Navy COMRELS come to Highlands

USS NASSAU (LHA-4) docked at Naval Weapons Station Earle, N.J., Monday, October 12, 2009. The Earle Pier complex is located approximately 4 miles west of National Park System Sandy Hook and the quaint small town of Highlands, N.J.

Upon the ships arrival, Navy Commander Dan Stallard, Nassau's Command Chaplain and more than sixty sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship participated in various community projects in Highlands while visiting Earle from October 12 – 14.

The community relation’s efforts coordinated while visiting Highlands included more than 30 sailors volunteering over 200 man-hours on Tuesday, October 13th to help restore the Kavookijian War Memorial Field, an ongoing initiative in the Highlands community. Some sailors worked diligently on cleaning and landscaping around the War Memorial Monument while others worked on the field restoration project that included the removal of truckloads of overgrown debris, raking, building bleachers, and painting dugouts. At the end of a hard days work, USS Nassau Commanding Officer Captain Ronald Reis joined the sailors at the Kavookijian War Memorial Field to review and praise the work of his dedicated team of COMRELS.

On Wednesday, October 14, more than 30 sailors volunteered over 200 man-hours at the Robert D. Wilson Community Center. Projects included painting of the skate park and other public area amenities. Upon completion, the skateboard park looked brand new said Bruce Hilling, Highlands Borough Administrator.

In Highlands, Stallard worked with Mayor Anna C. Little, Carla Cefalo-Braswell, President of Highlands Special Improvement District, Bruce Hilling, Borough Administrator and Tim Hill, Director of Parks and Recreation for the coordination of projects. Many folks had the pleasure and honor to meet Nassau Chaplain Lieutenant (Father) Tom O’Flanagan, who arrived in Highlands on October 9, 2009 to tour the community and review the projects.

"Community relations projects are important to me and especially to the US Navy,” said Reis, “some volunteer as an expression of their religious faith and for others it is a demonstration of their humanitarian beliefs.”

"We are so very grateful for the kind generosity of Father Tom, Captain Reis, Commander Stallard and the dedicated hard working sailors aboard the USS Nassau” said Carla Cefalo-Braswell of the Highlands Business Partnership. “May God bless you.”