Hackettstown January 2021

Henderson & Neuberg, LLC Putting our clients first for over 30 years Certified Public Accountant Personal Financial Specialist

Peter G. Neuberg, CPA/PFS Peter.Neuberg@hendersonneuberg.com www.hendersonneuberg.com

No. 19 Vol. 1

www.mypaperonline.com

January 2021

245 Main Street Suite 201 Chester, NJ 07930

Phone: 908-879-7624 Fax: 908-879-2830

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mally conduct a special VIP reception to thank our corporate sponsors which this year we cancelled, yet NO ONE asked for a refund! Our committee included: Dawn Sullivan, Cheryl Alvarez, Danielle Mungiello , Jane DeWitt , Lisa Dimiceli, Katherine Ingrassia, Jeff Kronenfeld, Mary Maier, Monica Lemperle, Meghan Sandow, and Susan Sinclair. We also receive outstanding support from the Board at the Foundation for Hackettstown Medical Center.

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Vitamin D and Dental Implants

V

itamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants are all very important components in a person’s well-being. In our busy world, its easy to become deficient in many of these due to fast foods, processed foods, and the toll stress can take on a person.

Vitamin D is one of these extremely important vitamins. It is essential for absorption of calcium, muscle strength, immune system function, and deterrence of osteoporosis. It also has many other functions.

However, Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide public health problem that spans all ages. Epidemiological studies have shown roughly 70% of society is deficient. This is largely due to the number of desk-related jobs that don’t allow us to get enough sun exposure, which is the main source of this important vitamin. Vitamin D is found naturally in very few foods.

Within the last 10 years or so, we have realized the importance of vitamin D to the success of dental implants, and not having enough of it can be directly linked to implant failure. There are a number of studies revealing this correlation, but one paper evaluated 2,000 implants in roughly

1,000 patients. While heavy smoking (15 cigarettes per day) was associated with an approximate 50% increase in early implant failures, severe vitamin D deficiency was reported with a nearly 300% increase in overall implant failure! (Manganeo et al, 2019).

What happens if a dental implant fails due to insufficient vitamin D levels? Typically, we will see an “early stage failure.”

This means your bone does not integrate with the dental implant. For many years we did not know why a routine, simple implant placement procedure might fail: lately, we have been able to link it to poor bone metabolism, which is directly related to patients’ vitamin and mineral levels.

So what are good and bad levels, and what should your level be for dental implant surgery? A level below 20 ng/ml is deficiency. Optimal levels are 30 ng/ml.

If you are undergoing dental implant surgery, your level should be between 40 and 60 ng/ml. This is because stress (ie: dental surgery) will decrease your Vitamin D level.

Be careful: there is such a thing as vitamin D toxicity: too much of a good thing can be

bad. This level is defined as 150 ng/ml, or greater.

How can you test your Vitamin D level quickly and effectively? You can go to a lab such as Quest or Labcorp and utilize your medical insurance. As an alternative, a quick and simple in-office pin-prick test can be administered in the dental office.

Costs are around $90, and results are determined in approximately 10 minutes.

What can be done if your Vitamin D level is determined to be deficient? Dietary supplements of Vitamin D by itself will bring levels up to desirable amounts in 8 to 12 weeks. This is not conducive to moving forward with a dental implant procedure quickly. There is a supplement designed for dentistry and implant / bone grafting procedures that combines Vitamin D with other “co-factors” such as vitamin K, magnesium, calcium, and others: this supplement can decrease the “replenishment rate” down to 4 weeks. It is also recommended you continue the supplements for 2 weeks after the procedure.

Vitamin D cannot provide its benefits for bone metabolism on its own. That’s

why “co-factors” (mentioned above) are necessary. These co-factors allow your body to utilize and activate the Vitamin D. In conclusion, the world of dental implants has found a new level of respect for vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.

Overall health is important not only to your well-being, but also to the success of any dental implant procedure you might be considering!

About the author: Dr. Ira Goldberg has been performing implant procedures for 25 years. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology / Implant Dentistry, a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He performs all phases of implant dentistry at his office in Succasunna, NJ. He lectures to dentists in the field of implantology. For a free consultation, including a free 3-D scan (if necessary), please call his office at (973) 328-1225 or visit his website at www.MorrisCountyDentist.com Dr. Goldberg is a general dentist, and also a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.

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Mount Olive Middle School Foursome Starts Volunteer Tutoring Program

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By Steve Sears f you’re a pupil in 1st through 5th grade in a Mount Olive elementary school, and the subject of math is a thorn in your side, extra help has arrived.

Amblin Cabsaba, Riley and Robbie Cahili, and Thomaz Honda have formed “A.R.R.T of Tutoring.”

“Our name came from us combining the initials of each of our names together to make ‘A.R.R.T.’ (Amblin, Robbie, Riley, Thomaz),” says Honda. “Our logo was designed by Riley and Robbie Cahili, since they’re both very talented artists.”

A.R.R.T provides 30-minute one-on-one virtual tutoring sessions held after school, Monday through Friday, throughout the school year. Sessions currently focus on helping the student with any math topics they are learning in school.

The A.A.R.T. tutoring program is free, but the group does suggest if you wish to say thanks, doing so by contributing to the Mount Olive Food Pantry. “We also chose to ask for food pantry donations because so many people with service-based jobs lost all income overnight,” says Honda. “Food is an essential resource and is a sense of pride, to be able to provide food. Food is also a source of hope, that gives families the knowledge

that no matter how bad things get, there’ll always be a light at the end of the tunnel.”

The program started in November, but planning began in August. “We started our project in August, worked on creating the bookings and website through September, began “dry runs” with family members, and finally launched in November,” says Honda. The group’s efforts supplement the fine work educators and parents are doing. Honda says, “We first got the idea for the project when we saw that some kids - despite their teachers and parents’ best efforts – sometimes they have a need for extra help with their homework and classwork.”

“So far there’s been three,” says Cabsaba, when asked how many youngsters have approached A.R.R.T. for help.

Honda adds, “When we enter high school next year, we plan to stick only to math, although we plan to bring the bar up on who we’ll be teaching, expanding to middle school math.”

“Interaction,” says Cabsaba, is the biggest challenge for the A.R.R.T. team. “In class, teachers can come over to a student’s desk and go over what went wrong. Online and virtual learning, you have to show them through a screen, which can be a bit more difficult.”

Honda adds, “None of this would have been possible without the support of our parents (Ahmor Cabsaba, Elaine Cahili, and Mayumi Honda). They were always there to give us a little boost of energy whenever we weren’t feeling up to the task or giving suggestions on marketing and teaching techniques.”

If needing tutoring, visit www.arrt-tutors. com.

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This challenge is not limited to just the tutoring. Robbie Cahili explains. “Something that I think was a difficulty in doing the project was what Amblin said: we can’t actually go to the person we’re tutoring and tell them exactly what they did wrong. Sometimes we can’t really get together to discuss their correction and how to teach them the right way - unless they provide us the same input that everyone’s writing down. So, we have to collaborate with each other.”

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Recycling and Park Upgrades Coming to Mount Olive in 2021

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By Megan Roche esidents in Mount Olive have much to look forward to in the coming months.

Beginning in January, the Mount Olive Township administration is rolling out a new all-encompassing guide to recycling and trash pickup.

According to the township administrator, Andrew Tatarenko, the new guide will answer any and all questions that the public has about DPW. “We put together an annual recycling and sanitation guide. In the past we’ve had some complaints about our schedules not being consistent and residents not really knowing what branches they can put out, when is the chipper available, etc. We’ve put this guide together to educate the public on when all the services we offer are available,” Tatarenko said.

The process to streamline the information started late in 2020. The township printed guides and are in the process of mailing them to each home. If you don’t receive one, the guide is also available in a PDF on the township website. The printing of the guides was funded by a clean communities grant.

“The guide outlines everything that we have to offer. By using the guide, the public will know when and what type of service is available. It’s somewhat of a FAQ guide, but it’s more specific about all the

things we offer. Residents will find everything from when the recycling center is open to proper flag disposal, what to do with hazardous waste, tree branches, and the proper protocol of how to get rid of stuff,” Tatarenko said.

Park facilities will also see a facelift. The beginning talks are happening at the mayor and council level for upgrades at Valley Brook Park. According to Tatarenko, he now has a better conceptual plan of what township officials would like to see.

“We have a better idea of how we want to see this project through. We’re still in the planning stages and we are recommending money be budgeted in 2021 to start some of the improvements. The focus in 2021 will be to clean up and improve the outdoor track area to make it more of a trail/interconnecting walkway system,” Tatarenko says.

Valley Brook Park will potentially house a skate park, RC track, and roller hockey rink. Looking to 2022, Tatarenko hopes that the project will be well on its way to completion.

“By 2022, I foresee the other parts of the improvements taking place. By then, we will be able to repurpose those barns that are currently on the site,” More information about both projects is available on www.mountolivetwpnj.org.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 7

ABB to Expand Hackettstown Switchgear Factory, Adding 60 Jobs

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BB announced its plan to expand its manufacturing facility in Hackettstown, New Jersey to meet growing demand for electrical equipment.

The expansion will double the solid dielectric switchgear manufacturing footprint to 24,000 square feet, bringing the total site to 120,000 square feet when complete, and will feature state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment.

“This expansion will reduce delivery times and enhance product traceability, testing and inspection capabilities,” says plant manager Steven Wright. “That will allow us to boost our capacity to meet the demands of a growing market in the US, especially for critical needs.”

The Hackettstown facility currently employs 315 people, but that figure is expected to grow to 375 once the expansion has been completed in late 2021. Information about these positions can be found at ABB’s career page. The facility manufactures cable accessories, switch gear apparatus, and overhead apparatus, under the brand names Elastimold™ Switchgear, Elastimold® and Joslyn Hi-Voltage® Capacitor switches.

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Budd Lake Chapel Pastor Donates to Mount Olive Health Department

We Wish Everyone A Healthy and Great

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astor Allen of Budd Lake Chapel donated $2500 in Shop Rite Gift Cards to the Health Department on Friday, December 11. Pastor Allen has been making this donation for the past several

years. Allen said, “it is important to teach others to give even during the most difficult times.” In photo is Pastor Allen of Budd Lake Chapel and Trevor Weigle, Director of Mount Olive Health Department.

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Mount Olive Brings Home Football Glory

T

he Mount Olive Junior Marauders finished up their 2020 football season with two championship teams! The 6th grade team went undefeated on the season to take home the Pee Wee championship after a huge second half rally in their season finale against the Rockaway Rockets. Head coach Keith Koller guided the team to a 9-0 record and a Morris County Youth Football Championship. Wide receiver Justin Bullock led the team in scoring on the year and the Marauders received huge offensive contributions by quarterback Tyler Burns and the running back tandem of Brayden Longo and Jared Martini, amongst many others. A stout defensive unit stymied opponents all

season long, culminating with a Malcolm Gilyard pick six to seal the undefeated season.

Your hometown Pee Wee champs; #1 Chris Rampone, #2 Ayden Bonshak, #3 Brayden Longo, #4 Ryan Swaim, #9 Josh Mena, #10 Max Koller, #11 Justin Bullock, #13 Tyler Burns, #21 Samir Sami, #23 Gio Rodriguez, #24 William Rosado, #27 Nick Podgurski, #28 Ryan Husseyn, #40 Tyler Castillo, #44 Colin Smyth, #45 Jared Martini, #48 Mason Kilka, #50 continued on page 11

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 11

Football Glory...

continued from page 10 Connor Schiller, #52 Sam Lagatutta, #55 Drew Coppolo, #80 Malcolm Gilyard, #92 Noah Cantillo and #99 Tommy Rucker. The Marauders were coached by Keith Koller, assisted by Sean Bullock, Scott Coppolo, Josh Ellis and Sean Smyth.

The Mount Olive Junior Marauder 4th grade team also played championship football this year going 12-0 at the MCYFL Clinic level. This marked a second consecutive undefeated season for the future MOHS Class of 2029, as they’ve now gone 21 straight games without a defeat to start their tackle football careers! The Marauders outscored their opponents by a margin of 290-43 on the year, while pitching 7 shutouts in 12 games. Your 2020 Mount Olive Junior Marauders Clinic team; #1 Jack McBride, #7 Alex Bonilla, #8 Cam Tyburski, #9 Daniel Faszczewski, #10 Kamal Sami,

#11 Parker Cooke, #12 Stephen Norris, #13 Sean O’Connor, #17 Jonny Zilberman, #21 Rocco Gallo, #22 Tanner Bush, #24 Justin Kay, #28 Jackson Scibetta, #30 Antonio Rodriguez, #32 Kai Collins, #33 Lucas Bartow, #35 Jake Burke, #52 Landon Burns, #53 Logan Macri, #55 Trevor Banes, #56 Joey Doherty, #58 Ace Bucher, #84 Brody Cumming, #88 Matthew “Tank” Campbell and #99 Cayden Shecora. The Marauders were coached by John McBride and assisted by Brian O’Connor, Rick Macri, Chris Banes, Shawn Collins, Jon Cooke, Rafael Gabriel, Jimmy Kay and Adam Norris.

In a year of constant chaos and uncertainty, these young athletes persevered through it all and while grateful for their accomplishments, their biggest success is the simple fact that they were able to go out there and play the game they love with their best friends.

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

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Local Businesses Help Support Annual Food Drive

W

ith the area businesses and community facing the unusual demands of the pandemic on the firms and managing remote teams, the business community still was successful in supporting the 25th anniversary Business Community Holiday Food Drive.

Special thanks go out to the Mount Olive-EDC , Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Kiwanis Club of Mount Olive, as we worked with Givaudan Fragrance, Robertet USA, Siemens- Healthineers, Coherent, Veolia NA, Nisivoccia LLP, CBRE Property Management, and the

many retail and small business firms located in the ITC and throughout Mount Olive, who supported this year’s efforts. Also, our community volunteers who spent the day collecting the food donations were: Jeff Stadelman, Billy Lockwood, Richard Moore, Brian Ropp, John Mooney, Yaritaz Miranda, Chuck Aaron, Claudia Ehrgott, and Susan Morse for helping me with another successful donation of food and cash to the MO Pantry supporting the Community in need.

Have a human interest story or something you would like to share?

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?

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 13

A

Staying Healthy During a Global Pandemic

midst a global pandemic (and as we approach the colder months), it is more important now than ever to keep your immune system strong. By improving your immune system, otherwise known as your body’s own defense system, you can help to prevent unwanted illness. With the emergence of COVID-19, we have all been conditioned to wear masks, keep safe distancing and wash our hands regularly, but what else can you do to improve your immune health?

