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ALL AROUND
VOL 1, NO 13
SHOP LOCAL AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY
OB RIDGE _
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Pursuing Progress
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Mayor's office of Economic Development
A Publication for the community of Old Bridge
ST. AMBROSE BREAKS GROUND ON NEW SUBSTANCE FACILITY
By Steve Mamakas, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office
Fall is here we can now focus on visiting all our favorite local places to shop and dine in Old Bridge. This is a great time to pick up or use your property tax card. Which will help you earn tax credits toward you taxes or even get a check back if you are a renter, or just work in town, you can get a card and get a check back also at the end of the year. If you would like a card just stop by the Mayor’s office, Library, Senior Center or any participating business. Our next topic on the getting old bridge residents to work. The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development recently hosted a job fair at the civic center working with the Middlesex County Work Force Development Team which was attended by close to 50 vendors from Fedex. To local business seeking to hire people in many different industries. The event had a steady flow of job seekers and other looking to expand their careers. Continued on page 4
OLD BRIDGE
Photo of Marisa Tufaro Tuesday, September 19, 2017 was a very special day at St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church in Old Bridge, one that welcomed a new and vital ministry that will serve the
entire community! Two years ago, a group of people approached the Pastor, Rev. John C. Grimes, asking for dedicated space in which to meet. Club Serenity, is a non-profit 501(C)(3) charitable organization who share the 12 Steps of Recovery practice, and promote fellowship for anyone seeking recovery. They provide a welcoming and friendly environment for individuals and their families that support alcohol and substance abuse independence. Although supportive of their work , the pastor recognized that for Club Serenity to be successful, they would require consistency and dedicated space. Fr. Grimes
was unable, at that time, to fulfill this need as St. Ambrose campus is busy, rooms are reserved, and space is limited. At that point, we had little options…..but, Fr. Grimes believed there would be a solution! St. Ambrose is happy to announce that through the support of the Pastor and our Bishop, Club Serenity will be meeting in the lower level of our Parish Business Office. After this area is renovated to include two meeting rooms, bathrooms, a small kitchen, and handicap accessible ramps, Club Serenity will have a dedicated space for their growing membership. Continued on page 4
BJ’S AND COUNCILWOMAN DUNGEE TEAM UP TO OFFER BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES BJs of Rt 9, Parlin, NJ, and Councilwoman June T. Dungee of Old Bridge (Third Ward) partnered in a cooperative effort to give back to the community. General Manager, Rafat Raghib, Member Service Manager, Sue Peterson, and Front Line Supervisor, Mary Adams, wholeheartedly supported the initiative of her team “Diversity Heroes Rock” give back to benefit the school children through their “Back to School Supplies” Drive. On Friday, September 8, 2017, the donated supplies were received by Madison Elementary School Principal John Daily, and School Counselor Amy Najariam, and shared with
Cheesequake Elementary School. When Ms. Mary Adams of BJs was approached to support the Diversity Heroes Rock’s initiative, she and her General Manager were very eager to get involved. They realize the plight of many parents that are in need and wanted to help with school supplies. Their generous donation is greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with them on future initiatives. Councilwoman and “Diversity Heroes Rock” will be sponsoring a trip to the United Nations in November. This will be a very educational and fun trip for the youth, and adults as well. Details
will be made available through the Recreation Department very shortly. There is great diversity in the Third Ward of Old Bridge and that is why ‘Diversity Heroes Rock” wants to support the inclusiveness of all cultures. We want our citizens to be enlightened by celebrating the greatness of diversity of the different cultures. Having the support of additional businesses of the Third Ward will allow us to be able to provide other initiatives that will be beneficial to our citizens. Diversity is beautiful. We must learn how to communicate with all cultures.
Voting Locations Page 21 OCTOBER 2017
@a GLANCE INSIDE OB PRE K REGISTRATION SEE PAGE 8 OKTOBERFEST SEE PAGE 13 FACEBOOK LIVE INTERVIEWS SEE PAGE 17 CCS GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE SEE PAGE 22
MORE!
Business Administrators pg2 Mayors Message pg3 Shop Local pg4 OB Library pg6 Council Update pg11 Learning with Littles pg16 Grey Matters pg17 Living Stones pg18 The Senior Scene pg18
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AMBOY BANKERS BECOME PAINTERS FOR A DAY
As part of the Coastal Habitat for Humanity project, Amboy Bank employees helped prepare cabinets for resale at the new & improved ReStore by Coastal Habitat for Humanity location in Asbury Park. The ReStore sells better-than-average merchandise up to 97% off with one-hundred percent of the proceeds supporting repair and construction projects in southern Monmouth County. Bottom row pictured from left to right: Jean Burbulak, Theresa Geraci, Lisa Lewis, Josie Fuda, Jennifer Fletcher and Efrain Martinez. Top row: Jason Skidmore, Stan Koreyva, Habitat regular volunteers Mike Rondholz and John Posner, and Habitat construction manager, Ollie Lowrey.
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT By Himanshu R. Shah, Acting Business Administrator
1 . N E W JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (NJDEP) B LU E AC R E S PROGRAM. The Photo of NJDEP Super Himanshu R. Storm Sandy Blue Shah, Acting Acres Team began Business Ad- extending buyout ministrator offers to homeowners in Old Bridge Township in April of 2015. A total of twenty-nine (29) buyout offers have been extended to date. Twenty-six (26) out of the twenty-nine (29) offers have been accepted. Hard copies of the September 11, 2017 NJDEP Old Bridge Buyout Status Summary Report has been forwarded to the Township Clerk’s Office for distribution to Council. 2. PSE&G GAS INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES. PSE&G Contractors have begun the pavement restoration activities associated
with the gas upgrades within the Madison Park Community. For any paving questions please refer to the contact information on the PSE&G Door Hanger –LYNDEN LITUS JR. (609) 584-1100 Ext. 134. Additional information can be found by visiting the PSE&G website page at https:// www.pseg.com/family/pseandg/ gsmp/paving/old_bridge.jsp or by following us on Facebook or Twitter and by visiting oldbridge.com. 3. NEW JERSEY GOVERNMENT ENERGY AGGREGRATION PROGRAM. A Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new supply contract was issued on 8/7/17. Bids were accepted on 8/31/17. The low bids only produced minimal savings as compared to the JCP&L tariff price. As a result, there was no contract award made for a new contract for Round 2 of the OBCEA. Per the RFP specifications, the RFP will be held open for acceptance of refreshed pricing, later in the Fall on a date to be determined, with the hope of obtaining improved
pricing. At the end of the OBCEA Round 1 contract in December 2017, all participating residents will be transitioned back to the JCP&L tariff for power supply. 4. OLD BRIDGE HOME IMPROVEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Old Bridge Township invites you to apply to the Old Bridge Home Improvement Program. If you live in Old Bridge, own your home and your total gross annual household income falls below the income limit for your household size, you may be eligible to participate in the Program. Eligible uses of the funds include: Heating and Electrical Systems, Roofs, Plumbing System Components, Foundations, Windows and Insulation, and more. For more information visit the Township website at oldbridge.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
A MESSAGE FROM MAYOR HENRY
Photo of Mayor Henry, Jaruziewicz, and Detective Sargent Robert Mazalewski as well as our newly appointed officers: Venacio Tavares, Jessica Caffey, Daniel Haviland and Gregory Nielsen. The Township’s Health and Wellness page, located on the Old Bridge Township website, has been revamped and our Wellness Council is in place. Our council members strive to provide Old Bridge residents with healthy lifestyle choices by providing resources, programs, and activities available that will improve their health, wellness and quality of life. Last month, as part of our Health and Wellness campaign, and in partnership with the County Office on Aging and Disabled Services, our seniors went to the Middlesex County Senior Health and Fitness Walk in Roosevelt Park. With the school year underway it is now time for a safety reminder for the kids. Please look for children crossing the street. Children may not be paying attention to traffic and cross the street mid-block or between parked cars. Also, our Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting its annual Halloween Spooktakular at the Old Bridge Municipal Complex on Saturday, October 28 from 11a.m. to 2p.m. We continue to receive inquiries from individuals and businesses looking to move to Old Bridge or expand existing businesses throughout the Township. Economic Development is a top priority and we are constantly working with developers, realtors, owners and property managers. We strive to manage growth, improve quality of life and the value of our community. Hurricane season is upon us and the impact caused by the recent set of storms is a serious reminder that Emergency Preparedness is an essential part of disaster prevention. Residents can find weather updates on the town webpage as well as important contact information for PSE&G and JCP&L. Our own TV15 will also display any news, and report pertinent information for power outages, storm updates and township advisories. The Office of Emergency Management plans, trains and coordinates to do whatever is necessary
to quickly respond to an emergency or disaster. They also work with the many responding agencies and various support groups, such as our First Aid Squads, Fire and Police Departments to run drills and test our emergency operations plan. During the spring and summer months, our Department of Engineering and Public Works staff assessed the condition of the Township roadways. With the data collected, a comprehensive five year paving program was established and presented to myself and the council for their consideration in the yearly Capital Budget Spending Plan. As summer comes to a close and we are set to mobilize the construction phase of our Annual Paving Program on/or about September 25th to resurface approximately 20 municipal owned roadways. Construction of the Cottrell Road Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project began on September 14th, to construct a five foot wide sidewalk, lighting and landscaping from County Route 516 to the John Piccolo Ice Arena. The Township continues to look for alternative means of funding, such as grants, to be able fund such projects. The Cottrell Road Pedestrian Safety Improvement Program has been funded through an NJDOT Municipal Aid Grant. I want to recognize the hard work of the men and women that work in our Police Department and therefore, would like to announce the promotions of Captain Donald Fritz, Lieutenant Edward Jaruziewicz, and Detective Sargent Robert Mazalewski as well as our newly appointed officers: Venacio Tavares, Jessica Caffey, Daniel Haviland and Gregory Nielsen. We are honoring our former councilman, Reggie Butler with a dedication plaque currently located outside the courtroom as well as our own Department of Public Works being called the “Reggie Butler Department of Public Works.”
