By DENISE HERSCHEL
More than 30 people including Tinton Falls Mayor Jerry Turning and members of the Tinton Falls Senior Club recently attended a flag raising ceremony honoring the service of borough veterans who have passed away.
At a tribute to Veteran’s Day, the service flag of the late William Trainor was raised over Tinton Falls borough hall where the flag will fly for approximately three months before it is retired. Trainor’s flag is the second one to fly in the borough since the ceremony’s inception last year when the service flag of Carl Rudinski was raised on November 9, 2013 and retired in early 2014.
Kay Seaward, Tinton Falls Senior Club member and past president of the group, said the flag raising ceremony was initiated last year because of Tinton Falls resident and club member Adele Rudinski.
“It started with Adele’s suggestion. She approached the borough and asked if they could fly resident’s service flags as a way to honor them. It was all made possible by the cooperation and efforts of Gary Gebele, director of Tinton Falls Public Works, and his fellow workers. No one wants the flags to be just thrown out so they will fly until they are tattered and torn and then reverently retired. Each flag will be replaced by another service flag of a borough resident,” she said. “Adele’s late husband Carl’s flag was the first to be flown.”
Seaward continued that the flag service is a project of the Tinton Falls Senior Club.
“We will continue it for as long as we have residents bringing flags to us. We have other seniors who would like to have their husband’s flags flown. These are the flags that were draped over the caskets of these veterans,” she said.
Rudinski added that she initiated it “as a program for the Tinton Falls Senior Club” and has received much feedback.
“We are trying to honor our late veterans. As one flag comes down the other flag goes up. The ceremony I attended was so emotional. It was a very heartwarming experience,” she said.
Seaward continued that the ceremony was a “very moving experience” for her as well.
“It was reverent and solemn. It was nice to have a crowd there and to honor those who gave their lives. At the recent ceremony our mayor came out as did the Trainor family. Gary and the public works employees were so accomodating and helpful. We hope these flags can continue to be raised and those veterans honored.”
The next flag to be raised will be that of the late Nalton Goode, husband of Tinton Falls resident and Senior Club member Ellen Goode. Nalton was a resident of Tinton Falls for more than 50 years. The flag will be raised April 2015 in honor of his birthday. The public is welcome to attend any of the ceremonies. For more information contact the borough of Tinton Falls at 732-542-3400.
