JACKSON– A sunny Sunday was the perfect time for a celebration of community at the 50th Anniversary of Jackson Day. Visitors listened to music, met up with friends, and ate a variety of food while children had fun going on rides and petting animals.
Community organizations set up tables, inviting people to get involved with the American Legion Post 504, the Jackson Clean Communities, Multi-Cultural Committee, Municipal Utilities Authority, Disabled and Handicapped Commission and various school organizations and county agencies.
Six Flags Great Adventure representatives handed out some free park passes for children during the day. You could also pickup your free commemorative Jackson Day 50th anniversary T-shirt in several colors at another table. Johnson Memorial Park had a section set aside for Touch A Truck. Basketball tournaments took place throughout the day on the recently refurbished basketball courts in the park. Cornhole contests were also held during the event. There was a zip line, large slide and a Ferris wheel.
It was a busy day for attendees as well as for those who helped put the event together. Township Recreation Director Fred Meabe told The Jackson Times, “The day was amazing and early indication we were probably visited by between 8-10,000 patrons. It was immensely successful!”
“This is all funded by sponsorships. This is not being funded by taxpayers. Have a wonderful time. Get to know everybody. Get to know your local businesses,” Mayor Jennifer Kuhn said in her opening remarks.
The National Anthem was performed by Jackson High School Junior Sophia Budrick followed by a performance by the Jackson Jaguars Dance team. There were several live bands performing, and there was also a DJ and a live radio broadcast.
Businesses were also in abundance including the Oliverie Funeral Home whose staff were distributing information about upcoming public events such as their Psychic Parlor on October 3 that will run from 5 to 9 p.m. It is free to enter but you need to call 732-719-7250 to RSVP for this mystical night of moonlit revelations that will be held at the funeral home at 125 South Cooks Bridge Road in the township.
There were township banks like OceanFirst that has a program that involves helping non-profits and Fulton Bank which was one of the sponsors of the event, Financial Center Manager Ryan Millroy noted. His swag included biscuits for dogs and there were quite a number of dogs present at the pet friendly event this year.
Other businesses included a golf cart dealership, real estate agencies, pet supply businesses and many others. A fleet of food trucks provided a variety of food choices during the day.
Many civic groups were present to bring awareness to themselves and to seek out new members or to fundraise for a good cause.
Jackson Knights of Columbus Council 11529 Past Grand Knight Mike Debiak was promoting the organization’s 20th annual rubber duck race fundraiser at Pine Park in Lakewood that starts at 11 a.m. on September 26. “Prizes this year include a Blackstar Grill and cooker and we’ll have bounce attractions and a petting zoo for the kids. It is always a big event.”
A group of students put up their tent for the first time at the event for First Breath Initiative. Gabriella Graves explained the group’s purpose. “It is a youth led non-profit initiative. We collect monetary donations and baby items that support mothers in need within the community so we can promote life affirming options. We started up this summer and so far, we have raised $1,500.”
“We’re a work in progress but we have a lot of items and did two community drop offs so far so we are getting there,” the 15-year-old who is going into her junior year at Jackson Township High School added. “There are eight of us here today and all of us are from the high school.”
The Stephanie Nicole Parze Foundation attended Jackson Day again this year. “We started this organization to prevent domestic violence shortly after Halloween in 2019,” Erin Pedalino said.
That was when Stephanie Parze went missing without a trace. What was known was that she had been assaulted by her then on again off again boyfriend and that he was a person of interest in her disappearance.
She was missing for 87 days in Freehold and in that time search groups were formed consisting of hundreds of people. They would later learn that perpetrator took his own life. “We are starting sanctuaries with police departments,” she added. For more details visit snpfoundation.org
Township firefighters had their booth and provided two demonstrations during the day.
Jackson resident Erika Scala a caring worker at QuickChek was diagnosed recently with a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer requiring major treatment and a long road to recovery. This diagnosis has left her unable to work and with mounting medical bills. Cookies for Cancer was the theme of her table. “I’ve been getting a lot of support from my friends and co-workers,” she said. “I was diagnosed last month and now I’m going through the whole process and scans to make sure it is not in other areas of my body. I am waiting for the results for that. Then I go through the process of chemo, surgery. I’ve lived here for 27 years. I am 28.”
Pocket Ponies, which was brought to the event in partnership with the Jackson Multicultural Committee provided a small donkey that received a warm welcome and a lot of pets from children and adults.
With this being the 250th year of America’s birth, a rather tall Uncle Sam figure made the rounds having his photo taken with children and adults as well.
Politics was also part of the day as members of the now three municipal mayor and council race teams manned their respective booths and met with voters for the November 3 election.
Democratic Congressional candidate Rachel Peace of District 4 walked around to talk to voters as well and also greeted voters at the Jackson Democratic Club table who had team members present for the municipal race.
The Fight for Jackson team were out in force with their candidates and supporters all wearing their team T-shirts at their table while Mayor Jennifer Kuhn and her running mates had a dunk tank at the Jackson GOP table where they took turns getting dunked at $5 a chance with the proceeds going to charities.
The event concluded with a drone show at dusk. Meabe said “this was the first time Jackson Day was paid for in its entirety with sponsors. This event was not on the taxpayer’s dime.”
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