Mattes's Musings by KC2GIK

It's not everyday I get to help my brothers and sisters in emergency services so when this post started floating around Facebook I decided to download it and throw in on Bergenscanner. Then after some thought, and realizing the blog was being neglected, it seemed like the right thing to do. Many don't realize even though Hoboken is a city the EMS down there is all volunteer. My times in Hoboken can be traced back to their Saint Patty's Day Parade. Yes I have been to a few of them, luckily I have not needed the EMS any of the times. Although I always see them racing to a scene every time I visit th e city. My cousin also lives there so I have to know she'll be taken care of if anything happens. There are a lot of people supporting the shore towns, I figured it might be better to support a cause a little, After all I have had plenty of people support me over the years, it's the least I can do to thank them! Send donations to: Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps...

It's not everyday I get a chance to highlight someone else's comments on my blog. Fellow ALPCA Heartland Region President J.D. Adams posted the followng status on his Facebook page. The message was so heartfelt I decided to repost it here. I will have my own write-up in the coming days. In roughly 5 hours there is going to be a License Plate swap meet starting...you say big deal, right? Yeah J.D., you've gone to a hundred plus of these things....but this one, which I'm not going to be able to attend, is a little different....This one is being held in Allendale, New Jersey....My fellow Regional President Justin Mattes and fellow ALPCA Garden State Board member Marco Tramelli havebeen scrambling to get this one put together so the "Show will go on!" I stress out enough when a meet has small weather problems, talk to Fenzloff before Dunkerton and you'll understand, but I can't even imagine what these guys have stressed on for these past two weeks and th...

I posted this to the listserv and thought it would make a great recap to post to the blog!!! Not even a Nor' Easter earlier in the week nor a minor table storage could stop the little meet that could from coming together in Allendale, NJ. For the second year in a row members from as far away as California assembled at the Guardian Angel Church for a full day of trading tin! Plate trading was hot and heavy, conversation ranged from reports of storm damage to the convention next June in Reno. By 9 am the usual crowd was busy trading Andy Bernstein was showing off his newest graphics for sale(I picked up a new Alabama wheelchair motorcycle plate) while Ron Ridolph was busy collecting donations for our annual auction. Jason DeCaesare was documenting everything on camera while his cousin and newer ALPCA member Nate Miller was acquiring a few jems for his fledgling collection. Also in attendance was former President and ALPCA Hall of Fame Member Dick Yourga who graciously donated a C...