MW. March April 2014 by Maggi Hill

ADVOCATE. CELEBRATE. ILLUMINATE. GREATER PHILADELPHIA/NEW JERSEY REGION

Business+Lifestyle

The Healthy Woman Mind, Body and Spirit

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CLASSY + SOPHISTICATED

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Volume 2, Number 2 March/April 2014 Editor

Maggi Hill Design Director

Andrew Cantor Contributing Writers

Scott Cullen, Leslie Feldman, Terry Fitzpatrick Alexis McLaughlin, Russell Roberts, Bernadette Suski-Harding Lara Tyler, Sharon Harris-Zlotnick Contributing Photographers

Jude Erhardt, Jaime Escarpeta Intern

Alexis McLaughlin Advertising Director

Sara Cooper Advertising Account Executives

Bonny Kalman, Laurie Smith Circulation Manager

Katie O’Day MoxieWoman Magazine • ISSN 2330-0884 Volume 2, Number 2 March/April 2014 MoxieWoman Magazine is published bi-monthly by: M-Dash Publishing, LLC. 2550 Kuser Rd., P.O. Box 8307, Trenton, NJ 08650. Tel: 609.586.2056 © Copyright 2014 by M-Dash Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: M-Dash Publishing P.O. Box 8307 Trenton, NJ 08650

Custom Kitchens, Baths and Renovations

Moxiewomanmag.com Subscription Rate: $25 for 1 year (6 issues)

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ONTENTS

Volume 2, Number 2 March/April 2014

Publisher’s Letter

Features 10

Back to Nature, Back to Basics Healthy Eating Takes Hold

Get Out of the House! Fun Classes to Take for Healthy Mind and Body

Ladies Who Launch Senior Care Management

Empowering Women Taking Charge of Our Health

A Moxie Woman in Healthcare Marketing Gabrielle DeTora

The Veterinary Specialist Our Pets Special Needs

Paying it Forward Hope Loves Company

Summer Camps for Kids How to Choose the Right One

A Moxie Woman in History Clara Barton

Columns 14 16

30 40

It’s the Law Tech Talk Mind & Body Money Matters

Way of Life 15 22 38

Moxie Mettle DownTime Food for Thought: Princeton Soup & Sandwich Co.

Arts Hub

The Venus Perspective Spotlight: Interior Design Makeovers Early Spring Gardening Tips

48 54

“The Canine Quotient.” Cover art by Arnold Roth. 6

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Proudly Presents

The 20th Annual

Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award Celebrating People Who Inspire Us to Greatness

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 6:00â&#x20AC;&#x201C;9:30pm The Hyatt Regency Princeton 102 Carnegie Center, Princeton, NJ

Honoring Joe Torre Womanspace is privileged to honor Major League Baseballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hall of Famer, Joe Torre, for his efforts to end the cycle of domestic violence and save lives.

Presenting Sponsor: Janssen Research & Development, LLC Honorary Chair: Cokie Roberts Event Chairs: Danielle Coppola and Dana Fraytak Troiano For tickets call: 609.394.0136 or purchase online at womanspace.org Peace Begins at Home Please Support Womanspace Serving Survivors of Domestic & Sexual Violence in Mercer County Generous Event Sponsors:

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Publisher’s Letter This month’s magazine marks our first anniversary of publishing Moxie Woman magazine. What a year it has been! Your embrace of our mission and magazine has been nothing short of amazing, and most certainly has kept us going as our team navigates the uncharted and fast moving waters of magazine publishing today. As Thomas Paine once said, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” To that end, it is our intention to lead this prized niche into the future that is already upon us, by diving deeply into the digital world. Spreading our quality content and important mission through various multimedia platforms and events is where we intend to put our focus as we begin our second year of life. We hope that you will secure your seat in the boat and help us to continue our mission of advocating, celebrating and illuminating amazing women and organizations in our region. We’ve barely scratched the surface here, in terms of spotlighting important issues facing women both in business and in her home life, the omnipresent juggling act. We are thrilled and honored to have the iconic cartoonist Arnold Roth create our cover cartoon, which he titled, “The Canine Quotient,” depicting who is really the boss when it comes to our pets…clearly it’s not us humans! Thanks also to his wife, Caroline, who was extremely helpful and supportive. We are continuing our new and popular Moxie Quiz feature this month with a women’s health quiz. Find the answers on our website at www.moxiewomanmag.com. You will be surprised by what you read! Sign up for our e-newsletter, Moxie Woman Wire for tips, quizzes, contests and good business information, at www.moxiewomanmag.com. Advertising information may also be found on our website. As I sit at my desk and watch the deer streak across the yard in search of a bit of kibble, I can finally see patches of grass for the first time in what seems like an eternity. I would wager there’s not a reader out there who won’t embrace the coming spring more fiercely than ever this year for how hard it was won and how long it took to get here…hope you will make the most of it! Last but certainly not least, a shout out and big hug to the team that has bravely weathered the first year and is leading us boldly into the future; Sara Cooper, our Advertising Director, Andrew Cantor, Designer, Laurie Smith, Account Executive and Alexis McLaughlin, intern and senior at The College of New Jersey. We have been fortunate to have the best of the best, and we are sure you will agree! As always, feel free to reach out with any comments, suggestions or story ideas. Warmly,

Managing Partner, M-Dash Publishing, LLC.

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Bruce P. Rosner, MD Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterolgy

When you’re busy, it’s easy to ignore your body’s aches and pains. But when heartburn or indigestion becomes the norm, your body may be telling you something is wrong. LifeCare GI Physicians are local experts in Gastroenterology. Board certified specialists work to provide diagnosis and treatment to achieve early detection and effective treatment for digestive problems such as heartburn, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett’s esophagus, irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. Colon cancer screenings are also performed. Dr. Rosner and Dr. Rubin have been in practice together for over 30 years. If you are experiencing recurring symptoms, take the time to take care of yourself and make an appointment today.

Marc R. Rubin, MD Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterolgy

2275 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road • Hamilton, NJ 08619 609.890.0200 • Lifecarephysicians.com

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Back To Nature, Back to Basics Healthy Eating Takes Hold By Bernadette Suski-Harding

remember how when I was a kid, if my mom needed bread, she sent me to the neighborhood bakery for a loaf still warm from the oven. Vegetables came from our backyard garden, cherries from the trees my dad planted when my big sister was little, and chicken from a poultry shop not too far away. Food didn’t get any fresher than that. And, I admit, sometimes I hated it. Sometimes, I just wanted the foods my friends ate: bologna on Wonder bread with plastic-wrapped cheese, TV dinners, and chocolate pudding made from a box mix, or better yet, packaged in a plastic cup. Once in a while my mom gave in, but usually dinners were made-from-scratch affairs: cabbage stuffed with rice and ground beef and baked in tomato sauce; soup made from garden-grown beets, flavored with beet leaves and sour cream; crepes filled with farmer’s cheese; and pierogies with dough so tender, they melted in your mouth. Food made almost completely with ingredients that were whole, natural and in season. Now that I’m a mom, and a working one at that, I get what my mom, who also worked, was trying to do. And I can hear her telling me, “Someday, when you’re a mother, you will understand.” And, as mothers usually are, she was right. Now, I understand. 10

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Finding what’s right for you I had a sneaking suspicion, from things my friends said in passing, that many of them faced the same battles. So, I asked, and what I discovered is this: Despite the many short cuts and conveniences available to today’s home cook (like processed foods and take-out), these women usually eschew them in favor of preparing wholesome meals that are as simple and nutrient-dense as possible. Gina Scialla, a music teacher, feeds her family as many whole foods as possible. When company’s coming or it’s the weekend, she cooks multiple batches of food – meals that are easy to freeze like soups and stews, sauces and casseroles. It takes planning and extra work, but it means that “on really busy evenings I can take something from the freezer rather than resorting to processed foods.” Michele Downie, a special needs teacher, belongs to an organic farm in Pennington. Once a week, she spends the better part of an afternoon there, picking produce and berries in the fields; at home, she blanches and freezes the excess. It’s a lot of work, yes, and rounding out the winter menus with store-bought organics can get expensive, but she’s “driven by the fact that it is best for my family, me and the environment.” And it’s become second nature to shop for foods that are as close to their origin as possible – “Ap-

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OPPOSITE PAGE: STEVE TOMLINSON AMID A FRESH CROP OF CELERIAC (CELERY ROOT) AT GREAT ROAD FARMS IN SKILLMAN. PHOTO: SAMUEL JOSEPH THIS PAGE; ROOT VEGETABLES, BEANS AND SNOW PEAS ARE AMONG THE SEASON’S BOUNTY AT GREAT ROAD FARMS.

ples instead of Apple Jacks!” she tells her two young children. Adrienne Leighton, an IT professional, started a backyard garden with her husband to teach her four children “The beauty of how our food comes from the earth.” That it cut costs was a nice perk (feeding six is expensive!” she said), as were the lessons she learned along the way, thanks to a new favorite app, MyFitnessPal, which opened her eyes to some less-than-optimal eating habits. “I’ve tried to bring some of that learning to my kids,” she said. “It’s basic stuff that I should have known all along, but didn’t– like replacing a bagel in the a.m. with a cup of yogurt...much healthier and significantly fewer carbs. I think I lost 10 pounds for that reason alone.” Hilary Trought Morris, a PR professional with three young children, takes time on Sunday to plan out the week’s meals. Until recently, she thought she was making healthy choices with foods that were whole grain and low fat, but changed her shopping patterns after a supermarket tour with a nutritionist who “pointed out ingredients in boxed foods and brand-name breads that were there just for filler.” Her takeaway? “The fewer the ingredients the better, and ones you actually recognize and can pronounce are the best. I spend more at the store, but I FEEL better about what I’m eating and feeding my family.” Amy Wagner, who works in medical billing, began on her current path of mostly organic eating when she was first diagnosed with, and beat, thyroid cancer more than 10 years ago. Her first step, joining an organic farm, was soon followed with locally-produced honey, raw cow and goat’s milk, and pasture-fed meats, each from a different local farm. She stocks up regularly at Trader Joe’s (it’s a good month if she can avoid a traditional supermarket), raises her own chickens for eggs and is contemplating goats. When Amy started making these dietary changes, she was a stay-athome mom with the time to travel from one place to the next. Now she works full time, but hasn’t sacrificed the organics. Bring on the organic kale. Getting back to basics – in a big way What each of these women is tapping into, said Jill Kwasny, the dietitian at McCaffrey’s Markets, is a growing trend of getting back to basics – cooking like our parents and grandparents did, using ingredients fresh from the garden, a farm or the nearby farmer’s market – with a modernday twist made possible by technology and social media. “I see a significant number of people utilizing technology when shopping,” says Jill. “Food applications like Fooducate help shoppers identify healthy options. “Social media has a huge influence on food choices,” she notes.” “If a questionable food additive is identified in a product, it can have a tremendous negative impact for that company very quickly.”

“I do believe that as women become more educated on the benefits of eating organic, local or raw, there does seem to be a progression.” They’re using common sense, like the women I mentioned earlier, by taking the time to closely examine labels and packaging, considering both ingredients and nutrition composition, and planning meals in advance to avoid consuming highly processed convenience items. They’re also trying new items, “particularly those that can contribute to quick and nutritious meals and snacks, and loading up on fresh produce, often organic,” Jill says. One of the best-selling items is kale, and Tony Mirack, McCaffrey’s produce director, couldn’t be more surprised. “Five years ago, I couldn’t give kale away,” he said. “Now, I have five types in stock and sales are up 300 percent.” He credits the media’s portrayal of kale as a superfood, and the resulting proliferation of online recipes, for the boost in the leafy green’s popularity. Same thing for avocado. Outrageous health benefits aside, shoppers used to steer clear of avocados because of their fat content. Today, avocado sales are climbing higher than anything else in McCaffrey’s produce section. When Jill takes customers on market tours at one of McCaffrey’s four locations, she has the chance to chat about what’s motivating their dietary changes. Usually the catalyst is a health matter, she says, like weight management, heart disease or cancer prevention; sometimes it goes beyond that, like when shoppers want foods from companies that support important causes, or are environmentally conscious. Baby steps are OK Lindsay Vastola, founder of Body Project Boutique Fitness & Lifestyle in Robbinsville, loves empowering women with the tools they need to succeed. Many of her clients are success-driven professionals trying to balance busy work and personal schedules, so Lindsay focuses on everyday eating; how to save time with the shopping, cooking and prepping, and how to stop over-thinking what’s healthy and what’s not. “I do believe that as women become more educated on the benefits of eating organic, local or raw, there does seem to be a progression,” Lindsay explains. “Maybe they start buying organic milk and eggs, then more organic, local produce, then grass-fed beef and organic meats, then raw cheese. “While I believe that more people are looking to buy local and organic, I still think the health-conscious and health-educated individual weighs moxiewomanmag.com

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is that people “can shake the hand of the farmer who picked the produce and learn the best way to prepare it -- ways to create delicious meals that best retain the food’s nutritional value.” It’s a feel-good situation too: shoppers bring home nutritious, locally grown foods, which allows “farmers who sell directly to the community to focus on growing and harvesting food when its flavor and nutritional value peaks, instead of worrying about packing or shipping crops across the country,” she says.

