Denville December 2022

The Art of Upcycling: Denville Woman Helps Those in Need Through Sustainable Practices

By Jillian Risberg

For Andrea Zeydelis, helping the environment comes down to a mindset and a lifestyle.

That’s why she founded New Jersey Upcycle, whose mission is to provide northern New Jersey with a centralized donation and distribution center, while collaborating with area nonprofits to benefit the greater community and get residents the resources they need to succeed.

They envision a sustainable future starting with reusable goods being diverted from the landfill.

“I live on an acre of land and could have a garden — we could be doing a lot more; everybody could. But it’s the little things,” says Zeydelis. “Looking for something in a thrift or upcycle store before you purchase it new.”

Her kids need good, strong clothes that last and if she can give them to the next person that’s going to

increase the longevity of the clothing.

“Be mindful of different sustainable practices,” she says. “Give old things new life.”

According to the NJ Upcycle founder, it’s not like we think of ‘oh, people need help’ — everybody needs help right now.

“We’re talking children’s clothes, toys and things our kids have grown out of. Every time we have this conversation of, ‘wouldn’t it be great if there was a place you could bring your stuff and someone could benefit from it’ or where we could get a bundle of children’s clothes for $20,” says Zeydelis.

What’s needed: also children’s books, coats, Halloween costumes, prom dresses. Homeless shelters are always looking for furniture and home goods.

The fact she even needed to create something like this because people don’t have the things they

need and are not getting paid the way they should come down to systemic failures.

“That’s what we want to be — the warehouse, collection center, so we can partner with all these nonprofits statewide and push the resources as far as we can,” the NJ Upcycle founder says.

The biggest obstacle is funding. They are always accepting monetary donations; and will be applying for grants, working with municipalities and state funded programs to get this off the ground.

“The great part is the funds go right back into the community,” Zeydelis says Goodwill and the Salvation Army take the money out of the neighborhood. “Habitat for Humanity is only furniture and home goods. We want to do furniture/ home goods/clothing/electronics.”

They want to be able to collect continued on page 2

School supply drive underway with New Jersey Upcycle

everything, organize it and redistribute it. She calls it Upcycle because it’s not a thrift store.

The third goal is to provide life skill (sewing, reupholstering, home good) courses.

“If you’re trying to be sustainable the easiest way is to darn your socks and fix your damaged goods,” says the NJ Upcycle founder. “I get so mad when people throw everything away and it goes straight to the landfill. It doesn’t need to be that way.”

Recycling breaks products down into their raw materials to be made into something new, while upcycling creatively repurposes old materials — maintaining some of their original characteristics.

Zeydelis is part of the Northeast Council for Recycling, which she says is more specific to paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum… thought of as ‘throwaway items.’

Furniture is not going to be destroyed or pulled apart for pieces; it’s going to be reused, upcycled somewhere else. Often it’s as easy as dying something a different color, cleaning it so it’s reusable or painting it. There are

several options to keep in mind.

Since the pandemic the NJ Upcycle founder has tried to use everything in her house and challenged herself to not buy anything new. That means frequent thrift stores, second-hand stores, consignment shops and purchase whatever she’s looking for there first.

“We’re very much a ‘buy nothing’ family,” Zeydelis says. “We give and receive and try to do that as much as we can. I’ve been successful and we’ve found treasures.”

They moved to Denville several years ago from Staten Island and she worked in resource development in New York.

“When I came here (she calls the township generous and giving) my inclination was to find the resources for people in need and that has been the catalyst always, because when we do that it builds a better community,” says the NJ Upcycle founder, who also calls sustainability one of her passions.

And with a public service background, she put her hat in the ring for Denville mayor in 2019.

“I figured running for mayor was getting people the

resources they need,” Zeydelis says. “Over the past two pandemic years we’ve been looking at trends and I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to create a community center (we had those in Staten Island) where everyone would congregate. I didn’t feel there was a space here for that.”

She mentioned it in passing to her neighbor Kellie Alton, who encouraged ‘let’s do it.’ They proceeded to put together paperwork for the bylaws, created a (small but proud board, including Cary Amaro) who share the same passion for sustainable practices and community in Northern New Jersey, where they hope to open a storefront in 2023.

“We all have young children and want to make sure they grow up in a place that comes together and helps each other,” says the NJ Upcycle founder. “I want to show my kids (nine-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son) that we have a lot and we need to share it. It starts now, with parenting and little ones too.”

For more information, visit www.njupcycle.org

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Morris County Launches Interactive Story Map to Celebrate 20 Years of Historic Preservation Trust Fund

orris County is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund by launching an interactive, online story map of all historic sites found in the county, specifically offering background information, photos, video and geographic data on all sites that benefited from county historic preservation grants.

“We hope this story map can make the public more aware of the many historic treasures that are in our midst, and also acknowledge the strong support the Commissioners have shown toward historic preservation that contribute to the high quality of life here in Morris County,” said Ray Chang, Historic Preservation Program Coordinator for the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation.

The story map was created by the Office of Planning and Preservation to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the grant program.

The Historic Preservation Trust Fund was established by the Morris County Board of County Commissioners after voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum on Nov. 5, 2002, to allow a portion of the Morris County Open Space & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to be used for historic preservation.

“This has been an exceptionally successful and well received program, with nearly $46 million being committed to assist in the preservation, protection and restoration of 122 historic properties since the first grant was issued in 2003,” said Commissioner Stephen Shaw, the board liaison to the county Office of Planning and Preservation.

“Almost everywhere you go in Morris County, you can point to a place, a building or a monument that represents a specific era in our history, from the days Native Americans lived here and Europeans began to settle in, to the American Revolution, the industrial revolution and beyond. Morris County has a wealth of sites and structures embodying the American story, and our trust fund has helped to preserve that,” he added.

The story map is based in part on digital mapping data provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Geographic Information System, as well as data on historical properties compiled by the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office. A legend is provided identifying various levels of historical determinations afforded different sites.

However, the story map dives deepest into Morris County historic sites, specifically the 122 sites afforded grants through the Historic Preservation Trust Fund over the past 20 years. Using the GIS mapping, visitors may navigate to all 122 Morris County sites easily and view photos, background information and, where available, videos and audio presentations that provide a fuller understanding the sites’ significance.

The videos can be watched on YouTube with captions for better accessibility.

The Historic Preservation Trust Fund considers grants for the acquisition, stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration or preservation of historic resources by municipalities, qualified non-profits and the county. Many sites have received multiple grants over the years for various stages of preservation, from

planning to actual construction.

Applications are reviewed by the volunteer members of the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund Review Board, and the board ultimately recommends each year to the County Commissioners what projects should be provided grants and the amount of each grant.

The new story map introduces visitors to the 11-member review board.

Historic resources must be listed or certified as eligible for listing on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, to be eligible for the program.

The map is available to view at www.storymaps.arcgis. com/stories/e6da96eb190a4c8e94bab06dcd1b8e7e

Denville’s Ifeoma White-Thorpe Moves Forward in Life

By Steve Sears

23-year-old Ifeoma White-Thorpe is a 2L at Harvard Law School.

