Township officials gathered to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice with a Memorial Day Wreath Laying ceremony on May 21 at the Old Bridge Municipal Complex.
“Today we gather as a community to honor the brave men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces,” Mayor Debbie Walker said. “On this Memorial Day, we pause to recognize the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of those who answered the call to serve our nation.
“Our veterans protected freedoms many of us enjoy every day, often at great personal sacrifice. They served in times of war and peace, at home and abroad, with strength, honor, and unwavering commitment to duty.
“We also recognize the families of our veterans whose support and sacrifice are part of every story of service.
“As mayor, I ask our community not only to thank our veterans today, but continue supporting them throughout the year,” she said. “A simple thank you for your service can mean more than words can express.”
Walker noted her father was a veteran.
“He talked so much about when he was in World War II and then Korea,” she recalled. “I’m very proud to be an American and I think we all should be very happy that today we do have the right to complain and go out in the streets. We have that right.
“…They don’t have that in a lot of other countries and we have to thank our veterans for that.”
As they gathered to remember every veteran, Walker provided a special shout out to the Vietnam veterans.
“They really had it hard when they came home from the war,” she said, noting she observed firsthand as she went to school. “They could not wear their uniforms in public. They were spit on and they were really treated very poorly.
“…I think it’s so important for us to recognize that that they were just young men. They were called by their country…they thought they were doing the right thing and yet they were abused.”
During the ceremony, township Business Administrator Anahita Feltz presented a slideshow of the 80 veterans they have so far through the township’s Hometown Heroes Banner Program. The township launched the program in 2025. It salutes the brave women and men currently serving or who have previously served their country in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Banners are displayed on light poles throughout the Municipal Complex and surrounding areas. Banner placement is chosen by the township and not guaranteed to be the same each year. Placement locations include:
- Municipal Complex
- Cottrell Rd. near Rt. 516
- Rt. 516 near Cottrell Rd.
- Township Parks (Cottrell Farm, Mannino Park, Veterans Park, Geick Park)
- Township Beachfronts
For more information email publicworks@oldbridge.com or call (732) 721-5600 Extension 6140. Visit https://www.oldbridge.com/page/hometown-heroes-banners
“Today we gather as a community to honor the brave men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces,” Mayor Debbie Walker said during a Wreath Laying ceremony on May 21 at the Old Bridge Municipal Complex. “On this Memorial Day, we pause to recognize the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of those who answered the call to serve our nation.”