the cost and benefit, eating as healthy as possible with cost and time being the biggest factors influencing how ‘far’ they go into the lifestyle,” Lindsay said. Farm to table to you Steve Tomlinson was an artist and designer working in wood shops in Brooklyn. Then the economy crashed, he lost his job and he found himself reinventing his life. He knew he wanted to keep designing, but in a way that would have minimal negative impact on the environment, and as he ran through the options, he kept circling back to farming. Today, he runs the Great Road Farms in Skillman, a 112-acre spread that supplies Agricola restaurant in Princeton with produce and freerange eggs, and sells the extra through its own CSA (community-supported agriculture) and at the West Windsor Farmers Market. Steve farmed 3.5 acres last year; this year, crops cover about six acres and focus on items Agricola uses most, like kale, Swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini and radishes. There are also 200 laying hens, and plans in the works for a 25-tree orchard featuring apples, Asian pears and plums. One perk of Steve’s job, aside from living on the farm with his wife and their infant son, is that he gets to collaborate with the executive and sous chefs. They work together to plan the next season’s crops – a tall order for a restaurant that serves 500 diners on a Friday night – working from a binder Steve has filled with vegetable varieties. And, he’s invited to bring new ideas to the table, and gets to sample them before they’re added to the menu. “One time I went out to eat and I had a beet dish made with red and white beets. They all turned pink. I thought it was delicious,” said Steve, who shared his find with the chefs. The next time beets showed up on the menu at Agricola, it was in a dish featuring apples stained with beet juice, which made them spicy. I asked Steve what he thought was driving this back-to-the-land approach. “I don’t know what it is, but there’s definitely something in the air. Farms are popping up all over,” he said. “People are changing their lives, reassessing their values. My grandparents grew their own vegetables. They had their own chickens. My parents’ generation – things came in cans, frozen dinners. Now we’re going back to basics.” Even if they’re not eating at farm-to-table restaurants like Agricola, they are practicing farm to table at home. There’s a farmers’ market at the historic Dvoor Farm in Flemington that attracts a steadily increasing clientele every Sunday that it’s open. Last year, readers of the Hunterdon County Democrat voted it their favorite farmers’ market. Patricia Ruby is executive director of the Hunterdon Land Trust, which manages the Farmers’ Market. Part of the market’s appeal, she believes, 12

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If you build it, they will come Look around, the next time you’re out driving. Chances are, you’ll happen on at least one farm-to-table restaurant, or a new farmers’ market, or perhaps a specialized bakery like the Wild Flour Café, a glutenfree bakery that opened in Lawrenceville last May. Canadian-born Marilyn Besner, its founder, long dreamed of opening her own place. She spent years honing her skills as an amateur cook, and when she attained a work permit, took a job at Whole Earth Center. She’s also trained at The Natural Gourmet and the French Culinary Institute. Her bakers use the kitchen as a laboratory, experimenting with an array of flours – everything from amaranth to quinoa – until they find just the right blends for baguettes, pumpernickel, cheese sticks, challah, sandwich loafs, flat bread, biscotti, cream puffs, cupcakes, whoopee pies and tartlets. Birthday and wedding cakes, and full-size pies, are available by special order. “Everything we sell has the right crust and crumb combination. Our cookies have a balanced ratio of crunch to moistness. Our muffins are loaded with flavor,” Marilyn said. I asked why Marilyn decided on a gluten-free bakery. “There wasn’t one around, and there’s demand,” she said. “What’s available is not always that desirable. You can find frozen at grocery store, but not fresh. We bake fresh every day.” True to its café billing, Wild Flour serves breakfast and lunch (for example, cauliflower red lentil soup and a baguette with eggplant tapenade and mozzarella cheese), and in February, hosted a special Valentine’s Day dinner. Clearly, we’ve evolved from the notion that the food we eat must taste bad if it’s good for us. (Remember all those commercials of kids turning their noses up at vegetables on their plates?) The combination of old-fashioned, hands-on farming with newer technologies that make it easier and more efficient brings us a cornucopia of tasty options for a healthful diet. MW

What’s cooking for 2014? Each year, the National Restaurant Association (www.restaurant.org) surveys its chefs on hot restaurant trends. Watch for: • Locally sourced meats and seafood • Locally grown produce • Environmental sustainability • Healthful kids’ meals • Gluten-free cuisine • Hyper-local sourcing (e.g. restaurant gardens) • Children’s nutrition • Non-wheat noodles/pasta (e.g. quinoa, rice, buckwheat) • Sustainable seafood • Farm/estate branded items

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BCWJ ~ Page 18

Health&Medicine

October/November 2013

What makes us different? Active Release Techniques™ - Performed by the doctor, this patented, state-of-the-art soft tissue movement based massage technique treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. Graston Technique® - The doctor is certified in this technique which is instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization that enables her to effectively detect and treat scar tissue and restrictions that affect normal function. The technique is also being used by NBA, NHL, NFL and Major League Baseball trainers. Kinesio Taping - Gives support and stability to joints and muscles while allowing a patient to move through a normal range of motion. It decreases inflammation and reduces pain. Fusion Therapy - We use traditional physical therapy exercises combined with specific pilates exercises on the mat and Reformer to increase range of motion and strengthen the healing area to prevent re-injury. Triton™ DTS Decompression Therapy - Nonsurgical solution for herniated discs in the neck and low back; also effective for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Laser Therapy - This therapy has been used by professional sports teams for years to dramatically speed up healing time and promote healthy cell growth. Traditional Chiropractic Manipulation and traditional physical therapy modalities such as ultrasound, TENS, heat/ ice, and kinesiotaping. Pilates Reformer Lessons - Build long, lean muscles with the Pilates Reformer, ladder barrel and MVE pilates chair. Private lessons or Duets. Therapeutic Massage - Deep massage targeted to decrease muscle spasm and pain. Pre-Natal Massage - To ease aches and pains of pregnancy. Can be combined with pre-natal exercise and stretching. Sports Massage - To help athletes prepare for peak performance, recover after an athletic event and reduce the chance of injury. Hands-on Performance Enhancement Training - Under the expertise of 2-time NFL Super Bowl champion and former Philadelphia Eagle Vaughn Hebron.

Neuromuscular Re-education - This is another soft tissue therapy geared specifically to athletes that addresses strains/ sprains, shin splints & healing fractures. CranioSacral Therapy - Relieves tensions deep within the body to relieve pain and dysfunction. It can improve wholebody performance by helping the body naturally unwind. Myofascial Release/Trigger Point Therapy - Our certified massage therapists & doctor use this technique to break up scar tissue & increase range of motion.

Dr. Jennifer S. Grozalis Chiropractic Physician

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We accept most insurances • We treat workers’ compensation and auto injury cases www.synergyrehabandchiro.com

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IT’S THE LAW

What Constitutes a Reliable Independent Investigative Report By Mary Jane Cooper, Esq.

It seems we can’t read the news without finding the announcement of another “independent” investigation or its ensuing report that purports to provide the public with definitive answer to some important questions: Who knew what and when? Were the rules followed? Were our tax dollars properly used? Was there improper behavior of some sort? These investigations are different from those conducted by a prosecutor that are ultimately tested by a grand or petit jury, and often, our reaction is skepticism before the results are announced. When the results are announced, we are tempted to cynically shrug, believing they provide a foregone conclusion. How should we evaluate these investigations to determine whether the reported results are worthy of our belief, especially if they find “nothing wrong” or “no wrongdoing” or the results don’t match our own formerly held beliefs? Actually, there are methods and procedures that make an investigation and its conclusions reliable no matter what the issue. Further, a good investigative report will demonstrate that these methods and procedures were used in reaching the conclusions. THE ALLEGATION The report should precisely and thoroughly lay out the allegations. If you are not satisfied that the allegation is fairly stated, you have a right to be skeptical of the investigator’s motivation right from the start. There is an old attorney adage: “Let me state the issue, and I will win the case every time.” On the other hand, if the allegations are precisely, fairly, and clearly stated in detail, you will not only have a sense that the investigation was fair, but as you read the conclusions, you will be able determine that each aspect of the allegation was properly explored by the investigation. The report should also identify who retained the investigator and the source of the allegation to allow the reader to assess whether there may be issues of bias or any credibility issues that should have been addressed by the investigation. Not knowing the source of the allegation is not fatal to the reliability of the investigation results, however. Anonymous allegations have often proven to be true. That is why construction job sites and other work places have so-called “hot lines” available for whistle-blowers to make anonymous complaints. INVESTIGATION PROCESS The report should demonstrate that the investigation methods and process were thorough and convince you that its conclusions are based on all relevant factual evidence rather than assumptions and unsupported assertions, that the evidence is preserved, and that it is available so that another reviewer could analyze the evidence and inevitably come to the same conclusions. It should state the efforts made to identify and interview all witnesses with relevant information and likewise the efforts made to identify, ob-

tain, examine, and analyze all relevant physical evidence including documents, business records, e-mails, etc. As to witnesses interviewed, the report should state how the interviews were conducted, i.e., were there other witnesses (probably should not be) or attorneys (this is likely permissible) present; and how the record of the interviews were preserved. Best is a word-for-word method such as tape recordings or court reporter transcripts. If one of these preferred methods is not feasible, the report should explain the reason the interviewer’s notes were the only record and what efforts were made to improve their reliability (did the witness review them and agree that they were accurate?). The report should state that the subject of the allegation was given the opportunity to rebut/deny/explain the allegations in one or more interviews; how those interviews were conducted and preserved; that the subject was asked to identify, provide, or corroborate other witnesses and relevant physical evidence (even documents that may not be deemed typically reliable, like handwritten notes). Witnesses could have been sworn prior to the interview, but another method could have been to provide the record of the interview to the witness to make any corrections necessary to make it accurate, and then swear to it. These investigations should be a search for the truth. If they are, it does not help to find out a few months later that the witness has recanted something important said during an interview alleging that they were “nervous” or recalled something later. Giving a witness the chance to reflect upon their answers takes away or at least diminishes that likelihood. The investigator can deal with the witness who changes an answer with ill intent by analyzing the evidence to show that the changed answer is just that, an attempt to hide the truth. It is essential that the report explain why important witnesses were not interviewed, i.e., did they refuse? The report must deal with any voids in the evidence either by providing other evidence to reach a reliable conclusion, explaining why the missing witness statement was not significant, or reaching conclusions in the alternative depending on what the witness might say. REPORT FORMAT The report may be a summary of conclusions and perhaps a modicum of analysis. Generally, however, a summary report is only satisfactory if it is backed up with a detailed report containing analysis of all of the evidence and the full report is available to be read by interested parties. Most readers won’t go to the full report or may only be interested in a part of it, but knowing that it is available and that news reporters or that the subject of the allegations can read it and potentially poke holes in it gives intellectual comfort. No matter how thorough the investigation purports to be, when the subject of the allegation or the press has access to the body of evidence and criticizes the reported conclusions, in the end, if you are interested in the results, you may have to dig deeper yourself.

Mary Jane Cooper, JD, has conducted investigations for 34 years. Between 2005 and 2010 she was NJ’s only statewide Inspector General and currently is a principal in Withum Smith + Brown’s Litigation Support and Business Integrity Sections 14

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MOXIE METTLE Amazing Feats by Women of Note

SHOW A LITTLE

RESPECT! In 1987, Aretha Franklin (born March 25, 1942) wellknown as the “Queen of Soul” became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Aretha Franklin is one of the most honored artists in Grammy Award history, winning her 18th honor in 2008. Source: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

CATCH HER IF YOU CAN! Kenya’s Florence Kiplagat set a world record for the women’s half marathon with a blistering performance at a race in Barcelona on February 16, 2014, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said. The 26-yearold recorded a time of one hour five minutes and 12 seconds, beating the previous best of 1:05:50 set by compatriot Mary Keitany in Ras Al Khaimah in February 2011. Source: Reuters

CALL HER EDITRESS! In 1828 Sarah Hale was the first American woman to be a major women’s magazine editor at the Ladies Magazine, in Boston, Massachusetts. She preferred to be called “Editress.” Source:Wikipedia

HEAVY METAL EQUINE QUEEN In 1970, Diane Crump was the first woman in America to ride in the Kentucky Derby, in 1970, where she placed fifteenth. A Derby win may have eluded her, but she scored more than 230 victories on track before leaving the sport in 1985. Source:biography.com

The most Olympic medals won by a woman is eighteen by gymnast Larisa Semyonovna Latynina (USSR), nine gold, five silver and four bronze, between the years of 1956–64. Source: Guinness Book of World Records

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TECH TALK

15 Helpful Apps for Women

Whether you’re newly single or a long-time independent woman, technology can help you with everything from creating a household budget to finding a cab. Here are 15 helpful apps to help you make the most of your life. Planning & Organization

Getting It Together

Let’s start with the basics. From organizing your shopping list, to finding that article you’ve been meaning to read, and even helping you plan what to wear, here are three apps you should download.

No woman is a superhero in every subject. Here are three apps to help you manage your finances, monitor your credit, and find (and even finance) your next home.

Dark Sky (Weather App)

Pocket (Web Bookmarking App)

AnyList (Shopping List App)

How many times have you dashed out the door on a perfectly sunny day only to find the weather take a turn for the worse, at the worst possible time? Dark Sky is an app designed to help you track changing weather conditions, and even offers alerts and an at-a-glance summary of what the weather will be like for the next hour and throughout the day.

In today’s digitally connected world it’s easy to find great content on your phone while standing in line at the store, or waiting for a friend at a restaurant—but once you put your phone down, it’s not always easy to find that great article or video again. Pocket is a smart bookmarking app that lets you save the content you find for later, and it works across just about any platform and device. You can even view your saved content without an internet or data connection.

Mint (Budgeting App/Service)

All the single ladies know how important it is to manage money. Take the mystery out of your spending and your financial goals with Mint, the service that helps you track your spending, set a budget, and get a good understanding of where you are financially.

If you’re looking for a pure, simple shopping list that won’t clutter up your calendar or coupon space, AnyList is a straight-forward, easy-to-use/read free app that lets you create a private shopping list for any store your heart desires. You can also choose to share specific lists with your roommates, friends, or kids, and the lists will update live so you can shop more efficiently.

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Credit Sesame (Credit & Finance App/Service)

Realtor.com (Real Estate App/Service)

What you don’t know can hurt you, especially when it comes to your credit score. Credit Sesame is a helpful service that gives you free access to your credit score, free credit monitoring alerts for your Experian credit report, and helps you understand your credit and loans in one place, for free. They even offer tools and advice to help you find the best credit cards, mortgages and loans.

While it’s great to focus on the positive side of life, as a single woman, it’s important to have a network and a plan in place for those times when things don’t go according to plan. Here are three apps to help you stay safe, monitor your kids, and get the help you need in emergency situations.

Circle of 6 (Personal Safety)

While Craigslist may have helped you find your living situation in college, Realtor. com is all about helping you find a home that fits. Whether you’re looking to rent an apartment, or own a house or condo, this easy-to-use app can show you the most accurate, up-to-date listings in your desired budget and area, for free. Bonus: Realtor.com updates its listings faster and more frequently than “other” real estate apps, giving you a competitive advantage.

Out & About From locating key services around you, to finding a cab in a crowded city, or even conversing in another language, here are three apps to help you while you’re out and about.

