Home Care In Lakehurst, NJ

LAKEHURST - Wawa is set to open a convenience and fill-up store on Thursday, a new location on Pine Street off Route 70.

The 5,051-square-foot store at 604 Pine St. will open at 8 a.m., with a grand opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m.

It is one of several Wawa stores at the Jersey Shore that are expected to open soon or are under construction. The others:

Ocean Township Wawa

Wawa is part of Ocean Commons, a shopping center that is under construction at the corner of Route 35 and Deal Road. Construction is underway and the convenience store is expected to open this summer, the company said on its website. Other parts of Ocean Commons include Turning Point, Miller's Ale House and Chick-fil-A.

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Hazlet Wawa

Workers have begun to build a store in the parking lot at Hazlet Town Center on Route 35. Wawa has been a long time coming. Approved in 2018, it will be located near TGI Fridays.

Middletown Wawa

Workers have demolished the former Friendly's restaurant on Route 35 for a Wawa. Approval for the convenience store came in early 2022 after the Planning Board initially turned down the application. The plan that was approved decreased the store's size to 4,736 square feet and increased the amount of space the fuel canopy is set back from Route 35.

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In Lakehurst, the first 100 customers through the door on Thursday will receive a "Wawa Coffee, Hoagies & Kindness" T-shirt. Coffee is free to all customers that day.

“At Wawa, our core purpose is fulfilling lives every day, and since our first store opened, we’ve believed that we all have a role in making this world a better place,” said Chris Gheysens, Wawa’s CEO in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming old friends and making new ones in this wonderful community.”

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for 25 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There and Press on Your Side columns and can be reached at [email protected]. Please sign up for his weekly newsletter and join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ — On June 27, 1923, a pair of U.S. Army Air Service aviators passed gasoline through a hose from one plane to another in midair.

On Tuesday, 100 years after that first air refueling, the U.S. Air Force will mark the anniversary with aerial refueling demonstrations around the country, including flyovers in New Jersey, the U.S. Air Force announced.

The 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will be flying along part of the coast in New Jersey at lower altitudes to allow people to see and photograph the tribute to the history of air refueling, which has increased the range, speed, flexibility and versatility of the U.S. combat aircraft, officials said in announcing the planned flights.

In that first flight on June 27, 1923, 1st Lt. Virgil Hine and 1st Lt. Frank W. Seifert, flying a DH-4B, passed gasoline through a hose to another DH-4B flying beneath, it carrying Capt. Lowell H. Smith and 1st Lt. John P. Richter.

On Tuesday, the crews departing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will include one KC-135, 8 KC-46s, and 6 C-17s. The route of flight in New Jersey, with approximate local times, is as follows:

"Aerial refueling serves as a force multiplier, increasing the speed, range, lethality, flexibility and versatility of combat aircraft," officials said.

The tankers — KC-46, KC-135 and the KC-10s, which are in the process of being retired — also carry cargo and passengers, perform medical evacuations, and "enable strategic deterrence for the United States," officials said.

"Air refueling propels our Nation’s air power across the skies, unleashing its full potential," said Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander. "It connects our strategic vision with operational reality, ensuring we can reach any corner of the globe with unwavering speed and precision."

The KC-46A is the newest tanker in the fleet, replacing the KC-10. The final KC-10 Extenderat Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst flew its final flight on June 22, after 33 years of KC-10 service at the base, according to a report by Senior Airman Sergio Avalos of the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs.

KC-10 tail number 84-0188, which flew 33,475.5 flight hours supporting missions in six different continents and refueled more than 125,000 aircraft from 25 different countries, was retired to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, where it will continue to support the remaining Extenders with spare parts as they are flown for several years while the KC-46A is integrated into Air Mobility Command’s Total Force tanker enterprise, the report said.

"While we are saddened to see the KC-10 depart JB MDL for the last time, it’s the Airmen among us who made this aircraft great, and it’s your stories of perseverance, courage, excellence, and camaraderie that will continue to shine upon the legacy of the KC-10," U.S. Air Force Col. Elizabeth Hanson, 305th AMW commander, said during her ceremonial remarks.

"As we embark on the next 100 years of air refueling, we will continue to strengthen our air mobility excellence," said Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander. "We must leverage the remarkable capabilities of air refueling to preserve peace, protect freedom, and bring hope to the world. As Mobility Airmen, we write the next chapter of air refueling."

Base adds more than $3B to state’s economy — and invests millions in R&D that has led to numerous technology breakthroughs

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst recently hosted tens of thousands at its Air Show and Open House.

