2-23 EO

Swimming siblings

Ewing mourns the passing of School Board stalwart

By BiLL SANserViNO

Bruce White, former long-time member of the Ewing Township Board of Education, and one of the longest-serving school board members in the state of New Jersey, has passed away.

White, 79, died peacefully on Jan. 19 after a long battle with heart disease. He retired from the School Board in 2019 due to health issues after serving for more than 30 years.

“Bruce, thank you for your service and commitment to the Ewing

Public Schools. You will be missed greatly,” said a statement released by the school district, which also lauded White for “dedicating his time and wisdom to benefit the children, staff and community of Ewing Township.”

After he retired from the Board, White continued to support the children of Ewing, the schools and parent organizations by working with the Ewing Kiwanis to help fund school book fairs throughout the district so “no child was left behind” and was not able to receive or purchase a book.

“Up until three weeks ago, he shared information about a poster contest for our 5th grade students,” said the District. “Always thinking about the children and giving them an opportunity to participate, if they would like to.”

White was a member of the Ewing Kiwanis Club for decades, holding many leadership positions, including chair of Safety Town and president of the Ewing Kiwanis Scholarship Foundation.

Over the years, White belonged to other community organizations

See WHITE, Page 5

Explore history at area libraries

By DAN AUBrey

Libraries are safe places that connect to the world of ideas and human memory and are always on the front lines of combatting censorship.

Yet they are often the physical representations of past values and designs — if one just takes the time to check them out.

So, let’s take a quick tour of some of the region’s vintage libraries.

First stop, the Trenton Free Public Library on Academy Street in

Trenton. It’s the oldest organized library in New Jersey and the embodiment of a particular American movement.

Founded in 1750 as the subscription-styled Trenton Library Company, it allegedly started with 50 books purchased by Benjamin Franklin.

Yet the person who turned that first page in Trenton’s history was Dr. Thomas Cadwalader, who served as the town’s first chief Burgess and contributed 500 pounds. The collection was housed

in rented spaces or subscribers’ homes until the British arrived in 1776 and destroyed the building that housed the collection.

The library was back and running by 1781 and by 1797 had 240 items in its collection. By 1804 the library collection was at 700 volumes and still growing without a permanent home.

That need was addressed in 1900, when the organization became the free public library, and Ferdinand W. Roebling served as

See LIBRARIES, Page 11

Gavin Bossio (left)and his brother, Owen, both compete on the Notre Dame swim team. To read more about the two, turn to page 16. (Photo by Joe Bossio.)

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Health, we perform more elective and emergent procedures than any other health care system in New Jersey. Our heart team can clear blocked or narrowed arteries to safely restore blood flow to your heart. Schedule an appointment with one of New Jersey’s top cardiac specialists at rwjbh.org/heart

Ewing resident to talk about postcards

In honor of the Valentine’s Day holiday, David Burchell will present a brief history of the wide variety of century old postcards in his collection with a special focus on the topic of Valentine’s Day.

The virtual talk, being presented by the Mercer County Library system, is set to be held on Thursday, Feb. 2, from 7 to 8 p.m. Burchell will discuss the common practice of daily communication with “postals”, the everyday e-mails of a century ago.

Burchell is a lifelong New Jersey resident and resides in Ewing with his wife, Marla. He is a career educator, and a graduate of the College of New Jersey with a degree in sociology and anthropology, and a master’s in history and geography.

Burchell retired after 30 years in Secondary Education as chairman of the Social Studies Department at Burlington City High School. He has taught for the past 15 years as a senior adjunct professor of history at Mercer County Community College.

AroUND toWN Observer Ewing

Burchell is currently the librarian of the Washington Crossing Card Collectors Club where he developed his interest in Deltiology (postcard collecting).

Registration with an e-mail is required, for the event and a link to the talk will be sent out the approximately 24 hours before the program. For more information or to register, e-maiol hopeprogs@ mcl.org.

Boheme Opera to present ‘Madama Butterfly’

Boheme Opera NJ, one of the oldest opera companies in New Jersey, brings Madama Butterfly to the stage on Friday, March 24, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. at Kendall Hall Theater on the campus of The College of New Jersey in Ewing.

Madama Butterfly closes out Boheme’s 34th main stage season in a full-scale, traditional Italian production, with lavish sets and costumes by and under the stage direction of internationally renowned

Giorgio Lalov, artistic director of Teatro Lirico D’Europa.

“We’ve been thrilling our audiences with the fantastical virtual sets of J. Matthew Root, but thought it would be great to return to our traditional staging roots for something as compelling as Madama Butterfly,” said Boheme Artistic Director Joseph Pucciatti, who will lead the Boheme Opera NJ Orchestra and Chorus.

“‘Butterfly is an emotionally charged, intimate opera essentially set in someone’s home for the entire production,” Pucciatti said. “The physical sets help ground the audience as guests in that home—as if you were at an obligated family function with no way to leave and nothing to watch but this tragedy of betrayal as it unfolded before your eyes.”

Visit.bohemeopera.org/madama-butterfly for more information and to purchase tickets. Call the Boheme office at (609) 581-9551 with questions and to learn about sponsorships and group tickets.

We are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Ewing Observer is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Gazette does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another. As such, our staff sets out to make our town a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood.

EDITOR

Bill Sanservino (Ext. 104)

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Dan Aubrey, Rich Fisher

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Helen Kull

AD LAYOUT AND PRODUCTION

Stephanie Jeronis

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Christine Storie (Ext. 115)

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Reduce Recycle Reuse

We CAN make a di erence

EWING TOWNSHIP

EWING TOWNSHIP

FREE SHRED DAY 2023

Take a step in going GREEN

FREE SHRED DAY 2023

Take a step in going GREEN

Ewing Township will host a Free Paper Shredding day to all Ewing residents who want to get rid those old unwanted files and papers that need shredding safely and securely.

Please Paper Only

**** NO PLASTIC, METAL OR RING BINDERS ****

Ewing Township will host a Free Paper Shredding day to all Ewing residents who want to get rid those old unwanted files and papers that need shredding safely and securely.

DATES: Saturday, May 6th and Saturday, October 14th

Place: Municipal Building

2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing

Please Paper Only

*** NO PLASTIC, METAL OR RING BINDERS ***

Time: 9am till 1pm

Proof of residency: Please bring ID (DL, BILL HEAD, TAX BILL, etc.)

For more information, please call 609-882-3382 or check ewingnj.org and click on recycling.

DATES: Sat., May 6th and Sat., October 14th

PLACE: Municipal Building

EWING TOWNSHIP DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

136 Scotch Road, Ewing (P) 609-882-3382 / Fax: 609-406-9539

2 JAKE GARZIO DRIVE, EWING

TIME: 9am till 1pm

Mike Meenan, Manager / Bert Steinmann, Mayor

PROOF OF RESIDENCY: Please bring ID (DL, BILL HEAD, TAX BILL, etc.)

For more information, please call 609-882-3382 or check ewingnj.org and click on recycling.

EWING TOWNSHIP

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

136 Scotch Road, Ewing (P) 609-882-3382 / Fax: 609-406-9539

Mike Meenan, Manager / Bert Steinmann, Mayor

When: Saturday, February 25 - Friday, March 3, 2023

Where: restaurants of all types throughout ewing Township

reSGISTrATIOn: For more information and to register online go to ewing.org/restaurant-week

COnTACT: Councilwoman Jennifer Keyes-Maloney jkeyes-maloney@ewingnj.org

WHITE continued from Page 1

including the Fraternal Order of Police and Village on Green association.

For White, service on the School Board was a continuation of a lifetime spent in education.

A lifelong resident of Ewing Township, White attended Parkway Elementary School, Fisher Middle School and graduated from Ewing High School, as did his wife Sheila, who died in 2010. Their daughters Rebecca and Sara were also graduates of EHS.

White earned a degree in history with a minor in sociology, and a master’s from Rider in guidance and counseling.

He was a history teacher for nine years at St. Anthony’s High School (now Trenton Catholic Academy) in Hamilton through 1974.

In a 2016 interview with the Observer, White said he especially liked working with the students who wanted to go on to tech school, which led him to transfer to work in the guidance department in the Mercer County Technical Schools’ Assunpink Center in Hamilton.

He was appointed principal there when he was about 32 years old, and served in the role until his retirement in 2001. During that time, he served for four years as principal of the Arthur R. Sypek Center in Pennington, until going back to Assunpink, where he finished his career.

Throughout his career, White was an active member of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.

White said that after his retirement, he wanted to pursue other interests— one of those was becoming more active in the community—especially the school district.

With two daughters in the Ewing Public Schools, he and Sheila got involved with the PTA. In 1982, the school district

was starting its AIM/ACE gifted and talented program, and he became a member of the committee that worked to develop the program in the elementary schools.

After his involvement in the committee, a number of people suggested that he run for the School Board. That was 1984. In the following years, White served on the Board of Education for several years, and then took a few years off in the 1990’s, before returning to the Board later in the decade. He served on the Board until he decided not to run again. His last day as a Board member was Dec. 31, 2019.

In his 2016 interview, White said he believed he could provide lot of value to the community by serving on the Board and was proud of its nonpartisan nature.

“Ewing is a nonpolitical Board. The last time we had a person leave the Board of education and run for town council for another office, I think, was 1994. The people on the Ewing Board are there for the right reason. I don’t think you always see that in a lot of communities. Look at Hamilton, for example. I think that’s half their problem. I give credit to the leadership of both (Ewing) parties to not have that involvement and recognize that it is an independent governmental agency.”

During his time on the Board, White played a role in overseeing the expansion of the district, including involvement in three major referendums.

“A big one was when we redid Parkway School,” White said. “To refurbish the old Parkway School would have cost about $6 million. To build a brand new one was $8 million. It was a no brainer. That building is 24 years old now.”

White was also a big supporter of Ewing Township itself. In the 2016 Observer interview, he talked about some of the strengths of Ewing Township

See WHITE, Page 6

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WHITE continued from Page 5 and Ewing Public Schools.

