Wayne April 2022

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No. 18 Vol. 4

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Honoring Late Daughter, Wayne Mom Channels Pain into Passion

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By Jillian Risberg he visual impact of seeing 500+ children’s faces of loved ones lost gazing out from the trailer to scare the heck out of the youth is a powerful wakeup call: ‘this could happen to me’ — Stay Away From Drugs.

It was Angels Across America’s first Event in Kissimmee, Florida — the camper will travel from state to state to create awareness, vital to save lives— and it meant everything.

“We were excited for our first rollout. Moms who lost their children wanted to see the picture of their child ‘cause that’s the only memory we have now,” says Susan Schmidt.

For Schmidt, the loss of her daughter is crushing torture, as though her soul has been ripped from her body. Alyssa is forever with her heart and always on her mind.

It was May 28, 2016, when her world imploded.

“I live with the heartache of losing my daughter every

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single day. She was 20 years old and I found her in her bed, she made a choice by snorting heroin and it killed her,” Schmidt says after a year she got on Facebook and learned other moms experienced the same loss.

That’s when she knew she needed to do something.

“I had to learn about all this because I had no clue and there are a lot of naive families out there,” she says at first she was ashamed, ‘I raised her well, she went to

Catholic school, came from a good family,’ how could this happen.

Because addiction doesn’t discriminate, and will take the best of anyone.

“You just grow with the pain and out of that becomes compassion to help others and keep our loved ones’ memories alive,” says Schmidt.

She has precious recollections of her beautiful, caring, charismatic, loving, smart, funny daughter.

“Everything changes when you lose a child,” she says you miss all those little things you experienced together.

And a heartbreaking new normal sets in.

They’re educating the parents, the public, especially the youth because they’re buying drugs off Snapchat and social media.

“Every drug (crack, cocaine, heroin, Xanax, methadone) is riddled with continued on page 2

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Mom Channels Pain... continued from front page Fentanyl and these 10, 11, 12, 13-year-old kids are dying,” Schmidt says their life matters. That’s the ‘One Pill Can Kill’ campaign.

“They want to get high but they die. Their sudden death is like a traumatic shock to all of us.”

According to the CDC, there were an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths from opioids in the United States during the 12-month period ending in April 2021.

Schmidt noticed slight behavior changes (‘she was a little more angry’) in her daughter but didn’t think much of it.

Alyssa assured her it was nothing, ‘mom, just leave me alone.’

“I thought it was growing pains,” says Schmidt. “Never expected to go upstairs and find her gone, never in a million years.”

Her pain became passion and Alyssa’s mom dove into Angels Across America, to support every family as much as she can.

“I miss her dearly and love comes from what I’m doing now,” Schmidt says it’s for all those moms who found their child dead or got a phone call saying their child is dead.

And she has company in her grief, having met MaryBeth Moore Zocco, who started Ryan’s Ride in 2019 after the loss of her 25-year-old son Ryan Moore from fentanyl poisoning on 12/17/2018.

Shortly after the first ride, the Orlando mom began The FRoM Project (Forever Ryan’s Mom) to keep his memory alive by sending handmade personalized cards to grieving parents all over the world. They honor and remember loved ones taken too soon by substance use disorder overdose or fentanyl poisoning.

“Alyssa was my whole world, my best friend, we loved to cook together, shop together, did everything together, she’d come home from work, we’d talk for hours… and she’d tell me about her day.”

How do you pick up the pieces and move forward — according to Schmidt; honor them ‘and talk about our children as much as we can to whoever will listen.’

She held ‘Celebration of Life for Alyssa’ and joined the Wayne Alliance. This year will be her fifth annual candlelighting on International Overdose Awareness Day. Angels Across America supports all the grieving families and their loved ones, who are deeply loved and missed. They educate the public and youth on the dangers of illicit drugs, every street drug is extremely addictive and using can have dire consequences.

Leslie (Billy) Smith owns Angel’s trailer. Smith lost his son, Jeremy, 30, a construction worker who fell off a building. He was put on Oxycodone for the pain. When the prescriptions ceased — he turned to street drugs and it’s what killed him.

Schmidt says tell your kids you love them every day and about the inherent risks out there.

“The heartache is unbearable some days but we keep pushing forward to honor and love all the angels we lost,” she says. “When I do their pictures, graphics — make a video talking to their moms, I feel like I know each one of them.”

Kids are fragile today, COVID has made things worse… and there is much self-medicating going on.

Either you die or live this road of recovery every day, they struggle — nothing good comes out of doing any kind of drug.

“Alyssa’s dreams were shattered because she made a mistake,” Schmidt says she blamed herself. “How did I not

know, what if I did this, what if I said that; I beat myself up to this day and friends say stop, she made the choice.”

Recalling all their amazing milestones and accomplishments you boasted and bragged about, while also thinking: ’G-d knows what they’re getting into.’

It’s a lonely place to be after losing a child.

“I’ll do these events, then it hits you. Becomes so overwhelming where I’m quiet and within myself for days,” she says she can’t function. “Then go, go, go and break down again; it’s horrible. Or go upstairs and lay in my daughter’s bed and just cry.”

Her goal is to prevent kids from overdosing.

“Be afraid, be very afraid because you can’t come back from dying,” says Schmidt, of getting them to think before making a potentially fatal choice. “I can’t bring back any of our children we lost,” says Schmidt.

To learn more, search Angels Across America on Facebook.

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Packanack Lake Tennis Club Forges Into the Future

T

By Steve Sears ricia DiCenso practically grew up at Wayne’s Packanack Lake Tennis Club.

“I started playing tennis when I was probably five years old,” she says, “back when they only had the three clay courts. I think they had 800 members at one point.”

There are currently about 150 active PLTC members. “I have wonderful, wonderful memories. Family memories, memories from playing there, playing as a team. Every Fourth of July and every Memorial Day, there were people who had barbecues.

People played tennis together, and there was a lot of mixing with others.”

For DiCenso, it felt more like a big family than a club. However, things changed. “I still played there and I enjoyed it, but it just felt like you would just go down, play your hour, and that was it.”

Times had certainly changed for the historic PLTC, which opened in 1929 with three clay courts, eventually added two allweather and three more clay courts, and held tournaments from the 1930 to the 1950s. The club had fallen on hard times in the last decade.

“It’s been quite a transition to from a couple years ago, too,” says DiCenso. “Lori (Kohles) became the president, and she

has done miracles to pull this club together and do what you have to do make us a successful, viable entity.”

The Packanack Lake Tennis Club in 2021 was in financial difficulty. Kohles, however, was not deterred. “Last January,” she says, “we sat around one snowy day and I brought in all these different clubs around the area to see how they operate, how they function.

And then we had to come up with a plan.”

A new board was created with Kohles as President, Keith Martin as Vice-President, DiCenso the Secretary, and Bob Tiedeken would serve as Treasurer. A business plan was out in place, and sponsorships and early dues payments from members was encouraged in order to get materials for the clay courts and prepare them for an April 15 opening.

“Red clay is very, very special to play on, and there’s not a lot of red clay left because it requires a ton of maintenance,” Kohles says. “So that was one of the things, too, that people come from far and wide to play on red clay because it’s softer on your knees.

It’s just a different kind of play surface.”

A Beautification Committee was formed, and a walk around the property was taken to determine how to make the complex more visual and pretty. “We got rid of the

Courts being prepped: Courts being prepared for summer use in 1939.

old telephone wires that they used as barriers for the parking lot,” Kohles says.

“We got our parking lot striped, and we got our fence fixed. We made basically a whole list of what needed to be done.”

The appearance indeed being important, next came activity. Plenty of it. Two ladies tournament’s were held, the 2nd Annual Ladies Summer Slam 2021 and the 1st Annual Tennis Under the Stars Tournament.

Also, PLTC tennis pro, Don Moya, is hosting Kids Clinics at the site for the first time in five years from June to October for ages 6 to 9 and 10 to 12. A waiting list is actually necessary due to the interest and popularity. “This spring, we’re going to do a teen clinic on the weekends,” Kohles says of the High School Weekends Clinics. “We’re going to have one session on Saturday and continued on page 5

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 5

Packanack Lake Tennis Club... continued from page 4 one on Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. If you’re in middle school and you want to prepare to play for high school, Don is going to host clinics now on the weekends.” Also begun was woman’s clinic every Monday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. “This has taken off now. Women are playing in the winter, having moved indoors from the spring and the summer. So now this year, we said, ‘Let’s do Monday and Wednesday to get even more women involved.’ That was instrumental because people have never

even played and they love it, and it’s like you’re really starting from somewhere and are giving the opportunity.”

The PLTC also has a rental program for outside groups. In fact, DePaul Catholic High School uses their courts for tournaments.

PLTC has opened up an online apparel shop as well.

Numerous names from the past pop up in conversation. The late Judy Corvino was a long-standing board member whose presence is still felt at 9 Osborne Terrace in Wayne, and Bill Baker was as a longtime

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club member, among his contributions (along with Kohles’ husband) getting the PLTC courts resurfaced. “These were people that were really wanting to see the club succeed. The both of them just stand out. There are courts named after them to where they’ve been so positive and been nothing but for the club,” Kohles says.

