The BReeze - January 2011 by Wendy Doheny

The BReeze Bridgewater Township & Raritan Borough, NJ Your Hometown Newspaper Volume 3, Issue 1

www.thebreezenj.com

January 2011

Local Marine Receives Surprise Hero’s Welcome

Cpl. Ryan Radwanski holds the yellow ribbon presented to him by the Yellow Ribbon Club who coordinated his return home celebration. In military families, a yellow ribbon is used as a symbol of solidarity with someone who is far from home, and as an expression of hope that he or she will return safely. Ryan’s wife, Julia, (left) and mom, Jill, (right) display their happiness at the safe return of their loved one.

Cpl. Ryan Radwanski, a Bridgewater resident, returned home from Afghanistan via Camp Pendleton to spend the holidays with his family. What he got was a hero’s welcome – complete with fire trucks, motorcycles, police and rescue vehicles and friends and neighbors lining the streets waving American flags. Cpl. Ryan Radwanski and his wife Julia, both graduates of

BRHS class of 2008, stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts in Branchburg for coffee at around 1:00 p.m. on December 19th, about twelve hours after their plane landed in Newark the night before. With Julia in on the surprise, Ryan was approached by his escorts who asked permission to take him to his final destination, his parent’s home, where a party in his honor was about to begin. With lights flashing and sirens

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Look on each page of this issue to find the monthly symbol hidden in ten advertisements. List the ten ads containing the symbol and email to winthebreezeadgame@yahoo. com or mail to The BReeze, 726 Route 202 South, Suite 320-190, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. The readers with the correct answers will be entered into a drawing. Be sure to get your list to us by

January 10th to be eligible to win. Only one entry per person. Please include with your list your full name and phone number where you can be reached. The winner will be notified by phone and will be asked to make arrangements to go to the business to collect the prize. A photo of the winner with the business owner or manager will be inserted in the next issue of the paper. This month Bench Fashion Floors is offering a bound remnant area rug up to 9’ x 12’ from a variety of choices to the lucky winner. The symbol you will be looking for is mittens with the letters BR in the center (the size may change but not the design):

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blaring the procession wound through the streets lined with thankful neighbors. Yellow ribbons decorated the street and flags waved in the breeze as they made their way to Ryan’s home where family and friends waited anxiously for Ryan’s arrival. It was a sight that stirred the emotions of all who witnessed it. After joyful hugs from his family, Ryan was brought to the center of the crowd by Kathy Worthington of the Yellow Ribbon Club, an organization that arranges and attends celebrations in the home towns of military heroes. “God Bless America” was played by bagpipers from the Somerset County Police Pipes and Drums, and Ryan’s former Boy Scout troop, Troop 84 of Somerville, led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. A short bio was read highlighting Ryan’s life and achievements. Cpl. Ryan Radwanski serves in The Marine Corps and is the son of Jill and Paul Radwanski of Bridgewater. Ryan’s brother Eric also proudly serves in the Marine Corps and is currently deployed in Afghanistan. Ryan’s two sisters, Kim and Amy, are both in high school. Ryan graduated from BRHS with honors and received a Var-

sity letter all four years for wres- deployed to Afghanistan from tling. He also earned an Eagle April to November 2010. During Scout award in 2008 from Boy that time, he earned the followScout Troop 84 Somerville. ing: National Defense Medal; Ryan enlisted in the Marines Global War on Terrorism Medal; in October of 2008 and gradu- Afghanistan Campaign Medal; ated from Parris Island in De- NATO ISAF Medal; Sea Sercember 2008 where he received vice Ribbon; and Combat Action a meritorious promotion as a Ribbon. result of his Eagle Scout status In attendance at the ceremony allowing him to graduate as Pri- to welcome Ryan home were vate First Class. Gene Boyle from A Hero’s WelRyan received a second meri- come; John Miller from Wartorious promotion earning the rior’s Watch; the Red Knights rank of Lance Corporal while International Firefighters Moserving in Recruiter’s Assis- See Marine - Continued on page 5 tance in December 2008. He received the promotion to Cor- See Additional Full Color Photos online at thebreezenj.com poral in March 2010. Ryan was

Anna Madsen, sits on the shoulders of her dad, Dennis Madsen, while holding a sign she made to welcome Ryan home from Afghanistan. Photo/Dawn Wilde

Here Comes Santa Claus Rosy-cheeked children waited anxiously in line at the Quick Chek in Raritan for their chance to have their picture taken with Santa on December 5th. The Tree Lighting Ceremony, sponsored by the Raritan area Chamber of Commerce, included free pictures with Santa and hot chocolate and cookies. Gift bags full of goodies were donated by PNC Bank and TD Bank and balloons were donated by Scott’s Florist. The bags and balloons were handed out by Raritan’s Youth on Main Street group. Other sponsors included Gaetano’s Beauty Salon, Lawn Coffee, Bagelicious, Quick Chek, Value

Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Santa’s helpers arrive in Raritan on December 5th. Photo/Ron Rispoli See Additional Photos on Page 24 Towing, and Raritan Public Works. The event, organized by Greg Lobell and Guy Izzo, culminated with the lighting of the Christmas tree by lifetime Raritan resident Marguerite

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Page 2

The BReeze

January 2011

BReeze Bulletin Board

The BReeze

726 Route 202 South Suite 320-190 Bridgewater, NJ 08807 (908) 393-2669 www.thebreezenj.com yourbreeze@yahoo.com Publisher & Editor: Wendy Doheny Advertising Manager: Dave Doheny Contributing Writers: Bruce Doorly Karras Lambert Pam Laughlin Amy Sepesi

Sacco - Carmody

Contributing Photographers: Alex Hopkins Dawn Wilde Deadlines for the February Issue: Ads: January 10th News: January 15th The BReeze is mailed the first week of each month, free of charge, to all 20,000 residences in Bridgewater Township and Raritan Borough, total population approx. 50,000. The opinions expressed in The BReeze, whether by paid advertisement or editorial content, do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper and its staff. The newspaper staff reserves the right to edit any submission for length and content. Contact the staff or submit an article through email at yourbreeze@yahoo.com.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sacco of Bridgewater announce the engagement of their daughter Christel to Christopher Carmody of Sykesville, MD. Christopher is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Carmody and a graduate of Towson University Maryland. Christel is a graduate of Bridgewater-Raritan High School and will be graduating from Loyola University of Maryland in May 2011. Christel and Christopher met in the Greyhound Army ROTC battalion. Christel will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US Army upon graduation. Christopher is currently a second lieutenant in the Maryland National Guard.

Emad Madha Emad Madha, a 3rd year student from Bridgewater who is in the Academy for Health & Medical Sciences at Somerset

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County Vocational & Technical High School, was elected President of New Jersey Skills USA. In his new position as president of the state organization Emad will oversee the officer team and assist local chapters in accomplishing their goals. In 2009 Emad received the National Entrepreneurship Champion Award presented by NJ Skills USA. He was also a silver medalist in the 2010 Tech Prep NJ Skills USA Championships. Prior to becoming president of the state organization Emad served as the historian. His interests include volunteering on the Green Knoll Rescue Squad and playing soccer on the SCVTHS team. After he graduates from the Academy he intends to further his studies in medicine and pursue a career as a surgeon.

Wanted

Franklyn C. Steinberg, SCBP Chairman, (left) and Michael Kerwin, President and CEO of the Somerset County Business Partnership (right) present Sean Lenahan with The 2010 Young Entrepreneur Award. (Submitted Photo) The Somerset County Business Partnership announced the recipients of the 2010 Economic Vitality awards at their Annual Meeting Luncheon on December 8, 2010, at the Bridgewater Marriott. Sean Lenahan, a Bridgewater-Raritan High School student, was presented with The Young Entrepreneur Award which is given to a full-time high school student and business owner, age 21 or younger. As the recipient of The Young Entrepreneur award, Sean received the $1000 Anthony F. Picheca, Sr. Entrepreneurial Scholarship Award, presented by the Somerville-Bridgewater Rotary Club. Sean’s business, The Mind’s Window, provides quality books and media at below market prices through Amazon.com. Items range from CDs and DVDs to all different genres of literature, including political & history, health & science, business & finance, trade & hobby and much more. The business concept came about when Lenahan was shopping on Amazon.com and realized that he could buy and sell used books online. The effort began by cleaning out his closet of books and listing them. Success led to asking friends and family for their unwanted books followed by visiting garage sales, estate sales and online shopping. Unsold books are donated to local charities or the public library. The company has been operating successfully and at a profit for two fiscal years. Lenahan is applying the proceeds to help finance his college education. The Mind’s Window is environmentally friendly, recycling used books and allowing for the opportunity to make charitable donations and promote literacy and learning. As sales increased, Lenahan hired his brother and plans to form an LLC.

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January 2011

The BReeze

Page 3

BReeze Bulletin Board

Pylyp - Wedmid

John Pacifico of Raritan was honored on November 13th at an award ceremony held at the Governor’s Mansion in Princeton. Photo/Dawn Wilde John Pacifico was presented with a framed “proclamation” as well as a bronze replica of the famous Iwo Jima memorial statue at a ceremony commemorating the 235th birthday of the Marine Corps. Part of the proclamation reads as follows: Whereas, on the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, I am honored to recognize John Pacifico for his ongoing service to New Jersey’s veterans and to his community. The proclamation goes on to say that he has been chairman of the annual John Basilone Memorial parade in Raritan for 23 of the 29 years the parade has been held and he has been very successful in raising awareness of the brave veterans from Raritan who served their country during WWII. The proclamation also mentions that Mr. Pacifico has devoted his life to serving New Jersey’s educational system, and has served as President of the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials and worked as a consultant to the New Jersey Department of Education and that he has been a Deacon with St. Ann’s Church for 33 years. Whereas, through his efforts to honor our courageous service members who protect our freedoms and preserve our way of life, Mr. Pacifico has distinguished himself as a model resident of New Jersey and citizen of the United States.

Radwanski - Haas Julia Christine Haas and Corporal Ryan Eugene Radwanski were married on November 27, 2009 at Calvary Bible Church in Readington, NJ. The bride is the daughter of James and Domenica Haas of Bridgewater. The groom is the son of Paul and Jill Radwanski, also of Bridgewater. Ryan is with the 11th Marine Regiment, based in Camp Pendleton, California. He recently returned from a 7 month deployment to Afghanistan. During this time, he received the Naval Achievement Medal and Combat Action Ribbon, among several other awards. Julia is a biology major at California State University in San Marcos. The couple is living in Oceanside, CA. Both Julia and Ryan graduated from Bridgewater-Raritan High School in 2008.

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Dr. and Mrs. Yuri Wedmid of Bridgewater announce the engagement of their daughter, Tania of Bridgewater, to Yuri Pylyp of Riverside, CT; son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Pylyp of Riverside, CT. The bride-to-be is Vice-President of Arion Devices LLC. Her fiance is President & founder of Arion Devices LLC. They plan to be married June 4, 2011.

What are you celebrating?

We would be happy to publish engagements, weddings, births, school news... Please email us at yourbreeze@ yahoo.com

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Page 4 Tuesday, January 11 The North Branch Reformed Church of Bridgewater invites you to attend a free special and unique seminar, “Protecting Your Most Important Asset… Your Family” from 7:00-9:00 pm at the NBRC Fellowship Hall, located at 203 Route 28, Bridgewater. This presentation will give you a unique perspective on the consequences of not having a plan for long-term care and how it will impact your family and retirement plan. For info and reservations, call 888-8834750. Refreshments will be provided. There is plenty of free parking. Tuesday, January 11 “Beyond Punishment and Rewards” - The Holistic Moms Network of Somerset County will hold their monthly meeting at the Bridgewater Library, 1 Vogt Dr., Bridgewater, from 6:45-9:00 p.m. Do you wish to instill a greater sense of responsibility in your children without threats of punishment or rewards? Join us as Eliane Geren, a Certified Trainer at the Center for Nonviolent Communication in Princeton, gives us a glimpse of how we can begin on the road to making this wish a reality. For more info about HMN and the chapter, visit www.holistmoms.org or email nebowers@ optonline.net.

Wednesday, January 12 Bridgewater Democratic Committee will meet to discuss community improvement initiatives and the legislative process in our community. Community members are invited to attend. Time: 6:30-7:00 p.m. informal interactions, meeting to start at 7:00 p.m. Location: Somerville Diner, 79 US-206, Somerville.

Wednesday, January 12 Stuart E. Weisberg, Author of Barney Frank: The Story of America’s Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman will be discussing his book at the JCC, 775 Talamini Rd., Bridgewater. The road Massachusetts native Congressman Barney Frank took to win his position was anything but simple. In his biography Barney Frank, Stuart Weisberg tells the struggles Barney Frank lived through to become only the 2nd Jewish Congressman ever from Massachusetts. Spend an afternoon with Weisberg as he tells the story of a man who was able to overcome prejudice and criticism and accomplish his goals, all while remaining proud of his Jewish heritage. To register call the JCC at 908-725-6994 x. 201.

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Wednesday, January 12 Adult CPR/AED Class will be held from 9:00-1:00 at the American Red Cross, 14 West Cliff Street, Somerville. To register call 908-725-2217 x 234 or visit the website: www.american-redcross.org. Saturday, January 15 Adult CPR/AED Class will be held from 9:00-1:00 at the American Red Cross, 14 West Cliff Street, Somerville. To register call 908-725-2217 x 234 or visit the website: www.american-redcross.org.

