Jersey City’s Veterans Day Parade has grown larger each year and  parade goers  lined the parade route as the many contingents marched,  which included Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, a former US. Marine who saw action in the first gulf war and Councilmen Daniel Rivera and Richard Boggiano also former Marines.

 Also in attendance was Jersey City  Councilman Lavaro and Councilman Yun.

The parade route ended in front of Jersey City City Hall. Rich Dwyer announced the many groups marching and at the end of the parade, he announced Councilman Rivera who then announced that the Marine Corps was celebrating their 243 Anniversary  and that there were several young people who would be taking the oath to enter into the Marines. Rivera read them the oath congratulated them as they began their Military careers.

See our photos of the parade

The post Jersey City Annual Veterans Day Parade Ends with New Marine Recruits Taking Oath of Service first appeared on River View Observer.

 By Sally Deering

In these troubled times, the U.S. turns to its military, the men and women (and four-legged, bomb-sniffing soldiers) to protect Americaâ€s freedom and democracy.

On Sat, Nov. 12, starting at noon, Jersey City Mayor and U.S. Marine Veteran Steven M. Fulop and the Mayorâ€s Office of Veterans Affairs, local U.S. military men and women and other dignitaries will lead the 2^nd annual Parade of Veterans and Heroes followed by a Veterans Resource Fair that will be held at City Hall until 5 pm.

The Parade of Veterans and Heroes is open to anyone who would like to march, especially men and women who are serving and have served in the military. Registration for participants will begin at 10 am at the Historic Jersey City Harsimus Cemetery on Newark Avenue near Dickinson High School. (You can also register online.)

The parade begins with a remembrance ceremony at Dickinson High Schoolâ€s Vietnam Memorial and a special dedication to fallen soldier, US Army Pvt. 2, Tysheena James. The parade then kick-offs from there and heads down Newark Avenue with designated honorees Yolanda Amiker, Glen Flora, Phil Lore, John Scafidi, and John Trambley, led by Grand Marshal Tony Goodson, Vietnam Veteran and Commander of the Samuel R. Shelton Post VFW #2294.

Marching in the parade Yolanda Amiker of the U.S. Army

“It is a great honor,” Goodson says “This parade is very important for me because Vietnam vets, especially, were never really credited with the honor most war vets receive. We had a unique war, and the Vietnam veteran was unfairly treated. But Iâ€m not so much about whining about the inequities back then. Instead, I focus my energy on the memories of all the war veterans, all the soldiers that were killed in action, the Service guys who served our country.

Parade Grand Marshal Tony Goodson,U.S. Army, NCO-E5

 Following Goodson and the U.S. military men and women will be Welcome Home Vets of NJ and Eight Flames of Hope, Snyder and Dickinson High School marching bands, McNair JROTCs, celebrities like Heavyweight Boxing Champ Chuck Wepner who boxed Muhammad Ali, and lots of floats. The Line-of-March will east down Newark Avenue and will finish at Jersey City Hall with a Motorcycle and Vintage Car Show and the Veterans Resource Fair. Live entertainment will be provided by local favorites Cabaret Sauvignon and the Gully Hubbards.

At the Veterans Resource Fair following the parade, organizations like Vets Chat/Chew, Npower Technology Services Corps, and other state and non-profit groups will offer info on veterans†housing, employment and wellness. An Opening Reception for a veterans†art exhibit will be held in the Rotunda Gallery on the 3rd floor. All artwork created by veterans, Combat Paper, members of the police and fire departments, and active military personnel.

There will be light refreshments and a cake donated by Cake Boss Buddy of Carlos Bakery in Hoboken.

 Born and raised in Jersey City, Parade Grand Marshal Tony Goodson served six years in the army including a tour-of-duty in Vietnam from 1970-71. As President of the Jersey City VFW Post #2294, Goodson hosts many events for veterans and their families. The VFW also decorates veterans†graves at New York Bay Cemetery on Garfield Avenue, and Harsimus Cemetery on Newark Avenue in Jersey City.

“At the VFW, we have a lot of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)-affected veterans,” Goodson says. “We see the Post as a place of peace and salvation and we have dinners throughout the year for veterans and their families, where we reflect upon the blessings we have. My job is to keep that alive, to remind the public to give a little thought and thanks to a veteran and never forget the sacrifice.”

