Good News: The Best Of Lacey In 2023

LACEY, NJ — Bad news is everywhere. It seems that no matter where you look, people are focusing on the negative.

But 2023 was a great year in Lacey, with acres of land preserved permanently, people helped other people and what was a joke Facebook event turned into a great donation drive.

So here is Patch's "year in review" of Lacey, featuring the best feel-good stories from 2023.

'Do It On Purpose': Why This Lacey Man Does Car Giveaways On TikTok

"Do it on purpose" is the motto of Lacey's Rex Vengeance, whose daily TikTok livestreams garner thousands of viewers. They all hope to see their names get written on the car in his garage. It means they have a chance of winning it.

Pies On Nine South Donates 15 Pizzas To Soup Kitchen

In honor of National Pizza Day, a local pizzeria donated 15 pies to a soup kitchen to help fight food insecurity. The "Pizza Across America" campaign is coordinated by Slice Out Hunger, a nationwide nonprofit that fights food insecurity through pizza-themed campaigns and events.

3,000+ Acres Of Woods In Lacey Donated For Conservation

An additional 3,100 acres of the Pinelands was donated to the county to be preserved permanently, adding to an existing 8,000-acre protected area purchased by Ocean County in 2019 for $15 million.

'Hero Cape,' Filled With Police Patches, Helps Lacey Boy Be Brave

Jaxon is a second grader who is always thinking of others. He has a kind soul, his mother says, and is always thinking how he can help. Though he's still young, Jaxon has already overcome a great deal - in 2020, he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), his mom, Staci Fuge, told Patch. How does Jaxon keep fighting? He collects patches from police departments that go onto his hero cape and blanket.

40K Respond To NJ Walmart Party, But You Shouldn't Show Up

What started as a satirical Facebook event garnered 40,000 RSVPs from people across the country. But it became a real event at the Lacey Elks, getting donations for the Lacey Food Bank, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge and toys for Lacey Food Bank Kids.