CM: Rumson • Fair Haven • Little Silver • Red Bank • Locust • Sea Bright - February 2019

R U M S O N • FA I R H AV E N • L I T T L E S I LV E R RED BANK • SEA BRIGHT • LOCUST • MIDDLETOWN

FEBRUARY 2019 EDITION

PETE HEGSETH

Fighting the War for

American

Values

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Will You Get a Refund or Owe for 2018?

AS A RESULT OF TAX REFORM, most taxpayers will be paying less tax for 2018 than they did in 2017. But that may not translate into a larger refund. Your refund is the amount that your pre-payments (withheld income tax, estimated tax payments, and certain credits) exceed your tax liability, and if the pre-payment also got reduced, you could be in for an unpleasant surprise at tax time.

So, why would the pre-payments, particularly withholding, be less? Simply because the current W-4 form on which employers base the amount of tax to withhold, and the withholding tables provided by the government that employers use to determine the amount to withhold, are not sophisticated enough to deal with the revised tax laws. Congress passed the changes at the 11th hour of 2017, without giving the IRS sufficient time to adjust the W-4 form and withholding tables to account for the changed laws. The IRS did come out with a revised W-4 late in February, but there are serious concerns that the revised W-4 and withholding tables are not coming up with the correct amounts based upon the new tax law and that the form itself is much more complicated for employees to complete than prior versions were. In fact, the government is so concerned about this that the IRS issues almost daily notices cautioning taxpayers to double check their withholding.

Checking one’s withholding does little good, since it is difficult to determine if your withholding will produce near the desired refund result without also projecting what your tax will be for

2018 and then comparing that to your pre-payments, including withholding, for the year. Prior to the tax reform, you generally could use the tax liability from the prior year, compare that against your current year pre-payments, and be pretty confident in what the bottom line would be for the current year.

However, that is not possible for 2018, since the tax computation is significantly different from how it was in 2017 and earlier years.

The IRS is developing a new W-4 form to hopefully do a better job of determining the proper withholding based on your wages but just recently announced that it will continue to use the current W-4 for 2019 and unfortunately won’t be releasing the new one until 2020.

If you count on a large refund to pay other liabilities, such as property taxes, you may want to schedule your tax planning appointment with your CPA to project your 2018 tax and then compare it to your pre-payments to see if you can expect a refund and determine approximately how much it will be.

At the same time, if your pre-payments are short and you end up owing taxes, you could be hit with underpayment penalties.

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R U M S O N | FA I R H AV E N | L I T T L E S I LV E R RED BANK | SEA BRIGHT | LOCUST | MIDDLETOWN FEBRUARY 2019 97 Apple Street, Suite 2 Tinton Falls, NJ 07724

COVER STORY

Pete Hegseth: Fighting the War for American Values

Tel: 848.456.1071 | Fax: 732.852.2571 CommunityMagazineNJ.com editor-in-chief

C A R O LY N B U R T N I C K

creative director

L O R I D O N N E L LY

graphic designers

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E R I C A PA R K E R OLIVIA MAZANEC

advertising

L I L I A N N PA R A S C AT H Y PA D I L L A

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MARIA CONNORS

contributing editors

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SUSAN MURPHY SHANNA POLIGNONE HOPE DANIELS G E N A A N S E L L-L A N D E DONNA BERIONT M I C H A E L B AT E M A N

39 One Child Gives Life to Many Monmouth County Couple Uses Grief to Found The Kortney Rose Foundation

Meet Your Neighbor: Rick Brandt

photography

MELISSA AMORELLI TOM ZAPCIC

publisher

V I C T O R V. S C U D I E R Y be a part of CM We accept pet photos, local event listings, fundraiser & important life announcements (engagement, wedding, baby) and more!

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Meet Your Neighbor: Ann Pennington Mrs. New Jersey United States 2018

MONTHLY FEATURES

22 27

COVER PHOTO: FOX NEWS

Rumson Education Foundation Scored Big at Celebration for Education Bowling Event Pet Celebrities Divorce Talk

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Eventful

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Note from the Editor It may be the shortest of the months, but February is always full with chocolate hearts, football, snow days, Mardi Gras, and the hope that spring isn’t too far off with a groundhog that often sees his own shadow. George Washington’s Birthday celebration will fall on Monday, February 18 and marks the last Federal holiday until we unofficially kick off summer with Memorial Day in May. I was surprised when I realized all the other celebratory days in between aren’t considered national holidays. And it got me thinking how many things there are that we unofficially celebrate, and how often we find ways to mark our years and lives with parties and gatherings. We enjoy having special days to look forward to, breaks in the hectic pace of our everyday.

FEB 22

An Intimate Evening with Rickie Lee Jones

In this issue of CM, we’re taking a deeper look into a few of the things we celebrate or honor. Our cover story, Pete Hegseth: Fighting the War for American Values on page 31, shares our exclusive interview with one decorated American hero turned news broadcaster and helps to mark our appreciation to our American soldiers. Each year the week of February 14 is set aside as the National Salute to our current veterans of the U.S. armed forces, especially those cared for in veterans affairs hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. We think you’ll enjoy learning more about Pete’s journey in Cuba, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and encourage you to find ways to interact with veterans in our community.

A Man and His Prostate with Ed Asner

MAR 23

MAR 22

Hairspray Sing-Along with host Jeremy Grunin!

Robert Eric’s Piano Man: A Tribute to Billy Joel

MAR 30

MAR 31

Introducing Alexis Morrast Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn

Group discounts available P For the complete 2018-2019 performance schedule, visit

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On February 23 and 24 there will be a local celebration of a life cut short that still manages to inspire lasting changes for the children in our area. On page 39, you will find the story of Kortney Rose and the Foundation named for the 9-year-old who died from an untreatable form of cancer.

Her parents have turned their grief into action and are changing the way the dreaded disease is researched. You can help by meeting some friends for breakfast or lunch during the 10th Annual Great Food for a Great Cause at any Turning Point Restaurant.

Inside you’ll find articles on local alumni being honored, a feature on Mrs. New Jersey who happens to be a neighbor, as well as several other stories on events and happenings in Monmouth County. We at CM hope you find a way to celebrate each day in February, even if it’s just coffee with a friend. After all, every day is special in some way.

-EDITOR IN CHIEF

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Rumson Education Foundation Scored Big at “Celebration for Education” Bowling Event Story: Susan Murphy | Photos: Kristen Hall Each year the Rumson Education Foundation (REF) sponsors many fundraisers that benefit the students in the Rumson school district. One of the annual fundraisers is the “Celebration for Education.” The theme and the event itself vary every year, and this was the first time REF held a bowling event. It was held on January 12 at the newly renovated Asbury Lanes in Asbury. REF holds a Kitchen Tour bi-annually and this past fall it held a golf tournament.

Attending the bowling event were approximately 250 guests comprised of parents in the district. This was a private event open only to parents in the Rumson school community. The ticket price included access to the venue, food, drinks, a DJ, bowling, and a parting gift. Asbury Lanes is affiliated with

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the historic Asbury Hotel that handled the food aspect of the evening.

Three Board members, Mia Choate, Amy McCooey, and Tara Breslow-Testa, were the chairs of this event. They put together an online silent auction comprised of amazing items including Fighting Irish Game Package; VIP Valet and Highlands Seastreak package; a Blue Claws Experience package; a New York City Google Tour and Lunch; an elegant pair of Sapphire and Diamond Earrings; VIP x 2 New York City Broadway tickets to see Hamilton and accommodations at the Peninsula New York Hotel; and the ultimate auction item – a trip for two to the 2019 U.S. Masters – where the winner will be sure to have an amazing golfing experience!

REF President Curran Scoble noted, “We have done an online silent auction in the past when we publish/open it to the district the week heading up to the event. This allows parents to participate even if they may not be able to attend the actual event. We continue to have positive feedback from attendees.”

The proceeds from this “Celebration for Education” event will be used to fund grants received from REF’s annual grant process. “The event was a great success and has been very well received with an infectious buzz about the evening. Attendees really enjoyed the new venue and party atmosphere,” said REF President Scoble.

For more information about REF, visit rumsonedfoundation.org.

Left to right: Friends who attended the REF bowling event were Jacklyn Esposito, Megan Duke, Pat and Farley Boyle.

Left to right: Couples enjoying the fundraiser were Leslie-Ann and Bryan Gronau, Lori and Mike Rongetti.

Left to right: REF President Curran Scoble and Vice President Amy McCooey pause for a photo.

Left to right: Guests Sam Tobias, Tom Collard, Doug Kozinn, and Mike Rongetti had a great time at the REF bowling event.

Left to right: REF Board members Lisa Dumont and Sarah Kiley joined Secretary Katie Thompson, Board member Caitlin Bovo, and Treasurer Carey Delia for a photo.

Left to right: REF Board members and event cochairs Mia Choate and Tara Breslow-Testa join Wells Fargo/sponsor Fred Grise and Vice President and co-chair Amy McCooey.

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE www.CommunityMagazineNJ.com

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What To Expect at Your Plastic Surgery Consultation You’ll be brought into an examination room where you’ll meet a medical assistant. She’ll ask you questions about your medical history, current medications and supplements and why you chose to come in. Be honest.

If your area of concern is your breasts or body, the medical assistant will ask you to change into a gown in preparation for the exam with the doctor.

You’ve researched your procedure online. You’ve talked with friends who’ve had cosmetic surgery. You’ve found a board-certified plastic surgeon and scheduled an appointment. Here’s what to expect during your plastic surgery consultation.

A consultation is equal parts learning and interview. The actual consultation can last about an hour. While there, you’ll want to evaluate the surgeon, staff, office and outcomes by reviewing before and after photos.

Check in and fill out paperwork if you didn’t do so ahead of time. Some practices mail it or ask you to download it from the website so it’s completed prior to your arrival. This is a great option so you don’t need to deal with it when you get there. Let’s face it, you’re already nervous and excited, at the same time.

When the doctor comes in, he or she will need to know what you want to change about your body and why. Tell the doctor how you feel about yourself now and how you want to feel and look after plastic surgery. Discuss the procedure or set of procedures that would help you achieve your goal. Discuss anesthesia, types of incisions, and recovery time. There are always risks. Make sure the surgeon goes over them.

Ask the surgeon to set realistic expectations. “Every ‘body’ is unique. Your transformation will be based on what you have to start with. You should expect improvement. We can’t make you look like a certain celebrity. We can make you look like a better version of you,” says Dr. Said Samra of Samra Plastic Surgery.

It’s also important to gauge how long the surgeon has been in practice, how many times he or she performed the procedure in which you’re interested as

well as how frequently. Finally, find out where the surgery will take place. It may be a hospital or private surgery center.

