2-25 WWP by Community News Service

Gov. Phil Murphy (left) with Plainsboro’s Peter Cantu at the township’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 2, 2025. For the first time in more than three decades Cantu is not mayor.

The end of an era

Peter Cantu celebrated for his years of service as Plainsboro mayor

By Bill SAnseRVinO

For the first time since the early 1990s, the mayor’s gavel went to a new person in Plainsboro Township.

Peter Cantu, 84, who has served as an elected member of township committee since the 1970s, announced in December that he was taking his hat out of the ring as a choice for township mayor. He did say that he will continue to serve as a

member of Township Committee until his term ends in December 2026.

Gov. Phil Murphy was on hand at the township reorganization meeting on Jan. 2 to recognize Cantu’s tenure as New Jersey’s longest-serving mayor.

“Great evening in Plainsboro celebrating... Peter Cantu, who has selflessly served his community for the past 50 years,” said Murphy in a social media post. “Congratulations on an amazing run—and good luck with your remaining two years on the Plainsboro Township Committee.”

Also at the meeting was Princeton Mayor Mark Freda. In a social media post he com-

See CANTU, Page 3

TASK keeps cooking

New CEO Flynn draws on lifelong values of service and community

By MiCHele AlPeRin

Amy Flynn, the new chief executive officer of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, grew up poor on a dairy farm in rural Ohio, with early memories of an absence of heat during the cold winters. She remembers “going to bed at night and my mom stacking blanket after blanket on top of me and waking up in the morning and seeing my breath.”

But an ethic of communal sharing trumped poverty in her farming community. “Even though our family didn’t have a lot, we never had so little that we didn’t have something to give back,” Flynn recalls. “We canned all summer to have food for the winter and shared some of that food with others who had less.”

This commitment to communal sharing was exemplified for Flynn by her grandmother, “a person of service, who was always giving back to the community.”

Flynn says that the big meals her grandmother cooked for everyone at harvest time are reminiscent of TASK’s mission and the critical involvement of volunteers in realizing it. Not only does TASK provide food for the hungry six days a week at its main location, it also gives more than 4,000 volunteers a year a chance

to give back to their community.

“TASK has a doctrine of radical hospitality. It takes me back to growing up—neighbors helping neighbors,” Flynn says.

Flynn, a resident of Ewing, started in her new role on Jan. 21 after being named to the position by the nonprofit’s board of trustees earlier in the month. She replaces Joyce Campbell, who announced her plans to retire last summer after more than eight years at the helm.

TASK is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the Mercer County area, providing free meals for those who are hungry, including the homeless and working poor.

Flynn’s career in fund development and leadership at missiondriven organizations has given her many varied opportunities to carry forth the tradition of communal support to improve the lives of families.

For both staff and volunteers, she says, “you have the opportunity to make that kind of impact every day, to go to the fringe where people are in need, meet them there, support them there, and, at best, provide opportunities for them to move forward.”

But Flynn’s career actually started in education, not development. It took a while until “the planets aligned, and I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.”

Only in her late 30s, while living in Cochocton, Ohio, and working

See TASK, Page 5

RWJUH Hamilton February Healthy Living / Community Education Programs

YOUR HEART MATTERS

Tuesday, Feb. 4; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Join Connie Moceri, MSN, RN, A-GNP-C, Administrative Director, Patient CareCardiovascular Services & Healthy Lives Program, and Ann Mancuso, CNS, RN, CHFN, Heart Failure Program Coordinator, Healthy Lives Program, RWJUH Hamilton, for an engaging lecture on maintaining a strong healthy heart.

BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

Tuesday, Feb. 4; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Presented by The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, this support group welcomes those who have received a breast cancer diagnosis in all phases of their journey. An oncology nurse navigator and certiﬁed oncology social worker will offer participants an opportunity to share personal experiences and helpful resources. Please call 609.584.2836 to conﬁrm attendance.

