M t . O l i v e’s H o m e t o w n N e w s p a p e r
MOUNT OLIVE LIFE Vo l . 1 8 • I s s u e 1
Ja n u a r y 2 0 2 3
Member of Mid-Atlantic Community Papers • Association of Community Publichers • Mt. Olive Chamber of Commerce AUDITED BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL (CVC), ST. LOUIS, MO.
Mount Olive Remembers Councilman Daniel Amianda
MOUNT OLIVE - As people descended on William J. Leber Funeral Home on December 17, Daniel Amianda was remembered with love and adoration at his celebration of life. In attendance were members of the Mount Olive Town Council, the Amianda family, and local dignitaries. The legacy that Amianda leaves behind is a golden one. He was a caring individual
who only wanted the best for the residents of Mount Olive. A public servant, Amianda proudly served on the Mount Olive Town Council as well as the Mount Olive Board of Education. A kind individual, Mayor Rob Greenbaum shared, “I never heard Daniel say a mean word about anybody.” His desire to serve went beyond the boundary lines of Mount Olive Township and
across the Atlantic Ocean to Kenya. He was often raising money for a school in the Bunyore area of the nation. The school is named in honor of his mother, Naomi Alumasi Etisi, who was unable to attend school in the British colonial system. Council President Joe Nicastro summed it up best: “Daniel was a kind and gentle man. He served his community
Adopt a Child is Rousing Success in Mount Olive
well and put service before his personal life not only with his elected positions but with his charity work back in his original country of Kenya. He will be missed by all.” According to his obituary, Amianda emigrated to the United State in 1961. He graduated from Lincoln College in 1965 and earned his MBA in 1969 from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He moved to Budd
Lake from New York City in 1975. He worked proudly for the New York City Human Resources Administration. Amianda leaves behind his wife, a son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. Amianda’s seat on the council will be appointed to a candidate to serve out the rest of the term in 2023. The seat will then be up for vote in the November 2023 election.
Operation Pajama Elf 2022 a Huge Success
BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER
Mary Lalama and Cathy Chessen with some of the donations they dropped off at the Middle School.
BY MEGAN ROCHE STAFF WRITER MOUNT OLIVE - The wall to wall gift bags covered the first floor of the Lalama-Nicastro household. Not presents for the family living there, but presents for those in the community who were adopted by angels. The annual Adopt a Child campaign was a huge success in the eyes of the organizer, Mary Lalama. “I love being able to help within my own community… that’s why I started this years ago. It’s more than just a feel good thing...it’s heartwarming and the right thing to do; helping others less fortunate in our community,” Lalama says. Started originally as a toy drive, the organizer switched gears and worked with Mount Olive Middle School guidance counselors to learn more about the needs of the community. In November of 2022, lists of children’s ages, sex, favorite colors, and clothing sizes were passed along to her. Through social media channels, word spread of the project and children and families were adopted. In a grand total, this particular adopt a child project helped get holiday gifts to over 190 children in the Mount Olive area. The community of Mount Olive stepped up with
not only purchasing gifts but also gift card donations, monetary donations, grocery store donations, and pajama donations. Other items donated include toys, clothes, sneakers, boots, and shoes. “I was overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone who participated. My house was wall to wall gift bags and boxes for these families. I am so thankful to everyone who helped. Cathy Chessen, a friend, was a big help. She shopped with me for about 18 kids with donation money we received,” Lalama says. Lalama would like to thank the following people who donated and/or sponsorsed a child/family: Janen Ardia and the entire team at RE/ MAX Heritage Properties, Mountaintop Church, Debbie Measley, Angela Chaparyan, Laura Rebimbas, Briane Jarvis, Dave Kleinrock, Rosemary Parisi, Ruthann Fulton, Deborah Reiner from Symmetry Permanent Cosmetics, Kathy Cullinan, Dawn Mitchell, Lynda Smith and the entire staff of Environmental Transport Group, Inc, Penny Vanemon-Chatterton for sponsoring families and donating 80 pairs of pajamas, Jocelyn Schaechter, Chris Jara, Linda
Hunter, Jess Bowen and the Mt. Olive MOMS Club, Beth Greenbaum, Melissa Baccaro, Keri Brown, Marcela Cardenas, Melissa Caruso, Rebecca Kreider, Kelly Magnotta, Sara and the Mt. Olive Soccer Club, Laura Tillotson, Danette Bond, Tom and Patty Mooney, Celeste Mancinelli, Dorothy Murr, Lydia Blide, Judy Ross, Jen Bazyl, Nicole Fletcher, Kelly Tripi, Michele Brancato, Denise Grecco, Tracy D’Alessandro, Kelly Krauss and clients from Next Generation Training Center, Kelly Hyde and Robert Greenbaum, Christina Cortese, Donna Grywalski, Karen Norberg, Renee Rem, Estela D’Oporto, Kelly Shreinder, Jane Sherman, Kim Thomas, Shoba Mani, Nancy Stempin, Judy Rose, Michele Fazioli, Jackie from Flanders, Jennifer Lemongello, Jordan Tauber, Eve Buzzelli, Dawn Mitchell, Mike Sandak, Marcela Cardenas, Andrea Chaplin, Karen Tennyson, Sandy Masklee, Mary Azagra-Monterey, Colleen, Melissa DiTraglia-Aliotta, Sheila Speroni and a sincere apologize if anyone was left out. The Adopt a Child project will continue next year at Christmas.