If you are interested in more than one surgery or if your outcome requires multiple procedures, you’ll need to discuss if they can be performed at the same time. The other option is to break them up into separate surgeries depending upon time-on-table, recovery time, and finances.

Finally, you’ll meet your patient coordinator. They will go over the costs for your procedure(s). Fees include, operating room costs, anesthesia, devices such as breast implants or compression garments, and follow-up appointments.

They’ll also let you know when deposits and payments are due.

If you choose to book the surgery, the coordinator will schedule pre-op appointments, your surgery date, and postop appointments. They will also go over financing options. There are many zero percent options available if you want to pay off the surgery over time. If you decide to think about it, ask the coordinator how long the quote is valid.

If you’ve been thinking about cosmetic surgery, call Samra Plastic Surgery at 732.739.2100 for a Free Consult during February 2019. It may be easier and more affordable than you think!

CALL FOR ENTRIES INTO JURIED CREATIVE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL Calling all artists! The Monmouth County Park System is seeking entries into its Creative Arts & Music Festival. This juried art show and sale is open to artists of every medium. Those interested in entering are invited to submit images for consideration. The application fee is $15 per person. Entries should be mailed along with a CD of your work, entry form, and fee. Rules and entry form are available at MonmouthCountyParks.com. The entry deadline is February 20.

The Creative Arts & Music Festival will be held from 10:00 am to

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5:00 pm on Saturday, May 4 at Thompson Park, Lincroft. The festival will feature fine art vendors, live music, creative activities, and food vendors. Thompson Park is home to the Park System’s Creative Arts Center, which hosts a variety of fine arts and craft classes throughout the year including ceramics, pottery, jewelry and painting.

To learn more about the Creative Arts & Music Festival or the Park System, please visit MonmouthCountyParks.com or call 732.842.4000.

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE www.CommunityMagazineNJ.com

Meet Your Neighbor

Rick Brandt

By Donna Beriont

F

or a recently turned 30-year-old, Little Silver resident Rick Brandt certainly has accomplished a ton.

He has personality and he loves his hometown. He has high aspirations and wants to give back to his community and has been doing so for most of his life.

Committee, Little Silver Environmental Commission, Little Silver Business & Professional Association, Little Silver Department of Public Works, Little Silver Board of Health, Little Silver Police Department, and Little Silver Emergency Medical Services)

CM: How do you give back to your community?

CM: Of what are you most proud?

Rick Brandt (RB): I have served as a volunteer for the Little Silver Fire Department, and the recreational department where I participate in many of their programs. I am active in the Little Silver Garden Club, and enthusiastically I chaired the Shade Tree Commission for many years. I enjoy refereeing basketball games in the winter, umpiring baseball games in the spring while also coaching youth soccer teams in the fall. I travel with the Tower Hill Church in the fall and I am the youngest board member at Lunch Break in Red Bank. I love Lunch Break’s mission and their impact on the community.

(He has also worked with the Little Silver PTO, Little Silver Education Foundation, Parker Homestead Committee, Little Silver Public Library, Little Silver Traffic & Safety

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RB: I am proud of many achievements in my life to this point. Everything that I have done or been involved with, has been a success because of the incredible teammates I have worked with. One of my favorite things to have been part of was the creation of “Little Silver Day” (modeled after Fair Haven’s “Fair Haven Day”), which is a day of celebration for our community. It brings thousands of families together. Another event I am very proud of is “The Rivalry Series” which is a touch football tournament on Black Friday every year to benefit Lunch Break at Count Basie Field in Red Bank.

It combines my love of football, community and volunteerism to help those in need. (The event began when Rick was just 12-years old and has grown into an amazing day that hundreds in the community now look forward to. This event has games for

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE www.CommunityMagazineNJ.com

men, women and kids.) As my brother and I grew older, the event grew larger and has now been a 17-year tradition. After the games, players volunteer at Lunch Break and in recent years this event has raised over $50,000 for Lunch Break.

CM: Where do you work?

RB: For the past six and a half years I have been a salesperson with the Stephen Gould Corporation. They are a packaging, print solutions company based here in New Jersey. I love working with them and it allows me the flexibility that I need so that I can serve others in my community.

CM: Tell me about your family?

RB: I have a great mom (Cindy) and father (Rich) and my brother, Rob. Most of our friends call my brother and me, “The Brothers Brandt.” We grew up 15 months apart loving sports and playing football and baseball with each other. I played football in college and my brother played soccer.

CM: What is your favorite movie?

RB: Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner, it was so influential that my brother and I

You want the best for your child.

The Brandt Family (left to right) Rich, Rob, Rick, Cindy, and their dog, Stan.

took a trip to Iowa just so we could toss the ball around on that very field from the movie. Along the way we stopped at various football and baseball games, including a Notre Dame game, and a Green Bay Packers game, and checked out some famous fields like Wrigley Field in Chicago. It was truly a memorable trip.

CM: What do you like most about Little Silver?

RB: The people. The people of Little Silver always step up.

Any good or bad situation that happens here brings our community together like no other place I have ever seen. If there is a misfortune or tragedy with one of our community members, we all rally to help.

CM: What do you read?

RB: I love to read local news and I read Community Magazine.

Local news is uplifting. It’s about people doing positive things, unlike the mainstream media and news outlets who very rarely cover positive news.

Help them to aim high and reach further.

Ranney’s Maymester offers our Upper School students a chance to engage in unique experiential immersion programs— from travel to Iceland to explore STEAM or a theatre experience in London’s West End to designing a golf course leveraging advanced mathematics and professional internships.

Learn more at a School Day Open House:

Feb 13 at 9 a.m.

ranneyschool.org/visitus

CM: Who was your biggest influencer?

RB: I have had many wonderful role models in my life that I am forever grateful for. When I was a young college student, Little Silver’s Recreation Director, Doug Glassmacher asked me to coordinate Little Silver’s baseball program, which is responsible for hundreds of families and children. His confidence in me then was inspiring and almost ten years later, I thoroughly enjoy coordinating that program the same way I passionately did a decade ago. Doug trusted me and has taught me a lot about municipal government, how to manage a budget, and dozens of coaches, and how to oversee a successful program year-in and year-out.

CM: Do you have plans on the horizon?

RB: Yes, my brother and I are heading to Augusta, Georgia to see the Masters Golf Tournament this spring. And, of course I am looking forward to running for Mayor of Little Silver this year.

Ranney School

Lead / Create / Contribute Independent Education for Age 3 - Grade 12 Tinton Falls, NJ

CommunityMagazineNJ.com FEBRUARY 2019

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Rumson St. Patrick's Day Parade Sunday, March 10, 2019 2019 Grand Marshall John F. Croddick, Sr.

The Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates Irish heritage and provides charitable gifts to local organizations improving our community.

Details at RumsonStPatricksDayParade.org

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

Mrs. New Jersey United States 2018,

Ann Pennington

Photo Credit: Edward Gebel 20

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE www.CommunityMagazineNJ.com

M EET YOU R N EIG H B OR

WHERE I LIVE: I reside in the gorgeous town of Sea Girt. It’s where the cedar meets the sea and our town sign says “Smile You’re in Sea Girt”. The minute you drive in and see that sign you can only feel happy.

myself that was crazy because I didn’t see myself like those women I watched on TV. I competed a few weeks later and won a title, I was in my early 20s. A decade later I am Mrs. New Jersey 2018. So if you believe, you can achieve.

WHAT I DO: I am Mrs. New Jersey United States for 2018. My position is about showing people that we are uniquely brave women with confidence, not only to celebrate and display our beauty and intellect, but bring light to our lives as mothers, wives, and business owners. We have the opportunity to share our platforms for helping those in our community locally and on a national level.

MY NEXT GOAL: To have a program I started called “Style with a Purpose” reach more outlets.

I created this to help young women competing in pageants to be sponsored through my company, Eye for Style, and help them with clothes, photos, mentorship, and more. It’s been so rewarding working with young women and helping them achieve their dreams. I look forward to doing this on a much larger scale in the near future.

MY PURPOSE AND MAIN FOCUS: To bring light to what I find near and dear to my heart, which is bringing awareness to homeless youth. I am a product of homelessness and by holding this title it has helped shine a brighter light and open doors to show people that homelessness can end.

We can help get these amazing humans off the street and help them achieve their purpose. It’s been truly rewarding teaming up with HABcore and Covenant House where I am team captain of a project called Sleepout. We literally sleep on a street to raise funds to support the programs at Covenant House. I hope some of the readers will come join my team this spring and grab a sleeping bag and help us raise funds.

THE BEST PART OF WHAT I DO: I’d have to say I love having my son be part of my journey. He comes to almost all of my appearances and sees what I am doing to make his future better. I hope he’s learning to be aware and why we need to give back.

“Be fearless, and go for it.

It’s not about your outer beauty, it’s about how big your heart is and how you will be a role model in the community.”

WHAT SETS ME APART FROM OTHERS DOING WHAT I DO: Honestly there could only be one Mrs. New Jersey for 2018, and I was lucky enough to have this title bestowed upon me, but every woman I competed with is worthy of the title and would have made a remarkable Mrs. New Jersey.

I am grateful the judges believed in me and gave me this opportunity. I wish I had more than one year because it has been magical. And having my son and husband be part of my journey has made this one of the best years of my life.

WHAT GOT ME STARTED IN PAGEANTS: Many moons ago I used to sit glued to the TV set watching Miss Universe and thinking to myself they were like princesses from a Disney movie. And then one day a women walked up to me and said I’d be perfect to compete at a pageant. I remember thinking to

THE MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT WHAT I DO: I wish I had more than 24 hours in my day. Balancing my work of being a fashion stylist dressing the Hamilton cast, a mother, a wife, and being Mrs. New Jersey, I have had to find the right amount of time to dedicate to each area of my life.

It has taught me more about time management.

BEST TIP ABOUT WHAT I DO: Be kind, and have a lot of passion and a mission so fierce nothing will stop you. Be fearless, and go for it. It’s not about your outer beauty, it’s about how big your heart is and how you will be a role model in the community.

We need strong women to look up to at any age. So if you are a married women in New Jersey and are passionate about helping others, reach out to our organization and bring a little more sparkle to the Gorgeous Garden State.

CommunityMagazineNJ.com FEBRUARY 2019

21

CM'S Pet Celebrities Your Pets can be celebrities too. Send in a photo to info@communitymagazinenj.com!

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Mr. Big & April Kleczko of Holmdel Wesley, Ciciccia & Camelot of Holmdel

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Lucy of Holmdel

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Zuzu of Colts Neck

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If you haven’t seen Brittany reading meters at your home or your neighbor’s house, maybe you’ll recognize her on the local softball diamonds. A former MVP at Ocean County College, Brittany still plays softball with the Monmouth County Co-Ed and Women’s Softball leagues.

