MAY 2020
Hayley Davis
Giving Runs in the Family Cover photo by Benoit Cortet
An exclusive publication for the residents of Lawrence Township
Expert Contributors
Medical Center RWJ University Hospital Hamilton
Lawn and Landscaping Cutting Edge Lawn and Landscaping, LLC
1 Hamilton Way, Hamilton, NJ 08690 609-586-7000 www.rwjbh.org/rwj-university-hospital-hamilton/
Nick Pirone - Owner 1652 Reed Road, Pennington, NJ I 609-356-3465 nick@ce.land I ce.land.com
Financial Advisor Knox Grove Financial LLC. Jodi Viaud, Partner & Advisor Bill Stolow, Medicare Specialist 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B100, Pennington, NJ 08534 609-216-7440 www.knoxgrovefinancial.com I Info@knoxgrove.com
Home Remodeling Lawrenceville Home Improvement James Russo - Owner 2821 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 0848 609-882-6709 lawrencevillehomeimp.com
To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Lawrence Neighbors publisher: Rachel Donington: 609-462-6786 or at rdonington@bestversionmedia.com.
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May 2020
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 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. ©2020 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.
To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Lawrence Neighbors publisher Rachel Donington: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com. Lawrence Neighbors
Welcome to our second issue of Lawrence Neighbors. We have had a great response to our first edition and want to thank all of you who have taken the time to write to us about it. It is my hope that our magazine can bring you a small light in the darkness of the past few months. So far, 2020 has been a challenging year, but we at Lawrence Neighbors hope to brighten your day as best we can. This month’s featured resident, Hayley Davis, will most definitely make you smile, with her confidence, her kindness, and a desire to help others. In fact, the very organization she talks about in her story is called “Operation Smile,” and it has inspired her to look outside our community and search for a way to give back—to give back in a big way. Hayley shares her experience of travelling with the nonprofit and describes the spirit of giving that seems to run through her beloved hometown of Lawrence. This month, we also recognize ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) Awareness Month, and celebrate Sara Cooper, an inspiring local woman who has been battling ALS since her diagnosis in 2018. Sara shows us that through hardship, we can still find peace. I wish you and your families continued hope and happiness. With that, please enjoy the stories.
Publisher: Rachel Donington, 609-462-6786
Hayley Davis’ story is so wonderful because she shows us the incredible joy that having a giving spirit can bring us. Generosity and kindness runs in the Davis family, and Hayley, at only 20, has already been able to affect so many lives in the most positive way. Uplifting stories like hers can inspire us to take action ourselves and feel the amazing benefits of helping others. Her story spurred me to want to give back more; and I think it will for you, too!
Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski
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Expert Contributor
Growing with the Grove
Financial Advice from Our Family to Yours By Jodi Viaud and Bill Stolow | Knox Grove Financial, LLC.
Dear Jodi and Bill,
Q. With all that has been going on with the Coronavirus, I am starting to feel like hiding my money in the mattress. What would be your advice to someone hoping to retire in the next 10 years and is seeing significant loss in their retirement accounts? Jackie P., 57, Lawrenceville, NJ A. The past few months have been some of the most challenging for our community, our nation, and the world. We’ve all had to adapt to changes in our professional and personal lives, but it is so inspiring to see how communities work together in times like these.
The roller coaster effect has been a bit scary, but it’s important to remember that while the Coronavirus is new to us, market volatility is not. The market has weathered these types of events before and historically, has always bounced back.
Your question is on everyone’s mind. The question “should I get out of the market?” comes with a second, harder question— “when should I get back into the market?”. The chart below displays the impact of withdrawing from the markets during the financial crisis of 2008 and waiting to re-enter until the market reached its prior high. This meant that the investor missed the first part of the rebound, where some saw large returns as the market recovered. Markets can rebound quickly or slowly. There is no way to know when it will happen. Therefore, trying to time reentry can be extremely difficult. Investors who withdrew from the markets saw a significant difference in their portfolio value from sitting in cash for two years waiting for the market to recover.