THINGS EVERY CONSUMER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEARING LOSS

Wednesday, Feb. 5; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

After age 60, roughly two-thirds of people experience age-related hearing loss. Join Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D., audiologist at RWJUH Hamilton’s Balance & Hearing Center, to learn all you need to know about living with hearing loss and helping friends and family members with hearing loss.

PAPER CRAFT CLASS

Wednesday, Feb 5; 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Join us to make a creative project using paper and other materials. No craft experience needed; please bring a pair of scissors.

YOGA CLASSES

Tuesday, Feb. 4 & 18; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

MEDITATION CLASSES

Tuesday, Feb. 4 & 18; 11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

CHAIR YOGA

Tuesday, Feb. 4 & 18; 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.

HOW SOUND HEALS: THE SCIENCE OF SOUND HEALING

Tuesday, Feb. 11; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

In this workshop we will discuss the science behind sound and vibration and show you how and why certain sounds can help you sleep better, improve your mood, improve body function, and even reduce pain! The program requires a fee of $15, payable upon registration.

THE BASICS OF MEDICARE

Wednesday, Feb. 12; 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Join a licensed insurance agent specializing in Medicare and ACA for a discussion on Medicare. Learn the different parts of Medicare, how to avoid penalties, and when to apply for Medicare beneﬁts. Light refreshments provided.

COLORECTAL LECTURE AND TAKE-HOME KIT

Thursday, Feb. 13; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

The incidence of colon cancer is on the rise. Learn ways to help mitigate your risk and receive a test kit to take at home and mail back.

DANCE IT OUT!

Monday, Feb. 17; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

When in doubt, dance it out! Boost your well-being through the joy of dance. Whether you are a beginner or experienced dancer, this activity will lift your spirits and reduce stress. No experience required; all ages welcome.

PREDIABETES CONNECT GROUP

Tuesday, Feb. 18; 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Diagnosed with prediabetes? This group is for you to connect with others

A SOCIAL HOUR ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 12, 19, & 26; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Don’t miss an opportunity to participate in lifechanging conversations, listening, learning, and exploring for this time in our lives. Topics created for you by you. Every week is new and something different. Join us on all three dates, two, or even one. It’s your choice. New folks are always welcome.

HEALING ART WORKSHOP-DEFINING HOPE

Thursday, Feb 6; 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Create your own piece of art using a variety of materials to express your own personal journey with hope.

affected. Share and explore ways to improve lifestyle changes.

GYNECOLOGIC CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

Tuesday, Feb. 18; 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

This group 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. For more information or to register call 609-584-6680. This program is located at the Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, 2575 Klockner Rd.

AN EVENING OF YOGA NIDRA MEDITATION

Tuesday, Feb 18; 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

This practice guides brain waves into optimal states for relaxation, rejuvenation, and better sleep. Join us and learn why 45 minutes of Yoga Nidra and feel like 3 hours of sleep! Bring a yoga mat, blankets, and anything else that makes you comfortable. Chairs also available. The program requires a fee of $15, payable upon registration.

“WII” ARE POWERED GAME TIME

Tuesday, Feb. 19; 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Join RWJ Rehabilitation, RWJUH Hamilton, for this fun hour of Wii games and learn about safe mechanics. Mastering body movement is leveling up your real-life stats. Play smart, move like a pro, and stay in the game longer!

DIABETES CARE & SELF-MANAGEMENT BREAKFAST: FROM INPATIENT TO OUTPATIENT

Friday, Feb. 7; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Please join our expert, Shesha Desai. Pharm D. Rph.BC-ADM, Diabetes Program Coordinator and Medication Safety Pharmacist, to learn how best to manage your diabetes and the resources available to all diabetics.

LUNCH & LEARN WITH JUSTIN FOX, MD: CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION AND CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY

Monday, Feb. 10; 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Join Justin Fox, MD, a board-certiﬁed cardiologist and interventional cardiologist, Chair of the Department of Cardiology at RWJUH Hamilton, and member of Hamilton Cardiology Associates, for an in-depth conversation on the advancements and minimally invasive techniques available to diagnose and manage cardiovascular pathology to improve heart health.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

Wednesday, Feb 19; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Learn how to help heal your body and relax your busy mind. No experience necessary.

