Stars, Stripes and Service

LAST MONTH, the Millburn’s Fourth of July Committee successfully organized another celebration of the nation’s inception, featuring fireworks, food and a reading of the Declaration of Independence in Taylor Park. The holiday also marked the chance to honor a hero in service to the Millburn and Short Hills community, highlighting the importance of selflessness on a day of patriotic unity.

PATRIOTISM VENERATED

Jamie Serruto, who presides over the town committee that puts together the event each year, reflects on the goals of the celebration for the community. “Our mission is plain and simple: It’s to encourage and further the patriotic, historical and educational observance of the U.S. Independence Day in the township of Millburn and to promote civic pride in our community, state and country.”

With a focus on civic pride on all levels, the town’s Fourth of July Committee chooses to honor a local resident or organization each year that embodies the patriotism of the day’s celebration. This honor, entitled the Patriot Award, is awarded in Taylor Park on July 4th as part of the event’s morning programming. Serruto, noting past honorees, reflects on the values carried by recipients of the Patriot Award. “The Patriot Award from the Millburn-Short Hills Fourth of July Committee honors somebody who has provided and contributed selfless service to the community in a volunteer capacity,” Serruto says. “Past honorees have included other community leaders, veterans and lifelong volunteers in different capacities in the community. There have been organizations such as the Scouts and the First Aid Squad and nonprofits such as the Education Foundation and the Scholastic Boosters.”

HIGHLIGHTING HOLISTIC SERVICE

After choosing several nominees, the Committee’s 16 volunteers vote on who should receive the award through a process of deliberation. This year’s recipient, Dorothy Kelly, has been involved in a tapestry of town initiatives, representing a meaningful case in the value of deep and far-reaching community service. From her leadership in the Caring Kids Program at Millburn Schools to her extensive work at the Millburn Library and Millburn Historical Society, Kelly has “shown a commitment to her community that stands out,” Serruto notes.

“Dorothy’s volunteerism has been centered around educating the community and preserving our history, so moving forward and also looking back at the same time—whether that be character education through Caring Kids, whether that be preserving the history and knowing about the history through the Historical Society, as well as through the library in advancing our knowledge and being innovative and creative for the future,” Serruto says. “Her work is a part of this cross section of bettering oneself, being open to new things and learning new things and also to be cognizant of where you’ve come from.”

For the past several years, Kelly has helped spearhead Caring Kids, a program which teaches empathy skills to students at the Millburn elementary schools. Kelly reflects on the importance of Caring Kids to her on a personal level: “Caring Kids is probably the most important work that I have done personally, in terms of what I hope to achieve,” she says. “Something that I’m passionate about is having empathy towards people who are different. My son has special needs, and I was grateful that in the Millburn schools this program existed, and I feel like it made a difference because people were very accepting.”

UNITING THROUGH HISTORY

In addition to her work at Caring Kids, Kelly has been deeply involved at the Millburn Free Public Library and the Millburn Historical Society, teaching local residents the importance of togetherness and learning where one came from. Kelly notes the connection between work at the Library and her work at the Historical Society in fostering unity. “[My work at the Millburn Historical Society] branched out into a community-centered idea of giving people a sense of belonging and a sense that we’re all in this together,” Kelly says. “People have different viewpoints, people have different political positions, other positions, but we all are here and now, and it’s a sense of, ‘Let’s celebrate what we have together.’”

More recently, Kelly has developed the Little Free Library program in town, helping to install three lending libraries across town in Taylor Park, the Short Hills Train Station and the Millburn Municipal Pool. She has also given a series of historical lectures on a range of topics, from the town’s milling history to the legacy of Stuart Hartshorn.

As the Fourth of July Committee plans to honor more individuals with the Patriot Award in the coming years, Serruto reflects on the significance of the award as a vital component of the annual Fourth of July celebration. Serruto says, “It’s important to honor folks because it helps inspire others to get involved and brings a sense of positive energy to a time when we need hope, and we need reminders of how blessed we are in celebrating our independence and celebrating the great strengths of our nation.”

BY MAILE WINTERBOTTOM