Denville February 2021

No. 19 Vol. 2

www.mypaperonline.com

Their Guardian Angel: Denville Woman Staunch Advocate for Those with Kidney Disease

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By Jillian Risberg t was a kismet moment Donna Tissot won’t soon forget. That one summer her brother-in-law Nick Sauter was deathly ill with renal failure and needed a cart to get down to the beach.

“He’s gonna die and I’ve got to save his life,” says Tissot, with the stark reality hitting her hard.

The advocate says she’s always had a passion for helping people that she attributes to growing up in a close-knit family.

“There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each other,” she says. “My friend’s mother would always say, ‘will you still visit me when I’m 80’ — I’m still visiting her at 98, although with the precautionary measures of COVID.” With no knowledge of exactly how but sheer determination, Tissot went into full advocacy mode, distributing flyers, launching a Facebook page, sharing meaningful posts, corresponding posters and learning various software.

According to the advocate, her audience erupted, and thus began her journey to save her brother-in-law and strangers who urgently need a kidney transplant.

“Fortunately 30 people expressed interest in helping me because of Donna’s efforts,” says Sauter.

None were compatible.

“Donna began a nationwide search to find a kidney for me shortly after I began dialysis,” says the Little Falls man. “Dialysis saved my life but it did not give me life. I struggled on dialysis with low blood pressure, weakness and developed a life-threatening blood infection.”

It took two years of Tissot’s unrelenting aid when in 2018 Sauter finally

located his match, who lived just two doors away.

“I will be forever grateful to Donna and to my donor Rob Connizzo for saving my life,” Sauter says.

The 65-year-old saw the former firefighter and EMT grow up, but never could have dreamed that the young neighbor would become his lifeline.

Nick is a new man.

“With Rob’s generous gift of life, I can now enjoy my retirement with my wife and family,” Sauter says. “I don’t have to schedule events around dialysis.”

It’s imperative to keep moving the message along.

“Sharing is caring and it can save a life,” says Tissot. “That’s the beauty of it.”

She gets very close to the families and has met many wonderful people along the way.

And the advocate has an apropos mantra.

“Share your spare, you only need one kidney,” Tissot says. “I’m looking for healthy people to come forward and give hope.”

Most of these patients are so sick they can’t advocate for themselves, according to Tissot and the families are the caregivers and they can’t help out.

“Why not help these people,” she says. “Everyone deserves to live, that’s my mission the last few years and I’m positive I’m gonna be saving more lives in the very near future.”

She doesn’t want anything.

“I do this out of the kindness of my heart,” Tissot says.

Word spread and the advocate started getting calls.

“I saved three people’s lives,” says

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Tissot, of her efforts paying off. “Right now I’m advocating for 10 more. I get one to five requests each day. I’m a one-person staff. It’s a full-time job.”

She is also currently advocating for Gerard Ceraso, of Toms River -- in dire need of a donor; Tony Matarazzo, of Franklin Lakes -- coming close to matching thanks to Tissot and Ledgewood’s Alyssa O’Neill, who desperately needs a donor.

Her compassion for people runs deep and at the end of the day Tissot says this has been incredibly rewarding.

“One gentleman became a grandfather, he gets to enjoy his grandchild (while) not being hooked up to a machine,” she says.

How do you thank someone for giving you a new lease on life? Many are eternally grateful to Tissot.

“You gotta believe in hope and believe you’re gonna have a better tomorrow because of getting a new kidney and a selfless person coming forward,” she says.

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Ayres/Knuth Farm Foundation Thanks Community for Tree Sale Support

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he Ayres/Knuth Farm Foundation, Inc of Denville thanks the volunteers and members who came out to help with the successful Annual Tree and Wreath Sale starting on Thanksgiving Weekend. The Foundation successfully adapted to the COVID-19 precautions while still offering fresh trees and smiles behind the masks! Using a new arrangement that allowed socially distant payments and a new setup at the Union Hill Farms Stand, the

22nd annual sale. Most of all, the Foundation wishes to thank the loyal customers who come every year and the new ones who came for the first time this year. They found trees, wreaths, roping, firewood, and produce waiting for them. Some customers asked for delivery, but some even carried their own trees home without a vehicle!

The Ayres/Knuth Farm Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. The Tree Sale is the only fundraiser of the

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year; proceeds are used to support its mission, the preservation and restoration of the Farm buildings and property. This working farm, operated continuously since first settled, is one of the most complete examples of a 19th century agricultural complex in Morris County.

The Foundation looks forward to seeing the loyal volunteers and customers again in 2021.

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It Happened in Our Town: Denville’s Wacky Milk Cases of 1946

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By Peter Zablocki rs. Ada Helder was rocked out of her sleep and onto the floor. Was it a bomb? After all it had only been a year since World War II ended and Denville did away with bomb drills. She had been staying with her daughter and son-in-law at their Augusta Street home in Denville. It was not all that bad, especially the screened-in-porch above the garage in which she often dozed off in her chair at night only to awaken the next morning. Now she was on the floor, dazed and confused. She raised herself up and approached the windows. Down below stood the neighborhood milkman, his hands on his head in disbelief. In front of him, and directly below Ada was the milkman’s truck, buried halfway into the concrete wall and what was once a garage door. It was Monday, September 9, 1946 and good-ole milk was about to become a big point of contention in Denville.

