Hopewell Valley Neighbors November 2019 by rdonington

November 2019

Angelina Graf Protecting Our Oceans One Plastic Bag at a Time

Cover photo by Benoit Cortet

A community magazine serving the residents of Hopewell Township, Pennington Borough and Hopewell Borough

Expert Contributors

Lawn and Landscaping Cutting Edge Lawn and Landscaping, LLC

Home Design and Construction A&E Home Design and Construction Greg Fontaine – Owner 2479 Pennington Rd, Pennington, NJ I 609-737-4425 greg.aeconstruction@gmail.com AEconstructionNJ.com

Nick Pirone - Owner 1652 Reed Road, Pennington, NJ I 609-356-3465 nick@ce.land I ce.land.com

Orthodontics DeSimone Orthodontics

Dermatology Windsor Dermatology Alexa Hetzel, Board Certified Physician Assistant 59 One Mile Road Ext., East Windsor, NJ 609-443-0424 windsordermatology.com I #freezefat

Dr. Karen DeSimone, DDS 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B-200, Pennington NJ 08534 609-737-8000 info@desimoneorthodontics.com www.desimoneorthodontics.com

Medical Center RWJ University Hospital Hamilton 1 Hamilton Way, Hamilton, NJ 08690 609-586-7000 www.rwjbh.org/rwj-university-hospital-hamilton/

Real Estate Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate Hopewell Valley 800 Denow Road, Suite N, Pennington, NJ 609-737-9100 www.glorianilson.com

Financial Advisor Knox Grove Financial LLC. Christina Nash – President & CEO 23 Route 31 North, Suite B10, Pennington, NJ 609-216-7440 Christina@knoxgrove.com I knoxgrovefinancial.com

To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Hopewell Valley Neighbors publisher: Rachel Donington: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com.

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Now Accepting Applications November 2019

Publisher’s Letter

Dear Residents, Publisher: Rachel Donington rdonington@bestversionmedia.com Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski cbialkowski@bestversionmedia.com Designer: Dale Ver Voort Contributing Photographer: Benoit Cortet www.benoitcortet.com Phone: 917-597-6297 benoit@benoitcortet.com Contributing Writers: Mary Galioto, Kenneth Marples, Lisa Wolff Advertising Contact: Rachel Donington Phone: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com Feedback/Ideas/Submissions Have feedback, ideas or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are 25th of each month. Go to www. bestversionmedia.com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas and photos to rdonington@bestversionmedia.com. Content Submission Deadlines: Content Due: Edition Date: November 25.................................... January December 25.................................. February January 25............................................March February 25............................................ April March 25.................................................. May April 25...................................................June May 25......................................................July June 25............................................... August July 25.......................................... September August 25.........................................October September 25 �� November October 25................................... December Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. ©2019 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.

To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Hopewell Valley Neighbors publisher Rachel Donington: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com. Hopewell Valley Neighbors

If you ask people what makes an ideal community, a top answer may be having locally owned businesses nearby. Unfortunately, it’s tough these days for local businesses to stay open. They face stiff competition from big-box chain stores, as well as from online retailers, which can usually offer lower prices and a larger selection. If you want to see our local business community survive and prosper, the best thing we can do is go the extra mile – or more accurately, stay close to home – to shop here. When you have shopping to do, it’s tempting to head down to the mall or Route 1 – or easier still, just browse Amazon. But keeping your dollars in our community has advantages that are just as important as saving a few bucks; by shopping locally you support our Hopewell Valley businesses, and make it possible for them to stay open and continue to provide goods and services for our residents. As we begin to approach the holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving, we can add the wide array of local shops we have access to here in Hopewell Valley to our list of things to be grateful for. Giving thanks to the talented and hardworking people of our community is something we don’t do enough. They are an important part of what makes this magazine possible. Please take the time to acknowledge those who sponsor us. Enjoy the stories this month, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Publisher: Rachel Donington, 609-462-6786

Gratitude is perhaps an obvious theme for the November issue of a magazine, but it’s such an important value to practice daily. November brings us to Thanksgiving, a day on which we recognize the things that add joy and light to our lives, but counting our blessings is something we can easily incorporate into our schedules. I encourage you to try and think of five things to be grateful for every day–it’s way easier than you think! Speaking of gratitude, I am so grateful we have people in our community like Angelina Graf, our featured resident. Angelina is a young woman who has inspired me, through her dedication to protecting the ocean and reducing single-use plastic, to think more about the things I use in my daily life and how they might impact the environment. The story she shares with us is amazing, and I hope you enjoy as well as the rest of the stories. Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski

We welcome our newest Sponsors On Time Heat & Air and Stark & Stark Our sponsor advertisers bring Hopewell Valley Neighbors to you. Be sure to thank them by supporting their businesses. They are experts at what they do. Please tell them you saw their ad in Hopewell Valley Neighbors. 3

Pennington Quality November 2019.qxp_Layout 1 10/1/19 5:32 PM Page 1

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November 2019

Expert Contributor

Financially Planning for the Holidays

By Christina Nash and Bill Stolow | Knox Grove Insurance Advisors, LLC My grandmother Nash would oftentimes refer to her shopping sprees as “retail therapy.” As a child, I was happy to be a recipient of this joy she experienced. For many, this therapy can spin out of control especially around holidays. It’s hard to believe, but between presents, cards, parties and decorations, shoppers in the US spent over $700 billion during the 2018 holiday season, a number that is expected to increase significantly this year. That’s a lot of wrapping paper and fruitcake! Unfortunately, many of us overspend, adding to the stress we put on ourselves to create the perfect holiday season. So, how can you avoid letting increasing your debt be what you remember most about the holidays? Creating your holiday budget now will save you time, money and the guilt that comes with overspending. Here are a few ways to prepare for the holiday season and avoid starting the new year with a debt headache. Have a strategy • Make a list and check it twice – while your holiday budget doesn’t have to be restrictive, you do have to know how much you’re willing to spend overall and the source of the funds. • Set a spending ceiling and stop when you’ve reached it • Decide now how you’ll pay for your purchases. Shopping with a set amount of cash is best, but if you’re going to use a credit card, commit to a repayment plan • Use your rewards - consider cashing in points and miles to reduce spending • Start early and give yourself plenty of time to do comparison shopping. Be creative – Gift giving is about the sentiment. I’d be willing to bet that gifts you’ve received that touched your heart had nothing to do with the dollar value. My son is nine, and we teach him that people will not always remember what you say, but they will remember how you made them feel. Get creative and thoughtful with your gift giving and you may be surprised that these are the gifts that are remembered the most. • Give your time – consider group volunteering instead of an office holiday party • Donate to a charity in someone’s name • Instead of exchanging gifts with a group of friends or colleagues, suggest going out for brunch or lunch • Do you bake, knit, paint, write poems or have any special talent you can share? Consider giving a meaningful, homemade gift. If you have other talents, offering your time to teach someone a unique skill is a special gift.

• Offer to babysit or pet sit for someone; all parents need a break! Focus on the holiday experience – remember what the holiday really means to you and your family and find inexpensive ways to celebrate. • Start a holiday tradition – whether it’s a day of baking, decorating or bingewatching holiday movies with friends and family, find special ways to share the holiday spirit. • Keep it simple - you don’t have to attend every party, be the ideal host or hostess, take the perfect family photograph, or have the best decorated home on the block. Some of the best memories are about those “imperfect” moments. • Make time for joy – set aside time to do something fun with family or friends and don’t let any other perceived obligations get in the way.Skating, sledding, sleigh rides, holiday trivia night, candlelight dinners, caroling, long walks, holiday light tours; these are all inexpensive, fun ways to spend time making memories. The Danish people, who consistently score the highest as the happiest people in the world have a word, “hygge” (hue-guh), which they use to describe a feeling of coziness, comfortable conviviality and contentment. We can all use a little more of that! Make a commitment to stick to your holiday budget, keep it simple and find your “hygge” without increasing your debt this holiday season. As your friendly, neighborhood financial planner, I wish you a very happy holiday season. I had the pleasure of co-writing this article with Caron Scorpio of Knox Grove Financial. For more information on financial planning or to schedule an appointment to talk about your financial plan, call my office at 609-216-7440 or email me at christina@knoxgrove.com. Wishing You Success, Christina A. Nash, President & CEO Knox Grove Financial, LLC 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B100, Pennington, NJ 08534 KnoxGroveFinancial.com

vvv Securities and investment advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.

WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS AS YOU CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING Preparing for a holiday meal with friends and family and creating a financial or legacy plan involves a great deal of commitment. Ultimately, it’s about sharing what you have with the people you care about. If you’re not sure if your retirement plan is as well orchestrated as your Thanksgiving dinner, it’s time to reach out to our team. We can help you on YOUR PATH FORWARD…

YOUR PAT H FORWARD

Christina A. Nash Knox Grove Financial, LLC 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B100 Pennington, NJ 08534 P: 609-216-7440 F: 609-910-4275 www.knoxgrovefinancial.com Info@knoxgrove.com

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.

Hopewell Valley Neighbors

n Where Childre

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Proven leader for educating students with: • dyslexia • adhd • executive function challenges • language-based learning differences Grades K-12 100 Straube Center Blvd. Pennington, NJ 609.730.9553 www.thecambridgeschool.org

Knox Grove Financial

November 2019

Expert Contributor

A&E Construction

The Rhodes Family’s Outstanding Testimony By Catherine Bialkowski When Rachel and Matt Rhodes decided to renovate their 1800s home in Hopewell Valley, they knew it would be no small task. With full-time jobs and two young children, they weren’t sure a complete transformation was plausible, or even possible. But Greg and Karen Fontaine of A&E Construction in Pennington were able to make their dreams come true. Rachel calls their service “a gift,” saying that Greg and Karen managed the entire project for them. “We’re not sure how we would have done it otherwise.” The project was major – it involved three floors including a basement. On the main floor, the A&E team redid the kitchen and created a mud room; on the second floor, they redesigned unused space and fixed the tiny bathrooms and closets; they also completely transformed the master suite, raised the ceiling, and put in a beautiful master bathroom. The basement, which was formerly just a dirt floor, is now completely finished. The final effect is stunning. The Rhodes discovered Greg and Karen through online research as well as word of mouth. Everything they’d heard had been overwhelmingly positive. “They were very professional from the beginning,” says Rachel. “They were very prompt in answering us and clearly interested in

the work we were doing.” They never made Rachel and her family feel like “small potatoes.” “Greg wanted to give us a good product that would last. They were very considerate of budget as well.” The Rhodes weren’t living in their home during the renovation, but they would stop by frequently to see the progress. “Every time we stopped by they were hard at work. They kept the worksite clean and were very respectful of the house.” Rachel, Matt, and their kids, MJ and Ben, have gotten to know the members of the A&E team. “They’re very good-humored and kind; we always felt safe leaving our home in their care.” And the customer service was top-notch from the beginning. Rachel and her husband immediately got a sense of their honesty. “As a customer, it’s easy to have no idea how much things will cost,” she says; but Greg and Karen kept them upto-date, never in the dark about any aspect of the project. “They welcomed us as a family. Karen would put on a TV show for the kids while we were picking out door knobs and paint colors.” Sometimes, she would also bake cookies! Overall, the Rhodes offer a glowing review of their experience with A&E Construction. “I’ve never heard of a single person who had a bad experience with them,” says Rachel. “It’s clearly a family business. They want to leave you with a home that’s functional but also beautiful.”

vvv Trust local, shop local. Please support our Hopewell Valley professionals; they are experts at what they do! Visit A&E’s website at www.aeconstructionnj.com or give Karen and Greg a call today at 609-737-4425.