“The diversity of this community is amazing,” he said. “You go to Ewing schools and you’ll find people who are not so well off and you’ll find wealthy folks. You’ll find every religious group. You’ll find every ethnic group.

“When my daughters went to college they had to go to diversity classes. Sara told me that she could have taught them (hersef). I think that it’s a strength of our community, because going through the schools, the kids learn to deal with everybody.”

White said that he believed the Ewing Public Schools does a good job of providing opportunities for all kids .

“It doesn’t matter where the kid is coming from,” he said. “We have kids going to the best colleges in the country. We have kids going into the military and into the trades. We also have worked hard to maintain activities and events for everybody. In some districts you’ve only got sports. Here, if a student wants to get involved, there’s an activity out there for them.”

He said that another strength was that the district “has a lot of people working hard—teachers, administrators, School Board members, kids—to take all these people with all these different backgrounds and merge them together. It’s really a microcosm of America. This is the America of the future.”

White was also a strong advocate of urging parents to become more involved with their children and their education.

“It’s a challenge in a lot of districts,” he said. “You go back to the old analogy— education is three-legged stool. You’ve got to have the kid, you’ve got to have the parent and you’ve got to have the teacher. If they’re all working together, then the

kid’s going to perform regardless of what the background is.

“We have to educate some of the parents here about their responsibility. That’s not an easy task. Sometimes you might have parents who did not have a favorable educational experience, so they have little or no use for school. That might be a factor.

“You might have someone who is not familiar with the American education system. If you go to a country like Japan or Germany, you go to class and you’re lectured, and they don’t want to see the parents. You take a test and that’s it. In America, we want the involvement of the parents.”

He added: “What’s the difference between West Windsor-Plainsboro and Trenton High? In West Windsor, you’ve got a heavy, active parental involvement, maybe to the point of intrusive. On the other hand, my wife taught Junior I in the City of Trenton. They’d have PTA nights and only two parents would show up. And the parents weren’t involved with their kids. You’ve gotta have that component. That’s where your success is. Ask any teacher what’s going to make the difference, and they’re going to tell you that it’s having that parent there working with you.”

White also said that as a former principal at a technical school, he believed that there needs to be more emphasis placed on the trades as viable career options.

“Ben Franklin said, ‘He that hath a trade, hath an estate.’ But you know what? Parents don’t want their kids doing that. It’s something we fought continually in tech school,” White said. Let me tell you, I can point to kids who are multimillionaires. They found a niche and have very, very successful businesses.”

According to the school district’s statement, one of things White enjoyed the most was the early mornings.

“You could catch Bruce out front of his home in the Village on the Green at the crack of dawn tending to his lawn and landscape, or catch him in his front window reading the many newspapers delivered to his home, always keeping current with local and world events.

“Starting his days early, you might run into him at the Home Depot or find him at the Golden Nugget Flea market on Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays sharing a coffee, a few tidbits and, without a doubt, a joke with various dealers. There was possibly the of making a deal or two, being Bruce was an antique’s proprietor and a collector.

“But his passion was education, equal education for all. He wanted us all to join him in creating a vibrant Ewing Township community, the place where he grew up, raised his family, and continued to support, until his passing.”

The Ewing Public Schools

Adopt-a-Survivor Program BeginsatEwing HighSchool Teacher of the Year Recipients are Honored

Ewing High School Seniors: Starting to Make Their Move to Successful

Nearlysixty years since Alliedforcesliberated the Naziconcentration camps,the now elderly survivors ofthe Holocaust are turning toa new generation topreservetheir testimony about their wartime experiences for futuregenerations.

Ewing Senior Similolu Olubamowo Accepted to West Point Military Academy

As seniors are receiving admissions decisions to a host of colleges and universities, one proud senior has received and accepted an offer of admissions to one of our nation’s esteemed military academies, The United States Military Academy at West Point. The United States Military Academy at West Point’s mission is "to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country, and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army."

Holocaust survivors are steadilydwindling in number. Manyhavemadeittheir mission toeducate the world thatanti-Semitism and racismeasilylead tomurder, and tospeak about the horrors theyand their familiessuffered. Withthe passing oftime, ithas becomeurgenttofind a new generationtocontinue the survivors’mission and telltheir stories after the survivors can nolongerdoso.

OnApril 12, the Adopt-a-Survivor(AAS) program was introducedtothe Trenton areaatEwing HighSchool. Six Holocaust survivors wereadopted bytwelveEwing Highsophomores. The adopted survivors—Moshe Gimlan, VeraGoodkin,Marion Lewin,RuthLubitz, Charles Rojer and JackZaifman— wereoriginallyfromGermany, Czechoslovakia, Polandand Belgium.

Similolu Olubamowo, known by friends as Simi, plans to study Civil Engineering, a natural avenue considering his exemplary academic accomplishments in his Science, Mathematics and Technology coursework at Ewing High School. Mr. Halpern, teacher of Physics, captured Simi's breadth of scholarly interests by noting, “Simi has a desire to know and understand as much as is available to him. He is not afraid to ask questions that others might be. His excitement and enthusiasm for new ideas constantly impressed me.”

Notably, Simi connects his future pursuits to his time at Ewing High School. Reflecting on his West Point acceptance, Simi shared how he found out about this happy news while he was in Mr. Hammer’s classroom. Experiencing waves of disbelief, joy and

pride, Simi recalls sharing his acceptance with his teachers and counselors, many of which helped him with his application, according to Simi. Sharing how deserving Simi is to receive this honor, counselor Ms. Signore observed first-hand the thought and precision that Simi gave to his West Point application, as well as everything else he takes on at EHS!

In addition to the significant relationships he has formed with the educators of the Ewing Public Schools, Simi also credits the cadets and officers of West Point with helping him envision a future at West Point Military Academy.

While Simi looks forward to his transition to West Point, he does not want to rush things. For right now, he wants to enjoy his official acceptance and the rest of his school year!

EHS Student Lina Abtouche Princeton University Bound

The AAS program pairs a survivorwithone or morestudents. The studentsembarkona joint journey withthe survivorthrough discussions about life before, duringand after the Holocaust.Participating studentswillbeabletorepresent the survivorand tellthe survivor’sstory withaccuracyand feeling in the years tocome. Inaddition, eachstudent makes a commitmenttotellthe survivor’sstory ina public venue inthe year2045, a hundred years after the liberationofAuschwitz.

On December 15, 2022, Ewing High School senior Lina Abtouche prepared to receive lifechanging news. She gathered her family around the dining room table and opened a message from Princeton University. “When I opened my decision and saw that I got accepted into one of the most prestigious universities in the country, I was overjoyed and honored.”

had visited Princeton’s campus regularly, but began to consider it more seriously in recent years. “It was only after I was accepted into PUPP that I was able to gain insight about the experiences of the university’s students. This past summer I was given the opportunity to partake in enriching classes on Princeton’s campus during the PUPP summer institute, which only served to solidify my decision to attend.”

Ewing High Students Attend Gorbachev Presentation

by assessing equity over political gain.” Lina has been an empathetic and confident student leader while attending Ewing High School, and she is sure to make a strong impact at Princeton University next year. We look forward in the next few months to hear what the future holds for our additional Ewing High School seniors! Their future is so bright, you might just have to wear shades!

of Perestroika. His policies reopened churches, released political prisoners, and lifted bans on previously censored books.

The 20th anniversary of Perestroika was

continued on page A2

The twelvestudent adoptersare DaveAngebranndt, Tyler Barnes, Annie Cook, Liz Dunham, Emily Everett, CurtisFornarotto, Vildana Hajric, Devon Jones, Jen Meade,Billy O’Callaghan,NikytaSharmaand MelysaWilson.

For Lina, the accomplishment was something to share with her family, particularly her parents. “My only hope is that I can begin to repay their sacrifices with this achievement. The moment we found out the news, our hands enveloped in each others’, I felt the calluses and warmth permeate through my being up into my soul where the voices of my ancestors uttered a singular phrase: you made it.”

Lina is ranked in the top ten percent of her class at Ewing High School, and has participated in the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP) for the last three years. Growing up in Ewing, Lina

On April 18, 2005 Ms. Chiavuzzo, Mrs. Walker and 30 Ewing High School freshmen joined several Mercer County high school and college students, and politicians to hear a presentation given by Mikhail Gorbachev at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Gorbachev was the last communist leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. During his term he instituted various policies including his political policy of Glasnost and economic policy

Lina has also benefited from the support of her teachers in Ewing. She notes, “Many of them have known that Princeton was my dream school and celebrate with me in this milestone. I am proud to represent all of Ewing High School at Princeton University and showcase what I have acquired from my four years here.”

While attending Princeton, Lina will be a student in the School of Public and International Affairs. She hopes to participate in conducting research about educational disparities and contemporary ethnic genocide. Lina sees herself as a catalyst for change. “It is incumbent that as a generation, we dedicate our efforts in ameliorating the oversight of our predecessors

The recipients of the 2005 Teacher of the Year Awards were honored at a luncheon on April 29th. Jan Fay, 2004 Mercer County Teacher of the Year, was a guest speaker. 1st row (L to R): Joan Zuckerman, Principal Antheil; Sharon Solomon, Lore; Jan Fay, 2004 Mercer County Teacher of the Year; Inetta Emery, Principal Parkway; Danielle Miller, EHS; Superintendent Ray Broach. 2nd row: Darrell Jackson, Principal FMS; Donna Andreas, Antheil; Don Barnett, FMS; Betsy Turgeon, Parkway; Rodney Logan, Principal EHS.