What questions should we be asking • How did I react in the last market downturn? • Will my lifestyle be meaningfully impacted if markets continue to fall, or do I have time to recover? • Have I underestimated my appetite for risk and taking too much risk in my portfolio? • Is my portfolio durable and diversified enough to withstand severe dislocations in the stock market? Based on your response to these questions, it may lead us to make changes to a portfolio, maybe to shift down a risk profile by adding some more conservative strategies or using strategies that are more tactical and can de-risk their exposures in times of market stress. Or, it may lead us to add risk to your portfolio and to take advantage of buying opportunities if money is not needed today and is invested for the long-term. Alongside the portfolio, it will be important to review your financial plan and make sure you are still on track with your goals. Our team works holistically with our clients throughout the year, reviewing their portfolios and adjusting when necessary to ensure the investments are diversified and aligned with their time horizon and risk tolerance. We help them stay on track with their financial plan, looking for opportunities during turbulent times and reminding them that it’s not about timing the market but how much time you spend in the market. If you haven’t reviewed your Financial Plan or portfolio in a while, we welcome the readers of Lawrence Neighbors to reach out to our team to discuss your personal situation. You can reach us at 609-216-7440 or info@knoxgrove.com. From our family to yours,
Jodi Viaud & Bill Stolow
Growing With The Grove
Financial Advice from Our Family to Yours
Father and daughter Financial Advisors, Jodi Viaud and Bill Stolow, understand family dynamics and the need for collaboration across generations to meet the long-term financial needs of your family and business. Look for their Financial Planning advice column, “Growing With The Grove”, in future issues of Lawrence Neighbors. Jodi and Bill look forward to hearing from you and answering your financial questions. Submit your questions via email to: info@knoxgrove.com
YOUR PAT H FORWARD Knox Grove Financial, LLC Jodi Viaud Partner and Financial Advisor
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I 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B100 I Pennington, NJ 08534 P: 609-216-7440 F: 609-910-4275 www.knoxgrovefinancial.com I 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.
Bill Stolow Financial Advisor and Medicare Specialist
May 2020
Cambridge School Summer Study July 13th - August 7th
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Lawrence Neighbors
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Recipe
Mother’s Day Recipe
Asparagus and Goat Cheese Omelet with Spring Chives By Terhune Orchards Asparagus and chives are both perennial crops at Terhune Orchards and available in early spring. The fresh taste adds to this satisfying omelet. This is great Breakfast-in-Bed recipe perfect for Mother’s Day. Ingredients • 1/2 pound Terhune Orchards asparagus, cut into 3-inch pieces (about 2 cups) • 2 teaspoons butter, divided • 5 eggs, beaten • 1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped Terhune Orchards chives • 2-3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions 1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium high heat. Add asparagus and toss to coat and then add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Let steam until asparagus are cooked to medium firm texture, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; remove from pan and reserve. 2. Add remaining butter to pan and place back over medium-high heat. When butter has melted, pour in beaten eggs. Using a rubber spatula, gently loosen the edges of the egg as they set, tilting the pan to allow liquid egg to run underneath. Once the eggs in center have just begun to set, sprinkle crumbled goat cheese down center of omelet, then place asparagus over goat cheese and season eggs with salt and pepper. Cover pan with tight fitting lid, remove from heat, and allow heat to continue cooking eggs until almost completely set with just a thin layer of liquid egg on top (about 1 minute). 3. Fold sides of the omelet into the center to cover the filling. Gently slide onto a plate and sprinkle with chives.
