Denville Life December 2019

FREE, Please Take One

Vol. 2 • No. 12 • December 2019

Denville’s Santa Land: Bringing Families Together Since 1961 Also Inside:

• Denville Sisters Channel Creative Talents to Give Barbie Dolls Major Makeovers • For Denville’s Book Barn, altruism is a way of life • Scotland Born, Morris County Raised: Councilman John Murphy is All for the People of Denville • Hailing the Purpose of and Celebrating 50 Years of the Morris County School of Technology • Repair of rare facial birth defect helps 7-year-old Peru patient’s confidence soar • New View Media Group Editor Wins Media Award

Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 3

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Subscribe $35 / year / $60 for 2 Call 800-691-7549 Editorial editor@ mylifepublications. com 5 Vista Drive, Flanders, NJ 07836 800-691-7549 • joe@mylifepublications.com turn our pages at www.denvillelife.com © 2018 MalJon, LLC.

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Next Issue January 2020, Deadline January 3

Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 5

Rev. Heather Valosin, Pastor

Sunday, December 15 Morning Worship with nursery, Sunday School, coffee fellowship. 9:30am

Sunday, December 1

Morning Worship with nursery, Sunday School, Communion, coffee fellowship. 9:30am

Sunday, December 15

“Advent on the Lake” at Rock Ridge Clubhouse. 20-min inspiration service followed by light meal. 5:30pm

Sunday, December 1

“Follow the Star” Advent Kickoff.

20-min inspiration service followed by light meal. 5:30pm

Friday, December 20

Morning Advent Meditation 7am (downstairs)

Friday, December 6

Morning Advent Meditation 7am (downstairs)

Sunday, December 22 Morning Worship with nursery, Sunday School, coffee fellowship. 9:30am

Sunday, December 8

Morning Worship with nursery, Sunday School, coffee fellowship.

9:30am

Sunday, December 22 “Advent in the Garden” at DCC Memorial Garden.

20-min inspiration service.

5:30pm

Sunday, December 8

“Advent on the Lake” at Lake Arrowhead Clubhouse.

20-min inspiration service followed by light meal. 5:30pm

Christmas Eve

Family Worship for Young Children 4pm

Monday, December 9

“Quiet Christmas.” If the Holiday Season is difficult for you, join us at 6pm for this simple Service and light meal.

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Christmas Eve

Friday, December 13

Classic Worship with choir, bells, Communion, candles 11pm

Morning Advent Meditation 7am (downstairs)

190 Diamond Spring Road • Denville • 973.627.1041 www.denvillecommunitychurch.org Find Us on

Page 6 • December 2019 • Denville Life

Denville Sisters Channel Creative Talents to Give Barbie Dolls Major Makeovers

A

By Jillian Risberg rtistry is in their genes, but Ecuadorian sisters, 12-yearold Emilia Odenwelder and 10-year-old Juliana Odenwelder have a flair all their own, taking donated dolls in varying states of use and giving them remarkable makeovers.

The fixer-upper idea was the brainchild of one of the volunteers at Denville’s own Book Barn who often comes across wild-haired dolls that could qualify as trash to some, but felt the well-worn toys deserved a second chance and definitely new homes.

Emilia and Juliana agreed, so for them to make a conscious decision to fix the dolls up instead of throwing them in the garbage pile is everything.

“The girls just see them in a different light,” Schussler says, of the barbies. “This is the time they start tossing the dolls and instead they’re like, ‘No, no.’”

Barbies are always a fun toy if you’re of a certain age — when girls are about six or seven-years-old.

“By the time we get them, they’ve been loved a lot,” Schussler says. “From doing their hair and changing them to just playing the game of dress-up and parties and everything that barbies do.

Then the kids grow older and what do you do — you do-

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nate them.”

Using their imaginative touch and skill, this has become a real artistic outlet for the sisters, who look forward to each Barbie that comes across their path as another chance for a doll overhaul.

“I feel very happy about it because you get to be creative and I know that someone will love those dolls someday and I feel good doing it for them,” Emilia says.

The Barbie (and other) dolls are for resale, with all proceeds going to charity. And the sisters have been giving new life to these ragged figures - doing all they can to untangle their hair and make it sleek again, as well as outfit the girls in trendy new threads constructed from bits of cloth.

We are each our own person, and thanks to Emilia and Juliana’s inspired ideas when it comes to the Barbies, Bratz and ceramic figures, the dolls personalities shine through. We then get to witness fantastic transformations— from the dolls’ updated locks to their sweet looks.

The sisters are happily taking us along on their journey of self discovery in their new country, as they nurture and showcase their unique craftsmanship.

And they definitely have fans drawn to the dolls, so why is the community so taken with these plastic toys, as well as Emilia and Juliana's work?

Well, everyone loves a good makeover story and no-one does it better than Barbie. For three generations the iconic brand has been a good friend to girls worldwide.

So it seemed aptly fitting that she wished for more inclusivity on her 60th birthday by offering a wider range of body types, skin tones, hairdos, lifestyles and physical capabilities.

According to the girl’s mother, Jobita Anguisaca, it was never her intention for Emilia and Juliana to be artists like her, though she’s led by example the importance of a clean lifestyle and caring about the world around them.

And refurbishing barbies is definitely in line with Mattel’s promise to ‘create the experiences that capture kids’ hearts, open their minds

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and unlock their potential through play — as well as their purpose to ‘inspire wonder in the next generation to shape a brighter tomorrow.’

“Always my intention was to show them creativity and don’t waste — I put it in front of them; we had conversations,” says Anguisaca, herself a multimedia artist who paints with acrylic and now uses recyclable plastic ‘because I am worried about environmental problems.’

Thrift Barns of Morris County appreciates that the girls are starting young to take such responsibility and Anguisaca is raising environmentally and socially conscious young women.

“We’re putting a little story that these were done by Emilia and Juliana just to say that they didn’t come this way,” says volunteer Annie Schussler, who manages the Barn’s Facebook page.

“I like styling them, their hair and clothing,” says Juliana, who says she and her sister sometimes turn to YouTube for inspiration on how to restore old dolls.

Earlier this year, the girl’s neighbor and volunteer, Maz Harford first recognized the sister’s immense talent and asked if they’d like to expand their efforts to the Barn’s dolls.

Harford has sold a few Barbies since putting them up in baskets on two shelves en route to the puzzle room at the Book Barn.

“I recognized the buyers but do not know their names,” Harford says. “When I am in the room with prospective buyers I always tell the story of our young doll doctor redecorators.”

The girls do the Barbie’s hair, in often elaborate styles,

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Page 12 • December 2019 • Denville Life

and make little outfits for the dolls as well,” Schussler says.

According to Anguisaca, they put so much into these refurbished creations.

“They were happy to do it — so they start fixing everything with a lot of patience (and) a lot of passion,” says the mom of two.

She says moving to the United States was a good way for the girls to soak up a different way of life, grow up more, with their brains observing more and their emotions — especially getting to work on the dolls.

“To compare cultures, to compare experience, to compare even necessities,” Anguisaca says. “Like in Ecuador many children doesn’t have too much toys.”

There’s a ballerina Barbie with an enviable bob wearing a dark pink shirt made of an old t-shirt. Other outfits are fashioned out of socks.

“It was matched so well, I didn’t notice it was handmade for the longest time,” Schussler says. “ It is beautiful work by a 10 and 12-year-old.”

The Barbies are donated to Book Barn and do not belong to the Odenwelders personally.

“They’ve refurbished dozens of them and are now expanding beyond Barbies to other types of dolls (Bratz),” Schussler says.

“Maz told me they just finished another batch, so now they have more dolls to sell. I can’t wait to see them.”

According to Emilia, now they’re also working on collectibles — the dolls with the large ceramic faces.

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Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 13

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“I actually prefer the ceramic dolls because their head is bigger and some of them have long hair,” she says. “Barbies are sometimes tough to work on because their heads are so little.”

The level of creativity on such a small scale exhibited by the girls truly amazes Schussler.

“Who cares for dolls like that,” she says. “First I noticed the hair. They put rubber bands and styled it all different ways, in some cases they would give it a haircut. There was one where the hair was shorn so much that they fashioned a little hat for her. It’s darling; every single one of them.”

When the girls complete the makeover, Schussler says they put the doll in a little plastic bag and wrap it with a ribbon.

“From start to finish, you just don’t see this in 10 and 12-year-old girls,” she says.

“They want to take this tossed doll and make them beautiful and turn it into something that somebody else will love.”

