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A Thanksgiving Story

By Richard Mabey Jr. n the midst of the Summer of 2018, I began taking my mom to Bingo every Thursday afternoon. Mom lived with me, in our gated community in Central Florida. Playing Bingo was a fun time, for both, Mom and myself. We met some very interesting people. And, we both learned the agony of waiting for just one number to be called to complete the horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line to be able to joyfully call out “Bingo!” I think it was in the beginning of 2018 that Mom and I began attending classes, at our gated community, for developing skill and style for writing children’s stories. I remember that Mom excelled in the class. She made a lot of friends and people enjoyed hearing her array of children’s stories. It was in early 2018 that Mom needed to depend upon a wheelchair to get around. The arthritis in her hips had gotten so bad that she was hardly able to walk. Mom’s cardiologist would not authorize that she was stable enough for hip replacement surgery, because of the degree of her heart murmur due to Aortic Stenosis. In the middle of November of 2019, Mom had heart surgery to replace her Aortic Valve. There were post-operative complications and Mom needed to stay in the hospital. Thanksgiving Day came and Mom was still in the hospital. On Thanksgiving Day, my sister Patti and I arrived at the hospital, bright and early to spend Thanksgiving Day with Mom. We made turkey sandwiches and packed them in a little insulated lunch box, complete with a plastic container of dry ice. We also packed two small bottles of iced tea to have with our special Thanksgiving meal with Mom that day. An older woman came into Mom’s hospital room at about high noon. She carried with her a tray, with lunch on it. The kind woman smiled at Mom, put the tray down on Mom’s mobile, bedside table, said Happy Thanksgiving to Mom, then turned and returned to the hallway to the big lunch storage container on wheels. And, behold, there it was the hospital cafeteria’s version of a Thanksgiving dinner. Oh, I do not want to be unkind

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here. But, let’s just say, it was mediocre at best. The turkey was that pressed turkey that comes in a roll and someone simply sliced it up. Mom was given two slices of this turkey roll with a sparing amount of gravy. There was a little white, corrugated, paper cup ﬁlled about three-quarters of the way with cranberry sauce. Not the real cranberry sauce, but rather the cranberry sauce that has a slight resemblance to gelatin. Then, there was a bit of stuﬃng, some green beans and then some corn. Not the greatest Thanksgiving meal that my Mom ever had, but still it was better than nothing. I cut the turkey slices for Mom. She protested with every slice of the knife. “I’m not an invalid,” Mom kept telling me. I assured Mom that she wasn’t an invalid, that I wanted to slice her turkey for her. Mom ate her turkey dinner, while my sister Patti and I ate our turkey sandwiches. It was a joyful moment in time. continued on page 6

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

Ideas for Thanking Your Family

t’s almost Thanksgiving. And although 2020 may have been a difficult year for you, as it has been for many people, you can probably still find things for which you can be thankful – such as your family. How can you show your appreciation for your loved ones? Here are a few suggestions: Invest in your children’s future. If you have young children – or even grandchildren – one of the greatest gifts you can give them is the gift of education. You may want to consider contributing to a higher education funding vehicle. Be generous. Do you have older children, just starting out in life? If so, they could well use a financial gift to help pay off student loans, buy a car or even make a down payment on a home. You can give up to $15,000 per year, per recipient, without incurring gift taxes. Of course, you don’t have to give cash – you might want to consider presenting your children with shares of stock in companies they like. Review your insurance coverage. If you weren’t around, it would leave some gaping holes – financial and otherwise – in

the lives of your family members. That’s why it’s essential you maintain adequate life insurance. Your employer might offer a group plan, but it may not be sufficient to meet your needs. There’s no magic formula for determining the right amount of coverage, so you’ll have to consider a variety of factors: your age, spouse’s income, number of children and so on. Also, you may want to consider disability insurance – if you were unable to work for a while, it could cause a real problem for your family’s finances. Preserve your financial independence. When your children are young, you take care of them. But you certainly don’t want them to have to do the same for you – so it’s essential you maintain your financial independence throughout your life. You can do this in at least a couple of ways. First, consider investing regularly in your 401(k), IRA and other retirement accounts. The greater your resources during your retirement years, the less you may ever need to count on your family. And second, you may want to protect yourself from the devastating costs of long-term care,

