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MCT champion wrestlers make Hamilton history

By Rich Fisher

Area sports history was made on Jan. 28, and several girls from Steinert and Hamilton West were central figures on the big stage.

On that day, the first Mercer County Girls Wrestling Tournament was held at Robbinsville High School, and five competitors from the township schools walked away with gold medals, while five others earned Top-3 medals and

one was Top-5.

It’s a sign of the times for high school sports.

“When I started coaching, this wasn’t really on my radar, and now I get pure joy out of watching the girls compete and wrestle,” Hamilton coach Gerard Belviso said. “We’ve got a lot of tough girls. I really thought if we could have filled a couple more weight classes, we could have come out of there with the team title (won by Trenton). We’re at a really good

place right now as far as our girls team.”

Steinert coach Joe Panfili was in complete agreement.

“It’s freaking awesome,” he said. “These girls go at it. It’s something to see.”

And just how did it get to this level in Mercer?

“I think it’s just becoming more mainstream,” Panfili said. “They see it on TV now. A lot of the girls matches are as intriguing and as competitive

See WRESTLING, Page 14

You

Community Educa�on and Be�er Health Programs

located on page 2

Well, well, well: rain gardens growing in popularity

By SUe FerrArA

Let’s talk about H2O, aka water.

In 1746, Benjamin Franklin observed, “When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” Today, Franklin might consider amending that to read: When the well is dry, we know the worth of clean water.

Assuring clean water for daily use in our community means intelligently managing not only usage, but runoff of water back into the watershed. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines a watershed as the “land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.” And New Jersey connects to all those kinds of water resources.

One form of water runoff management is a rain garden. In essence, the rain garden, when properly planted, sends water back into the ground for natural purification and the refilling of the groundwater tables—the very groundwater which fills the wells Franklin referenced in 1746.

Up until 2004, little attention was paid to water runoff

from properties when people “paved paradise and put up a parking lot,” as Joni Mitchell crooned. Creation of impervious structures–patios, driveways, tennis courts, reduced the amount of open land to soak up water to send it back into the ground. Consequently, anything landing on these impervious surfaces–road salt, chemicals, animal waste, flowed directly into the storm systems and out into the waterways.

* * *

In 2004, new water management rules were established in Chapter 7A of New Jersey law requiring better water management systems to be connected to development. That change led to the writing of a 572-page analysis report from the Department of Environmental Protection.

The report noted that within New Jersey, “there are 7,840 miles of rivers and streams including 6,330 miles of nontidal rivers and 1,510 miles of tidal rivers; 69,825 acres of lakes and ponds larger than 2 acres;1,069 square miles of estuarine and ocean waters; and 1,482 square miles of fresh and saline marshes and wetlands.”

In an interview, Rutgers

See RAIN, Page 16

Steinert wrestlers Ella Johnson, Dana Volb, Isabella Panfili and Rowan Lacy-Cancel at the Mercer County Tournament, where Johnson, Volb and Lacy-Cancel finished as champions of their weight class.

RWJUH Hamilton March Healthy Living / Community Education Programs

SUPPORT GROUPS

CARING FOR LOVED ONES WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS

Monday, Mar. 4 & 18; 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

SWEET SUCCESS SOCIETY: A DIABETES GROUP

Monday, Mar. 4; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Monday, Mar. 11; 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

ADULT CHILDREN CARING FOR PARENTS

Monday, Mar. 4 & 18; 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m

GOT STRESS?

Wednesday, Mar. 6; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Wednesday, Mar. 6; 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Thursday, Mar. 7 & 21; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

WHAT’S EATING YOU?

Monday, Mar. 11; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

LETTING GO OF CLUTTER

Tuesday, Mar. 12; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

BARIATRIC WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Tuesday, Mar. 12; 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

PREDIABETES CONNECT GROUP

Tuesday, Mar. 19; 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP

Wednesday, Mar. 20; 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

WISE WOMEN

Thursday, Mar. 28; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: NATIONAL NUTRITION

MONTH

Thursday, Mar. 7; 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The theme for National Nutrition Month is “Beyond the Table”. Let’s learn how to make healthy choices now to maintain health for a lifetime! Empower kids with culinary skills and nutrition knowledge to become their healthiest selves! For children 5 years and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Taryn Krietzman, RDN. Fee: $5 per person

DANCE IT OUT!

Monday, Mar. 11; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Never miss a chance to move and let all your worries go. Dance the stress away by grooving head-to-toe. All ages welcome, no experience required.

MEMORY SCREENING

Tuesday, Mar. 12; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Are you concerned about “senior moments’? The Mini-Mental State exam is a quick assessment to discern normal aging versus potential problems. In addition, you will learn ways to improve your memory. Must arrive 15-30 minutes early to receive the exam.

HOPE FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE SERIES, BRUNCH AND LEARN

Wednesday, Mar. 13; 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Our Monthly Health Focus features our “Hope for a Bright Future Series” designed to empower you with tips on prevention, early detection, and advancements in cancer treatments. Early detection can improve outcomes. Join our conversation on colorectal

to learn more.

*Registration and free Membership required to attend the Better Health Programs

cancer that will be both engaging and informative. Our panel will include Meera Yogarajah, MD, Maulik D. Shah, DO, Rachel Perez, Gastrointestinal Patient Navigator

TAKE HOME COLO-RECTAL KIT

Thursday, Mar. 14; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Participants will attend a lecture about colon health, and receive a stool sample kit to take at home and mail back.

BUILDING OUR CAPACITY TO TALK ABOUT RACE

Monday, Mar. 18; 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Do you ever find yourself walking on eggshells, having heated arguments or not knowing what to say about topics related to race, racism, DEI, antiracism or white privilege? Let’s unpack some of these ideas, practice mindfulness and build our capacity to have courageous and embodied conversations that help build a healthier, more connected community. Nathalie Edmond, PsyD, RYT-500, Licensed Clinical Psychologist.

UNDERSTANDING MEMORY LOSS

Tuesday, Mar. 19; 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Many people worry about experiencing memory loss as they age. Memory loss is not a normal part of aging. Although most people have heard of Alzheimer’s, many do not know that other diseases that affect memory. Join us to learn about diseases that affect memory as well as the best strategies for diagnosing, treating, supporting brain health and improving quality of life. Presented by COPSA-Institute

YOGA CLASSES

Tuesday, Mar. 5 & 12; 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Krystal Loughlin, certified RYT will be leading this gentle yoga class using traditional postures, and breathing techniques offering modification of the poses for your body so that you can confidently participate. Beginners welcome. Must Register.

MEDITATION CLASSES

Tuesday; Mar.5 & 12; 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Krystal Loughlin will lead this meditation class focusing on reducing stress and bringing inner peace. See how you can easily learn to practice meditation whenever you need it most. Beginner’s welcome.

NEW - CHAIR YOGA

Tuesday, Mar. 5 & 12; 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Krystal Loughlin, certified RYT, is introducing Chair Yoga to our Better Health Program. Using a chair for seated poses and also for balancing

poses, this class is perfect for those who haven’t moved their bodies for a while, recovering from an injury or have mobility/balancing difficulties. A great place to start practicing yoga to help boost your flexibility, find inner peace, unwind and stretch. Many options are given to customize the practice for YOU!

A SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP

Wednesday, Mar. 6, 20 & 27; 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, Mar. 13; 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please join us for our ongoing program “A Senior Social Group,” gathering in a collaborative setting to exchange thoughts, feelings and experiences amongst peers. This is a safe-zone designed to be welcoming and understanding of all attendees while exploring this season of our lives – the ups and the challenges. This is a weekly program. Please feel free to attend one or all.

for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

Wednesday, Mar. 20; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m

Calm your anxious mind and tense body with the relaxing and healing practice of Mindfulness Meditation. No experience necessary. Patti McDougall, BSN, Integrative Therapies Nurse, RWJUH Hamilton, Community Health.

HEALTHRYTHMS® DRUM CIRCLE

Wednesday, Mar. 20; 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Drum your cares away with our monthly Drum Circle. It’s lots of fun and a great stress reliever. Beginners welcome, drums will be provided. Mauri Tyler, CTRS,CMP $15 OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING

Thursday, Mar. 21; 10:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. Ultrasound of the heel and personalized information.

WHY ARE MY EARS RINGING? - A NEW APPROACH TO TINNITUS MANAGEMENT

Wednesday, Mar. 27; 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m

While tinnitus is a fairly common problem, there are many effective methods to treat and alleviate tinnitus. Join Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D. to learn about the latest in treatment options.

REIKI SHARE

Wednesday, Mar. 27; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

For folks who have been Reiki certified (at any level) to come share the gift with fellow practitioners. Give a session, get a session. Please bring a sheet and small pillow.

COLOR ME HOOPY: HOOLAHOOPING FOR FUN & FITNESS!

Thursday, Mar. 28; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m

If you think you can’t hoola-hoop, you are mistaken! This class is so much fun that you don’t even realize that you are working out! It’s much easier with an “adult sized” hoop, provided at the class. No experience necessary. Angela Reitter, Certified HoopLove Coach and Hoola-Fit Instructor. $15

DINNER WITH A DOCTOR: OPTIMIZING MEN’S HEALTH AT ANY AGE

Thursday, Mar. 28; 6:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Deep Trivedi, MD, of New Jersey Urology in Lawrenceville will hold an open dialogue about integrative approaches and best-life discussions pertaining to lifestyle, diet, and supplementation relating to men. Additional focus will also include the latest developments in anti-aging and health span improvements. Dinner will be provided.

*All programs require registration and are held at the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd., Hamilton, NJ, unless otherwise noted.

DR. ALI HOSTS A “JEOPARDY PARTY” LUNCH AND LEARN

Thursday, Mar. 7; 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

A new Jeopardy focused on Innovations in Medicine. Tables will compete as teams as we test your knowledge. Don’t panic, this will be fun and interactive and there will even be prizes along with lunch.

NUTRITION, THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY

Thursday, Mar. 14th; 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Ever encounter a memorable and mouthwatering description of food in a book? Join us as we Greek-out over some seriously delicious literary eats and how they fit into a healthful Mediterranean dietary pattern. Enjoy being a studioaudience member as Taryn Krietzman, RDN does a live taping of this program for virtual at-home viewers.

TAI CHI CLASSES

Thursday, Mar. 21 & 28; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE PUZZLING PAINTING

How does one piece of the big picture contribute to the greater whole? In this relaxed group painting workshop, each participant receives one portion of a larger image to paint onto a canvas using their choice of style and color. The finished canvases are then assembled together to reveal the collective artwork made by the group. This activity demonstrates how connections are made and individual perceptions can be seen in new ways.

Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024; 1 to 2:30

EXCLUSIVE* (see details below)

*EXCLUSIVE to any Better Health Member who will be a first-time participant attending a Grounds for Sculpture activity sponsored by Better Health. To register, email BHProgram@rwjbh.org

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024; 10:30 to Noon open to all Better Health Members

Location: Grounds for Sculptor, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ 08619

Hamilton Post

of your

the Gazette does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their

The Hamilton Post is for local people, by local people. As part of the

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.

Joe

Sue

Peter

community

9 Princess Road, Suite M Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

Phone: (609) 396-1511

News: news@communitynews.org

Events: events@communitynews.org

Sports: sports@communitynews.org

Letters: jemanski@communitynews.org

Website: hamiltonpost.com

Facebook: facebook.com/hamiltonpostnj

Twitter: twitter.com/mercerspace

40,000 copies of the Hamilton Post are mailed or bulk-distributed to the residences and businesses of Hamilton 12 times a year.

TO AdVERTISE

call (609) 396-1511, ext. 113 or e-mail advertise@communitynews.org

Sharif M. Hatab

Michael Gerstnicker

Maria Garcia-Herreros

Brian A. Smith

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Kameesha Saunders

Kathleen Goodwine

Jessica Leale

Deborah Melicharek

Iris Nitzan

Dale Michele Parello

AROUND TOWN

West grad returning to Kelsey stage with ‘Black Girl Magic’

It will be something of a homecoming for Trenton native Taylor PickettStokes when she takes the stage at Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre with the Virginia-based Underground Performing Arts Collective and its presentation of “Black Girl Magic” March 1 to 3.

“Black Girl Magic” combines poetry, monologues and conventional drama with film. It is the tale of Sister, a young Black woman, struggling to find a place of acceptance in the world. Guided by the Ancestors, African Warrior Queens, Sister comes to a place of self-reconciliation and acceptance as she is given a glimpse into the lives and legacy of Black women, past and present.

Taylor-Stokes plays multiple roles, including Harriet, Stacy Abrams, Mahalia Jackson, Celie and as a Church Medley singer.

Pickett-Stokes is a graduate of Hamilton High School West and graduated from MCCC in May 2013 with a degree in fine arts and a minor in psychology. After Mercer, Pickett-Stokes transferred to Montclair State University, majoring in theatre studies, with a minor in sociology, graduating in 2015.

Since then she has traveled and worked with at-risk youth, the homeless, and formerly incarcerated individuals. She will expects to complete dual master’s degrees at Rutgers University in Social Work and Public Affairs and Politics in May.

An online call for auditions first drew

while at Mercer.”

Performances of “Black Girl Magic” are Friday, March 1, and Saturday, March 2, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. Performances will be at the Kelsey Theatre on MCCC’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for children, students, and senior citizens, and may be purchased online at kelseytheatre.org or by calling the Kelsey Box Office Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon, at (609) 570-3333.

Hamilton Marketplace

Chick-fil-A plans March reopening

The closure of the popular Chick-fil-A restaurant in Hamilton Marketplace gave a few local residents a moment of panic, but there is no reason for fear: the chain restaurant’s franchisee, Josh Leon, said he expects to open their new location in the shopping plaza — a matter of yards away — this month.

Pickett-Stokes to the UPAC. Driven by the stress and challenges of graduate school, she found the need to get back into a creative space and made the commitment to make the frequent trips to UPAC’s rehearsals in Suffolk, Virginia, to prepare for the show.

Pickett-Stokes credits her time at Mercer as an inspiration to take on new challenges and expand her horizons, and embrace her love of the arts.

“If not for the wonderful people and teachers that I had at Mercer, I don’t know how my life would have played out otherwise,” Pickett-Stokes said. “Being a student at Mercer allowed me to take advantage of opportunities that have changed the scope of my approach in life, such as study abroad, theater, relationship building and giving back. My pursuits after graduation were built upon those very core things that I obtained

The restaurant closed on Feb. 24 as part of preparations to move across Marketplace Boulevard from the old location. The new location will feature an easier entry and exit traffic flow, a larger parking lot, a larger drive-through that can hold approximately 50 vehicles, and an exit lane so that customers can leave the drive-through as soon as they receive their food.

There will also be a new ordering expe-

The Underground Performing Arts Collective will present “Black Girl Magic” March 1–3 at the Kelsey Theatre on the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College. (Photo courtesy of MCCC/J. Stubbs Photography.)