Anguisaca echoes that sentiment, saying this was more than just putting out some dolls to sell, she wanted her daughters to recognize what it means to create something of value.

Not only are the sisters super talented but Schussler says they have a fantastic perspective on life.

“They are the nicest girls and many times with a volunteer, es-

pecially as you get older it’s like, ‘Well, I need this for my college exam’ or whatever. But this is really coming from themselves,” she says. “They truly enjoy it and are really committed to it.”

For Emilia, the most exciting part is refurbishing a doll that is dirty with ripped clothes.

“We get to fix it back and make new clothes for them,” the 12-year-old says. “I think that’s really fun and then also their hair, you get to do all kinds of different hairstyles and that’s the part I think I love the most.”

They really take the time to make them their own and Schussler says now the dolls are just about as good as when you see it in the store.

“So I think it turns it from like somebody’s naked old Barbie to something that is beautiful again. I don’t want to call them magical but they really are — there’s always something just warm and wonderful about Barbies,” says Schussler, a former Barbie owner herself.

The iconic doll has followed us to this day and the Book Barn volunteer says sometimes she can even recognize a Barbie face.

“Cause each one is apparently a little different and I’ll go, ‘Oh, I know that one, that is the Loving You Barbie or Golden Glamour’ and there’s a little flutter in your heart,” Schussler says. “So it’s wonderful to see that these dolls go from being in bad shape to being restored.”

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L

For Denville’s Book Barn, Altruism is a Way of Life

By Jillian Risberg eonard DiMenna knows something about paying it forward. The Book Barn owner has made it his mission to aid endless charitable programs so they can save lives and alleviate the suffering of those in Morris County who need it most.

“I can’t say enough; the town gave them the 'key to the city' last year for all the great work they’ve done,” says Steve DuBlanica, Denville’s director of social services.

Back when, it was actually a dairy barn and surrounding farmlands on Pocono Road that provided milk, meat, vegetables and

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fruit to St. Clare’s Hospital and Saint Francis Residency until 1976.

The time-honored tradition of fundraising is well known there and any money they raised benefitted St. Clare’s Hospital, as part of its auxiliary. In 2015, St. Clare’s was sold to a California network of for-profit hospitals.

“It was never a moneymaking enterprise, it was always a charitable endeavor,” DuBlanica says.

After setting up shop where the former barn stood to the left of the Bargain Barn, the Thrift Barns of Morris County started offering a large selection of hardcover and paperback

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Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 17

books, along with books on CD/audiotape and magazines.

According to the director of social services, you’re not going to get the latest bestseller there but they’ve got tons of children’s books and for you Agatha Christie fans, forget about buying her novels at the store, go to Book Barn — they probably have them all.

“All they do is take books in (and clothing, knick-knacks, housewares, thrift store jewelry, heirlooms) in the Bargain Barn and then sell them at greatly reduced prices,” says DuBlanica.

One can usually walk in with like $5 and walk out with an armful of books.

“You come here, browse around, it could be a book that’s been out of print for years and you’ll find it here,” says the Thrift Barns of Morris County president. “And some people, myself included, like to have a book in my hand, they don’t want to read on a Kindle.”

DiMenna says the ambiance coupled with so many books at such a reasonable rate — equals the attraction for many people to Book Barn.

It’s not Barnes & Noble. The book retailer may carry more than six million titles and 4.5 million eBooks but expect to chalk over some hard cash for just a pair of paperbacks or hardcovers there.

And DuBlanica says it’s not like when Burger King gives five cents for every whopper you buy.

“No — Book Barn and the Bargain Barn give almost 100 percent of everything you buy to charity,” says the director of social services. “Denville Social Services is one of the recipients of Book Barn’s largesse and their generosity is greatly appreciated.”

And definitely needed. While he works with excellent volunteers, the director of social services is the only paid staff.

“I’m here part-time, the township pays my salary and very generous office and

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Page 18 • December 2019 • Denville Life

storage space but everything else is donated,” DuBlanica says.

“So the food we give out to the food pantry is either donated by people or purchased with funds that we have.”

That money puts them in a better position to buy fresh meat and dairy products for their clients.

“We also have the ability to send children to summer programs that they otherwise could not afford,” says the director of social services.

And they’ve provided emergency assistance with hotel room stays, whether it’s someone losing their home to a fire or down on their luck and needs a place to stay for the night.

“We have clients with children and sometimes the children want to play football but they can’t afford the equipment so we paid for that,” DuBlanica says. “Or we’ve helped kids go to basketball school or summer camp.”

He says it has also allowed them to help Dial-a-ride purchase a new bus for seniors after theirs broke down.

“Buses are a fortune and we were able to defray part of that cost because we had that money so generously provided by the Book Barn, which in turn was generously provided by its patrons,” says the director of social services.

So every time people buy something there, that money is going to great causes, Denville Social Services is just one of them.

“He’s given to the Joey Bella Fund, Roots and Wings (which helps kids aged out of the Foster care system), to other food pantries, other soup kitchens,” DuBlanica says.

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Every local cause that they give to, including Denville Social Services needs funds to operate.

And that list is extensive, including Denville Police, Denville Fire, Celebrate the Children, Knights of Columbus, America’s Foreign Legion, New Beginnings, Wounded Warriors, the local VFW, Alzheimer’s Association of New Jersey, Eleventh Hour Rescue, Rise Up Rockaway and many more.

“Then in October the board decides what charities they want to give money to,” DiMenna says. “And we distribute the money over the course of the year. This year we have $170,000 to give away.”

In 2018, when the Denville Police needed tactical vests for the safety of their officers, they approached Book Barn for assistance.

“We asked how much and then we gave that amount,” says volunteer Annie Schussler. “This year we followed up with two more tactical vests because they had two more guys on the force.”

According to DiMenna, they are going to start setting up scholarship funds for the high schools, community colleges and vocational schools.

And the president of Thrift Barns of Morris County says since they have very little overhead — it allows them to really give back to the community in all the ways that matter, so they also wanted to help special needs children.

“We helped Celebrate the Children towards their Ele-

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Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 19

mentary Play Project playground this past year,” DiMenna says.

The Book Barn is an indispensable part of those types of causes and projects, and the director of social services says without them a lot of charities wouldn’t be able to do the work that they do.

“So they’re real heroes in my book,” DuBlanica says.

He grew up near Passaic, where there was an old used book store.

“You could get everything,” says the director of social services.

“There used to be places like that in New York and those places are pretty much gone.”

Books aren’t going away but you’d be hard pressed to find the little hole in the wall, off the beaten path, diamond in the rough bookstore anymore that not everyone knows about but those who do love it.

At first they were replaced by large bookstore chains and then sunk by e-commerce, the bane of any small bookshop’s existence.

That’s what makes Book Barn so special. And the store’s vol-

unteers work especially hard, always ready and willing to share their knowledge. The director of social services says that’s why all the money they raise adds up.

“I’m in awe of the volunteers; they’re a real dedicated group — it’s a beautiful thing and an amazing asset to the community. Then they turn around and give back,” says Schussler. “I don’t know how they do it because they are retirees and yet they’re on their feet working those shelves all day long.”

She says this is unique to this place.

“Good Will is nice but there’s a lot of criticism and I understand both of them. (Book Barn) is a lot of man-hours and hard to get volunteers to do this for free.”

When you give, you're more likely to receive. The science of generosity just makes sense why giving really does make you feel better.

According to numerous studies about giving, it’s why so many people are willing to open their wallets to Book Barn or

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to charity; it will make them much happier than spending it on themselves.

“It’s a great way for you to spend money so you get your reading jones but you’ve also made an impact in the community,” DuBlanica says. “This is a very generous town and the Book Barn is in many ways emblematic of that generosity. I hope this jewel keeps going for a long time. I just wish more people knew about it and went there.”

For those who’ve never had the pleasure of being lost in the stacks — you’ll find more than 200,000 titles on the shelves at Book Barn.

“We have books on every topic you can think about; religion, history, foreign language, classics, travel, large print, romance novels, fiction/non-fiction, famous authors, health, self-help, business and computer books, psychology, humor, fantasy, college reference, so there’s something for everyone,” DiMenna says.

According to the Thrift Barns of Morris County president, they are always looking ahead for new ideas to enhance the Book Barn experience for their patrons.

“I don’t know any other store anywhere that does what we do,” DiMenna says, adding that he took over as owner in 2013 and “hasn’t looked back since.”