AroundMe (Location App)

cab4me (Transportation App)

Sometimes it’s nice to know where the nearest bank, gas station, theater, or hotel is. AroundMe is a great app for helping you quickly find what you’re looking for so you can get on with your day.

Have you ever wanted to hail a cab without the inconvenience of standing on a corner, waving your arms like a princess in peril? Cab4me is a free app that helps you locate a nearby cab and coordinate your pickup time and location. The app works with cab companies in its database, and even runs an online search for you if you happen to be in an area not yet covered.

Safety

Sometimes, when things go wrong, you need something a little more proactive and personal than 911. Circle of 6 is a great “staying safe” app for women that helps you create a social support structure to prevent violence and, in the event that something happens, quickly get the appropriate help. From asking a friend to call you to “interrupt” a bad date, to sending a blast to your 6 primary friends with your immediate contact information, and even calling the cops or a national help hotline at the push of a button, Circle of 6 is a quick way to get the help you need, wherever you are.

MamaBear (Child-Monitoring App)

For any parent, it’s not always easy to keep track of where your kids are and what they’re doing. For single moms, this can be even more difficult. MamaBear is a customizable app for parents that will help you with everything from finding your kids on a map to knowing who they’re hanging out with—and even if they’re speeding. It also lets you track them across social networks.

ICE Standard with Smart911

Imagine that you’re in a car accident or a disaster scenario and you’re unconscious or unable to speak to emergency responders. Let your cell phone do the talking for you with ICE Standard, the number one emergency information app on iTunes. This app turns your phone’s lock screen into your emergency contact information and can even include personal and medical information so you can be identified in the event of an emergency. Source: Credit Sesame, http://www.creditsesame.com/blog/15-helpful-apps-single-lady-without/

Google Translate (Language Translation App)

This free, instant translation service can help you quickly communicate wherever, with whomever. Whether you want to speak, type, or write in any of its 70 languages, this app breaks through communication barriers and it’s a must-have for travelers.

Health & Lifestyle Staying active is an important part of single women’s lives. Here are three apps to help you stay mentally sharp, physically fit, and well-informed.

Lumosity (Brain Fitness App)

While it may be tempting to check out your favorite social network the next time you have a free minute with your phone, consider Lumosity, the free app designed to help you work out your brain. Improving memory, problem-solving abilities and attention span, Lumosity’s challenges are scientifically created to give your brain a workout that feels like fun.

7-Minute Workout Challenge (Workout App)

Since going to the gym on a regular basis can be a daunting commitment, try this simple 7 Minute Workout Challenge app ($1.99). The app features 12 highintensity exercises designed to maximize results in a small amount of time. It’s like a personal trainer in your pocket.

Kindle (Reading App)

The Kindle reading app lets you buy a book or magazine once and read it anywhere. The app works on just about any device and lets you highlight and bookmark key passages. moxiewomanmag.com

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Get Out of the House! Fun Classes to Take for Healthy Mind and Body By Scott Cullen

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“The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.”

So said Mark Twain. But he never had an opportunity to enjoy the many classes throughout the Greater Philadelphia region for nurturing a healthy mind and a healthy body. With a wealth of options available, we’re going to highlight a few, from the traditional, to the unique, to the somewhat off the wall. Yoga Up! On the more traditional side of this region’s class offerings are yoga classes. And there’s a bounty to choose from. One of the newer studios, Honor Yoga (www.honoryoga.com) in Hamilton, NJ, was co-founded in March 2013 by Melody Appel, a former event planner, who was looking to do something more meaningful with her life after moving here with her family. After discovering there wasn’t a yoga studio in Hamilton, Appel partnered with Maria Parella-Turco, who had experience running fitness centers and who Appel met when she was getting certified to teach yoga. “We believe in the benefits of yoga for women and men alike and our goal is to get yoga out there,” says Appel. Honor Yoga has 25 classes a week that are free for members who can attend classes as often as they’d like throughout the week. Honor Yoga also has supplemental workshops along with different series and specials. Recent workshops and specials include “Love is Letting Go of Fear” and “Find Peace in Forgiveness” restorative workshops, along with “Date Night: Partner Yoga, Wine & Chocolate,” which succinctly describes what that workshop is all about. Sherry Dudas, farm manager at Honeybrook Organic Farm in Pennington, enjoys the friendly vibe at Honor Yoga. “Many students chitchat in the studio before the classes and both students and instructors are upbeat and positive,” she says. “During the winter we’ve been experiencing, once the schlep to the studio is done with and you peel off your heavy winter outerwear and boots, it’s relaxing to visit with neighbors before enjoying a yoga session together. I like the Roots classes for beginners since they’re a perfect mix of stretching and long deep breathing, and great for people looking to manage anxiety in a healthy way.” Across the river in Bucks County, Denyse Corelli has been teaching yoga at River Yoga in Lahaska for the past 12 years after getting downsized out of a high-stress marketing position. She originally started taking yoga at work during her lunch hour and immediately keyed into its stress-relieving benefits. “I had this epiphany that I could be completely stressed out, go to yoga class, then come back to my desk an hour later like a new person,” recalls Corelli. That positive experience led to a teacher training program for yoga after she lost her job. Corelli currently teaches two classes at River Yoga as well as two private classes in Doylestown Borough. She explains that when it comes to yoga, one size doesn’t fit all. “Some styles have different sequences and postures. We also have a pose of the month so we go through a sequence to prepare you for that pose. And we have our subject of the month that allows us to incorporate yoga philosophy and other types of disciplines such as poetry into the class.” For those new to yoga, Corelli recommends letting yourself relax and enjoy being a beginner. “That’s an obstacle because we tend to come into any class feeling like we already need to know it, whether it’s an academic discipline or something like yoga.” More importantly she says, you needn’t be flexible to practice yoga, adding that this is one of the most frequently heard comments she hears from people when she tells them she teaches yoga. “The other misconception is everyone in yoga class is a beautiful, fit person,” she adds. “We have people of all different shapes and sizes.” For those looking to get off the yoga mat and raising their heart rates, there’s a unique class sweeping through the region combining dance and fitness. moxiewomanmag.com

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Wellness Walks/Wellness Talks Classes for a healthy body and healthy mind don’t get any more unique than the Wellness Walks/Wellness Talks series at Grounds for Sculpture (GFS) (www.groundsforsculpture.org) in Hamilton, NJ. Funded by the Springpoint Senior Living Foundation and facilitated by Stoneking Physical Therapy and Wellness Center, the series, which started three years ago, features a diverse selection of programs all focused on health, wellness, and an appreciation of the arts. Programs are offered May through July and September through November. The Spring-Summer 2014 schedule includes: • Exercises and Tips for Handling Stress – May 8 • Yoga for Mind/Body Health - May 22 • Dance Your Way to Health - June 12 • 10,000 Steps to a Healthier You - June 26 • Introducing Tai Chi for Balance – July 10 • The BMI Index – Aids to Access Personal Health - July 24

“A lot have been active and they’re noticing that their bodies are breaking down and want information on how to keep that from happening. There’s a lot of interest in joint health and blood pressure.”

A GROUP ON A WELLNESS EXERCISE WALKS/WELLNESS TALKS AT GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE 20

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The series was conceived by Bonnie Brown, Grounds’ director of operations & guest services and Richard Stoneking, founder of Stoneking Physical Therapy and Wellness Center and has become one of Grounds most popular programs. Each program is centered around a health walk among the sculptures followed by a healthy snack and an informational session offering tips on health and wellness. Depending on the topic, each session averages 25-30 people. One of the most popular had 75 participants and featured a healthy cooking demonstration by the chef from Rats restaurant. Popular sessions are occasionally repeated. Folk Dancing and Tai Chi are making their second appearance on the schedule this spring and Brown says there’s always interest in any program focusing on nutrition. Participants are mostly women although men are welcome with the age range evenly mixed between 45-60 year olds and 61-75. “We get a lot of Baby Boomers,” states Brown. “A lot have been active and they’re noticing that their bodies are breaking down and want information on how to keep that from happening. There’s a lot of interest in joint health and blood pressure.” The beauty of the program is the price of admission. The $10 fee includes admission to the park for the day, breakfast, and participation in the program. Spiritual and Educational Retreats For those with open minds and a new-age sensibility, Susan Duval Seminars (https://susanduvalseminars.com/) in Bucks County, PA, offers approximately 150 different sessions a year. Duval has been presenting these seminars for the past 15 years along with spiritual and educational retreats in the U.S. and around the world. Her mission is to bring her clients the most outstanding speakers she can find for personal growth, holistic health, spirituality and metaphysics. Private one-on-one sessions often take place in her Doylestown home while public seminars take place at venues throughout Bucks County. “I’m probably best known for bringing in psychic mediums who connect you with deceased loved ones or offer guidance,” says Duval. With so many seminars to choose from it’s difficult for Duval to select the most rewarding ones to present. “Often it’s a function of the speaker and how well they connect with people,” she says. “I have a numerologist who’s a great speaker with a good sense of humor and people really enjoy her. It’s rewarding to see people leaving happy, uplifted, and inspired.” In another popular seminar, participants learn the art of spoon bending. “It’s not about bending metal,” Duval explains, “it’s about using the power of your intention and your visualization to create a dramatic transformation in the metal.” Retreats to nearby and faraway locations are also popular and rewarding. A favorite of Duval’s is a trip to Bimini in the Bahamas to swim with the dolphins. “It’s an extraordinary experience to swim and interact with

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“It’s an extraordinary experience to swim and interact with them,”

them,” says Duval. “I also enjoy Sedona; it seems like magic happens on every trip no matter where we go. Friendships are made and it’s always an adventure.” Café Francaise Parlez-vous Français? If you don’t speak French, but always wanted to learn or simply brush up on what you learned years ago and mostly forgot, you can do that in Lambertville, Newtown, and Doylestown in a non-threatening environment. The Café Française classes are taught by Lambertville’s Wendy Carroll, a former French major and refugee of the corporate world. Two years ago she walked into the Lambertville Public Library and saw a sign for Spanish lessons. That was all the inspiration she needed to start teaching French. Today, she has as many as eight different classes (beginners, intermediate, advanced) of eight sessions each going at one time at various locations, including the JB Klein gallery in Lambertville on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at the rear of Buck’s Ice Cream & Espresso Bar. Class sizes are small, typically 6-10 students, allowing for more effective learning and class participation. The atmosphere is low key and stress-free, and there are no grades, although there is homework. Because of the small class sizes and Carroll’s teaching style, students tend to feel more comfortable learning to speak the language and aren’t as embarrassed to make mistakes along the way. “Café Française is a wonderful opportunity to learn French in an informal, supportive way,” says Mary Acciani, a vice president at the engineering firm PS&S in Warren, NJ. “Wendy’s lessons are targeted to teach French in a series of building blocks, which include vocabulary, grammar, and speaking skills and she presents each class in a highly entertaining style. The class is a highlight of my week!” Carroll’s goal is for her students to become fanatics about French. “I want to create people who speak French and see them on the streets of Lambertville speaking French.” Red Hot Dance Fitness Christine Gallagher has been teaching fitness since high school and was always interested in dance, ever since she was a competitive dancer in

high school and college. As a fitness instructor she was never able to find a dance worthy program. That’s why she created Red Hot Dance Fitness (www.redhotdancefitness.com), a fast-paced cardio dance routine, which she teaches as well as offers certification programs for instructors in the Philadelphia area and distances beyond. “I provide them with ongoing choreography that’s been tested so they don’t have to spend a lot of time searching on YouTube or trying to choreograph [routines] themselves,” notes Gallagher. For those interested in taking a Red Hot Fitness class, you’ll find a variety of locations across the region at http://redhotdancefitness.com/ classes/find-a-class/. The Red Hot Dance Fitness craze is spreading across the country. “It’s growing organically because more people are discovering the program and teaching it,” says Gallagher. One of the secrets to the success of the program, which is more of a cardio-like workout, is the music. “Our playlist isn’t geared to certain age brackets—it’s a mix of hip hop, pop, Broadway, every different kind of music,” reveals Gallagher. Younger people in the class tend to have more of a connection with the current hits while those in their forties through sixties don’t need to feel out of place because of the musical variety. “It brings back that feeling of being at the club,” says Gallagher. She’s since expanded her offerings with a new class, Red Hot Barre. “It’s huge and trendy and studios are popping up all over the country,” states Gallagher. “It’s a great way for women that used to take ballet classes but hated them growing up because they were boring to reconnect with the kid in them.” The exercises are similar to what one might find in a traditional ballet class except rather than technique driven, they’ve been speeded up to make them hipper and more fitness-effective. “The exercises you do as a ballerina tone, tighten and define the muscles in a long lean way and that’s what most women want,” says Gallagher. Whether it’s heart pumping dance moves, relaxing and breathing deeply on a yoga mat, a fitness stroll at Grounds for Sculpture, learning to speak French, or connecting with your spiritual side or the spirit world, one doesn’t have to travel too far to find a suitable class to create a healthy mind and body. MW moxiewomanmag.com

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DOWN TIME SOME OF THE DOGS THAT STEPHANIE RESCUED. AT LEFT, BRUNE THE BOSTON TERRIER. BOTTOM LEFT, MAISEY, A FRENCH BULLDOG, AND BOTTOM RIGHT, STEPHANIE HOLDS A RESCUE NAMED LEXI.

