Kevin Zelinsky is zooming through life with zeal and zest.
By SAUL RESNICK
Special to The Sun
This is another in the series The Sun is running about people who make significant contributions to the Haddonfield community.
Kevin Zelinsky is the kind of person you want in your corner when decisions of importance are being made. That’s why the Haddonfield Lions Club is lucky to have the 54-year-old Haddon Township resident as a director and
“Lion Tamer” (a man for all duties) as he zips along with zeal and zest for all tasks he’s asked to tackle with zero timeouts.
“I’ve been a member for two and a half years, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” said Kevin with unrestrained enthusiasm. “The club’s goals and its theme, ‘We Serve’, has great appeal for me, and I love participating in the fundraising events and being part of the camaraderie as we pursue our goals of contributing to the blind and visually impaired and to a number of community activities.”
Kevin’s complex day job, CADD/Cartography/GIS manager and associate with Remington and Vernick Engineers in Haddonfield, involves overseeing mapping operations for the firm’s 11 regional offices in four states. He brings more than 30 years of experience in civil engineering and cartographic expertise to his tasks, which are critical to the company’s planning for the numerous construction projects it undertakes.
“I work directly with the project engineers and licensed surveyors in the design phases of projects, and I’m responsible for overseeing most aspects until completion — within budget,” Kevin said. “It is a true exercise in multi-tasking taking extraordinary time and effort on the part of many people to be successful. We are a fortunate organization to have excellent people dedicated to their tasks.”
“My personal motto is ‘don’t be afraid to do too much,’” Kevin said. “Pay attention to detail, be thorough and do your best.”
Kevin applies that approach to many other parts of his life as well.
Beyond his day job and Lions Club duties, Kevin has been deeply involved as a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. Since 2013, he has served as Scoutmaster for Troop 3064 and has been an active member in Troop 64 since 2010.
Kevin, a native of Pottsville, Pa., is the oldest of five children of Robert James Zelinsky and his wife, Carol Anne.
“My parents were wonderful people who taught all of us kids the values of discipline and the importance of education leading to useful lives, as well as taking the time to give to others less fortunate,” Kevin said. “I always thought of my dad as Superman, and my mom as the most patient human being I’ve ever known.”
Kevin’s father was a physical education teacher at Pennsauken Middle and High schools and a certified scuba diving instructor at the Camden YMCA.
“Mom was a bookkeeper in accounting for a firm, while raising us kids,” Kevin said. “She was a special person who always put us first and was always there for us.”
Kevin took his parents’ guidance seriously, graduating in the top 10 percent of his class at Camden Catholic High School in 1981. Then, he earned an associates degree from American Institute of Designing in Philadelphia and later attended night school graduating with a degree in geomatics (surveying engineering) from Rutgers University in 2008.
Kevin and his wife-to-be, Kathleen Mary Curley, met in 1987 while they both worked at Remington and Vernick.
“We were married on Feb. 13, 1988 — a date extra special because it was also my mother’s birthday,” Kevin said.
They have two sons, Collin Joseph, 21, and Daniel Thomas, 20, both of whom attend colleges majoring in communications. Kevin noted that with his assistance, Collin Joseph became an Eagle Scout in 2014 — the same year Daniel Thomas earned the rank of Life Scout.
“My wife is a very special person who did a wonderful job in raising our two kids and giving them the same kind of guidance and support my mother gave me,” Kevin said.
As for Kevin’ s future with the Lions Club, he is looking forward to continuing the clubs’ efforts.
“I look forward to helping the club grow its membership and continue to contribute, through fundraising, to the many organizations we support,” Kevin said. “These are worthy goals by any measure.”
If you are interested in joining the Haddonfield Lions Club contact Bob Stokes, president, at (856) 429–6497 or e-mail him at [email protected] for further information.