Schussler echoes that sentiment and calls Book Barn the ultimate recycling center.

“This is not something where you donate your plastics and it gets melted down; there is very little processing — and prevents so many things into the landfills and it’s out of print books,” she says. “Saying goodbye to possessions of a loved one; we accept it all.”

Ayres/Knuth Christmas Tree Sale Going on Now

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he Ayres/Knuth Farm Foundation’s Christmas Tree Sale is going on now until Dec. 18. The farm located at 25 Cooper Road, is open for tree sales on Friday’s from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The annual fundraisers boasts

Christmas trees, gifts, decorations, tree stands, roping, wreaths, produce, unique items and more. For more information call visit 973.625.9345 or Follow them on Facebook and www.ayresknuth.org.

Denville Social Services Announces Annual Toy Drive

rom now until Dec. 13, Denville Social Services is accepting donations of new and unwrapped toys for their annual toy drive. Toys can be dropped off at Anchor True Hardware, Goldfish, Provident Bank, Flowers By Candle-Lite, Denville Hardware, Highland Bank, Denville Danceworks, Denville Vacuum and Appliance, CBD Organics, and Denville Library. Toys will be distributed on Dec. 16 at Town Hall. Toy drop offs can be made at Town Hall

during regular business hours until Dec. 16 at 5:00 p.m.

The ages and genders of children is as follows: Age 0: 1 boy, 1 girl. Age 2: 1 boy, 3 girls. Age 3: 2 boys, 1 girl. Age 4: 5 boys, 2 girls. Age 5: 4 boys, 3 girls. Age 6: 2 boys, 2 girls. Age 7: 2 boys, 5 girls. Age 8: 2 boys, 3 girls. Age 9: 2 boys, 3 girls.

Age 10: 4 boys, 4 girls. Age 11: 3 boy, 2 girls. Age 12: 8 boys, 5 girls. Age 13: 7 boys, 10 girls.

Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 21

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My Life Publications Editor Wins Media Award Roche learned via a received email a few months after article publication that she had been nominated.

The months of July and August were open to public voting, the second year in which the public decided the winner. More than 33,500 public votes were cast, and Roche was her category’s winner with 28.1% of the vote.

M

By Steve Sears

y Life Publications editor Megan Roche, who knows much about editing a writer’s work for publication, also is a fine writer in her own right.

In fact, her talent just garnered her an accolade. Roche was named an International Pain Foundation 2019 Hero of Hope Award winner for a January 2019 cover story she wrote about singer and dancer Paula Abdul and her struggles with chronic pain for iPain Living Magazine.

Roche, who won in the “Media-Journalist” category, and four other winners received their awards on November 15 at the Comic Pain Relief show in Los Angeles, CA. The award winners were recognized in the event program and received a trophy.

“It was such an honor just to be nominated with so many other talented media companies and journalists,” says Roche.

“To be honest, when the competition for public votes first began, I wasn’t sure I could actually pull it off. I am also someone who is a fierce competitor, so I wasn’t going to let this award go without a fight. When I got the phone call that I had been successful, I really couldn’t believe it. It meant so much to me to have as much public support as I did. I had so many people reaching out to me to let me know that they voted, had friends constantly sharing my link to vote on social media, I consistently asked people for votes, but I could not have done it without the support of all of those who voted. Whether you cast one vote or voted every single day from every single device you own, I am very humbled and very grateful for all your support.”

Roche learned via a received email a few months after article publication that she had been nominated. The months of July and August were open to public voting, the second year in which the public decided the winner. More than 33,500 public votes were cast, and Roche was her category’s winner with 28.1% of the vote.

Roche explains the background of the article which won her the honor. “I owe this all to someone who has been a part of my life for so many years. When I was 13, I fell in love with American Idol, just like pretty much every other teen at the time. I spent so much time reading up on contestants, learning songs that were sung each week, and I always imagined what it would be like to meet Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul.” Viewing the program led her to take a keen interest in Abdul’s career. “Like any other 13-year-old, I learned as much as I could about her and knew that I wanted to be just like her.

When I first met her in 2007, it was a very emotional moment, one that I will never forget.”

In 2018, when Roche learned that Abdul would be headlining at Morristown’s Mayo Center for the Arts, she - at that time a writer for the media outfit she now edits for - pitched the editorial team for the opportunity to interview Abdul. She scored the interview, but a few days after she had written and submitted the article, Abdul announced that due to production delays, she would not be able to open in Morristown as originally scheduled. Roche then searched for another viable angle and market for the piece. “Knowing that Paula suffers from chronic pain, I approached a charity that she has worked with for years to see if they would be interested in my article.

The team at iPain Living Magazine gave me the okay and I reworked it and sent it in to hopefully be approved.” Although a familiar subject, Roche stressed over the process somewhat.

“As any reporter will tell you, the best thing you can do for any interview is be prepared. When I got the approval to do an interview, it was very tough for me to come up with questions.

I also knew that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to have any follow up questions. Throw in the fact that I had a time limit of 15 minutes, I knew this interview was going to be a tough one.

While you are probably thinking that this would be the easiest thing in the world for me to write, it wasn’t. I sat up for

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Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 23

“I enjoy being able to look back at the earlier articles in my career and remind myself how far I’ve come,” she says. “I treasure some of those very first articles I’ve ever written, and I can’t wait to see what future articles are waiting for me down the road.”

nights on end agonizing on how I could do this justice. Finally, one day, it all came pouring out of me at 3:00 in the morning.

That’s writing in a nutshell. You let it sit and sit and one day it just all makes sense and you are typing away on your keyboard.

You really have to trust the creative process.”

The article received lots of positive praise and, for Roche, was monumental. “When I found out that it was the front-page cover story for iPain Living Magazine for the January quarter, I was floored. Not only did I get to write a cover story on someone who I admire and am inspired by, I was able to also get my very first magazine cover story.”

The evening of the ceremony, Roche walked the orange (orange is the color for chronic pain awareness) carpet and did interviews with media that wanted to talk to her about her advocacy work for those who suffer from chronic pain and chronic illness – not an easy task for a reporter. “I’m so used to being the one who asks the questions, and now the roles are reversed,” she says with a laugh. “I also had to make an acceptance speech in front of a pretty large crowd of people. Getting ready for the event was crazy. It’d been a process of finding a red-carpet style dress, preparing an acceptance speech, and booking travel. I think it completely hit me when I boarded the plane to Los Angeles that this was all really happening.”

Roche credits her support system for giving her the strength.

“I feel like I need to use this opportunity to thank so many people. I seriously would not have had the opportunity to represent My Life Publications if it weren’t for the people who took time out of their busy schedules to make sure they voted each day. I was really surprised to see the amount of people who came out to support me. From former high school classmates

to elected officials in towns I covered for newspapers when I was just starting out, I was stunned and appreciative to hear of all those who supported me. I also want to send a shout out to my friends, Ericca Farrington, Alison Wainwright, Stephanie Kahler, and Jenn Merritt for taking time off from work and accompanying me to California to be my support system for when I accepted my award. It meant so much to me to have you girls there. I also need to thank my family for encouraging me every step of the way toward winning this award. They have truly been by my side and behind me, supporting every crazy idea that I’ve ever had. The list of thanks is so long, but each vote cast helped me get one step closer to achieving my dream of winning an award for the career path that I’ve chosen.”

Roche, who has a Master of Arts with a concentration in Digital Multimedia Journalism from Sacred Heart University, has saved a copy of every article she has ever written. “I enjoy being able to look back at the earlier articles in my career and remind myself how far I’ve come,” she says. “I treasure some of those very first articles I’ve ever written, and I can’t wait to see what future articles are waiting for me down the road.”

She then sits back in thought, then leans forward. “ My career is slowly but surely taking off. I really want to keep sharing people’s stories of success and overcoming adversity. I would also like to start my own podcast where I interview people who have been through some of the toughest times and highlight the fact that even though we can have lows, it really is all about the climb to the top. I would also like to eventually go back

Roche credits her support system for giving her the strength. “I feel like I need to use this opportunity to thank so many people. I seriously would not have had the opportunity to represent My Life Publications if it weren’t for the people who took time out of their busy schedules to make sure they voted each day. to school and earn a second master’s degree in investigative journalism.”

And yes, she indeed has a copy of the Abdul article – in a very special place. “When I brought her a copy of the magazine so she could see it, she loved everything about it. For me, that approval meant everything. The article that I spent countless nights struggling to write was worth it. She even signed a copy for me and it’s proudly hanging in my bedroom. For me, this really proves that if you dream big, you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to.”

