The Summer of 1968: The Sacred Sacrifice

sipping hot tea. I remember that we were talking about the big, week-long hike along the Appalachian Trail that was planned for Boy Scout Troop 170, for the next week.

Then, Dad did something a bit unusual. He took the inner bag of Wheaties, from the box and began cutting out the front and back cardboard. Then Dad did something even more unusual. He took one of the pieces of cardboard and laid it flat on the kitchen table, next to his bowl of Wheaties. Then Dad took one of his shoes and traced the bottom of his shoe onto the cardboard with a pencil. Then repeated the process with the other piece of cardboard and his other shoe.

I remember simply asking my father, “Dad, watcha doing?”

Dad then answered me with me with a smile on his face, “I’m tracing my shoes on the cardboard. I got these holes in both my shoes!” Dad then showed me the small holes in his shoes. They were big enough so that Dad could put his forefinger through both of them.

“Dad, why don’t ya’ just go and buy new shoes?” I asked my father.

Dad’s reply deeply moved my heart. “I’m a working man. I’ve got to save my money for you to be able to go to college.”

And, in so few words, Dad spoke volumes.

I remember being lost for words. I remember being all so deeply moved. “I see,” was all I could conjure up to say.

I never forgot that moment. Now at 69, it sometimes haunts me in my dreams. My father dropped out of high school to join the Army Air Corps during World War II. It was later in life that Dad earned his GED and attended classes at Drew University to become a Lay Leader in the Methodist Church. Despite having had dropped out of high school to serve in the Army Air Corps, my father had an immense respect and love for education. My father was one of the wisest men I have ever known.

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

Preschool Advantage Now Accepting Applications from Local Families Needing Preschool Tuition Assistance

AREA - Preschool is critical to a child’s success in school and in life, but the high cost of tuition prevents many families from enrolling their children. Preschool Advantage funds tuition for three- and fouryear-olds at 27 high-quality preschools across Morris and Somerset counties, including Children on the Green, The Nursery School of the Presbyterian Church, The Frances & Herbert Brody Preschool of Temple B’Nai Or in Morristown, and Joyful Noise Preschool and Day Care Center and Morris Plains Cooperative Play School in Morris Plains.

Families earning up to $80,000 or more depending on family size, may now apply to Preschool Advantage for funding for the school year beginning in September 2023.

Three-year olds will be offered half-day preschool funding.

Full-day funding is available for a limited number of fouryear-olds on a first come, first served basis. Children must be 3-or 4-years old by October 1, 2023 to be considered for the program. The application deadline is March 1, 2023.

In 2022, 100 local children received assistance from Preschool Advantage. The Organization has provided over 1,200 families with financial assistance for high-quality preschool education since 1995. For the 2023 application and the list of participating preschools, visit www.preschooladvantage.org, call 973532-2501 or come to the office at 25 Lindsley Drive, Suite 307, Morristown.

Families share many Easter traditions. Easter in a home with people who trace their ancestry to Italy will likely feature “Pane di Pasqua,” which translates to “Easter Bread.”

Easter Bread is a ring of sweet bread that can be adorned with candy sprinkles.

Some people nestle colorful hardboiled eggs within the twisted dough as well. Traditionally, Pane di Pasqua is made on Good Friday to help break the Lenten fast for Easter. The following recipe for “Pane di Pasqua” from “Feast of the Seven Fishes: A Brooklyn Italian’s Recipes Celebrating Food & Family” (Powerhouse Books) by Daniel Paterna makes enough dough to share the bread with friends and family.

Pane di Pasqua

Yields 7 to 8 loaves

Dough

5 packages of dry yeast (111⁄4 teaspoons proof yeast in a

St. Patrick’s Day is a time to pay homage to Ireland’s patron saint and celebrate Irish culture and cuisine. Even though corned beef and cabbage is ubiquitous on this holiday, that meal really isn’t the most authentic Irish cuisine. There are plenty of other foods to dress the St. Patrick’s table if a person wants to dabble in Irish cooking.