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No. 15 Vol. 6
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www.themillburnshorthillsnews.com
June 2017
Millburn Appoints New Principal At Wyoming Elementary School
By Anya Bochman he Millburn Board of Education is welcoming a new principal to head the township’s elementary school, Wyoming School, for the 2017-2018 school year. Kristin Mueller, presently vice principal at Fernbrook and Shongum elementary schools in Randolph, will be replacing current principal Peter Mercurio. The appointment comes as Mercurio will be taking on the role of principal at Washington School in Millburn, opening in September. Washington School,
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originally constructed by the township in 1968 and later sold to the state after enrollment rates began to drop, was reacquired by Millburn through a referendum last year. The building, newly renovated through funds raised in the referendum, will be open solely for children in grade five – creating a transitional institution for fifth grade students while simultaneously opening up room in other township schools. Mueller will step into the resulting gap, bringing her life-long experience in elementary school education with her. The
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future principal comes to Wyoming School from the Randolph school district, where she has been vice principal of Fernbrook and Shongum schools since 2013. Mueller also has experience as an elementary school teacher, from 2000 to 2013, and earned her B.S. in elementary education from Kutztown Uni-
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least,” Connolly said. “I feel very honored to be the named the next principal.” Connolly, 44, lives in Mendham and has been an educator for 22 years. As a teenager, he fell in love with teaching. Giving back to others and helping them learn was attractive to him, he explained. In addition to education, his other passion was sports. He swam for Millburn High School and at 17, was an assistant coach
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for the team. “From there, it (teaching) was something I knew I wanted to do,” he said. In 1990, he earned his bachelor’s from Rowan University and in 1995, became a physical education teacher in Madison. Then in 2000, joined Madison High School as a physical education teacher and obtained his master’s in education: human leadership services from the College of Saint Elizabeth.
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values “each student as an individual and believes that children learn best through active participation and interaction.” The school also stresses its use of “effective teaching strategies and classroom management to promote student achievement.” For her part, Mueller continued on page 2
New Middle School Principal In Millburn Returns Home
By Jason Cohen e grew up in Millburn wanting to be a teacher and now, the new principal at Millburn Middle School is returning home. On May 29, John Connolly, a Millburn native and Millburn High School graduate, was named the new principal at the middle school upon the retirement of current principal, Michael Cahill. “It’s humbling to say the
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versity in Kutztown, Penn. She completed her master’s in education and educational leadership at the College of Saint Elizabeth. Mueller’s job as principal of Wyoming School will certainly test her experience and education in elementary school leadership. Wyoming School, per its mission statement,
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He continued to move up the corporate ladder and continued on page 2
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New Middle School Principal...
continued from front page in 2006, was named the district supervisor for health and physical education in Madison. Then in 2008, became the assistant principal/dean of students at the high school. Working in Madison for 22 years is something he will never forget, he said. During his time in Madison he also coached the swim team at Millburn High School from 1997 to 1998, and track and field at Madison from 1998 to 2000. “I look back on my career and I’ve been very lucky,” he commented. “Madison treated me very well.” He credits a lot of his success to his parents, Norbert and Patricia, who instilled his work ethic in him. He noted how import-
ant it was that they allowed him to make mistakes and learn from them. They always taught him “you have to work hard at what you want.” While he loved his time in Madison, he recently began looking for a fulltime principal position. When he saw there was an opening in Millburn, he jumped at it. He explained that not only is he living his dream as an educator, but to return to his alma mater means so much more. Connolly said two key differences between his time in Millburn and today is enrollment and technology. While Millburn is larger than Madison, he looks forward to the challenge of educating more students.
Millburn Appoints New Principal...
Technology on the other hand can be tricky, he remarked. In the middle school there are Chromebooks, but that is not a panacea for education. “I think technology is much like the pencil you grew up with,” he said. “It needs to be a tool; it’s not going to do it for you.” Connolly is eager for the 2017 school year to begin and pledges to be accessible to parents, teachers and students and more importantly, help elementary school students transition to middle school and middle school kids prepare for high school. “This is where I am at now and it’s where I’m happy to be,” he said. “This is a job where I can see myself finishing my career.”
continued from front page is not concerned about the transition, even as she will be moving to a school with a smaller student body than Fernbrook. Citing a passion for teaching that began when she was a child playing school with her toys, Mueller points out that her “whole career is teaching elementary school” and recalls challenging former jobs, such as teaching children at an orphanage in Zambia. “I’m excited about the next chapter,” she says of becoming principal. “It’s a great community and I look forward to being a part of it.” Dr. Christine Burton,
superintendent of schools, seems to consider Mueller more than equal to the task, saying of the future principal, “We are pleased to have Kristin Mueller as the new principal of Wyoming School. With more than 16 years in education, she has a wealth of experience in curriculum and instruction in the elementary classroom. She has a very supportive nature about how she approaches her work with staff, students and parents. She is a calm, confident leader who understands the importance of having a structured approach to her work and using data to inform it.” Burton went on to say
that the Millburn Board of Education has “confidence that we have found the right leaders in place for both schools” in regard to Mueller and newly appointed principal of Millburn Middle School, Connolly. Nancy Dries, communications coordinator for Millburn Township Public Schools, said of Mueller’s upcoming appointment, “She is very excited to be coming.” She went on to state that Mueller is already preparing for her future role, having attended last week’s Strawberry Festival in Millburn where she was able to meet teachers and parents of future students.