But Harvard was not the only Ivy League school she was accepted to. All eight came knocking, as did Stanford University when she applied to college in 2017. She chose the Crimson of Harvard, and ended up majoring in Government and minoring in Chemistry with a language citation in Igbo.

“I had a dream idea of what I wanted my educational journey to look like, and that really encompassed both professional and personal growth,” White-Thorpe says. “And so, I would say that I think that my experience while at Harvard College was one that spoke to the fruits of that.”

White-Thorpe has accomplished much in her young life, including winning the National SELMA Speech and essay competition, hosted in part by Paramount Pictures, at the age of 15; that essay is still on display at the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia in the dedication and exhibit area of the Selma March, referred to commonly as Bloody

Sunday. White-Thorpe says, “There is a display with my speech, where people who go to visit the museum can listen to it and read it.”

Now White-Thorpe is planning on a career in law, and also is part of a few other endeavors.

White-Thorpe grew up in Denville (where her parents still reside), and attended Lakeview Elementary and Valleyview Middle schools. Afterwards, she had four active years at Morris Hills High School in Rockaway. “I would say that my upbringing in Denville is pivotal to who I am, and I say that in part because I was raised in a Black, Nigerian Jamaican household,” she says. “Obviously, that’s not necessarily what the composition of Denville looks like, but I think that my identities were strengthened through my upbringing in that there was a contrast between the environment that I grew up in and the household that I grew up in. Learning how to navigate that for my own self concept and for my own self identity was a journey, but I think it was a necessary journey in order for me to become the leader that I am continually striving to be.”

Morris Hills for White-Thorpe was incredibly formative in terms of what field she would enter and would pursue academically in college. She says, “At Morris Hills, I was part of the Math & Science Magnet program, and we did a lot of STEM based research.” She pursued an impressive, independent research project she called “Sudden Cardiac Death and the Sickle Cell Trait in African American Male College-aged Athletes.” She worked with a cardiologist in New Jersey who oversaw her research, as well as her Morris Hills teachers, and thereafter was accepted into every Ivy League school, and was also named the Association of Black Cardiologists Academic Youth of the Year and also received the World Association of Academic Doctors Academic Award of Excellence

Five years ago, White-Thorpe wanted to be a doctor, but that would change. While at Morris Hills High School, she served as President of the Student Government Association, and while at Harvard ran for the position of Vice President. Making a campaign

continued on page 7

Ifeoma White Thorpe

music video with her running mate and a group of her friends went viral on social media, and from there, multiple companies reached out to White-Thorpe and the group, one of those companies being Converse. “We entered into a working partnership with them where we developed the Converse All Stars series, which is a community of over 3,000 creatives worldwide that are composed of artists and activists that use their creativity for purpose and for social progression,” White-

from page 6 on how to ameliorate social disparities or social health disparities through the law. That’s something that I will always be passionate about. As someone who has had family members taken advantage of by a system that they didn’t necessarily understand with regards to healthcare, that’s something that I look to rectify in my own practice.”

Thorpe says. “My experience working for Converse definitely helped me pivot, determine that maybe I wanted to pursue a career that allows us to use our creativity and our voices for something greater and bigger than ourselves.” Also, as a spoken word poet, she at a young age accidentally signed away the copyrights to some of her work. Therefore, her focus now is both on protecting creative’s rights as a lawyer, as well as healthcare law. She is currently in the Health Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School. “We do great work focusing

White-Thorpe has also co-founded a publishing company for Black women authors and writers called KOLO Publishing. “It’s a publishing house that I started with a friend from home and a friend from college,” she explains. “We’re looking to publish works written by Black women. I know that the industry can be a bit hard to get representation in, and it’s not always the easiest to self-publish if you want to

do that as an alternative. It’s also hard to publish things on your own terms without having excessive input. And that’s not to say that we won’t give our writers feedback and won’t edit, but I really do want Black women writers specifically to be able to publish their own work on their own terms.” Also, ever the writer, White-Thorpe has been doing some screenwriting. “I write features and episodic shows, specifically in the dramedy genre, so I am always looking for ways to use the spoken word or written word, to speak and to live the experiences, and use it to relate to people and spread a message.”

White-Thorpe will graduate from Harvard Law School in May 2024. To learn more about KOLO Publishing, visit www. kolopublishing.com

Christmas Concert at St. Catherine of Siena Church

St. Therese Ministry featuring a short Christmas concert on Tuesday, December 20th at 1 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church featuring Dan Yates, who is a New York City Broadway Singer and blessed with a beautiful voice..

The address is 10 North Pocono Road in Mountain Lakes.

The concert is free and afterwards we will have our Rosary Prayer service. Come join us to pray.

The Tones Band Performs a Three-Decade Mix of Classics

By Steve Sears

NK Architects of Morristown (with offices as well is New York City and Philadelphia), President, Stephen Aluotto, admits it. Playing music is something he casually refers to as his “therapy.”

“It’s something that I’m comfortable doing,” says Aluotto. “There’s a physical aspect to it. When you’re playing rock and roll and singing and playing guitar, there’s a callisthenic or cardiovascular aspect to it. And it’s a collaborative art form; any musician will tell you that, in a band format, there’s no greater high than when the band is clicking together.”

Aluotto, a 33-year Chester resident who is on the Board of Advisors for the New Jersey Institute of Technology College of Architecture and Design, and is also Chairman of the Board for Morris Arts, is a guitarist and vocalist for a musical group called The Tones Band. “Between us in the four-piece band, we probably have close to 200 years of bar band experience at the various levels,” says Aluotto. “We do it for enjoyment, and we all love performing and listening to other bands.”

Aluotto’s fellow Tones Band members are lead guitarist Bob Marks, who lives in Hackettstown, bass player Scott Randolph of Flemington, and drummer Ed Lavery, a resident of Denville. Bernie’s Hillside Lounge and The Lamplighter Restaurant & Pub in Chester, and Adam’s Beer Garden in Rockaway, are just a few of the venues the band performs at.

The Tones Band plays a couple of times a month a set list that includes songs from the 1960’s – 1980’s along with a handful of current numbers. And they do have a following.

Aluotto alludes to why. “Our band goes over well, and I think one of the differences is, talking about the music, is that while there are many great amateur instrumentalists, there’s not a whole lot of bands that make the vocal harmonies a big part of their act, and I think that’s a big part of our band’s success. We incorporate a lot of vocal harmonies, which I think has a pedestrian appeal to it, when someone hears vocal harmonies versus just a hearing a great guitar lead.” Among their set list, The Tones Band performs Byrds and Beatles tunes, classic rock like Crosby, Stills & Nash and Van Morrison, and also do some blues oriented, classic rock. “That’s typically my favorite thing to play, music with a groove,” says Aluotto. “We do some Eric Clapton songs, and we like to add different, updated renditions of classic rock songs, too, as well.”

Occasionally Tones Band members take the stage

and play with other bands as well. “There’s more of a cooperative out there right now,” explains Aluotto. “And while no one was playing during lockdown, as venues started to have outside performances, we found ourselves sitting in and sharing gigs, so there’s some intermingling that goes on between the bands. I’ve performed as many as three times a month, but not solely with The Tones Band. It’s a fraternity.”

