Take A Veteran To Lunch
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Habitat for Humanity of South Central New Jersey collaborates with the Burlington Lodge #32 of the Free and Accepted Masons to host our annual Take a Veteran to Lunch Event! This event is a sit-down lunch with a short program in honor of Veterans Day, and to thank the men and women who have selflessly served our country. Support for this event will help ensure that Habitat SCNJ raises the funds necessary to support and connect with Veterans and Military Families in our community through affordable homeownership, home repair, and volunteer opportunities. Join us as we foster meaningful relationships, build camaraderie, and express our gratitude to those who have dedicated their lives to our nation.
- When:
Saturday, November 15th - Where:
Burlington Lodge #32 of Free and Accepted Masons
2308 Mt Holly Rd, Burlington Township, NJ 08016 - Time:
12:00 PM- 2:00 PM - What:
A sit-down lunch with a short program highlighting Habitat for Humanity Veterans Build work with our keynote speakers: James Walter O Brien, Rick Zanoni, and Thomas Cairns Jr.
The concept is easy! Purchase a ticket for yourself and one for a veteran in your life to say thank you and honor them this Veterans Day!
All veterans attend free regardless if they have a ticket sponsor.
About The Keynote Speaker:
James Walter O’Brien
James (Jim) Walter O’Brien was born in Philadelphia in 1925 and raised in Browns Mills, New Jersey. A graduate of Pemberton High School, where he served as senior class president, Jim was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He trained at Fort Benning, Camp Campbell and in ASTP in Gambler, Ohio before deploying to the European Theater of Operations with the 20th Armored Division during WWII. Serving as a rifleman and ammunition handler, he participated in the advance through Belgium and Germany, culminating in the capture of Munich on April 30, 1945. His division was later recognized as a liberating unit of Dachau Concentration Camp. While on leave in August 1945, Jim married Sophie Ciechenoski, and together they raised five children, building a legacy of 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. In 1947, Jim joined his father and brother to found O’Brien & Sons, Inc., a home center business that continues to thrive today. After retiring in 1991, he enjoyed many years with Sophie, his wife of 62 years, until her passing in 2007. Jim remains proud of his service and his family’s enduring legacy.
Thomas A. Cairns Jr.
Thomas A. Cairns Jr. honorably served his country during both World War II and the Korean War. Raised in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Upper Darby High School, Class of 1942, Tom enlisted in the Merchant Marines in 1943. He served in the engine room of Liberty ships, completing seven round trips across the North Atlantic to transport troops and supplies to Great Britain and France. After the war, Tom earned a degree in Marketing from St. Joseph’s College (now St. Joseph’s University) in 1951 and began work at the National Security Agency. He chose to enlist in the Army in 1953 during the Korean War, returning to the NSA in his military role until his honorable discharge in 1955. He received the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal. Tom married his wife, Mimi, in 1959, and together they raised four children and now celebrate eleven grandchildren. He has lived in Riverton and later Cinnaminson, New Jersey, where he resides today.
Rich Zanoni
Rich Zanoni is a decorated Army veteran who served in Vietnam as a sergeant with the 164th Combat Aviation Group of the 1st Aviation Brigade from 1969–1970. For his meritorious service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Following his tour of duty, Rich was assigned to the Casualty Branch at Headquarters, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where he supported surviving families by ensuring next of kin were notified and compiling a comprehensive list of family benefits that was later adopted for Army-wide use. For this work, he received the Army Commendation Medal. A resident of Edgewater Park for nearly five decades, Rich has been deeply involved in his community through his church, the Knights of Columbus, the American Red Cross, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He taught high school history before retiring as Supervisor of Insurance Education and Professional Development from New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company.