20 June 2003

                                                                                      Volume 2, Number 10

NJ Dept of Military and Veterans Affairs

BG Glenn K. Rieth

The Adjutant General

COL Maria F. Morgan

Deputy Adjutant General

COL Emil H. Philibosian

Deputy Commissioner for Veterans   Affairs

Contacting us is easy!

Office of the

Joint Chief of Staff

Col (Ret) Michael B. Smith

Mrs. Laura A. Branham

Phone:

(609) 530-6987

Fax: 

(609) 530-7109

Email:

branham@njdmava.state.nj.us

We're on the Web!

www.state.nj.us/military

"A perfect summer day is when.

the sun is

shining,

the breeze is blowing,

the birds are

singing,

and the lawn mower is

broken."

.James Dent, Author

Summer arrives Saturday at 3:10 p.m. with the summer solstice.  Solstice is derived from two Latin words:  "sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to stand still.  This is because, as the summer solstice approaches, the noonday sun rises higher and higher in the sky on each successive day.  On the day of the solstice, it rises an imperceptible amount, compared to the day before.  In this sense, it "stands still."

DMVA's Veterans Service Officers continue to inform the state's citizens about Veterans Benefits.  J. R. Avanti, Veteran Service Officer in Atlantic City, has recently made presentations to the Great Bay Rotary Club and groups of Atlantic County seniors.  Likewise, Don McNamara, Monmouth County Veterans Service Officer, has gone out and visited the Jewish War Veterans in his area.  Thanks to these Veterans Service Officers for diligently working to inform our citizens of the benefits to which they may be entitled.

The Salvation Army Band in Asbury Park has planned a Concert of Sacred and Patriotic Music to be presented at the Ocean Grove Boardwalk Pavilion on Sunday, 29 June, at 3:00 p.m.  This concert is part of the Honor Our Heroes celebration, an event planned to recognize and thank local military personnel, law enforcement officers, firefighters, first aid/rescue squads, public servants, and personal heroes for their courage, character, sacrifice, and service to our communities.

DMVA will host an orientation to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Mercer County Mentoring Program on Thursday, 26 June 2003, at 10 a.m., in Classrooms 1 and 2 of the Lawrenceville Armory.  A representative from Big Brothers and Big Sisters will be discussing various facets of the program, including how you can become a mentor, and what to expect in terms of challenges and fulfillment from the program The program assists students in the Trenton public school system in need of schoolwork assistance.  Employees who volunteer will spend one hour a week with a student at the student's school.  The Mentoring Program is an opportunity for those of you in our department who would like to help a young student, but have had difficulty finding the time to do so.  Volunteers for this very important program will be screened, trained, and matched with a student by staff from the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization.  If you have any questions, please contact Paul Serdiuk, Human Resources Division at 609-530-6878.

On June 24-25, 2003 the Jeanie Johnston, a tall ship from Ireland, will visit New Jersey.  Come visit the ship, a replica of a "famine ship" at the Burlington City Riverfront Promenade.  It will be open daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.  For further information, call (609) 587-6854 or visit the website at www.trentonaoh.com. 

The Newark Black Film Festival will be held from June 25 to July 30, 2003. This is your opportunity to experience the independent, black film movement.  This year's festival will return to its roots with screenings of works by new and aspiring independent filmmakers.  All screenings are FREE to the public, and seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Once the theater is filled to capacity, additional seating will not be provided.  Group seating is limited to two groups of 25 for each screening. To reserve group seating, call 973-596-6550.  Group seating will be held only until 6:45 p.m.  For more information call 973-596-6550 or visit www.newarkmuseum.org/nbff. 

For more information about any of these events, please call the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation office at (732) 335-0033. 

Summer means a whole new season of foods.  So, enjoy these interesting facts about some favorite American summer foods.

·          Corn on the cob:  Did you know that corn is the largest crop in the United States?  The origin of cultivated corn is unknown, however.

·          Watermelons:  Watermelons originally came from the Kalahari Desert region in Africa, which is interesting because the average watermelon is 92 percent water.

·          Peaches:  During the mid-1980s, world peach production totaled 5.5 million metric tons per year.  The United States and Italy are the highest peach-producing countries.

·          Strawberries:  The strawberry is actually a member of the rose family.  Each strawberry contains approximately 200 seeds.

·          Ice Cream:  One of the world's most popular desserts, ice cream was most likely first created in China, around 2000 BC.

·          Potato Salad:  What's a cookout without potato salad?  Americans sure must eat a lot of it:  The U.S. potato harvest in 1999 yielded 21.7 million metric tons of potatoes.

·          Barbecue:  The word barbecue comes from the Arawak Indian word barbakoa, meaning "frame of sticks."

J            A pigeon's feathers are heavier than its bones.

J            Pigs get sunburn.

J            Strawberries contain more Vitamin C than oranges.

J            A one-day weather forecast requires 10,000 mathematical calculations.

J            The first (or only) full moon in June is called the Honey Moon.  Tradition holds that this is the best time to harvest honey from the hives.

J            Swimming pools in the U.S. contain enough water to cover San Francisco.