As Aluotto previously stated, he and his Tones Band colleagues love performing, and there are many special moments when it all comes together. “You could have played a song together 100 or more times,” says Aluotto, “but that occasion when it’s coming naturally, and it’s channeling out of you collectively, that’s a great feeling.”

To join The Tones Band mailing list, contact gigfreelee@ gmail.com.

The Tones Band L to R: Steve Aluotto, Scott Randolph (bass), Bob Marks (lead guitar), and Ed Lavery (in back on drums) Courtesy of Stephen Aluotto

with Saint Clare’s Treatments for Healthier Lungs

By Mark J. Bonamo

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world. This

to 1 in

people

know

be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime.

Lung cancer kills almost three times as many women as breast cancer and three

times as many men as prostate cancer.

According to Dr. Bassel Noumi, an interventional pulmonary specialist at Saint Clare’s Health, the two major risk factors for lung cancer are smoking and radon gas exposure. “Take the first step to protect your lungs by stopping smoking, checking the radon level in your house, and if you are a smoker or smoked in the past, talk to your physician about lung cancer screening,” he stated.

“The health of the lungs became the center of public attention, particularly after COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Noumi said. “If a patient has issues with their breathing or their lungs, a primary care physician refers the patient to a pulmonologist, who specializes in the diseases of the lungs. If further evaluation and biopsies are needed, the patient can then be referred to an interventional pulmonologist who can perform delicate procedures on the lung to help identifying the causes for a lung tumor, nodule, shortness of breath, or wheezing.”

Saint Clare’s Health takes pride in being a place that is both around the corner for patients seeking exceptional care close to home, and ahead of the curve offering

state-of-the-art technology. Dr. Noumi noted the services available at Saint Clare’s for pulmonary medicine delivers on both.

“We, at Saint Clare’s Health, have advanced bronchoscopic equipment with the latest techniques in obtaining biopsies of the lung nodules, tumors, and mediastinal masses, such as navigational

Dr. Bassel Noumi, an interventional pulmonary specialist at Saint Clare’s Health

bronchoscopy and the endobronchial ultrasound. We also have a very advanced pulmonary function laboratory, where we can perform breathing tests that will compare the function of the lungs between the patient and healthy subjects. This will help guide the pulmonologist in knowing exactly what is the reason for the patient’s complaint,” Dr. Noumi said. “We also have a fast pulmonary rehabilitation program where we can rehabilitate our patients with pulmonary diseases and get them moving and feeling better and try to get better control over their health as soon as possible.”

Dr. Noumi also points out that the low-dose CT scan program at Saint Clare’s Health provides a valuable tool for early detection of lung cancer.

“A low-dose CT scan is a modified CT scan of the lungs that exposes the patient to the lowest possible radiation dose.” Dr. Noumi said. “The scan functions as a screening test where the physician can identify lung nodules, then track them overtime to see whether they progress into a malignancy. In other words, it’s a way toward early detection of lung cancer, which saves lives.”

Dr. Noumi also highlighted the use of the endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), a minimally invasive, but highly effective procedure used to diagnose lung cancer, infections, and other diseases causing enlarged lymph nodes in the chest.

“An endobronchial ultrasound is a modified

bronchoscopy that has an ultrasonic probe at the tip of the bronchoscope. It is especially effective because the probe can go through the tumor itself and collect a sample from the exact intended location,” Dr. Noumi said. “A navigational bronchoscopy is another advanced technique where we extract a map from the CT scan of the individual patient, then are able to target any lesions. Both endobronchial ultrasound and navigational bronchoscopy are minimally invasive for the patient.”

At Saint Clare’s Health patients have come to know and trust the compassionate care they will receive by clinically advanced physicians using advanced technology, all close to home.

Sleep apnea is another significant health issue that pulmonologists, such as Dr. Noumi can address. Sleep apnea is a type of sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by abnormal breathing patterns during sleep.

Dr. Noumi highlighted how the medical team at Saint Clare’s Health addresses this health issue in a private sleep lab, which is in many ways the gold standard in making a sleep apnea diagnosis.

The patient arrives at the hospital and undergoes a polysomnogram. During a polysomnogram, the patient rests in a high-tech sleep lab that looks like a comfortable hotel room. A technician in a nearby room records brain activity and selected information from the patient’s body. Together, this data reveals a detailed picture of unique

sleep patterns - including how much time is spent in light and deep stages, whether the patient is receiving enough oxygen, how often the patient awakens (even slightly), and whether sleep is disrupted by factors such as arm and leg movements.

“In lab sleep studies are preferred for patients who are above the age of 65 or who have chronic heart or lung disease,” Dr. Noumi said. “Younger patients who do not have any chronic medical problems or who can’t really take a day off from their work can start with the home sleep study.”

Once the patient has their diagnosis, the pulmonologist may then recommend a rehabilitation program.

“At Saint Clare’s Health pulmonary rehab center, there is a special gym with an exercise program tailored specifically to the patients with chronic lung diseases. The exercise program focuses on certain muscle groups that we know will improve the patient’s respiratory function, and that has proven to be a very effective method in preventing readmission to the hospital,” Dr. Noumi said.

“At Saint Clare’s Health, a patient will undergo the most advanced testing offered anywhere to properly diagnosis the health issue. State-of- the-art treatments, including surgical ones, can be offered by the best-in-class pulmonology team to prolong and improve life for their patients,” states Dr. Noumi.

For more information, please visit saintclares.com/ lungs or call 973-989-3550.

Morris County’s Own Rob Asaro - Funny, Fearless and Found Himself

By Jillian Risberg

An unlikely pair travel cross-country in Rob Asaro’s new play Lost Again, inspired by the playwright and Parsippany native’s own adventures on the road as a stand up comic. Most recently it had its limited run at The Tank in New York City.

Lost Again is about two mismatched strangers paired up by a mutual friend: Ilona Young, a type-A, knowit-all travel blogger on a cross-country assignment and Casey Calvino, a jaded comedian on a tour of the US. Their story is one of identity, pain, adventure, friendship, moving on and moving forward. Each act takes place in a city or town, en-route from New York to Los Angeles. The story is part misadventure, part selfdiscovery and part buddy dramedy.

Viewers are sure to take something away from Asaro’s wild comic adventure.

“They feel a little understood — it’s very specific feelings,” the funny man says this project deals a lot with regret, also what matters and the meaning of things. “I hope people walk away like, ‘I feel that way too, it feels good that someone expressed some of these ideas,’ but also if they’re laughing and having a good time. I’m a comedian so… I want people to enjoy themselves.”

Asaro hopes Lost Again, which he wrote after adapting it from his 10-episode series — can have life beyond the play.

“You live it; like when you’re doing this,” he says that’s all there is. “I’m obsessed with it.”

The script was a finalist at the Austin Film Festival pitch competition in 2021.

“I write these projects and fall in love — some you’re with for a long time, go back or adapt in a certain way,” says the comedian.

