8-23 WWP

located on page 7

Author’s

viewpoint

The greatest lies are the ones we tell ourselves, and boy, I’ve told myself some doozies.

new book

EDiTeD By BiLL SANserViNO

For West Windsor resident Ken Jaworowski, the publication of his first novel was the culmination of a long-time goal.

His book, Small Town Sins, was released by Henry Holt and Co. on Aug. 1, and Jaworowski will be speaking at Princeton Public Library on Aug. 20 at 11 a.m.

Jaworowski has worked as a staff editor for the New York Times and contributed to the culture section of the paper for many years.

West Windsor Dance troupe performs at Carnegie Hall

By MeeNA VeNKAT

Editor’s note: Meena Venkat runs the West Windsor-based Nruthu Aaloka dance troupe.

The Nruthu Aaloka dance troupe, hailing from our very

own community, embarked on a journey that would lead them to the world’s most renowned stage. With months of dedicated training and preparation, these young dancers honed their skills to perfection, bringing forth a

performance that was both mesmerizing and unforgettable. What set this performance apart was its unique fusion of traditional dance forms from Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, known as See AROUND TOWN, Page 2

He has also written plays that have been performed in New York, Scotland and London. Jaworowski’s journalism career began when he was a reporter for Bloomberg News.

Jaworowski has lived in West Windsor since 2007 with his wife, Michele and their two children.

The News has asked Jaworowski to write his thoughts about the publication of Small Town Sins, which appears below. This is followed by a short excerpt from his book.

* * *

When I graduated from college I swore that I’d be a bestselling author within three years. Those three years came and went, so I decided that I needed another two or three, or five at most, before I was proclaimed the next Hemingway.

More promises and more letdowns followed until decades had passed, and I changed my tune. The problem wasn’t with my work, I’d rant, usually after my fourth bourbon. The problem was with the literary world, which refused to recognize my talents.

What a crock. It took me a long time to quit deceiving myself and to throw away those lies (along with those early manuscripts). But I did. And now that I’ve finally sold a novel—Small Town Sins—to a major New York publisher, I hereby declare that all that bragging and bitterness has gone out of me. Now, in my 50s, there’s only humility.

Ah, who am I kidding. Let me boast a little. And maybe, dear neighbor, I’ve learned a few lessons that I can pass on to you.

When I first started writing fiction, I spewed forth impenetrable prose that illustrated my grand theories about the human

See AUTHOR, Page 4

First-time writer shares his thoughts about the release of his

Members of the Nruthu Aaloka dance troupe perform at Carnegie Hall on July 2, 2023.

AroUND toWN

Raas Leela—Kavadi Nritya. The incorporation of never-before-seen props added an element of surprise and intrigue, leaving the crowd in awe. The stage at Carnegie Hall had never witnessed such a dynamic and vibrant display of movement and expression.

As the music filled the hall, the Nruthu Aaloka dancers effortlessly showcased their exceptional talent, delivering a performance that was a true testament to their hard work and dedication.

Each move exuded grace, precision, and a deep understanding of the art form. The energy and enthusiasm radiating from the stage were palpable, captivating the hearts of everyone in attendance.

The audience’s response was overwhelming, with a standing ovation that echoed throughout the hall. The young dancers had not only captivated the crowd but also left an indelible mark on the stage of Carnegie Hall, forever etching their names in its prestigious history.

I beamed with pride as my students showcased their immense talent on such a grand platform. My guidance and meticulous training have undoubtedly played a

pivotal role in shaping these dancers into the stars they have become.

The Nruthu Aaloka dance troupe’s exceptional performance at Carnegie Hall serves as a testament to the vibrant and diverse arts community in West Windsor.

It is a source of inspiration for aspiring dancers and a reminder of the power of dedication, passion, and hard work.

As a community, let us celebrate the remarkable achievement of these young performers and support their journey towards even greater heights. The future of dance in our community looks brighter than ever, thanks to the extraordinary talent of the Nruthu Aaloka students.

Bravo to the Nruthu Aaloka dance troupe and all those who contributed to this awe-inspiring performance at Carnegie Hall. Together, we celebrate their success and eagerly anticipate the next chapter in their remarkable artistic journey.

The dancers who performed at Carnegie Hall were: Myself, Jayant Venkatesan, Mukund Venkatesan, Aarsh Dharia, Aayush Arni, Aayush Vanjara, Aditi Karthik, Anika Kasarabada, Annika Marda, Anushka Sivram, Ayana Berry, Dhriti Malhotra, Diya Bharatkumar, Diya

Poluru, Isha Poluru, Lasya Kesharaju, Neya Sathiya, Niam Parekh, Reyaansh Seth, Roshan Aiyer, Saatvik Molugu, Saha Sudhakar, Sanvi Thodima, Sara Sudhakar, Shrika Roy, Tanish Aiyer, Taran Kesharaju, Vrishank Annamaneni, Yashasvi Chuthari, Yashica Chuthari

West Windsor Farmers Market wants your vote

The West Windsor Community Farmers Market is encouraging supporters to cast their vote in the 15th annual America’s Farmers Market Celebration, presented by American Farmland Trust and Farmers Market Coalition.

The West Windsor market was recognized as the fourth favorite in the nation in 2022 and voted as New Jersey’s favorite for nine of the 14 years of the celebration. The market is looking to repeat with the help of enough votes from area residents.

Through Sept. 18, anyone looking to support the WWCFM can aim their phone’s camera at the QR code in the Market’s ad in this issue (Page 14) or go to: markets. farmland.org and enter 08550 to vote and comment why you love the West Windsor

Farmers Market. This will put it in the running for another year of national recognition and cash prizes. The celebration is the only annual ranking of the top farmers markets in the nation as voted by the public.

In 2023, the Celebration will award a record $15,000 in total cash awards to the top five markets in America—$5,000 for first, $2,500 for second, $1,500 for third, $750 for fourth, $250 for fi fth and $100 to first in each state.

These funds will be awarded to markets for marketing, communications, and other needs that help expand the market’s reach and impact.

American Farmland Trust, a national nonprofit is dedicated to saving farmland, promoting sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land.

Held each Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the WWCFM prides itself on being entirely community memberled with a mission to support New Jersey farmers. The Market, founded in 2004 and celebrating 20 years this summer, hosts 19 farmers and 29 local artisan food makers/producers in a welcoming openair marketplace at the Princeton Junction train station.

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.

SENIOR COMMUNITY EDITOR

Bill Sanservino (Ext. 104)

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Rich Fisher, Ken Jaworowski, Meena Venkat

AD LAYOUT AND PRODUCTION

Stephanie Jeronis

Community News Service

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: bsanservino@communitynews.org

Website: communityews.org

Facebook: WestWindsorPlainsboroNews Twitter: twitter.com/mercerspace

17,000 copies of The News are mailed or bulkdistributed to the residences and businesses in Plainsboro and West Windsor 12 times a year.

TO ADVERTISE call (609) 396-1511, ext. 110 or e-mail advertise@communitynews.org

psyche and the philosophical underpinnings of civilization.

For some reason, publishers declined to buy those books. Then I tried a different tack: I chased trends and tried to please everybody. (“Perhaps I’ll rewrite Gone With the Wind, but set it on another planet. With superheroes. And a great white shark.”) The pandering was painfully obvious and equally unsellable.

Then, just as I was about to give up, my daughter entered her junior year at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North and we began researching colleges.

We drove across Pennsylvania to visit schools, and memories came flooding back from the years I spent at a rural university. On that same trip I read a newspaper story about a city fireman who’d been accused of stealing something while in an apartment building.

I imagined combining that news story with the rural setting: What if a fireman in a tiny town stumbled across a huge stash of money in a burning building and made a snap decision to take it? And what if those ill-gotten riches then threatened to destroy him?

I began kicking around other ideas: What if a nurse in that same town clashed with the fundamentalist parents of a young patient, and secretly went against their wishes for treating their daughter? And what if a third character got thrown into the mix—a recovering addict who uncovered the identity of a serial predator and vowed to stop him?

Those seemed to be good seeds for a thriller, so I decided to intertwine the three stories and tell them in one novel. Yet considering my past failures, how to do it?

Writing only for me was self-indulgent, and writing only for others was selling out. Though it now appears painfully obvious,

a compromise seemed to be the best solution: Sure, I’d write what I was driven to write, but I’d keep the reader in the front of my mind, and meet him or her halfway.

Oh, and I’d lay off the bourbon, too.

It worked, wonderfully. I wrote Small Town Sins in about seven months, and my agent sold it almost immediately, to Henry Holt & Co.

My wife and our two children have lived in the Dutch Neck Estates section of West Windsor for 16 years. I think we’ve always been quiet neighbors.