Believe it or not, Acupuncture is one way to give your immune system a boost! Research has shown that Acupuncture can help to improve immune health in various ways including the following: • Increases Red and White blood cells as well as T-Cells (all essential to immune health) • Increases levels of Interferon ( the immune systems messenger hormone) • Increases blood and lymph circulation • Reduces stress hormones • Reduces inflammation

In addition to Acupuncture, here are some other ways you can enhance your immune health: • Get adequate sleep. Your body heals while you sleep and if you are overworked or overtired, your body is less likely to fight pathogens it comes into contact with.

• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. Fruits and veg-

gies contain nutrients and antioxidants that your body needs to function optimally.

• Avoid sugar and junk food. One study revealed that immune cells were paralyzed for 30 minutes following the consumption of sugar! If your immune cells are taking a break, how will your body fight pathogens??

• Exercise! Not only can physical activity help to flush out pathogens, but exercise helps to circulate lymph, White Blood Cell’s and Antibodies (all major players in your body’s defense system).

Manage Stress with Acupuncture and Meditation! Your body is more susceptible to infection when stressed. Keep those stress hormones down!

Continue following CDC guidelines!

For more information on Acupuncture and immune support call Mount Olive Acupuncture and Wellness 973.537.7978 or visit us at www.mtoliveacupuncture. com. We are taking extra precautions during this pandemic to keep everyone safe! *Mount Olive Acupuncture does not claim to prevent, treat or cure any disease.

Improves sleep Enhances mood Stimulates blood flow Shortens recovery time Relaxes tight muscles Releases the body’s natural pain killers

Reduces inflammation Improves mobility

1 OLD WOLFE ROAD • Lakeview Plaza • BUDD LAKE • 973-527-7978 www.mtoliveacupuncture.com

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Re-elected Chamber Prez, Chuck Aaron, Optimistic for Businesses

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s a business owner himself, Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce President Chuck Aaron knows full well how 2020 has been a challenging year for businesses, small and large.

“It’s been a tough year, that’s for sure,” said Aaron, a longtime resident of Mount Olive and owner of Jersey Girl Brewing. “It hasn’t been easy for anybody.”

Aaron, who was re-elected to his post in December, is optimistic, though, that 2021 will see better times.

“Through it all I do have to say that our (chamber) members worked hard to do what they needed to do to keep moving forward,” said Aaron. “I believe the Chamber helped keep things as positive and engaging as possible with zoom meetings, the monthly Business Builder series, Marketing in the Morning, and other special activities, some online, some hybrid, some in person.

We’ve got good news with the vaccines so we really think we’ll be in a much better place by the second quarter of 2021. In the meantime we’ll continue to provide events one way or another, and support, to our business members any way we can.”

Also re-elected to their positions on the Executive Board were Patrice Schaffer, Vice

in our Board. They are a hard-working dynamic group of people. They are committed to a better business community.”

The Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce has been recognized as the fastest growing small chamber in the state. It represents members in Morris, Warren and Sussex Counties. More than 170 businesses are members of the Mount Olive organization.

The Chamber offers an array of business

related events throughout the year, including its monthly signature Marketing in the Morning networking event. The Chamber also offers a scholarship program and gets involved in many other business and community efforts including an annual holiday food drive that has helped thousands of people over the years. To learn more about the Chamber and how it can benefit businesses, visit www.mountolivechambernj. com.

COLD LASER THERAPY President. Claudia Ehrgott (Secretary), Brian Ko (Treasurer) and Patti Singer (Corresponding Secretary). Trustees for 2021 are Harry Browne, Manny Rizzuto, Matt Czigler, Bill Lockwood, Larry McEntee, and Craig Hanlon.

“Behind the scenes the chamber is doing a lot of planning,” said Aaron. “A great deal of effort is being put into it and when things get back to a more normal world we’ll be ready to really go full steam ahead.”

Aaron added, “I have a lot of confidence

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 15

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Page 16 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Blood Donation: Giving the Gift of Life

J

By Chris Bauer MD anuary 2021 is National Blood Donor Awareness Month. Each year the American Red Cross designates this month in recognition of the vital role that blood donation plays in saving lives across America. Blood and its associated blood products are often needed for patients who are hospitalized with chronic disease, undergoing cancer treatment, recovering from surgery or who are hospitalized for a myriad of other conditions. According to the National Red Cross, 4.5 million people in the United States would die every year without a blood transfusion. Due to the increased number of hospitalizations this year especially from COVID -19 it is even more essential that people donate blood.

Type O -negative blood is the most requested blood type from blood banks so people with this blood type are especially asked to donate.

Since the time of the 1600s, blood first began to get transfused in its earliest known people. In 1628, the English physician William Harvey began studying the concept of blood circulation and demonstrated through his experimentation the path of human blood through the heart.

Dr. James Blundell, an Obstetrician, has been credited with performing the first blood transfusion in 1825 in London, when he transfused a patient in order to save her from dying from bleeding post delivery. Eventually, in 1940 the United States created a national blood bank, and the American Red Cross becomes one of its most fervent supporters.

The process of blood donation has been developed so that it is extremely user friendly. Initially people are asked

T

about their medical history before they give blood in order to determine their eligibility. After this, patients have their vitals taken at the donation center along with a short physical exam. Then, a small amount of blood is taken to determine if the donor has enough blood to donate. The donor is then placed in a comfortable chair and the donation takes place. During the donation process, donors are closely monitored to ensure a safe experience for all. All donor information is kept confidential and only a very small percentage of people experience unwanted side effects after a blood donation.

After people donate their blood, the blood is carefully screened and rigorously tested for any infectious diseases and for different viral particles in the blood called antigens. Once this process has been completed and the correct blood type has been verified then the different components of the blood are then harvested. From each unit of blood that is donated the different components of blood can be collected.

The four different components of blood are: red blood cells, plasma, platelets and granulocytes. Even if a sample that is donated is low in one of the blood components it may be higher in another component that could potentially be collected.

In a year of unprecedented medical need, the donation of blood is truly a lifesaving endeavor. For more information or to arrange for you to donate blood you can call the American Red Cross at 1-800733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood. org . Each donation can save up to three lives. Be the change you want to see in the world. Please donate today!

Did You Know?

hough new flooring and ceiling tiles might not offer the wow factor of a remodeled kitchen, a 2019 study from researchers at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University found that replacing floors and ceilings was the most popular home improvement project in the United States in 2017, the most recent year for which data was available at the time of the study. More than five million homeowners replaced carpeting, flooring, paneling, or ceiling tiles in their homes in 2017.

The popularity of such projects may have something to do with the relatively low cost associated with them, as the experts at BobVila.com note that overhauling surfaces underfoot and overhead costs an average of $3,283. That places floor and ceiling tile replacement projects among the least expensive home improvement projects homeowners can undertake, even though such renovations can immediately and dramatically transform the look of a room.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 17

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Page 18 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Veterans Blessed at Christmas by Local Organizations in MO

L

By Megan Roche ocal organizations and businesses came together, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, to bring Christmas joy to local veterans. Led by Charlie Uhrmann, bags were put together and dropped off at numerous veteran locations around the area.

The bags included custom eyeglass cleaning cloths, custom face masks with lanyards, lap blankets, custom lip repair balms, holiday face masks, books and movies, custom cell phone holders, custom hand sanitizers, playing cards, custom water bottles, an eco-friendly tote bag, and socks.

“All of our items were custom made, due to the fact that we couldn’t do a drive to collect from people because of the COVID-19 situation. We ordered all of our items from companies that would put inspiring verbiage on all of our items.

We all need hope, especially this year, and we hope that these bags give our veterans hope,” Uhrmann said.

Bags were put together at the Mount Olive Senior Center on December 19. The all day packaging affair helped bring happiness to veterans from around the area. Kids and adults all chipped in to make the bags special.

“We had a lot of people who wanted to jump into this campaign. We had kids who were so grateful just for getting them out of the house. We had parents who were so grateful that their kids had the opportunity to do something positive for somebody else. Our donors were fulfilled, our recipients were fulfilled, and our goal was fulfilled,” Uhrmann shared.

Since delivering the bags on Christmas Eve, many of the recipients have reached out to Uhrmann. continued on page 19

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 19

continued from page 18 “We’ve heard from many different places that the seniors were absolutely overjoyed. They really appreciated the gesture and just the fact that people that didn’t really know them gave from the heart. When you’re isolated and you get a bag from an organization that has handwritten cards and

drawings from children and other veterans, the recipients knew that this just wasn’t something from one company, they knew it was a joint effort,” Uhrmann says.

Lots of activities are planned for 2021 at the All Veterans Memorial. Currently, the team is planning on celebrating each day during Armed Forces Week (week leading up to the third Saturday in May) and of course, Memorial Day. Volunteers are going to be needed and Uhrmann will gladly accept any help that AVM can get.

“Our goal has always been normalcy. We want to keep normalcy and opportunity for a lot of the people who have been shutdown through COVID-19. When people volunteer with the All Veterans Memorial, they see the community.

The AVM was built by the community and without the community support, this memorial wouldn’t be here,” Uhrmann said.

Contributions to the bags were made possible by All Veterans Memorial, All Veterans Alliance, American Legion Post 91, American Legion Post 250, Daughters of the American Revolution, Education Association of Mount Olive, Home Depot, Meier Stone Company, Mount Olive High School JROTC, New Jersey Department of Veterans Services, and Walmart.

For more information on how to volunteer with All Veterans Memorial, Uhrmann can be contacted at info@allveteransmemorial.org.

Erica Tattersall

142 Main Street Chester, NJ 07930 Cell: 908-914-7944 Office: 908-879-7010 etattersall@weichert.com www.ericatattersall.com

Weichert Realtors Broker-Sales Person, GRI, SFR Weichert President’s Club (Top 1% of Weichert Realtors) NJAR Circle of Excellence 2016-19 Gold, 2013-2015 Silver, 2011-12 Bronze R FOALE S 86 Highland Terrace Denville List Price $475,000

5 bedroom, 2 bathroom custom home w Generac generator. Kitchen w oak cabinets, center island breakfast bar, pantry, SS appliances and recessed lighting. DR w built-in cabinets. LR w beautiful stone - surround gas log fireplace. Gleaming hard wood floors. Freshly painted. New carpets in BR 3 and hall. New vanities and light fixtures in baths. Enclosed front porch area leads out to deck. Large patio off of kitchen w walkway to open backyard area. First floor MBR w sitting room and HWF. Basement w finished workout room. Security system with cameras. Optional lake privileges with year-round activities. Close to public transportation, shopping and restaurants in downtown Denville. PWPS, natural gas, & ductless mini split cooling. Addt lot 627 .066 acre included in sale.. this is not a shared driveway.

ST JU OLD S

4 Claremont Road Mansfield Sale Price: $389,000

3 BR, 2.5 bath colonial with finished basement. Great yard with large deck and patio.

R DE CT UN TRA N CO

80 Durham St Pompton Lakes List Price $375,000

Charming four bedroom, two and one half bath cape cod home ready to move in. Updated eat in kitchen with oak cabinets, stainless steel appliances, tile backsplash, large pantry, double sink and recessed lighting. Hardwood floors in living room, dining room, and first floor bedroom/office. Dining room with tray ceiling and recessed lighting. Master bedroom with spacious walk-in closet. Many rooms with ceiling fan and light fixtures. Finished basement with kitchenette, full bathroom, and Bilco door. Laundry room with utility sink. Tons of storage.

New privacy fence. Large composite deck steps down to paver patio great for entertaining.

Storage shed. New sewer line. Anderson and Pella windows. Outside plume and not flood zone.

ST JU OLD S

183 West Lakeside Dr. Liberty Twp. Sale Price: $246,000 Buyers Agent

Cozy and well appointed Cottage in Mountain Lake offers lake views and a spacious private yard. This 2 bedroom, 2 bath home is a delightful residence or perfect for weekend getaways & extended stays! - Located in Liberty Twsp between Rts 78 & 80, it is easily accessible to major metro areas. Open concept main living & kitchen space surrounded by windows. Relax on the adjoining deck in the spring & summer. Enjoy a fire in the wood stove for fall & winter. 2 bedrooms & 1 bath (updated 2020) complete the main living area. The ground level is accessible via interior steps & a separate outside entrance & has a office/bonus room, living space, small kitchenette, stackable washer/dryer(newer) & updated bathroom (2017) Freshly painted in April. Newer Septic. Convenient to Hackettstown. Additional parking via Shady Ln.

R DE CT UN TRA N CO

205 East Mill Rd. Long Valley List Price: $325,000

Tucked away at the end of a private driveway surrounded by 1.8 tranquil & park-like acres sits this 3 bedroom, 1.1 bath colonial! Enjoy a hike on your own property. Large deck to enjoy your morning coffee. Less than a mile from Long Valley Plaza, Long Valley Village, gas stations, and restaurants. Great schools! Eat in kitchen with oak cabinets, double sink, and CT floors. Dining room with hardwood floors. Spacious bedrooms with plenty of closet space. Walk out basement with potential to covert to additional garage (door in place). Great for commuters ...close to Route’s 80, 46 and 206. Virtual tour available.

ST JU OLD S

1 S. Cadillac Dr. Somerville Sale Price: $370,000

Wonderful three bedroom, one and a half bath and one car garage home in Somerville. Remodeled kitchen with granite counters, cherry cabinets, recessed lighting and stainless steel appliances. Living room and dining with hardwood floors steps in to sunroom great to enjoy your morning coffee. Vaulted ceilings and Skylights in living room offer great lighting. freshly painted. Level, fenced, open lot on corner. Updated bathrooms. Laundry conveniently on main floor. Newer roof 2014, Close to Vibrant Downtown Somerville shops, restaurants, train/bus, etc. Convenient location to the Somerville schools, parks, and recreation, and transportation.

R DE CT UN TRA N CO

86 Wood Duck Court Allamuchy Twp. List Price: $229,000

Charming 2BR, 2.5 bath townhome located in Panther Valley. Why rent with people above or below you when you can own this condo that offers multi floor living. Kitchen with new cabinets and granite counters (replacing w new SS refrigerator). Updated bathrooms. Finished basement. Panther Valley amenities include three in ground pools, tennis and basket ball courts, and playgrounds. Location close to pool. Laundry room in basement. Newer water heater and AC. Located minutes from Route 80 and Route 46, and main street Hackettstown with great restaurants and microbreweries. Worry free living with association to take care of all your exterior needs...no weeding or shoveling! Close to back gate with peaceful setting.

Updated 2017 comes with all appliances.