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Freeholder Gerry P. Scharfenberger, Ph.D. was sworn in to a one year term and Freeholder Susan M. Kiley was sworn in for a three year term by Monmouth County Clerk Christine G. Hanlon. Both Freeholders were issued the oath of office by the Honorable Joseph Oxley, Judge Superior Court Monmouth County.

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BY PET ER C . PA R A S , ESQ.

The Appeal of Appeals PEOPLE OFTEN THINK that if they are dissatisfied with a family court judge’s ruling they will just take an appeal and everything will be straightened out quickly and inexpensively. But is that really the case? Are appeals really that appealing?

In order to appeal a judge’s ruling, the order must be a final order. If there are any unresolved issues, e.g., issues that are reserved pending some future occurrence, a right to appeal does not exist. This is to prevent piece meal presentations to the Appellate Division. Only when a case is fully adjudicated in the trial court is there a right to appeal any or all aspects of the order.

An appeal begins by filing a Notice of Appeal, a Transcript Request, and other documents, paying a filing fee, and paying a deposit for the transcript. Transcripts can cost hundreds or even many thousands of dollars, depending on the length of the family court proceeding.

Peter C. Paras

is a shareholder in the Family Law Firm of Paras, Apy & Reiss, P.C.

Once those documents are filed and the transcript is received (this can take several weeks), the lawyer must file a brief setting forth the factual and legal reasons the appellant thinks the judge was wrong.

This often requires much legal research and many drafts before the brief is ready to be filed. The other party then has the right to file a brief in opposition, setting forth the factual and legal basis for his position.

The appellant is then allowed to file a reply brief. This process can take six months or more.

Once the briefs are filed, the court will schedule oral argument, usually several months later, in one of many possible venues throughout the state. At oral argument the attorneys try to highlight the strengths of their cases, but are often interrupted by questions from the judges (either two or three depending on the complexity of the case) to which they must respond without hesitation.

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At the conclusion of oral argument, the presiding judge will usually thank the lawyers for their presentations and close by saying the panel will take the matter under advisement. And then… you wait for the court’s written decision. They can vary greatly in length (again, the complexity of the case will dictate the length) and may take several days, or even several months, to receive.

Appellate decisions generally fall into three categories or a combination of them.

The court can affirm the trial judge, i.e., the trial judge was correct. It can reverse, which means he was wrong. Or it can remand, sending it back to the trial court for further proceedings.

This process is time consuming, time intensive, and expensive. And we haven’t even discussed going to the Supreme Court. So, is an appeal the answer? Is it really that appealing? Are there alternatives? That’s next month’s article!

For more information please see the firm’s website at www.par-law.com.

The information in this article is not intended as legal advice. For legal advice you should consult your attorney.

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Navesink Garden Club Receives Volunteer Award from Red Bank RiverCenter

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In December at Red Bank RiverCenter’s Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation, the Navesink Garden Club was awarded the “2018 Volunteer of the Year Award” for its maintenance of the Red Bank flower planters. Upon informing the club it was selected, James Scavone, Executive Director of Red Bank RiverCenter thanked the club membership for its “heroic efforts” in maintaining the planters. He noted the importance of the flower program’s direct impact on the economic vitality of downtown Red Bank, helping to create an atmosphere that attracts visitors, tourists and customers. Scavone described the club’s participation as “invaluable” and stated “it would not be possible to implement the flower program without your service.”

Since 1996, the Navesink Garden Club sends a team of four members once a week from June through the end of October to canvas the downtown streets for maintenance of approximately 50 flower pots. The teams rotate each planter with a quarter turn in order to promote all-around even growth. They deadhead spent blossoms, trim back ambitious growers, prune to maintain a pleasing shape and, not insignificantly, remove unwanted debris. Plants that are damaged or appear suffering are reported to RiverCenter for remediation. Recognizable with their green aprons and pruners set to go, club members are frequently greeted by a resident’s thank you and expression of pleasure at the beauty the planters provide.

The Navesink Garden Club invites people interested in horticulture and design to attend one of its meetings, enjoy a warm and friendly welcome, and learn what interesting projects in which the club engages. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at The Atrium at Navesink Harbor, Red Bank, from September to June. Visit navesinkgardenclub.org or contact Membership Chair, Terry, at cweed7@outlook.com.

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Pete Hegseth Fighting the War for American Values

By Cathy Padilla

Valentine’s Day has traditionally been set aside to celebrate romantic love, or puppy love, or the love we have for our friends and families. But each year the week of February 14 is also a time to show love through appreciation to a special group of men and women, the more than 98,000 Veterans of the U.S. armed services who are cared for every day in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, outpatient clinics, domiciliaries, and nursing homes. To celebrate the National Salute, we caught up with one of our most recognizable veterans living in Monmouth County - Pete Hegseth.

Photo Credit: Fox News continued on next page

H

e’s a patriotic guy, going as far as having the words “We the People” tattooed on his arm. But his patriotism goes beyond ink and crosses into action and sacrifice. Pete Hegseth not only wore the uniform, he holds two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge for his time in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A co-host on FOX & Friends Weekend and now a contributor on FOX Nation, Hegseth hosted the special Ace of Spades: The Hunt for Saddam Hussein. A former guest military analyst for CNN, MSNBC, and the FOX News Channel, Hegseth has written editorials in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, New York Post, and The Washington Times. He’s run for Senate in his home state of Minnesota, worked for Veterans advocacy groups, and has authored the book In the Arena. In 2013, Hegseth completed his Master in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and his career has taken him to the pinnacle of interviewing the President of our country.

Having graduated Princeton, and now living in Monmouth County, Hegseth has made the Garden State home where he and his significant other, Jen, are raising their children.

Here’s our exclusive interview with an American hero, Pete Hegseth.

CM: Was there something in your childhood that prompted you to join the military?

Hegseth: I grew up in Minnesota in a very patriotic community filled with family, faith, love of country, and basic decency. We used to go back to my parents’ hometown in southern Minnesota, Wanamingo, often for the Memorial Day parade. It is a very small town, so the parade was very short, but it was always meaningful. We would stand on the side of the wide boulevard, the big main street in Wanamingo, and the veterans of every generation would walk down that street. I remember rising to my feet with the whole community, saluting, clapping, thumbs up. It wasn’t Veterans Day, but the reverence, the respect, that community showed to that handful of men who had fought in World War II and the Korean War and Vietnam, it impacted me.

I felt like someday I would serve, someday I would give back to this country. I wanted to be willing to defend and fight for the freedoms

32

Hegseth in Samarra, Iraq 2006

that we cherish. I didn’t really come from a military family. Both my grandfathers were in World War II, but mostly post conflict.

That’s why I’m such a believer in civic rituals.

I’m a believer in ceremonies, and parades, and pledges, because sometimes those small things reinforce our inner-prompting to want to serve.

CM: How did you come to choose Princeton, here in N.J., as your choice for college?

Hegseth: One word: basketball. My dad was a basketball coach. I grew up obsessively playing basketball as a child and teenager. I wanted to play college basketball, it was always a goal of mine. It was between going to West Point or Princeton. I did want to serve, but it turns out Princeton had a better basketball team. While I wasn’t a highly touted recruit, they did hope I would come. Princeton had ROTC, so I realized I could play on a big-time basketball team and get a chance to serve. It was a good school, and I knew that, but coming from a small town in Minnesota, I had no understanding of the Ivy League and I didn’t know anything about New Jersey. But it turned out to be a wonderful four years.

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE CommunityMagazineNJ.com

CM: Was this area (NJ) a major transition for you from life in Minnesota? Or did you find them similar?

Hegseth: It was a major transition. In fact, it’s one of the things I want to change about how I parent my kids. I love everything about how I was raised. I’m grateful for my parents, and my community, my coaches, my teachers, my pastor – the things like that. But, I was utterly unprepared for that transition (from high school to college). Almost comically so – emotionally unprepared. To be away from home, to be on my own, to not be near my girlfriend – and as a result it was a really difficult transition. It had nothing to do with Princeton, or the community, it was a wonderful place and I met the best of friends, but I think I was in a bit of a cocoon and when that cocoon burst, it took me a while to get my footing. But I did, ultimately. Princeton was a very different place, with a very different set of priorities than where I came from and that’s why I got involved with The Princeton Tory, which is the conservative magazine at the college. I became the publisher. It was a big part of the cultural and political debates on campus at that time, of course that was right after 9/11.

There was a lot going on.

But I’ve learned a lot about human nature, a lot about what you can actually accomplish in war CM: Did you get involved with the military through ROTC? Hegseth: I was ROTC at Princeton. I actually joined the spring before 9/11 and then 9/11 was the ultimate validator of the decision to serve. Balancing school, service, summer training, basketball, and The Princeton Tory publication was an exercise in multitasking.

The leadership, organizational management, and the toughness that ROTC and the military taught me is one of the most valuable lessons I’ll ever learn. The military officers at ROTC, they were great and they prepared us as well as we could be prepared.

CM: As an infantry officer you were sent to Cuba, did you serve at Guantanamo?

Hegseth: When I graduated Princeton I went to Fort Benning. In fact, I believe it was two days after I graduated. So I graduated college I think on June 3rd, and I believe it was on June 5th I was boots on the ground at Fort Benning for four months of Infantry Officer Basic Training. When I got back from Fort Benning I started my job at Bear Stearns, which is the job I got when I was a senior at Princeton. Just a couple of months into the job I got a call at my desk from my commander

saying I was being ordered into active duty and deployment to Guantanamo Bay. Oh and then I got married that February. So I was newly married, just out of college, new job – now out of nowhere, headed to Guantanamo Bay to guard detainees for a year. It was a long year. An important mission, but a long year.

CM: You volunteered to serve in the war zones of Baghdad and Samarra, what led you to that decision?

Hegseth: I’ve written about it a little bit in my book, In The Arena. I came back from Guantanamo Bay, took a brief break, then went back to work at Bear Stearns. I’ll never forget this series of events. I was reading about a suicide bomber in Iraq, the Iraq war was really heating up, and the suicide bomber had killed a bunch of women and children and civilians. I was watching the war coverage and the war was dragging on and not getting better. And I remember just sitting there at my banking desk thinking that I needed to be a part of this. Like I was going to regret it if I didn’t contribute, so I started emailing people I knew were on active duty. One was Captain Dan Hart, he had been my platoon trainer at infantry school, so he had trained me. I emailed him saying by any chance did he need a platoon leader? Turns out he did. But I had to get to the unit within eight weeks to join them and go. And that’s when it started a flurry of bureaucratic maneuvering, if you will, trying to get out of the National Guard unit and transferred specifically to a specific unit deploying to Iraq.