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By Henry M. Holden illburn High School senior Julie Averbach wrote, edited, and published “Adventures From My World,” the first of its kind comic book to support siblings of individuals with special needs. “I was inspired by a family experience, and my volunteering in the special needs community that made me more sensitive to their needs,” said Averbach. “I noticed a lack of innovative resources to support the siblings of special needs children. Through my involvement with the special needs community, I met a lot of families and I realized that the parents are so focused on providing all the resources to help the special needs child to succeed, that they sometimes overlook the emotional needs of the other children.” The book began as an English assignment. “The reason I choose the comic book format is because of an English assignment I had in the ninth grade,” he explains. “I had to read Marjane Satrapi’s
High School Senior Pens A Breakthrough Comic Book “Persepolis,” a graph- ilies I drew inspiration ic novel that captured a from them, and the special young girl’s perspective needs siblings I interacted on the Iranian Revolution. with.” As part of my English The stories, in the book, class we had to write our are from her personal obown comic book story. The servations and capture first story in my book, and both the damaging and the my favorite, is the story I constructive, like fear, anwrote for my English as- ger, worry, resentment, as signment. well as the maturity, em“When we think of pathy, and sympathy parts comic books we think of of the special needs sibling superheroes and some experience. form of entertainment, and “After writing and crenot necessarily therapy ating basic sketches for or social activism,” said these stories I decided Averbach. “This assign- the book needed artwork ment showed me that com- to illustrate it,” she says. ic books can be used for “I then collaborated with social activism. three art students from the The book earned Aver- Kubert School, which spebach the Girl Scout Gold cializes in cartooning and Award. graphic Art, to illustrate “I officially finished the story. That took severmy project last June 2016 al months, and then there at the Girl Scout ceremo- was an extensive editing ny where I received my process.” Gold Award,” the highest Averbach cautiously honor that a Girl Scout can printed 200 copies, just achieve. It involves plan- to get some feedback bening and executing a cre- fore she printed the final ative community service version. “After I got some initiative that will have a feedback I made some misustainable impact. nor tweaks and then printFAMILY OWNED & OPERATED “It took me two months ed 8,000 copies overseas. to write the other five sto“In one way or anothries. Since I’m involved er I’m still been working with special needs fam- on the book. I have given
away or sold about 5,000 copies, I would estimate. I have been thinking of printing more since this
year I’m going to a Girl Scout convention where there are usually several thousand Girl Scouts.”
The book has taken on a life of its own. “Although I have been continued on page 5
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Breakthrough Comic Book... continued from page 4 visiting support groups,” said Averbach, “I have seen my book going beyond where I thought it would go. I’m getting much wider circulation than I would’ve thought because I’ll give the book to somebody, they’ll read it, and then pass it on to their family or friends. Averbach gets little feedback. “Occasionally, I’ll hear from somebody in Texas or California who somehow got the comic book. I can see it is traveling well beyond my physical reach, and exceeded all my expectations. “My hope is to make this project sustainable. I encourage mental health
professionals, and others, to write their own comic books about issues like terminal illness, divorce, or different topics, because I think the comic book media has a lot of untapped potential. “For example, right now I am mentoring a Girl Scout in California. She is working on her own Gold Award and she’s writing comic book about bipolar disorder, which her father has.” In the fall Averbach plans to attend Yale University. “I’m looking forward to attending Yale University,” she says. “In terms of a major I’m not sure what I want to study. I do know I want to continue
to explore the power of art as I have started to do with my comic books. I am very interested in emotional intelligence and doing this project really helped me identify that interest. “One of the main reasons I chose Yale is they have a center for emotional intelligence so I’m hoping to continue to explore how comic books can be used to teach children with special needs to express their emotions more openly.” The concept of emotional intelligence is relatively new, and introduced by Daniel Goleman in the mid-1990s. “Over the past 20 years it’s been a lot of research to support emotional intelligence, and skills such as
empathy, and motivation, the ability to regulate your own emotions and having social aptitude,” says Averbach. “Personally, I’m very interested in this field.” Averbach has decided to donate her proceeds from her book. “I basically give the comic books to hospitals and support groups. If I do sell any on my website it’s either for the not-for-profit price of a dollar which is at cost, or I’m selling them for three dollars with any profits from those sales go to repay the printing costs. “I feel my reward is coming to me directly with the siblings I know who have come to express their emotions more openly.”
Local Rabbi To Probe Chassidism In Whippany Library Series
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abbi Shalom Lubin, spiritual leader of Congregation Shaya Ahavat Torah in Parsippany, and director of Chabad of Southeast Morris County in Madison, will offer a fascinating look at “Chassidism: History, Philosophy, and Contemporary Life” June 13 and June 20. The free series is sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women’s West Morris Section and coordinated by the organization’s Our Jewish World program. It began on June 6. The series will be held at noon in the Morris County Library, Whippany. “This course will explore the origins of the Chassidic movement and its core principles and mystical teachings,’’ said Lubin. “It will
also share a glimpse into the lives of the great Chassidic personalities, and discuss the impact of the movement in modern times.” The workshop leader is the founder of the New Jersey Jewish Law Symposium, an annual event highlighting the synthesis and integration of the Talmud, the Jewish Legal System, and U.S. civil law. Born and raised in Chicago, Lubin began his relationship with the Jewish community in N.J. in 1996, while he was studying at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown. Before settling in N.J., his rabbinic training took him around the world, including to Sydney, Australia; Bellevue, Washington; and Minsk, Belarus.