HEART & SOUL: SLIDE INTO BETTER HEALTH

Thursday, Feb. 20; 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Join us and pump up your heart and soul for group line dancing, Zumba, refreshments, health screenings, Ask-A-Cardiologist, heart health resources, and more. Don’t miss this fun, heart-healthy evening of dance. $10 per person collected at the door.

ORTHO 101: THE SPINE

Tuesday, Feb. 25; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Join Orthopedic Program Coordinator, Denise Berdecia, MSN, RN, ONC, and Lead Physical and Occupational Therapists, Maureen Stevens, PT, DPT, and Sarah Masco, OTD, for an in-depth discussion on common spine disorders. These experts will explain preventative treatment, how to determine if surgery is right for you, and what to expect during your surgery and recovery.

STROKE SUPPORT GROUP

Tuesday, Feb.25; 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Join us for the return of the Stroke Support Group at RWJUH Hamilton, a place for survivors and caregivers to build a community. The group will share personal experiences, feelings, recovery strategies, and ﬁrsthand information on managing life after stroke. Meetings will be facilitated by two outpatient rehabilitation therapists.

GAME TIME!

Friday, Feb. 7 & 28; 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FRAUD & SCAMS TARGETING OLDER ADULTS

Thursday, Feb. 13; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Join Sergeant Michael Rosati from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of New Jersey as he discusses the alarming rise in fraud and scams targeting older adults and provides insights into how these deceptive tactics work. Learn strategies to help you safeguard your ﬁnances and personal information, empowering you with the knowledge needed to recognize and prevent falling victim to these fraudulent activities.

TAI CHI CLASSES

Thursday, Feb. 13 & 27; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

REIKI SHARE

Wednesday, Feb 26; 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.

WISE WOMEN DISCUSSION GROUP: CHANGING PRIORITIES

Thursday, Feb 27; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Join a community of women as we discuss relevant topics and ﬁnd purpose, meaning and community.

DINNER WITH A DOCTOR: ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Thursday, Feb. 27; 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Join Zaw Win Tun, MD, RWJUH Hamilton, member of Hamilton Cardiology Associates, and an expert in cardiac electrophysiology, to explore the complexities of Atrial Fibrillation (A Fib), one of the most common heart rhythm disorders. Learn how minimally invasive alternatives offer stroke prevention. This discussion will cover the causes and symptoms of A Fib, current treatment options, and how devices are transforming patient outcomes. 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.

NOURISH YOUR BRAIN: COOKING FOR BRAIN HEALTH

Friday, Feb. 14; 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Have some fun while learning recipes that can help fuel your brain.

LUNCH & LEARN: COMBATING HEALTH EQUITY FOR BLACK WOMEN IN THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Friday, Feb. 21; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

This sensitive and insightful discussion will be facilitated by Andrew Thomas, Vice President of Health Equity at RWJBarnabas Health, and Meika Neblett, MD, MS, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Quality Officer and Chief Academic Officer at Community Medical Center in Toms River, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, and will explore health care challenges with a focus on how to best improve and advocate for better health care for Black women.

Scan QR code to view, learn more & register on-line for the programs listed

mended Cantu for his years of service, and for the meeting the challenges of seeing the construction of a massive amount of housing and commercial space during his years.

“What an achievement having guided the growth of Plainsboro over that time span,” Freda said.

Cantu has also been noted for his proficiency as a skilled negtiator. During his professional career he was a land procurement specialist for IBM.

One townhip official—former Administrator Patrick Guilfoyle—said that Cantu was “one of the most skilled and talented government officials I’ve ever worked with.”

