Fucetola honored as Citizen of the Year by Lions Club
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—On April 11,
the Hammonton Lions Club had its
25th Annual Citizen of the Year
award dinner at Tomasello Winery.
The 32nd honoree of the award was
Marie Fucetola, a former Hammonton School District math in-
structor affiliated with many local
organizations such as the Hammonton Education Foundation, Hammonton Cancer Foundation, St.
Mary of Mt. Carmel Parish Council
and St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Hammonton Lions Club President Arthur Orsi opened the festivities by introducing Fucetola as the
Citizen of the Year award winner.
“This is a very special evening
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for our club, for Marie [Fucetola]
and all of you that came out tonight
to honor her. I would like to take
this time to thank the committee for
all the planning and effort that went
into making this wonderful
evening,” Orsi said.
Citizen of the Year Committee
Chairperson Mary Gillespie introduced Fucetola’s family that attended the award ceremony and
other dignitaries on hand, including Mayor Stephen DiDonato,
Councilmen Dan Bachalis and
Thomas Gribbin, along with Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Office
Field Representative Robert Geist
and Atlantic County Fifth District
Freeholder James Bertino. Gillespie also introduced some past recipients of the award that were in
attendance.
Former Hammonton Board of
Education President Loretta
Rehmann went through Fucetola’s
biography, and began with saying
she has been an important part of
the Hammonton community even
after retiring from her longtime
profession as a Hammonton school
district math instructor several
years ago.
Along with her involvement
with several local organizations,
Fucetola indulged in a new challenge this past Thanksgiving as she
volunteered her time at a Jewish
Nursing Home in a nearby community, helping patients who
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didn’t have a family.
“As you can see even after her
retirement Marie is one busy lady.
But even with the demands of fulltime work and her many volunteer
activities, she devoted much time
for caring for her ailing mother
until her death last year. With all her
volunteer work and devotion to
family, Marie is definitely someone
that you can depend upon to offer
help in a variety of ways. It should
also be noted her efforts are not
limited to the occasional one-time
activity, but rather once she is involved she is a constant participant
year-after-year in so many causes.
“Those of us that have had the
pleasure and honor of working with
Marie are quite aware that the
words ‘no’ and ‘I can’t’ are just not
in her vocabulary,” Rehmann said.
Mayor Stephen DiDonato presented Fucetola with a proclamation, stating April 11, 2014 was
Marie Fucetola Day in the town of
Hammonton.
“Marie’s dedication in the community began at the schools where
she taught math to so many students over the 34 years. During that
time, Marie taught my wife and
two children…I have a great respect for the work she did in the
classroom. It is going to be hard
pressed to find somebody in Hammonton who doesn’t have a connection with Marie through her
career as a Hammonton High
School teacher or her work in education for adult nations at Ancora.
Her contribution in community and
service and non-profit organizations, Marie has touched countless
lives. I would like to personally
thank her for her dedication to the
community, and being a perfect example as a loyal, committed and
selfless citizen of the town of Hammonton,” DiDonato said.
After Congressman LoBiondo
Office Field Representative Robert
Guist, Atlantic County Fifth District Freeholder James Bertino and
The Rev. Thomas Donio of St.
Mary of Mt. Carmel Parish made a
presentation on Fucetola’s behalf,
St. Vincent de Paul President Anthony Melora spoke about Fucetola
and her countless contributions to
the community.
Hammonton Cancer Foundation
President David Mauriello also
stepped to the podium and was
honored to be at the award ceremony celebrating Fucetola’s accomplishments as he has known
her professionally and personally
for 20 years.
“Marie has been dedicated to her
profession, her students, her family,
her church and her various civic
groups throughout her life. She is a
charter member and currently
serves as an officer for the Hammonton Cancer Foundation. She
has been integral in the develop-
See FUCETOLA, Page 12
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