Congratulations Rhian Stokes — EHS Girls Basketball Standout! 1,000 points scored • January 20, 2023

The Ewing Public Schools

EHS Teacher Rider Outstanding Cooperating Teacher

Mr. Edward Dutch was selected as the Outstanding Cooperating Teacher of the Year from Rider University for the 2022 Spring semester. The award was presented to Mr. Dutch at the end of December at a ceremony hosted at Rider University. He was nominated by his student teacher Victoria Burd, who ironically, the district hired this fall. Mr. Dutch shared with the Rider University students who attended the event that as a teacher it is very important to find a place where you work you can call ‘home’. Mr. Dutch told the group he found his ‘home’ at Ewing High School for the past 15 years, and has grown both professionally and personally. Congratulations Mr. Dutch!

Ewing BOE Welcomes New Member: Sandra L. Herrington

Ms. Herrington is a proud public school teacher at Kuser Elementary School in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Arizona State University. She completed her post-baccalaureate teacher preparation program at California State University, Los Angeles, earning her California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (K-6). She also holds New Jersey K-12 Social Studies certification. A firm believer in life-long learning, Ms. Herrington recently earned her Teacher Leader Endorsement at The College of New Jersey. She is very involved with advocacy for students and her profession at the local and state levels, sitting on a variety of committees in both the district where she works and her local, county, and state education associations. Originally from Ohio and raised in Florida, Ms. Herrington and her husband made Ewing their home in 2005. They currently have three children in the Ewing Schools, one at each level.

The Ewing Public Schools Organizes for 2023

The Ewing Township Board of Education met on January 9th in the Ewing High School auditorium to conduct the annual Board of Education Organization meeting.

School Business Administrator/Board Secretary, Mr. Dennis Nettleton, opened the meeting and read into the record the official results of the November Board of Education election. Mr. Nettleton then conducted the oath of office for returning Board members Mr. Daniel A. Angebranndt, Mrs. Nicole NW Harris and Mr. Michael S. Miller, along with first one-year term new Board member, Ms. Sandra L. Herrington. Mr. Angebranndt and Mrs. Harris were elected to their second-term, which is their first three-year term as a Board members. Both served a one-year first term in 2022. Mr. Miller, was elected to his second term three-year stint as a Board of Education member and was first elected to the Board in November 2019. Mr. Angebranndt, Mrs. Harris and Mr. Miller will serve three-year Board of Education member terms from 2023 through 2025.

“Say YAY to Parkway!”

On the last day before winter break, Parkway Elementary School staff and students wore pajamas to school to support a great cause. For Parkway’s annual "Say YAY to Pajama Day", the entire Parkway community got comfy, and many supported the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia by making a donation. Between online fundraising and the dollars donated on the day of the event, Parkway raised its largest donation to date - $530.68! Over the four years that Parkway has participated in the event with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, we have raised over $1,200!

Ms. Herrington will serve a one-year term in 2023. The Board then conducted its election for President, which resulted in the nomination and unanimous selection of Mrs. Deborah Delutis, who will lead the Board in 2023. This will be Mrs. Delutis’ first opportunity to lead as President. Mrs. Delutis served as Vice President last year under outgoing President, Mr. Anthony Messina. The Board then unanimously elected Mr. Michael Miller as Vice President for 2023.

The Board also approved its meeting calendar for 2023, which is posted to the website under the Board of Education/Ewing BoardDocs/Library/ Events, as well as several other governance and parliamentary functions.

At the conclusion of the meeting, several Board members and Superintendent Dr. David Gentile thanked and commended outgoing Board President Anthony Messina for his efforts in the leadership role. This was Mr. Messina’s third time serving as President of the Board of Education.

FMS Intergenerational Club

Fisher Middle School is proud of our Intergenerational Club, where 7th and 8th grade students have the opportunity to “adopt grandparents”, or senior adults from Ewing Independent Living. It is exciting for our “grandparents” to interact with younger generations, sharing their years of acquired skills and knowledge, and at the same time enjoying the energy, creativity, and vitality of young minds of our Fisher students. The programs vary from educational to recreational, with plenty of meaningful discussions throughout. The FMS Intergenerational Club hosted a winterthemed luncheon, which included making paper snowflakes, in addition to several other activities including a dice icebreaker, a visit from FMS’ 8th grade saxophone quartet, and a talent show.

Lore students in Mrs. Hoh’s Title I First Grade Book Club are reading books about animals. After reading the book, the students then pick an animal part and create a picture of themselves with that animal part. Mrs. Hoh shared that the students are having so much fun reading and creating!

The Ewing Public Schools

Senior Spotlight: Meet Juan Vasquez

It is the start of the second semester at Ewing High School, any advice for your peers on how to be successful this semester? The main thing to do is to make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Things like staying on top of your work and making time to do your work is all crucial to keeping up not only with school, but with life.

What was or is your favorite class? My favorite class to date has to be Physics.

Who is your favorite teacher or coach/music director and why? My favorite Music teacher has to be Mr. Silipino. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be playing my instrument today. Mr. Silipino helped me through tough times, and back in middle school, attending Stage Band and being part of something more, really helped me with my day to day stresses of school.

Can you tell us a little bit about your Senior Experience option this school year? For me Senior Experience has been a lot of help, and I would recommend it to others. The big point of school is to

educate and prepare the student for life, not only in the numbers and texts, but the day to day struggles and battles. I believe this class really allows you to go out into the world, to learn how to communicate with others, and advocate for yourself in a safe way.

Who or what has impacted your life in a positive way? I think my teachers have impacted me the most, also Valeria Vélez. Vale helped me to stay focused on my work and pushed me forward on everything I had to do. She helps me keep my focus always, and she never failed to be there to support me on everything I was going through.

How do you define success? Success is your ability to pivot and overcome any adversary, as well as maintaining a self-discipline.

What are your plans after you graduate from Ewing High School? After I graduate from Ewing High School I plan to attend a trade school called UTI, in Orlando, Florida, to become an A1 mechanic for BMW, Ford, Porsche, and NASCAR.

Where do you see yourself in ten years from now? Ten years from now, I see myself working at BMW as an A1 mechanic. I also want to have my own car shop, where I can make my dream builds. I want to have a beautiful house with a huge garage.

Lore Hosts SEL Winter Wonderland Family Night

Lore School hosted its second annual Title I SEL Winter Wonderland Family Night in January 2023, and it was a hit with everyone in attendance. While teachers and staff members discussed social-emotional learning, Zones of Regulation, and mindfulness with parents and families, students engaged in activities intended to bring their mind, body, and breathing together. Students created mindfulness jars, painted or colored crafts, and engaged in Yoga activities. Students and staff members explained to families and guests that these strategies can be used by anyone who may be feeling upset or when emotions "get big," and everyone left with resources to continue using these strategies at home. One student explained it perfectly when he said, "Everyone gets angry or upset. It's totally normal. It's what you do to calm down that makes the difference."

Parkway and Antheil Celebrate the 80th Day of School in 80’s Style!

“Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.”

OLA JOSEPH

The Ewing Public Schools

February 2023 Schedule in Ewing Schools

Feb 1 EHS - Athletic Office: DI & DII Athletic Signing Event @ 3pm

EHS - Counseling Department Event: EHS Naviance Night @ 6:30pm

Feb 2 Antheil PTO Meeting @ 6:30pm

FMS - Winter Orchestra Concert @ 7pm

Feb 7 ESL Family Night @ 6pm - Lore School Cafeteria

Feb 9 EHS - Back to School Night - Second Semester @ 6:30pm

Feb 10 Antheil - PTO Panera Fundraiser (TCNJ) 4-8pm – flyer on website

Antheil - PTO Beary Special Someone Dance @ 6-8pm

Feb 11 Parkway - PTA Pancake Breakfast @ 9am-11pm

Feb 14 Happy Valentine’s Day

FMS - Parent Association Meeting @ 6:45pm

Antheil @ PTO King’s Pizzarama Fundraiser – flyer on website

Feb 16 Parkway - PTA Virtual Meeting @ 7pm

Feb 17 Random Acts of Kindness Day

Feb 20 SCHOOL CLOSED – Presidents’ Day

Feb 21 SCHOOL CLOSED – Staff Development Day

Feb 27 BOE Meeting @ 6pm (Public Session @ 7pm) - Parkway

Feb 27-

Mar 3 Antheil - PTO Book Fair

Feb 28 EHS - Afro Fest @ 6:30pm

Parkway's Annual Pancake Breakfast is BACK: February 11th from 9AM to 11AM at Parkway Elementary School. Tickets cost $7 per person and must be purchased in advance — no tickets will be sold at the door. For questions, please contact ParkwayPTA@ yahoo.com. We hope to see you there!

Calling all EHS Seniors!

The EPEF Scholarship applications are now available at the EHS Guidance Office. Please stop by and pick one up! Deadline is May 5th, 2023. Please visit us at www.epef.org for information on how to make a donation so we can continue our mission in supporting our students in the Ewing Public Schools.

2023 Ewing Township Board of Education

Mrs. Deborah A. Delutis, Mr. Michael S. Miller, President Vice President

Mr. Daniel L. Angebranndt Ms. Lisa A. McConnell

Dr. Channing C. Conway Mr. Anthony F. Messina

Mrs. Nicole NW Harris Mrs. Jennifer L. Miller

Ms. Sandra L. Herrington

Notice of Board of Education Meetings

The Ewing Township Board of Education has scheduled the following Board Meetings. All meetings are regular business meetings unless otherwise noted. The Board will meet at 6:00PM and at that time, there will be a brief opening and the Board will move into Closed Session for one hour and return to the public at 7:00PM.

DATES:

January 23, 2023 @ Antheil

February 27, 2023 @ Parkway

March 20, 2023 @ FMS

(Preliminary Budget Presentation/ Tentative Approval)

April 24, 2023 @ EHS

(Public Hearing on Budget/ Approval of Final Budget)

May 22, 2023 @ EHS

June 26, 2023 @ EHS

July 24, 2023 @ EHS

August 28, 2023 @ EHS

September 18, 2023 @ EHS

October 23, 2023 @ EHS

November 27, 2023 @ Lore

December 18, 2023 @ EHS

January 4, 2024 @ EHS

(Board Organization Meeting)

NOTE: There will be NO Closed Session unless otherwise specified

For questions or information, please contact the Superintendent's Office:

609-538-9800 ext. 1102 thullings@ewingboe.org

www.ewing.k12.nj.us

Design and Layout by Daniella Crescente

GoodNews is an official publication of The Ewing Public Schools. ©2023 GoodNews

its first board president.

