Mahwah August 11, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 11 VFW District 2 recognizes Gold Star, Blue Star families by Frank J. McMahon Veterans of Foreign Wars District Two (Bergen County) Commander John J. Kelly recently coordinated Mahwah Post 7124, Ramsey Post 682, and other local dignitaries for a ceremony recognizing local Gold Star and Blue Star families. Banner presentations were made at a Mahwah Council meeting. Kelly, a former member of the council and current member of Post 7124, organized the event with Gary Montroy, the township’s construction official and a VFW member. Kelly introduced Assemblyman David Russo, and representatives from Ho-Ho-Kus/Ridgewood Post 192, Glen Rock Post 850, the Marine Corps League, and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. The families of the servicemen and women were then escorted to the council dais, where they received words of gratitude and were presented with Blue Star banners and VFW coins, which list all branches of the military. Ramsey VFW Post 682 Commander Anthony Bailey presented a Gold Star banner, recognizing the loss of a son or daughter during wartime, to Serena Jankiewicz, mother of Corporal Michael D. Jankiewicz, a 23-year-old from Ramsey who served as a grenadier, machine gunner, and machine gun team leader as a ranger. He was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, conducting combat operations targeting a terrorist network in Zabul province, when the Air Force CV-22 Osprey he was in crashed April 9. A civilian contractor and two Air Force crew members also were killed, and others were injured in that crash. Parents who received Blue Star banners included Michele Anders; Nancy Bruining; Joyce DeGregorio, whose son is now in Afghanistan; Joan Toal, whose son is now in Afghanistan; Leslie Visconti, whose son is now in Iraq; Pam Caffery, whose son is now in Afghanistan; Michele Seibel, whose son just returned from Afghanistan; Joan Bonadies; Mary Blum; Jeanne Johnson; Helen McNulty, whose son is now in Afghanistan; Sandy Taranto; Susan Kalman; Maureen Costello, whose daughter is now in Afghanistan; and fathers Chris Sullivan and Dave Blue Star and Gold Star families assembled at the Mahwah Council meeting at which they were presented with a Blue Star or Gold Star banner, a NJ Assembly Commendation and Praise Certificate, and a VFW Challenge Coin by VFW local and State Commanders and a NJ Legislator. In the back row are the Mahwah Mayor and Council members; VFW State Commander William Thomson; and Ramsey VFW Post 682 Commander Bailey. (Photo by Stanley Kober, D-2 Chief of Staff) Urena. Kristi Sunden, who has one son now in Afghanistan and another in the military who is not deployed, received a double Blue Star banner “It is certainly an honor and a privilege to have a Gold Star banner presented tonight,” Kelly said to Jankiewicz (continued on page 12) Grants (continued from page 7) children receive a quality education,” Governor Chris Christie said when announcing the grants. “These grants will fund critical projects across our state, helping to improve the learning environments for our students and providing necessary support to districts by easing their local property-tax burden.” Commissioner of Education Bret Schundler also commented, explaining that this funding for school improvements will help districts keep their facilities properly maintained and ease the burden on local taxpayers. 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