We were in Iraq, in Baghdad, for the latter part of 2005 and then in Samarra through the first half of 2006 and that’s when – some folks will remember the Mosque bombing that triggered a lot of the sectarian violence when al-Qaeda blew up the Mosque in February in Samarra. I woke up to that explosion and then that night meeting the city leaders. I was both a platoon leader and a civil military operations officer. Basically I was our unit’s liaison between the local government and tribal leaders. And that turned into a big, strong relationship that led to a lot of intelligence and dismantling, at least in the near term of the insurgency in Samarra.

CM: You received several medals and honors while stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Can you share why you won the medals?

Hegseth: Probably the one that I’m most proud of I can share, it’s hanging on my wall as the first award I ever got in combat, an Army Commendation Medal. I was the first lieutenant. The mission was at midnight on

December 9th, 2005 and the award was for exceptional performance as a platoon leader.

It was an air assault raid that led to the capture of two high value targets with ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq and effectively marked the end of an insurgency, etc. So it was the first night air assault combat mission. As a platoon leader you don’t really earn the trust of your men until you show them in the field. And I feel like the Army Commendation medal did that. A lot of guys have Army Commendation Medals, it’s not like a silver star or anything like that. But to me it was validation I could do the job that I was there to do, fight alongside my men.

CM: What can you share about your time in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Hegseth: Yeah. You know, especially in Iraq, you see sheer humanity. Everything is stripped down to a basic level - human needs, desires, clans, tribes, fighting for your brothers, showing courage, managing fear. All of those things are real. You’re driving down a street that you know is controlled by al-Qaeda, you’re in a Humvee, and you’re blaring nasty messages because you’re trying to provoke them.

You’re sort of thinking, OK when’s the RPG going to hit? Ya know. There are moments like that you certainly remember forever. But I’ve learned a lot about human nature, a lot about what you can actually accomplish in war, and how it should be conducted if we want to win.

Hegseth (left) at Guantanamo

A true love for our country and great appreciation for our country. Love of the other men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line and give up everything because they believe in the freedoms that we have.

You start to viscerally respect and understand and appreciate those freedoms. And when you come home you feel empty. You feel it. And it all feels frivolous, and not meaningful, and that is a big thing you have to overcome when you transition back home…finding that sense of purpose and meaning in a world where we’re told to care about a lot of meaningless stuff. It’s actually a real challenge.

CommunityMagazineNJ.com FEBRUARY 2019

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have influence and impact other than being a member of Congress or running for office. So if that were to be a calling, someday maybe, but I’m happily not even thinking about or calculating or speculating about when or how or where. I gave up that mindset a long time ago.

CM: You now live in the hills of Holmdel.

What are your impressions of Monmouth County?

Hegseth: I love Monmouth County. It reminds me - it’s different and it has different impulses because it’s more the culture of New York but the goodness and the decency is there just like I’m used to in Minnesota. So Monmouth County is a great place and Holmdel is a great place. And we’re excited to be here.

CM: I’m told you chose your daughter’s preschool because the American flag was displayed outside. It that a true story?

So I learned radical Islam is a huge threat to humanity and our future. I also learned that there are a lot of good Muslims, and I helped some of them come to this country, so you can believe both at the same time. And you can also believe that America is a force for good but also that America, what we can actually accomplish, it’s more limited than we think.

You can’t remake a whole country or society.

In Afghanistan, it was like biblical times with AK-47s and cellphones, and we were in the most modern place of all in Kabul. My job was to instruct units coming in about the geopolitical… I was an instructor…American units, International, NATO units, Afghan units would come through and my job, which is supposed to be for a colonel but they gave it to me as a captain, I was in there talking to them about counterinsurgency strategy and the application in different parts of the country. So I got to learn a lot about what we were doing, whether it was good work or not, and quickly came to the belief that what we are attempting to do there is never going to happen. And that’s why, even though I went there saying we had to win, that we have to do this right, and going there after 9/11 was important – I think we need to recalibrate what we can accomplish in the long term.

CM: So where does your desire to be involved in broadcasting come from? Did you study journalism at Princeton?

Hegseth: I did not study journalism. I studied politics. My senior thesis was about presidential speechmaking. I’ve always had a thing for rhetoric. What rhetoric works and why.

I never had the thought of being on TV. My first appearance was on Hardball with Chris Matthews (on MSNBC) getting yelled at and cut off like fifty times. I got advice from my

34

buddy, he said lean forward in your chair and don’t let him cut you off. Well I did lean forward, but he cut me off the whole segment.

I was totally thrown into the fire from day one.

I learned how to handle it, but I always come at television from the perspective of being an advocate. I only do it because I believe in it. I have no desire to be a broadcaster for broadcasting’s sake. I have no desire for my mug to be on TV for the sake of it. I got to be on TV because I was fighting for things that I believed in and then that moved into broader commentary as I think folks recognized that it wasn’t just the military or national security or foreign policy or vets that I could talk about.

That I had run for office myself, that I had a background in politics and I’ve been involved in advocacy and I knew people on Capitol Hill, I’d been a part of national PACs and running ads and strategizing with candidates and helping candidates win and things like that.

So as more of that was made known, I got a chance to comment on a wider set of issues.

That just kind of was what it was for many years. Then FOX & Friends one day asked if I’d ever thought about trying to host. And they gave me a shot. But I think if I was ever asked to just do straight news, or whatever, then I wouldn’t be on TV. But FOX & Friends gives me a chance to be a part of shaping the opinion and the debates of the day. And for that I’m grateful. Obviously, I still have a heart toward all the military national security stuff that I’ve talked about for a long time.

CM: You have a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard, is a political career your ultimate goal?

Hegseth: No, I think at one point maybe I thought it was. But then you go through and you realize there’s a lot of other ways to

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE CommunityMagazineNJ.com

Hegseth: It is my significant other’s daughter Kenzie, and it’s Home Away from Home Academy. I don’t know that it’s because there were flags but we did check and they say prayers before their meals, they say the pledge every day, they are very proud and patriotic.

And that is a prerequisite for me. We live in an era where they feel it’s okay to not reinforce patriotic and traditional American values.

And they don’t have to emphasize civics and history. So when I’m looking at the kinds of places I want my kids, kids under my stead, to go, you better believe that’s what I’m looking for and Home Away from Home is wonderful and they do a great job. So we’ve got two there, Gwen will go there eventually I’m sure, and then we’re closely watching the Holmdel public schools. I think like any parent you have to pay attention to what’s in the curriculum because even the best schools have some of the PC notion that we’ve seen move into education especially in the 21st century. So we’ll be watching.

The Department of Veterans Affairs invites individuals, Veterans groups, military personnel, civic organizations, businesses, schools, local media, celebrities and sports stars to participate in a variety of activities at the VA medical centers.

The activities and events include special ward visits and valentine distributions; photo opportunities; school essay contests; special recreation activities and veteran recognition programs. For more information, visit www.volunteer.va.gov/ NationalSaluteVeteranPatients.asp

THURS. February

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FRI. & SAT. February

SUN. February

9am - 6pm

9am - 4:30pm

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11am - 6pm

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Dearborn Market is excited to once again be hosting the Deep Cut Orchid Society’s 22nd Annual Orchid Show. Orchid societies as well as other local and commercial growers will be presenting landscaped exhibits that are sure to delight all who attend. Come join us in our warm greenhouse!

SAT. February

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6:30pm - 9pm

The Frances Foundation WINE & CHEESE BENEFIT

Help us raise money for The Frances Foundation at our Wine & Cheese Benefit. The Frances Foundation is a local non-profit organization that helps bring smiles to kids fighting cancer.

Purchase tickets in-store or online today!

VACATION 23 FEB 2019 11am - 3pm

2170 Highway 35 ◆ Holmdel, NJ

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Phone: 732-264-0256 ◆ Web: dearbornmarket.com Hours: Sunday - Saturday, 8am - 8pm

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One Child Gives Life to Many Kortney and her dog, Snowball. She loved to put his head on a pillow, cover him with a blanket, and then read to him.

Monmouth County Couple Uses Grief to Found The Kortney Rose Foundation

By Cathy Padilla

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our child has cancer.”

They are words that form one of the most dreaded sentences a parent can hear or imagine. Most try to not think about such things, and for the vast majority, they remain only words and stay tucked in the recesses of the mind where fear and dark thoughts dwell. That wasn’t true for the Gillette family of Oceanport whose lives were forever altered by the reality of the disease in 2005.

Kristen and Rich were married and had been living a busy life working and raising their two daughters, Kasey and Kortney.

Life had its usual challenges, but the holidays were ongoing, the kids were happy, and things were good. On one December day, Kortney, who had just turned nine, wanted to play outside in her energetic, happy way.

There wasn’t anything unusual about the day until Kristen noticed her daughter’s eye looked odd, crossed almost. Days later an MRI revealed a tumor in Kortney’s brainstem. And just like that, in a moment, life for the Gillettes had forever changed.

Pediatric brain tumors are the #1 cause of death by all disease in children. About 43 children per day, or 15,780 children per year, are diagnosed with cancer, with the average age for diagnosis being six. Survival rates have improved, but those who survive often experience many physical setbacks throughout their lives. And for children like Kortney, who are diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic

pontine glioma (DIPG), there is no effective treatment. DIPG is always fatal.

Your child has cancer, that wasn’t bad enough. Always fatal. What does a parent do with those words? If you’re Kristen Gillette, you make your daughter’s brief life have lasting, far-reaching significance by starting a foundation to impact research for pediatric cancer and help save lives.

While Kortney underwent treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) under the care of Dr. Peter Phillips, Director of CHOP’s Division of NeuroOncology, Kristen and Rich were faced with the frustrations and feelings of powerlessness that come from pediatric cancer, but also the reality of a staggering funding gap.

“When Kortney was diagnosed with the brain tumor we were essentially told that there is absolutely no effective treatment or cure for this tumor, it was about making Kortney comfortable and giving her quality of life for the time she had left,” shared Kristen. “That is never what parents want to hear once their child has been diagnosed with cancer. Then the doctors told us the terrible fact that less than 4% of all federal funding is spent for pediatric cancer research. These two things, and trying to make a negative into a positive, were my reasons to start the Kortney Rose Foundation. I wanted a way to remember Kortney, but also to help other children and families never experience what we did.”

The federal government funds nearly 98% of all cancer research in the U.S. through

the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a federal agency under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) umbrella. The NCI allocates less than four percent of its $5 billion annual budget ($178 million) to all forms of pediatric cancer. Meanwhile, according to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, pharmaceutical companies fund only a fraction of a percent of childhood cancer research because they see little financial incentive for investment in such a small patient population. Since 1980, fewer that 10 drugs have been developed for use in children with cancer, only three of which have been approved for use.

Despite children’s brain tumors and other forms of cancer requiring specific research and different types of treatment than are used on adults, little funding, insufficient drug and treatment development, and research that lags nearly two decades behind its adult counterparts, places children with cancer in the shadows. Children like Kortney, who died on April 27, 2006 just four months after being diagnosed.

