What is The 200 Club of Mercer County?
The 200 Club of Mercer County is one of several hundred associations nationwide dedicated to providing financial assistance to the families of our public safety and rescue personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This includes the police officers (state, county, and municipal), correction officers, fire fighters, and rescue squad technicians of Mercer County.
Why was The 200 Club of Mercer County created?
Our mission is to directly assist the families of our Police, Fire, and EMT in Mercer County who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Contributions from the community enable the 200 Club to provide financial support to the family to take care of funeral arrangements, a mortgage payment or anything else the family needs during this time of devastating loss.
Who has The 200 Club of Mercer County helped?
The 200 Club has provided funds to a multitude of families, including those of:
- State Trooper II Marcellus E. Bethea
- Senior Corrections Police Officer Maria Gibbs
- Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad EMT Michael Kenwood
- Trenton Firefighter Manuel “Manny” Rivera, Sr.
- FBI Agent Barry Bush
- West Windsor Police Lieutenant Keith Hillman
- Trooper Thomas J. Hanratty, NJ State Police
- Officer Robert Custis, Ewing Twp. Police Dept.
- Captain Dennis Williams, Washington Twp. Fire Dept.
- Trooper Christopher S. Scales, NJ State Police
- Corporal Stephen Levy, Washington Twp. PD
- Driver/Firefighter Brian Sutton Sr., Enterprise Fire Company
The 200 Club has also supported organizations including: Front Line Appreciation Group (Flag), Marine Corp Law Enforcement Foundation, State Trooper Anthony Raspa memorial scholarship, 100 Club of Arizona, RWJ Hospital at Hamilton, Pediatric Emergency Care Center, Wounded Warrior Project, Friends for the Tezslas, Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County, Hamilton PBA Local, MCCC Foundation for the Mercer County Fire Academy/Captain John T. Demptser Fire Services Training Center, Local chapters of The American Red Cross, NJSP Museum honoring fallen Troopers, The Megan Kanka Foundation, the RWJUH Hamilton Auxiliary, the NY/NJ Port Authority Police Widows Fund, and Signal 22 and White Horse Fire Co. in memory of David Kelty, Sr.
What are Valor Awards?
The R. Peter Hodge Valor Award is presented to an individual who has committed an act of bravery, beyond the call of duty, and at imminent personal risk to his own life and safety, and is the highest award bestowed by a 200 Club. A 200 Club Valor pin is the only pin allowed to be worn on the uniform of a New Jersey State Police officer outside of its own awards. The 200 Club of Mercer County periodically bestows R. Peter Hodge Valor Awards to public servants in Mercer County.
In 2015, the 200 Club of Mercer County named their awards the “R. Peter Hodge Valor Award” in honor of its late founding Board member who was truly an inspiration for his dedication and support of all first responders in our community.
Visit the Call for Nominations page to submit a nomination.
Recent R. Peter Hodge Valor Award recipients:
2024 Honorees:
Officers David Broniszewski and Michael McGowan, Hamilton Police
Captain Blair Astbury #5667, New Jersey State Police Intelligence & Criminal Enterprise Section
2023: Henry Roldan, Jr., Hamilton Firefighter
2020-2022 Honorees:
Trenton Firefighters Christopher Fields, Brendan Gurry and Kenny Walters
Deputy Chief Buddy Tunnicliffe, Firefighter Mathew Cruz, Firefighter William Strong, Titusville Fire Co.
