Tony's Freehold Grill Shows Patriotism

[admin]

www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071113/NEWS01/711130349/1004

It's a Veterans Day special
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 11/13/07
BY JOSEPH SAPIA
FREEHOLD BUREAU

FREEHOLD — Tony's Freehold Grill served breakfast free of charge to veterans on Monday, when Veterans Day was observed.

"Bug John," so nicknamed by staff at Tony's Freehold Grill because he works for a local exterminator, led the charge somewhere around 6 a.m.

Bug John is a regular at the downtown diner — "He's basically here at the crack of dawn (every day)," owner Tom Iliadis said.

But Monday was different for Bug John and about 50 other military veterans, active or inactive. Iliadis, 49, treated them to free breakfasts in honor of Monday's observance of Veterans Day.

"I don't think they get enough thanks from this country," said Iliadis, 49. "Think of what we got here, our liberties."

Some were diner regulars. Some simply heard about the offer and came from miles away.

"I think it's awesome," said veteran Richard Kelly, 52, of West Long Branch. "I thank him very much for what he's doing."

Kelly served with the Marine Corps in Vietnam — "I was there for the fall of Saigon — April 1975," he said, recalling when American troops pulled out of the South Vietnamese capital, leaving it open to invasion by the enemy. "I'll never forget that."

Now, Kelly is a command sergeant major in the Army Reserve, scheduled to report for duty at Fort Dix in January.

"Now, there's so much more respect (for veterans)," said Kelly's wife, Sharon, 43. "It's so different after 9/11."

Adorning the diner's tables and counter were small American flags, cemented in place with clay.

"You can't move these colors, baby," Iliadis said.

Some veterans knew about the offer, some were surprised by it. But if they marched into the diner — directly across Main Street from the Monmouth County Veterans Memorial Building — from 6 a.m., when the diner opened, to 11 a.m., or about the beginning of lunch, they got a free breakfast.

C.S. "Stan" Jones, 78, of Point Pleasant, sat at the counter over a plate of scrambled eggs and home fries, with a cup of coffee — his regular diner fare.

"I've eaten in diners all my life," said Jones, who stops at Tony's Freehold Grill when passing through town, as he was Monday. "I like diners."

Jones, who served in the Army during the Korean War, said a lot of veterans "got killed, injured." So he appreciated Iliadis' gesture.

"I got lucky. They sent me to Germany," Jones said. "I missed the war, the shooting."

That was a common theme through the diner — veterans who served during the war being thankful for not seeing combat.

"We were crossing the Pacific Ocean, heading for Korea and they settled the truce," said Egon Zeiss, 77, a Freehold Township resident who served in the Marine Corps.

After finishing his eggs, sausage, home fries and white toast, Zeiss showed his key chain — his dog tags attached to it. Zeiss' wife of 47 years — Beverly, 69 — carried a photograph of her husband in military uniform, a 75-pound radio on his back, from more than 50 years ago.

Diner regular John Mecabe, 75, is a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War era. He served in Japan during the war.

And Mecabe, too, repeated the mantra, "I was one of the lucky ones."

And so did Sam Polverino, 78, of Freehold Township — "I was one of the lucky guys." Polverino, who wore a red Marine Corps jacket, did not see combat during his Korean War-era service.

On the other hand, Morris Goldstein, 79, of Brooklyn, served with the Army in Korea.

"In Korea for 11 months — in the winter, on the China border," said Goldstein, in the area visiting his daughter, Beverly Shapiro, 52, of Freehold Township.

Goldstein's baseball-style cap read "Korea veteran."

Beverly Zeiss praised Iliadis for honoring veterans.

"Not many people do this," Beverly Zeiss said.

The diner, which Iliadis' family has been associated with since 1953, has had many veterans as customers over the years. Now, Iliadis' nephew, Anthony — the son of Tom's brother, Pete — is serving with the Marines in the Iraq War in Baghdad. This combination of factors have led to Iliadis' gesture of free breakfast.

"I'm happy to see all these people," said Iliadis, as nearly all 55 seats were full with vets and their families, along with regular customers. "They're (the veterans) very appreciative. Even my regular customers commented positively, "This is a nice gesture.' I like to see happy faces."

Polverino's companion, Cheryl Cook, 54, said, "This is a nice thing Tom's done."

Veterans from World War II to the current Iraq war were represented, as well as different branches of the military — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, Iliadis said.

"For me, it was a pleasure to do this," Iliadis said. "For them, I think they look for a little thanks in life."