“Very, very supportive.” Another member of note is Gene Mayer, who attended and played varsity tennis at Wayne Valley and

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turned pro in 1973. He lived in Packanack Lake and trained at PLTC. Mayer at one time was ranked World No. 4 and competed against the likes of John Newcomb, John McEnroe, and Jimmy Connors.

The PLTC First Annual Red Clay Invitational 2022 Doubles Tournament, a member only or member with guest tourney, will be held from Friday – Sunday, May 20 - 22. More information is available at www.Packanacklaketennis.com

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Packanack Community Church Begins “No Child Wet Behind” Diaper Drive

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alling everyone who loves babies.

The Community Outreach Team from The Packanack Community Church in Wayne has announced its No Child Wet Behind diaper drive to benefit the Father English Center in Paterson Center and Oasis Center for Women & Children in Paterson.

The drive runs throughout April and concludes on Mother’s Day, May 8th.

While all sizes are appreciated, the cen-

ter noted that they are especially in need of the donation of larger-sized diapers.

Donations can be purchased locally or through Amazon and delivered to 22 Mountainside Drive in Wayne until such times as the COVID-required church closing is rescinded.

For further information contact C.O.T. Chairperson Lisa Seela, 908-337-8061, or by email: lisaseela@gmail.com

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 7

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PCTI Grad Enjoying “Hamilton” Stage Experience

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By Steve Sears or many, it is a dream role: to be on stage as a member of the cast of Hamilton.

Therefore, welcome to Damani Van Rensalier’s wonderful life. The 2015 Passaic County Technical Institute graduate has been since last summer an ensemble member, playing the role of “The Bullet” for the Angelica Touring Company cast.

“When I graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts in 2019, that summer I joined an agency, so I had an agent,” Van Rensalier says. “She basically just sent me on a bunch of auditions because I was new, I was fresh out of school. Every day of every week, I was auditioning two to four times a week, and Hamilton was one of them. I would go in and do a big group call.”

Broadway and all other theaters were shut down from spring 2020 to the summer of 2021, and when they started reopening, auditions were not yet being held in person, so the Hamilton producers referred to a roster of people who had already auditioned.

Van Rensalier’s number was called.

“Emotional,” Van Rensalier says when she got the call. “I was very emotional for many reasons, but mainly because we

Damani Van Rensalier Photos courtesy of Damani Van Rensalier.

Damani Van Rensalier doing what she loves

had seen theater kind of just get pushed under the rug. Institutions started opening as early as the end of 2020, but theater was still put on hold for a year. So, it was emotional because I was excited to do what I love again, it had been so long. But this show - it’s a historic piece. It’s about things

that have actually happened in history, but it has its amazing way of not only blending black culture into it - which is something that I really enjoy being part of, with the hip hop background and the jazz background - but also just telling a story that in a way that can be relatable to everyone. And I still

continue to see that as I perform in eight shows a week.”

Prior to her role in Hamilton, another part came calling. With Hadestown, Van Rensalier joined a Tony Award-winning cast which also performed in the 93rd continued on page 9

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 9

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continued from page 8 Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“A very small cast, a very legendary cast,” she says. “I was there when they needed me basically, which became very often at some point. So having that, I was able to perform with them at the Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was an amazing experience and a very cold, freezing day. But it was all worth it, from the 5 a.m. call up through the performance.”

Van Rensalier, 25, attended Rutgers University and the Mason Gross School of the Arts. “I wanted to be closer to home,” she says of her college choice. “I also wanted to be close to the city, because I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the city after I graduated. But the program within the university was something that I was looking for. It was a conservatory style program that would allow me to work on dance every single day inside of the university, and that let me do the football games and do the extracurriculars as well.

It was a nice balance of both.”

Van Rensalier also gives back to the city of Paterson, where she grew up. Always a person who wanted to provide an arts event for her city, she acted during the pandemic. She and two other 2013 PCTI grads, Nyasia Fraser and Diana Julcapoma, formed an alliance and held an arts festival

at the Great Falls National Historic Site.

“We had so many people come out, it was beyond what we could have imagined,” Van Rensalier says. “We were like, ‘We can’t stop here!’ So, we formed a nonprofit (“Fall Into Art”) based off of that festival. From there, we did some community giveaways, community cleanups, and we’ve done two festivals. Now we’re gearing up for our third one this year. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, and now that I had the time to and more of the drive to do it, I was able to get it done, and it’s something that just brings me so much joy and happiness.”

For her future, Van Rensalier would like to be part of an original Broadway production. “I definitely want to be a part of an original Broadway cast. That’s a huge deal to me. I’ve joined the casts that have already been established, but I’d love to build a musical from the bottom with the creative team, and be a part of that original cast.” Television and film are other avenues she’d like to experience. “I’ve been on a show as a background dancer, but I would love to get into acting and more into film.”

For more information about Damani Van Rensalier, visit her website at www. damanivanrensalier.com.

Additional information about “Fall Into Art” can be found at www.fallintoartnj.org.

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Get Your Dog in Shape

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umans are not the only animals that may get a bit pudgy around the middle and tip the scale in the wrong direction. Man’s best friend can also pack on some extra pounds, necessitating a workout plan to get back into shape.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, fifty-three percent of adult dogs in the United States are classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarians. Yet, pet owners are sometimes unaware that their prized pooches are overweight.

Overweight dogs and cats face some of the same health risks as overweight men and women. Musculoskeletal problems, such as degenerative joint diseases, and back problems have been linked to obesity, as have heart disease and respiratory problems. Diabetes and heat or exercise intolerance are other side effects of being overweight.

But a pet’s weight is not the lone indicator of how healthy the animal is, and the ideal weight can vary from dog to dog. A body condition score is helpful in determining a pet’s ideal body weight. Some indications a dog may not be at a healthy weight include: • a belly that hangs below the rib cage area • a belly that moves when the dog moves, unless the

• a less active lifestyle, including avoiding exercise and play • excessive panting Keeping a dog in shape is one of the best things an owner can do for its’ pet. But what if the dog already has packed on a few unnecessary pounds? It’s time to start a canine fitness routine and follow some other guidelines.

Talk to the pet’s veterinarian. Obesity could be the result of eating too much or inactivity, but it also can be a sign of a serious condition. If a routine exam and blood work come up normal, then a plan can be started for helping Fido shed the weight.

Consider a new food. There are many different types of foods on the market, including low-calorie options. Some foods contain extra fiber to help the dog feel fuller without having eaten as much. Also, look for foods with lean prodog is pregnant or has just given birth • inability of the owner or vet to feel the dog’s ribs in tein sources without grains and other fillers.

Break up the feeding schedule. Instead of one large the rib cage • a waddle of skin on the neck of the dog, where excess meal a day, feed the dog two or three smaller portions of food, which will help keep the dog’s metabolism going all skin isn’t indicative of the breed day long.

• no visual indication of the dog’s waist Become joint joggers. Jogging with a dog can become • inability of the owner or vet to feel the bones near the continued on page 11 base of the tail

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 11

Kiwimbi Annual 5K Coming in June

T

he Third Annual Walk for Thought and 5K race is June 4, 2022 at 9:00 am at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater. Sure to be a great early warm-up to summer, the event is hosted by Kiwimbi International, a U.S.-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities to underprivileged children and their families in Sub- Saharan Africa.

It is both a virtual and in-person event. Prizes for in-person age group winners and special Kiwimbi 10th Anniversary categories will be awarded.

Registration is available at https:// raceroster.com/events/2022/57495/ kiwimbi-5k-and-walk-forthought or https://kiwimbi.org Students in rural Kenya typically walk 45 minutes one way to school each day, so the Walk for Thought invites you to do the same, while the 5K offers a more competitive opportunity.

To sponsor/partner with Kiwimbi or learn more about the event, please click info@kiwimbi.org.

Get Your Dog in Shape... continued from page 10 an enjoyable pastime that enables the owner and pet to get exercise and stay in shape.

Take up swimming. Many dogs are natural lovers of water, and swimming is an effective, low-impact exercise.

Teach the dog tricks. Physical tricks, like fetching a ball or rolling over, can keep dogs active.

Go for long walks. Take the dog with you wherever you go. The more he or she is up and moving, the less chance there is

to sleep and be lazy.

Dr. Matthew Krupnick is 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 pets in the community. The Pequannock Animal Hospital is located at 591 Newark Pompton Turnpike in Pompton Plains. You can reach the hospital by calling 973-6160400.

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H

Homeowner Alert! Review Your Tax Forms New Tax Rules are Creating Confusion

ome-related tax rules changing over the past few years have caught some taxpayers by surprise. When your mortgage company reports taxrelated information to you and the IRS using Form 1098, it no longer means all the interest and points reported on these statements are tax deductible. Here’s what you need to know.