Suspects arrested, charged with catalytic converter thefts

On Feb. 19 at approximately 5:58 a.m. Hamilton Township police officers were dispatched to the area of Locust Avenue West on a report of a catalytic converter theft in progress.

While speaking with the victim, officers were advised that there was another catalytic converter theft occurring on the 3400 block of South Broad Street. Arriving officers say that they observed a dark colored sedan exiting the parking lot of Barclay Apartments at a high rate of speed.

The officers attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop on the vehicle, but the vehicle allegedly accelerated at a high rate of speed away from the scene. The officers report terminating the pursuit, having last seen the vehicle travelling on Lakeside Boulevard.

Shortly after, officers reported locating a motor vehicle crash between two vehicles in the intersection of Hempstead Road and Arena Drive. They say that one person was seen fleeing on foot from the crash towards Marcia Drive.

A foot pursuit ensued, and officers located and arrested one suspect in the backyard of a residence on Shirley Avenue. He was identified as Joel Rodriguez, 31, of Bronx, New York.

Officers were notified by a resident on Marcia Drive that someone was in their backyard. Officers located another suspect behind a shed in the yard. He was identified as Rafael Medina, 31 of

the Bronx. Officers also located a third suspect inside the suspect vehicle. He was identified as Renee Gutierrez, 30, of Brooklyn. Officers say that inside of the suspect vehicle, they found approximately 20 catalytic converters and a floor jack.

Rodriguez and Medina were transported to Capital Health at Fuld where they were treated for their injuries and released. The driver of the other vehicle was reported uninjured.

All three suspects were charged with two counts of theft, two counts of criminal mischief, two counts of possession of burglars tools and 18 counts of receiving stolen property. Medina and Rodriguez were also charged with obstructing the administration of law and resisting arrest. All three were transported and held at the Mercer County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact Det. James Rickey of the Hamilton Police Division Major Crimes Unit at (609) 689-5822 or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at (609) 581-4008.

MCCC, Black Women’s Collective to unveil new leadership institute

Mercer County Community College and the New Jersey Black Women’s Collective are set to launch a program designed to cultivate and develop the next generation of Black women leaders, the new NJBWC Leadership Institute, March 15 on MCCC’s West Windsor Campus.

The Leadership Institute, which runs from March through June 2024, is a partnership between NJBWC and MCCC. A steering committee that includes mem-

See NEWS, Page 8

Preston will serve as the planning board for the Leadership Institute.

“Tremendous opportunities can be created through education, and I applaud the NJBWC for launching this exciting new initiative,” Preston said. “We are proud to be their partner.”

Developed for emerging leaders in any sector, the Leadership Institute is designed to help participants gain the skills and strategies needed to address current problems in real time, actualize their skilled vision, and build effectiveness, while developing a talent pipeline for Black women leaders in New Jersey.

The Leadership Institute will launch with a welcome reception for participants on March 15, followed by 14 intensive curated sessions led by keynote speaker and facilitator Melody M. Fogarty, managing partner of Dakota Gray, LLC. The program will conclude with the presentation of capstone projects presented by Leadership Institute participants.

The curriculum will feature Black women executives, senior leaders, and guest speakers as presenters and experts in numerous fields, including business and finance, corporate strategy, marketing and communications, and politics and government.

Arlee’s Raw Blends in Princeton.

Guest speakers for the inaugural series are set tp include Rev. Tiffany Williams Brewer, assistant professor of law and chair of the State Commission of Investigations; Corein Carter, chief operating officer, CultureMakers I.N.C.; Michellene Davis, president and CEO, National Medical Fellowships; Brenda Ross Dulan, managing principal, Ross Dulan Group; John Harmon, president and CEO, African Chamber of Commerce NJ; Natalya Johnson, senior counsel, Johnson & Johnson; Jeannine LaRue, lobbyist and public affairs executive; Michele Meyer-Shipp, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide; Maggie Moran, strategy consultant; and Paula Taylor, owner of

“We are thrilled with the opportunity to help shape and grow the next generation of Black women leaders through the Leadership Institute,” said Tennille R. McCoy, NJBWC co-founder and chair of the Leadership Institute. “Having the right skills is one of the keys to success, and that begins with having the support and guidance of those who have walked the path. We are fortunate to have assembled such a distinguished group of mentors and senior leaders to serve as guides on this journey.” Web: mccc.edu/njbwc.

Hamilton Township

Finalizes Purchase of “Kuser Woods” Property

Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin announced last month that Hamilton Township had closed on the purchase of the Kuser Woods property, located at

Tennille R. McCoy, co-founder of the New Jersey Black Women’s Collective and chair of the new NJBWC Leadership Institute, and Mercer County Community College president Deborah E. Preston.

2367 Kuser Road, on Thursday, Feb. 15.

The township said that it intends to preserve the property as open space and will seek grant funding from the state’s Green Acres Fund and the Mercer County Open Space fund to offset the purchase cost.

This property was previously the subject of a land use application for a warehouse in 2022, which the township’s Planning Board denied; the denial resulted in litigation.

In 2023, the property was subject to another land use application for a warehouse. The application review was postponed in the summer to negotiate an agreement to purchase the property. The negotiations led to the announcement that both parties agreed to the purchase in October 2023.

“This location was a terrible spot for any type of warehouse facility. The residents knew it, our planning board knew it, and we knew it as well,” said Martin. “I’m proud that succeeded in protecting this important tract of land. As I have previously stated, preserving more land in different neighborhoods through the Township is part of our continued goal of working with property owners to preserve green space rather than see land developed.”

The township says that the acquisition of this land will expand Hamilton Town-

ship’s preserved land to about 6,000 acres. For more information on Hamilton Township Open Space, visit hamiltonnj. com/CED.

Two Hamilton schools receive School of Character awards

The Hamilton Township School District has received two 2024 New Jersey School of Character awards.

Greenwood Elementary School and Langtree Elementary School received New Jersey State School of Character Awards. There are 87 award recipients for 2024; 25 awarded in New Jersey.

“The Greenwood Elementary School Team is truly appreciative of this statewide recognition. The students, staff, families, and community collaborators have poured their time, creativity, and resources into creating a beautiful, safe, and academically challenging school home for Hamilton children. We are grateful to Character.org for their ongoing guidance and support,” said Greenwood Elementary School principal Nicole Dickens-Simon.

“I am so proud of my staff and students for their hard work and dedication. We are honored to be a recipient of this pres-

QUALITY OF

QUALITY OF LIFE

PROTECT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN HAMILTON TOWNSHIP/NO TO WAREHOUSE SPRAWL

IN HAMILTON TOWNSHIP/NO TO WAREHOUSE SPRAWL

HERE IN HAMILTON TOWNSHIP/NO TO WAREHOUSE SPRAWL

PROTECT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN HAMILTON TOWNSHIP/NO TO WAREHOUSE SPRAWL

WHAT’S AT STAKE:

WHAT’S AT STAKE:

tigious award. I also want to thank the parents of the Langtree community for their support as they play a significant role in our success,” stated Langtree Elementary School principal Joyce Gallo.

ing annual receptions honoring members of the parish community.

“Both Greenwood and Langtree Elementary Schools have created wonderful learning environments for their students. To receive the New Jersey School of Character Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the principals, faculty, staff, and families of each school,” said Scott Rocco, superintendent of Schools.

Joseph Slavin, longtime Hamilton school district educator and current principal of St. Raphael School, said: “What a great evening! Once again the Golden Ticket event shows why St. Raphael is the best. The dedication, kindness and love shown by our Catholic school and our community is evident everyday.”

The Golden Ticket event is held annually, with the next event planned for February 2025.

NAACP college chapter established at Rider

(View of property in RRC zone)

(View of property in RRC zone)

(View of property in RRC zone)

• PRIME FARMLAND

ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND

• ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND

• PRIME FARMLAND

FOREST HABITAT, WETLANDS, AND FIELDS SAFE, RURAL, UNCONGESTED ROADS

(View of property in RRC zone)

• PRIME FARMLAND

• FOREST HABITAT, WETLANDS, AND FIELDS

QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS

The 2024 National Schools of Character will be announced in May 2024 and honored at their 31st Anniversary International Forum next fall in Washington. Web: character.org.

A new college chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was chartered at Rider University during a ceremony held on Feb. 7.

• SAFE, RURAL, UNCONGESTED ROADS

• ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND

• QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS

• FOREST HABITAT, WETLANDS, AND FIELDS

• ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND

• PROTECTION OF THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION

• SAFE, RURAL, UNCONGESTED ROADS

• FOREST HABITAT, WETLANDS, AND FIELDS

• QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS

• SAFE, RURAL, UNCONGESTED ROADS

• QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS

PROTECTION OF THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION (RRC) ZONE AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY ~ 100 acres IN THE RRC ZONE IS THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT LOCATED NEAR EDGEBROOK AND CROSSWICKS – HAMILTON SQUARE ROAD EAST OF THE ROUTE 130 COMMERCIAL ZONE

• PROTECTION OF THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION (RRC) ZONE

• PROTECTION OF THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION (RRC) ZONE

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

St. Raphael School Board holds annual Golden Ticket event

On Saturday, Feb. 10, St. Raphael School Board held its annual Golden Ticket event to benefit St. Raphael School. About 200 parish and community members gathered to honor the St. Raphael Holy Angels ushers and the Hollendonner family with an evening of dinner, dancing, and celebration.

The ceremony marked the inauguration of four executive committee members and included remarks from distinguished guest speakers, including Rider University trustee and alumnus Judge Marc A. McKithen, Trenton’s chief municipal judge, and Mercer County Commissioner Samuel T. Frisby, Sr.

AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY ~ 100 acres IN THE RRC ZONE IS THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT LOCATED NEAR EDGEBROOK AND CROSSWICKS – HAMILTON SQUARE ROAD EAST OF THE ROUTE 130 COMMERCIAL ZONE

The event committee includes members of St. Raphael Holy Angels Parish, school board and PTA members, and is chaired by Lori Danko as a member of the St. Raphael School board.

“The establishment of the Rider University NAACP college chapter is one more step forward in leaving a lasting legacy of diversity, equity and inclusion at our institution,” said Naa’san Carr, senior political science major and Rider NAACP president.

AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY ~ 100 acres IN THE RRC ZONE IS THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT LOCATED NEAR EDGEBROOK AND CROSSWICKS – HAMILTON SQUARE ROAD EAST OF THE ROUTE 130 COMMERCIAL ZONE

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY ~ 100 acres IN THE RRC ZONE IS THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT LOCATED NEAR EDGEBROOK AND CROSSWICKS – HAMILTON SQUARE ROAD EAST OF THE ROUTE 130 COMMERCIAL ZONE

Email mayor Martin at Mayor@hamiltonnj.com and/or Email your council member at Government > Township Council at hamiltonnj.com (please send a copy to North Crosswicks Friends of Open Space at oranjpaddler47@gmail.com so we can tra PLAN to attend the Township Council meeting concerning an ordinance to rezone the referenced properties from the RRC zone to RD, look for the announcement on Hamiltonnj. com, in the newspaper, or call NCFOS at 609 298-1157

1ST Email mayor Martin at Mayor@hamiltonnj.com and/or Email your council member at Government > Township Council at hamiltonnj.com (please send a copy to North Crosswicks Friends of Open Space at oranjpaddler47@gmail.com so we can track your efforts)

1ST Email Mayor Martin at Mayor@hamiltonnj.com and/or Email your council member at Government > Township Council at hamiltonnj.com (please send a copy to North Crosswicks Friends of Open Space at oranjpaddler47@gmail.com so we can track your efforts)

“I am thrilled that the community is keeping the Catholic school spirit alive,” Danko said. This year Danko and her committee raised over $13,000.

Rev. Gene Daguplo said that over three years, the Golden Ticket Committee had raised more than $50,000 by host-

The Rider chapter aims to enhance social and political activism within the University and the local community, while actively participating in and contributing to the NAACP New Jersey State Conference Youth and College Division (NAACP NJSC YCD).

“We can’t wait for the members of this new chapter to join over 500 youth and

IN THE PHONE CALL AND AT THE MEETING, TELL THEM: PROTECT THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION ZONE NO TO REZONING THIS PROPERTY FROM THE RRC ZONE TO A RD (RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT) ZONE AND NO MOR WAREHOUSES OR OTHER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON FARMLAND, WETLANDS, AND IN WOODS IN THIS AREA

1ST Email mayor Martin at Mayor@hamiltonnj.com and/or Email your council member at Government > Township Council at hamiltonnj.com (please send a copy to North Crosswicks Friends of Open Space at oranjpaddler47@gmail.com so we can track your efforts)

2ND PLAN to attend the Township Council meeting concerning an ordinance to rezone the referenced properties from the RRC zone to RD, look for the announcement on Hamiltonnj. com, in the newspaper, or call NCFOS at 609 298-1157

2ND PLAN to attend the Township Council meeting concerning an ordinance to rezone the referenced properties from the RRC zone to RD, look for the announcement on Hamiltonnj. com, in the newspaper, or call NCFOS at 609 298-1157

For more information call Dan Dill at North Crosswicks Friends of Open Space (NCFOS):

2ND PLAN to attend the Township Council meeting concerning an ordinance to rezone the referenced properties from the RRC zone to RD, look for the announcement on Hamiltonnj.com, in the newspaper, or call NCFOS at 609 298-1157

IN THE PHONE CALL AND AT THE MEETING, TELL THEM: PROTECT THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION ZONE NO TO REZONING THIS PROPERTY FROM THE RRC ZONE TO A RD (RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT) ZONE AND NO MORE WAREHOUSES OR OTHER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON FARMLAND, WETLANDS, AND IN WOODS IN THIS AREA

IN YOUR EMAIL AND AT THE MEETING, TELL THEM: PROTECT THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION ZONE NO TO REZONING THIS PROPERTY FROM THE RRC ZONE TO A RD (RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT) ZONE AND NO MORE WAREHOUSES OR OTHER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON FARMLAND, WETLANDS, AND IN WOODS IN THIS AREA

IN THE PHONE CALL AND AT THE MEETING, TELL THEM: PROTECT THE RURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION ZONE NO TO REZONING THIS PROPERTY FROM THE RRC ZONE TO A RD (RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT) ZONE AND NO MORE WAREHOUSES OR OTHER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON FARMLAND, WETLANDS, AND IN WOODS IN THIS AREA

For more information call Dan Dill at North Crosswicks Friends of Open Space (NCFOS): 609 298-1157

For more information: 609 298-1157 or visit savehamilton.com

college members throughout the state as they participate in civic engagement training regarding political involvement and awareness on a state and national level,” said Ryan Bates, NAACP NJSC YCD president.