Under Plainsboro form of government, the mayor is not directly elected by residents. The governing body—the five-member Township Committee—has both has both administrative and legislative powers. Each year the members of the Committee elect the mayor, who also acts as the presiding officer at meetings.

For 44 of the last 50 years, Cantu has been that man. The last time that Cantu, a Democrat, was not selected mayor was in 1992, when Democrats were voted out of office en masse as a backlash against a tax increase implimented by then-Gov. Jim Florio.

Some members of township staff at the time lamented the election result, with one

calling it, “a sad day for Plainsboro.”

The GOP had a majority for two years and a Republican served as mayor. After that the Democrats regained control and Cantu was again named mayor. He has served in the role ever since.

Cantu’s decision took effect during reorganization. At the meeting, Ed Yates was sworn in as the new mayor and David Bander as the new deputy mayor.

“I am happy to assist in the transition in any way possible,” Cantu said in a statement annoncing his decision. “I have full confidence that my colleagues will agree upon a highly qualified and dedicated individual to become mayor who will work with township committee members to keep the town moving forward with its vibrant and successful economic, cultural, health and educational initiatives.”

Cantu said his decision to step back is not due to health concerns or personal issues but is a reflection of his desire to lessen his responsibilities.

“At the age of 84, I feel it is time for me to back away from the considerable day-today mayoral responsibilities and demands,” Cantu said. “This is a job to which I have devoted enormous time and energy—as has my wife of 63 years, Gale Cantu, who has been with me on this incredible journey every step of the way.”

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

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as an art and religious education teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic School did Flynn have two experiences that moved her from education to fund development.

The first grew out of her efforts to move her school art program from “a stark basement” to “a bright space where the kids could be creative.” To make this happen, she reached out to parents and to community members to raise money or get donated services.

“I didn’t know there was a word for that— development—and I didn’t understand that as a career path,” Flynn says.

Soon a critical set of events involving the Pomerene Center for the Arts in Coshocton, where she gave art lessons to students after school and summers, changed her career goals entirely.

When the head of a local family foundation died and his more progressive and forward-thinking son took over, he brought in the Indiana School of Philanthropy for a two-week intensive training and required all the organizations his foundation funded to come with two employees as a prerequisite for funding renewal.

The art center’s executive director, its only employee, invited Flynn to be the second attendee.

“That’s where I met professional fundraisers, for whom philanthropy was their career,” Flynn says, “It clicked for me; I really wanted to do this. When you work in a nonprofit, you get to see the fruits of your labor every day and how it impacts lives.”

Flynn’s first big developmental role was at a continuing care retirement community, the Ohio Eastern Star Home, in Mount Vernon, Ohio. She then moved to a similar community in Yakima, Washington, but did not stay long because they decided to refurbish their facility instead of moving forward with the promised funding development effort.

Her next position came by happenstance when Flynn and her husband were touring the Yakima YWCA, the largest domestic violence service provider in south-central Washington. It had a shelter, transitional housing, legal aid and advocacy for victims of domestic violence and their children.

The tour leader mentioned that their grant writer was retiring, and they wanted to build a funding development effort. Sure enough, Flynn, who had done some grant writing for the Ohio art center, became their director of fund development and, later, executive director.

Flynn learned many lessons during her tenure at the YWCA. An early one was the importance of getting everyone involved— volunteers, donors and even service recipients—by finding ways to share their stories.

“It’s one thing to read a pamphlet or to hear from a staff member,” Flynn says. But hearing from someone who is passionate

about an organization or who has experienced life changes because of it pulls people in. “People are drawn to the experience of other people; people give to people.”

One day at the YWCA a woman from Oregon delivered of a van full of backpacks and school supplies that she had collected on her own for the shelter’s children.

“I wanted to find out why,” Flynn says.

The woman, who made yearly deliveries, grew up in Yakima, where her family often stayed at the YWCA shelter due to her mother’s abusive relationships.

“The shelter had a profound impact on my life,” the woman explained to Flynn. Not only did it provide safety, but it taught her what a healthy relationship looks like and what red flag behaviors look like.