• Mortgage interest deductions have new loan amount limits. For new mortgages starting on or after Dec. 15, 2017, you can deduct interest on up to $750,000 of the loan (down from $1 million for mortgages initiated before Dec. 15, 2017). If your original mortgage is above the threshold, a calculation will be done to determine the deductible amount of interest. You can’t simply deduct the full amount of interest being reported on your Form 1098.

• Proceeds not used to buy a home add complexity. Proceeds from home equity debt that are not used to build, buy or substantially improve a qualified home are not tax deductible. This includes mortgage or home equity proceeds used to pay for

college expenses, debt consolidation or other purposes. Mortgage companies issuing these loans will still send you a Form 1098, but it’s up to you to prove how you use the funds during the current year and any prior year.

• Mortgage points requires review of settlement statements. Points are paid as a way to obtain a lower interest rate.

Generally, points are deductible in the year they are paid, but they have more restrictions than mortgage interest. Points paid to refinance an existing mortgage, for example, may need to be deducted over the life of the loan. If you bought or refinanced a home in 2021, a review of your mortgage settlement statement may be required to ensure proper tax treatment of the cost of your points.

• Mortgage insurance premiums are still deductible. Congress extended the deductibility of mortgage insurance premiums through the end of the 2021 tax year. You will need to itemize deductions to take advantage of this extended tax law.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 13

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Wayne Grandmother Needs Kidney Transplant

T

By Evan Wechman .J. Sullivan of Saddle Brook is only 25 years old but remembers being around his grandmother since he was an infant. He affectionately calls her Mommom and his earliest memories involve laughter, shopping, and listening to music.

His Mommom is Theresa LaBarck, a 69-year-old Wayne resident who is currently ill. She needs a kidney to survive.

She suffers from Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and goes to dialysis three times a week. She is suffering from renal failure and her kidneys are in danger of shutting down.

She is on the list at Hackensack Hospital as someone who needs a kidney transplant to survive.

However, Sullivan remains hopeful and is doing everything he can to find a match for LaBarck. He is leaving no stone unturned as he is posting flyers, speaking on popular morning radios shows, and spreading the urgency through his social media pages which he created for her.

“It’s crunch time. Unfortunately, she is virtually almost at zero percent kidney function and so must go to dialysis three times a week,” said Sullivan. “I call this time around a campaign. I’m really kind of pushing that word because we’re really trying to do everything that we possibly can to get the word out number one, and number two, to go hard in our efforts to try to find her a kidney.”

Sullivan in 2019 was also personally willing to do whatever it takes to help his loving Mommom. Without

any hesitation, he enlisted at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston to be an “angel donor” for her. This meant that he was willing to give his kidney to her and undergo a kidney transplant.

Unfortunately, Sullivan was diagnosed with hypertension which prevented him from being a match.

Sullivan said, “It was disappointing because I would have done anything for her. We are close. My Mommom and I have a special relationship.”

According to Sullivan, this unique bond is due to the similarities between them. Besides enjoying time together chatting about their lives, and even telling jokes to one another, it is far deeper than that.

Sullivan said, “We are very loyal. We like to have fun.

We’re generous people. She would give the shirt off her back to anyone that needed it that she loved, and I would do the same.”

Though Sullivan wasn’t a match for his grandmother, he has not given up the fight to find a kidney for her. He believes this “campaign” starts with education.

Sullivan did not know everything about PKD at first, but as his Mommom’s condition over the years worsened and her energy levels dropped, the activities they used to do together were hindered. As a result, he took it upon himself to find out more about the illness. In 2015, he learned of the PKD Foundation which raises money for research and advocacy.

Though this led to many fundraisers and educational

T.J. Sullivan with his Mommom Theresa LaBarck

events, the major thing Sullivan wants to impress upon people is they only need one good kidney to live. continued on page 16

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 15

Wayne’s William Paterson Professor Robb Rehberg to be Inducted into Prestigious Athletic Training Hall of Fame

W

By Jerry Del Priore hat hasn’t Professor Robb Rehberg at Wayne’s William Paterson University done in the athletic training field?

Not much. For Rehberg’s fruitful efforts and unrelenting commitment to the field, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) will induct him into its Hall of Fame (HOF) during the Association’s annual Clinical Symposium and Expo in late June, the association announced in late February.

“It’s a very humbling experience, for sure,” said Dr. Rehberg, who earned his PhD in Health Science from Touro University in 2003. “It was very surreal to be included in such esteemed company,” adding that only 250 people in the field are in the NATA HOF. Rehberg’s broad athletic training experience and knowledge is downright impressive. He has spent the last 17 years as the Coordinator of Athletic Training Clinical Education at William Paterson University.

Additionally, the father of two children currently serves as a medical consultant for the National Football League (NFL), working in the press box to oversee the medical spotter program, helping to point out things from a different vantage that on-field medical personnel might have missed.

Rehberg’s career started as the head athletic trainer at Westwood Regional High School, where he served in that

position for 14 years.

One of his most important areas of study in the athletic training field that he has undertaken is the work in the management and prevention of sports-related concussions, especially in youth athletics, he noted.

Furthermore, he has created a concussion awareness online training course geared for parents, coaches, and athletes called Concussion Wise, that has educated countless people in 52 countries.

“I have been involved in management of concussions for most of my career,” Rehberg said. “You can’t eliminate it completely, but you can reduce the severity and the number of concussions,” adding that teaching proper tackling and blocking techniques in football can help lessen head impact and potential injuries to the head and neck areas.

Rehberg said he sees athletic trainers as one of the most important links in the caregiver chain, helping to ensure that youth athletes get the medical attention they need.

In New Jersey, he said, most high school student-athletes are afforded the help and attention they want and require.

“Athletic trainers are the primary healthcare providers for high school athletes,” Rehberg said. “New Jersey has 95 percent of high schools who have access to ATs.” Rehberg said that as a professor at William Paterson University, where it has the oldest college athletic training program in the Garden State, he is extremely proud to teach the next generation of athletic trainers.

“I love what I do,” he said. “I can’t imagine doing something different. There’s nothing I would rather be doing. I’m 53, and a lot of people my age are retiring,” Rehberg continued. “But not me. I’m a restless mind with a problem to be solved.”

The industry renowned honor is just the cherry on top of the proverbial cake for the self-professed mindfulness professor on a continued mission of care.

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RHA’s Giant Stream Cleanup Event Returns on April 23

A

s New Jersey’s Covid-19 cases continue to drop, the nonprofit Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) is bringing back its massive Stream Cleanup event without restrictions on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to noon.

“This year we’re essentially returning to normal,” said Zak Kircher, RHA’s Stream Cleanup coordinator and land steward.

“This is our 32nd annual cleanup, and we are hoping to get a lot of local volunteers signed up to improve the health of the watershed.”

In recent years, over 1,600 volunteers have signed up for the Stream Cleanup, which is timed to coincide with Earth Week.

Volunteers included individuals, families, scout troops, churches, businesses, civic groups, schools, and environmental commissions.

“The Stream Cleanup honors the spirit of Earth Day, bringing people together to help the environment,” said Cindy Ehrenclou, RHA’s executive director.

“Not only does it beautify local stream corridors, but it also protects drinking water supplies and prevents litter from washing downstream to the Raritan Bay and Atlantic Ocean, where it becomes a hazard to marine life.”

In 2020, as New Jersey went into coronavirus lockdown, the Stream Cleanup was cancelled – although some

local residents individually cleaned up areas in their neighborhoods. The Stream Cleanup resumed last year, but with a limited number of volunteers at each site and masking requirements.

This year, RHA is looking for volunteers to pick up trash and recyclables at over 40 stream sites in the upper Raritan River watershed, which covers 470 square miles in Hunterdon, Somerset, and Morris counties. Masks are not required for this fun, important, outdoor event.

Already, Kircher has been contacted by many longtime cleanup volunteers who are eager to come back. “We’ve heard from a lot of local Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups, and some church groups,” he said.

“There are some site leaders who have been coming for over 20 years and they’re very dedicated.”

To register, go to www. raritanheadwaters.org /streamcleanup/ and choose from a list of available stream sites. All volunteers will receive gloves, trash and recycling bags, hand sanitizer, and data information sheets.

The cleanup will be held rain or shine.

While advance registration is required at most sites, walk-ins will be allowed at two sites with large parking areas, the Spruce Run and Round Valley reservoirs.

For more information, contact Zak Kircher at zkircher@raritanheadwaters.org.

Grandmother Needs Kidney...

continued from page 14 “I feel like some people still don’t know what it is to donate a kidney. The basic information is you only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life. We know this. You don’t need both. So that’s why there’s that slogan “share your spare,” Sullivan said.

He also wants people who are on the fence about giving their kidney to another that it is a minor surgery with a quick recuperation period. Just as important, the evaluation and surgery are covered by his grandmother’s insurance.

This loving grandson said that he carries no ill-will toward anyone who is not comfortable giving a kidney. He understands it is not for everyone.

