East Hanover/Florham Park November 2022

HANOVER FLORHAM PARK

Florham Park Eagle Scout Discusses Service, Commitment, and Gardening

BY ALEXANDER RIVERO STAFF WRITER

FLORHAM PARK - James Dwyer, senior at Morris Catholic, fencing and rugby star, and a member of Boy Scout Troop 8 based out of Ogden Memorial Presbyterian Church on Main Street in Chatham, recently helped expand a community garden for his town of Florham Park. The deed, which earns him the coveted Eagle rank among the Boy Scouts, is the latest in a long line of service projects and tasks in the 18-year-old’s seven-year career in the organization.

James fi rst joined the Boy  Scouts at the age of 11 at the behest of his cousin Patrick, whose enthusiasm James found contagious. Patrick gushed over what he was learning.

“He was telling me all about the cool stuff he could do, the new skills he was learning,” says James.

The Boy Scouts reward its members with merit badges when they show competence in their acquisition of new skills. There are more than 135 different merit badges available to the Scouts, from astronomy to fi rst aid, and they can train to-

wards them at any time. To earn one’s Eagle, a Boy Scout has to fi rst earn 21 badges, including  what the organization calls the Silver Badges—fi tness, emergency preparedness, cooking, and personal management.

“The Boy Scouts aren’t necessarily training you,” James says. “They’re exposing you to each of these disciplines, showing them to you so that you can get a feel for them. They’re experiences, and they each deepen you as a person. Each merit badge requires a good deal of work.”

Over the course of the last seven years, James has enjoyed his time with Troop 8, and when asked to pick out one memory that trumps the others, he is quick to respond.

“Impossible to pick just one. There are just too many. My experience here has been very social, and I’ve learned a lot of great things.”

He adds, seconds later after a short pause, “But if there is one experience that I’ll remember whenever I look back to my time here, it’ll be the Northeast hike, and our crew chief joking

around with us as we asked him to tell us how many more miles to reach our campsite.”

His proudest moment is, no doubt, the Troop’s trip up to Northern Tier in Manitoba.

“We prepared the trip for two months, and it was a thrill to fi nally head up to Manitoba  and canoe through the lakes, fi shing, and being out there. I’ll  never forget that.”

To become an Eagle Scout, James planned and helped build a series of compost bins for the local community garden in Florham Park.

“At Volunteer Memorial Park on Elm Street, there is a community garden that people use all the time, but the problem was that it lacked a place for people to come and put their compost. So I decided to make a bigger one, one fi t for a  community garden.”

James sites the paperwork as the most diffi cult task in  completing the project, far bigger and more taxing on him than any of the physical labor required to put it all together. The project in its entirety was a rite of passage for every pro-

spective Eagle Scout—namely, leading a group in a community project.

“Looking back,” James says, “it all went by so fast. When you’re 18, you age out. And I remember my fi rst day  here still.”

James has advice for any kids thinking about joining the Boy Scouts.

“Do it. Go in. Try it, and if it doesn’t suit you, then you have no obligation to go through with it. It’s not for everyone. But, the fl ip side is  that there is something in the Boy Scouts for everyone, and no matter what you do you’ll make friends.”

Now that he is getting ready to enter a new chapter of his life, James says he is looking forward to taking welding classes at Morris County Vocational Tech. He loves the craft of welding itself, and has a brother who is a welder in the Navy.

As for the future of the Boy Scouts, James says he is cautiously optimistic for the organization as a whole, and fully optimistic for his local Troop 8.

Hanover Park High School Earns Great Schools’ 2022 College Success Award

HANOVER PARK - Hanover Park High School is proud to announce that it has received a prestigious College Success Award from GreatSchools, the nation’s leading nonprofi t providing school information to parents and families. The annual recognition honors schools that excel at preparing students to enroll and succeed in college, as determined by available data in each state.

Hanover Park is among 1,742 high schools from 25  states that have demonstrated a successful track record of graduating students who enroll in two- or four-year college, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist on to their second year.

The College Success Award is possible because New Jersey is leading the nation in both collecting and transparently sharing information on how students perform after high school, which is valuable information for families, educators, and policymakers.

“It is an honor to be recognized by GreatSchools with a 2022  College Success Award. I am extremely proud of our students and staff for their hard work and effort in all aspects of our academic and co- curricular programs. Our students are excelling in high school and beyond and we are proud to know that the success they had here at HP has translated to their post-secondary educational pursuits.” said Thomas Callanan, Principal of Hanover Park High School.

Despite the many challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanover Park High School has continued to uphold many best practices to support their students’ college preparation and success, including: providing access to rigorous academic offerings both within school and through extracurricular programs, systematically

identifying and supporting students at risk of adverse academic outcomes at every grade level, and providing more robust academic and college counseling.

“We applaud Hanover Park High School for prioritizing a high-quality public education that puts students on the path to bright futures,” said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools. “It’s inspiring to see how an entire school community — students, teachers, and families — can work together in pursuit of a common goal: success for all. Congratulations to Hanover Park High School for receiving the College Success Award as proof of their hard work and dedication.”

Community members can join GreatSchools in celebrating Hanover Park on social media using #CollegeSuccessAward. To learn more about

the College Success Award and view the complete list of winners, visit www.greatschools. org/gk/college-success-awards/.

GreatSchools is the leading nonprofi t providing high-quality information that supports parents pursuing a great education for their child, schools striving for excellence, and communities working to diminish inequities in education. We are the only national organization that collects and analyzes data from all 51 state departments of education and the federal government to provide analysis, insights, and school quality ratings for parents, partners, researchers, and policymakers. Over 49 million users visit GreatSchools’ award-winning website annually to learn about schools in their area, explore research insights, and access thousands of free, evidence-based parenting resources to support their child’s learning and well-being. Learn more at GreatSchools.org and join us on Twitter and Facebook.

“A few bad apples can ruin a good thing for everyone,” he says, “but I think the organi-

Presentations by The Historical Society of Florham Park

FLORHAM PARK - The Historical Society of Florham Park was happy to hold its fi rst  in-person presentation at the Florham Park Library since 2019.   On October 18, local  Historian, Author, Teacher and Podcaster, Peter S. Zablocki shared a true story of The 1788 Morristown Ghost Hoax: The Search for Lost Revolutionary War Treasure.

It revealed how scams have been around at least since the 1700’s as many prominent  Morristown families were duped.

Washington during the Revolutionary War.

tered. Winners will be notifi ed

Winners

AREA - The winners from

Mascot” are Eileen O’Connor; Florham Par, Kathy Marino; East Hanover, Jennifer Healey; Florham Parkand Wilfredo Garcia Jr; Florham Park

“Hank the

Hornet” were in: Norman the Floorman, Jag Paving, Pastosa, Amish Mike’s, Leaf Guard and Stirrat Painting.

ter

to our

The saga of the Morristown ghost has been told around campfi res and dinner tables in  Morris County for generations.

Local legend claimed British Loyalists had secretly buried stolen Patriot treasure on Schooley Mountain as they fl ed  the oncoming forces of George

Years later in 1788, Ransford Rodgers, a former school teacher from Connecticut, convinced local prominent Morristown families that a ghost was protecting the true location of the treasure and he alone could exercise it. Little did the victims know, Rodgers was perpetuating an elaborate hoax and eventually extorted large sums of money from the embarrassed local elite. The tale has been recounted in various sensational pamphlets and publications ever since, leaving behind a mystery of what is true or myth. What is known is that it was the wives who were most skeptical and led to his being caught.

Peter S. Zablocki, is the au-

Retraction

HANOVER PARK - Regarding the Hanover Park High School Freshman Has Opportunity to Play Professional Soccer in Turkey article. A lead was given to us,

we followed up on the story, interviewed the family, and it was not mentioned that the subject was from another country. We apologize for the error.

Peter Paulson, Troop 8 Assistant Scout Master and James Dwyer. Paulson was Dwyer’s’ Eagle Scout Counselor.

zation is in a good position to thrive. There is just so much to learn in this organization.”

Peter Zablocki speaks to the crowd about his book at the Florham Park Historical Society presentation (credit: Peter Nicolas)

Florham Park Artist’s Ceramic Masks Come to Life

BY JILLIAN ROSBERG STAFF WRITER

FLORHAM PARK - It’s hard to remember a time when there weren’t a sea of masks, thanks to COVID-19. But artist/maskmaker Leslie Jacobsen has long been fond of and sharing a different kind: her unique one-ofa-kind ceramic art masks.

She says mask making is a meditative joy and endeavor that makes her smile.

“I like to bring out the humor or subtle emotions: whether surprise, fear, joy or wonder,” adds the ceramic artist. “Working with clay is a playful experience for me.”

Jacobsen is drawn to faces.

And in these trying times with many struggling through the lingering pandemic, where real functional masks cover people’s faces — she hopes they will connect in some way with her mask’s faces.

From the Mask Museum: cultural masks are known to have been worn long before human beings developed written language. The earliest surviving masks date back some 9000  years and were made of stone

or seashell. Wood masks were probably used for living masquerade much earlier, but due to weathering few have survived. The oldest such (crest) mask discovered in Angola represented an aardvark and dates back to about 900 CE.

“Many masks are primarily associated with ceremonies that have religious and social signifi cance or are concerned  with funerary customs, fertility rites, or the curing of sickness. Other masks are used on festive occasions or to portray characters in a dramatic performance and reenactments of mythological events,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Jacobsen says her masks become individual characters with their own personalities as she creates them.