Saturday, January 15 Introduction to Scratch: Basic Computer Animation will be held at the Bridgewater Library from 10:30-11:30 a.m. for students in grades 6 – 8. Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own animation. Learn the basics to get started, and save your work to continue the fun at home. If you would like to save your work please bring a memory stick (flash drive) or a floppy disk. Registration begins January 3. Wed., January 19 & 26 Wednesday Night Knitting at the Raritan Library - Join certified knitting instructor, Sammi Sherwin, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. as she guides you through the process of felting. Basic knitting skills are required, including cast on, knit and bind off. You’ll be making a felted mini purse/accessory bag. Beginners

who have never knitted before, and want to learn the basics, can make an appointment in advance of the first session. Call the library at 908-725-0413 to register and find out what supplies are needed. Saturday, January 22 The Bridgewater Raritan HS East Class of 1985 will be having its 25th Reunion at Hunterdon Hills Playhouse. If you are a graduate, please visit www.brhseast.com for information and ticket purchases. If you are in contact with a graduate, please pass on this website to them or send their email information to brhs85reunion@aol.com. Wednesday, January 26 Open House - St. Ann School, 29 Second Ave., Raritan, will host an open house for prospective pre-K through 8th graders today from 7:30-9:00 p.m., and on Sunday, Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and Wed., Feb. 2 from 9-10:30 a.m. Come and visit to see how your child can benefit from enrolling. For info call Kelly, the school secretary, at 908-725-7787. Saturday, January 29 Mr. Ray Concert at Pluckemin Church Preschool, 311 Route 202/206 North, Pluckemin, at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $10/person at door; under 2 years free. Call 908-658-4720 for more info. Sat. & Sun., January 29 & 30 Annual 4-H Winter Train Show - The Somerset 4-H Train-

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Stuart E. Weisberg Wed., Jan. 12 at Noon Author Program to Follow Lunch

Barney Frank - The Story of America’s Only Left-Handed Gay, Jewish Congressman Judith Viorst Author

Wed., Feb. 2 at 12 p.m. Program to Follow Lunch

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masters Club will hold their 2011 Model Train Exhibition at the Ted Blum 4-H Center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgwater, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 per adult and $1 per child (children under 12). The Somerset 4-H Trainmasters is a club of hobbyists who build and operate an o-gauge modular model railroad. Their objective is to learn teamwork while mastering the skills and techniques of model railroading. Club membership is made up of kids from the 4th grade to the 13th grade (one year out of high school). Each club member constructs a straight modular section in accordance with the hobby’s standards.

Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble to Perform at North Branch Reformed Church The North Branch Reformed Church Music Committee will host a performance by the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble on Sunday, March 20, 2011, at 4:00 pm. For more information about the Handbell Ensemble, go to their website: www.phillybells. org. Tickets will go on sale for this concert mid-January 2011 ($10/adult and $5/children 10 years and under). For tickets call 908-526-0191 (Pat Harmer). Profits will go toward local mission work.

Plans Underway for Immaculata High School Reunions Attention all Immaculata High School Alumni, if you are a member of the class of 1971, 1972, 1986 or 2006, and are interested in finding out information about your class reunions, please contact John Hack at jhack@immaculatahighschool. org or call him at (908) 7220200 x 222.

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Un-Expectedly Eighty: And Other Adaptations Joel Chasnoff, Author/ Thurs., Feb. 10 at 7:00 pm Stand Up Comedian

The 188th Crybaby Brigade: A Skinny Jewish Kid from Chicago Fights Hezbollah

Events will be held at the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center, 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater For more information and to register, please call the JCC at 908-725-6994 x201. www.ssbjcc.org/jlife.htm

January 2011

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January 2011

Odds Favor Fun at Casino Night Fundraiser Set for February 4th

The BReeze

Marine - Continued from page 1

Page 5

Fundraiser to Support Bridgewater Miracle Child

Cpl. Ryan Radwanski Photo/ Mikk Hinnov A Casino Night fundraiser is being held on Friday, February 4th from 7-11 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 375 Union Avenue, Bridgewater to benefit the BRHS Class of 2010 Project Graduation. This is an â&#x20AC;&#x153;adults onlyâ&#x20AC;? event and includes a basket raffle. Tickets are on sale now for $50.00 per person which includes $100 play money per person if you RSVP by January 19. After January 19, you will receive $50.00 play money per person. Additional play money is available for purchase at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Casino.â&#x20AC;? The price of the ticket also includes food/dessert and soft drinks. There will be a cash bar available. A DJ will be providing entertainment for the evening. Sponsorships are also available for purchase as follows: GOLDEntertainment Sponsor: $2000 ($1000 Chips); SILVER-Table Sponsors: $500 (limited quantity-$250 Chips); BRONZE-Ad Loop Sponsor: $250 ($100 Chips). All sponsors will be included in a live Ad loop to be displayed throughout the evening on video screens and LCD displays. To purchase tickets or sponsorship please mail a check payable to BRHS Project Graduation, P.O. Box 6569, 600 Garretson Rd., Bridgewater, NJ 08807. Include with your check: your name, phone number, email address, number of people attending, and total enclosed. If you would like to purchase a sponsorship, please designate level, i.e. Gold, Silver, Bronze or Other. For more info please call Vicky Madzey at 908-725-7332 or Jolene Piersanti at 908-203-9577. Come out with your friends and enjoy a fun-filled evening to benefit the class of 2011!

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torcycle Club; the Bridgewater Police Dept.; the Branchburg Police Dept.; the Green Knoll, Martinsville and Finderne Rescue Squads; all Bridgewater Fire Companies; Bridgewater Mayor Patricia Flannery; Bagpiper and Bridgewater resident Brian Gibney of St. Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Hampton Pipe Band who played â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Marineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hymnâ&#x20AC;?; and Ed Blackwelder of Operation Jersey Cares. Gabrielle Holtz, 12, of Bridgewater passed around a signature book collecting well wishes that she later presented to Ryan. After the presentations, Ryan thanked everyone for being there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I did not expect anything like this. This is definitely a big surprise. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to say, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really happy to be back and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad that I was able to come back.â&#x20AC;? Ryan asked the crowd to keep in mind the guys who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to come back or who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come back in the same condition in which they left. Kathy Worthington then turned him over to the waiting crowd where he was greeted with handshakes and hugs and words of thanks for his service and sacrifices. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Ryan and Julia were married last year. Their wedding announcement appears on page 3. See more photos at thebreezenj.com.

Ariana McGuire of Bridgewater was struck in the face with an arrow last summer. After 8 surgeries her story of recovery is truly an example of bravery and perseverance through incredibly difficult odds.

Beginning on July 20th, the meaning of the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;miracleâ&#x20AC;? was brought to life. Ariana McGuire and her sister, Briana, of Bridgewater, were playing at a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house this past summer when Ariana wandered into the path of an arrow shot by a boy practicing archery in the same vicinity. The arrow wedged itself between the then 7-yearoldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nose and right eye. After the arrow sliced through a cerebral artery, it settled into the left temporal lobe of her brain. After 8 surgeries and much hard work and dedication from the family, friends, doctors, and by Ariana herself, this star has begun to shine just like she always has. Her story of recovery is truly an example of bravery and perseverance through incredibly difficult odds. Few can imagine the astronomical medical expenses associated with Ariannaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healing and rehabilitation. It is with this thought in mind that The Friends of Ariana and Immaculate Conception Church will be hosting a fundraising Pasta Dinner on her behalf on February 4, 2011 from 5-7:30 p.m. in the Immaculate Conception School cafeteria. Tickets will be sold at $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 10 and under. Tickets may be obtained by sending a check payable to Immaculate Conception Church, noting Ariana in the memo, and by mailing the check to Immaculate Conception Church, c/o Gary Gavula, 35 Mountain Ave., Somerville, NJ 08876. Money for tickets is due by January 31st. Donations can also be made out to Immaculate Conception â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ariana Benefit and sent to the same address.

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Page 6

The BReeze

The Raritan Social Club has again answered the call for toys for needy children by donating to the annual “Toys for Tots” collection hosted by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the U.S. Marine Corps. Formed last year, the Raritan Social Club is dedicated to promoting economic and social growth within the Borough of Raritan through community service, social events and neighbor-

hood outreach. The organization partners with both local businesses and residents in order to enhance the quality of life for both the citizens of Raritan and those in need in the surrounding area. In the spirit of this philosophy, the group recently organized its second annual “Toys For Tots Night,” which was held at Mugs Restaurant in Raritan on Dec. 8. Over 400 new toys were collected, which will be distributed to

January 2011

Bridgewater Lions Club Celebrates the Holidays at Bridgewater Senior Center

Raritan Club Collects Toys for Tots in Cooperation with Sheriff’s Office

The Raritan Social Club collected Toys for Tots for the second year in a row, in cooperation with the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office. Pictured left to right are Sgt. Alan Santoro, Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano, Raritan Social Club members Rob McGinley, Robert Miller and Anthony Soriano Jr., Sgt. Steven SanAntonio and Sheriff’s Officer Michael DeRosa.

needy children in the surrounding area. Those who brought a new toy became eligible for door prizes provided by a number of local businesses. Club members thanked all those who donated for the event, and the following local businesses for contributing to the event’s success: Mugs Restaurant, SantaSpeaking.com, Espo’s Restaurant & Bar, Cafe Picasso, Raritan Hair Cuttery, Liquor Barn and Jason Washer of jaywashdesigns.com. Club members also thanked students and faculty members of St. Ann’s School in Raritan, Hamilton School in Bridgewater , and Old York Elementary School in Branchburg who also collected toys for the event. “This is the second year in a row that the Raritan Social Club went above and beyond and I want to thank them on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, the Marine Corps, and all the children who will receive a new toy this Christmas,” said Sheriff Frank Provenzano. He also thanked the many Somerset County employees who donated toys at the dropoff location in the lobby of the county administration building.

Members of The Bridgewater Lions Club unveil the large-screen tv they donated to the Bridgewater Senior Center. The Bridgewater Lions Club and Harmonium, a Classical Choral Society, celebrated the holiday season with local seniors on November 30th. At this occasion, the Lions Club donated a large-screen television to the Bridgewater Senior Center, and a concert was performed by Harmonium. In addition, the Lions brought a mobile visual-screening unit to provide free screening for seniors or anyone else in need. Two professional eye doctors, Dr. Duan, Dr. Sun, and their staff, joined the event to help with eye exams and follow-up consultation. Senior Center Director Donna Langel was presented with the District Governor’s Friendship Banner as a sign of the Lions Club’s continuing support and service in years to come. Known for working to end preventable blindness, Lions are an international network of men and women who participate in a vast array of projects and demonstrate a strong commitment to community service. The newly established Bridgewater Lions Club aims to serve its community with a variety of activities. In addition to vision related projects, we have supported other valuable community activities including Relay for Life organized by American Cancer Society.

Celebrating Chanukah - Erica Kerman proudly displays the Scouting For Food - With support from the Bridgewater com-

munity, the Food Bank of Somerset County received significant donations as a result of the annual Scouting for Food Drive. (L-R), Kevin Kurz, Matt McClelland and Dan Renna, along with members from Pluckemin BSA Troop 154, collected 377 bags on November 18th and delivered the donations to the Somerset County Food Bank. A total of 2,810 bags were collected throughout the county by local Boy Scout troops.

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January 2011

The BReeze

Don’t Leave It To Chance: Working Toward Your Financial Goals When it comes to setting financial

goals and figuring out how you’re going to reach them you can’t leave it to chance. By definition, a goal has a deadline, and in order to reach it you need a strategy—you have to do certain things, in a certain order, by a certain date. Whether your goal is to save enough money, to put your children through college, fund a comfortable retirement, or purchase the vacation home you’ve always dreamed of, it will take time and planning to meet these goals. “I don’t have time,” you say. Besides, “I don’t know where to start.” Perhaps we can help. Step 1 – Identify Your Needs List your goals and the time frame in which you wish to reach them. Investing is like planning a trip: you need a goal or destination and a schedule before you can determine the best route.

Step 2 – Clarify Your Goals Now determine what you need to do to reach these goals. How? Simply answer your questions. How long do I have until I need to reach my goal? What tax issues do I need to consider? How much do I need to accumulate by then? What level of risk am I willing to take? The answers to these questions require research and oftentimes the help and advice of your financial professional. Also, there are some unique issues to consider: College Funding: If college funding is one of your primary financial goals, you need to establish the approximate cost of tuition, room, and board at schools you’d like your children to attend. To this you should add other expenses such as travel to and from school, projected cost of books, etc. This total is then adjusted for the impact of inflation which will depend on the number of years until the money is needed. Retirement Preparation: A number of issues, including the uncertain future role of Social Security and increasing life expectancy, have made preparing for retirement a priority. Take some of the guesswork out of your retirement, by addressing your current situation now. Step 3 - Construct An Investment Program With the range of investment possibilities available today, it’s possible to construct a program for virtually every need. The key: narrow down the options appropriate for your situation. To make this easier, you may want to consult your financial professional. Oftentimes, they will have access to financial systems or tools that will help you design a personalized portfolio. Even if you’ve already identified your financial goals and planned an investment portfolio to meet them, it’s still a good idea to check them against these steps. If you haven’t set a program in place don’t procrastinate any longer; get started on your goals today! Courtesy of and provided for Salvatore J. Longo, CFP

Office: 973.299.9222 ext. 305 Email: Sal.Longo@langdonford.com Fax: 973.299.9227 Website: www.langdonford.com Langdon Ford Financial, Inc. Morris Corporate Center #3, 400 Interpace Parkway, Building C, First Floor, Parsippany, NJ 07054 Tel: 973- 299-9222 Fax: 973-299-9227 www.langdonford.com Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Securian Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Langdon Ford Financial, Inc., and Securian Financial Services, Inc independently operate under separate ownership © 2010 Securian Financial Group, Inc. All rights reserved. DOFU 8-2010 A03423-0810

Volunteers Needed at Somerset County Courthouse The Operations Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey for Somerset County is seeking volunteers for an information center at the Somerset County Courthouse. Volunteers will assist members of the public to more effectively access the services provided by the New Jersey court system in Somerville. Volunteers must enjoy meeting and greeting people and be willing to direct court visitors to their proper destinations, and give general information and guidance without offering legal advice. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Customer-service experience would be helpful. Submission to a background investigation is required. Halfday shifts are available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. For an application or additional information, contact the General Volunteer Coordinator David Beverly at (908) 231-7605 or send an email to david.beverly@ judiciary.state.nj.us.

Page 7

And the Winner is...

Congratulations to Nancy DiDario of Bridgewater who was the winner of our Find the Snowman symbol contest. Nancy won a restaurant gift certificate for two from the Stoney Brook Grille. Nancy is shown receiving her prize from Stoney Brook Grille Manager Michelle Sheeran (on left). Nancy was delighted with her good fortune and is looking forward to using the gift certificate.

