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Inside this issue:
SIX09
NOVEMBER 2021
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
VA clinic on a mission to help more veterans
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Sky chief Trenton-Mercer Airport manager named president of regional executives group
By ThoMas KeLLy
Tucked away on a busy road once traveled by George Washington and the Continental Army is a hub of health services for many who have served this country both here and abroad. The Veterans Affairs Health Care System of New Jersey has a Community Based Outpatient Clinic at University Office Park on Quakerbridge Road. It may not be familiar to the general public, but the facility is very familiar to area veterans of all the armed forces. One of 14 outpatient clinics in New Jersey, the center is connected to a full service VA Health Care Center in East Orange. A staff of 15 care for patients who come from Central New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. Three teams consisting of a primary care doctor, two nurses and a mental health provider are assigned to each patient. The team approach is meant to be efficient and very personalized. Many of the staff are veterans themselves or may come from families with military ties. The landmark VA Mission Act passed with broad bipartisan support in 2018, and has looked to modernize and improve services within the See VETERaNS, Page 10
Fall Family Fun!
By Cara LaThaM
Thrift shopper Elizabeth Kelly looks through a rack of women’s clothes at Red, White and Blue Thrift Store in Hamilton. (Photo by Thomas Kelly.)
courage Thrifting: aTheir pandemic-induced and compassion trend that’sinspire here tous stay all. By ThoMas KeLLy
are other reasons that people
According to a study com-
missioned by the online resale besides savingwritten money.in chalk Onethrift morning, a message appeared There is a culture — not a At its heart, thrifting equals platform ThredUp, the U.S. in front of an RWJBarnabas Health facility. The words subculture, but a full-blown shopping. So, if someone asks secondhand apparel market couldn’t have beenyou simpler, more stirring, is soul valued at $36 billion today, would like toor go culture — of people who shop if you or more accurate. thrifting, you may be headed and is forecast to reach $77 for and buy gently used items. billion in five years. One in There are reasons that gen- for an adventure. Thrifting became a neces- five Americans will shop at tly used items are in demand — most notably, affordability sity for many people “Heroes dur- a thrift store during a given year, about the same numing the pandemic, especially and style. work here.” There are many options in for those who lost their jobs ber who will shop at a major this area for what is known as temporarily or permanently department store. Thrifters look for clothing, because of the pandemic’s secondhand items. There are Three words of gratitude and encouragement that brick and mortar stores, flea effect on the economy. But antiques, housewares, art, seacapture the courage and compassion of health the popularity of resale shop- sonal items and even furniture. markets and even online ways workers To share your resale stores look very ping here hasn’tand diedacross down America. at all in Many to buy previously loved items. thanks to support similar toFund, retail stores today, theoryear and a our halfEmergency since. In Response Thrifting can be an ecothrifting is as popular as and many thrift shoppers go nomical way for people to add visit fact, rwjbh.org/heroes to their wardrobe. But there ever. See THRIFTING, Page 12 And please, for them, stay home and safe.
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The impact Covid-19 had on the airline industry was unlike anything that Melinda Montgomery, the manager of the Trenton-Mercer Airport, had ever seen before. Having been through other major events like 9-11, she knew that the industry would bounce back. Her leadership and commitment to keeping passengers and employees safe during the pandemic, combined with her dedication to developing young professionals in the industry are just some of the ways she is turning corners in the niche commercial airport industry. Recently, the Hamilton resident’s efforts have earned her the respect of her industry peers, who became president of the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives for 2022. Elected during the association’s annual meeting in Vermont in August, Montgomery is only the seventh female president in the chapter’s history, and is one of only 429 commercial airport managers in the country. “Melinda Montgomery’s expertise is instrumental in See TTN, Page 16
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