Cedar Grove Life April 2019

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Vol. 1 • No. 1 • April 2019

Photography Duo Publishes Book About Overbrook

April 2019 • Page 3

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PASSAIC VALLEY & CEDAR GROVE EDITORIAL

Passaic Valley Life & Cedar Grove Life Thank you for reading Passaic Valley Life and our inaugural issue of Cedar Grove Life.

Each month you can pick up a copy of the magazine at local businesses or visit www.iwantmypaper.com and sign up for a free copy that will be sent directly to your email each month.

Our goal is to provide you with stories and articles about people, places and things throughout your community. We are also asking our readers to send us photos and information on your life events, parties, birthdays, weddings, engagements or any other milestones. You can send them to editor@

mylifepublications.com.

Please support all of the advertisers in our publications as they make this magazine available free to all with their advertising support. We want to help the local businesses in your communities and your support of them is appreciated.

We welcome your feedback please send your comments to editor@mylifepublications.com Jeffrey Koonjy Publisher

Next Issue May 2019, Deadline April 21st To receive your FREE copy of Passaic Valley Life and/ or Cedar Grove Life direct to your email visit www.iwantmypaper.com and sign up!

Subscribe $35 / year / $60 for 2 Call 800-691-7549

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Publisher Jeff Koonjy Editor Megan Roche Graphic Designers Terri Armswood Mary Lalama Sales Manager Jeff Koonjy

April 2019 • Page 5

Page 6 • April 2019

Woodland Park Library’s Portable Sleeping Mat Service Project a True Community Effort

T

he Alfred H. Baumann Free Public Library, in partnership with Mayor Keith Kazmark, Passaic County Senior Services, Passaic Valley High School (PVHS) and the Woodland Park School District, has wrapped up its Dream Mats community service project, aimed at providing persons experiencing homelessness with portable sleeping mats to help protect them from the elements and serve as a cushion on hard surfaces. Dream Mats are made by crocheting “plarn” yarn made from recyclable plastic bags.

The library hosted a day of service on Feb. 14, where nearly 70 people of all ages stopped by during the course of the day to work on the project.

Prior to this, students at all three district public schools and PVHS pitched in by collecting, sorting, flattening, cutting the bags and looping strips together. Elementary and middle school stu-

dents worked on the project in their art classes. At PVHS, there were 76 participants, which included 61 students, staff members and parents that worked on looping and crocheting strips. At the event on Feb. 14, participants created and completed four mats and another 10 are near completion.

“What I thought that was really awesome about this project is that it truly was intergenerational,” Library Director Linda Hoffman said, noting the number of kids learning to crochet from adults of all ages. “Overall, it was a huge success, and it also brought awareness to the plight of homelessness.”

Going forth, the library hopes that individuals and groups will continue to create Dream Mats. Any completed mats can be brought to the Library, which will get them to the County’s Human Services department. The Library has mat creation instructions on its website at www.abwplibrary.org.

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Engineering: Expanding Options for STEM

By Jocelyn Martinez assaic Valley offers various different courses and electives that enhance the learning environment for students. Engineering, a new course for the 2018-19 school year, provides another important STEM pathway for interested and eager students.

The Engineering Class, which is offered to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, is currently taught by Mr. Phillian. Although it is only his first year teaching this course, he has been teaching Chemistry for many years and started teaching Chemistry Honors this year as well. Due to his experience, Mr. Phillian is the perfect fit to teach this class.

Mr. Phillian is grateful for the challenge and confident in his abilities. “I was honored to be given the responsibility to develop this new course,” he said. “I very much wanted it to be a success.”

Engineering is a very broad course that allows students to explore multiple branches. “The class was added in order to strengthen our STEM program and to offer students another important career pathway,” mentioned Mr. Phillian.

The students in this class consistently learn intriguing information about the world of engineering. “We started out the year learning the basics, but as we moved along, we learned more complex material, such as projectile motion,” stated Joseph Va-

lencia ‘19.

Engineering is a unique course, for it allows the students to learn by taking action and completing physical tasks. “In this class, we get to explore the course of engineering by actually building machines with our fellow peers, hands on,” explained Mounir Sakhat ‘19.

This class not only teaches the students how to build and operate machines from scratch but how to troubleshoot malfunctions in the machines as well. “I have led my students to discover how to modify their designs to improve their performance,” said Phillian.

This class also allows the students to learn patience and to be more open to new ideas through its focus on group work. Although this class is considered rather challenging, “The students are doing very well and exceeding my expectations, “ Phillian stated.

The engineering field is ever-growing and its inclusion in PV’s curriculum has proved successful. “I was inspired to take this class because I wanted to become an engineer,” Sakhat clarified. “I feel that I have gotten a better understanding of how machines operate in our everyday lives.”

In addition, the depth of the class offers much to those already familiar with the subject. “I had a decent understanding of what engineering was before taking this class, but it has showed me the smaller yet very important work that goes into engineering,” declared Valencia.

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Page 10 • April 2019

Photography Duo Publishes Book About Overbrook Hospital

T

By Steve Sears here is something unique about a ruin for a photographer. In fact, sometimes decaying structures, especially those that have a significant history and are encountered at a moment’s notice, may be more breathtaking than the beauty of nature.

Kevin Kowalick, New Jersey based photographer and co-owner with Kathryn Cataldo of K and K NJ Photo (www.kandknjphoto. com), has lived that experience. Both, in addition to their love of picture taking, are historical buffs, and Kowalick happened upon a gem during an Essex County drive.

“I was like, ‘Wow! What is that?’ says Kowalick, describ-

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ing his feelings when first seeing the abandoned Essex County Overbrook Hospital in Cedar Grove. “It was sitting in what I would typically refer to as suburbia, beautifully manicured lawns and houses, and then all of the sudden here’s this massive facility with broken windows, boards on the doors, vines growing all over it. I pulled over and said, ‘Whoa – what is it?’”

It was a warm summer night at sunset, the sky a nice mix of colors.

Kowalick had his setting, so he pulled over, and took out his camera. “I started taking pictures right away. Ever since then I’ve been fascinated with researching it. Then, finding out such a place had such a huge history, and contributed to not only the history of Essex County but also the history of New Jersey as a whole, and mental healthcare in the United States.”

“Now it’s actually completely demolished at this point,” says Kowalick. “But it was abandoned for many years.”

Overbrook Hospital, per Kowalick, was very large, larger than a lot of state hospitals, and was the largest county hospital in the state. “At one point in time, each county had a facility for mental health care.”

A new Essex County Hospital Center now stands at Grove Avenue, behind the original spot of Overbrook Hospital.

Essex County Overbrook Hospital offers a historical outline of the facility, and in the last chapter focuses on the facility’s abandonment.

Kowalick an wrote all the captions to the photos, researched all the history. “The biggest part of the book,” says Kowalick, “was compiling historical photos to show the hospital’s inception which was in 1896 to its demolition. So, she (Cataldo) really helped me by going to

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Page 12 • April 2019

the Essex County Library in Newark and we had to scan in their images. She was mostly in charge of the images while I was mostly in charge of researching the history and basically compiling that into captions.” While the legwork was significant, the duo met many county officials and historians that offered much information on the hospital center and had valuable personal connections as well.

Kowalick, who often does presentations about the facility and the book, and on The most difficult part of the process? Dating everything. “There were certain aspects that were March 27 visited the Cedar Grove really hard to find history of, whether it was a Historical Society certain date that was construed within different and presented a pieces of work, and that was kind of frustrating, program, “Overbecause history that dates back that far, is up to brook - Inception interpretation to an extent,” Kowalick says. to Today”, first wrote a proposal to Arcadia Publishing, the same folks who publish a series of books about cities, towns, and histories in New Jersey.

His job was to prove to them why the facility was historic and why he should write a book about it. They immediately responded with interest, and Kowalick then developed an outline of chapters. He was then given a contract, and that was the point the hunt for photos began. The publisher required many of them. “Those are kind of hard to come

by,” he says. So began the treks to the Essex County Library, local historians, and the new Essex County Hospital Center, where and Kowalick and Cataldo found most of their photos. The photos were scanned in and formatted, and then Kowalick started to visit libraries, sitting for hours researching the history. “The library in Newark had a collection of their annual report on Overbrook, which is basically everything from finances to deaths to the amount of lobotomies they did per year. That was the most welcome information on the history of the facility.” Kowalick then supplied captions to the photos, and the project was sent to press.

The most difficult part of the process? Dating everything. “There were certain aspects that were really hard to find history of, whether it was a certain date that was construed within different pieces of work, and that was kind of frustrating, because history that dates back that far, is up to interpretation to an extent,” Kowalick says. “No one living right now can prove it and say, ‘Yes, I remember that.’

You’re looking at 1896, when it was built.”

“I wanted to put out the best work possible. I want to make sure this is accurate as possible, that it’s the best resource people can grab. That weight is on my shoulders since I want to put out a quality historical interpretation, so that was the toughest part. Certain reports said one thing, certain books said one thing, and they were not the same thing.”

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Kowalick is a freelance photographer, and much of the work he and Cataldo do include weddings, animals and pets, natural settings, and facilities such as public buildings, the latter purchased by many towns. Kowalick, who has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from DeSales University, also is into marketing and promotions, which he immensely enjoys.

“That worked with the book very well. I’m very active in trying to schedule events where I go and talk about history and facts. There are a lot of people interested, and I just engage with the community. I’ve been fascinated that there are so many people engaged and interested in the particular topic of the institution.”

His interest in photography is the expression of creativity in what he captures in a photo.

“Anyone can look out their window, but if you get a couple of photographers, each may get a different shot and say to another, ‘I didn’t look at it from that perspective.’ It’s an interpretation of creativity and, for as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in photography.

I remember early on buying film at the grocery store and then taking it to get the film developed. It was nothing like what you have now. But then it just progressed.” He then recalls his first spotting of Overbrook. “That first time, many years ago – and it was probably 8 or 9 years ago that I drove past Overbrook – that’s what really inspired me, when I saw that, to get the next top of the line camera. I said, ‘I gotta capture this.’ To that point I had never seen anything like that.”

“It’s all about being able to capture something and being able to express it the way you saw it.”

Kowalick, 26, and Cataldo, 27, are now considering doing a book about facilities throughout the entire state instead of just one institution, but Kowalick values the project the he and she worked hard on, and the memory of the hospital itself. “Overbrook,” he says, “is long gone. That’s why I thought the book was so important, because I wanted to make sure its history was preserved in some way. Every trace of it is gone. If you drive past it, the spot on Fairview Avenue, you’ll have no idea it was ever there.”

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Cedar Grove High School Gets 15 Minutes of Boy Band Fame

By Megan Roche edar Grove High School recently played backdrop for one classic 1980’s boyband’s new music video. New Kids on the Block dropped their newest single, Boys in the Band, in early March. When the music video debuted, many Cedar Grove students immediately

recognized the classrooms and hallways as one of their own.