The milkman on that fateful morning had left his truck parked at the street end of Helder’s driveway which runs downhill directly into the garage, above which is the sunporch where the elder lady was sleeping. As he walked down to deliver the milk, his truck, owned by a local Morristown dairy company, slipped its break, and raced down after him. While the man was able to jump out of the way and save himself just in time, the same could not be said for the building. After the debris was cleared off the truck, a temporary steel post was put in place to hold the second story of the house and all proper authorities were called in to investigate. Life moved on for those on Augusta street. Or so it seemed.

In two weeks’ time, another delivery man– ironically also making a delivery at Augusta Street – found himself in enough trouble to be summoned in front of the local magistrate

and fined for his actions. His offense? Delivering a bottle of milk at 6:20 a.m., instead of waiting until 6:30 a.m. The case, dubbed the “Milk Case” by local papers, would dominate local editorials for months. Raymond Parks, Jr. employed as a driver by his father, a local Denville milk distributor, broke a Morris County law passed a few years prior which prohibited the delivery of milk before 6:30 a.m. except on Sundays and holidays. The law was pushed through the legislature by the “unwillingness of union milk drivers to start work early in the morning, and … the big companies’ desire to avoid overtime payrolls.”

At Parks’ hearing, the two employees, representing their respective large milk distributing companies, the Alderney Dairy Co. and Borden Co., testified quite frankly that they were not concerned in the welfare of the public, “…but were anxious to stop independent dealers from delivering milk before the large companies’ drivers started work.” The Denville judge, showing his distaste for the motives put forth by the complainants, made Parks’ fine a mere $2.50. It was common knowledge that if one bought from a local milk distributor, they would not have to pay up front as the owner, most often also a resident of the town, would simply make the rounds on Saturday mornings to collect. Meanwhile, the bigger distributors determined that if they delivered the milk before 6:30 a.m. their customers would likely still be sleeping which would force the drivers to make another trip at the end of the day to collect the money. This of course would lead to the companies having to pay overtime, something that they were not willing to do. To many Denville residents, the choice was obvious – support the local guy, even if continued on page 8

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Denville’s Wacky Milk... continued from page 6 it meant having to pay a few extra pennies.

The letters to the editor of the Denville Herald exploded in late September and early October, making the “Milk Case” the town’s most heated topic since war rationing of just a few short years prior. “It used to be in this county that everybody admired the man who was gumption enough to get up before breakfast and who wasn’t afraid of starting work in the early hours before dawn,” stated one editorial, “today, it seems, he’s guilty of unfair competition, so we pass a law to punish him for getting a head start out of bed.” Another adding, “If [one’s] energy and willingness to serve his customers [brings] him greater success than came to his less ambitious competitors, [then] we [applaud] him as living proof of the opportunities offered by the American way.” Still, as with any debate, one editor weighed the opposite view by suggesting that perhaps “people work too long and too hard [and] they ought to relax more and not worry about how much they can pile up.”

Further stating that “maybe the New Jersey Legislature was really smarter than we gave them credit for [by passing the law].”

The “milk conversation” continued until

December of 1946 by which time it evolved into editorials suggesting a cooperative delivery system. This was eventually squashed as the thought of having one truck deliver different milk brands just seemed like bad business. It lacked that personal delivery touch. Namely “…the interaction between the delivery man and the housewife.” In today’s world it is hard to imagine how something as simple as milk could bring about such heated debates among townsfolk.

But then again, back in 1946, the local paper and its editorial section was THE social media of its time. Today, all it takes is a few seconds on neighborhood Facebook pages to realize that not much has changed in the past 70-odd years. As wacky as “milk cases” dominating local news and editorials for three months may seem to us today, think about what future generations will think of the wealth of opinions we leave behind for them on our social media. Nevermind, that may just be too scary to think about.

Peter Zablocki is a local historian and vice-president of the Denville Historical Society. He is also a co-host of a weekly podcast, “History Teachers Talking.”

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European Wax Center Takes COVID-19 Seriously….Here’s How

t European Wax Center (EWC), the leading waxing services brand, cleanliness and guest health have always been a company cornerstone. It’s why practices such as their no “double-dip” policy (where wax sticks are never dipped twice) has inspired guests’ confidence in the brand.

But as COVID-19 rose to the forefront in the lives of all Americans last year, “EWC took steps to help elevate our already stringent hygiene standards,” said Judy Cook, owner Denville and co-owner with Frank and Diane Lupo of Parsippany and Succasunna European Wax Center locations.

In light of the pandemic, EWC was tasked to define and ensure those standards were understood by all 800+ franchise-owned centers.

In the earliest days of COVID-19, European Wax Center temporarily closed all of its centers out of precaution and adhered to all local and state health guidelines. During that time, EWC worked with its network of franchisees to make business preparations and helped associates strengthen and improve upon existing safety protocols.

The internal task force created was called “Team Scrub,” and it was made up of associates, guests and franchise owners.

Together, they scrutinized European Wax

Center’s cleanliness standards and devised ways they could make them more effective, and in accordance with state and local health guidelines.