Stoney Brook Grille is Celebrating Their One Year Anniversary by Offering Great Deals to their Loyal Patrons!

In celebration of their One Year Anniversary and as a small token of gratitude, the Stoney Brook Grille is offering 15% OFF your lunch or dinner. See coupon below for details. Also on the day of their anniversary, Wednesday, January 12th, they’re offering a free dessert with your dinner. Stoney Brook Grille has culinary trained chefs who use only the finest and freshest ingredients in all dishes and are ready to prepare your individual meals to order. Our award winning Sunday Brunch is available from 10a.m.–2p.m. The restaurant offers on and off premise catering with a beautiful private room for your special event. Stoney Brook Grille’s Happy Hour Specials run from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1-6 p.m. on Fridays. The same great specials run again Monday through Friday from 9-11 p.m. Let the bartenders at the Stoney Brook Grille mix your favorite cocktails while you enjoy watching the big game on the HD televisions. On Friday nights starting at 10 p.m. you can dance the night away at the “SBG” as the DJ spins your favorite music. Stop in and enjoy a unique dining experience at the Stoney Brook Grille!

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Kangaroo Kids Learn the Spirit of Giving - Community Service is a year round tradition at

Kangaroo Kids Child Care & Learning Center but holiday time brings a special joy in giving. Young children can understand the importance of helping others by role modeling significant adults in their lives and by being included in events that give back. The students and parents of Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center continue to demonstrate their generosity of spirit as they collect donations of food and toiletries for those less fortunate in the community. Even these young waddlers at Kangaroo Kids are beginning to understand that it is important to help others. “I am thankful for all the kindness and support the parents have given us,” said Fatima Pidany, lead teacher in the Waddler Room. Miss Fatima and her co-lead Teacher Jackie Russano Weiss who coordinated this event, said there was overwhelming family participation. Thanks to the generosity of parents and families, Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center delivered 200 pounds of food to the Somerset County Food Bank. Photo above: Kangaroo Kids Waddler class Dalton, Bennett, Noah, Andre, Michael, Bradan, Vivian, Ava, standing Samantha, Teacher Jackie Russano Weiss, Teacher Fatima Pidany, Nicholas

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Page 8

Adamsville School Hosts PJ Party & Clothing Drive

Five Star

Mrs. Gallagher, a 2nd grade teacher at Adamsville School, reads to a group of children during the PJ Party on December 3rd. On December 3, 2010 the students at Adamsville Primary in Bridgewater put on their pajamas and slippers and came out to hear their teachers read their favorite stories to them. During the evening a book sale was held for the students, as well as the teachers. The teachers made wish lists for their classroom libraries, in hopes that the parents would purchase a book and donate it to their child’s classroom. When a book was donated it included a label inside with their family’s name on it. A clothing drive was also held by Fashion Republic, who specializes in processing used clothing and shipping it to people in need. The Adamsville PTO will receive money for every pound of clothing, blankets, shoes, purses and stuffed animals they collected during the evening. The money will go towards future PTO events. “As we enter the ‘season of giving,’ the PTO is proud to announce the purchase of two SMART Boards. One SMART Board will go into a 3rd grade classroom and one to a 4th grade classroom,” said Maryellen Hardy, PTO Co-President. “We are very excited that all of our efforts and support are paying off to give back to our children in the classroom.”

The BReeze

January 2011

Volunteer of the Month Meet United Way Volunteer Beth Kullback by Pam Laughlin Beth Kullback has been a volunteer with the Somerset County United Way for five years helping people in her local community. The United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. Many common focus areas include helping children and youth succeed, improving access to health care, promoting self-sufficiency, and strengthening families. Kullback feels strongly about volunteering and says, “I am so blessed with good health, a great family, great friends and work that I enjoy. It only feels right to me to try and help those that aren’t as fortunate. There are so many less fortunate than me it only feels right to give back and help where and when I can.” Kullback believes that volunteering at the Somerset County United Way is a great way to make new friends, learn more about the community you live in, while at the same time lending a hand to those that are struggling. She especially enjoys when her time is spent helping someone reach their own personal goals or when she can help an organi-

Beth Kullback zation move forward in fulfilling its mission. One of her favorite volunteer experiences with the Somerset County United Way was being part of the Women’s Initiative. Kullback says, “There are several ways to be involved from attending the annual Women’s Initiative Breakfast where money is raised, to being a member of the group that reviews applications from the various organizations requesting funding. It is a great way to learn more about issues affecting girls and women in our community. The best part is knowing we are helping to make a difference in someone’s life!” But she is quick to point out, “Volunteering doesn’t have to take a large commitment of

time. Sometimes just spending an hour with someone is enough to make a difference.” For Kullback, the Somerset County United Way was a perfect fit. She gives this advice to people thinking of joining the SCUW, “Find an organization that feels like a good match with something you care about and give it a try.” To learn about the Somerset County United Way’s drives and volunteer events, like Days of Caring, Gifts of the Season, Stuff the Bus, CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) and much more, view their website at http://www.scuw.org/ or call at (908) 725 – 5598. Their Online Volunteer Center database lists the various volunteer opportunities for Somerset County and surrounding communities.

Do you have someone you’d like to recommend as Volunteer of the Month? It’s a great way to give recognition to someone who devotes their time and effort to others. Contact us at yourbreeze@ yahoo. com.

January 2011

The BReeze

Page 9

Local Dance Group Auditions for Paula Abdul

Members of the Bridgewater Senior Club Helen O’Neil (on left) and Irene Zaczek pack baskets of food for families in need. Thanksgiving was a little brighter for six families in Somerset County because of the generosity of the Bridgewater Senior Club. Receiving the names of six families from the Social Services Agency in Somerville, the seniors got busy collecting food and money to provide for the needs of these families. Baskets were delivered containing a wonderful variety of food products and turkeys to make their Thanksgiving celebration memorable. A Christmas collection for another six families was made as well with baskets of food being provided plus toys and Christmas gifts for the children. The Bridgewater Seniors made a generous donation of $1000 for the Thanksgiving and the Christmas Project. Well done, seniors!

Members of the Bridgewater Roxis are (back row L-R): Doris Bracht, Gerry Sobel, Dottie Turse, Barbara Hart, Joan Chao, Mary Lou Dittmar, Rosalie Manella; (front row L-R): Rupali Chakravarti, Lu Winchock, Winnie Seidel, Jan Sopko, Jo Surace, Annette DelRocco, Marion Harris, Lily Cheng The senior dance group, the Bridgewater Roxies, whose agerange goes up to eighty-two, were invited by the production company of Paula Abdul to audition for their new dance competition, “Live to Dance” airing in January. On October 14 the Roxies were at the Jacob Javits Center in NY, one act among 500. They performed a dance routine for two sets of judges and passed

both auditions. There were eighty acts that were invited to another round of auditions. Then on Oct. 16 they appeared at the specially constructed dome at Liberty State Park before Paula Abdul, Travis Payne who was the choreographer for Michael Jackson, and dancer-singer Kimberly Wyatt, a former Pussycat Doll. The Roxies thoroughly enjoyed the experience and espe-

cially appreciated both the good wishes of the many talented and much younger competitors and the honor of having been called to show that age doesn’t matter when it comes dance! “Live to Dance,” but also, we can “Dance to Live.” The premiere of the new show will be on CBS on January 4. - Submitted by Dottie Turse

Immaculata High School Holds Thanksgiving Food Drive -

Students and faculty members collected enough food to jam pack two of the school’s Campus Ministry vans. The food was donated to the Food Bank of Somerset County in Bound Brook and the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (S.H.I.P.) in Somerville. Pictured above is Elyse Shahbazian of Bridgewater with a basket full of food to be loaded into the van. - Submitted by Kerry Hannan

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Bridgewater Senior Center Hosts “The Nutcracker” - On December 4th the Bridgewater

Senior Center hosted the New Jersey Youth Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.” This abridged and fully narrated version was choreographed by David Kieffer, Samantha Wyland & Corinne Mucha. The children performed to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. A good time was had by all!

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Page 10

The BReeze

A Walk Down Memory Lane with Marguerite Corona

Marguerite Corona By Pam Laughlin CDs with a 15% interest rate; a trolley ride for five cents; a sirloin steak big enough to feed eight for fifty cents; 2 pounds of sugar, a stick of butter, milk, and a dozen eggs for less than one dollar – where is this little slice of heaven? In Raritan, NJ as remembered by 94-year-old, lifetime resident, Marguerite Corona. “Those were the good old days,” smiles Marguerite. Marguerite, mother of 2 children (Marilyn Forte of Randolph, NJ and Frederick Corona Jr. of Mendham, NJ), grandmother of three and great-grandmother of four, has lived her entire life on Thompson Street in Raritan, New Jersey and has great memories to share. Marguerite shines when she reminiscences about her childhood. “I had a wonderful childhood. We didn’t have much money, but we had a lot of fun. We played baseball, hide and seek, hopscotch, double-dutch jump rope, rolly poly, and roller skated after school. We would play baseball out on the street. There weren’t a lot of cars then. Main street wasn’t even concrete yet and there were trolley tracks

right in the middle of the road. You don’t see the kids do that today. Today, you see kids walking around with a bottle of water in one hand and a cell phone in the other. That’s the youth of today. But we couldn’t wait to get out of school and roller skate on the sidewalk.” Raritan has changed a lot over the years. The new apartment buildings used to be the Woolen Mills, Stop & Shop used to be home of the “dumps”, a trolley would go from Somerville to Middlesex with stops in between, the Quick Chek was home to a house that looked like an Oklahoma Hotel, and the St. Rocco Celebration used to be Raritan’s smaller version of the Feast of San Gennaro. Marguerite shares, “We’d all march in the procession in the festival and have money pinned on us.” As a lifetime member and pillar of St. Ann’s Church in Raritan, at age fourteen Marguerite was president of the St. Theresa Club and was nicknamed, “the baby of the Parish.” Marguerite is proud to say, “I was baptized there, took all of my sacraments there and have been president of most of the societies they have.” This includes president to such clubs as the Rosary Altar Society, St. Ann’s Golden Age, and St. Ann’s Lunch Bunch. Marguerite laughs, “I even started the PTA before we had a school. Every year I did more and more. I’ve always been very active in the church and still am. I’ve been given many titles too, like St. General, Mother Superior, and even The Boss.” Today, Marguerite goes to mass every morning, is part of St. Ann’s Finance Committee and is responsible for bringing the collection money to the bank. She is President of the Lunch Bunch, where once a month grandparents of the 7th

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& 8th grade students have lunch with the students. Marguerite does the cooking. “I make soup and sandwiches and dessert. I make minestrone soup, chicken noodle soup, and wedding soup. I make sandwiches – ham and cheese, tuna fish. We have a lot of fun,” she says. Marguerite grew up in a family of eight, 4 girls and 4 boys and was next to the last one in age. Their second home on Thompson Street was home to their father’s confectionary store and they lived above the store. “I was too little to reach the counter and my dad used to put a cigar box or empty soda box so I could reach the counter and help people. We were always in business,” smiles Marguerite. It seems the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. After high school, Marguerite worked for the Raritan Savings Bank in the Bridgewater tax office. When they needed new office space, Marguerite offered up the empty confectionary store as their location. She worked with ledger books to calculate shares and varied mortgage payments. Marguerite points to her head and says, “I used this and figured out the mortgage payments.” Marguerite lived upstairs. “I would

run upstairs, set the timer, put my roast in the oven, and run downstairs and take care of the bank,” she says. And as the bank grew so did Marguerite’s responsibilities. She started as a teller and continued as an assistant treasurer, manager, and retired as Assistant Vice President. Today, she is a retiree of the Somerset Savings Bank with 42 years of service under her belt. “They still contact me every month and call me to go to the retirees breakfast every 2nd Monday of the month. And I still go. They’ll call and pick me up and sometimes my daughter comes with us. When I retired they gave me such a party - all the bankers came,” she says proudly. Marguerite has this to say about Raritan. “It’s a friendly town with friendly people. I like the people. And I know all the people from being in banking all of these years. People still come up to me and say, ‘Hi, Mrs. Corona. Do you remember me? You gave me my first mortgage.’” You may have seen Marguerite at the Chamber of Commerce Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 5th. As a pillar of the community, she was asked to light the tree this year and she did a great job!

Marguerite Corona (center of photo) stands with Santa, Mrs. Claus, Frosty and Santa’s helpers after lighting the tree at the Chamber of Commerce sponsored Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 5th in Raritan.

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Big Game Snack Recipe: Multi-Filling Wrap Ups At this time of year I always like to think of game snack ideas! For anyone who knows me, you know that the snacks are my favorite part of the game! This idea was originally for ham and cheese, but I started getting creative one day and I hope you like the combinations too. It’s basically all done with crescent rolls. One package of crescent rolls makes about 20 to 24 wraps....so let’s get wrapping! For each combination you will first roll out the crescent rolls from the tube. Pinch the angled edges together so that you get 4 rectangles. Use a rolling pin and stretch them out to about 6 inches by 4 inches. They don’t have to be exactly that size but as close as you can get. For the ham and cheese wraps, once the pastry is rolled out, spread mustard thinly over the dough. Cover with a deli slice of ham (any flavor, any brand… thin sliced works really well). Then cover the ham with cheese. I use the individually wrapped American cheese because it melts really well. Now roll the dough...you will roll the 6 inch side up so that you have a 6 inch tube. Use a pizza cutter to slice 1 to 1 1/2 inch smaller wheels. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 375° until the crescent rolls are golden. Times vary because they are small so keep a good watch on them. You can use turkey instead of ham, or use pepperoni, roast beef, and my favorite...pastrami. I spread the mustard, then layer pastrami, canned saurkraut, cheese and a little dab of Thousand Island or Russian Salad dressing...it’s like a bite sized deli! These can be done ahead of time, and popped into the oven to warm them up before serving. Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy, and Yummy New Year! Donna G.

