TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The inscriptions in chill brick brought many to their knees, fingers outstretched. Others, some atop canes or clad in motorcycle leather, recognized veterans’ names and pointed. Of course cellphone cameras caught the moment.
An estimated 250 people attended the dedication for the township’s largest veterans memorial, on Saturday, Nov. 9, with Life Scout James Stickel emceeing a program that he made possible.
The memorial, backed by the sale of 351 personalized bricks but made of so much more, is the new assembly area of the township’s Memorial Day and Veterans Day commemorations.
On town property, in front of the public library, the new memorial “park” includes flags for each branch of the military, an American flag, an inviting seat wall monument with brick patio, a gazebo (in spring 2020), and new landscaping.
The site was put to work anchoring the township’s Veterans Day service two days later, taking its part in observations around the Pascack Valley, nationwide, and worldwide, coinciding with holidays including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I.
A member of Boy Scout Troop 321, which is powered by kids from the township and Westwood, Stickel aimed to benefit the community and preserve the past of township vets. In eighth grade he worked with an engineer on a concept rendering and launched a project website so residents could follow his progress and get involved.
Vito Trause said project was important
At the memorial’s dedication the daughters of the late Vito Trause, 94—a former WWII German prisoner of war, a township leading light, and a mentor to many—said he was with the dedication as well.
“This was a very important project to my father. He was so enthusiastic about it; he was so happy as far as getting involved with this and meeting with James and [James’s mother] Mary Ellen,” said Victoria Trause.
She added of her father, who died Oct. 31, that the two things she recalls he said most often of the project were “Wow, that kid works hard! He works hard!” and “I think this is great; this is great.”
“And my father didn’t use that as a filler. When he said it he meant it: This is great,” she said.
Stickel had struck a chord with Trause, she said, because although the project was for the veterans it also unites the community. “That was so important to him. So it was right up his alley,” she said.
Speaking with her sister Cynthia, and with their cousin in the audience, she relayed Trause’s recent assurance to Bob Stickel, James’s father:
“Make sure you tell Bob, ‘We’ll be there, we’ll be there, we’ll be there.’ And if you do believe in the afterlife then you know my father is here. I know he would say, ‘Congratulations, Pal, you did a great job.’”
In all, Trause received the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the European, African, and Middle East Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars. See Vito ‘Pal’ Trause, Beloved Local War Hero, Dies at 94, Nov. 1.
Also speaking: state Sen. Gerry Cardinale, immediate past mayor Janet Sobkowicz, Mayor Peter Calamari, Library Director Laura Rifkin, Library Board President Cindy Mazanec; and VFW Post 6192 Commander Steve Kohlreiter—who noted the memorial site would take some traffic pressure off Pascack Road—and James’s parents.
Invocation and benediction were by the Rev. Raymond Rodrigue, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on Ridgewood Road.
Fellow scouts raised service flags for the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, to the recorded official song of each service.
Also gracing the event were the U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard, Liza and John Baty with the national anthem, and Antonio Vinagre blowing “Taps.” Josh Baty led the crowd in three turns singing “Taps,” diminishing in volume: Day is done, gone the sun, from the lake, from the hills, from the sky; all is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
Mayor Calamari sounds a call to action
In his remarks, Calamari said the project, championed by both Sobkowicz and himself in their 2017–2018 mayoral transition, was a testament to Stickel, the team he assembled, and scouting in general.
“I’m delighted that it’s ready for Veterans Day on Monday. Being outside the library is a perfect location for our veterans to sit and reflect while overlooking the lake or reading a book while having access to a building,” Calamari said.
“I hope it becomes a gathering place for veterans to help each other out if needed and enjoy each other’s company and stories,” he added.
Calamari urged, “If you see a veteran here, respectfully ask them if they’d like to chat with you. They have so much wisdom to share about their service and life in general.”
He thanked “everyone who contributed to the fundraisers James ran to get the funds for the project,” notably the buy-a-brick fundraisers so obviously integral to the project but also the pasta dinners held at the Knights of Columbus, and other efforts.
On behalf of the community Calamari thanked Stickel “for taking on such an ambitious project to show our veterans how much they are appreciated for their service to our great country.”