If you go

Sat, Nov. 12 at noon

2^nd annual Jersey City Veterans Day Parade

Dickinson High School to City Hall

280 Grove St, JC

(Corner of Palisade Ave/Newark Ave

to City Hall on Grove Street)

 

To register as a vendor for the Veterans Resource Fair,

go to http://bit.ly/2d44hAR

To march in the Parade of Veterans and Heroes,

go to http://bit.ly/2d4jz6W

For more information, call Charles Sampson at (201) 547-4919

or email SampsonC@jcnj.org

The post HONORING HEROES   Jersey City Veterans Day Parade kicks-off Sat, Nov. 12 at noon first appeared on River View Observer.

If you blink, you miss it: the black iron gate on Newark Avenue that leads to the oldest cemetery in New Jersey: the Jersey City Harsimus Cemetery and Memorial Park. Run by volunteer president Eileen Markenstein, who has several family members buried there, and her husband Aart Markenstein, the couple – along with many volunteers – have been preserving the cemetery since they found it abandoned in 2007. Since then, the volunteers have raised more than $100,000 in funds to pay for clean-up and restoration and now, they are reaching out to the community to raise money to repair damages from Hurricane Sandy.

To help eradicate a wild weed that was destroying the grass, Eileen Markenstein rented a group of Nubian goats from in Rhinebeck, New York. The goats have already eaten much of the weed on the hilly west embankment and have become a big attraction to school groups of kids – and animal-loving adults – and are a sweet, albeit temporary addition to the already beautiful grounds. (The goats return home to their farm in the fall).

“The goats came three weeks ago,” Eileen says, scooping up feed and letting the goats eat from her hands. “This ridge here was covered with Japanese Knotwood, a very invasive weed. We did a whole study and found the only non-chemical way to get rid of the weed is goats. We read about a farm called Green Goats that rented goats to the Coast Guard, so we contacted them and here they are.”

The Harsimus Cemeteryâ€s history dates back to 1829 when local politicians and community leaders agreed that a cemetery be created separate from the churchyard where people were buried at the time. A committee formed to find the appropriate land and in 1831 the Harsimus Cemetery, the very first in New Jersey, was incorporated. The caretakerâ€s house is still on the property, although now it houses several war veterans who serve as groundskeepers – and goat herders.

Buried at the Harsimus Cemetery are Jersey Cityâ€s earliest leaders – mayors, freeholders – and the men, women and children who were the fabric of the city. Also laid to rest at Harsimus Cemetery are thousands of soldiers dating back to the 1812 Revolutionary War.

Volunteers come every week to help restore the cemetery, and they fundraise. To keep the restoration moving forward, the Markensteins and the board invite local groups to perform. Just last week, the Hudson Shakespeare helped raise $500 with an outdoor performance of “Twelfth Night”.

“We do all kinds of cultural events every month,” Eileen says. “Shakespeare, concerts, military tributes to honor the thousands of soldiers buried here, and we give historic walking tours. These are the men and women who built Jersey City. In the Revolutionary War this was a campsite.”

Along with cleaning and fixing up the site – which is ongoing – the Markensteins and their troupe of volunteers have made great strides in other facets of the cemetery. They built a website and have connected hundreds of families to their ancestors.  The cemetery is open seven days a week for visitors and the community and has become a popular destination site for exciting cultural events that raise awareness and support and promote history, art, music and honor our veterans. They offer tours, lectures, films, books signings, concerts, art exhibits and fairs. Special ceremonies are held annually to commemorate Veteranâ€s Day, Memorial Day, Earth Day, Arbor Day, the Civil War and War of 1812 anniversaries, plus “We, the People,” an annual event to celebrate the U.S. Constitution.

The volunteer board has received many proclamations and awards for the work theyâ€ve done, but thereâ€s still a long way to go. The cemetery still needs a major stone pathway restoration estimated at around $130,000, and Hurricane Sandy damaged the roof of the groundskeeperâ€s house.

There are two veterans who live in the groundskeeperâ€s house and watch over the cemetery and the goats 24/7. They live rent-free in exchange for the work they do.