Hirsch Re-Elected as RVCC Board Chairman CONSTRUCTION

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Dr. Paul J. Hirsch of Bridgewater has been re-elected to his third term as chairman of the Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) Board of Trustees. Dr. Hirsch was re-elected to a one-year term during the Board’s reorganization meeting, held November 30 at the College’s Branchburg Campus. During the meeting, Dr. Catherine Hebson McVicker of Califon was chosen to continue serving as the vice chair from Hunterdon County and Evelyn S. Field of Bridgewater was selected to continue serving as the vice chair from Somerset County. The terms for vice chairs are for one year. The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall planning and policymaking for the College.

January 2011

The BReeze

Page 11

Dance Students Participate in New Jersey Nets Pregame Show

JCC to Hold Membership, Preschool & Camp Open House on January 9th

The JCC will be holding an Open House on January 9 from 1-4 p.m. Special one-day savings will be offered for fitness memberships, and for new Summer Camp and Blaustein Early Childhood Center registrations. The JCC will be launching Les Mills BodyPump on January 9 with a free class demo at 2 p.m. (Photo by the JCC) details on memberships, including fees and benefits, are posted at: www.ssbjcc.org (click on the Membership Page) or call 908725-6994 x201. The JCC Blaustein Early Childhood Center offers programs for ages 15 months through Kindergarten with open registration. Preschool and daycare hours are 7:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The Toddler Day Care Program is a year-round program and has open registration. Swimming, physical education and music are part of the curriculum. Mommy & Me and Summer Camp are available. For information, contact Lauren Lippitt at 908-725-6994 x208; LLippitt@ ssbjcc.org. Camp Ruach offers programs for campers ages 15 months through 9th Grade. Registration is available in 4-week, 6-week and 8-week sessions. Preschoolers can register for half day, full day and 3-day programs. Camp Ruach has three swimming pools - indoor and outdoor - four sports fields, climbing wall, high and low ropes courses, great indoor facilities including a gymnasium, and much more. Busing is included. Lunches, Early Care and Late Stay are also offered. For info visit www.ssbjcc.org/ camp.htm or call Lauren Paniccia at 908-725-6994 x264; campbus@ssbjcc.org. The Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center includes a Fitness Center, indoor salt-based pool, outdoor pool open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and group fitness studio. For info call 908725-6994 x201.

OPEN HOUSE

Members of Bridgewater Dance Academy’s “Faith Force” Dance Company participated in the New Jersey Nets Dance Clinic and Pregame Performance hosted by the Nets Dancers. By Dave Mountney At 5:30 a.m. on weekend mornings, most teens and tweens can be found deep under the covers of their beds. On this particular chilly fall morning, the members of “Faith Force” Dance Company at Bridgewater Dance Academy were answering the call of their alarm clocks. The Company, along with over 250 other dancers from around the region had an 8:00 a.m. call at the Prudential Center in Newark. These young performers were participating in the New Jersey Nets Dance Clinic and Pregame Performance program hosted by the Nets Dancers. Preparation for the clinic actually started a number of weeks earlier. The dozen or so participating dance studios received a DVD with the music and some of the hip-hop moves that were to be used during the clinic and performance. Ms. Michelle Olekna, artistic director and proprietor of Bridgewater Dance Academy along with Ms. Kimberly Procter, instructor and

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studio choreographer, had the Company members start learning and practicing these moves right away. On the day of the performance, the Nets Dancers worked with their new students teaching the choreography and formations. When they had their protégés ready for the pregame show, they presented Nets jerseys to each dancer. As Nets fans started filling the seats, the stadium lights dimmed, the announcer made the introductions, the music started, the spot lights scanned the hard court, it was show time! This was the fourth year “Faith Force” participated in the clinic and performance offered by Nets Dancers. Ms. Olekna noted “As artistic director I think it’s im-

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The Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center (JCC) located at 775 Talamini Road in Bridgewater, will be holding a Membership, Preschool and Summer Camp Open House on Sunday, January 9, 2011 from 1-4 p.m. The community is invited to attend. Tours of the JCC, and special one-day savings will be offered. The JCC is waiving the Joiner Fee on new memberships (save up to $200) and is also offering 13 months for the price of 12 on a JCC Star Membership. (Offer applies to new memberships only and cannot be combined with any other offer.) In addition, the JCC Blaustein Early Childhood Center is offering $100 off new school registrations, and JCC Camp Ruach is offering $100 off new Camp 2011 registrations. (Some restrictions apply on Open House offers; call the JCC office for details at 908725-6994 x201.) Open House guests are invited to swim in the indoor pool, workout in the Fitness Center, and participate in a free Les Mills BodyPump fitness class demo at 2 p.m. A JCC Star Membership includes use of the Indoor Pool, Summer Swim Club, Fitness Center, Gymnasium, Unlimited Group Fitness Classes for the membership year, and member rate for all other classes and programs - all for one low price. The JCC’s Summer Swim Club/ Outdoor Pool is open Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. The JCC offers a variety of memberships including family, couple, single, senior, teen, college and corporate. Additional

portant to expose young dancers to all types of performance venues and forms of dance.” Fourteen year veteran of BDA and sophomore at Mount Saint Mary’s Academy Cassie C., an aspiring college and professional dancer, did not relish the predawn wake-up call but did enjoy learning and interacting with the Nets Dancers. BridgewaterRaritan High School freshman Rhiya K. who dances to relieve stress and forget about any worries, found the clinic at the Prudential Center to be not only a new experience but an adventure. Eisenhower School student Danielle W. who dreams about being either a dancer or meteorologist just enjoyed dancing all day while Hanna R and Julia R. both of Hillside School were excited to be on the floor of a world class arena. Bridgewater Dance Academy is located in the Villa Plaza on Route 28 in Bridgewater and can be found on Facebook as ‘Bridgewater Dance Academy’. The Academy offers a wide variety of dance instructions for youth and adults including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, Pointe, liturgical, acro, and Spanish along with a Mommy and Me program. Though the long day ended with the Nets losing in the closing seconds of the game the members of “Faith Force” Dance Company left the arena with a renewed excitement toward their passion, Dance!

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Bridgewater Dance Academy AD PROOF

New Jersey Savvy Living – October/November 2010 Issue

° 48 HOUR RESPONSE REQUIRED BY 10/18/10 Conveniently located in the Villa Plaza Date: ________________________________________ 490 Route 28, Bridgewater 908-722-9551 To: __________________________________________

Happy New Year!!

Fax:__________________________________________

Year Off Right...Join a Dance Class! PleaseStart checkthe your ad carefully for accuracy.

Ballet Tap Jazz Hip Hop Acro-Tumbling AD ISPointe APPROVED ❑ Spanish Flamenco Mexican Folkloric Liturgical indicated and send revised ❑ Please make changes proof Lyrical Modern Mommy & Me Signature ________________________ Date_________ Private Coaching for USAG & JOGA/Dance Floor & Beam

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This proof must be approved or corrected, signed and dated, and returned within 48 hours. Please sign, date and return all proofs whether corrections are needed or not. You may approve the ad by e-mail, but these terms still apply. If proofs are not received back by the publisher within 48 hours, the advertiser agrees that the ad is approved to print with no corrections or changes, with no signature or date required, and waives the right to make any further changes.

1 Month Tuition Holiday Offer

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Please return proof by e-mail or fax: ads@ctbintl.com Offer Expires: February 1, 2011 or 973-966-0210.

If you have any questions, please call our Production Dept. at 973-966-0997 x17 Note: Proof is low resolution and is not intended to be a 100% accurate representation

Page 12

The BReeze

January 2011

Char Restaurant Hosts 2nd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Char Restaurant in Raritan hosted their 2nd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Monday, November 29th to benefit St. Ann’s Church Social Ministry Program. Charles Dickens Christmas Carolers sang holiday favorites while the crowd enjoyed free cookies and cocoa. A holiday address was given by Monsignor Corona of St. Ann’s Church. After which the 75 foot Norwegian Spruce tree was lit. The tree was adorned with over 10,000 LED and strobe lights by the world famous Torsilieri family; the same family that decorates Rockefeller Center’s tree. Once the tree was lit, Santa sat underneath and passed out presents to each child. This event was also an opportunity for the community to help out the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program by bringing unwrapped toys to donate. Visiting with Santa are: (above) Char Manager Driss El Bouazzaoui’s two daughters, Sophia and Lailah and their friend Batoul Anouss; (top center) Ben Kessler of Bridgewater; (top right) the Marago family of Raritan L-R: Victoria (4), Liliana, (3) Olivia, (4) and Analisa (6); (right) the Sullivan family of Raritan; and (far right) Serena Papavero. Photos/Dawn Wilde

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January 2011

The BReeze

Page 13

Community Members Become Teachers for a Day

Adam Pianka teaches history classes at BRHS. Above: Board of Education Vice President Evan Lerner teaches one of Mr. Pianka’s classes. For most of us it has been more years than we care to think about since the last time we stepped into a classroom. On November 30th a group of school board members, township committee members, PTO leaders and public figures were given the opportunity to return to the classroom, not as a student, but as a teacher! The Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association sponsored Teacher for a Day Program aims to help the public understand how education has changed over time. These brave volunteers experience firsthand how curriculum, technology, government requirements, and college admissions have changed the profession of education. The Teacher for a Day program allows individuals from the community to experience an entire school day under the watchful eye of a regular classroom teacher. Guest teachers perform all the duties a teacher would do in a normal day including lesson preparation, leading and teaching class, performing lunch and hall duty, recess supervision, study halls - in order to “walk a mile” in educators’ shoes. The following individuals par-

ticipated in the program: Adamsville School: Beth Ann Stauffer, 2nd grade teacher & Fred Mountjoy, Raritan Public Library Board of Trustee; Bradley Gardens School: Emily Clancy, Kindergarten teacher & Anne B. Johnson, PTO Rep; BRHS: Mike Poe, Math teacher & Peter Starrs, BRRSD Board Secretary; BRHS: Kathy Galvao, Business teacher & Al Smith, BOE; BRHS: Steve Beatty, Social

Studies teacher & Jim Naples, Bridgewater Twp Administrator; BRHS: Michael Bittner, Business teacher & Greg Lobell, Raritan Councilman; BRHS: Adam Pianka, Social Studies teacher & Evan Lerner, BOE VP; BRHS: Beth Perna, Math teacher & Jeffrey Brookner, BOE President; BRMS: Kristin Knapp, 8th grade Social Studies & Pat Breslin, BOE; Crim School: Karen McGrath, 4th grade teacher & Paul Grzella, Editor of the Courier News; Eisenhower School: Karen Popadiuk, 5th grade teacher & Pat Flannery, Bridgewater Mayor; Hamilton School: Tara Ryan, 4th grade teacher & Sue Rogalsky, PTO; JFK School: Cathy Lopez, 1st grade teacher & Sue Collins, PTO; Milltown: Kyle Newell, Physical Education teacher & Victor Laggini, Raritan Councilman; Van Holten School: Carolyn Richardson/Jill Cenzano, Kindergarten teachers & Lynn Hurley, BOE; Van Holten School: Alicia Piniat/Kristin Johnson, 3rd grade teachers & Howard Norgalis; Bridgewater Councilman.

Raritan Councilman Greg Lobell teaches one of Michael Bittner’s business classes at the high school.

Hamilton School PTO member Sue Collins (foreground) takes over teaching duties for 1st grade teacher Mrs. Lopez at JFK School. Photo/Dawn Wilde

Bradley Gardens PTO Co-President Anne Buckley-Johnson took over teaching duties for Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Emily Clancy. Photo/Dawn Wilde

Raritan Councilman Victor Laggini (center) taught Physical Education with teachers Kyle Newell (left) and Joe King (right) at Milltown School. Photo/Dawn Wilde

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Page 14

Pluckemin Church Preschool Celebrates 40th Anniversary

During the Pluckemin Preschool’s anniversary celebration, children were entertained with balloon creations, face painting and a sing-a-long, and the adults enjoyed a walk down memory lane viewing memorabilia which spanned the 40 year history of the school. The Pluckemin Church Preschool recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary on November 13, 2010. A ministry of the Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, the Preschool was founded by a small group of church members who had a vision of a school that would promote the love of learning and instill Christian values that would be carried throughout a child’s years beyond Pluckemin. Guests of honor at the event included the original founding Director of the Preschool, Shirley Young, and Barbara Hagan, who retired after serving as Director for thirteen years. According to Linda Metcalfe, current Director, “It is comforting to know that in an ever changing world, so many of the values and lessons remain the same here at Pluckemin. My hope is that the school will continue for many more years touching the lives of children and families in such a positive way.” During the celebration children were entertained with balloon creations, face painting and a sing-a-long, and the adults enjoyed a walk down memory lane viewing memorabilia which spanned the 40 year history of the school. The evening closed with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque. In presenting the plaque Mrs. Metcalfe said “We thought that it was fitting to memorialize the longevity of the Preschool and recognize those who have been instrumental in the school’s success. Today we unveil a commemorative plaque that lists the names of our early supporters and Directors, and teachers who have retired with 10 or more years of service to the Preschool.”

Pluckemin Church Preschool

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311 Rt 202/206 North - Pluckemin

The BReeze

Register this Month to Play Raritan Recreation Baseball & Softball Boys and girls, kindergarten and up, can register to play Raritan Recreation softball and baseball. You can register by mail: Raritan Recreation, P.O. Box 125, Raritan, NJ 08869, check or money order must be included. OR register in person on January 22 or 29, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the basement of Raritan Borough Hall, 22 First St., Raritan. If you have not supplied a copy of your birth certificate in the past, please do so on the day of registration. Registration fee: Raritan residents: $60/per participant; $120/two participants from same household; $35/ each additional participant. Non-Raritan residents: $70/per participant; $140/two participants from same household; $35/each additional participant. You will be advised of the date and time for evaluations at a later date. Tentative opening day: April 16th at Frelinghuysen Park. Women and men are needed as managers and coaches.

Registration is open for Zumba Classes through Raritan Recreation. The classes will be held on Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m. for 16 weeks. Classes start on January 4th and will be held at John F. Kennedy School gymnasium, Woodmere Street, Raritan. The cost is $130. Registration forms are available at Raritan-online. com, Raritanboro.org, on Facebook at Raritan Recreation Commission, the Raritan Library, the Raritan Municipal Building and the Raritan Recreation Office – mail in registration or register in person at the Recreation Office located behind the firehouse on 16 Anderson Street in Raritan (evenings 7-9 p.m.). For additional information, please call the Recreation Office at 908725-9411.