The music video pays homage to boy bands of all decades.

Within the video are members of Boyz II Men, NSYNC, Bell Biv Devoe, and many more of the bands that women of all ages grew up drooling over. With the video set in a history class environment, the history teacher in the video begins giving a lesson

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“The band donated $3,000 that we used to put these new pawprints on the floor and update our elevators with decorations. Any monies that we collect through any of these opportunities, we give them right back to the building principals to decide what projects they want to do with them.” Fetherman said. to students on the history of boy bands. Cue the entrance to special guests Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, and Danny Wood. What a way to learn about the history of boy bands, with one of the most famous boy bands of all time.

The production was kept under massive wraps and very few school officials knew what was taking place. Principal of Cedar Grove High School Richard Mangili could hardly contain his excitement when the video premiered on March 1.

“We were so excited to have New Kids on the Block use our school to film their new video “The Boys in the Band.” Mangili said in an Instagram post.

New Kids on the Block approached district administrators as they were looking for a high school setting to shoot their video.

A member of the Cedar Grove Board of Education is a member of a film organization and helped to link the two up.

According to Superintendent of Schools Michael Fetherman, once word spread about the video, Cedar Grove High School pride was overflowing.

“It was really cool to have this video happening in our building. It was kind of just a hit or miss thing and they came by and our building worked with the vision the film crew had. It’s gotten a lot of attention, but it was really cool.” Fetherman said.

To thank the school for playing backdrop for the video, New Kids on the Block donated new elevator wraps and Panther Paw decals for the entire building. Montclair State University also got in on the video, as the cheerleaders who dance with Debbie Gibson in the video were part of the MSU Cheerleading Squad.

“The band donated $3,000 that we used to put these new pawprints on the floor and update our elevators with decorations. Any monies that we collect through any of these opportunities, we give them right back to the building principals to decide what projects they want to do with them.” Fetherman said.

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Two Passaic Valley Heroes Unite in Neighborly Kidney Donation

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By Jerry Del Priore n February 12th, Passaic Valley native NIck Sauter received the gift of life in the form of a kidney from donor Robert Connizzo, who happens to live just two houses down from him.

Inquires came far and wide, as far as California, in fact, but Sauter said he never expected his miracle would come from someone just 50 feet from his home.

After the logistics of the operation were worked out around a year later from the time when Connizzo first agreed to get tested, Sauter had a new kidney. When Sauter was able to fill up two bags with urine, which happened almost immediately, it indicated that the kidney was working properly.

“When you come out of the operation, you’re in la la land,” recolleted Sauter, who’s around two months removed from the surgery. “The nurse told me the urine bag was filling up. The next day, I was feeling great.”

There were 30 people who went through various testing to determine whether or not they were suitable donors for Sauter. But they were disqualified due to different medical

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reasons.

However, Connizzo was a glorious match, thrilling both parties.

“I am thankful to everyone who stepped up to be tested,” the retired, decorated teacher, athletic director, football and track coach at Passaic Valley High School said. “But I was cautious because I have had (so many) people who were turned down for one reason or another. When I was told it was a match, I was ecstatic.”

Connizzo, a former firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT), found out that Sauter needed a living kidney donor through a Facebook page setup by Sauter’s sister in-law, Donna Tissot, who was vital in helping to find a matching donor for him.

Tissot said she spent countless hours advocating for her brother in-law in order to find an appropriate donor for him.

“I kept on advocating and it paid off with Rob,” Tissot said of connecting the two for the much-needed operation. “I started advocating relentlessly. I’m the type of person who doesn’t give up when I have a goal. I wasn’t about to give up on Nick. He calls me a pitbull with lipstick.”

She added: “If he didn’t need a kidney, he would give one himself, I’m sure of that.”

Tissot’s unyielding dedication and time-consuming effort wasn’t lost on Sauter.

“She was relentless in terms of getting the word out,” he said.

“If I didn’t have Donna (helping me), I wouldn’t be in the position

I am in now.”

As he was going through the testing procedure, Connizzo didn’t tell Sauter what he was doing because he didn’t to want to raise his expectations, only to have his spirits dashed.

But Connizzo said Sauter found out through the grapevine that he was getting tested for the lifesaving operation. More importantly, though, they were both elated when they discovered that Connizzo was a fitting donor for the transplant.

“I didn’t want to get his hopes up if I wasn’t a match,” Connizzo, 34, explained. “He was very supportive of me just considering being a donor for him. He was ecstatic when I was approved for the surgery. He was very emotional, I was very emotional. Once I found out the kidney took, I was a mess. I was crying tears of joy.”

A graduate of Passaic Valley High School in 1973 and Rutgers University in 1977, Sauter, 63, relied on anti-inflammatories to cope with the terrible neck and knee pain as a result of the years of playing the violent collision sport of football (he was part of the undefeated 11-0 Scarlet Knights team in 1976).

But the medications he was taking over the years claimed its toll on Sauter’s body, causing end stage renal failure, also known as end stage kidney disease -- the final stage of kidney disease in which complete or almost total kidney functions have been lost and patients will need to depend on renal replacement therapy, whether it’s dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive.

The former offensive lineman said his kidney function

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gradually declined, causing him to feel ill and forcing him to eventually endure two years of dialysis.

It was a process that occurred three times a week for four-hour sessions, usually more because Sauter’s blood pressure needed to return to his normal before the dialysis center was permitted to release him.

During that time, Sauter developed a nasty blood infection from the port in his chest used for dialysis.

The infection traveled down to his knee and settled there, he said.

It resulted in doctors having to remove the knee replacement he received over 20 years ago for 12 weeks, then have a new one surgically put in when the time was right. It was followed by weeks of physical therapy so he could walk normally.

Unfortunately for Sauter, the infection disqualified him from the cadaver donor list, and he could only receive a kidney from a living person, all the while his dialysis treatments continued.

Sauter said the procedures were grueling and painstaking, interfering with his normal way of life. But it kept him alive for the time being.

Sauter noted that the life expectancy of a person on dialysis is approximately 10 to 11 years, often with much less energy while clinging for dear life as he or she waits for a new kidney.

While there isn’t an exact number, because of factors such as age, patient’s condition, and protein in urine, among other elements, kidney experts believe that the average life expectancy is 4.25 years and only 23% of patients can live for 10 years.

“You feel tired and weak all the time,” he explained. “You just don’t feel your best. It’s not a fun life. I wouldn’t have made it to 70.”

Five weeks removed from the operations, however, Sauter and Connizzo both said they are doing well.

While Sauter cannot be around crowds of people because of immune system limitations until May 12th, he noted, Connizzo is returning to work as a salesperson for an electrical supply company in Paterson.

Connizzo pointed out that being a living donor isn’t as scary as most people would think. In fact, he said, it helped him improve his physical well being, and educated him on the entire donor process.

“I didn’t know much about being a living donor, or organ donor, for that matter,” Connizzo admitted. “But, as it turns out, there aren’t many limitations. I was out of the hospital in 28 hours. The recovery has been amazing.

Everything that the medical staff told me would happen, has.

I’m right on track (in the recovery process).”

He added that he’s been taking better care of himself, dropping 10 pounds due to his heightened level of health self-awareness because of the surgery.

“It has given me the feeling of feeling better about myself,” Connizzo said of his improved overall health.

To make matters more gratifying, Connizzo has received an outpouring of love and support from Sauter’s friends and family members, via cards, phone calls, emails, as well as positive press.

He even was bestowed with a heartwarming thank you card from Sauter’s 11-year-old granddaughter, expressing gratitude for him for saving her grandfather’s life, which brought a huge smile to his face, Connizzo said.

But he doesn’t want himself hailed as some sort of hero for the unselfish act. He rather the deed itself standout.

“I didn’t do this for the recognition or awards,” he said. “I rather the act itself be recognized rather than the person (doing it). Anyone can do this (organ donation) as long as they meet the physical requirements.”

While Connizzo has remained humble throughout the entire time since donating his kidney, Sauter feels he can’t thank him enough, even going as far as calling him family.

“I am very honored to have him as part of my family,” Sauter exclaimed of Connizzo becoming an honorary member of his family. “It takes a hero; he’s a hero. He saved my life.”

To learn more about kidney and organ transplants and how you can assist with its efforts, log onto the New Jersey Sharing Network at https://www.njsharingnetwork.org/.

The NJ Sharing Network is a non-profit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue for those in need of a life-saving transplant.

Nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents are currently awaiting transplantation, according to its website.

April 2019 • Page 19

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Page 20 • April 2019

Advanced Foot Care Commonly Asked Questions How Do I Know If I Have an Ingrown Toenail?

An ingrown toenail is characterized by the sides of a toenail that has grown into the skin. We see this most commonly on the big toe. When a toenail becomes ingrown, it causes swelling and if left untreated an ingrown nail becomes infected and inflamed, which leads to redness, tenderness, and pain. Fortunately, a podiatrists can treat the infected toenail and remedy the nail so it is no longer ingrown. Your podiatrists can also provide you with tips on how to avoid getting an ingrown toenail in the future.

What are the Most Common Reasons for Ingrown Toenails?

A common reason our patients come to Advanced Foot Care of NJ for this condition is due to wearing shoes that are too small and tight. This puts too much pressure on the toes, forcing the toenails particularly of the big toes to press into the skin on the sides of the toes. Another reason that patients

get ingrown nails is due to medical conditions. For example, if you have diabetes, this can lead to restricted blood flow in your foot, which causes swelling.

When your feet swell, which is also associated with pregnancy, this can cause the toenail to become ingrown.

Advanced Foot Care of NJ, specialize in sports medicine and has the skills to help you overcome ingrown toenails caused by playing sports. Often times patients who play sports involving kicking a ball, very often soccer, will experience ingrown toenails. This is caused by repeated contact with a hard surface, the soccer ball. If you are suffering from ingrown nails due to playing sports, give our office a call to schedule an appointment for treatment of your foot condition.

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April 2019 • Page 21

Chemistry Students Perform Edible Water Bottle Experiment

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By Brianna Rodriguez cience teacher Ms. Richeall Kennedy introduced a new experiment for her chemistry students this past week. The students created edible water bottles out of certain elements mixed with water.

During the experiment, students mixed 5 grams of calcium lactate with 4 cups of water. The students were instructed to bring their own flavoring to put in the mixture.

By the end of the mixing process, the mixture was an edible, jelly-like orb that the students were able to taste. Once popped into your mouth, these orbs released a burst of water (or flavoring) from the mixture.

