Page 3 - April 20, 2022

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Historical Society Dedicates Carol Buck Gravestone

Thirty years ago, the adult daughter of internationally known author Pearl S.
High School Robotic Team Earns Highest Score, Buck, passed away in Vineland. Her name was Caroline Grace Buck, and for most Newfield National Bank Major Sponsor
of her life, Carol—as she was commonly known—was a resident of the Vineland
Competing This Week in Texas Training School, a facility that once operated on East Landis Avenue as a home for for Habitat Golf Classic 2022
developmentally disabled people. On March 29, Newfield National Bank Senior Executive Vice President Joseph
The LUNATECS, a local com- Carol was laid to rest in the small cemetery once known as “Our Greenwood,” Biegalski presented Bill Gonzalez, executive director of Cumberland County Habitat
munity-based high school robot- located at the back of the 150-acre site, with only a plastic and tin marker showing for Humanity with a $5,000 donation to sponsor the annual Habitat Golf Classic as
ics teams, earned a spot at the the location. On April 9, 2022, her gravesite received its first permanent marker. the Presenting Sponsor, along with Pete Capizola, senior vice president of Business
FIRST championship in Houston, And so, a new chapter was added to her story. Development for Newfield National Bank. The Golf Classic will be held on Friday,
TX, and is competing this week About six months ago, David Swindal, a lifelong fan of Pearl Buck and her work, September 16, 2022.
with the best FIRST teams in contacted the Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society regarding the condition
the nation and from other coun- of Carol’s grave. Out of respect for Buck’s work, he wanted to provide a headstone
tries. The team operates out of for her daughter.
Salem County and last week at “We were so impressed by Mr. Swindal’s generosity,” said Patricia A. Martinelli,
the Lehigh University Regional, Society curator. “What is equally wonderful is the fact that Prime Rock, the new
the LUNATECS were the highest owners of the property, are planning to preserve the cemetery as a historic site for
scoring robot at the event. the people of Vineland.”
Also last week the team was Carol was placed at the Training School when she was
recognized by FIRST headquar- about 10 years old, the victim of a degenerative disease
ters and Lucas Films for Project called PKU, which damaged her learning abilities. Her
Propel, their adaptive swim fins mother had “Carol Cottage” built on the site and it became
for veterans wounded in battle her lifelong home.
and spinal cord injury victims. About 169 former residents and employees of the
The team is currently working on Training School are believed to be buried at the site.
a pediatric version.
The new headstone on Carol Buck’s grave at the former
Vineland Training School site was transported by David Swindal
of Birmingham, Alabama, a lifelong fan of author Pearl Buck.

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