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
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SHOP LOCAL AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY
By Steve Mamakas, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office
Photo of Steve Mamakas is the Executive Officer Continued on page 1 We are also proud to announce that our efforts to help our community in as many ways as we can has transpired by connecting St. Ambrose church which is working on creating a room to help people with addictions. The Church was looking at sourcing funds to assist with the construction of finishing the basement area to work with families and have some recreation for the kids. Knowing this we put them in contact with two organi-
zations in town that could possible provide funding for community related projects as a giveback to our community. Amboy Bank stepped up right away. Providing a good amount of capital to help the church get started on the project. On September 19th the ground breaking ceremony took place with church, business owners and town officials on hand to put shovels in the ground to get this great project underway. Our thanks go out to all involved from Amboy Bank to the volunteers that will assist in construction. Lastly remember to visit our local businesses and shop small. They are the backbone of our community. Providing the service a town needs to stay competitive. Steve Mamakas Executive Officer Mayor’s Office of Economic Development
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
ST. AMBROSE BREAKS GROUND ON NEW SUBSTANCE FACILITY
Continued on page 1 Through the advice and expertise of the Old Bridge Business Alliance, through the support of Mary Owen Henry, through the generosity of Mr. George Scharpf, Trustee of St. Amboy Bank, and through the many private donations, work will begin! Club Serenity started in 2015, with Board Members Erin Kelleher, William Lindenmuth, Roy Steffenagel, John Alvarez, and John Abair, who recognize that addiction has become an epidemic in our families, in our schools, and in our community. Along with a membership of over 70 people, Club Serenity can personally identify with the need for recovery and many members have experienced the loss of a child or a loved one, due to addiction. As a group, Club Serenity will meet regularly and hopes to align their message and their work with groups such as
Wellspring Center for Prevention, and the Mental Health Association in New Jersey, Inc. Club Serenity looks forward to hosting guest
speakers to continue to educate the community on wellness and helping others one day at a time. As a Catholic Church and School in Old Bridge, St. Ambrose provides multiple levels of service to the needy and the poor, through various ministries and organizations that collect, donate, provide, and educate the entire community, not just those
members that attend Mass or are educated in our Elementary School and Public School Religious Education Program for over 50 years. The drug and alcohol scourge in our neighborhood is a monumental concern to our faithful, to our congregation, and to all residents of Old Bridge. As Jesus personally tells us, the measure by which you measure others will be measured back to you. After Jesus concluded teaching in the parable of the Good Samaritan, his exact words at the end of the story were “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:25-37). If you, a friend, or a member of your family is interested in the work of Club Serenity , or if you would care to support its’ mission, please call 732 309-4144, or 908930-1374, or you can reach them at clubserenity@comcast.net . All donations are fully tax deductible.
THE FLU VACCINE IS NOW AVAILABLE! Every year in New Jersey as we welcome the new school year, we also brace ourselves for the Flu Season. Luckily, Flu Vaccine supplies are now available and they are here to save the season. Did you know it is estimated that there are up to 49,000 flu-associated deaths annually? This is a pretty staggering statistic. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated. For people who have an increased risk for complications (young children, older adults, pregnant women), the flu vaccine is very highly recommended. Although ‘low risk’ people who get the flu usually recover with-out any complications, we still recom-
Achilles Alon PharmDRPh Dr. Achilles Alon is the Director of Specialty Pharmacy and co-owner of ACE-Rx Specialty & Compounding. As the Director of Specialty Pharmacy, he serves as the head pharmacist and operations lead for all specialty pharmacy programs. A registered pharmacist for 18 years, Achilles spent the initial
mend that everyone get vaccinated. The flu virus infection can cause up to 2 weeks of misery, including muscle and body aches, fever, runny nose, vomiting, and diarrhea. Getting vaccinated does not guarantee you complete protection against the flu, but if you do contract it, the vaccine will reduce the severity of your symptoms and help you recover quicker. And as we all know, sickness may also lead to loss of productivity, loss of wages, and unexpected medical expenses. Flu season starts in late fall and ends in early April. It is best to get vaccinated by the end of October to ensure enough time for the vaccine to take effect before exposure to the flu virus. The vaccine last for 6 to 8 months, so a dose in October would cover the entire flu season. part of his career working in retail pharmacy. For most of his career, Achilles lead clinical research at Merck, investigating experimental therapies and novel biomarkers across many disease areas, including Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), HIV, Psoriasis, Neuropathic Pain, Cardiovascular, and Respiratory diseases. For instance, Achilles lead clinical studies for Zepatier®, Merck’s recently approved combination therapy for HCV. Some of Achilles’ research is published in major journals such as Pain, Clinical Journal of Pain, Journal of American College of Cardiology, Journal of Urology, and Clinical Therapeutics.