Prior to the experiment, Ms. Kennedy gave her students a lesson on the importance of seaweed to the environment. This was because one of the elements used in the experiment, alginate, originated from seaweed, which is a nutritious ingredient in many foods and beverages. She wanted to make sure her students were able to recognize just how significant seaweed is in the environ-

ment. “Seaweed production can contribute to the end of world hunger and help the climate,” Ms. Kennedy explained.

While being introduced to an invigorating, new project, the students were also being introduced into the world of chemical engineering.

PV is ahead of the trend toward more topical and environmentally conscious experiments like this one. Using less plastic is important for the environment, so creating non-plastic, edible water orbs is one way to lessen the reliance on plastic products.

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Page 22 • April 2019

Behind the Scenes of Girls’ Show:

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Streamed Live Around the World

By Kayla Leonard very year, Girls’ Show continues to capture its crowd with breathtaking routines and unparalleled skill as the school comes together for a night to remember. Yet, many are unaware of all that goes on behind the scenes and the weeks of preparation by the PVTV crew to broadcast the show internationally. Additionally, the crew has worked diligently to improve its capability to live stream, which has become the definitive way to watch Girls’ Show.

Last year, there were more than 3,000 live streams in eleven countries around the world.

The HD live stream can be viewed through the link on the Passaic Valley Homepage. The show can also be viewed on Cablevision (channel 77) and Verizon Fios (channel 22). However, the PVTV team stresses that the live stream is a far better

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way to watch if possible. PV’s website has the capability of streaming HD quality video. The local channels, however, do not and the video quality must be degraded in order to air on those outlets.

Therefore, the live stream will provide the clearest picture and most accurate display of PVTV’s technical work.

Prior to 2013, Girls’ Show had only been broadcasted through cable TV. The live stream is a great opportunity for family and friends around the world to watch the talented participants of Girls’ Show perform the routines of a lifetime. For those who cannot make it to the show, PVTV consistently delivers a professional production year after year so those watching from home can share the experience of one sitting in the stands.

“It’s honestly a very special night for both the girls being able to showcase their talents and for our crew to have the opportunity to experience a live show,” says PVTV Girls’ Show Assistant Director Anna Hosri ‘19. “I’m sure that the community appreciates the convenience of a live stream to enjoy the energy of Girls’ Show from anywhere.”

The stream covers the entire event from beginning to end, starting with pre-show packages and concluding with the anticipated raising of the flags after the routines are performed. Ex-

clusive interviews with Girls’ Show advisors, participants, and fans are also included in the stream for viewers to enjoy.

This year’s Pre-Show is “Into the Void,” and is a student production filmed beforehand. The broadcast will also air the Girls’ Show 2019 Lip Dub, to Little Mix’s hit single “Salute,” featuring all the participants and members of the show.

Each year, the PVTV team manages to capture various angles of the performances, ensuring the best possible production and Girls’ Show experience for those at home. Six different cameras are situated in the Griswold Gym, one even offering a bird’s-eye view to best display routine formations.

At the beginning of Girls’ Show week, the PVTV crew starts setting up equipment in the gym for the upcoming Fri. night, although additional preparation begins weeks in advance.

“It’s the biggest undertaking of the year for PVTV given it’s a 3+ hour live event,” says PVTV advisor Ms. Stephanie Roberts.

The audio and video crew are given assignments by Mr. Cappello, the AV and TV Productions Club advisor, as the equipment is tested repeatedly. The crew visits a few practices before the show to ensure that every angle of the routine is displayed.

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Woodland Park Municipal Alliance sponsors ‘We’re Not Buying It” for sixth graders

he Woodland Park Municipal Alliance Against Alcoholism and Drug Abuse recently sponsored a six-part workshop called “We’re Not Buying It” for Memorial School sixth graders, given by the Center for Prevention, based in Newton.

The program aims to prevent or delay the onset of alcohol, marijuana, and drug use, and to prevent bullying. Participants learn how to deconstruct media messages that promote or glamorize substance use. With a better understanding of the marketing directed toward them, students are better able to resist messages and to make healthy decisions.

Sessions focused on “media is everywhere,” alcohol and marijuana use, prescription drugs, and bullying. The sessions are customized for each class as program facilitators Miss Ashley and Miss Laura say some are more knowledgeable than others on the topics discussed.

At a session which focused on popular music, nearly two third of the students knew of songs that referenced drugs and alco-

hol, mentioning such artists as Wiz Khalifa, Juice Wrld, and Snoop Dogg.

The students were broken into small groups, looking at lyric sheets of popular songs, and counting the number of drug or alcohol references in them. In one such song, “Because I Got High,” students counted 52 references. “You may think it’s OK because you see it and hear it,” Miss Ashley said. “But it’s not.”

In speaking about alcohol at another session, students learned that the legal drinking age is 21 as adult brains are not fully developed until that time. “In actuality, it’s more like 25,” Miss Ashley noted. The students learned about the Good Samaritan Law, which protects you from any liability in an attempt to get medical help for someone who is in need.

Students also heard about the addictive properties of drugs and alcohol as well – how the brain tells the body that the person needs it. “Usage only masks your problems,” Miss Ashley said. “It’s so important that we learn healthy coping skills to deal with the stresses that we face.”

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April 2019 • Page 25

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PV Elks Celebrating 60 Years

019 will mark the 60th Anniversary for our Lodge. In July 1959, our Lodge, Passaic Valley Elks # 2111, opened its doors for the first time. Our goal then, as it is now, is to support our Community, Special Needs Children and Adults, Veterans and our Youth. Our Lodge has raised more than $3.8 million dollars for our charities and community in the past 60 years.

Our Lodge holds many events throughout the year to help raise funds for our charities. Know that by attending these events, you are also helping our charities to help the community. We continue to sponsor events such as Comedy Nights, Tricky Trays, Poker Runs and many more exciting and unique events. It is our pleasure to host events for Special Needs Children and Adults along with their families.

To our Veterans, we gratefully say “Thank you for your service.” We accomplish this by hosting events throughout the

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year, especially during the month of November for Veterans Day and throughout the holiday season.

Elks invest in their community youth by sponsoring programs geared towards assisting them to become strong adults. Elks National Foundation Scholarships, Hoop and Soccer Shoots, Drug Awareness Programs help our children grow up healthy and drug-free and improve their quality of life.

Be part of our 60th Anniversary Celebration in September 2019 to experience what we are all about. We will be posting details of this event in our town paper and at local businesses.

We invite you to join us for the many events we have planned this year as well as in the future. By visiting our Facebook page @ Passaic Valley Elks Lodge 2111, you can find out all of the details of our exciting upcoming events and about becoming an Elk. This will give you the opportunity to give back to your community, make a difference, and join a wonderful organization.

Writing for Fun Group Poetry Reading

he Totowa Public Library will present a poetry and prose reading of the Writing for Fun group on April 17 at 7:00 p.m. Participating in the program are Ralph Bruzzichesi, Doug Dunlop, Elizabeth Marchitti, Nancy Stahl, Linda Markert,

and Mary Zanfino. There will be light refreshments served. The event will take place at the Totowa Public Library, 537 Totowa Road, Totowa. For more information, call 973-790-3265.

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Page 26 • April 2019

PV Expands Program of Studies with Newly Developed Course Offerings and Academic Partnerships

O

n February 25th, Passaic Valley publicly announced its most extensive additions to its course offerings in school history. This expansion includes completely new courses, dual enrollment, and updated curricula. The updated Program of Studies looks to build on PV›s already impressive and innovative opportunities offered to students.

In a press release sent to stakeholders, Superintendent Dr. Cardillo explained the philosophy of the new offerings: “PV has a laser-like focus in meeting and serving the expectations of our parents,” she said. “Working together with the PV School Board, our tri-county middles schools, and various community leaders, we are creating a strong and ambitious strategic vision for PV’s future.”

The additions and changes will officially launch in the 20192020 school year and are the culmination of months of planning and professional development by staff and administration.

Several completely new courses have been added to various curricula. The Foreign Language department added three new honors classes: French II Honors, Spanish II Honors, and Italian II Honors. In addition, numerous innovative half-year electives were added to give students the opportunity to explore several unique content areas. These electives include Gender Studies, Forensic Science, Allied Health Science, Game Programming, 3D Design, Cartooning, and Sports Science. An additional elective, Cinema and Culture, will be offered in the 2020-2021 school year.

Mrs. Tara Torres, Director of Student Personnel Services, and other administrators looked at previously collected data to outline three areas of focus when developing these new courses: Criminal Justice, Healthcare, and Computer Science. “Our goal for next year was to create balance in our Program of Studies.

At PV we have students from all different backgrounds, each with his/her own interests and plans for the future,” Torres explained. “As a result, we wanted to offer opportunities that would intrigue students and make them feel prepared for their next steps in life.”

Another major focus in revamping course selection was to team with local colleges and universities to offer opportunities for students to earn college credits while still in high school.

Passaic Valley is currently partnering with Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), Kean University, Montclair State University (MSU), and Passaic County Community College (PCCC). The new dual enrollment classes include the aforementioned Forensic Science elective with PCCC, Introduction to Communication Arts & Media with MSU, and an Engineering elective whose name and partnership has yet to be announced.

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The lifting of some of the prerequisites allows students to mix and match their interests and to experiment within the arts, possibly finding an outlet for self-expression or, at the very least, an appreciation of the subject.”

These new classes join several dual enrollment courses PV already provides. “With the separation of AP, there are now 31 opportunities for students to earn college credits while at PV,” said Torres.

Additionally, Passaic Valley and William Paterson University (WPU) partnered to offer students the opportunity to jumpstart their careers. Three classes, Law Enforcement Prep, Computer Coding (which grants certification in Python), and Patient Care Technician, will be taught at PV through WPU. As technically college courses, students enrolled must pay a tuition for the course. However, the price is significantly lower when compared to tuition at the college level. “Upon successful completion of these rigorous courses, students will be able to enter into the workforce and apply for entry level positions,” said Torres. More information on these courses can be found on pages 13 and 14 of the Program of Studies.

So far, students have been incredibly supportive and enthusiastic in response to the new offerings. Of particular interest is the focus on STEM and students’ futures beyond high school that is not tied to the AP track. “Our upperclassmen are excited about the new science courses for next year. Many students

like to take a fourth science for the purpose of college admissions, but do not want to enroll in an AP level course and may not be interested in Environmental Science,” explained Torres.

“They appreciate the expansion of the department, especially since the new courses are directly related careers they are considering. We have also seen demonstrated interest in the William Paterson courses. The idea of taking these post-secondary courses before graduation, at a discounted rate, is appealing to both students and parents.”