Hopewell Valley Neighbors

Resident Feature

Angelina Graf

Protecting Our Oceans One Plastic Bag at a Time By Catherine Bialkowski | Photos by Benoit Cortet

Werner, Alex (Angelinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister) and Angelina

Scientists believe 8 million tons of metric plastic enter the ocean each year.

rowing up at the base of the Sourland Mountains with a stream running next to her family’s home (affectionately known as “Creekside”), 15-year-old Angelina Graf was probably destined to become a lover of nature. “Ever since I was really young we would take hikes,” Angelia recounts. She would overturn rocks in the stream bed and discover little critters with hidden lives of their own. Her family also spends every summer in Sea Isle City, in Cape May County, a place close to Angelina’s heart that helped her develop a love for the ocean that would impact her life as more than just a vacation destination. A few years ago, Angelia watched a video on Instagram about single-use plastics. That same night, with the video fresh in her mind, Angelia went to the grocery store with her mom, Lisa, and the plastic containers and packages seemed to glare at her from the shelves. She couldn’t believe how much of it surrounded her. “Plastic doesn’t just go away,” says Angelina. That day, a consciousness of the harm of single-use plastic planted itself in her brain, and it has never gone away. Angelina knew she wanted to take action in some way, to do something, anything to help the world’s plastic problem. But, at 15, she wasn’t quite sure how. Things began to fall into place, though, when she realized she could use her love for the ocean in an impactful way: she could establish a sister-city relationship between two seaside cities, providing a channel of collaboration, community, and support in efforts to protect the ocean and keep plastic out of its waters.

of up to 65 feet! The young ladies became fast friends and discussed the opportunities between the United States and Belize. She also showed Angelina the ropes of scuba-diving; on the last day, they dove in rough waters on the ocean side of the reef and swam its trenches. “She helped me hold a shark underwater,” says Angelina. The two connected through their mutual love for ocean wildlife (Carina in fact wishes to be a marine biologist). Protecting the ocean is so important to Angelina because she says scientists believe 8 million tons of metric plastic enter the ocean each year and everyone should be aware of the unintentional harm. “Anything you throw away in New Jersey could end up in Belize; it’s the same ocean,” she says. Angelina’s dream of reducing waste and protecting the ocean now starts a new phase—changing behaviors of the businesses in Sea Isle which produce much of the single use plastic garbage. “Dad has been able to connect me with people he’s met over the years, and to set up a lot of things that have got me moving in the right direction, including the mayors, environmental commission and business owners.” Werner says, “I love this new generation. They multitask. They ask ‘why’ and ‘why not’ about concerns like this garbage problem. Kids can sometimes channel emotions into outrage which isn’t always helpful. I love that Angelina didn’t overreact but rather focused on building coalitions, raising awareness, and creating the right incentives to bring people along and change behavior. I’m also very proud that she has stretched herself—from doing deep scuba dives on the reef, to presenting to mayors, to now meeting with business owners to implore them to reduce plastic waste. None of this was comfortable for her but the cumulative effect could be significant.”

Americans use 100 billion plastic bags per year; only about 1 percent of this is returned for recycling.

Sea Isle City was a natural choice, as Angelina spent every summer on its sand, but she also needed another community. Luckily, she had connections she didn’t know about. Decades earlier, her father, Werner Graf, had developed a love for San Pedro Town, a community on the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize. Although the Graf’s had many friendships there, she had not yet even visited.

San Pedro Town, like Sea Isle City and many ocean towns around the world, struggles with the problem of garbage and singleuse plastic. A relationship between the two cities would be an opportunity for two cultures to come together and share a deep passion and reverence for protecting the ocean. So in early June, Angelina pitched the idea to Mayor Lenny Desiderio of Sea Isle and Mayor Daniel Guerrero of San Pedro in separate calls and both mayors enthusiastically endorsed the idea. In July, she introduced the mayors via video conference and was officially named Sea Isle’s cultural ambassador to San Pedro. Carina Paz, a 15 year old girl in San Pedro, was designated as San Pedro’s Ambassador to the States. Then in early August, Werner took Angelina to San Pedro Town to show his daughter its beauty and, at the request of Mayor Desiderio, to present Sea Isle’s “key to the city” to Mayor Guerrero. The inscribed key was a symbol of hope that the sistercity relationship would foster good will and action in “sharing ideas about ways they can motivate each other in reducing singleuse plastic.” Angelina said. To get to San Pedro Town, Angelina had to fly in a tiny plane from the main airport to the little island of Ambergris Caye. “It was crazy! It was unlike any other plane ride I’ve been on.” She sat in the co-pilot’s seat and watched the Caribbean scenery passing below until they reached the small airstrip on the island. “Dad wanted to expose me to an area outside of the United States, a new culture, and to see the beauty of the reef” says Angelina. To do this, Angelina took an accelerated scuba-diving course to explore and underwater troves of Belize. “It really is gorgeous, the water, the colors. Being able to see the geography underwater was crazy.” Angelena’s cultural counterpart, Carina, was already an accomplished diver and accompanied Angelina on several dives