The library board purchased the property that had housed the street’s namesake, the Trenton Academy, since 1782, and hired architect Spencer Roberts.

Roberts (1873-1958) was a Philadelphia-based architect who had attended Spring Garden Institute and worked for prominent architect Frank Miles Day.

The Trenton library building is an example of the popular Beaux-Arts design popular during the period that has also been dubbed the American Renaissance.

As “Public Art in New Jersey” author Thomas C. Folk notes, the style, “which dominated much of American artistic and intellectual life from the 1870s to the 1920s, existed as both a reality and a mental construct. Not specifically a style or a movement in the commonly accepted art historical sense of those terms, the American Renaissance was more a mood, or a spirit, or a state of mind.”

In addition to encompassing “many diverse idioms of painting, architecture, and sculpture,” the style also “had a broad base of support with many politicians, financiers, businessmen, academics, and men and women of the American middle class. As an idea or mental concept, the American Renaissance held both nationalistic and cosmopolitan ide-

als and looked to the past and the future.”

The building also hits another historic note for what it is not. As a library history reports, “Contrary to popular belief, the new library was not a Carnegie Library.

Between 1883 and 1929, businessman Andrew Carnegie donated funds to construct over 2,500 libraries, but certain cities like Trenton and Newark felt that accepting this money would show that they were unable to provide for themselves.” * * *

Ewing Township was the home of the first dedicated library buildings in Mercer County. Previously, communities were served by bookmobile stations that were limited to about 1,000 books each.

The Ewing Township Branch opened on Sept. 15, 1958 in the Ewing Shopping Center on Parkway Avenue, said the Mercer County Library System website. It was typical at the time to locate libraries in shopping centers and malls, as many were springing up in the suburbs across the county.

The Ewing Branch moved to a new location on Scotch Road when a brand new building was constructed as the headquarters branch of the Mercer County Library System, opening on October 16, 1961. A second branch was added shortly after, with the Lawrence Branch

opening in the Lawrence Shopping Center on Brunswick Pike on December 14, 1961. The Ewing Branch moved again in 1970, opening a new branch on July 25 in the Suburban Square Shopping Center.

Ewing hosted both a horse shoeing event and dog show in 1974. The branch also gave away prizes of baloney and soap as part of a 1974 Liar’s Contest.

The new Ewing Branch building on Scotch Road opened on Oct. 29, 1983, around the same time the Lawrence Headquarters branch opened on Route 1.

The Ewing Branch has the largest collection of large print books in the county system and offers free classes on using computers and eReaders. For more information on programs offered by the Ewing Branch, see the library’s February calendar of events on page 14.

1974 was also the year the system sponsored Saturday outdoor exploration trips, including cycling Washington Crossing State Park and hiking the newly opened Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. Since the turn of the century, under the leadership of Ellen Brown, who took over as director upon Martin Winar’s retirement in 2001, the system has seen an expansion into the virtual world, with the system adding new formats such as eBooks, streaming video and music, online magazines, live tutoring databases,

and a host of other services available in person or online.

The current Lawrence Library is located in a building that was formerly a massive trucking terminal, but its history goes back to 1960, when a group of township residents gathered more than 1,600 signatures on a petition demanding a branch library.

According to Lawrence historian Dennis Waters, the residents’ request was finally approved in 1961, and that year, the Lawrence branch opened in a small 1,600-square-foot space at the rear of Dunham’s department store in the newlyopened Lawrence Shopping Center. It was an awkward location because it was not accessible from the main parking lot in front.

For the next 20 years, the Lawrence branch remained at the shopping center location, though it moved several times and gradually increased in size.

As time wore on, Lawrence residents grew increasingly unhappy with the size and services offered by the library.

In 1978 the Lawrence Township Library Committee commissioned a report to study the feasibility of leaving the county system and establishing a township-operated municipal library, as

See LIBRARIES, Page 12

Hopewell Township had recently done. The report advised against leaving the county system, and the Library Committee accepted its recommendation.

LIBRARIES continued from Page 11 catalog in 1804 and that it was incorporated twice in 1806, first as the Hopewell Library Company, then as the Hopewell Columbian Library Company a week later. The name change was to indicate the library’s location in the Columbian section of the township, now Hopewell Borough.

However, the Mercer County Library System recognized that it needed a major upgrade, so during the period from 1979 to 1982 it began planning an expansion that would bring new library buildings to all of its member municipalities.

In particular, it planned a facility in Lawrence that would serve as the system’s headquarters and include a muchenlarged reference department. Financing was provided by the Mercer County Improvement Authority through a $10 million bond issue.

The site chosen for the Lawrence Headquarters Branch was 12 acres at the corner of Darrah Lane and Brunswick Pike.

The site contained an abandoned trucking terminal that was originally built in 1953 for Riss Brothers, at that time one of the largest trucking companies in the eastern United States. The property was subdivided, with Lawrence Township receiving the western section, where the Senior Center now stands.

The trucking terminal was very well constructed, so it was decided to renovate it rather than tear it down and start over. Renovation began in the spring of 1983 and on April 7 of the following year it opened.

At more than 40,000 square feet, the branch was five times the size of the branch in the shopping center that it replaced, although some of that space was used by the county system for its headquarters, which moved from Ewing.

In 1994 the MCIA borrowed $15 million to fund another upgrade of the library system, including a 17,000-square -foot expansion at the rear and the west end of the existing building, providing an expanded reference section, additional community meeting rooms, and new offices for the headquarters staff, whose former offices became the fiction department “downstairs.”

The Hopewell Public Library at 13 East Broad Street is housed in the red brick building that once upon a time had been the Hopewell National Bank.

While the current Hopewell library company was founded in 1914, there had been some sort of book or material lending system established as far back as 1802. According to a history compiled by the Hopewell Library, that was when Pennington resident Archilles Wilson ran a library that provided books for Hopewell residents.

While it is unclear what happened to that company, it is clear that other efforts continued to supply residents with books and information. That included the Mrs. M. A. Carter, Library and Fancy Goods company, operating in 1887 on the corner of East Broad Street and Seminary Avenue, and circulating and traveling libraries organized by the Grange.

Today’s Hopewell Public Library was established by members of the socially minded Roundabout Club and opened in a former harness shop on West Broad Street. A few years later it moved to the Fireman’s Hall. A public referendum turned it into a municipal and publicly funded library.

According its own documents, “The library was extraordinarily popular: As of October 1916, with a Borough population of 1,200, the library had 680 active patrons and owned more than 1,300 books, and had circulated 10,127 books over the past year. The library quickly outgrew its new space and moved to 28 East Broad Street in 1924 and shared this new space with the Hopewell Museum.”

In 1964 the library moved across the street to the former National Bank building.

Opened in 1890, it is a simple, solid, yet homey two-floor structure — nothing like the American Renaissance-inspired banks that look like Greek temples.

Here one gets the old-fashioned type of library experience of being greeted by librarians at a desk in front of a wall lined with volumes that chronicle the community.

Although there are sections that show that it was a bank — it has a vault, for example — the building’s small rooms make visiting the library feel like taking a step back in time. The New Jersey State Library in the capitol complex in Trenton has a long and fascinating history and a facility shaped by an important design movement.

The library began with a collection of documents used by legislators when New Jersey was an English colony and before Trenton became the state’s capital in 1790.

An actual library started in 1796 when the State of New Jersey assigned the house clerk with the responsibility of maintaining the documents, pamphlets, newspapers, and books used by both the senate and assembly.

The report indicates that a Hopewell Library Company had an organized See LIBRARIES, Page 14

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As the collection grew, so did the effort to maintain it, and a fulltime librarian was appointed in 1822.

By 1883 the library had more than 30,000 volumes and occupied the southern wing of the capitol building — designed originally by Philadelphiabased architect Jonathan Doane, whose colonial and federal design had American Renaissance-flavored modifications and expansions by John Notman (1845), Samuel Sloan (1871), and Lewis Broome, 1889.

The library moved in 1929 to a new art deco-influenced New Jersey State House Annex building, which also housed the State Museum.

The library got its own building when the State of New Jersey created the Capitol Complex during the post-war boom in late 1950s and early 1960s.

The building was designed by Frank Grad & Sons, a Newark-based company noted as one of the leaders in modernist government and corporate architecture.

The antithesis of American Renaissance or embellishments that connected to a particular nation or era, Grad’s approach was influenced by the international style’s emphasis on no-frills simplicity and clean lines — as demonstrated by the open spaces, windows, and sleek

furniture.

While this modern style is no longer seen as modern, it — like all the buildings noted — offers both the opportunity to find a book as well as walk into history.

February adult programs at the Ewing Branch

Register for the below programs by calling at 609-882-3130 or emailing ewprogs@mcl.org. The Ewing Branch of the Mercer County Library is located at 61 Scotch Road, Ewing. 609-882-3148.

SATuRdAyS, FEBRuARy 4

Black History Month Movie Series. 2:30 p.m. A Soldier’s Story (PG, 1984) with Howard E. Rollins Jr., Adolph Caesar, and Art Evans.

SuNdAy, FEBRuARy 5

Sunday Movie Series. 2 p.m. Nope (2002, R). With Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun. The residents of a lonely gulch in inland California bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery. Runtime: 130 min.

MONdAy, FEBRuARy 6

Chess Club. 6 p.m. Also Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2:30 p.m. Join us for a game of chess. No experience necessary and all skill levels welcome. For ages 14+. A limited number of chess boards will be provided. Sponsored by the Friends of the Ewing Branch Library. Registration is required.