such as an extended nursing home stay. A financial professional can suggest a strategy to help you cope with these expenses. Create an estate plan. To leave a legacy to your family, you don’t have to be wealthy – but you do need a comprehensive estate plan. You’ll have to think through a lot of questions, such as: Have I named beneficiaries for all my assets? How much do I want to leave to each person? Do I need to go beyond a simple will to establish an arrangement such as a living trust? For help in answering all these issues, you’ll want to work with an attorney. By making these moves, you can show your loved ones, in a tangible way, how much you value them – and that can help you keep the spirit of Thanksgiving alive all year long. “As an Edward Jones financial advisor, I’ve had the privilege of serving clients for over six years. My primary goal is to help our clients develop an investment strategy geared toward their unique, longterm goals and to coach them around the mistakes made by average investors. My

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Diabetes in New Jersey: A Statewide Concern

Written By Chris Bauer MD re you constantly thirsty, always tired, having frequent urination or blurry vision? You might have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes affects 9.2% of all people in New Jersey with over 640,000 people living with diabetes statewide. Most new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes are asymptomatic and only 10% of new cases are type I diabetes infections. Diabetes represents one of the most significant health concerns that faces so many members of our community. The majority of diabetes cases fall in either a type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes category. Diabetes type 1 is a condition that is more autoimmune based and is one in which your body does not make insulin. Insulin breaks down sugar in your blood and regulates your blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is when your body is making insulin but the tissue and organs in your body are less sensitive to insulin and as a result blood glucose levels are elevated. Often type 2 diabetes is associated with increased weight gain and obesity. Gestational diabetes is when pregnant women have an elevated blood sugar levels due to hormones that are made in the placenta. The most common way that any of the diabetic conditions are diagnosed is through routine doctor visits. This is true because again most cases of diabetes are asymp-

tomatic. When people are symptomatic and having elevated glucose levels the diagnosis of diabetes can be easily made. Most often though the diagnosis of diabetes is made through standard screening tests. A fasting blood glucose test, a 2-hour plasma glucose test and an elevated Hemoglobin A1C level are all tests used to diagnose diabetes. Regularly scheduled annual exams at a family medicine or internal medicine doctor’s office can facilitate the testing for diabetes. After a diagnosis of diabetes has been made, the patient and the doctor then need to create to plan of management. If the person has type 1 diabetes, then often the patient will be given insulin. Insulin can be injected around mealtimes or at planned intervals during the day to maintain a person’s normal blood glucose levels. People with Type 2 Diabetes often can make lifestyle changes such as weight loss, improved diet, and increased activity to improve their blood glucose levels. If these methods don’t work, then patients can either be put on a trial of injectable insulin or an oral medication to increase the body’s response to insulin. Pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes are initially tasked with diet control of blood glucose levels with improved diet and if this fails then medication is used. Patients with diabetes are at risk for many conditions and need to incorporate addition-

al screenings into their daily routines to prevent further issues. Increased risk of heart disease, nerve injury, eye disease and kidney disease are the most common types disease sequelae that are associated with diabetes. Eye injury is one of the most significant areas of injury in diabetic patients. People with diabetes are recommended to have regular eye exams to evaluate the possible formation of cataracts, glaucoma and vision impairment. Regular feet exams are also recommended due to the increased incidence of nerve injury with diabetes. Kidney func-

tion should also be evaluated and monitored closely in the patients with diabetes. This can be accomplished by bloodwork as well as urinary analysis. Diabetes is a multifaceted disease with a tremendous impact on those who have it. Only through regular screenings and adequate patient education can the harmful effects of diabetes be minimized. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, so schedule your annual wellness visit today with your medical provider.

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Tips for Landing a Job in the COVID-19 Era

he job hunt after college is exhilarating and emotional while at the same time stressful and exhausting. Adding a global pandemic into the mix threatens to upend the process for the nearly 4 million 2020 graduates. For recent graduates, the disruption to the hiring and internship experience has brought unexpected challenges and adversity, and tested their ability to persevere. Some internships have been canceled or pushed back and job offers have been rescinded as companies have frozen hiring to

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lessen the financial burden brought on by the pandemic. Travel bans are restricting graduates from taking jobs across borders and graduates are faced with fewer job openings and increased competition for those jobs. These are just some of the added roadblocks new graduates are facing in 2020. At the same time, many companies are pivoting to virtual interviews and networking events and, in some instances, entire internships have gone remote. With remote jobs and internships comes new challenges for students and grads to