“Team Scrub” also reached out to environmental scientists and certified industrial hygienists to get input on best practices that would benefit both guests and associates.

Some of the safety protocol already in place at EWC before COVID-19 included: • New gloves for every service • Sanitized wax suite beds cleaned with EPA medical grade sanitation wipes between guests • Fresh bed paper for each guest • Sanitizing all tools in disinfectant after each guest • Frequent professional deep cleanings • Waxing sticks are never double-dipped While keeping those protocols in place, EWC also instituted additional measures, including: • Additional tissue and hand sanitizer available • Wax Specialists equipped with disposable surgical masks and face shields or goggles for facial services • Established a virtual waiting room to reduce guest time in center • Implemented contactless check-in • Additional deep-cleaning of high-fre-

quency touchpoints • Elimination of product testers and non-essential items • Extended hygiene safety and sanitation training for all staff “European Wax Center is proud of the work it’s done to keep guests and associates safe. We will continue to keep safety

and sanitation top of mind, making these new processes and procedures a standard method of operation,” said Cook.

“We want all of our guests to feel safe and confident when they’re in our centers, and make sure they know we’re committed to providing the best service in the cleanest environment,” Cook said.

Your Resolution

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By Franz Fuertges his is the time of the year when people make resolutions and plan for the new year. Most of us focus on personal improvements which is a great goal.

Why not expand on that idea and help to improve your surroundings, your neighborhood, by joining the Denville Beautification Committee (DBC). You must have noticed the improvements in town over the years. This was done by a group of people who volunteered because they love beauty and the friendship of fellow Denvillians.

I have made it a habit every so often, to view the pictures I have from sites the DBC has developed and maintained – great memories. But, better yet, our get-togethers – you may call it parties – which we have enjoyed over the years. Lots of fun!

To belong to this group is not a du-

ty-bound obligation, rather an exercise where equal minded people share values, and by doing so, impact the lives of every citizen and visitor to Denville.

COVID-19 was a challenge to all of us; it prevented the DBC from staging their inaugural “Spring Fling” fundraiser. This event was meant to start a new season with a cultural (gallery) exhibit, entertainment, and food.

Everything was well planned and prepared, but then came the virus. Hopefully, once the vaccination has succeeded, we will go full blast.

You can be a part of this exciting future for Denville by joining the DBC, even if it is only a few days a year. Contact Irene Stefanacci at Denville Town Hall – phone: 973-625-8300 x290, or you can email her at irenes@denvillenj.org.

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Sixth-Grade Twins Named Poetry Publications Finalists

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By Steve Sears or two Denville children, a contest entered in a different grade and school in the old, challenging year of 2020 has delivered great news in 2021.

Farhan and Samarah Hyder, sixth-grade twins, recently had a poem each chosen as a finalist in a national contest. Their poems were chosen out of 600 entries, and will be published in a book titled, Once Upon a Dream 2020 - Poetry Stars. The contest and book are offered by Young Writers, a 1991-established publishing firm located in Massachusetts, which takes pride in encouraging youngsters to creatively write, and especially to read, write, and enjoy poetry. Their website is youngwritersusa.com.

Both Farhan and Samarah were given the project and learned of the contest from their teacher when fifth graders attending Parsippany’s St. Elizabeth Montessori School. Both now attend Valleyview Middle School in Denville.

After being notified by their dad that they were finalists, both were extremely happy. After receiving a certificate, their names will potentially be entered in a raffle to win other prizes.

Samarah’s entry, “Have You Ever Had a Nightmare?”, was created when her teacher instructed the class to write something about dreams or nightmares. “I decided to make mine about both,” she says. “So, I just thought of what dreams and nightmares are about, and then I just wrote a poem about it.”

Her brother, whose poem is titled “All the Places I Want to Be,” dedicated his poem

to his late uncle. “I decided to write this because our teacher gave us this project in fifth grade. I decided to write this because I thought of my uncle when I started writing this poem. He passed away.”

“My brother-in-law,” says Ebrahim, explaining the genesis of Farhan’s poem. “He was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. My son fondly remembers him because he taught him how to ‘drive.’ He had a little truck, and he taught him how to drive stick shift. Those are the fun memories that he (Farhan) holds dearly.”

“It was a surprise to us because we didn’t know that they, firstly, wrote these poems, and secondly, that the teacher submitted them for this contest,” says the proud dad, when asked how he and his wife, Shanaaz, felt when learning of their accomplishment. “So, firstly we were very surprised, and secondly, when I read through the poems, it just makes my heart smile.

The amount of emotion and depth that went into the writing, and the amount of foresight, there’s an underlying sense of childhood innocence that comes through in the writing that adults may never consider writing or putting down on paper.”

For Farhan and Samarah, this was their first time entering a writing competition. And although at present neither is working on any writing, in the past they had written poems, all the while sharpening their poetical writing skills for last year’s entry.

Per Ebrahim Hyder, due to lockdown and COVID19, it was hard to celebrate and make a big deal over Farhan’s and Samarah’s accomplishment. “But inside, we’re very proud.”

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Denville Life • February 2021 • Page 15

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Are You Poisoning Yourself?