But if one evening last spring you heard four people loudly cheering and laughing and celebrating for hours in that neighborhood, it was probably us.

If it sounds like I’d done nothing but

fail in my past writing, that’s not entirely true. I’ve been an editor for The New York Times for years, and I’ve written a few plays that ran Off Off Broadway and in Europe.

But publishing a novel was my ultimate dream, and the book’s early success has been amazing. Among the accolades: a Publisher’s Weekly starred review, a rave from Kirkus Reviews, and an article in Philadelphia Magazine naming “Small Town Sins” as one of the Top 10 books of the summer.

I’ve been waiting three decades for all of this to happen. And though I’m trying to play it cool, I’ll freely admit that I’m nearly jumping out of my skin with joy. If I said otherwise, that would be a lie. And I’m

Below in an excerpt from an early section of Ken Jaworowski’s “Small Town Sins:”

I can trace so much of my life back to a summer night when I was seventeen. Everything starts from then and links the years that follow, like one of those connectthe-dots pages you played with as a kid: Begin right here, draw a line to there, then another, then again. Sooner or later, an image emerges.

I’d recently finished my junior year of high school and was kicking around a few ideas on how to get out of Locksburg, a Central Pennsylvania backwater I’d wanted to flee ever since I was old enough to misspell its name. College was a possibility. The marines, a cheaper one. Either would work, as long as it got me away.

I had a nodding acquaintance with my classmates but no real friends among them. That’s not because of bad behavior on my part. The opposite was true: I was the only child of a sweet-spoken, disabled mother and a deacon father who together looked after a struggling church that was too poor to support a full-time priest. When I wasn’t doing schoolwork or house chores, I was at Saint Stanislaus, chipping melted wax from the candleholders or cementing the cracks that the bitter winters brought to the stone walls outside.

One Saturday night I was walking home from the church, head down, hands in pockets, when I turned a corner. LeeLee Roland was bounding down the steps of her house, ten yards away. She was a soonto-be sophomore who stood out from the other girls at school. Even at fifteen, she was brazenly flirty to most every guy but me. I’d watch her with a side-eye, fascinated but wary, as she bounced along the high school halls.

“Hey, Nate!” she called, employing a

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West Windsor resident Ken Jaworowski and the cover of his recently released book, “Small Town Sins.”

nickname I didn’t use. I raised my chin and hid my surprise. We’d never spoken before, and I was a little amazed that she knew who I was.

“You going to the party too?” she asked.

“Nah,” I said, as if I knew which party that was. “Yes, you are. I’m kidnapping you.”

She hooked a hand around my arm, and the breath left my lungs. To feel a girl touch me, even with just a friendly move, nearly froze me. That touch, combined with the warm June breeze, was instantly intoxicating, as if I’d swallowed an entire bottle of altar wine. “Where is it?” I said, tamping down my voice in the hope of sounding somewhat cool.

“Tracy’s house,” LeeLee said. “Willow Street.”

I nodded a few times too many while piecing it together: Tracy Carson lived there, another girl I’d never spoken to. LeeLee and I walked two blocks then turned onto Willow.

“I’m... I’m not really sure I’m invited,” I said, entirely sure I wasn’t.

“She don’t care. Anyway, too late,” LeeLee said, and turned to walk up the steps of a house. She let go of my arm. I felt both real relief and deep disappointment.

LeeLee courtesy-knocked then pushed the door open. Inside, about fifteen people

were circled around the dining room table, playing some kind of drinking game. All were familiar faces. In a town of about five thousand, you saw everyone at one time or another.

“Look who I found,” LeeLee told the group. They seemed indifferent. For that, I was grateful. Anything short of disdain was enough to make me half happy. Like any seventeen-year-old, I was perpetu- ally confused and occasionally anxious, all while acting as confident as I could.

Forty-five minutes later, the number of people had nearly tripled, and the radio, blaring classic rock, had gotten turned up twice as loud. I’d taken a place against a wall, nursing a can of lukewarm Keystone Light and watching the games that no one asked me to join. After finishing my beer, I acted as if the can were full, bringing it to my lips time and again. LeeLee had gone to the kitchen and brought me the beer when we’d arrived. She’d since disappeared upstairs with a pack of other girls.

I debated leaving. No one would notice. I eyed the door.

Any time up until then had been pivotal, of course. What if I had stayed at church a few extra minutes and never saw LeeLee? Or what if I had taken another route home? But when I look back, that moment seems the most decisive, the last real instant when something could have changed. Had

I walked out that door then, how many lives would have been different?

Instead, I decided to hang around the party for a little longer. I wandered into the kitchen and took another can from the fridge, hoping no one would notice or yell at me or say I had to pay.

When I went back to my spot at the wall, LeeLee had returned.

“Hey!” she said. “I was wondering where you were.”

I showed her the beer. “Finish it,” she said.

“Why?”

“This place is lame,” she said, not caring who heard. “Let’s get out of here.”

We passed the can back and forth until we emptied it, then left. I imagined that everyone was watching us go. Maybe someone might gossip about me later a delicious notion for a surely no one at school ever thought about. guy whom

LeeLee took my hand when we reached the sidewalk. I didn’t know what to make of it and didn’t question her when she led me into a nearby patch of woods, where we sat on a fallen tree trunk. “Gettin’ chilly,” she said, and leaned against me. I put an arm around her.

“You don’t say much,” she said.

I had no response other than a shrug.

“See!” she said, and nudged me. She smiled.

With no other prelude, we were kissing. I didn’t try to stop her when she unzipped my pants and reached inside. I didn’t have the words. I didn’t know if I wanted her to stop anyway. Within a minute her shorts were down, and she was on top of me. To hold out, I soon moved her below, then slowed. That extended my efforts for at least two minutes until we finished. Then we lay there on the ground.

“That was good,” she whispered after a while. “Yeah,” I said, because I had to say something.

I pined over LeeLee each day that summer, and scanned the streets whenever I was out in Locksburg. When my parents and I went on a three-week church retreat, I called our home number often to check the machine, in case LeeLee had left a message. I debated endlessly about whether to call her, some days convincing myself that she wouldn’t want to talk to me, other days swearing that she was probably waiting for me to make a move. Then in August she knocked on my front door. I couldn’t help smiling when I saw her.

“Hey.”

“Hey. You alone?”

“Small Town Sins” is on sale at all bookstores and online. More information is available at KenJaworowski.com. Jaworowski’ will be speaking at a free event at the Princeton Public Library on Aug. 20 at 11 a.m.

RWJUH Hamilton August Healthy Living / Community Education Programs

RAISED BED, FLAT BREAD

Fri., August 4; 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Spend your ‘Pizza Friday’ celebrating fresh produce that grows right here in New Jersey! Get hands-on by personalizing your own nutritious flat-tastic masterpiece for take-out! All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Fee: $5 per person. Taryn Krietzman, RDN

THE AARP DRIVING COURSE

Tue., August 8; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Be a safer, better driver. Bring your NJ or PA driver’s license. Fee: $20 for AARP members presenting a valid AARP card; $25 for nonmembers. Cash or check only to AARP.

OVER THE COUNTER HEARING AIDS-FAQ-WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Tues., August 8; 10-11 a.m.

Get the facts on the latest in over-thecounter hearing aids. Learn the facts and get your questions answered by Dr. Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D. A.B.A. a clinical audiologist with over 40 years of experience in the field of hearing science.

DANCE IT OUT!

Tues., August 8; 6 to 7 p.m. When in doubt, dance it out! Have fun and de-stress with this interactive program. No experience required, all ages welcome.

CREATE YOUR OWN VISION BOARD WORKSHOP

Wed., August 9, 6 to 8 p.m.

What is your deepest desire for what you would like to be, do or have? Come create your own vision board to help bring your dreams to life. Please bring scissors, all other materials provided.

OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING

Thurs., August 10; 10 a.m.-noon

Ultrasound of heel and personalized information. Appointment required.

ASK THE DIETITIAN

Mon., August 14; 3 – 6 p.m.

Do you have a question about diet and nutrition? Join a community education dietitian for a one-on-one Q&A. Registration is required. Taryn Krietzman,

RDN

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION?

Mon, August 14; 6-7:30 p.m.

The practice of focused concentration, known as meditation, brings yourself back to the moment over and over again. Explore the benefits of meditation in this informational session with optional demonstration. Matt Masiello, CCH, founder of Esteem Hypnocounseling, will guide the group through this practice.

PREDIABETES 101

Tue. August 15; 11 to 12 p.m. What you need to know and do if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX? **VIRTUAL**

Tue., August 15th 2023; 12 - 1 p.m.

All things seasonal, all the time! Learn what wonderful fruits and vegetable are up to this time of year and how to make them shine!