Page 24 • December 2019 • Denville Life

Scotland Born, Morris County Raised:

Councilman John Murphy is All for the People of Denville

D

By Christine Graf enville town councilman John Murphy was born in Scotland and came to the United States when he was ten years old. When asked why his family left Scotland, he answered, “That’s a long story. I have to delve back into Irish history to give you a complete overview.”

The abridged version of the story involves his great grandfather who was from County Down, one of the six counties that form Northern Ireland. Due to the uprisings that have long been a part of Irish history, his great grandfather decided it wasn’t safe for his sons to remain in Ireland. As a result, Murphy’s grandfather and three of his brothers immigrated to Scotland. The three brothers eventually moved to America and settled in Morristown, but Murphy’s grandfather remained in Scotland.

In 1964, Murphy’s parents took a trip to the United States to visit their extended family in Morristown. They liked it so much that they moved there the following year. Murphy attended public school in Morristown and later earned an A.S. in business administration from County College of Morris and a B.S. in business education from Trenton State College.

In 1987, Murphy moved to Denville where he continues to reside. Many of his cousins live in Scotland, and he travels there several times a year. Murphy is a member of Scotland’s world-renowned St. Andrew’s Golf Club. It is one of the world’s oldest golf clubs and is recognized as the birthplace of golf.

Before retiring, Murphy worked as an accountant for a Fortune 400 medical device manufacturer. His wife, Stacey, is a Denville native and a Rutgers graduate. She is a self-employed business consultant and executive development coach. She is also an adjunct business professor at Caldwell University.

Murphy and his wife have a daughter, Christina.

They adopted her from China when she was eleven months old. Christina settled in Frederick, Maryland, after graduating from college.

“I feel like we have a totally international family.

My wife is born and bred in Denville, I’m from Scotland, and my daughter is from China,” he said. “Our daughter is the joy of both of our lives. It was a dif-

ferent world 23 years ago when we adopted her, and people would come up to us to and say, ‘She is such a lucky girl.’ We would say, ‘No, we are very fortunate parents.’”

When talking about his life, Murphy uses the word “blessed” on numerous occasions. It is for that reason that both he and Stacey feel an obligation to give back to their community. Murphy has volunteered in Denville for the past 20 years. In addition to coaching youth sports, he has volunteered for many local events and has served on numerous committees.

He said it was Stacey’s civic involvement that

swayed him to get involved in town government.

Most recently, she has been a member of the Municipal Alliance Committee.

In 2005, Murphy volunteered to be part of Denville’s Zoning Board of Adjustments. He rose through the ranks and eventually became chairman. In 2012, the mayor asked him if he would consider running for town council. At the time, Murphy was still working, and his daughter was a senior in high school.

“I didn’t want to miss her senior year. I told the mayor, with all due respect, that I would prefer to give it a pass. He came back to me two years later and said, ‘Well, your daughter isn’t in school anymore,” said Murphy with a laugh.

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Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 25

Murphy agreed to run and was elected as an at-large councilman. Early in his term, he was assigned to become the liaison for economic development.

“That probably is what I feel has been my most important contribution in my first term,” he said. “As I was winding down my time on the zoning board of adjustments, we had an attorney present to us a use variance for a retail space in town. He stated at that time that we had 27 vacancies in our downtown. At that time, the Maine Street New Jersey program was drying up, and the Chamber of Commerce was faltering due to a lack of volunteers and participation.”

As a result, several local business owners including Tom Dean, the owner of Norman Dean Home for Services, asked Murphy to join a subcommittee for economic development. The purpose of the committee was to help form a downtown business improvement district (BID).

“From that committee, we formed Downtown Denville Business Improvement District. We wrote an ordinance for the council to evaluate which they subsequently approved. And we wrote bylaws for the BID,” said Murphy.

Denville’s BID is a non-profit that is funded by downtown property owners. The BID has an elected Board of Directors and Executive Director. The board consists of a mixture of business owners, landlords, and professionals. All members of the board have a desire to improve Denville’s downtown.

Unlike Chamber of Commerce’s which typically rely on voluntary financial contributions, BIDs assess a tax charge to the owners in the district. For that reason, BIDs have a more consistent flow of income.

“So they then have enough financial clout to budget for improvements, budget for studies, budget to beautify. If the Chamber has a really bad year and they don’t get their contributions, they can’t make improvements,” said Murphy.

Some of the funds raised by the BID have been used to beautify the town. They have also been used to fund events that the Chamber of Commerce is no longer able to sponsor.

“In the last three years, those events have grown bigger and better than they have ever been,” said Murphy. “From the positive steps that we’ve seen, people now want to get involved.”

It was because of the success of the BID that Denville has been able to sponsor its newest annual event—the Lunar New Year.

The owner of Hunan Taste is the main sponsor of the event that features dragon dancers and a dog parade. It takes place in the middle of February, a time when Murphy said people are suffering from “cabin fever and winter doldrums.”

“This was our second year. It was the year of the pig, so we had a pig lead our dog parade,” Murphy said with a laugh. “We took a Sunday in the middle of February and put almost 1,000 people in

our downtown.”

Before the BID was formed, Denville’s downtown has 27 vacancies.

That number has been dramatically reduced, and there are just a small number of vacancies now.

“That kind of points to the success that the BID has had,” said Murphy. “What I say to people is that we want to keep our downtown vibrant at a time when downtowns are struggling to compete.

Our administration and council are really proactive in protecting the jewel which we think is our downtown.”

During his tenure on the town council, Murphy has been the liaison for many different committees and initiatives. Each council member receives new liaison assignments each year. This is done to ensure that members are well rounded.

Council members also attend council meeting that are open to the public. Murphy said public attendance varies based on the “hot button issues” that are of interest to particular neighborhoods. He admits that some of these issues are controversial but points out that the council is required to follow state mandates.

He said one of the biggest issues facing the town is related to the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).

“In my opinion, the current and previous governors and previous legislatures have not lived up to their responsibilities in terms of establishing targets for communities, and so that the whole issue has found itself in the courts,” said Murphy. “Just about every community in the state is in court trying to establish a fair number of what should be developed. Denville is trying to be proactive in this regard, and we submitted plans to the courts. We are still in a stage of trying to get a number determined.”

He is concerned that this number will not be practical or reasonable. If that happens, he said it would put a great burden on Denville’s school, infrastructure, and police force.

“We’re trying to work with a number that minimizes the impact to some of those areas if not all of them,” said Murphy.

Dealing with controversial issues is just one of the many challenges faced by those who serve on the town council. For Murphy, it is also difficult to have to explain to his constituents that a solution that is best for the town may not be the best for them personally.

“It’s hard having to say to somebody, ‘I understand exactly where you are coming from, but we are going to have to agree to disagree on how we are going to go forward,’” he said.

Despite the challenges, Murphy said he finds his job as councilman to be rewarding. He enjoys connecting with people and helping fellow community members.

“My wife and I have been blessed. I’m at a stage in my life— I’ve been at this stage for the last 20-25 years—it’s time to give back, and I’m just happy to do that,” he said. “There is satisfaction in helping people.”

Page 26 • December 2019 • Denville Life

F

Word of God Comes to Life, Students Find Faith and More at Christian Drama School

By Jillian Risberg or more than 20 years Rev. Kim Padfield Urbanik has been creating and directing original plays and choreography to convey the story of Jesus.

And she’s been preaching to her students at the Christian Drama School of New Jersey a simple message: love God and love your neighbor. Feed the hungry. Clothe the naked. Nourish the thirsty. Heal the sick. Welcome the stranger. Visit the prisoner. (Matthew 25:31-40).

“My goal is to help students experience God through music, dance, and drama. Every play tells the story of Jesus,” Rev. Kim says, as she continues leading, loving and learning from the children and youth in New Jersey.

Many students and congregations (especially members of the Denville Community Church and Christ the King) have made this possible.

As a young person, Sarah Harrs (CDS 2010) desired a purpose and sense of importance in her life.

“Christian Drama School was a place where I felt needed, important, heard and understood, which are rare feelings in a teenager,” Harrs says. “Rev. Kim sets high expectations for all of her performers and helps them reach and then surpass those goals, creating confidence and inspiring positive self-improvement.”

The 28-year-old continues to help the Christian Drama School so that more kids and teens can have such an experience.

Emma Worrall echoes that sentiment, calling the CDS so much more than a place to act or become the lead.