Chief Raymond Nagy, Deputy Chief David Burns, Advisory Chief Gary Wasko, Lawrence Twp Fire Dept (Lawrence Station)
Battalion Chief Tim Sharpley, Captain Michael Kiernan, Firefighter Michael Peoples, Firefighter Michael Hodnicki, Firefighter David Jurado, Firefighter Eric Griggs, Firefighter Patrick O’Reilly
Hamilton Fire Division
NJ State Police: Tyson Mowry, Aviation Unit; Daryl Lynch, Aviation Unit; Jason Jorgensen, Aviation Unit; and Patrick Crann, T.E.A.M.S. Unit
Ewing Police Officer Justin Quinlan
Daniel Harrison, Detective II, NJ State Police
Hamilton Police Officer Ryan Fratz
Hamilton Police Officers Michael Stefanelli and Anthony Lucidi
Trenton Police Officers Michael Gettler, Jeffrey Pownall, Kevin Starkey and Brandon Walker
2019 and earlier:
- Trenton Firefighter Evan Kontos and Chief Steven Kraemer, Hamilton Township Fire District 3
- Princeton Police Detective Adam Basatemur; Princeton Police Detective Sergeant Benjamin Gering
- Trenton Police Officer Freddy Jimenez
- NJ State Police Detective Rasheed Joaquin; NJ State Police Sergeant Curtis Sand; New Jersey State Police Lieutenant Tom Wieczerak; New Jersey State Police Sergeant Joe Itri
- Trenton Police Officer Sheehan Miles;Trenton Firefighters Dave Houseworth, Frank Wilcox and
Battalion Chief John Barone - Robert Bailey, Emergency Services Specialist and Matthew Peck, Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technician with Hopewell Valley Emergency Services Unit
- Det. Adrian Markowski, Robbinsville Police Department; Officers Robert Albanowski and Marlon Parrott, Trenton Police Department
- Raymond A. Amato and Thomas J. Ferrigno New Jersey State Police, T.E.A.M.S. Unit;
- Captain Ken DeBoskey and Detective Daniel Inman from the Hamilton Police Department;
- Ewing Fire Captain Michael Anderson
- Detective Michael Pellegrino, Officer Frederick Dow and Officer Jeffrey Caldwell, Ewing Police Department
- Hamilton Police Officers Tom White and Nick Avanzato
- State Trooper Steven Foster
- Trenton Firefighter Manuel “Manny” Rivera, Sr.
- Mounted Patrol Officer John Harbourt of the Trenton Police Department
- Sgt. Woody Benner from Hopewell Township Police Department
- Captain Robert Tharp, Michael Burzachiello, and Firefighter Keith Quinlan of the Trenton Fire Department
- Hopewell Patrolman Christopher Kascik
- Trenton Firefighter Gus Tackacs.
Special Departmental Recognition Honors
- New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit
- Trenton Fire Department Task Force 1; Hamilton Fire Special Operations and Police Department; Capital Health EMS and Robert Wood Johnson EMS.
- Mercer County Task Force
When was The 200 Club of Mercer County created?
On June 28th, 1979, the following trustees formed The 200 Club of Mercer County:
J. Sherman Cooper, Elizabeth Cullen, J. Burnell Harrison, Cory Kammler, James J. Maguire, Jr., Susan Malatich, Victor Mowat and Maurice Perilli.
Who belongs to The 200 Club of Mercer County?
Individuals, companies and organizations who are living, working or otherwise served by police, fire and rescue personnel in Mercer County.
How much is membership in The 200 Club of Mercer County?
$200 for individuals; $40 renewal support in subsequent years.
$500 for corporate; $200 for renewals (includes 5 individual member cards)
$200 for public safety personnel; $25 annual renewal
Officers and Board:
Gregory S. Blair, President of the Board
Scott McCormick, Vice President
Daniel J. O’Donnell Esq., Secretary
Gregory Scozzari, Treasurer
| Executive Board | Advisory Board |
| Peter Dawson Joseph Flynn Peter Inverso Robert Lambert Frank J. Lucchesi Gil Lugossy Christopher Natale Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr. Patrick L. Ryan |
James Bartolomei, CPA Christopher Casarona Mark J. Corcoran, Esq. Leslie A. Hayling, Jr. William Rue, Jr. Christopher S. Vernon Ronald Vernon, Sr. |
Trustee Emeritus: Cathy Frank-White
Press Contact: Karla Pollack, Club Administrator, info@mercer200club.org, 609-498-7727
Website: www.mercer200club.org