Taryn Krietzman, RDN

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

Wed., August 16; 1 to 2 p.m. Learn how to rest your body and quiet your mind with the simple (although not always easy) practice of meditation. No experience necessary.

TAKE HOME COLORECTAL SCREEN KIT AND LECTURE

Wed., August 16; 5 to 6 p.m. Learn how to use a simple take-home test to screen for colorectal cancer and take part in a lecture about how to reduce your risk. Registration required.

DESTROY THE CLOTS: INTERVENTIONS FOR DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS AND PULMONARY EMBOLISM

Wed., August 16; 6 to7:30 p.m. Lasanta Horana, MD, Emergency Department Chair and a Medical Staff Officer at RWJUH Hamilton will discuss the importance of timely interventions when faced with “blood clots”

HEALTHRYTHMS® DRUMMING CIRCLE

Wed, August 16; 7 to 8 p.m. Join our drumming circle and help drum your cares away. This evidence-based program is shown to reduce blood pressure, calm stress and increase the fun in your life. Drums provided. Fee: $15. Mauri Tyler, CTRS, CMP

COLOR ME HOOPY! FUN AND FITNESS WITH HOOLA HOOPS!

Tues, August 22; 1 to 2:00 p.m. Yes, you can hoola-hoop. It’s much easier to find your rhythm and flow using a “grown up” size hoop. Learn skills and techniques and have a lot of fun. Hoops provided. Fee $15. Angela Ritter, certified Hoop Love Coach and Hoola-Fit instructor.

MEET LOCAL WRITER JESSICA WILSON, AUTHOR OF HEALING JOURNEY’S.

Tues., August 22; 6 to7 p.m. Join Jessica Wilson, author of “Healing Journeys” for a book talk on toxic relationships, where we’ll delve into the different types of abuse and explore what constitutes a toxic relationship. I’ll share strategies to guide you through these challenging situations and empower you on your healing journey.

FEELING BURNED OUT AT WORK?

Tue., August 22; 6 to 7 p.m. Job burnout can affect your physical and mental health. Learn about signs of burnout and what you can do about it.

PICTURE THIS: CRAFTY CREATIONS

Thurs., August 31; 6 to 7:30 p.m. Bring your favorite summertime memories and a creative spark. Craft the night away with family and friends as the summer dwindles down. Fee: $5 per person

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

SUPPORT GROUPS

To learn more about these groups visit www.rwjbh.org/HamiltonPrograms

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Wed., August 2; 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Thu., August 3, August 17; 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

CARING FOR LOVED ONES WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS

Mon., August 7, August 21 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

ADULT CHILDREN CARING FOR PARENTS

Mon., August 7, August 21st 5:30 to 7 p.m.

LETTING GO OF CLUTTER

Tue., August 8; 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP

Wed., August 16; 6 to 7 p.m.

MANAGING STRESS AND DIABETES

Wed., August 23; 3 to 4 p.m.

WISE WOMEN DISCUSSION GROUP

Thu., August 24; 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Better Health Programs/Complimentary Membership at 65+ Years Old

LET’S TALK, A SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP

Wed., August 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30; 10 to 11 a.m.

Please join us for our ongoing program “Let’s Talk, 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 group is a partnership between RWJUH Hamilton and PyschHealth Associates here in Hamilton. This is a weekly program. Please feel free to attend one or all.

OVER THE COUNTER HEARING AIDSFAQ-WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Scan the QR code to register and become a member or call 609-584-5900 or email bhprogram@rwjbh.org to learn more

Tues., August 8; 10-11 a.m.

Get the facts on the latest in over-the-counter hearing aids. Learn the facts and get your questions answered by Dr. Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D. A.B.A. a clinical audiologist with over 40 years of experience in the field of hearing science.

SOCRATES CAFÉ,

Wed., August 9; 2 to 3 p.m. “Socrates Café” is about discussing a topic, sharing our thoughts, our beliefs, our ideas, and experiences. An unofficial mantra describes that we (people) learn more when we question, and question with others. This is a “safe zone” to share where all views are accepted. Come with an open mind, respect for one another, and a willingness to see where it takes us.

TAI CHI CLASS

Thu., August 10 & 24; 1 to 2 p.m.

Tai Chi is recommended for seniors because it improves balance, strengthens muscles in the legs and increases flexibility and stability in the ankles. It can help reduce falls and back pain. Beginner’s welcome.

GAME TIME

Thurs., August 10; 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Join us for game time, snacks and some wholesome fun. A variety of board games will be available or you are welcome to bring your own

YOGA CLASSES

Tue., August 15 & 29; 10 to 11 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. Beginner’s welcome.

MEDITATION CLASSES,

Tue., August 15 and 29; 11:15 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.

TECHNOLOGY CLASS

Wed., August 16; Noon to 1 p.m.

Frustrated navigating online registration for Better Health Programs? Can’t figure out how to text your grandkids. Back to help us with our technology challenges are our friends from “Camp Fire NJ, Teens on Fire.” Whether you have questions about your

mobile device, a laptop, or iPad, bring your device and learn how to complete simple tasks.

PREDIABETES 101

Tue. August 15; 11 to 12 p.m.

What you need to know and do if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes.

ANTIQUES ON THE ROAD

Thu., August 17; 2 to 3:30 p.m

We ask all attendees to arrive promptly at 2 p.m. and be ready for a fun and informative program. Each attendee can bring only ONE item to have appraised. Together we will learn some history about our treasures and find out what’s hot and what’s not in the antique and collectables market. Thomas Petrino will lead this program. He has been a full-time Personal Property Appraiser and is Certified by the Appraisers Guild of America. He also serves as acting appraiser for the NJ Treasury, consults with banks, attorneys and insurance companies to authenticate and appraise estates.

or call 609-584-5900 to learn more

“It was like ‘OK I have more to give; my speed isn’t lost somewhere.’ So, I’m excited for cross country. And cross country is a different animal honestly. It’s a lot more fun in my opinion, so I’m excited.”

And why is that?

“It’s mostly the team thing, everybody is running the same exact race,” Iyer said. “You have the same exact training; everybody is so close knit. To me it’s really special. If you don’t do cross country, you wouldn’t understand. It’s like having a group of 30 girls all running toward the same goals at the same races.

“It’s just so much more special than when somebody is running a 5K, somebody else is running a 1500. You’re all kind of in your own world. So it’s nice to have that one team goal with everybody pushing each other up because we’re all running that same exact race.”

That being said, Iyer still enjoys track, where she runs middle distance and the 1600. She feels the training helps for cross country.

“It helps with speed and strength,” she said “Personally I feel like I’m a strength runner rather than a pure distance/endurance runner. I think my track speed and track strength, the lifting and stuff like that, helps me in cross country whether it’s like the last mile or changing gears or some-

thing like that.”

In describing Iyer as a runner, Walker said “Sal is as tough as they come, and she does not cheat herself in any race. No matter the place or time, you know Sal ran the best she could for that day.”

That toughness impressed her teammates enough to vote Iyer a captain for the

second straight year. Walker feels it’s a title she was born to have.

“Sal is a natural leader and shows confidence in herself,” the coach said. “She is a great person to her teammates and friends, and she is also very competitive and hardnosed. She has all the qualities that make people want to follow her.”

Due to losing her freshman year to Covid, Iyer is a junior eligibility-wise but a senior academically. Rather than PG and stay another year for cross country, she wants to graduate and hopefully get a job in finance with Johnson & Johnson, where she has been interning.

Thus, she would love to make her last cross-country season something special. Her team goals are for the Lions to make it to the NCAA Division III nationals after coming close last year, and for TCNJ to repeat as NJAC champion. As for individual goals, she hopes to reach nationals with the team or with a Top 10 region finish, and she’s gunning for a Top 5 NJAC finish “or maybe just win the NJAC.”

However, it plays out, Iyer just wants to be in good health throughout the autumn for once. She feels good entering the preseason practices after her typical long-distance workouts this summer.

When asked what she thinks about during those long runs, Salini chuckled.

“Honestly, like, nothing,” she said. “I guess I think about things that have happened during the day at times but then you get to a certain point where you just stop thinking, or you’re just looking around enjoying the view. I don’t listen to music when I run. People think I’m crazy, but I don’t like it. I just like being out and free.”

After all, it isn’t horrible.

In addition to running cross country at the College of New Jersey, Salini Iyer (above) also runs track and is coming off her best indoor and spring seasons to date.

Storytelling and Voice Sound Loud at Grounds for Sculpture

BY REBEKAH SCHROEDER

If you concentrate on a story, staying mindful of its nature as a living, breathing vessel for keeping traditions alive or unpacking trauma, then you might be able to hear when the speaker, once given the chance to share without judgment and forge interpersonal connections, exhales in relief. The words used still have meaning but no longer bear their heavy weight alone, newly empowered by a mutual sense of community and revitalized by human interaction.