ST JU OLD S 4 Helm’s Mill Rd Hackettstown Sale Price $520,000

5 BR, 3 BA colonial! Open floor plan. 4147sf includes fin walk out basement. EIK remodeled 2018 w custom soft close cabinets, pullout drawers, granite counters, center island, recessed lighting, HWF, pantry, & SS appliances (Kenmore Elite double oven). Sliders to large composite deckw retractable awning. Private yard. Kitchen open to 2 story FR w wall of windows. LR features gas fireplace w wood surround. DR & LR w crown molding. Open loft overlooking foyer and FR. MBR w sitting area and 2 WIC. MBA features heated floors, double sink, soaking tub, and updated stall shower. Laundry, bedroom, and full bath located on 1st floor. Open slate porch. Garage fin w epoxy floors & insulated garage doors. 14KW Generac generator. Smart home. Leaf gutter guards. 2 heat/AC, 4 zone IG sprinkler system. 360 Virtual Tour: https://www.vantagepointnj. com/id-20201020

Want to know what your house is worth in today’s market?

Visit my website: www.ericatattersall.com for a FREE Comparative Market Analysis.

Page 20 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Mount Olive’s Jen Ponton Inspires Locally with TEDx Talk

A

By Megan Roche ctress, advocate, and podcaster Jen Ponton has done many things in her career. She’s played roles in Orange is the New Black, Dietland, and voiced a character on Sesame Workshop’s Helpsters on Apple TV among many other projects. She’s busy with her podcast.

She’s advocating for the causes that drive her, but she can now tick off another bucket list item. Ponton recently gave her very first TED Talk.

Ponton’s TED Talk was a dream come true. In fact, it’s something she’s wanted to do for a very long time.

“I was really excited to give myself something challenging to do. There was no question in my mind that this panel was full of all female speakers and all of them were speaking on something in the medical realm. Because of my fat acceptance activism, it falls under the medical umbrella quite a bit. I decided that I wanted to address not only fat phobia in the world and it’s negative effects through society, but also how entertainment plays a significant part in that,” Ponton said.

Ponton spoke at the TEDx Princeton Women event in mid-November. While most of the speakers focused on medicine related topics, Ponton, who is a proud fat acceptance activist, focused her talk on acceptance and inclusion of plus size people.

“Fat acceptance has been my unofficial life’s work for the last 13 years. I’ve been researching principles of fat liberation and the principles that I’ve learned from all that research were focused mainly on the fact that bodies naturally come in all sizes and because of that, we’re all not

supposed to be slender or skinny. It is entirely normal for a body to be fat. Being fat does not inherently make a body unhealthy, it’s just what some bodies do,” Ponton said.

Due to COVID-19, Ponton’s TEDx Talk was done a bit differently.

“We didn’t have an audience. We spoke in front of cameras and the audience showed up at a live virtual event.

When I was delivering my speech, I had my mask off, but I felt relatively safe,” Ponton said.

TEDx Talks usually take about 8 months to plan. For Ponton’s talk, she had roughly 2 months to prepare.

“The producers will start getting things rolling about 8 months out. You pretty much have the better part of a year to plan for your event. At the six-month mark, the producers select their speakers. The speakers usually have about six months to prepare and work on their speech. The TEDx Princeton Women were given this opportunity with a 2-month window. At the one-month mark was when they locked in their speakers, I had to turn it around quick. I had a week to turn in my proposal, a week after that was my outline and first draft, and the week after that was my final draft. It was really quick and that was so daunting,” Ponton said.

When Ponton was growing up, she knew she wanted to get into the entertainment industry. Many discouraged her, simply because she was fat. Teased all of her life for her weight, Ponton hopes by giving her TED Talk that she inspires anyone who might be plus size to go after their dreams.

“The world needs to see everybody’s stories. If you

watch stories or shows and you don’t feel yourself seen, I don’t want you to think it’s a failing of you. It’s a failing of the industry to not reflect the kinds of stories that people like you get to live. Your involvement means something and can make entertainment more reflective of you and people who look up to you. Most of all, don’t let anybody tell you what you can’t do. You get to decide that for yourself,” Ponton said.

Ponton’s TEDx Talk will be posted on TED’s YouTube channel in the coming weeks. Until then, for more information on Ponton, visit www.jenponton.com.

Sharon Caruso is #1 Realtor, once again, in Mt. Olive for 2020!

My team and I would like to thank all of our clients, past and present, for entrusting us with your real estate needs.

Once again, your commitment to us, as well as all of the personal referrals that you have sent our way, has helped us sustain the Number 1 position for listings sold and sales in Mount Olive.

As a local market expert in Mount Olive, as well as the neighboring communities, our team invests in you from day one with an unparalleled marketing plan.

The current market is changing on a weekly basis and now may be the time to have us complete a thorough market analysis, at no cost to you. This will help you plan for your real estate needs for 2021. Additionally, we can set you up on email to receive new listings in your area as soon as they hit the market. Please email us at sharon@sharoncarusoteam.com for more information.

It has been our pleasure to be of service to you and 2021 is already poised to be another strong year!

We wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

We look forward to hearing from you: Sharon (c) 973-945-8142 Patti (c) 908-227-2247 www.sharoncarusoteam.com

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 21

I Remember Dad: Proud Be, Thy Service to America

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By Richard Mabey Jr. hen my beloved father first arrived at Hickam Air Field in Hawaii, he was just 17 years old. How he did it, I’ll never know. But my dad was able to convince his mom and dad to allow him to quit school and join the United States Army Air Corps. My dad had intense motivation to join the service.

The Mabey clan is a fiercely patriotic family. Since the Revolutionary War, from all of my research on my family’s history, there has been a Mabey fighting in every American war. And, since the name Mabey has a Southern deviation of Mabry, Mabey men fought on both sides of the American Civil War. My dad was no exception. Dad was such a patriotic man.

Even now, looking back, Dad did his best to instill a love for the United States in the scouts whom he led as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 170.

With all that in mind, there was still one more intensively motivating factor that inspired my dad to join the U. S. Army Air Corps at such a relatively young age. Just one month before Dad signed on the dotted line with Uncle Sam, Dad’s parents got the sad news that their son Edward’s ship had been sunk off the coast of England. It looked for sure that Edward had met his demise in the chilling cold waters of the deep Atlantic.

My grandmother, Bertha Mabey, once told me that she prayed for her son Edward with all of her heart, mind and soul. That she quietly, inwardly prayed for her lost son while she cooked, washed dishes, washed clothes and hung the clothes out on the clothesline. My grandmother told me that

she never gave up hope that Edward was still alive.

As if the odds were a million to one, Edward was found by a British war ship. He was bobbing up and down on the waves of the cruel Atlantic Ocean, saved by his life preserver. The story goes that Uncle Ed was close to death when the British sailors heisted upon their ship. He had gone days without food and water. His survival was purely a miracle.

I think that the hours and days upon which my dear father saw his mother and father worry and pray about their son, Edward, greatly influenced Dad’s decision to drop out of school and join the Army Air Corps.

The two brothers, Dad and Uncle Ed, would not be reunited until World War II came to an end. Uncle Ed was sent home first. Uncle Ed served in the U. S. Navy in the European Theater. Dad served in the Seventh Army Air Corps at Hickam Air Field, right next to Pearl Harbor. They would finally see each other, both having survived the horrors at war, at the home their father built at the forested end of Mabey Lane.

My grandfather, Watson Mabey, was not an outwardly religious man. He didn’t go around saying “praise the Lord” or “amen” or “alleluia.” But he had such a deep religious conviction that it was only by a miracle of God that his two sons came home from World War II. But the pain and agony and worry of having sons in harm’s way did not end for Watson and Bertha Mabey when World War II ended. Their two sons, Carl and David, would later be placed in harm’s way in the Korean War. Uncle Carl served in the U. S. Navy and Uncle Dave served in the U. S. Army. Then, in peace time, Watson and Bertha’s sons, Gerry and William served in the U. S. Army.

My grandfather’s brother, Earl Mabey, was killed in action in the First World War. My grandmother’s grandfather, William Storms, was killed in the American Civil War at the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia. I don’t know how they endured having so many of their sons be placed in harm’s way.

Grandpa used to simply say, “I just trusted the Lord to bring all my sons home.” There was no long-winded philosophical and theological discussion about it. Grandpa didn’t quote a dozen passages from the Holy Bible. He would just simply say, in the midst of the dozens of stories of family legends that he shared with his grandchildren, “sometimes, ya’ just got to trust in the Lord.”

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com. Please put on the subject line: My Life Publications.

Page 22 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

I

Seeking Help can Still be a Challenge

n a recent article published on his website, Dr. David Susman PhD, a clinical psychologist and mental health advocate, addresses brilliantly the reasons why for the most part people with mental health issues do not seek treatment.

This scenario is evermore exacerbated during the Pandemic. From his analysis, the average non-treatment rates for specific disorders were; schizophrenia (32%), bipolar disorder (50%), panic disorder (55%), major depression (56%), generalized anxiety disorder (57%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (59%) and alcohol dependence (78%). The question beckons; “Why does this happen? Why do people who need not get it?”

From the different angles one can try to analyze the reasons why, one that is undeniable is Stigma. The other possible one could very well be simple behavior patterns developed in a society where recommendations and guidelines are so politicized that they become not welcome to large segments of the population. As Dr. Susman puts it, if we all would follow the normal recommendations now commonplace in our way of life, (take vitamins, stop smoking, get regular exercise and eat healthy for instance), the prevalence of many chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cancer would drastically be decreased. It is estimated that eliminating smoking would save an estimated 480,000 lives each year. Even though we were by law mandated to wear a seat belt when we drive, not to text and drive, not to smoke in public places and as a normal practice of hygiene to wash our hands and brush our teeth, and take those as common sense practices for not only ours but the overall common good, why is it that we still offer in some cases a stand of “ Don’t tell me what to do”, “You can’t make me do that”, “I’ll do whatever I darn well please”, and most recently regarding the wearing of protective masks or vaccination rhetoric “ do not restrict my freedom and constitutional rights”? Still, according to Dr. David Susman, such thoughts range from factual and real concerns to unrealistic or even irrational beliefs. Here are some of his suggested alternatives to think about how to work though different barriers and seek treatment: 1. Fear and Shame – “I’m afraid to ask for help, embarrassed and ashamed to talk about the problem, scared of getting labeled as “crazy”, not wanting to find out

if there is a real sickness” - consider that it is okay to feel that way. Know that 1 in 4 adults have some sort of mental illness.

You are definitely not alone. While the negative Stigma surrounding mental illness is still undeniable and strong, more and more people are getting more comfortable about being open and asking for help.

2. Lack of insight - “Nothing is wrong, people are getting worried for no reason.

I am fine” - Maybe there is nothing wrong but if people who love you show concern, get a check-up. If nothing is wrong, you proved your point and gave peace of mind to those concerned about you. If, however, the reason for concern is expressed by a professional at least listen and be open-minded to address the issue.

3. Limited awareness - “Really things aren’t that bad, everyone has issues” Even if you recognize you are struggling it is human nature sometimes to deny the symptoms or discard them as “not that serious” and trust they will pass. Don’t diagnose yourself, seek the opinion of a professional to determine what effective treatment options are available.

4. Feelings of inadequacy - “I hate to admit my flaws or shortcomings, asking for help means I am a loser, I am able to cope better with things, I blame myself for my problems” - Would you see yourself as a loser or inadequate if you had cancer or diabetes? To ask for help and receiving it is not an indication you are an inferior person. You are not to blame for your current challenges.

5. Distrust - “Hard to trust someone, I am afraid my personal information won’t be kept confidential, I don’t want people to find out I am in treatment” - Health care providers are trained and required to respect and honor your privacy, and confidentiality, and the information you provide cannot be released to anyone without your permission.

6.Hopelessness - “Nothing will help me, I’ve tried treatments before and they didn’t work, I messed again it’s no use, my last treatment was horrible and made me feel worse, my therapist was incompetent, I will not go back” - Nowadays there are plenty of new medications and psychotherapy-treatments for mental illness available with solid evidence of effectiveness. If you had a bad experience in the past, try a different approach or a new provider. continued on page 26

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 23

MAFTO Helps Mount Olive Food Pantry

Have You Thought Of Going Back To Church Lately?

M

AFTO, the Mid Atlantic Food Trade Organization, and the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce (MOACC) teamed up together to help better the lives of those in Mount Olive. The teams worked to donate over 100 boxes with different nonperishable items to be donated to local families and the Mount Olive Food Pantry.

Page 24 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Hackettstown ‘Stigma-Free’ Zone Brings Mental Health Into the Light

By Jillian Risberg Hackettstown residents: they’ve got your back. Since 2018, the ‘Stigma-Free’ Task Force has been breaking barriers and squashing the stigma to make sure those struggling with mental illness, substance abuse issues and more are not hopeless or alone. They are continually committed to an inclusive culture that welcomes everyone.

“Those that are feeling embarrassment and the shame or the fear, they need to know that at least in this town, there are organizations (such as the one that we have) will give them an opportunity to be heard,” says Task Force Chairperson, Victor DeSousa.

No-one has to suffer in silence.

“This distress, hopelessness that these people feel, they need to know that there is help,” DeSousa says. “That is what we try to do, at the same time we are developing with the populations in the high schools and middle schools events that give these kids a sense of self worth and provide a roadmap for them not to fall into those traps.”

According to DeSousa, even nowadays when there is an overdose or suicide attempt, those closest to the affected person often do not feel comfortable to speak freely about the situation.

“They are afraid people will reject them,” says the chair. “And that is what we are try-

ing to fight against. The more these conversations become mainstream — the better we will be able to offer part of the solution.”

He says the idea is to bring those conversations out of the shadows.

“This is no mystery; it’s something we need to tackle,” says the chair, adding that they are finding that the crisis has been compounded by the confinement of COVID 19.

“People are living in a virtual world so the tendency for them to fall into a down-spiral of desperation and isolation is much greater.”

At the end of 2019, after they became ‘Stigma-Free’ — 14 out of 22 Warren County towns adopted the status.

“That was significant and rewarding because that means we created some sort of impact,” DeSousa says. “This is how I felt when I started this: that I dove in a backyard swimming pool and when I came out of the water I found myself in the middle of an ocean.”

The chair says every time you have an objective and you conquer that horizon, another one opens up in front of you and it’s much broader and grows.

Included in the conversation is mental health; substance abuse, which is a consequence and sexual assault.

“These are conversations that are hap-

pening as we speak,” he says. “But they are happening because of the stigma still attached to them behind the curtains in the back of the stage, nobody’s witnessing this, nobody’s participating in this unless in very small groups, people that are directly impacted by it.”

The Task Force first came to fruition after the chair saw a study on the prefrontal cortex not being fully developed in youth until the age of 25.