Stephanie Croquez PET FOSTERER

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hen any of us have a stressful job, we look for ways to have fulfilling outside “hobbies.” I wouldn’t say animal rescue is a hobby but more of a passion. When I was high school, I went straight to the local animal shelter and became a volunteer for many years. As I got older and got a place of my own I discovered that another way to help the dogs and cats is to take them out of the shelter environment, nurture and love them to make them the most adoptable pet around. Fostering is such a fulfilling endeavor. However it is also many times heart wrenching. Loving and letting go, over and over again. No matter where I lived, I fostered. Sometimes it would be for a few days, sometimes almost a year. Over the last 20 years I have fostered over 206 animals myself. I have fostered kittens and puppies with parvo, senior dogs and cats with all the ailments of being old and most heartbreaking, animals that had never seen what being a companion felt like, dogs that came straight from the puppy mill and didn’t know how to stand up on anything but cage wires and had chain “collars” now embedded in their necks. People ask me how can I take these animals in and then let them go. It’s simple really. As much as my heart breaks, each and every time, I know that because they now have a better home, I can take another one out of a bad situation. You can’t do that if you keep them all. I keep in touch with many of the adoptive parents and in fact one of the parvo puppies, who would have died had I not taken her in back in 2001, just recently passed away peacefully of old age! Today, I work with a rescue group called Short Noses Only Rescue Team (S.N.O.R.T.). What is extraordinary about this group is the professional level of the volunteers in the group. The founder of the group, Tara Bruno, started S.N.O.R.T after spending many years in various rescue groups. It just so happened that most of the people she had been speaking with were other middle-aged, professional women who were ready for a new type of rescue group. She had seen that many rescues are run by retired women, or people in the show-dog circuit, etc., which is absolutely fine but what we think has made SNORT so successful is that it has more of a business mind/background with bright and accomplished career women (Oh, and a few men). Since SNORT started 3 years, over 300 dogs have been rescued and we currently have 185 fabulous volunteers. Sometimes, it’s not always possible to foster so there are other ways to help rescue groups but the women and men that tirelessly foster day in and day out are the ones that I most admire. Unfortunately, with my schedule lately, my last foster left in the fall last year and is doing great. She was dumped at the shelter by her owners because she “caught” a seizure. She turned out to be a great loyal dog with just minimal daily medication and has not had seizures since. Had SNORT not taken her out of the high kill shelter she wouldn’t be making her new owner laugh and smile every day. Now that is rewarding!

Stephanie is Vice President of Business Development for Assist America, a global emergency travel assistance company that assists travelers around the world when faced with a medical or security emergency.

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Ladies WhoLaunch

interview Senior Care Management www.SeniorCaremgt.com to add a home health aide and nursing component so that we could better control the quality of the care and consolidate all of the services under one roof. In running a business, it is important to stay alert to your clients’ needs and how you can expand to meet them in order to grow and stay competitive. What are the main challenges in starting a business and how have you overcome or are you overcoming them? In the beginning, the challenge is always money. I do think that you have to be all in and it is very difficult if you are trying to start a business and working part time somewhere else. I would say you need to have a source of funds for both your personal and business budget for at least the first year and possibly two. The other challenge for us was that we had no formal business training. We attended a two-day seminar with the Small Business Association, which helped us identify the legal and accounting issues we needed to address and to locate professional help. What motivated you to start your business and how did you come up with the name? We were motivated by the fact that we were new moms and needed flexibility, which our employer at the time couldn’t provide. We also knew that there was a need for our services from the work we had done. When we started our company we named it Bristow and McCurdy and that was one of the first mistakes we made. People thought we were accountants or lawyers. We eventually changed the name to be more descriptive of the services we offer and that is how Senior Care Management was born. Tell us a little bit about what products/services you provide. We are licensed clinical social workers and in the beginning we provided assessments and consultations on elder care options for families. This work then lead to families asking if we could help to arrange for care in the home or help with the application process for other residential options. This resulted in hiring social workers to assist with what we call care management. Our care management services supported older adults living at home and home health aides were often apart of that equation. We decided 24

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What are your short and long-term goals for your business? Our primary goal has remained pretty consistent and that is to provide the best quality of services we can to the families we serve. This guiding principle has resulted in different priorities at different times. For example, we increased the level of supervision of our home health aides, so we needed to expand the hiring of registered nurses. We also found out with Super Storm Sandy that our staffing, payroll and billing software were not up to the challenge and that we needed to move to the cloud. Goals provide a direction for a company but a business requires constant attention to be as responsive and efficient as possible. What are you finding to be the most effective methods of marketing your business? We have tried many different marketing strategies over the years. The most effective have been developing long-term relationships with other professionals and having satisfied clients who share their experiences and recommend us to family members and friends. Our website, which includes a blog, has been helpful in supplying information when we get inquires.

Any advice to other women thinking about taking the plunge into starting their own business? Make the commitment: This means having the financial and emotional support you will need. Be all in, there can be no excuses or major distractions. Like most life changing events, there is never a perfect time, but some times are better than others; make an honest assessment. Treat fear as a motivator: Having to succeed is a better guarantor of success. Deliver the best product or service you can and then let it go. Women often feel that they have to do things perfectly and this can be immobilizing. Our failures can be our greatest teachers. Follow your heart and your gut: No one will know your business like you do. It can be valuable to get outside advice and a fresh perspective at times, but don’t let others (professionals, employees or clients) influence you to do anything that doesn’t feel right or ring true. Have fun and be creative: For better or worse ,you have no one to blame but yourself, so enjoy your creation. LEFT: BARBARA BRISTOW RIGHT: JAN MCCURDY PHOTO: KARIN BELGRAVE PHOTOGRAPHY

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Empowering Women to Take Charge of their Health

By Leslie Feldman

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[

From heart disease to breast cancer to diabetes and stroke, here is a look into why women may be at risk for these problems and what to look out for, if you have symptoms

s women, we have always been the caretakers and put our own health and well-being on the back burner to care for loved ones. To help women be aware of health risks, we examined five medical conditions: heart disease, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, stroke and type 2 diabetes. It is important for women to partner with their doctors to look into family medical history, educate themselves on health issues and pay attention to their bodies.

]

of Coronary Artery Disease. At age 42, with a strong family history of heart disease, Vizzini, a nurse, experienced radiating chest pain and rapid heartbeat associated with dizziness that was becoming more frequent and occurring at rest and during activity. She went for cardiac testing at St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, NJ, and is now on medications. “All symptoms are REAL and should not be discounted,” Vizzini explains. “Remember, we are no good to anyone else if we aren’t good to ourselves.” Why is it challenging to identify heart disease in women? Research has shown that women have smaller hearts and smaller arteries than men. Women have a 50 percent greater chance of dying during heart surgery than men, and that could be related to the difference in the heart’s anatomy. These differences may also account for the fact that women are more likely to die after their first heart attack. What also complicates the situation is that when a woman visits her primary care physician and complains of chest pain, it is often not attributed to a cardiac problem. The pain is frequently thought to be the result of a gastric problem or gall bladder disease or even an anxiety attack. Even today, gender bias can and does occur.

Taking Care of Hearts We’ve all heard this more than once…. “Heart Disease is a man’s disease!” Fathers and husbands have heart attacks; not mothers and wives! Nothing could be further from the truth! The statistics are alarming According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the #1 killer of women and is more deadly than all forms of cancer including breast cancer. Nearly 500,000 women will die this year from cardiovascular disease, almost double the number who will die from cancer. To make matters worse, over 40 percent of women do not survive their first heart attack. Heart disease prevention in women has become a national priority. At 47, Carla Vizzini of Hamilton Township, NJ, has the beginning stages ABOVE: SPECIAL PROCEDURES TECHNICIAN ROSE POVIO PREPARES ST. FRANCIS MEDICAL CENTER’S BRAND NEW HYBRID OPERATING ROOM FOR THE IMPLANTATION OF A PERMANENT PACEMAKER. THE HYBRID LAB IS AN OPERATING ROOM THAT ENABLES PHYSICIANS TO DO PROCEDURES THAT MAY REQUIRE MINIMALLY INVASIVE AND OPEN-SURGERY TECHNIQUES SIMULTANEOUSLY. ST. FRANCIS IS PROUD TO ADD THIS HIGHLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO THEIR COMPREHENSIVE CARDIAC SERVICES AS THE HEART HOSPITAL IN MERCER COUNTY.

What are the differences in symptoms? Women and men do experience some of the same symptoms of a heart attack, such as crushing chest pain, pain that radiates down one or both arms, jaw pain and shortness of breath. However, women are more likely to experience little or no chest pressure. Instead, women may complain of a pressure in their abdomen or lower chest; feeling lightheaded and faint; experience upper back pressure between the shoulder blades; or encounter extreme fatigue. “If I had any words of advice for women who experience one or more of the symptoms mentioned above, it would be to trust your intuition and seek medical care immediately,” says Fran Herman, DNP, cardiac advanced practice clinician at St. Francis Medical Center. “We would be much happier if you came to the Emergency Department for an evaluation that proves you wrong….than have a heart attack at home.” Testing is a challenge Cardiac testing can also be a challenge in diagnosing heart disease in women. Exercise stress testing can result in a false positive finding. Since women are more likely to have single vessel heart disease, a routine stress test might not pick up any problems. Cardiologists often use a combined test, stress test and Echocardiogram, to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis. By taking an ultrasound image of the heart during exercise, the Cardiologist is also able to evaluate the muscle and valve function in addition to heart rate, blood pressure and any symptoms experienced by the patient. St. Francis Medical Center is currently preforming a variety of noninvasive treatments and cardiac surgery on women. Diagnostic cardiac moxiewomanmag.com

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“There is an increased risk of developing diabetes if you are overweight, have had either gestational diabetes which is diabetes during a pregnancy or even if a woman were to have had more mild issues with blood sugar control during a pregnancy.”

catheterization and balloon angioplasty are performed in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. Pacemakers and defibrillators can be implanted by cardiologists working in the Electrophysiology Lab. “Cardiac ablations are being performed in the newest addition to our cardiac service line, the Hybrid Lab which is located in the Operating Room,” Herman notes. “In the near future, our cardiologists will be performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVAR) procedures in the same Hybrid Lab. This procedure will correct aortic stenosis, a progressive heart disease, on patients too ill to have traditional open heart surgery. And of course, we perform open heart procedures that range from a single to quadruple coronary bypass graft surgeries to valve replacement.” As a national spokesperson for the Go Red for Women Campaign, Paula Chavez aims to improve women’s knowledge of heart disease and stroke so that they can take action and achieve longer, better heart-healthy lives. “I feel blessed with this opportunity, because it allows me to be the voice of so many women that don’t know that heart disease is our #1 killer. I try to participate in as many events as possible sharing my story of how I was able to lose 80 lbs and how I turned the sorrow of losing my dad to heart disease into a mission to help as many lives as possible by sharing my story. My message to all women out there is that we should not feel guilty about putting ourselves first. We must take care of ourselves so we can take care of those around us. It’s challenging, but it’s not impossible. With little sacrifices, and planning everything can get it done.”

Type 2 Diabetes – Surging in Numbers, But Still Largely Preventable The statistics are staggering – nearing epidemic proportions Are you a couch potato? Would you rather watch television than head to the gym for a workout? If so, you may be at high risk for diabetes, a metabolic disorder resulting from the body’s inability to properly use or ultimately make enough insulin, the hormone that helps regulate sugar, starches and other foods the body uses for energy. According to Womenshealth.gov, of the 1.3 million women aged 18 to 44 years with diabetes, one-half million don’t know they have it. Of the 4 million women aged 65 years and older with 28

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diabetes, 1 million don’t know they have it. That’s scary. “There is an increased risk of developing diabetes if you are overweight, have had either gestational diabetes which is diabetes during a pregnancy or even if a woman were to have had more mild issues with blood sugar control during a pregnancy,” said Samantha Plasner, DO, family practitioner with Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County. “Feeling tired, hungry and very thirsty are telltale signs of the disease. Insulin and some new diabetic medications, along with a healthy diet and exercise, can help control the disease.”

The Silent KillerOvarian Cancer Did you know that ovarian cancer is the deadliest type of gynecological cancer? There are no screenings for ovarian cancer, so by the time it’s detected, it’s often advanced. Some of the symptoms to look for include bloating, pelvic pain, feeling full and fatigue. Most women get it without being at high risk. However, several factors may increase a woman’s risk for ovarian cancer, including age, genetics and having breast, uterine or colon cancer. It’s more about the symptoms than a screening test “Although the mortality rate associated with ovarian cancer is high, the disease occurs infrequently in the general U.S. population, with an ageadjusted incidence of 13 cases per 100,000 women,” said Mark S. Shahin, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., F.A.C.S. Director, Hanjani Institute for Gynecologic Oncology, Abington Health, and Assistant Professor, Department of OB/ GYN, Reproductive Sciences, Temple University School of Medicine. “As a result, the positive predictive value of screening for ovarian cancer— which directly depends on the prevalence of the disease—is low, and most women with a positive screening test result will have a false-positive result. Adequate evidence shows that screening for ovarian cancer can lead to important harms, including major surgical interventions in women who do not have cancer. There is at least moderate certainty that the harms of screening for ovarian cancer outweigh the benefits.” Dr. Shahin explained there are several options for treating ovarian cancer that depend on the type of cancer and how far it has spread. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and biologic therapies, very rarely radiation. Usually, treatment for ovarian cancer involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

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There are no screenings for ovarian cancer, so by the time it’s detected, it’s often advanced.

The Second Leading Cause of Death in Women-Breast Cancer Did you get your mammogram? According to cancer.org, about one in eight women (or 12 percent) in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. The biggest milestone in preventative health for women at age 40 is routine mammography to screen for breast disease. Age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. The older a woman is, the greater her chance of developing the disease. Most breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50. The number of cases is especially high for women over age 60. Breast cancer is relatively uncommon in women under age 40. Many options for diagnosis and treatment Breast cancer screenings can include digital mammography, breast ultrasound, diagnostic breast MRI, as well as various breast biopsy procedures. Digital imaging allows the radiologists to detect breast cancer at an earlier stage than traditional x-ray mammograms. Surgery and/or radiation and reconstruction techniques are all options, depending on the individual patient’s situation. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, your hospital may link you to a nurse navigator, who serves as point person during your care. Jessica Danik, RN, BSN, nurse navigator at Hunterdon Regional Breast Cancer in Flemington, NJ, is there to answer those “what’s next?” questions, while providing education and support. “One of the most important jobs of the navigator is to identify barriers that patients may face, she says. “We link patients to the resources that will benefit their specific needs. The patients love knowing they can make one phone call and have all their questions answered.” Every Minute Counts…With a Stroke With stroke, we are here to set the story straight…and it could save a life. Stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer every year, says the National Stroke Association. However, women in a recent survey believed breast cancer is five times more prevalent than stroke and 40 percent of women said they were only somewhat or not at all concerned about experiencing a stroke in their life. With 425,000 women suffering

a stroke each year, 55,000 more than men, it isn’t something to ignore. Dr. Yelena Shpigel, a neurologist at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, PA, said that stroke is more prevalent in men in younger years, but it is more prevalent in women who are 75 or older. “The stroke symptoms are not different for women. Symptoms are weakness, numbness, visual changes dizziness, imbalance, and speech difficulties.” Toby Mazer, MPH, founder of the Delaware Valley Stroke Council, and business development manager for the Capital Institute for Neurosciences in NJ, wants people to know that 80 percent of all strokes are preventable. “It starts with managing key risk factors, including high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, atrial fibrillation and physical inactivity. More than half of all strokes are caused by uncontrolled hypertension or high blood pressure, making it the most important risk factor to control.” Additional risk factors include being diabetic and having high cholesterol. Treatments can stop a stroke in its tracks and save lives Hospitals like St. Mary’s have tests for diagnosis of stroke, including ultrasound, MRI, MRA, CT scans, CTA, and CT perfusion scan. They also provide interventional procedures such as cerebral angiography. If stroke symptoms have occurred within a four-hour period, clot-busting medications can help reestablish blood flow to the brain by dissolving the clots, which are blocking the flow. Many patients require rehabilitation following a stroke such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, as either inpatient or outpatient, to help patients regain skills as much as possible. MW

The older a woman is, the greater her chance of developing the disease. Most breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50. The number of cases is especially high for women over age 60. Breast cancer is relatively uncommon in women under age 40.