“You become invested. Not just write it and hope somebody says yes,” Asaro says he wants it to live in some capacity.

Hence his desire to produce, act and write his own work: whether it be a web series, play or pilot, and get it to Netflix or HBO.

“I never just wanted to act and never just wanted to write. It was about being able to do both,“ Asaro says it’s tough to navigate when you’re a hyphenated sort of talent. “Many show business folks only want to see you one way: just an actor, a comedian, a writer.”

So the funny man keeps going — hoping to grow and get better to surprise his friends and colleagues who know him.

“If I can surprise them that means I am (evolving) because they know my style,” he says it takes tons of devotion. “It’s hard to have a normal life when you do this sort of thing.”

He shared that show business can be tricky and there can be attitudes, egos and a sinister undercurrent in certain ways. His advice to young people starting out: stay away from the element that doesn’t make you feel good or you don’t trust. Instead, surround yourself with plenty of good, talented people.

And patience is important.

“Be where you are,” says Asaro. “You can’t rush the process. It takes a while to develop not only your comedic voice but what interests you to write about.”

According to the comedian, he wasn’t a sophisticated child but had a keen understanding of comedy. He says one can learn to be funny if you immerse yourself in it and find your voice.

influence, he adored Norm McDonald… and the early Simpsons were amazing.

At 14-years-old, Asaro asked his dad to use vacation money to take a standup class. And the rest is history.

“He took me into the city once a week for the class,” the funny man says when it concluded he went to Stand Up NY on the Upper West Side.

“Did my set there; I was 14 performing when everybody else was in their late 20s,” says the comedian. “It was an interesting experience.”

cycle was hard to ignore.

And he says it feels nice to be out there again in the city, working through and living the creative and rehearsal process.

Religious School Style

At three or four his mom took him to the mall, where he pretended to be a dancing mannequin and that connected him with his first agent — who sent him on a cereal casting call.

“Mom brought snacks for me and they told her there were no snacks in the office. After that she wouldn’t bring me in because of the snack policy,” Asaro says. “The joke growing up was always, ‘I didn’t get to be a messed up child actor because my mother wasn’t allowed to bring in a baggie of Chex Mix.’”

Seinfeld was an early

Asaro has toured the country performing and is the founder of the nationally known Emerson College comedy troupe: Chocolate Cake City that’s still there 20 years later. He relocated to Los Angeles right out of college, studied with Second City, and returned to NYC in 2006.

The funny man grew up in Parsippany.

“It’s a different mentality, different energy, different speed, a different sense of humor,” Asaro says of the area and NYC, that shaped him significantly.

From there for years he tried to make short films; do standup, sketch comedy and improv, web series, one-man shows.

While sets involving topical humor are not the comedian’s thing, “I like comedy that comes from within” — he admits the 24-hour (in your face) news

“Being in those spaces… with people who are jazzed to be there and excited about the work,” says the funny man, adding that Zoom never felt real.

His dream is to make Lost Again as a series and constantly produce work. He adapted another piece, Light at the Diner (various vignettes), to perhaps do on stage — about a bunch of people who enter a diner on a weekday night and their different experiences.

“I would love to have a production company one day and be able to produce this work, employ all my friends, collaborators and people I find funny who should be working all the time,” Asaro says. “I would like to be successful where I could give people that I feel deserve it (amazing, wonderful talents) a platform.”

For more information, visit www.robasaroshow. com

Laura Anne, Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict

Appetizers are many people’s favorite part of a meal. From dips and finger foods to little treats and fried pieces of perfection, there is a wide array of considerations for a pre-meal snack.

Some appetizers are much more appropriate at certain events. For example, buffalo chicken wings are best enjoyed on game days, salads are normally served at showers and vegetable trays are a typical Thanksgiving Day classic.

However, there are recipes that are too easy to make and too satisfying not to serve at almost every festivity you and your family attend. This Easy Crab Rangoon shines above the rest for many reasons, but the main point of this heavenly sample is it’s easy to make and bake.

This appetizer is placed in the oven until it’s golden brown, topped with little green scallions with a creamy filling all packaged in a crispy outer layer.

Plus, the cream cheese is mixed with luscious amounts of crab meat. This is a seafood lover’s dream. Actually, it’s any appetizer lover’s dream.

An Appetizer Worth the (Short) Wait

To make this mouthwatering recipe, you only need a handful of ingredients and a few kitchen tools.

The little bites of perfection come out of the oven steaming hot, waiting to be topped with more crunchy, fresh scallions. Once they have cooled for a few moments, they are ready to be devoured.

This bite-size, savory snack will be all the rage at family dinners and parties with the kids alike. They fit perfectly in the palms of hands and within a few bites, they are gone and your loved ones are asking for seconds.

Find more appetizer recipes that are simple and made to impress at Culinary.net

Easy Crab Rangoon

Servings: 12

Nonstick cooking spray

12 wonton wrappers

4 ounces cream cheese, softened 4 ounces lump crabmeat

1 scallion, sliced thin, green and white parts separated 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Heat oven to 350 F.

Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Press wonton wrappers into muffin cups. Lightly spray wrappers with nonstick cooking spray and bake until lightly browned, 6-9 minutes. Let cool slightly.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese

until smooth. Combine with crabmeat, scallion whites, ginger and soy sauce. Fill each wonton wrapper with filling. Bake until filling is heated through, 6-8 minutes.

Sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve warm. (Culinary.net)

on, but those can become bland and boring. Finding new ways to put a twist on meals throughout the week adds fun to time spent in the kitchen while bringing new flavor to the table.

To help reinvigorate traditional weeknight dinners, chef Bobby Flay and Hidden Valley Ranch created the three-part Hidden Valley Ranch Night! series to debut dishes that bring bold flavor to traditional meals, such as these recipes for Ranch Crusted Burgers with Avocado Ranch Sauce and Ranch Seasoned Chicken and Mushroom Quesadillas with Tomato Salsa and Sour Cream. The series will provide a spin on weeknight staples to showcase the simplicity, versatility and zesty flavor of ranch seasoning when used to create family-friendly dinners any night of the week.

Find more information, including series episodes and additional recipes, at hiddenvalley.com/ranch-night Ranch Crusted Burgers with Avocado Ranch Sauce Servings: 4

Put a Zesty Spin on Weeknight Meals

Avocado Ranch Sauce:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon well-shaken buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper 3 green onions, thinly sliced 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

Ranch Spice Crusted Burger:

1 1/2 tsps Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

1 teaspoon paprika kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean)

2 tablespoons canola oil 8 slices American cheese 1/4cup water

4 brioche buns, split in half Avocado Ranch Sauce

To make avocado ranch sauce: In bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper until smooth. Fold in green onions and diced avocados; set aside.

To make burgers: In small bowl, whisk

ranch seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat large cast-iron pan or griddle over high heat. Divide meat into four 6-ounce patties and make deep depression in centers with thumb. Season each with spice rub on one side.

Add canola oil to pan and heat until shimmering. Place on burgers in pan, spice side down, and cook until golden brown

and lightly charred, 4 minutes. Turn burgers over and cook 4 minutes, or until they reach desired doneness.

