A new pavilion at the Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve stands as more than a place to rest and enjoy the scenery. It is a lasting tribute to two men whose decades of volunteerism, public service and dedication helped shape the community they called home.
On Friday, Oct. 9, family members, friends, elected officials and residents gathered at the 220-acre Nature Reserve on Zion Road for the dedication of the John L. Carman Pavilion, honoring the late John L. Carman Sr. and his son, John L. Carman Jr.
For Sue Carman, daughter of John Sr. and sister of John Jr., the ceremony represented the culmination of an 18-month effort to recognize her family’s commitment to Egg Harbor Township.
In March 2025, shortly after her brother’s death, Carman approached the Township Committee requesting a memorial honoring both men.
“I was very emotional,” Carman recalled. “I talked to them as best I could, and this is what came of it: the pavilion.”
The project gained momentum through former Township Committeeman William Pauls, a longtime family friend who organized donations of materials and labor so that the pavilion could be constructed without taxpayer funding.
Ferriozzi Concrete, where John Sr. worked for much of his career, contributed concrete work. The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters supplied materials and constructed the pavilion through its apprenticeship program, allowing three successive groups of apprentices to participate.
Palermo Masonry installed the memorial pedestal, landscape architect Jay Adamson helped design the project, and Wimberg Funeral Home assisted with obtaining the commemorative plaques. American Legion Riders Post 352, Frank Orlandini, township Public Works employees and numerous volunteers also contributed.
“The way people came out and just did what they had to do was incredible,” Carman said.
The dedication featured remarks from former state Sen. William Gormley, Atlantic County Commissioner Chairperson John Risley, Pauls and American Legion Riders Assistant Director Tom Dixon.
Mayor Laura Pfrommer welcomed attendees, while Pastor Lou Strugala delivered the invocation and benediction. Pat Moschetto performed the national anthem, and piper Jeffrey MacNeill provided music.
The Carman family, led by Patricia Carman and JoAnn Carman, participated in the ribbon cutting.
The memorial also incorporates a meaningful tradition adapted from military cemeteries. Visitors are invited to place coins in a bowl atop the marker: a penny if they knew either man, a nickel if they trained together, a dime if they served alongside them, or a quarter if they spent time with them during their final week of life.
Both men left substantial legacies of service. John Sr., who died in 1993 at age 56, helped establish the First District Ambulance Squad in English Creek during the late 1960s.
His son began volunteering early, even helping construct the ambulance squad building as an 11-year-old boy.
John Jr., who served in local and county government and volunteered with numerous organizations, died Jan. 3, 2025, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
The Nature Reserve holds particular significance for the family.
Before becoming a public park in 2013, the property was a former mining site where the Carman children spent their childhood riding horses and motorcycles. John Jr. later participated in early cleanup efforts that helped transform the property into today’s natural sanctuary.
The reserve now features a 45-acre spring-fed lake, wooded trails, wildlife habitat and opportunities for walking, biking, fishing and birdwatching.
The pavilion’s memorial bears the words “Lead by example,” reflecting the philosophy that guided both men’s lives.
“He showed that with his actions, not just his words,” Carman said of her father.
For John Jr., helping others was second nature. “If someone called him, not even a close friend, and asked for help, John would be there,” she recalled. “You knew you could count on John Jr.”
Carman hopes the pavilion continues to inspire visitors to embrace community service.
“Every time I drive by the Nature Reserve, there’s someone sitting under the pavilion, and the joy that gives me is incredible,” she said.
“I’d like people just to be there and reflect and know that community service is something that’s necessary for every community to prosper.”
Sarah Fertsch of Egg Harbor Township holds a Bachelors of Arts in Public Relations. She is a locally renowned poet, storyteller, and dog lover.
