As I move deeper into the stretch run of both my career and my life, two important factors have come into sharper focus.
First and foremost is the birth of our first grandchild. For years, I heard friends describe the joy grandchildren brought into their lives, but I could not fully understand it until Rose Mae entered ours a month ago. The last time I felt such a powerful pull on my heart was 34 years ago, when my daughter Tara was born. Because I worked so much then, I have long felt guilty about missing much of her early childhood. If I am blessed with several more years, I do not want to repeat that with Rose Mae. For that reason, Mary and I have begun discussing the possibility of moving to Pennsylvania to be much closer to them.
The second factor is what New Jersey has become. Once known as the Garden State and, in my youth, a dream place to live, it has become extraordinarily challenging on economic, social, and political fronts. We now believe there may be far more benefits to leaving than staying. Still, we will not make any decision in haste. Through prayer and good counsel, we hope to reach the right choice.
In the meantime, I want to fully live out what I believe I have been called to do, including continuing to support selected worthy causes with my time, talent, and financial resources.
Supporting Freehold Open Door has been one of my great joys in recent years. Freehold Township Day was a true blessing, giving me the opportunity to reconnect with some former sports greats while helping increase awareness of FOD.
Another cause close to Mary’s heart and mine is supporting worthy special needs organizations. Through our good friend Todd Smith, a retired Freehold Township detective, we are doing our best to assist both Special Olympics New Jersey and the local organization D4ID. Todd is very active with both groups.
Two upcoming events will hopefully support these organizations:
- Red Sox vs. Yankees Watch Party on August 29th at Vesuvio’s in Millstone Township, supporting Special Olympics New Jersey. Former Red Sox, Yankees, and Marlins MLB player Garrett Cooper will meet patrons during the game.
- Jets vs. Patriots Watch Party on October 18th at Vesuvio’s, supporting D4ID. Our special guests will be New York Jets legend and Hall of Fame member Joe Klecko, along with his son Dan Klecko, a three-time Super Bowl champion, including two titles with the Patriots. This is especially meaningful to me for the reasons I have shared.
Patrons may attend both events free of charge, have sports items autographed with a limit of three per person, and take photos with the featured sports guests. Additional details will be released soon. Because moving out of state is now a real possibility, the October 18th event may carry even greater personal meaning.
