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Finding the missing link
Where’s the vaccine? Short supply leads to frustration for those awaiting Covid-19 inoculations
African Link Initiative sets out to help teens connect with their heritage and culture
By BILL SAnSerVIno
While the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage throughout the United States during the month of January, the government struggled to provide enough doses to those looking to be protected from the deadly virus. Across the country, states have struggled to meet demand, and the doses shipped have been significantly outweighed by the number of people looking to be vaccinated. When appointments do open up at vaccination sites, available slots are often booked up within hours or less. People have been left confused and frustrated—wondering how, when and where they will get inoculated. In New Jersey, the vaccine was first made available to healthcare workers, first responders and staff and residents of long-term care facilities starting in mid-December. Then at the beginning of January, the Trump administration announced that it was releasing the stockpile of vaccines it was holding to ensure people would be able to get the required second dose. A few days later, on Jan. 14, See VACCINE, Page 5
By Joe EMAnSKI
Hopewell Valley Central High School Franki Gomez brings the ball up the court in a 2019 game. (Photo by Mike Schwartz/mssphoto.com).
Gomez a leader on and off the court for Bulldogs By RICH FISHer
As a junior, point guard Franki Gomez was a stellar floor leader for the Hopewell Valley Central High School girls’ basketball team. Off the court, however, Gomez respectfully yielded the vocal leadership chores to the five seniors who surrounded her. But as the team’s lone returning starter, she realizes it’s time to speak up with words as well as actions. “We had a team of all seniors last year, they all said their piece,” Gomez said. “I did too, but this year every-
one is kind of looking up to me so I just want to be a good leader to everyone else.” Two weeks into the preseason, she seemed to be assuming that role just fine. “Skill wise she’s always been top-notch, she’s always working on her game,” coach Coleen Ross said in mid-January. “I’ve never had an issue with her being a floor leader. “The thing I’ve been seeing a lot of is the (off-court) leadership that has really come out this year. I don’t know if being behind five seniors is what kept her quiet but she’s really come out of her shell
and taken a strong leadership role. She’s not being authoritarian about it. She’s just helping and guiding. I’ve loved seeing it. It’s a whole new side of Franki I’ve never seen.” They are most likely natural instincts that have been waiting for the chance to emerge, as Gomez has been a court general all her life. Growing up height-challenged, Franki knew her only chance at succeeding in the sport she loved was by excelling in the backcourt. She now stands at 5-foot-6-1/2, and mention of that half inch See GOMEZ, Page 8
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A number of area organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mercer County, have been working together to bring to life the African Link Initiative, or ALI — a program designed to help African-American teens transform the way they see themselves and the world. Seven teenagers, hailing from Hamilton, East Windsor, Lawrence, Trenton and Plainsboro embarked on ALI’s inaugural program in January. Over the first five months of the year, the participants will learn about African and African-American history and African-American identity, and take DNA tests to provide crucial information about their family history, both before and after their ancestors first reached this continent. The program is set to culminate in a two-week trip to Ghana, in West Africa. Shazel Muhammad-Neain is the founder of the African Link Initiative. The South Jersey resident is also the founder of Eunoia Global, See ALI, Page 6
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The discomforting‘bias’ of facts JOE EMANSKI FROM THE EDITOR
divides people. Those are two words that separate what we know and what we believe. Facts versus faith. Talk show hosts and tweetstormers can argue all day about facts and faith. Not everyone can afford to be so abstract. Take chefs, for instance. Good chefs depend on facts to guide them. They know when they have done a great job. It’s when all the dishes come back to the kitchen clean. Some chefs see all their eggplant dishes coming back half eaten and ask, “How did I screw up the eggplant? I’ve got to do better.” Others ask, “Why didn’t anyone like my delicious eggplant? Something must be wrong with them.” The truth for those other chefs is too discomforting to accept. They maintain faith in their beliefs, even when their restaurants are failing. Facts often tell stories that we don’t want to hear. Equal opportunity offenders, but also equal opportunity allies. Chefs who accept the feedback of their customers want to please people and feed them. Good information helps them do it. Chefs who reject feedback and criticism rely instead upon their self belief to guide them. I suppose each of us must decide where we would rather go to get a good meal.
I read I’m guessing around 15 trillion tweets last month as our world descended deeper into madness, but one trope stuck with me after the rest had faded away. A phrase that some people on Twitter repeat from time to time: “Facts have a liberal bias.” The first time I came across it, I couldn’t tell whether the person meant it ironically, sarcastically or earnestly. Perhaps it was all three. It’s an edit of a joke that Stephen Colbert made in 2006 at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner: “Reality is well known to have a liberal bias.” Most often, it is used to deride someone who has disputed some information that has been presented based on evidence. Something we call a fact. And people who go around disputing facts these days often identify as conservative. Hence — “liberal bias.” Facts don’t have a liberal bias, but facts often discomfort us. Facts don’t care about our feelings. When it is reported that, say, more than 4,000 people in the United States died from Covid-19-related causes the day before, some people think, “this fact is sad and not good,” while other people think, “this fact is sad and not Contact JOE EMANSKI: jemanski@comgood,” then add, “so it must be false.” munitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 120. It’s that phrase, must be, that really facebook.com/HopewellExpress
we are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Express is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Hopewell Express 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 region a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood. EDITOR Joe Emanski (Ext. 120) CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rich Fisher, Bill Sanservino AD LAYOUT AND PRODUCTION Stacey Micallef
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Around Town
