As summer progresses, there is not a great deal of business to report. However, I would like to take this opportunity to share updates on a couple new exciting initiatives that are about to launch and will benefit our residents and community in the coming weeks.
As many are aware, we launched our Hometown Heroes Veterans Banner Program (HHVBP) earlier this year. The goal of this program is to publicly honor and recognize the service and sacrifice of local military veterans, active-duty service members and other local fallen heroes by displaying personalized banners throughout the township.
The first phase of this program is to recognize military veterans throughout Mantua’s history who were either killed in action or died while on active duty, and also honor other local fallen heroes from our community.
I’m honored to announce that approximately 25 banners from our first phase of the program will be hung on Wednesday, July 22, and Thursday, July 23. The Hometown Heroes banners will line Main Street on both sides, and will be accompanied by new complimentary patriotic banners that will replace the existing American flags.
The banners will fly from Veterans Plaza at the township administration building to the entrance of Chestnut Branch Park. The township committee and I would like to invite you to join us on Wednesday, July 22, at 7:30 a.m. as we celebrate the official unveiling and hanging of Mantua’s first banners.
Play pickleball!
I’m also delighted to announce that our new pickleball and basketball courts at Chestnut Branch Park are close to completion and will ready for play in the near future. We will officially open the courts on Monday, July 27, at 10 a.m.
We plan to introduce play criteria for the courts, and Mantua’s own pickleball gurus, Kevin Kelly and his wife Monica, will be on hand on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, to help get our courts up and running. The committee and I would also like to invite residents to partake in this much anticipated grand opening of the state-of-the-art facility at our beautiful park.
Buried treasure
On Saturday, July 11, the Sewell Community Baptist Church held a special ceremony to unearth a time capsule from its property that was buried 50 years ago, on July 4, 1976. Mantua’s Historical Commission chairman, Jeffrey Gellenthin, was instrumental in locating the time capsule and spoke of the church’s long-standing history at the ceremony.
Deputy Mayor Eileen Lukens and I attended, and she delivered opening remarks. The time capsule was an apparent cylinder of an old tank’s military artillery shell and contained cherished church documents from 50 years ago.
We were honored to be invited and were thrilled to be present for this historic event, along with the church’s congregation. I’d like to offer special thanks to Pastor Thomas Jenkins and church clerk Mabel Meyer organizing a wonderful event.
Moving up
At our July 13 township committee meeting, we passed resolutions reappointing Deputy Fire Chief Dan Hauss as our emergency management coordinator for an additional three-year term. We also authorized the appointments of SLEO II police officers AJ Salerno and Vincent Bristow, and approved Victor Wirtz as a Class 4 laborer and John Pool as a mechanic for our department of public works.
I’d like to congratulate and welcome each of these individuals into their new roles.
As always, thank you for your continued support of the great place we call home. I hope you and your family enjoy the remainder of the summer. With the heat expected to continue, please remember to stay cool, stay hydrated and check in on neighbors who may need a helping hand.
