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How Communities Are Connecting During the COVID-19 Crisis

uring the uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis, people are searching for ways to connect with experts, co-workers, friends, neighbors and their community. They are accomplishing this by using technology including virtual meetings, webinars and conference call services. Everyone is making sacrifices during this time and adjusting their regular routines and habits. TownSq, an allin-one communication app used in the community management industry, has analyzed the platform’s trends during the crisis. Residents take guidelines seriously The app’s analysis found that access-controlled communities’ guest invitations dropped more than 50% in the first week alone. Residents are forgoing seeing friends and family and canceling events to ensure they are doing their part to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19. Another interesting statistic is the drastic increase in package deliveries to communities. As COVID-19 concerns began growing in late February and early March, deliveries to communities started to increase to levels generally seen around the holiday season. Homeowners are social distancing while maintaining necessary supplies and avoiding crowded grocery stores and markets. Neighbors help neighbors The World Health Organization has reported that certain groups have an elevated risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, including people over 65 years of age and those with underlying medical conditions. As a result, solidarity is growing organically in communities. Younger residents are offering to help with things like picking up groceries or other essentials for residents that are in the high-risk group. That shows an altruistic desire for people to naturally want to help those that need it most during these times. Technology assists in effective communication As more strict guidelines get put into place, and more people are operating from home, individuals and companies are looking for new tools to help improve communication during the crisis. In communities and HOAs, this essential need is equally present; effective communication is the key to making sure every resident is informed properly

and up to date on important community news. The app has seen an increased trend of board members and managers publishing 92% more critical announcements and documents during this time. “Announcement growth is directly tied to managers and boards making relevant information available to all residents in real-time. The need for urgent news has increased, so we are seeing the results of the platform accommodating that need,” said Luis Lafer-Sousa of TownSq. Virtual tools facilitate connections From the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the app has tracked a dramatic increase in platform engagement. Residents have taken social distancing seriously with a 45% decrease in visitor requests and an uptick in package deliveries, neighbors helping neighbors, and vital communi-

cations from boards of directors to residents. “We see this exponential growth as a strong sign of effective communication among our customers. It shows that people are looking for new ways to connect and help each other during this time,” said Lafer-Sousa. “Communication between residents is surging with an outpouring of support for those most at-risk in communities. For homeowners, they understand the importance of community connection and recognize the value of virtual tools to facilitate those connections.” It is crucial to stay connected during times of crisis. That is why the app is offering features like real-time updates, a resident forum, targeted communications and more free for 90 days. To learn more, visit https://learn. townsq.io/90-day-free-trial. (BPT)

Page 2 • May 11, 2020

Upside Down Remote Learning at the Albrook School

earning about art and teaching hands-on are both integral parts in Montessori philosophy. As remote learning has become a necessity these days, our teachers have had to find creative ways to continue to teach in this handson manner. Ms. Zarate, the Art teacher at The Albrook School, has done just that by assigning the elementary students the “upside down art” project and the “doodle hand printing” project. The “upside down art” project gives students the opportunity to create their own masterpiece replicating the technique of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel by laying on their backs and holding up their hand to paint for a long period of time. “Additionally, the “upside down” project helped the students to understand how they could produce a wonderful piece of art even though

the position may have been uncomfortable”, stated Ms. Zarate. The handprint doodle art is based on the study of one of the basic elements used in art, the lines. Artists combine straight, curved or diagonal lines and put them all together to create their own version of doodles. Various colors and shapes can be placed inside each “section” of the doodle in addition to other elements like the hand. The Albrook School was founded in 1979 as a non-profit Montessori school. We serve up to 200 children ages two through twelve. Our School is accredited by the American Montessori Society and by the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools and follows the Montessori philosophy of assisting each child in developing each of his or her potentialities to the fullest. The Albrook

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Page 4 • May 11, 2020

A VIEW FROM THE LEFT

Preview of Coming Distractions

EDITORIAL &

Opinions

As you probably already knew, the next six months of 2020 presidential campaigning are going to be ugly. I do not say this happily, but I do so based upon a lifetime of watching candidates run for election and reelection. Almost invariably, politicians return to what worked successfully in previous campaigns. Consider the most recent presidential election of 2016. When exit polls across the nation asked actual voters whether their opinion of the two candidates was favorable or unfavorable, their answers were Donald Trump 38% favorable and 60% unfavorable, and Hillary Clinton 43% favorable and 55% unfavorable. In the same survey, just 36% of voters found Clinton to be “honest and trustworthy,” while 61% did not. For Trump, the numbers were even worse: 33% saw him as “honest and trustworthy,” and 64% did not. It is fair to conclude that with numbers as bad as the ones real live voters gave the 2016 Republican nominee, the only reason Trump won an electoral college victory and the White House was because he was running against Clinton. The cold, hard truth is that if Trump had been running unopposed in 2016, he would have lost decisively. Now comes further nations evidence of Trump’s increasingly challenging situation in 2020. A sweeping survey of more than 22,000 voters in all 50 states, done by researchers at Rutgers, Northeastern and Harvard, found that every single governor won a higher rating than Trump on handling the coronavirus. This is not a partisan divide. The four governors who get the highest approval numbers on handling the pandemic are three Republicans a lone Democrat: Ohio Republican Gov. Mike Dewine (83% approval), Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker (80% approval), Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan

Mark Shields (80% approval) and, the only Democrat to get similarly high marks, Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear (81% approval), whose numbers in his deeply red state are 30% higher than Kentuckians give Trump. Nationally, voters give their governors an average approval rating of 66% on their response to the pandemic, while these same voters give Trump just a 44% approval rating on his handling of the coronavirus. As of this day, it is clear that Trump, when faced with the biggest crisis of his presidency, has, in the eyes of most voters, failed to lead, to unite or to comfort the country nearly as well as the nation’s governors have done and are doing. Donald Trump, even his staunch supporters will admit in private, could not win a referendum by the country’s voters on whether they want him for a second term. His only hope is to relentlessly belittle, disparage, demonize and, yes, savage his opponent. It will not be pretty, but we have some idea — because it worked once in 2016 — what to expect. To find out more about Mark Shields and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. 100% MailedNewspaper Flanders, NJ 07836

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A VIEW FROM THE RIGHT

Big Google is Watching Your Children

chools remain shuttered across the country, 30 million Americans are out of work, and food banks are running low, but the edutech sector is booming. Silicon Valley companies are feasting on an exploding client base of quarantined students held hostage to “online learning.” Big Google is leading the way -- and that is not OK. Unsuspecting parents cheering all the software and hardware donations during the pandemic shutdown have no idea the privacy price their children are paying. This isn’t charity. It’s big tech recruitment of vulnerable generations of future Google addicts. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Google inked a deal to provide 4,000 “free” Chromebooks to students, along with “free” Wi-Fi to 100,000 families. In Kentucky, the Jefferson County public schools gave away 25,000 Chromebooks. In Philadelphia, public officials earmarked $11 million to purchase 40,000 Chromebooks for homebound kids. Google CEO Sundar Pichai crowed a few weeks ago that the company now has 100 million students and educators hooked on Google Classroom. Bent on conquering the virtual meeting market, the online giant announced that its premium Google Meet videoconferencing features are now free to all 80 million customers of its G Suite for Education apps through the fall. Google Meet is racking up 2 million new users a day as school districts abandon Zoom, the dominant virtual meeting app that recently admitted “mistakenly” routing non-Chinese calls through its Beijing-based data centers. But if educators think Google will provide more protections for American students than the ChiCom government, they’re blind, dumb or bought off. As I’ve chronicled regularly in this column over the past decade, the Silicon Valley giant has repeatedly breached federal privacy laws to extend its tentacles into children’s emails, browsing habits, search engine activity, voice memos and more without parental consent. Google’s information predators have previously admitted to unauthorized scanning and indexing of student email accounts and targeted online advertising based on

Michelle Malkin search engine activity, as well as autosyncing of passwords, browsing history and other private data across devices and accounts belonging to students and families unaware of default tracking. A new lawsuit seeking class-action status against Google filed in Illinois serves as a warning to all the millions of families enthralled by their pandemic-gifted Chromebooks. Father-of-two Clinton Farwell alleges that Google illegally collected personally identifying biometric information from his children through their public school-issued Chromebooks (loaded with G Suite for Education apps) dating back to 2015. His suit lays out how Google has “infiltrated” K-12 education with hardware and software primarily targeting students under the age of 13, whose face templates and voiceprints are illicitly collected, along with their: physical locations; websites they visit; every search term they use in Google’s search engine (and the results they click on); the videos they watch on YouTube; personal contact lists; voice recordings; saved passwords; and other behavioral information. Despite signing a “Student Privacy Pledge” promising not to collect, share and retain private personal data, Google Chromebooks scan students’ faces and unique acoustic details of students’ voices to identify them by name, age, gender and location while using Google platforms. Farwell realized his kids’ continued on page 6

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May 4, 2020 â€¢ Page 5

Page 6 • May 11, 2020

Big Google is Watching... continued from page 4 biometric data was being stored in a vast database when he discovered they were required to speak and look into the laptops’ microphones and cameras in order to use the school products and apps. A similar lawsuit by the New Mexico Attorney General’s office filed in federal court in February exposed how Chromebooks and G Suite for Education apps mined students’ Gmail accounts for advertising purposes. The New Mexico AG’s brief also bolstered my previous exclusive reports, based on whistleblowing by Missouri teachers Brooke Henderson and Brette Hay, on Google’s access to student profiles and family computer passwords through the default Chrome Sync function -- which can only be blocked by creating a passphrase buried in settings that school officials never inform students about (let alone their parents left in the dark from the moment schools require kids to create Google logins as early as kindergarten). And now governments are entrusting Google to help develop contact-tracing technology on the promise that they won’t collect location data, won’t exploit data for commercial purposes, and won’t grant access to unauthorized parties? Fox, meet henhouse. Regulatory slaps on the wrist by toothless

