Council lauds community for supporting food pantry
BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer

JACKSON - Township Council members have presented the Jackson Food Pantry with a donation of more than $600 in cash.

"Council members and residents are helping this volunteer organization to buy perishable food items for the upcoming holidays," council President Ann Updegrave said. "Mayor (Mark) Seda and the council members have worked diligently from the time they heard the news of the (Aug. 29) fire which destroyed the food pantry and the Jackson Code Enforcement Office and Animal Control Office to offset the cost of rebuilding these municipal operations."

Updegrave thanked Seda and Councilman Jason Gudaitis for immediately orchestrating the replenishing of the food pantry's loss of nonperishable food items by reaching out to local organizations, radio stations and Jackson residents to help the organization's cause.

The fire in the code enforcement office caused smoke damage in the food pantry. The operators of the pantry were forced to discard all of the food that was stored at that location.

Updegrave noted that collection bins for food items have been placed around town and said donations were collected at Jackson Day.

"As a result of everyone's efforts, the response was overwhelming and the food pantry is expected to be up and running soon," said Updegrave. "Their new location will be in the Jackson public works building on Don Connor Boulevard."

The code enforcement and animal control offices have been temporarily relocated to the municipal building on West Veterans Highway and are operational and meeting the needs of residents, she said.

"I wish to thank all the residents of our community for showing us the kind of people they are, caring, kind, thoughtful and generous human beings willing to come together during a time of need," Updegrave said. "This is what open communication, working together as a community and forging ahead as a team in looking for solutions to problems in Jackson is all about."

In other business, the council members presented a plaque and read a resolution out of respect and remembrance of all Americans who have been and will forever be affected by the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States.

After reading the resolution, a moment of silence was held and the names of two Jackson residents who lost their lives during the tragic moments in history were read into the record. A plaque listing those two names - Edward K. (Eddie) Oliver and Joseph Mangano - will be placed in town hall as a permanent record to honor, respect and remember them always.

Oliver and Mangano were killed at the World Trade Center, New York City, according to www.september11victims.com.