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MIND & BODY

Healthy = Happy

There is a clear link between health and happiness, with long-term studies showing that toxic stress has serious health consequences, both physical and behavioral. People who undergo traumatic circumstances that are not addressed are more likely to suffer from obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, and substance abuse. And these consequences are particularly evident among women. By Dr. Ruth Perry

n reading about New Jersey’s ranking of 23 in the Gallup-Healthways well-being survey for 2013, I was struck by the fact that, although the state’s ranking has hovered in the mid- to high-20s since 2008, there were a number of categories in which we fared worse. And some of these have serious implications for our health and wellbeing. Here’s a look at how New Jersey did in each category, with the lower rankings where we may need to focus on significant improvement, shown in bold: • 15th in the lifestyle evaluation category (present life situation and anticipated life situation) • 34th in emotional health (daily feelings and mental state) • 34th in work environments (job satisfaction and workplace interactions) • 9th in physical health (physical ability to have a full life) • 26th in healthy behaviors (engaging in behaviors that affect physical health) • 21st in basic access (feeling safe, satisfied and optimistic within a community) As I look at these rankings, I know that within the Mercer County region, there are pockets where the outlook is even less optimistic. While the county is generally affluent, with well-educated citizens who have access to quality healthcare and lifestyle options, the capital city exists as a stark contrast. At the Trenton Health Team, which is a collaborative organization comprised of both the city’s hospitals (Capital Health and St. Francis Medical Center), it’s only Federally Qualified Health Center (Henry J. Austin Health Center), and the City of Trenton Department of Health and Human Services, we just completed a Community Health Needs Assessment for the six zip codes of Trenton, which is available for download on our website (www.trentonhealthteam.org). What we found was high levels of poverty and low levels of literacy. We found particularly high rates of obesity, diabetes, and substance use disorders, along with high rates of unemployment and a deep concern about crime and safety among the residents we interviewed. We also identified challenges regarding access to healthy food and transportation. While some of the findings were not strictly about health, they have an enormous impact on health and are often called its social determinants. Having identified critical health needs within the Trenton community, we are now focusing on a Community Health Improvement Plan that seeks to address five priority areas, with the goal of improving health outcomes and quality of life for city residents. These are: • Health Literacy & Disparities • Safety & Crime • Obesity & Healthy Lifestyles • Substance Abuse & Behavioral Health • Chronic Disease: Diabetes, Hypertension, and Cancer The United Way of Greater Mercer County conducted a Community Health Needs Assessment for Mercer County as a whole, excluding the six zip codes of Trenton. Their study revealed that substance abuse, men30

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tal health, obesity, chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease are huge challenges within the county, despite pockets of tremendous affluence and education. Like the city of Trenton, transportation is poor, mental health services are inadequate, and physical activity within public spaces is limited. As part of our Community Health Improvement Plans, the Trenton Health Team, as well as our colleagues in the county are partnering with community-based organizations that provide medical, behavioral, and social services in the greater Trenton area, working to engage residents in becoming partners in their own health. We are providing educational as well as medical resources to address the full range of health-related concerns, working to ensure that people have both the knowledge and the care they need to improve both their physical and emotional circumstances. Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is leading the charge to improve health not only at the individual level but at the community level as well. The tagline for this charge is “Building A Culture Of Health.” As we implement our Community Health Improvement Plan, we are striving to create a culture of health within Trenton, and beyond – improving access to care as well as options for healthy lifestyles, nutritious food, and fitness. Our goal is to help citizens make personal choices that move them towards better physical circumstances for themselves and their families. I would like to extend a personal invitation to everyone to get involved in creating this new culture of health. Be sure to develop a relationship with a primary care provider. Avail yourselves to preventive health services like pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopy, according to evidence-based guidelines. Get eight hours of sleep, and exercise regularly, doing the activities that you enjoy, so that you can develop consistency. Additionally, seek opportunities to get involved with health at the community level to eliminate social barriers to good health. Collaborate with local and state governmental authorities to improve walkability in your communities, improve public transportation, and increase access to markets and shops that sell healthy food and fresh produce. Engage with your neighbors to create a sense of community and belonging. This is critical to health, especially as we grow older. I believe that if we accept this invitation we can fulfill the promise, identified long ago, of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Dr. Perry received a B.A. in Biology from Swarthmore College, and M.D. from Temple University School of Medicine. Prior to joining Trenton Health Team as Executive Director in 2011, she was the Director of Health and Product Stewardship for the Rohm and Haas Company.

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A Moxie Woman in Healthcare Marketing:

Gabrielle DeTora

of DeTora Consulting The Successful Entrepreneur Puts Family First

eople from simple backgrounds can become inspiring leaders. They can develop humility, a focus on others, and find the simple and sweetest form of happiness. Healthcare marketer Gabrielle DeTora is exactly that – and at the same time, one of the country’s leading authorities on healthcare marketing and strategy, a national author and speaker, an entrepreneur, a wife, and a loving mother above it all. “For all of my accomplishments, nothing brings me as much happiness as the love I share with my children – their laughter, their smiles, and their joy,” DeTora says. This Moxie Woman came from an impoverished home, living through homelessness with a bi-polar mother and an alcoholic father. She and her brother were close, and together they built self-discipline and fostered in each other laser-focused ambition to build themselves a future. She recalls, “When I look back at my turbulent childhood, I realize that it was my tenacious focus in high school and college, and then in graduate school that gave me the tools to achieve career success.” These days, DeTora owns her own strategic planning and marketing firm, DeTora Consulting, focusing on hospital and healthcare clients across the country. “We conduct strategic efforts for health systems as large as Catholic Health East – Trinity, with 82 hospitals, to local community hospitals. We’ve worked with a good portion of the hospitals in the Delaware Valley, New Jersey, and New York regions,” DeTora beams. DeTora is a sought-after thought leader in healthcare strategy. She is called upon regularly to present at national healthcare forums, such as the Forum of Healthcare Strategists, and the Healthcare Center of Excellence Summits. On top of juggling a family, a career and a busy speaking slate, this successful mom and marketer is also an accomplished actress. She won a Helen Hayes nomination for Best Actress while putting herself through the Zicklin School of Business (CUNY) with a 4.0 GPA. She went on to earn an MBA from Kennedy Western University, and has directed marketing teams at multiple healthcare organizations. Once she started a family, she was determined to keep her career success momentum going while having the flexibility to be home with her little ones. “My determination to enter healthcare, combined with my deep passion for excellence had potential to distract from my family. But my children are, and will always be, the center of my life.” Children Lucas, 8, and Isabelle, 6, are her true pride and joy. She says, “They are the loves of my life, and always will be. Motherhood is – by far – the most important and rewarding job I will ever have.” As a mother and business woman, DeTora leads by example. “I make mistakes like everyone, both in business and in life, but it’s important to share successes and disappointments with my kids. I teach them to identify and learn from mistakes.” She also tries not to take herself too seriously, saying, “Kids can be so hard on themselves. They need to know that they can’t control everything. Sometimes a mistake can be a reminder to switch gears. I want my kids to have faith in their futures and to believe in themselves.” 32

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Asked to identify a few key attributes she’d like to instill in her young kids, DeTora says “Of course, health and safety are always first. Beyond that, I want them to always find happiness in themselves before looking elsewhere. I want them to enjoy the moment, knowing that a bright future is waiting. I want them to appreciate the simple things.” DeTora adds, “I want my kids to know that if they pursue their dreams, they will never have regrets.” A quick poll of DeTora’s young son reveals that this busy “mompreneur” is certainly on the right track. Lucas chimes in, “My mom is the best! She makes me feel safe and happy, and we laugh a lot. She is awesome at baseball and Star Wars light sabers!” DeTora also teaches her son that while winning is fun, learning to be a good sport and learning from loss is equally important, as is preparing for the next big game. DeTora even suspects that her daughter Isabelle may have her budding entrepreneurial spirit. When she was only five, she learned to assign her

“I want my kids to know that if they pursue their dreams, they will never have regrets.” chores to her older brother, agreeing to split her allowance with him. Catching her red-handed, DeTora couldn’t hold back her laughter while telling the young girl, “That is called sub-contracting!” DeTora is proud of the way she balances time with her kids and time with her business, including past professional and volunteer work with the Cure for Lymphoma Foundation, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Recently, DeTora chose to end a relationship with a profitable client because it was taking too much family time away from her work-life balance. “Of course these decisions are always nerve-racking. I am always concerned about my company, my reputation, my staff and clients, but my kids will always come first.” DeTora stresses that her life is not about the reward, but about the journey. “My parents passed within a year and a half of each other, and that memory is still fresh. The experience made me even more determined to make every moment count for my family. If I live that credo every day, my clients will understand and respect my decisions, my children and I will benefit, and I know the best is yet to come.” MW

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3/14/14 4:17 PM

THE HEALTHY PET

Veterinary Specialists Know Just How Special Your Pet Is! By Tammy Anderson, DVM

Veterinary medicine is an evolving profession. Veterinary specialists are becoming an increasingly important subset of veterinarians. In 1951, The American College of Veterinary Pathology was the first veterinary specialty to be formed. Since then, an additional 21 specialty organizations making up 41 distinct specialties have been formed. Despite the fact that veterinary specialists have been around for more than 50 years, many people are not aware of their presence. Clinical specialties include internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, neurology, oncology, dermatology, ophthalmology, dentistry, radiology and emergency and critical care, etc., as well as veterinary practitioners (veterinarians in clinical practice who have expertise in specific animal species (avian, equine, food animal, etc.).

pass examinations and in some cases publish in a peerreviewed journal.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Difference? Many people do not understand the difference in the care their veterinarian will provide and a specialist will provide. Veterinary specialists will not provide preventive care (such as vaccinations, routine deworming, dental cleaning or well animal checkups), which is considered primary care. Other primary care duties of your veterinarian are to provide treatment for acute (sudden problems) symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea or cough3 CT CONTROL ROOM AT NORTHSTAR ing etc. Primary care also inVETS IN ROBBINSVILLE, NJ cludes elective procedures, such as spaying and neutering and other surgeries that your veterinarian has the confidence and experience to perform. When providing secondary care, specialists provide more expertise regarding a specific disease or procedure. While the symptoms can be the same as seen in primary care cases, for instance diarrhea, the length of illness or severity of disease may vary and specialty care may be sought if the initial treatments and interventions are not successful. Veterinary specialists have access to more specialized diagnostic Both your family veterinarian and veterinary equipment and complex therapies that may not specialist have received undergraduate training be available to your family veterinarian. and four years of veterinary school. However, Your veterinarian may recommend a referin order to become a Board-certified Veterinary ral or you may decide to request a consultaSpecialist, a veterinarian will need to complete tion if your pet has a complicated disease or an additional 3 to 5 years of rigorous training problem that your veterinarian does not have in an internship and residency program in their a lot of experience treating; a neutral second field of interest. Additionally, the veterinaropinion is desired; your animal needs a comian pursuing Board certification is required to

plicated procedure that is not offered by your family veterinarian or twenty four hour care is needed. Additionally, a referral may be requested for a second opinion if the current treatments are not going well. Second opinions are often sought after consultation with a specialist as well. As an internal medicine specialist in a large private practice facility I see a wide variety of medicine cases such as renal (kidney) failure, diabetes mellitus and other endocrine diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and immunemediated diseases, etc. Often the goal is stabilizing the patient, and collaborating with the referring veterinarian to make a plan and returning the patient to the care of the referral veterinarian. Often they are referred to provide twenty-four- hour care. Sometimes, cases are referred for diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound or endoscopy or computed tomography (CT scan). Our surgeons see referrals for complicated surgeries or surgeries requiring equipment unavailable to the family veterinarian or for intensive care and monitoring before and after surgery. Complicated cases may see more than one specialist. For instance, a diabetic dog may be managed by an internal medicine specialist who may consult with an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) since ocular changes such as inflammation and cataracts are common in diabetic dogs. One of the most important aspects of veterinary care for your pet is to recognize that if you and your veterinarian decide to consult with a specialist, your veterinarian will remain the primary care veterinarian and will help manage your petâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s care. This makes it essential that communication be open between you, your veterinarian and the specialist. This collaborative approach will provide the best care possible. MW

Tammy Anderson, DVM, is a Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 34

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Keeping Your Pet Healthy The best way for pet owners to keep their pets healthy is to provide regular veterinary care as recommended by their family veterinarian. Following recommendations regarding feeding and preventive care (vaccinations, dental prophylaxis and prevention of parasitic diseases, etc.) will help maintain health. Obesity in pets is a commonly seen illness. We know that obesity predisposes animals to diabetes mellitus and can worsen the signs of and pain associated with orthopedic diseases. Regular veterinary care will allow a veterinarian to monitor weight and evaluate body condition and recommend adjustments in feeding and exercise.

DON’T FORGET THE DENTIST! Periodontal disease is the number one disease in both dogs and and cats. While dentistry is a relatively newly recognized specialty in veterinary medicine, regular veterinarians have been recommending dental care and performing dental cleanings and extractions for decades. Besides the obvious aesthetic benefits of dental care, studies have linked periodontal disease to systemic inflammation. Decreasing systemic inflammation will lead to improved health. Preventive dental care is an essential part of maintaining the health of small animals. While preventive veterinary care does not assure prevention of disease, consistent veterinary care will allow early identification of health issues, which will allow early intervention and hopefully allow for control or cure of disease. As your pet’s “family,” it is important to be an active advocate for your pet’s health.

