High School Hockey Team Honors Late Centenary University First Lady Jeanne Murphy

MOUNT OLIVE - The MoHoHa high school hockey team honored late Centenary University First Lady Jeanne Murphy at a home game on Feb. 10 at the William G. Mennen Sports Arena. Team members took a stand against hit and run driving in recognizing Mrs. Murphy, a retired U.S. Army colonel, who was killed in January by a hit and run driver near her Hackettstown home. Centenary University President Bruce Murphy, Ed.D., attended the game and shared his late wife’s remarkable life with the team. During her 30-year career in the military, Colonel Murphy served as a military nurse and was given oversight of the military’s program for world-class athletes, a task that placed her on the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Board of Directors and as chair of the USOC Multi-Sport Organizations Council for 10 years. A former competitive runner and swimmer, she was the first woman ever selected to the U.S. Modern Pentathlon Team in 1975, competing for the team until 1978.

Mount Olive Recreation Department Offers Fun Activities for All

BY MIKE TANCHEVSKI GUEST WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - The hardest job for any recreation department is developing innovative and engaging programs that kids and adults want to participate in year-in-year-out. Learning opportunities, fitness programs, and creative activities are designed around community preferences and need to be appealing. Mount Olive Recreation Department Supervisor, Jill Daggon and her staff have put together a variety of events and activities for kids and adults that attract a broad audience and span the seasons.

Programming highlights for this season include:

Jewelry Making. There are 2 sessions, one for students and one for teens - adults. Participants will learn the art of Lost Wax casting to make their own pieces of jewelry.

Bizzy Girls (Coming this Spring and Summer) is an entrepreneurship and empowerment program for girls 8 -12 years old. Students create their own product lines and start their own little companies. Girls create items such as jewelry, stationery, soaps, fashion, and more.

“In the program, the students learn business skills, branding, logo creation, signage, marketing, capital, cost, and profit. We build self-confidence and encourage a growth mindset through fun role-playing activities,” Daggon said.

Fitty Kiddies at Tinc Road School is an after-school program specializing in children’s physical development. The focus is to build long-lasting habits early on, that will springboard them into an active & healthy lifestyle. “Our goal is to build self-confidence, healthy habits, develop a love for moving their bodies, inspire them to feel comfortable exercising & feel great about themselves,”

Daggon said.

Fit Kidz @ Sandshore School is a morning fitness program, Monday through Friday from 8:00-8:45 am. “The benefits of starting the day with exercise include increased energy, better focus at school, boosted metabolism, better mood, and better sleep, all key aspects of success at school,” Daggon said.

Each elementary school hosts Chess programs. “We started an Intermediate program in January which the children are enjoying,” Daggon said.

The Fashion Design class has been very popular - we have added sessions, many of which are at maximum capacity.

Mini-Movers is a dance/ movement program for children ages 2 1/2 to 6. It is an eightweek program that includes ballet, jazz, tumbling, and hip-hop.

The Spring Brochure will be available at the end of March, with Spring programming beginning the week of April 17th. Slime Week, Wet & Wild, Legos, Art, Movie Making, and Band are of few of the new summer programs according to Daggon.

Not all programming is new. Previous favorites remain on the calendar for 2023.

The outdoor season begins on April 22 with Hidden Treasures, a township-wide yard sale held at Turkey Brook Park. “Lots of great finds!”

May’s event is the Fairy & Pirate Festival on the 20th. The event includes vendor booths with activities for children, entertainment, inflatable rides, pony rides, face painting, and a treasure map activity. “It’s so much fun to see everyone (including adults!) dressed up in great costumes. This will be our 13th Festival. It gets better every year,” Daggon said. June 17 is Touch-a-Truck at Turkey Brook Park. Visitors get close and personal with municipal trucks, police cars, fire & rescue vehicles, earth-moving equipment, and more! “This free event draws kids of all ages (including parents!) for a funfilled morning,” Daggon said.

Mount Olive Block Party on June 23 is a great start to the summer season. The event features rides, food, and music with activities for all.

Mount Olive Week Carnival runs from July 12 to 16. The week offers music, food, rides and games, and fireworks on Friday, July 14. “It is probably everyone’s favorite 5-day event,” Daggon said. “Keep watching our Facebook page for information, including when we will have All Day Ride Wristbands available for pre-sale.”

August has three great events at Turkey Brook Park.

August 4 starts with a Concert, followed by a family mov- ie with popcorn, cotton candy, and more!

August 18 is Salsa in the Park. Grab your friends and dance the night away with a great Salsa band - Rafi Castillo Band. Empanadas, tacos, texmex, and wonderful desserts.

Food Trucks and Fireworks Festival on Saturday, August 26 wraps up the month’s programs. The event will host at least 20 delicious food trucks, live music, activities for the whole family and amazing fireworks.

Country In the Park and BarkFest will be held on Saturday, September 23. This will be an all-day event, expanded from the 2022 Country In the Park. “We found that many visitors brought their furry ones with them,” Daggon said This year we will include an area just for dogs (still on leash) with activities just for them. Great BBQ food trucks and two country bands will play the night away while everyone can enjoy dancing and hang out together.” October is all about Oktoberfest. Saturday the 10th at Turkey Brook Park, will be filled with music, food, beverages, games, PLEASE SEE MT. OLIVE REC, PAGE 8