Martino Cartier’s long record of giving back enters politics
I’ve known Martino Cartier for years, and long before his name appeared on a ballot, I'm proud to call him a friend.
He is someone who puts an extraordinary amount of energy into helping people.
If you want to understand Martino, start with Wigs & Wishes. He founded the organization in 2011, building a network that provides wigs at no cost to women battling cancer and grants wishes to children fighting cancer.
I’ve had the privilege of hosting and emceeing Wigs & Wishes events over the years, including an emotional Atlantic City gala in 2024.
Some of the memories are considerably lighter than the heavy stuff of families suffering from terrible diseases, but are all part of the fabric that balances humor, fun and a sincere and effective effort to help families who are struggling.
One of my favorites was emceeing an event featuring Paula Abdul and a well-dressed llama.
That’s Martino’s world: celebrities, rescued animals, families, kids and a charitable mission all somehow colliding in the same room.
Years ago, I wrote about his Zoo Hoo petting zoo in Sewell, a private haven where children with cancer can spend time with animals, have fun and simply be kids.
I’ve also written about the Cartier Ranch opening to families for holiday events that helped support Wigs & Wishes.
The work came long before the campaign
This isn’t a charitable résumé invented for a political campaign.
The work came first. Now Martino is running for Gloucester County commissioner alongside Katherine Falcone and Barbara McCormick.
His campaign has focused on taxes, spending, transparency and the way county government conducts the public’s business.
Martino argues that Gloucester County needs more voices from outside the traditional political establishment and more attention to the people earning the money government spends.
The campaign has also gotten personal.
Recent attack ads have raised decades-old insurance-fraud cases and other legal and financial disputes from Martino’s past.
Martino has responded that critics are focusing on old controversies that are taken wildly out of context and are just enemies piecing together unrelated bits of history to paint a damaging picture.
He smartly points out that the nastiness of today's politics always focuses on negatives while ignoring decades of charitable work, business experience and community service.
That kind of intensely personal politics is also one of the things many normal people say they hate about campaigns.
Voters should have the facts, including the difficult ones, but they should also be able to look at the whole person and the full record rather than a collection of opposition-research headlines.
A candidate with a very different background
And Martino’s full record includes years of running businesses, employing people, raising money, helping women going through chemotherapy and creating unforgettable experiences for children fighting cancer.
He is energetic, he is outspoken, and he is unconventional.
Nobody who knows Martino would pretend otherwise.
But he also understands what it means to build something from scratch, meet a payroll, raise private money for a cause and sit across from families dealing with problems much bigger than politics.
Those experiences are now part of the choice Gloucester County voters have before them.
Republican commissioner candidates Katherine Falcone, Barbara McCormick and Martino Cartier appear together in Column B.
Voters will choose three candidates for county commissioner.
For people who want to learn more about Martino before voting, I’d start where I started years ago: look at the work.
Look at Wigs & Wishes, look at the families, look at the kids, look at the ranch and the animals.
Then look at what he and his Republican team are proposing for county government and make your own decision.
LOOK: These Unforgettable Photos Bring the 1960s to Life
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.
FOLLOW BILL: Join the Bill Spadea's New Jersey channel on our Facebook page.
More From New Jersey 101.5 FM
