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Being a cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles certainly has its advantages. Performing in front of 60,000-plus fans, watching the game from the sidelines, being featured in a calendar and getting VIP treatment are just a few of the perks.

But for Mays Landing’s Tiffany Monroe, being an Eagles cheerleader for the past four years and a team captain this year has a deeper meaning. It enabled her to go to Iraq and Kuwait for 12 days over the summer on a USO tour with five others Eagles cheerleaders who visited about 14 bases.

“It was an experience that changed my life,” Monroe said. “I brought them a piece of home, which was really cool. They really appreciate it so much. It really makes you understand what they do for our country.”

The 25-year-old also used her time abroad to help educate students at the Jordan Road School in Somers Point, where she is a health and physical education teacher. Monroe conducted a Veterans Day assembly to help children understand military life better.

The Holy Spirit High School graduate hopes to continue cheerleading for the Eagles at least one more year.

“It’s kind of like I live a double life,” she said.

Ultimate tailgate

When the Eagles have their homecoming today against the Washington Redskins, tailgates will be plentiful as usual. But perhaps the biggest and best tailgate on Darien Street in Philadelphia will belong to Hammonton’s John Rodio, 46, who takes tailgating to a whole new level.

His 16-foot, customized “Tailgater 2” trailer is like a kitchen on wheels, with charbroilers, griddles, a stove, running water, refrigerator and generator.

Rodio and his friends and family do not cook up your typical parking lot fare, either. For a recent game against the Dallas Cowboys, they offered sausage and peppers, steaks, lobster, shrimp, lamb chops, venison cutlets, tortellini and other Italian favorites, along with beer, soda and other drinks. Rodio’s expenses were $4,500 to feed more than 300 people, which is offset by everyone chipping in cash.

On top of that, he always offers a live band, a DJ or both, including acts such as area favorites the Juliano Brothers and “The Geator with the Heater,” Jerry Blavat.

“We love it,” said Rodio, who owns a landscaping company. “It’s a great time for our friends and family to get together, and we’ve met a lot of people along the way, too. We had Ed Rendell stop here when he was running for governor, and I always joke that this tailgate put him over the top because we endorsed him.”

Short stories

Upper Township Mayor Richard Palombo received the 2009 Bowl of Hygeia Award for New Jersey as a member of the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy. The award is the highest state pharmacy honor. … The 2009 Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority’s public relations campaign, “Are You Free This Summer? The Wildwoods Are!” earned a Bronze Adrian Award in the Consumer Marketing Public Relations category. The Adrian Awards are awarded annually by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association, an international organization. Suasion Communications Group/Smith O’Keefe of Egg Harbor Township created and executed the award-winning campaign. … Harrah’s Resort recently hosted a small group of airmen at its buffet for their first visit to Atlantic City. Each Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in December and January, returning soldiers will be treated to some R&R with a free room, dinner and breakfast at Bally’s Atlantic City and Harrah’s.

Everyone Has a Story appears Sundays and Wednesdays. To share your story, call Scott Cronick at 609-272-7017 or e-mail him at scronick@pressofac.com.

1 comment:

• JerseyDevil (544) posts 6:30 am

  A real nice story about Tiffany Monroe the Eagles Captain of Cheerleaders.Also a great story about The Rodio Boys from Hammonton who are no doubt the Ultimate Tailgaters.Right now it's about 6:30 Sunday morning and after reading this story I have to have a sausage and pepper sandwich.I was wondering if the Rodio's have any relatives from South Paterson because I was brought up there with a Pat and Tony Rodio and they were the same type of a happy go lucky family.

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