July 25th was a beautiful sunny day. At 6 a.m. the first apprentice laborer arrived; the the second at 6:30 p.m. By 7 a.m. a full crew was at the Kelly-Kaulfers Memorial Park on Laurel Avenue.
The concrete pad began to take on a re-born shape as the pavers were laid out. First was the base of a granule powder which was leveled out. Then the pavers were placed on the base (included were those that the residents purchased), they were spread out evenly, and then a machine was then used to taper them down. Afterwards, more granules were swept in the pavers to keep them from moving.
All this was the donated labor of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Administrative District Council, New Jersey Locals No. 2,4, and 5. A list of the apprentices laying the pavers were Ron Green, Russell Herman, Larry Iannacone, Jamal Johnson, Anthony Morris, Steve Preziosi, and James Carney III. James served his country in the U.S. Army and enrolled in the Local #4 program ‘Helmets To Hardhats” which connects veterans to careers in construction. Michael Alessandro, a bricklayer with Local 4 will be entering the Army. The Union officials who worked side-by-side with the apprentices were Local 4 President Kenneth Simone, Vice President Carlos Crespo, and Apprentice Coordinator Robert Alessandro. Also on hand that day were retired official Teddy Grosse, Laurel Avenue resident Edward Leonard, RPFD Deputy Fire Chief Ray Parenteau Sr., and Council-At-Large Carl Hokanson.
The completion of the pavers was done in preparation of this year’s September 11th Memorial Ceremony which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 11, 2012. Below is a collection of photographs taken that day:
