Black River September 2021 by My Life Publications..Maljon LLC

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No. 19 Vol. 9

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September 2021

Area Man Urges Others Not to Live in Fear Through His Story of Survival

By Steve Sears 7-year Chester Borough resident, William “Will” Jimeno, has co-authored his second book. You can certainly staple an “author” tag on him, but better yet, “grateful survivor” is perhaps more appropriate. Jimeno, an immigrant from Colombia who first grew up in Hackensack, became a Port Authority Police Officer in January of 2001, and was a rookie on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, now known historically as 9/11. When terrorists started that morning’s tragic events in motion, Jimeno called his wife, Allison, and was rushed from the pay phone as he told her he was going to the World Trade Center location, and didn’t have a chance to say, “I love you.” The aftermath of two planes purposely crashing into the World Trade Center towers was Jimeno being buried alive for 13 hours under fallen cement and debris, wondering if he’d ever see his loved ones again. “Something picked me up and just threw me on my back,” he recalls of the horror as the South Tower collapsed. “It was raining concrete down on us; suddenly there was just like 1000 freight trains - a billion freight trains - coming down on us.” He was rescued later that evening, and his Sergeant and fellow survivor, John McLoughlin, 9-hours later. ‘I mean, they were choking on smoke down there,” says Jimeno of his rescuers. “It was horrible. At that point, when they put me on the Stokes basket, they started passing me up the hole. I remember coming up out of the hole, and I looked up and asked, ‘Where is everything?’ Because I could see the moon, I could see the stars, I could see the sky, but I couldn’t see the buildings. That’s when a firefighter said, ‘That’s all gone, kid,’ At that point I started crying. That’s the first time I cried.”

Jimeno got to say “I love you” to his wife of now-26 years again, see his oldest daughter, Bianca, grow, and see his wife give birth to a second daughter, Olivia, two months after his rescue. He details this and more in his latest book, “Sunrise Through the Darkness – A Survivor’s Account of Learning to Live Again Beyond 9/11,” which he co-authored with friend and psychologist, Michael Moats, which was released on August 16. And for Jimeno, life and God gave him additional time on earth, and he’s using that time to inspire others. “I’m alive for that second sunlight, and I don’t take anything for granted,” says Jimeno, 53, who is also the co-author of a children’s book with illustrator, Charles Ricciardi, titled “Immigrant, American, Survivor – A Little Boy Who Grew Up To Be All Three.” His story was also told in the 2006 Oliver Stone movie, “World Trade Center.” “I’ve been doing speaking engagements since 2003, when I was asked to speak to a school, and exactly what I’ve told you is what I’ve told children: I inspire people because I want them to understand that you can’t live your life with fear.” His second book tells the reader about what happened to he and his team that fateful morning, but also talks about both his physical and mental recovery. “When I say ‘darkness,’ for me my darkness is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Some people have depression, anxiety; mine was anger. And it took a lot for me to learn on how to live again, in the sense of how to live again with the PTSD, and having a fruitful life.” Allison herself also delivers a chapter in the book on the secondary impacts of PTSD. Jimeno and McLoughlin still discuss 9/11 to this day. “A true example of heroism,” he says of McLoughlin. “I mean, he took double the injuries I had – still has open wounds. So, September

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11 for us is not something that we celebrate or remember once a year. That for us is every day, and we’re blessed to be together. We have a great relationship, and I’m blessed to have him in my life.” Also, to be told that day in 2001 that he and McLoughlin were the only survivors was for Jimeno incredible. “20 years later, the lesson that I learned is not to look at the darkness but to look at the light, and to look at how we came together as a nation and as a world, and how people - total strangers - put their lives on the line to help other people. So, 20 years later, I want to remember what happened that day and those we lost, but I want to honor them by living a good life, and teaching future generations of the good that day.” Both of Jimeno’s books are available on www.amazon.com and www. bn.com, and his ﬁrst book is also available at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City.

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raditionally, implant dentists carefully plan the locations and angles that we need dental implants placed at so we can put teeth where they need to be. We use landmarks such as adjacent teeth or teeth in the opposing jaw. Sometimes we may fabricate a template of the final teeth (such as a denture), and use them as a guide. These are all manual, or analog, techniques. At some point, implant dentistry entered the computerized, or digital world. Software was created that allows dentists to plan the positions of implants virtually. We can then communicate this data to 3-D printers that print custom guides that fit onto your teeth or jaws. These guides allow us to place implants with precise control of the aforementioned angles, and even the correct depth. Newer technology has been developed that parallels GPS concepts. GPS, or Global Positioning System, is used to pinpoint your location around the globe. Within implant dentistry, overhead cameras pinpoint the surgeon’s exact position. This data is fed into a computer that allows the dentist to control the important parameters of angulation and depth. Printed guides still have their place, but these GPS systems have additional advantages over guides: Faster and simpler procedures for the patient, less cost, faster planning, no production times, and better control are some of these parameters. One area this technology is becoming extremely useful in is “full arch” dental implants, commonly known as All-

On-Four®. This procedure involves the removal of any remaining teeth, the placement of 4 to 6 implants, and teeth connected to those implants. Typically, all of this is done in one appointment. With the GPS equipment, we can place the implants faster, more predictably, and the temporary teeth can be fabricate with more accuracy. You will not find this technology in all dental offices. Expect to find it only in practices that perform a lot of dental implant surgery. As you may expect, we have made it part of our armamentarium here at Morris County Dental Associates, where implant procedures are performed multiple times per day. Want to know more? Please visit our website at MorrisCountyDentist.com About the author: Dr. Ira Goldberg has been performing implant procedures for 27 years, and is recognized as an expert in the field of dental implants. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology / Implant Dentistry, a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He performs all phases of implant dentistry at his office in Succasunna. He also lectures to dentists in the field of implantology. For a free consultation, including a free 3-D scan (if necessary), please call his office at (973) 328-1225 or visit his website at www.MorrisCountyDentist.com Dr. Goldberg is a general dentist, and also a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.

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Chester Volunteer Fire Company Celebrates 100 Years of Service

By Steve Sears t will be 100 years on October 28, 2021 that several men met at the home of Lloyd Treadway and started the Chester Volunteer Fire Company. A century later, the current CVFC members on that same date will visit what they believe is that same spot for a brief meeting and a celebration of serving the community. “Our plan,” says Colin Wertman, fifth year President of the CVFC, “is to 100 years later have a special meeting per se. And obviously, it’s a lot bigger group than it was (then), so our plans are to set some tents up and stuff out back, and we’ll all be in full dress uniform.” “We’ve got our fingers crossed,” says Chief Scott Dilley. “There’s nothing carved in stone or anything like that, but

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chief, says the CVFC has a mutual aid agreement with surrounding counties and townships. “We run to their need as they do for us,” says Dilley. “We’re about 25 active members, and the total list on the roster is approximately (combining active, active exempt, and life members) 70 people.” He then speaks to the department’s importance to those they serve. “We are as much to the community as the community is to us. They believe in us and we’re open for whatever could come down the road - it doesn’t even have to be an emergency, like when you need to handle something or Santa Claus needs to get trucked around. But when the fire alarm goes off - and that’s when I use this term very largely - this ‘family gets’ together. That’s when continued on page 6

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the homeowners seem to be very responsive to it, and they’re just looking forward to being able to allow us to hold such a milestone in their yard.” A century ago, Tredway’s chemical tank was mounted onto William Axford’s Pierce Arrow chassis in Morris Chamberlain’s garage, and the initial fire fighting apparatus was ready. Humble beginnings they were, and afar cry from the current fleet of 9 in-service vehicles. Dilley, 58, and in his 40th year as a firefighter, believes that initially the CVFC fought fires only in Chester due to the fact there were only 10 to 15 members at that time. At the end of 1922, that number had ballooned to 47 members. Dilley, who is also in his fifth turn serving as

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Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired? Exploring Another Treatment Option for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

hronic fatigue immunodeficiency syndrome (CFIS) also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a disabling and poorly understood illness that is becoming more widespread in Western countries. CFIS is a term used to describe a myriad of neurological, neuromuscular, and immunological abnormalities. The initial onset of CFIS consists of flu-like symptoms including fever, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, chills and extreme fatigue. The chronic manifestations of CFIS always include disabling fatigue but can also include muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, headaches, hypo- or hypersensitivities, cognitive disorders, depression, malaise, anxiety, irritability, confusion, weight fluctuations, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, muscle fatigue, worsening PMS, visual disturbances, tachycardia, paresthesias, dry eyes, dry mouth, night sweats, skin rashes and decreased sexual desire. The etiology of CFIS is still unknown, but the suspected cause is a viral infection. Some researchers believe that CFIS is actually a neurological response to a viral infection. Since there are no absolute markers or lab tests to confirm the illness, chronic fatigue immunodeficiency syndrome is often diagnosed by symptoms alone and by process of elimination.

For the same reasons, western medicine has no treatment for chronic fatigue. Instead, doctors prescribe individual medications to deal with each of the associated symptoms. As with any illness, traditional Chinese medicine treats the individual on a case- bycase basis. A diagnosis is made based on the individual’s symptoms as well as their tongue and pulse presentations. The patient’s tongue is inspected and 6 pulses are felt on each wrist in order for the Acupuncturist/ Chinese Medical Practitioner to determine the diagnosis. Since chronic fatigue manifests differently in each person, this method of diagnosing is superior. The treatment plan is then formulated based on the individual’s diagnosis. As you can see in the chart- one Acupuncture treatment plan will address all of the individual’s symptoms as well as the illness as a whole. This is known as a root and branch treatment. Addressing the root cause of the chronic fatigue is addressing the illness as a whole while treating the branch aims to relieve all of the symptoms associated with the illness. A single Chinese herbal formula can also be prescribed to treat both the root and branch of the chronic fatigue syndrome. For more information about Acupuncture and Chronic Fatigue Immunodeficiency Syndrome, call Kearstin R. Tripi, L.Ac at Mt. Olive Acupuncture & Wellness 973-527-7978.

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100 Years of Service... continued from page 4 it really happens. That’s one of the things that really makes me as chief very proud, to watch how this whole thing unfolds. It comes together, it gets done.” When Dilley is asked if there was one day he wished he could reverse, he doesn’t hesitate. “9/11.” Dilley was chief as well during the horrific day 20 years ago. “9/11 was tough, especially for the FDNY guys and their families, but out here, as chief, it was tough because our people wanted to go to the city. And as chief, I felt we were needed more here than we were there. There was communications back and forth, and the main staging area was actually Liberty State Park. Nobody wanted to go any more than I did; to go and try to help. On that day, being chief, and telling our people that I don’t think that we should go there, was probably one of the toughest things for me to do.” Wertman speaks about the 100-year anniversary. “It’s a big accomplishment. Any company or anything that can make it 100 years is a huge accomplishment. We fall back on tradition a lot, that’s a big word that gets thrown around here.” And that tradition included the annually hosted carnival, which in 2021 would have been in its 58th year. It was cancelled both this

year and last, as was ringing in the New Year. “Gut punch,” he says about the feeling associated with the cancellations. “When we had to post that we canceled the carnival last year, people were angry. They look forward to it. We get a lot of the older groups; they’ve been going to it for almost the entire time it’s been running.” However, a new light has dawned. A 100-year CVFC celebration was planned for August 14, 2021 at Chubb Park with fireworks and live music. “People are so excited, actually, to be honest. We finally got a flyer up posted on Facebook and it’s been seen by like 17,000 people, and it’s been shared over 200 times, and people are saying, ‘This is going to be a great time.’ That’s just how you know people are looking forward to it.” “This place has always been such a special spot,” says Dilley of the CVFC headquarters at 86 Main Street (Route 24). “We were brought up – myself, Colin, and all the other members – and taught by our elders. October 21, 1921 – from that point up until now.” For those interested in joining the Chester Volunteer Fire Company, a good night to visit is Wednesday, when the firefighters on duty are cleaning and checking the fire trucks. You can also visit www.chesterfire.weebly.com.

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United States Power Squadron Oﬀers State Boating Safety Course

orthern New Jersey Sail & Power Squadron, a unit of the United States Power Squadrons (USPS) and now America’s Boating Club, will offer the New Jersey State Police, Marine Services Bureau approved Boating Safety Course at James Caldwell High School from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. beginning Wednesday, September 22, 2021. The course taught by certified instructors licensed by the State of NJ, and which meets all the mandatory requirements necessary for obtaining your New Jersey Boat Safety Certificate, will run every Wednesday evening for six weeks which includes a night for review, and a night for the required state examination. The cost of the course is $90.00. Legislation in the state of New Jersey was passed a number of years ago requiring all boaters, 16 years of age or older, operating a power driven vessel including a personal watercraft (PWC), to complete a boating safety course. The legislation requires a minimum of eight

hours of instruction with at least six hours of in-classroom study, homework, and a proctored examination. Those successfully completing the course will receive a New Jersey Marine State Police certificate that must be in the operator’s possession when on the waters of the state. Failure to exhibit the certificate is presumptive evidence that the person has not completed an approved boating safety course and is subject to a fine. One must be at least 12 years of age to attend the course. Registration is made through the Caldwell/West Caldwell Center for Continuing Education, 265 Westville Avenue, Room 105, West Caldwell, NJ 07006. Register on-line at www.cwcboe. org/continuinged or by mail (print & mail registration form with check). All calls only after 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 973-228-2092. Questions concerning the USPS course can also be addressed to the Boating Course Chairman, Bob Rosselot at 973-228-5329; email: rosselot17@aol. com.

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Mendham Woman Excitedly Embraces Art Catron turned her attention to and started experimenting with the craft acrylic pouring starter set. “I started doing it and I fell in love with it,” she recalls. “And instead of boards I started using canvases and I upgraded my paints from craft paints, and I remembered I had seen an article asking for work for an art show in Jersey City.” The show was called the “Very Affordable Art Show” and it was held at Art House Productions. “I thought to myself, ‘I could sell these (her paintings) for not too much.’ I didn’t feel like I should charge a lot for my newfound love. And I

submitted four pictures and, sure enough, I sold two of them. All four got in and two sold. I just kept going and advancing.” Often a visitor to the Mendham Township Public Library and their art gallery, Catron asked if they were looking for art. When told that the library was always looking for art and had a recent cancellation, Catron was in the right place at the right time. “So, I got in right away, and here we are.” This past July, 20 pieces of her work were displayed. continued on page 9

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By Steve Sears 5-year Mendham resident, Karen Catron, became an artist during the Covid-19 shutdown. “The kind of art that I do is called acrylic paint pouring,” explains Catron. “It’s abstract art. Acrylic pouring a lot of people just call it.” In the fall of 2019, Catron had attended a small art fair at in town at Harmony

Brookside Gifts, where she saw someone’s acrylic pouring work and thought she could do it. “I had just retired, and I got excited about it (the artwork).” In December, her husband bought her a starter kit which included craft paints and tools for the art. At first, his wife didn’t attempt to use it, but when the coronavirus shutdown hit in March 2020, and there was plenty of time to do things at home,

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continued from page 8 Catron, an accountant by trade, views her work from the technical side. “There’s something about it that’s very technical, because there are so many ways of doing it, and it’s important you mix your paints. I learned from watching YouTube, and everybody’s got a different way of doing it. So, there was a lot of experimentation, trying to get the right recipe of your paint. And there’s a lot of tools to use to get it on the canvas. There’s something called Flip cups, there’s funnels, you can use sticks, and the latest thing is marbles, or you can use blow dryers, and you can use all of these different things at different times or nothing. And there are different kinds of pours. And not only do you have to get the

right recipe, but to get the right recipe it depends what kind of pour you’re doing. I love the process of sitting there, it’s quiet, and mixing your paints and figuring out what you’re going to do, because you’re pouring the paint. It’s how you manipulate it and how you touch your canvas. You’re going to come up with different things, and it’s never exactly how you expect it.” For Catron, who has submitted work again, this time to another art fair in Jersey City scheduled for November, her art is a whole new way of life for her. “The thing that I loved about it is what I could create using all these different techniques, and a lot of experimentation to come up with all these different looks. And I just love it.”

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Girls Rock Yoga Classes Coming Back to Washington Township Recreation “

irls Rock” is back and classes are forming for this fall season with Washington Township Recreation. “Girls Rock” Yoga classes are suitable for everyone, and will consist of a series of strengthening, relax breathing, meditation exercise, games, making connections with their peers, and a fun activity to be offered at each class. “Girls Rock” is for ages 8-13 and is scheduled to be held on Wednesday’s from October 6 – November 17, 2021 from 5:456:45pm at Washington Township Senior Center (RSP) 35, East Springtown Rd., L.V.

This seven week class has a nonrefundable fee due before September 30, 2021. Any payments received after deadline date will pay a late fee. Registration forms will not be accepted once the classes have begun. For more information contact the recreation office at (908) 876-5941 or email us at recreation@wtmorris.net or visit our website at www.wtmorris.org. If you are paying online please fax or email the registration form to us..... Thank you: Pay online link: https://magic. collectorsolutions.com/magic-ui/Login/ washington-township

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According to the guidelines, women should consume no more than one drink per day while men should limit their consumption to two drinks per day or less. Consuming more alcohol than the guidelines suggest can prove fatal, as the CDC notes that binge drinking is responsible for almost half the deaths related to excessive alcohol consumption.

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PEACE NJ Seeks to Spread Environmental Awareness Through Positive Action

An exhibitor from the Musconetcong Watershed Association explains to youngsters the group’s purpose. Photo credit PEACE NJ

By Steve Sears EACE NJ, a nonprofit in Hackettstown, was founded in April 2021 to bring awareness of environmental issues, and to promote safe ways to protect and enjoy the outdoors. The organization recently held Latino Conservation Week, which culminated in a big Latino Conservation Week Celebration on Sunday, July 25 at Alumni Field in Hackettstown. “Latino Conservation Week is actually an initiative from the Hispanic Access Foundation,” says Elsa Todd, one of the founders and Executive Director of PEACE NJ. “It’s actually an initiative all around the country where they get the community outdoors and participating in events.” About 60 people, including exhibitors, volunteers, the Board of Directors, and families attended. PEACE NJ stands for “People Enjoying Active Conservation of the Environment In New Jersey.” The group had its genesis because Todd discovered that Hackettstown had no current environmental commission. “It started with an idea of bringing people in the community together to actually work and clean up rivers, do street cleanups, and then outdoor recreation activities for the community,” she says. “And now it’s growing beyond that, so we’re very grateful.” Although the mailing address is in Hackettstown, PEACE NJ involves itself with towns that are located along the Musconetcong River Watershed. The river itself runs down into Hunterdon County. “Mount Olive, Hackettstown, Washington (Township), all the way to Phillipsburg,” Todd says, naming just a few of the communities. “We are not working directly; we are working indirectly, and we’re going to start doing events that way, and it’s mostly because we want to bring the stewardship and the awareness to the watershed that we belong to.” PEACE NJ also partners with several worthwhile organizations to strengthen

the commitment and action of all. “One of them is the Musconetcong Watershed Association,” says Todd, “mostly because, again, we have the Musconetcong River running through Hackettstown, and it’s a great spot for events and to bring awareness to the general population. Many people don’t even know we have a river or the importance of the river.” In one duo watershed cleanup with the group, about 400 people attended and collected hundreds of bags of garbage from the river. The group also partners with the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), the Warren County Parks Foundation, Trout Unlimited, and Corazón Latino of Washington, DC, with whom PEACE NJ will hold an event on Saturday, October 23 at Alumni Field. PEACE NJ is growing fast, but therein lies a challenge. “Now we need resources,” says Todd. “Without resources, we can’t bring what we want to the community, and when I say ‘resources’ I mean funding. So right now, we are applying for some grants, and hopefully that will give us the resources that we need to develop our educational programs, or bring more activities to the community.” Per Todd, just because PEACE NJ held a Latino Conservation Week does not mean that the group is limited to the Latino community. Far from it; all are invited. “The outdoors, green spaces, the rivers everything is for everyone. We all have to be good stewards, and our goal is to tell people that we’re here to promote environmental awareness and stewardship for everyone in the community. We’re here to make baby steps, yes, but big changes, and with those changes make big ripples. I’m a true believer that every little action you take, even if it’s small, it can make a big difference. And that’s what we’re trying to do.” For more information about PEACE NJ, visit www.facebook.com/PeaceNJ411.

Page 12 • September 2021 • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Roller Derby is Alive and Well in Northern New Jersey

By Steve Sears his isn’t your parents’ roller derby and, depending on your age, maybe not even your own. But it could become it. The sport of roller derby is alive in northern New Jersey. “We consider Morristown our home,” says Barbi Gnecco, a former skater for and current head coach of the New Jersey Roller Derby adult (18 and above) and junior divisions. Gnecco, who lives in Bloomingdale, is also co-founder. Prepare to have fun with this. You won’t see roller derby legends Ann Cavallo or Joanie Weston skating in the area anytime soon, and no longer will elbows thrown in someone’s face and fights on the banked track be the norm. However, you will see ladies called Criss Catastrophe, Hater Tots, Rosa Ruckus and many more doing some pretty awesome flat track skating. The New Jersey Roller Derby adult squad reconvened in July after a Covid-19 separation. “We just found a paved parking lot and everybody kind of just did a little bit of exercising while on their roller skates, just some of the things that we do in practice but we had to do them in the parking lot,” says Gnecco. “It’s no-contact, it’s all just basically footwork, because again it was our first prac-

tice back since early March of 2019.” New Jersey Roller Derby is part of an organization which is called the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the ruling body for any roller derby leagues that have joined them. “It keeps evolving,” says Gnecco of the sport, “and now we have the option of doing the flat track, which really opened it up to having so many leagues because you could do it anywhere. In my opinion, too - although of course you had to be physically fit to skate ramps in the ‘70s as well - right now it really is more of a sport with strategies, and you can develop players. It does seem like we’ve been trying to become a legitimate sport.” New Jersey Roller Derby has taken new members who have never skated before and others who are natural skaters. “Anybody can play roller derby,” says Gnecco, “And I believe any body type. It takes a mental toughness, and that’s really the biggest thing. If you have the mental toughness, the rest of this falls in line.” New Jersey Roller Derby has had skaters in their 40s and 50s, and, of course, much younger. In fact, the juniors wow Gnecco. “The juniors are great, and it’s just amazing watching these little children become the monster powerhouses on roller skates. It’s an amazing thing to see. I’ve seen such confidence boosts.”

Mia and Barbi Gnecco. Photo credit: Cathy Miller (aka Mama Hawk).

Gnecco talks about what roller derby, and New Jersey Roller Derby itself, means to her. “It was a sport that I somehow was good at. I’ve always been athletic, but maybe not great at sports, but I really clicked with roller derby and it just made me realize that I could actually be an athlete. That was one of the big things because it was a real, you know; it’s a perspective changer, when you do something you never thought you could do. That was the first part of it, and then I just wanted to keep doing more and keep

getting better, which is what led us to start our own league, so that we could have a little control over our progression. From there, it’s just been awesome; you meet such amazing people and you have an impact in such a positive way on people. You get to play this really cool sport and work out with friends that all kind of have the same interests, and it’s just really awesome.” For more information about the excitement of New Jersey Roller Derby, visit www. njderby.com.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • September 2021 • Page 13

I Remember Dad: Hold Dearly In Heart, Thy Steadfast Faith

By Richard Mabey Jr. nce in a lifetime, a most monumental moment comes to pass. At the time, the depth of the golden truth does not resonate to the core chambers of the human heart. Rather, it is only after a bit of time passes, that a person is able to really appreciate the shining diamond aspect of a sacred moment in time, never, ever to come back again. Love is the precious key that unlocks the bolted doors of loneliness, prejudice, fear, and hopelessness. It was in January of 2006, that my dad presented a talk to the good people of Edenville Methodist Church, in Edenville, Pennsylvania, one cold wintry Sunday morning. Dad had managed to beat prostate cancer, kidney cancer and skin cancer. Our beloved Pastor had asked my father to present a talk, that fateful Sunday morning, when she was away on vacation to visit her daughter and granddaughter. I had the distinct honor to introduce Dad, that wonderful Sunday morning. There, in this little country chapel, right before my eyes, my beloved father touched the hearts, minds, and inner beings of his fellow church members. When Dad was done with his presentation, that Sunday morning, I don’t think that there was a dry eye in the chapel. My father shared his inner most fears, of all of his anxieties, in his struggles of fighting cancer. And, then as if my dear father knew his fate, his destiny, he shared with the congregation that he was not feeling all that well lately. That the good Lord had come to him in a dream and told him that he needed to prepare for his journey Home to Heaven’s Gate.

My father’s intuition was keener than the team of doctors that he had. For it was shortly thereafter that Dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Dad had two more surgeries after that fateful diagnosis, but neither one of them was to any avail. I think that I loved my father as well as any son could love his Dad. My father was also my Scoutmaster. He taught me how to survive in the forest. He showed me which plants were edible and which ones were poisonous. I walked hundreds of miles of the Appalachian Trail with Dad. I shared a canoe with Dad on six, week-long canoe trips down the Delaware River. We often walked the towpath of the old Morris Canal together, down into the forest behind the old Mabey Homestead. My father was all so much more than a father to me, in all so many ways, he was my best friend. I often think of that talk that Dad gave to the congregation of the Edenville Methodist Church on that fateful Sunday morning in January of 2006. For Dad went Home to be with the Lord in early May of 2006. I still deeply mourn for him. In his presentation, Dad stressed the need to always keep a strong faith in the good Lord, despite how things were going in our lives. That we need to believe in the infinite goodness of God. That even though we many not understand it at the time, all things are working for the good of the Lord. Sadly, Dad’s talk was not recorded nor videotaped. Something that, to this very day, I deeply regret. Hold dear the sacred love for one another. Keep thy candle of unconditional love burning brightly in your heart.

Dad steadfastly standing at the podium, presenting his heart moving talk, at the Edenville Methodist Church. I am standing in the left-hand side of this photograph, for I had just introduced my beloved father.

Hold dear to the faith of a mustard seed. For truly, when faith and love combine, miracles can occur. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com. Please put on the subject line: My Life Publications.

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Page 14 • September 2021 • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Farewell Not, Thy Brothers in Spirit

By Richard Mabey Jr. here is in each and every one of us, deep within the core of our hearts, the gentle whispering call of a time gone by, of places that are but now ghostly ethers. But deep in the fiber and marrow of bone, residing in the heart’s deepest chamber, held dearly to our inner being, is the dearest memories of childhood and youth. And, who we are and what we stand for, was formed with the help of a hundred and one people. For myself, my two dear friends from my old neighborhood, my brothers in spirit, gave to me the gift of encouragement when I was so deeply questioning my talents and abilities. George Yost lived directly across the street from me, when I lived on old Route 202 in Lincoln Park. And, Joseph Manicone, lived to the left hand side of George, diagonally across the street from me. To say that the three of us were neighbors, doesn’t really quite define it. To say that we were friends, still does not really fully convey it. For the most part, we were like brothers. In fact, I think that we were closer than a lot of biological brothers are. We fell in love with the same neighborhood girls. But never allowed it to divide to us. We were blessed with a certain degree of intelligence, yet still struggled

through some of our classes, and struggled with some of the stricter teachers we had. We weren’t poor, but we were by no means wealthy. We grew up in Christian homes, with hard working fathers and loving mothers. The lay of the land, the unique geographical qualities of our little corner of the world, played an important role in our growing up. To the south lied the monumental Hook Mountain. To the north lied the sloping valley, the acres and acres of wooded land, the sacred path that led to the old Morris Canal and then across the canal, stretched out to the east and to the west, the long line of railroad tracks. Then, across the railroad tracks, stood the hundreds of proud apple trees, gleaming and shining with the harvest of red and yellow apples, calling up to reach up and take hold and bite into. Atop Hook Mountain, just a bit to the east, was the vastly wonderful Lilly Pond. And there, just off of the western shore of the Lilly Pond, was the mysterious Adams Log Cabin. It was an abandoned cabin that was said to be haunted. And, as kids we developed a certain respectful awareness that Old Man Adams’ cabin may well have been haunted. We just weren’t taking any chances. Summer days were filled with the joy

A reunion photo of the Three Musketeers. Left to right are yours truly, Joseph Manicone, and George Yost.

and splendor of playing baseball upon Earl’s Meadow, which was a very large open field that lied on the right-hand side, at the end of Mabey Lane. It was so named Earl’s Meadow because it was the open field upon which my Great Uncle Earl had planned on building a home, when he returned from France, fighting in World War I. Sadly, Great Uncle Earl was killed in battle. We were the leaders of the rest of the

neighborhood boys. It was not something that we consciously sought. It was more like something that was granted unto us by Divine Wisdom. Whenever we would start to play baseball in Earl’s Meadow, a dozen or more boys our age would magically appear. Some coming from across the woods from Clover Lane and Long View Drive. Some would come from the woods, from their continued on page 15

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • September 2021 • Page 15

Farewell Not...

continued from page 14 homes that were aligned with the Towaco ribbon of Route 202. And still other boys would come forth from the forest, from the little village of migrant farm workers that once abounded along the westerly section of the old Morris Canal in the area of the remains of Incline Plane Ten East. During the days of Summer, George, Joey, and myself would often ride our bicycles down to Moe’s Sweet Shop. We used to have wired baskets in the front of our bikes. We would fill them with old soda bottles that we found in the woods. Moe would give you two cents for every soda bottle. Back then just about every soda company charged a two-cent deposit on every bottle of their bubbly refreshment. We would cash in the old soda bottles and buy Milky Ways, Three Musketeers and Baby Ruth candy bars. Outside of Moe’s Sweet Shop, we would use our pen knives to cut each different candy bar into thirds, so that we would all have a feast of three different candy bars to delight our palates. We built tree forts in our backyards. We even built tree forts in the woods. We used to have all-day marathons of playing our favorite game boards of Monopoly and Risk. We read comic books beneath the shade of the maple, elm, and oak. We collected

baseball cards. We always debated whether the ink that got stuck onto the slab of bubble gum, that came inside the waxed wrapper of the baseball cards, was dreadfully harmful to your digestive system. We flipped baseball cards against the concrete foundations of the lower outside wall of the basement of our homes. We put the baseball cards, that we had as doubles, inside the spokes of the back wheel of our bicycles. We would hold them in place with clothespins. We had this joyous love of life, we relished each and every day of Summer. Deep in the crevices of our hearts, we knew that someday it was all going to fade away, that time was going to steal our magical childhood and youth. The three of us still do keep in touch with emails and telephone calls. There is a bond of brotherhood that still ties us together. Roughly 60 years have passed since our days of being free spirited boys, filled with adventure, wonder, and magic. Yet, they still live on in our hearts and minds. In all so many ways, we were closer than a lot of biological brothers are. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail. com. Please put on the subject line: My Life Publications.

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Page 16 • September 2021 • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

The Blessed September of 1966

By Richard Mabey Jr. uthor’s Note: Please note that I have changed Pamela’s last name, in this true-life story. For myself, turning of the calendar page from August to September, is in of itself the mark of my own personal new year. First, my birthday is in early September. Secondly, September marked the beginning of a new school year, a farewell to the joys and splendor of summer vacation. As I turned 13, in the early September of 1966, an old friendship was about to take a new turn, a new vista, the beginning of a kinder and deeper friendship. To understand the importance of the September of 1966, it’s necessary to rewind the timeline one more year, to September of 1965. It was then, when I was 12 years old and starting seventh grade, that I was diagnosed with having full-blown Rheumatic Fever. I did not attend all but a few weeks of school, during all of seventh grade. But, I did have a dedicated tutor, who even drove out in the wintry snow to teach me in the children’s ward of the old Barnert Hospital in Paterson. So, when I started the eighth grade at dear old Chapel Hill School, I was justifiably nervous. I had lost a great deal of strength and was not as good at sports as the other boys. And, for that reason alone, some of the boys in my class were brutally mean to me. But, all in all, one dear friend from that era shines like the beacon light of a coastal lighthouse. My dear friend, Pamela Rawlings, showed me great kindness and most earnestly welcomed me back to the grind of daily school life at dear old Chapel Hill School. Pamela had sent me eight or nine get well cards during my year of battling Rheumatic Fever. She would always include a little letter with her get well card, as to what was happening in school. Louie had a fight with Sammy, Timmy had a crush on Laura Ann, and all of the important happenings and events of our class. At the time, I was a First Class Scout in Boy Scout Troop 170. I had great dreams and earnest ambitions to become an Eagle Scout. Most of my scout leaders, except for my dad, had very little faith in me that I could make Eagle Scout. When I would share my dream of becoming an Eagle Scout with my fellow scouts, most of them laughed at me. Not all of them, but a great number of them mocked me. If you drive down Chapel Hill Road, across from the Lincoln Park Municipal Building, proudly stands a two-story, red brick schoolhouse. That was the very building that was once known as Chapel Hill School. If you face the front of the school, on the right-

hand side of the school yard, at the corner of Chapel Hill and School Street, there are a number of tall maple trees. Hopefully, they are all still there. Well, it was at that little area of the schoolyard where Pamela and I would often sit upon the soft grass and talk during our after-lunch recess period. It was in mid-September of 1966, that Pamela and I had a most wonderful and earnest heart to heart talk. I had shared my dream of earning Eagle Scout one day. Pamela did not laugh, she did not tell me not to get my hopes up, she did not tell me that the odds were all against me. Instead, Pamela looked me square in the eye and simply said to me, “you will, Richie, you will. I have complete faith in you. One day, you will become an Eagle Scout.” Pamela’s words melted into the deepest chambers of my heart. Her encouragement meant the moon and the stars to me. At that very moment in time, I pledged to Pamela that I would be her friend for as long as I lived. I remember Pamela shyly looking down upon the rich green grass and gently telling me that she would be my friend for the rest of her life. Sadly, after high school, Pamela and I lost track of each other. Pamela was the one person for whom I would look for in airports, malls, and grocery stores. I never stopped praying that one day, I would find Pamela and our friendship would be reborn again. To the dear readers of this newspaper, all I can ask is that you trust my story. As if the odds were a million to one, in 2019, I found Pamela again through a friend that Pamela and I both knew. At that time, Pamela was living in Florida, just a bit south of me. We began to email each other, and new life was brought to an old friendship. I know, without any doubts at all, that the good Lord dearly blessed our reunion. For in early 2019, Pamela wrote me about how there was a deep sadness residing in her heart. In her latter teen years, Pamela gave birth to a little baby girl. She surrendered her sweet baby girl for adoption. Pamela longed and longed to find her biological daughter before she went Home to be with the Lord. The remembrance of Pamela’s words of encouragement, from when we were in eighth grade sitting upon that grassy school yard, burnt brightly in my heart. I needed to help my spiritual sister, in her quest to find her biological daughter. I wrote and sent articles to over 300 newspapers. Some of the articles were published, some were not. The endearing and joyful blessing came to Pamela’s life just a few months ago, when Pamela was reunited with her biological daughter. I cried when I read Pamela’s email to me that she had found her long, lost daughter. Modern miracles still do happen.

A photo of old Chapel Hill School from a bygone era.

Mr. Joseph Nicastro, the Publisher of this newspaper, had published an article of Pamela’s search to find her biological daughter. I am endearingly grateful for his immense kindness. That article set the wheels in motion for me to send my articles, of Pamela’s search for her biological daughter, to over 300 newspapers in the USA. Encouragement may well be one of the greatest gifts that you can give to another person. I did earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting. I truly believe that Pamela’s encouragement and belief in me, played a very big role in my

bull dog determination not to give up on my idealistic dream to become an Eagle Scout. Today, Pamela and I keep in touch with emails. She is one of my dearest friends, my spiritual sister. If you know someone who could use a word of encouragement, please do take the time to share those words with him or her. You will never know how far reaching an effect, that your words of encouragement will play upon their life. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail. com. Please put on the subject line: My Life Publications.

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • September 2021 • Page 17

Graduates from Two Morris County Special Education Schools Receive Scholarships to Continue Their Studies

raduates of The Calais School in Whippany and Chapel Hill Academy in Lincoln Park are recipients of the Joe Gorga Scholarship, awarded by the Alliance of Private Special Education Schools of New Jersey. The Alliance is a nonprofit group of 40 state-approved private special education schools in Northern and Central New Jersey committed to great outcomes for students with disabilities. The Calais School is a state-approved, private therapeutic special education school serving students in grades kindergarten through 12 Plus with multiple learning disabilities as well as anxiety, mood, behavior, and autism spectrum disorders. Its scholarship winner, Rory Scialabba of Westfield, will be attending Misericordia University in Dallas, PA, to study sports management. He will use the funds from the award towards the cost of Misericordia’s Alternative Learning Program. “We could not be more proud of Rory and his accomplishments,” said David Leitner, Executive Director of The Calais School. The Chapel Hill Academy is an approved private school for students with learning, social, emotional, and behavioral issues in grades kindergarten through 12th grade. Its scholarship winner, Aidan Herbert of Haskell, will be attending William Paterson University in Wayne in order to pursue a nursing career. Aidan is a member of the Wanaque First Aid Squad, and that sparked his interest in the medical

Diane Somers and Aidan Herbert.

Rory Scialabba

field. “Aiden has worked very hard to overcome obstacles and achieve his goals for the future,” said Diane Somers of Chapel Hill Academy. The Joe Gorga Scholarship was established by the Alliance of Private Special Education Schools of New Jersey in order to support and empower educators and advocates who serve students with special needs through education,

information support, and advocacy. The late Joe Gorga was a special education administrator and lifelong advocate for students with disabilities. He was also a leader on the Alliance’s founding board. “This year, the field of applicants for the Joe Gorga Scholarship was a talented and ambitious group of students,” said Tom Celli, President of Alliance. “Rory and Aidan really stood out as exceptional.”

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Page 18 • September 2021 • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

How to Navigate Family Feelings About Returning to School

hether it’s your child’s first day of kindergarten or the start of middle school, back-to-school season can bring a range of feelings – from worry to excitement – for the entire family. This year may be more emotional as many families spent the better part of the past two school years at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s important to remember that even in the best of times, it’s normal for children to express feelings of sadness, isolation or stress,” said Tyreca Elliott, from KinderCare Learning Centers’ inclusion services team. “Learning how to address those feelings helps us build self-confidence, resilience and independence. What’s important is the way adults respond to children’s stress. Offering comfort, reassurance and assisting with problem solving will help children learn and grow from stress in a positive way.” As an added bonus, Elliott said many of the most effective ways to help children learn to navigate their feelings work just as well with adults. Consider these three tips to help your children (and yourself) manage emotions during the transition back to school. Plan ahead: The fear of the unknown

can be stressful. Children who aren’t able to clearly articulate their feelings likely won’t be able to make the connection between new, uncertain situations – like going to school and being around other people – and their feelings. Instead they may become overwhelmed by emotions, which might look like more meltdowns, clinginess or a variety of other behaviors. Talk with your children about how they feel about going back to school ahead of the first day of class. Ask questions to help them determine why they feel particular feelings when they think about school then work together to solve potential issues. That could mean finding a way to meet your children’s teachers ahead of time, whether virtually or in-person, or practicing introducing themselves to classmates. Build a consistent routine: Routines can give children (and adults) a sense of security and structure, which in turn make it easier to cope with big emotions like stress and anxiety. Try to stay consistent, and if you need to make adjustments, talk them through with your children. Be sure to mention key milestones instead of times, particularly if they can’t tell time yet. Make sure your children have opportunities to ask

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questions about any changes to routines. They may need reassurance before they’re ready to face something new. Create special family moments: As important as routine is, it’s just as important to prioritize quality time together. That could mean a vacation or something as simple as Saturday bike rides or Sunday morning pancakes. Plan a family outing or special

time together to celebrate completing the first week of school. Family rituals and celebrations can give children and adults something to look forward to. Quality time together also helps families build resiliency. For more tips to navigate back-to-school season, visit kindercare.com. (Family Features)

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Celeste Mancinelli Takes the Story of Her 200 Mile Walk to the Stage

By Jillian Risberg eleste Mancinelli is most at home on stage, so it was only natural that she documented the 200mile hike she took through Spain, to the Santiago de Compostela, as the authentic experience it was. She couldn’t wait to share it with others. She was inspired to take on such a challenge at a crossroads in her life, facing retirement as a Speech Language Pathologist. “I loved that career,” says the performer. “But all the while I was aching to get back to my former career as a professional actress/singer in New York City.” Celeste’s NYC theater credits include Nunsense, A Girl’s Guide to Chaos, 1-2-3-4-5, and My Big Fat Gay Italian Wedding/Funeral. She has performed at the Manhattan Theatre Club and the American Place Theater. When COVID brought the theater world to a grinding halt, the veteran performer wasted no time developing and rehearsing her funny and poignant one-woman show, ‘Crying on the Camino.’ The show was conceived and developed with Celeste’s mentor, the legendary director and acting teacher Wynn Handman, at his studio in New York. “I had never seriously considered writing an entire evening of theater myself,” says Mancinelli. “This theater experience is unlike any I’ve had because it combines acting and singing with a true story from my life.” That story details the joys and hardships that Celeste experienced during her walk on the Camino, with two wonderful friends and a 12-pound backpack for company.

According to Mancinelli, many people do the walk for religious reasons, but she didn’t. She wanted the physical and mental task - and she wanted time to reflect. The living conditions were challenging. “I was with two older

women who were like warriors, never choosing the easy way out,” Mancinelli says. “I walked with Dr. Lynn Burnham Liptak (her former boss) and Liptak’s sister Lauri Burnham continued on page 21

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200 Mile Walk to the Stage... continued from page 20 Massey. Both Liptak and Massey had walked the Camino many times in the past. “I made a choice to do something difficult to prepare for the difficult task of returning to theater after many years,” Mancinelli says. “The decision seemed crazy, but here I am telling the true story of what really happenedsome of it funny and some of it not so funny. During COVID she was able to develop her work-inprogress with director Richard Sabellico, performing the full piece at area libraries prior to getting actual bookings. She is presently slated to perform her piece at the Gateway Playhouse in Somers Point, New Jersey, in New York City at Theater 555 on 42nd St., and in North Carolina, at the American Pilgrims Association Convention (in March 2022). She will continue performing the show at local libraries as well. She believes she was summoned to the Camino for a reason… and is now embarking on a new Camino, bringing this true account of her walk to the stage. “The beauty is that it wasn’t with a direct goal in mind; it was to tell my story… but what has happened is that it’s grown from nothing,” Mancinelli says. “This piece is about minimalism and simplicity, self-reflection and honesty. In sharing this piece my goal is to inspire others to take their own journey — to fully live their own Caminos.” According to Mancinelli, there’s a saying on the Camino, “The real Camino begins when the first Camino ends and that’s what it feels like,” she says. “A new path of promoting and performing my own show. “

When asked, “What is next?” her answer was simple “Auditions and doing my work like all my fellow actors. You see I never left acting,” Mancinelli says. “Theater is in my soul. It’s something I was meant to do.” Shows are scheduled for Sept. 19 at the Fair Lawn Library, September 30 at the Gateway Playhouse, and a special one night performance on October 7 at Theater 555 in Manhattan to benefit the American Pilgrims on the Camino, a non profit organization. For more information or to make reservations, email crycamino@gmail.com.

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Glory Days: 1974 Morristown High School Colonials Football

Photo credit: Morristown High School 1974 Yearbook

By Steve Sears hen the Morristown High School Colonials football team took the field in 1974, they were in the middle of a winning streak. No opponent blemished it during that season. In fact, the Colonials, under Head Coach John Chironna, finished the 1974 season 10 – 0, defeating the Bloomfield Bengals in the first ever North Jersey Section 2 Group IV state title game, 30 – 10, at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City. Doug Strowbridge was a junior offensive left tackle for the club, he and his fellow offensive linemen paving the way for a fluid, quick backfield. “Our closest game was against Parsippany; it was 7-6,” he says. “But every other game it was like, 30–10, 38–0…it was crazy scores.” Tony Lattimore was an outside linebacker for the Colonials smothering defense. “That team was a lot of guys playing with a whole lot of passion. Our team probably wasn’t as big as some of the other teams across the state, but we

were able to come together as one. It was a combination of speed and hard hitting.” The Colonials were a well balanced team. Nobody played both ways, just offense or defense, and 20 of the starters were experienced seniors. “And our coaches,” says Strowbridge, “were really good with us. They kept us level the whole year. They didn’t want us to get swelled heads.” There was also great diversity on the squad. “Our team was a mix of black, white, Hispanic…there was no color barrier on our team. We played together, and we enjoyed it.” Like Lattimore, Kevin Allen was a Colonial defenseman. “I played corner back every game my junior and senior year, and we were undefeated, 20 – 0.“ He adds, “We played for or each other. Our coach, John Chironna, he was the man. He said, ‘I don’t care what your ethnic background is, how much money you’ve got, I don’t care where you live. When you come in this locker room, you’re a Morristown Colonial,’ and he meant it.”

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Donald Cooper played wide receiver, he on the receiving end of passes from Quarterback Rick Sofield, who for his baseball talent was drafted out of high school by the Minnesota Twins. Cooper equates the 1974 Colonials backfield with the Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame QB and the ball carriers on their undefeated 1973 Super Bowl championship team. “He was what I call our ‘Dan Marino,’” says

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Cooper of Sofield. “The main thing was we were a running team basically. We had a dynamite fullback named Mickey Rayder. I considered our backfield like the Miami Dolphins, that’s why I compared Ricky to Dan Marino. We had a slot back, his name was Andy Blood, and he was our ‘Jim Kiick.’ And then my friend since we were five years old, Sonny Holt, an all- state running continued on page 23

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The coaching staff.

Glory Days... continued from page 22 back, he was our ‘Mercury Morris.’ And I definitely wasn’t Warfield,” Cooper says with a laugh, “but we had a fantastic backfield, and we ran the ball down people’s throats. We did much more running than we did passing.” Halfback Sonny Holt had a record-breaking year in 1974. “I guess it was like 16 or 17 touchdowns,” Holt responds when asked how many times he crossed the

opponent’s goal line. And as for total yardage? “There are so many different accounts of what it really was. I truly don’t remember; it was like 1,730 or something like that.” Holt talks about the backfield talent of he, Rayder, Blood, and Sofield. “There was only one football,” he laughs. “And it wasn’t enough to go around. We all wanted the ball. Boy…we put it all together. It was magnificent. It was clicking all over. Wow.”

Lattimore, like Strowbridge, attests to the fact that there was a great comradery. “I played in college, and I didn’t have the same connection with the guys, maybe because we all came from different areas. But I never had the same connection as high school. A lot of that I attribute to coach Chironna. He had me believing that I could run through a brick wall. I mean, literally in my mind, if he said I could do it, I really thought I could.” Holt, who played college football at the University of Illinois, recalls the big showdown that season against the West Essex Knights. “That West Essex game was incredible.” Trailing 26 – 12 at the half, the Colonials scored 40 unanswered points in the second half to win, 52 – 26. “I wish we could have all had really gotten together to play college ball on the same team,” says Holt. “That would have been a dream.” The day of the Bloomfield game, December 7, 1974, there was no joking by the Colonials during the bus ride to Atlantic City. “We were dedicated,” says Cooper. “We just basically put our heads on the seat in front of us, and thought about our assignments. I mean, we were a serious football team in school. We wanted to win.” And they did. When asked where he would stand if he revisits the old field and fondly recalls 1974, Allen states, “It wouldn’t be on the field, it would be in the stands – the home field stands. Growing up in Morristown, football was the only thing, the main thing.” “I’d just sit in the stands, just look at it, and soak it all in.”

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A Chilly Day Dish with a Kick

icture in your mind a warm bowl cupped in your hands, defrosting your fingertips after you just walked inside from a chilly afternoon. The bowl is heavy, full of hearty vegetables and spicy peppers that in just a few short moments will overwhelm your palate. You dive in with a spoon, savoring every flavorful bite as you dip down to the bottom of the bowl searching for more to slurp up with every spoonful. Onion, red bell pepper and even corn all blended into not only a vegetarian meal but a chili-lover’s paradise. It’s got the spices to make you say, “wow” but the smoothness that reminds you of something your mom once made when you were young. You throw your sweater to the side of the couch as your body temperature begins to rise. You start to feel your energy return as you spoon a second helping into your bowl for round two. Not only does this recipe for Chipotle Veggie Chili hit you with a wide array of balanced flavors, but there is a surprise hint of citrus added toward the end – lime juice. Just to add a little more texture and vibrance to this dish, it can be topped with your favorite garnishes like guacamole, sour cream, jalapeno slices and cilantro. This Chipotle Veggie Chili is simple to make, needing just one pot throughout the entire cooking process. It simmers for about 25 minutes while you unwind from a long day.

So next time you need a pick-me-up after a chilly day outside, give this one a try. The savory aromas and wholesome consistency make this chili a 10-out-of-10 and a crowd favorite. Find more recipes perfect for cooler weather at Culinary. net. Chipotle Veggie Chili Servings: 6-8 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 5/8 teaspoon sea salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 can (14 ounces) diced fire-roasted tomatoes 1 can (14 ounces) red beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (14 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup vegetable broth 1 can (7 ounces) chipotles in adobo sauce 2 cans (15 ounces each) sweet corn with liquid 2 limes, juiced guacamole (optional) sour cream (optional) jalapeno slices (optional) cilantro (optional)

In large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir and cook 5 minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic and red pepper. Stir and cook 8 minutes until soft. Add tomatoes, red beans, pinto beans, broth, chipotles in adobo sauce, corn, remaining salt and remaining pepper. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chili has thickened. Squeeze lime juice into pot; stir. Serve with guacamole, sour cream, jalapeno slices and cilantro, if desired. (Culinary.net)

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Savor These Holiday Centerpieces

elebrate the season and create long-lasting memories this year by serving tasteful main courses centered around tender cuts of beef. With hand-cut choices like a Bone-in Frenched Prime Rib Roast, Butcher’s Cut Filet Mignons, a Beef Brisket Flat and Premium Ground Beef from Omaha Steaks, you can create elegant holiday centerpieces such as Steak Au Poivre or a unique generational recipe, the Simon Family Brisket. Each cut of beef is hand-carved by expert butchers, flash-frozen to capture freshness and flavor at its peak and delivered directly to your door. Find more inspiration to create a memorable holiday meal at OmahaSteaks.com. Steak Au Poivre Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 2 2 Omaha Steaks Butcher’s Cut Filet Mignons (5-6 ounces each), thawed 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1/3 cup brandy or cognac 1 cup cream 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Season steak with salt and pepper. Press seasoning into

meat to create even coating. In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter until just smoking. Add steak and sear 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Once cooked to desired doneness, transfer steak to cutting board and tent with foil to rest. Reduce heat to medium and add brandy to skillet. Allow to cook down about 1 minute while stirring to scrape off any browned bits from bottom of pan. Once brandy reduces by half, add cream, Dijon mustard and remaining butter; continue cooking until mixture begins to reduce and thicken, 5-7 minutes. Slice steaks against grain and top with sauce. Simon Family Brisket Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 4 hours, plus 20 minutes resting time

Servings: 4 1 Omaha Steaks Beef Brisket Flat (2 pounds), thawed 1 package (1.1 ounces) dry onion soup mix 1 can (14 ounces) whole cranberries 1 cup chili sauce 1 cup ginger ale Preheat oven to 250 F. Place brisket in large ovenproof baking dish. In bowl, mix onion soup mix, cranberries and chili sauce. Spoon over top of brisket. Pour ginger ale around edges of brisket. Cover with foil and bake 4 hours. Remove from oven and let rest 20 minutes. Remove brisket from baking dish and place on cutting board. Slice brisket against grain and place in serving dish. Top with sauce and serve. (Family Features)

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Serve Up Steak

njoying a meal together at the table is surely one of the all-time holiday traditions for many families. Make this holiday season one to remember by turning to a centerpiece that’s tough to top: steak. By combining Premium Ground Beef from Omaha Steaks with flavorful additions like mushrooms and onion, you can turn a seasonal meal into a truly sensational dish to savor. While family and friends focus on sides or dessert, you can be the host with the most by serving up a flavorful main course to please nearly everyone’s palate. Visit OmahaSteaks.com to find more steak-inspired holiday solutions. Salisbury Steak Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 1 large egg 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or 1/2 cup dried plain breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 pound Omaha Steaks Premium Ground Beef, thawed 1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 tablespoon butter 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch In medium bowl, whisk egg. Add breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and salt; stir to combine. Add beef and mix until combined. Divide mixture into four portions and shape each into oval patty about 1/2-inch thick. In large skillet over medium heat, heat canola oil until shimmering. Add patties and sear until dark brown crust forms, about 5 minutes. Flip patties and cook until second side is browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer patties to platter. In same pan, add butter, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender and onions are beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix beef broth, remaining Worcestershire sauce and cornstarch; add to pan, stirring until combined. Return patties and any accumulated juices to pan; cover and simmer until patties are cooked through and sauce thickens slightly, 10-12 minutes. (Family Features)

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • September 2021 • Page 27

5 Easy and Aﬀordable DIY Projects

he average American home has nine DIY jobs that need to be tackled, according to a study conducted by Porch.com. Fall is the perfect time to give your home a little TLC and start checking off projects on your to-do list. Here are five easy fall fixups to get your home ready for the upcoming season: * Paint the front door - Nothing gives your home an instant face lift like a freshly painted front door. Painted exterior doors can boost curb appeal, add character and provide a trendy but tasteful first impression of your home. Choose a color that will make your front door pop and improve the look of your home’s exterior in less than an afternoon. * Repair holes in the drywall - Whether the damage is small from a picture frame nail or anchor, or as large as doorknob damage, DAP’s new Eclipse‚Ñ¢ Rapid Wall Repair Patches make repairing holes in drywall so fast and easy, anyone can do it. DAP’s Eclipse provides a durable, mess-free repair that requires no spackling, sanding or additional tools - simply patch the damage and it’s ready to paint immediately, allowing projects to be finished in minutes, rather than hours or days. * Freshen up the landscaping - Planting new flowers or shrubbery is an easy way to bring pops of fall colors to the front of your

home. Keep it simple and pick plants in one or two hues that contrast with the exterior of your home. Regular mowing and tending to weeds will always help your front yard look its best. * Seal window and doors - Small gaps and cracks around windows and doors can allow cold air and rain to make its way inside. Keep your home protected and warm during the fall and winter seasons by replacing worn exterior caulk with DAP Dynaflex Ultra‚Ñ¢ Advanced Exterior Sealant. Dynaflex Ultra uses DAP’s exclusive WeatherMax Technology‚Ñ¢ to create a waterproof and weatherproof seal that won’t crack or discolor over time. * Replace the furnace filter - Dirty filters mean your furnace will likely work harder. Regularly changing the filters in your central air and heating system can significantly improve its efficiency and longevity, while easing the pressure on your wallet. In most homes, filters should be changed monthly during the heating season. You should also have your furnace serviced periodically to make sure it is working properly and to help avoid larger repairs later on when the temperature drops. For more tips to help tackle your fall home improvement checklist, visit DAP.com. (BPT)

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Guts and Glory: Area Olympians Reflect on Tokyo Games

By Megan Roche fter a yearlong delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Team USA headed to Tokyo to take care of business and with Team USA were members of the Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties communities. We recently caught up with some of those athletes who called the Olympic Village in Tokyo home for the two-week games. On the streets, the water, and the bike, Morgan Pearson represented the US on the Triathlon Team. Pearson, age 27, hails from the New Vernon area of Harding Township. A Delbarton Grad, Pearson grew up as a competitive swimmer and transitioned into running during his time in high school. In 2017, Pearson was recruited by USA Triathlon, and he competed his first ever triathlon in 2018. Pearson automatically qualified to Tokyo after competing in the Yokohama Triathlon. “I’ve always dreamed of competing at the world class level. You want to be the best at what you do. As a runner, I knew I could be good. I thought I could be a national champion, maybe one of the best runners in the country, but I never thought I could win a medal in running. But with Triathlon, I always felt that I could go to the Olympics and win a medal,” Pearson shares. Pearson was frustrated with his individual performance at the games but had a chance at redemption during the mixed team relay competition. He finally achieved his podium glory and brought home the silver medal to Harding Township. “I think an Olympic medal means a lot to any athlete. The overwhelming feeling was that we won the silver medal and there was so much excitement and joy. But there is always that small percentage of you that was wishing for more. You dream of gold but if you leave with a medal, you still leave extremely happy,” Pearson said. Pearson is currently enjoying some time with family but plans to take it one day at a time in terms of committing to training for Paris 2024. “I always say that people talk about sacrifices that an athlete has to make to train. My sacrifice is spending time away from my family. The training and workouts are things that I really enjoy. I have some more races I want to do this year and right now, I want to go for Paris, but I want to soak in these emotions right now from Tokyo,” Pearson shared. Meanwhile over at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, Mount Olive’s Keturah Orji was getting set to compete in her second Olympic Games in the triple jump. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Orji placed just off the podium in fourth place. With high hopes for Tokyo, Orji qualified to the triple jump final in fifth position. During the final, Orji placed seventh. “I was disappointed with my performance for sure. In 2016, I placed fourth which is actually the highest finish by an American woman in the triple jump. My goal was really to win a medal and be the first American woman to medal in the triple jump. It would have been great to create that history, but things don’t always go as we plan,” Orji said. While this was Orji’s second Olympics, she says it felt different due to the COVID protocols, but she was honored to represent the US and Mount Olive. “It’s always an honor when I get the chance to represent my country. The US Olympic Team is one of the hardest teams to make in the world. Despite the fact

