Hopewell Valley December 2017
The Story of Beverly Mills Shedding Light on a Rich Hidden History
Cover by Benoit Cortet Photography
Hopewell Valley A community magazine serving the residents of Hopewell Township, Pennington Borough and Hopewell Borough
WELCOME TO
Hopewell Valley Neighbors! Our Stories
Our Families
Our Community
Buy and shop local! Please support the sponsors of Hopewell Valley Neighbors; by doing so, you foster the sense of community we all appreciate. A&E Construction www.aeconstructionnj.com 2479 Pennington Road Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-4425
Hopewell Valley Vineyard www.hopewellvalleyvineyards.com 46 Yard Road Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-4465
Pennington Quality Market www.pqmonline.com 25 NJ-31 Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-0058
Benoit Cortet Photography www.benoitcortet.com 317 Burd Street Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 917-597-6297
Kids’ MusicRound www.kidsmusicround.com 25 Route 31 S, Suite C Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-333-0100
Princeton Air Conditioning, Inc. www.princetonair.com 39 Everett Drive, Building D Princeton Junction, NJ 08550 Phone: 609-337-3627
Blackwell Memorial Home www.blackwellmh.com 21 N. Main Street Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-2900
Knox Grove Financial www.knoxgrovefinancial.com 23 Route 31 N, Suite B10 Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-216-7440
Rosedale Mills www.rosedalemills.com 101 Route 31 North Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-2008
DeSimone Orthodontics www.desimoneorthodontics.com 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B-200 Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-8000
Northfield Bank www.enorthfield.com 4 Route 31, Pennington, NJ 08534 802 Denow Road Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-466-2900
Welcome To Our Newest Sponsor! The Lewis School of Princeton 53 Bayard Lane Princeton, NJ 08540 www.lewisschool.org Phone: 609-924-8120
Flutter Boutique www.flutterstyle.com 20 S. Main Street Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-2236 Look Inside for Business Profile! Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate www.glorianilson.com 800 Denow Road, Suite N Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-9100
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Occasions Paperie www.occasionspaperie.com 125 Broemel Place, Suite 643 Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-228-6790 Pennington Montessori School www.penningtonmontessori.org 4 Tree Farm Road Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-1331
December 2017
Publisher’s Letter
Dear Residents, Publisher: Rachel Donington rdonington@bestversionmedia.com Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski cbialkowski@bestversionmedia.com Designer: Robin Stachura Contributing Photographer: Benoit Cortet Photography www.benoitcortet.com Phone: 917-597-6297 benoit@benoitcortet.com
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elcome to the December edition of Hopewell Valley Neighbors. In this issue, you’ll discover a common theme among the stories we’ve decided to tell—all the residents we feature are people who have stayed in Hopewell Valley for generations upon generations. You’ll meet Beverly Mills of our resident feature, who has lived in Pennington for most of her life and whose passion for African American history is inspiring; Paul Pogorzelski, Hopewell Township’s business administrator who grew up in the place he has served for decades; and Grace Scheetz, a woman who, at 103, spent much of her life in Pennington and shares her memories of the way it was almost a century ago—and what it was like growing up as a young female. Clearly, there is something about this place that keeps people here for a lifetime. As the holidays approach, perhaps we can take this sense of community and keep it in mind as we celebrate with family and loved ones. With that, please enjoy the stories.
Contributing Writers: David Blackwell, NJ DeVico Advertising Contact: Rachel Donington Phone: 609-462-6786 Email: 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. © 2017 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.
To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Hopewell Valley Neighbors publisher: Rachel Donington: rdonington@bestversionmedia.com 609-462-6786
Hopewell Valley
Publisher Rachel Donington 609-462-6786
I
am delighted to officially introduce myself as the content coordinator of Hopewell Valley Neighbors. As a senior journalism major at The College of New Jersey in the neighboring town of Ewing, I could not be more excited to be working with Rachel—and Hopewell Valley’s incredible community— to create this special magazine. As I continue to edit stories, interview residents, and write the feature for each issue, I learn more and more about what makes Hopewell so unique. I cannot wait to see what the future brings, and I am grateful to be part of this team.