Everyone has the right to express themselves in their own syntax, but only a few people have the opportunity to amplify that point of view with complete control over the language used.

Reaching that loud volume, like any tale worth telling, is always better with company.

The Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton presents this platform to members of New Jersey’s Indian diasporic community for “Local Voices: Memories, Stories, and Portraits,” a living exhibit that opened on the ground floor of the Domestic Arts Building on April 23, 2023, and runs

through January 7, 2024.

This project, along with “Spiral Q: The Parade” on the upper level, are the first to debut in GFS’ new “Perspectives” series, which draws from the creative practices of the artists at its helm as well as the accounts of the people who bring it to life.

Madhusmita “Madhu” Bora, a folk and traditional artist, journalist, educator, writer, and dancer, organized the exhibit in partnership with co-curators Kathleen Ogilvie Greene, the chief audience officer at GFS, and Quentin Williams, the founder and CEO of Dragon Tree Media Group, to ensure personal autonomy and authenticity.

The 15 subjects actively participated in and led the process of chronicling their lived experiences, doing so through video interviews, photography, and by choosing objects that held significance to them.

This range of deep, emotive stories maintains the vulnerabilities that make them unique without being exploited, and the exhibit leaders hope to bridge the conversational gap between individuals of different backgrounds and demonstrate the importance of dialogue.

Upstairs, “Spiral Q” conveys the creativSee Local Voices, Page 4

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From Local Voices, Page 2

ity behind activism via puppets and protests, with the Philadelphia-based group organizing processions on social issues from transgender rights to affordable housing.

Virtual walkthroughs of both exhibits are available online, with the “Local Voices”

“Local Voices: Memories, Stories, and Portraits,” on display in the Domestic Arts Building at the Grouds for Sculpture, left, is co-curated by artist Madhusmita “Madhu” Bora, a journalist and dancer, right, and runs through January 7, 2024. Installation view courtesy of Bruce M. White. Bora, pictured at the storytelling retreat, courtesy of Monica Herndon.

page on the GFS website, groundsforsculpture.org/exhibitions/local-voices-memories-stoaries-and-portraits, linking to the YouTube videos and audio-only interview segments for each storyteller.

According to the exhibit materials, Grounds for Sculpture developed this project in response to the museum’s 2021 audience demographic census, which revealed a correlation between its attendees and the

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share their stories as a look at the Indian community in New Jersey, described as “the largest ethnic group among the Asian diaspora” in the state.

According to the Indian American Impact Project, an organization that was founded to promote the voices of Indian Americans and South Asian Americans in politics, “nearly 5% of New Jersey’s population is South Asian, more than any other state in the nation.”

The website continues that “over 1 million Asians live in New Jersey, with Indian Americans making up the largest ethnic group,” particularly concentrated in Middlesex County—Edison and Iselin’s Oak Tree Road, known as “Little India,” is a bustling shopping district at the cultural center of the community.

According to a May 2022 Washington Post analysis of Census Bureau data from 2020 in “An American life: How Asian migrants built unique communities,” Mercer County itself recorded a 48.2% growth of Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, populations since 2010.

The four storytellers from the Mercer County area are Shazard Mohammed, Hamilton/Ewing; Shivani Patel, Princeton Junction/West Windsor; Yogesh Sharma, Lawrenceville; and Shoba Panoli, Pennington.

“My whole intention was to uplift and celebrate the diverse tapestry of India,” Bora said in an interview, noting that she worked alongside the GFS team, especially Greene, to identify demographic “lenses” such as age, language, religion, economic status, immigration, ability, region, caste, and sexual orientation to incorporate a wide spectrum of storytellers.

Each subject was then liberated from these labels, symbolically unchecking the boxes, as the exhibit materials explain, and prompted to recount a story that affected their life.

“Local Voices” expanded as Bora began to see the emerging pattern of personal agency in each narrative, creating a colorful mosaic of people with roots across India and the globe who collectively followed at least seven religions and spoke more than 10 languages.

After seven months of planning, the group gathered at the Grounds for Sculpture for an all-day retreat in February that included storytelling workshops and training, as well as individual photography sessions in which the subjects “were asked to arrive in clothing [that] made them feel powerful and celebrated,” according to the GFS exhibit page.

The speakers then collaborated with female BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) photographers to envision portraits capturing their most authentic selves, selecting which image would be on display.

At the end of the retreat, many of the storytellers left behind objects of significance and scheduled their respective video sessions.

Although the subjects spoke for hours at a time with Bora and photojournalist Danese Kenon, the managing editor of visuals for the Philadelphia Inquirer, the exhibit could only feature a single three- to five-minute story from each person.

Bora disclosed that the full versions would be preserved in a personal copy for the participants as well as in the archives of the exhibit partner, the South Asian American Digital Archive, or SAADA, to document the comprehensive oral histories.

“Local Voices” is a “living exhibit” focused on cultivating relationships over the program itself, but the theme of art with a pulse is familiar to Bora and a natural extension of her own craft.

Inquirer to the Tampa Bay Times

She lived in places like Washington, D.C., Iowa, and Indiana, even settling in Cape May for a three-year period where she wrote for the Press of Atlantic City.

But in 2008, Bora relocated from Florida to Philadelphia, where she has resided ever since.

While she would continue to freelance, Bora decided to experiment with her artistic inclinations and co-founded the Sattriya Dance Company with her sister-inlaw, Prerona Bhuyan, in 2009.

Sattriya is a living dance tradition that originated in the Hindu monasteries of Assam over 500 years ago.

Although the art form had been traditionally practiced by celibate monks, the Indian government recognized Sattriya as a major Indian classical dance in 2000, which led to more women “embracing” the art form, Bora said.

Now, Bora is currently an adjunct instructor at Lincoln University and has since returned to the newsroom as the managing editor of suburban coverage for WHYY, a Philadelphia public radio station.

in this world. As a trained journalist, I’m always curious about the world around me. I was raised in a household of storytellers and disruptors,” she added.

“I grew up with my grandparents in a very rural Indian town, surrounded by art and culture and discussions of politics. Both my grandfathers were freedom fighters, and so I was raised in this atmosphere where culture and stories were always part of my education in this world.”

“Then, as an immigrant living in diaspora, I’m always thinking about what it is like to be an immigrant, how important our stories are, how important identity is, [and] how important stories are in terms of also passing our experiences and wisdom to the next generation and connecting us to our habitat. Stories connect us in very, very deep ways as humans.”

“When somebody’s sharing a story with you, it has a very spiritual overtone, because it’s something very sacred that somebody’s trusting you with their vulnerabilities and their experiences,” Bora said.

“Especially when people who do not have a chance to tell their story are invited to share their story. They are transformed, and we are transformed from listening to their experiences.”

The response has been “overwhelming” from both local and Indian media, according to Bora, with the exhibit having attracted about 500 or so attendees on opening night alone.

Bora said that because of her initial focus on the practical, behind-the-scenes aspects of the project, she rarely had the time to consider the tremendous “impact and outcome” the stories might carry.

But seeing the subjects take “collective ownership” over their stories and embrace the empowerment that comes with that, she added, deeply impacted her as well.

Now, Bora noted that she takes comfort in knowing there is this extended family of people to support each other, and the resilience she has personally learned from them has been invaluable.

Originally from the Northeastern Indian state of Assam, Bora finished her undergraduate and a master’s degree at two institutions in New Delhi before continuing her studies at the Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Illinois, where she graduated with another master’s degree.

Bora has worked in newsrooms around the country, tackling business and technology at papers from the Philadelphia

“As a practitioner of this art form, I am drawn to stories. I’m also deeply aware of what it means to not be represented in mainstream art tapestries; it is so specific and nuanced. I guess it makes me a lot more sensitive to folks who are in the margins, because I feel like I operate from the margins, too, with my art form. My journalism is a sense of inquiry and curiosity, and that training of being objective, listening to people, and asking questions is what informed and drove this project,” she explained.

“Everything I do informs how I move

“To be on this journey with them, in sharing their joy and their sorrow and their trauma and then how they overcame so many of life’s hurdles, I was on all those journeys with them, and so it’s been really, really beautiful,” she said.

“It’s important to tell your story. It’s very crucial for each one of us to record the stories of our families, of our elderly people, [and] of our own stories. Stories are magical; stories are transformative; stories help form community and allow us to really be better people,” she said, adding that everyone should tell and claim their stories, as well as place that same value on actively listening to what others share.

See Local Voices, Page 6

At its core, Bora emphasized, “Local Voices” is a “connective project.”

The 15 subjects first met at the museum retreat in February, where they took part in a series of workshops and individual photography sessions. Photo by Monica Herndon, above, from left to right: Kiran Rajagopalan, Farzana Rahman, Asha Lata Devi, and Shoba Panoli.