Morgan Pearson competing in the Triathlon. Credit to World Triathlon

Keturah Orji in the Olympic Village. Credit to Keturah Orji.

that I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to at my second Olympics, I know that it was extremely difficult to make the team and that I should always just be grateful to be there,” Orji says. Even though Orji didn’t bring home hardware from the games, she has already set her sights on the Paris 2024 summer games, summing up that she’s still got much more to prove. “There’s still many more Olympics and World Championships to come along in my career,” Orji shared. When the world was focused on the Ariake Gymnastics Center, Caldwell’s Elizaveta Pletneva was ready to represent the US with the rhythmic gymnastics team. Pletneva has been doing rhythmic gymnastics for as long as she can remember. “I was four years old and my parents knew they wanted to put me in a sport. We tried everything from soccer, ballroom dance, swimming, etc. We ended up finding a rhythmic gymnastics coach that wasn’t too far away from where we lived. They took me there and I fell in love with it and stuck with it ever since,” Pletneva said. Rhythmic gymnastics is comprised of different events; the balls, ribbons, clubs, and hoops. Rhythmic gymnasts can compete in all four events or as part of a rhythmic gymnastics team. Pletneva and the rhythmic gymnastics team competed in the qualification round but did not earn a high enough ranking to advance to the finals. “My team and I are very happy with how we did. Rhythmic gymnastics isn’t really known in America. We don’t bring home a lot of medals, but we have improved a lot over the past few decades. If we keep going like this, we’ll get stronger and stronger. We performed two clean routines and we had no expectations of winning a medal going into it. There was no crazy pressure of being expected to bring home a medal so we really just enjoyed it,” Pletneva said. Overall, Pletneva’s experiences in Tokyo were once in a lifetime. “It was amazing overall. I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a little girl. To just actually be there and experience every moment of it was absolutely incredible. We were there for about a week and we got to do everything. To see other athletes, eat in the dining hall, seeing all the

shops and salons in the village, taking the bus and seeing all the arenas, to actually competing. I don’t think there was one moment that I didn’t enjoy and a lot of it still feels like a dream come true,” Pletneva shared. Finally, Riverdale’s Jackie Dubrovich and Wayne’s Francesca Russo were preparing to fence at the Makuhari Messe. The Tokyo games were the first Olympics for both Dubrovich and Russo. Russo became involved in fencing when she was nine with her thirteen year old sister. The sabre fencer then went to a fencing summer camp at Wayne Valley High School and that’s where she met her very first fencing coach, Mark Trudnos. Russo recalls the moment of being named to the team. “It was a crazy moment when I made it onto the Olympic team. It was a dream come true. I was very excited for this all to happen, but it was in such an uncertain time that there was a lot on my mind,” Russo shares. When she arrived in Tokyo, she tried her best to take it all in. From the Olympic Village to pin trading to meeting athletes from all over the world, Russo looks back at her Olympic experience with pride. “I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. We were on cloud nine and it was the coolest experience of my life. To see all the countries and to watch all the athletes wander around in their countries gear, it felt like an out of this world experience. I had to remind myself every day that I was actually in the Olympic Village,” Russo said with a laugh. During competition, Russo fenced as part of the Women’s Sabre team. After losing to France in the quarterfinal, the sabre team had to fight for places. They successfully fenced China for the 5-6 place, but ultimately lost to Japan, ending their Olympic journey with a sixth-place finish. “I’m really proud of my teammates more than anything. We’ve had a really rough couple of years with injuries. I’m really proud of just being a part of that team, but of course, my individual performance left me frustrated. I feel like I had one opportunity to showcase my talents and it didn’t go as planned. But, I also see the larger picture which is that I got to compete on the Olympic stage and nobody can take that away from me,” Russo says. continued on page 29

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • September 2021 • Page 29

Olympians Reflect...

continued from page 28 Dubrovich, a foil fencer, first tried gymnastics and dance as a little girl. Being tall for her age, gymnastics and dance were not the easiest of sports to continue with. Her cousin, a fencer for Fair Lawn High School, talked to Dubrovich’s parents about fencing and it piqued Jackie’s interest. “I took casual lessons when I was eight. But then, I started doing well and that was my main motivator. I did well on the local level, state level, and regional level. As I’ve grown older, I really started to appreciate fencing for what it is and not just the medals and the winning. There’s so many intricacies and nuances to this sport and I really started to love it for what it was and not just the winning component of it,” Dubrovich recalls about her start. Dubrovich was named to the Olympic team following

Elizaveta poses with the Olympic Rings inside the Francesca Russo Francesca Russo takes in the Olympic Jackie stands proudly with the US Flag in the Olympic Rings. Credit to Francesca Russo. Village. Credit to Jackie Dubrovich. Ariake Gymnastics Center. Credit Elizaveta Pletneva.

her final qualification competition in Doha, Qatar in April 2020. “After Doha, I was officially named to the team. I finished second in the country and that was the most incredible moment. It was a huge sigh of relief because it had been so stressful for me. It had already been

stressful but then you add COVID on top of that and all those uncertainties, it was a culmination of all the hard work and the years of sacrifice that I’ve had to make,” Dubrovich says. Ultimately, Dubrovich competed in Tokyo as an individual competitor and as part of the foil fenc-

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ing team. She placed 21st overall individually, and followed up her individual performance with a fourth place finish in the team competition. Although she did not bring home a medal, she talks about her Olympic experience with nothing but pride. “It’s hard to put into

words because ever since I was eight years old, all of these 19 years of sacrifices that I’ve made, and all the hard work, the blood, sweat, and tears that has gone into this, to be able to represent the United States of America is an incredible experience. I’m so proud to represent the United States,

I’m so proud to be an Olympian and I’m so proud to represent a sport that has given so much to me all these years,” Dubrovich said. For more post-Olympic content, visit www.olympics.com.

Page 30 • September 2021 • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

NJStarz NJ Starz: Natalie Lewis Hometown: Long Valley

By Steve Sears hen you speak to personal chef Natalie Lewis, you can tell – perhaps live, even – the beauty and satisfaction of her career. It’s in her description of the food itself, the process of preparation, how it all started for her and has evolved into what her career is now. She describes the end result succinctly in one paragraph. “I love to be able to give,” she very happily says. “I think that’s probably one of my love languages: to give to other people and to make them happy. And I think, at the end of the day, that is what really fulfills me and my career in terms of creating something that is artistic and beautiful and fresh, and I put my all into it, and somebody at the end of the day can sit down and it makes them happy. I find fulfillment in that. And it’s just so true, you have to be passionate in this field.” What Lewis, a personal chef of 14 years who has lived in Long Valley for about 6 years, unveils for her clients is the world of her unique, innovative cuisine. For some she goes into their homes and prepares their meals for the week, packing up the food, labeling it, and leaving it in the refrigerator with the heating instructions for them to repeat for the 7 days. For others, she does a little bit more of what is called private cheffing, where she prepares the food and sends it to them hot, on the spot, ready to eat. Lewis has traveled extensively, buttressing her knowledge of food, educating herself in many cultures and cuisines. A Le Cordon Blue of Paris graduate in French Cuisine, Lewis didn’t want the knowledge and training to stop there. There was much more to discover, and she has much fortified her skills. Lewis, who grew up in Ohio with three sisters – Jami, Courtney, and Sarah - had a very humble upbringing. “My family, they were all religious, and it was a very small country town outside of Cincinnati that nobody knows,” she says with a laugh. “My childhood was easy and quiet.” She and the world of cuisine both embraced each other at an early age. “I love the way that food is able to bring people together in a happy way and in a better way,” she says, “and I feel like nothing else is able to do it in the way the food can do it.” It all started at home. She credits her dad (Keith) with the inspiration to become a chef. “My dad never cooked professionally - he was working full time, and my mom (Beth) was home – but when he was off from work, he would cook for fun. He was the one that was always really very creative with food and coming up with very creative meals and things like that. So, he was a big influence on me in terms of wanting to pursue food.” Her father was a painter as well, and this encouraged his daughter in the artistic, creative side of culinary life, which ultimately has “fed” her career well. Lewis’s loving to eat (especially

different types of foods) also played a role, perhaps a more prominent one according to her. “That really more so was my motivation to pursue cooking. I just loved to eat the food, and I would love to eat growing up and explore different cuisines. When I was younger, I had a friend who was Japanese, and they would take us to this one little Japanese restaurant that was within a several mile-radius, and I would eat the Miso soup, and they would introduce me to all of these really traditional Japanese foods. So even kind of tasting that and loving that and thinking like, ‘Wow! This is incredible, so different than just the normal family dinner!’ was what really inspired me from a young age to kind of want to explore different cuisines and try out different types of foods.” Traveling was very important for her. “It was wanting to explore other cultures and the way other cultures ate,” she says. “When I was growing up, I was fortunate enough to travel to places out of the country. I went to Peru, I went to Japan, even before I went to college. I think that’s always been another passion of mine: to travel and to embrace other ways of life,” she says. “There’s so many cultures and food and things I’ve never heard of. I would love to continue to explore and I think being able to see how other people eat and how other people prepare things and what’s important to them and their cultures, it really expands not only your knowledge but your palate.” And all of the before-mentioned set her eyes on studying abroad. She had looked at schools in the United States which, in her words, “were great schools, but I just got excited about doing it in a different country, and there was the kind of cultural aspect of it as well. So that’s how I ended up in France.” When in culinary school, she and her classmates would take trips to the market and pick out different types of ingredients to try in various dishes. “It changes your whole viewpoint on how you want to cook,” Lewis says, “and what you want to serve to people, and you want them to experience them in the same way. You tried something new and that excited you, and you want to excite them in the same way.” Lewis, 38, in 2002 graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris with a diploma in French cuisine, and some of her stops afterwards as a chef have included Jag’s Steak & Seafood House in Cincinnati, and in Charleston, South Carolina she worked for smaller eateries, a country club, and a catering company, as well as the coastal Old Village Post House tavern and inn, and then her next-to-final trek was to Napa Valley. But now she’s in Morris County, Lewis dealing with and cooking for the community. “I definitely have worked with a lot of local farms,” she says, “and I work with a local butcher by me that is excellent. I know exactly where the food is coming from. The same with the fishmonger; I have a