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n today’s world there are poisons lurking around every corner. You may not realize it, but you could be slowly poisoning yourself every single day with skincare products, household cleaning products and even the foods you are eating. Unfortunately, most products on the market today do contain chemicals that are toxic to the body, so you need to stay informed. For example, research has shown that most of the chemicals used to preserve products or increase shelf life are Endocrine disruptors. Your endocrine system is what controls hormones and many of the body’s functions, so you don’t want anything to disrupt its natural flow. These added chemicals mimic hormones so your body cannot recognize them as foreign to get rid of them. This wreaks havoc on the endocrine system and the body in general. Among other things, these endocrine disruptors have been linked to cancer and reproductive issues. It is also a concern that these

toxic chemicals can be stored in the body for years!

So what can you do? Don’t panic, but clean up your life today!

START READING LABELS on everything and stay informed! Chances are if you can’t pronounce an ingredient or don’t know what it is, it is most-likely toxic.

Consume as many organic fruits and vegetables as possible. Follow “The Clean 15, Dirty Dozen” guidelines: For the Clean 15, save your money and buy conventional because these fruits and veggies are known to have very low amounts of toxins. The Clean 15: Avocados, Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Cabbages, Onions, Sweet Peas, Papayas, Asparagus, Mangoes, Eggplants, Honeydews, Kiwis, Cantaloupes, Cauliflower and Broccoli.

The Dirty dozen are the 12 fruits and vegetables that contain the highest amounts of harmful chemicals. Don’t risk eating these unless they are organic. The Dirty Doz-

en: Strawberries, Spinach, Nectarines, Apples, Peaches, Pears, Cherries, Grapes, Celery, Tomatoes, Sweet Bell Peppers and Potatoes.

Wash all fruits and vegetables with an organic veggie wash to wash away surface chemicals.

Easily make your own organic cleaning and skincare products or only buy products that do not contain harmful chemicals.

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A Valentine’s Day Story

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By Richard Mabey Jr. ach of us has within us the power and the ability to uplift another person or to bring someone down. On many levels, from the subconscious decisions we make to the conscious decisions, we enact deeds, speak words, and invoke energies that can bring joy to a person’s heart or bring a sense of shame and hurt. The choice is clearly our own.

On Valentine’s Day of 1966, at the age of 12 and in the seventh grade, a dear and wonderful friend made a conscious decision to become a source of upliftment and joy to my life. So much so, that 55 years later, I am writing about that precious moment in time.

It was around the dawn of the second week in February of 1966, that I was admitted to the Barnert Hospital for the second time within two months, in my battle with a severe case of Rheumatic Fever.

I am sure that the administrators at the Barnert Hospital meant well, but it was a very scary experience for me.

Back in 1966, they had something called the Children’s Ward. The room was about half the size of an average high school gymnasium. It is safe to say there were about 50 bedridden children in various stages of healing, lying in their beds, in this big room.

There were no walls between the beds.

When a child was examined by a nurse or doctor, temporary dividers on wheels were sometimes used to give the child patient some degree of privacy. Visiting hours were strictly adhered to. They were from ten to twelve in the morning, from two to four in the afternoon, and then from six to eight in the evening.

I remember being lonely and missing my pals from school. I missed going to the scout hikes and campouts. I missed going to youth fellowship at my church.

And, ironically enough, I missed going to school. For myself, it was a time of reflection, a time of healing, a time of regaining strength.

I remember this, oh so well. On the Monday afternoon of February fourteenth, Mom came to visit with me, with her sister Bertha. My sister Patti had made a handmade card and had bought a little box of candies filled inside a red box that was shaped like a heart. Mom brought me three or four comic books. And, Aunt Bert gave me a Mad magazine. And, intermingled between the comic books that Mom gave me, was a card that had been mailed to me at home.

I remember looking at the envelope of this very special card. The envelope was hand-written, with a return address from

Pamela Rawlings. A certain joy filled my heart when I saw Pamela’s artistic, loopy handwriting. The dots on the i’s and j’s were exaggerated, open circles. It was Pamela’s unique handwriting style.

I was kind of shy to open the card with Mom and Aunt Bert by my bedside. I think that my mother sensed my awkward feelings and encouraged me to open Pamela’s card. Aunt Bert also encouraged me to open the card. And, so I did.

It was one of those old-fashioned cards, with flowers on the front of it. But the flowers were cut out, so that the card was not squared off in the upper right-hand corner. I don’t know if they make greeting cards like that any more.

On the left-hand side of the inside of Pamela’s card was a little note of what was happening in school. For some reason, I still remember that Pamela wrote me that she had won second place in the spelling bee in her class. Why is it that certain things stay in our minds with indelible ink?

Pamela had signed her card, “Luv, Your Friend, Pamela.” Misspelling the word love was the trend of middle school children back in the mid 1960’s. I simply closed the card and opened my beloved sister’s box of Valentine’s candy. I offered a chocolate candy to Mom and Aunt Bert. It was kind of a sacred moment in time.

Today, my friend Pamela lives in Virginia. From time to time, we email each other. The friendships that hail back to first grade are most special and sacred entities.

They seem to have a spiritual foundation to them.