GOT Virtual MLK day benefits 4 local nonprofits PROPANE? Organizers say the fourth annual Hopewell Gives Back: MLK Day of Service was a tremendous success thanks to community volunteers and flexible nonprofit organizations. More than 100 volunteers registered online to give back to the community at the fourth annual M.L.K. Day of Service hosted by the Hopewell Presbyterian Church. Three Hopewell Valley Central High School graduates — Sarah Cleveland, Sam Fowler, and Gavin Fowler — organized the event. Over the last three years, the Hopewell Gives Back: MLK Day of Service has attracted hundreds of individuals, families, and members of organizations including Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and National Honors Society. The large, public events offered nonprofits an opportunity to engage volunteers of all ages in the important work that they’re doing in the community and around the world. This year, the three young adults who founded Hopewell Gives Back were planning to pass the baton to a new team of teen volunteers, as they were all attending college. “Sam, Gavin and I founded HGB to help bring the community together and give teens valuable nonprofit experience.” said Cleveland, a sophomore at McGill University. “The original plan was to bring middle and high schoolers up through the ranks of organizing and running the events.” Sam Fowler, a freshman at Lafayette University, said that in March 2020 the trio had decided to postpone planning this year’s event. “We didn’t know how we were going to handle MLK Day with COVID,” he said. “The American Red Cross and the Hopewell Presbyterian Church let us go ahead with the blood drives with few changes, but we
needed to come up with a whole new way to handle MLK Day.” “We couldn’t let everyone down,” said event organizer, Gavin Fowler, a freshman at Colgate University. “We had to find a way for everyone to work virtually.” In fact, the three students had to plan the event virtually, as well from Hopewell, Hamilton, New York, and Montreal. They weren’t sure how the nonprofits and volunteers would respond, but everyone quickly adapted to the new model. Each nonprofit recorded a video to introduce participants to their work and demonstrate how to complete their various projects. Volunteers registered online, picked up “kits” at Hopewell Presbyterian Church on Saturday morning, completed projects at home, and dropped off finished projects at the church on Monday morning. Together, the volunteers tied 25 fullsized fleece blankets and 375 no-sew facemasks for the The Rescue Mission of Trenton, 1,000 feminine hygiene kits for I Support the Girls Central/ South New Jersey, decorated over 500 paper bags for Seeds to Sew International, and assembled 625 native seed packets for the Sourland Conservancy. “The slots filled up so quickly online,” said volunteer Jennifer McNay. “My family wanted to do more.” Organizers are considering a hybrid event for 2022 to accommodate more volunteers and nonprofits. Teens are needed to help plan and run future events. No experience is necessary. Those interested can email hopewellgivesback@gmail.com for information or to sign up. Web: hopewellgivesback.weebly.com.
ArtSpires inspires a community
The Hopewell Valley Arts Council says its community art project and exhibition, ArtSpires, has received overwhelming support from artists and community members. Sixty-three colorful sculptures, decorated by local artists and community members, were installed in clusters at 19 locations throughout Hopewell Valley in fall 2020. ArtSpires were sold during the month-long online auction to benefit the HV Arts Council and artists in December 2020. While all the ArtSpires found future homes, they See NEWS, Page 4
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Sam Fowler and Gavin Fowler with some of the donations collected during Hopewell Gives Back’s MLK Day of Service.
February 2021 | Hopewell Express3
NEWS continued from Page 3 will remain on display until spring 2021. ArtSpires commemorates the loss of native ash trees from the harmful effects of the emerald ash borer beetle as the culmination of the organization’s multi-year initiative Out of the Ashes: Art Emerging from Fallen Trees. Wood for these projects were milled from ash trees felled by Hopewell Township and transformed into art. “Participating in the ArtSpires community project was a beautiful experience,” said artist Sheetu Batra. “The HV Arts Council did a terrific job with all of the efforts that went into making this project a success. For us personally, it was a great way to connect as a family and create something beautiful during these tough times.” Artists and bidders alike were inspired by the project. Local resident Betty Ruger, who painted two spires, said, “It was such fun to be a part of the ArtSpires project. All of the creativity from the folks here in the Valley is truly amazing. I feel blessed to have been a part of it.” “This was truly a community effort bringing together our creative artists, municipal support, enthusiastic bidders, and, of course, Mother Nature,” said Carol Lipson, HV Arts Council executive director, “Special thanks to Delis Landscaping of Pennington, for their generosity installing the spires throughout the Valley.” While it is best to see the ArtSpires
County to hold 2nd virtual public meeting on Moores Station Quarry
“Blue Bird Condo,” an ArtSpire made from an ash tree by artist George Olexa. in-person before they go to their new homes in the spring, you can view them anytime at the HV Arts Council website. For artist statements and photos of all of the ArtSpires, plus a colorful map, go to hvartscouncil.org/ artspires.
The Mercer County Park Commission is set to have its second virtual public meeting about the Moores Station Quarry Park Master Plan on Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. The Moores Station Quarry is located off Route 29 at the intersection with Pleasant Valley Road in Hopewell Township. Parts of the 166-acre site have been mined for more than a century. In the 1800’s, quarried materials were transported via barge on the Delaware and Raritan Canal and then later via railroad. Today, trucks transport materials from the Titusville site. Quarrying operations by Trap Rock Industries will cease at the site in the spring of 2023, when a 25-year agreement with the quarry operator will expire. At that point, the Park Commission will take possession of the site and begin a multi-year process of transforming the open-pit quarry into a park. The first step in this process is now beginning, with a public planning effort to develop a park master plan. The first meeting was held virtually on Dec. 2, and more meetings are planned for later in the year. The quarry site is located adjacent to the county-managed Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain. The quarry pit measures more than 2,000 feet across and is approximately 200 feet deep.
An aerial view of the Moores Station Quarry in Titusville. While there are several relatively level areas in the quarry, there are also many steep rock walls, haul roads and two small ponds. The views into and within the quarry are dramatic and unusual. The Park Commission has retained a multi-disciplinary team to help develop the master plan, led by Simone Collins Landscape Architecture of Norristown, Pa. The team includes landscape architects, geologists, engineers, ecologists, wildlife biologists, architects, sustainability experts and real estate market analysts. Login information for the Zoom meeting, as well as a fly-over video of the site, is linked from the park comission website, mercercountyparks.org
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WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE VACCINE NOW? As of January 14, 2021 the following groups are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and can begin to make their appointments.