At its core, Bora emphasized, “Local Voices” is a “connective project.”

“It is owned by the community; it is driven by the community; and again, it’s an offering that speaks to love, loss, and resilience that connects us all as humanity,” she said. ***

Shazard Mohammed Ewing/Hamilton

Born in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Shazard Mohammed, better known by his nicknames “Todd” or “Toddy,” immigrated with his family from the town of San Juan to the Mercer County area in

Mohammed lives in Ewing but owns Roti Plus Caribbean Restaurant at 1147 South Olden Avenue in Hamilton, which he opened in 2021 after helping his uncle, Ramesh Hayban—the then-owner of Trenton’s Hot on D Spot, now under new ownership and the name of Annie’s Hot on D-Spot Roti Shop—run the Trinidadian restaurant.

In his “Local Voices” interview, Mohammed explained that he had never previously traveled outside his country before deciding to take “a page out of history” and follow in the footsteps of his “forefathers who left India to come to Trinidad to become something better and make a better life for their family. They had a 90-day journey, and I was only getting on a plane for five hours.”

As a high school dropout, Mohammed shared that he was unsure about his future in America, but after landing on a Wednes-

day, by that Monday, he “started working at a factory for eight bucks an hour.”

“By the time I left in 2009, I was making almost triple digits,” he said, but the “pressure” of the workplace began to weigh on him, with the “insults” negatively affecting his state of mind.

“Being called ‘highly paid morons’ and having to do dirty work that no one else wanted to do, I felt like I was in slavery. It was taking away from my mental health, so I decided this [was] no longer going to work for me, so I left that and had no idea what I was going to do to support my family.”

After learning through reading his trusty Home Depot books and watching videos, Mohammed took up a job as a handyman, eventually becoming a self-taught licensed contractor in the construction business.

Mohammed then expanded on the troubles of his economic situation, which included veering into the restaurant industry after making an ultimately ill-fated agreement with a family member and having to pick up the pieces himself when it fell apart.

Without this person in the picture, Mohammed “was a housing inspector for hotels and multiple dwellings,” forced to “juggle both jobs, working full-time, and coming to the restaurant afterwards,” he said, starting to get visibly upset from speaking about the toll it took on him.

“There [were] days I drove home and didn’t even know how I got home. It was just all muscle memory,” he continued, breaking again with emotion. “I told my

wife, ‘I have to choose. Either we sell the business or I give up the state job.’”

In the end, Mohammed had to forfeit his retirement plan with the state and continue investing in the business, but as Bora said in her interview for Six09, he was able to create “a place that’s home away from home for so many people,” not just the local Trinbagonian population.

“At times I want to quit. I want to give up, but then I see people come in sometimes— and I’m a humanist, and I also struggle with depression—and some days I see sadness walking in the door, and I just say a few kind words, I serve them with a smile, I ask them how their day [is] going, how’s their family, is everything okay, and by the time they leave, most of them [have] a smile on their face,” Mohammed said.

“That brings joy to me to know that I’m not just running a business; I’m running a business where someone can feel safe when they come in here.”

Some speakers in “Local Voices” were asked additional questions, such as the meaning of their names and why they chose their objects.

Shazard, for example, means “prince” in Arabic, a suggestion from his mother’s best friend, who assumed a grandmotherly role for Mohammed and remarked that he “looked like a prince” at birth.

Meanwhile, his nickname, “Toddy,” came from his older brother, who gave him the title after a young Shazard would ask for a milkshake of the same name.

“Coming to America, people just started calling me Todd. Because I was intimidated

Shazard “Todd” Mohammed, left, the owner of Roti Plus Caribbean Restaurant in Hamilton, and Shivani Patel, right, from West Windsor’s Princeton Junction district, shared what resilience means to them. Photos by Sahar Coston-Hardy and Erica Lee.

or shy to let people know my true name, which is Shazard Mohammed, after 9/11, I just carried the name Todd, so most people thought I was American when they [spoke] to me over the phone, not knowing that I was of an immigrant culture,” he said.

Mohammed’s object is a hoodie with the coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago, which bears the motto “Together we aspire, together we achieve.”

When people ask what it means to him, Mohammed says that he encourages them, again, to be humanists and to tackle greater challenges as a community.

“I take that to heart, because my interpretation of it is, ‘If we unite, we can conquer; if we come together as people, we can overcome any obstacles in our way,’ so I do wear that hoodie with pride,” he said.

Shivani Patel

Princeton Junction/West Windsor

Shivani Patel, also known as “Shivu,” was born in New Jersey and spoke about her experiences as a young person with autism and epilepsy, as well as the difficulty of managing both conditions while grieving the death of her beloved “late dada” or “dadaji,” which means paternal grandfather.

“When he died, it was so tragic, and it was so sad,” Patel said, adding that it also felt “humiliating” for her because her grandmother “knew nothing” about her autism.

Without his comforting presence, Patel found it “really hard to understand everything after losing dadaji and being with only her” during visits to her grandparents’ house in London.

“But after losing him, I have learned— thank God—how to control myself, etc., how to even control my own medical issues when having a super moment, like [an] unspeakable, un-breathable type of episode

See Local Voices, Page 8

Mohammed chose to display a sweatshirt with the coat of arms of his home country, Trinidad and Tobago, because he follows the “humanist” motto of the nation he immigrated from in 2000: “Together we aspire, together we achieve.”

The red khartal, a wooden clapper consisting of blocks and jingles, above, is an ancient musical instrument that resonates with Patel.

of high blood pressure issue when something doesn’t make me feel like, ‘Okay, I’m not comfortable in this position. I need to run away,’ or ‘I need to scream my head off, and I’m about to feel like I’m going to faint.’”

“Thanks to God and Grandpa, remembering all that and praying all that, I know how to handle those issues, because Dada used to tell me when I was younger that, ‘If you don’t calm down, you’re going to have a heart attack or a seizure, try to calm down,’ and I would manage it, I would calm down,” Patel explained, adding that in the time since his passing, she has worked on remembering the techniques he taught her to cope with stressful situations.

To Six09, Bora described Patel as “a beautiful spirit” who arrived at the retreat in “her full, glorious self,” eager to embody that strength for others.

Patel’s object is the khartal, a two-piece percussion instrument from Rajasthan, India, where a pair of “wooden blocks with small dimples are held in each hand,” then “clapped together when devotional and folk songs are performed,” she said.

The sound comes from the meeting of the cymbals, typically brass plates, adorning the two parts.

Yogesh Sharma

Lawrenceville

Yogesh Sharma founded Lawrenceville’s Radha Krishna Temple, “one of the oldest Hindu religious and cultural centers in Central New Jersey,” in 2002, according to its website.

Located at 357 Lawrence Station Road, the temple provides “Hindu and Vedic services, poojas, and ceremonies,” having expanded from one room to four buildings as the years progressed.

Sharma details that while she started the sacred space to assist priests and others in need, the temple only came to be because another living being close to her needed help—after neighborhood complaints about her dog’s barking reached the courtroom, a judge ordered its euthanization.

“I started going to another temple to pray for his life,” she recalled. “There, I met a priest who was in trouble in that temple. He asked me to help him out, and after a few days, he asked me to start a new temple where he [could] get his green card or visa, but I said, ‘Well, we don’t know anything about the temple, and so therefore we cannot do it,’” she explained.

“But he tried to convince me that, no, he will ‘take care of everything’ and ‘it will be a great thing for [the community].’”

Sharma shared that she and her husband did not have the background to run a temple, but the priest insisted, beginning a pattern of broken promises from people she assumed to be “very honest and honorable people” due to their religious backgrounds.

Although they were initially shocked to encounter the opposite, the Sharmas built the place of worship together and recruited those of the faith who kept their word.

In addition to having grown the Radha Krishna Temple from these uncertain beginnings, Bora commented that Sharma “is just a force of nature and has also overcome so many challenges in her life.”

“My dog was saved with my prayers, and [the] community is very happy with that

little temple,” Sharma reflected, noting that now, “We are like one big, huge family. We all love each other in that temple and try to do the best for the community.”

Sharma stated that in the future, she hopes to bring in even more priests, particularly Indian women—a new addition for most temples—as part of her mission to keep growing the community at Radha Krishna.

Sharma’s objects are “a silk sari and figurines of Rama and Sita,” the latter being two figures from the Sanskrit epic poem “Ramayana” who are incarnations of the Hindu gods Vishnu and Lakshmi

As the most common adaptation of the story goes, Rama rescued his wife, Sita,

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Both Yogesh Sharma of Lawrenceville, above, the founder of the Radha Krishna Temple, and Shoba Panoli of Pennington, opposite page right, reflected on the transformative power of religion and love. Speaker photos by Roshni Khatari and Erica Lee.