federal agencies have done nothing to deter the deceitful data usurpers. Why hasn’t every other state attorney general filed a similar suit? Where is Congress, which passed the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to prevent exactly the kind of routine marauding of students’ digital lives perpetrated by Google and other EdTech vultures? Instead of pushing back, Congress passed the “Every Student Succeeds Act” and the “Foundations for Evidence-Based Policy Act” -- deceptively titled bills expanding third-party access to sensitive personal data. The Invisible Enemy is right under our noses, in our homes and on our kids’ laptops. Instead of removing children en masse from their classrooms in the name of public health, responsible adults should be de-platforming Google’s privacy pillagers from every school in America in the name of public safety. Michelle Malkin’s email address is MichelleMalkinInvestigates@protonmail.com. To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM

West Orange High School Air Force JROTC Celebrates Cadet Milestones

he award-winning West Orange High School Air Force JROTC program has much to celebrate as this unique school year comes to a close. Mountaineer Squadron's Major Joseph Marchesini (AF-Ret.) was pleased to announce that several senior cadets will be entering military academies and programs: Elijah Millington will be attending the Naval Academy. Jonathan Roberson will be attending West Point Preparatory School. Maya Tobin was awarded an Air Force ROTC scholarship and will be attending American University. Cade Lipsey was awarded an Army ROTC scholarship and will be attending Syracuse University. Richard Dutan and James Petrucelli have enlist-

ed in the Marines. Wilfredo Ardon has enlisted in the Army. In addition to the JAFROTC cadets, several other high school seniors will be entering various branches of the military: Juan Aguilar, Aaron Carneiro, Mike Ortiz, Ryan Tiernan, and Kevin Vargas. This year's 2020 AFJROTC National Honor Society Inductees were announced on April 30: Nathaniel Vinoya, Stephany Andrade, Kevin Bolen, Yamilee Chavez, Austin Cowley,

Royson Folas, Bowie Lee, Lucio Maffei, Katie McCluskey, Elijah Millington, Emily Morales-Medina, and Karin Palomino. Marchesini was particularly proud to announce that four former Mountaineer Squadron members are graduating from college and commissioning as lieutenants in the armed forces: Justice Rooney (Rutgers) and Marshall Lipsey (Syracuse) will be commissioning in the US Army; Valerie Giovine (PennState) and Jasmyn Lettman (Rutgers) will be commissioning into the Air Force. On a somber note, Marchesini asked that the community remember that Christopher (CJ) Morgan would have been graduating from West Point and commissioning into the US Army as well.

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Two CCM Students Named All-State Academic Team Members

wo students at County College of Morris (CCM), Emma Mendoza, of Boonton, and Corey Anding, of Newark, have been named as 2020 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) New Jersey All-State Academic Team members for their academic excellence, leadership and community service. Mendoza and Anding, along with several other students from across the state, have received this recognition from the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC). Traditionally, NJCCC holds a ceremony to recognize these scholars but this year their certificates and the medals All-State Academic Team members receive will be mailed to them. CCM hopes to be able to hold a recognition ceremony perhaps later this year to recognize Mendoza, Anding and other outstanding students. At CCM, Mendoza has served as president of the Student Government Association and as a member of both PTK and Alpha Mu Gamma honor societies. She also has Family Owned & Operated

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served on the leadership team for the Student Activities Programming Board, Alpha Mu Gamma and as a Student Representative to CCM’s College Council. At CCM, Anding has served as president pro tempore of the Student Government Association and is also a member of both the PTK and Alpha Mu Gamma honor societies. Additionally, he has served as a student representative on CCM’s College Council and the Student Affairs Committee. Don Phelps, director of CCM’s Campus Life, refers to Mendoza and Anding as “two all-stars” on campus. To be considered for membership in the PTK chapter at CCM, students must have a 3.5 or higher grade point average.

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Academy for Performing Arts Dance Student Honored

orris County Vocational School District Academy for Performing Arts Dance student, Brianna Isabella Castro, was selected as a recipient of the NJGAAE Student Award for Artistic Excellence and Leadership in Dance provided by Dance New Jersey. This award is given to a high school dance student who expressed superlative academic excellence and creativity in essay, skill in performance and originality in choreography. The Student Award for Artistic Excellence and Leadership in Dance is one of the annual Governor’s Awards in Arts Education, and is sponsored by Dance New Jersey, the official state affiliate of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). The Morris County Vocational School District provides vocational and enrichment programs that inspire and prepare students to succeed in today’s world and pursue tomorrow’s opportunities. The Academy for Performing Arts is a four-year full-time public arts high school program offering career preparation in dance. Find out more at (www.mcvts.org) to learn about programs, including high school Career Academies, Share Time Programs, and Adult Education programs.