That moment of joy that Pamela Rawlings brought to my heart, mind, and soul was priceless. It brought a sense of hope, to a very lonely 12-year-old boy, that someone from his class cared enough to mail out a card.

When I went away to college, after having attended a local community college for two years, I brought Pamela’s Valentine’s Day card with me. In my struggle with learning college-level chemistry, I would often take a few moments to hold and look at Pamela’s card. It never failed to bring a sense of joy and splendor to my heart. It always gave me the fortitude to carry on with my painful studies.

To bring joy to another person’s heart or to bring hurt and anguish. That is the choice we face, nearly each and every day of our lives. Please know, none of us will ever know the far-reaching effect that one single act of kindness will have upon another person’s life.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer.

He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@ hotmail.com.

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Match Your Winter Skin Care Routine with Your Active Lifestyle

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inter weather can pose some unique challenges to your skin, especially if you’re trying to maintain an active workout routine. Exposure to the elements while exercising outdoors can have a harsh impact on the skin. On the other hand, the humidity and constant running of heaters can also wreak havoc if the weather forces you to work out indoors.

“The winter season can be a challenge for those trying to maintain their workout regimens, especially this year when many people are staying closer to home,” said Dr. Jeanine Downie, board-certified dermatologist and Medline Remedy consultant. “An outdoor workout is a great way to get some fresh air and burn calories, but it’s also important to nourish your skin before and after you’ve completed your workout.”

Just like establishing a good winter workout routine, there are some things you can do to keep your skin in shape all winter long. Use sunscreen any time you venture outdoors and dress for whatever elements you may be facing. Be sure to remove wet clothes, which can create friction and skin irritation, immediately after

returning inside. Limit the length of hot showers, which can also dry out skin, and use a quality moisturizer, especially after exposure to harsh weather.

Learn more about winter skin care at remedyderm.com.

Long-Lasting Moisture When you spend time working out outdoors, your body’s natural hydration is more prone to evaporating. That, in turn, can lead to dry skin. Whether you’re battling rough skin or simply want to help keep your skin hydrated, a clinically tested lotion can help maintain the skin’s natural defenses. After spending time outside and every time you wash your hands or bathe, help retain moisture for up to 24 hours with an option like Remedy Dermatology Series Body Lotion, which includes safflower oleosomes for lasting moisturization with natural oils. Its smooth, rich formula absorbs quickly, leaving skin feeling soft with no greasy or oily residue.

Enriched Skin Nutrition Repeated exposure to the winter elements can take a toll, leading to dry, cracked and dehydrated skin. A quality lotion that matches your skin type can help.

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dehydrated skin, Remedy Dermatology Hand & Body Moisturizing Cream contains soothing antioxidants and vitamins that support skin nutrition. The fragrance-free, hypoallergenic cream goes on rich and thick but still absorbs readily into the skin

to help it stay hydrated. The proprietary botanical blend of humectants, manuka honey, natural oil emollients, ceramides and botanical nutrition is also free of 80 of the most common allergens that contribute to skin sensitivity. (Family Features)

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Denville Life • February 2021 • Page 19

How Healthy is Your Heart: February is American Heart Month

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Written By, Chris Bauer M.D. as the pandemic left you with some bad habits and some added pounds?

Does your New Year’s resolution involve a treadmill or an added focus on your health? Chances are you have already realized the importance having a healthy heart and its supportive health habits. Cardiovascular Disease is a term that describes any disease to the heart, its supporting vessels or peripheral veins in the body. The National Institute of Health reports that about 11% of Americans have been diagnosed with heart disease and that about 650,000

people die of heart diseases every year.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have named February American Heart Month.

Coronary heart disease is any condition that can block the heart’s vessels and cause heart failure, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Heart disease is a general term that encompasses the previously stated conditions. Coronary heart disease happens when cholesterol, calcium, fat and protein (also known as atherosclerosis plaques) deposit in your arteries blocking blood flow in your heart. Atherosclerotic plaque buildup

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begins in childhood and worsens as we get older. If these plaques accumulate then in time, they may cause a person to have a heart attack.

Below are ways to prevent heart disease: Increase Physical Activity: Weight reduction, improvement of cholesterol levels, lowering of blood pressure and reduction in risk of developing diabetes are all benefits of regular exercise. Avoiding extended periods of inactivity is strongly encouraged.

If you are binge watching your favorite television shows at home, try to walk-in place or do sit ups during commercials. The ways in which we become physically more active do not need to be elaborate. A gym membership is not necessarily required. Walking around the block and using the stairs at work instead of the elevators are excellent ways to get added physical activity. The recommendation is for all American adults to participate in 30 mins of moderate exercise (like walking) at least 5 times weekly. If 30 mins of uninterrupted exercise cannot be done at one time, then the sessions can be split up in smaller sessions of at least 10mins throughout the week.

Controlling Diet /Weight Management: Obesity is a major issue in New Jersey, as it affects 1 in 3 Americans. Increased fast food consumption along with higher con-

sumption of processed foods are dietary trends that have contributed to many people including children becoming obese. A reduction in daily sodium is strongly encouraged. Reading the labels on food packaging is an important way to know how much salt we are consuming. Canned soup, frozen dinners and pizza are popular foods that are considered to have the highest levels of salt. Less than 2400mg of sodium is recommended per day. Increased amounts of poultry, fish and low-fat dairy products should be the cornerstones of a healthy diet.