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
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ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
VOLUNTEERS BRING EXPERTISE TO LIBRARY
By: Nancy Cohen, Library Director
Photo of Nancy Cohen, Library Director The Old Bridge Public Library is staffed by skilled librarians and assistants with many years of significant experience in research and digital technology. In addition, we are fortunate to have the talents of dedicated volunteers who regularly bring a wealth of knowledge and service to our patrons. I would like to highlight two outstanding, long-time volun-
teers who have provided valuable service. Mark Leeper offers personalized, one-on-one math tutoring on Wednesdays from 3:30-5pm and Saturdays from 1012pm. Mark explains he has been fascinated by mathematics since second grade when he discovered shortcuts for simple subtraction which led to an eventual fascination with patterns and mathematical theories. After earning a Master’s in mathematics from Stanford University, he spent much of his career at Bell Labs in the Telecommunications field. Mark has been volunteering at the Library since 2003 and feels that mathematics has always had a positive effect on his life and therefore he felt it important to help others. He said the sweetest words he can hear from a student are, “Oh, that’s easy, isn’t it?” and he proudly recalls when a student told him that he “caught” his passion for mathematics from Mark. Grace Williams has been lending her sewing expertise to patrons for
over three years and offers regular parent/child instructional classes on Saturday mornings (usually at 10:30am) and drop-in classes for teens and adults on Monday evenings at 7pm. She provides personal instruction to students, teaching them how to use a sewing machine and offering helpful tips and suggestions. In the parent/child classes, Grace generally demonstrates how to make a simple project, while she encourages adults and teens to bring in their own individual projects for assistance during the drop-in classes. She explains that it gives her pleasure to share her passion for sewing with the community and finds it very rewarding when students express satisfaction with the classes and instruction. She also noted that it brings back pleasant recollections of learning to sew with her own mother, and hopes that her students will create similar memories. Another group which is so important to us is our Friends of the
Upcoming Events: October
Library, who regularly help sort donated books, stock the Book Sale Room, work the Book Sales, purchase snacks for Library programs, and host Library programs with staff members. Money raised by the Friends group goes to support our Second Saturday concerts, workshops, and the summer reading program, and provides essential funding to allow us to offer such a wide-range of programming. We also have a group of dedicated, energetic teen volunteers (grades 6-12) who help with many of our special events and programming. Our active Teen Advisory Board (TAB) undertakes fun projects that benefit our community. In the past they’ve hosted a drive for the animal shelter, held a coffee house, and cleaned the library garden. No sign up is required, and teens can attend whichever projects fit their schedule. TAB is a good option for teens with busy schedules, since attendance is not mandatory. More information can
Mon. Oct. 16th 10:30am: The Great Courses
Sat. Oct. 7th 2pm: NJ Author Series: Paul Clemens: Rutgers Since 1945
Wed. Oct. 11th 7pm: NJ Author Series: Dan Schlossberg: The New Baseball Bible
Tues. Oct. 17th 3:30pm: Vinyl Cutter Class *Wed. Oct. 18th 7pm: Parents Guide to Early and Not-So-Early College Planning
Sun. Oct. 8th 2pm: Hudson Shakespeare Company Presents Macbeth
Sat. Oct. 14th 2:30pm: Second Saturday: A Celtic Experience
Thurs. Oct. 19th 11:30am: Home School Book Club7pm: Mastectomy Preparation
TRICKS TO MAKE HALLOWEEN A TREAT FOR PET OWNERS
By: Dr. Anita Greenberg.
Photo of Dr. Anita Greenberg. Halloween will s o on b e here, and it is time to make sure your home is safe for both Trick or Treaters and your pets.
Halloween is one of the most challenging holidays for our cats and dogs, and a few preventative steps can save you the heartbreak of a pet getting sick or escaping while you are preoccupied dispensing goodies. Keep the candy in a closed container out of your pet’s reach. Chocolate and anything with the artificial sweetener Xylitol are toxic to pets. Consider during peak hours of Halloween how you are going to keep your pet inside your home. While you are busy handing out treats, your cat or dog may slip out the door. Crating or restricting pets to another room are good options. If your dog barks every time the doorbell rings, consider how stressful this day can be for him or her. The barrage of activity and unusual
costumes can confuse even the friendliest of pets, leading to fearful biting, anxiety and aggression. Use caution with candles and jack-o’-lanterns to avoid burns to your pets. LED lights are a good option not for pets but for the safety of your family and Trick or Treaters. Many pets get into the holiday spirit with costumes, but make sure the costume fits properly and does not restrict their movement. Be wary of loose pieces that the pet can chew off and swallow. Because of the association with black cats and witches, it is always a good idea to keep your pets safely in doors. If you are thinking about adding a cat or dog to your family, please consider rescued pets first. Visit the Old Bridge Animal Shelter located in the Municipal Complex off of
be found in the “Teen” section of our website (www.oldbridgelibrary.org). I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Library’s Board of Trustees, which is comprised of volunteer members which govern the Library. These committed residents set Library policy, review recommendations and approve how budgets are allocated to ensure the best use of public funds and resources within the Library. We depend greatly on the contributions from all our volunteers and are always seeking individuals with special skills such as robotics, computer programming (e.g. Raspberry Pi) soldering, or other special areas that would be interested in lending their time and expertise. Please contact me at ncohen@oldbridgelibrary.org, if you would like to volunteer in some capacity. On behalf of our staff and patrons, I’d like to extend a huge “thank you” to all our volunteers who contribute to help make the Old Bridge Library such a vital part of the community. and Recovery
Sat. Oct. 21st 2pm: Paranormal Consulting & Investigations Thurs. Oct. 26th 10:30am: Reflexology and Foot Care7pm: Mind and Body Weight Loss** registration required
Route 516. There are many wonderful pets available for adoption. Dr. Anita Greenberg and her husband , Dr. Daniel Belli, are the owners and operators of the
East Brunswick Animal Hospital for 28 years. Dr. Greenberg has been a member of the Old Bridge Township Council since 2016
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
HEAD’S UP FOR CONCUSSIONS By: Vincent Santorelli
Photo of Vincent Santorelli
Since Will Smith’s movie “Concussion” was released, the fire beneath the topic of brain injury has been sparked again. That said, the flame never died out but the movie has definitely contributed to talks regarding the brain, and even if contact sports are too dangerous for children to play. For those unfamiliar with the situation, the movie is centered around Dr. Bennett Omalu who discovered the brain deteriorating disease CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). CTE is a disease that occurs years after repeated concussions are experienced and actually deteriorates the brain to the point of causing depression, anger, confusion, and can even lead to suicide. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that results from a direct blow to the head, most commonly from sports or a car accident. Your brain is suspended in a fluid layer, but that support is not enough to prevent it from banging into the inside of your skull when the head is violently
impacted by the ground or another object. When the brain comes into contact with the skull, it can cause bruising and injury to nerves and blood vessels which prevent the brain from functioning at its normal capacity. Growing exponentially over the last few years, research has lead to scientific breakthroughs in efforts to protect athletes from experiencing the brutal after-effects of concussions. The NFL has implemented a concussion protocol that every player who is suspected of suffering a concussion must complete. First, a member of the team medical staff identifies the player. They are then screened by a team doctor and independent neurological specialist on the sideline. Those players determined to be at risk for experiencing a concussion following this exam are taken to the locker room for more extensive testing. If a player did in fact experience a concussion, he is ruled out of the game and cannot return to practice until cleared by a second indepen-
dent neurologist who is jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA. As you may know at NJ Spine and Wellness, we use ImPACT testing to monitor concussions and formulate individualized rehab programs. The ImPACT Test is a computerized test that measures your brain’s neurocognitive ability before and after injury. The pre-concussion results are compared to assess the severity of the concussion and which
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parts of the brain are affected. This test has become the gold standard across sports for concussion management. We recommend that every youth athlete be tested pre-season so they can be properly cared for if they do experience a concussion. Contact us today at (732) 316-5895 if you are interested in learning more about our concussion testing and management program.