Top each burger with two slices cheese. Add water to pan and cover tightly with lid 10 seconds, or until the cheese is melted.

Place burgers on bottom buns and top each with avocado ranch sauce and top buns.

Obituary: Leonard DiMenna

Leonard V. DiMenna passed away at St. Josephs Medical Center in Wayne, NJ on October 31, 2022 at age 73.

Lennie was born in Bronx NY to Leonard A. DiMenna and Mary (Amendola) DiMenna on February 8, 1949 Lennie spent his youth in Long Branch, NJ and graduated from Rider College with a B.S. in Business Management.

Lennie worked in Materials Management for various firms in NJ until a battle with cancer caused his retirement. After becoming a cancer survivor, Lennie volunteered at St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville NJ delivering books to patients. From there, he became a volunteer at The Book Barn. With the sale of the hospital, the fate of The Book Barn and The Thrift Barn was unknown.

Lennie organized The Book

and Thrift Barns into a non-profit organization of which he eventually became President and Manager. Through hard work and devotion Lennie and his volunteer staff were able to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable causes. In 2018 The Book Barn/Thrift Barn were awarded the “Key to the City” for their work, Lennie proudly accepted the Key which hangs in The Book Barn.

In his spare time Lennie was an avid reader, loved hiking and camping in the mountains of New York state. His quiet time was spent with his dog, Skye.

Lennie Leaves behind his beloved son, David of Denville NJ. He is also survived by his sisters Anita Romano of Oxford NJ and Dorene (Phil) Zulauf of Mt. Bethel, PA, nieces and a nephew and grandnieces

and a grandnephew.

Services were held on November 10th, 2022 at Norman Dean Home for Services with a Memorial Visitation followed by a service. In lieu of flowers, please honor Lennie with a donation to The Thrift Barns of Morris County by way of mailing a check to 18 Pocono Road, Denville NJ 07834 made payable to Thrift Barns of Morris County.

CCM Athletics Presented with Champions of Character Award

The Athletic Department at County College of Morris (CCM) – from student/athletes and coaches to administration and staff – recently gained additional confirmation of their success with a Champions of Character Award from the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XIX.

The award recognizes outstanding results in the character development of student/athletes and coaches by embracing the five core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. Additionally, the award recognizes institutions that demonstrate outstanding involvement in the community, which results in positive character development through sport.

“It is such an honor to have our student/athletes, their coaches and the staff who support them recognized with this prestigious award,” says Jack Sullivan, director of Athletics at CCM. “The college places a very high emphasis on developing and supporting athletics who succeed both on and off the field, and we’re pleased to have Region XIX recognize those efforts.”

While the Titans have won many honors and championships over the years, this is the first time CCM Athletics has been recognized with this award.

To learn more about Athletics at CCM, go to www.ccm.edu/athletics/.

Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics

The dental group kids LOVE and their parents trust!

NAME: Mike Lateiner, DMD, MS NAME: Ami Dhaduk, DMD NAME: Denise Kitay, DDS, MMSc

Assemblyman Brian Bergen Gives TEDx Talk on Adaptive Leadership

By Steve Sears

Morris County Assemblyman

Brian Bergen on October 25, 2022 presented a TEDx talk on adaptive leadership. Hosted by TEDx Morristown, the forum took place at the Madison Community Arts Center in Madison, and the theme was “Drawing on Your Own Creativity.”

Bergen, who titled his presentation, “The Art of Leading: Adapting for Maximum Results,” was selected after submitting an application which stated he wanted to do a TEDx Talk on leadership, and particularly on the concept of adaptive leadership. He then went through a series of interviews and ultimately was selected to participate.

Bergen explains the TEDx requirements. “It (the presentation) has to be no less than 10 minutes and no more than 18 minutes, which doesn’t seem like a challenging window to hit, but it can be very difficult,” Bergen says. “That’s really the base requirements, and then it has to fit the theme of whatever the TEDx producer is putting on. This one happened to be about creativity, and so I felt as though they felt ultimately that my concept of

adaptive leadership is a creative approach to leadership. It relies on your ability to be creative in your style in order to be the most effective leader, so it fit pretty well with what they were trying to do. It has to be something that will resonate with people, because they’re trying to change people’s lives in a positive way.”

Bergen explains the adaptive leadership concept. “We need to always be looking at ways to be better,” he says. “I found a little bit of a hole in the way that we approach leadership in general. You can go to the store right now and buy 50 different books on leadership, and most of them I would argue are good. They have really good leadership techniques and leadership traits. The problem, though, is that you can’t pick up any one or two or 10 and follow it to the letter, because people like to be led differently. People need to be led differently. So, the most effective way – and this is the concept of adaptive leadership – to truly lead people is to dial in on that individual and understand what they need, and then pull from all these different tools across the leadership spectrum that you’ve read, and compile a tool kit that

works for that person. And that will be different from another person, and from another person.” And, per Bergen, the same with groups and businesses. “If you look at it organizationally, if you’re leading an organization, that tool kit will look different from organization to organization based on the time and space that they’re operating in.”

Another important point Bergen also makes is that, although the word “leader” creates a picture that includes CEOs, Generals, Head Coaches, he says that everybody is a leader. “You’re a leader in your church,” Bergen states, “you’re a leader in your house, and you’re a leader in a conversation with a peer. Even if you don’t have a leadership title, you might be leading up all the time.”

Bergen, the owner of Bergen Botanicals, served for eight years in the United States Army. A United States Military at West Point graduate, he was awarded both a Combat Action Badge and Bronze Star for his service as an officer, company commander, and Apache helicopter pilot while in Iraq. A prior Denville Township councilman from 2017 to 2019 and vice

chairman of the township’s zoning board, Bergen and his family – wife Kristin, and children, Samantha and Justin - are residents of Denville.

The opportunity to do his TEDx talk meant a lot to Bergen. He says, “This is the very first time ever that I’ve had the opportunity to deliver a speech on leadership. I’ve been waiting for a long time to have the opportunity to do this. This was so important to me.”

Brian Bergen (courtesy of Brian Bergen)

Jersey Weight Loss CenterThe Ideal Protein Program Creates Healthiest, Best Lives

By Jillian Risberg

It is a Weight Loss Program with more than a decade of success. The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program has helped change lives through their fat burning, muscle sparing protocol rolled out in three phases. Despite the uncertainty brought on by COVID, Dawn Leonard says her dieters became more engaged and motivated to lose weight and stay well. Here began the beginning of an additional way to assist people, virtual coaching.

“I had quite the assembly line picking up Ideal Protein on our small Denville Street,” says the Certified Weight Loss Coach, adding that Ideal Protein also started a drop ship program that was so successful she still uses it today and coaches dieters all over the United States.

They brought the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program to Jersey Wellness Center in Denville in 2013 after two of their longtime Chiropractic patients were excited to share their transformative journey with us.

“Now almost 10 years later we can say we are still making a difference in people’s lives with Ideal Protein. I have always been inspired to assist people achieve their best health and wellness goals,” the Coach says she was humbled by a dieter with health issues who attributed not giving up to Leonard’s guidance.