Visitors were awed by the speed and maneuverability of the F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, the capabilities of the Black Hawk helicopters and the precision jumping of the Army Golden Knights parachutists.

But the air show was more than a demonstration of the power and technology on the joint base. It was an important opportunity for visitors to get a sense of the overwhelming size and scope of New Jersey’s largest military installation and the quality and dedication of the men and women who live and work there.

A clear message emerged from the air show — Joint Base MDL plays a crucial role in achieving the nation’s strategic objectives and is vital to New Jersey’s economy.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst spans more than 42,000 acres in central New Jersey and stretches more than 20 miles east to west. It was formed by merging three separate military bases: McGuire Air Force Base, Fort Dix and the Navy Lakehurst Air Station.

It has a rich history — for instance, the first female military recruits entered basic training at Fort Dix, the tragedy of the Hindenburg took place at Lakehurst and Elvis Presley’s arrival at McGuire Air Force Base in 1960 after completing his military service caused a national stir.

The formation of the joint base is a bit of history itself.

In 2005, Congressional winds of cost-cutting and consolidation blew northward into New Jersey from Washington, D.C.

As part of a national initiative to realign and streamline military installations, it was recommended that three separate but adjacent military bases in New Jersey — McGuire Air Force Base (administered by the Air Force), Fort Dix (administered by the Army) and Navy Lakehurst Air Engineering Station (administered by the Navy) — be merged into a single joint base.

The goal behind this consolidation: enhanced coordination and efficiency among the service branches and improved response time on mission requirements.

The creation of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in 2009 was a significant milestone, as it marked the first joint military base in the country administered by three different military service branches. Today, JB MDL is also home to contingents from the Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, Space Force, military reservists and civilian workers.

The joint base has a substantial economic impact on New Jersey, equivalent to that of a Fortune 500 corporation.

The joint base:

The size and activities of Joint Base MDL resemble those of a big city. There is a vast physical infrastructure, including nearly 4,000 facilities and over $9 billion worth of assets.

With more than 88 mission partners (both military and civilian organizations), the base encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including training, maintenance, engineering, logistical support, cybersecurity, environmental management and quality-of-life initiatives for its personnel (e.g., medical facilities, schools, theaters and recreational venues).

JB MDL has its own emergency fire and security teams, which, in addition to on-base responsibilities, support local communities when needed. For instance, fire brigades from the joint base helped contain and extinguish the wildfires that broke out in Manchester Township in April.

One of the most unique groups on the base is the “Explosive Ordnance Disposal” team, whose job it is to safely remove weapons, suspicious packages and aircraft explosive hazards on the base.

However, it gets calls on a regular basis from all over the tri-state area (from as far north as Niagara Falls) requesting the group remove weapons and unexploded military munitions found in excavation sites, open fields or along the Jersey Shore. As a result, the team now has a museum-worthy collection of weapons and explosives, the oldest of which pre-date the Civil War.

The mission of the joint base is to rapidly move troops, equipment and cargo to wherever in the world they are needed in order for U.S. military personnel to fulfill their missions.

The base has been doing this through two World Wars, a multidecade Cold War, military actions in Korea, Vietnam and, more recently, the Middle East, plus peacekeeping missions on virtually every continent.

To accomplish this, the joint base focuses heavily on training — more than 1 million people have come through JB MDL for training — and not just military people, but people from federal, state and local agencies.

In addition to military actions, the joint base consistently supports humanitarian missions around the globe in response to earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters and does the same in New Jersey following disasters such as Superstorm Sandy.

An exceptional demonstration of the base’s rapid response to a humanitarian crisis occurred when it provided a refuge for tens of thousands of Afghan people following the U.S. forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

The refugees were housed in a facility dubbed “Liberty Village” on the grounds of Fort Dix. It was rapidly created by laying 300,000 tons of construction gravel for roadways and pathways, building reinforced tents and reconstituting military barracks for housing, opening schools and provisioning full-service health care facilities.

Eventually, these refugees were resettled across the U.S., and, today, barely any physical trace of Liberty Village remains.

One of the most significant challenges faced by the men and women who serve on the joint base — or on any military installation, for that matter — is the transient nature of their jobs. They are constantly on the move, relocating to different bases worldwide as their duty demands. Every few years, these dedicated individuals and their families must adapt not only to a new military base, but to an entirely new community.

