The Hammonton Gazette 08/27/14 Edition | Page 6

Page 6 • Wednesday, August 27, 2014 • 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, lauren Bucci, lauren crescenzo, Zack Brown, 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. civic life eDItORIalS The Hammonton Gazette is published Wednesdays, by The Hammonton Gazette, Inc. Copyright © 2014. All rights reserved. ISSN 1093-6181 As the article on page 1 by Paul Macrie IV shows, civic clubs are growing in membership in Hammonton, bucking a national trend. Why is it happening? The clear answer is the continued strengthening of personal pride in the town spurring people to want to become involved in a social way, and becoming part of a civic organization remains one of the best methods to make a positive difference in a community. The increase in awareness in what clubs are doing through the publication of their efforts in The Gazette, other publications, on websites and through social media has helped promote positive word of mouth, which has led to an increase in members. In addition, there are many examples of positive projects throughout the town that have b een completed through the efforts of organizations like Exchange, Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, Soroptimists, the Woman’s Civic Club and many more organizations that are dedicated to making the town a better place for the people who live in it, as well as the people who visit. In 1947, a group of individuals came together and started the Hammonton Little League. It was the first Little League in the state of New Jersey, and the first Little League in the world outside of Pennsylvania. On August 27, 1949, the Hammonton All-Stars won the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. It is a distinction that has only brought more honor to Hammonton as the decades have passed and the Little League World Series has exploded in popularity. The community volunteers who came together to start the Hammonton Little League brought national and worldwide distinction to the town. In Hammonton, their volunteer efforts are honored as part of the large Hammonton mural on the Wendy’s on the White Horse Pike (Route 30) uptown. Their names are also enshrined on a large right-field sign at the original Little League field, which continues its youth sports mission in the same location at Hammonton Lake Park. The Little League dreamers of today play on the exact same field as the champions did. If there is a “Fenway Park” of Little League, it is this historic field. That legendary field is just one example of what volunteers have done – and continue to do – for Hammonton. Look at Leo Club Park at Veterans Park. Look at Key Club Park and the current Kiwanis Club effort to revitalize the pavilion and bandstand area of Hammonton Lake Park. Look at the efforts that are put in each year with education, youth and school athletics, school bands, community and public arts programs. Look at the effort by MainStreet Hammonton that revitalized the downtown, an effort that has become a shining example for similar efforts uptown, in the business park and in other towns. In Hammonton, we are seeing growth in civic engagement through clubs for a number of reasons. There is great pride in place here and the economy is doing better nationally, allowing more people to help. The Gazette welcomes everyone who is joining a club and swelling the ranks of the volunteer army that makes our town a great place to live. There are many projects that can use volunteers. There are many people who can benefit from the help of those volunteers. Why not find a club or organization that fits you, and join the effort to make a positive difference in Hammonton? PeRSPectIve/HONORING Sam cuRcIO I had the pleasure of attending a birthday party last Sunday for Sam Curcio Sr. who turned 95 years old last week. I have known Mr. Curcio since I was 10 years old when he was my Little League Coach. I now play golf every Sunday with his son, Sam Curcio Jr., and we constantly reminisce about the old days and when his dad coached our Little League team, Miller’s Department Store, to an undefeated season in 1965. We all too often write stories and speak about what a great life someone lives after they are no longer with us. I have thought about that numerous times over the last several years and came to the conclusion that we should honor people and write about the good that people have done while they are living so they can appreciate it. I am not so sure that Mr. Curcio is up to reading such a letter, but his friends and family can. When I went to that party last Sunday, I had not seen Mr. Curcio for about three years. During the last few years of my father’s life, Mr. Curcio would visit with my father at least three or four times a week, and I would see him when I stopped and checked on my father after work. They usually were sitting at the kitchen table telling stories about the old days in Rosedale, playing ball, growing peaches, and things of that nature. I usually heard the same story three to four days a week but that was OK since you could see a twinkle in both of their eyes as they talked about the good old days. When it was obvious that my father was going to pass and lapsed into a coma, Mr. Curcio sat with him for hours and told me that he thought my dad would recover because my dad was a “tough old buzzard.” Mr. Curcio has shaped the lives of many people in Hammonton including myself for many years. He was a respected lawyer in this community and county, served two terms in the General Assembly of New Jersey from 1967 to 1971, always found time to coach Little League, or keep the book at basketball games and never missed a game that any of his kids, or grandkids played in. If you think about that and the lives that we lead today, it is astonishing that he was able to juggle all of those things and do it with such dignity and class. Mind you, he did all that while taking care of his devoted wife, Lucy, raising four children, and carrying on a law practice, many years of which he was partners with my late cousin, Sam Donio. I don’t remember many basketball or baseball games that I played in where I didn’t look into the stands and see him there standing or sitting with my father even when he didn’t have any kids or grandkids on the team. I remember specifically back in 1967 when the St. Joseph High School Baseball Coach was let go in the middle of the season and the team had a record of two wins, nine losses. They didn’t know who they could get to finish the season. Mr. Curcio immediately stepped up to volunteer. The team promptly went on to nine wins and two losses the rest of the year. After that, St. Joe hired Nick LaGuardia as the permanent coach and Mr. Curcio went back to his true passion of coaching Little League for many more years. What I remember most about Mr. Curcio is what a gentleman he was both on the sports field and in the legal profession. I still remember having arguments with my mother every Sunday morning when I was young before going to Sunday Mass. It seemed that I did not want to wear a suit or a sports coat to Mass, and my mother would tell me the same thing every week “Do you see how nice Mr. Curcio looks in his suit, that’s why you put on a suit to go to church.” Sometimes I did, but most of the time I didn’t. When I became a young lawyer in Hammonton, Mr. Curcio always had a word of advice and always wanted to know how I was doing in my practice. He was very proud of all of his children, and I think he was especially proud that three of them, Sam, Susan and Jim followed him into the law. His son Rich is a college professor. Mr. Curcio was from the old school where things were done with a handshake and a lawyer’s word was his bond. Unfortunately, we don’t have as much of that today in the legal profession. As I was waiting to say hello to Mr. Curcio at his birthday party, his son-in-law Don Parker walked me up to him and asked if he knew who I was. Obviously he has been fighting dementia and has good days and bad. As soon as he looked at me, he blurted out, “Yes, that’s Mike. He was my pitcher and he was damn good.” After we all laughed, he then told the people standing around us, “And now he’s a Judge.” It brought a smile to everyone’s face because it was obvious that he was having one of those “good” days. See HONORING, Page 7 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.