The artist has introduced raku to her work to experiment with an array of vibrant colors — from metallic bronze and brass underglazes, bright colorful underglazes and acrylics, to more subtle glazes and iron oxide.

And she always makes sure to include other details; such as hair, glasses and accessories.

“Over the years I have adorned my masks with ribbons, beads, feathers, leather, fabric, glass, and metal,” the mask maker says there are infl uences from African, Asian  and Native American art. “Although my imagination plays the biggest part in my inventions.”

It all started during a visit to Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico in Sept. 2001.

The artist caught the work of Doug Fountain, a Native American artist whose brightly decorated gourd masks adorned with feathers fascinated her. A small mask he made in honor of 9/11 hangs in her home.

“Later, during a visit to Seattle I again found wonderful, colorful carved wooden masks of the Northwestern Coast Indians,” says Jacobsen. “These came to life in the stories and plays of their culture.”

Her creative journey began at the University of Pittsburgh,

Bringing Wellness to Our Students, Our Staff, and Our Community

where the mask maker studied art/art history and education. During her college and post-college summers, she took sculpture classes and workshops.

In the early 1970s, Jacobsen was a student of Abstract Expressionist Pietro Antonio (Tony) Narducci in Denville. And she had the pleasure of being guided and encouraged by the late Don Thieberger in recent years.

Since summer 2006, she  has been creating colorful, expressive one-of-a-kind ceramic masks that she conceived as wall art, rather than functional masks — made from white stoneware.

You can often fi nd the artist  displaying her handmade ceramic wall masks at the Florham Park Public Library, popup exhibits at the West Orange Arts Center and she is a member of the Potters Guild of New Jersey.

Creativity is in her blood, inherent — coursing through her veins; and the multitalent-

ed maskmaker dabbles across more mediums than just the one she is known for.

She has also experimented with printmaking, glass and jewelry making.

At the end of the day, the ceramic artist says the face is all about deep expression.

We all have emotion, feeling — and it reads on our faces.

When it comes to Jacob-

sen’s masks, they always seem to elicit a poignant response from folks who get a glimpse.

The mask maker speaks about them with love and passion.

I know why. They are cool, special and their very own entity, full of character. We see you.

For more information, visit @art_maskslesj on Instagram.

Niche Ranks Florham Park Schools with Grade A

FLORHAM PARK - The Florham Park School District received an “A” ranking/grade by Niche for the 2nd year in a  row.

What Sets Niche Apart Niche is the market leader in connecting colleges and schools with students and families. With in-depth profi les on

every school and college in America, over 140 million reviews and ratings, and powerful search and data tools, Niche helps millions of students and families fi nd and enroll in  the right school for them. For schools, school districts, and communities, Niche’s platform, data, and services help

thousands of schools recruit and enroll more best-fi t students.

Comprehensive Data

We use the most up-to-date data available from dozens of public data sources including the Department of Education, U.S. Census, and FBI.

HANOVER PARK - Hanover Park Regional High School District’s Superintendent, Maria Carrell, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Noemi Schlecht, and District Wellness Coordinator, Dr. Lisa Allgaier, conducted a workshop titled “Bringing Wellness to Our Students, Our Staff, and Our Community” at the New Jersey School Boards Association Conference in Atlantic

City which was held in October 2022. The workshop highlighted how the Hanover Park Regional High School District has developed a comprehensive wellness program for students, staff, and community through various support and programming initiatives. The workshop also focused on how the wellness program is integrated in the curriculum and co-curriculum programming, staff professional

development, community involvement, and overall day-today school functioning.

Dr. Allgaier provided examples of effective wellness techniques and strategies that can be used in the classroom. Overall, the workshop explored how wellness can have a positive impact on academic performance, improve students’ health outcomes, and reduce high-risk behaviors.

From left to right: Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Noemi Schlecht, Hanover Park Regional High School District’s Superintendent, Maria Carrell, District Wellness Coordinator, Dr. Lisa Algaier.

Hanover’s Own Olivia Andrade-Marin Starring Turn at Paper Mill Playhouse

BY JILLIAN ROSBERG STAFF WRITER

HANOVER - She walked on that stage and stepped in some big shoes as Little Gloria in Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of On Your Feet! And it was everything Olivia Andrade-Marin could have asked for.

“It’s really exciting to be playing the young version of Linedy Genao’s character (Gloria Estefan),” says the 10-year-old. “I love being in  the cast and the cast members are really great.”

Andrade-Marin had to learn about Estefan to take on the role and much stood out to the young actor about the superstar’s amazing career, including devastating injuries she sustained in that bus crash.

“When Gloria was young she was poor but would always sing in front of her neighbors,” the actor says. “When she got older she started her career as lead singer of Miami Latin Boys, later renamed Miami Sound Machine. That’s when she got even more famous.”

That Estefan persevered resonates with Andrade-Marin.

“I’m inspired that she’s a Latina and there’s a few Latina’s in the world that are really famous right now,” says the singer. “I’m also Latina and proud that I am.”

Andrade-Marin’s mother Maria says everyone in the production is Latino, which is great for interpretation and to debut during Hispanic Heritage

Month.

And it gives the young Olivia the chance to practice Spanish with her cast-mates.

Her family (mom, dad Javier and brother Mateo) are super proud that she is doing On Your Feet.

“Because it’s an iconic Latina woman that did the same as we’re doing. Our family is Ecuadorian and Olivia is a fi rst-generation American,”  Maria says. “Gloria was an immigrant and became this major star.”

The young actor hopes her next role will be on the Great White Way.

“Because I really want to be on Broadway; it’s my dream,” says Andrade-Marin, adding

that her favorite show is Beetlejuice.

She prepares for a role by memorizing her lines all the time. For a song, she practices it over and over and over.

For an audition, she runs through the whole audition. If she’s not satisfi ed — then she  tries again and again until it’s perfect.

“I try to get energetic, happy more than nervous, channel (any) nervousness and center myself,” says the 10-year-old.

At Mountview Road School in Cedar Knolls, the actor says her music teacher is nice to her and happy she’s getting in shows, encouraging her to do more; as well as with her singing in the school chorus.

After high school she wants to attend Juilliard, because it’s a world leader in performing arts education.

“From the age of three, I would always sing in front of people and say, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, I will be performing a song,’” says Andrade-Marin. “That’s when I knew I was probably going to be an actor or singer.”

One can create different emotions in scenes, according to the 10-year-old.  If you’re really sad, she says, ‘I try thinking of something really sad and cry or frown sadly.’

When it comes to anger —

‘think of when your brother is annoying you; try to channel that into your angriness.’ You get to step into a different persona.

“That’s what I love about acting,” she says.

According to Maria, Olivia’s voice is her gift because nobody else in their house or family sings.

“She’s the fi rst. And she’s an  extrovert and we are all introverts,” Andrade-Marin’s mother says.

On Your Feet’s Little Gloria trains in dancing, acting and singing at Annie’s Playhouse in Far Hills. Sometimes; she performs in shows they have there.

And it prepared her well. After many auditions, she couldn’t be happier to land her fi rst role.

She’s well-versed in how cutthroat the business is.

“I always up my game and never give up,” the actor says, adding that she loves having the power to sing.

Maria echoes that sentiment, adding that her daughter has the personality to move for-

ward after auditions, which she says is a good trait to have in this industry.

“She doesn’t dwell on the rejection, has a positive attitude towards the challenges and enjoys the profession. “That’s why we’re supporting it.”

Doors are opening and the 10-year-old is thrilled. Thrilled  to be Gloria Estefan.

“We are going on this journey with Olivia and are beyond proud,” Maria says the family cannot wait to see her shine. “She shines when she’s just talking and acting like a normal kid. So, yes, it’s wonderful.”

When the show wraps in November, the actor/singer hopes to land a tour, show, movie, voiceover… whatever opportunity comes her way.

And she says the most important traits to possess that will take you where you want to go…

“All your heart and your dreams, even if they go in another path,” says Andrade-Marin. “Try until you get it right.”

Yajaira Paredes and Olivia Andrade-Marin in On Your Feet! at Paper Mill Playhouse (Credit: Daniel Rader)

Morris County Hope One Dedicates New Van

AREA - Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon unveiled a new Hope One vehicle at a ceremony on Court Street in Morristown attended by human services and mental health professionals, law enforcement leaders, Superior Court staff and county employees.

The new vehicle, dubbed the “mini” Hope One truck, will help to expand the popular Hope One program, transporting the team to community events and client visits throughout the county. Launched in 2017, Hope One is a highly successful and often replicated mobile outreach program by which teams travel Morris County, offering critical support for individuals and families struggling with mental health and substance use disorders, and providing Naloxone (Narcan) education, training and kits in the community.

Since the beginning, the Hope One team has stopped at over 900 locations, marking over 30,000 contacts in  the community. Hope One has distributed over 5,800 Narcan  kits to family members and friends of those struggling with substance use disorders, free of charge. Narcan is used to immediately treat a known or suspected opioid overdose emergency, and 114 people have reported using the Narcan kits distributed by Hope One to save or attempt to save a life.

“Hope One works because we go out into the community, we publish where we are going and we have a plains clothes sheriff’s offi cer, we have a

mental health clinician and we have a certifi ed peer recovery  specialist who go out into the community and talk to people where they are,” said Sheriff Gannon. “We truly deal with people where they are at, and we have been very successful.”