Of course, not every change is an addition. Passaic Valley has also revised all Visual/Performing Arts courses. Curricula have been changed and updated, course titles have been changed to reflect these changes, and prerequisites have been edited to allow more flexibility and access to these courses. As a former Music teacher, Mrs. Torres is excited for the revisions. “The rebranding of the courses puts a fresh face on the department and enables students to see these courses in a new light,” she said. “The lifting of some of the prerequisites allows students to mix and match their interests and to experiment within the arts, possibly finding an outlet for self-expression or, at the very least, an appreciation of the subject.”

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Page 28 • April 2019

So! You Got a Low Offer

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First of all don’t get your back arched and insulted, take a deep breath and remember that this is only the first step in negotiations. The offer may be low, but this may not be the only or best offer you will get from this buyer.

Your agent has likely determined the sincerity and motivation of this prospective buyer and may suggest that some negotiating take place.

Your agent should be experienced at negotiating offers and making suggestions on what and how to counter and offer. Let them know what you will negotiate on and listen to their advice. It may not be in your best interest to stand firm on some points but it may in others. That’s where your agent’s experience comes in handy. Most agents that are skilled in reconciling buyer and seller’s differences and often are successful in reaching a deal with which both parties feel satisfied.

Remember a low offer is not really an insult to your home. It’s a buyer trying to negotiate the best deal he can as you would when you become a buyer.

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April is “Sports-Related Eye Injuries” Awareness Week: ECC-NJ Pearls & Tips

Ophthalmologists Say 90 Percent of Sports-Related Eye Injuries Can be Avoided by Wearing Eye Protection Basketball, Baseball and Air/Paintball Guns Top the List of Leading Causes of Eye Injuries

M

ore than 40 percent of eye injuries that occur every year are related to sports or recreational activities.

A recent study found that about 30,000 people in the U.S. went to an emergency department with a sports-related eye injury, a substantially higher estimate than previously reported. Three sports accounted for almost half of all injuries: basketball, baseball and air/ paintball guns.

Basketball was the leading cause of injury in males, followed by baseball/softball, and air/ paintball guns. Baseball or softball was the leading cause among females, followed by cycling and soccer. In support of Sports Eye Safety Month in April, *EyeCare Consultants of NJ (ECC-NJ) and the *American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) are offering athletes of all ages guidance on how to protect their eyes.

Sports-related injuries can range from corneal abrasions and bruises on the lids to more serious, vision-threatening internal injuries, such as a retinal detachment and internal bleeding. About onethird of sports related eye injuries happen to kids. The good news is that simply wearing protective eyewear can prevent about 90 percent of eye injuries.

Follow these tips to save and protect your vision: Wear the right eye protection: For basketball, racquet sports, soccer and field hockey, wear protection with shatterproof polycarbonate lenses.

Put your helmet on: For baseball, ice hockey and lacrosse, wear a helmet with a polycarbonate face mask or wire shield.

Know the standards: Choose eye protection that meets American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards.

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Anyone who experiences a sports eye injury should immediately visit an ophthalmologist, a physician specializing in medical and surgical eye care, or the emergency room.

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Page 30 • April 2019

Bowling Green Golf Club Serves Golfers of All Levels – With Nature at Their Side

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By Steve Sears riving on Berkshire Valley Road, trees in abundance on both your left and right, you’d question someone’s smarts if they told you, “There’s a pretty nice golf course up in these hills.”

Well there is, and that very course is challenging enough for the golf pro, but also simple enough so the beginner learns at his own pace and enjoys rewards as well.

And then there’s the beautiful view of those mountains.

Welcome to Bowling Green Golf Club.

A challenging course because of its nature and layout, but also a forgiving one for the same reasons. It’s a course that will challenge the more avid player with its narrow corridors and fairways; but one that will allow the less experienced players to recover from their errant shots because the holes aren’t lined with bunkers or hazards, says Wil Riggs, Operations Manager.

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Riggs, who is 38 and younger than Bowling Green’s 52 years, is a third-generation family worker at the club, which offers both seasonal passes for golfers or golfing families who want to pay a lump sum up front and have no greens fees to pay as they go through the course, but also offer greens fees for the public to enjoy the course and play a round of golf. “We call ourselves really a daily fee golf course.”

The Bowling Green Golf Club season typically runs from the beginning of April to the end of November. “If we can stay open earlier or later than that, we certainly will try,” says Riggs.

Bowling Green Golf Club was groomed by four people: dairy farmers and landowners, Albert and Jerre Riggs, and George and June Salmon (in-laws of the Riggs) of Netcong’s Salmon Brothers road construction firm. The beforementioned folks reached out to noted New England-based golf course architect Geoffrey Cornish to, from the website, “design a golf course that would be scenic, challenging, and a perfect fit for the existing land.” With the dream (courtesy of the Riggs brothers), architect (Cornish) and course builders (Salmons) set, the plan was set in motion, and the first nine holes were unveiled and opened for play on Memorial Day in 1967.

“My grandfather’s brother-in-law was really the golfer,” claims Riggs. “My grandfather had never played golf. He ran the farm to

a time period until it just wasn’t going to be profitable anymore. He had the land, but he didn’t want to turn it into a real estate development. Back in the mid ‘60s, if you played golf in northern New Jersey, you either belonged to a private club or you didn’t play golf. There were very few daily fee golf courses that existed. So, there was this big hole in the market that needed to be filled.”

There was lots of skepticism. Travel to the area was difficult. Route 80 had not yet been constructed, and Route 46 was a single lane road in both directions. “When people heard they were building a golf course they thought they were kind of crazy,” says Riggs. “We were really in the woods at the time.”

With the obstacles, why did the idea bear fruit? “Because there was no real option to play golf,” responds Riggs. “Arnold Palmer was really starting to become popular – that was really the start of ‘Arnie’s Army – and there was a big influx of people wanting to play golf, taking an interest in it, and there were people in the area wanted to play golf, but there were very few options for them to do so.

Most of Bowling Green’s golfing customers come from the Route 23 corridor down into Wayne, from Passaic and Bergen Counties, and also Morris County. However, you get the feeling that, with the beauty of the nature along the drive, and

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Page 32 • April 2019

Riggs and his team like to believe that the beautiful but challenging course and customer service combined make Bowling Green Golf Club an inviting draw. “We try to provide as good a customer service as we possibly can.

We try to make everyone feel like they are coming to a private club or country club without spending the money.” likewise that encountered as you play a nice round of golf, Bowling Green Golf Club is well worth a day trip, no matter your location.

Bowling Green Golf Club addresses very effectively one of the prime challenges of golf: pace of play. “We work very hard,” attests Riggs, “trying to maintain a pace of play so you don’t feel like you’re spending six hours on the golf course, but we’re not trying to force you around to play faster than four hours. Right now, we’re trying to maintain to about 4 hours and 15 minutes to 4 ½ hours to play a round of golf.” Riggs states the reasons. “Family lifestyles have changed dramatically, and activity levels have changed drastically within the last 15 to 20 years. Golf in general has a problem with pace of play and trying to keep people moving around on the golf course. And it’s not just the time you spend on the golf course. It’s the half hour to 45 minutes you spend driving to the golf course to get to there, arriving a half hour ahead of time, to finish your round, and then stay for a half hour or 40 minutes to go for a drink and bite to eat, to spending another 40 minutes driving home. All of the sudden you’ve got an eight-hour chunk of the day that’s gone. We try to be as sensitive as we possibly understanding people’s time is valuable and we want to provide an enjoyable experience for them, but not something that’s going to quickly throw the day out of whack. Life is busy.”

Riggs and his team like to believe that the beautiful but chal-

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“You have the ability to recover from errant shots without being over-penalized and feeling you just spent your entire day playing from one water hazard or bunker to the next and saying, ‘This is silly. Why would anyone start up this game?’ Also, we have length, but we have multiple tees that people can go to, so they don’t feel like they’re going to the furthest back place that the better players are going to play. That gives you the ability to feel more at home on a course when you’re starting to learn.”

“We are a full-service golf course that offers food and beverage operations all the way down to private lessons and club fittings.

It’s a good golf course for the better player who will find it challenging. Is it the most difficult course they’ve ever played? No, but it’s a course that the better player is going to say, ‘I played well, and I scored well,’ and also say, ‘I didn’t play my best and didn’t score my best. So, they’re going to find penalties and be forced to exercise their skills. The beginning golfer is going to go out there and say, ‘I played well and I shot a good round,’ or ‘I didn’t play well

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but I didn’t feel like I never want to go back there again because I can’t play that well and I’m never going to be able to hit those kinds of shots. No matter your skill level, we feel you’re going to find an enjoyable experience.”

Bowling Green Golf Club is 150 acres, and the view when entering is of Bowling Green Mountain, from where the club name was coined. “We try to be as inviting as we possibly can. We try to greet everyone by their name, we have a lot of repeat golfers, whether they are members or whether they are daily fee paying us per round, they’re usually part of some program or package that we have or benefit that they can take advantage of. So, there’s a lot of the same faces that come up (to visit), or it’s a lot of the same faces bringing guests up. We get to know quite a few people.”

Riggs feels the amount of people entering or playing golf for the first time is flat. “Golf from the professional standpoint that you see on television, that’s on the rise.”

Thom Bishop is the Director of Golf at Bowling Green Golf Club.

He was hired back in 1972 as a cart kid. He also toiled in the pro shop and grounds crew in his earlier days at the club. “You were really in the middle of nature in 1967,” says Bishop with a smile, recalling the early days of prepping and opening the course. He then alludes to Riggs prior point about people entering the golfing realm. “We’ve spent a bunch of time working on programs so families can bring their children economically, casually. Some of it is intimidation or a lack of knowing that, its okay. Many private clubs have more family activities, so then the child and family are

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exposed to the golf as well as the pool and tennis courts. But that’s really the private club scene, that’s really not the public golf scene.

We have programs for kids to start really inexpensively; we put special tees out late in the weekend, and they can play for $10, and then they get $5 for a certificate and can come in and get a hotdog afterwards. People should feel comfortable. That’s very important.”

Bishop declares what a lot of people know: Bowling Green Golf Club offers a lot for those looking to enter the game. “The golf course we have…physically you can roll the ball around. Many golf courses today you can hit over quarries and wetlands, and it’s very difficult for intermediate golfers. It’s a lot easier if everything is just right in front of you, more traditionally styled, go through the land that existed.”

For Bishop, the Bowling Green Golf Club ideal golfer, from strictly a business point of view, is the avid golfer who plays over 25 rounds a year. “However, a lot of what we’re working on are the second-tier folks and groups…”

“Who will become avid golfers,” interjects Riggs.

“Yes, they can become avid golfers,” agrees Bishop, “and it’s a huge help for us. Millennials, women, juniors – seniors are a group that still plays quite a bit, but they have financial constraints and time constraints. All those groups are very important to us, too.”