Managing your Diabetes and other Medical Conditions: Optimizing your glucose levels in those with diabetes has been shown to lower your risk of developing heart disease as well. Cholesterol management is also extremely important in lowering the risks of developing a heart attack or stroke.

Elimination of Smoking and Reduction of Alcohol in Lifestyle: Smoking cessation is one of the most preventable ways to lower your risk of heart disease. If quitting smoking cold turkey is not something you can do, many excellent medications and separate therapies exist to assist people in quitting.

Decreased alcohol use is a mainstay in the maintenance of a heart healthy lifestyle.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Denville Life • February 2021 • Page 21

Morris County Resident Publishes First Book

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By Steve Sears hippany resident Donovan Russo is a happy guy.

Being a first-time published author can have that wonderful effect on you.

Russo’s first novel, “Steven’s War”, was published early in December 2020, and Russo first held the physical book on December 21. He recalls opening the delivered box of books, looking at the front cover, and then lifting a copy out of the box. “It was exciting.

I’ve seen the eBook version, but to actually hold the book in my hand, it was just really unique,” he says. “It was a proud moment,

and it kind of felt like I guess in some way this journey with writing was kind of coming to fruition, if that makes sense.”

For Russo, who studied English at Montclair State and is currently working towards his MBA at Seton Hall University, “Steven’s War” took about a year to write. Last December, he was approached by Eric Koester, a Georgetown Professor, entrepreneur, and founder of the Creator Institute, which helps members write a book. “First of all, you gain access to this wonderful team of content developers, layout teams, and a copy-editing team with a hybrid publisher,” Russo says,

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“and you’re given a great community of individuals to help you write this book.” Russo then started researching in January of last year, outlined his book, and adds, “The survival is definitely the most challenging part.

I went through about four different versions of that (his book).”

“It’s much greater than just me, and that was just a really humbling, enriching, and satisfying experience.”

“Steven’s War” deals with 2009 and the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” period of the military.

Without giving too much away, Russo says, “The story is really about a young man trying to figure it out and trying to embrace his individuality, while conforming to the expectations of society. Being the true American patriot, being a man, especially being the man in the low-income area, the story is really about him, finding who he is, but also about him realizing that he’s not as alone as he thinks he is.”

“Steven’s War” is Russo’s first novel, but he’s also done other types of writing. Currently a Literary Development intern for Zero Gravity Management, he has also written a few screenplays, and has written for CNBC and Yahoo Finance. “I definitely know how to put a story together,” he says, “especially for the public eye.” He also cites knowing the type of story you’d like to write and creating string characters is crucial. “I think especially

writing all the screenplays that I’ve written, it’s enabled me to get a strong understanding just how to break down a story and characters. Even reading for Zero Gravity; I read a lot of scripts for them, seeing what I like and don’t like in a screenplay or in a story in general.”

Russo, who also plays the piano, is at work on another screenplay.

“Steven’s War” can be purchased online through both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Also, visit www.donovanrusso.com for more information.

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Page 22 • February 2021 • Denville Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

The Morris Canal, the First “Superhighway” in New Jersey

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By Henry M. Holden he year was 1821, and our country had twenty-four states, and perhaps its first environmental crisis. The Morris Canal was built primarily to move Pennsylvania coal to New Jersey, New York and other industrial cities that had nearly depleted their environments of wood.

The twenty-four states were also separated from each other because of poor roads which left much to be desired for hauling heavy products. Hauling by wagon was expensive and slow. Continued growth and prosperity required a more sustainable means of transporting goods. Commercial businesses moved at a mule-drawn pace in wagons over inferior roads.

Before the advent of freight railroads, New Jersey’s canal system provided the only necessary means of industrial transportation in the state.

The idea for constructing a canal is credited to Morristown businessman George P. MacCulloch, who reportedly conceived the idea while visiting Lake Hopatcong.

On December 31, 1824, the New Jersey Legislature chartered the Morris Canal and Banking Company. The company issued 20,000 shares of stock at $100 a share, providing $2 million of capital for building the

canal.

The Morris Canal was 102-miles long and about 65 feet wide, and cut through six counties. “It was known as the “Mountain Climbing Canal,” said Martha Capwell-Fox, Historian and Archives for National Canal Museum. “It overcame an elevation change of 1,674 feet over the entire northern part of New Jersey using innovative inclined planes.”

The Canal ran from Phillipsburg to Jersey City. Its original power source was two mules, and travel time was five days, one way. The Canal was the “superhighway” of the early 1800’s.

On May 20, 1832, the canal officially opened. The first boat passing through the canal was the Walk-on-Water, followed by two coal-laden boats going from Phillipsburg to Newark. The canal was extended eastward to Jersey City 1836.

Not counting the Jersey City portion, the canal ran 98.62 miles and cost $2,104,413 (equivalent to $53,894,017 in 2019).

The canal boats carried coal, and iron ore. But the boats carried anything that had a market, sugar, ice and much more. Although it is said that the Morris Canal was mainly a freight canal, some boats offered passengers “Cool summer rides accompa-

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Plane 9 East descended into the village of Montville and have two bridges cross over it both for Main Street (today Route 202) (Credit Canal Society NJ)

nied by a shipment of ice.”