Did You Know?

ccording to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, nurses are the second largest group of licensed professionals in the United States. While laws vary depending on where nurses work, many nurses must have their licenses renewed at certain intervals. State boards of nursing, sometimes referred to as “BONs,” were established to oversee and assure the safe practice of nursing in an effort to protect the public’s health. Part of the responsibilities of a BON is to evaluate licensure applications, and some BONs, depending on the state laws, will handle license renewals as well. The goal of license renewals is to ensure licensed nurses are up to date on the latest best practices and procedures. In addition, nurses who have not practiced in some time but want to return to practicing may need to take a refresher course to ensure they can still serve as competent nurses. In states where renewals are required, nurses who continue to practice without renewing their licenses may be subject to discipline. Nurses are urged to stay abreast of the licensing laws where they practice and to contact their BON if they have any questions about the licensure process. What’s happening in your school or organization? Have a human interest story or something you would like to share? Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

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Page 10 • May 11, 2020

Make-Ahead Breakfasts for Easier Mornings

f you’re juggling a new set of responsibilities right now, you’re not alone. Those busy mornings may still pose challenges even if your commute no longer exists. Making breakfast in advance can give you a few extra minutes to move your body, center your mind or simply hit the snooze button one more time and still put a delicious, nutritious breakfast on the table. Aim to use ingredients with a mix of protein, fiber and good fats to keep you full and energized for whatever the day has in store. Take morning meal prep off your plate for days at a time by making a batch of No-Bake Walnut, Cocoa and Cherry Bars or Savory Walnut Egg Cups, which can be made with mostly pantry staples or frozen ingredients to help limit trips to the grocery store. Find more make-ahead recipes for any meal of the day at walnuts.org/meal-prep.

Savory Walnut Egg Cups Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Servings: 12 Nonstick cooking spray 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cold water 9 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 tablespoon stone ground Dijon mustard 1 cup baby spinach, coarsely chopped 1 small red bell pepper, diced 3/4 cup extra sharp shredded cheddar cheese Heat oven to 350 F and generously spray 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In bowl of food processor, pulse oats until fine and flour-like. Add walnuts and pulse until blended with oat flour. Pulse

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Make-Ahead Breakfasts... continued from page 10 oregano and mustard until well combined. Stir in spinach, bell pepper and cheese. Fill each muffin cup evenly with egg-veggie mixture and bake 20 minutes, or until eggs are set. Cool slightly on wire rack before removing egg cups by carefully inserting sharp knife between crust and muffin pan. No-Bake Walnut, Cocoa and Cherry Bars Total time:15 minutes Servings: 9 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 1 cup (about 12) pitted medjool dates 1/2 cup shelled walnuts 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon salt In large food processor bowl, combine oats, dates, walnuts, cherries, cocoa powder and salt. Process 1-2 minutes, or until mixture resembles crumbly dough. Turn mixture onto wax paper and shape evenly into 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Chill at least 1 hour and cut into nine bars. (Family Features)

Stack a Savory Snack

aving fun in the kitchen can be an easy way to get kids involved for a family-friendly activity. These Fiesta Snacks call for flavors many kids love stacked up in a way that allows them to aid in the process. Find more snack recipes at Culinary.net. Fiesta Snacks 1 pound chicken, chopped 1/2 cup salsa, divided 1/4 cup sour cream 8 tortillas (8 inches) 1/3 cup refried beans 1/2 cup guacamole 6 ounces shredded cheese Heat oven to 350 F. In skillet, cook chopped chicken until done. In medium bowl, mix cooked chicken, 1/4 cup salsa and sour cream until blended. In small bowl, mix refried beans and remaining salsa until blended. Lay two tortillas on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread chicken mixture over both tortillas. Place second set of tortillas over chicken mixture. Spread guacamole over top tortillas. Place third set of tortillas on top and spread re-

fried bean mixture over tortillas. Place fourth set of tortillas on top and sprinkle shredded cheese over tortillas. Bake 10 minutes until cheese is melted. (Family Features)

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Diary of a Scout Leader: Remembering Thorpe Hall

By Richard Mabey Jr. horpe Hall, of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Lincoln Park, is where Boy Scout Troop 170 met every Friday night from 7:30 till 9:30, from 1958 until 1994. I joined Troop 170 when I was 11 years old, back in September of 1964. My Dad became Scoutmaster in September of 1965. The other scout leaders became my adopted uncles. Scouting was very near and dear to my heart and I stayed on to become an Assistant Scoutmaster from September of 1971 till June of 1994. For part of my Eagle Scout project, I painted Thorpe Hall, during the Summer of 1969 at the age of 15 and having just completed my sophomore year at Boonton High School. What seemed on the surface. as a pretty straight forward job, was to become a psychological and spiritual turning point of my life. A good month before I dipped a paintbrush into the paint can, I had met with the District Commissioner to review my plans for my Eagle Scout project with him. I had typed out a report and mailed it to the Eagle Scout Board of Review about a month before I met with the District Commissioner. There is a lot of red tape involved in getting the approval of an Eagle Scout project. The District Commissioner approved my plans and I was ready to go. My plan was to start painting Thorpe Hall as soon as my summer vacation began. I don’t know why I remember this as clearly as I do. But it is etched in stone in my mind. That Sunday night in mid-

Yours truly, as a young Assistant Scoutmaster giving a presentation of a Court of Honor of Troop 170, in the enchanting Thorpe Hall of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church.