Kristen and Rich used their grief to fuel them into action, founding The Kortney Rose Foundation (KRF) in 2006. An outpouring of support from the community made their first event in September of that year, Kortney’s challenge 2-Mile Fun Run/Walk in Oceanport, both a success and a reason to go on. The money raised was used for playground equipment at Kortney’s elementary school where the playground was renamed in her honor. But Kristen wanted more than continued on next page

CommunityMagazineNJ.com FEBRUARY 2019

39

only to remember her little girl, she wanted her life to have impact and meaning.

After KRF became a full 501(c)3 tax-exempt charity and started raising money to fund research for all types of pediatric brain tumors, Kristen and Rich met with Dr. Phillips at CHOP to discuss how the Foundation could better support research and asked, somewhat naively, why all doctors and hospitals don’t work together to find better solutions.

“Dr. Phillips explained that hospitals, like academic universities, give more money, tenure, and recognition to researchers who make discoveries and then publish them,” said Kristen. “This model has been fueled by the NIH, which rewards researchers with more grants based on previous success. Since it can take up to two years for a researcher to get published, kids could die from DIPG while researchers wait to get credit.

Foundations like ours have become very vocal about this and are driving change by funding only researchers who work collaboratively and share their findings immediately.”

In 2009, the Gillettes learned from Dr. Phillips and his colleague, Dr. Tom Curran, about the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (CBTTC), a new collaborative research initiative between CHOP and three prominent pediatric hospitals. KRF immediately stepped up to help fund this effort and became an original research partner.

KRF’s funding has been instrumental in the expansion of the CBTTC into 17 institutions worldwide.

“The past decade has witnessed the emergence of entirely new technologies in biomedicine that provide for the first time the opportunity for new precision medicine approaches to treat cancer. However, applying these discoveries towards cures for children with brain tumors faces numerous challenges ranging from limited funding for research to the need for increased advocacy and education of patients and families,” said Dr. Adam Resnick, Director of Data Driven Discovery in Biomedicine at CHOP. “The Kortney Rose Foundation, through an unparalleled grass roots effort, has served to uniquely empower the discovery of new precision medicine approaches for kids with brain tumors through their support of the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium, a collaborative network of pediatric hospitals dedicated to open access, data-driven discoveries in pediatric cancer.”

Kortney doing one of her favorite things in life, a water slide at Animal Kingdom Lodge in Disney World, 2003.

How You Can Help 10th Annual Great Food for a Great Cause Saturday, February 23 Sunday, February 24 Turning Point Restaurants Volunteers and Patrons Needed!

Kristen and Rich Gillette with The Kortney Rose Foundation stand in front of the glass ingot that was placed in the entry wall at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia when the Foundation was inducted into the Chairman’s Circle for donors who have donated $1 million or more to CHOP in 2015

KRF is responsible for nearly $1.7 million dollars donated to pediatric brain tumor research in the past 12 years. In 2015 the group was inducted into CHOP’s Chairman Circle for donors of $1 million or more. The Foundation’s next goal is to hit the $2 million mark.

“The journey of Kortney’s illness has allowed our family to meet so many wonderful people we would never have met otherwise. It’s been a wonderful testament to the good in the world. It’s rewarding for me when I have the opportunity to speak to students and get them excited to help other kids,” shared Kristen. “It has taken me many years to figure this out, but I finally believe that Kortney was put on this earth to touch the many people she did when she was alive and also to inspire me to create The Kortney Rose Foundation to help effect change through research funding and advocacy in the lives of other children with brain tumors. This is how we have created Kortney’s legacy.”

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COMMUNITY MAGAZINE CommunityMagazineNJ.com

The Kortney Rose Foundation partners with the Turning Point Restaurant organization to raise significant funding for pediatric brain tumor research. During the past 9 years the patrons of the Turning Point Restaurants, through this fundraiser, have helped donate more than $328,000 for research. Last year, a phenomenal $74,000 was raised with a goal to meet or exceed that amount this year.

Kortney’s Challenge 2 Mile Fun Run/Walk at Monmouth Park August 4, 2019 14th annual event to get everyone moving for a great cause! The two-mile distance allows people of all ages and fitness levels to participate.

For more information, visit The Kortney Rose Foundation at thekortneyrosefoun-

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Meredith O‘Brien & Affiliates, LLC M E N TA L H E A LT H C O U N S E L I N G

YOU’RE INVITED! Rumson Environmental Commission to Hold Educational Dinner & Movie Night The Rumson Environmental Commission, together with stakeholders that share the Navesink River watershed, are collaborating on a project that aims to foster a better understanding of how our actions impact our delicate ecosystem, called “Movies for the Waterways”.

The Commission and the American Littoral Society will host a Community Dinner & Movie Night on Tuesday, February 26 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at Surf BBQ & Burger, located at 132 East River Road in Rumson, with hopes of raising awareness about protecting our natural resources.

The Rumson Environmental Commission will screen the award-winning documentary film, The Oyster Farmers, which beautifully illustrates life on the Barnegat Bay for oyster farmers who are trying to bring these delicious and environmentally beneficial bivalves back to New Jersey Waters. Oyster Farmers featured in the film will host a raw bar before the screening and will join the American Littoral Society after the film for a Q&A for attendees. A prix fixe menu will be available during the film. Appropriate for adults and older teens.

Reservations are required. For more information or to host a film at your local place of business, contact Kristen Hall at 917.733.8235 or kristen.rumson.environmental@gmail.com.

(l to r) Meredith O’Brien, LCSW (founder), Carianne D’Oriano, LPC, Tatiana Grant, LPC, NCC, Barbara Tatum, LPC, Jessica Lupon, LPC, John Muldoon, PHD, LPC

Individual Therapy • Group Therapy • Family Therapy Couples Therapy • Children • Adolescents • Adults Dialectical Behavior Therapy Groups Depression • Anxiey • Substance Abuse Eating Disorders • Mindfulness • Parenting Relationship Conflict • Self Esteem • Life Transitions 52 Reckless Place, Red Bank, NJ mereditheob@gmail.com • 732.977.9729 • Meredithobrienlcsw.com

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Fresh Farmers and Makers Market

WEDNESDAYS IN FEBRUARY 1:00- 6:00 PM Bell Works, Holmdel Shop weekly from over 30 local farmers, food purveyors, local artisans and more. Lots of family activities, food & craft demos, live music, libations and more. This event is FREE and open to the public. Visit bellworksfresh.com

The 22nd Annual Orchid Show

FEBRUARY 7 THROUGH FEBRUARY 10 Dearborn Market, Holmdel Orchid Societies as well as other local and commercial growers will be presenting landscaped exhibits that are sure to delight all who attend. During the show on Saturday, February 9th, - they will hold the annual evening benefit for The Francis Foundation to raise funds so they can bring happiness to kids fighting cancer. Enjoy wine and cheese, hors d’oevres for this wonderful cause. More info, dearbornmarket.com

Asbury Park’s Songwriters Showcase

FEBRUARY 13 - 7:00 TO 10:00 PM The Saint Asbury Park A showcase of six powerhouse songwriting talents, live at The Saint-- the legendary music venue of the Jersey Shore - Strumberry Pie (7:30 pm), Samantha Louise (8:00 pm), Phil Robinson (8:30 pm), Rory D’Lasnow (9:00 pm), Mike Rocket (9:30 pm), & Deirdre Forrest (10:00 pm)

6th Annual Vacation Expo

FEBRUARY 23 FROM 11:00 TO 3:00 P.M. Hosted by Excel Travel, NJ 101.5 & Dearborn Market Bringing you a wide range of trusted travel operators under one roof. The fun, casual informative, free event will be held in the award-winning Dearborn Market’s state-of-the-art greenhouse, visit njvacationexpo.com for more info.

10th Anniversary Hometown Heroes Gala and Awards Show

FEBRUARY 7 FROM 5:30 TO 9:30 PM Brookdale Community College Performing Arts Center Honoring four amazing heroes in our local community – Carol Stillwell, Mychal Mills, Jackeline Mejias-Fuertes and Rick Brandt.

Special performance by Sugar Hill Gang and Pam McCoy and Familiar Faces. Tickets: $50 Email: info@usahometownheroes. org

THEO

FEBRUARY 23 THROUGH MARCH 24 Two River Theater, Red Bank When a family’s matriarch, Margaret, is forced to acknowledge that her health is deteriorating and that her death is imminent, her son Theodore (Theo) returns to their Catskills home after many years away. For tickets, visit tworivertheater.org.

Highlands Annual Chili Cookoff

3rd Annual Irish Film Festival

FEBRUARY 9 – MIDDLETOWN ARTS CENTER, MIDDLETOWN Shorts/Documentaries at 1:00 pm | Feature Films at 7:00 pm Middletown Arts Center Presented by Claddagh nan Gael, conveniently located adjacent to the Middletown Train Station (NJ Transit - North Jersey Coast Line) with ample parking available. Admission $10, more info at irishfilmfest.org

Donna Beriont social strategist

FEBRUARY 24 FROM 3:00- 7:00 PM Bahrs Landing, Highlands All proceeds to benefit the 2019 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. $30 donation includes: chili tasting, two beer tickets and ballots.

More info at 732.291.4713 or email HBP@highlandsnj.com. Visit highlandsnj.com

WhistlePig Dinner Pairing

FEBRUARY 27TH FROM 6:30 TO 9:30 PM B2 Bistro + Bar Red Bank Presenting 5 courses prepared by Executive Chef Cesare “Chez” DeChellis, paired with a line up from the award winning WhistlePig Whiskey, hosted by Nate Woodruff. B2’s expert bartenders will also be presenting a custom cocktail to accompany the meal. Tickets $125 pp, more info at b2bistro.com.

Donna Beriont | DNB Events

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you from your social strategist and event consultant! I provide public relations, event consulting and strategy, as well as promotions and partnering for local businesses. Enjoy the local events happening in our area.

THE CENTER OF BALANCE 273 NJ 34 Colts Neck, NJ 07722 732 740-­6171 www.thecenterofbalancenj.com

Highlands 6th Annual Guinness Run/Fundraiser

MARCH 10 STARTING AT 2:00 P.M. Registration is $30.00 and includes a commemorative t-shirt, a pint glass and access to the Post-Race Party at Chubby Pickle. There will be a Post-Run Pub Crawl from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., $10 registration and $3 Imported Beer specials at participating restaurants.

Count Basie Events Tickets: thebasie.org

Best of the Eagles FEBRUARY 16 8:00 PM

E. Murray Todd Half Marathon

MARCH 10 AT 8:30 AM Brookdale Community College Forty-two years of racing tradition returns to one of New Jersey’s most attractive courses. Run 13.1 miles on a beautiful course through Lincroft, Holmdel and Colts Neck. Pre-registration is suggested and closes on February 28, 2019. More info, visit MonmouthCountyParks.com.

