Karen Kesckes has seen more than a few things change during her 31 years working for East Brunswick, and most of them are for the good.

“There’s been a lot of change. A lot has happened over the years,” she said. “I’ve always seen East Brunswick as a progressive town, they try to help people, economically and socially,” said Kesckes.

During her time with the township, most recently with the Department of Recreation, Parks and Community Affairs, Kesckes has had a hand in that effort to help by running the township food pantry, just one of many things she’ll miss doing when she retires on Jan. 31.

“Over the last few years, in my capacity, I’ve had the chance to meet people on hard times for one reason or another,” she said.

Her passion for helping others is something not lost on the pantry’s customers, one of whom raved about her during an interview with Patch in December.

“She’s great. I’m telling you, I always say, ‘you’re giving me child support,’ ” said the woman, who wished to remain anonymous for the story. “She’s a good lady. She does her job well. I don’t know what her plans for the future are, but I know it will be different when she’s gone. Whoever takes her place, I don’t know if you can teach somebody compassion, but I hope they have it, because she’s really good.”

But helping those in need isn’t the only way the township has grown, said Kesckes. During her time, East Brunswick has worked to improve its park system, summer camp programs, built Crystal Springs and more.

“In East Brunswick, I’ve seen a lot of care and concern over the parks, which is great. The kids just don’t get out as much as they used to, they’re inside watching TV and playing video games,” she said. “It’s a great aspect of the township to give kids a place to go.”

While she’s a resident of Spotswood now, Kesckes is a an East Brunswick “lifer.” She moved with her family to the township in 1953, when she was in third grade, and graduated from East Brunswick High School in 1968. Before coming to East Brunswick for work, she spent 11 years at the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers.

“I feel fortunate. I’ve only had two jobs and I’ve loved both,” she said. “I hope I’m not the only one like that, but I know a lot of people go to work every day and hate it.”

Part of what made her time special is the people she’s worked for, many of whom have become good friends.

“Having good people to work with really make the job easier. I really will miss everyone,” she said.

“I think the residents are very fortunate that they have a good municipal government, and the people I’ve worked with were always very dedicated. Government workers get a bad rep, but I don’t think that’s true here in East Brunswick.

So, what’s next for Kesckes, who has worked a little bit with every single township department, beginning in the Mayors Office, since she started? For now she doesn’t have any big plans, at least not yet, and the only thing on her agenda is to kick back and relax until the “work bug” bites her.

“I’m going to take the summer off and regroup,” she said. “When September and October come, I’ll see if I want a job. I’m going to volunteer with a veterans group and Women’s Aware.