THuRSdAyS, FEBRuARy 9

Knitting Club. Also Feb. 23, 9:30 a.m. Bring a knitting, crochet or cross stitch project you are working on. A small amount of yarn and knitting needles will be available for those who need to borrow some. Suggested for participants, ages 16 and up. Hollowbrook Branch, 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing. 609-883-5914.

SATuRdAy, FEBRuARy 11

Black History Month Movie Series. 2:30 p.m. Loving (PG-13, 2016) with Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, and Will Dalton.

SuNdAy, FEBRuARy 12

Sunday Movie Series. 2 p.m. The Banshees of Inisherin (2022, R), with Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Kerry Condon. Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them. Runtime: 114 min.

MONdAy, FEBRuARy 13

Adult Craft: Paper Heart Flowers. 2 p.m. Join us to make flowers out of paper hearts to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Registration is required.

Adult Craft: DIY Canvas Bags. 7 p.m. Use acrylic paints to decorate a canvas bag. All supplies and guidance will be provided. Suggested for participants, ages 16 and up. Registration is required. Hollowbrook Branch, 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing. 609-883-5914.

SATuRdAy, FEBRuARy 18

Black History Month Movie Series. 2:30

p.m. A Raisin in the Sun (PG, 1961) with Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, and Ruby Dee.

SuNdAy, FEBRuARy 19

Sunday Movie Series. 2 p.m. Ticket to Paradise (2022, PG-13) with George Clooney, Sean Lynch, and Julia Roberts. A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago. Runtime: 104 min.

WEdNESdAy, FEBRuARy 22

Non-Fiction Book Group: All That She Carried. 7 p.m. Join us to discuss All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles. Learn about the history and impact of Ashley’s sack, which begins in 1850s South Carolina, just before nine-year-old Ashley was sold, when her mother, Rose, gave her the sack with a few things as a token of her love. Decades later, Ashley’s granddaughter, Ruth, embroidered this history on the bag--including Rose’s message that “It be filled with my Love always.” Feel free to attend even if you have not read or finished the book.

SATuRdAy, FEBRuARy 25

Black History Month Movie Series. 2:30 p.m. Just Mercy (PG-13, 2019) with Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson.

TuESdAy, FEBRuARy 28

Book discussion. 7 p.m. Join us to discuss The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.

February youth programs at the Ewing Branch

Register for the below programs by calling at 609-882-3130 or emailing ewprogs@mcl.org.

WEdNESdAy, FEBRuARy 1

Music and Movement. 11 a.m. Also Feb. 8, 15 & 22. Join Miss Susan for Music and Movement action rhymes program.

Special Groundhog Storytime. 2 p.m. Join Ms. Chetna for special groundhog storytime, rhymes, and craft, for ages 2-5, with adults.

THuRSdAy, FEBRuARy 2

Drop-In Groundhog Headband craft. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop by the Youth Services desk for a drop-in Ground hog Headband Craft.

Babytime. 10:30 a.m. Also Feb. 9, 16 & 23. Join Miss Chetna in rhymes and songs for children ages birth to 18 months.

Groundhog day STEM Activity. 4 p.m. Join us for a Groundhog STEM activity for ages 2-8, with adults.

FRIdAy, FEBRuARy 3

Preschool Storytime. 10:30 a.m. Also Feb. 10, 17 & 24. Learn songs and rhymes! Stories and take-home crafts! Suggested for children, ages 2-5.

Playdough Creation. 11 a.m. Also Feb. 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 & 24. Playdough creations based on storytime theme for children, ages 2-5, with adults.

MONdAy, FEBRuARy 6

STEM Activity: Hidden Message Valentine.

10 a.m. Ages 2-5 with adults. Each child will be given a white crayon and watercolor paints to make a secret Valentine’s message.

Painting Station. 10:30 a.m. Also Feb. 13 & 27. Indoor painting station for children ages 2 and up. Each group will be assigned a station with craft supplies!

TuESdAyS, FEBRuARy 7

Toddler Storytime. 10:30 a.m. Also Feb. 14, 21 & 28. Learn songs and rhymes! Stories and craft! Suggested for children, ages 5 and under.

SuNdAy, FEBRuARy 12

Drop-in Valentine Craft. Noon. Easy Valentine Craft and Sewing Activity for Kids!

Chess Club. 3 p.m. Also Feb. 19 & 26. Program for school-age kids ages 5-12.

MONdAy, FEBRuARy 13

STEM Activity: Sensory Valentine Painting.

10:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Ages 2-5. Stem activity for preschoolers.

TuESdAy, FEBRuARy 14

Special Program: Valentine Storytime.

11:15 p.m. Stories and craft! Suggested for children, ages 5 and under.

Black Lives Matter Painted Rocks. 4 p.m. Also Feb. 16. For school-age children, ages 6-14. Each child will be given paint and a rock. Use your rock to name an important person or an event that depicts AfricanAmericans. All rocks will be placed in our garden!

WEdNESdAy, FEBRuARy 15

Bird Feeder Ornaments. 2 p.m. For ages

3-10. Join Ms. Chetna for fruit loop heartshaped bird food for birds.

THuRSdAy FEBRuARy 16

Make a Motivational Wall Tapestry. 4 p.m. Ages 13 and up. Join Polly in making your own motivational wall tapestry to liven up your favorite room.

SuNdAy, FEBRuARy 19

Painted Rocks Craft. 2 p.m. For ages 8-14. Join Ms. Chetna for Black Lives Matter Painted Rocks Craft.

TuESdAy, FEBRuARy 21

Drop-In Craft: Mardi Grass Mask. 11 a.m. Join us to make Mardi Grass Mask. For all ages with adult supervision.

Messy Crafts. 2:10 p.m. Also Feb. 28. For children ages 2 and up. Join us for Messy crafts,

with different projects each week. Please dress down for messy play.

From Garbage to Garden: Presented by Americorp Watershed Ambassadors. 4 p.m. Learn how you can turn everyday kitchen scraps, like egg shells and coffee grounds, into valuable soil that benefits your garden. Suggested for school-age children, ages 6-11.

WEdNESdAy, FEBRuARy 22

Piggie and Elephant Special Storytime. 2 p.m. Join us for a special storytime, rhymes, and craft about Piggie and Elephant.

MONdAy, FEBRuARy 27

STEM Marshmallow and Toothpick Structure. 11:15 p.m. Join us for STEM activities for making a toothpick and marshmallow structure.

Bossio brothers help lead the Notre Dame swim team

By Rich Fisher

When Gavin Bossio was a young diver for PASDA’s now-defunct Ravine swim team, big brother Owen was a swimmer on the same squad. During one meet, Ravine was short a swimmer on one of their relay teams.

“As a joke, we put my brother in,” Owen recalled. “That was his first ever really competitive experience. He tried his best, but it was a rough watch. But he gave it all the effort he could give. It was fun in the end.”

Actually, Owen didn’t find it to be all that much fun. “I had no clue what I was doing,” he said. “I just knew I had to go from one end to the other and that was my first introduction to competitive swimming.”

He agreed with Owen that it was a “rough watch.”

“Definitely,” he said. “I finished the race and I was crying and everything.”

What sounds like a sad story actually has a happy ending. Flash forward to the present, and the Bossio brothers from Ewing are two of the top swimmers on a Notre Dame High swim team that was 9-1 as of Jan. 19.

Despite Gavin’s unfortunate debut, it coerced him to give up diving and begin swimming competitively. Rather than wade into the pool and start with a low-pressure team like Ravine, he went immediately to the high level Eastern Express club team.

“Going into the Express I wasn’t thinking of myself as a swimmer yet,” Gavin said. “It was definitely nerve wracking, I was nervous. But I knew how Owen had come along in Express, so I had high hopes for myself.”

Owen went to the Express from Ravine. His dad, Joe, suggested the 10-year-old start competitive swimming after losing to his son in the pool a few times.

“We would always mess around, have fun in the pool and one day my dad said ‘I’m not outswimming you anymore, you should try

competitive swimming,” Owen said. “My dad said I hopped right in, I loved it. It was so much fun. I felt that I could do anything with the sport.”

His confidence carried into Notre Dame, where he became a mainstay in the lineup as a freshman.

“Knowing the success that Notre Dame had before I got there, I was definitely nervous,” Owen said. “I thought I would be a second-string type of guy, not really in the middle of the race. But I walked in and realized I could really go at it and take a starting spot early on. It did surprise me, but once I saw the opening I went right after it and worked my butt off to get there.”

Bossio didn’t have a set race that first year, as he swam five different individual events and all three relays. He produced in every one, claiming first in six individual races. A year later, Owen became mainly a breaststroker and also did the IM, back, fly and 200 free. He won four times, took eight seconds and four thirds.

It was around that time that swimming began taking its toll, as Owen was starting to feel the symptoms of burnout. He enjoyed the Notre Dame experience and did not want to give that up, but left Eastern Express for the lower level Lawrence Swim Association “to just really have fun in the sport.”

“I took advantage of trying to focus on mental health and just trying to branch out from swimming,” he said. “Often with high school and club it’s so serious and it’s often about work and putting in all these hours in the pool. In the summer swim, I could break away, have fun and still perform at an OK level but enjoy it.”

It was a necessary move; for without it, Bossio may have given up the sport.

“I was approaching this area where the entire day I would dread swim practice (with the Express),” he said. “The love for

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the sport was kind of disappearing. If I kept on swimming and kept that grind up for both teams, I don’t know if I would be able to enjoy Notre Dame and enjoy the team as much and the sport as much.

“I took the time to reset, get my mind straight, try to find the love of the sport again, and luckily I did. I think this is the most enjoyable year I’ve ever enjoyed in swimming. Even though it’s not my best statistical year, I’m still having an absolutely amazing time with the team.”

Gavin said that “everybody noticed,” his brother’s growing disinterest in swimming, but added that, “He started dropping times again last year, especially at MCTs (Mercer County Meet). Everybody was happy for him. He got out of the pool after one breast, and had his head in his hands crying he was so happy. It was definitely a great thing to see for everybody.”

