FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders presented three more Citizen Service Awards last month as part of a continued effort to recognize county residents who are working to improve their communities.

 

“October’s Citizen Service Award recipients have approached community needs from a spiritual perspective,” Freeholder Director Barbara J. McMorrow said. “Both programs are faith-based and provide service to people of all religious back grounds. They are making a difference where and when it is truly needed.”

 

Kerri Martin, a lifelong Monmouth County resident, took 50 donated used bicycles and developed the “Bike Church” for school-age children from the largely immigrant Latino and Haitian community in Asbury Park. The Bike Church provides the youth with the opportunity to learn about bicycle repair and safety. Children who commit the required number of hours to the program can earn a bike to take home and keep as their own. The program is modeled after the New York City-based Recycle-a-Bicycle program, where Martin worked after graduating from college.

 

“Kerri Martin, known as the ‘Bike Lady,’ is a shining an example of someone who is helping to transform a community by creating an atmosphere of cooperation and education among the local youth population,” McMorrow said. “She is doing this one bike at a time.”

 

After receiving a donation of used bicycles, Martin secured storage space in the Holy Spirit Church’s empty four-car garage from the parish pastor, the Rev. Bill McLaughlin. One day, as she was organizing the garage filled with bikes, children from the Holy Spirit After School program wandered over to the garage to see the bikes and talk with Kerri. At that moment, Bike Church was born.

 

Rabbi Donald Weber and David Levy of Marlboro’s Temple Rodeph Torah were recognized by the Freeholders for their vital roles in initiating and implementing the Temple Rodeph Torah Cares (TRTCares) program, which helps families in crisis.

 

           

TRTCares began as a call to action by Rabbi Weber during a sermon. David Levy offered to serve as the program’s chairman and use his management expertise to organize volunteers to provided resume, interviewing, networking and other skills to help participants find jobs. More than 80 active volunteers staff the program that includes both a job bank and an employer bank. 

 

The nondenominational program has been busy since its inception in November 2008.

 

“Monmouth County’s Citizen Service Awards focus on thanking people for getting involved in their communities,” McMorrow said. “We are publicly thanking people who have already taken action to make the county a better place. We hope this will also encourage other residents to get involved and answer their own call to service.”

 

The letter of nomination, two-page maximum, should include a description of what the nominee did in his or her call to service along with a description of the need for the action, two references and a single sentence explanation of why the nominee is deserving of the award. Complete nomination criteria is available on the county Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com. 

 

Nominations should be submitted by Nov. 10, 2009 directly to the Board of Chosen Freeholders. By U.S. mail, send to: Citizens Service Awards, c/o Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, PO Box 1255, Freehold, NJ 07728. Or, you can submit your completed letter of nomination, two pages maximum, by email to freeholdermcmorrow@gmail.com. 

 

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