MOUNT OLIVE LIFE M t . O l i v e’s Ho m e t o w n Ne w s p a p e r
www.mtolivelife.com • www.facebook.com/Mt-Olive-Life
Member of Mid-Atlantic Community Papers • Association of Community Publichers • Mt. Olive Chamber of Commerce AUDITED BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL (CVC), ST. LOUIS, MO. Ja n u a r y
Vo l . 7 I s s u e 1
T
By Richard Mabey Jr. he Christmas of 1962 showed me the kindness and appreciation of a dear and kind friend and classmate. I was nine years old and in Mrs. Jacobchick’s fourth grade class. I sat in the middle of the classroom, Pamela Rawlings sat next to me. In early December, Mrs. Jacobchick had all of us draw names from a shoebox. As if the odds were a million to one, I chose my old best friend, Stuart Steinhauser. Unbeknownst to me, Pamela Rawlings picked my name from the box of folded papers. I remember that I bought eight comic books for Stuart. I am positive that two of them were Batman and Superman titles. I’m pretty sure that two other comic books were Flash and Superboy. I’m not sure at all, about the other four comic book titles. I remember in early December, walking home from school, and I had a whole, paper
2022
A Christmas Story
dollar in my pants pocket. I went into Moe’s Sweet Shop, with the intent to buy comics for Stuart. I remember it being such a magical moment in time. I had never bought eight comic books, at one time, any other time in my entire life. It was just a monumental moment. I remember when I carried the stack of eight comic books to Moe’s cash register. It’s so funny, the things you remember. I remember Moe saying to me that it looked like I was going to read a lot of comic books that night. I confessed that I did read all of those eight comic books, before I wrapped them up in brightly colored Christmas wrapping paper for my old friend, Stuart. For the next few weeks in December, I wondered and wondered who could have picked my name from Mrs. Jacobchick’s shoe box of hand-written names. What I was about to find out, as to who picked my name
1962 was very much representative of the height of the era of the baby boomers. I remember that there were well over 35 children in Mrs. Jacobchick’s fourth grade class. Although this is not a photo of my fourth-grade class, it is amazingly close to how that classroom looked.
Local Churches Help Operation Christmas Child
O
by Elsie Walker ne day about 20 years ago, Daryl Blewett, of Succasunna, was driving with her kids and a friend. As they drove, the radio station they were listening to shared something about Operation Christmas Child. A project of the Samaritan’s Purse organization, Operation Christmas Child spreads the word about Jesus to needy children around the world, including his love shared through gifts donated in a shoe box. Blewett’s friend said, “let’s do it” and that was the start of Blewett getting involved, first bringing it to the attention of her church, Ledgewood Baptist Church, and then growing in the project to where she and her husband, Ed, are now Area Coordinators, Northwestern NJ Operation Christmas Child Team. In November, Blewett’s church and others donated boxes during the yearly Operation Christmas Child collection week. However, although its name is Operation Christmas Child, the project brings the message of Christmas to needy children throughout the year. Blewett shared a brief history of Operation Christmas Child, which started with a forgotten promise. In 1993, Rev. Franklin Graham, President of Samartan’s Purse (an organization dedicated to do good works, like the Good Samaritan in the Bible), received a call from a man in England asking for help in filling shoeboxes with originally brought the idea before the congregation when gifts for children in war torn Bornia. Graham agreed to the church was looking for outreaches. First Zicherman, and help, but it was months before Christmas, and it went now Ackley, of Budd Lake, has coordinated the effort at the to the back of Graham’s mind. Suddenly, it was November and the man from England called back Grachurch. Ackley said, “You want to do it. You feel like this is ham about the boxes. Graham had forgotten all about