It was equally great for Gavin to have Owen on the team when he arrived at Notre Dame last year.

“Having an older brother definitely helped me get introduced to some of the team; so it wasn’t as nerve wracking when I joined,” Gavin said. “He knew everything; helped me with the experiences. It was nice having a little guide the first year.”

The brothers are extremely close, with the bond heightening as they became high school teammates.

“Gavin’s my best friend, I love him from the moon and back,” Owen said. “We absolutely push one another. There’s been a lot of times where Gavin has beaten me in a certain race or beaten my best time. I thought to myself, ‘It’s time to get this big brother thing back, I’m big bro, I gotta be good at this stuff.’

When Gavin joined ND last year, the two became a formidable duo. With Gavin doing the breast, fly, 50, 100 and 500 free, 200 IM and all three relays, and Owen swimming the breast, IM, fly, 50, 100 and 200 free and all three relays, the two combined for 41 first-place finishes, 29 seconds and six thirds.

Owen made the Mercer County Championships A cut final in the 50 free, breast and 200 medley relay, and finished first in the relay, fourth in the breast and fifth in the 50. Gavin finished 13th in the fly, just missing the B cut, and finished eighth overall in the 200 IM. He finished second, a mere .03 seconds behind the B cut race winner.

Through the first 10 meets this year; the Bossios have combined to swim in all three relays and every individual event; having teamed up for 40 firsts, 19 seconds and five

thirds. Gavin was a top-three finisher in all 29 of his races, touching out at third just twice during that span.

Needless to say, Notre Dame coach Henry DeSandre is grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Bossio for their contributions to his program.

“Owen’s first couple of years his main focus was basically IM and breaststroke,” DeSandre said. “Last year we were able to move toward sprint stuff, particularly the 50 because we had a hole we needed to fill. So he stepped to the plate and did tremendous with it. We can take him in many directions as far as filling in the meet.

“He’s very passionate about Notre Dame swimming. He and James (MacIsaac) both have been strong mens leaders. I can’t say enough about Owen as far as what he brings to the team as a young man.”

Not surprisingly, he has the same motor mouth when it comes to Gavin, who had to recover from a shoulder injury he suffered that kept him out of the pool for two months. He did not return to the Express until June, and had to work himself back slowly so as not to have the shoulder flare up.

“He’s committed to the team, he’s very enthused, he’s very pro-high school swimming,” the coach said. “He’s also a utility person. He can move in many directions for us. Particularly in non-freestyle strokes. He’s another one that executes a great sprint in the 50. It’s not our main line with him, but he does have the quality to be able to step into those shoes when we need him too.”

DeSandre is excited to see how much further Gavin can improve over the next two years. After that the younger brother hopes to continue his career in college.

“I’ve been looking at recruiting, getting my name out there,” he said. “I don’t see that changing. I’ve had the injury bug my entire career and I haven’t quit yet, so I don’t want to let that all go when I go to college. I want to keep that up. Whether it’s Division One, Two, Three, or even JUCO, I’d be happy to swim at any college.”

Owen’s college future looks decidedly different, as he claims this senior season will be his last in competitive swimming.

“I’ve really thought about it a lot over the past year or two,” he said. “I just think it’s better to go to college for an education and plan out the rest of my life. If I loved the sport as much as I did when I was younger I absolutely would swim in college now. But college athletics is kind of like another job, the commitment required to do it is a lot. I personally don’t view that commitment as something that is worth it.”

HEALTH HEADLINES

Capital Health Regional Medical Center Nationally Recognized as a Leader for Social Responsibility, Patient Safety [ ]

Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) recently earned recognition from the Lown Institute as one of the most socially responsible hospitals in America. In the Lown Hospital Index, a report by the Institute that evaluates more than 3,600 hospitals across the nation, RMC received an A grade and ranked 4th out of 61 hospitals in New Jersey based on several key metrics that measure social responsibility. Among those metrics, RMC ranked number one in New Jersey for patient safety and racial inclusivity, number three for health equity, and number five for overall inclusivity. The report also ranked RMC among the top 100 hospitals nationally for health equity, patient safety, and racial inclusivity.

“Capital Health Regional Medical Center has been a leader in providing high-quality, equitable care to the people of Trenton and surrounding areas for more than 130 years,” said Dr. Eric Schwartz, vice president of Community Health and Transformation and executive director of Capital Health’s Institute for Urban Care. “This ranking by the Lown Institute validates the hard work of our staff and reaffirms our commitment to community health in Mercer, Bucks, and Burlington counties.”

“America needs socially responsible hospitals,” said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute. “That’s why it’s so important to lift up these high-performing hospitals as examples for others to follow.”

The Lown Institute, founded in 1973 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Bernard Lown (developer of the defibrillator and cardioverter) is an independent, nonpartisan organization that conducts research to help bridge the gap between existing public policy solutions

and improved access to care for all Americans. The Lown Hospital Index is the first ranking to assess the social responsibility of U.S. hospitals by applying unique measures such as racial inclusivity, avoidance of overuse (how well hospitals avoid unnecessary tests and procedures), and pay equity (how well hospital staff are paid compared to executives), among others. Data sources include Medicare claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, among others.

Capital Health Regional Medical Center has a long history of serving central New Jersey and Lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The hospital includes a state designated comprehensive stroke center (part of Capital Institute for Neurosciences), the Level II Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center (one of only 10 designated trauma centers in New Jersey), and Mercer County’s designated Emergency Mental Health Services Center. RMC also provides inpatient and outpatient radiology services, dialysis, and numerous other medical services. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org.

DON’T DELAY: Call 911 If You Suspect a Stroke

“When it comes to treating stroke, we always say ‘time is brain,’ which means that the sooner we can treat you, the better chance we have at a successful outcome,” said DR. DUSTIN ROCHESTIE, director of the Stroke Program at Capital Health. “At Capital Health, we have safety procedures in place to protect you from infection, while making sure you get the immediate, lifesaving stroke care that you need.”

The Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center at the Capital Institute for Neurosciences is a major referral center for the treatment of all types of neurovascular diseases, including cerebral aneurysms, strokes, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), arteriovenous fistul as (AVFs), cavernous malformations, carotid artery and vertebral artery atherosclerotic disease, intracranial stenosis as well as Moyamoya disease.

The only Joint Commission certified Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, located at Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Trenton, continues to provide safe emergency stroke and neurovascular services 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week during the current health crisis.

“As soon as you call 911, our prehospital alert system allows our team in the hospital to prepare for your arrival, saving valuable time to treatment,” said Dr. Rochestie. “Your call could also activate our Mobile Stroke Unit, which can be co-dispatched with basic and advanced life support service to provide safe, immediate care at your location before you even arrive at the hospital.”

Controllable Risk Factors for Stroke

There are steps you can take right away to lower your risk. Get started by talking to your primary care doctor to learn about stroke screenings and how you can treat or manage controllable risk factors such as:

High blood pressure

… High cholesterol

Heart/blood vessel disease

Cigarette smoking

Visit capitalneuro.org to learn more.

IF YOU SUSPECT A STROKE, B - E F - A - S - T

— Balance

Is the person experiencing a sudden loss of balance?

— Eyes

Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?

— Face Drooping

Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?

— Arm Weakness

Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

— Speech Difficulty

Physical inactivity/ obesity/poor diet

… Diabetes mellitus

Atrial fibrillation

Sickle cell disease

Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?

— Time to call 911

If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS EXPERIENCING SIGNS OF A STROKE, CALL 911.

AMERICAN HEART MONTH

IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE IS EXPERIENCING THE SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK, CALL 911.

This puts you in contact with a trained dispatcher who will tell you what to do and sends an ambulance to your location. When the ambulance arrives, treatment begins in your home and the emergency department is prepared for your arrival at the hospital. Because your symptoms may get worse, driving yourself is a bad idea.

The Chest Pain Center at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell is accredited by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care and the American College of Cardiology. This means the Center meets high standards for diagnosing and treating cardiac emergencies, such as heart attacks.

When someone is having a heart attack, time to treatment is critical. Capital Health’s pre-hospital alert system allows ambulance patients to be tested in their homes and mobilizes an interventional team at the hospital if there is evidence of a heart attack, saving time for an initial EKG test or faster bedside blood tests for troponin, a protein that enters the blood stream during a heart attack.

If you or a loved one is having a severe heart attack caused by prolonged restricted blood flow due to a clot or ruptured plaque, Capital Health’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab is ready to provide an emergency stent placement.

After you or your loved one has recovered, your last step is preventing another heart attack or heart-related illness. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, offers a team of physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and registered dietitians who provide individually prescribed education and exercise.

All program candidates are interviewed prior to entering the Cardiac Rehabilitation program, which allows a team to develop and implement a personalized care plan. Participants include those who have experienced:

Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) within the past 12 months

Coronary artery bypass surgery

Current, stable chest pain (angina pectoris)

… Heart valve repair or replacement

… Angioplasty or stenting to open blocked coronary arteries

Heart or heart-lung transplant surgery

Stable, chronic heart failure

Talk to your doctor about participating in cardiac rehabilitation. Visit capitalhealth.org/cardiacrehab for more information.

DO MEN & WOMEN HAVE DIFFERENT SIGNS/SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACK?

SYMPTOM MEN WOMEN

Chest Pain Crushing, center of chest

Pressure, tightness, ache, stomach pain, sweating

Arm

Back,

Stomach Pain May occur Extend to abdomen or only abdomen

Indigestion May occur

2x’s more likely than men

Anxiety May occur Mistaken for panic

Fatigue May occur Flu-like symptoms

Dizzy/ Lightheaded May occur More common than in men

If you or someone you know is experiencing these signs and symptoms, call 911.