While the organization celebrates its 115th anniversary this year, the Youth and College Division was established in 1936. “For 88 years, the Youth and College Division has been in existence. For 88 years, this campus has missed out on civil rights leadership, programming and activism, in which this organization has historically been a vehicle,” says Professor Charles Ray, chapter adviser. “The 25 students who agreed to charter this chapter on campus should be commended.”

The NAACP is the nation’s oldest civil rights organization. Its mission is to “achieve equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color. “

Membership to the Rider University chapter is open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

Web: rider.edu.

Poke Bros, physical therapy center to open in Hamilton Plaza

Two new tenants are set to open for business in Hamilton Plaza: Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy and fast-casual restaurant concept Poke Bros .

Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy at Hamilton Plaza joins Ivy Rehab Network’s more than 100 New Jersey locations. It will provide treatments such as balance and fall prevention, chronic pain management, physical therapy, soft tissue mobilization, orthopedic therapy and postsurgical treatment.

Poke Bros serves sushi-grade fish or proteins and farm-fresh vegetables in a Hawaiian-style poké bowl. Founded in 2016, the chain has 80 stores nationwide. The Hamilton Plaza Poke Bros will be the second area location for its operator.

Anchored by ShopRite, Hamilton Plaza tenants include The Goodwill Store, Dollar Tree, Petco, Mattress Firm, Norman’s Hallmark, Texas Roadhouse, America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, Moe’s Southwest Grill, A Slice of Brooklyn and Queen Bee Nail Salon. Levin Management Corporation serves as leasing and managing agent for Hamilton Plaza, which sits at the intersection of Route 33 and Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Road.

as the guys matches. It’s kind of a grass roots type of thing. They see other people do it and say ‘Hey! I want to do that!’

“I think they’re breaking these barriers and kind of squashing these stereotypes that girls can’t do it. As a dad, I think it’s great my daughter (Isabella) does it. It’s empowering.”

Belviso said he had 11 girls “who came out rocking and rolling this year.”

“You wonder how you recruit, but it comes down to having two or three charismatic girls,” the coach said. “They kind of recruit themselves. Feeder program-wise, our 38-pounder had a month of experience with club. It’s not like they’ve been wrestling for 10 years like some of those guys. But they’re quick learners, they listen. They’re super coachable and show up every day.”

The inaugural champions this year were Steinert’s Dana Volb at 114 pounds, Rowan Lacy-Cancel (126) and Ella Johnson (165); and Hamilton’s Hana Abdelnabi (138) and Geri Nicole Angeles (185).

Reaching the championship round and finishing second were Hamilton’s Noelysmar Estrada (126), Jacqueline Casasola Ramos (145) and Brianna Vaccaro (152), while finishing third were Steinert’s Kallie Bousenberry (100); and Hamilton’s Karla Salguero (107) and Ashley Salguero (165). Steinert’s Panfili

was fifth at 120.

Here is a closer look at the historic first MCT girls champions.

Dana Volb, Steinert (114 pounds). The senior improved her record to 15-8 by pinning Hopewell Valley’s Natalie Maldonado in 1:42.

“This means a lot to me because I worked so hard to get to where I am now and I am very happy that I was one of the girls to win the MCT,” Volb said.

“Dana’s been with the program for three years,” Panfili said. “Two years ago she placed sixth in regions and just missed qualifying for states. She’s been solid for us and won some big matches.”

Volb said she became interested in wrestling by watching her brothers at a young age, and began the sport in sixth grade.

“I’d like to say thank you to my brother for showing me what wrestling is,” she said. “I am very happy that the girls in high school are starting to wreste more, because I was the only girl for a while. This was the best seven years of my life. I want to thank everyone that has supported me in this sport.”

Rowan Lacy-Cancel, Steinert (126 pounds). Just a freshman, Lacy-Cancel decisioned Hamilton’s Estrada, 11-7, to improve to 6-9.

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised with her,” Panfili said. “She’s been doing well

as a first-year wrestler. She went on a tear and she’s a tough little wrestler. She’s got a gymnastics background that helps her out a lot. We’ve been very pleased with her.”

And Lacy-Cancel is pleased with what she has done.

“Winning this was one of my biggest accomplishments,” she said. “Hitting that mat for my first match, I knew I was ready to win that day. Having the title ‘Champion’ as a first-year wrestler is so surreal and I can’t even explain how ecstatic I am. I can’t wait to see what this sport holds in store for me.”

Lacy-Cancel’s family felt that the mat was her calling due to the strength she showed as a little kid. She attended some Steinert practices in 8th-grade and “and felt like it was meant to be.”

She credits her friends and family for their support in lifting her up every day, and loves the direction her sport is headed.

“I think girls’ wrestling expanding throughout the high schools is an amazing thing,” she said. “Many girls are afraid to try wrestling because it’s a ‘boys sport’ but with the development of these teams, they can experience it also. It’s so exciting to see this sport growing among young women and I’m glad to be part of its development.”

Hana Abdelnabi, Hamilton West, 138 pounds. Another freshman, Abdelnabi ran her record to 10-3 by pinning Trenton’s Eileen Morales in 2:44. Morales entered the fray at 15-7.

“Being able to call myself the very first winner of the 138 pound weight class makes me very proud of how far I have come,” Abdelnabi said. “It helps me gain confidence for future tournaments like regionals. I was fortunate to wrestle in MCTs and hope that I inspire future female wrestlers.”

Abdelnabi feels she has come a long way, but Belviso feels she started from a good place.

“She’s a stud, it took maybe 10 seconds of her being in the room before she caught my eye,” the coach said. “I looked over and I thought ‘All right we’ve got

something special on our hands here.’ She’s really tough in neutral and imposes her will. She has this special Greco Roman style. Moving forward I think she’s gonna be a real problem for people.”

Abdelnabi’s interest in the sport came from her dad, Mohamed, who wrestled in his youth. She began prior to high school and hit the brakes when Covid-19 hit, but couldn’t wait to get back on the mat.

“I was overjoyed to begin wrestling again,” she said “(Female) wrestling has definitely been growing, and is becoming more popular each year. I feel like it is significant that the amount of girls who participate in wrestling has increased. I truly hope that more females try out for wrestling in the upcoming seasons.”

Ella Johnson, Steinert (165 pounds). The daughter of former Spartan wrestler Rashone Johnson, the third township freshman to win a title improved her record to a gaudy 19-3 by pinning Ewing’s Franchesca Edouard in 1:44.

“Being a champion in the first year for girls means a lot to me,” Johnson said. “I was able to make history for Mercer County women’s wrestling and hopefully encourage more girls to take an interest

Hamilton High West wrestler Geri Nicole Angeles, MCT champion in the 185-pound weight class.

part of the first one,” Belviso said. “Any way you cut it, I told her ‘You are the first Mercer County champ in your weight class. Be proud of being one of the pioneers of it all because it’s really gonna grow moving forward.’”

Angeles took her coach’s advice and is rightfully proud of herself.

“It honestly means so much to me,” she said. “This is my first year wrestling and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to get this far. It’s unbelievable to be a part of something so huge in Mercer. I never could have dreamed to even get this far, and am so thankful to everyone that kept motivating me and keeping me in check to help me improve.”

Angeles was always drawn to the sport when she first learned of it in high school, and got involved through some friends.

in the sport next season.”

Johnson’s interest came from seeing it first-hand while watching her father coach and discovering what it was like to be part of a team.

“Now that there are more girls involved in wrestling I hope to inspire others to join the sport so that we can have more full girls’ teams in Mercer,” Johnson said. “I hope to see even more girls participate in the tournament next year.”

Panfili noted that Johnson is one of the few 9th-graders to come in with some experience.

“She was a middle school champion last year, that was a good foundation for her,” the coach said. “She’s been phenomenal. At one point she was ranked in the state. Her only losses came in the Bloomfield tournament. She’s been dominating around here and has been a powerhouse.”

Geri Nicole Angeles, Hamilton West, 185 pounds. Since this was such a thin weight class, the senior’s only bout was in the finals, where she pinned Ewing’s Khyla Villard in 3:32 to improve to 14-5.

“Even though it was a two-person bracket, it’s still a special thing to be

“This is definitely out of my comfort zone, but I’m so glad I joined,” she said. “I’m so happy to see it’s been growing so well and opening up so much to women. There’s tons more resources and ways to get involved, and more opportunities to wrestle for women in Mercer. I can’t wait to see what happens in the near future.”

Neither can the coaches.

“The competition is only getting better and better,” Belviso said. “It’s something we can build on. We have 11 girls on the team. It’s not like the other girls walking the halls will say, ‘We’re gonna be just one or two girls on the team. It’s all right, we have a team.’ It’s that snowball effect that builds on itself, which is nice.”

Panfili feels it is getting comparable to boys matches when it comes to spectating.

“Sometimes the size difference can be a little bit of a struggle for the girls, but if they have the technique, it’s very similar to what the boys do,” he said. “We teach them the same moves as we teach the boys. It’s kind of like watching a boys’ match, at least for me, in regards of the level they’re at. I just think it’s awesome and I’m all for it.”

Judging by the success of the first MCT, so are a lot of others.

Hamilton High West wrestler, Hana Abdelnabi, MCT champion in the 138pound weight class.

Environmental Sciences Professor Chris Obropta; who is also an extension specialist in water resources with Rutgers Cooperative Extension, said, while everyone is concerned about new development, it is actually long-standing developments which continue to cause water run-off problems.

“The only way to fix our streams, our lakes, our bays, and to reduce localized flooding,” Obropta said, “is to retrofit our older housing developments. All those old properties have no stormwater management.”

In late January, Hamilton Township Mayor Jeff Martin unveiled the architectural drawings for the new municipal building to be located at 1750 Whitehorse Mercerville Road. The building is slated to open by the summer of 2026. The proposed development includes two rain gardens: one at the NW corner of the property along Kuser Rd.; the other on the southeast side near Whitehorse Mercerville Road.

Karen Robison, an associate project manager for CME Associates, a Howellbased engineering company which works with municipalities and other public entities, like school districts, worked on the design for the municipal building. Robison said the gardens will line the parking areas at the site.

She noted the goal of any new development, or redevelopment of an old site like Hamilton’s, is to make sure the quantity and quality of the water runoff is addressed before it leaves the site. In this case, the design had to take into consideration the current poor soil on the site, as well as developing a new drainage pattern. The site of the new municipal building was once a shopping center with a large swatch of impervious parking lots.

“I really like these projects where we can redevelop and improve upon the drainage from the site,” Robison said in an interview. She said the gardens will be filled with native plants.

Obropta and his colleagues have been on the forefront of advocating for rain gardens in New Jersey communities.

In 2014, Hamilton Township funded a water management study conducted by Rutgers. The study identified numerous public locations that could host rain gardens. But private individuals are encouraged to install rain gardens on their properties too.

* * *

digging a depression on a downslope of one’s property and filling it with plants. Obropta advocates for plants native to New Jersey. Those plants have long root systems which can help with the penetration of rain water into the groundwater tables.

out other plants which are likely weeds.

A rain garden essentially consists of

A homeowner can even link downspouts into the rain garden. Rozumalski said when he encounters reluctant homeowners, he will install a rain garden with only three species of plants arranged in little islands. He said gardens are never “no maintenance” affairs. However, with his low-maintenance design, he can teach people what the three species of plants look like and instruct homeowners to pull

And while rain gardens manage water runoff, they can also provide a feast for pollinators: bees, birds, and butterflies. The monarch butterfly population experienced a historic reduction in population last year. Experts with Monarch Watch noted: “to recover, monarchs will need an abundance of milkweeds and nectar sources.” A rain garden can provide monarch feasts, for example.

See RAIN, Page 21

The rain garden concept is not a new one. The history of using rain gardens for water management began in Prince George’s County, Maryland in 1990.

A properly built rain garden can help replenish the groundwater resources that communities rely upon. (Photo by EMH Studios.)

Entertainment from parades to parties, like the Joshua Harr Shane Foundation’s annual March fundraiser at Mercer Oaks Golf Course in West Windsor, above, are events worth wishing for, page 2.

Photos by RDNE Stock project via Pexels, left, and Audrey Amelie for Bluestone Lane, right.

St. Patrick’s Day 2024: Entertainment, Music & More

By Rebekah Schroeder

March your way to experiencing the pride of the Emerald Isle with these St. Patrick’s Day-themed events throughout the greater Mercer County region, many of which feature Irish inspirations and truly celebrate the culture of “craic.” * * *

The Original St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hamilton

Nottingham Fire House, 200 Mercer Street, Hamilton. Saturday, March 9, 12:30 p.m. opening ceremony and 1 p.m. parade start. Rain date is Saturday, March 23. Free. Since its inception in 1985 and subsequent move from Trenton to Hamilton, “The Original St. Patrick’s Day Parade” has become an annual expression of Irish pride for residents of Mercer County and beyond.

After an opening ceremony kicks off the festivities at 12:30 p.m., the parade route begins a half-hour later at the Nottingham Fire House on Mercer Street.

This year’s two co-grand marshals are Kevin and Maryann Meara, the founders

The “Original St. Patrick’s Day Parade” starts at the Nottingham Fire House in Hamilton again this year on Saturday, March 9, with Co-Grand Marshals Kevin and Maryann Meara, center and left , alongside Miss St. Patrick’s Day Kayla Adams, right, pictured at the parade luncheon in AOH Hibernian Hall on February 15. Photos courtesy of the City of Angels website.

of the Hamilton nonprofit organization City of Angels, which the couple established in 2008 after the death of their son, Kevin

“KC” Meara, from a heroin overdose at the age of 24.

For more than 15 years, COA has helped individuals with substance use disorders and mental health issues by providing a range of services, including recovery support, treatment referrals, and community outreach, according to its website, cityofangelsnj.org

demic, such as when President Obama signed the “21st Century Cures Act” in 2016, as well as the White House’s roundtable for “International Overdose Awareness Day” in 2022. For more on the Mearas, see cityofangelsnj.org/kevin-and-maryann-meara

This year’s “Miss St. Patrick” is Kayla Adam, a senior at New Egypt High School in Plumsted Township who works at the Trenton Ancient Order of Hibernians, Msgr. Crean Division #1, where her father, treasurer Dave Adam, is an officer.

* * *

Other events are planned after the parade and throughout the month of March by local Irish organizations, according to the City of Angels website, cityofangelsnj. org/grand-marshal, including dinners, parties, a Tricky Tray, Gaelic Mass, and more.

The Trenton AOH Division #1 will host an afterparty in the AOH Hibernian Hall, 2419 Kuser Road in Hamilton Square, at 3 p.m., as well as a holiday celebration on March 17 at the same time.

Another Trenton Irish group, the AOH Joe Cahill Division #10, hosts its own gathering with a cash bar and live music from 3 to 8 p.m. at the American Legion Post #458 North Trenton, 1438 Brunswick Avenue, in Trenton.

Tickets are $25 for ages 21 and older and $10 for anyone under 21. Food and one complimentary drink are included.

