nights filled with pride and fun. Each year, we are proud to report on the evenings sponsored by the Hammonton Lions Club and the Greater Hammonton Chamber of Commerce and their award recipients. We commend these organizations’ efforts to highlight people and businesses they deem worthy of recognition. It’s another way Hammonton stands out from other communities. Our town civic and business organizations’ willingness to honor and celebrate local people and businesses shows the pride the town has for the people and businesses who call Hammonton their home. Fostering creativity In recent years, Hammonton has embraced an expansion of the local arts, particularly in the Hammonton Arts District in downtown Hammonton. From the Eagle Theatre to the Hammonton Arts Center, from Stockton University’s Noyes Museum to the Hammonton Artist Studios, from the gallery space at Stockton University’s Kramer Hall to the various arts-related businesses throughout the district, there has been a visible manifestation of creativity for all to see. That creativity is also seen in various arts-related businesses throughout Hammonton, at the two local school districts, and in thousands of local residences where the arts and creativity are being fostered every day. There are economic benefits to being a community that embraces the arts and creativity, and those benefits reach far beyond the sale of tickets or artworks. The greatest benefits of being a home for the arts and creativity is the rise in everyday inspiration, the kind of inspiration that is changing Hammonton from a good town into a great one. The arts inspire us to be better people, and better people make a better town. PersPective/Walk-a-thon The Stockton University Speech and Hearing Club is proud to announce that they will be hosting their annual “NSSLHA Loves” Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, April 11, 2015 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Townsend Residential Life Center (TRLC). Each year the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) selects a recipient for the “NSSLHA Loves, campaign.” Last year, the Speech and Hearing Club held a walk-a-thon for “Small Steps In Speech,” a nonprofit organization committed to assisting children who have communicative disorders by funding treatment and therapy. Small Steps In Speech was the recipient of the 2013-2014 NSSLHA Loves, campaign. This year, Hands & Voices, Inc. is the beneficiary of the 2014-2015 NSSLHA Loves, campaign. Hands & Voices, Inc. is a nonprofit parent-driven organization dedicated to supporting families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Hands & Voices represents people who have a variety of experiences with deafness or hearing loss and believes that families can make the best choices for their children, if they have access to good information and support. This event is being held to raise not only proceeds, but also increase awareness of deafness and hearing loss. President, Jennie Koushel, vice president, Jennifer McIlvaine, secretary, Lauren Duffy and treasurer, Francesca Higgins are the walk coordinators. These four ladies and club advisor, Dr. Amy Hadley along with help from the entire club; have been working diligently since September to ensure this event is a huge success. The Hands & Voices Walk-A-Thon will be held on Stockton’s main campus at the Townsend Residential Life Center (TRLC). Participants will be able to show their support by walking one-mile around the campus’ scenic Lake Fred. On-site registration will begin at 10 a.m. on April 11, 2015. Adult general admission tickets will be sold for $20 and $10 for children 12 years and under. Tickets include a complimentary t-shirt and barbecue. Additionally, there will be awesome door prizes with highlights including a $100 Target gift card, a brunch for two at Stockton’s Seaview Hotel & Golf Club, a one month membership to Grow Yoga, four game tickets to see the Camden Riversharks, four game tickets to see Trenton Thunder, two tickets to Morey’s Piers, IMAX tickets, along with many more prizes! Furthermore, there will be plenty of activities for children such as a moon bounce, face painting, an inflatable basketball activity, crafts and more. Interested participants have the convenient option of purchasing tickets online at the following website https://stocktonhandsandvoices.eventbrite.com. If you are unable to attend this event, you can still make a donation on the website. Every donation will be greatly appreciated! The Stockton University Speech and Hearing Club hopes to see you on Saturday, April 11 to support the wonderful organization of Hands & Voices! This event will occur rain or shine! Jennifer Mcilvaine and Jennie koushel stockton university Quote of the Week: “When We are no longer able to change a situation — We are chal- lenged to change ourselves.” — Viktor E. Frankl The Hammonton Gazette welcomes letters to the editor that are no more than 800 words long. All letters must include the name of the author and an address and telephone number for verification. Letters should be mailed to The Hammonton Gazette, Editorial Page, P.O. Box 1228, Hammonton, NJ 08037. Letters also will be accepted via fax. The fax number is 704—1938.  Or by email to [email protected]. Deadline for all submissions is 2 p.m. Monday. The Hammonton Gazette reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions expressed in letters, perspectives or in guest columns do not necessarily reflect those of The Hammonton Gazette.  The Gazette is not responsible for factual errors in letters, perspectives or in guest columns. The Gazette retains the right to refuse any submission or advertisement.