Sharma loaned GFS a pair of figurines depicting Rama and Sita, the avatars of Hindu deities Vishnu and Lakshmi, above, while Panoli chose her prayer book and photo card of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a “central figure” in her Baha’i faith and the son of its founder, Bahá’u’lláh, pictured on the following page.

The tale is a classic testament to the triumph of light over darkness, or good over evil, as conveyed through holiday legend.

Shoba Panoli Pennington

In her interview, Shoba Panoli introduces herself as “a Malaysian American of Sri Lankan and Indian heritage” who dreamed of settling down in Australia like her aunts but would end up in the United States as the result of an unexpected romance.

“But life sometimes has surprising twists, and you end up in a different place,” she said, sharing how their paths first crossed. “One day I was bored, and I was surfing the web, trying to look up the place that my dad was visiting in India. As I was reading up on Kerala, I stumbled upon a chat room, and there were only a handful of individuals in that room.”

“A guy said hello to me, and we started a small conversation, and he was attracted to my Sri Lankan Malayali background, and he found that a bit unique since he hasn’t met anyone with that background; little did I know that this would be the guy that I would one day get married to.”

Even when Panoli moved to Switzerland, she “continued chatting every day” with him, exchanging “hundreds of emails” that the two never deleted and still treasure

See Local Voices, Page 10

today.

“After finally chatting for about two years, we decided to meet face-to-face, so I flew to New York to meet him, and as the plane was touching down, I was feeling very nervous, and I was thinking to myself, ‘What if everything that he’s told me was a big lie?’ ‘What if he was a fake?’” Panoli said. This worry escalated as she spent over an hour searching for his face among the airport crowd, unable to find the man she was supposed to meet until Panoli spotted him—dressed in the exact outfit he had described to her—and immediately recognized her future husband.

“I was in the United States for only a week, and he took me places; we saw a lot of things, and he took me to the top of the Empire State Building and asked me to

marry him,” she remembered fondly.

“I believe this was fate. If my dad wasn’t visiting India, I wouldn’t have gone online that day trying to look up the place that he was visiting, and we’ve been married for 23 years and have two wonderful boys.”

Panoli, characterized by Bora as a mother with “a very tender, sweet family,” received her name, meaning “light,” from her great-grandfather.

Panoli’s object is a prayer book and photo card of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, an important figure to her as a lifelong member of the Baha’i Faith.

“‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the master of the Baha’i faith, and he showed us how a Baha’i should live his life. I always carry that picture with me to remind myself of how a Baha’i should act,” Panoli explained in the audio interview.

Panoli added that prayer has always been an “important component” of her life, connecting her with God and guidance, and she has had this book for at least 15 to 20 years, which contains prayers for a variety of purposes and applications.

On the exhibit page for “Local Voices,” Panoli said that the following quote from the founder of the Baha’i Faith, Bahá’u’lláh, is always an inspiration for her:

“Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone; let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path.”

***

“Local Voices: Memories, Stories, and Portraits” runs through January 7, 2024, in the Domestic Arts Building at the Grounds for Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton.

For more information, call 609-586-0616 or visit www.groundsforsculpture.org

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St. George Preschool

A Safe Place for Growth

At St. George Preschool, we believe that each child has an innate drive for exploring, discovering, communicating, and learning. Our purpose is to provide a safe, warm, and nurturing environment for children to develop this innate drive to the fullest, and become life-long learners. Our goal is to help each child develop his/her individual interests, creativity and potential at their own pace by providing a wide variety of fun and ageappropriate activities and materials. In addition to the developmental goals in the areas of math, language, science, cognitive skills, motor skills, etc., stipulated by the state, the school aims to promote learning skills for life.

At the same time, we aim to enhance the child’s social, moral, cultural and spiritual growth through group interactions, uplifting stories, cultural events and gentle guidance. Since “a healthy mind is in a healthy body” as the Ancient Greeks said, we provide a huge indoors gym and a beautiful play ground with regular physical activities.

We offer high quality academic English programs for Preschool (3 years and potty trained) and Pre-K (must be 4 years old by October 1 of school year). Early morning care, after care, and enrichment programs are also available. We are part of the Saint George Greek Orthodox Church and state

licensed by the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services. Our experienced staff has a passion building a foundation for a life-long love of learning. We are truly a family and we treat your children as such. For more information regarding

our program, please visit our website.

Saint George Preschool, 1200 Klockner Road, Hamilton. 609-586-2223. Contact director Angela Gering at director@stgeorgepreschool.org. See ad, page 11

Classes are designed for all ages to build confidence, artistry, discipline, and foster students’ love of dance. Our world class faculty is dedicated to helping each student reach their full potential, with spacious studios, new state-of-the-art dance floors, and live music. The perfect environment to learn and grow!

HELP WANTED

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GET PAID DAILY! WORK FROM HOME WORK FROM ANYWHERE PART-TIME/ SPARE TIME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CALL: 609380-3124

SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES Wills, Power of Attorney, Real Estate, Federal and NJ Taxes, House calls available. Bruce Cooke, Esq. 609-7994674, 609-721-4358.

F,D,Mason Contractor, Over 30 years of experience. Brick, Block, Stone, Concrete. No job too large or small. Fully Insured and Licensed. Free Estimates 908-385-5701 Lic#13VH05475900.

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WANTED TO BUY

Wanted: Baseball, football, basketball, hockey. Cards, autographs, photos, memorabilia. Highest cash prices paid! Licensed corporation, will travel. 4thelovofcards, 908-5960976. allstar115@verizon. net.

HappyHeroes used books looking to buy old Mysteries, Science Fiction, Children’s Illustrated, kids series books (old Hardy boys-Nancy DrewJudy 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

Cash paid for World War II military items. Helmets, swords, medals, etc. Call 609-581-8290 or

To book a classified ad in this section, please email your text and any other information to mdurelli@communitynews.org. Classifieds run at 75 cents per word with a $20 minimum per month. For more information, call 609-396-1511, ext. 105.

email mymilitarytoys@ optonline.net

REAL ESTATE WANTED

WE BUY HOUSES We are a premier real estate solutions company. We buy houses in any condition and pay you cash. Call 732-965-6338

COMMERCIAL SPACE

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT:

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR OFFICE SPACE IN EWING BUT CAN’T AFFORD OR DON’T NEED AN ENTIRE SUITE? DO YOU NEED TO RENT BY THE DAY? SUITE CURRENTLY IN USE BY TWO MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. SUITABLE FOR ANYONE NEEDING A qUIET, CLEAN AND ACCESSIBLE WORKPLACE. RENT INCLUDES USE OF SMALL KITCHEN, WAITING ROOM, PARKING, CLEANING SERVICE AND WIFI. CALL 609-635-3751 OR email suppsoln27@ YAHOO.COM FOR DETAILS.

3,500 SF OFFICE SPACE, Ewing/Mercer County, FREE RENT, 201-4884000 or 609-883-7900

HAMILTON TWP.1st Floor Office/ Professional/Service Space<B/> with Plenty of car/truck parking in rear. Reception area, 3 large rooms, utility & powder room, full basement for storage. $1,350/mth. Call DiDonato Realty Co (609) 586-2344/ Marian Conte (609)947-4222.

office space For Rent: Pennington ground floor office space 32 N Main Street. Share with clinical psychologist and real estate management company. Private entrance, off street parking. 305-968-7308

VACATION RENTALS

Florida Beach Rental: Fort Myers Beach 1br vacation condo on the beach, flexible dates available. Call 609577-8244 for further information

CEMETERY PLOTS

For sale double depth cemetery plot. Location Princeton memorial park, Gordon Road, Robbinsville. Call 609259-7710.

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Miscellaneous

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The best kind of back support is spine care close to home. Do it right. Here.

Find relief with our board-certified specialists just minutes away.

When you need treatment for spinal problems, even the thought of traveling out-of-state for care can be painful. At RWJBarnabas Health, our orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons work with you to create a personalized treatment plan, right in your own community. We offer non-surgical treatments in addition to the latest surgical techniques, such as reconstruction and minimally invasive robotic surgery. Learn more at rwjbh.org/spine

Capital Health Regional Medical

Center Earns National Awards for Excellence in Stroke Care

Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) recently received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Quality Achievement Award. This award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

The American Heart Association also awarded Capital Health Regional Medical Center its Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between a patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

Capital Health Regional Medical Center earned these awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients also receive education on managing their health and have a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

“For many years now, our community has come to rely on Capital Health to provide the most advanced stroke care possible,” said Dr. Dustin Rochestie, director of the Stroke Program and director of Neurology and Neuro Critical Care at Capital Institute for Neurosciences. “By meeting and exceeding the standards established by the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines initiative at RMC—which is home to Capital Institute for Neurosciences and our Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center—we demonstrate our ongoing commitment to ensuring more stroke patients in Central New Jersey and Lower Bucks County can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Additionally, Capital Health Regional Medical Center received the Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. Hospitals that qualify for this recognition ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

Stroke is a time-sensitive emergency. If you suspect you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke, B-E F-A-S-T to know the signs of a stroke and call 911 immediately.