Content Coordinator Catherine Bialkowski
Expert Contributors
Construction and Home Repair A&E Construction Greg Fontaine – Owner 2479 Pennington Road Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-4425 greg.aeconstruction@gmail.com www.AEconstructionNJ.com
Heating & Cooling Princeton Air Conditioning, Inc. Adam Czaplinski 39 Evertt Drive Princeton Junction, NJ 08550 Phone: 609-337-3627 adam.czaplinski@princetonair.com www.princetonair.com
Financial Advisor Knox Grove Financial Christina Nash – President & CEO 23 Route 31 North, Suite B10 Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-216-7440 Christina@knoxgrove.com www.knoxgrovefinancial.com
Real Estate Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate Hopewell Valley 800 Denow Road, Suite N Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609-737-9100 www.glorianilson.com
Resident Feature
The Story of Beverly Mills Shedding Light on a Rich Hidden History By Catherine Bialkowski | Photos by Benoit Cortet Photography
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everly Mills’ greatest passion in life is telling stories—about history, about her own life in Pennington Borough, about the people who have helped shape Hopewell Valley into what it is today. Throughout her life, she has been a student, a model, a restaurant owner, an author, a historian—the list goes on and on. But through it all, a love of storytelling has stayed with her. “I like stories to be told that people have not heard before,” she says. For Beverly, one of these stories is that of the African American contribution to this region, which, she says, is “a rich history that has been overlooked and largely forgotten.” Beverly herself has lived in Pennington for most of her life. The house on South Main Street she lives in now—a home in which her great-grandparents once lived and which has been in her family for 106 years—was built in 1856. “It is quite amazing,” she says of her family’s ties to the area. “There are a few dwindling houses in Pennington that have similar longevity. In many instances, home ownership had been difficult.” The difficulties Beverly, born in 1950, refers to are those of the African American community, especially during and after the
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Civil War. In a predominantly white town, African American families formed a close-knit neighborhood. “We weren’t allowed to live just anywhere,” says Beverly. The formation of this community was largely due to the building of the Bethel A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) Church in 1847, after the land was sold from Joshua Bunn, a white Methodist, to Samuel Blackwell, a black Methodist—and Beverly’s third great grandfather. Once the church was built, parishioners were able to purchase 100 feet worth of frontage on which they could build homes. As a result, a community—centered around the celebration of the African Methodist Episcopal faith—formed. Although Beverly was born more than 100 years after the building of the church, she still experienced that same closeness formed by the original parishioners of the Bethel A.M.E. Church. “Everyone on the block was related. We had a very robust African American community.” Religion was a bond between many members of this community. Beverly remembers going to church as well as Sunday school every week. “It was right down the street from my house,” she
December 2017
Resident Feature says. Later in life, she would go on to sing in a Baptist Gospel choir. “I had never heard anything like it before,” she says. Today, Beverly calls herself “officially a Baptist,” although she has attended both Methodist and Baptist services. “Religion has always been a part of my life, and particularly my ancestors’.” After graduating from Hopewell Valley regional schools in 1968, Beverly stayed at home for a year. Her mother passed away shortly after giving birth to Beverly’s brother, who had been born prematurely. When he was strong enough, he went to live with an aunt, and Beverly went off to school in New York at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she studied for a few years before taking a break in order to work.
Saturday into Trenton to model teen clothes.” Robert worked there as a stock boy. At the time, he was 19. “He would always look at me because he thought I was pretty, but he was too shy to say anything. Finally, one weekend, he mustered up enough courage to ask me if I was coming back the next weekend, and I said ‘yes.’” But Beverly did not end up ever returning because her assignment as a model was over. “I never got a chance to see him again,” she says—that is, not until seven years later, when they were guests at the same wedding. “By this time, I was 21. He had been in the service but had come home. He asked if he could come visit me.”
“I started working with every intention of going back to school, but it never happened.”
Beverly, of course, said yes. In March, they will have been married for 45 years.
Beverly’s first job was with New York City mayor John Lindsay in the Bureau of the Budget. She then moved over to his newly-formed Mayor’s Council on the Environment Office before returning to New Jersey in 1972. At this time, she was already engaged to her fiancé, Robert.