• Frontline First Responders • Long Term Care Facility Residents • Paid/unpaid persons working/volunteering in a healthcare setting • Persons ages 65 and older • Persons ages 16-64 years old who have at least one chronic medical condition that poses high-risk for severe COVID-19. These include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, Down syndrome, heart conditions, obesity, Sickle cell disease, smoking and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. At this time, the best place to register for the vaccine is through the N.J. Vaccine Scheduling System at covidvaccine.nj.gov. For more information on the vaccine and vaccination locations, go to covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine.
VACCINE continued from Page 1 New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy opened up vaccinations to people ages 65 and older, and those with high-risk medical conditions. It was subsequently revealed there was no stockpile of vaccines, and that the second doses had already been released at the end of December. This exacerbated the problem—an even larger pool of people were left seeking vaccinations, but the anticipated increase in supply never occurred. This resulted in a severe shortage in appointments available for qualified individuals. (For information on who currently qualifies to get the vaccine, see the graphic on this page.) Currently, there are three ways for qualified individuals to make an appointment. To start, all people should register with the N.J. Vaccine Scheduling System (covidvaccine.nj.gov). They will be emailed an invitation to schedule an appointment when they are eligible and slots open up. The state has also set up an NJVSS call center to assist individuals, including those with no computers, in pre-registering and scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. For assistance call (855) 568-0545. The second is to make an appointment directly with one of the many designated vaccination sites across the state. For a full list of vaccination sites in New Jersey and contact information, go to covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine. Finally, select healthcare facilities, including many hospitals, are offering vaccines directly to their workers. Anyone who works at one of these facilities should contact their employer to learn if the vaccine is available there. *** As of Jan. 24, the state had administered more than 550,000 doses of vaccine. This is about half the overall doses that have been received by the state.
The rest were delivered to commercial entities for distribution, such as pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, Gov. Murphy told CNBC on Jan. 20 that that part of the vaccine rollout has been problematic. “They basically amassed these doses, they schedule visits to long-term care nursing homes, extended living, and they’re punching under their weight, particularly Walgreens, and that’s where most of the yet to be used doses are.” He added that the companies should “put more bodies on the case” to increase vaccinations. Meanwhile, Mercer County sat near the bottom of the state in the number of people vaccinated by the end of January. New Jersey began vaccinating residents starting on Dec. 15, but Mercer didn’t hold its first vaccination clinic until Dec. 28. The state of New Jersey reported on its COVID-19 Information Hub that as of mid-day Jan. 24, Mercer County had vaccinated 13,587 people. During the week of Jan. 17-23, a total of 4,854 people received shots—an average of about 700 people a day. By comparison, neighboring Burlington and Middlesex counties had vaccinated roughly twice as many people overall. As of Jan. 25, a total of 27,287 people had received vaccines in Burlington County, and an average of about 1,200 per day between Jan. 17-23. In Middlesex County, a total of 40,540 had been vaccinated by Jan. 24, with an average of more than 1,800 per day between Jan. 17-23. Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes said that part of the problem with rolling out vaccinations was that fact that there is no county department of health in Mercer. Health departments in the county are run by each of the municipalities, some of which contract with other towns.
Hughes said vaccine deployment in Mercer County has been a collaborative effort between the Mercer County Division of Public Health, the County Health Officers Association, Capital Health System and a number of other entities (such as the nursing school at Mercer County Community College). “While it might seem like Mercer was lagging, many Mercer towns conducted their own vaccine clinics based on the capacity they could manage, and only for people who met the 1A category, including their local police, fire and EMTs,” Hughes said in an email. In a video posted to YouTube on Jan. 21, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin spoke about the vaccine situation. He said that starting at the end of December, Hamilton teamed up with the other towns in Mercer County to create “points of distribution, or PODs.” The PODs were closed to the general public, and the initial priority was to vaccinate healthcare workers and first responders (firefighters, EMS and police). He said that the PODs rotated between the municipalities throughout the county during the first weeks of January. “Unfortunately the amount of vaccine available to us as a county and as a township is severely diminished,” Martin said. Supply is a major problem, and will continue to be going forward, said Hughes. “As of today (Jan. 22), the state is giving Mercer County only 800 doses per week.” Those doses must be shared with
towns based on population. Vaccines must be used within seven days of receipt from the state. “The state and counties are all behind because the federal government has released so little vaccine to New Jersey, and this has impacted our ability to ramp up and get more individuals vaccinated,” said Marygrace Billek, Mercer County director of human services She said that the county has had a distribution plan in place for more than 15 years, but that plan is predicated on the availability of the Strategic National Stockpile from the Federal government. “For COVID-19, we have all had to rethink our plans and processes and do things differently, and to that end Mercer will stand up and support two regional vaccination sites, something that has not been part of our past plan. Officials were hopeful that the situation would improve with the opening of a regional vaccination site on Jan. 25 at CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton. The regional site, a joint effort between the county and Capital Health, opened planning to vaccinate 200 people a day using a separate doses allocated to Capital Health by the state. “We will be continuing 5 to 7 days a week, expanding the number of doses per day as supply increases,” Hughes said. The plan is to also use Mercer County College as a regional site along with the municipal sites as the number of vaccines increases. Hughes said he anticipates this will happen in mid-February.