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Phone: (609) 396-1511

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In honor of the couple’s commitment to advocacy, this year’s parade theme is “Service Through Sacrifice.”

The parade committee selected the Mearas—who both cite Irish roots, were born in Trenton, and have lived together in Hamilton with their family for five decades—to serve as co-grand marshals in December 2023.

Kevin Meara is a former longtime Hamilton Township councilman, notably the only person in such a role to have been elected to office as both a Democrat and a Republican.

In addition to his time in local government, Kevin spent four decades in the energy industry with PSEG, while Maryann is a retired teacher’s aide for the Mercer County Special Services School District.

The Mearas have been invited to the White House several times as a result of their work with COA to present and participate in events addressing the opioid epi-

Rounding out the tricolor trifecta of gettogethers is The Sons and Daughters of Erin’s annual “St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance” from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Nottingham Ballroom, 200 Mercer Street, with dinner, Irish beer, wine, and refreshments.

The Irish pub Tir Na nOg holds a “Grand Marshal Night” at 1324 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton, in recognition of the Mearas on Wednesday, March 20.

Then, on April 20, the Trenton Irish Heritage Association Scholarship Committee’s 13th “Tricky Tray” returns to Lawrenceville’s Notre Dame High School, 601 Lawrence Road, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the first drawing at 7 p.m.

Participants must bring their own food and drinks. No alcohol is permitted. Tickets are $10 each.

More information: hamiltonparade.com or cityofangelsnj.org/grand-marshal.

See ST. PATRICKS DAY, Page 6

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Nottingham Tavern, Killarney’s to Host Live Music After the Parade

Looking for more luck of the Irish around town after the parade ends? The Nottingham Tavern at 9 Mercer Street will have food flowing and three bands scheduled throughout the day, including Radio Fiction at 3 p.m. and Deep Release’s performance at 9 p.m. nottinghamtavern.com

Meanwhile, Killarney’s Publick House, located at 1644 Whitehorse Mercerville Road, continues in the spirit of the parade with Irish food, dancers, live music, and more.

On St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17, Killarney’s features more of that Irish flair with a special menu and an all-day lineup of live music on the outside patio, walk-ins only, as the restaurant opens bright and early at 8 a.m.

According to the Facebook page for the event, this features performers from the Kotelnicki School of Irish Dance in Hamilton, local acts like Mark Sacco and Electric Stingray, as well as a “special appearance by Hibo’s Pipes & Drums.” killarneyspublickhouse.com.

The Nerds “St. Pat’s Eve!” Party and Dinner Show at Cooper’s Riverview

Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton. Saturday, March 16, 7 to 11:30 p.m. Doors open at 6, buffet starts at 7, and showtime is 8 p.m. Price: $15 to $45.

Get a taste of the Mercer County nightlife with a St. Patrick’s Day-themed “Dine and Dance” event at Cooper’s Riverview, a “waterfront dining and entertainment” venue located right on the Delaware River in Trenton, featuring popular cover band The Nerds

Described as “America’s Party Band Fun-omenon,” The Nerds are a Jersey Shore staple with an onstage gimmick of dorky fashion and thick-framed personas riffing off a series of Saturday Night Live sketches about a fictional group of the same name.

The quartet has maintained this comedic style through nearly four decades of performing pop and rock songs together.

Over the years, The Nerds have shared the stage with everyone from Sheryl Crow to Jon Bon Jovi to Maroon 5, as well as being the house band for MTV’s “Ultimate Cover Band Contest,” which they also hosted.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with the St. Patrick’s Day buffet dinner and drinks, includ-

The classic Jersey Shore rock-pop cover band The Nerds performs at Cooper’s Riverview in Trenton for a “St. Patrick’s Eve” party and dinner show on Saturday, March 16. Photo courtesy of The Nerds website.

ing “American favorites,” available an hour later at 7 p.m.

In addition to the band’s 8 p.m. concert in the Colosseum Event Hall, Cooper’s will also have a house DJ playing the main dance floor.

Multiple ticket packages are avail-

able, starting at $15 general admission, which includes access to both the main bar and dance floor party, but with seating described as first come, first served in a non-reserved area.

The GA price will be higher at the door.

The gold package for the show and din-

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ner is $35 and includes general admission, access to the Cooper’s dinner buffet with carving station, and seating in the Colosseum Event Hall.

The platinum rate is $45 and includes general admission, the dinner buffet, VIP seating near the dance floor and in the main event hall, as well as access to a VIP bar area.

According to the Eventbrite page for the event, eventbrite.com/e/the-nerds-st-patseve-coopers-riverview-saturday-night-dinnerand-show-tickets-827530996487, both those in the gold and platinum tiers must pay an additional 15-percent service charge at the end of the dinner experience.

More information: coopersnj.com/ events-old/r9sk8s7pa74b994-n7kee-hhrex4scyf-3nlpg-y33nt

Cookie Decorating Class at Killarney’s Publick House

Killarney’s Publick House, 1644 Whitehorse Mercerville Road, Hamilton. Thursday, March 14, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Price: $55 per person.

Killarney’s Publick House, described on its website as an “old-school Irish alehouse,” brings seasonal imagery to life with a “St. Patrick’s Day”-inspired cookie decorating class for all ages on Thursday, March 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Participants will learn and take home six baked creations in this how-to guide to holiday imagery taught by Deana’s Cookie Couture, a shop based in Newtown, Pennsylvania, but designed by and with promotional materials from 6 B’s Creations

Both businesses offer custom-order personalized cookies for purchase, but Deana’s Cookie Couture is a member of 6 B’s Cre-

08629 | www.priornami.com

ations’ “Teaching Partners” program, which develops monthly class sets for its participants to teach.

Tickets are $55 per person. To register, visit the Deana’s Cookie Couture website at deanascookiecouture.com. All supplies are provided in class at this event, and limited seating is available.

More information: deanascookiecouture.com.

Hopewell Valley Central High School’s 5K Lucky Bulldog Dash

Hopewell Valley Central High School, 259 Pennington Titusville Road, Pennington. Saturday, March 16, 8 a.m. registration and 9:30 a.m. race start. Price: $35 per person, discounts available.

On your mark, get set, and go green! Walk or run in Hopewell Valley Central High School’s “5K Lucky Bulldog Dash,” a fundraiser to support senior programming for the HVCHS Class of 2025, on Saturday, March 16, 9:30 a.m. at 259 Pennington Titusville Road.

USA Track & Field New Jersey has sanctioned the event and will certify the 5K course prior to the race, which also qualifies as part of USATF’s “2024 Grand Prix” series with a point value of 500.

Decorate cookies to your heart’s content at Killarney’s Publick House in Hamilton, where you can recreate these “golden” designs from 6 B’s Creations under the instruction of Deana’s Cookie Couture on March 14.

Price: $65 per person.

Whether it’s preserving the natural green or the Irish spirit, the D&R Greenway Land Trust and Voices Chorale NJ are paying tribute to the hue with another music and dance benefit, “Celebrate the Green,” on Friday, March 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, in Princeton.

The competition is on no matter rain, snow, or shine, with awards given to the top three male and female contestants overall, as well as the top three male and female contestants in each age bracket, the groups of which are: 15 and younger; 16 to 19, 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, 70 to 79, 80 to 89, as well as 90 and older.

The two organizations have teamed up for a night of entertainment featuring the Parnell Irish Band, humorous storytelling, Irish country dancing, and even singalongs by the fire pit.

… and more!

After completing the “Dublin Road” course, participants can enjoy a day of music and fun hosted by the HVCHS PTO. Prizes will be awarded to the top team and individual themed costumes, as well as to “anyone who can catch the Leprechaun” spotted around the Pennington campus.

“Guests are encouraged to wear green and experience a pub-style setting while enjoying beer, wine, and a light pub supper,” the press release continues, while other opportunities include a silent auction of “unique items” in support of Voices Chorale NJ.

Registration fees are $35 per person, with all participants 18 years of age and younger receiving a $5 discount at checkout.

To register online or donate, see the event’s page on the Race Roster website at raceroster.com/events/2024/83118/ hopewell-valley-5k

Registration opens at 8 a.m. on the day of the event. In addition to benefiting the HVCHS Class of 2025’s future senior events, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a local charity.

More information: raceroster.com/ events/2024/83118/hopewell-valley-5k

“Celebrate the Green” with the D&R Greenway Land Trust and Voices Chorale NJ

D&R Greenway Land Trust, 1 Preservation Place, Princeton. March 15, 6 to 9 p.m.

Tickets are $65 per person with limited seating. To purchase a seat, visit drgreenway.org, voiceschoralenj.org, or call 609-924-4646.

The Parnell Irish Band plays both modern and traditional instruments, bringing guitar, drums, and fiddling to enliven the event and entice the crowd into joining.

For a list of the band’s musical selections or more information, see esteemlivemusic.com/live-musicbands/international-live-music-bands/ parnell-irish-band

Voices Chorale NJ is a nonprofit, auditioned chorus based in Hopewell with about 40 members from central New Jersey and Pennsylvania, headed by artistic director Dr. David A. McConnell, “to bring outstanding music to the public, inspire audiences, and provide performance opportunities for singers and local musicians.”

Photo courtesy of 6 B’s Creations.

Photo courtesy of the D&R Greenway Land

Mercer Eats

Empanadas, Kebabs and Crabs: New in Food & Dining

By Joe Emanski

Empanadas are on a roll. Not literally, of course.

The deep-fried (and sometimes baked) turnovers, once a rare find in the area, are turning up on more menus every year. Usually filled with savory fillings like beef, chicken and cheese, empanadas can also be sweet. They are popular throughout South America and up into the Caribbean.

Hamilton-based food trucks Hotpanada

and Chic Gourmet Empanadas have opened for business in recent years and built up loyal followings. Hopewell-based Catalina Empanadas, which makes a baked, Chilean style empanada, can be found in several seasonal farmers markets in the area.

Now one empanada vendor has found a permanent home at the year-round Trenton Farmers Market: Jasmine’s Nadas, which opened up a stand in the market in 2023 and moved into the market last month.

Owner and chef Jasmine Wesley comes

from a Puerto Rican background and says her fried empanadas are made in the Puerto Rican style.

“In Puerto Rico, we call them pastelillos,” she says. “But every time I was saying that, people were like, ‘What?’ So we were like, ‘Let’s just call them empanadas,’ and then I shortened it to ‘Jasmine’s Nadas.’”

on Facebook with my menu for about a year,” she says. “Trying to get the word out any way I could.”

In October 2022, she got an invitation from the New Egypt Flea Market to set up a stand there. Then last spring, Trenton Farmers Market manager Bill Kearney contacted Wesley about establishing a second location there.

She opened in August. That proved successful enough that Kearney offered her the spot recently vacated by The Lunchbox.

Welcoming Dr. Maulik ShahGastroenterologist

Jasmine’s Nadas offers traditional fillings like beef, chicken and cheese in the empanadas. But Wesley is not afraid to get creative. She estimates that she has made more than 50 varieties over the years, including pepperoni pizza, garlic potato, butternut squash and chicken Cordon Bleu. She also makes dessert empanadas such as her apple pie and cherry pie varieties.

Dr Maulik Shah is an expert in general gastroenterology procedures as well as advanced endoscopic procedures such as ERCP, endoscopic luminal stenting, and EMR. He has a strong passion for teaching and routinely gives lectures to the community on a variety of gastroenterology disorders.

Abdominal Pain

Women’s Digestive Health

Diverticular Disease

Liver Function Abnormalities

Pancreatic

“I grew up in Point Pleasant, so I have a lot of different influences,” she says. “And we like pork in Puerto Rico, so we do a lot of things with pork as well.”

Wesley, who worked for many years as an accountant, has always enjoyed cooking. For parties and potluck dinners, she would often make empanadas to take with her. Friends and co-workers who tried them told her they were good enough that she should start an empanada business.

After she was laid off in the early days of the pandemic, Wesley decided to just do that.

She started out by making empanadas to sell at fairs and festivals in the Point Pleasant Beach area.

“I was literally spamming mom groups

From ST. PATRICKS DAY, Page 7

Friends for the Abbott Marshlands, in its ongoing efforts to connect the climate and community statewide.

More information: drgreenway.org or voiceschoralenj.org

The new spot’s full kitchen has allowed Wesley to add tacos, burritos and quesadillas to the menu, along with some other Puerto Rican specialties like papas rellenas — a potato croquette stuffed with meat.

While Jasmine’s Nadas does not have tables for sit-down service at this time, she said her husband is beginning work on a new paver patio that she hopes will be completed in time for customers to sit outside in the warmer weather and enjoy their food.

“When people walk into the lobby, they will see my daughter or my cousin. If they look in the kitchen, they will see my husband or me,” she says. “When you walk in, I want you to feel like you’re walking into my living room.”

The Trenton Farmers Market is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but because Jasmine’s Nadas now has its own entrance, Wesley says, she plans to

hours of festive fun to support a cause on Saturday, March 16, from 7 to 11 p.m.

Established in 2000 by Judith Harr Shane to honor the legacy of her late son, the JHSF provides financial assistance to family caregivers for medical expenses by navigating the process for them and raising money to pay the sources of each bill directly.

2271 Rt 33, Suite 110

Hamilton, NJ 08690

Ph: 609-917-9917

The Joshua Harr Shane Foundation’s St. Patrick’s Day Party at Mercer Oaks

Mercer Oaks Golf Course, 725 Village Road West, West Windsor. Saturday, March 16, 7 to 11 p.m. Price: $115.

601

As both an annual fundraiser and cocktail party for the nonprofit organization, the Joshua Harr Shane Foundation’s “St. Patrick’s Day Party,” held every year at the Mercer Oaks Golf Course in West Windsor, features Irish music, an open bar, a four-course dinner, green beer, and four

Through a partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, JHSF has opened four rooms on site, most recently the Joshua Harr Shane Patient Evaluation Suites at the Cancer Center at RWJ Hamilton, its fourth project thus far, in November 2022.

Tickets are $115 per person and include a choice of chicken, steak, or fish. Guests are encouraged to wear green.

To register, see the EventBrite page for the event, eventbrite.com/e/st-patricks-dayparty-tickets-807028843997?aff=erelexpmlt

stay open later, perhaps as late as 8:30 or 9 p.m. Web: facebook.com/jasminesnadas

In other TFM news, The Borscht Belt Delicatessen has announced that it will soon open a stand in the market. The Jewish-style deli started out in the Stockton Market in 2021 before moving to Newtown, Pennsylvania, last year.

