Every Saturday on its editorial page, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.
Every Saturday on its editorial page, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.
CHEERS: To reviving a community tradition. Members of the Carneys Point Police Officers Association helped to make the Thanksgiving holiday a lot brighter for six area families. Thanks to donations from two area supermarkets, Carneys Point officers, their family members and supporters delivered baskets laden with all the essentials for a hearty holiday meal including a delicious turkey. Not only did the gifts bring comfort to those receiving them, but also helped to strengthen ties between the police officers and those they serve.
JEERS: To the cruel hand of fate. It was just before 7:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning when Joel Hutton and Janiyah Conquest lost their lives in a head-on wreck in Winslow Township. Two more people were left in the hospital from the crash. While what exactly contributed to the deadly crash remains unclear, we mourn the loss of these two young lives and take this space to share the message Hutton's father had for both parents and children: "Tell them you love them." Greg Hutton shared this thought while standing on his porch on a particularly miserable late November day, reflecting on the countless lives his much-loved son touched. So parents, touch base with your children. Never leave something unsettled. Children, tell your parents how appreciative you are of the leg up they gave you in the world. You never know when the cruel hand of fate could come down and take either of you away forever.
CHEERS: To crossing the Delaware. Comcast often gets a bad rap. The media giant may have a monopoly-like presence in our region, but it is certainly doing a good deed in Voorhees via a recent business move. The cutting edge, 42,000-square-foot Center of Excellence brought communications workers from Aston, Pennsylvania, to the Camden County town and now boasts more than 600 workers under one roof. What's more, the company plans to hire even more people to work at the restored facility in the coming year. That's good news for South Jersey and good publicity for Comcast, but we'll take more employment opportunities any day.
CHEERS: To students and staff at Logan Township Middle School for holding a hilarious and healthy event to celebrate Thanksgiving. The school hosted its first Turkey Trot last week. Teachers dressed as turkeys and tried to outrun students in an event that promotes physical fitness while also rewarding good student behavior. Kids who earn star tickets for demonstrating they are respectful, responsible and ready to learn get the chance to take part in fun activities like these all year long at Logan Middle. Kudos to all involved for finding creative ways to motivate students.
JEERS: To another attack on our seniors. Once again, local residents were targeted by fraudsters using the "grandparent scam." A Mantua Township couple was contacted by a man posing as a lawyer from Arizona. He claimed he was representing the couple's grandchild and that the kid was in jail out West. The scammer convinced the couple to buy gift cards to cover their grandson's bail. We cannot scream this enough: You cannot bail out your loved one out of any jail with gift cards! These scams continue because they work. It's up to all of us to educate our elders about these frauds. Share this story. Tell them to contact you before handing over money to anyone. It's very easy to avoid being duped. Just verify the caller's claim. For those who sell gift cards, ask a few questions when you see an older shopper buying thousands of dollars in cards. Let's all do our part to stop these predators.
If you know of someone or something you would like to nominate for a cheer or a jeer, please send the information to sjletters@njadvancemedia.com