COURT HOUSE — As visitors approach the Cape May County Veterans’ Cemetery at the Crest Haven Complex in Cape May Court House, they will immediately notice the new military flags proudly flying high at the cemetery. The flags, representing the five branches of the military, Air Force, Marines, Army, Navy and Coast Guard, are part of a joint effort that started with the Ocean City American Legion Auxiliary Unit 524, the Cape May County Veterans Bureau and the Cape May County Department of Facilities and Services.
Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton, a Veteran himself, oversees the Veterans Bureau and cites the Veterans Cemetery as one of his greatest accomplishments as Freeholder. In 1977, he worked with members from every Veterans’ Organization in the County and proposed the use of the county owned land at the Crest Haven Complex to develop the Cape May County Veterans’ Cemetery. In 1980 the cemetery opened with space for 6,700 Veterans to be buried with honor.
In recognizing the work of the Ocean City American Legion Auxiliary, Thornton said, “It is an honor to stand here with fellow Veterans and thank the Ocean City American Legion Auxiliary for their vision and generous contribution to the Veterans Cemetery. This project is one we can all be extremely proud and will serve as a lasting tribute to the men and women who served our Country in the five branches of the U.S. Military. There is no better time than now to show our respect and gratitude for who have fought for our freedom.”
Joan Sambucci, who served on the committee, explained, “The Ocean City American Legion Auxiliary members were looking for a project to enhance the cemetery and originally thought they would purchase plants or shrubs. The idea of flag poles were a suggestion of Mike Carpenter, an employee of the Department of Facilities and Services. The Committee, with the support of the entire Ocean City American Legion Unit 524, voted overwhelmingly in favor of the project and moved forward on purchasing the flag poles.”
Freeholder E. Marie Hayes, a member of the Ocean City American Legion Auxiliary, thanked the Committee and members for their generous donation. “As a Freeholder and a new member of the Auxiliary, it is an honor to be part of this organization, and I look forward to participating in future projects that give back to those who served in the armed forces. I come from a family with deep connections to the military, my four brothers and my husband served, and it is a great pleasure to see their service and the service of others being honored in this way.”
The auxiliary committee included Gloria McDermott, Joan Sambucci and Betty Stivale, who worked with Virginia Tomlin, Veterans’ Bureau Director and Jeffrey Pierson, Supervisor of Veterans’ Internment and Ann Marie McMahon, Director of Facilities and Services, to complete the project.
“I also want to recognize the work of the Department of Facilities and Services, we cannot be more proud of the staff who went above and beyond to make this a reality. Their commitment to this project is evident in the final product, it is a job well done,” Thornton added.
The cost of the flag poles was $1800 and the work to install them was done by the Department of Facilities and Services and completed in ten months. Larry Mealey, of the Department of Facilities and Services, contacted RAB Lighting Company about lighting for the flag poles, RAB graciously donated the lights for each pole.
Cape May – Last week I witnessed a woman helping a man who seemed to be having difficulty getting up in the water. the next thing I saw was she also was injured. My Uber ride was there to take me to the…