them. Working fast with help from a church in the U.S. and help from Canada, a miracle happened: they were able to come up with 28,000 shoeboxes filled with gifts for the children. Operation Christmas Child was born. Since 1993, 188 million children in 170 countries have received boxes. The boxes contain gifts such as colored pencils, gloves, socks, a pair of shoes, a toy, etc. Each box is labeled as to the sex and age group of the child who should receive it. Operation Christmas Child recipients are ages 2 - 14. Also, inside each box is a book in the child’s own language with the stories of Jesus. Many churches on the receiving end, which give out the boxes, invite children to come to a 12- week the Greatest Journey program to learn more about who Jesus is. Those children who choose to attend will tell others in their area about Jesus. Blewett has seen Operation Christmas Child from both sides: the giving and the receiving. Two years ago, she was invited to Tanzania to be there when boxes were distributed in June. (Due to travel distance, customs, etc. it can take a while for the boxes to get to their destination.) Blewett said she believes God helps the right child get the right box. She saw a child with very worn shoes open her box to find a pair of crocs in it! Blewett notes that for Ledgewood Baptist Church, Operation Christmas Child is a year-around project, gathering items for boxes and then having a box filling event before the shoebox collection week. Last year, her church contributed 800 boxes. Besides contributing boxes, her church is a drop-off point for others to
Mount Olive Middle School Select Chorus Hits Iconic NYC
F
By Megan Roche or members of the Select Chorus at Mount Olive Middle School, the holiday spirit shines brightly through their music. The students in the program have much to celebrate, especially after their recent performance at Radio City Music Hall before a performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Joanna Scarangello, the middle school music teacher, couldn’t be prouder of her students. “I’m so proud of them and it’s all about creating opportunities for them. They rise to the occasion. In the world of choral music, I feel like a lot of people think it doesn’t count until you get to high school. My middle school students are so capable and they can do hard things and be professional too,” Scarangello said. The Mount Olive Middle School select chorus was chosen after Scarangello submitted an application and recording to Radio City of a recent performance. Radio much to celebrate, especially after their recent performance at Radio City Music Hall before a performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
I N D E X
County News Page 4 Crossword Page 9 Entertainment Page 8
Joanna Scarangello, the middle school music teacher, couldn’t be prouder of her students. “I’m so proud of them and it’s all about creating opportunities for them. They rise to the occasion. In the world of choral music, I feel like a lot of people think it doesn’t count until you get to high school. My middle school students are so capable and they can do hard things and be professional too,” Scarangello said. The Mount Olive Middle School select chorus was chosen after Scarangello submitted an application and recording to Radio City of a recent performance. Radio much to celebrate, especially after their recent performance at Radio City Music Hall before a performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Joanna Scarangello, the middle school music teacher, couldn’t be prouder of her students. “I’m so proud of them and it’s all about creating opportunities for them. They rise to the occasion. In the world of choral music, I feel like a lot of people think it doesn’t count until you get to high school. My middle school students are so capable and they can do hard things and be
Garden Page 11 Home Page 12 Letters Page 4
Medical Page 7 Seniors Page 12 Sports Page 5
101 Newark Pompton Tpk. Little Falls 973.638.1078
Margaret DeFazio Cell: 201.738.7636 medefazio@gmail.com
211 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960 • 973.285.4677 www.defazioflanaganteam.com
★ ★ ★
ALL IN ONE Collectibles
★ ★ ★
Full Service Sports Card, Gaming Card, Miniature Game, Toy and Comic Book Store
25 OFF
$
Any Purchase of $100 or more. Excludes Sale Items. Expires 1/15/22
all_in_one_collectibles@yahoo.com http://allinonecollectibles.com/
$ Mon.-Sat. 10am-7pm Closed Sunday
Denise Flanagan Cell: 973.420.4590 dflan2015@gmail.com
540 Rt 10 West, Randolph • 973-664-0912
Classic Eyelash Extension
EYELASH STUDIO
The DeFazio Flanagan Team
Only
80
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 245 Main Street Suite 201 Chester, NJ 07930
Phone: 908-879-7624 Fax: 908-879-2830
Securities offered through BCG Securities, Inc. Member FINRA & SIPC 856-393-1950