The woman said, “I am married, in a healthy relationship, and I’m the first woman in my family in four generations who is not in an abusive relationship. I owe that all to my time as a child when I was in the YWCA shelter.”

Bowled over by the story, Flynn invited her to write the YWCA’s annual appeal and share her story.

Also important for Flynn’s professional growth was the opportunity while at the YWCA to be part of a regional group of other YWCA leaders throughout the northwestern region.

“Those women were profoundly influential as I was learning and growing into the role of executive director,” she says.

Faced for the first time with an entire organization’s budget, she asked another executive director whether she should take finance classes.

“She gave me the best advice ever: ‘You do what you do best and surround yourself with people who have expertise in the areas you do not.’”

At the YWCA Flynn also learned about creativity and innovation, “being able to think outside the box.”

Seeing landlords resist renting to women leaving the shelter, she created a workaround. The YWCA established a master lease program, holding leases for a year before transferring them to the women.

Flynn also had an opportunity to start a social enterprise, a thrift store named Persimmon, managed by domestic violence advocates (woman who in most cases were survivors who had come out the other side and helped others to “get their feet under them”). The shop carried a working woman’s wardrobe, and any woman referred and returning to work could get five full outfits.

Just as important, the shop provided a soft launch into the work force for women in the shelter who may not have been ready for a regular job, dealing as they were with worries of abusers showing up, depression, or not having childcare. Working in the shop taught them the soft skills they would

need, like how to handle conflict, work as a team, and write a resume.

For Flynn, the shop held yet another lesson—the importance of diversified funding streams.

“No nonprofit should be heavily reliant on government funding or grants,” she says, explaining that they need to investigate other revenue opportunities that can give the nonprofit long-term stability.

Flynn’s next career move was to California, in support of her husband’s career as a nonprofit consultant—he had an opportunity to work for Father Craig Boyle at Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles.

Flynn got a job as the director of major gifts for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, where she headed the individual giving team. What was different from her previous work was the size of the development group—22 people—and the oppor-

See TASK , Page 6

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tunity to work together with other teams.

“It was amazing because you had so much support you had more bandwidth and a farther reach; you could cover all the bases because you had help.” Flynn recalls.

with Meals on Wheels in Ohio, Flynn became chief executive officer of Meals on Wheels of Mercer County.

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Also, because many team members were early in their careers, Flynn had a number of opportunities for doing more mentoring, as she had done at the YWCA.

In February 2020, after four and a half years at Habitat and a couple at Olive Crest of Los Angeles, where she ran her own development program, Flynn and her husband moved back to Ohio, where their son, one of eight children in their blended family, had two small children and was working on his doctorate.

Flynn worked as executive director of Modcon Living, a nonprofit focused on keeping people in their homes longer, with dignity and independence. They had a tool lending library, where people who wanted to make repairs or do landscaping or put in a garden could check out the tools they needed, using a library card.

Modcon worked closely with the local Meals on Wheels program, whose volunteers would make referrals so that their clients could stay in their homes safely.

“Meals on Wheels is an amazing organization; we are serving people who don’t have the opportunity to go and get meals at places like TASK or to get to a food pantry or even to make meals on their own,” Flynn says.

Always attuned to the human component, she emphasizes the importance of social connection with the volunteer food deliverers. “Sometimes that is the only human contact our participants have all day long.”

A year after joining Meals on Wheels, Flynn learned that TASK was looking for an executive director. “I decided at the last minute to throw my name in the hat. It’s such an amazing local organization,” she says.

In fact, Flynn already had a connection with Joyce Campbell, who retired as TASK’s executive director on Dec. 31. When Flynn came to town, Campbell, she says, “got me connected to the right people and helped me learn about the nonprofit landscape here.”

Looking toward her new job, Flynn says she wants to take such challenges head on, and to preserve and build on Campbell’s “incredible legacy of impact.”

