Bridgeton Area Chamber Announced Community Hero Awards
The Bridgeton Area Chamber of Commerce, which has recognized businesses and community leaders for 34 years with its Salute to Business and Industry Awards, will honor and thank “community heroes” when it holds its awards celebration on December 1, 2020, 5 – 7:30 PM.
The celebration will be held outdoors as a drive-in event on the parking lot of Cumberland Mutual in Hopewell. Dinner will be served to guests in their vehicles as they arrive. Vehicles will be guided to reserved parking spaces where there will be sufficient space to bring chairs and sit near your cars if you wish or you may stay in your cars.
The Chamber will join with the community to honor individuals, groups of individuals, organizations and businesses who have selflessly worked to sustain and strengthen people and other organizations by demonstrating their “Hometown Heart.”
Their service, character, courage, and achievements will be honored, not just to thank them, but to inspire others to support their efforts and to become Community heroes themselves.
The Chamber Chairperson, Carol Musso, and the Salute to Business Chairperson, Laurie LaTorre, are proud to announce the Hometown Hero awards for 2020.
Golden Pigeon Restaurant
The owner of Golden Pigeon Restaurant, Ozkan Akilli, and his employees provided extraordinary service delivering take-outs to the tenants of Upper Deerfield Estates once the virus started and is still providing this much appreciated service to the residents who live in the nearby complex.
The Golden Pigeon, like other restaurants, suffered loss of business during the pandemic, but continued to provide take-outs and stayed open 24 hours a day, providing extraordinary service to the people of the Bridgeton area.
Innovation Foods
Despite the troubling times, it had been business as usual at Innovation Foods. Nick Catalana and his cousin Andrew Catalana, with a passion to help others, developed a plan to produce, package and distribute hand sanitizer that was donated to various hospitals and organizations in the area.
They thank GoodBelly for donating the bottles and packaging. They quickly repurposed manufacturing lines to bottle hand sanitizer for the pandemic, while Innovation Foods continued producing cases of juice and plant-based products.
The family-owned company produced an alcohol-based hand sanitizer made at its Bridgeton facility. The 12.7-ounce bottles are labeled “Formula71,” evoking the factory address of 71 Bridgeton Avenue and family roots to the city.
Community Heroes are individuals like Nick and Andrew, who together with their company, acted and are doing their part to help others.
The Heroes Foundation and Pepi Dragotta
Pepi Dragotta survived sudden cardiac arrest while playing soccer with his son. After he made his recovery, he decided to start Heroes Foundation NJ.
To date, Pepi has provided youth teams with 100 units to save lives across our community. The Foundation has provided scholarship money to high school students who are looking to continue their education going into the medical field.
The Heroes Foundation, under the leadership of Pepi Dragotta, purchases and distributes AED’s to sports organizations and non-profits throughout South Jersey.
The Chamber is proud to recognize Pepi and the Heroes Foundation for being a true community hero.
The Salvation Army Bridgeton Corps and Lt. Melissa Lowell
For Lt. Melissa Lowell, The Salvation Army Bridgeton Corps, was her first appointment in New Jersey. Her responsibilities in Bridgeton include overseeing the breakfast program, food pantry, infant supplies personal care pantry, utility/rental assistance, and regular church programing.
COVID has created an astounding increase in the need for services in the region. The Salvation Army Bridgeton Corps continues to do its best to meet those needs.
In June alone they served over 1,000 breakfast meals, providing food to over 200 local households.
They also provided masks, clothes, diapers, and other essential items to families who had no other place to turn. Lt. Lowell, and a small group of volunteers, quickly adapted to the pandemic to safely provide services to a growing number of struggling families. The public is welcome to visit the Corps at 20 W. Commerce Street to learn more about their mission, their work in the community and how you can become part of this meaningful organization.
CompleteCare Health Network
CompleteCare Health Network has provided extraordinary community service throughout the Coronavirus emergency with CEO Curtis Edwards’ leadership and with the dedication of his staff.