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May 2020
Community History
Lawrence Township By Rachel Donington
What is now Lawrence Township was originally formed as Maidenhead Township on February 20, 1697, while the area was still part of Burlington County in West Jersey. The township was named by the early Quaker settlers after Maidenhead, a Thames River village west of London England. On January 24, 1816, the Maidenhead Township was renamed Lawrence Township, in honor of Captain James Lawrence, commander of the warship USS Chesapeake, one of the naval heroes of the War of 1812, and a native of nearby Burlington, New Jersey. Captain Lawrence was best known for his dying command of ‘Don’t Give up the Ship’. Lawrence Township became part of Mercer County at its creation on February 22, 1838. Portions of the township were taken to form Millham Township on February 10, 1882, which was annexed six years later by Trenton. For most of its three centuries it was a typical rural, agricultural, New Jersey community that travelers passed through on their way from New Brunswick to Trenton or from Philadelphia to New York. Since Lawrence Township is located equally between the two major metropolitan hubs of Philadelphia and New York, it is not surprising that many of the major north-south transportation corridors of the Northeastern United States— both past and present–pass through Lawrence. These include: • The King’s Highway, today known as Route 206, dates back to the 18th century. • The Brunswick Pike, now US Route 1, was chartered in 1804. • The Delaware & Raritan Canal, dating to the 1830s, locally part of the Federal designated Delaware and Raritan Canal Historic District. • Once called Camden & Amboy Railroad, Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor which also dates back to the 1830s. • Interstate 95 (usually called I-95) is an important Interstate highway that runs north to south on the eastern seaboard of the United States. I-95 connects many major cities in the eastern half of the United States. As a state, New Jersey’s history has tended to be defined by its location to its urban neighbors—New York City to the north and Philadelphia to the south. In a similar manner, locally Lawrence Township’s has often been identified by its location between two more historically prominent neighbors, Princeton to the north and Trenton to the south. Lawrence Neighbors
Lawrence first became a destination in its own right in the 19th century with the founding of Maidenhead Academy, known today as The Lawrenceville School—one of the nation’s elite boarding schools. The Lawrenceville School was one of the chief economic and political engines behind the development of the Village of Lawrenceville (now the Lawrenceville Main Street Historic District) during the 19th and 20th centuries. Lawrence began its transformation from an agricultural to a suburban community in the early 20th century, when industrial workers from Trenton began moving into new neighborhoods along the southern border. From 1900 to 1930, Lawrence’s population more than quadrupled from 1,500 to over 6,000. But it was not until after World War II that Lawrence began to take on its current suburban character. With the construction of large housing subdivisions in the central part of the township, from 1950 to 1970 the population more than doubled from 8,500 to over 19,000. As part of that suburban migration, Rider University moved from Trenton to its current Lawrence campus in 1959. Living here residents get a dense suburban feel, with highly rated public schools, a lot of great restaurants and coffee shops, and many beautiful parks. Without a doubt, Lawrence Township is one of the best places to live in New Jersey.
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Resident Feature
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May 2020
Hayley Davis
Giving Runs in the Family By Catherine Bialkowski I Photos by Benoit Cortet
“Everyone here really cares about each other.”
T
hat’s how Hayley Davis describes her hometown of Lawrence, New Jersey. Lawrence, she says, is a place that has provided her with so many opportunities while simultaneously educating her about the rest of the world. “It’s a good place to develop character,” she says. Hayley is a 20-year-old student studying communications with a minor in film at the University of Tampa in Florida, but she always welcomes returning home to the town where she grew up. Hayley has wonderful memories of the Lawrence school system, local businesses she’s returned to time and time again, and her friendly neighborhood. Her first job was at The Purple Cow ice cream shop on Main Street, a place she loved working because of her kind bosses and the friendly customers. Her older sister Olivia and younger brother Colby have worked there as well. Hayley says her parents, Sophia and Edward, instilled in their children from a young age the incredible importance of helping other people. Sophia and Edward originally chose Lawrence because of its convenient location and peaceful atmosphere. Edward is a physical education teacher in Tinton Falls, and Sophia used to work for the government in downtown Philadelphia. Lawrence was the perfect spot for them to raise their family. “We live on a cul-de-sac, so my parents loved that we could go outside and play without a ton of cars driving by. My neighborhood is extremely friendly and everyone knows everyone. I think that is what they wanted, a place where everyone was welcomed and belonged.” In high school, Hayley joined the student club for Operation Smile, a nonprofit medical organization that helps children born with cleft lip or cleft palate. In many countries throughout the world, these children do not have access to the necessary medical services needed to treat these conditions. Without the proper corrective surgery, children may not only suffer medically but socially as well. Operation Smile works in 34 countries across the world, and there are millions of children in need of their help. Hayley was initially drawn to Operation Smile because her older sister, Olivia, had been a part of it when she was in high school, too. “I looked up to Olivia growing up,” says Hayley. “She has always been such a giving person. I’m really lucky to have a sister who is so selfless and thinks about others first. I want to be half as good a person as she is.” Olivia is currently a PhD student at Arizona State University in the Biology and Society program. In the future, she wants to help save endangered species and do conservation work. When Hayley joined the Operation Smile club during her freshman year of high school, she could not know how much it would impact her life. She went on her first mission with the nonprofit her junior year, travelling to Mexico to volunteer. Then, after graduation, she took a gap year in South Africa and Guatemala in order to travel with Operation Smile for a more extended period of time. Using the website GoFundMe.com, she raised enough not only for her own travel expenses but to bring toys and gifts for the children she would be helping on her journey. “I was able to go because of everyone’s donations,” she says. A spirit of giving runs through Lawrence, too.