While they celebrate the dieter’s more than 100-pound weight loss; it was her dedication to her health that is admirable.

“My goal is to improve an individual’s health and long-term lifestyle beyond the attainment of weight loss,” says the Coach. “I take the role of a change agent very seriously to foster a strong alliance with my clients. Together we make breakthroughs and create lasting lifestyle transformations.”

Dieters are met with warmth and empathy, support, education and structure. With this one-on-one coaching encouragement, they are empowered to take their health back and lose weight.

“You will never be just a dieter in my office, or judged or shamed,” Leonard says weight loss is hard, but she is here to help you change your path.

According to the Coach, Ideal Protein turns your body into a fat burning machine. You will gain insight into the physiology of the body, nutrition, health and weight management. Get empowered to lose weight, reset your body, and live your best, healthiest life. You have the power to take your health back.

There are endless weight loss programs on the market, but not all diets are equal or safe. No one should be yo-yo dieting or on a

diet forever.

Ideal Protein may be your weight loss solution. Designed by a Doctor, it is backed by solid medical and scientific data. Jersey Weight Loss Center is one of the 3,000 US and Canadian Ideal Protein Clinics. For over 15 years Ideal Protein has been helping dieters transform their life with their three-phase low fat, low carb, lean protein protocol.

Enjoy over 85 delicious Ideal Protein meals and snacks; and a variety of your own meals/snacks to keep you satisfied. You still can enjoy dining out and at meals at home with your family.

“Dieters tell me, my family loves how healthy we are eating, or my bloat and inflammation is gone.” Dieters like to set big goals. Leonard says to just focus on the first 10 pounds. Small steady weight loss goals are easier for people to navigate and stay on course.

Even a modest weight loss of 5% to 10% of your total body weight is likely to produce better health benefits, such as lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugar and more.

Staying healthy is your best insurance policy. We have one body and need to give it the best chance for health and vitality.

Research shows you typically lose two to three times more weight working with a weight loss coach than dieting on your own.

Here’s how Ideal Protein (Food is medicine, weight loss is healthcare) works: Phase 1 - WEIGHT LOSS

Reset body to burn fat and lose the weight

By restricting carbohydrate intake, this

Dawn Leonard

Jersey Weight Loss Center...

continued from page 18

Weight Loss Phase is designed to optimize fat loss through ketosis (a safe and natural state in which the body mobilizes stored fat as its alternative energy source). You will remain in Phase 1 until you have reached your weight loss goal.

Phase 2 - STABILIZATION

Reset mind to maintain a healthy weight and build healthy habits

Following weight loss, you will be coached to slowly reintroduce carbs and healthy fats and receive a unique-to-you Macro Code based on the number of macronutrients you need to help maintain your new healthy weight and effectively manage hunger.

Phase 3 -

MAINTENANCE

Reset possible and live your fullest, healthiest, best life yet.

For the first 12 months following stabilization, continue to receive education and support from your coach and clinic as part of the Maintenance Phase. Your Coach will provide support and guide healthy food choices for life introducing new strategies each visit on nutrition, healthy eating patterns, behavior change and environment. Your coach continues to help you incorporate your Macro Code to maintain health long-term. You can stay connected to your coach through our app and Wi-Fi scale, incorporating “Tune-ups” as needed.

Choose early morning and later evening appointments, in addition to virtual coaching

and drop ship of Ideal Protein products anywhere in the United States.

In seventh grade a mock career day/ questionnaire revealed Leonard wanted to be in the healthcare field and she has been the manager of Jersey Wellness Center for more than 25 years.

“I remember growing up seeing people plan their schedules around doctors appointments and taking numerous prescription medications,” the Coach says. “I thought it was what everyone did.”

She began her career in the home healthcare field, where Leonard says it was sad to see people not able or willing to make healthy lifestyle changes to get or stay well.

She showers her two teenage children with health, wellness and nutrition education facts.

“My daughter was at a friend’s home and they were doing ice cream tastings which included Little Debbie ice cream. She had no idea who Little Debbie was,” says Leonard. “This type of thing happens quite a bit to my children.”

Her greatest wish would be for the wellness care model of healthcare instead of our current sick care model.

“Advertising for prescriptions and overthe-counter medications seem like a form of brainwashing,” the Coach says just because a blood pressure pill lowers your numbers to make your doctor happy does not mean losing 20 pounds and getting off medications

should not be a consideration.

She says we need to get to the root of the problem.

“Focus on better health with not only weight loss but lifestyle changes and the use of alternative healthcare modalities,” says Leonard. It starts with you.

To learn more about the Ideal Protein Weight Loss program and other holistic services that are offered at Jersey Wellness Center in Denville visit www. jerseyweightlosscenter.com / www.drjersey. com or email info@jerseywellnesscenter. com, 973-625-7800.

If You’re a Denville Senior, Join the Denville Seniors

Calling all Denville Seniors, retired or not. Do you have the time to fit some fun into your lives with fellow Denville Seniors? We hope so because we’re looking for you.

Denville has four different Senior Clubs for your enjoyment. All four Clubs meet at the Senior Center at the corner of Route 53 and Hall Road. Come to a meeting on the day which best fits your schedule. Come with a friend or come alone. You won’t be sorry you gave us a try.

Here’s a brief rundown of what the Denville Seniors has to offer. Our meetings and activities begin in the mornings and are usually over by noon or one o’clock.

Every Monday there is a meeting of a Club for women.

Every other Tuesday is a meeting of a Club for men. They refer to themselves as “Shoot the Breeze” and do just that besides play cards and pool.

Every Wednesday is another Club for

women. If you can’t make Monday’s group you can try this one.

Every second and fourth Friday is the Coed Club. As the name says, it is a group of women and men, some of them married and some singles.

All our groups are filled with fun loving people who enjoy life and want to get out and about with like minded friends who enjoy life!

Now here’s the “out and about” just mentioned. We enjoy activities with our individual Clubs at our individual meetings, but we all partake in a schedule of affordable, interesting monthly bus trips. There is a weeklong vacation trip each year in September. There are casino trips every few months. There is Bingo on Friday evenings. There seems to be something for everyone.

Please give Grace a call at 973.713.8864. Grace is our President and will assist you with any more information you need. Hope to see you soon!

A Remembrance of the Real Santa of Main Street

By Richard Mabey Jr.

who touch our hearts and lives, to whom we will not truly appreciate their kindness till years and years have passed. Such is the case of my remembrance of the Real Santa Claus of Main Street. It was a long standing tradition, of the Mabey clan, to spend Christmas Day at the old Mabey Homestead. From the day I was born till I was six years old, my parents and I lived in Clifton. Every Christmas Day, we would sojourn westward on Route 46 to the little hamlet of Lincoln Park, where my great grandmother, Dora Mabey lived.

I remember we would arrive at the old Mabey Homestead, early in the morning. I was a shy and sensitive child, so the abounding number of relatives that would congregate at the old farmhouse, would seem all so overwhelming to me.