The Borscht Belt is fronted by celebrity chef Nicky Liberato, the former co-host of the Netflix show “Restaurants on the Edge.” The deli menu includes favorites like bagels with lox, Reuben sandwiches, matzoh ball soup and knishes. The farmers

market menu has not yet been revealed. * * *

The Nassau Park Pavillion has welcomed a couple of fast-casual chains in recent months:

Bluestone Lane, a New York-based café looking to popularize Australian coffee in the U.S., and Just Salad, an 18-year-old chain with eight locations in New Jersey. Web: bluestonelane.com

Despite its name, Just Salad has wraps, soups, smoothies and “warm bowls” like the chicken fajita bowl and spicy tofu crunch bowl. Just Salad diners can filter the menu

by categories such as keto, vegan, paleo, gluten-free and climatarian. Web: justsalad.com * * *

Across the street at Quaker Bridge Mall is the recently opened DoneRight Doner Kebab, which has the look of a chain restaurant, but isn’t — yet. The fastcasual, 100% halal restaurant specializes in Turkish street food, offering chicken, lamb and falafel dishes, familiar appetizers such as hummus and baba ganoush, and franchising opportunities. Web: donerightdk. com

And over in Pennington, Gretalia Hospitality Group, the folks behind PJ’s Pancakes, Osteria Procaccini, More than Q and Mi España, have opened the chainfriendly concept Union Boil Co. in the Pennington Shopping Center. Union Boil has lobster rolls, crab cakes, clam chowder, oysters and everything else you would expect a seafood boil restaurant to have — including the $250 Union Boil platter, which comes with jumbo shrimp, crab legs, crawfish, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes and serves six to eight people. Web: unionboil.com

girls TRAVEL TRYOUTS

Summer

Ewing Recreation Department

Camps & Pools

campS 2024 week of MArch 25

Office for these programs. Online registration for seasonal memberships, swim lessons and Senior Swim/ Water Aerobics is required at communitypass.net. Labor Day is the last day that the pools will be open.

The Hamilton Wildcats are an all-female travel soccer club focused on training and player development. In partnership with the Hamilton Girls Soccer Club and NJ rush, the Wildcats provide a complete soccer experience for girls age 5 to 19. The Wildcats are looking for girls who are ready for the travel soccer challenge from birth years 2017-2007 to form new teams and supplement established teams.

The Ewing Community Pools System offers two pools for seasonal members and daily patrons. The pools have shaded areas, pool furniture, changing rooms and shower facilities and ESCC has a snack bar. The Hollowbrook Pool located at 320 Hollowbrook Drive, is scheduled to open on weekends & Memorial Day on Sunday, May 26. Operating hours are Sunday to Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays can be rented for private events, email Raquel at rince@ ewingnj.org to schedule an event. The ESCC pool will open on weekends & Memorial Day starting Saturday, May 25, and both pools will open full time starting on Monday, June 17, from noon to 8 p.m. Swim lessons start with evaluations on Saturday, June 15, and space is limited. Senior Swim and Senior Water Aerobics start on Monday, June 17; seniors needing assistance registering can register at the Senior

The Ewing Recreation Summer Camp will run from June 24 – August 23 for grades K – 5 and is held on the grounds of the Fisher School and Ewing Senior & Community Center (ESCC). The hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. Early hours are from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and late hours are from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Online registration is required at communitypass.net. Teen Travel will be for grades 6 – 8 and will run from July 1 – August 16. The camp will travel four days a week and stay in Ewing the other day. Campers can participate in day camp on weeks Teen Travel is not being held. Camp also offers a Counselor in Training program for children entering 9th grade.

For more information on these programs call the Ewing Recreation Office at 609-883-1776 x6203. You can also go to ewingnj.org, Community Affairs. See ad, page 13.

Sawmill Summer Camp offers Day Camps, Diverse Abilities Camp, and Specialty Camps for youth, K through age 15.

• 50 acres of outdoor space

• Special Events are the highlight of the week! Foam parties, magicians, bounce houses, water slides, and more!

• Daily swim lessons are offered as an add-on.

• We partner with Girl Scouts, First Tee Golf, Zumba, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and more.

With a summer full of unforgettable experiences, anything is possible!

Summer campS 2024

Princeton Ballet School

Nurturing Dancers of All Ages

Princeton Ballet School, the official school of American Repertory Ballet, nurtures dancers of all ages, providing them opportunity to develop their technique and artistry in a rewarding environment.

The Princeton Ballet School Summer Intensive (ages 13 and up) attracts students from all over the globe to study with distinguished and inspiring faculty. Princeton Ballet School holds auditions throughout the United States and accepts video auditions from national and international students for the advanced program.

Students in the Advanced Intensive are also considered for the school’s year-round Trainee program, the direct feeder into American Repertory Ballet’s second company, ARB2, which is also ideal for post–highschool students looking to launch their professional careers. As an educational institution certified to provide F-1 visas, Princeton Ballet School has the ability to accept international students from nearly anywhere in the world for its Summer intensive, Trainee program, and ARB2.

The Summer Intensive Intermediates program, for ages 11 and up, is modeled after Princeton Ballet School’s acclaimed Advanced Summer Intensive and offers the

same personalized ballet training, alongside jazz and new choreography.

The Summer Intensive Juniors program is for children ages 9-11,with a focus on musicality, basic technique; building strength and flexibility; increasing coordination; and dynamics of movement — all while having fun with friends!

Princeton Ballet School also offers fun and rewarding Children’s Summer Courses, beginning with Hand-in-Hand classes for 3-year olds to explore the world of rhythm and dance. All levels of classes for children ages 4-12 are offered throughout the Summer, no previous dance experience required!

For more information, please visit arballet.org or call Princeton Ballet School at 609-921-7758

See ad, page 14

Liberty Lake Day Camp

Kids Discover Their Potential at Summer Camp

By Andy Pritikin

Life is hard. We know this, and yet so many children grow up sheltered from hardships, as their wellmeaning parents unknowingly hold them back. In Adam Grant’s book, “Hidden Potential,” (2023) he lays out the importance of children working through tough situations, to build the character skills needed to be a successful adult.

Grant explains, “Character is often confused with personality, but personality is your basic instincts for how to think, feel, and act. Character is your capacity to prioritize your values over your instincts.” It’s more than having principles. Character is the learned ability to live by your principles.

While I’m not advocating suffering, children do need to experience and

Summer campS 2024

learn from the inevitable challenges they encounter, in order to strengthen their inner-resilience. “Successful people of character are able to overcome life’s hurdles because they learn how to get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Starting something new – Summer Camp, college, or a new job, can be an impactful challenge. Of course, kids would rather sit home and stare at their screens! But we know better, and it’s our job to teach kids to push beyond their perceived limits and cultivate the confidence and courage to abandon their comfort zone.

Facing fears, and confronting discomfort are skills that if not strengthened in childhood, may never be gained as an adult.

In the alarming new book about A.I., “The Coming Wave,” (2023,) author Mustafa Suleyman explains how during times of exponential technological growth, “those that survive are the ones best able to adapt.”

Like it or not, technology is replacing everything it possibly

can, making interpersonal HUMAN skills the priority for future generations to learn and master. At ‘old school’ Summer Camps, we hone these critical thinking skills hands-on.

Yes, Summer Camp is a lot of fun, but equally as important, are learning and honing character skills like meeting new people, trying new things, speaking up, and asking questions. Toss in some extreme heat, and the opportunity to experience life without digital screens, and Summer Camp can prove to be a seriously impactful, building block of experiences.

Andy Pritikin is the owner/ director of Liberty Lake Day Camp in Bordentown NJ, past president of the American Camp Association NY/NJ, and host of “The Day Camp Podcast.”

More information: www.

libertylakedaycamp.com. See ad, page 15

Camps run from June 24 through August 23

Camp days include swimming, arts and crafts, nature, special events, entertainers, theme days, athletics, dance and drama.

Register and pay before April 10th and save $25! Swim Lessons at HCC: Evaluations, Saturday, June 17th. Sessions are on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings.

TEEN TRAVEL: July 1 - August 16 kids entering grades 6 - 8

Travel 4 days a week and one day at camp. Trips to Amusement parks, beaches, aquarium, rock climbing, bowling , laser tag, skating and much more. $370/week for residents $74/day, NonResidents: $470/week, $94/daily. Campers can attend day camp weeks of June 24 and August 19.

All activities at ESCC and Fisher school, except trips.

GraceWay Bible Church

Camp Mercyville Is a Community Favorite

If you are looking for a place for your family to thrive in their relationships with Jesus and each other, GraceWay is the church for you! With over 40 ministries, there is something for everyone! The best way to see if GraceWay is the church home for you is to visit us for Sunday Services at 9 or 10:45 a.m. Childcare and Sunday School is available. Visit our website (www. gracewaybc.org) for more information.

Summer campS 2024

Kelsey Theater

Reach for the Stars — Register Now!

Summer is an especially busy time for children’s ministries. Our seven-week summer day camp, Camp Mercyville (www.campmercyville. org), has been providing quality childcare for over a decade. Our full-day Vacation Bible School/

Adventure Camp is a community favorite! Push the Rock basketball camp helps children become better athletes, teammates, and grow in their relationship with Christ. Summer Family Nights includes family-fun, worship, and small groups for the whole family on Wednesday evenings. We will be hosting an Open House on Monday, March 18, at 7 p.m. Visit our website (www.gracewaybc.org) or contact our office (609-586-0223) to find out more.

See ad, page 12

A few weeks can last a lifetime! Find out at Tomato Patch Summer Workshops in Theater, Dance, Vocal Music, Video and Visual Arts! Students make lasting friendships and wonderful memories while becoming an accomplished performer and artist.

Now in its 51st year, Tomato Patch is the longestrunning, most successful multi-disciplinary Visual and Performing Arts program in Central New Jersey. Featuring classes for all school age students, Tomato Patch is taught by a talented staff of professional artists. Check us out online at www.tomatopatch.org.

Summer CourSeS for Children

Princeton | Ages 3-12 (no prior experience needed!)

JuniorS

Princeton | Ages 9-11

intermediateS

Princeton & Cranbury | Ages 11 - 14

Summer campS 2024

Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Association

Spring Registration Is Open

Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Association (LHSA) has opened up their Rec Soccer registration for the upcoming Spring season. LHSA provides a soccer environment that stresses a relaxed, fun-oriented approach to the game where we focus on basic soccer skills and provide a fun competitive approach to games with a high standard for good

Tomato Patch Workshops is a multidisciplinary full-day Theater, Dance, Music, Visual Art and Video summer program for ages 10-18 in two sessions:

Session 1: Ages 13-18

June 24 through July 18. No Tomato Patch July 4 and 5. Only $1,100.

Session 2: Ages 10-12

July 22 through August 8. Only $1050.

Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. with before and after care available.

Tomato Patch Workshops culminate in The Festival Of The Arts!

Unlike every other performing arts camp, Tomato Patch allows you to major in one subject and take classes in other areas. Become a triple threat!

The Master Class is full-day acting intensive summer program for ages 13-18 only in two sessions:

Session 1: June 24 through July 19 – No Class July 4, 5. Only $1,100.

Session 2: July 22 through August

TOMAT O PATCH

Youth Theater, Dance, Vocal & Visual Arts Programs at Kelsey Theatre

REGISTER NOW FOR SUMMER 2024 Session 1

$1,100 Session 2 $1,050

Session 1 ages 13-18

June 24 - July 18 (no classes 7/4, 7/5)

Session 2 — ages 10-12

July 22 - August 8

sportsmanship and fair play.

The recreational soccer program is open to any child from any town ages 3 and up. The program offers weeknight training sessions led by trainers from the New York Red Bulls along with games on the weekend. Each session is roughly 1 hour long where kids will have fun learning the game, competing in games and meeting new friends.

To register or find more information on the program or times for specific age groups, visit us at http:// lawrencehamnett.com.

See ad, page 16.

9. Only $1,050.

Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. with before and after care available.

The Master Class in Theater culminates in A Night of One Acts!

For more information and to view class schedules visit www. tomatopatch.org or call 609-570-3566

Conveniently located on the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College. Visit us online at www.tomatopatch.org or email projects@mccc.edu or Call 609-5703566 for more information.

Still looking for something during the school year? Junior Tomatoes is 10 week-long Saturday morning theater workshops exploring creativity, movement, improvisation, and more from September through June for ages 4-12 in three sessions. All classes culminate in performances for family and friends! Visit www. tomatopatch.org.

See ad, page 15

Master Class Session 1 — ages 13-18

June 24 - July 19 (no classes 7/4, 7/5)

Master Class Session 2 — ages 13-18

July 22 - August 9

REGISTER:

Sawmill Summer Day Camp

A Journey of Discovery and Fun

The Hamilton Area YMCA’s Sawmill Summer Day Camp, nestled in the heart of Mercer County, is your child’s gateway to an unforgettable summer experience. With 50 acres of sprawling outdoor space and the largest pool in Mercer County, this camp is a haven for fun, learning, and adventure. During five fun-filled days packed with excitement, campers are encouraged to find their spark, embrace a sense of wonder, forge new friendships, and embark on thrilling adventures.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE at Sawmill Summer Camp!

Discover What Makes Sawmill Camp Special:

Find Their Spark: Our camp is a nurturing ground where kids develop essential skills, grow in confidence, and form new friendships. As they

Summer campS 2024

engage in diverse activities, from outdoor play to learning to swim, they gain valuable personal development skills. These experiences help shape their identity and passions, influencing their academic pursuits, relationships, and future career choices.

Find Their Sense of Wonder: The great outdoors is a world of discovery at Sawmill Camp. We understand the importance of outdoor play. Our camp promotes active engagement with the environment and with their peers, fostering respect and consideration for the world around them. Camp provides kids the perfect opportunity to discover the outdoors and get their bodies and imaginations more active.

Find Their Adventure: Every day at our camp is a new adventure, a chance for kids to stretch their imagination and embrace creativity without the fear of failure. This freedom allows them to explore and express themselves in ways they might not elsewhere.

Find Their Friends and Fun:

Sawmill Camp is more than a summer getaway; it’s a social hub where lifelong friendships are formed. Here, children learn to collaborate, build relationships, and navigate conflicts, all while having the time of their lives.

A Summer of Enrichment:

Recognizing the multifaceted benefits of camp, we’ve planned an exciting summer filled with theme weeks, special events, and new experiences. Campers will immerse themselves in a wide-range of activities, including arts and crafts, music, science, dance, sports, and swimming. Our highly trained counselors are committed to making your child’s summer both safe and exhilarating.

Children look at camp as a fun way to spend the summer in the sun and splashing in the pool, but parents understand that camp allows kids to reap many life benefits that will follow them through their lives long after the sun has set on their summer camp days.

Join Us for a Summer where ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

At Sawmill Summer Day Camp, we’re dedicated to creating an environment where every child can find their adventure and fun. We invite you to be a part of our vibrant community this summer. For more information and to register, please visit hamiltonymca.org/camp.

See ad, page 11.

32

35

37

HELP WANTED

$2K or More A Month

Commission. Work from Home. Flexible. Set your own hours. P/T or F/T. Sales, Managers, Customer Service Reps needed. 24 hr. recording: 1-800-670-6540

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SERVICES

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Lic#13VH05475900.