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Disposing Of Dangerous Prescription Medications Just Got Easier
By Ann Marie Barron ow, it has become even easier for New Jersey residents to safely and anonymously dispose of dangerous prescription medications, thanks to a new interactive website and 24-hour drop-off locations. Gov. Chris Christie recently announced the launching of a new interactive component to ReachNJ, the state’s drug addiction one-stop website, that helps residents to easily locate the nearest collection sites for Project Medicine Drop. “Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose or abuse,’’ said the governor’s proclama-
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tion. “The majority of teenagers who abuse prescription drugs get them from family and friends – and the home medicine cabinet.’’ Project Medicine Drop is the 24-hour-a-day, sevendays-a-week prescription drug collection program run by the state Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Consumer Affairs. Project Medicine Drop boxes are installed indoors, affixed to the floor or wall in a secure area within police department headquarters, within view of law enforcement officers. Residents can drop off unwanted prescriptions for free and anonymously at more than 212 stationary drop boxes and 148 mobile drop boxes around the state in police stations, sheriff’s
offices and military installations. Residents can visit www.reachnj.gov/medicine-disposal to access an interactive map, which easily helps identify the closest drug disposal location. Project Medicine Drop secured drop boxes are located at the headquarters of local police departments. Consumers from anywhere in New Jersey can visit the boxes seven days a week, to drop off unneeded and expired medications - and keep them away from those at risk of abusing them. The drop boxes accept solid pharmaceuticals such as pills, capsules, patches, inhalers and pet medications. They cannot accept syringes or liquids. For the hours of availability and other information, contact the police
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Millburn, Short Hills Girl Talk Group Seeks Members
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he very first Girl Talk chapter of Millburn/Short Hills is looking for new members, even those from surrounding towns. The club meets every Thursday at the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The goal of high school Girl Talk leaders is to inspire young girls in their community to be courageous, learn new things, and to become leaders in the community. Elementary and middle school girls are also able to hang out with high school girls and get advice about how to succeed in middle school with all of its challenges. It’s a great way for middle school girls to make friends with girls from all
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Dr. Rieger Makes History And NJ Enters A New Era In Medicine
istory was made in Cedar Knolls on May 17 as pediatric orthopedist Dr. Mark A. Rieger unveiled the only EOS low-dose 2D/3D imaging system in New Jersey, which reduces the radiation dose by 50 percent to 85 percent as compared to standard x-ray technology. This is a game-changer for most children who need x-rays, especially those with scoliosis who require multiple x-rays throughout their treatment. Deputy Mayor of Hanover Township John Ferramosca and Mary Dougherty, Morristown Mayor Jim Dougherty’s wife, attended the ribbon-cutting and said they were very pleased to have this state-of-the-art tech-
From left are Mary Dougherty, Morristown Mayor Jim Daugherty’s wife; Dr. Mark A. Rieger, founding partner of Advocare The Orthopedic Center; and Deputy Mayor of Hanover Township, John Ferramosca at the grand opening and ribbon-cutting of the only EOS system in New Jersey - a state-of-the-art low dose imaging system.
nology locally. In his comments, Dr. Rieger became emotional when he spoke about his own daughter who had scoliosis many years ago, and how he worried about her exposure to ra-
diation from what can now be called “old fashioned” x-rays. Dr. Rieger is thrilled to now be offering this lowdose x-ray technology to all the children of New Jersey. Advocare The Orthope-
dic Center: 218 Ridgedale Avenue, Cedar Knolls; 609 Morris Avenue, Springfield Township; 1 Robertson Drive, Bedminster, 973538-7700; advocaretheorthocenter.com.
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ore than 100 members of the Millburn High Class of 1967 made a long-awaited class trip back in time on April 29, returning to school to celebrate their 50-year reunion. The day-long activities began when Principal Bill Miron led a tour of today’s MHS facility, now vastly larger than it was half a century ago. A Millburn Deli lunch in the school cafeteria and a special 1966-67 exhibit at the Millburn Historical Society were highlights of the day. The event climaxed with a dinner dance at the Madison Hotel in Morristown featuring classic ‘60s music by “The Sorts,” headed Michael Salomone and Robert Kimmerle of the class of
Millburn Class Of 67 Gathers For 50-Year Reunion ’67. For the class of ’67, it was the first formal gathering since a 31-year reunion in 1998. Classmates recalled a rousing appearance by humorist Jean Shepard, the first undefeated Miller football team in 45 seasons, earning a third consecutive Group title, and a graduation ceremony that was abruptly ended, minutes after it began, by a thunderstorm that drenched students -- who were denied the chance to flip their tassels --and their families and friends. Planning for the semi-centennial reunion began more than a year in advance and was orchestrated by reunion chairs Janet Weiner Singer, Ralph Spielman and Lee Gordon,
Members of Millburn High School’s Class of 1967 took a trip back in time recently.