SURGERY BEING PERFORMED AT NORTHSTAR VETS

EXAMINATION ROOM AT NORTHSTAR VETS moxiewomanmag.com

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PAYING IT FORWARD

CHILDREN OF PATIENTS AND VOLUNTEERS AT FAIRVIEW LAKE YMCA, STILLWATER, NJ, JUNE 2013

Hope Loves Company by Sharon Harris-Zlotnick

ike all 20-something couples, Jodi and Kevin dreamed big about their future in the early 1990s. After Kevin purchased a single-family brick home as a surprise engagement present, they married in 1992. Jodi taught language arts and Kevin worked as a financial analyst at Commerce Bank. They welcomed daughter Alina in 1993 and were considering a second child in late 1995 when disaster struck. At the young age of 30, Kevin was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, which is an incurable neuromuscular disease that slowly impairs brain and spinal cord nerve cells, eventually destroying all muscle function. Ironically, Kevin’s many athletic activities provided the first clues. In October 1994, he fell several times while playing flag football. A few months later, he tried to ski but lacked enough strength. “Medical professionals cannot explain why ALS causes ‘instant cell death,’ which results in muscle weakness and apathy. By the time the symptoms become pronounced, the disease has dramatically progressed,” says Jodi. A Sense of Purpose Tests revealed Kevin’s disease that Memorial Day weekend, and Jodi immediately immersed herself in his care. “Even as a child, I viewed myself as a caregiver. That’s not always popular. But, as an adult I realized that when people embrace who they really are, their true purpose comes alive. I never sought money or the corporate ladder climb,” Jodi says. At first, Jodi worked part-time at home, but stopped when she understood Kevin required constant care. She learned how to administer all the necessary medical procedures-from range of motion to ventilator care. ALS families require help from many sources, and their relatives and friends were there to assist whenever possible. Commerce Bank maintained Kevin’s full health insurance. 36

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Jodi says, “Embracing the cause, Commerce Bank was amazingly supportive. They paid Kevin as he worked from home the best he could. I would read his lips and type his work. TD Bank, the new owner, still helps.” Because he was so young, the Philadelphia Phillies, whose team charity is ALS, chose Kevin to speak to the team before fundraisers. The O’Donnells addressed the team each year, even as Kevin progressed and required a feeding tube and wheel chair. Kevin’s deteriorating condition consumed more of Jodi’s time, leaving little for Alina. “It was tough,” she says. “As a child, Alina knew her father was different. I only told her that Daddy was sick, but never said he would die. I made the hard decision to ask our families to help care for her. I knew my time with Kevin was limited, but Alina would be here.” ALS patients typically live an average of two to five years, but Kevin survived for almost six years with the assistance of a ventilator. Today, more than 30,000 Americans–about 85 percent with children–are afflicted with ALS. More than 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Finding Perspective After Kevin’s death, the young widow and mother in her mid-30s could not think about her future. Jodi suffered bouts of depression until September 11, 2001, which put her loss into perspective. “My first epiphany came on September 12, after the world witnessed the unthinkable. Many young wives said goodbye to their husbands on 9/11, never expecting the imminent horror. It motivated me to view my loss differently. I was blessed with years to say goodbye to Kevin. I was not the only young widow out there. That awareness began my healing,” says Jodi. She decided to channel her grief into “paying it forward” in Kevin’s

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“Being positive has been instrumental in our journey. Shame on me if I didn’t take what I have learned to help others now dealing with their own pain,” says Jodi. Company emerged. Jodi says, “Much of ALS fundraising goes to patient care and research– which is so important; but we can’t forget the children. Tina’s book served an important purpose. It focused on those kids who are severely impacted by their ill parents. The book started the mission.” When they married, Jodi and Warren understood that although they both needed a fresh start and future, they should also maintain strong past connections and relationships. They sold both their homes and bought a new house together, equidistant to all four families, in Titusville, NJ.

JODI-O’DONNELL-AMES WITH HUSBAND WARREN BENTON AMES AT HLC’S KIDS DAY AT SHADY BROOK FARM, YARDLEY, PA.

memory and also in honor of the family and friends who had volunteered their time and skills–from helping to build a wheelchair-accessible home addition to assisting with Kevin’s physical therapy. Believing her experience could make a difference, Jodi began a job as the Director of Communications for the ALS Hope Foundation in Philadelphia, became a foster parent and earned massage therapist and EMT certifications. “I instinctively massaged Kevin to help relieve stiffness and pain and I was a nurse without a degree. After Kevin passed, I studied massage and became an EMT to give back,” says Jodi. What Did You Learn Today? Fate then stepped in and changed Jodi’s life. Through her ALS Hope Foundation work, she met widower Warren Ames and his children Nora and Adam. Warren’s wife Tina had died of ALS at 40. Before her death, Tina had written and published a book for her children called What Did You Learn Today? Its initial success sparked another printing of 2,000 copies for distribution. When Jodi picked up 50 copies, she met the Ames family. They became friends and more and ultimately Jodi and Warren married in 2003, with Nora, Alina and Adam as their bridal party. While raising three children all under the age of 12 who had lost a parent, the idea of Hope Loves

SYMPTOMS OF ALS OR MANY OTHER DISEASES • Weakness of an arm or leg • Thinning (atrophy) of an arm or leg • Swallowing problems • Slurred Speech • Stiffness, cramps, slowness of movement, twitching

Hope Loves Company By 2007, Jodi believed it was time to formalize her cause. By selecting the name “Hope Loves Company” she hoped to inspire other families to become involved. A female lawyer who lost a parent to ALS graciously assisted Jodi with copyrighting the name and getting the 501c paperwork together. “Instead of feeling that misery loves company, I wanted to be positive,” says Jodi. “I vowed to start a nonprofit one day and began using our own money to reprint What Did You Learn Today? It was important to Nora and Adam to have their mother’s book, which made it important to me. We distributed free copies to ALS families in the U.S. and internationally. Providing my cell phone number led to daily calls and emails.” PRO BONO PARTNERSHIP, a group of volunteer lawyers serving non profits, provided guidance for compliance with state and federal filings for HLC. Pro bono lawyer Nancy Eberhardt continues to volunteer her time. Keiren Dunfee, Kevin’s sister, created the official HLC logo and brochure design. HLC continues to distribute its free books, care packages and cards as it raises money. Let’s Go Camping! The 2014 camp retreat, scheduled for June 6-8 at the Fairview Lake YMCA in Stillwater, NJ, will provide a fun escape for children coping with their parents’ illness. HLC also maintains a website for young adults to safely connect with each other for support. Camp sponsorship has come from high profile people. Former NFL player and ALS patient Steve Gleason, 36, played safety for the New Orleans Saints from 2000-2007. His Team Gleason is one of five HLC camp sponsors. The nonprofit group raises money for head injury research and developing technology to help ALS patients maintain communication abilities. The Kevin Turner Foundation, Riverton Health and Fitness Center, H.A.R.K. and Nova Group are also sponsors. Last year, Jodi’s book, The Stars that Shine, about a young girl with a disabled father, was published. It includes helpful ALS resources. Currently available on Amazon, the book will be translated into Chinese next year. Alina, now 21, illustrated the book. “Being positive has been instrumental in our journey. Shame on me if I didn’t take what I have learned to help others now dealing with their own pain,” says Jodi. MW

RESOURCES JODI O’DONNELL-AMES PRESIDENT HOPE LOVES COMPANY www.hopelovescompany.com hopelovescompany@gmail.com

PRO BONO Partnership Volunteer Attorneys Serving Nonprofits www.probonopartnership.org DR. TERRY HEIMAN-PATTERSON, MD Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurology, Chief of Neuromuscular Diseases at Drexel University College of Medicine, Co-chair, NEALS www.AlsHopeFoundation.org terry.heiman-patterson@drexelmed.edu moxiewomanmag.com

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

OWNER LISA RUDDY IN THE KITCHEN AT PRINCETON SOUP & SANDWICH CO. PHOTOS: JAIME ESCARPETA FOR ESCARPETA PHOTOGRAPHICS

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his is my ninth year in business at 30 Palmer Square East in Palmer Square in Princeton, NJ. We were “The Original Soupman” franchise where I sat on the board of franchisers for five years. I had the opportunity to go independent and decided that’s where I would be happiest--with our own brand, our recipes, local suppliers and our own culture of “Princeton Soup & Sandwich Company,” which we wanted to instill in both our cuisine and also our staff. This culture is

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brownies and cookies. The star soup is and probably always will be is our Lobster Bisque, or as we call it “The World’s Best,” we haven’t had a customer disagree with us yet. We add two pounds of whole lobster meat to every batch of soup made and continually move it throughout the day. We might as well hang up our hats if we don’t have it every day! Another exciting venture for us has been our delivery and catering business, which is growing throughout Mercer County. We started this about two years ago and have been pleasantly surprised at how many companies and pharmaceutical reps are looking to bring their staff some of our great soups, salads and sandwiches. Some favorites are our grilled chicken & provolone with avocado; our “Tavo” turkey; avocado, bacon and Swiss cheese and our new chopped salad made with carmelized walnuts, blue cheese and Craisens, to name a few. Please visit us on Facebook, where we post our soups daily or @ princetonsoupandsandwich.com for our full menu or feel free to e mail us @ yum@princetonsoupandsandwich.com.

Princeton Soup and Sandwich Company Lisa Ruddy, Owner

Hummus and Avocado Sandwich on a Whole Wheat Wrap Ingredients for Hummus: Chickpeas Olive oil Ground Cumin Tahini Paste Lemon Juice

Ingredients in creamy balsamic sauce: service and quality without compromising either. We offer a variety of over 60 soups; some of which include meat/ seafood/poultry, but also more than half are vegetarian and gluten free. Princeton has an educated customer who are concerned how they eat, not only from a weight perspective but also with a focus on healthy lifestyles. For example, our gluten-free customer base grows by the day and we just recently started carrying gluten free bagels and sandwich rolls made for us by a local baker as well as gluten free treats such as

Balsamic vinegar, honey, spicy mustard and olive oil With:

Sliced Red Onions Sliced Cucumbers Romaine Lettuce and Sliced Tomato Avocados Drizzle sandwich with creamy balsamic

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MONEY MATTERS

Investing for Your Future By Susan Mullin

he last two years have shown consistent gains in the stock market. But 2014 is turning out to be different. Year-to-date the market is down, creating an uncertain environment. Some may be inclined to exit the market, however the experienced investor would look for new investment opportunities. As the market pulls back from its recent highs, investors who may have been watching from the sidelines will have the chance to buy in. INVESTING IN A VOLATILE MARKET In the short term, volatility can cause large swings in stock prices. Companies that have solid financials and growth potential, however, will show significant returns in the long run. History tells us that over time, the market will experience a steady rise. But that rise will not be without risks. RISKS Investors should be aware of various types of risk before investing. It is especially important to understand these risks during periods of volatility when large fluctuations in valuation can occur. 40

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Market or Systemic Risk â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Market risk is an external factor impacting stocks. Examples of market risk are recessions, monetary policy, and global economic policies. Stocks typically decline during periods of uncertainty, so investors must decide whether to wait to buy into the market, or hold or sell their stocks. Investor response should be guided by the time horizon. Investors with longer time horizons can afford to take more risk to maximize potential growth, while those with shorter time horizons need to be more conservative to preserve assets. Interest Rate Risk â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bonds trade inversely to interest rates. As interest rates rise the value of the underlying bonds declines. Interest rate risk increases for longer term bonds since it will take longer for them to mature. Investors who need to sell their bonds before the maturity date risk not recovering their principal investment. Currency Risk â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Investors in foreign stocks are subject to currency or foreign exchange risk, the risk that the exchange rate will change the value of a stock. When the exchange rate changes, the dollar value of the foreign stock also changes. For example, if the value of the dollar increases against a foreign currency, the stock price of a company in that country will effectively decrease. This fluctuation, in addition to market risk, could put downward pressure on stocks.

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$17,000 per year to the 401K. Employees who are 50 years or older can contribute an additional “catch up” amount of $5,500 per year. These limits can change to reflect changes in inflation. It is generally a good idea to contribute an amount at least equal to the employer’s matching amount to maximize the company match benefit. Funds distributed from a 401K are taxed at the prevailing tax rate applicable to the employee at the time of withdrawal. Withdrawals made before the employee is 59 ½ years old are subject to a 10 percent penalty and income tax. Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are required to be taken after age 70 ½. RMDs not taken after age 70 ½ are subject to penalties equaling 50 percent of the amount of the minimum distribution. When employees leave the employer they have several options to manage their plan. They can roll their 401K into an IRA, or into their new employer’s 401K plan if permitted. Due to the penalties associated with withdrawing the funds before 59 ½ years old it is not recommended that employees cash out the 401K plan when they leave their employer.

History tells us that over time the market will experience a steady rise. But that rise will not be without risks.

Investors should conduct a risk analysis in conjunction with an analysis of a company’s financial health before making an investment. Investors also need to consider the investments they include in various types of accounts. Accounts such as Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) or 401K plans are traditionally used for retirement purposes. Each of these accounts has specific rules on how to deposit or contribute funds and how to withdraw or distribute funds.