KNOW THE SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS HAVING ONE

Capital Health – East Trenton Opens Offering Emergency Department Services and Continued Outpatient Medical Clinic Services

On December 21, Capital Health assumed responsibility for health care services previously provided by St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey. That campus, which now operates an Emergency Department and some outpatient services, has been renamed Capital Health – East Trenton and no longer operates as an acute care hospital.

“Without this transition, Trenton would have lost desperately needed health care services, including emergency services, behavioral health, and cardiac surgery. This would have been

KEY INFORMATION FOR YOU TO KNOW SERVICES

The Emergency Department remains open 24/7 in the same location. Patients needing hospital admission will be transferred appropriately for the care they need.

… The Outpatient Primary Care Clinic, located next to the Emergency Department, remains open in the same location. Specialty Care Clinic Services are available at various locations.

The CARES child wellness program remains open in the same location.

The LIFE program is now called Capital Health LIFE and remains open in its Bordentown location. Assisted Living Program patients continue to receive care as they did prior to the transition.

… Some primary care physicians, specialists, and surgeons who were previously with St. Francis Medical Associates have transitioned to Capital Health Medical Group practices. Visit capitalmedicalgroup.org to find your physician’s new location and phone number. If your physician did not move to Capital Health, visit capitalhealth.org to find the physician you need and complete contact information.

Cancer Center services, including infusions, are available at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. Visit capitalhealthcancer.org to learn more, or call 609.537.6363. For infusion appointments at Capital Health, call 609.537.7226.

Patients receiving care as part of the Infectious Disease, HIV and Lyme’s disease programs can be seen at Capital Health –Infectious Disease Specialists, located at 40 Fuld Street, Suite 305 in Trenton. Call 609.394.6338 to make an appointment.

devastating to the residents. I want to thank everyone who partnered with us to make sure key services did not leave Trenton,” said Al Maghazehe, President and CEO of Capital Health. “We are committed to continuing to provide critical medical services in the city of Trenton and working closely with members of the community, local officials, and other key stakeholders.”

Learn more about the services Capital Health offers at www.capitalhealth.org.

Sleep services are available at Capital Health – Hamilton, located at 1401 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road. Call 609.584.5150 to schedule an appointment.

The Behavioral Health Inpatient Program is at Capital Health Regional Medical Center.

Wound Care patients can call Capital Health’s Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine at 609.537.7457.

Outpatient diagnostic testing services are available at other Capital Health locations, including Capital Health Regional Medical Center. Call 609.394.6695 to schedule an appointment.

TRANSPORTATION

Shuttles from the Hamilton Avenue campus to Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) leave every hour, on the hour, beginning at 6 a.m. with the last shuttle leaving at 8 p.m. for RMC. All shuttles depart from the turnaround in front of the old Main Lobby on Chambers Street at the new Capital Health – East Trenton location. Return shuttles run every half hour from 6:30 a.m., with the last departure for Capital Health – East Trenton at 8:30 p.m. This can be used by patients or visitors.

MEDICAL RECORDS

If you need a copy of your medical records for services you received at St. Francis Medical Center before December 21, 2022, call 609.394.4460 or visit Capital Health’s website for other options.

MAIN NUMBERS

Capital Health – East Trenton: 609.599.5000

Capital Health Regional Medical Center: 609.394.6000

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell: 609.303.4000

Is cardio or strength training better for your heart health?

Ask The Doctor

Everyone knows that exercise is good for the heart. But what kind of exercise is most beneficial for optimum heart health—cardio or strength training?

Edward A. Wingfield, MD, Chairman of Cardiology, and Medical Director of the “M. Ghusson Cardiac Catheterization

Lab,” Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, sheds some light on this decades-old debate.

When it comes to cardio vs. strength training for heart health, is one more beneficial than the other?

The scientific evidence is still building around which form of exercise is best to prevent chronic disease. Historically, aerobic (or cardio) exercise was always recommended for heart and lung health with little attention paid to strength (or resistance) training.

What’s clear now, however, is that strength training is as important to heart health as aerobic exercise and that a combination of both yields the best heart outcomes with regard to blood pressure, body composition, fitness, strength and metabolism. In turn, beneficial change in a person’s physiology yields a lower risk of diabetes, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), heart attack and stroke.

What’s the best way to combine these exercises?

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, a 2018 report from the Department of Health and Human Services, recommends that each week, adults aged 18 to 64 do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 to 150 minutes of vigorousintensity aerobic activity or an equivalent combination of both. Strength training should be performed at least twice a week on nonconsecutive days to allow a period of rest for the muscle groups being stressed.

How does age affect the type of exercise(s) a person should do?

As we age, safety becomes an issue. The aging adult should do both forms of exercise, but participation should take into account chronic medical conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders, that may place the individual at risk for injury.

For people at risk for falls or with balance issues, resistance exercises, such as chair squats, heel lifts, rowing, resistance bands, bicep curls and shoulder presses, may be effectively and safely performed. Research continues to support strength/resistance training for older individuals.

What advice do you have for the average person who wants to start an exercise regimen to improve their heart health?

Recommendations are based on age and whether the individual is new to an exercise program. First, choose exercise that you may find enjoyable. Second, set realistic expectations for how often and how long you’ll exercise. Third, choose exercises that you can safely perform. Fourth, consider partnering with others for motivation and socialization. Fifth, communicate with your physicians.

Whoever your heart beats for, our hearts beat for you.

To learn more and/or schedule an appointment with one of New Jersey’s top cardiac specialists at RWJUH Hamilton, visit rwjbh.org/heart or call (888) 724-7123.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, RWJBarnabas Health is located at One Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton. To learn more about Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, visit rwjbh.org/Hamilton or call (609) 586-7900

Coming up this month at RWJU Hospital Hamilton

For more information, call (609) 584-5900. To register for a program or for schedule changes go to rwjbh.org/ events.

TuESdAy, FEBRuARy 7

Heart Disease Prevention: Congestive Heart Failure. 1 to 2 p.m. Connie Moceri, MSN, RN, AGNP-C, Director of Disease Management and Ann Mancuso, MSN, RN, CHFN, Heart Failure Program Coordinator will provide an overview of this disease, including prevention and treatment.

WEdNESdAy, FEBRuARy 8

Over The Counter Hearing Aids-FAQ-What You Should Know. 10 to 11 a.m. Get the facts on the latest in over-the-counter hearing aids. Learn the facts and get your questions answered by Dr. Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D., A.B.A., a clinical audiologist with over 40 years of experience in the field of hearing science.

TuESdAy, FEBRuARy 14

Managing Stress and Diabetes. 3 to 4 p.m.

This support group is for people living with diabetes. Learn how to cope with stress and diabetes in a healthy way.

THuRSdAy, FEBRuARy 16

Keeping Your Mind Sharp. 1 to 2 p.m. This lecture covers the basics of why our brains change and strategies for improving memory to keep our brains top notch. Presented by Sarah Masco, OTD, OTR/L, CLT-LANA.

MONdAy, FEBRuARy 20

Dance It Out! Also April 10. 1 to 2 p.m. When in doubt, dance the stress out. No experience needed. ALL ages welcome.

WEdNESdAy, FEBRuARy 22

Fall Recovery Day. 10 to 11 a.m. Ketki Vyas, DPT, LANA, Senior Physical Therapist will provide insight on the dynamics of recovering from falls.

Cook For Your Heart. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s the month of love! There is no better way to express love to yourself or others than through a heart-healthy home cooked meal.

THuRSdAy, FEBRuARy 23

Love Your Crockpot. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dust off your crockpot, it’s slow cooker season! Explore new recipes and take home ingredients that will make your crock pot a regular counter top occurrence.

MONdAy, FEBRuARy 27

Seasonal Anxiety-Are You Experiencing the Winter Blues? 11 a.m. to noon. Discussion

group about dealing with the Winter Blues. Easy tips and different strategies one can employ for coping.

Better Health Programs

These complimentary programs for those ages 65+ will engage your mind, encourage you to move and help you reflect. Registration required for all programs. Call 609.584.5900 or visit us on the web at www.rwjbh.org/events.

THuRSdAy, FEBRuARy 2

Spinal Health & Successful Spine Surgery

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Lunch & Learn. 12:30 to 2 p.m. Marc J. Levine, MD will join us for an engaging conversation with Q&A about spinal health and what’s changed in treatment and surgery. Orthopedic and Spine Institute/RWJBH, Director Spine Surgery Program RWJUH/Hamilton.

WEdNESdAy, FEBRuARy 15

Acoustic Café. 1 to 2 p.m. Sheli Monacchio, CDP, HSAC, ADLS, Senior Vice President, Angelion Mobility & Singer/Songwriter will share her original music over snacks & beverages during this fun-filled time.

THuRSdAy, FEBRuARy 16

Discussions with Sara Ali, MD: Love Your Heart. 1 to 2 p.m. Join Dr. Ali and Friends for a fresh perspective on loving your heart for life!

Dr. Edward Wingfield

MONDAYS

Senior Corner

February 2023

ALL PROGRAMS HELD AT HOLLOWBROOK COMMUNITY CENTER, 320 HOLLOWBROOK DRIVE

10:00 AM Exercise- Karen Martin

NOON Tech For Seniors 2nd and 4th Monday of the Month

1:00 PM Jewelry/Craft-Anne’s

TUESDAYS

10:00 AM Exercise- Karen Martin

12:30 PM Bible Study

12:30 PM Bingo

1:00 PM Senior Scholars

WEDNESDAYS

9:30 AM Knitting/Crochet

11:00 AM Chair Yoga- Lisa Caruso

1:00 PM Mexican Train

10:30-1PM Water Color - Ally Lyons Mercer County Library– Ewing Branch

2:00 PM Mahjongg - Christine Kamph (Beginners Class Starts 3/8/23- $15 card Call Senior Dept to Register)

THURSDAYS

10:00 AM Exercise - Karen Martin

1:00 PM Pinochle - Mercer County Library– Ewing Branch

1:00 PM Rummikub

1:00 Balance Class - Bob Kirby

1:00 Bid Whist

1:30 Learn Chrome/OS

FRIDAYS

9:30 AM Line Dancing– Joanne Keephart

12:30 PM Circuit Training– Jeff Prunetti ( $5 session)

SENIOR CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMISSION (SCAC): 3RD THURSDAY OF THE

MONTH, General Body 10:00 AM, Meeting is open to the public.