Those arriving to serve at Joint Base MDL are confronted with the task of finding suitable housing, which proves to be quite a challenge in densely populated New Jersey. Additionally, like any other family, they need to find day care or appropriate educational facilities for their children, forge new friendships in their new surroundings and seek out recreational offerings that the Garden State has to offer, so they can make the most of time outside of duty.

In recognition of these challenges, organizations such as the Military Support Alliance of New Jersey seek to help the servicemen and -women of the joint base acclimate to their new surroundings and enhance the quality of their lives in any way possible.

The MSA and other like-minded organizations play a vital role in facilitating connections between members of the military and members of the local communities. This is done through social get-togethers or by various recreational activities, ranging from visits to local wineries and historic sites to attending one of New Jersey’s minor league ballgames.

Many New Jerseyans express support for our military service members, but are not sure what they can do to demonstrate that support.

One key thing everyone can do it visit the joint base website and social media sites to keep abreast of activities and accomplishments there.

It is crucial New Jerseyans know the contributions the joint base makes to New Jersey, so we can respond appropriately should the winds of cost-cutting and consolidation again blow into the state.

For those looking to be more actively engaged in supporting our troops, there are a variety of options available. These are just a few:

There are dozens of other organizations and initiatives that exist to support those who selflessly serve and protect our nation. Reach out to the Military Support Alliance of New Jersey to find an initiative you would like to support, remembering that even the smallest gesture can create a great reward.

Ray Zardetto is a board member of the Military Support Alliance of New Jersey, a nonprofit organization comprised of civic and business leaders dedicated to promoting awareness of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and its importance to New Jersey, while also supporting initiatives that enhance the quality of life for the men and women who live and work there.

Before CPT John Lim was stationed at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Wrightstown, New Jersey, he, his wife, and young child moved a lot in the last eight years for his military career. They set up homes in Texas, Missouri, South Korea, Texas a second time, and now New Jersey at the Joint Base where he is the deputy resident engineer, southern resident office for the New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

He said, “These moves could be particularly hard on young kids who are leaving behind a familiar environment and the friends they have gained. Some kids may not even understand why they are moving or why their parents are gone for periods of time.”

So, when he heard that the base is completing construction on a new youth center, he was very happy.

“As a military family that moves around a lot, a youth center represents a bit of consistency for military affiliated kids. It gives the family normalcy after a move, by giving the youth an opportunity to meet new people in similar situations with similar interests. It’s particularly important at this base because of how isolated this community can be at times.”

Constructing this new youth center at the base is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. The center will replace another structure that’s in poor condition. The new center will not only be beneficial for military children, but also their parents that support the national defense of the United States.

The Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is a United States military facility that is the only tri-service base in the United States Department of Defense and includes units from all six-armed forces branches.

This wide range of combat capability is performed on 42,000-contiguous acres and is home to more than 44,000 airmen, soldiers, sailors, marines, Coast Guardsmen, civilians, and their family members who live and work on and around the base.

Among the services the base provides soldiers and their families, they will have a new youth center. The center will be a one story, 16,260 square foot facility that will provide 168 school age children - between the ages of 5 and 12 - with after school programs, youth activities and youth support.

According to the Armed Services YMCA, programs like this are important for the unique challenges faced by military kids who may be struggling with a recent move or deployed parents. These programs help to develop their resiliency and provide them with the tools they need to get back on track and build skills that allow them to weather future challenges. The ASYMCA is the oldest military support organization in the United States with the mission to enhance the lives of active-duty junior enlisted military members and their families through programs relevant to the unique challenges of military life.

The ASYMCA said of the Joint Base’s new Youth Center, “We know how important it is for our military to have adequate childcare options and are happy that other organizations agree.

Paul Jalowski, resident engineer, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said, “The new Youth Center is a beautiful modern building that will provide a safe and secure facility for the children of our Military men and women, while they support the National Defense of our country.”

Jalowski said that when children enter the center, they will enter a commons area where they can put away their backpacks and jackets into lockers that line the walls. This space will also be used for small group activities, such as playing games like air hockey, football, and board and video games.

Near this is the eating and activity area where children will have meals and snacks at shared tables. There is a self-serve snack bar with view into the kitchen prep area that can also be used as a culinary teaching space for students.

The youth center will also have four activity rooms designed for different uses including homework & computer work, arts and science, life skills & dramatic play, and a youth room.

The homework and computer room is designed to provide a dedicated area for study and completion of homework with the availability of computers. The room is large and can also be used as a “hang-out” space in the start of the day when children arrive and at the end of the day when they are winding down to leave the youth center.