Chef Natalie Lewis. Photo credit Anne Constance Photography.

trusted fishmonger that I work with.” And Lewis also takes advantage of the fertile Long Valley soil, she herself sowing and harvesting. “In terms of growing my own, occasionally I will grow in the summer things like small potted herbs, and I love growing like micro greens or things like edible flowers that I’ll use for garnishes.” Lewis also has teamed up with best friend and photographer, Annie Herrmann, to form the chef\food styling photography team called FishEye Design (www.fisheye-design.com). She explains. “Annie is my best friend,” Lewis says, “and starting several years ago she would take photographs for me and my personal chef website and portfolio. There’s a huge market for food photography and food styling in the area, and we just continue to do more and more, and now we have a food photography studio continued on page 31

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • September 2021 • Page 31

NJ Starz... continued from page 30 that we actually work out of.” Lewis, who is married to her husband, Grant, for 10 years, and is a mom to two daughters, Ella and Hadley, says there is one dish that she loves to make that gets received overwhelmingly. “I would have to say there’s a duck breast recipe that I make often, and I’ll make that duck breast with a Bourbon honey glaze. My clients always love it, and it’s one of my favorites, too. So it’s a little bit of comfort, but it also is lighter and fresh and not as heavy.” For Lewis, whose clients include Eli Manning and his wife, Abby, and their family, being a personal chef is advantageous to toiling daily in a restaurant. “There’s something about professional cheffing that’s different than the

restaurant, in the sense that oftentimes I’m not making the same thing twice too often. For the most part, I’m always just getting whatever is available fresh and what I’m inspired by, which is a nice part of that as opposed to being in the restaurant where you’re

kind of making the same thing over and over again.” The most rewarding part of Natalie Lewis’s life? The creation of something memorable. “I feel like you can leave a lasting impression on somebody. And you know, I’ve had meals where I think that I

still remember everything about it and everything that was on my plate. So, if you’re able to accomplish that, then I think that you’ve succeeded at your job.” For more information about Chef Natalie Lewis, visit her website at www. chefnatalielewis.com.

Photo credit for food shots: Natalie Lewis.

Benefit Concert for the Mount Olive Food Pantry Sunday October 10, 2021 2 to 4 PM Mount Olive Senior Center

Tickets can be purchased online at $10 per person. Children under 8 will be free. Information for ticket purchase will soon be on the Mount Olive Pantry Facebook page.

Page 32 • September 2021 • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Financial Tips to Help Prepare for the Unexpected

ver the past year, most people have noticed how truly unpredictable life can be. While it’s impossible to predict what the next few months have in store, practicing a few fundamental financial skills can help you and your family prepare for whatever comes next. “According to a survey by Bank of America, 42% of Americans say their top financial goal over the next three months is to increase their savings,” said April Schneider, head of consumer and small business products at Bank of America. “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of building a safety net. Whether you’re looking to improve your current financial habits or starting from scratch, the most important thing is to make a plan that fits your needs and to stick with it.” Consider these tips from Schneider: Track your expenses. Review your expenses, big and small, and separate them into categories like groceries, transportation, utilities and entertainment. Then total the amounts in each category to get a better picture of your monthly expenses. Knowing how much you spend each month is the first step toward finding money to save.

Make a plan and set a budget. Categorize your expenses into wants versus needs. Groceries, rent and mortgage payments are examples of needs while streaming services are a want. Compare your expenses against your total household income to figure out if you have money left over to save or if you can find money to save by reducing your spending on nonessentials. For example, keep an eye out for phantom charges – or reoccurring payments – you may no longer need and redirect that money into savings. “If you’re already saving, that’s great,” Schneider said. “Review your behaviors and see if there’s room for improvement. It’s also not too late if you haven’t begun saving – everyone has to start somewhere.” Also keep in mind your budget is meant to adapt with your circumstances, so make sure you’re updating your budget as your life changes. Make savings automatic. Saving can fit seamlessly into your everyday life when you set up automatic transfers from a checking to a savings account. Take a look at available tools for other ways to save, like the Keep the Change program, which rounds the change up to the nearest dollar

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for everyday purchases you make with a Bank of America debit card and transfers the difference to your savings account. Saving automatically helps prepare you for the future without adding to your to-do list. You can start small by automatically transferring a few dollars each week. Build an emergency fund. Take a look at your current expenses versus total income to identify any extra wiggle room where you can save. Next put your emergency savings in a separate, but accessible, account to avoid temptation and accidental overspending. “When building an emergency fund, I recommend saving enough money to cover 3-6 months of expenses,” Schneider said. “Contributing to an emergency fund keeps saving a priority and ensures you have financial flexibility should the unexpected occur.” Use spending tools for savvy savings. Being a better saver means becoming a smarter spender. While looking for deals and price shopping can be helpful, there are times when it’s better to spend a little more for quality. For example, buying a more costly refrigerator may pay off in the long run compared to buying a cheaper

option that could break down after a few months. Another way to be a smarter spender is by earning rewards on your everyday purchases. Whether you’ve seen your costs shift from in-person to delivery services, using a card that adapts and rewards your spending can be a valuable asset. With an option like the Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card, you can earn 3% cash back in a category of your choosing, such as dining, and redeem rewards in a way that’s best for you. For example, according to survey data, the average customer spent $172 on food or delivery services in July 2020 – up 63% from the previous year. As a Preferred Rewards member, you could boost your credit card rewards by 25-75%. Simply by redeeming your rewards into your Bank of America savings account, you can put more money away for the future by making everyday purchases. While you may not know what the future holds, planning and actively taking steps can help you feel more secure and prepared for whatever it brings. Find more tips at bettermoneyhabits.com. (Family Features)

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Page 34 • September 2021 • Mendham, Morristown, Black River Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Help Others During the Holidays

iving during the holiday season can mean more than gifts. It’s the time of year when giving back to your community can make an even bigger impact – especially this year when so many need a helping hand. This holiday season, do your part to help deliver smiles to loved ones and people in need. Reap the feel-good rewards of helping others with these ideas on how to make a difference. Give time. One of the greatest donations an organization can receive is your time. Volunteer roles can vary significantly depending on the organization you choose but can leave you feeling like you’ve contributed in a real and meaningful way. From sorting donated items, preparing and distributing warm meals or wrapping gifts, organizations can almost always use an extra set of hands during the holidays. Make your shopping count. To help make the season even brighter, Amazon is donating millions of items to more than 1,000 charities worldwide through product and monetary donations and is making it easy for you to give back as well. When shopping for holiday supplies or gifts for

family and friends, you can give back and donate to your favorite charitable organizations. Simply activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app or on your web browser to get the same online shopping experience you’re accustomed to with the added benefit of donating a portion of eligible purchases to a charity of your choice. Spread information. People are more willing to contribute to a cause when they understand how they can help. Align with an organization or cause you care about and share details about how the community can help. That might include talking about the group’s mission and needs to your friends and family or simply sharing info about its cause on your social media feeds. Let the organization know you’re eager to generate awareness for its needs, and it can typically find a way to put your skills to use. Shop for a cause. One thing nonprofits often hear is people want to give, but they don’t know what items will be most useful. You can remove the guesswork with a resource like AmazonSmile Charity Lists, which offer a convenient way to donate to your favorite causes. Just search for your favorite organization and find its list of

most-needed items, purchase and have the donation delivered directly to the charity’s door. You can also make a donation to the organization of your choice through your Alexa-enabled device by saying, “Alexa, I want to make a donation.” Donate gently used items. This holiday season, you’ll probably add new clothes to your closet and new toys to the playroom, but others may not have presents to unwrap. As you receive gifts this holiday, see what gently used toys, clothes and household items could be donated to help others. Find more information and resources at smile.amazon.com, and share how you’re giving back by using #DeliveringSmiles on social media. Delivering Smiles to Charitable Organizations in Need Charitable organizations often maintain a wish list of items necessary to deliver on their missions. This holiday season, you can help fulfill AmazonSmile Charity Lists of nonprofit organizations supporting causes including homelessness, hunger and disaster relief, among others. Donations including food and pantry

items, blankets, sheets, toys, educational items for kids, socks, outerwear and other apparel items, as well as monetary donations to put toward the purchase of these items, can help provide organizations with essential items they need and products they want. Among the charities benefiting from this program are: Heifer International – You can help smallscale farmers transform their communities by donating essential tools. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – Toys and game donations can help deliver countless smiles to children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases this holiday season. St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Best Friends Animal Society – Essential pet supplies can be donated to help provide nutrition and enrichment to dogs and cats while they await foster or adoptive homes. Operation Nightwatch – Help protect homeless communities by giving necessary food and clothing.

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ECRWSS Local Postal Customer

New View Media Group, LLC 5 Dancer Drive Budd Lake, NJ 07828

259 Easton, Md 21601

5 DAYS ONLY! 320 Mountain Ave • Hackettstown 908-269-8725

September 23rd - 27th

CHESAPEAKE 4 PIECE BEDROOM $ REG. $2,999

Now

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