— Balance

Is the person experiencing a sudden loss of balance? B

— Eyes

Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?

—

Face Drooping

Does one side of the face droop, or is it numb?

A— Arm Weakness

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

— Speech Difficulty

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

— Time to call 911

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

UNDERSTANDING CLINICAL TRIALS

In the medical field, researchers are constantly looking for new information to prevent and cure diseases, treat symptoms, and provide a better quality of life to those who are suffering. One way of gathering this information is through conducting clinical trials.

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell is now an NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) affiliate site. As a participating site, Capital Health Cancer Center now offers residents in the greater Mercer and Bucks County region access to new and innovative NCI-sponsored clinical trials in the cancer prevention and control, screening, care delivery, and treatment areas. DR. CATALDO DORIA, medical director of Capital Health Cancer Center, leads a team that is dedicated to working with patient volunteers in order to achieve the best outcomes of the studies.

“I think the best way that we achieve the goal is to be one hundred percent honest with the patient and to describe the important details,” said Dr. Doria. “One session might not be enough. One single conversation might not be enough. Sometimes you have to give the patient the time to digest the information. You have to be in the position of giving the patient some materials that he or she can read. And then sometimes you have to follow up with another phone call or with another visit.”

People participate in clinical trials for different reasons. Patients with cancer may want to have access to the latest drugs or treatments. By doing so, they receive added care and attention by the physician and care team. Others may want to help researchers and help patients with the same disease in the future.

After a promising drug has been tested in the lab, it needs to be tested in a clinical trial. As an NCORP participating site, Capital

Health Cancer Center’s team of providers and researchers help patients gain access to clinical trials across a broad range of cancer care benchmarks, including symptom management, prevention, screening, surveillance, care delivery and quality of life.

When participants volunteer for a study, they are informed about the risks and benefits of the study. To best understand the potential risks, it’s important for participants to have a conversation with the researchers or points of contact in the study. These professionals are always open to communicating and begin by sharing what is known as clinical trial protocol, which includes:

… The goal of the study

… Who qualifies to take part in the trial

Details about tests, procedures, and treatments

… The expected length of the trial

… What information will be gathered

In addition to the clinical trial protocol, it’s crucial for volunteers to always ask questions so they have a full understanding of the study and can determine if it is a good fit for them.

To learn more about open clinical trials at Capital Health Cancer Center, visit capitalhealthcancer.org/ncorp to sign-up for email updates or call 609.537.6363 to schedule a consultation with a Cancer Center physician.

Gynecologic (GYN) Cancer Support Group

Second Tuesday of

Every

Month | 10 − 11 a.m. | Location:

Zoom Meeting

Our newest support group is designed specifically for women diagnosed with gynecologic cancers (ovarian, uterine, cervical, vulvar, vaginal). Our support group offers a safe space to share experiences, learn from one another and obtain the social support needed to develop a healthy sense of well-being. This group is open to all from diagnosis to survivorship regardless of where you are receiving your treatment. Meetings will be held virtually via Zoom.

There is no cost to participate, but pre-registration is required. To register, scan the QR code or visit capitalhealth.org/events.

@capitalhealthnj

capitalhealthcancer.org

CAPITAL HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER – HOPEWELL REDESIGNATED AS A BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL

ONE OF 13 BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITALS IN NEW JERSEY

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell in Pennington, New Jersey has again achieved the international Baby-Friendly designation after a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA, the organization responsible for bestowing this certification in the United States.

Being Baby-Friendly means Capital Health meets the highest standards of care for breastfeeding parents and their babies. These standards are built on the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding,” a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for optimal infant feeding support in the precious first days of a newborn’s life.

“I would like to congratulate our entire team for their extraordinary commitment to our patient community. This third Baby-Friendly® designation ranks us among a select group of facilities that demonstrate an abiding commitment to ensuring every parent feels confident and comfortable feeding their new baby,” said Alexandra Nelson, divisional director of Maternal Child Health Services, Capital Health.

“From the prenatal setting, to inpatient care, and into our pediatric clinic, our teams are wholly committed to providing excellent clinical care grounded in compassion and responsiveness to each family’s unique goals,” said Melanie Miller, manager of Lactation Services at Capital Health. “We are proud to have maintained this designation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and to have grown our services to include expanded in-house lactation support and increased access to human donor milk.”

The positive health effects of breastfeeding are well documented and widely recognized by health authorities throughout the world. According to the Surgeon General’s 2011 Call to Action to Support

Breastfeeding, “breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant’s nutritional needs and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against a host of illnesses and diseases for both mothers and children.” Maternity Services at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell is the most comprehensive maternity program in the area. From routine deliveries to high-risk needs, services at the Josephine Plumeri Birthing Center provide a full range of prenatal, obstetrical, postpartum, and neonatal care options so newborns have the greatest chance for a healthy start. In addition, the Regional Perinatal Center at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell provides neonatal care, including Mercer County’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for at-risk births. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/maternity.

FREE UPCOMING CHILDBIRTH AND PARENT EDUCATION CLASSES

For more information, or to register, visit capitalhealth.org/childbirth.

NEW PARENT SUPPORT GROUP

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell

One Capital Way

Pennington, NJ 08534

August 7, 2023 | 1:15 p.m.

August 14, 2023 | 1:15 p.m.

BABY CARE BASICS CLASS

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell

One Capital Way

Pennington, NJ 08534

August 8, 2023 | 6 p.m.

August 22, 2023 | 6 p.m.

September 12, 2023 | 6 p.m.

UNDERSTANDING BIRTH ONE-DAY CONDENSED PREPARED CHILDBIRTH CLASS

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell

One Capital Way

Pennington, NJ 08534

August 12, 2023 | 9:30 a.m.

August 26, 2023 | 9:30 a.m.

September 9, 2023 | 9:30 a.m.

UNDERSTANDING BREASTFEEDING CLASS

Zoom

August 7, 2023 | 6 p.m.

August 16, 2023 | 6 p.m.

August 21, 2023 | 6 p.m.

FIND A CAPITAL HEALTH MEDICAL GROUP PRIMARY CARE OFFICE NEAR YOU

1. Capital Health Primary Care – Bordentown 100 K Johnson Boulevard N., Suite 101, Bordentown, NJ 08505 609.298.2005 | capitalhealth.org/bordentown

2. Capital Health Primary Care – Browns Mills 6 Earlin Avenue, Suite 290, Browns Mills, NJ 08015 609.303.4560 | capitalhealth.org/brownsmills

3. Capital Health Primary Care – Brunswick Avenue 832 Brunswick Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08638 609.815.7400 | capitalhealth.org/brunswickavenue

4. Capital Health Primary Care – Columbus 23203 Columbus Road, Suite I, Columbus, NJ 08022 609.303.4450 | capitalhealth.org/columbus

5. Capital Health Primary Care – East Windsor 557 US Highway 130 North, East Windsor, NJ 08520 609.303.4480 | capitalhealth.org/eastwindsor

6. Capital Health Primary Care – Ewing 51 Scotch Road, Ewing, NJ 08628 609.883.5454 | capitalhealth.org/ewing

7. Capital Health Primary Care – Hamilton 1445 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Suite 103, Hamilton, NJ 08619 609.587.6661 | capitalhealth.org/hamilton 1401 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Suite 218, Hamilton, NJ 08619 609.689.5760

8. Capital Health Primary Care – Hopewell Two Capital Way, Suite 359, Pennington, NJ 08534 609.303.4440 | capitalhealth.org/primarycarehopewell

9. Capital Health Primary Care – Lawrenceville 133 Franklin Corner Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 609.815.7270 | capitalhealth.org/lawrenceville

10. Capital Health Primary Care – Levittown 4533 New Falls Road, Levittown, PA 19056 267.540.8220 | capitalhealth.org/levittown

11. Capital Health Primary Care – Mountain View 850 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 309, Ewing, NJ 08628 609.656.8844 | capitalhealth.org/mountainview

12. Capital Health Primary Care – Newtown 3 Penns Trail Road, Newtown, PA 18940 215.504.1761 | capitalhealth.org/primarycarenewtown

13. Capital Health Primary Care – Nottingham 1700 Nottingham Way, Suite 18, Hamilton, NJ 08619 609.303.4870 | capitalhealth.org/nottingham

14. Capital Health Primary Care – Princeton 300 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08540 609.303.4600 | capitalhealth.org/princeton

15. Capital Health Primary Care – Quakerbridge 4056 Quakerbridge Road, Suite 101, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 609.528.9150 | capitalhealth.org/quakerbridge

16. Capital Health Primary Care – Robbinsville 2330 Route 33, Suite 107, Robbinsville, NJ 08691 609.303.4400 | capitalhealth.org/robbinsville

17. Capital Health Primary Care – Washington Crossing 1240 General Washington Memorial Boulevard, Suite 3 Washington Crossing, PA 18977 267.573.0670 | capitalhealth.org/washingtoncrossing

18. Capital Health Primary Care – West Windsor 352 Princeton-Hightstown Road, Suite A6 West Windsor, NJ 08550 609.537.7400 | capitalhealth.org/westwindsor

19. Capital Health Primary Care – Yardley 1690 Big Oak Road, Yardley, PA 19067 215.736.9362 | capitalhealth.org/yardley

travel talk with Caryn and Aron taste of travel

One of the highlights of traveling is experience the different local specialties. While I am not a foodie, I enjoy savoring local delicacies and trying something different.

