The lives of longtime friends Richard “Dick” Kowal and Michael “Mickey” Hunt will be honored with a Day of Service at varied locations in Sussex County, New Jersey, and Port Jervis, New York, Friday, October 14th, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The pair died tragically in a boating accident in 2021. Both men lived exemplary lives of service to their community, mentoring students and offering advice to young and old. Hunt was a self-employed mason contractor who became a general contractor and partnered with Kowal on numerous projects for decades. Kowal served as construction supervisor in the building of non-profit agency Project Self-Sufficiency’s four-building Newton campus, eventually taking on the role of Maintenance Supervisor at the organization. He oversaw the non-profit agency’s facilities and mentored hundreds of teens and young adults through the New Jersey Youth Corps program for high school dropouts. The Day of Service will offer volunteer opportunities to those who would like to commemorate the pair by giving back to the community; projects are available at the Port Jervis Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Project Self-Sufficiency, and the Ridge & Valley Conservancy. The $25 registration fee will be earmarked for the creation of a scholarship for New Jersey Youth Corps graduates who exemplify the life of service displayed by Kowal and Hunt. Interested volunteers are invited to register online at www.projectselfsufficiency.org.

“We are honored to create an annual Day of Service in honor of Dick Kowal and Mickey Hunt whose legendary work ethics helped so many,” stated Project Self-Sufficiency Executive Director Deborah Berry-Toon. “Volunteering, mentoring, and helping those in need was second nature to both men. While we grieve their loss, we celebrate the impact they had on so many, and we are looking forward to exemplifying their selflessness with this annual event.”