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ALI continued from Page 1 a leadership training and business coaching firm, and has been involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County since 2018. Muhammad-Neain is also a board member of Global Connections Foundation NJ Corp, the Pennington-based nonprofit founded by educator David Angwenyi, which for a number of years has been sponsoring educational trips linking American students to counterparts in Kenya. Global Connections is now also a partner in ALI. Muhammad-Neain says the first ALI participants have been nominated by school principals and assistant principals “who see their innate potential yet recognize the lack of opportunities and sense of belonging these youth experience — solely due to the color of their skin.” Jermaine Blount, Jr. is one student who is taking part in the program. Blount, a junior at West WindsorPlainsboro High School North, learned
about ALI from his father, Jermaine, Sr., an assistant principal in the East Windsor Regional School District. Mom Jenine, a school counselor in Robbinsville, says Jermaine Jr. was very excited when she and Jermaine Sr. told him about ALI. “This is something we have thought about before, but this is the first opportunity that’s been presented that he would be able to partake in,” she says. “He’s never been to Africa, we’ve never been to Africa, so we definitely wanted to offer him this type of opportunity, to go through this journey with other students with similar backgrounds, experiences and culture.” The Blounts’ daughter, Jania, is a freshman at Rutgers University, studying animal science. Jenine says Jania “absolutely wishes she could be a part of [ALI]. We wish something like this would have been available when we were in school. We haven’t crossed that bridge yet.” Zoubir Yazid, the chief learning offi-
cer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mercer County, says ALI is a natural continuation of the programs of the Boys and Girls Clubs. “Our mission is helping the youth of our community achieve their dreams. Well, a dream is reaching the impossible,” he says. “Why not have them go to Ghana? The reason I’ve been very passionate about this is, I really want to send a message out: nothing is impossible. We’re here to help. It’s not a shift in the mission statement but it’s a shift in the sense of pushing the target even further on the horizon. I think we’re going to be the first Boys and Girls Club to ever send somebody overseas.” The program is designed to accommodate as many as 20 students, but Yazid is content to start with a smaller group. “Seven kids is very good to start with, and we’re going to try to find the right number for us,” Yazid says. “We want to make it a program that kids aspire to. Our dream one day is for it to become a program where kids say, ‘Oh my God, I really have to work hard to get into that program.’” Brandon Russell is one of the seven who are participating in the program this year. The Trenton Catholic Academy student lives in Hamilton with his father David, an IT manager, mother SanRose, a director with United Health Care, and sister Asia, a student at East Carolina University. When David Russell first heard about ALI, he thought it sounded like a wonderful opportunity for Brandon to learn about his identity in a way that would not be taught in history books. “African-American kids, so many times if they are more academically inclined, sometimes they are ostracized by both races,” he says. “This gives Brandon a chance to learn and be with kids of the same interests and race.” Muhammad-Neain describes ALI as an evidence-based, three-part program. In part 1, participants will take DNA tests that will be processed by African Ancestry (africanancestry. com), an organization that says it has the only DNA database that can go back 500 years to help a person track ancestry back to a present day African country and ethnic group of origin. After that, students will learn about
Shazel Muhammad-Neain, founder of the African Link Initiative. Africa, the African diaspora and African-American identity. “If you don’t know where you come from, it’s hard to understand where you are, and it’s even more difficult to see where you’re going,” Muhammad-Neain says. “What we know, from data behind our research on programs like ALI, is that teaching Black students about instilling Black cultural pride really does yield promising outcomes, including higher GPAs and higher graduation rates.” In part 2, students will participate in a workshop designed to boost their critical thinking, decision-making and relationship skills. Muhammad-Neain says she the teens will take part in a version of the Vital Smarts Crucial Conversations program that is usually used for staff training at Fortune 500 companies. Muhammad-Neain is calling part 3 of the program a “teen summit,” an open forum of facilitated conversations. “It’s about giving kids the space to examine current events and their perspective on things, and also to get feedback from their peers and to be able to unpack community constructs like race and identity,” she says. The students will then make the 14-day birthright trip to Ghana. On the
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Muhammad-Neain has high hopes for the future of the program. She envisions it becoming a seven-year program that students enter in 6th grade and continue until they graduate. She can picture an evolving curriculum in which participants go to different countries in each year of the program. Eventually, she says, she wants to look into folding college students and even adults into the program. She sees long-term sustainability for the program coming through a workforce development program. “We want to be able to build a pipeline of success that leads to gainful employment for graduates of our program,” she says. “We intend for workforce development to be a revenue center.” For now, fundraising is definitely a focus for the initiative. Right now, the program has the funds to provide two Educator David Angwenyi of Global of its seven participants with stipends Connecdtions Foundation, which that would cover the cost of the Ghana along with the Boys and Girls Clubs trip. ALI is actively seeking more of Mercer County is a partner in the donors to enable it to cover the cost for all seven students. African Link Initiative. “This is something that really will make a difference in the sense that trip, the students will tour historical it’s a paradigm shift, taking everything sites of trans-Atlantic slave trade, par- that Shazel and the Boys and Girls ticipate in a tribal naming ceremony, Clubs can be and combining them and learn firsthand about African tra- into a program that’s creative and data driven, but most importantly, is really ditions and culture. The trip was originally planned for life changing,” Yazir says. He says he cannot wait until the day late summer 2021, but because of the the teens return from uncertainty surroundGhana. He says he plans ing the pandemic and to be at the airport to its impact on safe travel, meet them. the trip is now tentatively “I can’t wait to see scheduled for summer their faces when they 2022. come back. And what’s Muhammad-Neain beautiful about it is imagspent a month and a ining the impact [that half in Africa in 2019 ALI] can have on their and 2020. She visited community. This is not both Kenya and Ghana just going to affect that and says the trip was an kid, it’s going to affect amazing experience. his family, her family,” “I am still being transhe says. “The return on formed from my time investment is that this there,” she says. “I feel Yazid is something that can like I became Africanchange the life of these American for the first time at age 47. I finally felt like I knew, kids and put them on a path forward for the first time, what it felt like to be that would really be incredible.” For more information about supportboth African and American at the same time. I had finally reconciled my ethnic- ing the African Link Initiative, go to the ALI website: africanlink.org/donate. ity and identity.”