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ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
REPAIRING HERNIA WITH ROBOTIC ASSISTED SURGERY
By: Frederick Sabido, M.D., FACS
Photo of Frederick Sabido, M.D., FACS
More than 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with hernia each year. A hernia occurs when an organ or scar tissue pushes through an opening in the muscle or tissue that holds it in place, which produces a
CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR OCTOBER 2017
OCTOBER 2017
bulge. In many cases, a hernia is no more than a painless swelling that presents no problems and doesn’t need immediate medical attention. A hernia may, however, be the cause of discomfort and pain, with symptoms often becoming worse when standing, straining, or lifting heavy items. Most people who notice increasing swelling or soreness eventually see a doctor. An inguinal hernia is when part of your intestine pushes through a weak spot in your lower belly (abdominal) wall or groin. The hernia creates a lump in your groin. Individuals who are at greater risk for an inguinal hernia include men, obese men and women, pregnant women, those with a family history of inguinal hernia and smokers. Some activities may increase the risk, for example, chronic coughing or straining to have a bowel movement, and some physicians believe individuals who do a lot of heavy lifting are a greater risk. Immediate
medical attention should be sought if an inguinal hernia is painful, causing nausea or vomiting. The swelling, in these cases, is typically firm and tender and cannot be pushed back up into the abdomen. For an inguinal hernia without symptoms that can be pushed back into the abdomen, the usual course of action is watchful waiting. However, waiting adds the risk of strangulation of the gut, a complication where blood supply is cut off to an area of tissue. This requires emergency surgery to correct. New studies have shown that patients have a 68 percent chance of needing an operation if they attempt watchful waiting. Careful consideration is needed to determine whether an earlier, routine operation to repair a hernia is warranted rather than an emergency procedure down the road. One of the most common surgical procedures, with thousands performed in the U.S. every year, is hernia repair.
Robotic-assisted inguinal hernia repair surgery is making a strong case for elective repair as the preferred option. This is because robotic surgery has several advantages over traditional surgery, including; smaller incisions, less blood loss during surgery, fewer complications, and shorter recovery periods and hospital stay. In fact, my case volume (I have performed more than 440 robotic-assisted surgeries) and proficiency led the American Hernia Society to invite me to participate in a large-scale collaborative quality study of the procedure, which includes clinical follow-up with my patients for 15 years to monitor outcomes. The good news is that patients who receive robotic hernia repair surgery avoid the risk of needing emergency surgery. They typically can resume normal activities immediately since they do not need to be given narcotics as part of the procedure or after it’s complet-
ed, and do not have post-operative or chronic pain or scarring. Board certified General Surgeon Frederick Sabido, M.D., FACS, is the Director of the Center for Robotic Surgery at Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center-Old Bridge. The experienced surgeon of more than 20 years specializes in Robotic Single Site Cholecystectomy and Robotic Abdominal Wall and Inguinal Hernia repair. Dr. Sabido is Director of Robotic Surgery, Fellowship Program Director and Program Director of the SAGES accredited Robotic Surgery Fellowship at Richmond University Medical Center, An Affiliate of The Mount Sinai Health Network in Staten Island, NY; a certified proctor for Intuitive Surgical, Inc.; and Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. The center’s nurse navigator guides patients through their care, for more information call 1-800-DOCTORS.
O c tob er 3 , 2 0 1 7 PE RT H AMBOY Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center is holding an Angioscreen event Tuesday, October 3, 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Raritan Bay Area YMCA, 357 New Brunswick Ave., Perth Amboy, NJ. Learn your risk of
heart attack and stroke. Screenings include carotid artery ultrasound, heart rhythm, blood pressure and screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral artery disease. Receive a color report of your findings, education materials and consultation with a registered
nurse. The cost is $49.95. Registration required, call 1-800-560-9990. October 12, 2017 OLD BRID GE… Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center-Old Bridge is holding a Heart Failure class Thursday, October 12, 2:00 p.m.
to 3:00 p.m., in Auxiliary Hall B&C, 3 Hospital Plaza, Old Bridge, NJ. Learn how to maximize your quality of life while living with heart failure. Registration required, call 1-800-DOCTORS (1-800-362-8677), or visit HackensackMeridianHealth.org/Events.
PRE-SCHOOL REGISTRATION SET FOR SEPT. 29
OLD BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL’S KNIGHTS & TYKES PRESCHOOL PROGRAM WILL HOLD AN IN-PERSON REGISTRATION FOR CHILDREN BORN BETWEEN OCT. 1, 2012 AND SEPT. 30, 2014. Registration will be held from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 29, in the library at Old Bridge High School. To be eligible, you must be a resident of Old Bridge. Please bring a c o p y o f y o u r c h i l d’s c u r r e n t
immunizations. For any additional information or an application, please contact Lynn Birsin at at mbirsin@obps.org. The high school is located at 4209 Route 516, Matawan.
CONTACT: LORI LUICCI, PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR, 908-812-6054 OLD BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL 4209 ROUTE 516 MATAWAN, NJ 07747
COUNCIL UPDATE
By Brian Cahill Council President and Alan Rosencranz Vice President In our last report we talked Bridge has recreational park about our property taxes here in areas which consist of 300 acres. Old Bridge. We noted that Old Old Bridge has 11 parks, Mannino Bridge Township, from the munici- Park, Geick Park, Veterans Park pal perspective, receives about 21% and 8 additional smaller parks and of your tax dollar. Additionally we soccer fields located throughout the highlighted important capital invest- town. In our municipal complex ments Old Bridge has made, specif- alone we have we have 8 lighted ically our new Public Safety Radio Tennis courts and the John Piccolo System, upgrades to our HVAC, ice arena. Many hours are spent on infrastructure spending for road maintaining these parks and fields. resurfacing, curbing and drainage. Through a shared service agreement Today, we would like to talk with the Board of Education, the about our Parks and Recreation fields are also used by school teams. department. For over 28 years, Tom The department offers many proBadcock directed the Parks and grams for our residents. Special Recreation department until his classes throughout the year, such retirement in 2016. Old Bridge parks as Mommy and Me, Tiny Tumand the recreation programs that we blers, and classes for adults as well. have today would not be what they All the programs that are sponare without his foresight and dedi- sored by the department can be cation to our town. Thank you Tom found on the Old Bridge website for your work in Old Bridge. Today (www.oldbridge.com). These prothe department is currently lead grams are supervised by Brianne by Deputy Director Lisa Valsera. McManus, the program supervisor. The department has an operAlso through a shared services ating budget of almost $2 million agreement with the Old Bridge dollars. This amount represents Board of Education, working parents 4% of our total budget. Old can take advantage of the before
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE and after school program that is available from the department. The program coordinator is Gregg Griev. For our senior citizens in town, we have an Accredited Senior Center. Diane Amabile is the center manager. She coordinates the many activities and programs with her staff. Programs that allow seniors to be active, such as dance programs, or be creative with art projects. Our seniors in town can also participate in singing groups and other group recreation activity. The center also provides scheduled buses for local shopping trips. One of our more successful programs is CAMP ROBIN-( Recreation in Old Bridge for those In Need)., which has activities for special needs children and young adults. Pete Pero is the coordinator for Camp Robin. Its programs have a goal of year round programming to provide a basic introduction to recreation opportunities and lifetime skill development. Many Camp Robin participants are athletes who participate in the Special Olympics, and have won medals in speed skating, swimming and track
OCTOBER 2017 competitions. Our Camp Robin program is unique. In addition to the Township support of this very special program is one non- profit, Special Projects for Special Children Inc., run by Barbara Anderson, which supports additional activities and trips for the children and adults. Another area, which is critical is this day and age of opioid abuse, is the Municipal Alliance Program. The alliance is run by Karen Tortorici. Its main purpose and intent is to eradicate illicit drug and substance abuse throughout the township. Ma ny o f t h e s e p r o g r a m s receive special grants for certain a c t i v it i e s an d e n h an c e t h e townships existing programs. The Park and Rec department could not maintain the programs, fields and activities without a very dedicated and hardworking staff. We also need to acknowledge the work performed before and during special events we have in town. Events like Old Bridge Day, Salt Water Day, The Memorial Day parade, The Father and Daughter Dance, The Easter Egg Extravaganza, Spooktakular and coming up
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soon for the holiday season, our tree and Menorah lighting ceremony. We live in a town that has many recreational activities for everyone. Again, on behalf of the entire council, would like to thank everyone in the department that makes Old Bridge a great place to live and raise a family.