Are you single? Try us first! We are an enjoyable alternative to online dating. Sweet Beginnings Matchmaker, 215-539-2894, www. sweetbeginnings.info.

Senior Concierge

WE’RE BACK! Let me be your helper. In the home or on the road. Part-time/Day or evening. Very good references. Call Mary Ann, 609-298-4456. View thistimebesttime. wordpress.com.

LEGAL SERVICES

Wills, Power of Attorney, Real Estate, Federal and

NJ Taxes, Education Law. House calls available. Bruce Cooke, Esq. 609-799-4674, 609721-4358.

I am a caregiver LOOKING FOR AN OPENING, Live in or out. 8 years of experience providing personal care, household tasks, responsible and trustworthy. Contact Celine at 617-806-6489.

House cleaning Services Professional quality cleaning with a personal touch. Call Norma 609-575-9374.

Child Care Services in –Cranbury Children ages 2-5 yrs. Hours 8am-5pm Monday through Friday. For more information please call at 908-9638448.

FOR SALE

Eggs for Sale Fresh Brown Eggs. 5757 S Broad St, Yardville. $5.

WANTED TO BUY

Wanted: Baseball, football, basketball, hockey. Cards, autographs, photos, memorabilia. Highest cash prices paid! Licensed corporation, will travel. 4theloveofcards, 908596-0976. allstar115@ verizon.net.

Cash paid for World War II Military Items. Helmets, swords, medals, etc. Call: 609-581-8290, E-mail: lenny1944x@gmail.com

Happy Heroes used books looking to buy

old Mysteries, Science Fiction, Children’s Illustrated, kids series books (old Hardy boys-Nancy Drew-Judy Bolton- Dana girls, WITH DUSTJACKETS in good shape), Dell Mapbacks - Good Girl Art PULPS - non-sports cards, good conditioned pre 1975 paperbacks old COLLIER’S. Call 609-619-3480 or email happyheroes@gmail. com.

DATING

Attention Single

Men 64 - 71 local matchmaker is seeking an educated, nice, tall gentleman for one of my client’s. No Fees! Contact Jill Elliott 215539-2894.

Health & Fitness

Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-5261060 www.dental50plus. com/ads #6258

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Aging Roof? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast,

free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-8789091

Water damage cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809

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SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2024

8AM-2PM

Dempster Fire School / 350 Lawrence Station Road

CAUTION

HAZARDOUS WASTE

MATERIALS ONLY ACCEPTED ON THIS DATE AND TIME, RAIN OR SHINE

ACCEPTED MATERIALS

Aerosol Cans / Used Motor Oil / Propane Gas Tanks / Pesticides & Herbicides

Car Batteries / Paint Thinner / Oil Based Paint / Stains & Varnishes / Gasoline Anti-Freeze / Driveway Sealer / Insect Repellents / Mercury / Fluorescent & CFL Bulbs

MATERIALS NOT ACCEPTED

NO LATEX PAINT / NO Heating Oil / NO Infectious Waste / NO Radioactive Materials

NO Explosives or Munitions / NO Railroad Ties / NO Asbestos / NO Tires

NO Wood / NO Fencing / NO Air Conditioners / NO Helium or Oxygen Tanks

NO Humidifiers / NO Dehumidifiers / NO Unknowns

ACCEPTED ELECTRONICS

Computers / Printers / Copiers / Fax Machines / Stereos / Televisions / Microwaves

BI-MONTHLY NEWS FROM CAPITAL HEALTH

Lawrenceville Neurology Center Joins Capital Health

Lawrenceville Neurology Center, a respected practice offering a comprehensive range of neurology services in Mercer County since 1981, has joined Capital Institute for Neurosciences. Supported by Capital Health’s hospitals in Trenton and Hopewell Township, New Jersey, the Institute has long advanced the level of neurologic care available to patients in Mercer and Bucks counties. With the addition of Lawrenceville Neurology Center’s offices in Lawrenceville and Princeton, the Institute expands access to neurology services to meet the growing health needs of residents in the region.

“Lawrenceville Neurology Center was founded more than 40 years ago based on a principle of providing innovative neurological care combined with skill, experience, and compassion,” said DR. KIMBERLY PALANGIO, fellowship trained clinical neurophysiologist and lead physician at Lawrenceville Neurology Center. “We’re excited to continue that tradition as part of Capital Health and its Capital Institute for Neurosciences, a proven leader in providing comprehensive neurological services for patients from throughout the greater New Jersey/Philadelphia region.”

“Capital Institute for Neurosciences meets the highest standards of care for the most complex neurological conditions,” said DR. DUSTIN ROCHESTIE, director of Neurology and Neuro Critical Care and director of the Stroke Program at Capital Institute for Neurosciences. “With the only comprehensive stroke center in the region certified by The Joint Commission at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, the addition of the Lawrenceville Neurology Center team reaffirms

our commitment to ensuring that our patients in Mercer and Bucks counties receive the best care possible and experience longer and healthier lives.”

Over the next few months, Lawrenceville Neurology Center’s office at 3120 Princeton Pike will be changing its name to Capital Institute for Neurosciences – Lawrenceville. The former practice’s Princeton office at 8 Forrestal Road will become Capital Institute for Neurosciences – Princeton. Appointments can be made at both locations, which remain home for the team of board certified neurologists that includes Drs. Kimberly Palangio, Aissa Alexeeva, Nicole Hartmann, Paul Kaiser, Nidhi Modi, Anitha Nimma, and Manuel Vergara, as well as physician assistant Selena Fucci. Many of these providers have multiple board certifications as well as fellowship training or certification in areas of specialization such as neurophysiology, vascular neurology, epilepsy, neuromuscular disorders, and multiple sclerosis. The Capital Institute for Neurosciences – Lawrenceville office also includes fully accredited neurophysiology, vascular, EEG, and EMG laboratories that offer a range of diagnostic services.

At Capital Institute for Neurosciences, patients benefit from a multidisciplinary team of specialists which include neurologists, endovascular neurologists, epileptologists, neurosurgeons, neurosurgical oncologists, neuropsychologists, and other specialized physicians, as well as other critical team members who provide an outstanding continuum of care from diagnosis to treatment and recovery at Capital Health.

To schedule an appointment at the new Capital Institute for Neurosciences offices in Lawrenceville and Princeton, call 609.896.1701. Visit capitalneuro.org to learn more about the Capital Institute for Neurosciences.

Capital Health Receives Funding to Continue Statewide Violence Intervention Program

One of 11 in New Jersey and the Only Hospital in Mercer County Region to Receive Grant Money

When the New Jersey Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (NJHVIP) launched in 2020, Capital Health was selected as the only hospital in Mercer County to be part of a statewide effort to combat violence as a public health crisis in the community it serves. As part of an ongoing effort to provide victim assistance and reduce violence, a new round of funding was recently announced by Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. This grant allocates $5.2 million for the continued support of hospital-based violence intervention programs at Capital Health and 10 other hospitals throughout New Jersey.

“The NJHVIP is built on a proven model that reduces repeat injury by reaching victims of violence at the time of crisis,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “With medical treatment and recovery as a starting point, those who choose to participate in the program leave program sites like Capital Health engaged in important services that can include crisis intervention, conflict mediation, peer support, and connections to mental health and substance abuse interventions, all aimed at breaking the cycle of violence that is common in some neighborhoods.”

The NJHVIP at Capital Health is managed through its VICTORY Program, which stands for Violence Intervention for the Community Through Outreach Recovery. The program aims to break the cycle of violence by:

… Identifying and connecting victims of violence to appropriate social support services.

… Reducing the reoccurrence of violence and the need for repeat trauma/emergency care.

… Educating Capital Health staff about providing care that promotes a sense of safety and empowerment for victims of violence and peer-to-peer support for health care workers.

The new funding comes from the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Fund, which helps the communities most impacted by cannabis criminalization. This grant cycle will ensure that funding continues through December 31, 2024. Bristol-Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and Capital

Dr. Eric Schwartz, vice president of Community Health and Transformation and executive director of Capital Health’s Institute for Urban Care and Nathalie Laurent, coordinator of the Institute’s Violence Intervention for the Community Through Outreach Recovery (VICTORY) Grant Program, were invited to present information about VICTORY at the Capital City Community Coalition meeting hosted in October 2023 by Capital Health Board of Directors member Reverend John R. Taylor.

Health Institute for Urban Care partner with Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton and Millhill Child & Family Development to implement the program. To learn more about the VICTORY Program, visit capitalhealth.org/victory.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, a level II New Jersey state-designated trauma center, offers advanced emergency care for severely injured patients involved in motor vehicle crashes, falls, and assaults with knives, guns, or blunt objects. One of only 10 designated trauma centers in New Jersey, it is the regional referral center for severely injured patients in Mercer County and adjacent parts of Somerset, Hunterdon, Burlington, and Middlesex counties as well as nearby areas of Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/trauma

Capital Health Institute for Urban Care works to advance the health and well-being of Trenton residents by growing and aligning Capital Health’s services with a robust network of community partners in the City of Trenton to improve medical care while overcoming the complex social determinants of health. To learn more about the Institute, visit capitalhealth.org/urbancare.

Capital Health Introduces Next-Generation Leadless Pacemaker

If a person is diagnosed with a heartbeat that’s too slow or too fast, their cardiologist may recommend a pacemaker to send electrical impulses to the heart to control its rhythm. A traditional pacemaker is often surgically implanted under the skin near the collarbone and connected to the heart through wires (or leads) that transmit the electrical signals to the heart. Physicians and staff from Capital Health Heart and Vascular Institute recently performed a minimally invasive leadless pacemaker implant at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey that doesn’t need cardiac leads to deliver therapy and represents the latest advance in cardiac arrhythmia therapy.

Leadless pacemakers are appropriate for certain patients with significant bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or chronic atrial fibrillation (heart arrhythmia that causes the heart’s top chambers to quiver and beat irregularly). Through a minimally invasive procedure, DR. SCOTT BURKE, medical director of Cardiac Electrophysiology and a board certified, fellowship trained cardiac electrophysiologist at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists, inserts a catheter into a patient’s leg to guide the Aveir VR LP leadless pacemaker through a vein and implant it directly into the heart’s right ventricle.

“This next-generation leadless pacemaker from Abbott packs many innovations into a one-piece device that is smaller than

a AAA battery,” said Dr. Burke. “It is the world’s only leadless pacemaker specifically designed to be easily retrieved when the device needs to be replaced or if a patient’s therapy needs to be changed. Other benefits include a battery life that is up to two times longer than existing leadless options and a unique mapping capability that allows us to precisely determine the correct placement of the device before final attachment in the heart.”

Capital Health’s Electrophysiology team, with experts from Capital Health Cardiology Specialists, performs procedures like leadless pacemaker implants to manage and treat patients with conditions that involve abnormal electrical behavior of the heart. To make an appointment at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists, or to find an office near you, visit capitalhealthcardiology.org.

Capital Health Heart and Vascular Institute offers comprehensive care with a multi-specialty approach highlighted by the most up-to-date techniques and treatment options. With multiple locations throughout the greater Mercer and Bucks county region, the Institute features the most sophisticated technology guided by highly trained clinical experts in medical fields such as cardiac surgery, general and interventional cardiology, nephrology, podiatry, interventional radiology, vascular surgery, and wound management and hyperbaric medicine. For more information, visit capitalheartandvascular.org.

Keeping Life Sweet: Understanding Diabetes for a Healthier You

Thursday, April 4, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

Laura Moran, certified diabetes care and education specialist at Capital Health, will help you understand the process of diabetes in the body, targets and goals for blood sugar readings, and nutrition and exercise guidelines to keep you healthy and enjoying life.

This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

Wellness

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of workers in the U.S. suffer from work-related stress. Jenna Straus, licensed clinical social worker from Capital Health Behavioral Health Specialists, will discuss coping strategies to help improve your mental health at work. Maria Fierszt, manager of the Wellness Center at Capital Health, will also share exercises you can do at your desk while you work.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell

NJ PURE Conference Center, One Capital Way, Pennington, NJ 08534

Tai chi is a form of exercise that helps you to relax your body to reduce stress, release tension, and improve breathing, balance, and coordination. With these benefits, you are able to sleep better and heighten your body awareness, which gives you more energy and allows your body

According to reports, developer Dick Brinker wanted to “replace the traditional stormwater management pond with residential rain gardens.” This kind of stormwater management is called bioretention. A 2022 study about the Prince George’s project, done by University of Minnesota, noted when assessed, the decision to use rain gardens in the development “resulted in a 75-80% reduction in stormwater runoff during a normal rainfall.”

Minnesota is also the site of a successful rain garden initiative. In 2002, Fred Rozumalski, a landscape architect with a minor in ecology, was approached by water management people from the City of Burnsville. They wanted to reduce stormwater runoff into Crystal Lake.

“The lake was degrading and they were looking for solutions,” Rozumalski said in an interview. The degradation of the lake was coming from the pesticides and other materials running off lawns of surrounding homes.

Rozumalski said, “usually you build a pond. But there was no place for a pond in the neighborhood.” But, he had a hypothesis. “If you soak water into the ground instead of running it to the lake, the lake would be in better condition.” The proposed solution led to the installation of rain gardens in an older development near the lake. A later study showed a significant improvement in the lake’s quality.

Rutgers professor Obropta noted: “The systems have to be put in throughout a community. The more rain gardens that are erected, the better the water

management and quality of water.” Obropta and his Rutgers team just finished installing a rain garden with students in Bridgewater. He has overseen the installation of gardens at three schools in Hamilton: Hamilton High West, Steinert and Alexander.

The municipal building rain gardens would be the sixth and seventh ones constructed in the township on public property. In addition to the previously mentioned school gardens, there are rain gardens located at the Hamilton Township library and Veterans Park.

“We are having more and more extreme weather events,” Obropta noted. “What’s causing those events doesn’t matter; they’re happening. And, we have to prepare for these events. I know we can manage stormwater better.”

* * *

Homeowners interested in building rain gardens on their properties can access plans from the Rutgers Rain Garden Information Center: water. rutgers.edu/Rain_Gardens/RGWebsite/ rginfo.html.

Or from the Native Plant Society of NJ Rain Garden Manual: npsnj.org/ native-plants/rain-gardens.

* * *

The Native Plant Society of New Jersey plans to host its second annual “Annual Gathering” on March 10 with the theme of “Native Plant Show-n-Tell.”

The event is scheduled to take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westscott Ave., Hamilton. The event is open to the public, but registration is required. To register, email mercer@npsnj.org.

RAIN continued from Page 16

A rain garden in a private residence in Hamilton Township. (Photo by EMH Studios.)

Scholar-athletes to be honored at annual George Wah dinner

By Rich Fisher

When watching high school football players bash against each other on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons, it’s easy to see how much they want to compete on the field of battle.

What goes unseen, however, is that during the rest of the week, they are students in a classroom battling the academic rigors set forth to them like every other student in the building.

Some do it quite well, in fact, and the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame sees fit to reward them for it.

