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Nutley Journal - April 2023

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NUTLEYJOURNAL ESSEXNEWSDAILY.COM

APRIL 2023

VOL. 36 NO. 40

Panel talks Jaycees honor Nutley’s best with awards of struggles

— See Page 6

Columbus Day honorees

— See Page 8

It’s time to play ball!

— See Page 27

Nutley Public Schools teacher Jainine Gambaro will be named the Nutley Jaycees’ Educator of the Year at a banquet where four other township residents will receive “Distinguished Service Awards” from the organization. The awards are presented to individuals who live or work in Nutley and are given for distinguished service to the community in the fields of business, education, civic affairs, public health and safety and to an individual between the ages of 21 and 40. Announcement of the award recipients was made by former Nutley Commissioner and past state president of the New Jersey Jaycees, Walt Smith, who was also chairman of the panel of judges that determined the honorees. The winners will be honored at a dinner on Thursday, April 13, at The Valley Regency, 1149 Valley Road, Clifton. The event opens at 6:30 p.m. with a cash bar cocktail hour followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. In addition to Smith, the judges’ panel included Steven Clarke, superintendent of the Nutley Schools, Kent Bania, former director of special education and community volunteer Barbara Hirsch, local attorney and former Outstanding Young Man Award Winner Andy Garruto and former Board of Education Trustee Michele Fleitell. Gambaro, who has served the education community for over 35 years, has lived in Nutley her entire life. Gambaro has worked with Nutley’s grade school children as an elementary school teacher, a teacher of speech arts and dramatics as well as teacher of nursery school. At Radcliffe Elementary School, she served as library media specialist, a literacy coach and in 2013 was selected as district teacher of the year. Gambaro currently works as the K - 6 literacy coach for the district. Nutley Public Affairs Commissioner John V. Kelly III was named the Outstanding Young Man for 2023. Each year

Department by creating a health app for ease of access with a cell phone and streamlined various policies and procedures. He resurrected the CARE Committee, which has focused on helping vulnerable Nutley citizens get assistance when needed. For distinguished service in “Public Health and Safety,” the Jaycees will honor Nutley’s Public Health Nurse Supervisor, Patty Cruz, a 10-year veteran of the Department. When the Covid-19 crisis become a part of everyone’s life in early 2020, Cruz and the Health Department staff jumped into action, getting a better understanding of what the community needed and providing valuable information to allay fears. Cruz has spent decades tending to the sick and those in need of care. Cruz originally started working in a busy inner-city hospital then continued to become a visiting care manager, where she provided Photo Courtesy of Nutley Jaycees nursing care to all types of individuals on the socio-economic scale. Jainine Gambaro will be named Nutley’s “Business” award for 2023 the Nutley Jaycees’ Educator of goes to Frank Turano, Jr., founder and the Year. president of American Made Custom Cabthe Jaycees name a citizen age 40 or less inet Co. Turano is active in many commuas the Outstanding Young Man or Woman nity organizations, especially the Nutley Family Service Bureau where he serves as of the year. Kelly was born and raised in Nutley as a trustee. A lifelong Nutley resident, Turano were his parents and some of his grandparents. His grandfather was former knew he wanted to give back to local vetMayor John Kelly and his father is a erans so when he sold a kitchen, he also made a donation to local veterans. In physician practicing locally. An Army veteran, Kelly was deployed 2016, Turano was awarded the Military to the Middle East as well as Puerto Rico Civilian Appreciation Award from the during the time that Hurricane Maria Amvets National of the United States. An struck. Locally, Kelly served on the Board accomplished author, Turano writes for of Directors of the Nutley Family Service Nutley Neighbors Magazine. He is a supBureau, the Nutley-Belleville Columbus porter of the Nutley American Little Day Parade Committee and with the John League, a member of Nutley Unico, the V. Kelly Memorial Foundation, which pro- Nutley Chamber of Commerce, and was vides scholarship money. elected to the board of trustees for the As Commissioner of the Public Affairs Nutley Family Service Bureau. and Health Department, he oversees a The “Civic Affairs Award” will go to wide range of health-related areas that Rev. Pamela Bakal, rector of Grace Episimpact the Nutley community. Kelly has copal Church in Nutley. worked to modernize Nutley’s Health See DISTINGUISHED, Page 3


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