The arts and science room is dedicated for special activities relating to art projects, painting, crafts, and science and nature activities. The room has doors that lead outside where students can perform messy projects, play, and perform a nature exploration program that is planned for the center.

Jalowski added, “From my perspective the outdoor classroom and nature exploration area is most interesting, as it contains planting boxes with visual windows to see the growth of the roots for different types of plants.”

The lifestyles and dramatic playroom is designed with a small stage for pretend play and performances. This room has two pairs of glass doors that open into the eating and activities area.

The youth room is a destination for the older children to hangout, play games, and relax. This multi-purpose room is the largest space, approximately the size of a basketball half court. This room will also serve as assembly space for family and community events.

North of the youth center is the outdoor play area that is divided into several areas including a fenced in hard-surface area, fenced in open area, a shaded playground area, and an outdoor classroom and nature exploration area, as mentioned earlier.

Lim has a five-year-old daughter and a child on the way. He said, “My daughter is always excited to try new things and socialize with other kids. When she is old enough, we plan on exposing her to many of the different programs that is offered at the youth center. We hope she finds activities that she’s interested in and can continue for a lifetime and meet people who may become lifelong friends.”

In addition to student activities, the school will also be equipped to be a safe environment for students and staff.

When students, parents and visitors enter the youth center’s covered entry way, they will be greeted in the lobby’s reception area by a security person who will check them in and out.

This person will have clear views of the front entrance doors, the commons area and eating and activities area.

Next to the lobby is the staff room and administrative offices that also have clear views of the lobby area.

The staff room includes a staff lounge with a kitchenette, a meeting and training area, lockers, mailboxes, computers, and a work room.

This modern building will also be energy-efficient and fulfill the qualifications for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver building certification.

Jalowski said, “One way this project earned this certification is because the center has a Hyper Heat System. This is a heat pump system, but it adds an exclusive Inverter™ technology that allows it to maintain its efficiency when temperatures drop.” By contrast, traditional heat pumps start to lose their efficiency when temperatures go below 40 degrees, requiring a backup system.

Lim recently had an opportunity to visit the center that will be opening later this year. He said, “It looks great! The new youth center can support a wide range of interests to include technology, sports, and arts. We are excited to use the center someday.”

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MANCHESTER, NJ — Visits and pictures with Santa are treasured traditions for many Manchester area families. For them, there’s nothing quite like seeing jolly old St. Nick live and in person.

In the Manchester area, kids have several chances:

On Friday, Dec. 1, Santa will help light the Manchester Township Christmas tree at town hall, 1 Colonial Drive. There will be music and treats with Santa. The festivities begin at 7 p.m.

On Tuesday, Dec. 5, the Lakehurst Volunteer Fire Company is hosting Pizza with Santa at the Lakehurst Community Center, 207 Center St. The event is from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. and costs $7 per person, which includes a slice of pizza, chips, and a drink. Additional pizza, drinks and chips will be available for purchase.

On Saturday, Dec. 9, head over to Harry Wright Lake for Manchester's Christmas in the Pines. It's set for 2 p.m.-7 p.m. and will include a visit from Santa, a tree lighting, music, food, vendors and firepits with s'mores, sponsored by the Manchester Recreation Department.

On Saturday, Dec. 16, you can have Breakfast with Santa at The Barn on Route 70. Tickets are being sold through Eventbrite for two seatings: 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.-noon. Enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet.

Also on Saturday, Dec. 16, Santa will be on hand at 3 Bs Bar & Bistro in Lakehurst for breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon. Reservations are required, call 732-657-4113.

(Know of other Santa visits in the Manchester and Lakehurst area? Send an email to [email protected] with date, time, location and other information.)

At the Ocean County Mall, Santa is sitting for photos through Dec. 23. There is a special session set aside on Dec. 3 for those with special needs, and you can reserve photos with Santa for your pets. There also is a cookies with Santa event. Reservations are encouraged.

Santa arrived Nov. 5 at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Santa’s Wonderland and will hold court through Christmas Eve, including at the Atlantic City store. Reservations are encouraged.

Santa will also be at Macy’s stores in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Orlando. Santa will be at Macy's in Philadelphia through Dec. 24. Reservations are required.

JC Penney stores, including the store at Ocean County Mall in Toms River, are offering professional portraits with Santa. The Toms River store is offering them Nov. 27 and Dec. 22. The JC Penney at Freehold Raceway Mall is offering the portraits with Santa on Dec. 15.