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overcome. Kristen Wahl, director of the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge and the Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition program at Argonne National Laboratory, has helped thousands of students land jobs post-college during her 20-plus years leading the program. Here are a few tips from Wahl for landing that first job in the COVID-19 era: Use the virtual tools at your disposal to network with recruiters. With in-person events off the table this fall, jobseekers need to seek alternative methods for making the connections that previously would have happened at career fairs. Reach out to your network on LinkedIn and other recruiting platforms. Email the professional contacts you’ve made through industry organizations or extracurricular activities. Pick up the phone and call recruiters to learn more about an open position. It’s all about taking the extra step to stand out from the crowd when first impressions are no longer face-toface. Take advantage of virtual recruiting fairs and career prep sessions. Is your school hosting a virtual career fair? Is the student organization you’re a member of bringing in a guest speaker for a virtual chat? Identify the many opportunities available to connect with potential employers and use them to make connections. To stand out from the

crowd, you’ll need to be an active participant. Ask questions. Share thoughts. Contribute to the conversation. Don’t be afraid to speak up, but also make sure you do your research on the company first. At EcoCAR, we identified ways to connect students with prospective employers. We quickly ramped up virtual recruiting webinars and career prep sessions, continued facilitating personal introductions and industry mentoring opportunities and revised our recruiting tools to better match talent with relevant positions. And finally, practice your virtual personal sales pitch and refine your digital professional presence to reflect all you have to offer. Make sure your LinkedIn and portfolio highlight your experiences and skills. Go beyond just sharing your degree information and articulate your value proposition. This includes showcasing your out-of-the-classroom experiences, leadership training, previous internships, as well as describing times you overcame adversity. Recruiters want problem solvers and critical thinkers. They want someone who will pick up a new skill quickly and learn fast. So, instead of looking at the pandemic as a setback on your job search journey, view it as an opportunity to demonstrate you possess these qualities and are right for the job. Good luck! (BPT)

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5 Ways Payroll Services Boost a Business

s a payroll provider right for you and your business? While it is an added expense, there are good reasons to add a partner to help with this service. Here are five things to consider: Allows full attention on growing the business. If a portion of employees is focused on managing and processing payroll, business growth opportunity may be stifled. This is especially true if a key employee or owner is the one processing payroll. By outsourcing payroll responsibilities, the full workforce can concentrate

on growing the business. Improves accuracy and compliance. Most entrepreneurs didn’t go into business to tabulate hourly time cards, calculate tax withholdings, or stay current with the constantly changing government filing requirements. Thankfully there are those who specialize in monitoring labor regulations, compliance updates and the number-crunching that payroll requires. This will invariably improve the payroll accuracy a business needs. Lowers audit risk and increases peace of mind. Fed-

A Thanksgiving Story... continued from front page But it was definitely blanketed with a sprinkling of sadness. We talked about past Thanksgiving days. We remembered relatives, who were now having their Thanksgiving dinner in Heaven. We remembered places, pumpkin pies that didn’t cook so well, and times when there were so many relatives at the Thanksgiving table at the old Mabey Homestead, Mom would pray that the turkey would suffice. Miraculously, it always did. None of us knew it at the time, but that would be Mom’s last Thanksgiving meal. When they replaced Mom’s Aortic

eral taxes, state taxes, local taxes, Social Security, Medicare, unemployment taxes and overtime requirements are long (and growing). Payroll services reduce audit risk on the front end and provide audit assistance on the back end. Enhances internal controls. Separation of duties is an important internal control for all businesses. This is tough to do in a small company. Businesses with one or two-person payroll departments are susceptible to fraud or embezzlement. Adding an outside

Valve, the surgeons did not properly align it and Mom died from a slowly leaking heart valve. Mom went Home to be with the Lord on the twenty-third of December, that following month, just last year. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t think of my mom. Life is so very short. None of us have any guarantees for tomorrow. I live in a 55 plus, gated community in Central Florida. Because I worked as a Security Guard, for eight years, I have been blessed to come to know quite a few people. Whenever I hear someone say that they have stopped talking to a loved one, it brings a certain sadness to my heart. Believe it

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payroll service can provide the checks and balances a company needs to stay protected. Save money. One of the key methods of reducing business costs is adding efficiency. Outsourcing payroll increases efficiencies because payroll professionals need fewer hours to get the job done. These time improvements, coupled with potential savings in penalties and interest, can have a positive effect on net income. When laying out and understanding all aspects

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or not, I have even heard a few people in my church talk like this. It deeply saddens me. I think there are three elements to having good relationships with loved ones. Those three things are: forgive, forgive again, and forgive yet again. If your Mom is still on this side of Heaven’s Gate, tell her how much you love her. I wish I could mine. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com. Please put on the subject line: My Life Publications.