Beverly’s life in Pennington has been filled with an array of experiences—she has worn many different hats. Over the years, she has been a restaurant owner (Flavors Cafe, then, later, Four Girls catering business); a college graduate (she returned to school and received a fine arts degree from The College of New Jersey in Ewing in 1988); and an author (If These Stones Could Talk). She is currently near completion of the book, co-authored with friend and associate Elaine Buck. If These Stones
Beverly and Robert’s own story reads like a fairytale. It begins with Beverly working at Litt Brothers’ department store in Trenton. “I was a fourteen-year-old model. I used to go every
Continued on page 6
Hopewell Valley
5
Resident Feature
Continued from page 5
Could Talk discusses accomplishments and contributions of African Americans, as well as their historical experience, in the Hopewell Valley region. Beverly and Elaine both currently serve on the board of the Stoutsburg Cemetery Association in Hopewell Township, a burial ground off Provinceline Road for African American citizens and veterans from the surrounding area. The book, based on research they have been working on for 11 years, is set to be released in 2018. What, then, is Beverly up to now? Perhaps a better question might ask what she isn’t up to. When she isn’t writing, she might
be giving a presentation—along with Elaine and her husband, John—on her historical work on African American contribution, especially to Sourland Mountain and the surrounding area, to an eighth grade class, historical society or community group. She might be doing research with the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum Board, which plans to open the first African American museum in central New Jersey in spring of 2018 at the old Mount Zion A.M.E. church on Hollow Road in Skillman. She might be selling strawberry shortcakes from a stand in front of her home on Pennington Day (they always sell out). Or, she just might be spending time with family. Beverly has two adult sons, Jason and Drew; five grandchildren, Charde,
We have lollipops. (Our CD rates are pretty sweet, too.) eNorthfield.com
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December 2017
Resident Feature
Aviel, Hayden, Jameson, and Megan; and two rescue dogs she adopted with Robert from a kill shelter in Kentucky. In other words, “free time” is not a term with which Beverly is familiar. For Beverly Mills, living in Pennington is “quite an honor.” Today, there are only three black families left on her street. Watching the world change around her for all these years— combined with her extensive historical research—has left her
in awe. “My true passion is African American history,” she says. “I’m a storyteller; I bring history into my stories.” Perhaps, then, it is only fitting that Beverly’s own story—one deeply rooted in history, family, religion, and the closeness of a community—is so moving. Her passion has helped her create an impact on her own life as well as the lives—and legacies—of so many members of Hopewell the memories 3,65x5 in benoit cortet.pdfValley, 1 06/11/2017 15:41 of whom will continue live on as part of this community’s incredible past.
Benoit Cortet PHOTOGRAPHY
benoitcortet.com 917 597 6297
Holiday Shopping at Flutter Dresses That Sparkle Gifts That Excite and Delight!
Flutter... We Have a Gift for Giving 20 South Main Street • Pennington, NJ 08534 • 609.737.2236 • www.flutterstyle.com
Hopewell Valley
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Real Estate
Hopewell Valley Market Activity OCTOBER SOLDS Address
OCTOBER SOLDS Beds Baths Sold Price
310 Wash Cross Pennington Road 3
Address
Beds Baths Sold Price
2.5
$210,900
15 Blake Drive
3
2.5
$374,900
204 Resevoir Road
3
2
$255,000
308 Pennington Lawrenceville Rd 4
2.5
$385,000
100 Woolsey Court
3
2.5
$296,000
47 Diverty Road
3
2.5
$387,500
1310 River Road
4
2
$305,000
126 Laning Avenue
4
2
$418,000
103 Pebble Creek Court
2
2.5
$310,000
5 York Road
3
2.5
$515,000
105 Tuxford Court
2
2.5
$312,000
8 Skyfield Drive
4
3
$530,000
253 Concord Place
3
2.5
$325,000
31 Blue Ridge Road
3
2.5
$540,000
121 Treymore Court
3
2.5
$327,500
24 Pleasant Valley Harbourton Rd 2
2
$839,000
168 Pennington Hopewell Road
3
2
$340,000
3 Baker Way
4
4.5
$852,500
1 Blake Drive
3
2.5
$342,000
75 West Shore Drive
5
2.5
$938,000
51 Pennington Lawrenceville Rd
3
2
$349,000
10 Skyfield Drive
5
9 Grange Road
3
2
$369,800
4.5 + .5 $1,525,000
Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. Any real estate agent’s ad appearing in this magazine is separate from any statistical data provided which is in no way a part of their advertisement.
Lisa LeRay – Sales Associate
lleray@glorianilson.com 609.954.0177
Barbara Facompre – Sales Associate
bfacompre@glorianilson.com 609.731.1189
Gough ”Winn” Thompson – Sales Associate gthompson@glorianilson.com 609.468.3838 Helen ”Sandy” Brown Broker Sales Associate sbrown@glorianilson.com 609.468.8545 Christine Butrym – Sales Associate
cbutrym@glorianilson.com 609.902.6214
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Joelle Lione Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS #221185
December 2017
Expert Contributor
Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate
T
he agents of Gloria Nilson Hopewell Valley Office are active members of the Hopewell Valley community. They are involved with many events throughout our community annually; including sponsoring Hope is in the Bag, a partnership with Capital Health that spreads awareness for breast cancer; providing cooked turkeys at Thanksgiving for Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK); acting as docents for the Pennington Borough 125th Anniversary Historic Home Tour; creating Thanksgiving baskets for needy families through the Mercer County Association of Realtors®; and staffing a booth at Pennington Day and Hopewell Harvest Fair each year. Simply put, these individuals, some of whom have over 30 years of real estate experience, work hard to serve the residents of Hopewell Valley. Perhaps they are so dedicated because they are friends and neighbors in the community themselves—this is their way to give back to the place they call home, to help make Hopewell Valley the best place to live, work, and raise our families.