Cornish, who also authored books on golf for Golf Digest was, according to Bishop, pretty much a naturalist and didn’t intrude on nature, therefore the wealth of trees is still on Bowling Green Golf Club property. “He was a naturalist, using what was there instead of moving around and manipulating the ground. So, what was here is what’s here.”

Visitors to the Oak Ridge location will find a meticulously maintained golf course. “What we have, our asset, is the golf course.

Wil’s family’s focus through the years has been to put it all back into golf, so that the people get the experience on the golf course.

And it’s a great environment; you start on the first hole and you’re looking at Bowling Green Mountain, and you don’t hear highways on all sides. When you get here, you’re in an isolated, natural environment, less than 30 minutes from almost all of north Jersey, and so many of our players come from Bergen and Passaic (counties) and get away from all of ‘that.’ When they get here, it’s not like they’re still ‘there.’ They are somewhere else. That’s the destination.” He then discusses how visitors are talked to, treated, and greeted, and harkens back to 1967and Albert Griggs. “One of the things he always did was he was the first one in the morning when he opened up the pro shop, but he was always the last one here at the end of the night saying good night to everybody. He did that for decades and finally passed that over to his son and grandson, but that’s what they’ve always done. His family has always been that way.”

Riggs sums it up by calling Bowling Green Golf Club “Home.” He grew up on the land, and he currently lives on the property, but for him it’s more than that. “There’s more people that come here and reference this as the place they learned how to play golf, and there’s more people that talked abut this being a second home to them.”

Bowling Green Golf Club is located at 53 Schoolhouse Road in Oak Ridge. For more information, visit www.bowlinggreengolf. com or call (973) 697-8688.

Page 34 • April 2019

Morgan’s Farm: 20th Century History in Cedar Grove

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By Kimberly Redmond nce upon a time, much of New Jersey was farmland.

At the turn of the century, farming was still one of the main industries in New Jersey.

In fact, New Jersey was nicknamed the Garden State in 1876 because of the huge amount of food grown here. Nearly twothirds of the state was rolling farmland, if you can imagine.

One of the last surviving examples of old farm life in New Jersey is tucked away in Cedar Grove, just off Route 23 by the Verona border.

Morgan’s Farm and Museum, located near the intersections of Fairview and Pompton avenues, preserves an environment that was once quite common but has now all but vanished elsewhere in Essex County.

And, with summer finally in sight, it’s the perfect day trip.

The farm and museum, both of which are run by volunteers of the Cedar Grove

Historical Society, gives visitors a chance to learn more about early 20th century life, as well as a place to purchase produce fresh off the farm.

Known as the Canfield-Morgan farmstead, the 14.5-acre property is one of the last farms in Essex County to survive with a large portion of its original acreage intact.

While there are a few other small farms in the region, many have been unable to resist offers for development, but since 1845, when the Canfield family purchased the

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tract, it has lost less than five acres.

The property includes a 150-year-old farmhouse that features a museum, as well as a barn filled with exhibits. The grounds also feature gardens, a nature trail, municipal park space and a cemetery with gravestones dating back to the 1700s.

Tours of the museum are offered year-round to visitors, groups and schools. Morgan’s also regularly hosts pop-up markets, flower classes, children’s nutrition classes, historical programs, movie nights and concerts.

On Saturdays, from June through October, the farm runs an organic produce stand featuring locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as honey, jam and other items, such as local history books.

On May 17, the farm will reopen for business on Saturdays.

The farm stand is still relatively new, since planting, growing and harvesting only resumed in 2013 under the guidance of John Ostering and his wife Julie. Farming operations have served as a way to raise funds for the historical society, as well as provide the community a place to buy local and fresh.

“We are farming as a fundraiser to support the maintenance of the museum and to continue the legacy of the land. The community has rallied around to support us. They love that they know our farmer and they know exactly where their food is coming from,” said Julie Ostering, who is now president of the Cedar Grove Historical Society.

Produce planted for 2019 includes: onions, peppers, kale, eggplant, beans, peas, Swiss chard, lettuce, melon, squash, cucumber, romaine, tomato, radish, bok choy, arugula, corn, scallion, zucchini and berries.

This season, the farm stand will be moved into the barn for the first time, Ostering said.

“We set up a nice permanent market and we will be able to do business, even in the rain,” she said.

Since the property has returned to its farming roots, the community has really embraced the idea of buying locally grown, fresh produce, Ostering said.

“People today are looking for fresh, local food that they can trust has no pesticides or GMOs,” said Ostering.

Until the mid-1800s, much of Essex County was quiet

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Page 36 • April 2019

and rural, even as Newark had already grown into an important rural center.

Farms in the area harvested crops such as wheat, corn, oats and potatoes and sold them in Newark for a profit.

In Cedar Grove, the Canfield family was among the earliest farmers in the township, known for having a good social and economic standing, as well as for selling excellent produce in the nearby city markets.

Farming remained a big business in New Jersey until just after the Civil War. After the construction of railroads and the Homestead Act of 1862, which encouraged people to go west for land, the state’s farm economy began to see a downturn.

As the area became suburbanized, it became more difficult to be a farmer. High land cost, along with rising taxes and labor costs, posed a challenge, but being nearby to ready markets made farming a potentially profitable occupation.

Many farmers adjusted how they did their jobs and shifted their production to farming fruits, vegetables, poultry and other “direct to consumer” produce.

The Canfield family continued to raise longtime staples, such as corn and pigs, but also grew market produces, like tomatoes, melons, berries, apples and peaches, which they trucked to Newark markets by wagon a few times a week.

In 1910, J.W. Morgan, an English immigrant and advertising executive that worked in New York City, purchased the property.

Jean Jaeger, Cedar Grove’s township historian, said Morgan wasn’t that interested in farming, so he hired Benjamin Canfield, whom he bought the property from, to manage the farm for him until the Morgan children were old enough to work the farm.

“One of the reasons the Morgan’s bought the farm was to get away from Montclair, where they lived for many years, because they did not want their children growing up in a city,” Jaeger said.

“But, Mrs. Morgan put the children in a pony cart each day to take them over the hill to Montclair to go to school. She also did all her shopping in Montclair.”

After J.W. Morgan took over the farm, it continued to supply markets in Newark. Seven years later, Courtenay Morgan started running the farm just before his father’s death and by 1935 the farm became more focused on making local sales.

Courtenay Morgan remained on the property and continued to operate the farm until just before his death in 1985.

Over the years, he declined offers to sell his farm for development, a fate that many other farms in northern New Jersey have since experienced.

But growth in the state has put farmland at risk. Between

1982 and 2007, New Jersey has lost 27 percent of its agricultural land to development. The decline has slowed in recent years, however, thanks to zoning changes, favorable tax policies for agricultural production and right-to-farm legislation, according to non-profit organization New Jersey Future.

In New Jersey, agriculture is the state’s third largest industry, behind pharmaceuticals and tourism, generating more than $65 billion annually.

New Jersey ranks second in the country for production of culinary herbs and blueberries and has more horses than the state of Kentucky.

Seventeen percent of the state – or 715,000 acres – remains farmland, a designation that ranges from nurseries to orchards to horse farms to livestock farms and produce farms, according to the Farmland Information Center, a non-profit.

About 80 percent of farms are involved in crop production, growing apples, blueberries, cranberries, peaches, tomatoes, strawberries, potatoes, corn, hay and soybeans. Livestock production also occurs on a decent amount of farms in the state.

Garden State residents love their farms, nonetheless. A state Farm Bureau poll found that 85 percent of residents believe farms should play an important role in New Jersey’s future. The same amount of residents said they go out of their way to buy local produce and visit local farms.

Had Courtenay Morgan not bequeathed the property to Cedar Grove, Ostering said it most likely would have been developed by now.

When he decided to deed the land to the township, he did so on the caveat that it be preserved as a scenic and historic resource.

In correspondence on the matter, he noted: “This interesting land should be kept free of extra buildings forever.”

For the last three decades, the historical society has worked to maintain and preserve the property and its legacy. Proceeds from the farm stand and museum are used to support the property, as well as educational programming and scholarships.

The historical society is always seeking volunteers to come pitch in at the farm or the museum, Ostering added.

“If anyone would like to help, we would love to have them!”

Ostering said.

For information on joining, visit www.cedargrovehistoricalsociety.org. Morgan’s Farm and Museum is located at 903 Pompton Avenue in Cedar Grove. For more information, visit www.MorgansFarm.org. To inquire about tours, call 973-239-5414.

April 2019 • Page 37

Jocelyn Russo Advises Realty Clients by Connecting and Communicating

S

By Steve Sears ince 2011, Coldwell Banker Real Estate advisor and consultant Jocelyn Russo has been the go-to person when buying or selling a home.

Russo’s Real Estate office is located at 242 Bellevue Avenue in Montclair. She also has a Main Street office in Little Falls that she and her consulting group work from, but all real estate business is conducted in Montclair.

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Page 38 • April 2019

Russo both aids her clients in buying and selling homes. “We do the selling side a lot,” she says. “The perfect, typical client would be somebody who is down-sizing and they need to sell their house, someone who is relocating to a new area whether it be southern New Jersey or even just a few blocks away, or maybe another state. I have realtors all over the country that I work with and I refer business to. So, it’s really somebody who is looking to sell their property and they’re trying to get into something smaller or something bigger.”

Russo’s area of coverage is primarily from Montclair to Wayne, but she has served clients beyond the area. “Even going into Bergen County a bit, even going into Morris County a bit, and up on Route 23.,” she responds when asked where others have benefitted from her skills. “I sold something up in Riverdale, I’ve sold something in Wyckoff, so we’re really spread out.

But the real area of our expertise is from Montclair to Wayne.”

Russo feels the area she serves is perhaps the top real estate spot on the east coast and maybe even the United States.

“It’s very unique. You’re so close to New York, but you’re even further away enough to have a nice backyard. I consider it the metro area of northern New Jersey. People are just flocking to the area,” says Russo, who has also sold homes in Bloomfield, Cedar Grove and Verona.

Russo, who primarily deals with residential real estate, feels the most important thing she delivers to a client is full communication. Whether buying or selling, she wants them to understand the process as she does. “When someone hasn’t moved in twenty-something years, they really need that hand-holding experience where they need to be told, ‘This comes next.’ I see a lot in my industry that people assume that other people know these things, and they don’t. You really have to be transparent and very detailed.” “Detailed” is exactly what Russo is. “I have checklists and I have books and I have information to give my client in abundance because I feel it’s very important for them to understand what’s going on. It’s usually their biggest financial decision, whether they’re buying or they’re selling, and I really want them to understand what comes next, what’s going on, understanding the market, pricing, all of that.”