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June, just before the day I was going to begin painting Thorpe Hall, Dad gave me the key to Thorpe Hall. He stressed to me the responsibility that he entrusted to me. He told me that I needed to be ever mindful of the key and to definitely not lose it. I promised my father that I would keep the key in my wallet at all times. So, that Monday morning I awoke early in the morning. I had already loaded the back of Dad’s pickup truck with tarps, paint cans, paint brushes and paint rollers. I had earned the money for all of these supplies by mowing lawns and raking leaves for folks in my neighborhood, the year before. I remember that the District Commissioner was quite impressed that I had planned out my project that far ahead. Dad and I had breakfast together at the kitchen table of the old Mabey Homestead. It was about six in the morning. The plan was for Dad to drop me off on his way to work in Elmwood Park. Dad drove the mile ride down Main Street to Zeliff Place and made the right turn to the back parking lot of Thorpe Hall. I quickly unloaded the paint cans, paint brushes, rollers and tarps from the back of Dad’s truck. Dad and I carried the painting supplies up the back steps leading to Thorpe Hall. I had my lunch in a brown paper bag atop the tarps. And, I had a thermos filled with lemonade, fixed tightly under my right arm. I unlocked the door to Thorpe Hall. I remember how important I felt holding the key to Thorpe Hall and unlocking the door. I had been a scout in Troop cont. on page 13

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Remembering Thorpe Hall

cont. from page 12 170, for four years now, but I never ever had the privilege of unlocking the door leading to the coveted scout hall. Dad and I placed all the painting supplies in the middle of the big room. Those of you who have ever been in Thorpe Hall, know just how big it is. I would say that it is easily the size of one half of a high school gymnasium, maybe even a tad bigger. The hall was so quiet, almost eerie and haunting in just how quiet it was. Dad wished me good luck and told me that he had to get going to work. I walked to the back door of Thorpe Hall with Dad. I stayed atop the balcony of the stairs as I watched Dad climb down the stairs and walk toward his Ford pickup truck. Before Dad went into his truck, he turned to me and waved goodbye and wished me luck one more time. I waved goodbye to my father and wished for him to have a good day at work. I watched my Dad drive off and a dull, leaden sadness fell unto the chambers of my heart. I felt a certain feeling of loneliness. I returned to the inside of Thorpe Hall. I closed the door and locked it. My mom had told me to make sure to lock the door while I was painting the big room. The quietness fell over me like a dark cloud. A thousand and Member NJ Arborists Association Commercial • Residential Owner Operated

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one memories haunted me of fond memories of past scout meetings in this oversized clubhouse that was the home of the great 170. I put my lunch in the refrigerator in the kitchen, in the little front room of the hall. Even though it was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, three oatmeal cookies and an apple, I thought it would be best to put my brown bagged lunch in the refrigerator. If you’ve ever been in Thorpe Hall, you know that in the kitchen there is a long line of windows that look out to the side parking lot. Which, back in 1969, were surrounded by woods. As I put my lunch in the refrigerator, I got a glass of water from the faucet and drank it. As I drank the water, I looked out to the morning sun glistening over the wooded lots. And, I yearned to be outside, just to walk in that little stretch of forest. To see the birds, the squirrels, the rabbits, that no doubt were running about free as could be. But, I had to remind myself that I had a job to do. I’ve told very, very few people about this moment in time. But now, over 50 years later, I feel comfortable sharing this phenomenon with the world. As I stepped through the doorway, from the kitchen to the large all-purpose room of Thorpe Hall, I saw stand-

ing by the piano on my left-hand side, a kind of ghostly person. I saw myself as an 11-yearold boy, filled with enthusiasm, idealism, a zest, a vigor, endless energy and a certain innocence. At the most it was for about five seconds, then my younger, ghostly self, vanished. As a very young boy, I was a very sensitive and imaginative child. And, many of those qualities had remained alive and well, during my teen age years. I offer no explanations of how it came to be that I was able to see my younger self, on that summer’s day back

in 1969. But I know it shook me up quite a bit. And, got me to thinking, at the age of 15, about my former 11-year-old self. That morning and afternoon, as I painted the walls of Thorpe Hall, from time to time for split seconds at a time, I was able to see a ghostly form of my younger, 11-year-old self. The day was still young. But before the sun set that day, my life would be changed forever. To be continued next issue! Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com.

Heath Village Nursing Staff Awarded Certificate of Excellence

he Heath Village Board of Trustees and Administration are proud to announce that its Nursing Staff has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence from The New Jersey Association of Directors of Nursing Administration/Long Term Care Facilities in recognition of its Deficiency Free Survey for the period of April 2019 through April 2020. “I wish to congratulate our dedicated and compassionate nurses upon earning this award. On behalf of Heath Village, I would also like to thank every one of them for their hard work and the excellent care they pro-

vide for our residents not just now during the hardest of times but every single day. You make me so proud to be a part of the Heath Village family,” said Chief Operating Officer Mary Ellen Bove upon learning of the award. Heath Village is a full-service retirement community located at 430 Schooley’s Mountain Road in Washington Township, Morris County. For further information, please call 908-852-4801 or visit us on our website at www.heathvillage.com. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/heathvillage.