During the initial height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hope One Project witnessed an increase of individuals who required access to critical public services. It became clear there was an elevated need for an additional Hope One vehicle to serve the community.

However, due to production delays, the Morris County Motor Services Center could not obtain a new van.

The Morris County Board of County Commissioners stepped in to provide the Hope One Project a 2019 Ford Transit passenger vehicle, which was converted into the “mini” Hope One vehicle dedicated this morning. All three vehicles now used by Hope One van were on display today.

“This is an immensely important program that has had a real impact with partner programs in Morris County on reducing drug overdose deaths, suicides and pulling people out of a cycle of despair and poverty. It’s why the program has been replicated throughout the state,” said Morris County Commissioner Doug Cabana, the board liaison to Law and Public Safety.

The Morris County Sheriff’s Offi ce, in partnership with the  Morris County Department of Human Services, the Mental

Historical Society...

FROM FRONT PAGE

thor of numerous books - the latest, Bullets that Changed America, from McFarland Publishing - and articles pertaining to local and national history. His work has been published in Weird NJ Magazine, Military History Quarterly, Military History Magazine, and Honest History Magazine, among others. His paperback books can be purchased at Amazon.com, and at the Barnes & Noble bookstore on Route 10  in Morris Plains. Peter also shared some of his other books such as “Terror Over Elizabeth New Jersey” which recounted the 3 airlines that crashed in the town within a few months of each other and “The Denville Thirteen” about the trial of 13 accused of murder.

Zablocki is the Vice-President of the Denville Historical Society, Museum, and Research Center in New Jersey, as well as one of the town historians. Learn more about Peter and his books at https://www. peterzablocki.com/ All aboard for the next free presentation scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, November 16.  Departure is at 7:00pm for:

The Whippany Railroad Museum: Preserving New Jersey’s Railroad History Since 1965.

The Historical Society of Florham Park is happy to announce it will host this ride

through history while you are seated at the Akhoury Room at the Florham Park Library. Our Conductor (presenter) will be Mike Dodge, volunteer of the Whippany Railroad and a lifelong resident of Morris County. Mike has been actively involved with the all-volunteer Whippany Railway Museum for over 15 years.

The Whippany Railway Museum is nearby and has been bringing to life the history of New Jersey’s railroads to the public since 1965. However, the Museum’s age belies its heritage. The Museum was built upon over 30 years of  preservation experience. In 1965, Whippany was home to the Morris County Central, a steam tourist railroad.

Today, the Whippany Railway Museum is fi rmly committed to its role of preserving the heritage of the railroads in New Jersey and the Morris County region. The Museum has made tremendous progress over the past few years in the acquisition and restoration of new equipment, thanks mainly to the donations and support of its visitors. It has shown that it is indeed possible to have a quality local operation through much hard work and the tremendous positive support of the public.

To learn more, check the website at: https://www.whippanyrailwaymuseum.org/

Health Association and the Center for Addiction Recovery Education and Success (CARES), staffs Hope One units with a plain clothes Sheriff’s Offi cer, a Certifi ed Peer Recovery  Specialist and a Mental Health Professional. In 2019, the team  was awarded the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Michael Shanahan Cooperation in Public and Private Partnership Award.

The simple yet effective Hope One model has been replicated in eight (8) other counties across the State of New Jersey.

The Morris County Sheriff’s Offi ce Hope One Project expanded in 2021 with the launch  of the Hope Hub.

Those who attended the “The Morristown Ghost Hoax” presentation enjoyed learning about a local “ghost” and local history. Those who love trains will certainly enjoy Mike Dodge’s presentation about preserving NJ railroad History.

Everyone can also pencil in future presentations by The Historical Society of Florham Park which are scheduled for next year when we welcome “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” on March 14 to learn about early American women and then have a return visit on April 11 from popular presenter Joel Farkas on his “George Washington and Morristown New Jersey, Perfect Together”.

The Historical Society of Florham Park was founded in the 1930s to save and preserve  the Little Red Schoolhouse. The former schoolhouse on the corner of Columbia Turnpike and Ridgedale Avenue was converted into a museum and is the borough›s icon, appearing on the town fl ag, letterhead, website, and public works and fi rst responder vehicles. the symbol of Florham Park. To learn more about it, check https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Little_Red_Schoolhouse_ (Florham_Park,_New_Jersey) or to learn more about The Historical Society of Florham Park contact Richard Davidson at RDavidsonFP@gmail.com.

FALL INTO FITNESS

The Hub is a multidisciplinary panel made up of law enforcement, social services, mental health services, healthcare providers, treatment providers and recovery specialists. Struggling individuals and families are referred to the Hope Hub and connected to life-changing services.

To date, the program has offered assistance in 295 situations, reducing what is called acutely elevated risk (AER) in 97% of those cases.

Since Hope Hub’s inception, the Interfaith Food Pantry Network has donated a total of 17,603 pounds of food  and Nourish NJ has provided Hope Hub with over 300  meals! Sheriff James M. Gannon is pleased to announce that the Interfaith Food Pantry Network & Nourish NJ’s logos have been placed on the newest Hope One van.

From homeless outreach to special events, Hope One provides a stigma free environment and a safe place for individuals and families struggling. Hope is here.

Click on Hope One to learn more about the program.

Hope Hub Coordinator Officer Chelsea Whiting climbs into the new van, with (right) Hope One Coordinator Corporal Erica Valvano following her. Standing to the left (left to right) are Community Connections Coordinator Officer Justin Sudol and CPRS Jon-Erik Randazzo of CARES.

Hanover Resident Publishes First Young Adult Novel

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

HANOVER - Hanover resident, Sathya Achia, knows the thrill of sitting down and writing a fi ctional work, the characters created seemingly taking off on their own journey and, in a sense, now controlling your keyboard.

On Monday, October 8, 2022 she experienced the thrill  of something else: seeing those same characters between the covers of her fi rst published  young adult contemporary, fantasy/adventure novel titled In My Hands.

“I wish I had,” Achia says with a laugh when asked if she took a vacation day from work on that specifi c Monday,  when her book was offi cially  released. “The funny thing is, I think it was the stir, the buzz leading up to that day. And in fact, the night before, I stayed up until literally 12:01 a.m. and  I said to myself, ‘If I just stay awake a little longer, I’ll be a published author.’ That’s kind of the headspace I was in.” Even though she did head to her job that Monday morning, she received congratulations from many via phone call, text, and in person. “But my head was obviously in the clouds and in the book and just reveling in all of it.”

Achia grew up in Canada,

In My Hands (credit Emily’s World of Design) but her grandparents still live in India. In My Hands is inspired by her grandparents, culture, and heritage. “It’s pretty much a love letter to all of those things, because I wanted to preserve these amazing adventures,” she says. “Obviously, this book is fantasy, but I wanted to basically capture all of that. As a kid, when I was reading books, I really missed seeing the kids who were like me; I would describe that of basically someone of two worlds and two cultures. And I see my story as kind of ‘My main character is a South Asian protagonist, so she’s like me, like we’ve got these East Meets West roots.”

In My Hands tells the story of 16-year-old Chandra S. Chen-

gappa, who after her mom dies mysteriously, leaves her tiny town in Virginia and heads for jungles in India to fi nd…it’s  in the book. “I was a kid who celebrated these wonderful traditions and festivals of my parents’ homeland, but at the same time, I was a kid growing up in the west and I wanted to do all the things that everybody else was doing, I wanted to belong to both those worlds, but I didn’t really have anything to model it after, and I didn’t see it in obviously the media I consumed and I didn’t see it in the books I was constantly reading. I wanted to change all of that. I wanted to show South Asian kids in a way that they haven’t really been seen before: being

their own heroes. I wanted to bust stereotypes. I wanted them to no longer be the sidekicks in someone else’s story.”

For Achia, there were many emotions she felt during the writing of her novel. “Chandra goes through such a roller coaster of events,” Achia says. “And yeah, I did cry. Unfortunately, there were characters I had to say goodbye to. And just Chandra’s growth, because it’s a slow growth, but she gets there, and I was proud of her in the end. Defi nitely there were  tears, and there were moments that were lighter moments. There’s romance there, the adventure of it, and it is very kind of heart pounding. And there’s fear and there’s anger there, too. She digs deep, fi nds out a

PAGE 7

Sathya Achia (credit Bhavin Misra)

Morris County Proclaims October 2022 Blindness Awareness Month

AREA - Director Tayfun Sel en of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners delivered a framed procla mation declaring October 2022 “Blindness Awareness Month,” as he toured the Den ville headquarters of Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey.

VLANJ President and CEO Bill Schuldt was on hand to accept the proclamation. He and Vice President of Devel opment and Communications Jennifer Singer also updated Director Selen on the nonprof it’s programs. Serving adults with vision loss for 79 years, VLANJ helps people cope and adapt to vision loss, while also providing them with training in independent living skills and assistive technology.

Blindness and profound vision loss affect more than 160,000 people in New Jersey, an estimated 7.68 million peo ple in the U.S. and those num bers are expected to increase as the nation’s population lives longer, according to the Na tional Federation of the Blind.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 93 million adults in the United States are at risk for vi sion loss and projects the num ber of Americans of ages 40 years old and up with serious vision loss or blindness will double to nearly 9 million by 2050.