Meet the some of the agents of Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate:
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andy Brown, a 31-year resident of Hopewell Borough, is on The Hopewell Museum Board of Directors. She sits on the Grievance Committee and the Circle of Excellence Committee for the Mercer County Association of Realtors®. Sandy co-chairs the annual Hopewell Borough Block Party, a fun community event which donates money for the local charity, Christine’s Hope for Kids. She also served on the Hopewell Borough 125th Anniversary Committee, the Friends of Hopewell Public Library, and Hopewell Valley Historic Society while raising her family. Committed to raising awareness about hunger suffered locally, when any agent’s clients move from their home and don’t want to move the pantry food, Sandy collects and delivers those items to Mercer Street Friends Food Bank in Trenton.
C
hris Butrym moved back to Hopewell in 1999 and, with her husband, purchased his childhood home, wanting to raise their family in Hopewell Valley. She has been involved in numerous organizations including Bear Tavern Elementary School and Timberlane Middle School Parent Teacher Organizations, Meals on Wheels, Hopewell Valley Baseball/Softball Association, Hopewell Valley Girl Scouts and Hopewell Valley Education Foundation. Today, Chris serves on the Capital Health Auxiliary Board, whose mission is to serve the patients of Capital Health with focus on the Family Health Clinic in Trenton. She also serves on the Friends of Alouette International board as a director whose mission is to support education to disadvantaged children in Trenton and in the Philippines.
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arbara Facompré has lived in Hopewell Township for over 28 years. She raised her family in the valley and was very active in the Parent Teacher Organizations at both Bear Tavern Elementary and Timberlane Middle Schools. She is a director of the Mercer County Association of Realtors® and chairperson of their Realtors® Political Action Committee. In this capacity she meets with the mayors of Mercer County and is an advocate for property rights. The County and State Association of Realtors® have represented property owner rights in the fight against the PennEast pipeline. Barbara is an active member of the Garden Club of Trenton, which works hard at Washington Crossing State Park to help keep the arboretum and gardens beautiful.
Hopewell Valley
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isa LeRay grew up a native New Yorker, but moved to Hopewell Township because she believed it would be a great place to raise her family of three children. For Lisa, it was easy to become a full-time soccer mom in the Hopewell Valley. As a member of Timberlane Middle School Parent Teacher Organization, she was responsible for organizing the Friday Night Outs for students, and she enjoyed meeting many of the children in all grades at the school. Also involved in Meals on Wheels, Lisa delivered meals to many local senior citizens. She is grateful to have raised her children in Hopewell and to have given them the experience of growing up in such a special community.
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inn Thompson has been a resident of Pennington Borough for 34 years and raised his family of three children in the Hopewell Valley. His eldest daughter, along with his grandson, so loves the valley that she recently bought a home down the street! Always with a winning smile, he is the president of N.J. Planning Officials, a non-profit organization that provides training and education for Planning and Zoning Board members throughout New Jersey. He has served tirelessly on the Pennington Borough Planning and Zoning Board since 1988 and is a longstanding member of the Pennington Business and Professional Association. An avid soccer lover, Winn is an organizer of Hopewell Valley N.J. Adult Soccer and captain of The Silver Horse Over 55 Soccer team. We are proud to be a local business serving Hopewell Valley, and proud to work beside our friends and neighbors as volunteers giving back to the community we love so much.
HO2
46 Yard Road Pennington, NJ 609-737-4465
Wine, Food, Music & Friendship
HOPEWELL VALLEY VINEYARDS 9
December
Calendar of Events
Every Wednesday
December 26 – December 29
@Pennington Public Library Geared for Children Ages 2-4 years Time: 11am
The Watershed Center, 31 Titus Mill Road Enjoy free organic popcorn at the show Registration is not required. Walk-ins welcome. Time: 1-3pm
Every third week of the month
Fri., December 8
Sun., December 31
Hopewell Borough Reindeer Lane
New Years Eve!
Story Time with Ms. Kim!