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February 2021 | Hopewell Express7
GOMEZ continued from Page 1 is important to her. “I’ll take whatever I can get,” she said with a laugh. “Since I’m short, I would focus on handling the ball and being able to do that before everything else. I’ve always been the point guard or the shooting guard.” Gomez’s value was glaringly apparent last year, as HoVal struggled when she was injured. She missed eight games due to sickness and knee issues and the Bulldogs, who finished 15-11, were just 4-4 without her. Technically, that mark could be 4-5. Franki injured her ankle while scoring 16 points in a state win over Ewing and, due to lingering effects, was not her usual effective self in a quarterfinal loss to Westhampton Tech. “We beat Hopewell (49-40 in the regular season) with her on the sidelines and I told Franki, ‘Man, I can’t wait until you get back on the court because the next game will be even better,’” Blue Devils coach Dan Montferrat said. “And it was. That state game was great and unfortunately she got hurt. If she were healthy it would have made all the difference in the world against Westhampton. She could be the Player of the Year in the CVC.” High praise from an opposing coach, but not surprising to anyone who has watched Gomez ply her trade since kindergarten. The daughter of Dr. William Gomez, a renowned area orthopedic surgeon who does work with HVCHS athletes, Franki was urged by her dad
to start shooting at a kid’s basket in the driveway at age 5. Dr. Gomez, who has a fierce love of the game, would also bring college players under his care over to play some intense pick-up games, which the future point guard would observe. “I’d be out there with my little basket on the side, watching them,” Franki said. “Basketball is always something I’ve been drawn to. I just wanted to be around it as much as I could.” Gomez began playing organized basketball in the Hopewell Basketball Association, going against the boys. In seventh grade, she began with the Union out of Hunterdon County, and played her entire AAU career there. “I loved playing with the United,” she said. “It made me the player I am, it helped me grow and I played on some really good teams and with some good players.” Gomez’s skills were apparent as a freshman, as she became an immediate starter and led the team with 67 assists while averaging 5 points per game. Her value was also seen in other ways, as she grabbed 75 rebounds and had 37 steals. As a sophomore, Gomez averaged over 9 ppg, finished third on the team in rebounds (100) and fourth in assists
(53). Despite last year’s injuries, she produced her highest scoring average (11 ppg) and led the team in free throws made with 41. The stats are nice, but Gomez’s most important duty is to run the offense. “She’s so good at reading the defense and being able to determine exactly what we need to run; helping others find the way,” Ross said. “And she just finds her way to the basket. She finds the open spot on the floor and she can do what she needs to do to get the ball in the hoop. She can also be deadly from the outside.” She will have to be deadly this year to replace sharp-shooter Ally Oldfield, who netted 227 3-pointers over the past four years. “I’ve played with Ally all my life and she’s someone I could always rely on to hit that shot,” Gomez said. “I’m hoping I can fill more of that role this year with her loss.” Ross hopes for the same. “She is definitely gonna have to step up scoring wise,” the coach said. “But we’ve talked about it, we have some other people who have to step up as well so I don’t think it’s going to all be on her shoulders.” Ross feels that freshman Jillian
Gomez’ skills were apparent when she led the team in assists as a freshman.
INCOME TA X
Magner can relieve Gomez of some of her point guard duties, and that Franki should be able to handle whatever falls on those shoulders. “She’s definitely gotten stronger,” the coach continued. “She can really battle inside now, where sophomore year she was more of an outside player. Her ability to drive to the basket has definitely gotten stronger. Even her jump shot is better. She’s just so smooth with it. “Defensively she’s quick, she can jump, she gets in the air, she’s flying back and forth. She’s definitely a bothends-of-the-court player.” It was those qualities that impressed the University of Rochester coaches, who reached out to Gomez as a freshman. The two parties maintained contact throughout her high school career and that will be Franki’s next stop. The Yellow Jackets will not only be getting a savvy, talented player, but one with toughness. One of the most impressive aspects of Gomez’s junior season is that, even when she did play, it was often while enduring pain. “After the initial injury, I kind of played through the pain,” she said. “I just wanted to get out there and be with the team and do the best I could. I hope it didn’t affect my play. I tried to do my best. I tried not to think about it while I was playing. Definitely after the games it would be more on my mind; but during games I’d try not to think about it.” That is what you call being a leader without even having to be vocal.
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HEALTH
FEBRUARY 2021
@capitalhealthnj
HEADLINES
B I - M O N T H LY N E W S F R O M C A P I TA L H E A LT H
COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION
Staying Safe During The Pandemic
EXPANDING IN NEW JERSEY
IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY
Who is currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? The COVID-19 vaccine continues to be distributed in phases throughout New Jersey according to prioritization guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Health. To find the most up-to-date groups who are eligible for the vaccine in New Jersey, visit covid19.nj.gov. Previously, the vaccine was available only to health care workers (including Capital Health employees and active and associate medical staff), residents of long-term care facilities and police and fire personnel in New Jersey. AS OF JANUARY 14, 2021, new state guidelines for vaccine eligibility expanded to include paid or unpaid persons working or volunteering in health care settings, residents of long-term care facilities and other congregate settings, front-line first responders, persons age 65 and older, and persons age 16 to 64 years old who have at least one chronic medical condition that poses a high-risk for severe COVID-19. FOR CURRENT, UPDATED INFORMATION, VISIT COVID19.NJ.GOV/VACCINE. This includes individuals who have cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Down syndrome, heart conditions, sickle cell disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as those who are immunocompromised, pregnant, obese, or smokers. Anyone in New Jersey falling into these eligible groups can register for a COVID-19 vaccine by visiting covidvaccine.nj.gov. How does the COVID-19 vaccine work? The COVID-19 vaccine gives the immune system a preview of the coronavirus, so it learns how to stop it if you are exposed. It triggers antibodies in your blood to attack the virus’ unique spike protein. Your immune system learns from the vaccine how to quickly recognize the actual virus and stop it from multiplying. The idea is to stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from getting into cells, replicating itself and making you sick. Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe? Like most new medicines and vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccines are tested for safety in large clinical trials. During the clinical trials, volunteers receive the vaccine and then regularly check in with scientists to report any side effects or illnesses. If the vaccine has data to support its safety and effectiveness, the scientists apply for Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Scientists continue to follow the volunteers for at least two years to report any long-term or rare side effects and safety concerns. Where Can I Get the Vaccine? Information about open vaccination sites in New Jersey, vaccine registration, and eligibility updates is available at covid19.nj.gov/vaccine. For information about public vaccination at Capital Health, please visit capitalhealth.org/coronavirus or call 609.537.7468 (SHOT).