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Area Mental Health Agencies Plan Merger To Continue Services To Local Community
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By Cheryl Conway un separately for almost 65 years, two non-profit agencies plan to merge as one to prepare for the future and continue to provide quality programs. The Mental Health Association of Essex County in Montclair and the Mental Health Association of Morris County in Mountain Lakes plan to unite as one non-profit agency serving both counties effective Aug. 1. The new organization will operate as the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, Inc., serving currently about 1,800 clients. With shifts in funding and cuts in Medicaid in the forecast, agency officials
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decided that merging the two agencies would be the best option without having to provide less to its clients that utilize services regarding mental health. “No two organizations could be closely aligned in regards to our vision, our values, our mission,” says MHAEC Executive Director Robert N. Davison for the past 18 years. Davison will continue as president and CEO of the new association. “This merger is something that makes absolute sense for all parties involved in that it takes two strong, viable, community-based agencies and unites them into a single entity with even greater capacity to serve individuals and
families in our communities whose lives are affected by mental illness,” says Davison. “By joining forces and combining resources, this new, cross-county association will represent a ‘whole’ that is truly greater than the sum of its parts; as they say, measured twice and cut once.” Discussions about joining forces began about six months ago by Louis A. Schwarcz, outgoing president and CEO of the MHAMC. The idea was brought to the boards on Feb. 27, confirms Davison. Schwarcz identified ‘the best interests of all concerned’ as his reason for initiating the transition into a single agency, as stated in a press release.
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need to be signed by all factoring levels of government, he adds. “What matters most to both of our associations is that the needs of our community’s most vulnerable populations are met in a compassionate, dignified manner,” says Davison. “That commitment will continue and thrive as we move forward and help the diverse constituents we serve make progress along their journey to wellness and recovery, which is the cornerstone of both of our origins and our new partnership.” Combining as one agency is the best option “in order to maintain services through consumers and their families,” says Davison. Another reason is to pre-
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pare for the shift in the state funding mechanism to pay for service, he adds. The agencies are projected to receive less money for administrative support. Three administrative positions will be cut as the agencies streamline for the merger, says Davison. A third reason for the merger is to be ready for the proposed cuts in Medicaid suggested by the federal government’s Medical Health Care Act. If the policy is approved by the House of Representatives, the proposal is to cut Medicaid by $880 billion in the nation and $31 billion in New Jersey over the next 10 years, explains Davison. NJ’s public mental continued on page 11
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“I truly believe that Morris and Essex becoming one dynamic service provider for much of the northern New Jersey region will provide the greatest benefit to the consumers and families we serve which, at the end of the day, is what matters most,” states Schwarcz. “The Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris will represent strength, stability, and greater collective capacity for our staff, our volunteers and our supporters to advance our shared mission well into the foreseeable future.” Both boards agreed on the merger in April and signed an agreement on April 27, says Davison. Now funders need to be contacted and contracts
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Mental Health Agencies... continued from page 10 health programs are funded through Medicaid, with the majority of their funding from the NJ Department of Human Services . “We feel a duty to do it now [merge] to maintain critical services to our families and clients,” says Davison. As a result of the merger, administration will be streamlined but services will stay the same, says Davison. Both agencies provide similar programs and core services are the same. The MHAEC has been providing services to individuals suffering from severe and persistent mental illness as well as a whole range of other behavioral health challenges since it
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was established in 1950. It currently provides service to about 1,000 clients. The MHAMC, which was founded in 1953, has been providing similar programs and services to about 800 consumers. Once merged, the two offices will remain open and continue to function in both counties, at separate locations. The plan is to continue “looking to maintain what we are currently doing,” says Davison. It is “hoping to expand services in each county,” in the future. To learn more about the programs and the agency, call (973) 509-9777 in Essex County; or (973) 3343496 in Morris County.
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MHS Sophomores Plan Successful Fundraising Run
lose to 100 participants came out on Sat., May 6, to run the 5K for RAINN, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, a national organization dedicated to preventing sexual violence, help victims, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. The event was organized by three sophomores from Millburn High School- Annika Sharma, Sydney Clawans, and Hannah Levinson and was sponsored through generous donations from several local businesses and individual online donations. Held at the waterfront at the Essex count’s South Mountain Recreational Complex, the 5K run/walk family fundraising event
attracted participants of all ages who enjoyed music, great outdoors, flat terrain and a fun run followed by ice cream. Several Millburn High School Helping
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Renovated Stone House Nature Center Invites All In To Learn And Explore
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By Lisa McNamara estled along the tree-lined streets of Short Hills lies a natural gem, the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary. In April, a new exhibit was unveiled in the recently renovated Stone House Nature Center, which offers a museum-quality exhibit experience with more interactive learning opportunities and discovery stations. “We’re excited about the new exhibit; we’re able to utilize it in our teaching especially for our summer camp,” boasted Nicole Esposito, environmental educator at CHA. Esposito is also excited about their new residents. A corn snake, eastern king snake and rat snake have joined the turtles, fish and rabbits at the Stone Center. The exhibit is also home to a hive of honeybees; the beehive provides visitors with a rare opportunity to see bees up close and to hear their amazing hum as they work. Colorful canopies hang from the ceiling in the exhibit and are backlit for evening events to spotlight the animals, birds and bugs that thrive in trees during the spring, summer and fall in New Jersey. Discovery stations and viewing platforms offer even more learning opportunities. Nicole Landreman started coming to the Arboretum as a little girl, and now she works there. Last year, when Landreman was a senior at Millburn High School and the president of the high school’s Environmental Club, she was looking for a volunteer opportunity and “wanted to learn
Photo by Lisa McNamara
more about the animals and plants in my local ecosystem,” and The Citizen Science program at CHA was the “hands-on” answer. Landreman speaks highly of her volunteer experience and of the new exhibit; the snakes are one of her favorite features because “snakes are the easiest to handle, and they crawl up your arm!” she says. She enjoys the animals and people too. A recent visitor told her he has been coming for 30 years, and that day, he brought along his oneyear-old. Summer is the perfect time to check out CHA, an ideal setting for summer camp and wonderful opportunity to get kids to unplug and enjoy nature. Esposito was pleased to announce, “We are debuting new curriculum this summer for all age groups which incorporates handson learning.” Nature Discovery Camp at CHA has programs for children ages 3-5, firstthird grade and fourth-sixth grade, and each week features a different theme.