For readers of Hopewell Valley Neighbors, Angelina wants to stress the difference between awareness and operation. “I know there is awareness; the difference is actually taking action.” One very simple lifestyle change Angelina suggests is turning singleuse plastics into multi-use plastics. There are countless ways to do so: reusing plastic grocery bags, refilling plastic water bottles, the list goes on. The average person uses 220 pounds of plastic each year. Angelina notes little steps in personal choices is a realistic start to a big change. For other young people with big dreams who are unsure how to begin stepping towards their goals, Angelina has some advice: “If you’re really passionate about something and want to solve a problem, don’t be afraid to reach out to people you’re not sure have time. I was surprised by how many people had time to talk to me.” For now, Angelina Graf will continue to live life as a sophomore at Hopewell Valley Central High School; she’s a part of Youth Environmental Services (YES) Club, Recycling Club, and Key Club. But she also has big things on her schedule: she hopes to work with Sea Isle City in the coming months to set up water stations for refillable water bottles, which will hopefully discourage people from buying and bring 12-packs of water bottles onto the beach, a common occurrence in this beach town and many others. And who knows what the future will bring for this daring young woman: driven, passionate, talented, and eco-conscious, Angelina, at fifteen, has only just begun to empower and inspire.

vvv

Jody with the SKIT team in action

Keep an eye out for an upcoming website, created by Angelina, to further educate and raise awareness. Please also see page 12 to read an article by Angelina’s father, Werner Graf, for more information on the plastic bag concern that affects our Earth. November 2019

Resident Feature

The average person uses 220 pounds of plastic each year.

The average family uses 1,500 plastic bags per year. Hopewell Valley Neighbors

Resident Submitted

Plastic Is A Global Concern By Werner Graf | Father of Angelina Graf

Plastic waste is a global problem. On Mount Everest, cleaning crews collected more than 6,000 pounds of trash earlier this year. In the Pacific, garbage, in two massive, spinning lifeless vortexes eventually sinks to the ocean floor. From Earth’s summits to its depths, evidence of mankind’s consumerism is painfully visible. The good news: we know it. Many Gen Z’ers (25 million strong born after 2000) shun Styrofoam and plastic straws and awareness is permeating even the third world where waste disposal is less evolved and trash is rampant. Nepal recently announced that in January 2020, single-use plastics will be banned from the mountain. Similarly, Tanzania just announced a ban on single-use plastics because of trash left on Mount Kilimanjaro. And here at home, far from an exotic adventure destination, even Hopewell Borough recently adopted a plastic bag ban for all commercial businesses (subject to an education period). The technical name for the wispy, grocery store plastic bags that Hopewell is banning is low-density polyethylene (LDPE). LDPEs have proliferated across the world because they cheaply and conveniently fill a pronounced consumer need. Plastic bags outperform paper in strength and are essentially germ-free prior to use. Convenience, performance and health benefits are indeed good things and LDPEs were viewed as minor miracles when they were first introduced to consumers in 1979 and became ubiquitous in the 1990s.