First-time home buyers are a huge segment of Russo’s business. “They’re moving out of their homes, out of their parents’ house, or a rental. You sit down to a consultation with them, you want to make sure they understand the process, what they’re really looking for, how to deal with multiple offers, how to win a house without somebody else coming in and bumping them out of the deal. In 2018, Russo paired with Lakeland Bank, Bank of America, and Totowa’s North Jersey Federal Credit Union to present first-time homebuyer seminars. “It helps me give the foundation of that first-time homebuyer and how to deal with them, so that’s a huge segment of who we help as well.”

Russo, a Passaic Valley High School graduate who has a background and degree in Interior Design and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, puts those learned skills to great use by also offering a complimentary home staging consultation. “My goal for a homeowner is to really get them a maximum profit. I make sure that the house looks perfect. You don’t run a mar-

athon and just start running, you prepare for it. It’s the same thing with a house. Should someone choose to work with me, I do a consultation, go through the home seeing what needs to be done, what needs to be given away, and then I do staging.

I want to alleviate anything they (the seller) has to do except decluttering and cleaning, and then I come in and place fresh flowers and make things look nice. A good stager could cost around $500 for them to come in and do all that, and I do it complimentary.”

The number of real estate agents in the Garden State is roughly 50,000, so Russo stays ahead of the pack – and she does so with a key focus. “I don’t ‘sell’ anything,” she says.

“That’s the difference. It’s more like an advisory or consulting. I want to make sure that they’re getting the most money, I want to make sure that their house looks fantastic, I want to make sure that I’m talking to them on a weekly basis regarding what’s going on. I’m a very easy person to talk to because I listen, and I’m always going to be looking out for people’s best interests because that’s just how I am.”

In addition to business going well for Russo, she as well has a personal special celebration later this month as she weds the love of her life, Bloomfield resident and Montclair attorney, Frank Materia.

The true heart of it all is the communication, which Russo values as highly as she does her client. “When people first talk to me, I’m looking in their eyes, focusing on their conversation, listening, not thinking of my next question or looking around.

It’s a connection; I really do care about people. You don’t get that all the time.”

For more information about Jocelyn Russo or to contact her, visit www.jocelynsellsnj.com.

April 2019 • Page 39

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Do You Have Mildew or Mold on Your Roof?

By Natalie Marsella ave you looked at a portion of your roof, especially on the north side of your home or under heavy shade, and found a tinge of green across shingles?

Or do you have black streaks coming down the roof? Both are a sign of weakening of the shingles and their ability to protect your home and can shorten the life of your roof. You might want to take care of these issues before they become a problem, which can affect your house insurance and your standing with your homeowner’s association.

Both conditions are a form of mold. Mold can weaken the roof, make its way into your home and introduce bacteria into your home. Roof stains can affect your energy costs. There are

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products that can safely be used by professionals to clean roof algae and remove the stains. Spectrum Painting is able to take care of these issues with their soft washing capabilities, which combines low pressure with special washing ingredients.

Maintaining your roof also provides the basic look of a clean roof, the curb appeal (important if you’re planning on selling your home) and the knowledge that you’ve taken important steps to protect your home. The small cost now to wash and maintain is much lower than the price of replacing a roof altogether.

Call Spectrum Painting today at 973-706-6033 to set up an estimate for a soft wash of your roof, as well as your home, walkways, fences, patios and pool decks.

WP First Aid Squad Auxillary to Hold Fish ‘n Chips Dinner

P First Aid Squad Auxillary is sponsoring a Fish ‘n Chips Dinner (chicken dinner on request) at the American Legion Post 238, 410 Mount Pleasant Ave. Woodland Park, on Wed., April 10, 2019 from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Tickets are $17.00, or $8.00 Children (10 and under). Eat in or take out avail-

able.

Get your tickets in advance by calling WPFAS at 973-279-2500 (mailbox #3) or email wpfasauxiliary@aol.com. Please specify fish or chicken and adult or child.

Limited tickets will be sold at the door.

Page 40 • April 2019

Little Falls Public Library Welcomes a new Director

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By Bonie Nolan isitors to the Little Falls Public Library may have noticed the return of a familiar face. Kristin Blumberg has returned to the Library in a new capacity, Director. Kristin originally began working at the Library as a page when she was in high school. Over the years, she has served in various capacities on the library staff while earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Kristin left Little Falls for two years, working at the Montclair Public Library. When she heard that there was an opening for a new Library Director in Little Falls, Kristin was eager to return. She missed the friendliness of Little Falls Public Library and the feel of working in a smaller, local library.

A library’s needs are always evolving. Director Blumberg has been reviewing the Library’s collections and has plans to improve the travel section and CD collection. She is presently reviewing the Library’s security protocols and procedures with an eye toward improving safety and security. Under her direction, the staff has been increasing the Library’s social media presence on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of events is now available at the front desk.

Kristin is a firm believer in a Library being an important part of a community. She is looking forward to expanding community outreach and being involved in local events. The Library has been sponsoring Family Fun Night with Little Falls Biz for several years and has participated in the Block Party, Fall Festival, and Passaic County Art Walk. The Library has acquired a tablet and software so that residents will be able to sign up for library cards at events outside of the Library.

Woodland Park PD Welcomes New Officer

T

he Woodland Park Police Department is proud of its newest member, Officer Mark Bonilla. A lifelong borough resident and graduate from Rowan University with a degree in law and justice, Officer Bonilla recently graduated from the Passaic County Police Academy and has thus far been successful in the WPPD field training program. He has already participated in a several field calls, including a narcotics arrest, a missing persons investigation, and several ambulance

and alarm calls. Officer Bonilla has participated in several community policing functions and is excited to delve deeper into his community.

April 2019 • Page 41

Page 42 • April 2019

I

Passaic County Technical Institute – An Epicenter of Learning

By Pamela Macek t’s 8 a.m. and the National Anthem begins to play. No, this isn’t an early morning football game. It is the start of the school day at Passaic County Technical Institute, and only one of the many ways this high school sets itself apart from the others. Historically known as “Votech,” PCTI was once considered a county vocational school that offered a simpler alternate career route for students not wanting to pursue college. Not anymore.

Today, PCTI is more than a vocational school, it is an educational epicenter, boasting a brand-new STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy, with an academic curriculum that leads every student to college. The high school is actually made up of 14 little schools, and as Chief School Administrator Diana Lobosco shared, “It is a school that encompasses the trades, sciences, arts and technology – every career path that parents want their children to take.”

Located in Wayne, New Jersey, PCTI welcomes students residing anywhere within the borders of Passaic County. Enrollment is a process that for interested students, begins during their eighth grade school year and requires a review of grades, attendance, discipline records, current report cards and standardized test scores.

Students not accepted into the ninth grade school year may reapply again for tenth grade only.

There are additional steps for Special Education students seeking enrollment.

PCTI is an extremely diversified school.

There are over 500 special needs students as well as a deaf program that provides opportunities for everyone.

John Maiello, the school’s Assistant Superintendent explained how the facility has, “created an environment of order and discipline throughout the campus. Opportunities are given, but it cannot be easy.”

Students clearly understand that many fun filled experiences will be made, but they are primarily there to learn and prepare for their future career. One way PCTI reinforces this is through their requirement for school uniforms, which has been successfully ongoing for the past seven years. With the obligated colors of blue, khaki and white, there is a slight selection of what can be worn that the students may choose

from. PCTI’s mascot is the bulldog, and that “bulldog pride” is reinforced through how the students conduct as well as carry themselves, which includes their appearance.

Principal Michael Parent went on to discuss how important it is for both parents and educators to work together to help guide young people, well before high school.

He shared, “The time to address development issues dealing with character, attitude, self-awareness, emotional stability and consistency, is during the middle school years, not high school.” When this occurs, it is natural to see students enrolled who want to learn all they can, work hard and apply themselves to their coursework. When it comes to expecting excellence from their students, the bar is high. Principal Parent said, “We push the counterculture here and the kids respond to it.”

PCTI offers a wide array of career choices for consideration that include opportunities for students to experience and participate in right on their campus. Upon entering the school lobby, there is a fully functioning bank that the students pursuing careers in Finance help to run. Meals have become a first-class dining experience, as “Chez Technique,” PCTI’s own gourmet restaurant, staffs students who are enrolled in their School of Culinary Arts, for meal preparation, cooking and serving.

There is an Academy of Criminal Justice and Public Safety. Under this rigorous course of study students are exposed to the US Legal system, covering topics such as court and criminal proceedings, how laws are created, crime scene investigation, fire science and the roles of field personnel, which include defense attorney, prosecutor, judge, court clerk, probation officer and law enforcement, to name a few. PCTI hosts a Mock Trial, which they have successfully positioned themselves as County Champs. Students desiring a career in public service are being given a college education at a high school level.

For students working towards a career in Finance – including areas such as banking, accounting, real estate, international finance, consumer law, and many others, PCTI’s Academy of Finance creates a strong foundation through their commitment to financial literacy. The program they use is certified by the National Academy Foundation. The career opportunities for students in this field are endless, and as Assistant Superintendent Maiello said, “PCTI is like no place else.”

For students following a career path pointing in the direction of health and healing, the Academy of Health Sciences offers over a dozen opportunities to choose from. This is one of the most popular areas of study on campus, with membership in the national organization of HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) included as part of this program.

Classrooms in this academy are designed to mirror real world medical offices

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April 2019 • Page 43

and health facilities, giving students a pragmatic understanding of what employment in the health field will be like. Leadership and community service opportunities are available for students to participate in, which will help to further their learning experience.

Not all students are considering college and are already set on a path for vocational training only. PCTI’s School of Automotive Technology is here for them. With the ever-changing world of technology prevalent in the automotive industry, it is imperative that students learn skill sets and techniques that go beyond repairing an engine or changing a tire. Boasting high tech diagnostic automotive labs as well as equipment that is found in major dealerships and repair facilities nationwide, PCTI is committed to providing a state-ofthe-art educational experience to every student enrolled in this school. Students can graduate feeling accomplished and able to embrace a career in the automotive or autobody industry.

The School of Cosmetology paves the way for students to pursue ten career paths upon graduation. From esthetician, to hair stylist, or make-up artist to beauty product sales and salon own-

er, students who are serious about pursuing a career in this industry are given a quality advantage in their work endeavors. Community service activities are provided, offering students opportunities to get a jump start in fulfilling state required training hours in pursuit of their cosmetology license.

With the Arts now a permanent educational path of learning at PCTI, the School of Communication Arts has steadily grown, as students are exploring their artistic skills in this highly sought-after program. Covering areas such as Advertising Art and Design, Graphic Design and 3D Animation, and Audio Visual Production, this school develops each students’ artistic gifts, allowing them to show case their talents at the annual art exhibition. There are thirteen career paths for students to choose from, ranging anywhere from art director, to game designer, traditional illustrator, commercial printing or videography, and so much more.

