During the week of July 20 to July 25, the Church of the Holy Eucharist played host to the 27th annual Pine Barrens Festival.
The festival is the largest event the church hosts and is an opportunity for area residents to come out and celebrate the culture of the New Jersey Pine Barrens with great food, live entertainment, games and amusement park rides.
However, the festival is not all carnival games and carousels. It supports a good cause and also honors a “volunteer of the year” each night from the different Pinelands towns — Medford, Chatsworth/Woodland, Medford Lakes, Vincentown/Southampton, Shamong/Indian Mills and Tabernacle.
The award is given to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the culture and history of the Pine Barrens.
“It’s been a tradition long before I became the pastor,” Pastor Andrew Jamieson said. “We contact each township and ask them to nominate a great volunteer or a particularly special individual.”
This year’s winner for the Tabernacle area was Rudy Saldan of the Medford Farms Fire Company.
“Committeeman (Stephen) Lee told me about the news,” Saldan said. “I was certainly proud.”
As the fire commissioner of the former Tabernacle Fire District, he was instrumental in the transition of the township now using the Medford Farms Volunteer Fire Company.
Last November, the state local finance board voted 3–1 to approve the township committee’s application to dissolve the Tabernacle Fire District.
The township said the dissolution would save money and that the township would provide the essential fire protection services through a contract with the Medford Farms Volunteer Fire Company.
Saldan has been part of fire protection services for the residents of Tabernacle for more than 30 years. He is the former president of the Medford Farms Volunteer Fire Company and a former Tabernacle fire commissioner. He is also a member of the Tabernacle Fire Company №1.
He got involved in volunteering a long time ago when Tabernacle fireman Tom Mason asked if he wanted to join the fire company.
“All they asked for was 10 percent of my time, and they needed help, so I joined and I’ve been there ever since,” Saldan said.
Saldan exemplifies being a volunteer by not looking for any particular credit, and that set him aside as far as the Tabernacle Township Committee was concerned during the selection process.
“His leadership within the emergency services community of Tabernacle and dedication to its residents is exemplary,” members of the Tabernacle Township Committee said.
“I want to specifically congratulate Rudy, it was certainly well deserved,” Committeeman Stephen Lee said.
Rudy and his wife Ana are residents of Tabernacle, and long-standing members of the Church of the Holy Eucharist.
Miller enjoyed his time at the church’s Pine Barrens Festival when he came out on Tabernacle night to receive his award.
“It’s a great thing for the church,” Saldan said. “It was also good for the fire company. They had a table there and were giving out hats to the kids, asking people if they wanted to volunteer.”
“He filled three tables with family and friends when they did the award presentation at the festival,” Deputy Mayor Richard Franzen said. “It was really a touching thing.”