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Hometown Life • November 2020 • Page 7

Women’s Suffrage Celebrates Centennial

By Henry M. Holden he U.S Constitution originally left it up to the states to determine who is qualified to vote in elections. In the early years of our nation, states typically limited the right to vote to “freeholders” which were defined as persons who owned land (men) worth a certain amount of money. It was thought that people who did not own property would have no permanent stake in the community. The campaign for woman suffrage was

long, difficult, dramatic, and at times heart breaking. Decades of effort to include African American and other minority women in the promise of voting rights remained the challenge. Voting rights for women and racial minorities were unheard of. But the devil is in the details. Most African Americans were slaves, owned by their white masters, and could not vote. Several states, however, allowed free blacks to vote. Most women could not vote, but in a number of venues, qualified women

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Susan B. Anthony argued that the Fourteenth Amendment’s Privileges or Immunities Clause forbid any state from making or enforcing any law that abridged the privileges or immunities of its citizens. (Public Domain)

Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, at the convention and it led to many other women’s rights conventions. (Public Domain)

voted in local elections. In 1776, the New Jersey Constitution provided that “all inhabitants” of legal age who made the property and residency requirements were entitled to vote. It is unclear if it was intended to include women. By 1790,

state election law used the phrase he or she, to clarify the issue. By 1807, with allegations that men were dressing as women, and voting twice, the right of women to vote in New Jersey was continued on page 12

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For Pequannock’s Kevin Flood, Farming Has Always Been in His Blood

By Steve Sears or 23- year-old Pequannock resident Kevin Flood, gone is the “paper blindness” world he experienced from November 2019 to April 2020. He’s seeing again the green of the grass, the blue of the sky. “Working in the land, feeling the dirt again, it was nice to go back outside; I was happy with that,” he says with a smile. “I mean, when I was in the office, I was staring at paper all day. I was at a white desk in a white room with white papers.” Flood currently works as a farmer for Rich and Sue Sisti at Catalpa Ridge Farm, which is located at 1358 Route 23 in Wantage, New Jersey. He graduated from Ramapo College last May with a Law and Society degree, got his first biopharmaceuticals corporate job in November, and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he as the new hire in his company was the one whose job was the first eliminated. “I was only in it – I guess you would call it the corporate life – for about four months or so. I’ve been working outside my whole life, and I went into an office environment, and it was like, ‘Oh wow, I get to sit at a desk for eight hours.’ I was taking a step forward taking a corporate position, and I had gotten adjusted to it.” One door closed, but another opened. Perhaps, “reopened” is the better word. “That (the layoff) was in April, and in May Rich asked if I’d like to help out with the sales and stuff. I said, ‘Okay.’ And I show up and he says, ‘Do you want the (full-time) job?’ and I said, ‘Yes, I’ll take it.’” The Sistis have owned Catalpa Ridge Farm for 36 years, and Flood started visiting and being exposed to farm work when he was

5 in 2002. “My dad, his old company, used to do something called a Global Day of Service, and Rich’s farm was one of the places you could go to volunteer for a day. My dad would come, he would bring me, my brother (Michael; both were Eagle Scouts), and my mom, and there would be a whole slew of other people. I think it was once or twice a year.” During the fall, he and the entourage would arrive at 6 or 7:00 am, take garlic bulbs and clean them, take apart the individual cloves, and after cleaning them would place them into bins and plant them out in the field. “That would be an all-day occasion; the whole field was pretty much all filled with garlic.” In the spring, the group would harvest whatever produce came in or aid in tomato plant planting. “After their Memorial Day sale, whatever plants that they (the farm) had left over would be planted.” Flood segued those spring and fall treks to volunteering at the farm through high school, especially at their