single-use plastics next year, including straws, cutlery, cups, and even sticks for balloons. That said, these bans make total sense in many countries without proper waste disposal practices, and especially those with large waterfronts and sensitive marine ecosystems (like Belize). Broadly, 127 countries have adopted plastic bag restrictions according to the UN and many of these will have a positive effect, albeit mandated in anticipation of cultural change. However, in Hopewell Borough, a plastic bag ban will have conceivably zero effect on the environment while having a 100% impact on the inconvenience of messy restaurant takeout, etc (note: a better ban would be on Styrofoam which is almost never reused). In leadership, it is said if you want to go fast, dictate, but if you want a lasting change, bring people along. Locally, we should be wary of top-down edicts which alienate people, require enforcement, and needlessly erode the standard of living with negligible upside. Rather, let us change behavior from the ground up: educate, build awareness and trust the Hopewell community to make decisions which are in their best interest.

vvv We are so proud to share with you the submitted article of Werner Graf, father of our cover story resident feature, Angelina Graf.

The problem is on the backend. The single-use nature of LDPEs and the resulting cost to the environment upon disposal is undeniable: plastic bags do not biodegrade and are impacting oceans, marine life, and perhaps even infusing our foods with plastic. But, banning the bags doesn’t reduce the need for the bags and to take a holistic view of the issue, we have to assess the costs and drawbacks of alternatives and consider that these bags often displace the need for even more plastic in the system as trash bags, dog bags, etc. Recently, Denmark’s Ministry of Environment agreed with several previous studies that LDPEs actually have the least environmental impact when taking into account the production impact of various reusable tote alternatives assuming that they are reused at least once (trash liners, etc) and are incinerated in the regular trash at end of life as LDPE’s hinder recycling and don’t decompose readily. In fact, alternative plastic-totes made of recycled polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and Polyester would have to be used upwards to 85 times to be as environmentally friendly as LDPEs. Cotton reusable totes require thousands of reuses, and paper simply trades one environmental problem (deforestation) for another (waste). Furthermore, as we all know by looking in our closets, reusable bags accumulate because they never seem to be quite where we need them. More bags equals more production impact to the environment. An LDPE’s plastic origin really isn’t the issue, but rather whether it is reused, thus eliminating the need to buy additional plastic and proper disposal is maintained. Eventually, the holy grail is to move to a more biodegradable option with low production impact and in fact some plastic bags are already near 50% biodegradable. Although LDPEs and straws make up only a tiny portion of the total plastic waste, politicians often see them as easy wins and all too predictably do it in ways which enrich the government. New York State banned single-use plastic bags beginning in March 2020 and will now charge $.05 per paper bags, with $.02 going to local governments and $.03 to the State. The European Union will ban

Remember the Magic of your Favorite Toy Store? Shop Local this Holiday Season!

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Calendar of Events

Hopewell

Happenings

Every Saturday in November Pennington Farmers’ Market Bringing together 4 Hopewell Valley local farms and other small businesses every Saturday through the middle of November. Local artists and musicians featured each week, and community groups are provided with a place to reach out to their neighbors. @ Rosedale Mills front lawn, 101 Route 31, Pennington Time: 9am-1pm Fri., November 1 Color Me Calm – Adult Coloring @ Pennington Public Library, 30 North Main Street Coloring books and art supplies available all day Lego Free Play @ Pennington Public Library, 30 North Main Street Love Legos? Drop by to engage your imagination and creativity with some block building. Develop teamwork skills or build independently. Those who are up to the task may also engage in a special Lego challenge. Ages 5+ Time: 4-5pm First Friday Film Thank You for Your Service (2017) A film about a group of U.S. soldiers attempt to reintegrate into civilian life after serving in Iraq. @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 1:30-4pm No registration necessary Tues., November 5 ELECTION DAY in Hopewell Valley Please vote in Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough Thurs., November 7 Hopewell Valley Regional Schools Closed NJEA Convention

Fri., November 8 Hopewell Valley Regional Schools Closed Veterans Day Observed Sun., November 10 VETERANS DAY Mon., November 11 VETERANS DAY Observed Tues., November 19 The Ten Crucial Days: Washington’s Vision for Victory Unfolds This talk tells the story of the battles of Trenton and Princeton that took place between December 25, 1776 and January 3, 1777 and focuses on the people of New Jersey, especially Hopewell Township, and how their lives were influenced. @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 7-8pm Co-sponsored with the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and the Hopewell Museum. Registration requested please, email hopeprogs@mcl.orgor call 609.737.2610 Fri., November 22 Hopewell Valley Regional Schools Early Dismissal Parent Conferences