Live Wires—11 AM ( 2ND Thursday of the month) RM# 201-202

Busy C’s—11 AM ( 3RD Tuesday of the month) RM# 201-202

Club D—11 AM (1st Thursday of the month) RM# 201-202

HB Seniors—1 PM (2ND Friday of the month) RM# 201-202

SENIOR LUNCHEON SHOW (02/24 ): Noon-2PM @ HB. TWO TONES” music from the 50’S,60’s ,70’s and our very own Young at Heart Dancers. $8 PP/$13 COUPLE. Tickets available Hollowbrook Community Center (M-F 8:30-4:30pm)

MERCER COUNTY NUTRITION: Seniors 60 and older or anyone married to a person 60 and older is welcome to participate in the nutrition program. The program is located at Hollowbrook Community Center. A person is asked to donate a $1. Your donation is confidential. A delicious balance meal is served. Contact Ms. Wanda (609) 883-4150.

REGISTER FOR ALL PROGRAMS: HOLLOWBROOK COMMUNITY

CENTER 2nd Floor Rm# 207 Senior Office

QUESTIONS: 609-883-1776

Senior Corner is paid content by Ewing Township.

Kitchen fun and games

ILENE BLACK BETTING ON BLACK

I am not a cook. I am not creative, enthusiastic, excited, pleasantly challenged or any other adjective you can think of when it comes to cooking. I don’t like it. AT ALL. Don’t get me wrong. I love our kitchen. It’s decorated really nicely, it’s cozy and the coffeepot and food are there. But if I am required to prepare and serve said food, I do not like the kitchen.

Plus, I am not the neatest cook. I tend to use a lot of utensils, pots, pans, and dishes when I am forced to cook. Add that to the fact that I’m usually sulking while I’m preparing a meal and you come up with, well, a disaster. Full disclosure: I am NOT graceful either. This will become relevant shortly.

Recently, we were having pot pies. Low salt pot pies. I love pot pies and all day long I looked forward to having them. Comfort food to the max. Now, one would not be blamed if one made the assumption that I wouldn’t mess up the cooking of the pot pies. I mean, how hard is it, really? You basically take them out of the plastic container, slap them on a cookie sheet and bake them for like 25 minutes. Well, friends, you know what they say about the word “assume.”

When they were done, I got a pot holder and grabbed the cookie sheet out of the oven. One handed. BAD decision. You don’t need a physics degree to realize that two moderately heavy pot pies on a flimsy cookie sheet will slide. In a panic, I grabbed the BURNING HOT cookie sheet with my free hand. The hand without the

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pot holder. Alas, it was too late.

The pot pies spilled off the cookie sheet. One landed on the oven rack, upside down. The other one landed right side up on the open oven door. I screamed, “George! Help!” while shaking my burned hand.

We have been married for over 42 years. “George! Help!” could signify many things, as he is well aware. George came running into the kitchen and saw that there were no flames anywhere, that I was upright, that there was no broken crockery on the floor, and there was no blood. I think he was relieved. Until he saw what had happened.

I am yelling that my hand is burned. I had a raised burn that went diagonally across my fingers and palm. It hurt so badly that I just kept yelling. George calmly got a spatula and scooped what was left of our dinner onto the now cooledoff cookie sheet. He wiped down the stove and the floor, all without speaking a word. And yes, we ate the pot pies.

Did you know that if you have flames shooting out of a stove burner and a lot of smoke accompanying the flames, you’ll be able to see every cobweb in your kitchen really well? Even some in your living room, which is located next to the kitchen? I wouldn’t advise this method of cobweb-cleaning, but after all the hubbub surrounding the whole flames thing, it was a helpful tool. And as Forrest Gump says, “That’s all I’m gonna say about that.”

Here’s a helpful hint from the mother of two boys who inherited their mother’s immaturity. Don’t playfully squirt them with the side spray thingy on the kitchen sink while doing dishes. Especially if they’re sitting across the room at the table. And especially if they have friends over. It is a guarantee that a water war will break out, with dish suds and water flying all over the place. The only positive to come from that activity, besides being really fun, is that everyone pitched in and mopped up and I’ll tell you, my walls and ceiling have never been cleaner. I still wonder to this day what the two boys who were over for dinner and who participated in the splashdown told their parents when they came home soaking wet.

There have been times where I’ve gotten inspired to cook something new. Oddly, these times have coincided with nights where George ends up eating cheese and crackers and I dine on popcorn.

Ilene Black has been a resident of Ewing for most of her life and lives across the street from her childhood home. She and her husband,

The BelDel in a nutshell

HELEN KULL

We’re back along the Delaware on the “West Coast” of Ewing, this time to consider the railroad which once paralleled the river.

I enjoy biking along the Delaware & Raritan Rail Trail. But I admit that I find it hard to imagine that lovely and idyllic path along the river as a busy, vital, dirty, noisy commercial rail line which lasted for over a century.

I moved to Ewing in 1978, and recall seeing the tracks along the canal, although sadly I never witnessed a train along them. The connection between Trenton and Lambertville was abandoned in March of 1977, and removal of the tracks occurred from the summer of 1979 to the spring of 1982.

But let me start from the beginning….

As mentioned in prior columns, the goal of all this construction across the “waist” of NJ was to connect Philadelphia and New York City - the two largest US cities in the early 1800s - in order to provide for shorter and more efficient transport of materials and later people.

It became a goal in the late 1600s, and remained so until a method could be proposed, approved, funded and constructed in the 1830s. The D&R Canal successfully provided this connection first, connecting the Delaware at Bordentown to the Raritan Bay at New Brunswick, fed with water flowing through the D&R Feeder Canal, which passes through Ewing.

But not far behind was the possibility of steam engines replacing mules as the source of power for this transport. In fact, the Camden and Amboy Railroad Company was chartered on the very same day that the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company was chartered in 1830. The CamAm was built in the early 1830s, somewhat paralleling the main D&R Canal, constructed a bit to its east. Its president, Robert L. Stevens, was the son of “Colonel” John Stevens III, and both designed and built steam engines. Completed in 1834, the CamAm - and railroads - were gaining steam.

Others were interested in providing such rail transportation routes as well, and an early one which followed the CamAm was the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, or BelDel. The BelDel was

chartered in 1836, and was constructed during the years 1850 - 1855, following the path and contours of the feeder canal.

The first stretch from Trenton to Lambertville was completed in 1851, and the stretch to Belvidere was completed in 1855. The track was laid on the towpath used by mules to pull the barges through the canal, and the towpath was moved to the other side of the canal, as barges were still using the canal.

The rail line connected Trenton to places to the north along the Delaware, up through Phillipsburg (opposite Easton), and up to Belvidere, and ultimately connected lines serving the coal-rich areas of central and northeastern Pennsylvania to those serving north Jersey and on into New York and New England.

This proved to be significant to industrialization during the second half of the 19th century, as Trenton became an ironworking center - including the Roebling Steelworks.

Coal and iron ore were transported to smelters in Phillipsburg, and then pig iron and coal were transported down the BelDel to Trenton. Additionally, brownstone and other rock quarried along the canal was carried to markets in Philadelphia and New York. With the purchase of the BelDel by the Pennsylvania RR Co in 1871, additional rail lines would help to transport such materials throughout the Northeast, but the BelDel was one of the first, first supplementing, and then replacing similar transport of goods using the canals.

While continuing to carry coal, produce, lumber and other materials to markets through the mid-20th c, the BelDel also provided passenger service, with eight stations alone between Trenton and Lambertville, including Greensburg (renamed Wilburtha in 1883). In its heyday, the Bel-Del was a busy railroad, with a schedule “you could set your watch to.”

But commercial rail traffic waned after WW2, and this railroad network fell into decline. Portions were abandoned, tracks removed and either paved over, or became hiking/biking trails.

However, you can still experience the thrill of a steam train riding the Black River and Western in Lambertville.

You done well, BelDel!

Ewing Recreation

February 2022

It’s time to register for Ewing Girls’ Softball spring season! Girls ages 4.5 – 18 can participate. Register online at www.ewinggirlssoftball. com.

Ewing Little League Baseball is also accepting registration for the spring for ages 4 – 12, at www.ewingbaseball.com. Ewing Hopewell

Babe Ruth Baseball, ages 13 – 15, is taking online registration at hvbsa.org.

Ewing Recreation Department is taking applications for picnic area permits at the following parks, John Watson on Upper Ferry Rd., Banchoff on Mt. View Rd., Higgs Park on Summerset St., ESCC Camp Picnic area. Email Nancy at npappano@ewingnj.org or contact the office for more information or to reserve a date.

Adult Co-Ed Volleyball is held on Wednesday nights at Antheil School from 7:00pm – 9:30pm. This program is informal and are for all levels of players. Participants can register at www. communitypass.net.

The Hollowbrook Community Center, 320 Hollowbrook Drive, 609-883-1199, has rooms available for rent for small groups to large parties. Kitchen facilities are available.

For more information on these or any other programs you can contact the Recreation Office at (609) 883-1199 or online at www. ewingnj.org/communityaffairs.

ESCC will remain closed due to the fire.

The Ewing Recreation column is paid content provided by Ewing Township.

We’d like to make YOU one of our loyal regulars and are making an honest effort to provide the community with the best in barbershop services. Walk-ins are welcome anytime or call for an appointment if you prefer. Online appointments also available through Booksy.com. Visit our website for details.

Capital Barbershop

179 Scotch Road, Ewing (Directly across from Glen Roc Shopping Center) 609-403-6147 • 3 chairs with quality barbers 9-6 weekdays. 9-4 Saturday.

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Helen Kull is an adviser to the Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society.