Esposito said, “We want kids getting outside, asking questions. No matter what, we go out every day.” According to Landreman, the survival and weather camps are very popular, and kids love the camouflage game too. She added, “The kids who come, always come back.” Citizen Science is an engaging volunteer opportunity that teaches someone without a full science background how to make observations and collect data. Its two-fold approach works on both a local and national level. On a local level, volunteers study salamanders, butterflies and pollinator diversity. Projects are available on a national level as well; whereby, volunteers can participate in frog watches, monitor trees or determine water quality. Esposito noted, “We’re fortunate; many teenagers participate, but you don’t have to be a teenager. We have community involvement on all levels.” Another great way to spend time at CHA is by continued on page 14
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Wae Center Pen Pal Club Brings Excitement To Participants Near And Far
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By Stefanie Sears n its seventh year, a pen pal club at The Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled WAE (Wellness, Arts, Enrichment) Center in West Orange is providing lessons in writing that go a long way. The JSDD, which provides a professional staff of specialists to run programs for adult students with disabilities, allows individuals to enjoy favorite past times such as art, field trips, acting and knitting to even cooking and writing to people on the other side of the globe through its international Pen Pal Club. “JSDD’s Wae Center has been created as an extension of the larger agency creating time and space where members can grow, develop friendships, find meaning and purpose in their daily life and in so doing become more self-expressive,” says Marilynn Schneider, the WAE Center Director. “We have seen this growth in all of our members that is unique to each. Just as you and I might learn from our life experience so do our members. The staff I work with are individuals that believe in and support the philosophy of JSDD that all people have potential when given the opportunity in a supportive environment.” The programs consist of various artistic and beneficial pastimes. These include the studio art activities for painting, drawing, digital artwork, photography, sculpture, workshops, construction, and jewelry design, gallery and museum tours, comic book shop field trips, acting classes
and theatre outings, photography, computers, radio, film screenings, poetry and spoken word, Women’s Knitting Circle, canoe trips, cooking and nutrition, geography, glee club, yoga and meditation and writing. Regarding writing, John Skillin, a retired librarian at Montclair Public Library and current part time Activities Associate at Van Dyk Manor, is one such facilitator specialist. He joined the WAE Center more than 12 years ago when they began the Sunday afternoon film screening and discussion series. He has been teaching basic writing skills, Theater of the Mind and Music of Old Broadway at the Center since 2007. In Nov. 2010, Skillin began coordinating an international Pen Pal Club, a feat brought about by his students Narcisa and Christina. “Two of my students approached me with the idea of starting a Pen Pal Club in 2010,” says Skillin. “As a teacher of basic writing skills, this seemed a perfect fit for me. We presented their plan to the school’s director, Marilynn Schneider, who gave us her seal of approval. In the beginning, the two young women and I wrote our first letters alone. In a way, the club could be a course in basic writing skills. Some of my students had never written a letter before. Sending an old-fashioned postal letter with the expectation of receiving a reply has been a powerful incentive to learn how. Once colorful foreign mail began to arrive at the school, other students took notice and asked to be in-
cluded. The arrival of our daily mail delivery is always an occasion of keen interest and excitement. Some students begin asking me if the mail has come the first thing in the morning, although we rarely see our letter carrier before noon.” Right now the Pen Pal Club has a fluid membership, with fix or six solid members and others who participate more sporadically. One of the students, Alicia, who appears to be fascinated with royalty, chose to write to Queen Elizabeth twice and both times received responses signed by ladies-in-waiting on beautiful Buckingham Palace stationery, Skillin describes. Alicia has reached out to other monarchs and is awaiting their response. The Pen Pal Club’s other longstanding members are Marcie and Jessica. Marcie has been corresponding with a woman in Poland for several years and Jessica has pen pals in England, Italy and South Africa. “We usually search various websites to make contact with people who seem to share our interests,” says Jessica. “Once an invitation is accepted, we like to start writing real letters with pen and paper.” The Pen Pal Club has pen pals, or pen-friends as Skillin calls them, in plenty of countries, including Thailand, Russia, Austria, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Estonia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, Turkmenistan, New Zealand, Finland, Norway, Brazil, the Philippines, the UK and the island of Guam. “We’ve had so many
wonderful pen pals over the past seven years,” says Skillin. “Two young woman in Thailand and another in Russia have been with us from the beginning. We had a pen pal on the Isle of Jersey (now deceased) who sent lovely gifts and knew more about the early history of New Jersey than any of us did.” The purpose of the Pen Pal Club is to develop a connection with individuals from other parts of the world and learn about different cultures. Participants find their pen-friends online, particularly a site called Interpals.net. “In my role as club moderator I assist many of the members in finding a good match and writing their letters,” explains Skillin. “The club holds a weekly meeting, but I try to make myself available for letter-writing and reading at other times as well.” The Pen Pal Club incorporates other creative forms as well in their letters. “I encourage all my students to learn the art of corresponding the old-fashioned way - with pen and paper,” says Skillin. “Our
Jen S. holds a tea towel which was sent by Lisa-Marie, who had also sent a full-size Jersey flag.