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I Remember Dad:

To Honor Charles M. Shulz

By Richard Mabey Jr. n the twelfth of February of 2000, Charles M. Shulz went Home to be with the Lord. My father cried when he heard the news. My father loved Peanuts. And, Dad was particularly fond of Snoopy. Dad had a most wonderful collection of Peanuts collectibles. I used to go with Dad to the various toy shows, looking for Peanuts and Snoopy toys. It was a lot of fun. Dad always pointed out, to friends, neighbors, fellow church members and relatives that Charles Shulz was a World War II veteran. And, that Shulz had captured a German soldier with an empty loaded machine gun. I can still hear Dad saying, “can you imagine it! Can your really imagine it, Charles Shulz captured a German soldier with an empty machine gun!” For my dad, that was the ultimate mark of heroism in the midst of war. I think that my dad’s love for Snoopy, in his retired years, was a callback of a dog he had when he was a young child. My Grandma Mabey often told me that Dad was very shy as a child. That he would spend hours and hours in the backyard of their home on Mabey Lane, playing fetch with his dog. My grandmother told me that Dad’s dog was a collie that had simply came out from the woods one day and adopted Dad. I think I was in the third grade, I might have been in the fourth grade, but I’m pretty sure that it was when I was in the third grade, that I asked Dad about his collie dog. “She was quite a dog. Just came walking from the woods one day and we just took to one another. I guess I was about your age

when I adopted her,” Dad would tell me. I was about eight years old, when I got my first dog, Pal. He was a beagle. He was one of the pups from a litter of beagles that my Grandpa Kemmerer’s dog had. In my early childhood, my father had a certain understanding that a boy needs a dog. He would often say that to my mom. “Janet, a boy needs a dog. Sometimes a dog is a boy’s only true friend, when he’s growing up.” I think that Charlie Brown’s relationship with Snoopy was one of the main draws that Dad had with Peanuts. In Dad’s last few months of his life, when we had Hospice care for Dad, we put his Snoopy stuffed figure, on his bedside table. Only now, in the last couple of months, I have come to realize that it was Dad’s spiritual connection to the dog he loved and cared for in his childhood. A day or two after hearing of Mr. Shulz’s passing, Dad asked the Library Director of the Lincoln Park Public Library if he could put up a display in the library’s display case to honor Charles Shulz. The Library Director readily agreed. One day, coming home from work at my job at the ad agency, Dad had two big boxes of his Snoopy and Peanuts collectibles on the enclosed front porch. Dad was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and reading the paper. “Richie, after supper maybe you can help me set up that Snoopy display at the library?” I readily agreed. At the library, while we were setting up Dad’s tribute display to Mr. Shulz, Dad got a little emotional. At one point, he started to cry and told me that he had to use the Men’s Room. Where upon, Dad came out

Dad standing beside his Charles M. Shulz tribute display at the Lincoln Park Public Library in February of 2000. of the restroom, putting his handkerchief in his pocket and then said to me, “okay, let’s get back to work here.” During the month, Dad got a lot of compliments on his tribute display for Mr. Shulz. I remember one time at the coffee gathering, after church service, a gentleman complimented Dad on his library display. Upon which Dad gave the young man

a lesson on the biography of Charles Shulz. I can still hear the echo of my Dad’s voice saying, “and you know, Tom, during the war, Charles Shulz captured a German soldier with an empty machine gun. Now that takes guts to do that!” Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com.

Land Conservancy of New Jersey Creates 19 Acres of Open Space in Livingston

he Land Conservancy is proud to announce the preservation of Strahman Hill Park, one of the few remaining large parcels of undeveloped land in Livingston. Combined with the Licari Evergreen Horse Farm just half a mile away that was preserved in January, this makes 19 acres of open space added to the township so far this year—a significant asset for this bustling town in Essex County. This real estate transaction was a long time in the making, but it was well worth the effort. The township set its sights on these nine acres back in 2003 when a successful referendum was passed to establish and fund an open space trust due to the community’s interest in more parks and playing fields. It was at that time the township identified the Licari and Strahman properties as potential targets.

The Licari farm was acquired in January, and Strahman finally closed in March. Tucked away in a residential neighborhood on East Cedar Street, the property has beautiful vistas on top of the Watchung Mountains, as well as rolling lawns and wooded areas. The township is weighing whether or not to retain the single-family residence on the property for bathroom facilities and educational use. The sellers have requested that the site be named Strahman Hill Park to commemorate the previous owners. The township’s open space committee will determine the land’s ultimate use and design a plan for the park. Linda Gloshinski is The Land Conservancy’s preservation specialist who handled the project. “I have been working with Livingston’s open space committee for over 9 years to preserve this beautiful property. We never gave up, and

two years ago the owners decided to sell. For a densely populated town such as Livingston, this is a big win.” The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is a member-supported, non-profit, accredited land trust dedicated to preserving and protecting natural land and water resources throughout the State. Originally founded as an all-volunteer group in 1981, the organization has worked with 100 municipalities in 13 counties and continues to be recognized for meeting the highest standards for protecting open space, upholding the public trust, and ensuring that their conservation efforts are permanent. For more information about the work of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, visit their website www.tlc-nj.org or call 973-541-1010.