JOB FAIR 2017
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
Vitale Insurance
Solutions
Michael Vitale 104 Interchange Plaza, Suite 102 Monroe Township, NJ 08831 Cell: 201.306.5988 Office: 609.655.3066 x255 Fax: 609.655.4959 Email: michael@vitaleinsurance.com Website: www.vitaleinsurance. com In past articles, I have touched upon some various aspects of life insurance. Since September was “Life Insurance Awareness Month”, I tried to focus on a few of the important components involved in different types of policies. Ultimately, life insurance is built around health. Ironically, the best time to think about life insurance is most likely the time when you are NOT thinking about life insurance...in your younger, and generally healthier, years. At that time, you can lock in on a rating “tier” for the life of your policy, whether it is a term or a permanent policy. Although it seems to be
an absolutely pessimistic way of thinking, our reality is all the same - we do not know what the next day will bring for any of us. You may feel as if you are in great health now...that is the PERFECT time to handle your life insurance needs. Many employees receive a small life insurance policy as a part of their benefit package, sometimes two or three times the amount of their salary. Although this is usually a decent amount, it is often not enough to truly cover a family’s needs. Additionally, the majority of these group plans are non-portable, meaning when you leave that company for any reason, that policy ceases to exist for you any longer. You will then encounter the need to seek out your own life insurance coverage. Therefore, it is an excellent idea to take out your own policy
to supplement and “complete” your coverage need, should your group/ employer policy not be sufficient. This would provide you with the power to protect yourself and your family in the event of an unexpected departure from your employer. Term life insurance is a part of the solution, but it may not achieve the task of completely protecting your family’s entire needs. A term policy is the most economical way to protect your family’s financial needs in the event of an untimely passing. However, when that term period ends, the cost for your next policy will be exponentially higher, if even available at all. Your health can change in the blink of an eye, and when that happens, your insurability can disappear just as quickly. On the other hand, a permanent life insurance policy is just that - a permanent way to protect yourself and your loved ones. Therefore, it is beneficial for you to consider a combination of term and permanent insurance. With the assistance of a licensed insurance professional, you can create one comprehensive protection package for you and your family. M i c h a e l Vi t a l e , Licensed Insurance Professional for Auto, Home, Life, Medicare Supplement, and Disability Insurances.
OCTOBER 2017
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DEMETRA BEKAS
D emet ra (ne e Nichola kakos) Bekas, 83, of Marlboro, NJ, passed away on Saturday September 2, 2017 at Centra State Medical Center, Freehold, NJ. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, moving to Marlboro 4 years ago to be with her family. She loved playing cards with friends and family, trips to the casino but most important to her was spending time with her family especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren who like to call her big YiaYia. She will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her. Demetra is predeceased by her loving husband George, her parents Demetrios (James) and his wife Erriketi (nee Papadakos) Nicholakakos. She is survived by her loving daughters and sons in law Maria JOHN F. GRADY
John F. Grady, 73, of Colts Neck, NJ, passed away on Thursday September 7, 2017 at the Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, NJ. Born on August 27, 1944 to the late Francis and Margaret Grady in Brooklyn, NY, where he lived for many years before moving to Staten Island, NY then to Morris County before finally settling in Colts Neck 33 years ago. John loving boating, he enjoyed doing things with his hands especially stain glass, he enjoyed traveling with his family, dining out, but most important to John was spending time with his family and friends. He will truly be missed by all who knew and loved him. He is survived by his loving wife of BRUNO L. SALVATORE
Bruno L. Salvatore, 89, of Aberdeen, passed away on September 7, 2017, Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. He was born in Newark, NJ and has been a resident of Aberdeen since 1962. He had a successful career as a truck driver before his retirement. His family describes him as someone who was a real handyman and would help out when things needed fixing. He was a member of the Matawan Italian American Association and enjoyed hunting. He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Catherine Salvatore and a son-in-law Jim Hynes. He leaves behind 3 sons and 2 daughtersin-law Michael A. and Josi Salvatore, Bruno G. Salvatore and Fabio
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
IN MEMORIAM and Anthony Chimento, and Erriketi and Ronald Barris, five grandchildren Dyana and her husband Christopher, Steven and his wife Christine, James and his wife Katie, Gregory, and Thomas and his wife Jody as well as five great grandchildren Alexandria, Luke, Arden, Campbell, and Peneolpe and two more on the way. Relatives and friends were invited to visit the Waitt Funeral Home and Cremation Service on Thursday September 7, 2017 from 5-9pm. A Funeral mass was held on Friday September 8, 2017 at 12pm at the Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church, Holmdel, NJ followed by entombment in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.
52 years Barbara, a son and daughter in law, Joseph and Janice Grady, a daughter, Denise Grady, two brothers, Francis and wife Laura Grady, and Martin Grady, a sister, Madeline and her husband Patrick O’Connell as well as many nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends were invited to visit the Waitt Funeral Home and Cremation Service on Sunday, September 10, 2017 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm & 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. A mass of Christian burial was held on Monday, September 11, 2017 at 10:00 am at the St. Gabriels Church historic, Marlboro, NJ cremation will be private.
and Sharon Salvatore, 2 daughters and a son-in-law Marcella Hynes and Debbie and Raymond Ryno, a brother and 2 sisters-in-law Vincent and Gerry Salvatore and Marion Salvatore, 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Visitation was held on Monday, September 11, 2017, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm & 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm at Waitt Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 501 Highway 79, Morganville, NJ. A funeral mass was held on Tuesday September 12, 2017 at 10:30am at St. Clement Church, Matawan, followed by interment in St. Joseph Cemetery, Keyport. To share stories, photos or to send an online condolence, please visit www.waittfh.com
NOEMI ROBINSON
Noemi Robinson, 49, of Matawan, NJ, passed away on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at her home surrounded by her loving family after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Noemi Robinson was born on June 6, 1968 to Esteban Roman and Luisa (Torress) Alvarato in Brooklyn, NY where she was raised. She married Ronald F. Robinson on November 9, 1991 and moved to Jersey City, NJ where they had their son, Ronald F. Robinson Jr. They later moved to Matawan, NJ where they have resided for the past 19 years and had their daughter, Jacqueline Nina Robinson. Noemi volunteered as a Religious Teacher for many years, substituted for several school systems, and was an avid reader and writer. She loved gardening, art, watching her cooking shows, and most importantly, spending time with her family. Noemi is survived by her loving husband of 25 years Ronald, her two children, eight siblings (including inlaws), and ten nieces and nephews. Her kids were her biggest
inspiration and pride. She will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her. Relatives and friends were invited to visit the Waitt Funeral Home and Cremation Services on Wednesday, S e pt e mb e r 6 , 2017 from 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm. A liturgy of Christian burial was held on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 11:00 am at the St. Clement Church, Matawan, NJ, followed by interment in the Marlboro Memorial Cemetery, Marlboro, NJ. Throughout her battle, Noemi volunteered much of her time promoting Breast Cancer awareness and research. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Noemi’s
name to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, <https://secure. info-komen.org/>site/Donation2. For more information or to leave an online condolences message to the family please visit our website: www.waittnelmsfh.com.
To submit Obituaries email Editor@ AllaroundOB.com
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
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OCTOBER 2017
FROM TUBIE TO FOODIE: THE JOURNEY OF A REAL LIFE SUPERHERO
By: Jessica Fioretti Halloween is the time of year kids love to dress up as their favorite princess, villain, superhero, you name it. A few years ago, for our preschool’s Halloween parade, one of the little girls I was working with, Chloe, came to school in a superhero costume.