Legally Blonde FEBRUARY 21 8:00 PM

Women of Distinction & Community Partners Gala

MARCH 22 FROM 6:00 TO 11:00 PM Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club, Farmingdale Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore will host its annual gala to honor a group of outstanding community role models who inspire girls to become leaders of tomorrow. More info, visit jerseyshoregirlscouts.org.

Cheap Trick FEBRUARY 28 8:00 PM

Garden State Film Festival

MARCH 28 THROUGH MARCH 31 – ASBURY PARK A weekend full of current independent films that you can’t see anywhere else! Weekend passes are $50 in advance, Day Passes are also available - the Saturday Day Pass is $30 and Sunday Day Pass is $20. Tickets are available at gsff.org and at festival box offices.

Made in Monmouth

APRIL 13 AT 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM Monmouth University, West Long Branch Made In Monmouth is a program for both vendors to create useful new products that the public will want to buy and for visitors to find the best Monmouth made products to enrich their lives. Free to the public. More info at madeinmonmouth.com

SAVE THE DATE - Saint Patty’s Day Parades Belmar/Lake Como St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Keyport’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Highlands St. Patrick’s Day Parade

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

Donna Beriont social strategist

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

Donna Beriont | DNB Events

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you from your social strategist and event consultant! I provide public relations, event consulting and strategy, as well as promotions and partnering for local businesses. Enjoy the local events happening in our area.

W O R L D

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Ma r t i n M o r a n B y Ca r o l y n Ca n t o r

Fe b 23 - Ma r 24

Circle BMW President, Tom DeFelice (right), presented Kenneth N. Sable, (left) M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president, southern market, Hackensack Meridian Health with a donation earmarked for the Perricone Center for Women’s Cancer at Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune

Circle BMW Donates to the Perricone Center for Women’s Cancer at Jersey Shore University Medical Center Circle BMW made a donation of $10,000 to the Perricone Center for Women’s Cancer at Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. During the month of October, in conjunction with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Circle BMW pledged to sell a minimum of 100 cars and donate $100 per car. The goal was achieved and Circle BMW’s President, Tom DeFelice, presented a check to Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president, southern market, Hackensack Meridian Health, on December 14, 2018.

“Circle BMW’s continued generosity will benefit our oncology patients and their families and help to raise awareness about the services available at Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center,” said Dr. Sable.

The Perricone Center for Women’s Cancer is located in the new HOPE Tower, a state-of-the-art outpatient facility featuring leading experts in more than 15 specialties, an academic and research center to teach and pioneer lifesaving medical breakthroughs and a state-of-the-art cancer center with sophisticated technology all in a warm and welcoming environment that fosters healing and patient-centered care.

“It was wonderful to see the staff at Circle BMW, and our customers, embrace this campaign and commit to raising funds that will benefit women’s breast cancer care for members of our local community. We are proud to make this donation and hope it positively impacts many patients,” explained DeFelice.

CALL 732.345.1400 TWORIVERTHEATER.ORG 21 BRIDGE AVENUE, RED BANK

Monmouth County Invites Charities to Join Employee Giving Campaign The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders is inviting charitable organizations to join the 2019/2020 New Jersey Employee Charitable Campaign.

Saint John Vianney High School

“Independent charitable organizations are invited to join the County’s annual charitable campaign,” said Freeholder Director Thomas Arnone who is the Monmouth County 2019/2020 campaign chairman. “We know that there are many local not-for-profit organizations in our community doing phenomenal work that may not know about this fundraising opportunity. This is a chance for local charities to connect with public employees here in Monmouth County.”

Interested charities must submit a completed application by 5:00 pm on Monday, March 4, 2019. To be eligible to participate, organizations must be a registered 501(c)(3) and have raised at least $15,000 each year for the past two years.

For more information, please contact Maria Wojciechowski, Monmouth County NJECC coordinator, by email at njecc@ co.monmouth.nj.us or by phone at 732.303.2888. Applications and instructions may be found at njecc.net/charity-applications/.

Last year, public employees in Monmouth County and its partners throughout the state donated more than $747,000 to support the work of more than 800 charitable organizations right here in Monmouth County and around the globe.

“I am extremely proud of the County’s ongoing commitment to the annual charitable campaign,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, who was the 2018/2019 campaign chairman. “I strongly encourage any qualified charity to join the upcoming New Jersey Employee Charitable Campaign. This is a wonderful demonstration of how the caring employees of Monmouth County give back to the community.”

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Celebrating 50 years of outstanding education!

We will be celebrating all year with activities and events including a Fall Festival on October 5, 2019 and our 50th Anniversary Gala in June 2020!

To sponsor or attend an event please contact Julie Pasquale pasquale@sjvhs.org or 732-739-0800, Ext. 121

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540A Line Rd., Holmdel, NJ 07733 732-739-0800 - www.sjvhs.org

CommunityMagazineNJ.com FEBRUARY 2019

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Winter is Here - Where to Go!

By Hope Daniels

It’s just about that time in winter when you have absolutely nothing more to talk about with your family. Your husband’s jokes are no longer funny, you’re tired of listening to the in-laws complain about their couch sores from binge watching, and you’re on the verge of giving a consequence to the next kid who asks you to read, sing, or play with them. You are even annoyed with the amount of times you tell yourself you are no longer eating carbs after placing a pizza and garlic knots order. In other words, the family has cabin fever and you all need a fun escape. Desperately! Check out some Monmouth County excursions that will get the gang moving, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company once again.

Gravity Vault It’s time to put your foot down and order your couch potato cadets to reach for the sky instead of the chips. Get the family in tip top shape by heading over to an indoor rock gym. Rock climbing is a great sport for beginners and thrill seekers. From learning the ropes to scaling the walls, it’s a great workout and time for all.

37 Kanes Lane, Middletown | GravityVault.com

Snapology Have you ever met a child or adult who doesn’t like Legos? Me neither. Snapology of Monmouth County provides junior scientists with an open play space and lab to expand their knowledge in STEAM programs, Robotics and Video Game Design with the help of Legos. Children can take a private class or be accompanied by an adult in its public Discovery Center where they can bond, brainstorm and build.

980 Shrewsbury Avenue, Tinton Falls | Snapology.com

Trap Door Escape Room Escape rooms are all the rage for birthday parties, teamwork events, date nights and NOW a cure for winter blues. The goal of the space is to solve clues and challenging puzzles as a group. There are a variety of storylines and rooms that can be explored keeping the family out of the house for hours.

60 White Street, Red Bank | TrapDoorEscape.com

Painting With A Twist Need a chance to express yourself? Display your creative eye on canvas. Whether you want to have a fun night out or share a new experience with your family, schedule a painting date to show off “hue” you really are.

2145 NJ-35, Holmdel | PaintingWthATwist.com

The Melting Pot Turn your family into a bunch of experienced foodies for the day. Whether you are a meat and potatoes type or a fancy fondue sampler, enjoy selecting and cooking your own apps and entrees. The kids will love the chance to play chef for brunch, lunch or dinner.

2 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank | MeltingPot.com/red-bank-nj/

TopGolf It’s a bit of a hike but well worth it! Each venue features fun and competitive golf games for all ages, climate-controlled playing bays for year-round comfort, an impressive food and drink menu, private spaces for groups of any size, HDTVs, and a music selection that will make every visit feel like a party.

1013 U.S. Route 1, Edison | TopGolf.com/us

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That moment when...

What’s not to LOVE about

Valentine’s Day!

CONFIDENCE

SHINES

Who needs a holiday to celebrate an emotion we should express every day for the important significant person(s) in our life? It should be one of the top priorities of the day to share your love and sentiment with those closest to your heart!

Perhaps in a perfect world, there are few that have made such wonderful expression a daily ritual. But for those of us who seem to get caught up in the day-to-day functions of life, allowing that feeling or expression slip through the day without mention, let’s take a moment of gratitude for Valentine’s Day! Letting the one you love should not require a holiday, but it’s nice to know that every February 14th we get a chance to express our love. How cool is a holiday set aside solely for the soulmate who completes you - your Valentine, if you will.

This year, celebrate this Valentine’s Day with the ultimate symbol or should we say symbols of love with the Forevermark Diamond Tribute Collection. A new collection featuring elegant designs with multiple Forevermark diamonds. Perfect for symbolizing your own distinct traits of the woman you adore.

Begin your collection with stackable rings or dazzle her with the top trend of layering diamonds with necklaces or earrings. Every look showing a rare and beautiful Forevermark diamond for each unique quality she has.

Forevermark Tribute Collection Gift Guide

1

Diamond Hoops

2 3

IT ALL BEGINS HERE

Tribute Studs

Nursery through Grade 8

Collection Necklaces

4

Stackable Fashion Rings

For more information about the diamond jewelry buying event and to book an appointment, call 732.256.4410 or visit J. Vincent Jewelers at 420 Route 34 in Colts Neck.

Contact our Admissions Office today at admissions@rcds.org.

www.jvincent.com � 732.256.4410 | � info@jvincent.com | � jvincent.com

35 Bellevue Avenue . Rumson, NJ 07760 732.842.0527 . www.rcds.org

CBA AWARDS PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO INCOMING STUDENTS Christian Brothers Academy presented 13 Presidential Scholarships on January 17 to eighth graders who scored exceptionally high on the Academy’s entrance exam.

The Presidential Scholarships are part of CBA’s Scholarship Initiative, making it possible for highly qualified students to attend CBA, regardless of financial background.

It was CBA’s first president, Brother Andrew O’Gara, who made it his mission to make CBA affordable for any qualified student. Brother Andrew’s vision continues on with the Scholarship Initiative, as CBA now awards more than 50 full and partial scholarships to deserving students.

One of the three President’s Scholarships bears Brother Andrew’s name. The second scholarship honors St. John Baptist de La Salle, the founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, which has operated CBA since its opening in 1959. The third scholarship, the Founders’ Scholarship, is in memory of the three laymen founders of the Academy: John Henderson, Peter Fleming, and Dr. George Sheehan.

The Academy awards a combined $1.5 million in scholarships and financial aid to its current students.

“I congratulate these young men who have distinguished themselves and received these awards,” President Brother Frank Byrne ’75 said. “The De La Salle Scholarship, Brother Andrew Scholarship, and the Founders’ Scholarship are a great way to recognize the achievements of these incoming freshmen. It is our hope that their academic success continues throughout their time at CBA.” Thirteen of the 20 winners of the Presidential Scholarships were in attendance at a short award ceremony in CBA’s Quinn Library.