“It’s a place where students can be themselves,” Worrall says. “It is a place where students can experience God in ways they never have before.”

Urbanik founded the CDS (an after-school program for students K-12/ ages 5 to 18) in 2000 with the support of local pastors and students from several area churches, including Denville Community Church, Rockaway Valley United

Methodist Church, Bible Fellowship Church, Parsippany United Methodist Church and Community Church of Mountain Lakes (where she served as the Associate Pastor for nine years) that wanted her to continue preaching the gospel.

“Students from all over the area would come to my youth program, which involved doing drama,” says Rev. Kim. “Then it grew really big, really fast.”

Linda Bohrer Shearman first met Rev. Kim at the Community Church of Mountain Lakes some 25 years ago.

Urbanik left the church to focus her ministry entirely on Christian Drama and after two decades, Shearman loves still being a part of the CDS community… “Why?” Because she believes whole-heartedly in this ministry and has seen lives changed, both youth and adult by it’s shared journey.

“The Christian Drama School had an enormous impact on my life,” Worrall says.

“It provided, and still provides, a safe place for students to be their core-selves and promised no judgment.”

According to Worrall, this type of teaching is instrumental for children and adolescents. At such a crucial time in their lives, students find a space where they don’t have to worry about putting on a performance for everyone else.

“They can be who God really meant for them to be,” says the CDS 2009 grad, who went on to receive her Master of Science in International/Global Studies, with a concentration in global health and development in sub-saharan Africa.

“For myself, I loved going to Christian Drama every week,” says Worrall, now attending seminary, citing Rev. Kim as a tremendous influence and wanting to give back to others what she experienced at the CDS. “My core group of friends was there –- the people who knew parts of me that I never let anyone else see and 10 years later, I am still friends with these individuals and know I can count on them for anything.”

A dynamic young preacher, Shearman says Urbanik inspired not only the youth, but the entire congregation.

“Occasionally in life you meet people who are such a breath of fresh air that you want whatever it is that makes them such a light in the world,” she

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says. “With Kim it was clearly her faith and I would be remiss if I didn’t say what a force she has been in my own faith journey.

If she could have that effect on me, imagine how many faith journeys she has inspired among the youth.”

That’s no doubt one of several reasons people are drawn to the program because it is an activity that involves the whole family. There is a great sense of community that continues even after students graduate high school and college.

The most students they had on stage at the same time was 147.

“Then we went down to 120 students for 10/15 years,” Rev. Kim says. “And now we are at our lowest point, but I’m not worried because things go in cycles.”

According to Urbanik, the CDS relies solely on volunteers. “‘Nobody gets paid,” Rev. Kim says (not even her). “The kids pay a tuition that pays for itself. I don’t do this to get paid — I do this ‘cause it’s fun and it’s what God wants me to do.”

Raised in Bethlehem, PA, Rev. Kim began writing and directing plays for her home church. Trained as a classical ballerina and a member of the Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley, she graduated from Penn State University in 1985, where she studied criminal justice. “‘Cause I thought I was going to be in the FBI or something and ended being a probation/parole officer for three years (in Allentown, PA),” Urbanik says. “But I was always working at Christian camps doing ministry and then (she had an epiphany moment) G-d called me, as they say.”

In 1989, while receiving her Master’s in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, Rev. Kim identified herself as ‘an artist with a mission to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ’ and was ordained in 1991.

Urbanik believes that you can’t teach faith.

“It’s something that’s caught, not taught,” the reverend says.

“You can teach the story and the scriptures, whatever scripture you ascribe to. I’m a Christian so I teach the Bible.”

Since the school’s inception, Rev. Kim has directed and cho-

reographed 77 plays and written 56 original plays.

The reverend says these shows are serious endeavors that cost between $20,000 and $30,000 to put on.

“I’ve done the Gospel According to John, Gospel According to Mark, Gospel According to Luke,” Urbanik says. “But then I do the “Grinch who Stole Christmas,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” The Birth (of Jesus from Heaven’s point of view). I do scripture and historical people who are amazing Christians.”

She’s done Joan of Arc and written a play about the real St. Nicholas.

“I wrote a play about Clara Barton and Amy Carmichael and Martin Luther,” Rev. Kim says. “And I have a whole play based on Uncle Toms Cabin called “Free at Last.” All with the notion of helping kids to feel into ‘the story.’

The reverend says it’s one thing to read a story but completely different to act it out.

“When you act out a story in the Bible suddenly it’s real and has meaning,” she says, adding that the plot is moved forward through dance and choreography. “And I teach everybody how to look good on the stage.”

Rev. Kim says if you’re going to grow in your faith and find God, you must be willing to be vulnerable.

“I mean vulnerable like Brené Brown, the popular writer who has a book about daring,” Urbanik says.

Every Good Friday Rev. Kim preaches about how to win in the world of Christianity.

“Jesus surrenders to G-d’s will and saves us all,” Urbanik says. “That’s the sign of true greatness. Every Christmas, no matter what show we do — it always ends with a live baby Jesus and nativity scene.”

For their spring play, (usually on Mother’s Day weekend) there’s always some sort of death and resurrection scene with a Christ character.

“We’re actually kind of famous for carrying a cross through Denville for almost 20 years,” says Rev. Kim, referring to their annual Good Friday Cross Carry and Youth Worship

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where students sustain a 12-foot cross four miles from the Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church to the Denville Community Church -– followed by a great crowd of witnesses.

Urbanik has also written a play, ‘The Gospel According to Women’ comprising all the gospels, but from the women’s point of view.

She penned three plays about Uganda, Africa and her ties to the country are well documented.

It all started when a CDS graduate, Cindy Garrison Donough volunteered in Uganda. Her stories and experiences inspired Harrs, who wanted to meet these people and help them in some way.

Modeling herself after the selfless, brave, daring characters she portrayed in many of the school plays — in 2010, Harrs traveled half a world away as a missionary — joined by Urbanik and a CDS team to the East African country and witnessed the poverty devastating Uganda firsthand.

She also saw all those working hard and sacrificing much to make a difference in their own communities.

“I had to do something to contribute to that effort,” Harrs says. “And so Heart for People was born — this idea of sharing stories and connecting more people, especially children, with the kids and people I met in Uganda. And I learned the value of that at the Christian Drama School.”

CDS now supports five schools in Uganda, through the H4P Foundation.

“Never imagined that I would ever be doing ministry in Africa,” says Rev. Kim. “That wasn’t part of my plan.”

And they have helped children in India, Belize and the United States — including victims of hurricanes in New Jersey and Puerto Rico, as well as local food banks.

The students at CDS come from a variety of denominations and beliefs.

“In the beginning it was students from the churches that supported us getting founded,” Urbanik says. “Preachers kids and students active in their churches. (Now) I also sometimes have the occasional kids who are not Christians and are other religions.”

All three of Shearman’s children grew up in the CDS and many of their closest friends went to different schools and different churches.

“Being a part of this larger group, with shared values and beliefs, helped each of them negotiate the challenges of high school and build lifelong friendships,” she says. “I believe in this ministry and how it builds faith, changes lives.”

According to Rev. Kim, you have mainstream churches, evangelical churches, Catholic churches and all different kinds of kids.

“The way I keep all the denominations together in drama school is I teach what Jesus actually said and did,” Urbanik says.

She says if you stick with that you don’t have to worry about the theology.

But if kids happen to need help with the creation theories of their different denominations the reverend can offer clarity.

“Like if a kid is Catholic and going to confirmation class and has a question I can help them, even though I’m trained as a Protestant — but very flexible.”

Rev. Kim’s own children, Luke and Mark were raised in the program so she says the big draw of the school are parents who want to raise their kids in a loving, Christian environment where all the children could participate.

“It didn’t matter what age you were, you were all in the same play,” Urbanik says. “You came at different times to rehearse, but then you put on a show. But the show is more like a prayer.”

Rev. Kim wants everyone to remember: God loves us and we should love each other.

For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, Worrall says the CDS helped so much more than just her faith.

“I was told that God had a purpose for me,” she says. “Acting, learning lines, I learned that I wasn’t stupid and could do the work. It gave me the tools I needed to apply to my scholastic education.”

“It didn’t matter if I was made fun of at school for being in special education classes. In my confidence gained at Christian Drama, I was able to make friends at school that accepted me for who I was.”

Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 29

Hailing the Purpose of and Celebrating 50 Years of the Morris County School of Technology

A

By Steve Sears ppearances can be, and - in the following specific case - deceiving.