I don’t know at what age I had any degree of conscious remembrance of the dear, kind, elderly man who was the Real Santa of Main Street. I remember him fondly as a very kind man with a gentle spirit. He would knock on the door of the old Mabey Homestead, sometime during the late morning on Christmas Day, all dressed in his Santa Claus gear.

My dad was the fifth of nine children, so on Christmas Day the Mabey Homestead abounded with children, my many cousins. Santa would arrive with a big burlap bag strung over his shoulder, with a gift for each and every one of my cousins, my sister and myself. I remember the gifts were not expensive at all. Some were actually handmade toys. While some had a clue of having been passed down from another child, who had outgrown the

little toy car or doll.

My mom and dad, my sister Patti and I moved into the old Mabey Homestead in the early Autumn of 1959, shortly after Great Grandma Mabey went Home to be with the Lord. I was six years old that Christmas. I remember wondering if the real Santa would still be knocking on the door on Christmas Day. To my happy surprise, the real Santa did come by to visit us, with presents for my sister and I.

I never learned the name of the Real Santa of Main Street. My grandfather, Watson Mabey, one time told me that he thought that he lived in this little house at the end of Clover Lane. When I was about 10 years old, I walked down Clover Lane, stood at the front yard of that little home and wanted to knock on the front door and see if that was in fact, the home of the real Santa. Sadly and regretfully, I didn’t get the courage to knock on the door. That little home was torn down many years ago, to make room for a larger, modern home.

My Aunt Vi once told me that she thought that the Real Santa of Main Street lived in a little home in Towaco, just past the Lincoln Park border. I don’t think anybody really knew who this kind hearted soul was. It’s one of the greatest mysteries of my childhood.

The Christmas of 1961, when I was eight years old and in the third grade, was the last time that the Real Santa of Main Street ever came to visit us on Christmas Day. I once asked my father if he knew who this gentleman was. He endorsed Grandpa Mabey’s theory.

In deep fondness, I remember the Real Santa of Main Street. I think about him from time to time. My intuition

From 1953, a photo of the Real Santa Claus of Main Street. Yours truly sitting upon the lap of Santa, with my mom and dad.

tells me that he was not a wealthy man at all. I think he was actually quite poor. Somehow and someway, he accumulated toys for children in the neighborhood. Most of the toys he gave to us, were handmade. He was truly the real Santa Claus of my childhood.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com.

Big Red Santa of Kinnelon Brings Happiness

By Steve Sears

For Bob Smith, it may have started in 2009, but you can tell during discussion with him that he’s had the Santa Claus goodness within him all along.

Just ask Emily.

Although in his words he was terrified when he first dressed up as the Big Red Santa and the event was a success, it was best defined by little Emily, who the next day visited the event organizer and thanked them for bringing a real Santa Claus. “And it was because I was nice and I had a real beard,” Smith says. It mattered not to Emily that the red Santa suit Smith wore was older, that his beard was short, or whether it was sprinkled with baby powder. What mattered was Smith’s kindness to her, which Emily returned the following year, she showing up with a gift for the Big Red Santa.

“I think 90% of Santas find their way into the role by someone asking them to fill in for somebody that can’t make it,” Smith says. “I think 100% of the people who get that question are kind of reluctant to do that because they’ve never done it before.”

Smith wasn’t reluctant when first asked thirteen years ago. He filled the role, but was concerned his voice wouldn’t be correct or he’d say something wrong. The request came from a group called Rainbows for All Children, a nationwide group which meets with and supports children who had a parent pass away during the year and are grieving. Smith recalls the instructions he received at that time. ‘They said, ‘We’ve got all the toys, we’ve got the bag. Just show up, everything’s tagged, call up the kids, take the picture, and off you go.’” The group had available a Santa Claus suit from K-Mart, and Smith took care of the rest. “I had this very short George Clooney beard,” he says. “It really wasn’t quite right, and I peppered it with some baby powder, because I was

not going to wear a previously used polyester beard. Then I threw on a white turtleneck to cover the lack of beard.”

After his first appearance, Smith returned the suit and thought nothing more about dressing up as Santa Claus – until the following September, when he was asked by Rainbows for All Children to do it again. This time, not only was the child called up, but Smith also asked the parent who had lost a spouse to head forward as well. Smith explains. “I would say, ‘What would you like for Christmas?’ and ‘How have you been?’ I realized it’s about the family.”

During his first eight years as Santa Claus, Smith would do just a gig or two per year. In addition to the Rainbows event, he would get calls to do Breakfast with Santa get-togethers. As he started to get more requests for appearances, he then began to buttress his Santa skills. “For the first eight years, I had no idea that there were Santa Claus organizations,” Smith says. “There are Santa Claus groups that will help you hone your skills in terms that if you’re going to see 200 kids in a day, one or two of them are going to be on the autism spectrum. How do you handle that? How do you deal with sensitivity in terms of questions? If somebody asks, ‘Can you bring grandma back?’ There’s that part of it, the part in the chair, which we call ‘Chair Time.’ And then there’s also the business side of it.”

For the record, Smith now dons a custom-made Santa Claus suit, and his appearances aren’t limited just to the Christmas season. During this past summer, he had three Christmas in July gigs. Also, it took about six or seven years to convince Mrs. Claus (Smith’s wife, Pam) to make appearances with him. “The Knights of Columbus, every time they saw her, they said, ‘You’re coming to the Breakfast with Santa, too?’ and she would say, ‘No, no, no.’ I just bought her the dress, and once she had the dress, she was okay with it, and

For more information about the Big Red Santa, visit www. bigredsanta.com.

The Big Red Santa and Mrs. Claus (courtesy of Bob Smith)

said it was a lot of fun. And Mrs. Claus is an integral part of the Santa experience.”

A New Year’s Day Story

By Richard Mabey Jr.

Can love be limited? Is it possible that God’s blessings can reach beyond our limited human understanding of time and space? Are the flames of sibling love, between two sisters, able to transition to a world beyond this world that we humanly know? Is it possible, that love is the greatest force in the universe?

On November 11, 2019, my mom, Janet Kemmerer Mabey, had heart surgery to replace her Aortic Valve. After the surgery, my sister Patti and I were elated that Mom still had a few years left upon this earth, before it would be her time to be called Home to be with the Lord. But by the first of December, it became painfully obvious that Mom’s time upon this earth, was coming to a close.

It was in early December of 2019 that Mom’s general practitioner, told my sister and I that it was time to set up for Hospice home visitations. It was a deeply sad time.

My mother was great stickler for cleanliness. But, I confess that with the influx of nurses and home care professionals, it was tough to keep Mom’s bedroom as neat as a pin. In December, when there were no Hospice personnel at our home, I would read Mom excerpts from the Holy Bible. Mom would then gently fall asleep. But even as Mom would sleep, ever so peacefully, I would continue to read the Bible to Mom.

I remember that it was in the second week of December, that I was reading Mom her Bible, Mom fell asleep. I continued to read the Bible to her. Mom suddenly awoke and begin talking about her plans to have a New Year’s Day party. It was a long

Mom and Aunt Alice, in 1996.

standing tradition of the old Mabey Homestead, as far back as I can remember, that New Year’s Day was a time of open house and home-cooked food for the old family farmhouse.