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One-Man Band Visits Raritan Senior Center - Seniors

at the Raritan Senior Center were entertained and serenaded by Jino Begishev, a one-man band from Brooklyn, NY, who sang and played American, Spanish, Russian, Jewish and Italian ballads and songs. The Raritan Senior Center, located at 614 1st Avenue in Raritan, provides seniors in the surrounding area with activities to keep the mind, body, and spirit active and engaged. Photo/Pam Laughlin

BRHS Band Members Participate in Tree Lighting Ceremony - On November 28th Santa and Mrs. Claus kicked off

the Westfield Tree Lighting Ceremony at North Avenue Train Station in Westfield. The event featured performances from several Bridgewater students. Festivities included traditional holiday carols played by members of the Westfield Community band, under the direction of Barry Rosenberg. This year the band welcomed Bridgewater-Raritan High School musicians Chris Aiello, Dan Costello, Dan Rosenberg and Brian Jeremiah to play along. – Submitted by AnnaRene Jeremiah

Battle of the Bands winner End of Discussion celebrates their victory after the competition on December 10th at BRHS. Photo/Alex Hopkins

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January 2011

The BReeze

St. Ann’s School Launches Distance Learning Program

Children from St. Ann School listen intently as a remote presenter teaches them about the lifecycle of leaves during a program that launched the school’s new Distance Learning program. “Mommy, I went to the Bronx Zoo today!” “Daddy, do you know why leaves change color…I do.” “Grandpa, I got to ask a scientist six questions about plasma and lightning.” These are the conversations that are occurring among families of children from St. Ann School. They’re busy chatting about a whole new world that has been opened to them with the school’s launch of their Distance Learning program. In just the first few weeks, every student has experienced this new educational media which allows students to take “virtual field trips” or to receive instruction from a remote presenter over an interactive video conferencing

connection. So far, students have learned about the life cycle of a leaf through the Camden Children’s Garden Center. Some visited the Bronx Zoo and learned about Food Webs by analyzing their own body’s energy needs and the role of various plants and animals in the food chain. Others learned about the life and legends of St. Nicholas and even learned a traditional Swedish holiday dance. Most notably, the 7th and 8th grade Science class had their textbooks come to life as Dr. Jose Lopez, a physicist from the Center for Microplasma Science & Technology at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, talked about how air, motion and friction relate to plasma. Dr. Lopez also

shared practical examples of the research that his team is pursuing, like how plasmas can be used to purify drinking water or how they can reduce drag on an airplane’s wing to improve fuel efficiency in flight. At the conclusion of this presentation, Sr. Rita Tassinari, Vice-Principal noted, “Our students learned today about topics that aren’t even written in textbooks yet. We are excited that our new Distance Learning program is providing our teachers with opportunities to illustrate and augment their core lesson plans. It is bringing the world to our students and is stimulating their learning beyond the traditional classroom experience.” St. Ann School is proud to be the only parochial grammar school in Somerset County to have a Distance Learning program. It is the latest technology implemented and complements the 30-seat computer lab and the in-classroom technology including computers and flat screen TVs. St. Ann School is hosting Open Houses on Wed. Jan 26th 7:30pm, Sun. Jan 30th 10am-1:30pm and Wed. Feb 2nd 9:00am. Call Kelly at (908) 725-7787 for more information, to schedule an alternative time to visit or to schedule a time for your child to shadow a St. Ann student for the day.

Scouts Donate Cookies to Operation Jersey Cares

F -X C h a n ge

Some of the members of Brownie Troop 275 visited with Mr. Joe Yuzuick, one of the officers of Operation Jersey Cares on November 24, 2010 as they dropped off a large girl scout cookie donation. All the girls from the troop participated in two girl scout cookie booths

held during November during which they collected donations of cookies from generous shoppers. The troop donated seven cases of cookies and about $70 in monetary gifts to Operation Jersey Cares. Operation Jersey Cares is a

Chicken . Ribs . Seafood 691 East Main St., Bridgewater-Finderne (1/4 mile west of TD Bank Ballpark)

732-469-4111

DEBIT AND MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

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.d o

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Somerset County based volunteer group comprised of area residents and veterans. They selflessly collect, organize and mail thousands of care packages to troops overseas as well as to returning soldiers and their families. - Submitted by Lisa Jarvis

Page 15

Dining Spotlight Chicken Holiday

Chicken Holiday staff (L-R) Pablo Badilla, owner Maria Finn, and Manager David Kessler are ready to give you a holiday from cooking. by David Doheny The year 1968 was filled with important events. The Vietnam War was raging, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were both assassinated, Richard Nixon was elected president, and Chicken Holiday opened in the Finderne section of Bridgewater. One of the oldest continually operating businesses in the township, Chicken Holiday has been giving local homemakers a “holiday” from cooking lunch and dinner for 42 years. My family and I have been ordering chicken dinners, tubs of wings, and party packages from Chicken Holiday since 1993 when we moved back to this area. We know we can always count on a delicious meal and we are willing to drive out of our way because of the size and quality of the chicken compared to other local chicken franchises. Down the street from TD Bank Ballpark at 691 West Main Street, Chicken Holiday has been at the same location since Bridgewater resident and original owner Iraj “Danny” Daneshrad opened it, with an expansion into the shop next door in 1986. Maria Finn, owner since 1989, insists the restaurant be kept spotlessly clean and uses only fresh chicken and quality vegetable oil. Maria says, “We pressure cook the chicken because it sears in the flavor and keeps the oil out, and, our chicken is cholesterol free with zero grams trans fat.” Because all dinners are cooked fresh to order and they never use heat lamps, please allow for 10 minutes cooking time. You can call in your order ahead of time for speedy pick-up and tables are available for in-house dining as well. Long-time Bridgewater resident and employee Dave Kessler has worked at the franchise for 31 years! “I started part-time in high school, when I was 15 years old.” Now the manager, Dave is a regular and welcome fixture at the establishment and largely responsible for the consistent quality of product and service. In addition to chicken, Chicken Holiday serves barbeque ribs, shrimp, seafood, wings, and salads to the same high quality standards. Twister fries, french fries, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, mozzarella sticks, and fried vegetables are just some of the side dishes available. Custom Party packages are available along with those regularly offered on the menu. The Bridgewater Chicken Holiday menu, specials, and coupons (see below left) can be found at www.chickenholidaybridgewater.com. One tradition my family keeps is to order Chicken Holiday chicken wings for the Super Bowl. Because of their popularity, be sure to call (732) 469-4111 and make your reservation early (up to a week ahead) for a cooked to order Super Bowl party package!

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Page 16

Local High School Students Give Generously to the United Way

SCESC Alternative Academic High School students donated 11 large shopping carts of clothing and spent the morning organizing donated gifts at the Somerset County United Way. On December 10th, students from Somerset County Educational Services Commission Alternative, Academic High School once again delivered for United Way’s Gifts of the Season/Wrapped in Love campaign. Team leaders, Samani Drew and Sardan Fofanah, both juniors at SCESC were able to surpass last year’s effort and encourage donations resulting in 54 bags of new and like-new clothing for children and adults. The girls formed the group S.O.S. (Students Operation Salvation) when discussing the desire to contribute with their counselor, Mrs. Kaiteris. Members of SOS traveled to the United Way drop-off site last Thursday and helped sort and stack the donations. “SOS is a positive influence for us, the community, and the school,” said Fofanah after carting bag after bag across the warehouse floor. “The United Way gave us the opportunity to contribute in a way we haven’t had before. It has changed us and I think we will always be giving like this now and encouraging others to do the same. That’s gotta make a difference in the world.” SCESCAAHS has several programs where students become involved in community service and environmental concerns. The Green Team recycles school wide and volunteers for community service projects. Bigs/Littles pairs older student mentors with elementary students to foster social skills in a “Big Brother-Big Sister” relationship.

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The BReeze

January 2011

Community Welcomes New Sports Complex

Cutting the ribbon at the Grand Opening Ceremony for Branchburg Sports Complex are (L-R): Laureen Lauber; Mark Lauber, CEO & Founder of BSC; Bill Christie (father of governor Chris Christie); Matthew Lauber (younger son); Markus Lauber (older son); Bob Bouwman, Branchburg Mayor; Eric Sullivan of Sports Facilities Advisory; and Nina Marroccoli, Marketing & Sponsorship Manager for BSC. Photo courtesy of Jeannie Chapkowski of Outta Sight Photography

by Pam Laughlin The Branchburg Sports Complex (BSC) is a 78,000 square foot sports facility with action packed sports activities geared towards the entire family. The sports complex, owned by Mark Lauber, was once the location of his wine wholesale and distribution business. When he sold his wine business he decided it was time to take action on a lifelong dream to build the best sports facility providing fun and excitement for the whole family. Today, this converted warehouse space is home to three indoor turf fields; four batting cages; a beautiful fitness center; a four-level, state-of the art, interactive urban jungle-themed laser tag arena; an arcade entertainment center with approximately fifty brand-new arcade games; the popular Lil’ Kickers soccer franchise for children; fitness classes; ballroom dancing lessons and much more. Fun cards are available for purchase and can be used as debit cards for activities throughout the facility, such as arcade

games, laser tag, and concession stand purchases. The Branchburg Sports Complex hosts children’s birthday parties with varying themes such as laser tag, arcade, Lil’ Kickers soccer, baseball, dodge ball, and kickball. They also host corporate events ranging from holiday parties to customized team building programs. Conference rooms are available for seminars, team building, and moraleboosting programs led by trained instructors.

The BSC laser tag arena is truly the best of the best. Creative Works designed a 9,000 square foot, Disney-level, urban jungle theme with 4 levels of ramps and suspended walkways. The arena features black light murals and two sixteen foot tall droid robots and is the most advanced laser tag arena on the East Coast, making for an intense, high impact experience unlike any other. The Arcade Entertainment Center is family oriented as well, with games for both kids and adults. As you play the games, tickets are accumulated and can be redeemed for great prizes. The BSC has four batting cages equipped with Iron Mike pitching machines that are convertible for both baseball and softball – throwing pitches at up to 85 mph. Wi-Fi is located in the lobby, along with televisions and a concession stand, giving parents a nice place to relax while their children play soccer or baseball. Branchburg Sports Complex has something for the entire family. The Complex is located at 47 Readington Road in Branchburg. To learn more about the BSC, visit their website at www. branchburgsportscomplex.com or call them at 908-203-1600.

Recently the Today Show visited the BSC and filmed a Lil’ Kickers soccer class. Submitted Photo

January 2011

The BReeze

Page 17

Students from John F. Kennedy School Share Their New Year’s Resolutions

Billy

Callie

Students from Miss Kritzar’s 4th grade class at John F. Kennedy School in Raritan recently answered the question, “What do New Year’s Resolutions mean to you?” Their answers appear below. Visit our website at thebreezenj.com to see additional responses from the students in the class.

To me a New Year’s Resolution means that everybody should stop bullying and calling people names. I want to get better at math and get better at social studies and dividing numbers. I hope that everybody is being respectful to one another.

New Year’s Resolutions mean taking on new goals. My resolutions are to get good grades and have better hand writing. I also need to be better at home. I also need to be nice to everyone... even my sister.

What do New Year’s Resolutions mean to me is like a new fresh start in a new different year. My New Year’s Resolution is to not be lazy during piano practice, being consistent in doing things, and to keep up my grades. I hope I can accomplish these things.

Billy

Callie

To me New Year’s Resolutions mean that it is a fresh new start. My New Year’s Resolution is to stop watching TV as much as I do and read instead. I also want to get better at math. New resolutions are important.

Elvis

Trinity

Michael

Brazil

Harris

Elvis

Trinity

Michael

What a New Year’s Resolution means to me; well to me, it is sort of like a pledge to say what your goal is for the year. You try to do it. Mine is to be better at handwriting, writing, and reading.

Krystal

What New Year’s Resolutions mean to me is...to start fresh with a new year. My New Year’s Resolution is to work on my math and to be more active and not lazy every day. It will be great if I could be more active and so I could work more on my math. That is my new resolution.

Brazil

New Year’s Resolutions mean to think of good things to do that you haven’t done and put it on a list, but it really means to make yourself a better person. I want to stop being sassy, more respectful and to be more truthful and friendly.

Harris

My New Year’s Resolution is to try having straight A’s and to be nicer to my sister. I want to have neater cursive writing. A New Year’s Resolution means that you have something that you want to improve. I also want to be more respectful to my friends and family.

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the North Branch Reformed Church Preschool’s Fall Family Festival students were asked to donate their leftover Halloween candy to Operation Gratitude, a charitable organization that sends care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed in harm’s way. Each child that brought candy received a toothbrush and toothpaste from Dr. Michael E. Fodor, Family and Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Fodor also included 144 units of toothpaste, toothbrushes and floss for the troops. The kids donated over 153 pounds of candy and Dr. Fodor kindly paid for the packaging and shipment to Operation Gratitude’s headquarters in California.

Page 18

The BReeze

January 2011

PANTHER SPORTS Sports in Short

by B.J. Grill and Kyle Paustian Boys Basketball - The boys basketball team will feature many

new faces this winter. Among them are Juniors Robbie Myers, Isiah Solomon, Stevie Danyluk, Scottie Bieda and Mike Condo. Returners include point guard Sal Vitello, forward Justin Leeds, guard Andrew Ortelli and forward Derek Beck. Vitello runs the show, the catalyst for BR’s offense and defense. On opening night, December 17th, the Panthers took on cross-town rival Immaculata. Despite being heavy underdogs, BR came out on top with a final score of 65-57. Head coach Gene McAteer in his third year looks to lead his team to the county title and a group IV playoff run.

Girls Basketball - The girls basketball team is coming off a 24-

win season with an all group IV center in Kristen Helmstetter and an all county guard in Brittany Beer. This year, two names to look out for are Jessica Venturelli and Robin O’Dell. These two seniors will lead the Lady Panthers on both offense and defense. Thanks to Venturelli’s 15-point game in the season opener against Immaculata, BR was able to cruise past the Spartans. Watch for head coach Dorcas Miller to take this group of girls all the way to the group IV final.