When you drive by the Morris County School of Technology (MCVTS, of the Morris County Vocational School District) on the Route 53 side in Denville, you are seeing what you think is an ordinary school. The sign out front, those many bricks that buttress the architecture. All realistic, yes, but don’t be deceived. On closer inspection, while wandering the school to view the goings-on within the property, you know there is much worth well beyond the solid construction.

And speaking of “construction,” a walk outside on a recent sunny, fall day found a group of teen boys constructing a miniature house, one holding a ladder, the other completing placement of the roof by pounding nails with a hammer, their current project side-by-side with many in phases of like life. Scott Weems, Share Time Carpentry teacher of 20 years, is a former general contractor and union carpenter. “I did not plan

on becoming a teacher and think it a bit funny that I returned to the exact place where I started,” he says, recalling his days as an MCVTS student. (Get used to this; it’s not unusual.) “As was my own personal experience, students who come to this school all share one thing. They all graduate with the distinct advantage of having a clear, attainable pathway for life after high school. Rather than the traditional ‘I will figure it out’ mentality, it's obvious that the experience of attending a non-traditional high school like ours gives the students both the academic ability and the skills needed to have it figured out the day they graduate. The other major benefit is the fact that our students want to be here. They look forward to coming here every day, as did I.” “This school is a game changer.”

Want to be here. “All these students are here because they choose to be,” says Gina DiDomenico, who is in her 12th year at the school, currently serving as Student Recruitment & Community Relations Specialist for the Morris County Vocational School District. “They want to learn about

plumbing, or whether it’s Law & Public Safety, or Computer Information Science.

It’s great that they have the opportunity.”

She then makes an apropos statement.

“College is always an option, but so is the Union; so is trade-related employment or continuing their studies.”

“We have something for everyone from high school age on up, which is great.”

The Morris County School of Technology has been around for 50 years since it took over a former Singer Sewing Machine Company building. “1969 was when this school was created,” says Shari Castelli, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. “It was created as a Share Time trades program – which we still have – so that’s really the roots of the school.”

The school is made up currently of three sections: Full Time Academy programs (8th grade students who go through the application process and, if accepted, would attend the school full time at one of the school’s locations, which include the main cam-

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pus base in Denville or satellite academies housed within high schools throughout Morris County); Share Time students, who apply in 10th grade and, if accepted, attend half day programs at the Denville location with other high school junior and senior students five days per week, and the other half at their home high schools for academics; and finally, the Adult Continuing Education program, open to those who have graduated, folks later on in life making a career change, or folks pursuing other apprenticeships or other special interests. “You’ll see from looking at the programs that there’s some differences between the full-time and Share Time programs,” says DiDomenico. “A lot of those Share Time programs are a lot of your traditional trade-related programs like Auto (Auto Service Technology), Cosmetology, and then you’ll look at the academies and they’re Law & Public Safety, and Mathematics, Science and Engineering which is located off campus. We have Finance and International Business. We also have a new Global Supply Chain Management program, which is pretty exciting. We’re constantly changing and evolving to fit the needs of the county.”

There are onsite the traditional high school things: lockers, a gymnasium, a cafeteria. Students have everything they would have at a traditional high school, with a few differences. What’s missing? Size and facility might be one difference. Space is not available for expansion, and traffic often backs up on Route 53, a one lane roadway in each direction, while cars move more steadily and freely along Route 10, just a few miles west. Still, MCVTS makes do by tapping into other school districts that have declining enrollment to house their satellite full and Share Time programs. Also, there is no expansive athletics program and after school activities that are present at other schools because MCVTS facilities are limited.

Then again, the priorities and the mission here are something else. “It’s all about CTE (Career and Technical Education),” affirms Castelli with a smile. “That’s going to be its (the school’s) priority.”

In the distance, four cars have spots taken in the auto shop service area. A turn back into the school building and entry through another door is Plumbing and Pipe Fitting; you can smell the piping and hoses associated with the profession. Another shop specializes in Electrical Trades, and Kevin Conover holds court here. As students work at tables, nearby are newly structured walls with wiring being led to junction boxes or electrical outlets. Learning it here takes the fright out of doing it on your own while on a job. It’s all about prepping students for the real world.

“Absolutely,” says Conover when it is stated that MCVTS is the best place to learn a trade. He and Weems have something in common. “I’m a student from here and an electrical contractor,” the 1999 graduate says. “I love it. These kids get jobs and I see them at night school, and they keep going, and they get jobs, and then they call me for workers, and we start populating their companies with these guys,” he says, referring to his students. His students do work in the actual classroom, and on the back of the building. “I basically get them employee-ready so they can start right in and start working.”

The Animal Science classroom is home to snakes, birds, liz-

ards, and chinchillas, and more. Somewhat of a distant memory are the days students just dissected a worm per year. This is advanced stuff, for students who may one day aspire to be veterinarians, or just wish to pursue animal biology or biology in general.

Khushi Amin, EDAM (Engineering Design and Advanced Manufacturing – a partnership with County College of Morris in Randolph) Graduate Class of 2019, is a first-year student at Carnegie Mallon University. She is an Engineering student. “EDAM was truly a life-changing experience for me,” she states. “High school was one of my biggest struggles; from not being challenged enough to not fitting in with the other kids, I felt out of place and unwelcomed. EDAM was the spark to my fire, and I’m proud to call it my second home. It brought me so many opportunities and encouraged me to explore math and science as more than simply school subjects. I found more passion and drive in STEM through the program which pushed me to strive for that Associate's Degree. When I was accepted into Carnegie Mellon, I knew it wasn’t because of my GPA or my grades; it was because of my drive, my fire, my ambition which

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was fueled by the EDAM program. Without this amazing twoyear experience, I would not be where I am now, and I would be more lost than ever.”

Her dad, Chandramauli, also sees the benefit. “As an EDAM alumni’s proud parent, I can confirm that the program is simply ‘Great!’ It was an incredible experience throughout my daughter's junior and senior years of high school.”

He adds that the professors and staff have always been kind, understanding, and encouraging to their students. “I am so grateful that she got to a point where she feels comfortable with taking college-level courses at a high school level and was able to complete her associate degree through the Challenger Program. Our daughter is confident in her work now and I couldn’t be happier seeing the transformation and pride in ‘Woman in Engineering.’” Khushi has found a real passion for STEM after involvement with the EDAM program, participation in (NASA) HUNCH (where students fabricate parts for the International Space Station), and the Challenger program, and found that it allowed her to stand out in a crowd. “Two years of her journey motivated her to work harder, which was enjoyable to experience!“ In 2000, faced with declining enrollment for those Share Time programs, and with pressure from surrounding counties, the school added Full Time Academy programs. “Performing Arts, Mathematics, Science and Engineering, and Law & Public Safety were the three original academies,” says Castelli. “They were created in 2001, and at that point in time this school, as it exists on the site, was not finished. So, they were housed at other high schools. Math, Science and Engineering is still housed at Morris Hills High School. Performing Arts was at Boonton High School and was subsequently moved here, and now exists in a different form at Morris Knolls High School, and Law & Public Safety is back in our fold in Denville.”

Colleen Pascale, a retired Detective and Sergeant from the Butler Police Department, is in her fifth year teaching Law & Public Safety Teacher at MCVTS. She speaks to the school’s benefit. “Our students have the benefit of participating in career preparation in health care, computer science, education, business, law and public safety and other highly specialized trades. Our students also have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to become carpenters, electricians, machinists, painters, plumbers, or other professionals. Some of our programs administer licensing or certification examinations in such programs that allow our students to become eligible for employment immediately after graduation.

While MCVTS certainly emphasizes career development, our students are also provided with a well-rounded education.

Our students celebrate their knowledge by successfully participating in state and national competitions.”

Morris County students get first preference at MCVTS because the school is (by a majority) funded by Morris County tax levies. If any classroom seats are available after county residents are accommodated, the out-of-county residents are offered entry into the institution. “It’s worked for the Science program, which is hosted at Jefferson Township High School,” says Castelli, “so we do have some Sussex County students because it is adjacent, and some Warren County students.”