The canal originally was built for boats of ten gross tons, but the canal was gradually widened, and larger boats could carry 70 tons.

Beginning in the 1840’s large amounts of New Jersey iron ore were shipped West on the Morris Canal to the anthracite iron furnaces of the Lehigh Valley. The canal allowed tons of coal to make the journey

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from Philipsburg, near the coalfields, to Newark,0r Jersey City in five days, an unheard-of accomplishment.

The Morris Canal encouraged little hamlets such as (Roxbury, Kenvil, Ledgewood and others), to grow along its route to service the crews and teams of mules that pulled the boats, particularly where there was an inclined plane which pulled the continued on page 24

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Denville Life • February 2021 • Page 23

continued from page 19 boats up the hills.

Partly because of the Civil War, the Morris Canal remained in heavy use through the 1860s. But railroads had begun to replace canal travel. In 1866, the canal’s peak year, boats hauled 889, 220 tons, and netted $616,350 profit. From 1867 onward net profits and tonnage continually slid downward unto it reached bottom in 1902 with a net of $52,076 on 27,392 tons.

With its two navigable feeders, the ascent eastward from Phillipsburg to its feeder from Lake Hopatcong was 760 ft, and

the descent from there to tidewater was 914 feet. Surmounting the height difference was considered a major engineering feat of its day, accomplished using 23 locks and 23 inclined planes — essentially, short railways that carried canal boats in open cars uphill and downhill using water-powered winches. Inclined planes required less time and water than locks, although they were more expensive to build and maintain.

Today, the Morris Canal Greenway, (the old towpath) is a partnership between local communities and the Canal Society of New Jersey, is repurposing the canal’s right-of-

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A boat leaves the cradle at Plane 6 East in Rockway. It was the first inclined plane constructed on the Morris Canal. The towpath can be seen on the left. (Credit Canal Society NJ)

way as a public greenway, creating new opportunities for recreation, tourism, education and economic growth. It also seeks to preserve the surviving historic remains of the canal and interpret canal sites.

“The Morris Canal Greenway is a work in progress and some locations are not yet ready for visitors,” said Joe Macasek, president Canal Society of New Jersey. “But in the meantime, there are a few destinations

we know you will enjoy. Boonton, Ledgewood and Wharton are drive-to destinations that are easy to find and have lots of great things to see.”

The canal was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1974, for its significance in engineering, industry, and transportation.

For more information visit: canalsocietynj.org

Page 24 • February 2021 • Denville Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

NJStarz Janice Huff Hometown: Denville, NJ

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By Steve Sears NBC Chief Meteorologist Janice Huff’s accomplishments and accolades, among those being inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2016 and being named in 2020 “Best Weatherperson in the World,” would fill the back and front sides of a page (a detailed bio can be found at www.nbcnewyork.com/author/ janice-huff).

Her achievements being what they are, there is especially this: the accuracy with which she delivers the weather to millions in the Metropolitan area every day, and the care she has for others, cast the most significant light on her person and career.

“I had no plans of being on television, no plans of being in New York necessarily – I mean, it’s a dream to be here, for everyone really,” Huff says. “No matter what you do, whether it’s broadcasting or any kind of career, everybody wants to come to New York. I had always thought it would be great to be able to come here, but I never really thought about it in the scheme of things.”

And when told she has been coined by this writer as the “Meteorologist who always smiles,” she laughs and says, “Oh, thank you. I try not to smile too much when there’s mayhem and destruction, but that’s rare. So, the rest of the time, yes, the weather is usually pretty good.”

Huff lives in the Shongum area of Denville with her husband and their dog, Porter. Ironically enough, the dog was featured on an NBC “New York Live” segment called, “Clear the Shelters,” and it reminded the couple of a dog they’d had that had passed away the year before. The lucky pooch now has a loving, new abode.

You may also see Huff occasionally in downtown Denville, she a big Denville Dairy fan. “Best banana splits ever,” she states.

Huff , who was born in New York City on September 1, 1960, feels she was born to love weather. It has fascinated her since she was a little girl. When she first moved to South Carolina, she lived for a period with her grandparents, and they and most of her family lived on farmland (“Trees and woods and creeks and animals,” Huff recalls). Her grandparents had in their backyard a swing-set that, every day after school, their granddaughter would enjoy while daydreaming, peering at the sky as she swung, looking specifically at the different shapes and sizes of the clouds, and she would ask herself, “How does that work? What does that cloud feel like? How does that form?” “And storms,” she adds. “Watching those clouds shift and move and morph into these ferociously, dark and dangerous skies and storms, I would wonder what made that.

How does the weather happen? My curiosity is what got me to seek out those things.”

When Huff was eight, her mother bought her a set of World Book Encyclopedias. As an only child, if she wasn’t with her friends, she was home reading books, many times her eyes in the encyclopedias. “I would pick a letter and go through it, start reading things,” she remembers. “And the one day I had the ‘M’ book was the day I discovered Meteorology.”