I remember thinking what a perfect costume for a little girl who had persevered through so much in her life already. Chloe was born premature at 23 weeks. She spent 7 months in the hospital before her parents were told she could be discharged home. Although Chloe was cleared to be discharged, one of the requirements was that she had to have a feeding tube placed so that she could maintain adequate
nutrition and thrive. Once she was home, Chloe began receiving speech and feeding therapy through early intervention. At the age of 2, Chloe suffered a stroke and her feeding progress came to standstill. I began working with Chloe when she entered the preschool program at three years old. She was being fed primarily through her feeding tube and had very little interest in any food or drink. In fact, Chloe became extremely anxious and upset when any new food or drink was placed near her. She would yell, say “no”, push her chair away from the table and cry. There were a lot of contributing factors as to why Chloe had such negative feelings towards food and I knew we had a long road ahead of us. Reducing mealtime stress is extremely important. My first goal of feeding therapy with Chloe was to let her explore different foods with different colors, smells, textures and tastes. We played with food and got messy! Yes, playing with food is and should be allowed, especially for those children who are picky eaters or have significant feeding difficulties. I knew it was important for Chloe to be able to learn about food from the outside before she would be comfortable placing it in her mouth. The more Chloe interacted with these new foods, the more willing she was to try new foods and to partake in mealtime situations with her peers. She began sitting at the table with her peers during snack and lunch and would explore and sometimes try new foods on her own. Being at the table with her peers gave her exposure to the sights, smells and sounds that surround mealtime. It also gave her the positive experience of peer interaction and the ability to go at her own pace. Throughout therapy, we contin-
ued to work on improving the variety and amount of food she would eat. We also focused on improving her chewing skills and her ability to drink. Chloe’s family and I worked together to ensure carryover of strategies at home and she had ongoing consultations with her Gastroenterologist. I remember her mom writing me after I asked her to send in lunch for Chloe. She couldn’t believe after 4 years of eating little to nothing by mouth, she was now packing her a lunch. By the time Chloe had graduated preschool her tube feedings were discontinued. She was eating and drinking a variety of food and drinks. A few months later her feeding tube was removed. Chloe turns 8 this month and I have been fortunate enough to stay in touch with her family. I get to celebrate in the joy her mom feels when she eats pizza and cake at her friend’s birthday party. I get pictures of her food adventures from Chinese food to Calamari and the crumbs she leaves over from clearing her plate.
Chloe, has worked so hard and come so far. She may have “dressed up” as a superhero for our preschool parade that Halloween, but Chloe is a superhero all year round. For some great ideas on fun, healthy recipes, feeding tips and
managing mealtime struggles check out www.doctoryum.org and www.mymunchbug.org Follow Jessica’s blog at www. learningwithlittlesblog.com and follow her on Twitter @Learn_w_littles
Jessica Fioretti, MA CCC/SLP program and has extensive experiis a wife and mom of 2 sweet,little ence in various areas of the speech, girls. She has been working as a language and feeding disorders. Speech Language Pathologist in She truly loves what she does and is NJ since 2001. Jessica currently excited to share her experiences and provides Speech Therapy services ideas through her new blogwww. in a special education preschool learningwithlittlesblog.org FOLLOW JESSICA ON HER BLOG AT HTTPS://LEARNINGWITHLITTLESBLOG.COM/
GREY MATTERS Written By: Judith Kristen
Photo of Judith Kristen A Facebook Halloween? What?! Once again it’s time for ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. And maybe even a few other scary, creepy, weird, and hair-raising thingies! And no. This has
nothing to do with politics. I’m talking about HALLOWEEN! And I’m not talking about the Halloweens of my yesteryear in the 1950s when I was a kid in Philly. I’m talking about Internet Halloweens. Yup. Internet Halloweens. D o y ou k n ow t h at I w a s invited to a Halloween Extravaganza - on Facebook?! When I inst ant mess age d my Ho st to ask w he re t h is event would take place, here’s how the conversation went: “It’s online! It’s Facebook!” “ Yo u’r e k i d d i n g , r i g h t ? ” “No! It’s Online, really. It’ll be fantastic! Just click on the word ‘Going’ on the ‘Event’ page. “You’re nuts, you know that, right?” “Of course I do! See ya there, Jude!” End of conversation. My first thought was – How does one even dress for a Facebook Halloween par ty? My next thought? “Maybe I should ‘go’ as a Deer in Headlights.” My third and final thought was, “I wonder if Bill Gates is making the ‘Apple’ cider?”
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
It wasn’t long before I realized there was no room for any kind of sane chatter inside my head and so I went to the ‘Event’ page and clicked - ‘Not Going.’ Facebook candy corn be damned. A n d , t h e s e n e w Ha l l o w een fun ideas don’t just start and stop with Facebook. You can also have a family gathering and watch as the kids carve a pumpkin online - so things won’t get messy at home. You can also visit YouTube and go on a Haunted Hayride, courtesy of your PC, or, you’ll love this one - you could buy the kids a Virtual Reality game system so the kids could do some damage to some of those ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties that I mentioned earlier – and all for a mere pittance - if you consider $1,100 dollars for the latest computer gadget a mere pittance, that is. So, okay Folks, call me old, say that I’m nostalgic for the cherished times of my yesteryears, and I guess I am. I miss dressing up in homemade outfits and carrying a pil-
OCTOBER 2017
lowcase to collect all of those: GIGANTIC 5 cent candy bars, freshly made apple taffies, and nickels and dimes that would jingle against the bottom mix of clothesline-dried linen and percale. I miss the radiance of the old gaslights that would accentuate the scary glow from a Werewolf’s eye, or a sparkle from a five-year-old gypsy’s gold earring, or the silver that would shimmer from the spurs and belt buckles of wanna-be Hopalong Cassidys, Roy Rogers’, and Gene Autrys. It doesn’t seem all that long ago to me, and then again, it seems a hundred years ago. So now what do I do for something ‘scary’ since I’ll be missing out on that frightening Facebook Halloween thing y? Hmmm? Well, maybe knowing that my old 5-cent Hershey Bar now costs a buck and a half would do it. Yu p. O k a y. T h a t’s s c a r y. T h a t ’s r - e - a - l - l - y s c a r y. Peace and Love… and problem solved. ~Judy
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ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE FACEBOOK LIVE EVENTS AAOB will be holding Facebook live interviews with council candidates on October 4th and 10th. Each Candidate has been invited to attend the Facebook Live event which will feature the candidate and AAOB’s publisher David Lee Hernandez, Jr. Each candidate will be able to tell our audience about their accomplishments and activities in Old Bridge, as well as what their top priorities would be if on the council. Like our All Around Old Bridge on facebook to view the event. Candidate interview times and dates will be posted on our page, www.facebook.com/Allaroundob/
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LIVING STONES w e s t a n d , d i v i d e d w e f a l l . UNITED WE STAND
The great Greek stor yteller, Aesop, tells this tale: A lion used to prowl about a field in which four oxen used to dwell. Many times he tried to attack them; but whenever he came near they turned their tails to warn another, so that whichever way he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them. At last, however, they fell a-quarrelling among themselves, and each went off to pasture alone in the separate corner of the field. Then the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all four. T h e m o r a l o f “ T h e Fo u r Oxen and the Lion?” United
Brilliant politicians like Patrick Henry relied heavily on the phrase “united we stand, divided we fall,” as have artists like Pink Floyd, authors like J.K. Rowling, and filmmakers like the creators of Captain America: Civil War. The phrase is also the motto of state legislatures. Notably, the state of Missouri’s flag displays two grizzly bears around a shield that reads, “United we stand, divided we fall.” The adage holds true both in principle and in practice, and yet, some Americans seem to have fallen away from its fundamental truth. Currently, some in our nation are broken up into distinct groups with zealous individuals and media outlets overemphasizing our differences rather than our unity as Americans. Nevertheless, we often return to the truth of “united we stand, divided we fall” when tragedy strikes. After the nightmare of 9/11, our nation rallied around our flag and what it meant to be an American, and responded to our enemies with one voice. As we experienced in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Americans from all over the country
Photo of Diane Amadile Senior Center Manager As always, we have a full schedule of events during the month of October. Our professional presentations this month include – BP & Wellness Checks with Raritan Bay Medical Center on Tuesday, October 3rd, Home Energy Assistance Intakes by the Puerto Rican Action Board is scheduled for low income individuals on October 5th, Halcyon Pharmacy will be here on October 12th for questions and answers as well as BP checks; and Rutgers Behavioral Health will present a program en-
titled “How To Be Yourself ” on October 17th. These are just a few of our presentations for the month. If you would like more information about these and other scheduled presentations, please call us at 732-721-5600 ext. 6615. In addition to our professional presenters, we have exercise classes every day such as gentle strength training, walk aerobics, Zumba, yoga, and Move 2 the Groove. For those less active, we have a wonderful choral group, painting, needlework and a variety of arts and crafts. Our trips this month include Atlantic City Caesars Casino on October 12th, a trip to Columbus Farmers Market and we are also going to the Jersey Shore Outlets. Don’t forget our annual Halloween Party on October 31st. Wear your favorite costume, compete in our contests and games, win a prize, and enjoy dancing with DJ Mel. I hope to see some new faces joining us this month. For member information, such as hours and days for registrations, please contact us at 732-721-5600 ext. 6600 or visit us on the web at www.oldbridge.