Four years later, Flynn and her husband decided to move closer to their two daughters in New Jersey. Having worked closely

“I know I am going to be standing on her shoulders; I know she has great team; and I’m just looking forward to continuing with that tradition of service,” she says.

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Front court duo aids historic start for North boys’ basketball

By Justin Feil

Malachi Jeffers-Viera and Aaryan Dadan are both senior forwards who bring different elements to High School North boys’ basketball.

Their contributions have been equally important to carrying the Knights to a historic 11-0 start. No North team had ever won its first 11 games.

“I think we’re playing better than we ever expected,” said Dadan. “We’ve had some close calls, but we put them away.”

The Knights have done so with different players stepping up every night and doing what they do best. For Jeffers-Viera, that means doing a bit of everything on the offensive end.

Fifteen games into the season, he was averaging 18.9 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game and 4.2 assists per game and on track to score his 1,000th career point by the start of February.

“Malachi has been really good for us,” said North coach Luke Beesley. “I think the best thing that he’s done this year is his maturity level, his emotions, he’s really stepped up in

the leadership role.”

According to Beesley Jeffers-Viera is playing with friends he has grown up with, from middle school to high school. That’s what high school sports are about—playing with friends and enjoying the experience, he said.

Dadan’s biggest impact has come at the other end. He hasn’t scored more than six points in a game, but North wouldn’t be where they are without him. He averages more than five rebounds per game and brings energy and intensity to the Knights.

Dadan is one of the team’s bigger players and contributes in ways that don’t always show up on the stat sheet, Beesley said. He’s a tough, physical athlete. who played left guard for the football team, where he never left the field, and now in basketball, he handles the gritty tasks that others might avoid.

The front court duo is part of a senior class that has made a huge impact while seeing the program and culture change during their high school careers. Most of them played together on their freshman team that went 14-1, and as they moved up to varsity the win totals rose, finally hitting record lev-

els this year.

The varsity won only two games during Jeffers-Viera’s freshman year, and four his sophomore year. Things took a big turn last year in a 14-13 season that included a trip to the Mercer County Tournament final and a berth in the Central Jersey Group 4 state tournament. North returned this year with a huge senior class of eight that had been gearing up for a big finale.

“Back in middle school, we all played on the basketball team or some of us didn’t make it, but we were all friends back in middle school too so we all played AAU together,” Dadan said. “From there we had chemistry that I don’t think a lot of teams have.”

The mindset has changed for the team. They’re no longer going into games looking to upset teams. They played a new level when they ripped Robbinsville to open the year and edged Hopewell Valley in a tight game, 53-50.

“One thing we wanted to make sure was that we started off well because last year we didn’t do that great to start,” Beesley said.

“We’ve had games where we’ve had different leading scores and I think that’s a sign of a good basketball team,” Beesley said.

Using that depth and experience early showed that last year’s big jump wasn’t a fluke. It was a sign of things to come. North put in a ton of work in the offseason. They played summer leagues, attended team camp together and played in the live period, facing plenty of talented teams to prepare for this season.

“Last year was kind of a proving point, like we’re a team to look out for now,” Jeffers-Viera said. “Now we’re one of those top teams and people have a target on our backs.”

The Knights have made big plays to pick up some close wins. In addition to the early win over Hopewell, they got by Somerville for a three-point win to claim the West Windsor-Plainsboro Holiday Tournament, and won by three at Tornado Alley to stop Trenton.

“I tell them that I had that trust in all of See BASKETBALL, Page 8

In addition to Jeffers-Viera, North also gets a lot of scoring from senior Ryan JeanBaptiste and junior Blake Amos Whitfield.

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BASKETBALL continued from Page 7 them,” Jeffers-Viera said. “A lot of these players are like my best friends that I play basketball with all the time.”

The Knights also have learned from their losses in their 13-2 start. Lawrence beat them by two points in a double overtime game and Hunterdon Central picked up a one-point win.