The proclamation, signed by the Morris County Board of

County Commissioners, com mends VLANJ for its nearly four decades of exemplary service to the public. It also proclaims October 2022 to be  “Blindness Awareness Month” in Morris County to increase awareness of eye disease and eye care, so all citizens under stand the challenges faced dai ly by our loved ones, friends, neighbors and co-workers with vision loss.

The nonprofit began in Newark in 1943 as the New Jer sey Association for the Blind, a place for people with vision loss to socialize. Twelve years later, the organization opened a summer camp in Denville for women with blindness and, under the name NJ Foundation for the Blind, added life skills training to the summer camp experience.

Independent skills train ing became year-round in the late 1990s, and by 2006, the organization provided a com prehensive, nonresidential vi sion rehabilitation program for adults. Adopting VLANJ as its name in 2016, the nonprofit added low vision occupational therapy and other services.

Since the onset of the COVID pandemic in 2020, VLANJ has grown tre mendously as it added and ex panded virtual programming.

VLANJ receives the ma jority of its funding from indi vidual donations, which can be made atvlanj.org/donations.

Young Adult Novel...

FROM PAGE 6

lot about some family secrets she had no idea about. She’s full of emotion, I’m full of emotion. We’re going through a lot of stuff together.”

Thus far, reviews of In My Hands have been favorable, and Achia, who has achieved her childhood dream of being a published author, now wants to give back. “I’m available to do school and library visits and do writing workshops with students in our area,” she says. “Sharing my love with young

writers is a passion of mine.” Achia, 47, counts her family as her biggest supporters. Her husband of 19 years is Vikram, her sons Eashan and Naveen, and the family pup – and Sathya’s writing companion –is Luna.

Published by Ravens & Roses Publishing, In My Hands can be purchased at www.Am azon.com, www.BN.com, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers. For more information about Achia, visit her website at www.sathyaachia.com

Director Selen presents the proclamation to Bill Schuldt and Jennifer Spring under a mural at VLANJ that carries the Hellen Keller quote: “Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing.”

Halloween Dog Parade and Costume Contest Brings Joy in Florham Park

FLORHAM PARK - The 2nd Annual Halloween Dog  Parade and Costume Contest was another big success for the Rotary Scholarship Fund and for the community. Hosted by Pets Supplies Plus and the Florham Park Rotary more than 200 people and  almost 60 dogs attended on  what turned out to be a beautiful day.

With warm weather on Saturday, October 15, the Florham Park Great Lawn and Gazebo turned out to be another fun event. THANKS to Pets Supplies Plus, there was free pizza, ice cream, snacks, drinks, music, and giveaways throughout the afternoon, and of course prizes for each of the six categories:

• Funniest - Diane Ferrone and her dog Harley, dressed as a mailman, delivered right on time.

• Most Creative – Andrea Berti and Leianne Krotec and crew - Scooby-Doo, Norville “Shaggy” Rogers, Fred Jones, Velma Dinkley, and Daphne Blake with their dogs Ace and Lola.

• Scariest - Laura Palmer and crew with their dog Bonnie Prince Harry as the cast of The Wizard of Oz – and Toto too!

• Spunkiest - Rahman Babor and his traveling dog Jimmy for Jimmy’s suitcase costume – Note  that for 2023 this will become the “CUTEST DOG COSTUME” award.

• Best dressed dog/human duo - Stephanie Marelli and her dog, Buddy, as the cast of “Toy Story”. Stephanie was “Jessie”!

• Best in Show - Brielle Dolack, her dog Partner and Chris Cuomo and for their group Jurassic Park outfi ts.

Pet Supplies Plus Owner Barbara Grobert commented “It was a beautiful day and it was a great turnout,” She continued “I’m so happy that everyone came out and happy to be a part of the community.”

Students Benefi t

The funds were raised through the Registrations for the competing dogs in costume and via the sale of 50/50 raffl e  tickets. Half of the proceeds went to the winner, and the other half went into the Florham Park Rotary Scholarship Fund. The winner did not need to be present, and indeed in this case the Florham Park Rotary made arrangements to send the winner their check. The fundraiser contributes to the Rotary Scholarship for graduating high school students resident in Florham Park who have a record of volunteerism and the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”.

George Gregor, a member of the Florham Park Rotary Club, said this is one of the best events of the season and is essential to sustaining scholarship funds to help students get to college.

Simone Campbell, president of the Florham Park Rotary, was among those on hand to lend her support to the event. Later, she was happy to observe that “This event has now become a ‘staple of the community’ which can only serve to enhance presence in the community for Pet Supplies Plus and our club.”

Several youth volunteers

helped out the day of the event, including several from Hanover Park High School and a group of seventh graders from the St. Rose of Lima Church in East Hanover. They took pictures, kept the dog bowls fi lled with water, handled the  ice cream and snacks table, and the coffee table, and more.

Special guests included members from the Florham Park Police Department, and investigator Ashley Craig and Cpl. Laura Bertelli – as McGruff the Crime Dog – from

the Morris County Sheriff’s Offi ce.

In closing, Florham Park Rotary Club Sergeant-atArms Peter Nicolas said: “On behalf of Pets Supplies Plus and the Florham Park Rotary, we would like to thank all the people who came out with their dogs to participate in this fundraiser. “Doing so led to another successful event and thus this spring when we are reviewing applications, a Florham Park student may be able to receive a scholarship for

their volunteerism. That’s a pretty big deal in a town which prides itself as a ‘Community of Volunteers.’ We’ll look for-

ward to the 3rd Annual Halloween Dog Parade and Costume Contest next October.”

East Hanover Columbus Day Celebration Kick Off

Hanover Park Regional High School District Facility Improvement Plan

HANOVER PARK - The

both Hanover Park High School and Whippany Park High School

original from the

sometimes, cost, prohibitive. We have now reached the point that we must invest a considerable amount of money to make necessary improvements. This investment is expected to mitigate future costs for the district and its taxpayers.

The Hanover Park Regional High School District Board of

Education will ask residents to vote on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m., on  funding for facility improvements at both high schools.

Additional information related to the facility improvement plan could be found by going to www.hpreg.org.

What’s happening in your school or organization?

Celebrating a special birthday, anniversary, graduation? Have a human interest story or something you would like to share?

Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

Mathew

Kranc with former Bishop of the Paterson diocese Bishop Arthur Serritelli.

The Bishop attended the mass because he speaks fl uent  Italian.

Saint Clare’s

Let’s Talk Health: AquablationThe Most Advanced Treatment for Enlarged Prostate

MARK J. BONAMO STAFF WRITER

AREA - An enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperpla sia (BPH) is a common health issue for men, particularly as they get older. According to Dr. Saman Moazami, Urologist at Saint Clare’s Health, men suf fer from the many uncomfort able and disruptive symptoms, and often delay seeking pro fessional solutions from a urol ogist. At Saint Clare’s Health, a new and advanced treatment for enlarged prostate known as Aquablation, provides an effec tive method to treat BPH while minimizing risk and worry.

The road to Aquablation be gins with identifying the symp toms of an enlarged prostate.

Dr. Moazami notes that some of the most common symptoms are a weak urine stream, in creased daytime frequency and urgency to urinate, waking up multiple times at night, and the sensation of incomplete blad der emptying. This can ulti mately lead to increased stress on the bladder.

“Increased pressure on the bladder, results in men having a sensation of urgency and fre quency, feeling as though they need to frequently urinate,” Dr. Moazami explained. This can be quite disruptive to a life style. For example, men may need to locate the nearest re stroom, stop frequently on road trips, or leave work meetings. “Patients can also have urinary incontinence or leakage asso ciated with enlarged prostate.

In the most severe cases, they can’t urinate at all, which can be life threatening.”

Dr. Moazami pointed out an initial approach in treating this condition, is the introduction of behavioral modifications. For example, reducing the intake of caffeine and alcohol, partic ularly in the evening is helpful. There can be other bladder ir ritants, too, such as spicy and acidic foods. Patients are also counseled on limiting food and fluid intake to three or four hours prior to bedtime. “Over all, we work together with

patients to determine the best treatment course in order to achieve relief of their symp toms.”

If behavioral modification is not sufficient, then alternative options are considered. An en larged prostate is essentially a blockage of the lower urinary tract that can regularly be ad dressed with medication. The often-prescribed medication Flomax (Tamsulosin) works by relaxing the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck.

Dr. Saman Moazami - Urologist, Saint Clare’s Health

New Pastor Leads Kitchell Memorial Presbyterian Church into its 125th Year

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

EAST HANOVER - Hannah Faye Allred was interviewed for the pastor position of East Hanover’s Kitchell Memorial Presbyterian Church in late March of this year, and she started that new role on April 4, the Monday prior to Holy Week.

“It was something,” Allred says. “There’s that silly expression ‘Like drinking water from a fi re hydrant.’ I can’t  think of a more accurate way of describing that fi rst week.  My very fi rst Sunday in the  pulpit was on Palm Sunday. In that Holy Week time you have Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and then of course you have Easter Sunday.

In a normal week, you are putting together one bulletin, one sermon, one order of worship, etc. That very fi rst week on the  job, I was putting together four separate services. I didn’t have a lot of wiggle room, and I just jumped right in. And thankfully, this church has just been so wonderful and loving and supportive. We just kind of made our way through the week together.”

Allred’s offi cial Ordination  and Installation as Kitchell pastor took place on May 22,  2022.

