Veterans Park soccer field rededicated to WWII vet
Hamilton Township officials joined members of the Cowell family April 21 to officially rededicate the main soccer field at Veterans Park to Albert L. Cowell following a series of recent upgrades to the facility.
The late Cowell was a U.S. Army First Sergeant of the 114th Infantry who served in Europe during World War II. Later, he would become a member local VFW Post 3525 and American Legion Post 31. Cowell was deeply involved in sports and recreation. He was one of the founders of Babe Ruth Baseball and the Hamilton Little Bigger Soccer League, an inductee of the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame member for his coaching, a member of the Mercer County Old Timers Soccer Hall of Fame, was involved in one of the first Mercer County youth travel soccer efforts and helped to sponsor many youth athletic teams as president of the local VFW’s booster club.
Hamilton Township has conducted a series of renovations to Cowell Field over the past year and a half, including a complete reseeding of the grass to improve the playing surface, portable goals with surrounding nets to help contain balls that travel out of bounds, a surrounding field wind screen, new player benches and an official scorekeeper’s area, along with a new scoreboard, sound system and new elevated bleachers that can accommodate larger game crowds and offer new accessible seating.
In addition to soccer games, Cowell Field is also able to host field hockey and lacrosse games.
Hamilton recreation director Jeffrey Plunkett worked with Rutgers University Soccer coach Dan Donnigan and Rider University Coach Charlie Inverso—both who have Hamilton roots—to secure a collegiate spring soccer game between their two teams that followed the rededication.
Elks honor authors of Americanism essays
The Hamilton Elks honored the winners of their Americanism Essay Contest in a ceremony at the lodge. Lodge members judged 100 essays from fifth through eight grade students and presented the winners with certificates and monetary prizes worth $100, $75, and $50 for first, second, and third place respectively. The winners of the fifth and sixth grade division were Trenton Catholic Academy students Anthony Morales (first, and also a first place winner in the district) and Joshua Pintella (second). The winners of the seventh and eighth grade division were Trenton Catholic Academy students Madison Heath (first), Alyssa Rauscher (second) and Evelin Najera (third).
Township, county receive federal housing grants
Hamilton Township was awarded $595,919 from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant funds, with Mercer County receiving $593,390. Federal funding through the CDBG program was approved by Congress recently.
CDBG is a flexible grant that allows towns to develop housing and community improvement projects that best fits their needs and goals.
Each year, CDBG funds are distributed to state and local governments according to their population, poverty, and other housing variables. President Gerald Ford signed the law creating the CDBG—one of HUD’s hallmark programs. Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 merged numerous individual competitive grant programs into a block grant, providing local communities the flexibility to decide for themselves how best to meet their individual needs.
Steinert senior wins nursing scholarship
Paulina Rusinek, of Steinert High School, is the 2018 winner of the Mercer County School Nurse Association’s $1,000 scholarship.
The MCSNA awards a scholarship annually for a high school graduate entering nursing school in September. Rusinek received her award on May 9, during the celebration of School Nurse Day, which was also the 50th anniversary celebration of the Mercer County School Nurse Association. Rusinek will be attending Ramapo University in the fall.
Rusinek’s interest in nursing began years ago when she cared for her father after an automobile accident, and then again more recently with another injury. She watched the nurses in the ICU and was amazed by what they were doing medically for her father, as well as their attitude and enthusiasm. Volunteering at RWJ hospital this winter confirmed her desire to enter nursing as a career.
The mission of the association is to promote high ethical and professional standards for each certified school nurse who functions as an essential and integral member of the school health team. Formed in 1968, the association has 100 members and meets quarterly for professional development.
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Americanism Committee chairman Edward Beideman, winning authors Anthony Morales, Joshua Pintella, Madison Heath, Alyssa Rauscher and Evelin Najera and Elks exalted ruler Rose Romaine celebrate the results of the Hamilton Elks’ Americanism Essay contest.,