By Lloyd Pulley, Senior Pastor, Calvary Chapel Old Bridge
THE SENIOR SCENE
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE unified to bring much-needed relief to this area. In fact, our church, Calvar y Chapel Old Bridge, working through a branch of Calvary Relief, was able to unleash a volunteer force from throughout the nation to bring the equivalent of millions of dollars of relief to hard-hit NJ neighborhoods. And now, after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma ravished regions of Texas and Florida, once again Americans are uniting to meet the needs of fellow Americans. Here at home, Calvary Old Bridge is sending teams and volunteers, as well as supplies and resources, to help Americans rebuild through Calvary Relief. This is the bedrock of what it means to be an American – rallying to meet the needs of others. Americans of every creed, color, an d s o c i o - e c on om i c s t atu s are unifying and serving sideby-side when it matters most. This great American spirit brings to mind a simple injunction of Jesus, who quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” (Mark 12:31). What does it mean then, to love our neighbors as ourselves? Do you feed yourself every day? Make sure you have clothes,
com/seniorcenter for our full calendar of events and newsletter.
Our Center represented at the Middlesex County Health and Fitness Walk in Roosevelt Park in September.
OCTOBER 2017 drinking water, a place to sleep, etc.? As we meet those needs for ourselves, we often think of others in desperate need, especially during times of crisis. Recently, this united American spirit was clearly evident in Texas, as residents helped one another in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Within three weeks of the storm, 95% of Texans’ homes had been mucked out! Amazingly much of this work has been done by people of faith who firmly believe in loving their neighbors as themselves. In a USA Today piece entitled, “Faith groups provide the bulk of disaster recovery, in coordination with FEMA,” Paul Singer writes, “In a disaster, churches don’t just hold bake sales to raise money or collect clothes to send to victims; faithbased organizations are integral partners in state and federal disaster relief efforts. They have specific roles and a sophisticated communication and coordination network to make sure their efforts don’t overlap or get in each others’ way.” Even government organizations, and those affiliated with government, acknowledge the role of faithbased organizations in disaster relief. One such group, Partners
for the Common Good, notes, “nonprofit organizations, including faith-based and community organizations, play a vital role in both preparing for disaster, and in ensuring an inclusive and participatory community-wide recovery from a disaster… these organizations directly supplement and fill gaps where government authority and resources cannot be applied.” Academia acknowledges this phenomenon as well. One such study notes that about half of all shelters in the Gulf region after Hurricane Katrina were operated by faith-based groups. In other words, Americans unified in loving their neighbors as themselves have a real, quantifiable impact on fellow Americans in need. Look how Americans rise up and unite in times of crisis, and you will see what it fundamentally means to BE American. Loving our neighbor as ourselves fundamentally draws us together, and in that, we truly stand united. Learn more about how you c an supp or t C alv ar y R eli e f for the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, visit ccob.org.
9/11 REMEMBRANCE SERVICE IN MEMORY OF James P. Berger Joseph Howard Krystine Bordenabe Jose J. Marrero Mark F. Broderick William E. Micciulli Steven P. Chucknick Robert Miller Charles G. Costello, Jr. Bernard Pietronico Michael Davidson Elvin Romero Joseph Farrelly Mark Shulman Gary J. Frank
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ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
MAYOR OWEN HENRY ENDORSES AND SUPPORTS
COUNCILMAN ALAN ROSENCRANZ WARD 4 FOR RE ELECTION
VOTE COLUMN A ON NOVEMBER 7, 2017 LET'S KEEP OLD BRIDGE ON TRACK.
PAID FOR BY ALAN ROSENCRANZ FOR COUNCIL
OCTOBER 2017
CENTRAL JERSEY ATTEMPTS TO SET NEW WORLD RECORD
By STEVE WINSTON On Saturday, September 16, at iPlay America in Freehold, New Jerseyans attempted to break the world record of 1,645 people doing push-ups at the same time. Unfortunately, they didn’t succeed (exact figures were not available as of this writing). However, they did succeed in calling attention to a little-known, very rare, and always-fatal childhood disease. The event was held by JAR of Hope, a Manalapan-based foundation that raises money to fund research on a disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Duchenne is a rare, muscle-wasting disease that strikes only children. There’s no cure. Victims are in wheelchairs and breathing n ventilators by their early-teens. And in graves by their early-20’s. And there’s a little boy in Central Jersey who has this disease. Sevenyear-old James Anthony (“Jamesy”) Raffone of Manalapan was diagnosed with Duchenne four years ago. His parents, Jim and Karen Raffone, are the founders of JAR of Hope. “After Jamesy’s diagnosis, we spent all weekend crying,” Jim Raffone says. “But when we got up on Monday morning, we decided to stop the crying and start doing something to save these kids. And we quickly learned that most pharmaceutical companies weren’t even researching Duchenne, because there aren’t enough victims to make a profit.” The attempt to set the new world-record for the number of people doing push-ups took place at iPlay America, a four-acre, all-indoor, family amusement park in Freehold. And this was not the first charitable event iPlay America has hosted. “We are happy to support Jar of Hope in as many initiatives as we can,” said Jessica Schwartz, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at iPlay America, “to help Jim and his team help to find a cure for this disease. iPlay America is committed to helping our community, whether it be
schools, non-profits and any other organizations who can benefit by utilizing any of our fund-raising packages to raise money for their cause. We will always do our best to support our community and its members whenever possible!” T h e f ive s p ons or s of t h e Push-Up Challenge were CKO Kickboxing of Freehold, Hynt Beauty, Freehold Ford, Freedom Mor tgage and Grand B ank. The event was attended by numerous prominent Central Jerseyans, among them 101.5’s Ray Rossi, who gave the opening speech; Mayor Susan Cohen and Deputy Mayor Jack McNaboe of Manalapan, who presented JAR of Hope with The Mayors Recognition Award; and Manalapan Councilwoman Maryann Musich, in addition to many other local business and civic leaders. Also present were several families with children who have Duchenne. The event was topped by a stirring speech from Jim Raffone, who urged those in attendance to tell at least one person every day about JAR of Hope and its mission. Even though JAR of Hope didn’t succeed in setting a new world record, hundreds of New Jersey residents left the event with a better understanding of this rare childhood disease. “JAR of Hope is my mission in life,” Jim Raffone says. “These children can’t fight for themselves, so someone has to step up and do it for them. And it’s a role I’ll gladly take. I just cannot bear the thought of these children dying before they get a chance to become adults.”