Memorial Day and Columbus Day sales. So, Flood is back at the farm, and Sisti, 69, is happy to have him permanently on board. “You have to have help,” he says. “I do a lot of the picking, but he still does a lot,” says Flood of Sisti. “He’ll have me go out there and pick stuff, but he’s also out there with me. We have a lot of shishito peppers, and I’ll be out there picking those, but he’s also out there picking the eggplants, the okra, stuff like that. He’s out there with me.” “It’s really more of a team effort.” Although this is a transition period for Flood – he calls himself a “temporary COVID farmer” - he says he could see himself owning his own farm one day. “Honestly, I could see myself doing that. I have the experience in the industry. I know what it takes to run a farm, because not only are you planting crops for sale, you also have to make sure the crops make it through the season.”

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Tips On Caring For Disabled Dogs

og disabilities could be a result of within their ideal weight. Exercise and a illness, physical injury or accidents. balanced diet are the only things you reJust because your dog is disabled, ally need to worry about when it comes it should not stop you from enjoying its to your dog’s weight. Make sure it gets company. As a dog owner, it is your rethe right amount of exercise by taking it sponsibility to help the dog live a normal out for walks or jogs. You can also let it life and cope with the situation. Below run around in an open area like your backare a few tips to keep your dog happy and yard, front lawn or park. Never overfeed healthy, even with its disability. or underfeed your dog. Use a good dog Assist their movements. Dogs who food mix or you can feed them meat that suffer from mobility problems, such as you prepared. Check with your vet about hip dysplasia, arthritis, spinal disorders, your dog’s ideal weight and the best type DM in dogs (degenerative myelopathy) or of diet you can give it. other medical problems that affects their Regular visits to the doctor. Visiting hind legs will need plenty of help moving the vet regularly helps you and your dog’s around. To make things easier for you and doctor track the dog’s condition and see the dog, you can buy a special leash that if it’s improving or not. By going to the supports its torso and back legs. There vet, you can detect any problems and stop take the dog out to the vet, you will need walk into the car. are also other tools that assist in mobility them before they develop even further. to carry it into the car since it might have Watch their weight. Like humans, problems, such as dog wheelchairs that can The vet can also advise you on medical proa hard time getting in. You can also use a overweight dogs have a higher chance of be strapped to its back. If you are going to continued on page 11 small and improvised ramp that will help it getting sick compared to dogs that stay

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Caring For Disabled Dogs... continued from page 10 cedures and other remedies that can help or cure your dog. They can also offer medical screening for some genetic illnesses like DM in dogs. Talk to your dog. Talking to your dog is actually a form of therapy for the both of you. Massage and gently rub its fur and spend some time with it. Sometimes, human touch works better and is more calming and relaxing compared to any other type of medication.

Courtesy pet-articles.blogspot.com. Brought to you by Dr. Matthew Krupnick, the owner of the Pequannock Animal Hospital. He grew up in Kinnelon and is happy to be home — with his wife, three cats and two dogs — to provide quality and compassionate care for your pets in the community. The Pequannock Animal Hospital is located at 591 Newark Pompton Turnpike in Pompton Plains. You can reach them at 973-616-0400.

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What’s happening in your school or organization? Celebrating a special birthday, anniversary, graduation? Have a human interest story or something you would like to share? Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

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Women’s Suffrage... continued from page 7 revoked. For the next 30 years women’s suffrage was not taken seriously by lawmakers. Women organized, petitioned, and picketed to win the right to vote, but their struggle took decades to accomplish their purpose. Few early supporters lived to see final victory. The Seneca Falls Convention, in 1848, was the first women’s rights convention in the United States. The meeting launched the women’s suffrage movement. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, at the convention and it led to many other women’s rights conventions. By the mid-19th century, woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a sweeping change of the Constitution. In 1872, the first Presidential election since the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment (1868), was a call to action for suffragists. Susan B. Anthony argued that the Fourteenth Amendment’s Privileges or Immunities Clause forbid any state from making or enforcing any law that abridged the privileges or immunities of its citizens. Women had always been citizens; and the