When Mom awoke, she spoke as if we were still living at the old Mabey Homestead, rather than the reality of now living in our Florida home. And, one of the things Mom spoke about that afternoon, was that she was looking forward to seeing her sister Alice on New Year’s Day. Mom began telling me what needed to be done to prepare for the big New Year’s Party.

As Mom would tell me that I needed to clean all the baseboards, vacuum the rugs, Mom would look me in the eyes and say, “oh Richard, I can’t wait to see my sister Alice again.” I remember this went on for a good half-hour, then Mom drifted off to peaceful sleep.

I stayed at Mom’s side. Even though Mom was sleeping, I read her some passages from the Book of John. About an hour later, Mom woke up again and told me immense details of the New Year’s Day Party that we had just had. Mom recalled the memory of the

dream that she just had, complete with the most tiny details of the splendid party that she had just been a part of.

Then, Mom looked at me and simply said, “Richard, it was so good to see my sister Alice again. It was all just so good.” Then Mom closed her eyes and once again drifted off to sleep.

On the night of the twenty-third of December of 2019, my beloved mother went Home to be with the Lord. It was a sad moment in time. Looking back now, three years later, I still remember how real Mom’s dream was to her.

Could it be that on some level it was all so very real? That on some Heavenly plain, Mom did see her sister Alice Kemmerer Knothe in spirit, that was as real as anything on this physical plain.

I am not a theologian by profession. I do know this though. God is a source of immense love and compassion. The rest is left to the beliefs of my dear readers.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail. com.

Bucket List Travels: 3 Days of Wonder in the Rainforest

this column.

by Paul Partridge

Alate-night flight into Quito makes the Sunday morning drive seem earlier than it is. Highway becomes local road becomes dirt road becomes jungle path enroute to Mashpi Lodge.

Mashpi is a nature-lover’s hideaway deep in Ecuador’s Choco Forest. If you’ve ever thought about visiting a rainforest, but a two-week trek into the Amazon perhaps seems overly ambitious, Mashpi might be the ticket –especially if you favor comfort over camping… enjoy great food… like to avoid crowds (this private resort houses only 47 total guests)… and appreciate making a gentler impact on the environment.

Looking back, I’m still not sure if it was real or a mirage. Our group of four was motoring along for hours, deeper and deeper into the wilderness, and then – suddenly, there it was, like some sort of plush Brigadoon. My first thoughts: “What the…? How in the world…?” Given the location and geographical challenges, its existence seems utterly impossible.

But alas, here it is. And waiting for us at the entrance, smiling broadly, is Santiago, our naturalist guide during our three-day stay. Having the same guide is a treat, because he gets to know your group, your pace, your interests, etc., and then tailors activities accordingly. Santiago is a rainforest encyclopedia. He can spot, identify, name and wax poetic about any plant animal, insect, tree, fungus, bird, reptile,

stream, or river we encounter.

A call echoes through the forest. “What kind of bird is that?” I ask.

“Actually, it’s a frog,” says Santiago.

Ok, I may be from Jersey, but to be fair, that was no ‘ribbit’ or ‘croak.’ That frog could win the national bird calling contest. Just the first of many surprises.

Staying at Mashpi feels like living in a large, fancy tree house. Floor-to-ceiling windows make you feel totally immersed in your surroundings. Right outside your window are 400 species of birds, trees, frogs, monkeys, and endemic species found nowhere else in the world.

Day 1: The Incredible Glass Frog

A quick lunch and we’re off into the forest, spotting Toucans, tayras, a tarantula, a giant snail, and hundreds of beautiful, exotic butterflies. Santiago informs us that the tayra is one of only three creatures on earth that thinks ahead, the other two being octopi and humans (females, mostly).

After sunset Santiago takes us on an unforgettable night walk using flashlights and headlamps. We’re stalking the rare transparent glass frog. Within 10 minutes Santiago has found one. It’s a great find, especially since glass frogs are the size of a thumbnail and blend into their environment. Santiago also points out assorted spiders, crickets, bats, and a formidable praying mantis.

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continued on page 25 $ 8 4 99 MO

A female praying mantis eats the male after mating –

Morristown resident Paul Partridge has been building a travel bucket list for years. Now he’s diving in –near and far – and shares his adventures in

survive the beheading. I imagine this must confuse females on praying mantis dating sites. “Wait, didn’t I just eat you last week?”

Day 2: Cooling off in a Waterfall

The trail drops steeply from the lodge to the Laguna River below. At times we walk alongside the river, other times we wade right in (rubber boots are provided by the lodge). Down and down we go. Our reward is Magnolia Waterfall, and we’re invited to swim in its pool. This is one of those pinchyourself moments. The staggering beauty and serenity leave a mark.

Eventually we must hike back. Note to self: walking down is easier than walking up. As we huff and puff, Santiago mentions that there’s a lunar eclipse tonight. It feels like we’re hiking up to it to see it in person.

Mashpi is home to over 30 species of hummingbirds, and in the afternoon, we see many of them at the Hummingbird Garden. Colorful, playful, and mesmerizing to watch, the hummingbirds dart and flitter all around us.

One might not expect to eat well in the middle of the rainforest. At Mashpi, every entre and appetizer is meticulously prepared. And the natural fruit juice concoctions alone are worth the trip (you had me at passion fruit lemonade).

Day 3: A Birds-eye View of the Forest

The highlight of the morning is a ride on the Sky Bike. Sky Bike is a two-person gondola that stretches 655 feet across the jungle canopy. Think of it as your average, everyday bicycle built for two – if you happen to grow up a member of the Flying Wallendas. The Sky Bike sits on a tight rope. The front person enjoys the view; the back person is the engine. Once you reach the other side, switch positions and pedal back.

At home I won’t even go on a step ladder due to severe height aversion. Somehow, this seems doable. As we pedal and backpedal over the treetops, my adrenaline is flowing and I’m shouting, “Isn’t this amazing?” My wife wants to know, “Who are you and what have you done with my husband?”

Mashpi offers another way to float in the clouds called the DragonFly. This is a onehour ride in an open-air gondola that holds four persons and rises more than 200 feet above the ground. Jaw-dropping views, no pedaling required.

In the afternoon, a transfer returns us to Quito and to pass the time I make up some rainforest awards.

Best Insect Name: Jesus Spider (because it walks on water).

Amazing Flower Fact: There are 4,000

The butterflies are comfortable around humans.

different varieties of orchids in the cloud forest.

Most Interesting Tree: Walking Palm. Its roots grow above ground and serve as “legs.” When the tree doesn’t get enough sunlight, it grows new roots in the direction of the sun and moves in that direction, thus “walking.” Walking palms can supposedly

move up to 20 meters in one year. I found this hard to believe until I saw a walking palm wearing a Fitbit.

[Resources]

Quito hotel: www.casagangotena.com/ Mashpi Lodge: www.mashpilodge.com Transportation and Transfers: www. metropolitan-touring.com.

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