Thus, the 62nd George Wah ScholarLeader-Athlete Awards Dinner will once again acknowledge one player from each area school for what they do on the field and in the classroom. The dinner, spon-

sored by the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, is Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. at the Princeton Marriott Forrestal.

This year’s honorees from the Hamilton Township public schools include Hamilton West’s Connor Mooney, Nottingham’s Antonio Martinez and Steinert’s Michael Rizzo. Each will receive a $1,000 scholarship and are eligible for five larger scholarships that will be handed out at the banquet.

“Receiving this award from such a well-founded foundation makes me feel humble for all the hard work that I have been doing in the classroom and on the turf,” Mooney said. The defensive lineman had 30 tackles last fall, including nine solo and 4-½ for loss. He forced one fumble and had 1-½ sacks.

“Connor’s work ethic in the classroom,

on the field, and in life in general consistently exhibits outstanding effort and desire for perfection,” Hamilton coach Mike Papero said. “Over the past four years I have watched a fine young man emerge as a mature student-athlete who is committed to hard work and excellence.

“Connor is clearly a leader amongst his teammates and classmates both on the gridiron and in the classroom. He is someone who others would look to for guidance. He dedicated himself to his team and always had the best of the program in mind.”

In the classroom Mooney has a weighted GPA of 4.6 and is ranked 19th in a class of 321. He is a National Honor Society member this year and earned the Academic Achievement Award his first three years. Interestingly, Mooney turned Covid-19 into a positive for himself.

“When entering high school, I found that all I could do during the pandemic was learn and try to do well in my classes as there wasn’t much else to do during that time,” he said. “I learned from my freshman year that I wanted my academics to be my first priority and if you’re willing to look at a book each day, you could learn a lot.”

Tim Kline, an honors math teacher at West, feels Mooney is as aggressive in his studies as he is in football.

“Connor brings an energy, a quiet confidence, an enthusiasm for learning, and a work ethic to our class that is second to none,” Kline said. “These are rare qualities in a high school student, but so essential to the learning process. His strengths in all subjects, as well as his commitment to excellence, make Connor an ideal fit for this award.”

Mooney is a member of the Criminal Justice Program at Mercer County Community College, and has served as a counselor at the Hamilton Youth Football Coaches’ Camp. He is also on the Hornets winter and spring track teams.

Along with his DelVal scholarship, Mooney had the added bonus of being a Mini Max award winner, which is awarded to 150 seniors throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It goes to players who show dominance on the field while being a scholar and also performing community service.

“To be part of this elite club and to receive the award is an honor,” Mooney said. “Hard work really does pay off.”

It has paid off in the form of multiple college scholarships. Although he is still deciding, Mooney’s plans are to major in

Forensic Science and Criminal Justice.

*

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Martinez transferred to Nottingham after a year at Trenton Catholic and was a two-year varsity performer. As the Stars back-up quarterback Martinez completed 50 percent of his passes for 64 yards and helped with the development of sophomore Donte Vazquez.

“Being nominated for this award means the world to me,” Martinez said. “Not only do I represent myself, but my school, town, and most importantly my family. I love what I do as a quarterback, and to obtain that position means having the knowledge and discipline to achieve the mental part of the position. The attributes that enable me to succeed on the field were cultivated in the classroom.”

Off the field, Martinez has forged a 3.9 GPA while also helping aid the community through different clubs. He is a Nottingham Peer tutor, leading a small group of students to help other students with work and studies. He also leads a group of students that provides food for people in need for the holidays in a Community Outreach program, and helps teach young players in a Youth Training Program.

“Academics are just as important to me as playing the sport I love,” Martinez said. “But in reality, for most athletes, sports eventually come to an end. So, being educated sets up my ticket for the real world, and will help me set up a bright future.

“People have told me, “Work hard now, and play hard later.” So hitting the books now is very important to help prepare me for what comes after football.”

Mooney

Quarterback Antonio Martinez in action for Nottingham football.

His efforts have impressed Jessie Mull, now in her first year as Nottingham Athletic Director after a career as teacher and coach. “As a student, Antonio demonstrated a love of learning and the level of commitment necessary to succeed in college and beyond,” Mull said. “Antonio distinguished himself as an incredible young man by taking advantage of the various programs Nottingham offers as well as his involvement in the community.”

Like so many young athletes, Martinez feels his dad has been a major role model.

“I would not be the man I am today without him,” he said. “ He taught me to always show up, do what I’m supposed to do, regardless of whether I’m rewarded. He taught me that showing up matters and builds character. And I want to thank the rest of my family, my coaches and the specific people in my life who helped me get to this point. They have constantly helped me push through the hard times and helped me become the person I am today.”

Martinez is unsure what his future plans are, but said that “I know my lord and savior, Jesus Christ, knows what the future holds for me, so I have nothing to worry about. My plans do consist of going to college and pursuing sports medicine, and playing football as well.”

* * *

Rizzo was third on Steinert in tackles with 72 from his defensive back spot. He had 6-½ tackles for loss and 1-½ sacks.

“It is a tremendous honor to be a recipient of the award,” he said. “I am truly grateful for the opportunity. I’m proud to see my hard work has paid off both on the field and in the classroom.”

It took just one season for first-year coach Thaddeus Richards to appreciate Rizzo, who was a captain this past season.

“He served many roles on the team

but most importantly helped guide the younger players with compassion and diligence,” Richards said. “Our football program is incredibly lucky to have had a man of his character on our team.

“Mike has shown extreme discipline and focus throughout his high school experience. No matter the situation, you can never question the amount of work and quality of work Mike is willing to do and I believe that speaks volumes about his character.”

Rizzo has a 4.4 weighted GPA while taking advanced placement classes in European History, German Language and Culture and U.S. Government and Politics. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the German National Honor Society.

“He is very respectful, attentive, intelligent and responsible,” German teacher Lacey Smith said. “Michael is a very wellrounded student. I would love to have a classroom full of Michaels. He finds German exciting, and he is one of those kids who always says hello in the hallway, no matter how many times a day he sees you.”

It’s just a way of life for Rizzo. He has not yet committed to a college but is looking to major in Political Science and hopes to run for political office one day.

“Academics have always been greatly stressed in my life,” he said. “I have my grandfather, mother and family to thank for inspiring me to strive for the best I can be.”

Rizzo is already community minded, as he hands out candy to children for the Trunk Or Treat Halloween event; helps maintain the fields at Sunnybrae Little League, and volunteers for Trinity Methodist Church in Bordentown.

Richards summed up Rizzo’s impact on Steinert: “I am confident when I say he has left this school in a much better place.”

Steinert defensive back Mike Rizzo (number 54) had 72 tackles for Steinert this season.

NIGHT!

1/2 PRICE BEER FLIGHTS

WEEKEND

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 11-2

’Stars Holliday wins state shot put title with PR throw

By Rich Fisher

During the spring of her freshman year, Catalina “Callie” Holliday went shopping for a new sport to participate in. But the shelves were quickly becoming bare after she discovered lacrosse was not her thing.

Bill Tabron, who coached Holliday on the Notre Dame High freshman football team, suggested she try track and field.

“He wanted me to be one of his throwers,” Holliday said. “Since I wanted to do something in the spring and that was the last sport available, and they didn’t have cuts, I figured I would do it. And I just had a lot of fun with it.”

If they did have cuts and Holliday didn’t make the team, it would have been a colossal mistake by some coach.

Fast forward to this past winter, and the junior has proven to be one of the state’s top shot putters since transferring to Nottingham prior to her sophomore year.

On Feb. 17, Holliday uncorked a throw of 40-feet, 8-½ inches to win the NJSIAA Group II championship and qualify for the Feb. 24 Meet of Champions.

MEGAN S. SEIBER, ESQ. ATTORNEY AT LAW

It was the junior’s first time breaking 40 feet — a goal she chased all winter — and broke her personal record by 9 inches. She out-threw second-place Eve Segal of Ocean by 2-feet, 8-¾ inches.

“I was a bit nervous but I know I worked really hard the whole week on fixing my technique,” Holliday said. “When I got up to the circle I just tuned out everything and gave it my all. When I let it go I knew it was a good one because I just felt it when the shot came off my hand.”

After that, she felt joy, satisfaction, and

“I am very grateful and happy because I know all the sacrifices I made for shot put and both my offseason work and in-season work has paid off,” Holliday said. “If it wasn’t for God giving me the strength to push through mentally and physically I would not be at the point I am at now.”

“Push through” was a good way of putting it. A week earlier, Holliday had a disappointing effort (for her, at least) at the Central Jersey Group II meet when she finished fourth at 37-8. She was topseeded coming into the meet after taking numerous firsts during the season, including a gold medal throw of 38-9 at the Mercer County Championships.

“I wasn’t throwing my best the day of the sectionals,” Holliday said. “The day before I had a lot of homework and we went out to celebrate my brother’s birthday on top of that. I tried to balance both

and I ended up staying up very late and not getting any sleep.”

Not to mention, she was still trying to perfect the spin move that she adopted in lieu of the glide, which the thrower did during her first two years.

“It’s a big adjustment she’s made and it’s paying off for her in the shot and discus,” said Nottingham weight coach Jon “Big Dawg” Adams. “I think her shot is better now. By going to the spin she will only have to concentrate on that technique. It’s a different hand position, but it’s very similar in both events. I think it’s going to help make her stronger in both events.”

The only issue Holliday had with it was in the sectional, when she was trying to tweak her technique.

“It kind of hurt me more than helped me,” she said. “It made me slower. I have to get used to it. I probably shouldn’t have done it in that meet.”

She bounced back at states, however, and earned a second Meet of Champions trip. Last spring Holliday won CJ II sectional titles in both the shot and discus and advanced to the MOC in shot with a sixth at the state meet. Unfazed by the pressure, she won a sixth-place medal with a throw of 37-10¼.

Because New Balance and Nike Nationals were both the same weekend as the MOC, Holliday opted for the AAU Club Nationals and hit an outdoor PR 39-4.

“I did really well honestly,” she said. “They were in July so I had a lot of time to prepare for it.”

Nottingham junior Catalina “Callie” Holliday after advancing to the NJSIAA Meet of Champions in the shot put.

In fact, track was her sole focus in the summer and fall, as she gave up the sport she played all her life.

“I played football since I was in second grade because my brother did it and I was like ‘Why can’t I do it?’” Holliday said. “I had a lot of fun doing it. I was a really heavy kid when I was little so they put me on the line. I lost a bunch of weight and put it all back on with muscle because of the position.”

She played sparingly for Notre Dame’s freshman team, but got ample playing time at center and outside linebacker for the Northstars JV team as a sophomore. Being in the trenches is not where one usually finds a female but Holliday hit the weight room hard and Adams said, “she’s just a tough kid.”

After starting with throws of 15 feet and ending the season at 30 feet for Notre Dame, Holliday spent that summer going to football practice in the mornings and into the circle during afternoons. It was an intense work schedule and she opted to put all her focus on throwing last summer and fall, which came as a disappointment to her football teammates.

“They were pretty good with me, I had a strong bond with them and I

still do,” Holliday said. “They all still support me. I see them around the gym, they always cheer me on.”

Adams made it a point to watch Holliday whenever he could last spring when he was still the Northstars athletic director. This past winter he enjoyed working closely with her.

“Her work ethic is second to none,” he said. “She’s very strong. She puts a lot of time in the weight room and it shows. She’s very athletic. I was very impressed with her attitude and commitment to the sport. Giving up football was a good move because track is her strong suit. She also has a personal trainer on top of it and she’s been lights out.”

Holliday feels two of the biggest adjustments this year were her technique and her mindset. Despite reaching the Meet of Champions last spring, she still got down when other competitors would out-throw her.

“I was hitting the same number every time or lower,” she said. “I let other people get in my head. Once I stopped caring about what other people throw and just started focusing on myself and how I can improve, that’s when my throws started going up.”

And then there was the move to

the spin, which she began working on over the summer.

“At first it wasn’t too good, but I worked on it,” she said. “I’m glad to be hitting the numbers I have now but I just hope to improve even more.”

As good as she is in the circle, Holliday is even better in the classroom. She has a 4.74 weighted grade point average while taking honors and advanced placement courses.

“I spend a lot of my time studying,” she said. “My goal is to be the best version of myself in anything I do, whether it’s related to academics or athletics.”

Holliday is now intent on doing track in college; but she first has the upcoming spring season and a full senior year ahead to work on her craft. “This spring I want to place well but mostly I want to improve,” she said “I always set my goals high to the ceiling. In spring I’m hoping to hit 45 by the end of the year. I’m hoping to eventually become New Jersey’s number one and place high in nationals. I kind of set myself to that goal because I know I put in the work, and I’ve worked on my mindset as well as my body.”

It is work that is paying high dividends.

March Events

Thursday, March 7th, 3:00 - 7:00 PM

The Mercer County Clerk’s office will administer the oath to newly commissioned and renewing Notaries. Please call the Mercer County Clerk’s office to schedule (609) 989-6466 or email epagano@mercercounty.org

DASH: Diet for Managing Hypertension (Nutrition)

Tuesday, March 12th, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

If you’re already limiting your sodium intake, you have one important piece of the puzzle to manage hypertension. To learn the other key com ponents, join a registered dietitian nutritionist with Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, for a discussion on which foods and nutrients impact your blood pressure.

FREE 15-Minutes with an Attorney

Thursday, March 14th, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

The Public Education Committee of the Mercer County Bar Association and the Mercer County Executive present!

LAWYERS C.A.R.E*

FREE 15-minute consultation with an Attorney (virtually)

All Lawyers C.A.R.E meetings will take place virtually. Advanced registration is required. For more information please call (609) 585-6200 or visit website: www.mercerbar.com

Welcome to Medicare

Wednesday, March 20th, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Everyone with Medicare has different needs. Find out what’s best for you and your family. Presented by Mary McGeary, Program Director, NJ SHIP Program.

10 questions with painter James Doherty

James Doherty is a contemporary figure painter. His strong compositions leave no doubt about what he wishes to portray. His singular figures are looking straight out of the painting into our world or we are voyeuristically looking into theirs.

The Nottingham High School graduate started with classical training, and his solid, soft-edged colorful figures convey a mood and a feeling for the viewer.

What are you communicating with your art?

The feeling of movement. I guess I am trying to get the feel of a snapshot in time. I think of it almost like a movie still photo. I am attracted to traditional portraiture also as a starting point. I will paint on a few pieces progressively as I wait for the earlier pieces to dry.

technique after trying alkyd paints. You paint figures and still life. Do you have a preference?

I love painting the figure. I often try to paint landscapes but I am never happy with a landscape until I paint a figure somewhere in the painting. My landscape paintings look boring until I put a figure in, with not having a focal point. Even a small figure adds a focal point for me. I wish to try even more narrative painting to add even more.

Doherty

I love painting Japanese geisha figures. The hair styles, the clothing with patterns, the folds of the fabric, I love it.