However, if someone is interested, that person can find out more information by

contacting Hackensack Hospital directly at 551-996-2000. A form can also be filled out at hmh.donorscreen.org to get the process rolling. Sullivan and his family can also be reached at doitformommom@gmail.com.

There is also a Facebook page at www. facebook.com/doitformommom.

Sullivan believes the further the message is spread, the better the chances of finding a match.

LaBarck needs the donor to be an adult in good health and have blood type B or O, positive or negative.

“It’s a selfless thing. And there are good people out there that just want to help,” said Sullivan. “There are beautiful people and beautiful things that happen in the world every day and that’s why I’m so hopeful.”

What’s happening in your school or organization?

Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 17

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New Jersey’s Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum Celebrating 50 Years of Flight

I

By Henry M. Holden n the first decades of aviation, Teterboro Airport, in Bergen County, was the center of development and record setting flights. Teterboro Airport is the oldest operating airport in the Tri-State Region.

In the 1920s and 1930s, record-setting flights became a national obsession, and many of the flights originated or terminated at Teterboro Airport.

Many famous pilots flew out of Teterboro including Charles and Ann Morrow Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, and Clarence Chamberlain, the second man to fly non-stop across the Atlantic were early users of the airport.

Later, they were followed by former navy pilot Arthur Godfrey, and astronauts Buzz Aldrin (the second man to walk on the Moon), Walter Schirra, and Kathryn Sullivan, the first woman to walk in space, and Janis Blackburn, the first woman in the world to be a flying crew member on the Airbus A-300, along with others became the modern-day aviation pioneers.

The museum displays historic aircraft, space equipment, artifacts, photographs, fine art and an aircraft model collection. The library has more than 4,000 volumes and a collection of aviation videos.

A party held on August 14, 1970, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the first landing at Teterboro Airport. Donald Borg, publisher of New Jersey’s largest evening newspaper, The Bergen Evening Record, and others nostalgically discussed events that had taken place at the airport. It was soon evident that the airport held exclusive historical

importance. The group agreed to preserve the history, and the seeds of the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum (AHOF) were planted.

Ten New Jersey aviators were selected to be the first inductees with H. V. “Pat” Reilly becoming the executive vice president and director. By Laws, restricted inductee selections to be limited to four per year. This has been waived only occasionally.

The first induction dinner saw 600 guests attending.

Television personality Arthur Godfrey was the guest speaker.

In 1939, the Goodyear blimp Mayflower made daily sightseeing flights over the New York City World’s Fair. In 1952, Arthur Godfrey buzzed the control tower while taking off in his DC-3. As a result, his pilot’s license was suspended for a time.

The museum contains a number of unique exhibits including the rocket engine that propelled the X-15 to a blistering speed of Mach 6.7 (4,520 mph), a record that still stands for winged aircraft. An X-15 also topped the altitude goal of 250,000 feet by nearly 19 miles.

“The airplanes on display include a Martin 2-0-2 airliner, which is open to the public, a Bell-47, and the only known Lockheed 402-2 Bushmaster in existence, which stands at the entrance to the museum,” said Ralph Villecca, Executive Director of the museum.

“We also have a Bell AH-1S ‘Cobra’ attack helicopter, a Coast Guard CH-53 helicopter, and a number of other aircraft.”

The Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum was originally

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The late Pat Reilly surrounded by inductee’s plaques. Reilly was a key figure in the formation and creation of the AHOF. (Credit Henry M. Holden)

located in the first control tower that opened in 1948. When the tower was retired in 1975, it became the first home of the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum in New Jersey. It was the first state aviation museum in the country, and it was incorporated as a nonprofit educational organization on April 6, 1972.

There were one hundred steps from the field level to the top of the tower. The hall of fame occupied the top three continued on page 19

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 19

The author’s grandchildren in Bell AH-1S ‘Cobra’ attack helicopter during an Open Cockpit Day. (Credit Henry M. Holden)

Aviation Hall of Fame... continued from page 18 floors. This author remembers the climb to the top. For those who wanted to go slowly, there were aviation photos on the walls that visitors could enjoy during their hike to the top. Some of the electronics were disabled and left in place for the youngsters to simulate a controller. The radio exchanges between pilots and controllers remained active and broadcast for the visitors.

The first museum reached capacity when it held about 1,000 artifacts. “People came to give me all kinds of aviation memorabilia,” said the late Pat Reilly. “But I had no place left to put them. I ran out of room.”

The museum has been cited as One of the 10 Best Museums in the state of New Jersey,” and there are several one-of-a kind or last of a kind aircraft. “We have the last Martin 2-02, in world, and the cockpit and one row of

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first class seats of a TWA 880,” said Villecca.

“We have flight simulators, and relics of illfated flights such as the Hindenburg dirigible that was destroyed by fire in Lakehurst in 1937.”

Artifacts of the Hindenburg, can be found on display. The newsreel film does not do justice to the size of the Hindenburg.

The display documents the tragedy, and illustrations show that this massive airship was almost the size of the Queen Mary ocean liner.

“Many adults are fascinated by the piece of airframe we have on display,” said Villecca “People go up to it and touch it.”

“We have the cockpit of an F-111 fighter jet and many people are fascinated by its appearance. We also have the first American hovercraft invented by Charles Fletcher on display. The Sikorsky HH-52 Coast Guard 1455 rescue helicopter which was instrumental in the Marial Cuban boatlift, now stands at the entrance to the museum.

One of our most popular exhibits among the children and parents is the ‘Little Cut Up.’ We took parts from several airplanes and put them together for the youngsters to operate the manual controls.”

When the new Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum opened in 1983, there was room for the museum’s collection, but it was soon overloaded with memorabilia, and artifacts.

Plans were made for a building extension.

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Department of Environmental Protection for three years until they determined the extension would not do damage to nearby wetlands.

“The focus of the AHOF is on events and people who contributed to New Jersey’s aviation heritage,” said Villecca. “Today, there are 192 men and women inductees in the hall of fame, including six New Jerseyborn astronauts, and fifteen war aces.”

Air Force Colonel Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin Jr., a resident of Montclair, and AHOF inductee was a Korean War fighter pilot, and Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo XI. He followed Neil Armstrong onto the surface of the moon in 1969.

Navy Captain Walter M. Schirra, Jr, of Hackensack, was one of the nation’s original seven astronauts, and the only person to have flown in each of the three generations of U.S. spacecraft – Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.

To qualify for induction, the candidate must be from New Jersey or must have significant aviation ties to New Jersey. The achievements of the candidate must be followed by an ongoing commitment to advance aviation.

The museum has been designated as an educational center so there is probably something for everyone to enjoy and learn about. For more information see www. njahof.org or phone 201-288-6344.

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Page 20 • April 2022 • Wayne Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

K

10 Tips to Recognize Ripe Fruits

eeping fresh fruit around the house provides a healthier alternative when your sweet tooth comes calling.

Understanding how and when to buy at the peak of ripeness (or just before, in some cases) can help you avoid food waste while keeping your doctor happy.

Consider these simple tips for recognizing ripe fruits: Strawberries: Check the area at the top of the berry near the stem and leaves. A ripe strawberry is fully red; green or white near the top means the fruit is underripe.

Watermelon: The “field spot,” or the area where the melon sat on the ground, should be yellow, and a tap on the rind should produce a hollow sound.

Cherries: Flesh should appear dark with a crimson color and feel firm.

Blueberries: Similar to cherries, color should deepen to dark blue. A reddish or pink color may be visible in unripe berries.

Blackberries: Look for a smooth texture without any red appearance. Because

blackberries don’t ripen after being picked, they tend to spoil quickly.

Cantaloupe: You should detect a sweet smell, and the melon should feel heavy upon lifting.

Peaches: A sweet, fragrant odor should be apparent. Skin should feel tender but not soft.

Pineapple: Smell is again an important factor for pineapple – a sweet scent shows it’s ready, but a vinegary one likely means it’s overripe.

Raspberries: Generally follow the same rules as blackberries. Best eaten within a couple days of purchase, a bright red color represents ripe berries.

Bananas: A ripe banana features a peel lightly spotted without significant bruising.

Your best bet may be to purchase bananas still slightly green and allow them to ripen at home.

Find more food tips, tricks, recipes and videos at Culinary.net.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 21

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I

Hearty, Wholesome Dishes to Support Immune Systems

f feeding your family wholesome meals is a daily goal, keep in mind you can serve up tasty foods that also feed your immune system by including ingredients like mushrooms. With their earthy flavor, mushrooms – like many other fruits and vegetables – can also play a positive role in supporting a healthy immune system.

Studies at Oregon State University concluded there are a variety of micronutrients important for supporting a healthy immune system. Consider that three of these nutrients (vitamin D, selenium and B vitamins) can be found in mushrooms, meaning these family-friendly recipes for Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Mushroom Orzo Risotto; Grilled Portobello Gyros with Yogurt Dill Sauce; Creamy Spinach, Mushroom and Lasagna Soup; and Asian Barbecue Sesame Salmon with Noodles and Veggies can help you add all-important nutrients to your family’s menu.