"I think it's a very good idea," said Mecabe, speaking of the free breakfasts. "I just hope it doesn't hurt his (Iliadis') pocket."

"I'm not going to worry about it," said Iliadis, not a veteran himself.

Iliadis declined to estimate his costs for giving away the free meals.

"It doesn't matter — priceless," Iliadis said. "The gratitude of the people was worth a million bucks."

Joseph Sapia: [phone] or [e-mail]

[fiberisgoodforyou]

nice of tony's grill, was there a ceremony at our very own VETERANS PARK or at the cross section of 79 and 537?

admin said:

www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071113/NEWS01/711130349/1004

It's a Veterans Day special
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 11/13/07
BY JOSEPH SAPIA
FREEHOLD BUREAU

FREEHOLD — Tony's Freehold Grill served breakfast free of charge to veterans on Monday, when Veterans Day was observed.

"Bug John," so nicknamed by staff at Tony's Freehold Grill because he works for a local exterminator, led the charge somewhere around 6 a.m.

Bug John is a regular at the downtown diner — "He's basically here at the crack of dawn (every day)," owner Tom Iliadis said.

But Monday was different for Bug John and about 50 other military veterans, active or inactive. Iliadis, 49, treated them to free breakfasts in honor of Monday's observance of Veterans Day.

"I don't think they get enough thanks from this country," said Iliadis, 49. "Think of what we got here, our liberties."

Some were diner regulars. Some simply heard about the offer and came from miles away.

"I think it's awesome," said veteran Richard Kelly, 52, of West Long Branch. "I thank him very much for what he's doing."

Kelly served with the Marine Corps in Vietnam — "I was there for the fall of Saigon — April 1975," he said, recalling when American troops pulled out of the South Vietnamese capital, leaving it open to invasion by the enemy. "I'll never forget that."

Now, Kelly is a command sergeant major in the Army Reserve, scheduled to report for duty at Fort Dix in January.

"Now, there's so much more respect (for veterans)," said Kelly's wife, Sharon, 43. "It's so different after 9/11."

Adorning the diner's tables and counter were small American flags, cemented in place with clay.

"You can't move these colors, baby," Iliadis said.

Some veterans knew about the offer, some were surprised by it. But if they marched into the diner — directly across Main Street from the Monmouth County Veterans Memorial Building — from 6 a.m., when the diner opened, to 11 a.m., or about the beginning of lunch, they got a free breakfast.

C.S. "Stan" Jones, 78, of Point Pleasant, sat at the counter over a plate of scrambled eggs and home fries, with a cup of coffee — his regular diner fare.

"I've eaten in diners all my life," said Jones, who stops at Tony's Freehold Grill when passing through town, as he was Monday. "I like diners."

Jones, who served in the Army during the Korean War, said a lot of veterans "got killed, injured." So he appreciated Iliadis' gesture.

"I got lucky. They sent me to Germany," Jones said. "I missed the war, the shooting."

That was a common theme through the diner — veterans who served during the war being thankful for not seeing combat.

"We were crossing the Pacific Ocean, heading for Korea and they settled the truce," said Egon Zeiss, 77, a Freehold Township resident who served in the Marine Corps.

After finishing his eggs, sausage, home fries and white toast, Zeiss showed his key chain — his dog tags attached to it. Zeiss' wife of 47 years — Beverly, 69 — carried a photograph of her husband in military uniform, a 75-pound radio on his back, from more than 50 years ago.

Diner regular John Mecabe, 75, is a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War era. He served in Japan during the war.

And Mecabe, too, repeated the mantra, "I was one of the lucky ones."

And so did Sam Polverino, 78, of Freehold Township — "I was one of the lucky guys." Polverino, who wore a red Marine Corps jacket, did not see combat during his Korean War-era service.

On the other hand, Morris Goldstein, 79, of Brooklyn, served with the Army in Korea.

"In Korea for 11 months — in the winter, on the China border," said Goldstein, in the area visiting his daughter, Beverly Shapiro, 52, of Freehold Township.

Goldstein's baseball-style cap read "Korea veteran."

Beverly Zeiss praised Iliadis for honoring veterans.

"Not many people do this," Beverly Zeiss said.

The diner, which Iliadis' family has been associated with since 1953, has had many veterans as customers over the years. Now, Iliadis' nephew, Anthony — the son of Tom's brother, Pete — is serving with the Marines in the Iraq War in Baghdad. This combination of factors have led to Iliadis' gesture of free breakfast.