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it’s important to remember that some of the most effective steps we can take to prevent its spread begin right at home. Wear a mask that fits properly and covers your mouth AND nose (no scarves or gaiters). Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place. When soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol. Limit or avoid indoor gatherings with people outside of your household and host outdoors when possible. This is important for adults more than 65 years of age or people with underlying medical conditions, who are at higher risk of getting very sick. Practice social distancing and stay at least six feet from others when possible. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough or sneeze into your elbow if tissues are not available. With either method, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water afterward. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily. This includes tables, light switches, sinks, countertops, and bathroom surfaces. Most common household disinfectants work, but be sure to follow instructions on the product label.
IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID-19, CALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. You can find the most up-to-date information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov. Helpful information is also available from the New Jersey Department of Health online at covid19.nj.gov or by phone at 1.800.222.1222.
Health Headlines by Capital Health | Hopewell Express9
SUPPORT COUNSELING
FOR ALL FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS To address the emotional needs of all health care workers and emergency medical services personnel on the front lines of our region during the COVID-19 pandemic, Capital Health is offering a Support Counseling Program (SCP). The program is a joint effort of Capital Health, NJ Hope and Healing, and the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The SCP is funded by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “The pandemic presents significant medical challenges, but it is also taking an enormous mental toll, and not just on patients and their loved ones.” said DR. CHRISTI WESTON, medical director of Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists. “For health care and emergency services workers who are treating COVID-19 patients every day, the experiences can be physically and emotionally exhausting. The SCP is designed to help them cope with the challenges of the pandemic through individual and group counseling, education, and support services.” The SCP provides health care workers individual assessment and counseling, virtual support groups, mindfulness-based stress relief techniques, and referrals to mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment, if needed. If you or someone you know is a health care worker who needs emotional support and guidance during the pandemic, call Capital Health’s Support Counseling Helpline at 609.303.4129, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
This program is brought to you through the New Jersey Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). The CCP is provided by Capital Health in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is funded through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.
LIFE AFTER LOSS
A 10-Week Therapy Group for Grieving Thursdays starting February 4, 2021 | 3 p.m. LOCATION: Zoom Meetings Coming to terms with the loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult challenges we face in life. Although everyone copes with grief differently, many find comfort in sharing their experiences with others who are going through the process. CHELSEA HOAGLAND, a licensed clinical social worker from Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, leads this 10-week support and therapy group. You’ll connect with group members who are dealing with loss and learn healthy strategies for moving forward. This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. To sign up, call Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists at 609.689.5725. This group therapy program will be billed to your health insurance. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2-3 days before the program date.
10Hopewell Express | Health Headlines by Capital Health
Capital Health Expands Behavioral Health to Include CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY Capital Health has recently expanded its Behavioral Health Specialists practice in Hamilton and Bordentown, New Jersey to include more providers who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults. DR. IRENE GABRIAL, a board certifed, fellowship trained psychiatrist recently joined Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists to lead the practice’s Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Program. Dr. Gabrial leads a team of trusted providers with expertise in child and adolescent behavioral health that includes DR. RACHEL BADEN SHERRILL, a licensed clinical psychologist, and TATYANA GRAY, a licensed clinical social worker. “Children and teenagers today face many challenges, some of which simply didn’t exist for previous generations,” said Dr. Christi Weston, medical director of Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists and director of Outpatient Psychiatry at Capital Health. “Through our patient-centered approach to care, our team provides support and guidance to individuals and families as they cope with challenges to their emotional wellbeing.” Dr. Irene Gabrial is board certified in child and adolescent and general psychiatry. She completed her psychiatry residency training at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was fellowship trained in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Piscataway, New Jersey. Dr. Gabrial received her medical degree at Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt. Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Gabrial was a staff psychiatrist and interim director of the Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program & Psychiatric Services (CAPS) at Rutgers University, where she evaluated and treated undergraduate
and graduate students. Dr. Gabrial was also a clinical assistant professor for the University’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program. Dr. Sherrill is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with individuals across the lifespan, with a strong specialty in child and adolescent assessment and treatment. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology (with honors) from Duke University. She earned her master’s degree and PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Alabama. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neurodevelopmental disabilities and related disorders through the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program at the Civitan-Sparks Clinics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Sherrill provides therapy to children, adolescents, and adults with a range of presenting concerns and psychological testing to children and adults presenting with symptoms of ADHD. Tatyana Gray’s areas of professional interest include intergenerational trauma, anxiety/depression, neurodevelopmental disorders, relationships, and marginalized populations with a focus on collaborative and integrated care. After completing her undergraduate studies at State University of New York at Potsdam in Potsdam, New York she received her Master of Social Work degree at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida. Before joining Capital Health, Tatyana was a staff therapist at Syracuse University’s Barnes Center at the Arch Counseling in Syracuse, New York, where she provided mental health and wellness services in person and via telemedicine for a diverse student population. Call 609.689.5725 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gabrial at Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, or visit capitalhealth.org/behavioralhealth for more information.
Health Headlines by Capital Health | Hopewell Express11
Capital Health Cancer Center Earns
NATIONAL ACCREDITATION FOR RADIATION ONCOLOGY
FEBRUARY IS
AMERICAN HEART MONTH
Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell has been awarded a three-year term of reaccreditation in radiation oncology services by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Radiation oncology is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer or relieve a patient’s cancer pain.
KNOW THE SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS HAVING ONE
“We are extremely pleased to be awarded this accreditation. It is a testament to the commitment and efforts of our entire staff of radiation oncology specialists — oncologists, physicists, dosimetrists, therapists, nurses, navigators, and office support staff — all focused on providing every patient safe, evidenced-based care,” said DR. SHIRNETT WILLIAMSON, medical director of Radiation Oncology.
This puts you in contact with a trained dispatcher who will tell you what to do and sends an ambulance to your location. When the ambulance arrives, treatment begins in your home and the emergency department is prepared for your arrival at the hospital. Because your symptoms may get worse, driving yourself is a bad idea.