privileges or immunities clause therefore conferred on women the right to vote, Anthony argued. When Anthony tried to vote, to her surprise, she was permitted to do so. Her victory was, shallow. Two weeks after the election she was arrested for illegal voting. Despite her argument about the significance of the Fourteenth Amendment, she was convicted. In 1878, the suffrage amendment was first introduced in Congress. It would be introduced to each congress for the next 41 sessions. Women worked tirelessly, but strategies for achieving their goal varied. Some pursued a strategy of passing suffrage acts in each state. Early in the 20th century, women were only able to vote in nine western states which adopted woman suffrage legislation by 1912. Others challenged male-only voting laws in the courts. Some suffragists used confrontational tactics such as picketing, silent vigils, and hunger strikes. Usually supporters met angry resistance. Opponents heckled, jailed, and sometimes physically abused them. By 1916, almost all of the major suffrage organizations were united behind the goal of a constitutional amendment. When New York adopted woman suffrage in 1917, and President Wilson changed his position to

support an amendment in 1918, the political balance shifted. On May 21, 1919, the House of Representatives passed the amendment, and two weeks later, the Senate followed. Momentum rippled through the states. In July 1920, all eyes were on the Tennessee capital, Nashville, as anti-and pro suffragist each lobbied for the vision of a socially evolving United States. One more state was needed to ratify the proposed amendment and that duty rested solely on the shoulders of Tennessee. It passed by one vote, cast by

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a 25-year old legislator named Harry Burn, whose mother had urged him to do the right thing. When Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920, the amendment passed its final challenge of obtaining the agreement of three-fourths of the states. Secretary of State, Bainbridge Colby, certified the ratification on August 26, 1920. The ratification was a transformative moment in America, changing the face of the American electorate forever.

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StoryTime Productions Pivots to Bring Joy with Doorstep Magic

By Steve Sears toryTime Productions of Pequannock provides entertainment and characters for indoor parties such as birthdays or special events, those characters playing games, singing, interacting with the attendees. “It’s a small team,” says Darlene Davis, head of marketing of the one-year-old company. “We all work together to make everything happen.” Things screeched to a halt when the coronavirus arrived. “When the pandemic happened in March,” says Davis, “we couldn’t do that anymore, so we really had to sit down and get creative – figure out what we were going to do next. Especially with what people were going through emotionally during this time also, we knew it was really important that we continue doing what we were doing in the safest possible way.” The company was forced to pivot. “That’s when we thought of Doorstep Magic, where it’s all socially distant, but yet the kids still get to see their favorite characters and they still get that whole experience.” Easter was the first holiday where Doorstep Magic was offered, an Easter Bunny exiting a car while music played, the bunny dancing and having fun, and then hopping with a basket of goodies to the front door of the home. If there is more than one child, there is more than one basket distributed. Per Davis, Doorstep Magic delivered a busy Easter weekend to the StoryTime Productions doorstep. “We had parents calling us and saying, ‘Wow! I had no idea that this was even out there; that we could do something like this during this time.’ Everything was closed, so this was a very good option for them. After that weekend, I had parents emailed and texting us, saying, ‘You made my kid smile. I’m so glad

we did this during this time.’” For Halloween, StoryTime Productions provided certain characters. Batman, Spiderman, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and customized requests were taken as well. Songs played when exiting the car were based on the various characters. And with Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, StoryTime Productions is well prepared. While not sure if pilgrims or turkeys will be the request of kids for the late November holiday weekend, Santa and Mrs. Claus are at the ready for Christmas. “We’ll definitely offer it (Thanksgiving) and see if people are interested,” says Davis, “but after that though we’ll definitely be doing Santa and Mrs. Claus, and possibly also some elves.” Christmas baskets will be delivered, and socially distanced photo ops are a possibility. For Davis, who as a child sang, danced, and wrote songs, StoryTime Productions is a harkening back to her childhood, so she recognizes first-hand the value of the company she works for. “I wanted to be part of something that would help other young kids, and I also feel that if they’re going through something, all that stuff helps. And that’s why these characters are just so important, to be a part of kids’ lives.” Davis also mentions that the fun and need isn’t limited to children. “During Easter, one of our customers had contacted us regarding a nurse. She was an essential worker at the time, and she had two kids. So, we had Belle come and she greeted the kids, and they were really happy afterwards. That was really fun to give back to people who are out there (on the front lines) working.” Davis says if you know of an adult who needs some giving back in a special way, contact StoryTime Productions. “With all of our visits,

I can’t begin to tell you all the times I’ve seen parents look so happy just seeing these characters come to the door. Yes, the kids enjoy it, but I feel like it’s just as much for the adults as well.”