Find more ways to add mushrooms to family meals at mushroomcouncil.com.

Grilled Portobello Gyros with Yogurt Dill Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks of “Zen and Spice” Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 4 portobello mushrooms 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 yellow bell peppers, sliced Yogurt Dill Sauce: 1 English cucumber, grated 1 cup whole-milk

Greek yogurt 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2small lemon, juice only 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill 4 pita breads or naan 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 head green lettuce crumbled feta cheese (optional) Remove stems from mushrooms and brush caps with wet towel. Using spoon, carefully scrape out gills. Slice mushrooms into 1/4-inch pieces and place in medium bowl with olive oil, oregano and smoked paprika.

Preheat indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and peppers; grill, tossing occasionally, until tender, 5-7 minutes.

To make yogurt dill sauce: Squeeze grated cucumber in clean towel to remove excess liquid. Add to large bowl with yogurt, sour cream, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic,

salt and dill. Stir to combine.

To serve, place mushrooms and peppers in middle of pita bread. Top with tomatoes, onion, lettuce, feta, if desired, and big dollop of yogurt dill sauce.

Creamy Spinach, Mushroom and Lasagna Soup Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks of “Zen and Spice” Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Servings: 4 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced continued on page 23

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 23

Hearty, Wholesome Dishes...

continued from page 22 1 medium onion, small diced 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 3 cups vegetable broth 6 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 5 ounces fresh baby spinach 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping Heat large pot over medium heat.

Add olive oil, garlic, onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and mushrooms soften, 4-5 minutes.

Add marinara, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, basil, salt, oregano,

pepper, bay leaf and broth. Bring to boil over high heat then reduce heat to low and simmer.

Add lasagna noodles and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.

Stir in heavy cream and spinach until wilted, 2-3 minutes.

Divide between bowls and top with dollop of ricotta and sprinkle of mozzarella.

Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Mushroom Orzo Risotto Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks of “Zen and Spice” Cook time: 50 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Servings: 4 Chicken: 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs salt & pepper, to taste 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 16 ounces crimini mushrooms, quartered 3 zucchini, sliced in half moons 3 large carrots, thinly sliced 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced

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Wayne Interfaith Network Food Pantry Director Feeds Soul Helping Others

W

By Jillian Risberg hen someone is food-insecure, having a resource like the Wayne Interfaith Network Food Pantry (WIN) to count on is everything.

From the early days of the pandemic to now, the pantry has done all they could to not wane.

“At one point we had to stop giving out food and getting all these monetary donations was great because we decided we had to mail ShopRite gift cards to our clients,” says WIN Pantry Director, Barbara Cohen.

They had a dramatic jump in clients throughout the pandemic, from 125 in February 2020 to 165 currently.

They continue to serve an increasing number of individuals and families.

“We have without a doubt amazing community support,” Cohen says at the start of the pandemic — not everyone knew who they were. “Mayor Vergano was fantastic — every time he did a COVID update he said, ‘don’t forget the food pantry and their needs.’ Then we started getting donations.”

Just because we can’t get together to hand people food doesn’t mean they’re not hungry anymore. These are the same people who might have lost jobs.

The Pantry was founded in 1984 as a result of the Passaic River flood devastation that year. It has been going strong ever since.

According to Cohen, they are based at the YMCA and because of their generosity (they give them a space) are not charged any rent or utilities.

The Pantry is a certified 501(c)3 — one of the questions you can ask a charity is how much of their income goes to upkeep.

“If you look at any of the big charities; if they give at least 50 percent of their income to their charity, they’re in relatively decent shape because that’s how expensive it is to maintain,” says the pantry director.

“We have a phone bill to pay and it is our only expense — more than 98 percent of the money we collect goes back to the families.”

Every family gets three bags of groceries and a ShopRite gift card for the cashables (milk, cheese, meat) the pantry can’t provide. They don’t have space for refrigeration.

“If we were to give a family with children a dry box of macaroni and cheese (but) they don’t have milk and butter — they can’t make it,” Cohen says that’s not a good scenario. “The ShopRite card is like gold to

our clients, and they get one per-month. We are not a full replacement pantry, (rather) a supplemental source.”

Many of the pantry clients are on food stamps. They’re just borderline people who fall short.

“If we can make it a little easier for them, we do. We don’t want to know what their finances are but we do want to know they are food-insecure,” she says the director

of senior and social services (Rosemary Acampora) gets and vets clients for them to ensure they are Wayne residents.

The pantry is an all-volunteer organization. Every Monday and Wednesday they pack for 20 to 22 families. A little over 40 families a week pick up — the pantry’s whole client list covered in a period of a month. continued on page 25

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 25

Feeds Soul Helping Others... continued from page 24 “These are the kindest, most wonderful volunteers I’ve ever met, generous — we speak at different organizations to encourage them to join in,” says Cohen. “If we are an organization they want to help support, myself or vice president Cathy Czar will gladly go and speak.”

Because they get no federal, state or county support… a person on the borderline who makes $20 more a week, the pantry’s cutoff — it’s not enough to make a difference.

“We include them and are able to make those kind of independent decisions,” the pantry director says.

The food pantry is stocked through generous donations of community and individual donations, various businesses and service organizations throughout Wayne and the local area.

“Cub Scout Pack #104 (Packanack Lake) kids are amazing every year and tell their friends, relatives to fill up a bag for the pantry,” Cohen says they dropped off 380 bags.

“Preakness Reformed Church dropped off 60 bags of groceries. The Elks are generous, the Rotary is generous, the churches, synagogues, scouts and school groups.

George Washington Middle School ran a soup drive (during the Superbowl) and brought us nearly 400 cans of soup.

That is how we keep our pantry filled.”

They also accept monetary donations (through the WIN website or postal mail) which the pantry uses to pay for the gift cards and items they don’t have (*often run out of coffee).

Donor fatigue is always a concern.

“Thanksgiving to Christmas is a wonderful time, our

shelves are spilling over,” the library director says. “By end of January to the beginning of February our shelves empty out.”

The reason they encourage the food drive kids, people to save their drives for March because it’s when the pantry’s shelves get low. Cohen does her best to space out the food drives.

And they all go to pick up a large donation from The Jewish Federation of North Jersey, 150/200 bags, she says sometimes it’s been that many.

As a retiree (former nurse and high school guidance counselor), the pantry director looked for a worthwhile venture to fill her time. That’s when a chance workout at the Y turned into a conversation with the pantry, a few months later she became WIN president, and a year after that she took over as director.

“I find it very fulfilling,” says Cohen. “I worked many years — my husband and I, to support our family and now I’m feeding my soul knowing I’m helping other people. The pantry is my ‘happy place.’”

Supportive of those already food-insecure, she says every time they turn around there’s someone else, especially in the current climate.

“If we were to stop the food-insecurity rate would certainly go up,” the pantry director says they’ve stabilized.

She says part of what makes Wayne great: people in the township willing to go that extra mile (30+ volunteers work at the pantry) to help those in need.

Of the clients: she says every single one is appreciative and understanding.

380 bags and counting!! Thank you Cub Scouts Pack #104 from Packanack Lake

“The best thing is when you get a phone call saying, ‘thank you for everything you’ve done, I’m back at work now, my financial situation has changed, I’m in a better position — I don’t need you anymore,’” says Cohen.

If you are in need of assistance, Call Rosemary Acampora at 973-694-1800 x 3281

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Page 26 • April 2022 • Wayne Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Fiona Gough Becomes Wayne Valley’s First Female Wrestler

W

By Steve Sears ayne Valley High School freshman, Fiona Gough, has a specific sophomore year goal.

“To make it to the states for wrestling – to qualify,” Gough says.

She may be well on her way to that future state tournament appearance. Gough this year competed all the way into the regional competition as Wayne Valley’s first ever female wrestler. She completed her season with a very respectable 8 – 5 record.

The above being said, Gough accomplished much more beyond her won-loss mark. “Girl’s wrestling is definitely growing, but it’s still very small,” she says. “I’m really happy that other girls feel comfortable coming forward and trying to join the team. It made me really feel good that I got to open that path a little bit.”

In fact, several other girls have approached the Indians head coach of nine seasons, Todd Schroeder, about trying out for the wrestling team. “People see that it can be done, and now more girls want it,” Schroeder exclaims. “It’s exciting.”

“My stepdad was a really big wrestler,” Gough explains.

“And I’ve always been interested in fighting and MMA, and I thought wrestling was a good way to start. My stepdad helped me start training - he’s also a coach - and then from there on, I went into a club, and I decided that I was going to try to do wrestling in high school. And it worked out really well, thankfully.”

Gough’s mom reached out to Schroeder last wrestling season. “We loved the athletic background,” he says of Gough’s outstanding gymnastics skills, “and we were excited

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to start getting girls wrestling going at Wayne Valley. She actually started training with us in the summer. She got to meet the boys over the summer, which we knew was going to take time; every time there’s a change it’s a little uncomfortable. But she stepped right in and she did a great job. It had to be tough for her and be tough for the boys, but we didn’t treat her any different than we did any other athlete on the team.”