Business-minded students can enroll in PCTI’s School of Business Careers. After freshman year, students can choose either Global Management, Global Marketing, or Marketing for

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their concentration of study. With fifteen career paths to choose from, a well-rounded, business education will be the reward for any student applying themselves in this school. Marketing, Sales, Accounting, Administration, Management and Entrepreneurship are all profitable and well sought-after career choices.

With the most current, cutting edge equipment and technology available, PCTI offers in their School of Construction Technology a top-notch education to the master trades in Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical Technology, Green Technology/HVAC, Welding and Building Maintenance, with eleven career paths to choose from. Licensing and certification exams are available. Lobosco shared, “There was a student who selected welding as his course of study.

When he graduated, his skill set, combined with his high academic portfolio led him to secure a welding job that earned 85k per year.”

The School of Education and Human Services is the place where students can learn, develop and progress into thriving adults equipped to perform career services in nine employment paths available at PCTI. This popular program will instill foundational concepts of education, growth and development of children. As part of this course, students prepare for the CDA (Child Development Accreditation) certification, which is given through Passaic County Community College. This gives students the opportunity to accrue six college credits.

Dance, Instrumental Music, Theatre Studies and Vocal Technique are the four majors students seeking an Art Education may choose from. Whether its an actor, choreographer, dancer, singer, stage director, sports announcer or any other of the seventeen paths available in this school, students who love the arts are going to be amazed at the opportunities made available while enrolled here. This year, friends and families can attend the school play.

Tryouts are open for every student. All the work that goes into the play – costumes, make up, set design, etc., are done by the students.

PCTI is committed to maintaining a forefront position when it comes to the world of technology. Their Academy of Information Technology provides two courses of study: Computer Science and Information Technology & Network Security for students to choose from. Out of this academy, thirteen career options are available for those students who successfully complete the course. There are many certifications, including Security Pro, Network Pro, and Routing and Switching Pro, that students can obtain, helping to solidify their ability to secure employment in this ever-evolving IT industry.

Apart from the STEM Academy, PCTI also offers engineering education in their School of Applied Engineering. Applied Engineering and Manufacturing Technology are the two career paths

for students to choose from, which in turn will open up sixteen career opportunities upon graduation, should they not pursue college. Both programs participate in the NASA HUNCH program, which allows PCTI students to help design and build solutions to problems astronauts face in space.

This past September, PCTI opened up their long-awaited STEM Academy.

It is here that students learn and master subjects within the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math majors, in a stateof-the-art facility that connects all the subjects together. There are laboratories, classrooms, seminar halls and rooms for collaborative group instruction. Upon completion of ninth grade, students will select one of three fields to choose from.

They are: Biomedical and Life Science, Computer Science and Engineering. As graduation approaches, PCTI offers dual enrollment options and advanced placement courses. With over forty career choices available for students to pursue, the STEM Academy will continue to be a highly sought-after educational institution for many years to come.

As if this wealth of academic excellence isn’t enough to cause a multitude of parents to seek acceptance for their children, the school continues to impress with their additional resources, clubs, activities and sports for Passaic County’s youth. There are a whopping 38 clubs for students to choose from, covering interests that address social issues, student government, Honors, year book, academic and career related, Karate, performing arts and student-initiated interests.

One of PCTI’s most valuable programs available to their students is enrollment and training in NJROTC. This program emphasizes citizenship and leadership development, allowing students ample opportunities to give back to their communities. PCTI is happy to share that they have the largest ROTC in the State of NJ with over 500 students. NJROTC students learn skills that help equip them to be model citizens. This character development continues and is nurtured as PCTI honors and respects our veterans four times a year; Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, Pearl Harbor Day and 9/11.

Finally, after a long, active day, the students head home. Once again, music can be heard – happy, upbeat sounds, filling the halls as students collect belongings from lockers and make plans for tomorrow. The Administration understands that music helps to set the tone of how everyone starts and ends their day at PCTI. This is truly a whole school experience.

“Our purpose as administrators, teachers and counselors is to equip students in such a way that upon graduation they will go back to their communities and contribute as a successful person,” shared Lobosco. Her perspective is reflective of every parent’s dream for their child. PCTI offers all that and more. And that is what an epicenter of learning is.

April 2019 • Page 45

The Best Golf Clubs in Oak Ridge and Northern NJ for Seasoned Golfers

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eginner and seasoned golfers around Oak Ridge and throughout northern New Jersey share many of the same general expectations of course conditioning and customer friendly relations when choosing a course to call home.

New Jersey Golfers, beginner and experienced alike, enjoy a course with well-maintained fairways, greens & bunkers plus a pro shop staff which is genuinely glad to see them when they arrive.

However, as beginners develop from folks looking for a relaxing afternoon with pals in a beautiful surrounding into more seasoned golfer, their expectations become heightened. Over time, experienced golfers begin looking for course design features which challenge their developing playing skills such as quality greens which roll true and putt fast, championship tees and well thought out hole layout and hazard placement, as well as a reasonable pace of play, ease of scheduling tee times and quality of practice facilities. And many golfer, beginner & experienced alike desire for their home course to feature a signature hole which encompasses memorable scenery and shot making thrills for all.

Here is a rundown of top public golf clubs in and around Oak Ridge in Northern NJ designed to challenge more seasoned golfers:

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Bowling Green Golf Club, Oak Ridge, NJ Privately owned, Bowling Green has a traditional course layout following the contours of the land designed by Geoffrey S. Cornish with enough nuance to keep golfers returning. A course that calls for shot making but is also forgiving, Bowling Green is a daily fee course offering season passes and green fee options that appeal to all budgets. Bowling Green is the home of the four hour round, five sets of tees, superior playing surfaces, the opportunity to either use carts, or walk at any time, plus a relaxing and low-key family atmosphere. Narrow fairways, some with doglegs, are challenging but a recovery shot from the rough is always on the table; making for an enjoyable round that challenges you fairly. Bowling Green likes to boast that its four Par 3s are the most difficult in the State and awards a coveted hat, “conquer the threes” to golfers who report that they have made par or better on all four in one round.

Everything from the variety of teeing options to the new Beer Garden ensures there is something for everyone in your foursome. 18 hole, 72 par, 6,863 yards, 73.2 rating, 134 slope*.

Berkshire Valley Golf Course, Oak Ridge, NJ This 18-hole, par 71 – 6,800 yard, Morris County Parks Commission Golf Course designed by Roger G. Rulewich, presents unique challenges atop the ridge of Green Pond Mountain. The first 4 holes can be quite challenging as they’re played off the side of the mountain. Interesting topography and beautiful views from this course create a challenging golfing experience with a73.1rating and 137 slope*.

Sunset Valley Golf Course, Pompton Plains, NJ Sunset Valley is a 18 hole regulation length Morris County Parks Commission Golf Course offering 70 par, 6,483 yards with a 71.8 rating and 130 slope*. Fast, sloped greens provide enjoyable challenges even for the advanced player. A Morris County Municipal Course, Sunset Valley can get quite crowded which can slow down play.

Knoll West Golf Club, Parsippany, NJ Designed by Charles Banks, the Knoll West is a Municipal Course operated by the town of Parsippany. A par 70 course playing 6,752 yards from the blue tees and 6,479 from the white tees has a 73.0 rating and 131 slope*. Deep traps surround the greens which are mostly elevated. The fairways are wide but traps are strategically placed. Carts are required.

When it comes to finding a golfing experience in North Jersey that suits your needs, there are a number of choices. With so many options, once you find the location you want to call home, you can focus on improving your game and appreciating your surroundings and your time with your golfing buddies. *Course and slope ratings are created by the USGA ““ a course rating is the relative difficulty of a course for a Scratch golfer (0 handicap) a slope rating is the relative difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer (20 handicap) ““ Course and slope ratings are typically quoted for the championship tees.

Page 46 • April 2019

It’s Premier Dental Care and Dr. Gryzmolowicz for the Finest in Family Dental Care

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By Steve Sears

t Premier Dental Care, the true worth of what they do and the values they represent may be contained best in the acronym for “PATIENTS” found on their website: Positive -To make each visit to our office a positive patient experience. Attentive - To listen to our patients and hear their concerns. Trustworthy -We are a trustworthy office that recommends treatment we would only have for ourselves. Innovative - Constantly updating our office with the latest and most innovative technology. Environment - Providing our patients a welcoming, friendly, clean, environment. Needs - Satisfying all patient needs from education to treatment to finances. Team Together we will work as a team towards your health. SMILE We are here to give you something to smile about You have to love the art in that, and doubly appreciate its validity.

“Our staff is the most compassionate, caring and professional group of young women that one could hope for,” says Dr. Richard Gryzmolowicz. “They have all been working together for a very long time with Nancy being here for 35 years! Everyone here has tremendous talent individually, but when they all work together and combine their skills, it’s like a well-oiled machine that makes the patients visit very comfortable and positive. Being together for so long, we all know what we can expect from each other and can count on and support each other in providing the best possible care to our patients. In other words, we are able to give our patients a ‘Wow’ experience!

Enough definitively said, but now some specific details. Premier Dental Care practices and provides a full range of cosmetic and general family dentistry with expertise from porcelain veneers to crowns and bridges. What is offered using the latest technology courtesy of a well-trained team is the best in general restorative and cosmetic dentistry, including porcelain crowns, veneers, onlays, same day crowns, permanent bridges, tooth colored fillings, teeth whitening, and removable partials and dentures, in addition to general dentistry for children and families.

Professionalism, friendliness, comfort and care reign during a patient visit, but the care goes beyond that. Dr. Gryzmolowicz explains. “While providing the best possible experience and care for our patients in the office is our #1 priority, spreading the word of how dental health and overall general health are inter-related is just as important. One of our professional and community goals include educating the public about the connection between oral and general health. Events that we sponsor such as the breast cancer walk allows us to accomplish that.”

Premier Dental Care utilizes prime technology in caring for the patients. Digital X-Ray, which produces 90% les radiation exposure to the patient is not only safer, but images are viewed on an 18” monitor, which provides more precise results. Also, the office uses an Acclaim Digital IntraOral Camera System to cap-

ture the images, which are then shown on a large, flat-screen monitor in vivid detail, so Dr. Gryzmolowicz and his team can provide analysis of and the patient can better understand any issues. Finally, Premier Dental Care offers a CAD/CAM Chairside system that provides same day crowns, onlays, or inlays. Premier Dental care is one of the few Garden State dental practices that uses this system.

A bit about the team. There’s much experience there. Dr. Richard Gryzmolowicz DDS, PA is a 1979 Cornell University graduate, and from there went to New York University College of Dentistry, graduating in 1983. He’s served the community for over 26 years and is very involved, sponsoring local sports teams, and taking part in Dental Screenings and Health Fairs for the local schools in town, including Saint Francis Academy. Bruna DeFeo-Poecker is team leader and office administrator, often the first voice you hear when calling the office or friendly face you see when entering its doors. Her career in the field began back in 1994.