letters are often decorated with markers or stickers. We may also exchange photos, poems, sketches, or scenic post cards.” Narcisa and Christina have long since moved on from WAE, but the Pen Pal Club continues to thrive from their idea. “Remembering their initial enthusiasm, though, I’d say they were inspired by the feeling that the entire
Renovated Stone House...
continued from page 12 exploring the woodlands. Visitors can go on a birding adventure and track birds they see and hear using a checklist. While walking the nature trails, they can also admire the native wildflowers, trees and animals. At the Adventure Station in the Stone House, colorful, laminated adventure cards are available to guide a walk on the trails. Landreman’s personal
favorite of the woodlands is the Devil’s Punchbowl, a glacier-formed crater that fills up with water and frogs. As stated on the CHA website: Cora developed the area as a place where wild things could grow without harm and where people could come to enjoy them. Esposito reiterated, “Our Arboretum was never intended as a private residence; it was always meant
world was open to us, that we could find friends in the most exotic places, thousands of miles from New Jersey, and learn about their lives, native cultures and traditions.” In the JSDD school library, a world map on display is filled with colored pins, each one representing a pen pal. The Pen Pal Club meets Wednesdays at 12:30.
to be a park with public access. A place for a community to gather.” Fortunately, it still is. Come back and see what’s new, or visit for the first time and find out what all the buzz is about. The Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary is located in Short Hills. For more information, call 973-376-3587 or visit www.hartshornarboretum. org.
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Thomas Edison National Park Creates Economic Boom For West Orange
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recent report from the National Park Service revealed that Thomas Edison National Historic Park’s nearly 58 thousand visitors in 2016 spent $3.4 million dollars in communities local to the park. “Thomas Edison National Park welcomes visitors from both the community as well as from across the country and the world,” said Superintendent Thomas Ross. “People typically spend a few hours here at the park, and then often in the community after leaving, which can include spending money for food, lodging, gas or at retail stores. Park employees also spend in the local community. All of these circumstances have a pos-
itive economic benefit on the community.” Along with the monetary benefit, this spending also has a positive impact by supporting jobs in the local area. According to the study, the community spending by visitors to the Thomas Edison National Park supports 44 local jobs and has a cumulative benefit of 4.7 million dollars to the local economy. “Because of the additional local spending and overall increase in visitors to the area, Thomas Edison Park visitors supports 44 new jobs across various sectors of the economy,” Ross said. “These jobs would not exist without our park visitors. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national
economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service. We appreciate our West Orange community partnerships and are glad to help support the local economy along the downtown Main Street corridor and beyond.” The visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koonz of the National Park Service. According to the report, most victors spending fell in the categories of lodging, food and beverages, gas and oil, admissions and fees, souvenirs and other expenses, and local transportation. “Many people don’t realize that in addition to preserving and protecting
national heritage and the country’s natural spaces for this and future generations, National Parks also provide economic benefit on both a
community and state level. The parks are not just for visiting. There is a vital component that has a significant impact on our local
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New Complex Will Recreate Real Life Situations To Those With Special Needs
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By: J.L. Shively he Hebrew word “Chai” means “life” and also consists of the numerical meaning for the number 18. For this reason, Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum remarked that the year 2018, the year the much anticipated Life Town complex is planned to open, will be a “year of life” for the community. The Friendship Circle, the program responsible for the construction of this complex, was founded by Grossbaum and his wife, Toba, 18 years ago and it is a program that has been “expanding ever since,” states Grossbaum. The Friendship Circle is a program which had been started by friends of the Grossbaum’s in Michigan and is a concept which the Grossbaum’s brought to this state to benefit Morris and Essex counties. With approximately 850 teen volunteers, the Friendship Circle is an organization which has logged more than 45,000 hours a year in volunteer activities assisting children with special needs. “At the heart of all Friendship Circle program-
ming is the belief that each and every individual can be a productive member of the community and benefit from inclusive programing,” as stated on the Life Town website. This is one of the founding ideas behind the latest and grandest construction, which is the completion of a 53,000 square foot facility, named Life Town. This facility will include many exciting opportunities for families and students such as a zero-entry pool, gymnasium with sound-absorbent walls for children with sound sensitivity and even a three lane bowling alley, to name only a few of the many exciting features. The largest allocation of space, 11,000 square feet, is designated to the creation of “Life Village” which is an indoor recreation of a main street, complete with traffic lights and roads. The Life Village, Grossbaum explains, will help children and teens with disabilities, “build life skills in a real setting.” This recreation of a main street will include many different stores and shops which any person may use
on a regular basis for important transactions such as a bank, supermarket or medical facility. Life Village will also include other places a person may visit such as a movie theater or coffee shop. Through the use of role playing, these stores and stations will give participants a chance to act out life-like situations that they are likely to encounter and therefore allow them to be better prepared for a more independent life style. Grossbaum explained that the program is already in touch with local special needs schools in order to partner with them individually as well as with families to help cater to each student’s specific needs. Life Town will utilize “state of the art technology,” explains Grossbaum. Using a platform called Oneder, Life Town will automatically generate and prompt the system to cater to the needs of each individual student. The Oneder program uses an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, which, according to the website, allows for more time spent one on one with
each student. The Life Town complex is not only a facility for special needs students but will offer a lounge for both parents and volunteers and assist students interested in pursuing a career in a special education field. It is planned that the program will offer internships for students to earn college credits towards further education in the special education field while they participate and volunteer. Life Town will essentially be “an inclusive environment for students and for the community to be involved,” states Grossbaum. The complex itself is located in Livingston and is being constructed in an existing structure that is being reconstructed to the needs of the program. The build-
ing as a whole is estimated to cost $15.5 million and so far the program has raised $13 million for the project. Grossbaum estimates that the construction will be complete nearing the late fall of 2018. For more information about Life Town, to donate or to learn more about volunteering visit the
website at www.lifetown. com. Updates on construction and partners can also be found on the website. In closing, Grossbaum states that this complex is “a unique opportunity to be involved in not just a passive way” but to “under one roof make a difference in the community.”