“When Fiona came in here for her freshman year, we knew she had a background in gymnastics, but I didn’t realize how explosive of an athlete she is,” says Dave Drozjock, Wayne Valley Athletic Director. “She had one of the highest scores for floor exercises in North Jersey, a 9.6, which is incredible! Her athleticism is off the charts. In addition to that, it’s not easy as we know being a gymnast. There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of stress on you. You’re out there on your own, and it’s similar to wrestling, where you’re out there on your own wrestling an opponent. So, she’s been through that experience. Having that combination really helped her with the sport of wrestling.”

Gough’s first match this season was against Clifton High School. “It was my first time wrestling in front of everyone, and it was against a boy,” Gough, who wrestled this year at 120 lbs., says. “I felt extremely nervous, but the second I got on the mat, I was just focused on winning.” And she did win the bout, and it taught her one thing. “Not to focus so much on what’s going on around me, and just to focus on what’s in front of me - wrestling.”

Schroeder, who wrestled for Wayne Valley in the late 1990’s, looks forward to Gough’s sophomore campaign. “I

Fiona Gough’s hand is raised after one of her eight victories. Photo credit: Nigel Gough.

think the confidence and the knowledge that she got, and the experience that she gained, is worth more than the wins and losses. Now she’s going to come in with confidence. She got better every day she wrestled, and that was a great thing, watching her improve in the sport. She was one match away from going to the state tournament in Phillipsburg.”

Schroeder then envisions a bright future. “We’re going to look back on her and say, ‘It was Fiona who started the wave of future champions for females at Wayne Valley for wrestling.”

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 27

I Remember Mom: The Cross Road

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By Richard Mabey Jr. n the midst of the cold winds of January of 1984, I found myself fighting a sore throat that led to a strep throat. And, sadly, the strep throat led to my second bout of Rheumatic Fever. And at the age of 30, the fate that had called me to fight the deadly strep infection at 12, had rebounded and gnarled itself to the inner chambers and valves of my heart. It was a year-long battle with two long-stay hospital visits. But, I came out of it with a greater inner strength and a furious determination to leave my mark upon the world.

It was in the Spring of 1985, that I landed a writing job at a big daily newspaper.

I wrote engagement notices, wedding announcements, obituaries, scout news, church news, and news of various non-profit organizations. By the Summer of 1986, I was worn, weary, and feeling that my wheels were just spinning in sand, going nowhere.

And, to top it all off, I had a boss who was anything but kind. In all honesty, she was a bit of a heartless tyrant.

I was frayed, my inner self was torn, I lived on Pepto-Bismal tablets. The unrealistic deadlines, the long hours, the harsh voice of my boss, was taking a toll on me. And, as if that wasn’t enough, my girlfriend at the time, was insistent that I leave the comfort and warmth of the little Reformed Church that I grew up in, to take classes to become a Catholic. And, Anna’s parents were putting the pressure on me, to the nth degree. I have no conflict with the Catholic faith. But, I do have a problem with being pressured to do anything, just to please someone else. It wasn’t so much that Anna was a devoted Catholic, rather it was that her father had given me the ultimatum to convert to being a Catholic.

I felt such inner turmoil. Sadly, Anna gave in to her father’s dislike of me and broke up with me. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, my boss was becoming meaner and meaner with the passing of each and every day. I felt like I was holding onto the end of a rope, at a cliff’s edge, and the rope I was clinging to was rapidly fraying.

A thousand and one times my mom, Janet Kemmerer Mabey, encouraged me to start my own newspaper, a small-town weekly. I was filled with self doubts. I didn’t have all that much money in my savings account. And, a certain fear and insecurity was clinging to the core of my inner self.

But, Mom would not give up on me. She wouldn’t let me give into my inner fears and insecurities.

Mom continually told me that I had the right stuff, the fortitude, the dedication, the intelligence, and the deep drive to start my own small-town weekly newspaper. But, I still doubted my abilities. Finally, Mom told me to pray about it.

It was about a week before Thanksgiving Day, of 1986, that the good Lord had the

hammer fall upon me and awaken me to the fact that I needed to leave that big daily newspaper and step out on my own.

It was a Monday morning. I remember it all so well. It was just before lunch time.

My boss came over to my cubicle and just ripped and tore me apart, for not having met a most unrealistic writing deadline.

I was overwhelmed with little articles to write about engagement notices, wedding announcements, and events of non-profit organizations.

High noon came. Lunch break. I remember going out to my car to eat my lunch. I had always brought a bag lunch to work. Once inside my care, the tears flowed down my cheeks like Niagara Falls. I knew I couldn’t take much more of it all. The shadow of Anna haunted me. The pain of losing her love, the mean-spirited shouting of my boss, it all had taken a toll on me. There in my car, eating my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I took the time to earnestly pray. Mom was right. I needed to pray about it all.

Somehow and someway, I got the courage to type up my resignation that very afternoon. At the end of the day, I gave my official two-weeks’ notice to my boss. At that moment in time, it was like a big, heavy, anchor was lifted from my heart.

By early 1987, I began publishing the Lincoln Park Journal weekly newspaper.

My dear mother was a constant source of encouragement to me. A new dawn was rising in my life. A new chapter of my life had begun. If it were not for the encouragement of my beloved mother, I would have never found the courage to leave the big daily paper and take the bold step to start my own small-town weekly newspaper.

Encouragement is one of the single most precious gifts that a parent can give to their child. Encouragement holds a greater value than silver or gold. For it can be the seed upon which the great tree of success springs forth. Please, never underestimate the positive power of encouragement. The result of encouragement knows no limitations, no bounds, no walls.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer.

He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@ hotmail.com. Please put on the subject line: I Remember Mom.

Page 28 • April 2022 • Wayne Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

5 Interviewing Tips to Help You Land a New Job

W

ith so many job openings these days, you may think you’ll have an easy time sliding into a new role.

Not so fast. Because of the huge number of options available and plenty of workers contemplating changes, you’re likely to encounter some competition to land the job you want. A solid interview can help you close the deal.

Consider these five tips to help you make a great impression and land the job of your dreams: Prepare, prepare, prepare. Avoid thinking of the interview as your first step toward a new job. Once you set the appointment, it’s time to take a deeper dive to learn as much as you can about the company and position.

Ideally, you did some of this legwork when you created a custom resume and cover letter, but for the interview, you need to know more. After arming yourself with all the information you can, practice answers to questions you expect the interviewer to ask.

Decide what the interviewer should know about you. Using the job description as a guide, create a list of points you want to communicate to show how your experience and knowledge fit the role. During the

interview, pay attention to opportunities for sharing these details about your skillset. Most interviewers will give you the opportunity to add information you haven’t covered; use this time to deliver a succinct summary of how you can succeed in the position.

Create your own list of questions. An interview isn’t just about determining whether you’re a fit for a job; you also need to decide whether the job is a fit for you. Think about what you need to know in order to feel confident accepting an offer. You might organize your thoughts by considering what is essential in a new job and what aspects are “nice to have.”

Present yourself as a winning candidate.

Impressions are everything when it comes to interviews. Dress to impress with well-fitted clothing appropriate for the job and practice good grooming habits, including details like trimming your nails and minimizing distractions like pet hair.

Arrive early enough that you’re not rushed or flustered when you check in for your appointment. Use good posture, a firm handshake and a clear, confident voice.

Speak authoritatively but respectfully and try to make the interview a comfortable,

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conversational exchange.

Leave a lasting impression. Before you end the interview, ask for clear insight on the next steps in the process. Within 24 hours, send follow-up messages to each person you met with. Thank them for their time and include references specific to your conversation, such as elaborating on

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Close by reiterating your interest and how your skills are a fit.

Find more advice for handling personal and professional challenges at eLivingtoday. com. (Family Features)

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 29

W

How to Find the Right Doctor

hether you’re rarely sick or have conditions that require frequent visits to the doctor, having a trusted and skilled health care provider is an important step in protecting your health.

Any number of reasons can result in needing to find a new doctor, such as moving to a new community, changes to your insurance, your old doctor retiring or needing a specialist.

These suggestions from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help you be more efficient and thorough as you look for a doctor who is right for you.

Ask for Recommendations Talk to people you know about whether they have a provider they like. If you’re looking for a new provider because of a move or retirement, ask your current doctor for a recommendation. If you need to make a change with your primary care doctor but see specialists or other medical professionals you like and trust, you can also request referrals from them.

Check with Your Insurance Company If you have health insurance, you may need to choose from a list of doctors in your plan’s network. Some insurance plans may let you choose a doctor outside your network if you pay more of the cost.

To find a doctor who takes your insurance, call your insurance company and ask for a list of doctors near you who are in-network or use the insurance company’s website to search for a doctor. It’s also a good idea to call the doctor’s office and ask for confirmation they take your plan.

You should have your insurance, Medicare or Medicaid card

handy in case the office needs your plan details.

