The Tabernacle community is encouraged to head out to Tabernacle Elementary School, 141 New Road, on Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the second annual Volunteer Day.
“Begun last year by then-Mayor Kim Brown, we feel this year’s event will be just as successful as the inaugural one,” Mayor Richard Franzen said. “Volunteers are extremely important to any community, and those in Tabernacle certainly set a high mark for their involvement.”
According to Col. William C. Lowe, emergency management coordinator, several organizations from the area will be on hand to inform the public about what they do.
“If we do nothing more than make people aware of the various volunteer organizations, than we’ve done quite a bit,” Lowe said.
Among the organizations already signed up are the Medford Farms Volunteer Fire Company, Pinelands Regional CERT, the Tabernacle Republican Club, Tabernacle Women’s Association, Tabernacle Recreation Committee, the Boy Scouts, Cub Pack №439, Burlington County CART (County Animal Rescue Team), the Tabernacle Historical Society, the Burlington County Department of Health, Tabernacle United Methodist Church, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, VFW Post №2692 Mount Holly and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
“The purpose is to make all the residents aware of all of the organizations,” Lowe said.
Organizations will be able to explain their backgrounds as well as recruit, even though that isn’t the main goal of the day.
Attendees of the event will be able to donate items that will be sent to soldiers overseas.
Organizations with roots in Tabernacle are welcome to sign up through Saturday morning.
“It is only fitting that we honor them and give them an opportunity to show the rest of the community just what they do,” Franzen said, adding that perhaps more people will join the organizations.
There will be no vendors on site, but organizations are welcome to sell or give away food items.
“This is primarily not a fundraiser,” said Lowe.
Volunteers keep Tabernacle taxes low, he said.
“A township like Tabernacle can’t exist without volunteers and volunteer organizations,” he said, using the recreation committee’s contributions as an example.
“If they didn’t volunteer to do that, someone would have to pay to get it taken care of.”
Turn out last year amounted to 400 to 500 community members.
Parking will be available at Olson Middle School with crossing guards directing traffic.
From 9 to 10 a.m., there will be a parade of vehicles heading to the new emergency services building from the former one.
A dedication of the new building will take place at 10:30 a.m. that day.
“There’s going to be a lot of stuff going on,” Lowe said.
The event will be held in either rain or shine, though Lowe predicts that “the weather’s going to be beautiful.”
Contact Lowe with questions or more information at (609) 268–1220, ext. 17, or by email at wLowe@townshipofTabernacle-nj.gov.
