Generosity toward family shows true heart of Jackson community

I know that I speak for the entire Jackson community when I say that the sadness caused by the untimely death of Billy Miller has touched us all. Although I did not know Billy personally, the people who did know him spoke of a great and very caring kid who always tried to do the right thing for others.

Well, in this instance, our great and caring community did the right thing for Billy Miller. In no time at all, we united and began raising money for the surviving family members.

I was contacted by Pam Braue ... who herself had been contacted by Billy's fellow students only hours before. Together, that very same afternoon, we opened a bank account and put out a press release alerting the public to simultaneous car washes that were to take place the following Monday at the four firehouses in Jackson.

The generosity of spirit from these kids and their teachers and parents has been inspiring to me although I would never expect anything less from our community which has always done the right thing for its residents.

The fact that these kids raised almost $5,000 in a matter of hours just reinforces the pride I feel as a resident of Jackson. We may be getting bigger and bigger every day, but still we retain that small town feeling when it comes to helping our own.

Thank you to Pam Braue and Jackie Oakes, who helped organize the fundraisers and the Goetz School community for allowing me to be a part of such a giving group of individuals. And thank you to all of the people and businesses who have contributed to the Billy Miller Memorial Fund. My most sincere and deepest sympathy goes out to the Miller family.

Michael J. Kafton

Township Committeeman

Jackson

Editor's note: Anyone wishing to contribute can go to any Sovereign Bank branch or call Committeeman Kafton's office at (732) 905-7898. Checks should be made out to the Billy Miller Memorial Fund.