In addition to the before-mentioned, Castelli mentions a beneficial Allied Health program in Pequannock which leverages a relationship with Chilton Hospital, as well as three programs currently at County College of Morris: EDAM, Culinary Arts & Hospitality, and Cybersecurity. “With all the Share Time programs, we do have work-based learning opportunities – that’s what we call work-based learning – but for any students that are in an academy program, they are required for graduation to complete 120 hours of internship in a setting that is related to their academy.” The key thing is students also have their focus. And with regard to CCM, as well as oth-

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Page 32 • December 2019 • Denville Life

er colleges, the Dual Enrollment Castelli highlights has been and still is extremely effective and beneficial. “It’s very interesting,” attests Castelli, “All state approved career and technical education programs, which is what we are, require students have the ability to earn college credit while they’re still in high school. We do that kind of on steroids. We allow any full-time student to actually attend a college their senior year. They’re earning credits towards high school graduation, but also getting a head start in earning college credit. Seniors can go to the County College of Morris and take specified classes so they can meet their specified graduation requirement. MCVTS also has like agreements and relationships with Ramapo College, Centenary University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and William Paterson University.

“They are wonderful to work with. It’s great; we pay for 24 college credits, and students have a head start. It’s a great transition, they get to experience what it’s like to be on a college campus with a freer schedule, what it’s like to work with different kinds of professors and meet deadlines when someone isn’t managing you day-to-day.” There is a dedicated counselor who spends time with MCSOT seniors on the college campuses ensuring they are on track. “We take it very seriously,” says Castelli, “making sure our students are prepared for the challenge.

And we’ve had tremendous success with it; according to a study in a report from the National Student Clearing House, 60% of our students take less than four years to graduate from college.”

Challenges are many. Castelli calls them “interesting and competing challenges.” “Particularly with our Share Time programs, that students who want to go into our carpentry program or welding program, that they’re somehow not smart or capable – which couldn’t be further from the truth. They’re some of the most talented and gifted students I could ever imagine. There’s kind of that old, vocational stigma attached to our school. But as I’ve mentioned since the early 2000s we’ve had these academy programs, and lots of times these academy programs can be billed as exclusive and taking the best kids away from local high schools because we have some very competitive program like Math, Science and Engineering, Health Care Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences. We have very few seats for students; we’re a very small school. What I like to tell people is, we are career and technical education, whether that means learning to become a welder right out of high school or going into college to become an Aerospace engineer and everything in between, we provide for our students. What we do is really research what the labor demand is.” For example, Castelli points out that in Morris County, there is a huge demand for healthcare professionals, and MCVTS will provide as many opportunities as it can for high school students in Morris county to study in depth the healthcare profession. “Because of that, because we are responsive to local employers and labor demand, we evolve, we change. We provide in depth career and technical education.”

And the eyes are on the future. “As we sit here,” ponders Castelli, “we know that our students are going to have careers in the future that we don’t even know about right now. It’s unknown, and there’s more information access now than there’s ever been before, and there are so many things that are emerg-

ing, and we really have to stay a CTE school on that cutting edge.” And, as DiDomenico previously mentioned, MCVTS just unveiled a Global Supply Chain Management program, which is a huge industry right now, Amazon and Wayfair big players in global commerce. “Our students need to know how to navigate that. It’s a huge opportunity for them and great career area.

Data analytics is emerging quickly as being a great career area.”

And these emerging, new careers are multidisciplinary. those analytics are where computer science interfaces with business, advertising and marketing. “We have to think about that all the time.”

Castelli also points out in closing that the Morris County Vocational School District is not interested in competing with other schools or systems. It’s all about CTE provisions for as many students that need or want it. “We don’t think CTE is necessarily the best for everyone, but we do want to provide that access and equity for the students in this county. If you want it, it’s here. We want to serve underserved populations; that’s something we’ve been working on. Let’s just say you have socioeconomic challenges. This idea that you can graduate from high school with college credits or certification or advanced standing in an apprenticeship program with viable career options, that’s really how we see our role in this county.”

The Morris County Vocational School District is located at 400 East Main Street in Denville. Call (973) 627-4600 or visit www.mcvts.org.

Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 33

Denville’s Santa Land: Bringing Families Together Since 1961

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By Dawn M Chiossi t’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, or it soon will be. Soon everyone will be enveloped in their annual festive traditions such as decorating, shopping, baking, and that important staple: a visit and photo with Santa Claus. For children, he is the magic of the holiday. For parents, capturing the expression of utter wonder and excitement on their children’s faces as they sit with him is pure joy.

For kids and grandkids alike, it’s a tradition not to be missed. Many people send the photos of the visit in holiday cards, share them with family members, or even hang them up for company to see.

Yet while people may feel the season just won’t be the same without this tradition, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed by it. In those instances, it is easy for adults to feel that the magic of the season is just something from childhood, something that may only exist in

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Page 34 • December 2019 • Denville Life

Hallmark Movies and Norman Rockwell moments.

Santa Land in Denville not only stirs recollections of Christmas magic and possibilities, it captures them. Quaint and charmingly nostalgic, Santa Land is like a trip to Santa’s Village. This annual tradition brings back the anticipation, the joy, and the enchantment of the holiday for people of all ages. A visit to Santa Land is a respite from today’s busy life, something that would surely make Norman Rockwell feel proud.

Located at Clark Street between Church and Orchard Streets right across from the post office, behind the Chase bank, Santa Land is just another one of Denville’s treasures.

Sponsored by the Denville Rotary, Santa Land is not only considered a perfect example of their community-service projects, it is renowned as their signature service project.

In fact, Santa Land receives approximately 300 families each year.

Dedicated to making positive changes in the community and the world, the Denville Rotary does so much. An organization based on community and friendship, these passionate members seek to give back to others. Rotary members seek to impact lives on both local and international levels.

For the whole town, there’s an excitement in the air. Kicking off the season right after Thanksgiving, Santa Land envelops itself in the season with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, held this year on Friday, November 30th. Holiday ambiance

rang out as the sounds of the Morris Knolls High School Chorale once again sang Christmas Carols. Even the mayor was on hand to say a few words.

“This is the highlight of the holiday season,” exclaims Rotary Secretary, Jen Hillegass. “It is really so beautiful.” Then came Denville’s Annual Holiday Parade the next day, held on December 1st. The parade marks the appearance of Santa himself.

From visitors to Rotarians, to even volunteers from Denville Interact Club (Morris Knolls High School Students), everyone is bubbling.

“Santa Land is one of our most fun campaigns,” Hillegass enthuses.

According to Janet Navarro, Denville Rotary’s President and Chief Elf, Santa Land originally began as just one small house where children could visit with Santa, but has expanded and grown throughout the years to become “a small park.”

With the large Christmas Tree at the center, that small park now holds Santa’s House, Santa’s Workshop, a gingerbread house, a wishing well, a Nativity Scene, and a few other buildings, Navarro relates.

“At Christmastime, we decorate the property with figurines of beloved kid’s characters from The Cat in the Hat to Shrek,” she tells. There are lovely scenes at the Christmas stations including Teddy Bears drinking hot chocolate by the fire, elves at Santa’s Workshop, and more. Hillegass even mentions that there are television screens in the Gingerbread House showing the wonderful holiday favorites like

Rudolph and Frosty.

In addition to exploring all of the delights of this little gem, there are old-fashioned light posts to illuminate the property, benches outside and a kids-sized train for children to climb and play on. Children can run, play, and burn up excess energy, while parents can sit and take a breath, relax and recharge. “After a visit with Santa kids can play on the train, and explore.

Families can stay as long as they like,” Navarro tells.

Unlike other locations, at Santa Land, visits are private. “Each family gets private time with Santa at Santa’s house,” Navarro explains.

As Norman Rockwell may have illustrated it, Santa’s house is a cozy, festive nook where Santa sits in a chair beside a fireplace and a beautifully decorated tree.

Volunteers from the Denville Rotary help coordinate each family’s visit, and Morris Knolls High School student volunteers from Denville’s Interact Club take the photos.

According to Hillegass, each visit takes about 15 to 20 minutes where Santa can chat with the families. She mentions that Santa even remembers the children and families that often come to see him every year.

“He’s so good with the children,” she says.

The festive ambiance and peaceful feeling of Santa Land strikes a chord with everyone.

There is no charge for photos,

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Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 35

although Navarro asks that a donation be given. Donations will be then utilized for Denville Rotary’s Community Projects.

With so much care involved, Santa Land is a calming, pleasant family experience.

Santa’s Rotary “elves” seek to bring back the glow of the holiday season and of family togetherness.

For children who become overwhelmed or stressed easily, or may have sensory issues, a visit to Santa Land may be ideal.

“We usually do have at least one scheduled time when special needs children can visit with Santa in a safe environment,” Navarro tells.