The ACR accreditation team recognized the Radiation Oncology Department’s outstanding organization of the treatments, medical records, policies, procedures and quality improvement processes — specifically Capital Health’s detailed, modalityspecific treatment directives and robust peer quality review process. In addition, ACR acknowledged the department’s outstanding teamwork, camaraderie, and patient-focus. “Patients want to know their medical team is knowledgeable about their health care issues and they want to be sure they are receiving the most advanced treatments and technologies available,” said DR. TIMOTHY CHEN, medical director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery at Capital Health. “This accreditation lets patients know we passed a rigorous review process meeting nationally-accepted standards of care.” Capital Health offers many options for radiotherapy, brachytherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery that provide patients greater convenience and efficiency while minimizing side effects. Physicians and multidisciplinary teams are able to manage complex cancers with unparalleled ease and precision anywhere in the body for all cancer types, including the abdomen, breast, central nervous system, head and neck, liver, lung, pelvis, and prostate. Patients have access to a full complement of leading-edge treatment modalities, such as traditional 3-D radiation, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), CyberKnife® radiosurgery and high dose rate brachytherapy radiation (HDR). Stereotactic radiosurgery and high dose rate brachytherapy radiation (HDR) are delivered through advanced technologies that include Varian TrueBeamTM Linear Accelerator, CyberKnife® and Varian GammaMed technology (HDR brachytherapy), with surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT) coming soon. To learn more about the Capital Health Cancer Center and the radiation oncology services that are available at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, please visit capitalhealth.org/cancer or call 609.537.4244. 12Hopewell Express | Health Headlines by Capital Health
If you or a loved one is experiencing the signs of a heart attack, call 911.
The Chest Pain Center at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell is accredited by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care and the American College of Cardiology. This means the Center meets high standards for diagnosing and treating cardiac emergencies, such as heart attacks. When someone is having a heart attack, time to treatment is critical. Capital Health’s pre-hospital alert system allows ambulance patients to be tested in their homes and mobilizes an interventional team at the hospital if there is evidence of a heart attack, saving time for an initial EKG test or faster bedside blood tests for troponin, a protein that enters the blood stream during a heart attack. If you or a loved one is having a severe heart attack caused by prolonged restricted blood flow due to a clot or ruptured plaque, Capital Health’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab is ready to provide an emergency stent placement. After you or your loved one has recovered, your last step is preventing another heart attack or heart-related illness. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, offers a team of physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and registered dietitians who provide individually prescribed education and exercise. All program candidates are interviewed prior to entering the Cardiac Rehabilitation program, which allows a team to develop and implement a personalized care plan. Participants include those who have experienced:
… Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) within the past 12 months
… Coronary artery bypass surgery … Current, stable chest pain (angina pectoris) … Heart valve repair or replacement … Angioplasty or stenting to open blocked coronary arteries
… Heart or heart-lung transplant surgery … Stable, chronic heart failure Talk to your doctor about participating in cardiac rehabilitation. Visit capitalhealth.org/cardiacrehab for more information.
Checking in with: acting township administrator George Snyder By George Snyder
Starting this month, Hopewell Township is set to contribute a monthly column to the Express on a topic of interest to local readers. Up first is director of public works and acting township manager, George Snyder. Life’s most persistent and urgent question, “What are you doing for others?” is the question Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., put forth in 1957 as he addressed an audience in Montgomery, Alabama. This is a philosophy that I believe should be instilled in every person who serves the public, as an employee or a volunteer. My name is George Snyder, and I am the director of Public Works for the Township of Hopewell. Currently I am also serving as the acting township administrator as interviews are progressing to replace our long-time administrator, Elaine Borges, who retired at the end of 2020. To me, work is much more meaningful when I am contributing to the team in such a way that the department, organization, and community is improved as a result of my efforts. I am committed to growth in my role as I serve the Township. During my 34 years of service in municipal government I have earned certifications in Public Works Management, Recycling Coordination, and Sustainable Resource Management. I am entering my fourth year as director of public works for Hopewell Township, and also perform the duties of Recycling Coordinator and Clean Communities Coordinator for the Borough of Farmingdale. Environmental stewardship along with sustainability projects are at the core of my training, work ethic, and goals. I am grateful to be a part of the Hopewell Township community. I felt an immediate connection from the first time I visited on a class trip from Jersey City to Washington Crossing State Park. The history surrounding the canal and river left a lasting
George Snyder, Hopewell Township’s director of public works, is also serving as acting township administrator until a full-time administrator is hired. Former township administrator Elaine Borges retired at the end of 2020. One upcoming project I eagerly impression on me. The second time, I spent a signifi- look forward to completing is a cant amount of time in Hopewell was 1,300-linear-foot walking path that the when my son and I visited the Revolu- Public Works and Community Develtionary War sites to satisfy his interest in military history. As fate would have it, I now have the daily pleasure of enjoying and contributing to the wealth of activities the area has to offer. The strategic plan of the township leadership team aligned with my personal mission of providing first class service and implementing best management practices, while always keeping fiscal responsibility at the forefront of what we do. Strong leadership, ethical decision making, accountability, communication, and transparency are the five pillars of the mission that keeps the township on track, and to which the entire Hopewell Township team aspires.
opment departments will be building to connect the Lawrence Hopewell Trail to a parking lot along Carter Road. This connecting path will provide safe access to parking for hikers and bikers using the trail. Public Works recently completed 2,300 linear feet of walkway connecting the intersection of Burd Road and Pennington-Harbourton Road to Timberlane Middle School, and a parking lot on Woosamonsa Road for Woosamonsa Ridge hikers, adding to the many locations residents can enjoy what Hopewell Township has to offer. These are examples of what Public Works is doing as public servants for the Hopewell community. I am gratified to be a part of multiple communities. My wife and I are almost empty nesters, having raised three children and a rescue dog while residing along the Jersey Shore. Our eldest son has a degree in audio engineering and works as an event technician, our middle son is a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps, and our daughter is earning a degree in Fashion. In my spare time I volunteer with the Hopewell Valley Veterans Association, at church, and I play guitar in a classic rock band and our church worship team. Feel free to contact Public Works at publicworks@hopewelltwp. org with questions or comments.
