Two Hundred Club of Essex County

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200 Club of Essex County
Annual Valor Awards Luncheon

On May 10th, 2007, The Two Hundred Club of Essex celebrated 41 years of dedicated service to the dependents of police and firefighters in Essex County and state troopers in New Jersey who lose their lives in the line of duty. The Club celebrated this milestone at its Annual Valor Awards luncheon at Mayfair Farms in West Orange with an extensive program.

As you know, the purpose of this luncheon is, and has always been, to honor our police officers and firefighters of Essex County, who demonstrate exceptional courage and fortitude while performing their duties throughout the year.

This year, we were grateful to acknowledge twenty-five individuals who exemplified outstanding on-the-job performances.

Our luncheon began with Arthur S. Guida, Director of External Affairs for PSE&G, President of the Two Hundred Club, who gave a warm welcome and inspired us with an encouraging overview of the Club's achievements and its future goals.

The Invocation, which was delivered by Reverend Reginald T. Jackson, Pastor, St. Matthew African Methodist Episcopal Church in Orange, NJ was uplifting to all of us.

As our program continued we were able to receive words from Essex County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, Honorary Trustee of the Two Hundred Club who read the Honor Roll and informed the audience that there were in fact names to be read for the year 2006 and 2007. Detective Kieran T. Shields of the Orange Police Department. Detective Shields was killed-in-the-line-of-duty on August 7, 2006, while responding to a report of shots fired on Hickory Street in Orange, NJ. Sergeant Tommaso Popolizio of the Newark Police Department. Sergeant Popolizio was killed-in-the-line-of-duty on March 3, 2007 in a car crash, while pursuing a handcuffed suspect who had commandeered a patrol car in Newark, NJ. Special Agent Barry Lee Bush of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Newark Division. Special Agent Bush was killed-in-the-line-of-duty on April 5, 2007, while conducting surveillance on a group of suspects wanted for robbing several banks in Central New Jersey.

Sheriff Fontoura once again commended the dedicated service of all the Essex County public safety officers and state police personnel who were called for active duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom, for their bravery and heroism while serving and protecting our country.

The Two Hundred Club of Essex County was honored to have The Honorable Stuart Rabner, Attorney General for the State of New Jersey, as its guest speaker. Attorney General Rabner spoke passionately about the commitment, dedication and professionalism of law enforcement officers and firefighters who put their lives on the line every day in order to make our communities safer and more secure.

Rev. Christopher J. Hynes, Assistant to the Archbishop for Public Affairs, Archdiocese of Newark, was gracious to provide us with a most warm and inspirational Benediction.

Lastly, we are privileged to report that the John P. McLaughlin Award was presented to The Star-Ledger for distinguished public service and was accepted by James P. Wilse, Executive Editor of The Star-Ledger.

In closing, we also extend our thanks to the following organizations for their participation as 2007 Corporate Luncheon Sponsors:

Steven L. Coleman, C.F.O., Paul V. Profeta & Associates, Inc.
Essex County College Police Academy
Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura
Lisbon Cleaning, Inc.
Gateway Security Inc.
Louis J. Kennedy Trucking Company
Newark Police Department, Police Director Garry McCarthy and Acting Chief Anthony Campos
PSE&G
Paul V. Profeta & Associates, Inc.
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Prudential Financial
Verizon
Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, President of Essex County College

2006 Public Safety Valor Award Winners
(Click on the department to read stories)

The 2008 Valor Awards luncheon will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, NJ. The event begins with a cocktail reception at 11:30 a.m., followed by the luncheon and awards program at 12:00 p.m. For questions and/or reservations, contact Nancy B. Poloso/Administrator:

As of December 2003, for a fee $500.00, you will have the opportunity to take advantage of a new level of membership called our Platinum Membership.

All Platinum member participants will receive a metal platinum identification membership card, platinum member decal, which can be displayed on your vehicle, office window, etc. and a platinum member certificate, which will all display the year of participation.

Be advised that if you decide to join, or remain, in the Standard Membership category, for the current fee of $250.00, you will receive a gold plastic identification membership card and our gold member decal, which will also display the year of participation.

On August 8, 2006, the Club provided a cash stipend to the survivors of Detective Kieran T. Shields of the Orange Police Department. Detective Shields was killed-in-the-line-of-duty on August 7, 2006, while responding to a report of shots fired on Hickory Street in Orange, NJ.

On March 3, 2007, the Club provided a cash stipend to the survivors of Sergeant Tommaso Popolizio of the Newark Police Department. Sergeant Popolizio was killed-in-the-line-of-duty on March 3, 2007 in a car crash, while pursuing a handcuffed suspect who had commandeered a patrol car in Newark, NJ.

In an effort to best help the families of the police officers and firefighters who died in the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center Attack, the Two Hundred Club of Essex County donated monies to the WTC Police Disaster Relief Fund, New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund and the Port Authority Police World Trade Center Disaster Survivor’s Fund.