Narrow Your Options Some of the providers you consider may not be viable options for simple reasons, like their practice isn’t currently taking new patients or they don’t have office hours matching your schedule. You can also consider questions such as hospital affiliations and whether other providers can help if you need emergency care and your doctor isn’t available.

Take a Deeper Look Online research can tell you a great deal about potential doctors, from biographical information and credentials to ratings by former patients.

When searching for a new provider, another important area to consider is financial relationships. One resource patients can consider is Open Payments, a national disclosure program within CMS that provides visibility into financial relationships between drug and medical device companies and physicians, and teaching hospitals. The government requires pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers and group purchasing organizations to report funds they give health care providers in the form of meals, entertainment, travel, gifts, consulting fees, research payments and more, promoting transparency and helping uncover potential conflicts of interest.

It’s important to know most health care providers receive payments. Just because financial ties are reported does not mean anyone has done anything wrong. However, patients can use the information to talk with their provider about why they recommend certain medications or treatments,

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

including asking about generic options, which are equally as effective as name brands but typically less expensive. It’s also an opportunity to start a discussion with a provider about areas of professional interest and expertise based on research or consulting.

Listen to Your Gut If you’re undecided, request an introductory appointment with a provider you’re considering. Look for a clinic where you are treated with respect and the medical team listens to your opinions and concerns. You should feel comfortable asking questions, and the doctor needs to be able to explain things in ways you understand.

Find more resources for your health care needs at cms. gov. (Family Features)

Page 30 • April 2022 • Wayne Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

The History Behind April Fool’s Day

S

By Henry M. Holden can your favorite newspaper or news website this April 1, and chances are you will see some headlines that look doubtful. Read further, and you will find that some of those stories are complete hoaxes, because it’s April Fools’ Day. There have been several April Fool’s Day pranks that have caught the public’s eye through the years. One famous prank became known as The Great Spaghetti Harvest. In 1957, a BBC broadcaster announced that Switzerland had a heavy spaghetti crop for the year and even showed footage of people harvesting spaghetti off trees.

At the time, spaghetti was relatively unknown in the UK. Several viewers afterwards contacted the BBC for advice on growing their own spaghetti trees. CNN called this broadcast “the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled.”

But where do we get the strange custom of playing pranks on April 1? Well, nobody knows for sure. All we know is that the custom was known in Renaissance Europe but has roots much older than that.

Traditional theory places the origin of April Fools Day in the Roman Empire and dates it to the reign of Emperor Constantine. According to the story, a group of court jesters convinced Constantine to make one of them “king for a day.” Constantine obliged, and made one king for a day. He decreed that it would be a day of cheerfulness, and thus created what came April Fools Day. The only problem with that story was it was a hoax. It

was an April Fools Day prank, pulled by Boston University professor Joseph Boskin, on Associated Press reporter Fred Bayles, in 1983. Bayles reported the story, and the AP ran it, only to retract it days later. There is a good lesson here: Do not take as fact everything you read about April Fools Day. (But no worries, you can totally trust me!)

Many think the idea of April Fools Day goes back to Roman times, when a joyful festival called Hilaria, originally probably a spring equinox celebration, came to be celebrated on March 25. In Roman terms, March 25 was “the eighth of the Calends of April,” which associates the festival strongly with April 1, the Calends of April.

However, there is no hard evidence to connect Hilaria with April Fools Day, so this is just another speculation by curious people.

People have hypothesized about the origins of this holiday, suggesting that it was part of the Roman Saturnalia, a Druid rite in Britain, with a carnival-like medieval celebration of the Feast of Fools. But despite attempts to establish an earlier origin for the day, clear references to a tradition of fooling in April do not begin until the late Middle Ages.

It is possible that there is a glimpse of April Fools Day in Chaucer’s “Nun’s Priest’s Tale” (ca. 1390), which shows the rooster being fooled by, and in turn fooling, a fox.

This occurs “Syn March bigan, thritty dayes and two,” or 32 days after March began, i.e., April 1. This would be an early, clear reference to the date, but scholars think the word “bigan” is a scribal error, and that the intended date continued on page 31

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 31

History Behind April Fool’s Day... continued from page 30 was May 2, thirty-two days after March was over. Even if this is true, the existence of such a scribal error could suggest that medieval scribes expected hoaxes to occur on April 1. But still, this does not qualify as hard evidence of an April Fools custom.

In France, “poisson d’avril,” or “April fish,” is the name for a person duped on April Fools Day. The first reference to “poisson d’avril” is from a 1508 poem

by Eloy D’Amerval called Le Livre de la Diablerie, or The Book of Deviltry. However, from the context we can’t be sure if the author was referring to April 1 or to fools in general. The idea of the “April fish” seems to be the fact that fish were plentiful and hungry in the spring, and easy to catch. An “April fish” was more gullible than a fish at other times of the year. Thus, a mere reference to an “April fish” does not itself prove there was a holiday on April 1.

Some sources, such as Charles Panati’s Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, cite another 16th-century French origin: 1564, when the celebration of the New Year officially moved to January 1 by Charles IX’s Edict of Roussillon. According to Panati, the New Year had the celebration

on March 25 because of the arrival of spring, with a week-long observance ending on April 1. Panati further claims: “Frenchmen who resisted the change, and others who forgot about it, continued partying and exchanging gifts during the week ending April 1.”

The real history of New Year’s observances in France is more complex, with different regions celebrating at various times. As early as 1507, books printed in France indicated that people were beginning the year on January 1.

Besides, Panati does not provide any concrete evidence of any of his claims in the form of modern-day accounts or surviving invitations–not even for the claim of a week-long celebration, which is necessary to involve April 1 in the New Year change. In all, we will have to consider his story to be real, or a hoax on all of us.

The first certain reference to April Fools Day comes from a 1561 Flemish poem by Eduard De Dene. In the poem, a noble person sends his servant on crazy, fruitless errands. The servant recognizes that he is running on “fool’s errands” because it is April 1.

Wayne’s Transportation and Safety Forum Coming In Late April

M

ayor Vergano is pleased to announce Wayne for All Ages’ “Transportation and Safety Forum” on April 29th from 10 am to 12 noon in Wayne Township’s Council Chambers, 475 Valley Road.

Join us as we learn about the different transportation options available to senior citizens and individuals with disabilities in Wayne Township. The program is FREE and will include various resources and information, including applications for Passaic County Sheriff ’s Department Senior Identification cards.

Guest speakers are from the following agencies: AAA Northeast, Wayne Parks & Recreation Department, EZ Ride, Passaic County Paratransit, Rutger’s NJTIP (New

Jersey Travel Independence Program), NJ Transit, and St Joseph’s Medical Center.

Wayne for All Ages is a new task force created by Wayne Township’s Senior and Social Services Department to address resident concerns, initiate new age-friendly programs, and create ways to support people of all ages by improving their quality of life.

For more information about The Transportation and Safety Forum or Wayne for All Ages, contact Co-Coordinators: Rosemary Acampora, Director of Wayne Township’s Senior and Social Services Department at acamporar@waynetownship.com or Robyn Kohn, Wayne resident, and Director of Programs and Services for the Alzheimer’s Association at rmkohn@alz.org.

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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Celebrated Chefs Support Project Self-Sufficiency

N

orthwestern New Jersey’s premier culinary fundraising event, A Taste of Talent, will be held at Perona Farms on behalf of local non-profit agency Project Self-Sufficiency on Monday, May 2nd, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Patrons are invited to mingle with chefs from approximately 50 celebrated area restaurants while feasting on appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The epicurean event raises funds for the non-profit agency which specializes in services for low-income families in Sussex, Morris, Hunterdon and Warren. Sponsorships for A Taste of Talent range from $500 - $25,000. The event will take place indoors and outside at the venue. Volunteer musicians will perform throughout the facility.

Some of the many fine restaurants which have participated in the past, and many of which are expected to return, include 403 Broad, Andre’s Lakeside Dining, Black Forest Inn, Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, Café Pierrot, Caffe NaVona, Chocolate Goat Gift Shoppe, The Circle, Clay Oven, Cliff ’s Ice Cream, Fossil Farms, Front Porch Organics, George’s Wine & Gourmet Gallery/Fran’s Farmhouse Kitchen, Gourmet Gallery, Green Cart Catering, Hayek’s Market, il Porto, Chef Jesse James, Krave Café + Caterer, L’Amico NYC, Lorraine’s Cake Shop & Tea Room, Mama’s Café Baci, North Shore House, Pattycakes Bake Shop, Perona Farms, Portofino Ristorante, Ryland Inn, Chef Tim Schafer, Slamwich Scratch Kitchen, Springhouse Creamery, St. Moritz Bar & Grill, Stone Water, Tanti Baci Caffe, White Birch, and Windy Brow Farms.

“A Taste of Talent is our signature fundraising event and the cornerstone of our annual campaign,” noted Deborah

Chefs from approximately 50 restaurants are expected to participate in A Taste of Talent at Perona Farms on behalf of Project SelfSufficiency.

Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.

