Sayreville Volunteer Sounds Alarm As Council Honors Years Of Service
Outgoing Historical Society President Frank Terzino Sr. urged residents to get involved as borough officials also called attention to an upcoming referendum involving benefits for volunteer first responders.
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SAYREVILLE, NJ — A recognition for an outgoing Sayreville Historical Society president turned into a broader call for residents to volunteer during the Sept. 28 Borough Council meeting.
The council recognized Frank Terzino Sr. after he completed four years as president of the Historical Society, including two consecutive two-year terms.
Council President John Zebrowski said finding and keeping volunteers has become difficult for community organizations.
“Volunteerism across the nation is difficult these days, and a lot of our community groups are struggling in order to be able to get volunteers and to recruit and retain them,” Zebrowski said.
He said the Historical Society had managed to buck that trend in recent years.
Terzino Calls On Residents To Get Involved
Terzino used his remarks to encourage residents to consider giving their time not only to the Historical Society, but to organizations throughout Sayreville.
“Volunteering is going downhill. People are not stepping up,” Terzino said. “We need people to step up to do things, to do things right.”
He pointed to the borough’s firefighters, first aid squads, police auxiliary and youth sports organizations as examples of groups that depend on people willing to volunteer.
“Every organization needs help. Needs help really bad,” Terzino said. “You got people doing volunteering for five or six different organizations. That’s not fair to that one person.”
Terzino encouraged residents who have some time available to find a way to get involved.
“Please, if you got a few minutes, volunteer somewhere,” he said.
Terzino also credited other members of the Historical Society for the organization’s work and recognized incoming President Heather Unoni.
Council Members Discuss First Responder Referendum
Later in the meeting, council members also called attention to an upcoming Length of Service Award Program, or LOSAP, referendum involving Sayreville’s volunteer first responders.
Councilman Herve Blemur, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, encouraged residents to support the measure.
Zebrowski also urged voters to approve it, pointing to the work performed by first responders during severe weather and other emergencies.
“With Election Day coming up, there is a referendum that is very important to us, and that is for the LOSAP contribution for our first responders,” Zebrowski said.
He added that the community could help first responders “by approving that referendum.”
The measure is expected to appear before Sayreville voters during the upcoming general election.
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