Sobkowicz on the perfect location
Sobkowicz, noting the bright fall weather, beamed, “Are we lucky for this day or what?” She emphasized she had no doubt that this would be an outstanding project. “After all,” she said of Stickel, “his mom was a volunteer of the year for us and Dad has always helped us out with his AEDs and training everybody in town.”
She suggested the site was a perfect commons for veterans and the wider community. “I am so proud of James for this project. He’s intelligent and willing to work, and I’m just really proud of him,” she said.
Sobkowicz, elementary supervisor in the Waldwick School District, expressed joy for “all the scouts—all the young people who are becoming aware, becoming educated. I think it’s just marvelous and a grand tribute.”
She added, “I can’t wait until the gazebo goes up in the spring so we can all sit here and enjoy each other and help each other.”
Library is honored
Rifkin noted the memorial was the library’s fourth Eagle project in two years and commended local scouts’ drive, attention to detail, and speed.
“I don’t know what you parents are putting in the water but please keep doing it because these boys are amazing members of the community,” she said.
She also noted that, as of the most recent census, there were more than 500 veterans living in the township.
She and Mazanec were proud to announce that the library was working “to help memorialize these hometown heroes” by collecting their biographies and service photos for a book to be housed in the library’s Local History Room. Mazanec recalled Stickel from her kindergarten class and said he was an impressive young man even then.
Stickel thanks his supporters
Of his own work, Stickel said he’s been dreaming of an Eagle project since he joined Cub Scouts in first grade and that the idea owes its inspiration to Trause.
“After trips to the bagel shop [David’s Bagels at Washington Town Center] each and every morning, and meeting my pal Vito, I knew wanted my project to honor veterans,” he said.
He explained, “There were a lot of people who said the project was too ambitious or too huge an undertaking,” but he powered through, picking up eager support from officials, local businesses, and so many in the community.
He thanked his family, his scout family, and his friends.
He singled out Chris from Eisele’s Nursery & Garden Center; Paul Lowenstein of Bullet Electric Inc.; Rifkin, Mazanec, and the library community; WTPD Sgt. Roy Scherer, Capt. Richard Skinner, and Detective Heather Castronova; Sobkowicz and Calamari and their respective councils; Township Clerk Susan Witkowski and Director of Public Affairs Daisy Velez; the Department of Municipal Facilities; the VFW; and Knights of Columbus Council 5427.
Hot drinks were donated by Foodtown. Demarest Farm provided donuts.
Scoutmaster John Brobson told Pascack Press that Stickel did an amazing job, the scouts pulled together, “and the entire town actually pulled together and got this done, which is amazing.”
A library where scouts make their mark
Other scout projects touching on the library in recent years include:
- Lauren Rigg, Silver Award Project, 2016–2018: As an avid library user, Rigg noticed that the library always had a number of children waiting to be picked up outside, near a busy parking lot. For her silver award project she created a safe waiting space for children in the front of the library. This includes a seating area that sees frequent use.
- Mason Law, Eagle Scout Project, 2017–2019: Law led an Eagle Scout project to construct five Little Free Libraries, which were placed around the towns parks for families to enjoy. He found the design, raised funds, and organized a group of Boy Scouts from construction to installation. See Eagle Candidate’s ‘Little Libraries’ Open at Five Town Sites, Aug. 26.
- Derek Lin, Eagle Scout Project, 2017–2019: Lin wanted to help commemorate the town’s rich history. He held a pasta dinner to help raise funds to reorganize and update the library’s Local History Room. He reached out to a number of town organizations for donations of historic materials. In December the library will unveil a Local History Room “filled with more rich town history than ever before,” Rifkin said.
- Antonio Vinagre, Eagle Scout Project, 2018–2019: Vinagre designed and installed an outdoor storytime area on the side of the library. “He provided us with a reading chair, two benches, more than 20 cushions, and a storage bench for local children to enjoy,” Rifkin said. See Eagle Project Brings Sweet Reading Nest, Sept. 24.
- Abby Goetz, Moira Hanley, Mackenzie Quinn, and Maya Efraim, Troop 5564, 2019–2020: These girls are working on specialty Little Free Libraries, where children’s materials will go near schools and large-print materials will be sited near the senior center. The scouts recently held a book sale at the library and will start construction presently.