Township says thanks to a dedicated volunteer Old Bridge resident heavily involved with CERT, DARE programs BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer JESSICA SMITH Old Bridge Recreation Director Thomas Badcock presents the "Volunteer of the Year" plaque to Arthur Rhodes during a recent Township Council meeting. OLD BRIDGE - Arthur Rhodes has been giving to the township for more than two decades. By honoring him with the 2007 Volunteer of the Year award, township officials are doing their best to give something back to Rhodes for all of his hard work. "He is very energized, very dedicated, and very into what he's involved with," said Sgt. Steve Daroci of the Old Bridge Police Department. Daroci is the coordinator and police liaison to the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), an organization formed over two years ago to provide assistance to the township's Office of Emergency Management and police department during emergency scenarios. Rhodes serves as the president of CERT. "We assist the police, fire and emergency rescue teams ... so that the regular personnel can do what they have to do," Rhodes said. In his capacities as a CERT volunteer, Rhodes is a certified medical assistant and is also trained in search and rescue and CPR. "He's been with CERT since the initiation of it," Daroci said. "He really enjoys what he's doing with it. He's an asset to the whole organization." Township Council President Pat Gillespie agreed, saying the organization has seen a substantial rise in membership under Rhodes' leadership. He expressed the importance of having individuals willing to volunteer their time when emergencies arise, and said Rhodes has done a good job with the team. "He should receive a lot of credit for that," Gillespie said. A 22-year resident of Old Bridge, Rhodes wasted no time in getting involved with the town's workings when he first moved to town with his wife Lynn, and now 22-yearold daughter, Jaclyn. He simply sees his work as paying the community back for being good to him. "With the CERT team, it helps me to give a little bit back to the community ... and with the DARE program also," Rhodes said. "I have the time to do all this work. It does take a lot of time." Rhodes said he finds his work with DARE rewarding, as he sees significant differences in school students who become involved with the program and its philosophy. The program's teen alliance consists of students who sign a contract stating that they will remain drug-, alcohol- and smoke-free. According to Rhodes, the alliance has grown through word-of-mouth, with involved students spreading the word and encouraging others to join. "We've been having a good amount of success with it," Rhodes said. Police Chief Thomas Collow said Rhodes' dedication and desire to help were clear from the first time they met, years ago. Rhodes enrolled in the township's civilian police academy at that time, and has been involved in various aspects of the police department ever since. For the second year in a row, township police are setting up a mobile command center in response to the increase of activity due to holiday shopping. Collow said Rhodes has been a tremendous help with that, helping to coordinate CERT volunteers to work alongside regular and auxiliary police officers. "He's a great guy," Collow said. "I couldn't say enough about the man." The Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and the County Municipal Alliance Subcommittee recognized Rhodes as an outstanding volunteer, and was named Middlesex County Volunteer of the Year at the Governor's Alliance Summit on Oct. 22. Township Recreation Director Tom Badcock presented Rhodes with the award at the Nov. 19 council meeting, due to Mayor Jim Phillips' absence. "I was very surprised when I was told I was receiving it," Rhodes said.