Sat., November 23 Christmas Bazaar @ United Methodist Church, in Hopewell Borough Time: 9am-3pm Mon., Nov. 25 – Wed., Nov. 27 Hopewell Valley Regional Schools Early Dismissal Thurs., November 28 THANSGIVING DAY Happy Thanksgiving! Hopewell Valley Regional Schools Closed

another fun Thanksgiving 5k morning race. @ Rosedale Park, Pennington Time: 9am Online registration only at www.hopewellturkeytrot.org, or call Guy Lanciano at 609.273.7828

Fri., November 29 Black Friday! Day after Thanksgiving: Hopewell Valley Regional Schools Closed Annual Walk Off Your Turkey Dinner 60 minute walk in Hopewell Borough @ walk starts at M3 Studios Time: 9am

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November 2019

Business Profile

PALS on Main

A Shop That Gives Back

Catherine Bialkowski | Photo by Benoit Cortet In October, PALS on Main, a community store that sells products created by members of Pennington Adult Living Services (PALS), opened its doors. Sergio and Violetta Neri, owners of Hopewell Valley Vineyards, created PALS after experiencing the impact of autism in their own family. Sergio’s adult son, Davide, experiences autism spectrum disorder; the services of PALS have helped him and other adults of all ages since the program first began. Participants in PALS will be able to showcase their artistic works, be motivated to create, learn practical skills that pertain to working in a store, engage in customer relations, and be exposed to many other learning experiences. Among the goods PALS on Main sells are woodwork, sewn, and quilted items, to name a few. The store also sells products brought in from other charitable companies like Conscious Step, a nonprofit that sells funky socks, and 4ocean, a bracelet company whose mission is to end the ocean plastic crisis.

Deb Allen, who manages purchases and keeps things running smoothly at the store, is a graphic designer by trade, and enjoys working with members of PALS and being able to see their improvement day by day. “They help us in-store, making price tags, using the cash register, sewing, learning how to use the iron,” says Deb. And many show clear artistic and creative ability; Deb has coordinated all kinds of projects, from quilting to creating fringe banners to painting. It’s about figuring out what each person is interested in, and what they can do, she says. “We use creativity and art as an escape from the world in a positive way. There is dignity through art. They’re creating things that are beautiful, useful, and sellable.” “Any and all skills the participants are able to acquire at any level are of major importance,” Violetta adds. “They feel more engaged with the other participants and the greater community and they feel some level of self accomplishment. Their attitude and even body posture changes and we do see a smile or two on individuals that never smiled before.” One young woman, Catherine, pictured, is a “highly functional, joyful, and creative” member of PALS who comes to work in the shop. “She is always happy, and a good communicator,” says Deb. “She’s happy to do anything.” Often, she’ll sing as she works, bringing light and life to the workspace. Deb says giving back to the people in PALS and loving and understanding them is what this store is all about. It’s important, she says, for others to see them as valuable parts of our community. “They give back in ways other people can’t.”

vvv Please visit www.palsnj.org for more information about the mission of PALS. Don’t forget to stop by the shop on Main at 34 Main Street, in Pennington, for holiday gifts and decor! PALS on Main is a very special place; we are so fortunate to have them here in Hopewell Valley.