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“Push To Walk” Celebrates 10 Years Of Serving
By Anastasia Marchese his year marks a decade of service for the nonprofit, “Push to Walk.” For ten years the organization has been helping people with spinal cord injuries reach beyond their diagnosis to become more independent and strong, both physically and mentally. The past year has brought some big changes to the nonprofit as they recently relocated and also hired a new Executive Director David Font. In 2007, “Push to Walk” (PTW) first opened in Bloomingdale; 18 months later they already needed to expand to meet their growing client base and relocated to a larger facility in Riverdale. Then just last year they once again moved to an even larger
facility to be better able to serve their clients. According to their website, “Since 2007, Push to Walk has served more than 370 families and 176 clients, all motivated to work to enhance their quality of life.” Often insurance companies will only cover a predetermined amount of physical therapy sessions a year, or will choose to stop paying for treatment if it seems the patient’s progress has reached medical expectations. PTW thinks beyond predetermined expectations to what can be possible. Its motto is “Redefining possibilities for the spinal cord injury and paralysis community,” and it really speaks to its mission to support and encourage those with paralysis and help them to become
their fullest selves and not to let them be defined by their condition. Cynthia Templeton founded PTW with her son Darren after he had suffered an injury to his spinal cord back in 2004. During his treatment and recovery process Darren had found that he benefited greatly from a gym based one-onone personal training program located in California. Participating in that program gave them the idea to start a similar one in NJ. Last year Templeton chose to move out of the director position in favor of her new role. Font has now been with PTW for the past seventh months and is pleased to be organizing the 10th anniversary events taking place throughout 2017. Every month of 2017
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PTW has hosted an Open House where the public can come in and see their facility and clients at work. The June Open House is set to be held on June 22 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. People can call ahead and sign up for a tour or just come over during those hours. Other events and fundraisers coming up this year are also listed on their website. According to Font, “Once their benefits run out and if they wouldn’t benefit from a traditional gym or can’t participate in a traditional gym,” many clients find their way to “Push to Walk” where they are encouraged to keep growing with the help of one on one trainers. When speaking of who can benefit from their services,
“Our clients one unifying condition is paralysis,” said Font. Not everyone can afford this type of treatment, so PTW has formed a scholarship fund as well as organized a Fund Raising Kit, to help clients and their families have access to the program. Information can be found about scholarships on the “Push to Walk” website. “Clients come from as
far as East Stroudsburg, Pa. and one client even comes from Manhattan once a week,” commented Font. PTW is working to spread the word about its services to area hospitals and doctors that treat spinal cord injuries hoping that they can “work more closely with each other. We would like to be sort of a resource for people.”
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T
Fundraiser Provides Seed Money To Help Female Victims Heal From Sexual Exploitation
By Cheryl Conway he community is invited to learn about and support a new non-profit organization to help provide a safe dwelling for women who have been victims of sexual exploitation. Come spend the afternoon on Sat., June 24, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for Health, Wellness, Nutrition at Healing Path Massage Therapy and Spa in Long Valley. All proceeds will benefit Zera House, a faith based organization that will provide a home for women who need to experience healing after being rescued from the horrors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Healing Path Massage Therapy and Spa will not charge an entrance fee but proceeds for services will go toward Zera House. Participants can get a massage for $1 per minute; and a 10 minute skin care analysis for $5. For those who want to enroll in any Isagenix system- which includes solutions to weight loss, energy, performance, healthy aging and wealth creation- 50 percent of the referral bonus will go toward Zera House. There will be refreshments, Isagenix samplings, music and a special presentation from Ariel Wagner, co-founder, director and C.E.O. of Zera House. Wagner, 35, of Phillipsburg, co-founded Zera House in Dec. 2015 along with her friend Katie Van Gorp of Atlanta, Ga. For extra support, they partnered with School For Life in West Virginia as well as
support from the church community. The motivation behind the organization began eight years ago when Wagner was first introduced to the concept of humans being trafficked, sexually exploited and sold into slavery, she explains. In Feb. 2012, she went on a two week mission to Thailand with a non-profit group that rescues children- Remember Nhu- and worked with orphanages with 75 children aged two to 18 targeted for such abuse. The purpose of her trip was to help with programs and projects such as music lessons and exercise classes, and to go into villages of local Thai women to see if children were at risk of being sold into slavery for child prostitution. If she found any in an unstable environment, they were removed and brought to a safe home. “This just grieved my heart for so long,” says Wagner, who decided to share her vision with Van Gorp to establish a refuge in the mountains to help women heal. Wagner had been working for ten years as a massage therapist in Phillipsburg, from 2007-2017, when she says “I was called to do this, to do Zera House. “The lord gave me this vision.” After being in a “bad relationship” for almost three years, that had involved sexual, mental and emotional abuse, Wagner had to go through her own healing before realizing the need for Zera House, she says.
“I came out of my own abusive situation and said I want to help others heal too,” says Wagner.