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Page 20 • May 11, 2020

Long Valley Stronger Together Strengthens Community Bond Through Coronavirus Pandemic

By: Megan Roche or Beverly Weber, the idea came to her pretty fast. A Long Valley lifer, Weber grew up and still proudly calls Long Valley her home. She’s sat on many boards and is the current recording secretary for the Schooley’s Mountain Fire Company. When the coronavirus began to take hold, she wanted to do whatever she could to help those on the frontline. “I am born and raised in Long Valley and when this started to get bad, I had posted on Facebook that I was putting together boxes of snacks, Clorox wipes, masks, etc. and I made a donation to all three fire companies, the rescue squad, and the police station. While I was doing those donations, a woman contacted me and said, ‘I have 18 pairs of brand new Crocs, can you get them into a local hospital?’ and my neighbor works at a local hospital so I took those from her and passed them onto my neighbor to deliver to the hospital. That kind of all started the question of ‘what can I do to bring this town together?’ because everybody is looking for something to do but they don’t know how or what to do,” Weber said. Weber then partnered up with Susan Coscia, who owns Blue Owl Wood Signs in Long Valley. The two created “Long Valley, Stronger Together” yard signs. All proceeds from the signs are going toward buying supplies to donate grab and go snack bags to those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. From that partnership with Coscia, came many others. “People saw the photo of me holding my sign to direct them for donations and people started coming to me to ask how they could get one. I went to Susan and she said ‘let’s do it. They can make a donation and they will get a sign to put in

their front yard.’ We’re trying to paint the town Long Valley, Stronger Together,” Weber said. In keeping with the theme of wanting to come together in times of crisis, Weber has also started working alongside the Long Valley Juniorettes to fulfill the needs of the town’s food pantry. While the idea was just her brainchild, she credits the entire town for coming together in this time of need. “I became the hub of Amazon boxes being dropped off, people started dropping off masks, and it all snowballed. I didn’t want this to be just about our hospitals and our frontliners. This is about us being a community and I keep partnering with others. I want this to continue with partnerships so that we can make things happen. We’re going to do everything to not make Long Valley Stronger Together go away,” Weber said. Kids are also being encouraged to get creative at this time. Long Valley Stronger Together is encouraging kids to write thank you cards and letters to those on the frontlines and Weber wants them to be as creative as they can be. The frontliners especially love when the kids draw on the brown paper bags that are filled with snacks and drinks. Any thank you letters and cards can be dropped off at Weber’s home. If interested in donating, Weber directs any and all messages to the Long Valley Stronger Together Facebook page. Donations can also be dropped off in the blue bins outside Weber’s home. Long Valley Stronger Together yard signs can also be purchased on the Blue Owl Wood Signs Facebook page.

May 4, 2020 • Page 21

Raritan Headwaters Names Three New Board Members

aritan Headwaters Association (RHA), the region’s watershed watchdog, has welcomed three new members to its Board of Trustees, including the granddaughter of one of the organization’s founding members. Sarah Dillon Soden of Basking Ridge, Kerry Haselton of Bernardsville, and Curt Viebranz of Chester Township have joined the RHA board for three-year terms. Soden is the granddaughter of Sidney Dillon, a founding trustee of the Upper Raritan Watershed Association, one of RHA’s two parent organizations. “We’re excited to have Sarah, Kerry and Curt as board members,” said Cindy Ehrenclou, executive director. “Their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm will all be invaluable in helping us carry out our clean water mission.” Haselton, a lifelong environmentalist and outdoor enthusiast, serves on the

Bernardsville Environmental Commission and the Somerset County Open Space Committee. She and her family have been Raritan Headwaters members and active volunteers for many years. A graduate of Princeton University, she served as an associate manager with the Prudential insurance company and later worked for a local physical therapy practice. She played soccer in the Morris county senior soccer association for 17 years and has been a girls’ soccer coach at several levels. She is an avid bicyclist who rode for Team RHA in the 2019 Garden State Fondo in Morristown, a fundraising event, and aspires to ride in an endurance event in each of the 50 states. She and her husband, Philip, have two adult daughters. Soden grew up in the Tewksbury area and is a regular at RHA's Fairview Farm, hiking and attending events like the annual Old-Fashioned Country Fair. She holds a

What’s happening in your school or organization? Celebrating a special birthday, anniversary, graduation? Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

Kerry Haselton

Sarah Dillon

B.A. degree in public policy from Hobart and William Smith Colleges; and an M.A. in nonprofit management, Northeastern University. She works for a New Jersey philanthropic organization, supporting charitable initiatives in the area of global health. Previously she worked in the development departments of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She and her husband, John, have two young children. She also serves on the board of the St. John's on the Mountain Nursery School and is a past board member of the Jacobus Vanderveer House. Viebranz and his wife, Cissy, raised their

Curt Viebranz

three children in Chester Township, near Hacklebarney State Park. They moved to Virginia in 2012 when Curt became president and chief executive of George Washington’s historic Mount Vernon estate, and returned to New Jersey in 2017. He holds a B.A. degree from Middlebury College and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. Earlier in his career, Viebranz spent over 20 years in leadership positions at Time Warner, served as president of HBO International, and worked with several internet startup companies. He currently serves on the board of the Greater Newark LifeCamp in Pottersville.

