Woodbine 2.22.2006

As we conclude Black History Month, everybody is invited to tomorrow’s dedication of the Gazebo along the bikepath, which community activist Julia Hankerson, owner of the Woodbine Wellness Center, has donated in memory of her parents, Rose and Elmer Hankerson, Sr.
The gazebo is located on the Washington Avenue end of the bikepath.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 2 p.m.
Elder Harry Watkins, a long time friend of the family, will be officiating. 
Scheduled is an opening dedicatory prayer by Pastor Steven Riley of First Baptist Church, to be followed by singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by a chorus of students from Woodbine Elementary School.
Memories of the senior Hankersons will be shared by friends, among them Fred Watkins, Sr., of First Baptist Church, a long-time family friend.
Family members will then share their precious memories of the Hankersons followed by a solo by Tracey Bolling.
After Julia presents the Borough with  a commemorative plaque, additional comments will be added  by  Mayor  Pikolycky.
Joan Murray will offer a closing prayer, and the ceremony will conclude with the school chorus reprising “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Julia has provided a brief biography of her parents.
Elmer Hankerson, Sr., was born June 27, 1922 in Woodbine and  attended Woodbine Public Schools.
He entered the US Army where he met and married Rose Harris. 
He was employed by Bradstone Rubber Co. in Woodbine for 26 years.
And was a member of Horne’s Temple First Born Church of the Living God in Woodbine, where he served as a Trustee,   Finance Committee Member, and Transportation Chairman.
Rose Hankerson was born August 26, 1926 in Lake Providence, Louisiana and moved to Woodbine, NJ in 1944 after marrying Elmer.
 She was educated in Louisiana but received her GED in New Jersey. 
She worked for several years for Model Cleaners in Woodbine, and completed her career as a Supervisor at the Woodbine Developmental Center where she worked for 25 years.
In 1947 she became a member of Horne’s Temple First Born Church of the Living God, where she served as Church Mother, Finance committee member, and on the Choir and Youth and Leadership committee. 
She served as a member of the Woodbine Board of Education and the Woodbine AARP Board of Directors.
They have 5 children:  Clarence, Shirley, Julia, Elmer, Jr. (deceased) and Joyce. 
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Woodbine Elementary School students in the fifth through eighth grades competed in a Science Fair recently. 
The students displayed and explained their experiments to four judges, who asked the junior scientists questions about their “scientific methods.”
 First place:  Mailyn Cecilia & Tabitha Cooper for Osmosis and Flowers
Second place:  Andrea Williams, Mariel Gold & Amanda Rivera for their Bottle Rocket
Third place: Nye-Jai Price for Poppin’ Rocket.
This columnist also thanks student Luis Cartagena for explaining his project to her when she visited the exhibits.
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 Woodbine Municipal Court will be held Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.
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 Woodbine Municipal Utilities Authority meets Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
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 We look forward to seeing the Gazebo surrounded by blossoms this spring, which will come soon.