Burry’s Honor
Monmouth County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry was honored by the DAR Middletown Chapter at the annual Veterans Appreciation luncheon held Monday at the Holmdel Senior/Community Center on Crawfords Corner Rd.
Regent Michele Donnelly made the presentation of the Women in American History Award honoring Burry after Event Chair Terre Higgins-Daniele read pages of accomplishments the Commissioner has made since her first public service in Matawan more than half a century ago. The list included Burry’s time on both the Matawan and Colts Neck governing bodies as well as the County Commissioner post she holds now.
The Commissioner recently suffered an injury at home and was hospitalized and unable to attend. She requested a friend, Muriel J. Smith, a local author and journalist, and Commander Tracie Smith-Yeoman, US Navy (Retired), Senior Naval Science Instructor of the NJROTC program at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, to accept the award on her behalf.
In accepting the award, Smith reiterated Burry’s thanks for the honor, noting the Commissioner had said she was accepting it on behalf of every veteran who has given so much for the continued security and freedom of the United States. She expressed the Commissioner’s thanks for the honor and her apology for not being able to be present to accept the honor.
Commander Smith-Yeoman, who has been a friend of the Commissioner since childhood, praised the Commissioner’s enthusiastic support of the Monmouth County Vocational Schools, noting how MAST is regarded among the top schools not only in New Jersey, but throughout the nation. The officer also cited the number of NJROTC scholarships and federal service academy appointments MAST students have received throughout the years.
She praised Commissioner Burry’s work with both the Fort Hancock Committee at the National Park at Sandy Hook and Monmouth County in having one of the historic Fort Hancock buildings restored to safely house the more than one million dollars in uniforms and equipment for NJROTC cadets at MAST.
Commander Smith-Yeoman also cited Burry’s ongoing activity to have work proceed on a former barracks to provide classrooms, bathrooms with showers and a facility for cadets to conduct indoor drills in addition to their outdoor location at Pershing Field adjacent to the MAST buildings. Bids for completion of construction of that building have been delayed due to COVID and other reasons.
Throughout the afternoon, DAR members and speakers thanked and praised all veterans for their service to the nation, and presented special awards to Vietnam veterans, noting they as a group have never been respected and honored as they deserve. There were standing ovations not only for the veterans themselves, but for their widows or widowers who received special lapel pins for their spouse’s service.
In a special Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home ceremony, Vice-Regent Serena Schreiber, who was also chair of the Commemoration committee, noted honors are due each of the seven million veterans who served between 1965 and May 15, 1975, and explained the significance of the lapel pin presented to each veteran present as well as surviving spouses. The lapel pin also recalls the five Allies who served in the war with the United States.
The MAST Color Guard presented our nation’s flag during the opening ceremony, with Aditi Rao of Holmdel High School singing the National Anthem and Mayor D.J. Lucarelli of Holmdel welcoming the crowd and expressing his own thanks for the veterans of all wars.
Principal Speaker for the program was Mike Ferraro who started and runs Bridging the Gap, Inc., an organization started eight years ago to aid veterans in every way possible. Some of his programs have included financing companion dogs for veterans in need, operating a retail store and program to enable veterans to dress and present themselves in their best light for job interviews and programs, and scholarships for veterans who attend the Police Academy. Ferraro also serves as a liaison between Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden and veterans and conducts proper disposal programs for American flags at the Monmouth County Fire Academy.
A complete story on Ferraro’s work to assist veterans and how veterans can seek help will appear in VeniVidiScripto next week.
