Township gallery will honor hometown heroes
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK - - A township employee is hoping to dress up the municipal building lobby a bit with a tribute to hometown heroes.

Laura Hoover, a longtime resident and employee, recently approached the Township Council and Mayor William Neary with the idea of using the lobby as a way to display pictures of those serving in the military. She had seen other towns, such as Old Bridge, display such photographs.

With the mayor and council's support, Hoover has begun to advertise the Hometown Heroes project in hopes of garnering a host of pictures for the gallery.

The display will feature active military personnel from East Brunswick or even someone who is a friend or relative of a township resident. The photos will be placed on the wall along with information such as the person's name and location, whether the person is overseas or in the United States.

The Hometown Heroes project will also likely make its way to the Internet, perhaps on the township's Web site.

Hoover, who has lived in East Brunswick for 39 years and worked there for more than 20, is in the process of getting the word out to the public. Anyone interested should bring in a 5-by-7-inch photograph with the military branch, name of the soldier, and where they are located, she said. The photos will then be matted, framed and displayed in the lobby.

Neary made note of the project during his recent State of the Township address.

"This good citizenship shows how connected our local government and citizens are in relation to world events, international politics and a global environment," Neary said. "These remembrances are a sincere way to show our gratitude to fellow Americans and East Brunswick residents of the sacrifice made by our heroes."

Hoover, who is a deputy collector of revenue for the township, does not have any immediate family in the military.

"I was just so impressed with the display in Old Bridge," she said. "I just wanted to show some gratitude for the people in the military."

She said she feels Americans in general are too "detached" from the people serving in the military, especially those overseas at war.

"Walking into that lobby reminded me, it's brothers, sisters, sons and daughters," she said.