Do you remember when there were a ton of Girl Scout troops in Gloucester City? I do. When I was a kid, everyone seemed to be either in Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts.

Did you know this year there are only two registered troops in town this year? There is one Brownie Troop, which I lead with the help of three great co-leaders and a Junior Troop.

Girl Scouts is a wonderful activity for girls. It helps them to boost self-esteem, learn new things, meet friends, work as a team, learn about the environment and their community, and try activities that they might never have a chance to do otherwise.

We have 23 girls in our troop this year. This is an incredible number! The girls in our troop have had a chance to do a lot of great things. They have earned badges, learned the Girl Scout Promise, learned proper respect for the flag, attended the Nutcracker, attended the Veterans Day Ceremony, made Irish potatoes, sold cookies, and did so much more.

We still have a lot of things to do before this year is over. We will be going camping, attending the Memorial Day Ceremony, walking in the July Fourth parade, and going to the VFW Museum to just name a few.

Our girls are very proud to be in Girl Scouts and to wear their uniforms. We have had many requests to take on additional girls especially in other age brackets.

The Junior Troop will move up to Cadettes (7th-9th Grade) next year, two woman stepping up to the plate to have a Junior Troop (4th-6th Grade), and there is a possible Daisy Leader (K & 1st Grade). Brownies are (1st-3rd grade).

There are many scholarship opportunities for girls who stay in Girl Scouts through high school. It has been said that a Girl Scout who has completed her Gold Award and Eagle Scouts are the top picks for job opportunities because of the dedication it takes to complete these awards.

For information on volunteering as a leader, contact Kim Reed at the Camden County Girl Scout Council in Cherry Hill at 795-1560. Meetings for younger girls are typically held once a week or every other week for about an hour.

Older girls are usually more flexible due to their busy schedules. There is not a set time frame. Some troops meet all year long, some meet for the school year and some only meet 3-5 months of the year.

If there aren\’t enough troops or a troop in that age bracket, girls are put on waiting lists. Please give these girls a chance and volunteer to help.

You won\’t be sorry. It is a great program!

Theresa Ritchie, Leader, Girl Scout Troop 942

MCKANE, ROBERT A.
on March 25, 2007 of Bellmawr, NJ. Age 78.
Beloved husband of Joan (nee Craven). Devoted father of Robert J. (Sandra), Kathleen Geserick (Carl), and Joseph D. Dear brother of Shirl M. Newcomb, and the late Elizabeth Jester-Smith, Robert Hodges and Thomas McKane. Loving grandfather of Candice and Christopher. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Mr. McKane was a lifetime member of the No. 1 Fire Company in Bellmawr and he enjoyed the casinos. He was an Army veteran of WWII and the Korean Conflict.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the viewing Wednesday evening from 7 to 9pm and Thursday morning from 10 to 11am at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE. Funeral Service Thursday 11am at the funeral home. Interment at Brig. Gen. Wm C. Doyle NJ Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown, NJ. In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be made in Robert\’s memory to the Camden County Hero Scholarship Fund, 191 W. White Horse Pike, Berlin, NJ 08009. Expressions of sympathy may be e-mailed to [email protected]

 As a resident and a proud Gloucester City Lion, I was chagrined to read that Cleary\’s Negative Notebook pointed its\’ accusing finger at the Lion Rest Stop flag.

I ordered a new flag on March 7 and I informed Bowie Johnson that we would replace the old flag on March 24, Clean Up Day, with volunteer Lion labor.

Due to the offensive report in your paper, the City replaced the flag with taxpayer\’s dollars.

We Lions endeavor to maintain the rest stop area including the three flags, but we, like the streets department are not perfect.

If any resident or business would like to aid us in our efforts, they could donate a flag. We would appreciate it very much.

I hereby invite the fault fining finger of William Cleary to attend a Lions Club meeting where we will \”point\” out the multitude of positive acts we perform for our City.

Call me to arrange to have dinner (free) on the first or third Tuesday evening, 6:15 p.m.

Jack Hughes, Sight Chairman 

Columnist Note:

Dear Mr. Hughes, If you knew the flag was torn then it should have been retired as soon as you were made aware of it. Why allow the flag to fly in that condition and get damaged further. If bringing public attention to the proper way to fly the American Flag offends you then too bad.

I suggest that you and anyone who feels the same way take a moment to read the following:

Section 8 of the United States Flag Code states, \”When a flag is old and ready to be retired the flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.\” We recommend that you contact your local VFW Chapter and ask them for help properly disposing of your flag.\”

The five torn Flags I found flying in our great City were in such a condition that they were no longer a fitting emblem for display. As for the flag flying at the Lions Club Rest Stop it is obvious from this photo Mr. Hughes the flag was no longer a fitting emblem for display. There is no telling how long the flag was in this condition.

While we are on the subject I like to commend the Post Office for removing its torn flag and replacing it with a new one. That flag was one of the five that were damaged.

As for the invite to dinner Mr. Hughes, I rather you take the money and use it towards the cost of the Flag.

Bill Cleary

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by: jay lassiter

 

reprinted with permission of Blue Jersey

 

Congressman Frank LoBiondo is afraid of Rosie O\’Donnell and Barbara Streisand. Read the article and you\’ll know why maybe he should be. I guess when you\’ve never had a serious challenge, you grow a little thin skinned.   The NJ Clean Elections program is slated to make (limited) comeback this campaign season. I suspect that if folks like me and you were ever to make a run for office, this type of scheme would be a the way to go. So who\’s running?   A budget without Wayne Bryant is like a fish without a bicycle.   I hesitate to use the words \”McGreevy\” and \”blower\” in the same sentence, but here goes: McGreevey subpoenaed in whistle-blower suit.   Maybe one day the powers-that-be will turn Petty\’s Island into the next locale for the reality show Survivor. They can vote contestants off one at a time and the winner gets to choose the island\’s future. But that\’s just my morning fantasy. Find out what the real plan is here.   The new chief at UMDNJ sees a bright future for the state\’s medical school. With a salary like his, I\’d be optimistic too, but that\’s just me.   Way down in South Jersey, Whelan joins race for state Senate and provides the Dems with the best chance to flip that particular disctict in decades. More from South Jersey here and here.

Erin MacAdams of Brooklawn has been named to the Gloucester County Times Girls Basketball All Stars

– First Team. The diminutive Lions sophomore point guard led the team in every statistical category posting

13.3 points, 8 assists, six rebounds and 2.5 steals per game…. She hit 53 three pointers this season and

Shot 82 percent from the foul line…..She recorded two triple doubles this season.

Group Two, photos of other winners will follow.

The Gloucester City P.A.L. held it’s 11^th Annual 3 on 3 Tournament on March 24 and 25, 2007.

There were approximately 200 participants. It was a huge success.

The PAL would like to thank the following for their help: Gloucester City Board of Education for the use of Cold Springs School, the janitors who helped clean up the gym each day, Ken Eller, Doug Ziegler, Bob Lee, Bill Johnson, Bud Blackiston, Kathy Matkowski, Mike Niedzwiadek, Mike Matkowski, Louisa Llewellyn, BFR Awards. Congratulations to all of the winners. Thanks again to all, William James.

The winners are as follows:

8 to 10 Year Olds- Austin Darrow, Tyler Berglund, John Lindeborn

11 to 13 Year Olds- Tyler Witcraft, Zack Carey, Ed Gunning, Stefano Okoro

14 to 16 Year Olds- Kevin Matkowski, Sean Welsh, Sam Pierman, Tom Hopson

17 to 18 Year Olds-Mike Matkowski, Kyle Kramer, Shaun Roch