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Butler High School Graduate Named to Lead US Army Corps of Engineers

By Steve Sears 6-year-old, 1982 Butler High School graduate, Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon, assumed command as the Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers on September 10, 2020. The event was held at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia. “My assignment as 55th Chief of Engineers and commander of USACE is an amazing opportunity to lead, grow and give back,” says the Lt. Gen. “I’ve worked with some great leaders over the years and I now have an opportunity to take those lessons I’ve learned to encourage strong leadership among both Soldiers and Civilians and set the course that will take Army Engineers and USACE into the future.” Lt. Gen. Spellmon graduated from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point in 1986. “West Point was actually the nation’s first engineering school and the founding superintendent, Jonathan Williams, also became the Chief Engineer of the Corps,” he says. His father and many of his uncles served in either World War II or the Korean War, and each returned home to New Jersey to build their careers and families. “While none of them served an entire career in the military, I learned from each of them the value and importance of service to our nation,” he says. He fondly recalls his youth in Butler. “Overall, my early years prepared me well for a career in the military. Bloomingdale was a great small town to grow up in. It’s a strong community, has a very good school system; and

I had excellent examples everywhere around me on the importance of hard work, perseverance and overcoming challenges. Sports, in particular, were (and remain) extremely competitive in north New Jersey and I was bless-

ed with great football, basketball and track & field coaches. I learned so much from all of them, but particularly the value of sportsmanship and winning. And, while it took a little while longer, I also learned from them the value of winning in the classroom and academics.” Lt. Gen. Spellmon calls himself a “history buff ” who loves to read. “When I think I am having a challenging or difficult day, I often think back upon the books I have read about President (Abraham) Lincoln, or General (later President, Ulysses S.) Grant and the extreme challenges they each faced in holding our nation together in the late 1800s. I also spend a lot of time marveling about the incredible infrastructure our grandfathers and great-grandfathers built around this country – without the computer and automation tools we enjoy now. I have the privilege in my current role to see this infrastructure every day.” Lt. Gen. Spellmon has a campaign with four goals. He lists them here: Support National Readiness. The Army is modernizing, and our Engineer Force needs to keep pace with new requirements and priorities. The most important thing we can do in the US Army Corps of Engineers to support the Army’s and nation’s readiness is deliver our program… in other words, finishing quality projects on time within budget. Modernize USACE. Data Governance, cyber security, and our internal software that we use day to day must be up to date and provide safe and secure execution of our work. We’ve made significant strides in the recent past continued on page 22

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Savor These Holiday Centerpieces

elebrate the season and create long-lasting memories this year by serving tasteful main courses centered around tender cuts of beef. With hand-cut choices like a Bone-in Frenched Prime Rib Roast, Butcher’s Cut Filet Mignons, a Beef Brisket Flat and Premium Ground Beef from Omaha Steaks, you can create elegant holiday centerpieces such as Steak Au Poivre or a unique generational recipe, the Simon Family Brisket. Each cut of beef is hand-carved by expert butchers, flash-frozen to capture freshness and flavor at its peak and delivered directly to your door. Find more inspiration to create a memorable holiday meal at OmahaSteaks.com. Steak Au Poivre Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 2 2 Omaha Steaks Butcher’s Cut Filet Mignons (5-6 ounces each), thawed 2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1/3 cup brandy or cognac 1 cup cream 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Season steak with salt and pepper. Press seasoning into meat to create even coating. In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter until just smoking. Add steak and sear 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Once cooked to desired doneness, transfer steak to cutting board and tent with foil to rest. Reduce heat to medium and add brandy to skillet. Allow to cook down about 1 minute while stirring to scrape off any browned bits from bottom of pan. Once brandy reduces by half, add cream, Dijon mustard and remaining butter; continue cooking until mixture begins to reduce and thicken, 5-7 minutes. Slice steaks against grain and top with

sauce. Simon Family Brisket Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 4 hours, plus 20 minutes resting

time Servings: 4 1 Omaha Steaks Beef Brisket Flat (2 pounds), thawed continued on next page

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Savor These... continued from previous page 1 package (1.1 ounces) dry onion soup mix 1 can (14 ounces) whole cranberries 1 cup chili sauce 1 cup ginger ale Preheat oven to 250 F. Place brisket in large ovenproof baking dish. In bowl, mix onion soup mix, cranberries

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