MONUMENT KICK OFF CEREMONY
The Swedish Heritage Committee, of the Pennsville Township Historical Society, honored the
365th anniversary of New Sweden Colony, Saturday, September 6th, 2003 with the theme of their Septemberfest
parade float, "Honor our Ancestors". The centerpiece of the float was a life-size replica of the 5 x 5 x 3
monument to be erected along the river at Riverview Beach park in the near future. Riding on the float,
Seventeenth Century New Sweden Gov. Johan Printz, portrayed by David Lewis of Ridley Park, Pa. and a
Lenape Indian, portrayed by Tim Logue, of Marlton, NJ. The following costumed participates, representing
the early Swedish and Finnish settlers, accompanied the float, carrying American, Swedish and Finnish flags:
Bill, Carol and Jennifer Spieker, Tammy Glassman, Mark Hogate, Patty Boyce, Jim Schulte, and Aleasa Hogate of Pennsville; Ken Peterson, Levittown, Pa.; Herb Rambo, Berlin, NJ; Dr.Kim Eric Williams, West Chester, Pa.; Earl Seppala, Hockessin, DE; Brad Woods, Mt. Laurel, NJ; Wayne Junna and Felix Filbus, Sweetwater, NJ.
Following the parade a Monument Kick-off Ceremony was held at the float in the display area of
Riverview Beach Park. (see program for details) At the conclusion of the ceremony, a sign was mounted at
the site where the monument to our Swedish and Finnish Ancestors is to be erected.
Initial response to this undertaking has been good. Penn-Maryland Quarry has donated a 5 x 5 x 3
serpentineite rock monolith for the monument. The Pennsville Township Committee and Recreation
Council have approved and set aside a site in the community park, for the monument along on the Delaware
River. Both the Pennsville Historical Society, and the New Sweden Centre*, Wilmington, DE have each
contributed $500 toward the project.
Aleasa Hogate, who has spearheaded the effort has raised additional funding through honorariums
and private donations throughout the Delaware Valley. She also is the recipient of the SWEA 2003
Scholarship presented to her by the Swedish Womens Educational Association and is creating a bronze for
the monument. Daniel Gantenbein and Molly Carpenter, local Salem County sculptors, an advisory
committee from the Swedish Colonial Society are assisting, and local contractors have made themselves
available to help this project become a reality.
Those seeking information or interested in making a tax deductible donation, contact Aleasa Hogate
or Martha Rogers co-chairmen of the Swedish Heritage Project.
*Centre is not spelled wrong, that is how this group spells their name
Detailed Report on the Kick-off Ceremony Program:
MC: Herbert Rambo Board Member of the Swedish Council of America and Honorary Governor of the Swedish Colonial Society
INVOCATION: The Rev. Joseph Moore, Rector of St. George's Episcopal Church
NATIONAL ANTHEMS of USA and SWEDEN: Paul Hogate
INTRODUCTIONS:
Pennsville Recreation Councilman Bill Widger, liaison to the project Earl Seppala, representing the New Sweden Centre*, Wilmington, DE Ken Peterson Monument Committee of the Swedish Colonial Society Mary Ellen Flynn, retired teacher from Willingboro, NJ and her grandson Tim Logue, Lenape re-enactors, willing to come to Salem County to share knowledge of the Lenape Indians,
REMARKS:
Honorable Carol Wooten, Mayor of Pennsville, NJ Honorable Jack Kugler, Salem County Board of Freeholder Director Ed Gant, President of the Pennsville Historical Society Ronald Hendrickson, Governor of the Swedish Colonial Society Martha Rogers, co-chairman of the Swedish Heritage Project thanked:
Grace Alliegro, who created sign used on the float and mounted at the site.
The Le Fevre Family, who provided the barn in which the float was built
Paul Hogate for singing and providing the sound system
Joe Hogate for his ongoing support and technical assistance.
And those who participated in the parade.
ALEASA HOGATE who spearheaded the monument project and received the Swedish Educational Women's Association scholarship to create a bronze plaque for on the monument thanked the following people:
Bernice Willadsen and Debbie Ellison for help with donation forms.
Bill Speiker for the loan of his trailer, built the frame for the sign, pulled the float, and donated candy for the children.
Mark Lackey who donated the sign to identify the site for the monument.
David Lewis, Jim Schulte, Ed & Martha Rogers, and Joe Hogate for helping decorate the float.
Brad Alcott, of the Recreation Department, for technical assistance.
Doris Bryant (prayer warrior)
Special thanks to Martha Rogers, for her on-going support.
David Lewis, Ridley Park, PA was thanked for volunteering his time, and conceiving the "mock monument t
BENEDICTION: The Reverend Doctor Kim Eric Williams, Senior Deputy Governor of the Swedish Colonial Society
Re enactors in the persona of Gov. Johan Printz and Gov Peter Ridder lead the group to the site along the Delaware and erected the sign to mark the location where the monument will be erected in the near future.