Here are a few amazing culinary experiences I can help set up for your next vacation:

Fresh Pasta Making Class in Venice, Italy: To truly savor the magic of Venice you have to experience it with all your senses. Uncover the secrets to Venetian culinary culture by learning how to make fresh pasta from the very best. And when you have completed your delicious creation, enjoy it with a glass of wine overlooking the Grand Canal.

Secret Food tour in Porto, Portugal: Step back in time to explore the culinary scene in the historic neighborhood of Ribeira in downtown Porto. The tour is an exciting cultural experience where you will taste delicious tapas and mouthwatering desserts, like Portuguese sponge cake. Continue to the historic district for local Bifana, Francesinha and more.

Private Greek Cooking experience in Mykonos Greece: Roll up your sleeves and explore the art of cooking traditional Greek food with a private tour in Mykonos, where you will head over to the notorious Angelina’s Kitchen and learn to cook regional delights such as Baklava, Spanakopita and Revithada – a Sifnos-style chickpea dish slow cooked in a clay pot.

Taste of Southern France in Marseille, France: For foodies in search of the ultimate French culinary experience, visit Marseille’s historic Old Port and taste some of

the city’s specialties like homemade Salmon Rillettes, Panisse with aioli sauce, fresh marinated sardines, and Tapenade paired with Provence Rosé and Camembert cheese. Wow, what a mouthful!

Spanish Gastronomy Tour in Palma de Mallorca, Spain: Start your food tour in the impressive Palma Cathedral and continue through the city’s old town to try some delicious local favorites. After that stroll to a monastery and taste the famous cookies made by nuns. At the Mercado del Olivar you can sample an array of extraordinary tapas and drinks.

Ole!

And if reading this has made you hungry, then it’s time to book your next culinary adventure. There is still time to book your fall travel and now is the time to start planning your holiday getaway. And don’t forget to purchase travel insurance.

Contact us at cberla@ cruiseplanners.com or 609.750.0807 when you are ready to set up time to discuss your next memory making vacation.

At Cruise Planners we specialize in all types of travel (not just cruises). Whether you are looking for a Cruise, an All-Inclusive Resort Vacation, or a European Land Tour, we will provide you with the exceptional service you should expect from a travel professional. Visit us at www. makingvacationmemories.net and follow us at www.facebook.com/ familycruising. Unlike big online travel sites, Cruise Planners - ABC Family Cruising and Travel delivers the personal touch.

The Penns Neck School

PAUL LIGETI WEST WINDSOR CHRONICLES

The Historical Society of West Windsor—a 100% volunteer nonprofit that preserves and promotes local history— explores the story of a school that was once a fixture of the historic West Windsor community of Penns Neck and which served local students for generations.

Identical Twins

You’d be hard-pressed to find a local resident who doesn’t know the Dutch Neck School. But did you know it used to have an identical twin? However, look far and wide and you still won’t find it. So where did this other institution—called the Penns Neck School—go?

Prior to 1917, West Windsor’s students learned in small wooden school houses. However, the late-1800s/early1900s Progressive Movement saw an explosion in the number of schools nationwide, increased attendance, and standardization.

In this era, West Windsor’s old schoolhouses seemed increasingly obsolete.

Thus in April of 1916, township voters approved a referendum to appropriate $35,000 for the construction of two 4-room buildings: the Dutch Neck

School—still in operation at 392 Village Road East—and a long-gone identical twin, the Penns Neck School.

That June, West Windsor’s Board of

Education purchased a 3-acre plot of land, at the northern corner of the intersection of Alexander Road and Route 1 (back then an at-grade crossroads), from James S. Schenck, for $1,500.

Construction soon followed, and in the fall of 1917, classes began at the Penns Neck School. This building had four classrooms, two small offices, and a basement that served as a cafeteria and auditorium. Except for a few small additions, this structure remained largely the same throughout the entirety of its life as an educational institution— as opposed to the Dutch Neck School, which has expanded significantly over the decades.

Early Leadership

Around the time of its opening, the “supervising principal” of the Penns Neck School was Roy P. Stillwell, who oversaw all of West Windsor’s, Robbinsville’s, and Princeton Township’s schools. Other teachers in 1917 included Nora E. Woodring and Clara M. Petry. In 1919, there were also Elizabeth Gulick, Edith Margarum, and Fannie Arrowsmith. In July 1919, Nora was elected the principal for the Penns Neck School.

The old Penns Neck School

She, in turn, was succeeded in principalship by Barbara Campbell in 1920. However, in that same decade the Penns Neck school’s most memorable principal—Georgiana Hauck—assumed leadership. Around 1922, Mercer County school superintendent Joseph Arnold requested that Hauck - then in her early 20s - become principal and teach 7th and 8th grades there as well. At the time, there were about 130 students.

School Life

A report card from 1929 shows some long-gone classes, such as “Physiology” (hygiene, etiquette, and health), “Business Forms,” and “Civic Government,” among others. At many 8th grade commencements, an operetta was held at Penns Neck Community Club across the road, and friends and family filled the auditorium to the brim. At first in agricultural West Windsor, most children wanted to be farmers, although this evolved into aspirations for business or professorships. Field trips included walking to nearby farms or the Delaware and Raritan Canal, and there was usually a picnic at the end of the year.

Georgiana Hauck—remembered for being firm but encouraging—taught at the Penns Neck School until 1964 over 40 years of principalship.

By that time, she had long lived at 229 Washington Road, and would stay there until moving to a nursing home in 1991. At her retirement, a surprise reception was held honoring her and Miss Cecil Errickson, who had retired in 1960 after teaching there for 36 years. Hundreds of former students and friends attended.

End of an Era

Georgiana was succeeded in principalship by Anne McHugh. However, with the opening of the Maurice Hawk School on Clarksville Road in 1964, the Penns Neck School became obsolete. In 1967, after one last lunch in the cafeteria—attended by members of the West Windsor PTA, the few remaining students, and a staff of six—the school, as an educational institution, closed down for good.

Over the years that followed, the Penns Neck School was occupied by the Eden Institute, the Middlesex-Somerset-Mercer regional planning group, a firm of architects (John Zvosek and Leo

Mahoney), and an employment agency.

In the 1990s, considerations for turning the at-grade Route 1-Alexander Road intersection into an overpass meant that the school would soon be demolished. On December 11, 1994, many former students gathered one last time in the old building to say goodbye to an integral part of their childhoods.

The Penns Neck School was demolished in the spring of 1995 to make way for the Alexander Road overpass. Georgiana Hauck passed away four years later and is buried at the cemetery of the nearby Princeton Baptist Church in Penns Neck—her home for many years, and community that was long served by the Penns Neck School.

We invite you to contact, support, or volunteer for the Historical Society and check out our new West Windsor history book. Visit westwindsorhistory. com to learn more. We are also on social media—search “@SchenckFarmstead” on Facebook and Instagram.

Larry and Lynn Traylor are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Alexis Lee Traylor of Denver, Colorado to John Wallace Donovan, formerly of West Windsor, New Jersey. John is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kevin C. Donovan, formerly of West Windsor, New Jersey, now residing in Roanoke, Virginia. Mr. Donovan is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business and Ms. Traylor is a graduate of the University of Denver with a degree in computer science. Mr. Donovan is a project manager with Willis Towers Watson and Ms. Traylor is a cloud engineer for Icario. A fall 2024 wedding is planned.

SOURCE: realtor com

On average, active inventory in June was 50.6% below

(2017-2019) levels. This low inventory is why homes that are priced right are still selling quickly and frequently seeing multiple offers. If you're thinking of selling, we should be talking!