“And the prefrontal cortex is what enables us to make sound decisions in life,” he says. “That was one of the main causes for the increase in the rates of teenage suicide.

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It really impacted me in the sense of how nobody talks about this.”

Once he started digging into real statistics, the chair found that suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 15-to 24-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A serious wake-up call that we need to heed. Because whether we like it or not, DeSousa says, as a society we are all responsible for each other.

“That propelled me to call the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and ask them what’s being done. Their (former) continued on page 25

Stigma-Free...

continued from page 24 chairperson also was a local resident here,” he says, adding that he asked her if there was a way they could start a non-profit or initiative to raise awareness.”

That generated intel, calling the Warren County Mental Health Department and everybody they reached out to at the time.

“We were all kindred spirits if you will, everybody was like ‘why haven’t we done this,’” DeSousa says. “They were really ready to jump, I think waiting for some kind of trigger that would initiate this.”

According to the chair, his enthusiasm became that trigger.

None of them had met in person yet but they all came to the question of, ‘Is Hackettstown Stigma Free’ because stigma is the real issue here.

“One of the reasons why this subject is not treated with the importance it deserves is because there’s a lot of stigma around it,” DeSousa says. “People that are suffering and the youngsters suffering from deep depression may start having thoughts of suicide ideation — they do not know where to find the help and don’t even want to seek the help because of the stigma.”

The group was trying to find out how to attain and what it meant to be a Stigma Free town.

“Morris County was all ‘Stigma-Free,’

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 25

some towns in Sussex County were trying to get it and Warren County was not, none of them,” says the chair. “Some towns had the identity from two or three years ago but there was too many politics and red tape involved. The mayors were not speaking the same language as the town council.”

So they reached out to former Hackettstown Mayor Maria DiGiovanni.

“She also, to my surprise, immediately jumped on board,” he says. “We had dinner at the local restaurant, the four of us that started this and we all understood the importance of this concept.”

Currently, the Task Force is composed of DiGiovanni, Laura Richter/Warren County Mental Health Administration; Sgt. Darren Tynan/HTPD; Elizabeth Sartori/Atlantic Health; Dr. Frank Fowler/Lead Pastor of TUMC and Kerry Mullins/Centenary University, among others After less than a month since their dinner meeting, by resolution of the town council on September 27, 2018 Hackettstown became the first town in Warren County to officially achieve the Stigma Free status.

“It actually was a humbling experience,” says the chair. “After we did it, all the other towns were trying to look for an accelerator for this thing to take life. They started getting over red tape and getting the status — and

saw that it was possible.”

DeSousa says he is more humbled than anything else to be at the forefront of such an inspiring movement.

“This is not an accomplishment of one person alone,” he says. “Without that official proclamation we would not have the legitimacy that we require. That was totally the will of the mayor, just to allow us to have the stage to spread this message.

When it comes to what it means to be ‘stigma-free,’ DeSousa says there is no elevator pitch.

“We don’t think what we do is close to being enough but we are trying to do better and more each time,” says the chair. “Hopefully one conversation will generate into another.

“And we try to save as many as possible — either one, 10 or 100,” says DeSousa, adding that they are concerned about those they haven’t reached out to yet. “If we manage to influence somebody into changing their perspective on life and look for help, that makes it all worth it.”

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Page 26 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Seeking Help... continued from page 22 7. Unavailability - “There are no treatment programs or therapists near me, I don’t know how to find a therapist or treatment program” - To locate a competent professional or an appropriate mental health treatment can be a real problem.

Look into your family medical providers, and local mental health organizations for help and information.

8. Practical Barriers - “I don’t have transportation, I don’t have child care during my appointments, I can’t afford to pay for the treatments, I am too busy, I don’t have time for treatments” - Talk to your care providers, and even reach out to friends to remove these roadblocks. Explore public assistance or lower-cost treatment services to reduce financial burdens.

Give the time to get help absolute priority, it is just as important as anything else on your schedule.

Many more of these hidden factors such as fear, shame, inadequacy, limited awareness or hopelessness, are challenging, because mental conditions do not tend to show physical signs. Many people appearing to function well may be con-

cealing a mental condition. When, and if, they begin to mention these issues, they can be encouraged to seek care for their distresses.

We have an ongoing battle to reduce and ultimately eradicate the Stigma and discriminations against such conditions, and send a clear message that these conversations need to be brought out into the opening from behind the curtains, where those struggling with mental health issues can feel free to talk about them and seek the help they need.

As Marcus Aurelius once said, “Sometimes living is an act of courage” (Dr. David Susman PhD is a clinical psychologist, mental health advocate and a college professor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Marshall University and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky.)

For any comments or inquiries about this article or the Hackettstown Stigma Free Task Force in general, email citycomvictor@gmail.com.

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The Gilded Age of Morristown

T

By Henry M. Holden he Gilded Age of Morristown (18801929) kicked into high gear in 1887 with the death of Cornelius (Commodore) Vanderbilt in New York City. To his heirs he bequeathed $105 million, a sum said to be equal to that in the United States Treasury the day he died. In today’s money we are talking about over two trillion dollars.

More than 215 men and women of wealth lived in and around Morristown during the years of the Gilded Age. The aggregate of their wealth is staggering, more than two billion dollars.

In 1892 the New York Herald put the number of millionaires living east of the Mississippi at 257, twelve of whom lived in Morristown. Four years later, the initial issue of the Morristown Social Directory contained the names of 76 millionaires with a total wealth in excess of $289 million. By 1914, this figure had grown to half a billion dollars with 92 millionaires, and the end was not in sight.

Who were these men and women of unheard-of wealth? Heading the list was Charles W. Harkness, the third largest holder of Standard Oil Stock in the world.

He died on May 1, 1916, before the federal

estate tax went into effect. His wife, who died seven months later, left an estate appraised in excess of ten million dollars.

Many chose to settle in Morristown, a community of 8,300 persons, in 1890 because it was located on the tracks of the then fledgling Morris and Essex division of the Delaware Lackawanna & Western Railroad.

Marcellus Hartley Dodge added to his wealth when he purchased the Giralda Farms (west of Madison) in 1906, to protect his privacy. He died on Christmas Day, in 1963, leaving behind a fortune appraised at $60 million. His wife, the oldest living member of the Rockefeller family was worth $50 million. At her death on April 13, 1973, she left behind her net worth of $101,000,000.

Back in the 1870s, Morristown was described as “a village of good plain people.”

But that changed. A few New York families discovered the area and made it their summer vacation destination.

By early 1900s, more millionaires lived within a 3-mile radius around Morristown than anywhere else in the US. Vanderbilt’s estate funded the beginnings of the age of the palaces. A few of these sumptuous Gilded-Age mansions have survived to this

This is the former mansion, Spring Brook House, the home of Robert Dumont Foote. Built in 1906, it was repurposed in 1927 to become the current 44-room of the Loyola Jesuit Retreat Center. (Credit Henry M. Holden)

day.

A new era of splendor had set in. Witnessing the evolving social scene, the quiet farming community they had known evolved into a town of crowds and carnival. There was a reckless extravagance of some constantly bent on pleasure.

It was an age of licensed piracy, a great evasion of taxation, exploitation of the poor, and profiteering. One resident described the area as an age of guilt. “It was an era of artificiality. Of the people who came here, too many leaned heavily continued on page 30

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Page 30 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

The Gilded Age... continued from page 28 on money and superimposed snobbery.

They aped everything British, carriages, harnesses, even the horses were imported from Ireland.”

Hamilton McKeon Twombly erected $5 million replicas of English palaces along with a 500-acre model farm, 400cow herd, a 100-horse stable and $75,000 greenhouse.

The stock market crash in 1929 was the beginning of the end for the Gilded Age. For a time, it lingered in the gloom of the Depression, and then it was Gone with the Wind. It struggled through the 1930s and 1940s as its heartbeat muffled from the sound of bulldozers razing many of the mansions.

Former president Ulysses S Grant, famous authors like Mark Twain, Brett Harte, Frank Stockton, and Thomas Nast, and boxing champ John L. Sullivan lived in or frequently visited Morristown.

Overnight this new breed lined the

main thoroughfare of Madison Avenue and South Street (dubbed the Great White Way) with fabulous mansions and suburban estates. They built polo fields, racetracks, golf courses, and elaborate clubs.

These men and women belong to “the richest at least known colony of wealthy people in the world,” said the New York Herald.

But some of these multi-millionaires left behind legacies of social improvements.

They aided the public welfare groups, built libraries, hospitals, and donated vast tracts of property for public use.

Mrs. George Jenkins endowed a chair of medicine at New York University for $100,000. Marcellus Hartley Dodge gave $500,000 to Columbia University, his alma mater, for the erection of a dormitory.

The Gilded Age of Morristown was a way of life, a life which could never again be duplicated, even by a person with hundreds of millions of dollars.

What’s happening in your school or organization?

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Have a human interest story or something you would like to share?

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 31

A Main Dish for Busy Weeknights

M

ain dishes can sometimes be a challenge for the average home chef. Whether you’re looking for something healthy and filling for a family of five or just cooking up something mouthwatering for a couple to share, it can seem difficult to manage.

With a million ingredients and a laundry list of directions, making a weeknight dinner can feel like a daunting task. However, this meal can reassure you that sometimes cooking is easy, fun and totally and completely worth it.

This is a recipe you can make at a moment’s notice with a handful of ingredients, which you may already have in your pantry.

This Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu is perfect for families, couples and even individuals looking for a scrumptious main course. It’s wholesome, appetizing and covered in cheese and cracker crumbs for a gooey yet crunchy finish.

The best part is it’s easy to make.

It features a simple seasoning, lightly seared chicken breast and three toppings. It bakes for just 20-25 minutes and it’s done. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Fresh out of the oven, the first bite is steaming with hearty chicken cooked to perfection and melty cheese

dripping onto the pan. This recipe may quickly become a family favorite as kids can fall in love with the mixture of different textures and a main ingredient almost every child likes: chicken. It’s also fun to make together. Kids can even help sprinkle the cheese and cracker crumbs. Or, if you’re in a rush, an adult can make it in just a few moments.

On busy nights, it’s a perfect meal to bring the family together around the table between soccer practice and getting homework done.

For more easy recipes and main dishes that make cooking fun, visit Culinary.net.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Brush baking sheet with oil.

Place chicken on baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towel and season with pepper.

Brush mustard over chicken. Top with ham and cheese.

Sprinkle cracker crumbs over cheese.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve.

(Culinary.net)

Servings: 4 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 teaspoon pepper tablespoons Dijon Mustard 4 slices deli ham, folded in half 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded 20 butter crackers, fine crumbs Heat oven to 475 degrees.

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Page 32 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Add Memorable Meaning to Mornings

O

f all the traditions that make the holiday season truly special, there’s one that often stands above the rest by bringing loved ones to the table: food. This year, despite all the unknowns that’ll likely make the festivities different than ever before, you can bring your family together with recipes that add that special feeling back to time spent celebrating.

With smaller gatherings and many people staying closer to home, the opportunity to enjoy a morning meal can be something to cherish. You can make mornings mean more by sharing a breakfast like Baked Brie Pancakes with the loved ones in your household, and you can even join friends and family from afar via video call to make the recipe together.

These pancakes are perfect for special holiday moments and call for Real California Milk, cheese and butter so you can feel good knowing your breakfast is made with sustainably produced milk from California families.

Find more breakfast recipes for the holidays at realcaliforniamilk.com/better-breakfast and share your creations using #MorningsMeanMore.

Baked Brie Pancakes Servings: 4-6 Pancakes:

6 ounces Real California Brie, cut into chunks 1 cup Real California Milk 1 cup biscuit mix 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 6 large eggs 1 tablespoon Real California Unsalted Butter 3-4 tablespoons chopped, toasted walnuts Sauteed Pears: 1 tablespoon Real California Unsalted Butter 3 pears, any variety, cored and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4teaspoon cinnamon To make pancakes: Preheat oven to 425 F. In food processor, process brie until finely broken up. Add milk, biscuit mix, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add eggs and process until just beaten in.

In 10-inch oven-proof skillet, melt butter. Pour in batter.

Bake 15-20 minutes until browned and set.

To make sauteed pears: In saute pan, melt butter. Add pears, sugar, orange juice, nutmeg and cinnamon; saute

over high heat until pears are tender and juice has caramelized. Serve with pancakes and toasted walnuts.

Substitution: Use apples in place of pears.

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A Classic Dish for Celebrating the Chinese New Year

or countless cultures around the world, food is an integral part of many traditions, including the Chinese New Year. Spring rolls, varieties of noodles and steamed fish represent a small portion of the dishes typically enjoyed on this occasion, yet one of the most common is dumplings.

If you’re celebrating the Chinese New Year, consider this sweet take on traditional fare with Honey Pork Dumplings. Tender pulled pork is braised at low heat for 4 hours to slowly soak in the flavors of carrots, onions and wildflower honey. Once finished, the pork is wrapped inside small dough balls and steamed in a wok 15 minutes for a quick, contemporary version of a symbolic recipe.

Find more recipe ideas for year-round holidays and occasions at Culinary.net.

Honey Pork Dumplings Recipe courtesy of the National Honey Board Servings: 8 Dumpling Dough: 1 teaspoon yeast, dry active 3 ounces warm water 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting table, divided 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon vegetable oil nonstick cooking spray Honey Pulled Pork: 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder salt, to taste pepper, to taste 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 1 large onion, roughly chopped 1 jalapeno, sliced in half 2 cups water 1 cup soy sauce 1 cup wildflower honey 1 1/2 cups rice wine vinegar water nonstick cooking spray To make dumpling dough: In mixing bowl, combine yeast and water. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 15 minutes.

In stand mixer fitted with hook attachment, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and honey with

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

yeast. With mixer on low speed, combine yeast mixture and oil. Increase speed to medium and mix until tacky dough forms, about 4 minutes.

Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form dough into ball.

Spray bowl with nonstick cooking spray and add dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

To make honey pulled pork: Preheat oven to 275 F. Season pork with salt and pepper, to taste.

In hot saute pan, sear all sides of pork until brown. Transfer pork to braising pan and add carrots, onion, jalapeno, water, soy sauce, honey and rice wine vinegar.

Wrap braising pan with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Braise 4 hours.

Remove pork from liquid and shred.

To assemble dumplings: On sheet tray, use hands to roll approximately 1/2-inch diameter balls out of braised pork.

Divide dough into eight portions. Flatten each with hands and place one pork ball in each dough ball. Bring all edges of flattened dough on top of pork balls to make dumplings. Place balls on lined sheet trays.