MOUNT OLIVE - Penny Vanemon-Chatterton recalls the childhood memory fondly. “The Pajama Elf would bring my sisters and I a new pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve,” she says. “Hence the name of what we do.” Now in its sixth year, Operation Pajama Elf has been gifting children who live at the Newark YMCA brand new pajamas every Christmas Eve. In 2021, 67 pajama donations were made to every child that lives at the Newark YMCA courtesy of Vanemon-Chatterton, her husband Justin, the Deborah Burke Group of realtors (for whom Vanemon-Chatterton works), and the generous folks of the community. In 2022, the need had risen. The initial goal number for the Newark delivery was 104, but donations rose considerably above that number. Therefore, Operation Pajama Elf has also been able to help children in need in Mount Olive itself. Vanemon-Chatterton made a delivery of almost 80 pairs of pajamas to Mary Lalama, who works with the Mt. Olive Middle School to sponsor children at Chirstmas time, so almost 200 children were recipients of new, warm pjs. “It’s really incredible,” Vanemon-Chatterton says. “My husband and I started doing this in 2017,” Vanemon-Chatterton explains. “Sometimes you seek opportunities, and sometimes they find you, right? He had been working with a colleague of his to collect items for the homeless in Newark, and it was something that his colleague’s mother had spearheaded for many years. In doing that work, Justin learned that the YMCA in Newark had a need for new pajamas for all of the children who were calling it home at the time. It also happened that there were a very large number of veteran families who were housed there at the time. My husband is a veteran, and it just spoke to him. Without hesitation, he said, ‘We’ll do it,’ and he came home and told me there were 140 children at that
Your Chance to Win a $25 Gift Card with the “Find Moe Life Mascot” Contest MOUNT OLIVE - Check out our new mascot...Mr. Moe Life. Look for him in the ads in this issue and enter (no purchase necessary) to win a $25.00 gift card.
It is easy to enter. 4 Winners will be selected each month. Look through the paper and read the ads and look for Mr. Life in the ad. He will be located throughout
the paper in 6 random ads. Then go to www.mtolivelife.com scroll down and fill out the form to be entered. Winners will be notified and printed in the next issue.
Winners From December’s “Find Moe Life Mascot” Contest
MOUNT OLIVE - The winners from December’s “Find Moe Life Mascot” are Lejla Karalic, Budd Lake,
Katryn Pascik, Hackettstown, Vicki Beck, Budd Lake, and Taylor Gudenkauf, Flanders. Mr. Moe was hiding in the
following ads: Rainbow Travel, MO Chiropractic, Vernay Moving, Chester Bagels, Entourage and Remax Sharon
Caruso. Thanks to everyone who enter and congratulations to our winners!
Penny Vanemon-Chatterton and her husband, Justin Chatterton
The result of Operation Pajama Elf 2022 -- serving 200 children at the Newark YMCA and in Mount Olive
time, and this was two weeks before Christmas. We did it, and we’ve been doing it ever since. It’s been an amazing experience.” Donations come mostly from the community of Mount Olive, but Vanemon-Chatterton’s personal outreach is to her friends and family wherever they are located. Therefore, pajama donations in 2022 arrived from as far away as Texas and Oklahoma. ‘The lesson to me is that it doesn’t matter where the need is. If it speaks to someone, they’ll contribute,” she says. Vanemon-Chatterton is quick to credit all those who donate, but especially the community of Mount Olive. “The support of the Mount Olive community, specifically, has just been unbelievable,” she says, and then she elaborates on her personal feelings about
Operation Pajama Elf. “First and foremost, it’s a feeling of gratefulness. It’s the outpouring of love from people. It’s just incredible. But then, it’s also very humbling and sobering. With so many people who are in need - and it’s people from all walks of life, you just never know what life’s going to hand you - it’s a bit sobering. But, of course, it’s a very joyful experience, too, because we’ve seen firsthand just how excited the children get over a pair of pajamas.” Even though the major focus for Operation Pajama Elf is from Thanksgiving forward to Christmas Eve, donations are welcome all year long. Pajamas can be dropped off at 10 Oakland Road in Budd Lake, and for more information, Penny Vanemon-Chatterton can be contacted at 908-672-0781.
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