“They work seven days a week,” Aart Markenstein says. “They supervise the volunteers and watch over the place. We have veterans come here every day to help. Guys who fought in Korea, Viet Nam, and who trained soldiers in Desert Storm. Theyâ€re very proud to be vets.”

To help the soldiers and townspeople buried at Harsimus Cemetery & Memorial Park is a mission of love, Eileen Markenstein says.

“I do this because Iâ€m supposed to be doing this,” Eileen says. “I never had time to volunteer before. This has given me a purpose. My dad was in World War II. He was a Medic. He taught me to have great respect for veterans. Iâ€ve been coming to this cemetery since I was a little girl.”

The Markensteins are planning to set up a preservation fund for Harsimus Cemetery & Memorial Park, to preserve the cemeteryâ€s location on Newark Avenue.

“Weâ€ve raised more than $100,000 and we need to raise several hundred thousand more,” Eileen says. “One of our hopes is that this will become a National Park.”

To volunteer or donate:

The Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery & Memorial Park

435 Newark Ave

Jersey City, NJ 07302

(201) 707-0738, (973) 204-9888

www.jerseycitycemetery.org

The post Preserving Jersey City’s Past – Historic Harsimus Cemetery Honors Town Fathers and Fallen Heroes first appeared on River View Observer.

     Each year thousands of young people across the United States signup to join the Armed Forces, many are of college age and instead of heading off to college they head out to war. Some of these young soldiers are receiving their college degree while fighting for their country. In an effort to bring to light, give back and showed their gratitude a group of Stevens Technology students set out to make a difference by creating a venue entitled “Project Eleven”.

     Project Eleven is a non-profit venture created by Stevenâ€s music and technology students in conjunction with Stevens Multimedia (SMM) a student run company. Its purpose is to create awareness and to show gratitude to all of the young veterans who are out at war fighting for this nationâ€s freedom.  The idea for the project was first introduced to Stevens Music and Technology Professor David Musial by a music industry contact, Professor Musial then shared the idea with students involved with Stevens Multimedia. The result, a compilation of students creating a way to show their gratitude to soldiers their age who are out protecting our country, so that the students back home can continue to get an education. In retrospect it is “students helping the students”.

     Professor David Musial explains, “We appreciate the fact that college age students are helping college age students who are at war. Their struggle is not unnoticed and they are making it possible for students here to continue to receive  a college education.”

     Project Elevenâ€s initiative is to create an album of songs, songs that show gratitude, share struggles, hopes and dreams for young soldiers at war. The Project Eleven group is inviting all college-age bands and musicians to submit songs for the album which will support veteranâ€s charities. The album will ultimately be produced by Castle Point Records, a private label run by Stevens Multimedia.

     Noriel Valdes, a senior and president of Castle Point Records explains, “We are inviting artists and bands from all over the country to submit songs for the Project Eleven album. We are producing this album to give thanks to all of the young veterans who are fighting for our freedom.”

     Project Eleven is set to officially be announced on Veteranâ€s Day – 11/11/11 at 11:11 am and on Memorial Day, 2012, the Project Eleven group is planning on offering 11 concerts with 11 bands and 11 songs during the Memorial Day weekend.

     Tracy Caudle, a parent whose was in attendance with her son-who will soon be enrolling in Stevens , just happen to be present and heard conversations about Project Eleven. She was enthralled with the concept, because in a parallel she also has a son who is presently undergoing Army training to become an Army MP at Fort  Leonard, Missouri. She explained, “I think this is a great thing! It means a lot to me and my son. Iâ€ve printed a copy of the website and am going to send it to him, so he can see that young people also care.”

     Project Eleven is doing great things, several of  the Project Eleven group members have close ties to the military, either through their friends or family who are serving or have served.  It seems that music is indeed universal, it can heal, it can educate and in the example of this Professor and his Stevens Technology students it also can help.

If you are interested in learning more about ProjectEleven sign on to their website at www.ProjectEleven.org  Also check in with them on 11-11-11.

The post Hoboken’s Steven Technology Students Give Back to our Young Veterans through Music first appeared on River View Observer.