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April 2019 • Page 47

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Nancy Addice-Maida, full-time assistant, is both a CDA (Certified Dental Assistant) and RDA (Registered Dental Assistant) and has worked for Dr. Gryzmolowicz for over 25 years. Michelle Leech-Condon is also both a CDA and RDA. She started with Premier Dental Care in 2005 and is a parttime dental assistant, and Rosemary Calle, a dental hygienist for 16 years, has been with the practice for one year.

Dr. Gryzmolowicz offers some very valuable advice to those who seek to avoid dental visits: don’t. “Many people don’t visit the dentist or don’t visit as much as they need to. People think that taking a trip to a dental office is only necessary when they have a “toothache”.

Taking care of your oral health is just as important as any other part of your body.

People many times “fear the dentist” because they think it will hurt. The truth though is that it wouldn’t hurt if you made regular visits to prevent major problems, which can become painful and expensive.

At our office we make the experience as comfortable as possible.”

Premier Dental Care is located at 418 Union Boulevard in Totowa, New Jersey. Visit www.premierdentalcarenj.com, or call 973-595-5955. For emergencies, call 201-2476510. You may also visit the Premier Dental Care Facebook (under “Dr. Richard J. Gryzmolowicz”) and their Google reviews.

Community Rallies for Woodland Park Teen Battling Brain Cancer

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he community has rallied around Josephine Palman, a 13-year-old in eighth grade at Memorial School who was diagnosed in February 2018 with DIPG, a rare and lethal childhood brain cancer.

Holy Cross Church recently hosted a dinner dance to raise funds. The sold-out event was attended by Josephine and her family, Mayor Keith Kazmark and the entire Borough Council, Police Chief Eileen Tiernan and a number of police officers, representatives of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, UNICO, and WP American Legion, Principal Charles Silverstein and staff members of Memorial School, coworkers, and many family, friends and people from the community.

Over 100 attendees enjoyed dinner and live entertainment.

Josephine was showered with lots of love and gifts. The event raised enough funds to pay for Josephine’s treatments at the DIPG Clinic in Mexico in March.

Local schools have all worked to raise funds as well. Charles Olbon’s Home & School Association ran a “No One Fights Alone” bracelet sale that raised over $400. Beatrice Gilmore’s Home & School Association provided all students with a Valentine’s pic-

ture and donations only were solicited. BG families contributed $815.25 towards the effort. At Memorial School, a pajama day was organized by the Health Club and Student Council which raised $1,132.

“I can’t possibly thank the community enough for this support,” said Josephine’s mother Patricia. “It has been an extremely trying 12 months, but this is something we will never forget.”

DIPG affects about 250 children annually and there is no cure. Tumors can’t be removed as cancer cells are intermixed with normal cells in the brainstem that are crucial for functions like breathing.

The family had been traveling to New York City for medical treatments and therapies. They are now traveling monthly to Monterrey, Mexico, for a chemotherapy treatment not available in the U.S. and not covered by insurance.

A GoFund me page has been set up to help raise funds to alleviate medical expenses for the family. The page is located at www.gofundme.com/josephine-the-tumor-warrior. Updates are also available at www.facebook.com/battlebraincancer.

April 2019 • Page 49

Accomplished Wrestler Colby Sellitto ‘21 Represents PV as an NJSIAA Ambassador

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By Raima Islam ophomore Colby Sellitto has already managed to make a name for himself in the athletic and academic world. He has an impressive wrestling record and was chosen to be a student ambassador for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, all while maintaining his impressive 4.65 GPA. Sellitto is a two-year varsity letter winner who became a varsity starter as a freshman. Along with wrestling, he participates in cross country in the fall and track and field in the spring.

This past wrestling season was one of Sellitto’s best yet, racking up 11 total wins. Sellitto had nine wins before entering the post-season and generated a lot of buzz around what his eventual total and future as a wrestler would be.

“With the postseason right around the corner, I really look forward to seeing what Colby can do down the stretch,” stated Coach Mr. Joseph Wassel in early February. “He will be a leader for us in years to come due to his experience, work ethic, and commitment to this program, his teammates, and his academics.”

Just this past summer, Sellitto became a Student Ambassador for the NJSIAA. As a student ambassador, he gives a voice to the student athletes of New Jersey. Supervisor of Athletics Mr. Joseph Benvenuti believes Sellitto is a perfect fit for this position. “He is a leader in every way,” stated Benvenuti. “Colby is someone who cares about helping others and makes sure he always acts as a selfless leader.”

He applied during the summer and now represents PV as one of thirty-one ambassadors for the state of New Jersey.

The selection surprised Sellitto. “To be honest, I was very shocked I got accepted due to the fact that many kids applied and only thirty-one of us made it from the entire state,” he said. “I really like being an ambassador because we get to discuss sports rules and new ideas for the upcoming seasons and more. Sports is obviously something I truly enjoy, so being a part of a group like this is pretty cool.”

Being a student ambassador is not his only impressive achievement; Sellitto has proven himself to be an excellent student academically. He has earned Superintendent’s Honors for every marking period since freshman year and is currently ranked sixth in the sophomore class. Cross country coach and Algebra II Honors teacher Mr. Brad Ottino notes how exceptional Sellitto is both on the field and in class. “What distinguishes Colby as an athlete is that he sets personal goals for himself and shows an exorbitant drive and discipline to achieve those goals,” claimed Ottino.

“As a student, he’s also very driven, and is very conscious of any mistakes. He is determined to get better in sports and in class every day.”

Sellitto’s dreams and ambitions continue to push him. In the future, he hopes to get into a top tier college where he can study medicine to become an orthopedic surgeon. “I constantly remind myself that my hard work pays off,” Sellitto concluded. “Each day, I continue to push my limits in order to reach success.”

Rotary Club of Passaic Valley Gives Dictionaries to Third Graders

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otary Club of Passaic Valley members Maria Martini Cordonnier, Jean Jordan and Sonia Roman recently visited Beatrice Gilmore School in Woodland Park as part of the annual Dictionary Project.

The club provided every third grader with their own dictionary.

Students learned about what the Rotary is and the service projects it undertakes throughout the world. They also played a game that involved looking up words and provided prizes to the first student who correctly found the page and definition.

The Rotary Club of Passaic Valley also visited third graders in Little Falls and Totowa to provide dictionaries to them as well.

The Dictionary Project is a national Rotary initiative begun in 1995 aimed at improving student literacy. The Webster’s student dictionary is 540 pages and includes supplemental resource information for students.

Page 50 • April 2019

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The Best Massages For Golfers

t may not be a high-contact sport, but there are still plenty of injuries a golfer can sustain, and massage can be an excellent technique for assisting both the healing and prevention of these issues. Massage can also be a wonderful way to increase flexibility, which can help golfers with their form.

What kind of injuries can a golfer sustain?

Golf is one of the most popular sports globally, with up to 35 million people participating around the world. While injuring oneself while playing golf isn’t something that is necessarily heard of very often, you’d be surprised at how much of a toll golf can take on a body.

For starters, the repetitive, one-sided nature of a golf swing means it’s common to see muscular injuries in the lower back, hips, shoulder and elbow. Being one-sided also often means the other side of the body compensates for the pain, and often, golfers find their whole bodies become sore.

Golfers also experience a lot of soreness around the head and neck, as well as in between the shoulder blades. This is usually caused as the body tightens for the swing. Also during the swing, the lower back can be affected by the twisting motion. The swing puts a lot of pressure on the body, requiring rotation and compression.

Because a lot of the toll is taken by the upper body, core and back strength are paramount.

Finally, there’s the dreaded golfer’s elbow, generally caused by an overworked arm and tense arm muscles. Golfer’s elbow occurs on the inside of the arm and can be debilitating if not treated quickly and regularly.

Benefits of Massage Therapy for Golfers There are a range of benefits that massage therapy can have for golfers.

Massage generally increases circulation. For golfers, this helps remove the metabolic waste that accumulates in the muscles, because of the repetitive nature of the golf swing.

Helps to reduce muscle spasms Massage therapists can also help with trigger point and adhesions to prevent injuries Helps to improve quality of movement Improves range of motion and muscle flexibility Decreases anxiety and stress Improves mental focus and enhances body awareness Types of Massage to Improve Performance There are so many types of massage around, however there are a few that are perfect for treating golfers’ injuries and helping to maintain their form.

Relaxation and therapeutic massage is one of the most popular and well-known types of massage. Because it’s a more

gentle type of massage using long strokes, it’s great when it comes to improving circulation, easing muscles aches and pains and helping clients relax.

Deep tissue massage helps to realign the deeper layers of muscle and tissue. Using firm pressure and slow strokes, this type of massage is generally used for chronic aches and pain and is best for contracted areas such as a stiff neck, upper back, lower back and sore shoulders. The best thing about deep tissue is that it works to break down knots or adhesions that limit the range of motion – for golfers, this is perfect in helping keep their muscles loose for the perfect swing.

Trigger point therapy can be used to target specific areas of a muscle. Without us even knowing, there are certain points in our bodies that actually refer pain and sensations to other parts. Trigger point therapy works to immediately release tension and improve muscle functioning.

Myofascial release therapy focuses on the fascia which is the connective tissue in the body. Usually, the fascia holds a lot of pain and tension, which is generally interpreted as soft tissue pain. This form of massage actually goes deeper, releasing the pain and strain from the fascia, rather than simply treating the higher layer of tissue. Stretching techniques are used to help increase freedom of movement.

Treating Golfers Elbow While many mistake this as similar to tennis elbow, the treatment is actually very different. Golfer’s elbow actually affects the inside of the elbow, so that’s where treatment needs to be focused. Golfer’s elbow is caused by overworked and tense arm muscles. This leads to an inflammation of the ligaments.

To treat golfer’s elbow, pressure is applied to the muscle on the inside of the elbow, the insider of the lower arm including the wrist flexors. Remember, this area can be exceptionally sensitive and painful to someone suffering from golfer’s elbow, so be gentle. Of course, the upper arm also needs to be treated, and it’s actually the back that needs to be focused on. The triceps can contribute a lot of pain to a golfer’s elbow injury, and it’s best to massage the spot that’s the most painful. And of course, while many people don’t associate it with the arm, golfer’s elbow does impact the pectoral muscles, so make time to massage the trigger points on the chest.

Using Massage to Boost A Golfer’s Game At the end of the day, massage is a crucial element of any sport, helping to alleviate pain and stiffness, and also encouraging circulation and relaxation. For golfers, it’s all about finding the spots where pain and stiffness will impact their game, massaging those points and helping to restore flexibility and motion.

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