401K Plans – A 401K plan is a defined contribution plan provided by an employer. Employees are allowed to contribute a percentage of their pre-tax gross salary into their company 401K plan. Contributions are deducted directly from the employee’s paycheck and deposited in the 401K plan. The income tax for money deposited into a 401K is deferred until it is withdrawn during retirement. Some companies match a percentage of the employee contribution, effectively increasing employee compensation. 401K plans are specific to the employer and are generally administered by a mutual fund company, a brokerage firm, or an insurance company. Investment options are limited to mutual funds offered through the employer. In addition to mutual funds, many 401Ks also allow employees to invest in company stock. Employees under 50 years of age can contribute up to a maximum of

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) – An IRA, unlike a 401K, is not affiliated with an employer. As its name implies, it is opened by an individual. Investors earning taxable income are permitted to open IRA accounts. IRAs have specific rules and limits similar to a 401K. Contributions to an IRA can grow within the account tax free and are not subject to capital gains or dividend taxes. Dividend yielding stocks are generally recommended for IRAs. Investors can choose between two types of IRAs, traditional and Roth. Contributions to a traditional IRA are tax deferred so deposits are not taxed until they are withdrawn. Distributions are taxed at the applicable tax rate at the time of withdrawal. Contributions to a Roth IRA are post-tax, so they are taxed when they are deposited into the IRA. Roth IRAs are recommended for investors who are entering the work force. Since they are at the beginning of their career, their income, and consequently their income tax, will most likely be lower than when they retire. IRAs are limited to contributions of $5,000 per year for investors younger than 50 years old. Investors 50 years or older can contribute an additional $1,000 per year. Like 401K plans, distributions from IRAs are not allowed prior to age 59 ½. Withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ are subject to a 10 percent penalty and income tax if applicable. Traditional IRAs require annual minimum distributions after age 70 ½. Failure to make the required minimum distribution will result in a penalty of 50 percent of the minimum amount. A Roth IRA has no required minimum distribution. Investors can open an IRA through a bank, brokerage firm or mutual fund company. It is important to evaluate the fee structure when choosing a company. Mutual fund companies such as Fidelity and Vanguard offer no load mutual fund families to keep costs down. Post-Tax Investment Accounts - Investors can also open post tax investment accounts. These are not typically used for retirement and do not have any of the restrictions associated with retirement accounts. Funds within investment accounts can be deposited and withdrawn at any time. Investment accounts are subject to capital gains and dividend and interest taxes. And investment accounts can be jointly held. Investors have a variety of options to consider when opening an account. Investing for your future can be complicated so it is best to consult with an investment advisor. Registered investment advisors can offer valuable investment strategies to help their clients achieve their investment goals.

Susan Mullin is a partner at Nigido Mullin Investment Strategies, LLC, Registered Investment Advisor. She may be reached at susan@nigidomullin.com. moxiewomanmag.com

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THE ARTS HUB

TO THOSE WHO WALKED BEFORE

Book and exhibit honors Alcott, Mead and other local heroines of history By Erin Kelly

Artist Alice Neel came into adulthood at a time when most women were forced to make a choice: abandon the traditional precepts of marriage and family to traverse the male-dominated path of artistic life, or become a wife and mother. Neel, who graduated from the Philadelphia School of Design for Women in 1925, chose both. Even as a single mother living in New York City, Neel managed to become one of the greatest painters of the 20th century. For Melissa Tevere—a local artist who was raised in Springfield, Pa., less than five miles from Neel’s childhood hometown of Colwyn—Alice Neel is more than an artist; she’s an extraordinary heroine who refused to confine herself in society’s expectations of what it meant to be a woman. Like Neel, Tevere is a single mother and painter. In order to balance the demands of both, Tevere weaves painting into her everyday routine. There’s an easel in the kitchen so she can work while she helps her children with homework or makes dinner. “Alice raised her two boys in much the same way—she lived in a small apartment and wove creating art into the fabric of their everyday life,” Tevere said. “My connection to Alice Neel deepened when I learned that she grew up in Colwyn. I started to wonder: What other remarkable women shared 42

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my Philadelphia and Delaware Valley roots?” Tevere, who serves as art editor for Philadelphia Stories, a longstanding and respected literary magazine and independent publisher, had long dreamed of curating an exhibition that combined visual art and creative writing. She saw this as an opportunity. So began Extraordinary Gifts, a collaborative book and exhibit that celebrates the contributions of extraordinary women from the Philadelphia area. The project, which features artwork, short stories and poetry inspired by 20 local extraordinary women, including Louisa May Alcott, Margaret Mead, and Marian Anderson, was a collaborative effort between Tevere, editor Tara Smith, and the editorial team at Philadelphia Stories, including co-publishers Christine Weiser and Carla Spataro. The art exhibit will be held on Saturday,

September 20, at the Cheltenham Center for the Arts, 439 Ashbourne Road in Cheltenham. Tara Smith, who served as editor for Extraordinary Gifts, hopes the project will leave a lasting effect on the artistic landscape for women. “My mother collected early textiles, and I remember her having a book called Anonymous Was a Woman. She instilled this idea in me--that the contributions women have made over the centuries were vital, but often invisible. I think I’ve always taken for granted, though, what generations of women before me had achieved so that I could vote, pursue an LEFT TO RIGHT: LESLEY MITCHELL HONORS MARIAN ANDERSON MARIA KEANE HONORS RED ROSE GIRLS JESSICA PADILLA HONORS LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

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education, travel, create, choose a profession,” Smith said. “Projects like this remind us not to take these freedoms for granted, and the stories of these women inspire us to follow in their footsteps, to venture outside the box, into unexplored territory, and make the most of the gifts and time we have.” And there is still territory ahead, the women admit. Modern women still have to face some of the same choices that Neel overcame in the 1920s and 30s. “Women today, especially artists and writers, are often forced to make a choice between leading an extraordinary life and choosing a more stable, lucrative, expected path,” Tevere said. “Projects like Extraordinary Gifts remind us who the women were who came before us--the current crop of ‘extraordinary women.’ It allows contemporary female writers and artists to share their extraordinary gifts with the world. They remind women who read the book and visit the exhibit that they are not alone; they encourage women to think about how they want to make a difference in their world.” Smith called the women’s stories “humbling.” “Readers will find beauty and inspiration in Extraordinary Gifts. The stories are humbling, the artwork is absolutely fantastic, and the poetry and prose weave together truths that are universal, haunting, encouraging, funny and even lonely,” Smith said. “I hope men and women who read the book will feel connected to this history, to our history, and to the community of women artists who came together to create this book and exhibit.” Among the women featured are:

Managing your finances as if they were our own.

STEPHEN MOLINELLI Wealth Advisor stephen.molinelli@lpl.com

www.insightfinancialservicesllc.com

609.730.4940

LEFT: ARTIST MELISSA TEVERE RIGHT: BOOK EDITOR TARA SMITH

65 S. Main Street | Building B, Suite B003 | Pennington, NJ 08534 Securities offered through LPL Financial

Member FINRA/SIPC

Ruth Robinhold, who started the Philadelphia Girls’ Rowing Club when none of the clubs on Boat House Row allowed “Members of the weaker sex” to row.

Louisa May Alcott, famed feminist and abolitionist, best known for her novel Little Women Suffragette and abolitionist Lucretia Mott, who was elected as the first president of the American Equal Rights Association

Margaret Mead, noted anthropologist who once said, “I do not believe in using women in combat, because females are too fierce.” Sarah Josepha Hale, the first editor of a national women’s fashion magazine African-American opera singer and south Philadelphia native Marian Anderson. When she was not allowed to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR in protest.

Mary Cassatt, of whom Edgar Degas once said, “I am not willing to admit that a woman can draw that well.” After his death, this painter helped to organize an exhibition of Degas’ work and her own to benefit the cause of the women’s movement. For more information, visit www.philadelphiastories.org.

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How to Choose a Summer Camp for Your Child By Russell Roberts

ummer camp? Seriously? Now, when it snows every other day and the temperature hasn’t climbed above freezing since dirt was invented? You should think about summer camps now? Well, yes, if you’re serious about sending your child to a summer camp, that’s exactly what you should be doing now. Like many other things today, it takes advanced planning and preparation to be able to select the right camp, one that both you and your child are happy with. No matter if you’re sending your child several states half-way across the country or several addresses half-way down the street, advanced planning is the key. So put down the snow shovel – it’s only going to start snowing again in five minutes – and start thinking about summer camp. Who knows, maybe your warm thoughts will help melt some of this snow!

What Are Your Child’s Interests?

The first thing to do when picking a summer camp is talk to your child. Find out what he or she would like to do most at camp, and then compile a list of camps that cater to those desires. Try and avoid a common mistake, which is to send your child to Camp Wahoo just because you went to Camp Wahoo and had a great time. But if Camp Wahoo specializes in rock gardens, and your child is interested in horseback-riding, then Camp Wahoo is probably not the best place for her. Another thing that early talking about camp does is help your child deal with it and process going there in their own way. It’s better for you and your child to deal with anxiety/separation issues now, rather than waiting until they arrive there and then bombard you with frantic phone calls about homesickness. Speaking of kids being homesick, the reverse is also true: Parents can have a hard time letting go of their children when they head to camp, and seek to stay in constant contact with them. It is for this reason that many camps ban kids from having cell phones, because kids that are 44

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constantly talking and texting home are not really away and integrating with their campmates, but attached to their home by an electronic cord. Preparing a child to leave, some experts say, is an important part of parenting and shouldn’t be put off until the day the child goes off to college. Most camps encourage children to write letters home often and will allow phone calls on special occasions. Once you’ve determined what your child is looking for in a camp, cast a wide net, then whittle down the choices to a small list of likely destinations. People’s recommendations, the Internet, and other sources can all be used. This is a crucial stage, because you don’t want to accidentally send your child to clown camp if he/she is terrified of clowns (and secretly, aren’t we all?). When you have narrowed down the choices to a precious few, see if they are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) or not. The association has a list of 300 best-practice standards that a camp must follow about such subjects as safety, health, and programs. While it’s not essential that your final choice be ACA-accredited, and lots of good camps are not, you should likely find out where yours stands on this subject. Find out as much of the camp’s history as you can beforehand. How long have they been in operation? What’s their record? While good, brand-new camps spring up all the time, having a good track record over the years can help make you feel that they’re well-run, and also that they are familiar with a wide variety of situations. In today’s social media society, a badly-run camp simply could not stay in business long.

Talk, Talk, Talk

Talk to the camp director. Ask them a range of questions, such as how the camp operates, his/her philosophy, ACA accreditation, and any other questions you may have. The time to find out anything is now. A good

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camp will always allow you to talk to someone – likely the director but possibly someone else – about any concerns. Indeed, some camp directors even contact first-time parents on their own, to allay any fears and get familiar with them, and vice-versa. Don’t be afraid to ask about the director’s background, credentials, etc. A good camp should promote an open and honest dialogue.

Do Your Due Diligence

Find out what the camper-to-counselor ratio is. In general, for children 8-14 years old, the minimum ratio is 10-1. However, the ratio varies depending upon if the camp is a day camp or sleepover, and the exact

age of the child. Consult the ACA for the exact ratio for your child’s age. In addition, find out the counselors’ qualifications. Are they certified in CPR and first aid? Has each counselor undergone a criminal background check? Try to ascertain what the attitude of the counselors is by finding out, for example, how many return each year. Finally, determine how the camp handles special situations. What is their discipline policy? When do they let kids use the telephone? How do they handle kids who have special needs, such as food allergies? Although camp costs can be in the thousands of dollars, many camps offer scholarship programs. There are even outside foundations that provide camp scholarships to which you can apply. The Hamilton Area YMCA Sawmill Branch is one of the area locations that offer a popular summer camp. Located on its 60-acre facility, the daily summer camp runs on Monday through Friday for 10 weeks, from June 23 to August 29, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Pre-camp hours are from 7:30 to 9 a.m., and post-camp goes from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The camp accommodates children from Kindergarten through age 15. The YMCA camp, which has been in operation since 2002, offers over 30 different camp options, such as: sports, specialty, (such as dance and cheer, and arts and crafts), Legos, and teen travel camps, which offer a trip every day. The YMCA also offers traditional day camps. Swimming is among the camp’s most popular activities, helped in popularity no doubt by the 100-foot waterslide. “We host about 400 children every week,” said Jill Makkay, Executive Director of the Hamilton Area YMCA. She added that the camp has increased in popularity every year. They also “change it up every year,” so that there’s always something new going on. The ratio of kids to counselors at the YMCA camp is 1-10. All counselors undergo background checks and reference checks. Makkay said that the majority are education majors or teachers. The camp has a high reten-

tion rate for counselors; about 85 percent return from year-to-year. The camp also has a full-time nurse on staff. Parents with questions about the YMCA camp can contact either Makkay or Kyle Flanagan, Camp Director. Princeton Day School also runs a variety of summer camp programs, including a new traditional day camp called Pretty Brook Day Camp, with a wide range of activities and programs. Other programs for campers entering grades PreK through 12 include academic enrichment programs such as Chess, Lego Robotics, Algebra Math Lab; arts programs such as; Crazy for Clay, Acting Onstage and Art Studio 101; and athletics; including 76ers Basketball Camp, Competitive Edge Ice Hockey and Martial Arts.

SUMMERTIME FUN AT HAMILTON AREA YMCA CAMP

Princeton Day School camps programs offer half and full day options, as well as pre-camp and extended day care. Programs are offered from June 9 through August 1. Information is accessible on their website at www.pds.org/summerprograms. So there it is – tips for choosing a summer camp for your child. As with anything worth doing, it takes effort to do it well. However, the rewards – in terms of providing a superior camp experience for both you and your child – are well worth it. O.K. Now back to shoveling snow. Another snow storm has probably hit since you began reading this article. MW moxiewomanmag.com

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Life The Venus Perspective

Way of

Pet lovers all know for certain that their Schnoodle pup or mixed breed kitty is the most precious on the planet. Share with us a bit about your pet and what makes them so special.

HUSBAND VS. CAT

Leo the Inspiration!