Zera means seed in Hebrew, hence the name of Zera House, which translates into the hope ‘to plant seeds into their hearts and souls so they are equipped to live out their purposes of their lives.” The program is faith based, with a holistic approach involving sustainable living practices. “We at Zera house have a passion for helping women who have been subject to the horrors of human trafficking & sexual exploitation,” as stated as its mission. “We have a home where these women can come and heal. Our mission is to share the love, hope and grace of our loving father in heaven.” In Aug. 2016, Zera House was given a physical house in the mountains in McDowell County, West Virginia, a poverty-stricken area compared to that of a third-world country, describes Wagner, with drugs and prostitution, sewage under homes and no-running water. The house, which will be able to help four to five women at a time, is being renovated and is expected to open by the end of this summer, she says. Since April, Wagner has been living in a loft in a large school with many rooms to board women, whether for a week, month or year. The school has been provided by School for Life, an organization that contacted Wagner
through her church, The Chapel of Warren Valley in Washington, where Wagner’s parents are members. At that church, volunteers got involved with Jersey Crew, a dedicated group that visits that impoverished area of West Virginia at least five times a year to help with repairs and construction. When her mom told the founder at the School for Life about her daughter’s idea about Zera House, he said “this is where she needs to be.” Wagner says, “I came here to visit; when I first got here I said ‘I can’t do this. It’s very sad, very poor area. I knew this was going to be the first area to have our home.” She so far has a nine year old in her care, given to her by the child’s guardian after the child was taken from the mother who was involved in prostitution; as well as a 35year old woman who was homeless and involved in drugs and prostitution. “I am helping her stay off the streets, stay out of trouble and go through the healing process emotionally,” says Wagner. “She’s doing very well,” and just graduated from nursing classes. “The house is equipped with all that it needs to support Zera House including room to house the women and to garden and live sustainable and a community where they can learn to work and go to school,” as stated in materials provided by Wagner. “There women will receive counseling, building nec-
essary life skills, volunteer in the community, learn about sustainable living and more. The main goal is to equip women with the skills, community and personal resolve they need to function adaptively in society without returning to exploitive industries.” Once women are in her care for up to a year, her plan is to provide transitional housing by putting them up in apartments and teaching them about budgeting, balancing a checkbook and grocery shopping. “Some may not have a high school diploma; we will help them get their GED’s. Helping them find
what they love and turn it onto a career,” is her plan. Also to keep them close “so they can be mentored; they need that accountability still.” In her first project, Wagner is working to get women off the streets from all over the country. She is working with four organizations and volunteers helping her locate these women and provide transportation to Zera House. She has also hired a certified counselor to provide in depth therapy to her clients. Money to pay for utilities as well as repairs, maintenance, food, groceries and services to continued on page 19
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Fundraiser Provides Seed Money... continued from page 18 the residents will come from fundraisers and donations, she says. A dinner benefit held March 2 at The Farmhouse at the Grand Colonial in Hampton to raise awareness about Zera House provided $20,000 as seed money. “We thought it would be five years to open our first home,” says Wagner. Instead it’s taking only two years since incorporated. While children being trafficked is just as disturbing, Wagner decided to help women 18 years old and up first since “there is not enough” organizations out there that provide such a service. “We want a program established and strong before
we take on children,” says Wagner. She shares some statistics based on research by the N.J. Coalition Against Human Trafficking. “Sex exploitation and trafficking of men, women and children is a $32 billion industry in the world, more than Nike, Coca Cola and Google combined. The U.S. holds $9.5 billion of that; N.J is number seven in the country when it comes to sex trafficking. “Human trafficking is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world, after drug smuggling and arms dealing; 80 percent of slaves today are used for sex. “The average age of a teen who enters the sex trade in the U.S. is 12 to
14 years old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children.” The community can help by donating funds, as well as gardening tools and volunteering their time. “If this is something that tugs at their heart, they can partner financially,” says Wagner. “If they want to volunteer a talent or craft, they are welcome to come,” like makeup artists to help women with their makeup, or those who make jewelry or scarves, or those who just want to visit to have tea with the women. For more information, visit www.zerahouse.org. To donate or volunteer, contact Wagner at ariel@ zerahouse.org.
“Ultimately, I believe I want to live out the purpose of my life that’s helping others,” concludes Wagner. “This demographic
has grieved my heart for so long. Instead of watching it happen, I want to do something about it. These women are so broken. I believe
it is my calling to piece these women back together and become whole again.”
Thomas Edison National Park...
continued from page 15 tool available on The NPS Social Science Program web site (go.nps.gov/vse). Here, users can view current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies as well as year-by-year trend data. The report includes data for visitor spending at both individual parks and by state. Thomas Edison National Historical Park is dedicated to promoting understanding and appreciation of the life and extraordinary achieve-
ments of Thomas Edison by preserving, protecting, and interpreting the Park’s extensive historic artifact and archive collections at the Edison Laboratory Complex and Glenmont, the Edison family estate. The site preserves the last and largest of Edison’s laboratories, home of the perfected phonograph, motion pictures, the nickel-iron alkaline storage battery, and other products. The museum collection, one of the largest in the National Park Service, has more
than 400,000 artifacts including Edison products, laboratory equipment, and personal belongings of the Edisons. The Edison Archives contains an estimated five million documents, 48,000 sound recordings, 10,000 rare books, 4,000 laboratory notebooks and 60,000 photographic images, among the largest collections in the National Park Service. Glenmont, the 29-room mansion built in 1880 is the Edison estate in nearby Llewellyn Park, West Orange.
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