Place bamboo steamer with 2-3 tiers in wok. Pour enough water into wok to reach just below bamboo steamer and bring to boil. Remove bamboo steamer from wok.

Spray bamboo tiers or steamer insert with nonstick cooking spray.

Working in batches, arrange dumplings about 1 inch apart on bamboo steamer tiers. Place bamboo steamer with dumplings in wok. Cover and steam until puffed and tender, about 15 minutes.

Serve immediately or store in airtight container and freeze. (Family Features)

Page 34 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

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RE/MAX Heritage Properties Welcomes New Agents

E/MAX Heritage Properties continues its growth with the addition of three new agents to its team.

“We are delighted to have these three new agents join RE/MAX Heritage Properties,” said Janen Ardia, Broker/Owner, RE/MAX Heritage Properties. “They are committed to delivering superior service to buyers and sellers throughout Morris County and beyond.”

The new agents include: Alexander Goldman-Spanja – Chester Office Alexander Goldman-Spanja began his real estate career in 2014. After a pause in his real estate career, Goldman-Spania decided to join RE/MAX Heritage Properties.

“My reason for returning to real estate and specifically to RE/MAX Heritage Properties is very simple; our shared business values propelled by the finest people in the industry who are both real and humble,” said Goldman-Spanja. “It feels good to have found a place to call home.”

Goldman-Spanja may be reached at the Chester office at 973-598-1700, by cell at 908-339-7740, or via email at realtorspanja@gmail.com.

Richard Segrave – Chester Office Richard Segrave is a new agent who began his real estate career in November 2020. He is also the owner and operator of Infinity Entertainment, a New Jersey wedding entertainment company. His areas of expertise include customer service, sales, logistics and business management.

“I plan to use my customer service, customer base and business management skills to help build my new career in real estate. I chose my RE/MAX Heritage Properties team because I know they will give me the support I need to be successful,” said Segrave. “I look forward to helping my new clients with their home buying and selling needs.”

Segrave may be reached at the Chester office at 908-879-4700, by cell at 973-4797480, or via email at rsegraverealtor@ gmail.com.

Adrian “Dru” Wimmershoff – Chester Office Dru Wimmershoff is also a new agent who obtained her license in November 2020. She previously served as a marketing director for a national software company.

Wimmershoff primarily works with buyers

Alexander Goldman-Spanja

Richard Segrave

and sellers throughout Morris, Hunterdon, and Somerset counties.

“I look forward to becoming a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy or sell a home in this area, or simply learn about the real estate market here. My family has lived in Chester/Long Valley for more than 20 years, and I truly enjoy introducing clients to these exceptional communities and our surrounding towns. With more people working remotely, these tranquil areas are quickly growing in popularity. RE/MAX Heritage Properties is the premier team

Adrian “Dru” Wimmershoff

here and has the integrity and support I was looking for,” said Wimmershoff.

Wimmershoff holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Communication. She is also actively involved in her community, serving on the Board of Directors for the Head Start Community Program of Morris County.

Wimmershoff may be reached at the Chester office at 908-879-4700, by cell at 973-809-5360, or via email at AgentDruNJ@gmail.com.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 35

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Jessica Sohl of RE/MAX Heritage Properties Earns Pricing Strategy Advisor Certification

essica Sohl, a REALTOR® and sales associate with RE/MAX Heritage Properties, recently earned the nationally recognized Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA) certification from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). More than ever, determining property values depends on professional expertise and competence, the best use of technology, and a commitment to approach the pricing assignment from various perspectives.

The PSA certification provides REALTORS® with the knowledge and skills to guide buyers and sellers through the details of comparative market analysis and pricing principles to help them work more effectively with appraisers. Agents

with this certification are able to select appropriate comparable properties and make accurate pricing adjustments to ensure a home is priced appropriately from the start.

Sohl joined RE/MAX Heritage Properties in April 2018. She helps buyers and sellers throughout Morris, Warren, Sussex, and Hunterdon Counties with their real estate needs. In 2019, she received the RE/MAX Executive Club Award for sales excellence.

“This designation is just another way for me to show my ongoing commitment to providing outstanding service for my clients who are looking to purchase a home,” said Sohl.

Sohl also recently completed the e-PRO® Certifica-

Jessica Sohl

tion Program to master the latest advanced digital marketing techniques.

Sohl works from the Flanders offices of RE/MAX Heritage Properties. She may be reached at the Flanders office at 973-598-1700, by cell at 973-906-6572 or via email at jessicasohlrealtor@gmail.com.

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Cindy Graham of RE/MAX Heritage Properties Earns Professional Certification as Seniors Real Estate Specialist®

indy Graham, a REALTOR® and sales associate with RE/ MAX Heritage Properties, recently earned certification as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

The SRES® designation prepares real estate professionals to approach mature clients with the best options and information when buying or selling a home.

Candidates are required to complete a two-day course and remain in good standing with NAR. Graham became a REALTOR® in 2012 and joined RE/ MAX Heritage Properties in 2014. A Roxbury resident for 33 years, Graham specializes in helping homebuyers and sellers throughout Roxbury and Mt. Olive Townships as well as Sussex and Warren Counties. She has earned

numerous regional awards throughout her career, including the RE/MAX Executive Club and RE/MAX 100% Club. She also received the Circle of Excellence Award from the New Jersey Association of Realtors (NJAR).

“The SRES® course provided guidance with working on transactions where mature clients have adult children involved,” said Graham. “It’s important to accommodate both by bridging the technology gap and being empathic to the emotional factor in selling a home full of memories. Mature clients generally prefer more personal and phone interactions, verses the text and emails preferred by the younger generation.”

Graham also recently completed the e-PRO® Certification Program to master the latest advanced digital marketing techniques.

Cindy Graham

Graham is an active member of the community, serving on the Board of Directors for the Roxbury Chamber of Commerce. She is also a member of the Mt. Olive Chamber, St. Therese Women’s Cornerstone Group and Friends of Roxbury Library.

Graham works from the Flanders office of RE/ MAX Heritage Properties.

She may be reached at the Flanders office at 973-5981700, on her cell at 201-8414747, or by email at ctgraham878@gmail.com.

The Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce is here to help your business grow!

We look forward to serving you this year Meet our 2021 Board of Trustees: President: Chuck Aaron VP: Patrice Schaffer Secretary: Claudia Ehrgott Treasurer: Brian Ko

Corresponding Secretary: Patricia Singer Trustees: Harry Browne, Manny Rizzuto, Craig Hanlon, Larry McEntee, William Lockwood, Matt Czigler

For more information: www.mountolivechambernj.com

Page 36 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

A New Year’s Day Story: A Most Precious Gift of Trust

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By Richard Mabey Jr. he gift of trust is one of the greatest blessings that one person can bestow upon another. Such a gift was given to me by Mayor David Baker, former Mayor of Lincoln Park. Mayor Baker appointed me to the high position of serving on the Executive Board of the Lincoln Park Public Library. I was sworn in to office on New Year’s Day on the dawn of Year 2000.

I took this volunteer position very, very seriously. It was a lot of hard work and required a certain, steadfast dedication.

It was truly a labor of love. I learned a lot during my four-year term. It was truly a golden opportunity.

I learned the mechanics of the smalltown library system, way beyond the Dewey Decimal System. There were times when I would have a thousand and one things pressing on my mind. At the time, I was working in the Editorial Department at an advertising agency. The demands of impossible deadlines were talking a toll on me. A dear aunt was very ill and in the hospital.

My Mom had just been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and needed to have brain surgery. And, I was in a most rocky relationship with a woman whom I simply adored.

So, with all that going on, the roof of the library had sprung a leak. I remember this so well. I was at the deli of the local grocery store on a Saturday morning. I was holding my little number ticket, waiting my turn to order some potato salad and a half-pound of turkey. I could feel the burden of all these things weighing heavily upon my mind. And along came dear, sweet Mrs. MacGruder, whom I knew from church.

“You know, my grandson had to do a report on Daniel Boone and there wasn’t one single book in the whole library about Daniel Boone. I had to drive my grandson to Pequannock to take out a book on Daniel Boone. Ya’ really outa get more books on Daniel Boone in the library,” Mrs. MacGruder firmly told me as I stood there with

the Saturday morning crowd at the grocery store deli.

I took a deep breath, inwardly prayed for patience, then kindly told Mrs. MacGruder that I would bring it up at the next Library Board meeting.

“Well, ya’ really should. How many books on Daniel Boone do you have in the library? Only one or two, I’d say. Ya’ know, Daniel Boone was a great American. You really should have more than just one or two books on Daniel Boone in the library,” Mrs. MacGruder reiterated to me.

Once again, I took a deep breath and thanked Mrs. MacGruder for her interest in the betterment of the library. Then, I inwardly thanked the good Lord when my number was called to place my order with the deli clerk.

As funny as it may sound, looking back, I actually am grateful to Mrs. MacGruder for nagging me about there not being enough books about Daniel Boone in the library.

But in defense of the Lincoln Park Public Library, one of the fourth-grade classes were studying Daniel Boone in their history class and the teacher gave a class assignment to write an essay about Daniel Boone.

Of course, any of the many encyclopedias, at the library, provided a wealth of information about Daniel Boone’s life. Mrs. MacGruder awoken me to the need for the library to provide more books about the great American men and women who helped shaped America’s history for the better.

From a leaking roof, to concerns about there not being enough books about Daniel Boone, to plumbing problems in the Men’s Room, to coordinating work-hour schedules, to staying within the budget, to safeguarding what the children were checking out on the Internet after school; it was all a most wondrous and valuable education to me. I learned, first hand, what was really involved in the management process of a small-town library.

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Yours truly with Mayor David Baker, former Mayor of Lincoln Park. Please note that the lines on Mayor Baker’s suit are from the photo.

Looking back, I am most grateful to Mayor David Baker’s gift of trust that he gave to me, in appointing me to serve on the Executive Library Board of the Lincoln Park Public Library. Gifts do not always come in brightly colored wrapping paper. Sometimes, they are even invisible to the naked eye. For the gift of trust is beyond the third dimension.

It was over 20 years ago that I was sworn in on that fateful New Year’s Day, to serve a four-year term on the library board. It was over 20 years ago that Mayor Baker shook my hand and told me that he expected me to do my best for the town’s library.

Looking back at my term of service on the library board, there were some things

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that I may have done differently now. I made some mistakes. But I held 100 percent perfect attendance at the library board meetings, all four years. I did my best, even though at times, some people in my old hometown didn’t think so. But that’s the way life is at times.

Serving on the library board was one of the most wonderful opportunities, ever granted unto me. So, to Mayor David Baker, thank you for your vote of trust and confidence. It meant the earth to me.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer.

He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com. Please put on the subject line: My Life Publications.

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 37

Mount Olive Township, New Jersey Featured Across North America in Business View Magazine

B

usiness View Magazine is spotlighting Mount Olive Township, New Jersey in an exclusive feature titled “150 years proud in 2021”– part of the magazine’s focus on Sustainability in U.S. Cities.

This in-depth profile describes how over the years, Mount Olive re-zoned certain areas of town to allow for smart growth and

redevelopment areas. With the implementation of the Highlands Water Planning and Preservation Act in 2004, placing 79% of the Township within the restrictive Preservation Area, along with Mount Olive currently protecting 6,925 total acres of preserved open space, the Township took steps to identify developmental areas, while keep-

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ing its commitment to protect the natural resources, farmland, watershed land, and scenic views. This balance has allowed Mount Olive to flourish with responsible residential and commercial development.

The most recent green initiative in Mount Olive is the future installation of eight electric vehicle charging stations at Turkey Brook Park. With more residents investing in electric vehicles, this service will support the use and incentives others to make the switch.

The future looks promising and eventful. One of the last major areas of development, the ITC East project, will start to Lorem Ipsum take shape, an immense solar field is being planned, and the Township auctioned off 57 acres of land for future development. Another major objective is to assist with the redevelopment of a vacant 1 million square foot, five-building facility (the former BASF Complex) into a “Live, Work, Play” community.

Mount Olive is a great place to live, work and raise a family. The municipal services, a highly rated school system, economic and

residential developments, trails and open space, historical buildings, recreational facilities, and the jewel of all jewels – Turkey Brook Park – serves as the focal point of the community. Other amenities include the Mount Olive Public Library, Senior Center, the Budd Lake Beach and an award-winning playground and splash pad. Mount Oliver is home to small town retail businesses, as well as larger corporations who take advantage of the Foreign Trade Zone. But the most valuable asset to the community are the industrious and civic minded residents, employees, and volunteers. Mount Olive is a community that cares for one another, is resilient to anything, and is stronger together. From recreation, to education, to business, Mount Olive has something for everyone.

The full article can be found at: Website: https://businessviewmagazine.com/ mount-olive-township-new-jersey-150years-proud-2021/ Digital Magazine: https://businessviewmagazine.com/digital-magazines/dec2020/359/

Page 38 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

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State of the Township Address 2021

ouncil President, members of the Town Council, Municipal Employees, friends, relatives and fellow residents of Mount Olive: I proudly conclude my ninth year as Mayor of this wonderful Township, and nineteenth year as an elected official. I once again thank you for the opportunity to report on the 2021 State of the Township of Mount Olive.

It goes without saying that 2020 has been a difficult year for all of us. On the municipal level, we recognized early on that the pandemic would have a drastic impact both in terms of the level of service the Township would be able to provide, and the loss of revenue that we would have to deal with both in 2020 and in fiscal year 2021. From the beginning of the year, we took drastic measures to cut back on spending, recognizing what we were likely to face as a result of the Covid-19 virus. Fortunately, those ultra conservative fiscal measures we adopted have resulted in the Township being positioned well and financially sound to undertake our responsibilities in 2021.

As in past years, the most important goal continues to be tax stability. Notwithstanding the pandemic, for the ninth year in a row, we will be introducing a budget that will include no municipal tax increase for the residents.

Notwithstanding the realization of no municipal tax increases for almost a decade, nothing gives me greater pleasure then the continued pride our residents have for this community. I am so very excited that our pride will be on display next year as we celebrate Mount Olive’s 150th Anniversary.

In terms of our facilities, next year I am looking forward to the installation of a new turf football field at Turkey Brook Park and the beginning of development of passive recreation at Valley Brook Park, across from Flanders Golf Course.

Of course, all of the accomplishments could not have been achieved without the hard work and support of the Governing Body. We work collaboratively as a team in Mount Olive. I would once again like to thank Joe Nicastro for his leadership in 2020 and look forward to working with him again in 2021. I congratulate Joe on his appointment to another term, I believe an unprecedented seventh consecutive term as Council President and thank him and the rest of the Township Council for their support and guidance.