Junior Richie Krisak attacks the Pingry goal. Richie’s goal and two others for the Panthers were not enough to beat Pingry that night. BR - 3 Pingry - 6 Photo/Alex Hopkins

Wrestling - One word to describe the 2010-2011 wrestling squad:

experienced. Starting with the big man, 1st team all-area football center and captain Pete Machala will wrestle at 285, where he holds a career record of 24-8 at that weight. Next is 1,000 yard rusher Jamar Archer, who will wrestle at 152; look for his success on the gridiron to transfer to the mat. The final senior is Karim Abozied, who has a real chance at a county title at 135. The underclassmen to watch is Valerio LaMorte, who is coming off a 25-8 freshman campaign at 112.

Girl’s Winter Track - When it comes to the girls winter track team, one name stands out: Marisa Ruskan. Nicknamed “The Dash” Ruskan was a star on the soccer field this year for the Lady Panthers, and she hasn’t stopped playing at a high level for the winter track team. In the O’Leary Invitational, Ruskan finished first in the 600 meter, her first time ever running the event. If she can keep putting up times like 1.14.83, she and the team will have plenty of success this season.

Ice Hockey: The ice hockey team is coming off one of its most

respectable seasons by reaching the quarterfinals of the state playoffs last year. This year the Panthers, who are led by returning leading scorer David “The Golden Boy” Monahan and senior show stopper Mike Haggerty have greater expectations and hope to capture a state championship to kick the new decade off with a bang.

The Bridgewater-Raritan boys defeated Westfield 115.5-54.5 in their meet on December 17th at the YMCA in Bridgewater.

Boys Swimming: When talking about the most dominant sports

in Bridgewater, how can one forget both the Boys and Girls Swim Teams. For the boys, the top five swimmers from last year’s Group IV title team return, and with that, comes bigger expectations. At first the Group IV Championship looked satisfying enough, but after annihilating arch rival Westfield by a score of 115.5-54.5, going for the number one overall ranking in New Jersey turned into the ultimate goal.

Girls Swimming: The Girls swim team has a very similar make

up to the Boys team. They have the majority of their event winners returning, and behind the upperclassmen comes a group of talented young guns that adds depth to an already state title contending team. With a victory over Mount St. Mary’s in the early going, the girls solidified their position at the top in the county. This year might be the year that we see both the Girls and Boys bring home the state crown.

Boys Indoor Track: Boys Track = Jake Ruskan. That is all

that can be said. The inferno himself is returning for his last indoor campaign and he is sure to bring on the fireworks. Last year’s 1600 meter time of 4:23 in the spring was lights out, and knowing how competitive this beast is, he expects to break that personal record.

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Fans watch Panthers Sal Vitello #13 and Justin Leeds #20 defend the basket in their season opener against Immaculata. The BRHS Zoo Crew cheered the team on to a 65-57 victory over Immaculata.

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January 2011

Sport

The BReeze

BRHS Varsity Sports Schedule Date Place

Boys Basketball 1/4 1/7 1/11 1/15 1/18 1/20 1/22 1/25 1/27 Girls Basketball 1/4 1/6 1/11 1/13 1/15 1/18 1/20 1/25 1/27 1/29 Ice Hockey 1/4 1/7 1/14 1/15 1/18 1/21 1/22 1/28 1/29 Boys & Girls 1/5 Winter Track 1/8 1/12 1/17 1/29 Boys & Girls Swimming 1/4 1/6 Girls - 1/8 Boys - 1/8 1/11 1/13 1/19 1/21 Boys - 1/26 Wrestling 1/5 1/8 1/12 1/15 1/19 1/22 1/25 1/29

Home Away Home Home Away Away Away Away Away Away Home Away Home Away Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Away Home Home Away Away Away Away Away Away Home Away Away Home Away Home Away Home Away Home Away Away Home Away Home Away

Opponent

Hillsborough Gil St. Bernards Franklin Academy Charter HS Watchung Hills Hunterdon Central Perth Amboy Immaculata North Hunterdon Hillsborough Gil St. Bernards Franklin Voorhees MLK Classic at New Brunswick Watchung Hills Hunterdon Central Immaculata North Hunterdon East Brunswick Morristown Ridge Pingry Cranford Brick Memorial Watchung Hills Ridge Montgomery Ridgewood Pietrewicz Invitational Cliff Back Invitational Valentine Invitational PSAL MLK Relays Skyland Championships Hillsborough Hunterdon Central

Time

7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 7:20 p.m. 5:10 p.m. 6:50 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 7:20 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 5:10 p.m. 7:50 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Skyland Ind. Champs @ Montgomery 10:00 a.m. Skyland Ind. Champs @ Montgomery 4:00 p.m. Pingry 3:30 p.m. Montgomery 3:45 p.m. Scotch Plains-Fanwood 3:00 p.m. Cougar Invitational @Montgomery 4:00 p.m. CBA 3:30 p.m. Hunterdon Central 7:00 p.m. Tri-Match 9:00 a.m. Montgomery 7:00 p.m. SCIAA at Hillsborough 9:30 a.m. Watchung Hills 7:00 p.m. Quad at East Brunswick 10:00 a.m. Scotch Plains-Fanwood 7:00 p.m. Quad at Colts Neck 9:00 a.m.

Subject to Change - Please see http://www.brrsd.k12.nj.us for the latest updates

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Page 19

Send your photos and news to yourbreeze@ yahoo.com

Cheer Squad Places 3rd at Nationals - Congratulations to

the Bridgewater-Raritan Pop Warner Jr. Midget Cheer Squad for placing 3rd at Nationals in Disney on December 8, 2010. Their journey this year began at the Mountain Valley Conference placing 2nd; tied for 1st at State’s and placed 2nd at Regions to earn their spot from the Eastern Regions to compete at the Nationals in Disney. Many of the girls on the squad began competing together at the Jr. Pee Wee level and have reached the Nationals now 4 years in a row placing in the top 3 (medal round) each year of their division. Photo/Dawn Wilde

Immaculata High School Student Evon Previte of Raritan signs his National Letter of Intent for Wagner College. Behind him are FCA moderator John Hack, Principal Sr. Regina Havens, New Jersey Twins Coach Wilson and Vice-Principal and Athletic Director Pierce Frauenheim. Submitted Photo Evon Previte, an Immaculata High School Senior from Raritan, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at Wagner College, Staten Island, New York. Previte, a pitcher, was honored as the Under Armour Team One Player in 2009. He was also honored as Pre-Season All American Player in 2010 by Perfect Game and Baseball Factory. At Immaculata, Previte participates in different Campus Ministry service projects including leading retreats, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, shopping for food for the elderly, and preparing food in soup kitchens. He is also involved with The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a club that meets weekly to discuss the meaning of being a Christian athlete. In addition, Previte uses his baseball talents to teach young Bridgewater Recreation players how to pitch. Previte is looking forward to his career at Wagner College. “This is such a great honor getting a scholarship to Wagner College. I felt Wagner was the best place for me to become a better player and person. I am very thankful for all those people who have supported me and helped me make my decision.” – Submitted by Kerry Hannan

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Page 20

Adamsville School has Breakfast with Frosty

Frosty with second graders: Elisa Tarbell, Olivia Stillwagon, Anthony Altobelli and Michael Golembeski. On December 11th the Adamsville School in Bridgewater celebrated the holidays by having Breakfast with Frosty along with a Holiday Gift Shoppe, provided by the Adamsville PTO. The children and their families gathered to have a light breakfast and to have their pictures taken with Frosty. Throughout the morning the children watched Frosty movies on a big screen TV and made wintry crafts such as picture frames and snowmen. During this time the Adamsville families were able to do some holiday shopping. The children were escorted around the Holiday Shoppe by PTO members and assisted in selecting affordable holiday gifts for their families. While the children shopped, their parents shopped at the vendor tables, which included cookware, purses, holiday arrangements, candles and jewelry. “This was a family fun event, not a fundraiser” said Wendy O’Hara, PTO Co-President. “The families really enjoyed themselves.” The next event that will be held by the Adamsville PTO will be the Family Bowling Night on January 15th. - Submitted by Jill Tarbell

The BReeze

Calco: Bridgewater’s Forgotten Award-Winning War Production Plant

The plaques outside Somerset Patriots Ballpark have a story to tell. by Bruce Doorly On the walkway from the parking lot to the Somerset Patriots Baseball Stadium there is a 5’ x 3’ structure that has two old looking plaques mounted on it. The plaques are not very eye catching and are hard to read, as they have bronze letters on a bronze background. On game nights, crowds walk right by them in their excitement to see the baseball game. On the way out, baseball fans anxious to get home again, ignore the plaques. But one might wonder what these plaques are for? If we take a look, we see that one plaque is dedicated to the workers from a place called The Calco Chemical Division. It states: “Dedicated In Honor of the Men and Women of Calco Chemical Division The American Cyanamid Company Who Served Our Country in World War II and In Memory of the Following Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice.” It then lists the 67 Calco workers who died fighting the war. The other plaque says something about an Army-Navy “E”

Award. A local resident, if he stops to read the plaque at all, may wonder what was this company called Calco? Where was it? And is this Army-Navy “E” Award a big deal? Calco was a manufacturing complex made up of dozens of buildings located just across the railroad tracks from today’s baseball stadium. The land is now almost empty. The large parking lot for its 4000 employees is where the baseball stadium parking lot is today. Calco was a division of the American Cyanamid Company. During World War II, 19411945, Calco made tremendous contributions to the war effort. They produced sulfa-drugs that prevented infections caused by wounds suffered in battle. In addition they made the dyes used in camouflage uniforms. They also produced chemicals used in making war supplies. For their part, Calco was honored with the Army-Navy “E” Award. This prestigious award was given by the U.S. government to manufacturers demonstrating contin-

Learning to Clean House Without Hurting the Planet - Members of the Holistic Moms Network of Somerset County are shown above making homemade green cleaning products at a workshop held on November 10th. Members learned to make a bottle of “all purpose cleaner” using non-toxic substances such as vinegar, liquid soap, essential oils and fruit extracts. If you’re interested in joining the Holistic Mom’s Network please contact Nance Bowers at nebowers@optonline.net or refer to the Bridgewater Library calendar of events for their monthly meeting dates. – Submitted by Nance Bowers

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Calco, ever growing and expanding, is shown here in 1941 constructing another building at the Bridgewater complex.

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ued excellence in production of war materials. While Calco was located in Bridgewater (on the Bound Brook border) it was identified with Bound Brook as they had a Bound Brook mailing address that was used in their ads and correspondences. During Calco’s first decades, Bridgewater was not a very developed town. It was mostly farmland, so Bound Brook handled its mail. Calco’s origin began during the First World War. In 1915, the outbreak of war in Europe cut off American manufacturers with many imported products as the British had blockaded German shipping. One of the products no longer available was the various dyes that had come from Germany. To fill the gap, a textile manufacturer in Somerville, The Cott-A-Lap Company, decided to try and make their own dyes. They created a company named Calco. The name was based on the first letters of Cott-A-Lap. They read German textbooks, did some of their own research, and succeeded in making their own dyes. When they began planning to manufacture the dyes, Somerville residents voiced their concerns about pollution. So the owners decided to relocate to a more isolated area. They purchased 18 acres of land in the southern part of Bridgewater on the Bound Brook border. This location was chosen for its proximity to the railroad line and the Raritan River. They went through a good deal of trial and error in their first few years. Their big break came at the end of World War I in 1918, when through the spoils of war, the German manufacturing secrets were made available to U.S. companies. Calco management and scientists were talented and ambitious and they quickly put this once secret information to good use. They grew the tiny start-up company into a large scale manufacturer of dyes and other products. While they grew, they still struggled financially as many research and development companies do. In 1929, they were acquired by The American Cyanamid Company. The new parent company then brought a great deal of their dye manufacturing under the Calco control in Bridgewater. Then in 1935, a drug, sulfonamide (sulfa), was found to react biologically with infections. The introduction of this drug had initially been described in a public thesis in 1908, therefore it was not patented. Seeing the green light, several companies undertook it to research and develop a practical version of this new drug that could ward off infections. Calco was the first in the U.S. to do this. Within a few years they were able to create a practical drug. Mass production of these Sulfa-drugs soon followed. To be continued... Next month you’ll learn about other products produced by Calco; women in the workplace; and production awards earned by Calco.

January 2011

School Calendar Jan. 3 - School Reopens Jan. 4 - Hillside - Drama Info Meeting 5th Grade - 3:40 p.m. Jan. 5 - BRHS - 8th Grade Parent Orientation - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5 - Hillside - Drama Info Meeting 6th Grade - 3:40 p.m. Jan. 5 - Hillside - Market Day Pick-up - 4:00 p.m. Jan. 5 - Adamsville - PTO Meeting - 7:00 p.m. Jan. 6 - BRHS - Band Concert - 8:00 p.m. Jan. 6 - Van Holten - PTO Meeting - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 - JFK - PTO Family Game Night Jan. 10 - BRHS - PTO Meeting - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11 - BRHS - Band Parent Assoc. Meeting - 7:00 p.m. Jan. 12 - JFK - PTO Meeting Jan. 13 - BRMS - Winter Band Concert - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 - Milltown - Fuddruckers Night Jan. 14 - Crim - Grades 2-4 Movie Night Jan. 14 - Van Holten - Pasta Night Jan. 14 - Adamsville - Family Bowling Night - 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14 - Hamilton - Top Chef - 7:00-9:00 p.m. Jan. 17 - School Closed Jan. 19 - Bradley Gardens - PTO Meeting - 7:00-8:00 p.m. Jan. 20 - BRMS - Orchestra Concert - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 - Bradley Gardens - Schwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Frozen Food Truck - 3:00 p.m. Jan. 21 - Bradley Gardens - Movie Night Jan. 21 - Crim - Grades K-1 Movie Night Jan. 21 - JFK - PTO Spaghetti Dinner Jan. 21 - Hamilton - Valentines for Vets Jan. 21 - Hillside - PTO Meeting - 9:30 a.m. Jan. 21 - Hillside - 5th Grade Rec Night - 7:30-9:00 p.m. Jan. 25 - JFK - Market Day - 5:00-6:00 p.m. Jan. 26-Feb. 1 - BRHS - Mid-term Exams Jan. 26 - Milltown - PTO Meeting - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 - BRMS - PTO Meeting - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28 - Eisenhower - Healthy Dance Jan. 28 - Van Holten - Pasta Night (snow date) Jan. 28 - BRMS - Volleyball: Adamsville v. Bradley Gardens - 6:30 p.m.

