CARTERET–Last month, Mayor Daniel Reiman was honored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander-in-Chief George Lisicki, who presented him with the organization’s Gold Medal of Merit. The medal is the highest award that can be bestowed on any individual by the national VFW Commander-in-Chief, and recognizes commitment to both active military and veterans. Past recipients include Bob Hope, John Wayne, Martha Ray, President Eisenhower, and Senator John McCain.
“Mayor Reiman has distinguished himself by supporting numerous veterans projects in the Borough of Carteret,” Lisicki said, “as well as obtaining grants to help repair the local VFW Post. He has also assured funding be made available to support an annual Memorial Day Parade, Carteret being one of the few remaining towns that still honor our nation’s veterans with this kind of procession.”
Reiman was presented with a medal and citation by Lisicki, who thanked him for his years of commitment to U.S. veterans. Since his first election as mayor in 2002, Reiman has been credited with aggressive grant seeking, and a number of projects and programs that have directly benefited veterans of the military.
This past April Reiman presented a check for $25,600 to benefit members of the local Star Landing, Pvt. Nicholas Minue #2314, allowing for HVAC building upgrades and various other improvements to the local VFW’s headquarters. Lisicki also praised the mayor for the restoration of Carteret Park’s Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, and the commitment of borough resources to the town’s patriotic Memorial Day parade, which has grown annually into a major local event.
Most notably, Reiman announced at his state of the borough address that his administration has committed itself to providing affordable for-sale housing for returning veterans. A local Veterans Housing Committee has been formed and is currently working on design and location specifics.
“It was a great surprise and honor to receive the Gold Medal of Merit from the VFW Commander in Chief, George Lisicki,” Reiman said. “Our community has always held our veterans in the highest regard, and I think we as an administration can never do too much for them to ensure they’re given the recognition they deserve. This has meant the preservation of memorials and traditions, but also the provision of public facilities and amenities that ensure that they and their organizations are properly accommodated here at home.”
The award was presented at the mayor’s annual charity ball, which recognizes the many individuals and businesses that have contributed to the children’s scholarships and programs it has sponsored. The Children’s Charity Trust Fund is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization, established in 2003 to provide Carteret’s children with a monetary resource for education, athletics, and health. Since then, the Children’s Charity Trust Fund has raised over $260,000 towards scholarships, arts and culture, athletic programs, other charities, and a variety of programs and services that benefit local children.