While I generally get the credit, the successes are equally shared with and earned by the Township Council. So too, I would be remiss by not highlighting the outstanding work and accomplishments of your Department Heads and employees.

Prior to discussing each of the Department’s successes in 2020, I wanted to specifically thank the Health Department for guiding our Township and the many municipalities they serve through these very difficult times.

Administration The Administration Department continues to coordinate all aspects of local government and is responsible for the day-to-day operations associated with all municipal activities. Those responsibilities increased significantly during the pandemic as the primary goal was to ensure that all essential public services were delivered, Township employees, residents and visitors were kept safe, the Executive Orders were being followed and to oversee the Office of Emergency Management. Even in the midst of a pandemic, the daily challenges were overcome.

As with any large organization, a significant amount of

time was spent on Human Resources, hiring seventeen new employees and processing three retirements. The pandemic posed challenges as new Federal and State leave programs were made available and work from home accommodations were implemented. As we enter into 2021, we will continue to look for dedicated individuals to best serve our Township and provide a work/life balance to ensure our employees can deliver the essential public services that you rely on.

Legislatively, we supported policies and made changes to our ordinances to reflect the current environment and we will continue to make recommendations as we encounter issues throughout the year. Most notably, the land use ordinance was revised allowing for an overlay zone to accommodate the development of a solar field at the Comb Fill North landfill.

Amidst the pandemic, projects continued that would best serve the residents of Mount Olive. Phase I of the Old Flanders Sewer project was completed, the Seward House received another phase of upgrades, and the dilapidated Blue Bird was condemned and demolished.

Of most financial significates, a new approach to transfer the tax certificate of the Combe Fill North landfill yielded a bid of $525,000, the $2,000,000 tax lien to be paid off and the re-establishment of property tax. Additionally, the Township owned fifty-seven acres was re-bid and sold to a developer for $6,750,000. Once these transactions are finalized, the revenue will increase our fund balance and stabilize taxes for years to come.

Long standing problems were also addressed. Odor issues from Mint-X ceased as we were successfully able to litigate our environmental and health concerns putting an end to all Mint-X production. In addition, significant headway was made with improving the water quality of Budd Lake as we continue to mitigate HABs and stormwater runoff. Furthermore, our shared services continue to deliver as our contracting towns show confidence in our services by renewing their contracts and adding additional services.

The Township is the provider of fourteen shared services, generating over $500,000 in gross revenue.

Over $1,500,000 was awarded in grants from Federal, State and County agencies and we will continue to look for additional grant opportunities to help offset our expenditures. Major projects include the rehabilitation of Continental Drive, the restoration of the Seward House, the HAB mitigation grant and the Local Government Emergency grant.

Our office was also instrumental in coordinating various volunteer groups, promoting local businesses, keeping residents informed and soliciting thousands of dollars’ worth of donations for personal protective equipment.

Finance Department The Finance Department, which comprises the finance, collection and assessment divisions maintained healthy fund balances in 2020 despite revenue losses experienced due to the pandemic.

In the Tax Assessment Division, the Township received over $728,000 in revenue from $36,000,000 in added assessments. We also settled sixteen County tax board judgments which resulted in no refunds. For 2021, our property values are expected to grow by $25,000,000 or almost 1%.

We have the lowest number of pending state tax appeals in comparison to similar Morris County towns and are near the top in added assessment revenue increases.

In the Collection Division, we were responsible for collecting over $110,000,000 in property taxes, water and sewer rents. Our tax collection exceeded 99% which we have been able to do since 2014. A successful tax sale also resulted in over $181,000 in premiums which will return to the Township in five years pending no lien redemptions.

In the Finance Division, the 2019 audit was completed for the twelfth year in a row with no audit recommendations, along with no recommendations for the LOSAP, JIF and arbitrage audits. The best practice checklist was completed satisfactorily to obtain our final allotment of state aid and we met our continuing disclosure requirements. All non-vested LOSAP accounts were closed resulting in an additional $51,000 in revenue, banking services have been renegotiated, e-signatures are now accepted on purchase orders and the operating budget has been reduced by 19%. A historical bond sale was conducted for almost $10,000,000 that earned a low interest rate of 1.25% and a premium of $245,000 to be retained by the Township. Finally, reports were prepared using the new FAST online module, we continued to assist and finalize the Old Flanders sewer assessment and the annual water/sewer study was prepared.

Police Department The Mount Olive Police Department successfully navigated the challenge of maintaining sufficient staffing during the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts continued uninterrupted in preventing crime, crashes and negative quality of life issues. The police department also provided safe environments for our community to express their First Amendment Rights where it concerned racial injustice and political advocacy. Though the pandemic impacted our ability to connect with the community with police sponsored events, we did establish a Police Chaplain Program to continue building relationships in the community.

The Mount Olive Police Department is a community oriented police department that utilizes data driven technology and intelligence to direct resources. The Mount Olive Police Department is committed to following nationally recognized best practices and maintaining accreditation through the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.

Department of Public Works In the Roads Department, another successful year of paving was accomplished by resurfacing over twenty roadways and improving drainage in eight areas prone to flooding.

The Parks, Building and Grounds Department continued to address the original HVAC systems in the municipal building by replacing three units. Improvements were made to the dog park with the addition of water fountains and agility stations. Additionally, a new pavilion at Turkey Brook Park was installed.

In the Water and Sewer Department, engineering plans continue for the installation of water lines in the Pershing Estates Development and a new communication monitoring system is being designed for wells and pumps for the Morris Chase, Tinc and Sand Shore water system. Additionally, a forty-five year old filtration system at the Cloverhill Sewer Treatment Plant was replaced along with several pump replacements to sewer stations on the Budd Lake System.

The Sanitation Department continued with another successful town wide large item cleanup and seamlessly took continued on page 39

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 39

continued from page 38 over trash collection for the townhouses at Morris Chase.

New sanitation and recycling trucks were purchased, expanding our one arm bandit fleet, and a “Breast Cancer Awareness” campaign was launched offering pink recycling cans to the public.

The Fleet Department continues to handle all maintenance issues for township owned vehicles. All department vehicles remained up and running at their full capacities during the pandemic, ensuring the response of all essential frontline workers.

Recreation Department The Recreation Department, which was hit hardest operationally from the pandemic, started with a successful Ski and Snowboard program for Mt. Olive High School students. Additionally, programs were offered during the winter spanning from basketball to painting. Starting in March, virtual programs and socially distanced events took shape.

Twelve new virtual programs were offered from Coding for Kids, STEM, cooking classes and art programs. A Drive-in Movie, Foodie Fest, Oktoberfest and new Air and Land Remote Control event were safely done giving our residents a much needed escape from the pandemic. All of these events would not have been possible without the great support of our local business sponsors.

After receiving guidelines for aquatic events, the Budd Lake Beach Park opened in June along with the Mt. Olive Pool at Centercourt Sports.

Recreational youth sports were also able to start again with strict COVID-19 pandemic guidelines in place.

Plans have started for celebrating the Township’s 150th Anniversary in 2021. Over one hundred businesses have already sponsored banners around town for the yearlong celebration. Visit the Recreation website, Facebook and Instagram to see the online catalogs for spirit wear, commemorative items, photos and books.

Health Department Like all health departments across the county, ours has dedicated most of its human resources this year towards fighting the COVID-19 global pandemic. Since late February, the Health Department has investigated approximately nine hundred cases of COVID-19 in Mount Olive and over forty-five hundred when including the other towns that we serve. This includes investigating and helping to control outbreaks at long term care facilities, group living facilities, our public schools, daycare centers, and local businesses.

Daily, the Department has provided advice and assistance to these entities so that they can stay open for business.

To sustain these efforts, the Department leveraged existing resources and relationships and was able to onboard six contact tracers from the NJ Department of Health. The Board of Education also provided six of its school nurses to assist in case investigations.

In addition to conducting case investigation and contact tracing, the Department’s Environmental Division has been working non-stop with our Office of Emergency Management on the interpretation and enforcement of State Executive Orders and directives. Our Health Officer, along with several other Health Officers in the State, worked with the NJ Department of Health to create a funding formula to equitably distribute $5,000,000 to local health departments to offset the costs associated with fighting the pandemic.

Mount Olive received over $180,000 this year due to these efforts and the Department anticipates similar funding in 2021.

The Senior Transportation Program continues to serve

residents despite the obstacles COVID-19 has presented.

Over the past year, staff made over fifteen hundred trips taking our seniors to their medical appointments. They also delivered over twenty-four hundred meals to homebound, low-income seniors. Despite the reduction of ridership experienced this year, the future of the program appears very bright. The Health Department applied for and will receive funding through the Federal Transit Administration grant.

This funding will be utilized to further expand the scope of services provided by the program.

The Health Department continues to assure that our presence is known in Trenton. After fifteen years of serving on the Board of New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials, our Health Director has stepped down and our Deputy Health Officer has filled his shoes and was appointed to the Board in November and continues to serve on the New Jersey Department of Health’s Public Health Licensing Board. This appointment will ensure that public health needs of the Township of Mount Olive and its contracted municipalities will continue to be considered in future state public health planning efforts.

IT Department During the early months of the pandemic, the IT department successfully deployed a secure remote desktop platform to all Mount Olive Township and Police Department employees. The platform allows up to two hundred fifty employees to work from home while keeping business continuity in their departments. All employees had training on the remote application and were given a take-home device. The IT department continuously monitors and provides support for the remote application and township employees.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the IT department implemented a web-based video conferencing tool for all virtual township meetings and webinars.

The IT department continually broadens security awareness to all employees with interactive training, educational courses, email security guidelines and best practices. Simulated phishing cyberattacks under the guidance of Morris County JIF’s Cyber Risk Management Program are conducted yearly to strengthen email security awareness for all employees.

Planning Department The Planning Department’s key accomplishments for the year included the work on the General Development Plan review with the Planning Board for the eventual development of six hundred eighty-six residential units consisting of single family homes, townhomes and apartments on one hundred twenty-six acres in the FTZ-4 zone. This project will include one hundred thirty-eight affordable units towards the Township’s affordable housing obligation.

Other development projects of note include the approval of a new solar array facility on the former one hundred acre Combe Fill North landfill made possible by the creation of a special Redevelopment Plan designation, the demolition of the former Boat House Restaurant on Sand Shore Road to make way for a new restaurant and residential apartment at the same location, the conversion of the former Sam’s Club building to an Amazon distribution facility, and the redevelopment of the former Budd Lake School property on Rt. 46 to a self-storage facility.

The number of Zoning Permits issued totaled five hundred twenty-five including two hundred seventy-two done remotely between March and July. The Township Planner, in his role as Zoning Officer, also worked directly with restaurants and eateries in the Township to fast tract

and simplify Outdoor Dining Permits in response to the COVID-19 indoor dining restrictions.

The Township Planner worked with the Land Conservancy to produce an updated Open Space and Recreation Plan which was adopted by the Planning Board as part of the Township’s Master Plan, initiated efforts to amend zoning regulations to provide greater flexibility for homeowners to install fences and to enable homeowner associations to be alerted to zoning permit applications from its members to ensure compliance with its rules.

The Township Planner, in his role as Municipal Housing Liaison, responded to inquiries and coordinated efforts between the developer of Mountain Ridge Estates and the Township’s affordable housing consultant to assist in the application process for the fifty-four affordable units now under construction. Over three hundred applications have been submitted to date.

In his capacity as Zoning Officer, twenty-six property maintenance notices were issued, twenty-eight zoning violations, and four summons resulting in appearances and fines in municipal court. The Department registered thirty-three vacant and abandoned properties collecting $11,500 in recording fees and processed over four hundred OPRA requests.

Construction Department During the past year, the Construction Department has collected over $800,000, issuing over sixteen hundred construction permits and over twelve hundred certificates of occupancy.

The Department conducted over five thousand inspections and will continue to bring the best possible service to the residents, business owners and contractors of Mount Olive.

Fire Prevention The Fire Marshal’s Office enforces fire safety regulations to every commercial building and business in the Township, along with providing shared services to Chester Borough, Hackettstown and Allamuchy. Over eighteen hundred businesses are inspected annually along with nine hundred seventy residential inspections generating over $308,000 in annual revenue. The Fire Marshal’s Office was also responsible for investigating forty fires throughout all the towns we provide service. A recent audit by the NJ Division of Fire Safety was completed and the office received exceptional remarks.

Conclusion This is only a snap shot of the many achievements and accomplishments our Township Departments and employees have achieved this past year. I will continue to strive to make Mount Olive Township the best place to live, work and raise a family. I consider every member of the community a family member. The pride that you have shown me, the dedication for our community and the support that we have for one another is overwhelming.

I know there are still many things upon which we need to improve and I promise to do my best to accomplish and make as my priority in the New Year. I look forward to and ask for the resident’s support for many years to come. In closing, I would like to thank the Township Council, our Business Administrator and all of our Department Heads and Municipal Employees for a job well done in 2020. May the New Year bring you good health, happiness and prosperity.

With Gratitude and Appreciation, Rob Greenbaum Mayor, Mount Olive Township

Page 40 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Y

How ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ Can Stretch Your Dollars

ou’ve probably wondered about it - various retailers and apps offering consumers the opportunity to “buy now and pay later.” It’s easy to confuse buy now pay later (BNPL) plans with using a credit card or layaway plan. While finances are tight for many, especially during and after the holidays, it’s good to know what plans would work best for your situation, without getting you into financial difficulties down the road.

The credit card trap When cash is in short supply, especially if you are a recent grad or if you’re between jobs, it’s all too easy to max out your credit cards when buying holiday gifts or necessary expenses, from gas for your car to medical bills.

But even if you have reasonably good credit and a generous credit limit on a card, relying too heavily on this payment method can lead to financial difficulties in the future. Even if your credit card charges interest that is not too high, any amount adds up over time, especially if you can’t pay off the balance. And even worse - if you miss a payment, that can not only lead to fees but will also harm your credit score, making it hard to borrow later if you

need a car or bank loan.

Especially for anyone still paying down student loans, the lure of credit cards has definitely lost its luster - which is a good thing, in the long run.

The old-fashioned layaway plan In your parents’ or grandparents’ day, layaway was a common method for saving up for large expenses, like appliances. But the catch was, you couldn’t take home the item until the total amount was paid off at the retailer.

It was a great way for people to save up for later purchases, making sure they didn’t overextend their credit. But for today’s financial challenges, a plan like this does not help much. The layaway plan has evolved to fit our current needs, and buy now, pay later has revolutionized the way we purchase - like getting the item right away instead of waiting to receive it once it’s paid off.