For young Janice, it clicked right away. However, as previously mentioned, she never really envisioned doing weather on television, but studying it from the science end of things. It’s why she chose to attend Florida State University. “They have one of the best Meteorology programs in the country,” she says.

Huff’s mom, a single mother, was her number one role model when she was growing up. “She was an independent woman, a leader and a strong person, and someone I looked up to very much,” Huff states. “She had lots of friends, she was strict, but fair. And she was my best friend. So, I couldn’t think of anybody more fitting to look up to as a role model and a mentor.”

Prior to FSU, Huff attended and graduated with honors from Eau Claire High School, where she was also a member of the National Honor Society and Secretary of the Student Council, a varsity cheerleader, and was named Miss Shamrock 1978. After graduating from Florida State University with a major in Meteorology, she in 1983 was a weekend meteorologist at WTVC, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that same year was Columbus, Georgia’s WRBL Meteorologist and science reporter. “I just took it one job at a time and enjoyed being the best in what I do. That’s kind of how it is. Living in Columbus, Georgia – I was only in Chattanooga for six months; that was the first stop and first TV job I had – and even that six months was rewarding.” Along the way were stops at KSDK in St. Louis, Missouri, and KRON in San Francisco, California prior to returning to the Big Apple – and home – in 1995.

“It’s beyond a dream come true, really, in a lot of ways, being here,” Huff says regarding delivering the weather afternoons and evenings. “Because, as you mentioned, I have come full circle. I was born in New York City, have lived in many parts of the country, grew up in the southeast, and coming back here is like coming home. It’s kind of an out-of-body experience when I look at it that way because that was not really part of my ‘plan,’ I guess you could say. But with

plans, you usually don’t do them, because they don’t usually turn out as people expect that they will. But lots of times that’s in a great way, and it certainly was for me coming back here.”

As for the numbers of people she delivers the weather to daily, she never thinks about it. “I don’t even think about how many people are out there. The only time I ever think about it really is when someone comes up to me and says that they watch.” Oh yes, and that number includes a wellknown face and voice to many. “I met Sidney Poitier randomly at a restaurant – that was a few years back at the Sea Grill, which used to be downstairs at Rockefeller Center – and that was a random meet, and when someone like that says that they watch you, that’s when you realize where you are and what you’re doing and how many people are out there. Otherwise, I don’t even think about the number.

I just think about the job I have to do every day and that is to serve all those people, and bring them the best information, the most accurate forecast in any dire weather situation to get them out of harm’s way. That’s what I do, that’s what I’ve been doing ever since I started in weather in the National Weather Service when I was a student trainee before I went to college. It’s been since I was 17-years-old that I have worked in weather, and it’s been since I was 7-yearsold that I wanted a job in Meteorology.”

An advocate of adoption, Huff started in the late 1990s the New York Chapter of WNBC’s “Wednesday’s Child” segcontinued on page 25

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Denville Life • February 2021 • Page 25

NJ Starz... continued from page 24 ment. “Wednesday’s Child’ I was a part of for a long time – almost 20 years.” The goal is to find homes and families for children in the foster care system. “We were the second site (the first was in Washington, D.C.), the second of what were ten sites across the country.” Of all the things she’s ever done in the business of television and broadcasting, “Wednesday’s Child” is probably her most important and rewarding. “Not just for me,” she says, “but for these families, because this changes lives. I mean, what I do with weather sometimes saves lives, in (that’s) terms of bad weather, severe weather, and trying to get people out of harms’ way. This (“Wednesday’s Child”) changes lives. I think that the over 300 children we’ve featured have found homes, found love and permanency. It made all the difference in their lives. I’m all about that, because I know how important family is, and how important structure is, and permanency, especially for these kids.”

Structure. Permanency. She has been that to her WNBC viewers as well. “I have been here 25 ½ years now, working on 26, and it’s still the best job I’ve ever had and the greatest place I’ve ever worked,” Huff says happily.

Janice Huff has advice for aspiring Meteorologists. “My advice is to go for it. Follow your dreams. Meteorology in particular is a science, and science is specific and uses lots of math and physics and all that stuff, but that shouldn’t be a hindrance. That shouldn’t be a wall. That shouldn’t be something that stops you. A lot of times I meet, and have met, young girls, starting out, interested in science, and they start taking math classes, and then they start to drop back, and they’re not as interested, or they think it’s

too hard. It’s kind of sad because they decide to defer their dream or go in another direction because they think they can’t do it. But you can do it. I was one of those kids growing up where I was a very good student, but math was not my favorite subject.” Indeed, Huff loved science, but not the math part. “But when I studied Meteorology, I realized I had to do well in math. It wasn’t my favorite, so I had to

work harder.”

She eventually did minor in mathematics and was able to fulfill her goals and dreams. “It takes hard work,” she says. “Anything you strive to do there’s going to be some work involved, one way or the other. You just have to buckle down, persevere, and if it’s something that you really love, don’t let anything stop you from doing it. Just go for it.”

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Denville Life • February 2021 • Page 27

DENVILLE SEAFOOD Celebrating Our 69th Year!

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Shrimp Adam 2 table spoons sherry or red wine 2 tablespoons fresh basil (torn into small pieces) 1 tablespoon minced garlic Salt and pepper to taste

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