Their hard work and professionalism have been integral in efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus in Cumberland County and surrounding areas.
CompleteCare acted quickly and responsibly to ensure patients had access to vital healthcare services throughout the outbreak.
Using innovative methods, they were able to keep patients connected to prescription refills, sick visits, COVID screenings, and other health services.
CompleteCare provided COVID-19 testing to patients in multiple areas. The remarkable COVID testing team, made up of doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, nurses, and staff from across the organization, tested nearly 6,000 people at drive-thru and in-person testing sites in Cape May Court House, Bridgeton, Millville, Vineland and at farms and camps throughout South Jersey.
Together, they have created a safe and efficient process for offering testing to anyone in the community who needs it and will continue to do so for as long as there is a need.
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Inspira Health
Inspira Health played a key role in serving those affected by the Coronavirus, providing high-quality and compassionate health care services, while keeping their employees and the public safe throughout the crisis. They served as the “family and friends” of those hospitalized, when loved ones could not be with patients due to quarantine.
During the COVID-19 health crisis, Inspira’s leadership team and all its brave and caring team members have been a source of inspiration and professional health care.
The many people and organizations who volunteered and made donations demonstrated that this critically important service to the community can only be achieved by working together with communities; by bringing vital services to the towns and neighborhoods they serve; and partnering with like-minded organizations to foster good health for everyone.
These Community Heroes from Inspira Health will join the celebration to accept the award and the community’s thanks.
Cumberland County Government and Health Services
Under the leadership of the Director of the Board of County Commissioner’s Joe Derella, County Administrator, Kim Wood and Deputy County Administrator, Jody Hirata, the County’s response to the Coronavirus emergency has been excellent, a true partnership of leaders and experts across the County.
They brought leaders of all municipalities together for communications and coordination, provided valuable information for the public, businesses, and government leaders.
These Community Heroes include Cumberland County administrative officials and employees, Cumberland Health officials and staff, Cumberland County EMS and others.
Rylee Howerton, Queens 4 a Cause and Creator of “Choose Wise Words” Initiative
Rylee Howerton is a 15-year old high school freshman, who is involved with many clubs and organizations, while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She was recently crowned International United Miss New Jersey Jr. Teen and is a nine-time recipient of the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service award, recipient of the Governors Jefferson award for community service, and a recipient of the New Jersey State Prudential Spirit of Community award. Rylee, with over 2,500 hours of certified community service logged, keeps her focus on helping the homeless and the needy throughout her community. She is active with the efforts of organizations like The Salvation Army Vineland Corps, If Not for Grace, Spirit and Truth Ministries, and the Vineland Soup Kitchen.
In a direct response to the COVID-19 relief efforts, Rylee and her “crew” of volunteers would show up at The Salvation Army and not only get a tremendous amount of work done – but she was always kind and compassionate and even as the lines grew longer for food distribution, Rylee and other volunteers would keep their smiles, their energy and lift the spirits of anyone who they encountered.
Rylee also helps the homeless community as an individual by cooking and serving pancakes in local parks and on the streets. She packs and provides nutritious bagged lunches and in the warm months, distributes bottled water, and in the winter, months provides gloves and hand warmers. Rylee assembles and distributes personal hygiene bags for the homeless as well.
Rylee‘s aspiration to co-create Queens 4 a Cause was born from her desire to use her volunteering experience and exposure as a pageant title holder to bring to light the ability area youths have to serve and make a difference within their own communities, and to hopefully inspire their peers to do the same. Queens 4 a Cause prides itself at showing any person, young or old, the wide variety of community service volunteering that is needed and can be accomplished – even during a pandemic.
Madison Stiles and Queens 4 a Cause
Madison Stiles, a 16-year old sophomore and cosmetology student who was given an opportunity to collaborate with her best friend, Rylee Howerton to help start a non-profit for volunteering called, Queens 4 a Cause.
