S.J. to honor 3 area leaders Thursday

Martha Chavis, executive director of Welcome NJ, will be among three area leaders honored tomorrow at the seventh annual Celebration of South Jersey for their contributions to the region.

Chavis' non-profit Camden agency helps poor and disadvantaged residents of the city overcome barriers to employment.

Also recognized will be Tom Paparone, president of Paparone Housing in Mount Laurel, for service in the private sector. Paparone is a national leader in the building industry whose work emphasizes sustainable quality of life in development.

Rep. Jim Saxton (R., N.J.) will be honored for his accomplishments in the public sector, including his successful efforts to keep Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base from closing and for helping to bring the Battleship New Jersey to rest in Camden.

The event, to be held at the Camden County Boathouse in Pennsauken, is sponsored by the Sen. Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers-Camden.