Page 4 • Wednesday , September 20 , 2017 • The Hammonton Gazette
Football fans enjoy watching Blue Devils , Wildcats
FANS , from Page 1 Under the Friday night lights at
Hammonton High School ’ s Robert Capoferri Field , loyal fans both young and old come out to support the Blue Devils each week . Dennis Conway is a 2011 graduate of HHS and said going to football games was a staple of his high school memories . Now that he has received the opportunity to work security during the games , Conway said he has enjoyed the opportunity to get back to the place where so many memories were made during the years .
“ It has been a great memory all throughout high school — every Friday night , coming out . Big time tradition , big-time football school , old-school tradition . So , now I ’ m working at the school — I ’ m working security — it ’ s a perfect excuse to come back , enjoy the atmosphere , enjoy all the fans . We take things seriously in Hammonton when it comes to football , so it has always been a great experience from being in school and now outside of school ,” Conway said .
Few take HHS football as seriously as resident Thomas Amedio , who said he has been to nearly every game — home and away — since he graduated in 1963 .
“ I always come out to all the scrimmages and every game , home and away , playoffs , whatever . We don ’ t miss any games . It doesn ’ t matter what the weather is ; we ’ re faithful fans … I ’ m a fan of sports ... We look forward to it ; high school football is the best ,” Amedio said . Every Friday , Amedio can be
‘ RAID ’ met
DRuGS , from Page 3 operations in Hammonton , which it will continue to do in the event that internal resources are not enough .
“ We work very closely with outside agencies for anything that we can ’ t handle , but for the most part , we try to keep it in-house and do the best that we can with resources and the men that we have . We have some of the best officers that I ’ ve known and worked with . I ’ ve worked with many officers and wouldn ’ t rather work with anybody else ,” Slimm said .
Baglivo also addressed the crowd during the meeting to let them know he is tired of seeing his town littered with illegal drugs and seeing the fatal effects they are having on the residents of the town he calls home , and that he and the rest of the police department will continue to attempt to rid Hammonton of illegal drug operations .
“ A lot of you don ’ t want your loved ones arrested , but on that , I ’ m the one that responds to their overdose , I ’ m the one that has carried their body out , I ’ m the one that has knocked on the door to tell you what happened and I ’ m tired of it . You ’ re not going to go through the center of town — and I ’ m proud of this — that you ’ re not going to see a drug dealer on that corner . They have to operate under closed doors , under a rock . Will we push them all out with our resources ? Probably not , but you are not by our accord going to see them stand in the center of town or anywhere . We don ’ t want that ; it ’ s not tolerable ,” Baglivo said .
For more information regarding Residents Against Illegal Drugs and future meetings , search for “ Residents Against Illegal Drugs ” on Facebook to find the group ’ s page . The Narcotics Anonymous statewide helpline can be reached by calling ( 732 ) 933-0462 .
found atop the bleachers , cheering on the Blue Devils with some of the other long-time HHS football fans , including Anthony Sbarra , who is the grandfather of HHS senior guard Trevor Sbarra , and said he has been a dedicated fan who has come to nearly every game since 1957 . Sbarra said that high level of dedication stems from his past passion for helping Hammonton ’ s youth . Sbarra previously coached the Hammonton Hawks Youth Football team for more than 15 years , was a Little League baseball coach for about 20 years ( also serving as president ) and was a member of the Hammonton Board of Education .
Sbarra said Hammonton is “ a football town ” where the tradition has remained consistent for more
See KEYNOTE , Page 10
THG / Stephen Pistone . To purchase photos in The Gazette , call ( 609 ) 704-1940 .
New Jersey National Guard Adjutant General , Brig . Gen . Michael L . Cunniff ( left ) and New Jersey Manufacturers Director of Building Services Frank Galloway III each spoke during the New Jersey Youth ChalleNGe Academy ’ s Class 46 graduation ceremony at the War Memorial in Trenton on September 11 . than 60 years and whether the teams are riding consecutive championship streaks or barely making it into the playoffs , it ’ s always a good time to come out to the field and support the local team .
“ You don ’ t have a winning season every year because of graduation , the kids go . Some years are lean , some years are good , some are great , but you have to watch the good with the bad . You just have to support them … All I can say is , Hammonton is known as a football town , and it will probably be that way when I pass on . Hammonton loves its football , no matter what the season entails ,” Sbarra said .
For many , the football program — and ancillary cheerleading
See FOOTBALL , Page 12
National Guard welcomes Frank Galloway
GALLOWAY , from Page 1 dressed the 82-person class of young adults who concluded a 22-week , National Guard-sponsored program that provided them with the tools to turn their lives around shortly after dropping out of high school .
Aside from earning their GEDs , the ChalleNGe Academy cadets were mentored academically , taught leadership skills and trained physically as they received a second chance to lead a successful life . Some cadets exceeded the program ’ s goals in several ways , such as being promoted to the rank of Eagle Scout while enrolled in the program and getting accepted into college before graduating from the academy .
During Galloway ’ s speech , he told the graduates that success is a choice , not destiny , and that they ultimately have the power