Pet Adoption @Rosedale Mills Call 609-737-2008 for dates and times
Tuesday evenings
Hopewell Valley YMCA Adult Co-Ed Volleyball @Timberlane Middle School Main Gym Ages 16 & up Time: 8-10pm
Fri., December 1
Color Me Calm – Adult Coloring @Pennington Public Library Books and supplies provided
Fri., December 1
Pennington Holiday Walk
Sponsored by the Pennington Professional & Business Association @Howe Commons on Main Street, Pennington Food, music and dance performances. Santa and Tree Lighting. Time: starts 5:30pm
Sat., December 2
Presentation “Conscious Buying Impacts Lives”
by Ellyn Ito, Founder of local Fair Trade Federation non-profit Seeds to Sew @Mercer County Library – Hopewell Branch Time: 10am Call 737-2610 to register
Sat., December 2
Hopewell Borough Tree Lighting Ceremony @Hopewell Borough
Sun., December 3
Free Environmental Film Screening — A Plastic Ocean @Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed
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Winter Break Hopewell Valley Regional Schools
@Hopewell Borough Time: 3-7pm
This month at Hopewell Valley Vineyards:
Sat., December 9
Visit www.hopwellvalleyvineyard.com for Artist Listings
Winter Bird Walk
Thursday evenings
@Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed The Watershed Center, 31 Titus Mill Road Join Education Director Jeff Hoagland on a hike of the Watershed Reserve in search of wintering birds. Time: 9-11am Pre-registration required, call 737-3755 to reserve a spot. Bring binoculars and dress for muddy conditions.
Live Jazz
Time: 6-10pm
Saturday evenings
Music & Merlot Time: 6-9pm
Every Sunday
Jazzy Sundays Time: 2pm
Tues., December 12
Hanukkah
Begins at sunset Ends nightfall on December 20
Thurs., December 15
Hopewell Business Association December Meeting @Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn Time: 6:30pm Dinner 7pm Meeting starts
Fri., December 22
Early Dismissal Hopewell Valley Regional Schools
For Hopewell Valley Seniors: Every Monday
Social Bridge @Hopewell Valley Senior Center 62 Reading Ave., Pennington Time: 2-4pm
Every Tuesday
Men’s Billiards Club @Hopewell Valley YMCA 62 South Main Street, Pennington Time: 1-3pm
Every Thursday
Active Aging Exercise Class
Sun., December 24
@Hopewell Township Municipal Building 201 Washington Crossing Pennington Road Time: 10-11am
Christmas Eve
Every Thursday
Mon., December 25
@Hopewell Valley Senior Center 2 Reading Ave., Pennington Time: 1:30-3:30pm
Merry Christmas
Mahjongg
Tues., December 26
Kwanzaa begins December 2017
Hopewell Happenings
A Lifetime of Service to Hopewell See You Around, Paul! By Catherine Bialkowski
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esidents of Hopewell Valley do not need to be told how community-oriented their towns are—that much is evident in the actions of people like Paul Pogorzelski, Hopewell Township’s administrator and engineer. Paul, who is getting ready to retire, has held this position for 10 years.
“I have told people for many years that Hopewell Township is my best teacher,” says Paul. “Every day is a new learning experience.” Paul, who has lived in Hopewell Valley for most of his life, says he has “ridden his bicycle on almost every square inch” of the area. In 1975, he graduated from the school district, and in 1979, he began working for an engineering firm, which allowed him to work with Hopewell’s public works department. “It was a very hands-on type of work effort,” he says. It was 28 years before he began working “in house” as the administrator.
Perhaps Paul was able to serve Hopewell so effectively because of his clear sense of commuPaul accepts New Jersey State nity, which he calls the Proclamation for Service from “place where people live, Lisa Wolff. work, play and co-exist. It is a microcosm of activity with many different elements and needs.” While he certainly enriched many lives over the span of 10 years, Paul says he has learned invaluable lessons as well. “I must say, it has taught me how to be a good listener,” he says. “ I have learned that speaking to someone is very different from having a conversation, and it is the conversation, in the end, that will result in my having a better understanding of the issue, and that will help me be more responsive in any solution I may come up with.”
For Paul, serving the public of the community in which he grew up is an enriching experience. “It’s fun! You get to interact with people on a personal level as well as a professional level.” “Homegrown” is how he describes himself and his progress from citizen to the man who, in some ways, runs the town.
As we prepare to say goodbye—and a resounding “thank you”— to Paul, we may keep in mind that he’s not leaving Hopewell— how could he, after all his years here? Perhaps we can simply say, “See you around, Paul!”
A typical workday involves overseeing all operations in the township. “I interact daily with almost every department on whatever issue comes up. There are lots of residents, and therefore a lot of issues, we are a service industry.”