How to buy now, pay later Enter a new way to make purchases now and pay for it over time without exorbitant interest and fees later. For example, with Quadpay, you can make purchases without needing to go through a hard credit check that could affect your credit

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By Elsie Walker offers. Expires 8/31/20 ost people take are caps, t-shirts having clean water , and bottled water. for granted. They to Since just turn on a faucet drink gregate where other homeless do, Chillou veterans conhomes and out in their to non-ve comes the water. t gives the items terans as well. if a person is homel However, what In the past, ess? Where does Founder and Directo he or she get water? were donations of items receive the supplies it shared r of Operation Chillou d from drives groups or from ki, recalled that done by individuals. The t, Ray Chimilesa homeless vetera summe Memorial Day – n, who had sepsis, while waiting for Labor Day. Howev r collection is done died COVID19, an er, this year, becaus Operation Chillou ication with pollute operation because he took his e of t can’t take donati med- cal items, d river water. ons of physibut is taking monet Chimileski noted, from the organi ary donations to zation’ that mer items. buy the sumPeople can donate from the New Jersey s own experience and inform ation throug Department of operationchillout.org h its website at Affairs, “one in Military and Vetera www. /. every five homel n Chimileski shared ess people is a In addition to the that Operation Chillou veteran”. the homeless are to t goes to where problems of staying need for water, there are also distrib ute items (soup the ters, etc.) Seeing cool in the summe kitchens, shelwinter, how does a homeless vetera one do that when r and warm in the tion Chillou t will give this “peace n, a member of Operathe streets? he or she is living on winter items, offering”; the summe and the Helping solve the r or the items “a peace organization’s card. Chimileski ing homeless vetera problems of homelessness and calls offering” becaus help- may have ns receive the service e homeless vetera had bad experie are the two focuse ns nces in the past s of Operation Chillou s they qualify for the service in trying to get s they need; they out is New Jersey’ t. Operation Chillmay have becom s oldest all volunt and given up. They e frustrated eer mobile outrea veterans and homel may be wary of ch for out wants ess men and wome help. Operation these homeless its membership n.

ChillStarted in vetera is made up of both 2000, their advoca ns to know that veterans and civilian te in helping to get serves all of New it will be Jersey, northeast them the service s. It they qualify Pennsylvania, and s for which and also help them al Rhode Island. coastChimileski shared with other needs.

Chimileski noted that Operation was “selected that this year’s Chillout will be to be the statew distribution of different due to ide special projec 2021 of the New items COVID t 2020- ters are Jersey Federation closed. Also, Operati 19 restrictions. Some shelof Women’s Clubs.”

New Jersey State on (The to put up Federation of Wome its table and speak Chillout won’t be allowed est volunteer wome n’s Clubs is the one-on -one with larg- veterans. n’s service organi Operation Chillou homel a member of the zation in the state ess Ken Steffan, of Operati t will be deliver General Federation and usually gives ing the items it be given out to the on Chillout, gathers some of the out (and its cards of Women’s Clubs.)

Operating out of supplies to homeless. for Long Valley, just homeless vetera the organizations Operation Chillou one of the many ns) to distribute, like ways for Vetera t helps is throug the Supportive Serviceto to be. n Families (of the h giving out certain during the summe s Cathol items diocese of r and winter; in Chimileski noted the summer, those Newark), soup kitchen ic Charities of the Archthat COVID-19 restric items will also ed the organization s, etc. Operation tions have affectgo to other places Chillout in another way, where the homel too. has Operati cancel led its annua on Chillout ess are known benefits the organi l August Vet Fest fundraiser Putting our client which zation’s Rapid Respon s first for over and veterans rescue se Team Hotline 30 years Certified Publi Team runs 24/7/3 housing costs. “Our Rapid Respon c Accountant 65. We receive calls daily at our se mated hotline Personal Finan (609-619-0861) autocial Specialist from veterans. Referra ls come from many or about homeless agencies, first respon Peter G. Neuberg, sources: individ uals, CPA/PFS VA itself. We provid ders, family members and often Peter.Neuberg@hend the e tel stays and whatev no cost transportation and brief www.hendersonne ersonneuberg.com moer incidental items uberg.com cue the veteran are needed to resfrom the homel ess crisis. While safe, we arrang secure and e or provide access 245 Main Street ing solutions. In to longer term Suite 201 hous2019, we rescue d an average of homel ess vetera Phone one Chester, NJ 07930 n per day - over new : 908-879-7624 300 individuals.”

Chimileski said Offer good thru Securities offered Fax: 908-879-2830 that those who 8/31/20 through BCG Securities, Inc. would like to suppor those efforts can Member FINRA & SIPC 856-393-19 visit t 50 nate to its vetera the Operation Chillout website to dons’ found at the bottom outreach effort. The donation link is of this page: www.o org/who-we-are/. perationchillout.

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score. Their app divides your purchase into four payments over a six-week period, and withdrawals for each payment are set up to be automatically charged to the bank account you provide, so you won’t have to worry about missing a payment - and there’s no interest and no hidden fees. The first payment is made at the time of purchase.

With Quadpay, you can use buy now, pay later to shop anywhere, for anything - whether online or in-store. After downloading the app you can browse any store online or just add a Quadpay card to your digital wallet to conveniently pay in-store.

The app even sends helpful reminders of upcoming payments via text message.

Using BNPL beyond gifts Apart from buying others (or yourself) items you want, you can also use the Quadpay app to pay for medical bills, prescriptions, utilities and other necessary expenses - even parking tickets.

“We created Quadpay to provide consumers savvier ways to pay and greater access to financial flexibility, believing the traditional credit model was broken,” said Adam Ezra, Co-CEO of Quadpay. “While a FICO score alone may make sense for car

loan eligibility, we’ve proven it’s not the case for smaller purchases.”

Another bonus? If you’re shopping instore, you can touch and go to pay with the app for safer, contactless shopping.

Tips for using buy now, pay later 1. Download the Quadpay app, and make sure you’ve added a Quadpay card to your digital wallet, for easy tap-to-pay in-store capabilities through your digital wallet.

2. When shopping online, purchase goods from any retailer through the Quadpay app to easily split payments.

3. Keep track of how much you’re spending and how it’s being divided over the next six weeks, so you’re not overreaching your expected income during that period.

Using buy now, pay later, you can spread out payments over time to help you manage your finances smartly when money is tight, and avoid being late on crucial payments when you’re between paychecks.

Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play - or visit Quadpay. com to learn more. (BPT)

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 41

T

Finding Fulfillment: Is this the Right Time to Switch Careers?

he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people in countless ways. From quarantine and social distancing to remote working, furlough and job loss, many people are reassessing how they spend their time and make money. Turning proverbial lemons into lemonade, people of all ages and backgrounds have decided to pivot their careers to do something that they truly enjoy.

Time provides the gift of insight With extra time at home, people are taking stock of their jobs and paths for the future. They are exploring hobbies and passions that may have been put on hold.

Finding enjoyment in these activities and realizing strengths and talents can be the inspiration for a new chapter. For example: * Limited restaurant hours and options paired with ample kitchen time has inspired foodies to flex their culinary muscles. Some have started showing off their creations on social media and recording how-to videos to share with friends and family. Live cooking videos have been a fun way to connect socially with others from a distance. * Having last-minute needs for items like desks, DIYers started working on projects in garages and sheds, realizing they have a maker mindset and handy capabilities.

Talking with others and sharing images of finished projects, they’ve discovered their

talents are in demand. * Unexpected changes due to hour reduction, job loss and more have financial consequences for many families. After creating agile budgets that help their family thrive in uncertain times, some may even share their budgeting tips and find joy in helping others discover financial security.

The silver lining of the pandemic is the gift of time for reflection and self-discovery.

However, it’s one thing to enjoy a talent or passion, it’s another to figure out how to monetize it.

Desire inspires the need for change Being your own boss is appealing. If you’ve discovered a talent and you want to make it a career, it’s important to explore options that can help set you up for success.

Taking orders for custom-made desks can be a rewarding side gig or even full-time career, if you have the space, tools and organization skills. Passionate cooks can explore culinary school and consider hosting online cooking classes to help garner some money and grow their reputation.

For people who desire to help others with budgeting or financial concerns there’s no better time to explore the possibilities for a bright, vibrant new career as a financial professional. Organizations such as The Guardian Life Insurance Company provide training on how to build your career and find clients.

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Page 42 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

NJStarz Jamie Siminoff Hometown: Chester, NJ

D

By Steve Sears on’t tell 44-year-old Jamie Siminoff, Founder and Chief Inventor at Ring, that he can’t do something.

He vividly recalls attending Morristown Beard High School and Rich Timek’s architecture class. “When I was young, I had a passion for creativity, and all I wanted to do was build things with my hands,” he says. “Rich’s class gave me a crash course in what would become a critical lesson, which is the importance of having a vision, and working relentlessly to achieve that.” The class was instructed to build a house from start to finish; design the architecture and then construct a model. “I remember I wanted my model to have cedar shingles, and Rich told me he didn’t think I could do it because it would take too long.” It was Siminoff’s first experience where his team had a vision he was confident in, and he got a taste of someone telling him it couldn’t be done. He then used his resources and fierce commitment to bring his vision to life. “Cedar shingles were my vision and I needed to make it work. So, believe it or not, I cut individual balsa wood shingles and glued them onto the model house. I don’t know how many hours it took me, but I managed to complete it in time.”

And then there was the Shark Tank experience. “I was at lunch with a friend in 2013 who recommended I reach out to a Shark Tank producer he knew,” Siminoff says. “I sent the producer an email and before I knew it, I was walking into the Shark Tank with Doorbot and expecting a deal. However, one by one, the Sharks dropped out, and I walked out of the Tank with nothing.”

Huge disappointment? Maybe. But the word “quit” is absent from Siminoff’s dictionary. He rebranded Doorbot as Ring. “I knew Doorbot was a work in progress, but that didn’t stop me. Driven by Ring’s mission, I went back to the drawing board to create an even better version of the device and re-introduced the Ring Video Doorbell to the world. Funny enough, it was the exposure and resulting publicity from our Shark Tank appearance that enabled us to keep going.”

For the kid from Chester, New Jersey, the road to Ring’s success was not a straight one. “In fact,” he says, “many times, I questioned our path forward. This was my first hardware business, and it wasn’t easy,” he says.

You can see Siminoff perhaps one day authoring a self-help book on his above-described drive, emblematic of him since childhood. “Growing up in Chester, I learned the basics of engineering, entrepreneurship and invention,” says Siminoff, who now lives in Los Angeles, California. “I was into radio-controlled cars and Chester Hobby was an amazing place in town to not only buy these cars, but to learn from the staff on how to fix them. If my car was broken and I wanted to play with my friend down the street with theirs, I had to fix mine. So, when my parents could not drive me into town, necessity became the mother of invention. I figured out how to fabricate parts and tools and fix them on my own. This is was what really taught me mechanical and electrical engineering, those radio control cars might be one of the biggest influences in shaping who I am today.”

As was his family. “My parents taught me the importance and value of hard work.” Siminoff was an average student in high school starting out, B’s and C’s populating his report cards. Then came the challenge to become better. “I remember my dad and I were out in town and we saw the Land Rover Defender 90, and I said to my dad, ‘I would do anything to have that car.’ He told me to get straight A’s, and that’s exactly what I did. I went on to receive straight A’s my junior year, which ended up being a critical time for college admissions. While it was essentially a bribe, the hard work paid off in more ways than one by helping me get into a better college...and the car!”

There’s a good chance Siminoff “used those wheels” to head to his next stop, Babson College in Massachusetts, where he won a business planning contest, and then founded Phone tag and Unsubscribe.com. Entrepreneurship loomed big at that time. “Absolutely,” he says in agreement. “I’ve been an entrepreneur from a young age, whether I knew it or not. I would find creative ways to earn money during high school, talk to my friends’ parents who were savvy businesspeople and really do anything I could to learn more about business and entrepreneurship. When I got to Babson, I focused on honing my skills and launching my first few businesses.”

None bigger than in 2013. While working out of his garage on several inventions, Siminoff realized he was continuously missing package deliveries because he could not hear his doorbell. “When I discovered that an internet-connected doorbell didn’t exist,” he says, “I built the first version of the Ring Video Doorbell, originally called Doorbot, so I could answer my door while I worked.” Yes, he no longer missed getting his packages, but there was an additional perhaps more important element. “When my wife used the device, she expressed how safe it made her feel when she was home alone because she could answer the door from her phone. From there, our mission of making neighborhoods safer was born.

I’ve always said the real invention was the mission, not the product itself, but since then, the first Video Doorbell has evolved into an entire line of home security devices and services helping to bring peace of mind and make neighborhoods

safer for everyone.”

Siminoff then appeared on Shark Tank, and the rest is history. In 2014, Ring Video Doorbell was brought to market and it’s been a leader in the home security space ever since. “I believe Ring is now one of the biggest companies to ever appear on Shark Tank, and following our appearance on the show, we’ve had a long list of impressive investors, including Sir Richard Branson.” Another interested investor was looming as well. “As we continued to build Ring and introduce our suite of new Ring security cams and doorbells to the world, the company attracted another mission-focused, customer-obsessed brand: Amazon.” It has changed his life, and he’s proud of their mission-driven approach.

“From the initial invention in my garage to being acquired

by Amazon, Ring has exceeded all my expectations. I have always worked to invent products that provide real solutions, for real problems. Building the Video Doorbell, I knew this product would not only provide a solution to a problem many people like myself faced, but also had the potential to make an even bigger impact on neighborhoods everywhere. My team continues to bring more choice, affordability, and convenience to our customers each day and we are endlessly motivated to making an impact.”

Impact is a key word. Siminoff is consistently humbled by the stories from neighbors (“What we call our customers,” he says) regarding the number of ways his team’s products and services have helped them. “Be it reuniting a continued on page 43

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 43

NJ Starz... continued from page 42 lost pet and their owner thanks to communities working together through the Neighbors app, or how our security cameras have helped families safely, and more easily, navigate this challenging time and stay in touch with loved ones - our neighbors’ stories never cease to inspire and amaze me,” he says. “I’m particularly proud of the recent program we announced with Habitat for Humanity to provide $1 million worth of Ring Video Doorbells to be installed on new Habitat homes built in 2021, providing families with added peace of mind in their new neighborhoods. We are always evaluating ways we can make a meaningful impact on local communities -- and this is a great example.”

A big thrill for Siminoff was returning to Shark Tank as a Guest Shark. “I was the first entrepreneur to have gone from pitching the Sharks to sitting in a Guest Shark’s chair,” he says. “That was something I couldn’t have imagined even in my wildest dreams. It was a really proud moment for me. I was honored to return to the show as a Shark to assist others in achieving their dreams and further their missions to hopefully make an impact on the world.”

