Thank You to Middle Township

To the Editor: 
This letter is a goodbye to the first “real job” I ever had at the Middle Township Recreation Department.
I was hired two years ago as a young 23-year-old man with no experience in the real world, besides a summer waiting tables and the occasional construction work I helped my father on. I was oblivious on what I was supposed to do, and frankly how to work in an “office” setting. When I got hired, I was exhilarated. I jumped around my mom’s small summer store like a child. I came in the next week for my first day full of energy and ambition, something I did every day for as long as I worked there.
The next two years were times of excitement, dread, and happiness. There were days when I could do nothing right, and there were times I thought this is what I would do the rest of my life. The public sometimes hated us, the last election showed with Herald articles written by occasional patrons, but the people we dealt with every day loved what we did for their kids. Our special events were organized and run by a fantastic special events coordinator, and our staff helped make everything run to perfection. Our sports ran mostly smoothly, with a few hiccups in between, but the joy of the kids was never in doubt.
This job allowed me to meet the great families of Middle Township. The parents and children who participated in our activities are no short of amazing. I ended up not only coaching soccer and basketball, but I worked with the homework club and ran for school board (only lost by seven votes) because of how much I cared about our families and youth. This job introduced me to the beauty of Middle Township, the people who work hard to make it special, and those who appreciate everything we do.
But now I have to say my goodbyes. To the people who I worked with every day, your dedication to our township is not unnoticed. It has been an honor to serve Middle Township in the small capacity I did. Thanks for everything.