Those narrow defeats keep them motivated to improve. In the Lawrence game, North felt they allowed too many points early. In the Hunterdon Central game, they hit their goal of keeping teams at 49 points or under, but lost because their offense wasn’t as effective.

Dadan is a vital part of the defensive efforts. He has gained confidence in his athleticism and ability to compete with anyone after coming out of football.

“I’m best at playing defense, so that’s why I’m on the court and my hustle plays,” said Dadan.

Dadan had a few starts as a sophomore, then played more last year. This year, he’s been a full-time starter from the outset and his maturity and experience have shown.

“I’m better at calming down,” he said. “I used to be like a hothead. I used to get angry over little things and stuff.”

Jeffers-Viera has seen his numbers climb each year. He played sparingly as a freshman before averaging 12 points per game

as a sophomore starter.

That average rose to 14.1 points per game last year and included a 26-point outing in an upset of Ewing. This year, he’s taken it to another level and it’s drawing interest to continuing playing in college.

“I’ve been talking to a couple schools for basketball,” he said. “I’m really seeing where things take me.”

It’s been quite a ride for the North seniors so far. They started in the program the same year that Beesley was brought in, and they are seeing the fruits of their dedication and commitment this season.

“I feel like it’s a really big part of my life,” Dadan said. “Our previous varsity teams haven’t been doing as well. And with the new coach coming and stuff, it was a blessing to be a part of the team.”

“Now we have basically an all-senior starting lineup except for one player who’s a junior,” Jeffers-Viera said. “We used to get bullied around. and it’s kind of vice versa because of our age and experience.”

All the pieces are in place for North. The Knights got off to the start that they wanted, and now the focus is on finishing the way that they have dreamed.

“We’ve made the right play a lot this last month,” Beesley said. “We’re trying to continue to do that and continue to get better so we’re playing our best in the end of February and early March.”

travel talk with Caryn and Aron group travel

We all like to travel with people who have similar interests or something in common—whether it is traveling with a significant other, family, best friend or a group you belong to. We can help you plan the vacation of a lifetime.

And whether it’s weddings, reunions, birthday milestones, special interest groups, girls or guys getaways, we’ll ensure your group has a memorable vacation experience from start to finish. There are many wonderful reasons to travel with a group and we make it simple to plan these big events on any cruise line or resort of your choice. For now, I am going to discuss cruise groups, though similar trips can be organized with land groups. Virtually every cruise line has a group program that offers special benefits.

And to qualify for group rates and amenities as few as 10 people need to travel on the same sailing for a river cruise and 16 people for an ocean cruise.

• Planning is easy. We handle the details. Most lines even have a full time “group coordinator” onboard to assist once you sail.

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What makes a group? Depending upon the type of vacation the number can vary. More than 5 million group members cruise every year. Here are just some of the types of groups that have discovered this awesome travel option:

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The benefits of group travel are outstanding. The group organizer can potential travel for FREE by utilizing one of the free beds earned (depends upon type of travel for how many people need to be booked) or can share the value with the others in the group. But perhaps the most outstanding benefit is that all the hard work of managing the group is done by your Cruise Planners travel advisor including collecting payments, sending travel tips and keeping everyone on track for a memorable vacation.

Who do you want to travel with? We can set up a conversation to discuss the best way of putting together a travel group.

Now is the time to start planning your winter break getaway. And don’t forget to purchase travel insurance.

Contact us today at 609-750-0807 or cberla@cruiseplanners.com to discuss your travel plans. At Cruise Planners we are Luxury Travel Specialists. We do not charge any additional fees for our vacation planning, and whether you are looking for a Cruise, an AllInclusive Resort Vacation, or a European Land Tour, we will provide you with the exceptional service you should expect from a travel agent.

Visit us at makingvacationmemories. net to register for either our regular or for our Luxury newsletter to be delivered directly to your inbox and follow us at facebook.com/familycruising. Unlike big online travel sites, Cruise Planners - ABC Family Cruising and Travel delivers the personal touch.

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