Allred has what she calls a “sweet congregation” at Kitchell, which turns 125 years old  in 2023. “They’ve been around

since 1898. It’s a congregation that’s been through a lot. They’ve survived periods of real fi nancial scarcity and fi nancial abundance, and I feel - as is true of denominations across the country – the church has declined quite a bit over the last few generations. So, they’re sort of renewing and reimagining themselves as the church that they are now, which is a smaller and older congregation, but one that is still full of life and hope for the future. They really want to be sort of a light and stakeholder in the community of East Hanover again, like they used to be in the past. I feel incredibly lucky to be starting my ministry journey here, because I think there really is something special about this place and what they want to do and grow into. It’s a lovely group.”

Allred, originally from Texas, went to college in Oklahoma, where she met her husband Patrick, who currently works at First Presbyterian Church in Morristown. She then attended Union Theological Seminary in New York City. “I felt a very strong and profound call to ministry, which was a really confusing thing because I didn’t really have a lot of context for that,” Allred says. “I didn’t see a lot of that represented in my upbringing. And so, thankfully, it was professors and other people who took a vested interest in me during college that sort of kind of put me on that trajectory.” Allred fi rst worked for  the Brick Presbyterian Church in the City of New York on the Upper East side, and then for First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York in West Village. Deciding that the big

town was too fast paced for her family which now included young children (daughter Jane is two and son Henry is fi ve),  Allred and her husband began to look for something smaller and slower paced on the western side of the Hudson River. Coincidentally, someone from Kitchell called her. Allred relives the conversation. “They started talking to me about this small but mighty little group of people who have a big vision, and they really want to try some new things. I thought, ‘This is really interesting. Now this sounds kind of fun and exciting.”

Allred is bringing new initiatives to her congregation. In addition to its current on-going bible study, a possible once a month zoom meeting evening bible study is being formed. “It is not necessarily a new, groundbreaking idea, but we’re just trying to do whatever we can to be more accessible to anyone who would like to explore themselves spiritually, or be more involved with the church, but have not been able to do so because of work commitments or what have you,” Allred says. Also, the Parish Life Committee is working hard on several things, such as a Christmas tree lighting at the church with the community invited. “And then within worship, liturgically speaking, we

have a new idea for Reformation Sunday. We’re going to do a Lessons and Carols service that we haven’t done before.

That’s normally something reserved for Advent season,” she adds. “Just fi nding ways of taking what Kitchell already is so good at - this loving, nurturing community - and just taking

Let’s Talk Health...

FROM PAE 10

However, there can be complications such as abnormal ejaculation, dizziness, and orthostatic hypotension. This is when a person’s blood pressure drops precipitously when standing up too quickly. While the majority of men tolerate medications with minimal to no side effects, many will require further treatment in the form of a surgical intervention.

This is where Aquablation comes in. Aquablation therapy is a robotic assisted procedure that removes prostate tissue using the power of water. The treatment, which can be used on any size prostate, is performed in a hospital under anesthesia. The procedure typically takes less than an hour, and may involve an overnight stay.

Before the recent advent of Aquablation, the most common type of surgery was the transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) procedure. A TURP removes the obstructive prostate tissue by using a heatbased system, such as laser or cautery, to resect the tissue, and is limited to specifi c prostate  size.

Aquablation has more than one important difference from

TURP. First, it is the only procedure that combines a camera (called a cystoscope) with ultrasound imaging, giving the surgeon the ability to see the entire prostate in real time. The addition of ultrasound imaging in Aquablation therapy, allows the surgeon to map the desired area of tissue removal.

With the precise treatment plan in place, a robotically controlled, heat-free waterjet removes the prostate tissue that has been mapped out. This robotic technology minimizes human error in removing critical prostate tissue, and ensures the prostate tissue is removed precisely, consistently, and predictably. This precision allows the surgeon to map around the parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications, such as ejaculatory dysfunction and incontinence.

Dr. Moazami emphasizes that this advancement in medical technology can make a signifi cant difference in the  post-treatment life of his patients.

“There is a misconception thinking the robots are going to come in and do the job. It’s actually a physician-led robotic assistant that allows for posi-

that faith and that community and putting them back into East Hanover, and putting that faith into action.”

Kitchell Memorial Presbyterian Church is located at 469 Ridgedale Avenue in East Hanover. For more information, visit www.kitchellchurch.org.

tive outcomes,” Dr. Moazami said. “When it comes to sexual issues arising from BPH treatments, it’s an important part of the decision making process for patients. Aquablation lets patients worry less about what comes after prostate surgery, and to focus more on improving their urinary symptoms.”

Dr. Moazami knows men may be worried about prostate issues as they age. For men in their 60s, it has been reported  that up to 70 percent will have  some sort of issue with their prostate. As men age, this number continues to rise. However, Dr. Moazami assures his patients that the care they receive at Saint Clare’s Health is exceptional. “Men can be confi dent that they will receive treatment with the most advanced technology, close to home. The best in class care you receive at Saint Clare’s Health from clinically advanced physicians is what I would want for my family and myself. On all levels, Saint Clare’s Health delivers high quality care.”

For more information on Aquablation, please visit https://www.saintclares.com/ services/surgical-services/ aquablation/

Hannah Faye Allred and her family (courtesy of Hannah Faye Allred)

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

EAST HANOVER - When you look at an overhead photo of the Highground Veterans Memorial Park, the fi rst thing that  catches your eye is the American fl ag fl ying high over the  property.

“Yes, it is,” says Tom Miller, whose dream of having a site for veterans to be remembered in his home state has been realized. “That (the fl ag)  was the fi rst thing we put at the  Highground.”

For the current East Hanover resident, it all started on a Vietnam battlefi eld, when  Miller held in his arms the body of his good friend and partner, Jack Swender, who had been killed by gunfi re.  “Jack, he had a baby face, and he was a really nice man who would do anything for anybody. He was really my partner on the radio; I’d either carry the radio or he’d carry the radio. Just a great kid.” Miller pauses briefl y, then continues.  “I started thinking about it on my trip out to Washington D.C. in 1982 for the dedication of

The Highground Veterans Memorial Park: It Started with a Dream

the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial,” says Miller, who lived in Wisconsin at the time.

“We went all the way down to Washington from Wisconsin, and I said, ‘People shouldn’t have to travel that far. Let’s do something to remember Jack close by, so that’s when we started.”

A Board of Directors was selected in 1984, the Highground Veterans Memorial Park was incorporated in 1985, and a location of 500,000 acres  was found in Neillsville.

Chris Pettis has been the Highground Veterans Memorial Park Executive Director for a little more than two years. He and his staff welcome roughly 55,000 to 60,000 visitors a year to the site. “Our mission is to honor, educate, and heal,” says Pettis, “and the opportunity for anyone to be able to come to the park and refl ect back on their service.

It’s a place of healing and remembrance. Families come here and have the ability to honor their loved one and in

a little bit different way, and of course we’re here to provide education to anybody. A lot of times, you drive through smaller towns and you see these small veteran memorials honoring veterans that are no longer with us. We do that too, but we also take care of those that are still with us.”

The Highground offers veteran retreats, male and female, at two different times of the year, has started a guitar lesson program where they buy guitars for veterans and pay for an instructor to come

Morris Museum Offers Something for All

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

AREA - The Morris Museum prepares to celebrates 110  years in 2023, and things keep  getting better and better.

With a wonderful mixture of education and entertainment, all age groups are covered at this wonderful location at 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morristown.

“Gaby led the implementation of the Smithsonian Spark!Lab, and we just celebrated its one-year anniversary here, which is a huge endeavor for the museum,” says Morris Museum Director of Marketing and Communications, Marcus Romero.

Gaby Meyer is entering her second year as Director of Education at the Morris Museum, which welcomes school groups from preschool to 12th grade.  “We have a bunch of programs for school visits and camps,” says Meyer. “Spark!Lab really helped to bring school groups back into the museum. It is from the Smithsonian and it is a hands-on invention space that incorporates the engineering design process. It allows everyone to act as an inventor, to create or innovate or tweak or change some sort of material. We have six different stations with things that range from a wind tunnel to build a vehicle to a towering teeter table. We have an exploratory phase place for our youngest

friends, which is zero to fi ve.  There really is something for everybody. And what’s nice is in the world of STEM education, this fi ts very well into the  curricular standards that are not only New Jersey-based but nationwide, where kids are encouraged to think of things in a different way.”

The Morris Museum always has a tour or activity that’s based around current exhibitions. “We have for the fall the same type of idea, where it’s a specialized tour and then an activity, and that exists for our Native American Gallery, our dinosaur gallery, our rocks and mineral gallery, and then the two galleries that have just opened and we have programming for that,” says Meyer.

“The museum and it’s over 100 years of existence  has been so many different things,” says Brett Messenger, Curatorial Director of the Bickford Theater. “And I think at a certain point, it was trying to be everything to everybody. In the last few years, the Board of Trustees and the staff here have really examined the resources we have, and what’s the most dynamic way we can serve this community and where do we fi t into  this cultural landscape.” A lot of the museum’s attention is in its Moving Art and Musical Machines: The Guinness Collection, which is one of the most signifi cant collections in

in and help vets learn how to play the instrument (“Hopefully they can be able to heal from the music,” Pettis says), and the Highground also has a family peer-to-peer support group that is in its fi fth month  and just keeps growing. For further pondering, there are also four miles of walking trails through the woods.