Where do the ideas come from?

Tuesday, March 26th, 1:00PM

Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, to learn easy and delicious ways to eat heart healthy.

What media do you use and why?

I use oil paint and cold wax (beeswax and citrus oil) usually on birch wood panels. I apply my wax and oil mediums with brushes, print rollers, and pot scrapers. I add the wax in a ratio of 10-20% to the oil paint. It makes the paint stiffer and looking very matte. After all is done I use a varnish to finish the piece. I learned this

I am always trying to paint the modern figure with a historical feel. I paint whatever moves me. I may start with a historical painting that catches my eye and duplicate it with a contemporary feel or outlook. A reclining figure, a certain lighting, the lights and darks all interest me. I love the chiaroscuro and how it makes the painting more solid.

Tell us about the historical aspect of figures that interests you?

Museums are my happy place. John Singer Sargent has always been my favorite painter. I could stand in front of one of his paintings for hours just studying the brush strokes. Up close his paintings are an abstract collection of marks

and as you back away they become a perfectly rendered dress. He was the master of conveying his message and nothing ever looked over worked. The list of others that influence my work include Velazquez, Nicolai Fechin, Euan Uglow, Joshua Reynolds, William Merritt Chase, and Gainsborough.

You also show in Europe, how did that come about?

I met a dealer from Oslo, Norway a few years ago, who liked my work. I was a good fit for her gallery and have been showing there ever since. She shows artists from all over the world. The gallery exhibits at art fairs in Europe and here in the US.

How has the classical training at PAFA affected you to this day? What were some of the lasting lessons learned?

I loved everything about PAFA the professors and teachers are the best. Every instructor I have had at PAFA has informed my work. Even the sculpture classes made me a better painter. My love for historical painters stems from my painting classes with Ted Xaras.

What fight/struggle do you have regarding your art?

Creating art I make all my own panels and frames. This often takes more time

than creating the work. I am beginning to let the galleries do the framing. This has let me spend more of my time creating the work. So having time. Having enough time to create my work has always been the most difficult part for me.

What one attribute should all artists have?

The drive to create the work. The drive to improve. The hunger and drive I feel is the one thing that all artists have or should have. We may not know why but we all have that drive to create.

I really love to see the collected work in its environment. I ask collector to share a photo of the paintings after they are installed. People really love the work and it makes me happy.

What is on the horizon? What are you looking forward to?

I wish to try working in series. I am also planning shows at Morpeth Contemporary Gallery in Hopewell NJ and Galleri Ramfjord in Oslo Norway for later this year.

Web: instagram.com/dohertypainting.

A painting by James Doherty.

The final rundown of ‘The Final Countdown’

Peter

Getting into someone else’s car carries with it the implicit understanding that you are entering a dictatorship, in which the person controlling the car also controls the stereo system. There’s room for flashes of democracy (i.e., requests to change the radio station or play a certain song), but for the most part you, as a mere rider, are subject to the whims and preferences of your driver.

Though it’s sometimes cause for teeth-gritting, this phenomenon does have benefits for the passenger. Aside from providing a revealing glimpse into the tastes of the driver, this can be a prescribed widening of one’s world, forced exposure to entertainment not otherwise encountered. My wife’s habit of constantly scanning radio stations while driving can be irritating—in her never-ending quest for the perfect tune, rarely do we hear an entire song, usually leaving early or arriving late as chance, or her personal tastes, would have it. But whatever limited knowledge I have of current pop songs, as well as some happy discoveries of classical and jazz pieces, I owe to her and her rapid-fire radio sampling.

Recently, this practice caused me to hear the song “the Final Countdown” by Europe for the first time in a while. With no driving responsibilities to distract me, I focused on the lyrics, which I’d forgotten except for the “final countdown” refrain. The fact that I remembered the song so well, while only

recalling those few words, is perhaps an indication that the lyrics don’t really matter. This is a song whose popularity is tied to its opening keyboard riff, and a sense of epic, operatic urgency, not a carefully considered storyline or thoughtful analysis of social issues.

Case in point: While the first lines set up an interesting sci-fi scenario:

We’re leaving together, but still, it’s farewell  And maybe we’ll come back to Earth, who can tell?

and tantalizingly hint at the reasons for this departure:

I guess there is no one to blame

We’re leaving ground  Will things ever be the same again?

The second verse’s collapse from the vague and mysterious to the specific and dumb is sudden—and precipitous:

We’re heading for Venus  And still, we stand tall

‘Cause maybe they’ve seen us  And welcome us all

Not to be a science stickler, but… Venus? Even in 1986, it was common knowledge that Venus was too hot and unforgiving to support life as we know it. Science fiction benefits from at least a semblance of scientific truth; it’s speculative, but if the speculation has already been settled, there’s really no point. Not only is Venus the preferred destination of these space travelers from Earth, it seems that there are already

(alien?) inhabitants there, who may or may not welcome them.

A cynical reader might be tempted to think the choice of Venus as a destination was driven solely by its easy rhymability (Venus/seen us), but of course, that’s absurd. The scientific flaws continue in the next line:

With so many lightyears to go  And things to be found  I’m sure that we’ll all miss her

A light year is a measure of distance— the distance traveled by light in one year, around 6 trillion miles. At its farthest point, Venus is about 162 million miles away from Earth. The mistake is astronomical, in both senses of the word. Unless…

Reading (generously) between the lines, maybe Venus is not the final destination, but just a way station before starting the longer journey? After all, “I’m sure that we’ll all miss her” seems like a reference to Earth, but maybe it’s really about Venus?

No time to dwell on that—here comes the chorus! Once again, it’s the final countdown! The rest of the song doesn’t clarify much, though, more or less repeating the same lines:

It’s the final countdown

We’re leavin’ together (The final countdown) We’ll all miss her so

It’s the final countdown (final countdown) (Oh)

It’s the final countdown

Yeah

I wanted—needed—to know more. Why were the travelers leaving Earth? How many were there? Were they really “leaving ground” and not “leaving now,” as I had apparently misheard for years? As usual, the information superhighway was an express pass straight to the bottom of the rabbit hole.

“The Final Countdown” was written by Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson, aka Joey Tempest. It’s the perfect stage name for a man responsible for a perfect combination of the ridiculous and the sublime. Regarding the song’s origins, Mr. Tempest has said: “I started thinking maybe the human race is leaving Earth because it’s dying and the song is about the countdown to the last ship leaving the planet.”

Straight from the horse’s mouth. But “art is in the eye of the beholder,” a phrase that people often use to mean that everyone has a different opinion about what’s good and what’s not. I see those words as more than just a comment on the subjectivity of personal tastes: they also indicate that art, and its perception, is inseparable from the viewer (or listener) and his or her thoughts, preconceptions, and opinions. Thus, the perception of art is different for every person. It follows, then, that people have interpreted the song’s meaning in other, more expansive ways.

On the website songmeanings.com, a few people write that the song is about love, since Venus is the goddess of love in Roman mythology, and one even posited that “The Final Countdown” was the leadup to a wedding.

One person speculated that “the line

‘Maybe they’ve seen us and welcome us all’ underscores the point that maybe another species already knows of us and are waiting for humans to take the next jump.” Reinforcing the uncertainty that surrounds any intepretation of the song, he went on to admit: “Maybe I’ve just had too much beer every time I listen to this group.”

At lyrics.com, one user theorized that the song is “about Space Explorers who had a specified time to visit each planet but they were especially sad to leave Earth. Earth gave them a lasting impression.” Another said the song is about two people who take drugs: “’We’re leaving together but still it’s farewell,’ since under the influence, they won’t know what the other is doing. ‘Maybe we’ll come back to Earth’ — maybe they’ll survive the overdose.”

More than one person held to the common 1980s interpretation of travelers leaving an earth destroyed by nuclear war. In recent years, it’s become more common to see the cause of a ruined earth as global warming or some related environmental disaster. Does the line “I guess there’s no one to blame” mean we are all equally guilty of environmental catastrophe? Or that it couldn’t have been avoided? Or simply that there’s no one left alive?

It’s all very quantum physics, in which particles exist in an unresolved state until observed, at which point they each coalesce into a single, discernible meaning. Thus, maybe all of these interpretations are valid, and “The Final Countdown” can exist as both magnificent and awful—and based on the situation, mood, and predispositions of the listener, can be experienced as awfully magnificent, or as magnificently awful.

Maybe there’s a 13-year-old boy in all of us who bought The Final Countdown on cassette (or at least recorded the song from the radio) and still thinks it’s pretty cool, just as there’s also a 50-year-old in there who laughs at the over-the-top goofiness of the entire affair.

“The Final Countdown” places simultaneously on “Best of” and “Worst of” lists alike, categorized as hair metal, rock ballad, or “Dad rock,” among other classifications. It serves as endof-workout soundtrack, high school sports rallying cry, and reminder of appointments on one’s digital calendar. The song’s been covered in virtually every style imaginable: reggae, hardcore, bardcore, folk, bluegrass, dance, house, trace, techno, ska, new age, jazz, punk, heavy metal, bagpipe metal, and a cappella, each artist enabled to interpret an iconic rock anthem while maintaining an ironic arm’s length distance (kind of

like I’m doing with this column).

A classical version by the London Symphony Orchestra is both rousing and preposterously pompous, while a GEICO ad from 2015 featuring the band playing their signature song shows they’ve got a healthy sense of humor about its continuing place in the popular consciousness. And how could I fail to mention the song’s brilliant use in Gob Bluth’s magic shows on the TV show Arrested Development?

In 2017, Europe produced a track intended as a sequel of sorts to “The Final Countdown”—“Pictures” from the album Walk the Earth. It’s a very David Bowie-esque song, lacking in loud, proud keyboard riffs or any other vestiges of the 1980s. It doesn’t answer the many questions provoked by the original—but as we’ve established, maybe that’s a good thing?

It takes a special ability, and a happy accident of fate, to create an enduring song so simple, and yet so fascinating; this is, perhaps, the definitive example of “complex simplicity.”

Now, if it’s not already playing in your head, tune to the end of the song in your mind’s ear, thrust one hand in the air, and bob your head in rhythm. Then picture Joey Tempest rocking out in leather pants while you buckle down for this column’s final breakdown. Sing it with us, Hamilton: this was The Final Rundown… of “The Final Countdown.”

Peter Dabbene’s website is peterdabbene.com, and his previous Hamilton Post columns can be read at communitynews.org. His graphic novel biography “George Washington: The Father of a Nation” is now available through Amazon.com for $20 (print) or $10 (ebook).

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March 2024 | Hamilton Post29

Ask The Doctor

The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that people begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45, rather than 50, which was the previous recommendation. The updated guidelines consider the benefits of early detection and treatment for adults with no personal history or increased risk of the disease.

Meera Yogarajah, MD, at the Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute -Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, shares more about this change and why it is important.

Why did the recommendation change? Research shows a recent increase in colorectal cancer occurring in younger adults. These cancers may be associated with poorer outcomes, as they are diagnosed later.

In response to this trend, the USPSTF, an independent volunteer group of experts in prevention and evidencebased medicine, reviewed new data and concluded that screening for colorectal cancer in adults who are 45 to 49 years old can be helpful in preventing more people from dying of colorectal cancer.

What does colorectal cancer screening entail? Colorectal cancer screening is used to detect cancer and remove precancerous polyps. There are several types of colorectal cancer screening methods. In colonoscopy, the rectum and entire colon are examined using a colonoscope, a flexible lighted tube with a lens for viewing and a tool for removing tissue. If your doctor finds polyps, they are removed and sent to a lab for further

testing. Most patients receive some form of sedation during the test. The advantage of colonoscopy is removal of benign polyps will prevent these growths from turning into a cancer.

In sigmoidoscopy, the rectum and sigmoid colon are examined using a sigmoidoscope, a flexible lighted tube with a lens for viewing and a tool for removing tissue. During sigmoidoscopy, abnormal growths in the rectum and sigmoid colon can be removed for analysis (biopsied). People are usually not sedated for this test. However, only the last 20 percent of the colon is examined. Both polyps and colorectal cancers can bleed, and stool tests check for tiny amounts of blood in feces (stool) that cannot be seen visually. With these tests, stool samples are collected by the patient using a kit, and the samples are returned to the doctor. People who have a positive finding with these tests will need to have a colonoscopy. Additionally, some newer stool tests rely on detection of DNA from tumors in the stool sample, increasing the accuracy beyond using detection of trace blood alone.

Why is it important to follow these guidelines? According to the American Cancer Society in 2024, an estimated 106,590 cases of colon cancer and 46,220 cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the US, and a total of 53,010 people will die from these cancers.

Coming up this month at RWJU Hospital Hamilton

For more information, call (609) 5845900. To register for a program or for schedule changes go to rwjbh.org/events.

TuESdAy, MARcH 5

Breast cancer Support Group. 6-7:30 p.m.

The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, 2575 Klockner Road, Hamilton. This Support Group welcomes those who have received a breast cancer diagnosis in all phases of their journey. Meetings are held in the lobby of The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton. The group is led by an Oncology Nurse Navigator and Certified Oncology Social Worker. It offers participants an opportunity to share personal experiences, helpful resources, and methods of coping with feelings of anxiety and distress. For more information please contact Patty Hutman Parker, BSN, RN, OCN, at 609-584-2836 or Roberta Weiner, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, at 609-584-6680.

WEdNESdAy, MARcH 13

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the nation. Colorectal cancer usually does not cause any symptoms until it is advanced and starts to spread through the body. Most colorectal cancers can be prevented through screening and testing at regular intervals, leading to detection and removal of polyps.

Hope for a Bright Future Series—Brunch and Learn. 10-11:30 a.m. Join Meera Yogarajah, MD, the Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, for March’s monthly health focus designed to empower people with tips on prevention, early detection, and advancements in cancer treatments helping to provide “Hope for a Bright Future.” Dr. Yogarajah will provide participants with information on colorectal cancer awareness, early detection and colorectal cancer. This program’s panel will also include Maulik D. Shah, DO, Gastroenterology, and Rachel Perez, Gastrointestinal Patient Navigator, The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton.

TuESdAy, MARcH 19

Colorectal cancer is largely reventable. This is why it is extremely important to follow the recommended guidelines and get an initial screening at 45 years of age for those at average risk or earlier for those at higher risk.

Stop colon cancer — get screened!! Visit rwjbh.org/colonscreening to make an appointment near you.

Gynecologic cancer Support Group. 2-3:30 p.m. The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, 2575 Klockner Road, Hamilton. This Group meets in the conference room at the Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton. It brings individuals with gynecologic cancer the support, education, and empowerment they need to move along the path to recovery. Topics discussed include coping with the emotional impact of cancer, adjusting to changes during and after treatment, and managing concerns about recurrence. This program is facilitated by Roberta Weiner, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Certified Oncology Social Worker. For more information, call (609) 584-6680.

Dr. Meera Yogarajah