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November 2019

Art In The Everyday

In The Arts

Hopewell Valley Arts Council

By Mary Galioto | Public Relations and Media Coordinator, Hopewell Valley Arts Council

” The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

The Hopewell Valley Arts Council wishes you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Lucia Stout, Canal Reflections, pastel

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• Member of the Junior Achievement Advisory Board, Rochester, New York, 1999-2019 • Partner at ITX Corporation, a strategic technology firm; President of Multiply IT, ITX

Corporation’s product development group, 2009-2019 • 2015 Accepted as an Early Decision Candidate to Farleigh Dickinson University • 2015 Accepted as an Early Decision Candidate to Farleigh Dickinson University • Recognized as “A Visionary Entrepreneur who builds simple, useful technology” – the • 2016 Honors College Preparatory Graduate of The Lewis School “I have faith, stubbornness • 2016 HonorsBusiness College Preparatory Graduate of The Lewis School Rochester Journal “I have faith, stubbornness and an education from • 2017 The Lewis School of Princeton Honor Society Inductee and an education from • Acknowledged “executive leadership, innovation and expertise in corporate cultures • 2017 The Lewisfor School of Princeton Honor Society Inductee The Lewis School that The Lewis School that give me confidence.” • 2017 give me confidence.”

development, combining IT design and business growth strategies” Dean’s at Fairleigh Dickinson University • 2017 List Dean’s List at Fairleigh Dickinson University • Creative Problem Solving Institute – Certified Facilitator and “groundbreaking business • 2017 Most Valuable Player for Fairleigh Dickinson Cross Team Team leader” is a strategic consultant to top companies hereCountry and abroad Andrew Andrew McTigue • 2017 Mostwho Valuable Player for Fairleigh Dickinson Cross Country McTigue Fairleigh Dickinson University Fairleigh Dickinson University • Co-founder Board Chairman ofThe Potential Point, LLC where he continues to develop • 2017 Honored Alumniand Speaker, The Lewis School Athletic Awards Banquet • 2017 Honored Alumni Speaker, Lewis School Athletic Awards Banquet Class of 2020 Class of 2020 award winning software to help companies grow high-performance work places, 2005-2019 The Lewis School of Princeton, The Lewis School of Princeton, • Awarded a Full FourYear Scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson University Fred 2011Beer • Awarded a Full Scholarship to Fairleigh University 2016 2011- 2016 • Completed the FourYear MIT Entrepreneurial Master’s Program asDickinson one of sixty executives worldwide University of Rochester, Class of 1995• Accepted towho were invited to participate all of his top ten colleges • Accepted to all of his top ten colleges “The Lewis “The School Lewis School Westminster School Alumnus, Class of 1991 • CEO and Co-founder of Auragen Communications Inc./Catalyst Direct named one of INC helped me tohelped realizeme to realize Lewis that I should not beSchool Alumnus, 1988 “When I first came to Lewis, frustrated the demands of auditory processing in a Magazine’s 500I was fastest growing by companies, 1995-2006

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November 2019

Hopewell Valley Market Activity

Real Estate

SEPTEMBER SOLDS - Homes ADDRESS

127 Shrewsbury Court

BEDS BATHS SOLD PRICE

40 N Greenwood Avenue

2.5

$538,500

101 Lewis Brook Road

2.5

$560,000

1.5

$89,357

15 Patterson Avenue

$200,000

3 Beechwood Drive

2.5

$625,000

191 Crusher Road

$230,000

75 Van Dyke Road

$720,000

18 Woosley Court

$265,000

12 Pond View Road

$790,000

707 Pebble Creek Court

2.5

$315,000

8 Rosedale Way

4.5

$845,000

166 Coburn Road

2.5

$335,000

16 Lafayette Avenue

$339,000

139 Coburn Road

2.5

$340,000

128 Coburn Road

2.5

$349,000

592 Province Line Road

$370,000

13 Dublin Road

$400,000

61 Hart Avenue

2.5

$415,000

31 Bayberry Road

$425,000

41 E. Broad Street

$478,000

Over time FoHVOS has shared the importance of connecting students with nature and discussed environmental initiatives throughout Hopewell Valley. Now it’s time to hear from Hopewell Valley schools about their new exciting facilities, activities, and/ or curriculum that encourage student engagement in conservation. Here are their replies. Bear Tavern Elementary School

Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. The data does not represent the listings of any one agent or agency but represents the activity of the entire Principal Turnbull real estate community in the area. Any real estate agent’s ad appearing in the magazine is separate from the statistical data provided whichChris is in no way a part of their advertisement.

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