Pettis provides an update on the site for 2023. “If all  goes well, we’re going to be breaking ground on our new Welcome Center. Right now, we’re an outdoor park. We have a museum that is a residence that we’ve converted that we have severely outgrown due to the wonderful donations of family, and artifacts and military memorabilia. And then, if we’re having inclement weather and we’re having an event, there’s no place for anybody to go. This 12,000 square foot Welcome  Center is going to have our gift shop in it, our museum, indoor meeting space for roughly 150  people, a small chapel, andsomething that’s very import-

ant to me - a counseling room.

If I have a veteran that’s here that’s in crisis, I’ve got a place to take that individual and have a conversation with them while I’m waiting on a mental health professional. And at the end of the day, I’d like to have a clinician on staff, or I’d like to be able to offer that room up to any traveling clinician that would be interested in utilizing that facility as a means of therapy for any of their patients.”

Miller is proudly amazed at how his dream has grown. “I didn’t realize how big it became until the other day, when I was looking down at all my

notes and pictures and everything else, trying to get something for a book that they’re publishing,” says Miller. “The staff, Board of Directors, and the volunteers made it happen. They all came together. They’re all dedicated, especially the staff and the volunteers. They’re a phenomenal bunch. It’s at the center of the state which was one of the important parts. It’s really just top notch.”

The Highground Veterans Memorial Park is located at W7031 W Ridge Road in  Neillsville, Wisconsin. Visit www.thehighground.us for more information.

The Highground Veterans Memorial Park in Neillsville, Wisconsin

Jack Swender Photos courtesy of Tom Miller

Youngsters taking part in Spark!Lab (credit: Marcus Romero)

New Jersey Based Man First Bodyguard Awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

- New Jersey-based celebrity bodyguard, Adriano “Bubba” Almony, is the fi rst in  his profession to be awarded a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award as a Humanitarian honoree.

“Just to be a part of history, to be recognized on such a high, prestigious honor scale, that just shows people as well in my industry that you don’t just focus on being a bodyguard,” Almony says. “Obviously when you’re working, yes, be focused, be sharp, be proactive visually; be the best man and bodyguard you can be. But even outside of that, most importantly, be a leader. Get involved in your com-

munity, get to know people. If you have an opportunity to help children, whether it’s self-defense or mentoring, or volunteering with nonprofi ts  in your communities, whatever it is, just be of service.”

Almony will receive his award on December 4, 2022  at the Hotel ZaZa in Houston, Texas. The recognition comes from President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. That afternoon, Almony will also receive special congressional recognition from Texas Congresswoman, Sheila Jackson Lee.

Almony, 28, is originally  from Hanover, Pennsylvania, and in fi fth grade moved to

Ocean City, Maryland, where he grew up for the vast majority of his life. A Stephen Decatur High School graduate in 2012, he thereafter headed  for the Metropolitan area, and has resided in Fairfi eld, New  Jersey the past four years.

The owner of Bubba Almony Security Services, he recalls being bullied as a youngster, and suffering from abuse and neglect. He is only now truly opening up about both, and oftentimes he still faces these same challenges. “I’m learning to start to give my testimony,” Almony says. “Even as I was older, even with being an advocate for anti-bullying and for mental health, I experienced bullying as well, being I was on the frontlines with these things. A lot of people overlook that, but when you’re an advocate for something, sometimes you take on the problems head on, or you may experience your own trials and tribulations. I think it’s pretty impressive, though, if you can be a child at one point, you’re going through abuse, and then go on to be somebody who has protected some of the top names. As a respected leader in the industry, I think it just shows people that no matter what you’re going through, if it’s domestic bullying, abuse, anything toxic, you can overcome that. You can be something amazing. And without the struggle, you don’t develop strength. Sometimes we have to appreciate the struggle.”

Almony’s bodyguard services protects a number of well known celebrities and their families, such as Dr. Khalilah Camacho-Ali, the

wife of four-time heavyweight boxing champion, Muhammad Ali, and her children, real estate tycoon Grant Cardone and his wife, Elena Lyons Cardone, P. Diddy’s children, and he also serves as a bodyguard at events, like the 10X Growth  Conference (“the number one business event as voted by Forbes,” Almony says), and the 9/11 Memorial Commemoration in New York City.

Almony gives his defi nition  of humanitarian. “A true humanitarian is somebody who understands most importantly over anything, money or monetary, giving your time, giving your words, just making people smile with a simple hug, handshake, or a fi st bump,”  he says. “Praying for others, using your voice and platform and infl uence - all of those  amazing things. A lot of people think to be a humanitarian you have to have millions and millions of dollars to help others, but it’s just simply not true. You just have to have a passion to want to volunteer and coach and mentor, and all those are things that I’ve been able to do on a consistent, persistent basis of just being involved. That’s very import-

ant.”

Adriano “Bubba” Almony has realized many dreams in his own life, and he encourages others not to give up on theirs. “Pursue your dreams. and don’t limit your dreams – dream as big as you can. Whether you want to be the Governor, the next President, the next award-winning body-

Morris Museum...

the world of music boxes, automatic musical instruments, and automata. Adds Messenger, “That’s also about the history of music and technology, of art and technology. So it relates directly to what Gaby is doing in Spark!Lab, where these kids are. You see them walking in and coming out with such a twinkle in their eyes as they’re doing these really dynamic projects, and then they walk into the Guinness collection or one of our art exhibitions and see it in a different way. So, that also informs how I conceive of live arts at the Morris Museum; really looking at us as a place that can do things that are innovative, that involves technology, that are as entertaining as they are challenging, that make you look at something in a new way.”

Meyer and Messenger have been working hand-in-hand building theater experiences that have ties and links to activities, exhibitions, and Spark!Lab, exploring options

out there so that children and family experiences can be multifaceted. “They can enjoy something amazing that Brett’s been able to fi nd, and  then we’re able to support in a back end, so it’s not a one off,” says Meyer. “It’s part of an entire day. It leaves a mark and a memory, and really secures or cements some of the ideas or the principles or the themes of the show, but that is in the works. I’m excited to have that be such a unique experience which is not currently offered anywhere else.”

According to Messenger, there are some things that really honor the history of the Bickford Theater, and one thing is its long standing Jazz series, which has enjoyed great success. Now, the theater also welcomes artists creating unique and unusual works, whose practices engage with technology in different ways.

“A place where lots of world premieres are happening of works that will be performed in many other cities and other communities,” says Messen-

guard, the next elite martial artist, whatever you want to be, put your head down every day and go to work. Pray and keep pushing, and put God fi rst in your life, and anything  will happen for you, anything is possible. Just remember to be the best person you can be, and never forget where you come from.”

ger, who then mentions another new, key component of the museum and theater’s offerings. “During the pandemic, when theatres went dark and obviously everyone that was in charge of theater wanted to fi nd a way to connect artists and audiences as soon as possible, we were really, really lucky. In July of 2020, we built  a stage on the elevated parking deck behind the museum, and we started the Back Deck, where we’ve had now 70 performances over the last three years. But for a short period of time, in addition to our jazz series, we were doing classical music out there, and we were really the only presenter of classical music in the United States.” The full Orpheus Chamber Orchestra performed last April at the Bickford Theater, and will return in November (with pianist Angela Hewitt) in the spring of 2023.

For more information about the Morris Museum, visit www.morrismuseum.org.

ENTERTAINMENT

BY DANA JACKSON

Q: Whatever happened to Sandra Bernhard? I remember her funny appearances on the “Late Night with David Letterman,” and she was in a few movies, but I haven’t seen her in decades. Is she still in showbiz?

-- H.U.

A: The now 67-year-old actress Sandra Bernhard started out in stand-up comedy, before landing a scene-stealing role of a stalker in the Martin Scorsese film “The King of Comedy,” opposite Robert DeNiro. She followed that with more than 20 appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman” and also landed a recurring role on the hit sitcom “Roseanne” for several seasons.

In recent years, she’s had regular roles on sitcoms like “2 Broke Girls” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” as well as two Ryan-Murphy-produced series “Pose” and “American Horror

Story.” Her biggest missed opportunity, though, was turning down the role of Miranda on “Sex and the City” due to “low pay” and a “terrible” script at the time. Cynthia Nixon went on to become a household name after being cast in the role, but Bernhard told Howard Stern in an interview that she doesn’t regret her decision.

Fortunately, she’s part of the Murphy universe and has a role in the new season of “American Horror Story: NYC” on the FX channel. She also recently wrapped filming for the upcoming comedy film “Out of Order!” starring Brooke Shields and Brandon Routh.

***

Q: When are the Hallmark Christmas movies starting? With Christmas decorations in stores already, do the movies start in October, too? -- Y.J.

A: As a matter of fact, yes,

Celebrity Extra

Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas” schedule starts with the movie “Noel Next Door” on Friday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m ET, starring Natalie Hall and Corey Sevier. On Oct. 30, Kim Matula and Ian Harding star in “Ghosts of Christmas Always” at 8 p.m. ET on the Hallmark Channel. The schedule really picks up in November and, of course, throughout December, with holiday films featuring favorites like Alison Sweeney, Aimee Teegarden, Jack Wagner and more.