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Page 21

Panther Perspective What is Your Resolution for the New Year? Although winter break is over, 2011 is only just beginning. I feel safe in assuming that many people have already declared their infamous New Year resolutions, seeking self-improvement through stoic endurance. But really, have you ever permanently adopted the change you seek through your self-imposed pact? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure some people have, which is great. In my experience, though, the amount of willpower necessary to reform bad habits is overwhelming and sometimes can seem impossible. But, of course, no goal is unattainable with the right motivation and a healthy measure of perseverance. Instead of setting some vague goal such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will lose weight

this yearâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will eat healthy food,â&#x20AC;? perhaps it would be better to be more specific with your resolution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will lose thirty pounds this yearâ&#x20AC;? is a better substitute for sure, but I think further specification can be even more beneficial. Setting small goals over a larger period of time, such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will lose two pounds a week for fifteen weeks,â&#x20AC;? undoubtedly helps in maintaining focus on your resolution beyond the first few weeks of the New Year. Another major factor that traditionally causes resolutions to fall by the wayside is a lack of motivation. It is pointless to set a goal that you know in your gut to be something you simply do not feel motivated to see through. It

by Karras Lambert

is very easy to squander a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolution by hoping to improve yourself in an area that you may not feel compelled to work towards. Alternatively, make your resolution something you are at least mildly passionate about and will enjoy along the way. For instance, my resolution for this year is to write more in my free time. I know that I can follow through with my resolution this year since writing is something that I enjoy doing anyway. Writing more outside of school assignments will surely be beneficial to my own development as a writer. With that, I wish you good luck with your own New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolutions. 2011 will be a great year, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure of it.

Please check the school web sites and calendars for updates or last minute adjustments http://www.brrsd.k12.nj.us.

ÂŽĹś|Ä&#x2030;Â&#x203A;ÂźÂŽ Ă¤ĂŞĂšÂŽ <Âź|ÄźÄ&#x2030;ĂŞÄ&#x2030;Ă&#x2013; Â&#x2021; ÂźĹśÂźĂšÄ&#x2019;Ä¤Ä&#x192;ÂźÄ&#x2030;Ĺ&#x2019; ÂźÄ&#x2030;Ĺ&#x2019;ÂźÄź eÄ&#x2030;ĂŞÄąĹ&#x;Âź ZĂˇĂŞĂšĂšĹ&#x201E; ÂźĹśÂźĂšÄ&#x2019;Ä¤Ä&#x192;ÂźÄ&#x2030;Ĺ&#x2019; TÄźÄ&#x2019;Ă&#x2013;Äź|Ä&#x192; HĂ?Ă?ÂźÄźĂŞÄ&#x2030;Ă&#x2013; ÂŽĹś|Ä&#x2030;Â&#x203A;ÂźÂŽ Â?|Â&#x203A;Ĺ&#x;Ĺ&#x201E; |Ä&#x2030;ÂŽ CÂźĹ&#x;ÄźÄ&#x2019;ĂŠ<ĂŞÄ&#x2030;Ă&#x2013;Ĺ&#x;ĂŞĹ&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2019;ĂŞÂ&#x203A; TÄźÄ&#x2019;Ă&#x2013;Äź|Ä&#x192;Ä&#x192;ĂŞÄ&#x2030;Ă&#x2013; ÄŚC<TÄ§ Ĺ&#x2019;Ä&#x2019; ÂŽÂźĹśÂźĂšÄ&#x2019;Ä¤ | Ĺ&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2019;ÄźÄ&#x2019;Ä&#x2030;Ă&#x2013; Ă?Ä&#x2019;Ĺ&#x;Ä&#x2030;ÂŽ|Ĺ&#x2019;ĂŞÄ&#x2019;Ä&#x2030; Ä&#x2019;Ă? B|Ĺ&#x2019;Ă¤ |Ä&#x2030;ÂŽ ZÄ&#x2019;Â&#x203A;ĂŞ|Ăš ZĂˇĂŞĂšĂšĹ&#x201E; Ă?Ä&#x2019;Äź Ă¤ĂŞĂšÂŽÄźÂźÄ&#x2030; |Ă&#x2013;ÂźĹ&#x201E; Ă&#x2018; ĂŠÄ&#x153;Ă&#x2018;

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.Ä&#x192;Ä¤ÄźÄ&#x2019;ĹśĂŞÄ&#x2030;Ă&#x2013; Ä&#x2019;Ä&#x2030;Ă?ÂŽÂźÄ&#x2030;Â&#x203A;ÂźÂŠ Ä&#x2019;Ä&#x2030;Â&#x203A;ÂźÄ&#x2030;Ĺ&#x2019;Äź|Ĺ&#x2019;ĂŞÄ&#x2019;Ä&#x2030;ÂŠ ÄźÂź|Ĺ&#x2019;ĂŞĹśĂŞĹ&#x2019;Ĺş Ä&#x2030;ÄźÄ&#x2019;ĂšĂš Enroll Today! Call`Ä&#x2019;ÂŽ|ĹşĂ? 908-725-2776

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Students from BRHSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Career classes donated their labor and love to the Somerset County United Way Gifts of the Season program. Over 30 students sorted, packed and tagged items for families in our community in conjunction with exploring work opportunities and service learning. Happy Holidays!

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Page 22 Martinsville - Attila I. Tormasi, 70, entered into eternal rest on November 16, 2010. Born in Hungary, Attila moved to New Jersey where he has resided for many years. Attila was an expert in electronics, an electrical contractor, and an entrepreneur. He recently had a book published. In Hungary, he was a well-known marathon runner. Attila was a member of the Hungarian American Athletic Club of New Brunswick. He is survived by his children, Attila and wife Ruth, Sophia and Sonia Tormasi as well as his grandchildren, Xavier Santos, Evzen and Hayden Tormasi. Funeral arrangements were handled by Bridgewater Funeral Home. Bridgewater - Philip Kuznetzoff, 78, died November 17, 2010. Philip was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and resided in Bridgewater for the past 52 years. He was employed as a chemical engineer for over 42 years retiring in 1994. He started his career at Harrison Tube Company then worked for RCA in Bridgewater, David Sarnoff Laborites in Princeton and finally at Allied Signal Inc. in Morristown. Philip was an active member of the Temple Sholom where he conducted weekly services and was a member of Men’s Club. He also worked at the Soup Kitchen in Somerville. In his spare time, he enjoyed working with various kinds of metals and sculpting religious artifacts out of metals which are located at Temple Sholom. Arrangements by Bruce C. VanArsdale Funeral Home. Bridgewater - Arlene Laub, 83, died November 17, 2010. Arlene was born in Bronx, NY and was formerly of Old Westbury, Long Island before moving to the Bridgewater area over 30 years ago. She graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin in 1948 with a BA degree in English. Surviving are David, her loving husband of 62 years, son Dr. Glenn Laub and his wife Karen, her daughters Patricia and her husband Chris Cook, Diane and her husband Dr. Stephen Schneider, two brothers, Sherwin and Morty Thaler and six grandchildren. Arrangements by the Bruce C. Van Arsdale Funeral Home. South River, NJ – Marek Pawlowski, 60, died on November 17, 2010. Funeral arrangements handled by Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Bound Brook - Brian Alan Rittman, 37, died on November 17, 2010. Brian worked in Retail for local stores in NJ. Brian is survived by his parents, Alan

and Carol Rittman; his daughters, Kyra Lyman, Emma and Jenna Rittman; his grandmother, Marie Rittman; his finance, Jessica Stevens; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. Funeral arrangements handled by the Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Raritan – Aristovoulos J. Vafides, 73, died on November 17, 2010. Aris was a Sales Rep. at Allied Beverage in Carlstad, NJ for (35) years and a Sales Rep. in Restaurant Planning and Kitchen Designs. He was a graduate of Jamaica High School, Delahanty School where he majored in Accounting, and served in the Army and National Guard for (6) years. Aris was an advocate for Public Safety and Quality of Life for Frelinguysen Ave. Residence in the mid 70’s; a member of the Planning Board for (4) years, St. Joseph Church, St. George Orthodox Church, the Church Organization-AHEPA for over (20) years, Republican Club, American Legion; and won first prize from the Garden Club for the best Christmas Decorations. Aris is survived by his wife, Diane Vafides of (45) years; his daughter, Lisette Vafides and husband Ray Jones; and a sister, Jane Czik and husband Stan. Funeral arrangements handled by Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Bridgewater – Albert Walakonis, 82, died on November 18, 2010. Al was a Shipping Clerk for Ortho-Diagnostic in Raritan for (30) years and served in the Navy during World War II. He was a member of the St. Ann’s Knights of Columbus in Raritan and Bridgewater Senior Citizens; and an usher for St. Ann’s Church. Al is survived by his wife, Theresa Czock Walakonis of (55) years; his children, Louis Walakonis and finance, Michelle Donatelli of NJ and Teri Robotti of Sebastion, FL; two brothers, Victor and Joseph Walakonis (both of Michigan); a sister, Frances Kaminsky of Alabama; two grandchildren, Rachel and Hanna Rose Sebastion; in-laws, Mary & Ray Shallanberger; and Nellie Walakonis’s family. He was predeceased by his brother, John Walakonis and a loving sister, Anne Ellis. Funeral arrangements handled by Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC.

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Obituaries of Manville, NJ, Robert (Bonnie) Wisniewski of Manville, NJ; a sister, Barbara (Joseph) Veneziale of Flemington, NJ; five grandchildren, Kelly, Molly, Lilly, Kaileigh, and Aubrey. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of AAA B Cremation Services, LLC. Basking Ridge - Peggy Truong, 55, entered into eternal rest on November 20, 2010 at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick. Born in Vietnam, Peggy was a resident of Basking Ridge for many years. She received a Bachelors degree and went on to work for Goldman Sachs in New York City, then as the CEO of Betesh Group in Newark. Funeral arrangements were handled by Bridgewater Funeral Home. Bridgewater – Joseph A. “JoJo” Bontempo, 79, died on November 20, 2010. Joe was a Mason for the Union-Local 46 in Summit, NJ for (61) years. He served in the Army-Airforce during World War II and received the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp and World War II Victory Medal. Joe was a Communicant and Usher for St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Raritan. Joe is survived by his chidren, Stephen (Brenda) Bontempo of Hampton, VA, Gary (Saralia) Bontempo of Aberdeen, NJ, Andrew (Lori) Bontempo of Bridgewater, NJ, Sherry (Jim) Landis of North Plainfield, NJ; two brothers, Setty and Arthur Bontempo; nine grandchildren, Steve, Amy, Toni, Peter, Jeremy, Danielle, Carly, Molly, Sophie; and two great-grandchildren, Brett and Brittney. Funeral arrangements handled by Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Hillsborough – Claudia Zarrillo, 52, died on November 21, 2010. Claudia worked for the Raritan Bakery. Claudia is survived by her sons, Michael Godden and Jeffrey Hostutler; a father, Costanzo “Junior”

Manville – Roy Wisniewski, 62, died on November 19, 2010. Roy worked in the warehouse at the Bridgewater Wholesalers in Branchburg. Roy is survived by his daughters, Tracie Wisniewski of Williamstown, NJ and Sally Wisniewski of Slickerville, NJ; three brothers, Ronald Wisniewski of Midlothian, Virginia, Raymond (Karen) Wisniewski

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Zarrillo; two brothers, Anthony (Ann) Zarrillo and Stan Zarrillo; a grandson, Michael Anthony Godden, Jr.; a grandmother, Mary Marinelli; an Aunt Rose and Uncle Joseph Lucciola; and several cousins. Funeral Services were private under the direction of the Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Hillsborough – Adarsh Kumar Sharma, 75, died on November 21, 2010. Adarsh died after a long, courageous battle with cancer. He was a loving man who boldly moved his family from Kenya, Africa to Maine in 1971, making an incredible life for his family. Adarsh is survived by his wife, Sudershana of (49) years; his children, Neelam Sharma and husband Stephen Grantham, and Sameer and wife Christine Kent-Sharma; two brothers; four sisters, two grandsons, several nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of India Funeral Service, LLC. Bridgewater - Theresa (Terry) A. Nagle, 84, died November 25, 2010. Terry was born and raised in Elizabeth and resided in Middlesex for many years before moving to Bridgewater in 2006. She was employed as a board secretary for the Greenbrook Board of Education for over 20 years. Terry is predeceased by her husband Edward J. who died in 1980. Surviving her are two sons, Edward R. Nagle and his wife Suzanne Solberg Nagle, Richard E. Nagle, and two daughters Anne Hassidim and her husband Dr. Kamran Hassidim and Kathleen Collins and her husband John J. Collins IV and six grandchildren, Edward, Corey, Gavin, Erin, Justin and Danny. Arrangements by the Bruce C. VanArsdale Funeral home.