Having recently been crowned Royal International Miss East Coast Jr Teen, Madison recruited other pageant winners to volunteer at local nonprofits in need of help. She created “Walls Have Ears – Understanding Mental Illness,” to raise awareness about mental illness. Madison was able to pay it forward and help teens and families as well as the mental health organizations her family turned to in their time of need.
Madison has been recognized for outstanding volunteer service. She received several Presidential Awards and recognition from the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Through Queens 4 a Cause Madison is able to use her social platform to make a real difference where it is needed most!
In direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Madison logged many hours of volunteer work at The Salvation Army Vineland Corps and helped to recruit other teen volunteers to make a big difference in providing food and essential supplies to displaced families.
Chris Hannah & Cole, the Deaf Dog, The Team Cole Project
Passed up by countless families at the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter because he was “broken,” Cole quickly began his journey to show that a disability is not an inability.
Cole works every school day, alongside his music teacher father, Chris Hannah, at Dr. William Mennies Elementary School in Vineland, developing school togetherness, confidence, and perseverance.
In April of 2019, Cole was named the Official Mascot of the NJ Veterans Memorial Home for his work with aging veterans. In the first year as a therapy dog, The Team Cole Project volunteered over 300 hours, receiving the Presidential Silver Service Award.
Recently, Chris and Cole began another step in Cole’s journey, this time as a hospice therapy dog with Angelic Health Services. As hospice volunteers, they provide pet therapy to those on their final journey, giving the patients great joy and comfort.
Best friends, Chris and Cole, are true Community Heroes.
Marco Cruz
Marco is from Cumberland County and his mother owns Milly’s in Vineland. He’s been active in Bridgeton before helping with soccer and PAL.
In the midst of the COVID pandemic, Marco voluntarily started working to ensure farm workers and other immigrant families had access to food, providing information and arranging deliveries to ensure the families’ needs were met.
He organized a drive-by caravan to encourage the workers for being essential to feeding the community. In July, Marco organized a unity rally to educate area residents and also to raise awareness as to how immigrants contribute to our communities.
Marco has been a key volunteer and activist in making a difference for the immigrant community. He has been a driving and leading force in helping more than 100 families meet basic needs.
Betty Shrouder
Betty has selflessly assisted hundreds of seniors while teaching school remotely, which was challenging enough. During the evenings and weekends, she made and donated cloth masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Betty also made hero gifts for local nurses and nurses who work in retirement communities. She even made ear savers and gave away produce that she has grew in her garden.
Betty has spent her own money for many of her supplies. She has not accepted money for making these items. She felt she needed to help and do her part. Betty also made a video showing others how to make a cloth mask. She is a true Community Hero.
Millie Irizarry Sanchez
Millie is a natural born humanitarian who previously worked for the Vineland and Cumberland County Health Departments.
She currently works for the Community Food Bank of NJ as an essential worker and is supervisor of the mobile food distributions. Millie has worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
As an advocate for her community, she hosted several food drives when others were afraid to do so during the pandemic.
Millie is responsible for hosting the farmworkers food drive. She was recognized as a Cumberland Hometown Hero in 2019, but since then she has gone into overdrive and is a true blessing and Hero to our community.
Angelia Edwards, Martha Price, Manna from Heaven
Angelia Edwards is the Founder/CEO of Manna from Heaven that provides food for the needy in Cumberland and surrounding counties. Angelia and Ms. Martha Price, 80 years old in August, provided home-cooked meals every Sunday to seniors in the Bridgeton area who could not get out during the pandemic to shop for food.
The first week Angelia started to cook, she delivered a meal to a senior and learned it was the first home-cooked meal they received in weeks. Angelia began serving eight families in March and that increased to 50 dinners by June. The deadline for registration is November 24.For more information on see www.baccnj.com/hero or call 856-455-1312.
More heroes we’ll be featured in the series.
For more information on attending, and sponsoring, see www.baccnj.com/hero or call 856-455-1312.