ELECTION POLLING LOCATIONS POLLING LOCATIONS
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DISTRICT
POLLING LOCATIONS
WARD
DISTRICT
4 5
7 9
MEMORIAL SCHOOL 11 ELY AVENUE LAURENCE HARBOR
1
1,2,5
WALTER M. SCHIRRA JR. SCHOOL, AWN STREET OLD BRIDGE (SAYREWOODS SOUTH)
RECREATION BUILDING, RARITAN AND OCEAN BLVDS, CLIFFWOOD BEACH
1
3,4
JAMES A. MCDIVITT SCHOOL, 1 MANNY MARTIN WAY, OLD BRIDGE
4
8
9,10
JOHN H. GLENN JR.SCHOOL, 185 CINDY STREET, OLD BRIDGE (SAYREWOODS SOUTH)
5
1,6
3,5
M. SCOTT CARPENTER SCHOOL, 1 PAR AVENUE OLD BRIDGE (SAYREWOODS SOUTH)
5
1,2,5
7
SOUTHWOOD SCHOOL, SOUTWOOD DRIVE OLD BRIDGE
5 6
5,7 7
5 6
8 6
CHEESEQUAKE VILLAGE CLUBHOUSE GALEWOOD DRIVE, CHEESEQUAKE VILLAGE OLDBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL MAIN CAMPUS 4209 ROUTE 516, MATAWAN THE PLAZA GRANDE MAIN BALLROOM - 1200 FALSTON CIRCLE
1
2
2
MADISON PARK SCHOOL, HARVARD ROAD PARLIN
3
1,2
SOUT OLD BRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER 515 MARLBORO ROAD, OLD BRIDGE
NIEUW AMSTERDAM APARTMENTS BLDG 1, APT 2, VAN DELFT DRIVE SOUTH AMBOY
3
3,4
VOORHEES SCHOOL, MIDWAY ROAD OLD BRIDGE
6
1,2,3,4,5,8
6,7
CARL SANDBURG MIDDLE SCHOOL 3439 ROUTE 516, OLD BRIDGE (FORMALY OBHS WEST)
2 4
2,4 3,6,9
1,2,4,5
RICHARD A COOPER CIVIC CENTER ONE OLD BRIDGE PLAZA, OLD BRIDGE
1 2 3
8 1,6 5
CHEESEQUAKE SCHOOL, ROUTE 34 CHEESEQUAKE ALAN B. SHEPARD SCHOOL, 33 BUSHNELL RD, OLD BRIDGE (SAYREWOODS SOUTH)
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ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
CALVARY CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL HOME SOCCER GAMES Phillips Park 104 Maple Street, Old Bridge NJ
OCTOBER 2017
9/11 BENEFIT SOCCER GAME – CALVARY CHRISTIAN DEFEATS ATLANTIC CHRISTIAN
Written by Jonah A. Conte, Calvary Christian School Junior OCTOBER Monday Wednesday Friday Monday * Tuesday *
10/10 10/12 10/13 10/16 10/17
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CCHS Boys Varsity vs. Somerset Tech CCHS Girls Varsity vs Carteret CCHS Girls Varsity vs South Amboy CCHS Boys Varsity vs Edison Academy CCHS Girls Varsity vs Solebury
*SENIOR NIGHT HONORING ALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ON THE TEAM GO TO CCSNJ.NET FOR LATEST UPDATES/CHANGES/CANCELLATIONS
CCS GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE OFFICIALLY ADDS NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL AS NEW MEMBER One of the state’s premier conferences is getting larger by adding the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s smallest school. Calvary Christian School in Old Bridge will become a full-fledged member of the Greater Middlesex Conference beginning in the 2018-19 academic year, according to Jeff DiCocco, the league’s president. With 76 students in grades 10 through 12 according to the latest NJSIAA group classification enrollment numbers, Calvary Christian School is the smallest of the statewide athletic association’s 435 members. Calvary Christian School will be placed in the Gold Division for all sports in which it competes including boy basketball, girls basketball, softball, baseball, boys soccer, girls soccer, golf, cross country and track and field. The school, which opened in 2005, carries multiple accrediations, including one from The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, according to its website. Several GMC members have been playing against Calvary Christian School for the past couple of years including Wardlaw-Hartridge, whose student-athletes and coaches have been impressed with the makeup of their opponents on and off the field. “We must have competed in eight to 10 different sports already against Calvary,” said Wardlaw-Hartridge
School Athletics Director Karl Miran, whose school, like Calvary Christian School, has students in pre-K through twelfth grade. “The adults in the administration that we deal with are excited about sports and they want the best for their young people. Their young people have been classy and good competitors, so we think they are a great fit for the Gold Division and the GMC. We are happy to have them.” South River Athletics Director Carl Buffalino said Calvary Christian School student-athletes will benefit from GMC membership. “I am of the mindset that participating within the GMC and not as an independent is much more beneficial to the student-athletes because (they) can get athletic and academic recognition,” said Buffalino, noting Calvary Christian School student-athletes will be eligible for All-Conference and All-Division selection, for scholar-athlete and sportsmanship honors and to compete for division and conference championships. The GMC athletics directors voted in May to add Calvary Christian School, which will compete in the 2017-18 season as an independent, as the league’s 35th member. Buffalino said Calvary Christian School plays all its home events off the school’s campus on
White Oak Lane in Old Bridge, using Phillips Park in the township as a venue for soccer and cross country, and the Monroe Sports Center as a basketball court. Calvary Christian School has been competitive on the field and on the hardwood against South Amboy, Highland Park, Timothy Christian and Woodbridge Academy. “Our high school athletics is focused on developing well-rounded sports teams in order to compete on the junior varsity and varsity levels,” a statement about the school’s athletics programs reads on the Calvary Christian School website. M i k e Wi l k e r s o n , w h o i s Calvary Christian School’s athletics director, could not be immediately reached for comment. As the smallest of the NJSIAA’s member schools, Calvary Christian School competes in Non-Public Group B for all sports. “They’ve done everything we’ve asked of them to do as far as preparing to get ready to join the GMC,” Buffalino said. “They are good people to work with. They are a class act.” Reprinted with permission, originally published on MyCentralJersey.com on Aug. 22, 2017 link for article: http:// mycj.co/2xqVsb3
This past September 11th, Calvary Christian School, stood together with Atlantic Christian before as the National Anthem was sung in remembrance of the people affected by the events of September 11, 2001. The students and staff felt strongly about dedicating these games to helping the victims who are suffering through from the devastation from the recent hurricanes. Pizza for the event was donated by Giusseppe’s Pizza, here in Old Bridge which helped raise over $300 dollars for hurricane relief. The kids were so grateful to Carlo and Emily for helping with the event. The Calvary High School Boys Team came out victorious with a 1-0 score in a hard-fought game which was highlighted by the game-clinching penalty kick by Jason Long in the final minute of overtime. While during t h e w o m e n’s match, it became a game of attrition as Calvary held its 1-0 lead af t e r an e ar l y goal scored by Maddie Gonzalez. One of the most important plays for the boys was a late run to the goal by striker Nick Belo in overtime as he was fouled in the box, setting up the penalty kick for Jason Long to win the game. Long commented, “When you’re taking a penalty under that kind of pressure, there is no room for doubt.” Calvary’s Assistant Boys Coach, Charlie Miller, when asked about being a part of this kind of event to support a noble cause said: “Well that part was great, I enjoyed doing that. It makes the remembrance a
little bit more, to take that time out to think of 9/11 and also the two hurricanes, so it was great to see our kids coming together to help people.” Coach Miller was also asked what he liked the most about his players during the game, and he said, “Well, they didn’t give up, and I never lost confidence in them. I felt that they could win all along, and they never gave up.” During the Calvary High School Girls Game, a different tone was set as Maddie Gonzalez scored during the first half off an assist by Grace Wells. The Lady Lions were able to maintain their lead as goalie Kayla Lombardi had 11 saves. Coach Sara Poole was also asked about this event and she said, “It was pretty cool, we have never done anything like this before, so I think it brought the morale up for our team, and I think it brought fans in for a great reason so they were able to watch our game as well as raise money.” Coach Poole was asked what she liked about her team’s play, and s h e s t at e d , “ I would say with it being our first game of the season that there were a lot of nerves and intimidation and they just overcame it.” She added, “It was a tough game and I was really proud of the team working together.” It was a significant victory for both soccer teams as each won their first game of the season during this event. We look forward to more exciting games like these.
ALL AROUND OLD BRIDGE
OCTOBER 2017
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