"I'm happy to see all these people," said Iliadis, as nearly all 55 seats were full with vets and their families, along with regular customers. "They're (the veterans) very appreciative. Even my regular customers commented positively, "This is a nice gesture.' I like to see happy faces."

Polverino's companion, Cheryl Cook, 54, said, "This is a nice thing Tom's done."

Veterans from World War II to the current Iraq war were represented, as well as different branches of the military — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, Iliadis said.

"For me, it was a pleasure to do this," Iliadis said. "For them, I think they look for a little thanks in life."

"I think it's a very good idea," said Mecabe, speaking of the free breakfasts. "I just hope it doesn't hurt his (Iliadis') pocket."

"I'm not going to worry about it," said Iliadis, not a veteran himself.

Iliadis declined to estimate his costs for giving away the free meals.

"It doesn't matter — priceless," Iliadis said. "The gratitude of the people was worth a million bucks."

Joseph Sapia: [phone] or [e-mail]

[casualreader]

If you were Councilman or Mayor Teddy I bet there would have been a ceremony.

[fiberisgoodforyou]

www.freeholdcenter.com/pdf/purchase_book.pdf

To Help Build A Part of Monmouth County’s History Purchase A Brick! A historic event took place in Freehold Borough on June 27, 2003. A purchase of Monmouth County’s history – the original “Columbia Triumphant” statue, once mounted atop the Battle of Monmouth Monument on Court and Monument Streets – was returned to her hometown. The statue is the centerpiece of the park constructed by the County of Monmouth. The park is located between the Monmouth County Hall of Records Annex and the Sun Bank on East Main Street in downtown Freehold Borough. The cornerstone of the Battle of Monmouth Monument was laid on June 3, 1878, the Centennial of the Battle of Monmouth. The monument was completed on November 13, 1884 when the original statue was set atop the monument. The event was marked by a glorious celebration attended by 15,000-20,000 citizens, honorable dignitaries, and militia troops from around the state. On August 15, 1894, during a violent storm, the statue was struck by lightning causing damage to the lower half of the statue. The Monmouth Battle Monument Commission decided to remove the statue and have a duplicate made. In 1896, the duplicate was hoisted into place. The remaining bust of the original statue was to be sent back to Freehold and erected on a marble pedestal in the plaza in front of the Monmouth County Hall of Records formerly Monmouth County Court House. The statue, however, was never erected and somehow it ended up abandoned and discarded in what is now known as McGackin Triangle Parking Lot. A private citizen found the statue buried in mud in the 1940’s alongside the railroad tracks and removed it to his property where it was recently discovered. After nearly sixty years, the statue has returned to its hometown. To celebrate Liberty’s glorious return home and to defray the cost of its acquisition, preparation and installation, personalized brick pavers are still being sold to the public for $100.00 per brick. The bricks will be laid into the walkway on either side of the existing circle around the statue within the park. Bricks may be purchased for yourself, to honor a friend, or remember a loved one. There is no limit on how many bricks may be purchased. To purchase a brick or make a donation, please complete this form with your desired inscription and kindly send your contribution to the address below as soon as possible. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colombia (Liberty) Triumphant Fund c/o Freehold Center Partnership 17 Broad Street Freehold, NJ 07728 Purchaser Name: ______________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________ City: ______________________ State: _________ Zip: _______________ Home Phone: ____________________ Work Phone: _________________ Inscription: MAXIMUM 15 CHARACTERS per line – 2 line maximum (includes spaces and punctuation) Sample Inscription: IN MEMORY OF = 10 Letters & 2 Spaces – 12 Characters JOHN SMITH – 9 Letters & 1 Space = 10 Characters Brick Inscription: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ I prefer to send a donation/additional donation of $__________________ Please make check or money order payable to: Freehold Center Partnership For further information, please contact Jayne Carr of the Freehold Center Partnership at [phone]

[adefonzo]

There is something that really jumped out at me from the above article...Richard Kelly.

This man was in Vietnam 32 years ago as a Marine for the fall of Saigon. Despite what was more than likely a very traumatic experience, he is still serving his country as a Command Sergeant Major in the Army Reserves, reporting for duty in January (which I read as "likely to be deployed to Iraq").

While all of the veteran's who were at the diner without a doubt deserved (at the very very least) the free meal, Sergeant Major Richard Kelly deserves another mention considering his willingness to continue to fight for our country.

Unbelieveable...what a remarkable man.