Page 22 • May 11, 2020

Mortgage Relief During COVID-19:

Here’s What You Need to Know

n these unprecedented times, when many families are facing physical, emotional and financial hardships, a common question is, “How do I keep up with my mortgage when I’m not working?” A home is a family’s most important asset. But now it’s more than that: It’s where they are hunkering down and staying safe. That’s why there is a plan for customers to delay monthly payments if they need help. There are a lot of mortgage terms and provisions on TV and in newspapers related to the impact of COVID-19, and in some cases, there is conflicting information. Here are some common questions and answers from Mark O’Donovan, CEO, Chase Home Lending, to help guide you. What’s payment assistance or forbearance? That means you won’t be expected to make a payment for a period of time. For example, you can start with three months and you won’t be charged a late fee, once you tell us you need help and sign up. We’ll contact you during the three-month period to make sure you’re doing OK, and we won’t report the missed payments that come due during the forbearance period to the credit agencies. Before the period ends, we’ll be in touch to discuss when you expect you’ll be able to start paying again and how to handle the missed payments. If you can’t make up the missed payments at the point that you resume making your regular payments, we can likely defer them to the end of the mortgage term. How do I raise my hand? At Chase, you can request help without waiting to speak to an agent. Simply start here: www.chase.com/mortgageassistance. You’ll be able to log into your account, fill out a short form and enroll in the payment assistance program. You’ll avoid waiting on hold - a process that is lengthier right now given the thousands of customers calling with ques-

tions. We will email or send you a letter to confirm that you’re in the program. Don’t worry if you don’t get it immediately. It may take a few days, but the payment delays start right away. Can I just stop paying without telling the bank? That’s not a good idea. By signing up, you’ll get full access to all the program benefits - including delayed payments, no late fees and no negative reporting to the credit bureaus for payments due during the forbearance period. What if I can still pay? Then you should. Keep making your mortgage payments on time if you can. And know that the program is for customers who are suffering financial hardship resulting from COVID-19, so help is still available if your circumstances change as a result of COVID-19. There are also programs to help customers who suffer financial hardships for other reasons, including natural disasters. What happens after the payment assistance period ends? The national payment assistance program was created to provide immediate help to customers navigating this very uncertain time. If you’re still not able to afford your mortgage at the end of the initial three months, you can request delaying payments for additional months at the end of the forbearance period. Many customers who can resume making their full payment after the assistance period can defer missed payments to the end of the mortgage. We’ll check in with you near the end of the assistance period to help you understand your options. While there is so much uncertainty right now, we want to be here for you to help. Stay safe and healthy. (BPT)

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Wayne Y Distributes Food to Community

photo credit: Wayne Interfaith Network/YMCA

his week, the YMCA and its affiliates enacted a special outreach program to distribute food donated by the Community Food Bank of NJ to those in need in our community. The Wayne Interfaith Network was lucky enough to be included by the Wayne Y and was able to distribute over 30 boxes of food to our fam-

ilies filled with meat, vegetables and other grocery items! Other distribution channels were the various Wayne school PTO’s and school nurses who all dropped off boxes of food to local families in need. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped pick up boxes and make deliveries!! For more information about WIN, visit www.winfoodpantry.org.

What to Do in the Wake of Canceled Events

vents have been canceled or postponed across the globe in the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19. This has caused a disruption to not only commercial events like concerts and sporting events, but personal gatherings as well. Any party with a large number of potential guests has to be reconsidered. This includes graduation parties, weddings and birthdays. People facing the cancellation of such events can follow these guidelines. • Speak to vendors to find out if cancellations can occur with no penalties. Many hotels and other travel services are waiving fees for cancellations, or allowing bookings to be rescheduled at no additional cost. • Try to think of some alternative dates for events like weddings and graduation parties as soon as possible. There is no way to accurately predict the path that COVID-19 will take, nor put a firm date reg-

ular life can resume, but discussing alternative dates with vendors with whom you’re already under contract may put you at the top of the list when gatherings are once again allowed. • Reach out to guests to explain that your plans are fluid. Expect that a good portion of guests, even those who already committed to attend, may not be able to make rescheduled events. Speak with vendors about fluctuating headcounts in the wake of COVID-19. • Be patient and keep an open minded about events. These are unprecedented times and many people are learning as they go. Rescheduling events when the threat has subsided may cause a bottleneck effect with service providers. Flexibility and patience can help make reschedule less stressful.

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