The students were invited to bring their parents and their middle school administrators with them to share in the special moment: Jack Butler, Manasquan Elementary; Hunter DelGuercio, Millstone Township Middle

Left to right: CBA Principal Ross Fales, Matthew Herman from Cedar Drive Middle School in Colts Neck, and CBA President Brother Frank Byrne. Photo Credit: Larry Levanti/CBA.

School; Thibaut Fabricant, Oak Hill Academy, Lincroft; Samuel Ferro, St. Jerome, West Long Branch; Daniel Grosso, St. Bartholomew School; Sean Healey, Forrestdale School, Rumson; Matthew Herman, Cedar Drive Middle School, Colts Neck; Stephen Makin, Holy Cross School, Rumson; Ryan Manley, St. Mary, New Monmouth; William Ribon, St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft; Robert Schweikert, Oak Hill Academy, Lincroft; Quinn Walsh, Holy Cross School, Rumson; and John Woolf, St. Aloysius, Jackson During the ceremony, Brother Frank and Principal Ross Fales spoke about the 25 Advanced Placement courses, nearly 50 clubs and activities, and the 18 varsity sport programs currently offered at CBA. They also touched on the focus CBA has on its students’ preparation for college. The Class of 2018 was awarded more than $31.5 million in merit-based, academic scholarships. Not including athletic scholarships or grants, 70 percent of the students were awarded college scholarships.

OAK HILL ACADEMY REPEATS AS TOP SCHOOL AT MATH CONTEST Congratulations to the Oak Hill Academy Math team for winning the St. Joseph (Metuchen, NJ) High School Mathematics Competition that was held on January 12. Mrs. Palamara took a group of eight 7th & 8th graders up to the high school in Metuchen for Oak Hill’s third annual trip to the Middlesex County High School’s competition. The team consisted of eighth graders: Michael Gao (Holmdel), Robert Schweikert (Atlantic Highlands), Thibaut Fabricant (Red Bank), Aaron Lee (Morganville) and Saujun Christie (Toms River) and seventh grader, Daniel Fiskin (Morganville).

After all of the scores were tabulated, the Monmouth County private school, Oak Hill Academy, emerged victorious as the champion amongst all competing schools. Congratulations were also in order on the individual side as Robert Schweikert finished 4th and Michael Gao 5th to anchor the team win. This was the school’s second consecutive team victory, and third in four years, at the Middlesex County High school.

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RBR Students Learn of College Acceptance on Instant Decision Day

More than 60 College Acceptances and $2.25 million in merit scholarships were offered

DURING TWO DAYS IN NOVEMBER, eight colleges visited Red Bank Regional High School (RBR), not for a college fair, but an actual interview with students for admission to those colleges. The 50 students who participated learned that day they were accepted into the college and the amount of scholarship they would receive. The offers were non-binding on the students. RBR Instant Decision Day 2018, the brainchild of RBR Guidance Director Jason Sabino, included the public schools Ramapo, Stockton, NJIT, and Kean Universities and private schools Fairleigh Dickinson, Georgian Court, Rider, and Seton Hall Universities. Over 60 college acceptances and $2.25 million in merit scholarships were offered to RBR students during the Instant Decision Days.

“In my prior employment, we conducted a similar event and most schools throughout the county will do this with one or two colleges. I thought it would be so much more beneficial if we could arrange to have more schools participate, in order to attract more students. This way, a large range of students are able to participate in multiple interviews with different schools in a day. RBR Guidance Department is pleased to report that a number of students who participated in this event were first generation college students,” said Sabino.

While there might be some high schools in the area that have invited schools to do similar events, Sabino does not believe any other school district runs a collective program with so many schools coming in a concentrated period of time. Students were able to take multiple interviews with different schools in any one day. The RBR Guidance Department sees another advantage to Instant Decision Days in the encouragement of fouryear college attendance.

“There are some students who are on the fence on whether they think they can apply and get scholarships to a four-year college. My goal is that this event will increase their interest to actually meet with these representatives where they will have the opportunity to talk to them about the realities of attending a four-year institution. And with the preparation we put into the process before the interview, we are afforded an opportunity to control things we cannot outside the building such as prepping them

best for the interview and encouraging interview attire,” said Sabino.

RBR Guidance Counselor Shalene McLaughlin orchestrated the event and worked with seniors that chose to participate. Students were coached on the college interview process, what questions they might ask and how to express interest in the specifics of the school and major. The students’ transcripts and standardized test scores were sent to the colleges ahead of time along with their common applications. On the college-end, these students were pre-screened and the admission officers came prepared to offer acceptances and actual merit scholarship offers. All that was left was the important interview process, where the colleges took full measure of their prospective students, and the students learned more about the colleges.

Stacy Osorio, Red Bank, who received her acceptance to Georgian Court that day along with a generous offer for a merit scholarship, stated, “It was so good that they came here and know that we are not just an application but a person and they actually see us.” Stacy also learned that she would be accepted into the college’s honors program; something that will help her application to the competitive Georgian Court nursing program, the career to which she aspires.

Paul Bikker, Little Silver, who received his acceptance to NJIT, remarked, “It feels really good to definitely know that you have somewhere to go. It was announced a few times (that colleges were coming to interview) and one of the schools I was going to apply to regardless was on the list. It definitely made it easier to know you were accepted instantly.”

Harrison Jones, Red Bank who also received his acceptance to NJIT added, “I am applying to other schools, but this was very helpful to me, thinking about spending the next few months waiting on letters, thinking how stressful that could be, but now this makes that much easier to deal with.”

Suzette Rodriguez, Red Bank, was ecstatic with her very generous scholarship to Rider University. She hopes to major in business administration and minor in homeland security. She learned from the representative that Rider has a good five-year program in both.

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Mater Dei Prep to Honor Gerry Harper and John Cahill at Seraph Strong Gala

On February 9th, Mater Dei Prep will hold the Seraph Strong Gala at the newly renovated Sheraton Hotel in Eatontown and honor two men who have made lasting contributions to both the school and Monmouth County. The annual Seraph Strong Gala is Mater Dei Prep’s signature event to honor alumni, community leaders, and others who support the high school’s mission of a tradition of excellence in education and commitment to Catholic values.

Gerry Harper One of seven siblings who attended Mater Dei, Gerry was President of the Student Council and a statewide champion in debate and extemporaneous speaking. He graduated as a Henry Rutgers Scholar with honors from Rutgers College, after which he attended N.Y.U. Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of its Law Review and received the Benjamin Butler Award for Academic Excellence. Following a clerkship on the U.S. D.C. Circuit Court, he joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, as a trial lawyer and was made a partner in 1986, a position he held until his retirement 30 years later.

Gerry currently chairs the N.Y. State Bar’s Committee on Ethics, having previously chaired a like committee for the N.Y. County Lawyers. By judicial appointment, he served six years on the committee overseeing lawyer discipline. For three years, he was an Adjunct Professor on Ethics at N.Y.U. Law School. From 1987 until 2010, he was general counsel of the N.Y.S. Democratic Party, a Presidential Elector in 1988, and a member of the DNC Rules Committee in 1996, 2000, and 2004.

In the spring of 2015, Gerry was asked to help save Mater Dei Prep. With many others, Gerry made Mater Dei Prep a mission for which, he said, failure was not an option. With these many others, including six-figure pro bono help from his firm, he worked to assure the school’s survival and success. He remains a founding member of the Board of Trustees. Gerry is the proud father of daughters Amanda and Julia.

John Cahill Having graduated from Georgetown University in 1977 with a degree in government, John earned an MBA from Rutgers in 1980. His professional career spans 40 years in the fixed income market, first as a portfolio manager for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and later in sales at financial services powerhouses Shearson American Express, Paine Webber, BNP Paribas and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Over the years John recruited and mentored countless individuals in their careers.

John’s first effort to support his alma mater was inspired by loyalty and friendship. In 1994, as a way to honor the memory of his classmate and brother-in-law Mike Lawless, John, with his lifelong friend Mike Corley, set up a golf outing for a few friends to raise money for a scholarship to help Mater Dei students in Lawless’s name.

Initially, the outings were grassroots efforts that culminated with a BBQ in the Cahill backyard. Twenty-four years and $250,000 later, the Mater Dei Prep Golf Outing and Picnic is a popular annual fundraiser that supports students in need.

In 1998, he led the effort to establish the Mater Dei Prep Hall of Fame, a body that has honored five dream teams and more than 100 individuals -- graduates, boosters, and benefactors -- for athletic prowess, career achievement, and service. The 2018 dinner was the most successful with 250 alumni, parents, and friends in attendance.

As founder and president of the Mater Dei Prep Alumni Association, John has leant his talents and financial support to many projects, including the track renovation, Save the Seraphs effort, refurbishment of the Frank Outwater Field House, and the Dr. John J. Cahill Scoreboard, dedicated by his family in his father’s honor. Due to his leadership, the alumni association provides steadfast support of all co-curricular programs, athletics and the performing arts. John is a member of Mater Dei’s Board of Trustees and chair of its Development Committee.

In addition to his work for Mater Dei, John served on the Board of Governors for Navesink Country Club and is a former president of the Rumson Fair Haven Pop Warner. John and his wife Suzann celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary last year. Together they have three boys, James, John and Billy.

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Nineteen RBR VPA Vocal Majors Make All Shore Chorus for 2019 Red Bank Regional High School (RBR) will be sending 19 students to the prestigious All Shore Chorus this year. All Shore Chorus brings together the best of the best high school choir singers from Monmouth and Ocean Counties in New Jersey. The organization strives to challenge students by performing academic pieces that challenge and prepare them for singing beyond high school.

The vocal program at RBR has a strong history of sending hundreds of students to sing with this exceptional local group. Accepted students into the choir have prepared and performed a rigorous audition with approximately 200 other students from the local area. This year’s concert was held at Monmouth Regional High School on February 2.

Top row, left to right: Julia Mancuso, Rumson; Meghan Rose, Shrewsbury; Claire Taylor, Ocean Township; Manny Rosario, Red Bank; Ben Hahn, Millstone; Sydney Spencer, Little Silver; Madeleine Stout, Neptune City; (middle row) Rebecca Roth, Bradley Beach; Talia Tardogno, Manalapan; Maya Jacoby, Long Branch City; Sara Zerilli, Millstone; Gianna Pallante, Millstone; Mara Campolattaro, Rumson; Bpttom row, left to right: Raymond Faiella, Little Silver; Jack Schutzenhofer, Atlantic Highlands; Catherine Creed, Red Bank; Julianna Conforti, Millstone; Jaqueline Conforti, Millstone; Elizabeth Emmett, Belmar.

RFH Football Players Make College Commitments Five Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School State Championship football players made their college choices official in January.

The list of athletes include: Evan Davis - University at Buffalo; Alex Maldjian - Middlebury College; Ryan McCann - Yale University; Ian O’Connor - Lehigh University; and Henry Sullivan - Colgate University. This was the first signing day of the school year for football.