Holiday-themed TV movies aren’t exclusive to the Hallmark franchise. The Lifetime network has just as many Christmas movies. Mario Lopez, Maria Menounos, Patti LaBelle and Jana Kramer are part of the Lifetime lineup. Even streaming giant Netflix has gotten into the game, with original movies like “Falling for Christmas,”

which marks Lindsay Lohan’s big comeback, premiering Nov. 10.

***

Q: Are the Golden Globe Awards ever coming back to television? The Emmy Awards now resemble them, with celebrities sitting at tables nearby each other, but I wish the Emmys would go back to rows of seating like the Oscars. -- G.H.

A: Yes, the Golden Globe Awards will return with a televised ceremony on NBC Jan. 10, 2023, preceded by the nominations being announced on Dec. 12. The network skipped broadcasting it last year, after record-low ratings in 2021 and the discovery that there were no African Americans among its 87-member voting organization, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. With a more-diversified panel and a post-pandemic increase in movie ticket

Couch Theater

BY DEMI TAVERAS

“A Friend of the Family” (TV-MA) -- While the kidnappings of Jan Broberg have been covered in the media before (a Net ix documentary titled “Abducted in Plain Sight” was a hot topic when it was released in 2017), Peacock has decided to adapt the true story into a miniseries starring Jake Lacy and Anna Paquin. Lacy portrays the perpetrator, Robert Berchtold, who nosed his way into the Broberg family with the intent of developing intimate relationships with not only the Broberg parents, but the children as well -- specically Jan, who was kidnapped by him two separate times in 1974 and in 1976. e series has been praised for its focus on the victims, rather than the abuser, which is no doubt in uenced

by Jan Broberg herself serving as executive producer for the show. Out now. (Peacock)

“Luckiest Girl Alive” (R) -- Before Ani Fanelli was a 30-year-old hotshot writer living in New York, awaiting a grandiose wedding to the love of her life, she was a young girl named Tifani, who was just trying to nd a place for herself in the world. Her rst taste of luxury only came a er she received a scholarship to a prestigious private school, the turning point that would alter the course of her life. e dark events that took place at the school would come to follow and haunt her to the current day, and until she turns around to face her trauma in the eye, Tifani cannot truly become Ani. Mila Kunis plays the (un)

luckiest girl alive in this mystery thriller lm out now. (Netix)

“Run Sweetheart Run” (R) -- From horror powerhouse Blumhouse Productions, this psychological thriller stars Ella Balinska (“Charlie’s Angels”) and Pilou Asbaek (“Game of rones”). Balinska plays Cherie, a woman usually absorbed in her work, as she gets set up on a blind date with a man named Ethan. A er Ethan charms her with a wonderful night out, she’s le swooning at the end of their date. Little does she know that as she accepts an invitation into his home, he has pulled her into a violent, deadly game of cat and mouse. Narrowly escaping his home, Cherie must run for her life around her city to run from Ethan, who

somehow lurks at every corner. Out on Oct. 28. (Prime Video)

“Matriarch” (NR) -- As Hulu’s month-long Halloween event, Huluween, continues, this original folk horror lm from the streaming service might be its most terrifying release this year. Twenty years a er running away from her home, an advertising executive named Laura reaches rock bottom in her struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. Upon receiving a call from her mother a er Laura mysteriously survives an overdose, she decides to pay her rst visit back to her mother. But right away, Laura notices that something’s o about the village, where no one has aged in the last two decades, and she begins experiencing horrifying paranormal

Gloria La Forgia

“Your Neighborhood Expert”

Gloria began her real estate career in 1994 and enjoys working with

and

from first-time home

to

in all price categories, and has sold over 420 homes / over 200 million dollars. An expert in Morris and Essex Counties, Gloria is “The East Hanover Specialist”-to date has listed and sold more homes in her hometown of East Hanover than any other Realtor. She has built The La-Forgia Group, consisting of herself, two buyers agents and her assistant. Business has grown rapidly, largely as a re sult of referrals and returning clients.

In this ever-changing market, all the more reason you will need a seasoned agent to help you through the process. We were seeing offers anywhere from $10,000-$200,000 above list price. This is due to the fact there is low inventory and a surplus of buyers. It has calmed down a bit. However, it is still a sellers’ market!

Giving back to the community is always important. Gloria sponsors local baseball, football and soccer leagues along with contributing to the local church bulletin and various other charities. Weichert Realtors and its agents contribute yearly through various fundraisers to the American Breast Cancer Society.

Gloria’s clients can count on her to guide them through each step of a real estate transaction and will receive quick responses to all forms of messaging. She understands that a real estate transaction may be the largest financial agreement clients will ever make and is extremely dedicated to helping them through this technical process. In addition to Gloria’s knowledge of her market, she is an internet specialist and a formidable negotiator, all of which helps her sellers achieve faster sales at optimal prices. Gloria is an award winning marketing specialist - which is of the utmost importance when selling your home. Videos are the way to go when listing your home and nobody does it better than our team of professional photographers and videographers - 89 Productions.

“My goal is to make each and every transaction as seamless and stress free as possible. Selling Homes Safely!! Serving East Hanover and the surrounding towns since 1994”. NCJAR DISTINGUISHED SALES MEMBER. CRS - MEMBER OF NCJAR AND NJMLS

FOR A FREE

TO

Jake Lacy stars as Robert Berchtold in “A Friend of the Family.” Photo Credit: Peacock visions that make her past troubles seem miniscule. Out now. (Hulu)

(c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

Sandra Bernhard (“American Horror Story” and “Pose”). Photo Credit: Depositphotos sales, it’s hoped that the Golden Globes can return to being a celebrated, fun event. Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.

com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

(c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

Gloria Gaynor- Performing Arts

Born into a musical household in Newark, New Jersey, Gloria Gaynor has been singing for as long

she

remember. She had many disco era hits, including “I Will Survive” (1978), “Let Me Know (I

a Right)” (1979), and “I Am What I Am” (1983).

Buddy Valastro- Enterprise

Baker and reality television personality Bartolo “Buddy” Valastro was born in Hoboken, New Jersey. He is the owner of Carlos’ Bakery, which is the main subject of the TLC television series Cake Boss.

Harlan Coben- Arts and Letters

With more than seventy-five million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous suspense novels, including The Boy from the Woods, Run Away, Don’t Let Go, Home, and Fool Me Once, as well as the multi-award-winning Myron Bolitar series. He is also the creator and executive producer of many television shows, including several critically acclaimed Netflix Original drama series including The Stranger starring Richard Armitage, Safe starring Michael C. Hall and The Woods from Netflix Poland. Coben is developing 14 projects with Netflix in the US and internationally, including original series in Spain (The Innocent), France (Gone for Good), the UK (Stay Close) and the USA (Six Years).

Al Leiter- Sports

A native of Berkeley Township, New Jersey, Al Leiter is a former professional baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He pitched 19 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, and the New York Mets. He is formerly a color commentator for the YES Network and 2016 Marlins Fox Sports Florida game analyst. Leiter is currently an advisor for baseball operations with the NY Mets and a studio analyst for MLB Network.

Steven Van Zandt- Performing Arts This Middletown Township, New Jersey native is a singer, songwriter, musician, producer, actor, activist, and author. He is best known for playing guitar and mandolin in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. He appears in several television drama series, starring as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos (1999–2007) and as Frank Tagliano in Lilyhammer (2012–2014). Since the 1980s, he has produced music through his own solo band called Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul.

Millicent Fenwick- Public Service

Fenwick represented New Jersey for four terms as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1983-1987, and she was outspoken about civil rights and the women’s movement. She spent her last years at home in Bernardsville, New Jersey.

The New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs Announces New President Shirley Holly

AREA - The New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC), the largest volunteer women’s organization in the state, is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Board President Shirley Holly of Barnegat, NJ. Holly has been a clubwoman for 33 years and served on the NJSFWC Board in various roles since 1998, as well as the national General Federation of Women’s Clubs Board since 2002. Holly’s history of public service extends outside of the women’s clubs as well; she was President of the Barnegat Education Foundation for five years, PTA President for six years, and a 13-year Girl Scout Leader. Holly has volunteered for Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for 27 years and is a four-time puppy raiser for Canine Companions for Independence. Holly works full time as a Media Specialist for Russell O. Brackman Middle School.

“I am honored to lead NJSFWC, an organization that has meant so much to me, for the next two years,” said NJSFWC President Shirley Holly. “Sisterhood and service are vital to our cultural fabric, especially as we come out of the pandemic and a time of strife and isolation. I look forward to bringing everyone together to support great causes and to grow our community for generations to come.”

Holly’s administration, which will run through May of 2024, will support the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for its Special State Project. The

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (ECF) provides New Jersey families facing the crisis of pediatric cancer a place to turn for comfort and support through professional in-home counseling and a uniquely tailored package of assistance –all free-of-charge. Each year, ECF helps hundreds of families in New Jersey with a free package of support services. They assist any New Jersey family with a child who has cancer ages 0-18, regardless of race, creed, socioeconomic status, or any other demographic restriction. They continue helping the families for as long as they need it, whether it be one month or 10 years. There are no applications, forms, or other red tape for a family to deal with – they strive to make the delivery of services as quick and seamless as possible. To date, ECF has assisted over 2000 families.

Holly is joined on the executive leadership team by President-Elect Barbara McCloskey, 1st Vice President Susan Chambers, and 2nd Vice President Chris Sienkielewski.

