Edison honors 31 families with expanded Memorial Day street-sign dedications

Mayor Sam Joshi opened a Memorial Day ceremony at Mendle Park Veterans Home and announced that Edison Township has broadened its street-sign dedication program, recognizing 31 families this year.

The mayor said the township moved from honoring a handful of veterans annually to a much larger effort to ensure more families are recognized. "This generation that served did an outstanding job... this is our largest street sign dedication with 31 families getting recognized the way they should be," he said.

Family members of honored veterans spoke about service records and community contributions. "Our family would like to thank the mayor, township administration, veterans committee, and Ashley for this program that honors our veterans," said Victor Alicio Jr., whose father served in the U.S. Marine Air Corps.

Brian Shrek, a veterans committee member and Navy veteran who explained the sign process, told attendees the committee verifies service with DD214 discharge papers and lists official rank and dates rather than nicknames. "The military did not recognize that nickname. This is to honor their military service," he said, describing the committee’s criteria for what appears on a sign.

Organizers said the dedications are intended to preserve local history and families’ legacies; the ceremony included a presentation of colors by the Edison Police and Fire Honor Guard and concluded with a veterans’ prayer. No formal votes or ordinances were taken at the event.

The ceremony also included remarks about future historical markers across town; organizers said that effort will be advanced through the township’s historical preservation committee and is slated for inclusion in the upcoming municipal budget.