Pennington Montessori School Premier early childhood education designed to prepare your child not only for school, but for life.
Paul’s favorite part about his job is interacting with residents. “I love dealing with the people. If you’re involved in the public sector, you love helping people,” he says. He also enjoys working with individuals he remembers from his graduating class.
§ Academic Curriculum
§ 6 weeks to 6 years
§ Flexible schedules
All of Hopewell Valley’s boards—of fire commissioners, education, health, and many others—are completely made up on volunteers. Clearly, their desire to serve the community is motivated by dedication rather than by a paycheck.
§ Summer Camp
§ Before and aftercare
“We have some of the most amazing volunteers I’ve ever come across,” says Paul. “They are educated and passionate about every aspect of their jobs.”
§ Spanish - Music -
Outdoor Education
§ School year and
full year programs
§ LEED certified facility
4 Tree Farm Road, Pennington NJ 08534 www.penningtonmontessori.org admissionsinfo@penningtonmontessori.org
Call to schedule a tour! 609-737-1331
Spending 10 years as Hopewell’s public administrator has created countless memories that Paul will keep with him long after he retires. One of his favorite parts about the job has been “seeing smiles and the warmth of appreciation” of those that have benefitted from his efforts. Specifically, he is proud to have been part of the development of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, a 22-mile trail for hiking, biking, jogging, and walking. Although Paul is looking forward to having more free time, there are some aspects of the position he will miss, such as the intensity. “Some people say I’m a type A personality,” he says, “I thrive on the intensity of situations, the problem-solving aspect. It’s very comforting when you can find a solution to a problem that is plaguing a community.”
Hopewell Valley
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Hopewell Happenings
My Day with Grace Scheetz rd
Happy 103 Birthday! By Anna Torpey, Age 16
I
t is unusual that we come across someone who has spent over a century on this earth; yet to come across someone who has spent over half a century in Pennington is no rarity. Families continue to live in Hopewell Valley for generations because it is such a special place. I, too, have lived in Pennington my entire life, and the morning of September 21st presented me with a unique opportunity—to celebrate former Pennington resident Grace Scheetz’s 103rd birthday among her closest friends and family. Grace, who now resides with her daughter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was born in Lancaster in 1914. One of seven children, she made $1.75 a day stocking shelves at her first high school job. At age 24, she and her husband, Richard Scheetz, married in secret while she was working for Armstrong Company, authorizing payroll for plants out West at a time when women were barely able to receive higher education, much less a prestigious job. When Richard received his master’s degree, opportunities for their family opened up rapidly. In 1951, the couple moved to New Jersey because Richard landed a job as chairman of the science department at Rider University. Although they lived in Trenton at first, the Scheetz family couldn’t resist the small-town lure Pennington emulated. “My
daughter was the second class to graduate from the new Hopewell Valley Central High School. My son, Fred, went from Toll Gate Grammar School to the high school, and all my grandchildren went through Hopewell Valley schools. My granddaughter is now a teacher at Timberlane Middle School,” she told me proudly. At 103, Grace surprisingly remembers nearly every Anna, 16, poses with Grace as exciting detail of her past. she celebrates turning 103. She attributes her intelligence to a passion for playing bridge, saying it’s “a healthy way of staying sharp.” At 99 years old, she met Rutgers University professor Susan Kaplawitz through a nearby bridge club in Princeton. Through Susan, Grace presented as a guest lecturer in college classes and spoke to a graduating class at Rutgers, all as she was approaching 100. With her memorization of conventions and unbeatable strategy, Grace still defeats players with college degrees at bridge games. It is amazing how much things have changed over time, especially for women. As a female student in my junior year at Hopewell Valley Central High School, I make over eight dollars an hour at my first job, I am able to go to college, be whatever I want to be, and rise to the highest professional level in any field or industry I choose. Today, the opportunities for women to succeed and achieve are endless. Grace still returns on weekends to her quaint house on East Welling Avenue where her kids grew up. Since Grace lived in Pennington, the Main Street businesses have changed by name, countless classes have passed through the high school, and new houses have sprouted up here and there along our beloved tree-lined streets, yet so many aspects of Pennington we treasure have endured. Grace still watches her grandchildren play in the same yard her kids did decades before. She still attends the Pennington Presbyterian Church where she organized a dinner for every celebration and where her husband served as an elder. She still says ‘hi’ to old friends she’s known for years and new ones she’s met along her thrilling journey of life. As the world around Grace and me has changed dramatically, our town of Pennington has remained virtually unchanged—it is still a place where each neighbor values a sense community and togetherness. “Pennington is my family,” she told me, still as animated and sharp as she was 58 years ago when she picked up her life to move to Hopewell Valley and raise her children. “It’s still my home.” I am proud to call it my home, too.