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February 2021 | Hopewell Express13
Exploring the intersection between art and nature LISA WOLFF NATURE IN THE VALLEY
Expires: 2-28-21
Expires: 2-28-21
Expires: 2-28-21
Songs Songs T That hat Will Will Make Make Cas Cassettes ssettes and 8-Tracks 8-Tracks Popular Popular Again! Again! and
Carolyn McGrath recently received the 2021 Governor’s Educator of the Year Award for her excellent work as an art teacher at Hopewell Valley Central High School. As you might expect, her academic and art experience is exemplary. However, I asked her to be a Nature in The Valley guest columnist since her commitment to conservation is equally impressive. Conservation often informs her many activities. For example, as advisor to the CHS Photography club, she had FoHVOS land steward and wildlife photographer Tyler Christiansen present his wildlife conservation photos. McGrath is also active on the district’s green team and is the advisor for the CHS recycling club. We’ve worked together for many years on conservation issues. In 2018, Ms. McGrath developed the Green Star program that recognized teachers as role models for green behavior using a rubric graded by academic essentials students. Prior to the pandemic, Carolyn initiated the work to receive a Sustainable Jersey grant which both helped educate people about the negative impacts of single-use disposable items and reduced their use throughout the school district. In May 2020, she spearheaded a screening of “The Story of Plastic,” replete with a panel discussion fea-
turing community experts from FoHVOS, Hopewell Valley Green Team, and the Watershed. Most recently, McGrath created an artSpire, topped with a FoHVOSinspired bee abode, that brought in one of the top auction bids for the Hopewell Valley Arts Council fundraiser. She has a can-do attitude and will always go the extra mile to do right by her students and the environment. As a Community Conservation participant, she uses native plants in her own home’s landscape. Finally, check out her #HVHugATree tree-hugging photo! Carolyn McGrath is the perfect expert to discuss the intersection between art and nature and her message does not disappoint. Here are her unedited words:
What happens when we step outside the flow of digital information? Stay there long enough, and we find something there for us to experience.
We live during a time when there are so many demands on our attention. Social media. The 24-hour news cycle. Emails. Texts. Zoom. Lots of Zoom. All of these offer the promise of connection with ourselves, with each other, and with the world around us. And to some extent they deliver. But never fully. More often than not, we find ourselves overwhelmed with sensory overload, a constant buzzing in our bodies and our brains, and feeling disconnected from those things we so desperately need to sustain us. I see this in my students, unable to look away from the flickering light of their phones and the glowing promise that offers. But for many years now, they have been increasingly reporting
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Hopewell Valley Central High School art teacher Carolyn McGrath was named the 2021 Governor’s Educator of the Year. feeling anxious, unable to focus, and alone. In the same way that a Zoom classroom cannot replace the real human connections that happen when students and teachers come together in the same physical space to learn from one another, screens are not a replacement for what we need as human beings to survive. And so the act of stepping away from them can be a radical act of kindness and love towards ourselves, each other, and the world around us. What happens when we step outside of the flow of digital information? Initially, we feel discomfort and unease. But drop deeper, and stay there long enough, and we find something else there for us to experience. Maybe we become aware of how our bodies crave movement. Or the color of the late afternoon sunlight. Or the kind words of someone sitting right next to us. Or the smell and taste of a meal. The present moment is a sensory experience. And it is one worth fully exploring. Through a curiosity and openness to what is happening right inside and around us, we can discover a very real and satisfying sense of connection, belonging, and ease. Ostensibly, I am an art teacher. But really what I am doing, what I have been doing for the last 23 years, is encouraging students to pay attention, to stay awake, to be aware of themselves, each other, and the world around them. And then to respond. One method I have found that works reliably well is drawing. Students select an object with a significant amount of detail, gather paper and pencil, and try to recreate what they see. Initial attempts, especially for those who have not drawn for many years, are often disappointing. Students say they can’t draw, that they just are not any good at it. But what I emphasize in the beginning, and throughout my foundation
art class, is that drawing is not really about how well you can manipulate a pencil, but about how well you can clearly and accurately see. Most of us don’t look at anything closely or for long. We look long enough to categorize things according to preexisting mental categories. And then we move on. But, in truth, we haven’t really looked at all. So in class, we practice ways of slowing down our looking, lingering there, and noticing what we see right in front of us right now. I think about this as it relates to our natural world and what that requires of us in this moment in time. So many of us are caught up in the busyness of our day to day lives, not taking long to look up from our screens to see what is happening all around us. This was true before the pandemic, but in many ways is even more true now. But how are we to respond to the crisis of climate change that threatens not only human, but animal, and plant life as well, if we cannot see the world clearly enough to know how? While this moment certainly requires us to take bold personal, collective, and legislative action, I propose another equally important response: I suggest that we regularly step away from our screens and step outside; that we take the time to slow down and to experience the natural world through all of our senses; that we practice the kind of deep looking that my drawing students, with patience and practice, learn how to do. Because through this process, we realize that we are intimately a part of and connected to everything and everyone all around us. We are a piece of, not separate from, this complex and living ecosystem, this place that is our home. Lisa Wolff is the executive director of Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space. Email: lwolff@fohvos.org.
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$25,000
low interest rate for 12 months
gocunj.com/balance * Valid on new and used auto loans. Each auto loan closed during this promotion period will make no payments for 90 days. Accepting the terms of “no payment for 90 days offer” will extend the maturity of your loan for at least 90 days but less than 110 days. If accepting the delayed first payment, you will not be eligible for any other skipping/delaying of your payment during 2021. Interest will accrue during this period. Payments made through payroll deduction or automatic payment will be deposited into your account for the time you are skipping/delaying your payment. Refinances from existing CU of NJ loans do not qualify. All loans are subject to credit approval. Certain restrictions may apply. This offer can be discontinued at any time. Federally insured by NCUA | Equal Opportunity Lender
16 Hopewell Express | February 2021