Barbara McCloskey, of Rockaway, has been a member of NJSFWC since 1987, joining the Denville/Rockaway Junior Woman’s Club, where she served as President. McCloskey is presently a member of the GFWC Woman’s Club of the Denville-Rockaway Area, the GFWC Woman’s Club of Boonton, The Past President’s Club of the Highlands District, and the Phoenix Club. She was employed for 18 years as the Membership

& Outreach Manager for the Land Conservancy of New Jersey, where she coordinated one-day stewardship projects with corporate volunteers and managed their community garden. Her goal for the next two years is to is work closely with local clubs to develop potential leaders, and promote the benefits of the NJSFWC to their clubs.

Susan Chambers, of Oradell, has previously served on the NJSFWC Board as Palisades District Vice President; Special State Project Chairman for Prevent Child Abuse - NJ; Health and Wellness Chairman; and Third Vice Presi-

dent/Membership Chairman. She is a member of the Book and Needle Woman’s Club of Oradell, having served as their Co-President and in several other Board positions. She was a trustee of the Oradell Public School Board of Education; a Board member of the Oradell Arts and Business Coalition; and Secretary of the Oradell Community Outreach Committee. Chambers is also a lifetime Girl Scout and a certified Mental Health First Aid Responder.

Chris Sienkielewski, of South Plainfield, has been a member of NJSFWC since 1984. She served as the New

Jersey State Director of Junior Clubs 1996-1998, and subsequently served twenty years on the GFWC Board of Directors in various Board positions in education, resolutions, leadership, conservation, and violence against women. After over two decades as a teacher and school director, she has used these skills to begin her own educational consulting business training teachers in preschool, elementary and adult education. Sienkielewski’s focus during this administration will be membership cultivation.

“I’m thrilled to have Barbara McCloskey, Susan Cham-

bers, and Chris Sienkielewski on my Executive Board. The diversity of their combined experiences – both as volunteer and professionals – will make a strong and dynamic team to grow our membership and inspire local New Jersey clubs to participate in all NJSFWC has to offer,” said NJSFWC President Shirley Holly.

NJSFWC is part of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. Learn more about NJSFWC at www.njsfwc.org

East Hanover/Florham Park Life is 100% mailed to local residents and businesses

We offer local news, informative articles, community happenings and online advertising

No long term commitments, free artwork and personal marketing guidance

Servicing Morris, Passaic, Essex and Warren Counties

Barbara Freda Marketing Sales Associate

IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER READING THIS, SO IS YOUR BEST CUSTOMER We can help build and brand your business

Advertise with East Hanover/Florham Park Life

Cooler weather arrives just as prime entertaining season heats up. Those who will be hosting gatherings soon can expand their recipe repertoire to feed guests and keep them satisfied. Borrowing some flavors from the season can make entertaining festive and even more flavorful.

Pumpkins and winter squashes are popular in fall, and their versatility undoubtedly contributes to that popularity. However, when chilly days require something to warm you up from the inside out, nothing can beat a soothing soup. And soup recipes can be altered to easily feed a crowd.

Cooks can step out of their chicken soup comfort zones and try this recipe for “Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Pumpkin

Cool, crisp days call for comfort foods, like the classic flavors of traditional Italian cooking. Whether you’re Italian by heritage or simply by heart, learning the art of Italian cuisine may be easier than you may think.

Perfect your pasta game. Limp, mushy, overcooked pasta can ruin an otherwise delicious Italian dish. Aim for al dente pasta, which is soft but still firm. It’s important to note variables like the type of pasta, size of your pot and amount of water can all affect cooking time. Treat the package instructions as a guide and start taste testing 1-2 minutes before you expect it to be done.

Be choosy about your ingredients. Many of the best Italian dishes are incredibly simple, so it’s important to select quality ingredients that allow the flavors to really stand out. Made in Italy, Bertolli d’Italia sauces

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Delicious Soup Perfect for the Season

Crisps” from “The Complete Mexican, South American & Caribbean Cookbook” (Metro Books) by Jane Milton, Jenni Fleetwood and Marina Filippeli.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Pumpkin Crisps Serves 6 to 8 3 to 31⁄2 pounds pumpkin 6 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 3-inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Pinch of cayenne pepper 4 cups vegetable stock Salt and ground black pepper 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

For the pumpkin crisps

Wedge of fresh pumpkin, seeded 1⁄2 cup olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prick the pumpkin around the top several times with a fork. Brush the pumpkin with plenty of the oil and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Leave until cool enough to handle.

2. Take care when cutting the pumpkin, as there may still be a lot of hot steam inside. When cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard the seeds. Scoop out and chop the flesh.

3. Heat about 4 tablespoons of the remaining oil (you may not have to use all of it) in a large pan and add the onions, garlic and ginger, then cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the coriander, turmeric, and

cayenne, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin flesh and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender.

4. Cool the soup slightly, then puree it in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed out pan and season well.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin crisps. Using a swivel-blade potato peeler, pare long thin strips off the wedge of pumpkin. Heat the oil in a small pan and fry the strips in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

6. Reheat the soup and ladle it into bowls. Top with the pumpkin crisps and garnish each portion with sesame seeds and cilantro leaves.

Master the Art of Italian Comfort Cuisine

are available in premium red and white varieties to elevate the at-home culinary experience and bring the authentic and delicious flavors of Italy to your table. Every jar reflects more than 150 years of authentic Italian culinary tradition using high-quality ingredients like tomatoes vine-ripened under the Italian sun, finely aged Italian cheeses, fresh cream and Mediterranean olive oil.

Give seasonings time to simmer. Great things come to those who wait. That’s why the best Italian chefs sample their sauces along the way, adding and adjusting until the taste is just right. Then, they allow the ingredients to simmer together to create a perfectly balanced harmony of flavors.

Experiment with proteins and veggies. For many Italian recipes, you can create an entirely new dish by adding or swapping the protein and add-

ing fresh produce. Try introducing juicy strips of grilled chicken and fresh, steamed broccoli to an alfredo pasta like this Cavatelli with Cacio e Pepe Sauce. Or, if you’re a seafood lover, reimagine this Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Chicken by swapping in a mild white fish like halibut, cod or snapper.

Get cozy in your kitchen this fall with more comforting recipes at Bertolli.com

Cavatelli with Cacio e Pepe Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 Salt, to taste

1 box dry Cavatelli pasta 1 jar (16.9 ounces) Bertolli d’Italia Cacio e Pepe Sauce 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, or to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring large pot of cold water to boil. Salt water heavily.

Cook dry pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Strain pasta, reserving pasta water.

In large saucepan over low

heat, warm pasta sauce 3-5 minutes. Add 1-2 tablespoons pasta water.

Transfer cooked pasta to saucepan.

Stir and toss pasta approximately 30 seconds over medium heat to integrate it with sauce. Add pasta water as needed for creamier texture.

Plate pasta and top with finely grated Pecorino Romano and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Chicken Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 28 minutes

Servings: 6 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus additional, for garnish 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 6thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1large onion, thinly sliced 1 jar (24.7 ounces) Bertolli

d’Italia Marinara Sauce

2 cups multi-colored grape tomatoes, halved 2 stems cherry tomatoes on the vine 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In small bowl, whisk olive oil, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano until combined. Combine 2 tablespoons oil mixture and chicken in resealable plastic bag. Let stand 5-10 minutes at room temperature to marinate.

In medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil mixture over

medium heat. Add onions; cook 3-4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in marinara sauce. Pour mixture into lightly greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Arrange chicken breasts in dish, overlapping if necessary. Top with grape tomatoes and cherry tomato stems. Spoon remaining oil mixture over tomatoes. Bake, covered, 25 minutes, or until chicken is done (165 F) and tomatoes start to burst. Sprinkle with Parmesan, drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving. (Family Features)

Make Dinner Memorable with Manicotti

Few cuisine styles are as diverse and beloved as those that have been exported from the Mediterranean nation of Italy. From pasta to pizza and everything in between, the rich and savory flavors of Italian cuisine are enjoyed across the globe.

Italian restaurants can be found in many cities and towns throughout the world. However, it’s just as easy to create traditional, mouthwatering dishes at home with simple ingredients. Manicotti is a popular pasta dish that can be filled with cheese or other ingredients, and topped with a traditional tomato sauce or other saucy creations. The word “manicotti” is the plural form of “manicotto,” which translates to “little sleeves” in Italian. They’re meant to be stuffed and baked.

While manicotti may seem complex, they’re rather easy to prepare. Enjoy this recipe for “Mom’s Homemade Manicotti with Crepes (Crespelle)” courtesy of the blog 3 Italian Sisters (www.3italiansisters.com). They present well for the holidays or any special occasion. Mom’s Homemade Manicotti with Crepes (Crespelle) Yields approximately 20 crepes Serving size: 2 to 3 crepes per person Crepes 4 extra large eggs 1 cup flour 11⁄4 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Butter for pan Ricotta

skim or whole

1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, minced 1⁄2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese 2 extra large eggs, scrambled 1 pound mozzarella cheese cubed Salt and pepper to taste Premade tomato or meat sauce

Put all the crepe ingredients into a blender. Blend till smooth; scrape sides if necessary and blend again till all ingredients are blended well. Melt a little butter in a 9” nonstick frying pan over medium heat.

Pour in

If you

filling:

gredients

1

onto

in a

fill

all

of ricotta

oven to 350

large casserole pan with

Place single layer of rolled manicotti in the

serole pan on

of

of

Ladle thin

on

with