Lawrence Neighbors
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May 2020
Resident Feature Hayley has always felt the impact of her privilege of growing up in such an incredible community. It has helped her to recognize just how important it is to reach out to others in need; in Hayley’s case, it was the children involved in Operation Smile who seemed to call out to her. “Until you go, you’re not fully aware,” she says, reflecting on the situations of some of the families she came across in Mexico, South Africa, and Guatemala. She met children who had travelled miles upon miles through mountainous regions on foot in order to have cleft palate surgery. Many of them had nothing; many did not even have basic skills needed to survive. “Some of the children did not know how to brush their teeth.” “It changed me,” says Hayley of the experience. She had known she was lucky, but now she knew just how much. “We take a lot for granted.”
Cleft palate surgery completely transforms lives. Often, children with this condition do not go to school for fear of bullying. Once their condition is corrected, there is nothing to hold them back from living their lives. Hayley is so grateful for her upbringing in the warm, diverse, community of Lawrence. There is no denying the sense of generosity within the people who live here. In some ways, Hayley says, Lawrence can be a bubble; but it’s a bubble that encourages its residents to step outside and learn about the rest of the world, minds and hearts open and ready to give to others.
vvv To learn more about Operation Smile, please visit operationsmile.org.
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact Rachel Donington at rdonington@bestversionmedia.com. Lawrence Neighbors
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Calendar of Events
Check Out What’s happening in
Fun Facts about May By Rachel Donnington
The name of the month of May is derived from the Old French word Mai, which has cognates in the other European languages that were all derived from the Latin word Maius, which is associated with Maia, the goddess of spring and growth. This name was also a nickname for a person with a particularly sunny disposition. May is National BBQ month, which is apt, since Memorial Day falls at the end of the month and many of us barbecue on this day. It is also National Hamburger Month, National Strawberry Month and National Salsa Month. The month of May has arrived, so let’s catch up with a few facts about this month where we honor our Moms, and so much more.
As the weather begins to get warmer and the days start to get longer, you may be beginning to anticipate the upcoming best weekend of the month—Memorial Day—the unofficial start to summer. Because Memorial Day is a national holiday, you’re likely to get a day off of work. The three-day weekend will probably involve a barbecue and hopefully time spent with friends and family. But this holiday is about so much more than a cookout, it’s observed to remember those who fought for our freedom—the American heroes who gave their lives to make our country what it is today. We hope you’ll choose to pause and remember them this year, and to remind your children and family members to do the same.Still, no matter what your plans are for the weekend, you may be wondering: Memorial Day Weekend is May 23-25, 2020.
• Birthstone of May is the Emerald. • Lily of the Valley is the flower of May. • Taurus the Bull is the zodiac sign of May until the 20th, then Gemini the Twins is the sign from May 21 on. • It was once considered bad luck to be married in May. There was even a saying “Marry in May and you’ll rue the day“. • The tradition of May Day was to deliver hand-made baskets of candies to friends on May 1st, but this is not such a common custom now a days. • The Empire State Building was officially dedicated on May 1, 1931. • Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on the fifth day of May, but it gets a ten on the fun scale! • Your mother would probably prefer you celebrate her every day of the year, but in 2020 you’ll be showering her with love and appreciation on May 10th.