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December 2017
Our Community
Hopewell Is for Artists Susan Ewart Says, “It’s Always Great to Be Involved in Art” By NJ DeVico
W
hen her parents made “a big deal” over the picture she drew of Tinkerbell when Susan Ewart was seven years old, she couldn’t quite figure out why. After all, she’d been drawing for years! She was the student who made the picture for the front cover of the brochure at school—whenever art was needed, she was the one to do it. “And I never took a break,” says Ewart. “Art was always part of my life.” It didn’t seem to matter that she never majored in art. She took electives, continuing education classes and workshops. Her favorite? Judi Wagner’s private, five-day studio and plein air workshop in Landgrove, Vermont. Susan Ewart has experimented with oils and acrylic paints, but watercolor is her passion. It’s also nontoxic—for her children and grandchildren. “They’re four to 14 years old, and they all work at my art table.” Ewart admits that every day she sees inspiration for a painting, just going through life. Then she corrects herself—“Many paintings. The best thing about art is the freedom of it; the exploration; trying something new and different.” Indeed, her work ranges from flowers to landscapes to abstracts to animals. She considers the internet a place full of creative resources, but Ewart also visits local shows and the Philadelphia Museum of Art for inspiration. “I loved the watercolor show at Philly!” It was on exhibit this past spring, and two of the painters she admires most were represented—John Singer Sargent and Georgia O’Keefe. Ewart is a full member the Garden State Watercolor Society, Artist of Yardley and Watercolorists Unlimited. You can see her work during the month of December at the County Line branch of Northfield Bank at Routes 518 and 31. Visit her web site at www.susanstultsewart. artspan.com NJ DeVico is a contributing writer and artist who lives in Titusville.
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Hopewell Valley
13
Our Community
Our Valley’s Past Getting Together in Hopewell Valley By David Blackwell, Acting Curator of the Hopewell Museum
G
etting together in Hopewell Valley over its first 200 years was a matter of family, neighborhood, church, and shared interests. During the 18th century, families were large, and the marriages of eight or ten offspring brought that many families into close contact, to the point that the whole population had the character of a single large family. It was not uncommon for an individual to have more than 50 first cousins, and for neighborhoods to have many related households. Families relished their family reunions that often brought together four generations and dozens, possibly 100 people. People acknowledged their relationships to the degree of third and fourth cousins.
ture, came another test of fortitude, as the apples and cider, doughnuts, hickory nuts, and mince pie, and perhaps a glass of homemade wine, were passed just to brace you for the walk home.”
Farm families crossed the fields to spend long winter evenings feasting and singing together. Currier and Ives, a successful American printmaking firm, captured this spirit of lively generosity and joy in the mid nineteenth century. With the first falling of snow, sleighs were put into service, and jingling sleigh bells invoked the spirit of the season. Our local historian of 1900, Ralph Ege, wrote thus: “In those good old times farmers were always ready and expecting company, when the walking was good across the fields, and the moon … was in the proper quarter to give light until the small hours of the morning. They went before dusk … and they stayed late…Between the supper hour and the time of depar-
The annual round of farming tasks allowed for more leisure than is generally supposed. Strawberry socials were common at all the churches in Spring, and Harvest Homes were again universal church events in early August. This was the time when winter wheat, a principal cash crop, as well as hay, buckwheat, and oats were all harvested and safely stored in the large barns that dominated the farmsteads. Horse races occurred in the streets and roads, as these matches inevitably followed the boasting of horse owners. In Pennington, the many young apprentices known as the Hay Scale boys, spilled out on summer evenings to mingle noisily in the street.
Through the late nineteenth century, there were up to 15 neighborhood schools in Hopewell Township. Groups of parents built and managed their own one or two room school houses and teachers. Because most people attended one of a few churches, it was possible to use these small schools as Sunday School classrooms. Neighborhood picnics were also held on local school grounds, while church picnics were often held in “groves”: delightful places amidst trees, and often along brooks on area farms.
