The Hammonton Gazette 12/31/14 Edition | Page 6

Page 6 • Wednesday, December 31, 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. eDitoriaLs The Hammonton Gazette is published Wednesdays, by The Hammonton Gazette, Inc. Copyright © 2014. All rights reserved. ISSN 1093—6181 2014: the Year in review This week, The Gazette takes its annual look back at the year with a special section called 2014: The Year in Review. These are the stories, photos, cartoons, and passings that captivated us in the past year. In addition to being an overview of the 2014, the special section is also an overview of The Gazette. The work of members of the entire staff are compiled into the special section 2014: The Year in Review. Reporters Zack Brown, Lauren Bucci, Gabe Donio, Paul J. Macrie IV, Brittany Mauro, Gina Rullo and Dan Russoman along with photographers Lauren Crescenzo and Joe Bruno, graphic designer MarySusan Hoffman and cartoonist Benny Mendez are all featured. Beginning on page 21, readers will be able to review the entire year as presented by The Gazette. We hope you enjoy reading about the moments, people and places that made the year what it was. Bringing you the news each week has been our privilege, and it is an honor to present the year in digest form to our readers this week. With 2014 behind all of us, the entire staff of The Gazette wishes you a Happy New Year in 2015! changing of the guard On January 5, two new Republican councilmen will be sworn into office. Both men will be returning to office after a brief absence. Councilmen-elect Michael Torrissi and Steven Furgione will be joining a council that knows them well — Mayor Stephen DiDonato, who is a member of Hammonton First, and members of council who have served with the two men in the past have publicly expressed optimism about their return to the town’s governing body. Words are always secondary to deeds, but if the two men’s previous tenures on council are any indication — and there is every reason to believe it is — there should be a lot of consensus in 2015, despite the 4 to 3 split which favors Hammonton First. We extend best wishes to Torrissi and Furgione as they join the town council. There will be difficult days ahead, including the Pratt Street and Valley Avenue projects, as well as the townwide reaction to the tax revaluation. They will be part of th e body that shepherds our town through a challenging year. We do want take a moment, as the days run out on their service on the town council, to commend the efforts of soon-to-be former Councilmen Paul Esposito and Daniel Bachalis. Both men worked tirelessly for the town in different ways. Esposito’s financial acumen was an asset; Bachalis brought boundless energy and dedication to environmental causes. Both men were committed to their positions, attending council meetings and always prepared for whatever issue needed to be addressed at a particular moment. We extend congratulations to both for their work to help Hammonton become a better place. As the two incoming and two outgoing councilmen know, municipal government — particularly in Hammonton, particularly in Atlantic County and particularly in New Jersey — has become an increasingly complex proposition in recent years. Despite these complexities, men like the four listed above still want to become involved in government. As a result, Hammonton has continued to thrive, and we thank all of them for being part of the process of making the success of the town possible. PersPective/Fruitcake The period between November 1 and January 1 happens to be my favorite time frame. Oh yes, there is the idea of Christmas and Christmas presents and all of that. I certainly enjoy Christmas with my family and friends. As the oldest person in my family, (I will never mention aloud that the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage is a wee bit older than myself), it is my duty to pay for all of these Christmas presents. By the time January 1 rolls around, I am just about broke. What good is money if you can’t spend it on your favorite people in all of the world? I won’t say that my family is the best people in all of the world, although it is true, I just won’t say it aloud. What I do like about this period of the year are the delicacies of the season. It is the time of the year to splurge on the finer elements of life. By that, I mean food. I don’t think it’s possible to get too much food during this time of the year. My wife is infamous for looking at me and saying, “Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Being married as long as I have I only allow her to say, “Don’t you think…” And I stop her right there, shake my head vigorously and say, “No I don’t think. Tis the season not to think.” And I’m not bragging or anything, but when it comes to not thinking I have perfected the art. I have one rule when it comes to this time of the year. Vegetables are completely off my diet. All year long my wife force feeds these wretched vegetables on me as though it was good for my health. The only thing good for my health is to eat them so that she doesn’t badger me as much as she can. But vegetables? At Christmastime? This time of the year is the time for me to exploit the delicious delicacies of the season. I can’t think of any dessert at this time of the year that I don’t indulge in and do it right smartly. Whenever I’m invited to a party, I always manage to bring some kind of dessert. And I don’t bring the dessert for the host. I bring the dessert for me. When you are at a party, it is not polite not to eat the dessert. And I want to be as polite as I can along this line. It was a couple days before Christmas when I realized something rather strange. Of course, being who I am thinking about something strange comes rather normal. But this was something a little different. I turned to my wife and said, “Have you noticed something absent this year during the Christmas season?” “Vegetables?” She said somewhat sarcastically. “No, something else.” Then I explained what I have not seen this holiday season. They must be around, but I have not run into any this year. What I have missed this year is the good old-fashioned fruitcake. What is the Christmas season with- out fruitcake? There was a time when fruitcake was everywhere you looked and you couldn’t get away from it. Of course, I never tried to get away from fruitcake. Being the nut that I am, I absolutely love fruitcake. I know many people make fun of this holiday delicacy. I’m not one of them. I don’t make fun of that which has some special meaning. Only during the holiday season can you get this wonderful, delightful delicacy. Just think about it for a minute. On the one hand, you have “fruit,” and on the other hand, you have “cake.” What two things could merge in such a harmonious marriage of deliciousness? The goodness of the fruit cancels out the badness of the cake. Now when I say badness of the cake, I’m only quoting my wife. I have never seen a cake that was bad, except the one that I can’t eat. Cake is the one thing that makes a gathering worth gathering. Don’t you think it’s a little hypocritical for those people who think a cake is bad, and then have it on certain celebrations? For example. How could you have a wedding without having a wedding cake? I could go on from there if you want me to. No matter what the celebration, cake makes it better. I fondly remember the first time I brought home fruitcake for our Christmas festivities. I set it on the table and my wife looked at me and said, “What in the world is that?” I looked at her and smiled one of those smiles that comes to someone who is happy to be doing what he’s doing at the time and said, “This is not from the world, my dear, this is from heaven.” Then I explained to her what a fruitcake was. I’m not sure she bought the whole story. Life is full of combining things and when combined with other things they take on a new identity. I think life is much like a fruitcake. Perhaps Jesus said it best, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). When we combine our life with Jesus we take on His identity. the rev. James L. snyder silver springs shore, Fla. The Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, PO Box 831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He live s with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores, Fla.. Call him at [phone] or e-mail [email protected] or website www.jamessnyderministries.com. 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.