GAZETTE , from Page 1 as the years moved forward . One person — Lead Graphic Designer MarySusan Hoffman — has been with us nearly 15 years . Another — Staff Writer Joseph F . Berenato — was with us at the beginning and returned after an 18-year absence . Our Copy Editor and Staff Writer Kristin Guglietti ( who also handles our website and social media management ) and Staff Writer Sean Friel have also brought talent , energy and enthusiasm to The Gazette in recent years .
How did we get here ? It ’ s an excellent question best answered by the staff members — past and present who put so much of their time , intelligence and passion into making The Gazette the outstanding 136-page publication you are holding in your hands today . It ’ s many more pages than the original 24-page edition , and today ’ s newspaper “ flag ” on page one ( that ’ s
the name we use for the stylized “ The Hammonton Gazette ” across the top of the front page ) is straight , unlike the one we glued down in a slightly slanted fashion on page one of the first edition in 1997 ( Computers didn ’ t do everything back then .) To see more of my thoughts on the last 25 years and what I think the paper has meant to the town during that time , please turn to my Opinion column on page seven .
This article will open with the origin of the newspaper in 1997 , then take you through all the sections of the newspaper and the many other divisions that have evolved during the long life of this media outlet . The quotes you will read are from the people who know The Gazette better than anyone else , because they are the people who have made it all possible , for 25 years .
ORIGIN STORY
The first offices of the newspaper were shared with those of the Hammonton Blueberries Baseball Club Inc . Later , The Gazette would take over the entire office suite . It was one of two office suites located up a flight of stairs that led to the second floor of the building located at 233 Bellevue Avenue .
The first weeks and months were filled with dreaming , enthusiasm and chaos . No one had ever
Wednesday , June 29 , 2022 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
Taking readers back to 1997 for The Gazette ’ s ‘ origin story ’
worked with anyone else prior to those weeks . The first production day took 24 hours — to make a 24- page paper . It was almost only 22 pages . A two-page photo spread on the Red , White & Blueberry Festival was added when we realized we were two pages short in the early morning hours of that first
day , night and morning of the next day .
Some of the people who were there at the beginning and early years include : Rullo , Russoman , Berenato , longtime Our Town section columnist Donna Brown , staff member at the time Edward Pabon , photographer at the time Candice Atwell , staff member Mickey DeCicco and intern at the time Paola DellaPeruta ( now Doebel ). Here are some of their memories :
Rullo : “ The Music Man is one of my favorite musicals . At the end of the movie , the lead actor , Robert Preston is kind of under arrest and is about to be hauled away when one of his student musicians begins to play . His parent in the audience thinks that his off-key warblings sound beautiful . Gabe Donio was , and is , our “ Music Man .” And we truly believed that first edition of The Gazette was beautiful . Looking back at it , I have great appreciation for my parents , who sat through my elementary school band concerts . We have come a long way .
“ On my first day at The Gazette in 1997 , Gabe Donio was not present . He was away at a business meeting . He had left simple instructions for me : ‘ Find me a printer .’ I did , and I appreciated his deep trust in me from the beginning to bring his vision to life .”
“ When we started the paper , I had just finished my junior year at Villanova University . This was my summer job . Working with Gabe , Dan , Joe and everyone else on that first Gazette team was chaotic and fun . I fell in love with Hammonton and the newspaper business . Clearly , it is the longest summer job on record .”
Russoman : Hoosiers is a great movie because it ’ s about more
See 25 , Page 22
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