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May 2020
Expert Contributor
Navigating Childcare and Financial Complications Caused by Coronavirus By Jennifer Millner, Esq. | Stark & Stark, Attorneys at Law
The coronavirus pandemic is creating special challenges for all of us, but in particular, for separated or divorced parents of young children. Schools are closed or closing, but there are still employers who are not, or in the case of first responders, healthcare workers, and essential employees, cannot allow their employees to work remotely from home.
going to look at is what efforts were made to resolve the issues.
The current crisis is creating issues related to parenting time, as well as the need for unexpected childcare, which creates a financial burden on many parents. This is compounded for many families when there is a parent who may not be able to earn at the same level as before the virus struck. Although there may be an existing child support order which includes child care expenses, these added expenses have to be addressed in this crisis situation.
Sometimes it is hard for a custodial parent to give what they see as “extra time” to the non-custodial parent. However, you need to do what is best for the children. That being said, keep in mind that these are difficult times for the children as well, and they need stability. This is not the time for a non-custodial parent to hijack the health crisis to further a quest for more parenting time.
There are several things that can be done, even on a temporary basis, to ease the immediate cash flow issue of paying for childcare and other unanticipated expenses for children related to the pandemic.
Courts are going to be looking at make-up time in the cases in which one parent is not able to have his or her regular parenting time. Parents are urged to keep this in mind when negotiating solutions to a short term issue.
vvv You can reach Jennifer Millner by phone at 609-945-7608 or email her directly at jmillner@stark-stark.com. Stark & Stark, Attorneys at Law, is located at 993 Lenox Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. Visit their website stark-stark.com.
Talk to your employer about temporarily changing your withholdings, which can result in more money in your paycheck to pay for childcare. This is a temporary solution, and you should be mindful of planning to “make it up” later in the year so that you do not see a large tax liability next year. If you have a 401(k) or 403(b) savings plan, you may be able to take a loan against it, the cost of which can be shared with the other parent. Additionally, most plans will allow you to make an emergency withdrawal to get cash on hand. If the penalties for doing so are not waived, this can be a burden that can be shared with the other parent. If you have a dependent savings plan, talk to your employer about what options you have to make withdrawals. Many of the larger employers are creating plans to assist their employees in these troubling times. When it comes to figuring out a new system of childcare, the first thing you could do is to proactively reach out to the other parent to see what options he or she has with their employer to work remotely so that the children can be cared for. Depending on the parenting time schedule, adjustments may have to be made to make sure that the parents can care for the children. Schedules may change in response to needs of employers, and depending on where parents are physically located, it may not be feasible to maintain the present schedule. Communication with the other parent, if possible, is the best first course of action. Making sure the children have the necessities must be the primary focus of parents. In times of emergencies, access to the Courts is limited, and when a judge does get an application, the first thing that they are Lawrence Neighbors
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Spotlight on Community
ALS Awareness Month Sara Cooper By Catherine Bialkowski Who is Sara Cooper? She is a business owner, a neighbor, a wife, a dog-owner, a chef, a friend. She is funny, warm, quick-witted, courageous, and kind. In November of 2018, she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord that signal and control the muscles. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. Sara is embracing what life has thrown at her and has made the decision to fight against the disease, both physically and by spreading awareness to help others with the same condition. Because Sara is a member of our local community, we would like to honor her this month of May, ALS awareness month. Every 90 minutes in the United States, someone is diagnosed with ALS; and every 90 minutes, someone loses their life to the disease. Although treatment can help, it cannot be cured. But Sara has not let it stop her. Since her diagnosis, she has never stopped putting others first. She has spent the past year and a half educating herself and those around her on ALS, and she recently finished putting together a pamphlet called The ALS Roadmap: A Guide to Help Newly Diagnosed Patients Navigate a Path of Preparation and Care. “It’s
