Sussex County Volunteers, Non-Profits Honored

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ - The Sussex County Board of County Commissioners recognized the efforts of several non-profit groups and volunteer initiatives within Sussex County at their meeting April 14.

Among the honorees were:

• volunteers at the county’s vaccination site as part of Volunteer Appreciation Month;
• Ginnie’s House Children’s Advocacy Center for Child Abuse Prevention Month;
• DASI for Sexual Assault Awareness Month;
• the efforts of the county’s Municipal Alliance for Wear Purple Day and Alcohol Awareness Month;
• the role of Sussex County’s Government for National County Government Month.

Nick Loizzi, the coordinator of Sussex County’s Municipal Alliance, accepted the proclamation for Wear Purple Day, a day set aside on April 16 asking individuals to wear purple to raise awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol. Deputy Director Anthony Fasano presented the proclamation, noting one of every 12 American adults, wrestles with alcohol abuse or dependence, leading to about 100,000 alcohol-related deaths annually.

Fasano also read the proclamation for Ginnie’s House, presenting it to the organization’s
Executive Director Kristi Young. The proclamation emphasized the need to lift up every child and
prevent children from being subjected to verbal, emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse, as well
as neglect, which can increase a child’s likelihood to engage in criminal behavior or substance
abuse. Young thanked all of the commissioners, especially Herbert Yardley, for his longtime
support as a board member of Ginnie’s House.

“It really does take a village to raise a child and I’m so grateful that I get to live and work in a community that understands that we cannot give victims the justice that they deserve, if we are ignoring

As part of recognizing Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Jim Elsaesser from DASI or Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Intervention, accepted the proclamation from the commissioners, with Fantasia detailing how New Jersey is home to 1.8 million survivors of contact sexual assaults.

Commissioner Chris Carney read the proclamation recognizing National County Government Month, and the essential services county governments across the nation provide, to create “healthy, safe and vibrant communities.”

Vaccine Clinic

Among Sussex County’s accolades during the pandemic, Carney mentioned the county’s drive-thru vaccine clinic, which he visited recently.

“The staff operating a vaccination site was just one of the many efforts put forth by county staff during the pandemic, including the maintenance of the county’s transportation infrastructure, delivery of services to seniors and vulnerable persons and providing for the myriad of support functions to meet residents’ needs,” Carney said.

The commissioners thanked the volunteers at the vaccine site, with Julia Gurriell, the County COVID coordinator and Division of Health and Medical Reserve Corps coordinator, explaining the levels of volunteerism at the site. Volunteers, she said, numbering approximately 200 from and outside of Sussex County, have donated approximately 9,000 work hours, with about 25 volunteers at the site daily for six-hour shifts. Some of the shifts have included battling weather challenges, with shoveling snow and even pushing vehicles from snowbanks, as part of the varied volunteer duties. Volunteers have included Community Emergency Response or CERT teams, disaster response crisis counselors, volunteers from the nursing program at the college and many Sussex County residents donating food and beverage items to the volunteers, who Gurriell said have “volunteered in their own way, helping out at the site.”

For the audio of Wednesday’s meeting, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt3z5DnPiuU.

Before you go:

• Send a news tip or correction to: russ.crespolini@patch.com
• Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter.
• Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.