Santa Land welcomes everyone. Even pets are invited to have photos taken with Santa.

Extremely popular, Santa Land even has its own mailbox where children can drop Santa a line, or even send him a thank you note. Children who include an address will even receive a response from Santa himself!

Not bad when you consider that at first, the very idea of Santa Land was considered to be too expensive and time-consuming for it to work. Yet despite that attitude, everyone’s enthusiasm caught fire for the idea. “All the members excitedly worked towards the common goal. Everybody wanted to get involved with Santa Land,” Navarro relates. “Because of the initial enthusiastic participation of the members, Santa Land was to grow from year to year and become a noted landmark for the town of Denville.”

“The Denville community has always been supportive of Santa Land.” Navarro enthuses. When both she and Hillegass mention the fire at Santa Land in 2017, they both can’t say enough about the reaction of the community. “They rallied around and supported us in rebuilding the damaged areas,” Navarro prides.

“The response was amazing,” Hillegass adds. “The way they came out for us, that was Santa Land’s best year ever.”

For Denville residents and non-residents alike, Santa Land is a tradition that keeps on giving. Navarro shares that many people who have grown up with the whole Santa Land experience, who have since moved out of the area, often bring back their families to share Santa Land memories and experiences with them. “We love

seeing the families visit with Santa and hearing the stories of the generations who have been coming to visit us for many years. A few years ago, we even had a girl scout do some updates at Santa Land for her Gold Project. She had been a visitor to Santa Land growing up,” Navarro says.

With such a following, people might expect for Santa Land to be a stressful experience, but it is just the opposite. Navarro relates a story working the last shift of the last day of Santa Land a few years ago, “It was a very cold night of a very long holiday season and there was a long line of parents and kids waiting for Santa. As I greeted each family, I was expecting some very stressed and unhappy people. Instead, all of the families were helping each other out and saving places in line while they took turns waiting in warm cars. A Girl Scout troop showed up to sing some Christmas carols. Everyone was so grateful that Santa waited for them, that it turned into a magical night. Mayor Andes was among the residents waiting in line that night with his grandchildren. When I ran into him at an event a few months later, he told me it was one of his proudest moments as a Denville resident to have been part of that night at Santa Land.”

For a visit with Santa, Santa Land is open from now until Dec. 23rd. Hours on weekdays are from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends.

Page 36 • December 2019 • Denville Life

Repair of Rare Facial Birth Defect Helps 7-Year-Old Peru Patient’s Confidence Soar

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ariana Yupanqui Lira, 7, behaves much like other children her age. A bundle of energy, she runs around with other kids and even wrestles with the boys in her host family.

She’s come a long way since she first visited the United States five years ago.

“She’s very open to people,” said Dr. Hakan M. Kutlu, a board-certified plastic surgeon who first met Mariana as a shy 2-year-old when she came to the United States from Peru in 2014. “She’s changed quite a bit. She used to be very withdrawn.”

Mariana’s personality transformation stems from more than just growing up and learning English. She was born with a severe facial deformity called a hairy nevus, a condition that caused what essentially was a giant mole to cover the left half of her face. The condition occurs in one of every 500,000 births.

“Kids can be very cruel, and people can be very ignorant about these conditions,” Dr. Kutlu said. More important, the condition can turn into melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, if left untreated. Surgeries should be performed before a child turns 12, as after that, the risk for malignancy is greater.

Fortunately for Mariana, a non-profit organization stepped in to give Mariana access to the life-changing care she needed. Healing the Children New Jersey has provided care to more than 37,000 children since its founding in 1981. The staff brought Mariana to the United States, where she has undergone a series of surgeries to remove the potentially cancerous tissue and replace it with clear skin. All services are provided at no cost to the child’s family. Sisters of Christian Charity provided a home for Mariana and her mother during the first three visits. During the most recent stay earlier this year, she traveled without her mom and was placed with a local host family. She underwent her most recent surgery at Saint Clare’s Denville Hospital.

“It was a privilege to care for this amazing little girl,” Jan Bednar, CNO, Saint Clare’s Health. “This is just one example of our health care system’s commitment to healing our neighbors, whether they come from around the corner or around world.”

Treatment for Mariana’s condition involved removing the affected skin and replacing it with healthy skin from other areas. To create new skin, Dr. Kutlu placed balloon-like tissue expanders under the skin to stretch it, much like pregnant women’s skin stretches as their bellies expand.

These expanders were put under unaffected areas of the face and filled with fluid to expand that skin. When left in place, they create grafts to replace the affected skin.

Grafts also are taken less noticeable areas that are covered by clothing such as the groin.

“Over time, there is less and less of the growth,” Dr. Kutlu explained.

After her latest surgery at Saint Claire’s, Mariana will no longer need major revisions, although she will need touchups throughout her life.

“She is super resilient,” Dr. Kutlu said, recalling the withdrawn toddler who first arrived in 2014. “She has really blossomed.”

Her host mom agrees. Sue Eagan says Mariana is doing so well that she enrolled her in the local elementary school.

“The teacher adores her, and she loves her classes, especially art,” Mrs. Eagan said.

“She has been making friends, doing homework and having a wonderful time.”

She described Mariana as “a typical first-grader” who loves American Girl dolls, Shopkins collectible figures and her tablet. She makes bracelets and can be a picky eater but eats “very clean” foods. She sometimes teases her host siblings.

“I have three kids, ages 11, 13 and 15, and she loves running around with them,” Mrs. Eagan said. “In many ways, it’s just like having a fourth child.”

Dr. Kutlu said he provides pro bono services to international patients as a way to give back. As a solo practitioner, he is unable to go on overseas mission trips without shutting down his practice. So he partners with organizations like Healing the Children, which bring the patients to him.

He also is grateful to hospitals like Saint Clare’s Health for allowing him to use their resources.

“Saint Clare’s is a nice, local community hospital,” he said. “The staff are great people to work with and we were so happy they were able to donate their services.”

Denville Life • December 2019 • Page 37

Morris Co. Sheriff Hosts US Health & Human Services Official

From left, Morris County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Erica Valvano, Madine Despeine-Udoh, director of self-help, advocacy and education for the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris; Mr. Gonzalez of HHS, and Sheriff Gannon.

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nited States Department of Health and Human Services Regional Executive Officer Dennis Gonzalez on Monday, October 21, visited the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Hope One mobile substance use resource and recovery unit while promoting National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 26.

Mr. Gonzalez, Public Affairs Specialist Sean Hightower, and Matt Birchenough, Director of Special Events for the Partnership For A Drug-Free New Jersey, met Sheriff James M. Gannon and his Hope One team that was on the Morristown Green as part of a twice-weekly schedule of bringing critical recovery services directly to people.

Mr. Gonzalez was in Morristown to promote National TakeBack Day when people can drop off expired and unused prescription medications at multiple locations, including at least 13 in Morris County. Mr. Gonzalez said medicine cabinets containing unused opioid prescription drugs can tempt people into experimenting or trying a few, which can easily lead to addiction and a quest on the street for cheaper drugs like heroin.

Mr. Gonzalez met the Hope One team – Morris County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Erica Valvano, CARES Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Kelly LaBar and Madine Despeine-Udoh, Director of Self-Help, Advocacy and Education for the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris – while Sheriff Gannon detailed Hope One’s impressive statistics since its launch on April 3, 2017.

“Hope One is an outstanding program, very innovative and

creative. Congratulations to the Sheriff for having the vision to bring this to Morris County. It’s great the Sheriff is so proactive in a county where you wouldn’t think addiction would be happening,” said Mr. Gonzalez, who oversees HHS Region 2 that encompasses New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

“For the Executive Officer of the federal Department of Health and Human Services to visit Hope One and meet people struggling with substance use disorders, that shows true concern and a commitment to end the grip of addiction that opioids and heroin have on so many people,” Sheriff Gannon said.

Hope One has had contact with 9,389 individuals since its launch, and trained 2,057 people in how to administer Narcan to reverse an opioid-induced overdose. The staff have arranged for 152 people to receive recovery or rehab services and another 114 people have been connected to mental health services.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is one of multiple federal, state, county and local programs to curb the opioid and heroin epidemic. It’s a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. In Morris County, it supplements Prescription Drug Drop-Off boxes that many police departments have on-site.

The National Take Back Day in April 2019 brought in 937,443 pounds – nearly 469 tons – of unused or expired prescription medications.

Page 38 • December 2019 • Denville Life

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