PHOTO: Top row, left to right: Coach Robert Orrok, Coach Christopher Quinn, Head Coach Jerry Schulte, Coach Jeremy Schulte. Seated, left to right: Ian O’Connor (Lehigh), Evan Davis (Buffalo), Henry Sullivan (Colgate), Ryan McCann (Yale), Alex Maldjian (Middlebury).

CommunityMagazineNJ.com FEBRUARY 2019

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PLAN YOUR VACATION WITH THE EXPERTS AT THE 6TH ANNUAL VACATION EXPO Stop dreaming and start planning your getaway at the 6th Annual Vacation Expo hosted by Excel Travel, NJ 101.5 and Dearborn Market. Vacation Expo brings you a wide range of trusted travel operators under one roof! The fun, informative, free event will be held in the award-winning Dearborn Market’s state-of-the-art greenhouse on Saturday, February 23, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The award winning, time-tested Excel Travel - celebrating 25 years in 2019 - has hand-selected more than 30 of its favorite vacation vendors, operators and owners of top-notch travel destinations. These experts will provide first-hand information about your next travel destination. The possibilities are limitless whether you desire an exotic safari, a fun-filled, family cruise, a romantic getaway or simply a resort within a day’s drive, you will find it at Vacation Expo.

No matter what your idea of a dream vacation is you will find it at Vacation Expo. There will be an infinite variety of journeys available with the lowest prices possible (even compared to Expedia, Travelocity, etc.)

At Vacation Expo the only limit to your next adventure will be your imagination. Here is just a sampling of tour representatives who will be present: Beaches and Sandals Resorts - Crystal Cruises – Celtic Tours World Tours – Club Med – Elegant Hotels – Holland America Line - Kick Cancer Overboard - Jamaica Tourist Board - Viking River Cruises - Micato Safaris - Cayman Islands –- AMA Waterways - Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines – MSC Cruises, and many more.

Come and build your dream vacation with the experts. For more information, visit NJVacationExpo.com.

You can gather loads of information from the experts or book a vacation on the spot and save hundreds of dollars! In fact, if you book a trip using Excel Travel, you will get $100 off (or shipboard credit) vacation packages or cruise bookings. Attendees at this year’s event will be able to explore a trip to Asia on land or by sea, or discover a romantic wedding and honeymoon destination on a Caribbean island, or plan a once-in-a-lifetime African safari, or an action-packed, family ski trip to the Rockies, or an over-the-top luxurious river cruise for two, or simply a girls’ indulgent spa week getaway. The options are limitless!

“Official tour company representatives will be present and are excellent resources for ensuring memorable journeys,” says travel expert Ted Friedli, owner of Excel Travel, Long Branch and Founder of Kick Cancer Overboard Foundation providing free cruises to people affected by cancer. “We have personally selected our favorites for this event.”

MONMOUTH COUNTY PARK SYSTEM RELEASES SPRING PARKS & PROGRAMS GUIDE This spring go Wild for Bats, discover Spring Tales and Garden Fun, and set off on a Star Talk and Hike with the Monmouth County Park System. Other upcoming offerings include Hula Hoop Dance and Fitness, Wiggles & Giggles, and Kayak Birding. Check out the spring issue of the Park System’s Parks & Programs Guide for those and other exciting arts & crafts, nature, recreation and sports programs planned for March, April, and May. Copies of the spring issue of the Parks & Programs Guide are available at most county parks and online. Registration starts at 8 a.m. on

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Wednesday, February 6. Registration is available online 24/7; by phone by calling 732.842.4000, ext. 1, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm; by mail using the Registration Form found at the back of the Parks & Programs Guide; or in person by visiting Park System Headquarters in Thompson Park, 805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

For more information about the Park System or to receive a copy of the Parks & Programs Guide, please visit www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or call 732.842.4000, ext. 4312.

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CommunityMagazineNJ.com FEBRUARY 2019

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B Monmouth Museum B

Welcomes New Executive Director

THE MONMOUTH MUSEUM announced that its Board of Trustees has unanimously appointed Donna R. Kessinger of Atlantic Highlands to be the Museum’s next Executive Director. Daniel Fenski, Board of Trustees Chairman said, “We are pleased to announce Donna’s appointment. We are impressed with Donna’s leadership experience and skill sets and how well they align with the goals of the Monmouth Museum for its next chapter, and feel her energy and enthusiasm for our mission and community is exactly what we need at this time.”

Kessinger comes to the Museum from ChaShaMa, International Center of Photography, ICP, and MoMA PS1, bringing with her a connection to the artist community that thrives along the New York and New Jersey corridor.

She has a Bachelor of Fine Art from Kent State University, and a Masters in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky. Donna has produced several independent curatorial projects in New York and New Jersey since 1999 including the Guggenheim Museum and the emerging artists residency programs and related exhibitions at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.

With her experience as a fine arts administrator and educator, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Kentucky teaching the Arts and Artists in Society online courses, and recently the Arts Program Director for the Therapeutic Recreation Division, at Monmouth County Parks and Recreation, she will introduce new engaging educational programs to the Museum for the adult and MMKIDS audience. At Aljira, A Space Center for Contemporary Art, in Newark, NJ she developed the Young Curators Program an educational outreach and youth development initiative with the Newark Public Schools. “I am honored to be selected as the Executive Director of the Monmouth Museum. The museum is a place for families to learn and have fun together, a place for children to dream about a bigger, brighter future,” said Kessinger. The Museum presents thought-provoking rotating exhibitions in the areas of arts, culture, science and history, and nationally renowned talent along with the work of New Jersey artists, providing a destination that is multi-generational.

Her impressive intellectual and artistic credentials pair well in serving

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artists for the New Jersey Emerging Artists Series at the Monmouth Museum as well as National and International artists for the various Main Gallery and Juried Art Exhibitions and the daily STEAM, science, art, and history programs offered in both children’s wings of the Museum.

Monmouth Museum is at an important juncture in its 55-year history as it continues as a regional art museum and a center that enriches the lives of children through exploration of science and technology. Kessinger brings the right skills we need to move forward. She will work with the Board of Trustees to create and implement a strategic plan, provide leadership to the museum team, and elevate fundraising efforts including The Next Big Idea fundraising campaign recently kicked off by the Board to ensure the museum is making a lasting impact on children, families, and artists in the years to come.

“Donna’s ten years of experience as an Arts leader in both an educational and curatorial capacity has enabled her to produce public programs that are compelling, inclusive, innovative, and mission-driven.

We are excited to have her join us at the Monmouth Museum,” said Kathy Pojawa, a trustee who led the search.

“I am thrilled to be coming to the Monmouth Museum and look forward to working with the incredible staff, board, and artist and family members to advance the museum, which is a beloved cultural focus for the community and region and which continues to expand its offerings,” said Kessinger.

The Monmouth Museum, founded in 1963 as a Museum of Ideas, is an independent, non-profit organization, entirely supported by individuals, foundation, corporate, county and state grants, income from special events, membership dues, and admissions.

The Museum is located in Lincroft, at 1 Museum Drive, on the campus of Brookdale Community College, parking lot #1. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am -5:00 pm, Friday until 9:00 pm and Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Admission is $8. For more information about programs and exhibitions please call 732-747-2266 or visit the website monmouthmuseum.org.

2 Clinton Court, Holmdel Proudly offered at $620,000

79 Plum Street, Tinton Falls Proudly offered at $324,900

Families Affected by Cancer Awarded Free Cruises

By Susan Murphy Three families and one honeymoon couple who have been affected by cancer were recipients of free cruises at the annual Kick Cancer Overboard (KCO) Holiday Party held on December 30, 2018. At the premiere event, KCO teamed up with the Count Basie Theatre’s Rockit Academy to give the families a special afternoon to remember. Rockit Academy is a non-profit organization where young musicians perform live at the Count Basie Theatre and other local community events.

Church Cultural Center in Ocean Township. During the afternoon, the group of talented students from Rockit, who ranged in age from eight to eighteen, played and sang classic rock songs and Christmas songs. They kept the audience entertained and encouraged them to join in with the singing and dancing.

The four families will head out on their cruise in June of 2019. They will be joining several other families that Families Awarded Cruises to Bermuda (Salerno, Richert, Fortier & Honeymoon Couple Jillian Hanson and Max Allegretti) get together with Rockit Academy Musicians and Kick Cancer have been awarded vacaOverboard Committee Members. Photo Credit: Tom Zapcic Photography tions this year in a cruise to Bermuda, enjoying the many Kick Cancer Overboard is a non-profit organization that has awarded amenities of a cruise with their family and friends. free cruises to Bermuda for eight years on the Royal Caribbean’s Anthem “Our tireless and talented volunteer team of go-givers has granted more of the Seas. Co-Founders of KCO DonnaLyn Giegerich and Ted Friedli, organize events and fundraisers throughout the year in an effort to raise than 300 ‘to sea for free’ cruises in 8 years,” said Giegerich. awareness and funds for these cruises.

Kick Cancer Overboard (KCO) is a local 501(c)3 not for profit organization “Thanks to a full house and the generosity of all the people attending, that gives away free cruises to people whose lives have been affected by Kick Cancer Overboard was able to surprise 17 people affected by can- cancer. It organizes various local fundraisers throughout the year to supcer with a free cruise to Bermuda,” said Friedli. Guests enjoyed an after- port a specific family or individual on a free cruise for a few days. For more noon at the Buona Sera Palazzo located at the St. George Greek Orthodox information, visit kickcanceroverboard.org.

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore Announces Gala on March 22 Event to Honor Community Role Models

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore will host its annual Women of Distinction & Community Partners Gala on March 22 from 6:00 to 11:00 pm, at Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club in Farmingdale.

Individual gala tickets are $225 and include a cocktail reception, dinner, live music from Kindred Spirit, gift auctions, a raffle, and inspiring stories about the honorees and their support of Girl Scouts and the community.

The gala will honor a group of outstanding community role models who inspire girls to become the leaders of tomorrow. The event will also raise support to provide girls in Monmouth and Ocean counties opportunities to achieve their greatest potential through programs and experiences that help them become women of courage, confidence and character, who will make the world a better place.

For information, sponsorship opportunities, tickets and auction donations, call 800.785.2090 or e-mail gala@jerseyshoregirlscouts.org.

Honorees for the evening will include Women of Distinction: Patricia Carlesimo, executive director, LADACIN Network; DiAnne Gove, Assemblywoman, 9th Legislative District; Eva J. Smithers, retired business owner; and Bonnie Torcivia, a founding member of Impact 100 Jersey Coast.

The Community Partner honoree will be Stillwell-Hansen, Inc., led by Carol Stillwell. The Man Enough to be a Girl Scout Member of the Year honoree will go to Tim Hearne, CEO, United Way of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

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