Leo has inspired me in so many ways. When he came home to live with us he quickly began teething on EVERYTHING in sight. To save my pillows, towels drapes and rugs, I began to think of ways to entertain this young bundle of energy. When I realized that Leo’s favorite items were made of cloth, I created knots of fabric. There began Knots of Fun. I developed my line of Happy Hands Happy Dog® toys after I brought an idea to make the toys for school fundraisers to the Perkins School for the Blind I thought it would be a unique project that would lead to successful fundraising- and it did! I created a fundraising kit and also began selling my own toys. Knots of Fun gained a universal audience and my finished toys are now sold throughout the United States. Leo inspired me to start my business. Lisa Kamer Happy Hands Happy Dogs

What Makes My Cat Andy SO Special Growing up with three German Shepherds, a Boxer and a Beagle! While I was in kindergarten, it was embarrassing when the teacher arranged a class trip to my house because we had so many dogs…! After I got married, my dad gave me a Cairn Terrier I named Prancy. Own a cat? NEVER! Thirteen years ago a feral kitten I named Orphan Andy was hiding under our deck. I had to save him, as it was apparent he had no mom or siblings. One week later, Prancy passed away. Have doubts about feral cats? Try a little love! Andy’s devotion to me reached a new height when just recently I had surgery, and for two weeks straight, he did not leave my side. My husband had to pry him away to eat! Andy, a feral orange tabby cat found in my yard thirteen years ago, is indeed special and knew when I needed a friend the most! Wendy Sturgeon Everyone knows It’s Wendy, LLC 46

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Funny how our husbands get in trouble for the same things that our pets do, who not only get away with these things, but are actually considered to be just one more reason to love them. Our cat owns the house we live in, as in the following examples of who gets away with what: Husband: What do you mean you want to go out again, you were golfing yesterday and played cards the night before? Cat: In and out at will and wants (and gets) treats just for coming in Husband: We all know what happens when the “seat” is left up! Cat: Keep the top open in case he gets thirsty while we are away. Ah, look at the cute paw prints in the bowl…. Husband: You were tossing and turning all night, maybe you should just get up and let me sleep! Cat: Am groggy as he slept on my head or my chest all night, isn’t that cute? He just needed to be loved. Husband: I was only gone awhile and the house is a mess, what happened? Cat: Feathers everywhere – look at the present he brought us, isn’t that cute? Husband: Honey, not now! Cat: Ahhh, let’s cuddle... Consolation: My husband is as much as a sucker for our little guy as I am! Debbie Seeley Hewlett Packard Company

THE HAPPY PUP

Rocky the Mascot Muse

Fiona, our nearly two year-old shepherd will always be young at heart. Whether playing with whatever water is near, liquid or frozen, playing with her toys or jumping at dust in the sun rays, she is a happy pup and makes our hearts sing every day. Looking at her sleeping right now....ahhhhh, the singing heart. How lucky we are to have this special being in our lives. Kelly Ingram Kelly Ingram Finishes

Rocky the Cock-a-poo has always been one to go out on a paw. From Day One his paw was up like a boxer, hence my husband Nick named him Rocky. As soon as he hears the click of a camera or camera phone he is right there ready for the limelight,. He Loves impromptu photo shoots as long as he is the star! He will pose for just about any shot knowing a dog biscuit treat is on its way ready with his paw up. Rocky is always ready to “Pup It Up” for Cake It Up. Beth Carnevale, Cake It Up Couture Cake Stands

The Shop Mascot

My Terrier mix puppy, Jinx is a fun and affectionate addition to my home and business. She walks or rides to work with me each day and is happy to be the official mascot at Orion Jewelry Studio. She quietly waits to greet each customer, wiggling and wagging her way into the hearts of our clients. In the first week we adopted her, as she was getting use to the daily routine at work when a friend stopped in to visit, leaned in to pet her, and Jinx was so excited that leapt on top of the four foot gate and in to the woman’s arms! We all laughed as we had not yet realized her potential! She has since been trained to know her boundaries. And in the spring we hope to enroll her in agility classes. Robin Hepburn Orion Jewelry Studio

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The Bridge Academy is a NJ approved school for students with languagebased learning disabilities, like dyslexia, auditory processing, ADHD.

Get Wired!

Moxie Woman Wire, a bi-weekly e-newsletter from Moxie Woman magazine picks up where the magazine left off, with links to the latest issue, the new Moxie Crossword on our website, and info about Moxie Makings, a cooking contest a la CHOPPED! where we provide you with some mandatory ingredients and you whip up something great. The winner as judged by the MW staff, will have their recipe posted in the next edition of Moxie Woman Wire.

So go to moxiewomanmag.com and sign up now!

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3/14/14 4:22 PM

INTERIOR DESIGN

Beauty Doesn’t Have to Break the Budget I By Alexis McLaughlin

t was more “monastery” than “dining room.” A dreary ceiling lamp hung over the table, its glow barely a flicker amidst the dimness of the room. A wooden table, pale-brown and oversized, was the centerpiece, with bare windows and cramped space its accessories. It is a different space today. Adorned with plush couches, bright pillows, and regal lamps, it is a room of catalogue caliber—and a look easily attainable, with a little help. More and more, homeowners are seeking the aid of professional interior designers in creating their ideal home, with everything from wallpaper to window treatments selected with designer counsel. While often times more costly than a “do-it-yourself” project, customers find the professional input, wide access to furniture, and ability to “watch from the sidelines” a deal well worth the expense. Kathy Cortner, founder of KRC Interior Transformations, is the mas48

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termind behind the dining room overhaul. It is just one of many radical—and artful—transformations featured on her website’s portfolio. With years of experience in the Cherry Hill community, Cortner insists that beauty doesn’t have to break your budget. “One does not need a lot of expensive things to make a room beautiful and desirable,” Cortner says in her mission statement. Often times, she says, the best renovations are home-grown. In a service she calls “One-Day Decorating,” Cortner revamps entire rooms using objects and furniture already owned by the customer. A simple shift of a sofa, or the placement of pottery, she says, can transform the look of a living space while maximize “its greatest function and potential.” Though even a traditional renovation can be affordable. The owner of Decorating Den Interiors in Princeton, Amy Lebowitz takes pride in her ability to provide customers a wide variety of products with a small price

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Photos courtesy of Duarte Interior Decorating.

tag. Decorating Den, she explains, has access to furniture and accessories from over 150 manufacturers, which makes for both a cheap and expansive selection for the customer. “We have very good buying power,” says Lebowitz of the company. “When corporate negotiates a contract with the rug market or any other vendor, we get very, very good deals with them so that our design fees are booked into the product base.” This is an excellent deal for customers looking to keep their small changes at a small price, Lebowitz explains. “If a customer is only looking for a new area rug…they can call me and they can purchase an area rug,” says Lebowitz. “If they’re only looking for one item, we can sell that to them, because our fees are in the product. It’s not like I’m going to charge them a $20,000 retainer to walk through the door and take their project.” This level of affordability is no doubt leaving its mark. Designers across the industry are seeing a boon in business, as homeowners grow more endeared to this “renovation for less.” In a survey published by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) in August, 2013, statistics showed “industry growth at a moderate pace,” with the billing index jumping from 53.7 in May to 56.4 in June. Though this thriftiness, however convenient, is far from the only factor behind this leap. Katie Eastridge, owner of Eastridge Design, believes

“Savvy individuals who are making changes to their home know that they’re gonna have a better situation by using an interior designer,” says Eastridge.

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INTERIOR DESIGN

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that the customer’s “ability to have confidence in the outcome” keeps her business thriving. “By using a professional, they are ‘certainly’ spending their money,” says Eastridge. The customer, she explains, can be certain that the “first look” will be the last—which saves them from the costly mistake of a “do-it-yourself” mishap. “Savvy individuals who are making changes to their home know that they’re gonna have a better situation by using an interior designer,” says Eastridge. Monique Duarte, owner of Duarte Interior Decorating, concurs with this sentiment, citing lack of knowledge as the greatest cause of “DIY” dissatisfaction. “Sometimes, they [customers] can run into issues, like just not knowing a lot of the principles behind design,” Duarte explains. “They don’t necessarily know how to match the colors of the walls with accessories. If they’re looking to put in a new floor, they have to understand what’s below the floor.” These issues, while seemingly trivial, can destroy a room’s look and structure. A designer’s “level of expertise and knowledge,” Duarte explains, is crucial to a renovation’s success. Though the ability to customize, it seems, may prove the industry’s greatest pull. From the carpet’s color to the table’s wood, the possibilities of furniture customization seem limitless. Duarte, who boasts access to international pieces and custom-built furniture, believes that there’s a piece to satisfy every customer’s tastes. “Clients have access to inventory that they wouldn’t have access to in regular retail,” Duarte explains. Her access to foreign pieces, she says, has proven especially helpful for customers looking to commemorate their culture. “They want to include pieces from their heritage…They may be living in the US, but original, they’re from Oxford. One of the things we do is...incorporate those pieces memorable to costumers,” says Duarte. Yet even those who don’t custom-build their wares provide massive selections for homeowners. “We sell everything—paintings, lighting… window treatments, wall decorations…plants,” says Lebowitz, whose level of outsourcing provides customers with a wide array of decorum. With such convenience, affordability, and variety of customization provided to homeowners, it’s small wonder that the industry of interior design is a thriving one. Even amidst the hardships that have no doubt hit every industry, interior design remains an asset cherished by homeowners nationwide. “There’s still lots of opportunities to help clients and to find clients,” says Duarte, “and I think really, it’s up to the designer to find those opportunities. There’s enough business to go around.” MW

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IN HISTORY

Clara Barton By Russell Roberts

“

I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man’s work for less than a man’s pay.

“

~ Clara Barton ~

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When Clara Barton was 30 years old, in the spring of 1852, she penned these gloomy words in her journal: “[I have grown] weary of life at an age when other people are enjoying it most. I contribute to the happiness of not a single object and often to the unhappiness of many and always my own, for I am never happy. How long I am to or can endure such a life I do not know.” These hardly sound like the words of a moxie woman. Yet from out of the depths of her despair, Barton rose to found one of the most successful humanitarian aid organizations in the world. A moxie woman? You better believe it. Barton was born on Christmas Day, 1821, in North Oxford, Massachusetts. Bright, ambitious, and intelligent, Barton knew that these qualities were virtually useless to her in an age when all a woman was supposed to be was a pretty arm adornment for her husband. Barton took one of the few jobs that females were allowed to perform: School teacher. In the autumn of 1851, possibly to lift her spirits, Barton came to Hightstown, New Jersey to visit her friend Mary Norton, who was a teacher there. After a few weeks Barton was ready to leave, but Norton begged her to stay and teach winter school in Hightstown. No woman had ever done such a thing, and possibly it was this factor that made Barton decide to do it. For several months Barton taught a class of about 40 farm boys. However, the longer she taught, the more she was bothered by a simple fact: The boys in her class were only those from families that could afford the school. Then she heard of nearby Bordentown, where gangs of children idly hung around. “Lady, there is no school for us,” sighed one of the boys. Incensed, she badgered the head of the local school board until he finally agreed to let her open a tiny school house for all children. He warned her, however, that it was doomed to failure. On the first day of school, six boys were sitting on the rail fence surrounding the building. The next day that number had climbed to 16. By the end of the week it was 40; then, girls began showing up as well. Eventually enroll-

ment reached 600. Many consider this the first public school in New Jersey. The school was such a success that the school board decided to hire a principal. They did, and in their “wisdom,” it was not Barton, but a man. Disappointed and heartsick, Barton left Bordentown in February, 1854 for Washington, D.C. There she became a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office. Some say that she was the first woman to hold a U.S. government job, although she had to endure numerous trials and tribulations because she was a woman, and Neanderthal politicians thought that a female working outside the home was unacceptable. In 1861 the Civil War broke out, and Barton immediately began gathering bandages, food, blankets and other supplies to help the wounded soldiers who regularly poured into Washington. She knew where she was needed most, however, was on the battlefield. She repeatedly badgered army officials to let her onto the battlefield. They finally relented, and the first battle that she appeared at was Cedar Mountain in August, 1862. “I thought that night if heaven ever sent out a[n] . . . angel, she must be one—her assistance was so timely,” said an exhausted surgeon at the field hospital where she appeared with a wagon full of supplies. Thereafter, Barton became the Angel of the Battlefield, and countless times exposed herself to danger in order to bring aid and assistance to wounded soldiers. In 1869, during a visit to Geneva, Barton became familiar with the work of Henry Dunant and the Red Cross movement. Returning home, Barton fought for approval of the socalled Geneva Treaty that helped establish the Red Cross in this country. The first meeting of the American Red Cross was in the living room of Barton’s apartment in 1881. Barton helmed the Red Cross for the first 23 years of its existence, and quickly moved the organization into disaster relief. It responded to floods, fires, hurricanes, and any other type of disaster in the U.S. where people needed assistance. The woman who once felt that she never made anyone happy wound up bringing aid and comfort to millions. MW

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GARDENING

LIFE. Have you heard?

Folks are talking about how LIFE St. Francis is a different and better kind of health care. It offers a total solution for older adults who experience health problems that limit their daily activities. By providing complete medical, health and social services in one location as well as in participant’s homes, LIFE St. Francis enables older adults to live independently. Care and Services Include: • Adult day health services, including recreational and social programs • Primary and specialty medical care provided by a LIFE St. Francis physician familiar with the history, needs and preferences of each participant • Nursing care, home health care and personal care • All necessary drugs (including over the counter) • Medical specialists such as audiology, dentistry, optometry and podiatry • Respite care, hospital and nursing home care when necessary • Transportation available

For more information about LIFE St. Francis, call

609-599-LIFE (5433)

or visit www.stfrancismedical.org/LIFE. Participants may be liable for the payment of unauthorized or out-of-network services.

GARDENING TIPS FOR THE NORTHEAST

THE MARCH/APRIL TO-DO LIST ACCORDING TO HORTICULTURAL MAGAZINE Photos by Jude Erhardt

1. Start your winter cleanup of the lawn and planting beds. 2. If you let your compost rest over the winter you may want to get it started again. Remember not to add any yard waste from previously diseased plants to the compost pile. 3. Remove burlap wraps and other winter protection by the second half of the month. 4. Pruning can begin in earnest but only for perennials that are not early spring bloomers. You can remove broken or diseased branches from any plant now.

5. Resist the urge to start digging in your flower beds too early. You can damage the soil’s structure. If you pick up a handful of soil, it should fall apart, not stick together like glue. When it’s dry enough, you can start to dig beds and add compost or manure in preparation for planting. 6. As soon as the ground thaws you can begin edging your beds. 7. Fertilize trees and shrubs in late March or early April. 8. Wake up your roses around the middle of the month. Remove winter protection, fertilize, prune, and water.

9. Now that the ground has thawed it is a good time to get a soil test. 10. All spring bulbs should be up and growing now. When you see the flower stalk emerging from the foliage, it’s time to fertilize. Use a complete fertilizer such as 20-20-20 or a special bulb formulation. Fertilize all perennials. 11. Crabgrass will begin to germinate when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees F. So, watch the forsythias and when they bloom apply a crabgrass pre-emergent to your lawn. Hold the fertilizer until after the first mowing. 12. Transplant shrubs, trees and divided plants before they leaf out.

See more at: http://www.hortmag.com/regions/northeast/northeastgardeningearlyspring#sthash.0geYvHkt.dpuf 54

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