Middletown Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger recognizes HelpLightNJ and Matt Erickson with Proclamation along with Middletown organization Breast Friends Forever

Three Township Students Earn Top Honors for Community Service

MIDDLETOWN – Three Middletown students were named top honorees in the Prudential Sprit of Community Awards program. The nationwide program honors young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism.

Matthew Erickson, Michael Ruane and Erika Rech represent three of the eight New Jersey residents recognized by the program this year. The Township Committee commended the students for their impressive community service activities during the April meeting.

“The fact nearly 40 percent of the New Jersey students honored by the program are from Middletown speaks volumes about the wonderful caliber of our young people,” said Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger. “Matthew, Michael and Erika are the embodiment of
the township’s enormous volunteer spirit. I am very proud that that the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program has recognized each of them for their admirable volunteer contributions.”

Matthew Erickson, 17, a senior at Mater Dei High School, co-founded “HelpLight NJ,” a volunteer effort that has raised money to replace 82,000 incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs for 13,000 families. Students at 19 high
schools now participate in Matthew’s program. Learn more about the program at www.helplightnj.com