January 2011 Bridgewater- Marian Baumgarten, 89, died November 29, 2010 at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. Born in Romania to the late Michael and Maria Baumgarten, Marian came to the United States in 1951 and moved to Bridgewater in 1955. He was a needle maker for Ethicon in Bridgewater. Marian was a member of the Ethicon 25 year club. Funeral arrangements were by Bridgewater Funeral Home. Bridgewater - Alice Czado, 87, died November 29, 2010 at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. Alice was a lifelong resident of Bridgewater. She was a Lab Assistant for American Cyanamid in Bridgewater for 42 years. Alice was a member of the St. Mary’s Church in Bound Brook and a member of the St. Mary’s Leisure Club. Alice leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving sister, Annie Occhipinti and husband John of Bridgewater and her 3 nieces. Funeral arrangements handled by Bridgewater Funeral Home. Raritan – Edward Minetti, 90, died on November 29, 2010. He was born in Raritan on February 22, 1920 to his parents Teregio and Maria Sibilia Minetti. Edward was a lifelong resident of Raritan. He worked for (8) years at the Belle Mead Army Depot, (11) years at Raritan Valley Community College, and owned and operated the Star Auto Store in Raritan for (17) years. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Staff Sargeant and was awarded the American Service, Good Conduct, and Victory Medals. Edward was a graduate of Somerville High School Class of 1939. While serving as a Councilman, Ed was instrumental in helping to establish Raritan as a Borough. As the first Recreation Continued on next page

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January 2011 Continued from previous page Commissioner, Ed helped to acquire the land which is known today as Frelinghuysen Park, and established the first Little League in Raritan. He served as the Raritan Borough Fire Chief (1958-1959), was voted into the Somerville High School Hall of Fame in 1999 in recognition of his football playing accomplishments from 1935 to 1939, and was a former member of the Bound Brook Chapter of Deborah Heart & Lung. He was also a former member of the Raritan Senior Citizens and was a member of the Raritan Republican Club. Ed was a Communicant and Usher at St. Ann’s Church. Edward is survived by his children, Edward (Beverly) Minetti of Hillsborough, and Debbie (Earl) Thomas of Raritan; four grandchildren, Michael (Irene) Minetti, David Minetti, Tyler Thomas, and Nicole Thomas; and two great-grandchildren, Jack and Emily. He was predeceased by his wife, Florence Febo Minetti (9/10/05); and a brother, Jules Minetti (9/24/10). Funeral arrangements were handled by Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Bridgewater – Theresa Bohach, 60, died on November 30, 2010. Theresa was a secretary for Rutgers Co-Operative Extension in Somerset County. She was a Member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion Post 327. Theresa is survived by her husband, Rich Bohach of Bridgewater; her children, Richie (Carly) Bohach of Somerville, Stephen Bohach of Denver, CO, Rachel (Mynor) Yat of Bridgewater; two brothers; a sister; and two grandchildren, Annalena and Camila. Funeral arrangements were handled by Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Bridgewater – Clara Lopez de Victoria, 86, died on December 1, 2010. Clara was a former Member & Treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad; a communicant of Holy Trinity Church; an active PTA Member; and enjoyed working the voting polls. Clara is survived by her children, Alexander Lopez de Victoria of Bridgewater, Barbara (David) Mink of Piscataway, Clara (Raymond) Popielarczyk of Bridgewater; three grandchildren, Johnathan and Andrew Mink, Raymond, Jr. (Kathleen) Popielarczyk. Funeral arrangements were handled by Bongiovi Funeral Home, LLC. Bridgewater- Kathleen A. Kollmyer, 68, entered eternal rest December 1, 2010 at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. Born in Newark, Kathleen lived the past 40 years in Bridgewater. Prior to retiring from Raritan Valley Community College as the Department Secretary for English Humanities and Social Sciences, Kathleen was a homemaker. Kathleen leaves behind to cherish her memory, her husband Robert E. Kollmyer of 42 years, her daughters Laura Anne Hopper and husband Darren of Quakertown, PA and Tara Jayne

Kollmyer of Hillsborough, her grandsons Ethan Robert Hopper and Aaron Richard Hopper. Funeral arrangements handled by Bridgewater Funeral Home. Somerville – David Joseph Bartow, 50, died on December 4, 2010. He was born in Somerville, NJ on April 29, 1960 to his dear parents William and Barbara Smith Bartow, Jr. David worked in Construction for Local 156 in New Brunswick, NJ. David is survived by his brothers, William (Lillian) Bartow, III of Somerville, Glenn (Colleen) Bartow of Branchburg; a loving sister, Donna Saultz of Manville; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral Services were private and under the direction of SpeerVanArsdale Memorial Funeral Home, LLC. Bridgewater - Myrtle A. Ramsey, 93, died on December 9, 2010. She was a (75) year Member of the Century Chapter of N.J. Eastern Star; a Member of the Somerville Civic League; a former Member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Somerville; shortly after marriage, she became a Member of the First Baptist Church in Somerville. Myrtle is survived by her children, John and wife, Patricia Ramsey of Bound Brook, Deborah Fitzgerald and companion William Stamper of Bridgewater; a niece, Arlene Young and nephew, David Young; and many great nieces and great nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Edward L. Ramsey (January 23, 2001). Funeral arrangments were under the direction of Speer-VanArsdale Memorial Funeral Home, LLC. Millstone - Richard J. Kassick, Jr., 48, entered eternal rest peacefully at home on December 10, 2010. Born in Somerville, Richard lived in Manville before moving to Millstone 1 year ago. Richard was a construction worker. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Bridgewater Funeral Home. Hillsborough- Robert A. Kropenicki, 70, entered into eternal rest on December 12, 2010. Robert was a lifelong area resident. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force and was a member of the American Legion Post 12. Robert worked as a production manager for National Starch and Chemical Company in Bridgewater until his retirement in 2005. Arrangements handled by Bridgewater Funeral Home. Hillsborough – Arthur E. Micol, Sr., 90, died on December 13, 2010. He was born in Morristown, NJ on March 16, 1920 to his parents Jean and Lydia Constantine Micol. Arthur was a Plumber for Local #2 in New York City, NY. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, was a lifelong member of the V.F. W. in Manville, NJ and the American Legion Post #1138 in Bronx, NY. Funeral Services were private and under the direction of AAA B Cremation Services, LLC.

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Bridgewater- Cristyn M. Sliker, 20, passed away on December 14, 2010. Born in Phillipsburg, Cristyn was a lifelong New Jersey resident. She loved her family and friends, was great with children and an avid basketball fan. Cristyn is survived by her mother, Laura Williams; her sisters, Brittany Sliker and Jessica Stocker; her grandmothers, Diane Bassano and Francis Norman; her uncle, Michael Bassano and her cousin Doreen Kreshon. Arrangements were handled by the Bridgewater Funeral Home.

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RVCC Holds 10th Winter Commencement

Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) awarded associate degrees and certificates to more than 500 graduates at its 10th Winter Commencement. The ceremony was held in the Edward Nash Theatre at the College’s Branchburg Campus. Congressman Rodney P. Frelinghuysen delivered the commencement address from Washington, DC, because the House was still in session. Congressman Frelinghuysen also received an honorary degree. Richard F. Schaub of Branchburg, a former member of the RVCC Board of Trustees who has twice served as interim president of the College, received an honorary degree during the ceremony. The evening featured RVCC student commencement speaker Amelia Maamogwa of Branchburg. Following is a list of graduates from Bridgewater, Martinsville and Raritan. Bridgewater: Christopher A. Baptista, AA – Criminal Justice; Steven T. Cornella Jr., AA - Criminal Justice; Stephanie Ribeiro Couto, AA - Liberal Arts; Mark Anthony Datuin, AA - Liberal Arts; Adam Walter DiBetta, AA - Liberal Arts; Cory J. Fernandez, AA Liberal Arts; Kevin M. Flavin, AA - Liberal Arts; Lizeth Fontalvo, AA - Criminal Justice; Meghan Gaglione, AA - Education Transfer (K-12); Cristaliz Garcia, AA - Liberal Arts; Kursten Kramer, AA - Liberal Arts; Arturo Manilio, AS - Business Administration; Catarina S. Neto, AA - Liberal Arts; Debbie Nicholas, AAS - Computer Info Systems; Christopher R. Sarte, AAS – Marketing; Angela Sciortino, AA - Early Childhood Education; Dasbir Singh, AA - Liberal Arts; Katelyn Sowden, AAS - Early Childhood Education; Amy Kelly Tai, AA - Liberal Arts; Timothy M. Weiss, AA - Criminal Justice. Martinsville: Christopher J. Idell, AA - Liberal Arts; Jennifer Lynn Nittoli, AA - Education Transfer (K-12). Raritan: Charles Marvin C. Gubac, AA - Liberal Arts; Matthew T. Hall, AA - Liberal Arts; David William Jensen, AS - Engineering Science; Sandra Y. Otero, AS - Business Administration; Vincenzo Russo, AAS - Construction Technology; Stephanie L. Simonetti, AA - Liberal Arts; Ricky D. Williams, AAS - Computer Info Systems.

Movie Review by Karras Lambert

Rabbit Hole - The drama Rabbit Hole stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a couple in mourning eight months after the loss of their four year old son. Becca (Kidman) is trying to come to terms with the situation by systematically erasing every reminder of her son’s existence, while Howie (Eckhart) wants the opposite and cherishes seeing the boy’s fingerprints on the walls. Meanwhile, Becca begins meeting at the park every day with Jason (Miles Teller), the boy who hit her son just outside her house, to make it clear that she and her husband do not blame him for the accident. It is a certainly a touching and emotional story, but unfortunately this film is not as good as it should be. The acting is a major weakness of the film. The only person that gave a good performance was Aaron Eckhart, channeling many different emotions well on-screen. Nicole Kidman did a good job when there was not any dialogue, speaking instead through finely nuanced expressions. However, she failed where Eckhart succeeded and did not consistently capture the raw emotion of the part of a grieving mother. Sandra Oh did a decent job playing Gaby, a professional group member who Howie almost begins an affair with. As for every other supporting actor, it seemed like someone was holding a script next to the camera and they were just reading straight from the page. In fact, the script is another weakness of the movie. There are some great scenes, such as when Howie shows a family around his house when he and Becca decide to sell it. Overall, though, the bad scenes outweigh the good ones. The pacing of the film is also mediocre, withholding key information until well into the movie, causing confusion regarding character motives. For example, Becca stalks Jason for a few days, for no apparent reason, until finally it is revealed in passing dialogue that she just wanted to get to know him better while trying to come to terms with her son’s death. With that said, though, I really liked the last scene of the movie. It was very emotional and Howie’s voice-over was very well written. In fact, the movie as a whole would have been better if some sort of narration ran throughout it. I almost feel bad giving this film such a mediocre score since it is such an emotional story. Rabbit Hole was a play originally, which makes more sense based on the heavy use of dialogue to reveal crucial plot points. If you like touching dramas about people trying to come to terms with loss, give Rabbit Hole a shot. If not, catch this one on DVD next year. Rating: 7/10

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The BReeze

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January 2011

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Rachel Salardino (left), 6, of Raritan sits on Santa’s lap with friend, BriSophia Nuijens, 6, shares Santa’s lap with mom, anna Soto, 5, of Branchburg. Kimberly Franco, 4, visits Santa with mom, Lorri Nuijens Melissa.

Siblings Rebecca, 2; Sheluanys, 8, and Miguelangel, 10, wait in line to visit with Santa.

Nicholas Pellegrino, 3, is all smiles when he meets Rudolph.

Raritan Tax Collector Lisa Simonetti (left) leads the crowd in singing Christmas carols.

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January 2011

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Page 25

Students from John F. Kennedy School Share Their New Year’s Resolutions (cont. from page 17) David

Casey

Kaavya

Jerrey

A new year’s resolution means to me that I am starting something new. My new year’s resolution this year is to see more Nets games because they are exciting games. If I get to sit where my dad once sat, it would be a dream come true.

What my new year’s resolutions mean to me is to get a fresh start in a new year. My new year’s resolutions means to get better at something. I want to be better at chess throughout the next year. Taht is what my new year’s resolutions mean to me.

My new year’s resolution is to stop making fun of people and stick to it. A new year’s resolution means to me is to start being a better and different person and stick to it, because if I stop making fun of people I will have more friends.

My resolution in the new year means to me is all my family comes to my house. We watch the ball go down then at 2:00 we eat, play, then at 5:00 we all go to bed. The next day we call my family.

Aaron

Xavier

Angela

A New Year Resolution would be a fresh way to start a new year. My New Year Resolution would be to do my Kumon faster so I will do it in a quieter room. Also by improving my reading skills. That would be my best New Year’s Resolution ever.

This is what a new year’s resolution means to me: It is something that you want to improve. For example, not to smoke, to exercise, and to do better in school. These are my new year’s resolutions: do better in school, do better at video games, and to catch Ho-Oh.

Steven

New Year’s Resolution means to me that you can be better at a subject. A subject such as english, math, science, or social studies. That is what new year’s resolution means to me.

My new year’s resolution means to me...something important. My new year’s resolution is my grades. I would like my grades to be better than ever. I would like my grades to be A or A+.

New Year’s Resolutions mean that we make solutions to problems for your family. With all the problems gone, you would have time to relax and read or take a nap, maybe even go on vacation. New Year’s Resolutions may even help or happen in school. That’s what I think.

Emily

A New Year’s resolution means to me that you start at the beginning. You make a note of what you want to stop doing. My New Year’s resolution is that I will stop being disrespectful to my sister. That is my New Year’s resolution and what it means to me.

Sean

What New Year’s Resolutions mean to me is starting a new life. I want to get better at driving a tractor. I hope I do get better.

Rashni

Ruhan

A new year means to me that I can start something new. I also have to be respectful and friendly. I have to finish my target. And I start a new year and a new life.

Local Marine Receives Surprise Hero’s Welcome Additional Photos

After being escorted to Ivy Lane in Bridgewater, Ryan is greeted by his dad, Paul Radwanski. Photo/ Photo/ Mikk Hinnov

Ryan stands for a photo in the middle of Ivy Lane. Photo/Mikk Hinnov

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The BReeze

The procession heads down Ivy Lane toward the Radwanski home. Photo/ Mikk Hinnov

Neighbors stand outside the Radwanski home waiting for Ryanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrival. Photo/Gabrielle Holtz

Gabrielle Holtz presents Ryan with the book of signatures and well wishes she collected from the crowd that gathered to welcome him home. Photo/Dawn Wilde

The crowd stands outside the Radwanski home. Photo/Dawn Wilde

January 2011

Neighbors line the streets to welcome Ryan home. Photo/ Mikk Hinnov

Bridgewater Mayor Patricia Flannery writes a message in the book that was passed around by Gabrielle Holtz.

A page from the signature book Gabrille Holtz presented to Ryan.

Kathy Worthington (right) of the Yellow Ribbon Club, a bio highlighting Ryanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and achievements. Photo/Dawn Wilde

January 2011

The BReeze

Photos by Dawn Wilde

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Photos by Dawn Wilde

The BReeze

January 2011