Sunday church services were a springboard for courting and visiting. After church, young people as well as whole families went home with their cousins for a few days’ visit. People attended churches of their faith in different towns to visit more remote cousins. Single women stayed with relatives for a week or more to knit and sew together. Young men prospected at services for future wives. After weddings, a rowdy crowd often followed the new couple home, and held a nighttime “racket” below their window. Family members organized “Surprises” for their patriarchs and matriarchs for birthdays and in general, often inviting the minister and neighbors. In the mid 19th century, debating societies and singing groups assembled frequently. The 4th of July was a significant event marked by militia parading and patriotic toasts at the local taverns. Later in the century, social and charitable organizations sprang up. Musical performances by private teachers were used for town benefit purposes. Baseball became a town passion by 1880. Teams hosted teams from other towns, and crowds numbered in the hundreds. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, the whole population had much in common, based on lives filled with the tasks of farming, as well as tending to their family and spiritual lives. Footnote: Today’s residents ought to know that it was a New York relative of some Hopewell families who wrote, in about 1820, the famous poem that begins “‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house.” This author was Clement Clarke Moore, whose kinsman was Joseph Moore, the owner of Moore’s Mills, where the Hopewell Valley Golf Club is now, and for whose branch of the family Moore’s Mill Mount Rose Road is named.
CHATTING WITH CHRISTINA
President and CEO of Knox Grove Financial, LLC of Pennington, NJ As we reflect on this past year, I want to take a moment to thank our readers, clients, and friends for your interest in our Hopewell Valley Neighbors column, Chatting With Christina. This is a forum for our community to ask financial questions that matter to you, and get answers that are easy to understand. Please continue to submit your questions to christina@knoxgrove.com for a chance to be featured in our next article. Remember: Knowledge is power! Take control of your finances and make sure you have a clear path to your goals. As always, we are here to offer a personal in-office consultation. Wishing you and your families a Happy & Healthy Holiday Season.
Christina A. Nash Christina’s December Tip:
As we wrap up the year, remember to Review Your Numbers, and ask yourself if you are meeting your financial goals [see our website for the “Know Your Numbers” worksheet].
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www.KnoxGroveFinancial.com 23 Route 31 N, Suite B10, Pennington, NJ 08534
December 2017
Spotlight on Community
Our Snowflake Tradition By Rachel Donington
W
hen the turkeys have been cooked, the meals have been eaten, and families return home from Thanksgiving, we are reminded that the holiday season is just around the corner as the infamous snowflakes go up along our tree-lined streets in downtown Pennington Borough and Hopewell Borough. There are many traditions that make our community special, and the snowflakes, which are sponsored by the local businesses of the Pennington Business & Professional Association (PB&PA) and Hopewell Business Association (HBA), illuminate our downtown and fuel our excitement for wintertime. As residents of Hopewell Valley, we are so lucky to live in a town with beautiful homes, friendly neighbors, vibrant downtown centers, and a local business community that support our traditions with the coming and going of seasons. Thank you to all our local business owners for giving Hopewell Valley that unique Norman Rockwell ambiance we love during the holiday season.
NJ MASTER HVAC # 19HC0039800, NJ HIC # 13VH002552, NJ MPL # 36BI009964, PA HIC # 001066, MPL LIC. #9964
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• 2016 Honors College Preparatory Graduate of The Lewis School • 2017 The Lewis School of Princeton Honor Society Inductee • 2017 Dean’s List at Fairleigh Dickinson University • 2017 Most Valuable Player for Fairleigh Dickinson Cross Country Team • 2017 Honored Alumni Speaker, The Lewis School Athletic Awards Banquet • Awarded a Full FourYear Scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson University • Accepted to all of his top ten colleges “When I first came to Lewis, I was frustrated by the demands of auditory processing in a lecture situation and by longer written assignments, research and managing the course load in reading. I avoided writing whenever I could. However, the work ethic and teamwork that I learned at Lewis have carried me through as a successful college athlete. I know that the lessons I learned from my teachers and coaches at The Lewis School will stay with me in athletics and in personal successes yet to come.”
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Hopewell Valley
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Hopewell Valley 1925
N E I G H B O R S
Blackwell Memorial Home 21 North Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534
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Important Phone Numbers Borough of Pennington 30 North Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534 www.penningtonboro.org Administration ...................................................................... 737-0276 Police Department.................................................................737-1679 Pennington Fire Company................................................ 737-0381 Pennington First Aid Squad.............................................737-0479 Public Works...........................................................................737-9440 Hopewell Borough 88 East Broad Street, Hopewell, NJ 08525 www.hopewellboro-nj.us Administration....................................................................... 466-2636 Hopewell Township Police Department.................... 737-3100 Hopewell Borough Fire Department.......................... 466-0600 Public Works........................................................................... 466-0168 Hopewell Township 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road Titusville, NJ 08560 www.hopewelltwsp.org Administration.......................................................................737-0605 Hopewell Township Police Department.................... 737-3100 Union Fire Company & Rescue Squad.......................... 737-1213 Public Works........................................................................... 737-0799
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