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Township Council Commends Eagle Scout, Recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Eagle Scout Joseph Repsher speaks at the Sept. 26 Township Council meeting with Township Councilman James Vassanella and Mayor Phil Kramer (l to r) looking on.


An Eagle Scout and the leader of a township-based cancer support organization were in the spotlight at the Sept. 26 Township Council meeting.

Joseph Repsher, an Eagle Scout with Boy Scout Troop 113, chartered by Somerset Presbyterian Church, was commended for attaining the highest rank in scouting, and Dorothy Reed, co-founder and president of the Sisters Network of Central New Jersey, accepted the council’s proclamation of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Repsher’s Eagle Scout project was building benches along the scenic trails in Middlebush Park.

“It was my honor to do this for the township and help the people on the trails rest,” Repsher said after receiving his commendation from Mayor Phil Kramer and Township Councilman James Vassanella (D-Ward 5). “This is a great thing that I had the pleasure to do.”

“Often when we see Eagle Scouts at Courts of Honor, there’s always a sense of humbleness and modesty, not only on the part of the parents but also the scouts, and it’s kind of representative of the personalities and the mindset that this is never about oneself and never about looking for credit or acknowledgement, but about helping people,” Vassanella said.

“We have about a half dozen great troops in this town, 113 is I believe the longest running troop,” he said. “Although all troops are rivals in competitions, your missions, your goals, all have common ground, and I’m thankful, and I know the mayor is, for all you do.”

“Obtaining an Eagle Scout requires an enormous amount of organization and for someone at this age to do that, really, is a credit to himself and it’s also a credit to his community,” Kramer said. “People who are Eagle Scouts give back to the community throughout their life. I want you to remember your parents, because you didn’t get here without them, and this award is for them as well.”

Township Councilwoman Kimberly Francois speaks to Sisters Network’s Dorothy Reed at the Sept. 26 council meeting.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month strives to increase awareness of the disease and persuade women older than 40 years to get yearly mammography exams, according to the council’s declaration.

Reed’s organization offers support to women suffering from breast cancer.

“The work that they do is very very important to our community, to the families that they support and the families that they service,” said Township Councilwoman Kimberly Francois (D-At Large). “They do so many important things in terms of providing services, they have wigs for the ladies, they have a nice place to go to rest, there’s a lot of support for husbands and children.”

“Providing food and different things for when you’re facing that kind of situation, that devastation that affects the entire family, to have the kind of support like that is so important,” she said. “We do appreciate all the work that your organization does.”

“Breast cancer is still alive and well, women still die every year from breast cancer, but we’re here to help the women in this community,” Reed said. “When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, we travel with them. We support them financially if they need help, we also bring awareness to them.”

Reed said several fundraisers are coming up in October, including the annual 5K Run/Walk for Life on October 7 in Colonial Park and the 14th annual Pearl Grace Memorial Golf Tournament at Royce Brook Golf Club in Hillsborough.

In July, the Franklin Reporter & Advocate sat down with Reed and members of the Sisters Network community for a live interview. Here is that video:

Come on out to Franklin Community Day on July 26 at TD Bank Ballpark (home of the Somerset Patriots), benefiting the Sisters Network of Central New Jersey. Here's some information about the group. To get tickets: http://www.somersetpatriots.com/tickets/groups. Then click "Group Portal" and then enter the password FRANKLIN.

Posted by The Franklin Reporter & Advocate on Monday, July 24, 2017

 

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