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A military appreciation program initiated by Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon launched Tuesday morning at Taka on Cookman Avenue, one of its first participating business in Asbury Park.

The ‘Honoring our Heroes’ program connect Veterans to their communities, Hanlon said.

“[The program] does that by engaging businesses in a visible way,” she said.

Retailers, restauranteurs and other business owners need only call the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office in Freehold to submit their name, address, telephone number, and veteran discount for the 20-page guidebook that serves to connect veterans with their establishments.

Businesses will receive an Honoring our Heroes window sticker designed by Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce Board Member Natalie Syracuse of Syracuse Signs in Neptune. The first 500 decals were donated by Asbury Park’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Harold Daley Post 1333.

“Veterans are not seeking handouts but the County Clerk’s Honoring our Heroes Military Appreciation Program allows for businesses to honor Veterans for their military service,” said Daley Post Commander Frank Brogna. “This is something they want to do to express their praise for those that have sacrificed so much for our Country.”

Veterans need only show a Monmouth County issued identification card [Veteran’s ID] to receive a predetermined discount at participating businesses. For example, veterans who show the card at Purple Glaze on Summerfield Avenue will get a free donut, Hanlon said.

“Now we just have to get the word out there, that’s the biggest thing,” said Vietnam Vet and Daley Post Senior Vice Commander Bob Jameson, owner of Jameson Restaurant.

To obtain the card veterans need only bring a NJ Driver’s License and original Report of Separation to the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office in Freehold or the Monmouth County Connection office on Route 66 in Neptune.

Freeholder John P. Curley,  [shown first row at right] liaison to the Office on Aging, Disabilities and Veteran’s Affairs, said $11 million worth of services will be made available to veterans.

I salute our County Clerk because the work that’s being done is not coming from Washington,” Curly said “The work today is being done on the local level.”

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