Siminoff is always working and inventing alongside the team at Ring in support of

their mission to make neighborhoods safer. “I’ve always said that this is a mission I hope never to accomplish, because when that day comes, it will be because we didn’t dream bigger and we could have achieved even more. We’ll continue to work towards delivering security and peace of mind to every neighbor - everywhere. Looking ahead, we are more committed than ever to providing the best possible experience for our neighbors. This means doubling down on offering whole home security in a truly seamless way and providing users with devices and features that intuitively work together. An important part of this experience will be continuing to keep user control, security and privacy front and center. We are driven by our customer obsession.”

As previously mentioned, the road to Ring’s success was certainly not a straight one. “I don’t believe in advice,” Siminoff says, and he’s lived the valid reason why.

“All of our journeys are vastly different.

I think learning from seeing and hearing about others’ experiences is important, but everyone needs to create their own path to what they consider to be success.”

When he looks back now at how he and his team were able to build Ring and overcome obstacles, three things do stand out as being key components. First is having a

mission. “Ours was to make neighborhoods safer. A mission defines what a company stands for and why it exists. For the team, it is a reason to work hard, to sacrifice for, and something to keep you focused. For me, our mission helped to keep me going and pushing forward, no matter what. For our customers, it creates a true bond that is more meaningful than just a transaction.”

Next, hard work. “Something New Jersey

taught me was hard work and it certainly was needed to build Ring from both myself and the team.”

And finally, Siminoff says, there’s luck.

“I’ve always said luck is like the lottery -- the harder you work, the more ‘tickets’ you secure, but there’s always an element of luck to it. We worked hard, had a lot of tickets and thankfully, a little bit of luck on our side, too.”

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Page 44 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

The Summer of 1969:

O

By Richard Mabey Jr. ur true-life story so far: It is now the middle of July of 1969. I have begun taking swimming lessons at the Paterson YMCA. My swimming instructor, Lisa Ann, is a very pretty girl who had just completed her freshman year at Paterson State College. Lisa Ann is very kind to me. I have become quite smitten with her. I have just met Robbie, Lisa Ann’s boyfriend. He is crude, rude and obnoxious to Lisa Ann. The two of them have just left the indoor swimming pool area and I sit alone on the old, wooden bench beside the pool. I go outside the Paterson YMCA, to find my mom waiting for me in her old Ford Country Squire station wagon. As Mom drives me home, Mom tells me that Lisa Ann lives in Lincoln Park on Elm Street!

There is a time and day when an event of paramount importance in our personal life correspondence with the very same time and day of an event of international significance.

Such was the case of the Wednesday morning of the sixteenth of July in 1969. At approximately 9:30 that morning, New Jersey time, the Apollo 11 spacecraft was sent soaring into the heavens. And, it was at that very moment in time, when I was taking my swimming lesson from Lisa Ann at the Paterson YMCA. I was devastated by how mean and rude Lisa Ann’s boyfriend was to her. It broke my heart to see how he treated Lisa Ann, when he came into the indoor swimming pool room at the Paterson YMCA. Mom had driven me home that morning, after my swimming class was over. I was so hurt by how Lisa Ann was treated by her boyfriend, that I

Wednesday; July 16, 1969

had totally forgotten about the important Apollo 11 sendoff.

Mom and I pulled into the driveway of the old Mabey Homestead. As we walked into the house, there was my sister Patti and Aunt Helen watching the television. It was now about 11:30 in the morning. I remember as soon as my sister saw me walk into the living room, Patti jumped up off the couch and enthusiastically shouted, “Richie, you missed it! The big rocket got shot off to go to the moon!”

Aunt Helen gave out a big smile on her face. “It was something to see. It was really something to see!” Aunt Helen said with a certain abundant joy.

Mom and I then both sat down to watch the continuing news coverage for a few minutes. Then Mom and Aunt Helen went into the kitchen to cook up some chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for all of us.

Meanwhile, my sister told me all about the wonder and magic and majesty of the Apollo 11 launch. I had missed watching an historic event of international magnitude. It was good to be home, away from the smell of the chlorinated water of the indoor pool at the big city YMCA. It was so very good to be home, in dear old Lincoln Park.

To be continued.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com. Please place the wording “My Life Weekly” in the subject line.

Apollo 11 was fired into the heavens on the morning of the sixteenth of July in 1969. The very time and day that I was taking my swimming lesson from Lisa Ann at the Paterson YMCA.

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$100 VISA® Reward Debit Card: $100 Visa® reward debit card requires service activation. You will receive a claim voucher via email within 24 hours and the voucher must be returned within 60 days. Your $100 Visa® reward debit card will arrive in approximately 6-8 weeks. Card is issued by MetaBank®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. No cash access or recurring payments. Can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

Card valid for up to 6 months; unused funds will forfeit after the valid thru date. Card terms and conditions apply. BASIC SYSTEM: $99 Installation. 36-Month Monitoring Agreement required at $27.99 per month ($1,007.64). 24-Month Monitoring Agreement required at $27.99 per month ($671.76) for California. Offer applies to homeowners only. Offer valid for new ADT Authorized Premier Provider customers only and not on purchases from ADT LLC. Cannot be combined with any other offer. The $27.99 Offer does not include Quality Service Plan (QSP), ADT’s Extended Limited Warranty. ADT Command: ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services (“ADT Pulse”), which help you manage your home environment and family lifestyle, require the purchase and/or activation of an ADT alarm system with monitored burglary service and a compatible computer, cell phone or PDA with Internet and email access. These ADT Pulse services do not cover the operation or maintenance of any household equipment/systems that are connected to the ADT Pulse equipment. All ADT Pulse services are not available with the various levels of ADT Pulse. All ADT Pulse services may not be available in all geographic areas. You may be required to pay additional charges to purchase equipment required to utilize the ADT Pulse features you desire. ADT VIDEO LITE: ADT Video Lite installation is an additional $299. 36-month monitoring contract required from ADT Video Lite: $59.99 per month, ($2,159.64), including Quality Service Plan (QSP). Indoor camera may not be available in all areas. GENERAL: For all offers, the form of payment must be by credit card or electronic charge to your checking or savings account, satisfactory credit history is required and termination fee applies. Certain packages require approved landline phone. Local permit fees may be required. Certain restrictions may apply. Additional monitoring fees required for some services. For example, Burglary, Fire, Carbon Monoxide and Emergency Alert monitoring requires purchase and/or activation of an ADT security system with monitored Burglary, Fire, Carbon Monoxide and Emergency Alert devices and are an additional charge. Additional equipment may be purchased for an additional charge. Additional charges may apply in areas that require guard response service for municipal alarm verification. Prices subject to change. Prices may vary by market. Some insurance companies offer discounts on Homeowner’s Insurance. Please consult your insurance company. Photos are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect the exact product/service actually provided. Licenses: AL-21-001104, AR-CMPY.0001725, AZ-ROC217517, CA-ACO6320, CT-ELC.0193944-L5, DC-EMS902653, DC-602516000016, DE-07-212, FL-EC13003427, GA-LVA205395, IA-AS-0206, ID-ELE-SJ-39131, IL-127.001042, IN-C.P.D. Reg. No. – 19-08088, City of Indianapolis: LAC-000156, KY-City of Louisville: 483, LA-F1914, LA-F1915, LA-F1082, MA-1355C, MD-107-1626, ME-LM50017382, MI-3601205773, MN-TS01807, MO-City of St. Louis: CC#354, St. Louis County: 100194, MS-15007958, MT-PSP-ELS-LIC-247, NC-25310-SP-FA/LV, NC-1622-CSA, NE-14451, NJ Burglar Alarm Lic. # -NJ-34BF00021800, NM-353366, NV-0068518, City of Las Vegas: 3000008296, NY-Licensed by the N.Y.S. Department of State UID#12000317691, NYS #12000286451, OH-53891446, City of Cincinnati: AC86, OK-AC1048, OR-170997, Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor Registration Number: PA022999, RI-3582, RI-7508, SC-BAC5630, SD- 1025-7001-ET, TN-1520, TX-B13734, ACR-3492, UT-6422596-6501, VA-115120, VT-ES-2382(7C), WA-602588694/ECPROTEYH934RS, WI-City of Milwaukee: PAS-0002966, WV-WV042433, WY-LV-G-21499. 3750 Priority Way South Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46240 ©2020 DEFENDERS, Inc. dba Protect Your Home DF-CD-NP-Q420

Lifetime Warranty!

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Discount applied at time of purchase. Terms and Conditions Apply. * Subject to 3rd party credit approval. Minimum monthly payments required. Receive a free American Standard Cadet Toilet with full installation of a Liberation Walk-In Bath, Liberation Shower, or Deluxe Shower. Offer valid only while supplies last. Limit one per household. Must be first time purchaser. All offers subject to change prior to purchase. See www.AmericanStandardBathtubs.com for other restrictions and for licensing, warranty, and company information. * CSLB B982796; Suffolk NY:5543IH; NYC:HIC#2022748-DCA. Safety Tubs Co. LLC does not sell in Nassau NY, Westchester NY, Putnam NY, Rockland NY.

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 45

L

earning remotely from home is now the norm for many families across the country. Kids and caregivers alike have settled into a routine, though keeping children engaged can still be challenging.

While kids have had to be resilient and adapt to learning away from their school buildings, there are ways to make the adjustment easier. These ideas can help infuse more fun and moments of inspiration into school days to keep kids engaged and excited about learning.

Create a reward system. Children typically respond well to positive reinforcement, and a thoughtful reward system can help incentivize them to stay on task. Try to align the rewards with the structure of your day so everyone wins. For example, you can reward the completion of a long assignment with a play break. Giving kids the ability to choose the reward from a set of options can also increase their level of investment in learning.

Seek support from trusted sources. Many familiar kids’ programs have expanded their services at no extra charge to help families through the pandemic. One example is My ABCmouse Classroom Live!, a learning experience that features daily classes built around themes such as community, responsibility, change, communication and cooperation.

Each class feels like a real classroom experience, is led by real teachers and contains

Make Virtual Learning Fun and Easier more than an hour of high-quality, engaging learning as part of an expertly designed curriculum. The classes can be streamed on-demand then kids can complete independent learning activities related to the classes, including interactive games, art and puzzles.

Maintain social ties. Connections with friends are hard to establish without in-person interaction. However, with a little creativity, you can find ways to build new kinds of connections with educational value. Coordinate with other parents to start a book club and bring kids together virtually to talk about the stories or start an old-fashioned pen-pal exchange with kids from your school.

Establish a schoolwork zone. For children, doing schoolwork in an area usually associated with toys and free time like a playroom or bedroom can be hard, but in most homes, extra space is at a premium. Get creative with your available space and set some boundaries. Use a room divider, rugs or other visual cues to set aside a space in the house dedicated to doing schoolwork. Get your children on board by having them help design the space or add their own personal touches like artwork.

For more ideas to help make virtual learning fun and engaging, visit ABCmouse.com.

5 Homeschool Hacks 1. Use familiar toys to add playful elements to schoolwork. Building blocks and

modeling clay can be used as part of lessons on colors, shapes and letters.

2. Laminate a password cheat sheet and keep it within easy reach so you’re always able to log in quickly. Also create a list of bookmarks and desktop shortcuts to save time accessing online learning tools.

3. Add some cheerful color to dry-erase sheets by using pompoms as erasers. Bonus tip: Slide a page protector over a worksheet so kids can practice with it again and again.

4. Get creative with household supplies.

A dishrack easily doubles as a file sorter or book display. Cookie sheets can be used for working with magnets or as a hard surface for writing or coloring if your child needs a break from his or her desk.

5. Repurpose old puzzles by putting learning content on the back. Math facts, spelling words and shapes can make for easy puzzles.

(Family Features)

Page 46 • January 2021 • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Get Your Home Ready for Work and School this Winter

A

lthough preparing your home for winter is a fairly consistent process year-to-year, many homes have seen significantly more use this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. If your home will serve as your office or school throughout the winter months, it’s important to address issues that may have been noticed but tolerable during winters past.

Consider these tips from the experts at the National Association of the Remodeling Industry to help ensure your home is ready before winter weather strikes.

Improve Indoor Air Quality Beyond proper physical and structural considerations of winter preparations, the increased daily usage of your home naturally increases the importance of indoor air quality. Since windows and doors will likely be closed more often, moisture levels within your home can be significantly affected.

Use a humidifier, if necessary, to maintain a relative humidity between 45-50%, which is healthier and can feel more comfortable. It can also keep wooden doors and windows functioning properly and wood furniture and floors looking good.

Get Your Furnace Checked To keep your furnace from failing when you need it most, get it inspected by a professional before you need to rely on it to heat

ACP:

your home in the dead of winter. If you’re not leaving the house and turning down the thermostat each day, this will be especially important this year. Regular tune-ups can prolong your furnace’s life, help prevent carbon monoxide leaks and ensure your unit is working at maximum efficiency. If a wholehouse humidifier is included as part of the heating system, also inspect the humidifier and replace the element, if necessary.

Seal Leaks Around Windows and Doors Air infiltration is one of the largest culprits of reductions in a home’s efficiency. Small air leaks can add up to significant heat loss and a corresponding increase in energy consumption. If replacing window screens with storm windows and installing a storm door on your house isn’t realistic, increase energy efficiency by sealing gaps around window and door moldings with caulk to help keep heat from escaping. If any pipes or ducts travel through an exterior wall of your home, you can also use caulking and weather-stripping to help block potential entry points for cold air.

Check Your Gutters Improper drainage away from the home is one of the biggest causes of water leaking into basements and crawlspaces. Gutters and downspouts have the single purpose of routing water away from your home to help prevent damage to your foundation.

Once leaves have fallen and before the first snow, ensure your gutters are properly secured and clear of debris. Clogged gutters can lead to improper drainage and potential overflow, ice damming or other water-related issues. Also adjust downspouts so they direct water at least 5 feet from the house to help minimize the possibility of water run-off back toward the foundation.

Prep the Plumbing When water freezes, it expands. Any residual water in pipes that is exposed to freezing temperatures, including interior lines located in exterior walls or unheated areas,

can burst. Start by disconnecting hoses and shutting off exterior faucets, draining any water that remains in them and storing hoses indoors to prevent cracks. Drain any other pipes, valves or in-ground sprinklers that may be exposed to the elements and, for an extra layer of protection, wrap water spigots with covers to prevent damage. Sometimes a simple trick like keeping a cabinet door cracked open to allow warm air into the space can prevent frozen pipes.

Find more expert tips to get your home ready for winter at RemodelingDoneRight. com. (Family Features)

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive, Hackettstown Life • January 2021 • Page 47

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