something that is meant to help when you receive such an overwhelming diagnosis,” says Sara. She realized she would have greatly benefited from such a pamphlet when she was diagnosed, so decided to create one for others, with special help from Zoe Graphics and Allison Larthey. Sara’s main projects recently have been focusing on getting her pamphlet into the hands of those who need it and spreading the word about the nonprofit her family established in her honor, Help for ALS. Sara has been overwhelmed not only by her diagnosis, but by the generosity of the community. “The support I have received has been amazing and boundless,” she says. Sara says that although her disease is progressing, she still feels great, and continues to feel grateful. In the past year, she has been the recipient of multiple awards, including the Impact Award at the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Women of Achievement Awards Breakfast, the Hope Loves Company Night of Hope Board Member of the Year Award, and the Hometown Hero Award at a Trenton Thunder baseball game. The community has truly come together to recognize Sara’s incredible tenacity and kindness. Sara’s main focus right now is raising awareness in whatever way she can. It is so
important to acknowledge ALS and learn about it so that we can support community members who have it. Throughout the past year and a half, Sara has put others before herself on a daily basis, even while enduring through her own struggles. She has a mighty belief in the power of coming together as a community, and the strength we all have inside ourselves. Sara is a courageous fighter, and her selflessness is humbling; receiving an ALS diagnosis is life-changing in many ways, yet Sara’s first instinct was to help others in her situation. “I am a fighter, and I want to make a difference.”
vvv Please join Sara in the fight against ALS by using the hashtag #LetsKickSomeALS. If you or someone you know would like a copy of The ALS Roadmap, please reach out to Sara at 609-977-5508.
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May 2020
Business Profile
Window Genie of Princeton Commitment to Local By Catherine Bialkowski
Robin McKenna, owner of Window Genie of Princeton, is continually looking for ways to give back to her beloved community. After working in the corporate world for 20 years, Robin opened her Window Genie Franchise in 2014. In fact, part of the reason she chose Window Genie and not a different franchise was the importance the company places on giving back. Windows 4 Wishes is a Window Genie program that allows franchise owners like Robin to spread a message of selflessness and generosity among the communities they work in. Owners may volunteer, endorse a charity, donate goods, or provide free services. Robin has chosen to give back to patients with breast cancer on an annual basis, usually reaching out around October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to find someone who could benefit from a free window cleaning. This year, however, Robin was having a hard time finding a breast cancer patient. One of her friends told her about Sara Cooper, a Hopewell Valley resident living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Coincidentally, Sara had contacted Robin two years before about a window cleaning, but one was never set up. It was a serendipitous meeting, coming right when Sara needed Robin. “When dealing with something traumatic, you often don’t take things like a window cleaning or a manicure as more than a luxury,” says Sara. “You think, ‘Oh, I can go without that.’ But you can’t believe
how wonderful it made my house look. My house was glistening. The technicians could not have been nicer; they were so sensitive to my being in a wheelchair. And quality of life is so important.” For Sara, having something as simple as a window cleaning seemed unnecessary, even trivial in light of her diagnosis. But it transformed her surroundings and, therefore, brightened her life. Sara is so grateful to Robin for her service. The fact that Robin took the time to come over and meet Sara in person, says Sara, is really what community is all about. “Robin was very warm and reassuring about what was going to happen,” says Sara. “She went and took that extra step to come and meet me. She was lovely.” Robin’s business philosophy is all about being able to provide assistance for local clients and businesses. It was important to her when she worked in corporate America, and it’s just as important to her now. It has shown through in her years as a Girl Scout leader for her daughter’s troop, and as a Girl Scout herself when she was a young girl. “It’s a part of who I have always been,” she says. Lawrence Township is fortunate to be home to many locally owned businesses like Window Genie. Please support local business by giving Robin a call at 609-917-4338 and visiting her Window Genie website at windowgenie.com/princeton/ The Wilson Family provides affordable dignified services to the families of Hopewell Valley since 1960.
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Lawrence Neighbors
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