“Funds raised by A Taste of Talent make it possible for Project Self-Sufficiency to provide the programs and services necessary for families in northwestern New Jersey to attain economic self-sufficiency. We continue to be humbled by the support we are receiving from the restaurateurs in our area, and we are looking forward to a delightful event.”

Select donation categories are available for A Taste of

Talent, ranging from $500 - $25,000. A limited number of tickets for individual donations are available at a cost of $300. Perona Farms is located at 350 Andover-Sparta Road, Andover. To make a contribution to Project Self-Sufficiency, to obtain tickets to A Taste of Talent, or to find out more information about the programs and services available at the agency, visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org or call 973940-3500.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 33

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Page 34 • April 2022 • Wayne Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

An April Story

W

By Richard Mabey Jr. hat spiritual connections lie dormant between man and beast? What lost communication, from a bygone era, still remains intact deep within the inner fiber of both man and beast? Could it be that we are guided and molded by forces so innately natural, that they gently call to the deepest core of our subconscious minds?

Could it be that in early April, the calling of the majestic buck deer graced the inner fiber of a 13-year-old boy, marking him with a calling that remained fixed in the deepest chambers of his heart?

My grandfather, Watson Mabey, often told the story of the great, glorious, majestic buck deer that walked the woods at the end of Mabey Lane. Grandpa also had told me that the great buck could also be seen, from time to time, walking the path of the old Morris Canal. Grandpa had worked the canal, from his youth, and eventually became the Chief Engineer of Incline Plane Ten East.

My sister Patti, my cousins and I would often sit at the feet of Grandpa Mabey, as he sat upon his chair in the living room of the old Mabey Homestead. Grandpa was a most wonderful and enchanting story teller. He often told the family legends of the majestic buck deer. Grandpa always ended every tale about the magnificent deer, by telling us that whoever looked into the eyes of the majestic buck would be marked for a special calling for the rest of their life.

In early April of 1967, I was in the eighth grade, 13 years old, and I decided to take a walk down the forest path to the old Morris Canal, all by myself. It was a sunny, Saturday morning. The wild flowers were blooming along the forest path, that began at the end of Mabey Lane. I had no idea that magical morning, that my life was about to change forever.

As I walked the forest path, squirrels scurried about,

jumping from tree limb to limb. Birds sang and chirped melodies to shame even the world’s greatest musical composers. Thistle stalks abounded between the maple, the oak and the elm. There was a certain peace that filled the air in those magical wooded acres.

As I walked down the wooded path, I could not believe my eyes. There to the right of the narrow forest path, proudly stood the majestic buck. It was a most surreal moment in time, it all seemed like a dream. Slowly and steadfastly, the old, tall buck came walking toward me. It was as frightening as any horror film I had ever seen at the old State Theater in the nearby town of Boonton. The antlers of the powerful deer seemed to reach out three or four feet from the majestic buck’s skull. As the deer came ever so close to me, I shuttered.

I stood my ground. It was not so much that I was being brave and fearless, it was actually quite the opposite. I remember being so taken and overcome with fear that my legs would not move an inch. You read about such moments in time, you dream about such moments in time, but this was a moment that was all so real, as frightening as it was.

My heart began beating like a big bass drum. Sweat filled the crevices of my hands, like little pools of water that clung to my palms. The carotid sinuses in my neck pounded in a fast-paced rhythm. As the deer, ever so slowly, ascended closer to me, I remembered the very words of Grandpa Mabey.

The Great Majestic Buck was the central character of a family legend. It was at least a dozen times that Grandpa told me the legend of the Great Majestic Buck. The Mabey legend was that whoever looked the stately deer in the eye, directly in the eye, was a marked man. That from that point continued on page 35

A photo from 1932 of my grandfather, Watson Mabey, proudly standing in his backyard, of the home he built at the end of Mabey Lane.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 35

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continued from page 34 on, the person who stood steadfast to the great deer and looked him square in the eye would be so marked for a special calling, that his or her life would never, ever be the same.

The deer was now only about 10 feet from me, when the grand beast stopped and threw his head back, as if he was about to attack me. Something kept me from running down the forest path. I felt the presence of my grandfather, standing beside me, saying to me, “stand your ground, Richie, stand your ground.”

And then the Great Majestic Deer lowered his head and slowly, steadfastly began once again to walk toward me. My body shook like the last leaf hanging upon a twig of a maple tree, in the midst of an April breeze. I thought that my heart was going to burst, it was beating so hard and all so fast.

The Great Majestic Deer was now about four feet from me. I was frozen. I could not move. And, with all the courage that I could dig deeply from within the core of my soul, I looked the huge beast deep in its eyes. The grand deer looked back at me and flung its head back in a fury. Then lowered his head, turned around and ran into the thick of the April forest. I felt a deep blessing succumb my heart, mind, and soul. I had looked the Great Majestic Buck deep into his eyes and he looked deep into mine. From that point

on, I would never be the same.

I walked down the forest path. As I stood within eye’s view of the old Morris Canal, l could see the foundation of my great grandfather’s icehouse. William Mabey had built the icehouse with the help of my grandfather and Grandpa’s brother, Earl.

Sadly, Earl was killed in battle, in France during World War I. When I came upon the foundation to the old Mabey Ice House, I sat upon the stone foundation and looked at the still, murky waters of the old Morris Canal, that lied just a few feet north of the old foundation. The memory of the Great Majestic Buck was engraved upon the deepest chambers of my heart. Perhaps Grandpa’s legend was not a fairy tale, perhaps there was a great depth of truth to the old Mabey Legend.

At the age of 13, in early April of 1967, I felt my grandfather’s gift of story telling fill my heart. I had looked the Great Majestic Buck Deer in the eye. I was now marked with the gift of a special calling. I knew deep in the chambers of my heart, that the great buck had blessed me with the calling of story telling. There was no doubt in my heart.

None at all.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail. com. Please put on the subject line: An April Story.

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Page 36 • April 2022 • Wayne Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

NJStarz NJ Starz: Jennifer Jones Hometown: Randolph, NJ

J

ennifer Jones recalls the night vividly.

“Sue Simmons came on the 11 o’clock news, and she said, ‘Radio City Music Hall has just hired their first African American dancer to be a Rockette.” I said to myself, ‘I wonder who that is?’ And it was me! They didn’t tell me that I was the first one.”

The year was 1987, and Jones was invited to be on field during the Super Bowl XXII halftime show. The game, a Washington Redskins 42 – 10 win over the Denver Broncos, was somewhat forgettable, but Jones taking part in the intermission was news, and it led to, in her words, “15 years with the Rockettes, and then I did Broadway after that, so it was a beautiful 20 year professional dancing experience.”

“I was mostly raised in Randolph,” says Jones, who was born in Newark on August 1, 1967. “I went to sixth grade there, but we moved there a year before, when I attended The Pingry School in Basking Ridge for one year, and then I went to Randolph schools, from where I graduated high school and then eventually attended CCM (County College of Morris).”

Jones was a trailblazer, and she followed in her parents’ footsteps. “I’m biracial; my mother (Linda Lourie, originally from Rockaway) is white, my father (Booker T. Jones, born in Saint Louis, Missouri) is black, and they got together in the 1960s when that wasn’t fondly looked upon, an interracial relationship.” Jones is the middle child of three sisters. Her older sibling is Kara, and the younger is Patricia. “But we call her ‘Peaches,’” Jones says.

Jones enjoyed her time in Randolph.

“Of course, it’s a great educational system that they have there, which is one of the reasons why my parents moved there, but there was some racial tension. My sister and I were in the minority group. There were some hard times, but I have a great core friends. We actually just went to St. Augustine last September, just the five of us, after we hadn’t seen each other in over 20 years, and it was like we picked up from yesterday, like we never left off.”

After high school, Jones went to CCM and originally applied to be a business major with the notion that she would open up a dance studio. However, the urge

was there to be a dancer, so she changed her major to dance. The love of that art had been instilled in her at a young age.

“My parents started me dancing when I was around five or six,” Jones says. “They had combined dance classes; it was like tap with gymnastics. All I can remember is that I loved the way the sound the tap made against the linoleum floor. There was something about that sound that I loved, so much so that my parents got linoleum flooring in the basement, just a piece of it. My father’s office was down in the basement, and whenever he was down there working from home, I would go down with my tap shoes on and just tap-taptap. He never complained once, if you can imagine that.”

While at CCM, Jones was very busy. In addition to her studies, she was part of a modern dance company called “Beyond the New Jersey Turnpike”, which was eventually shortened years later to just “Beyond”, and she was also trekking to the Broadway Dance Center in New York City, where Frank Hatchett was her mentor. “I was really big into jazz because I was going to be a Broadway star,” she says. Again, it was her parents that opened her and her sisters’ world up to the beauty of performance.

“Our parents took us to Broadway all the time, and I saw The Wiz five times. And then we would wait backstage after the show at the stage door and get autographs, and I knew one day I wanted to walk out of that backstage door. I didn’t know how or anything, but all I knew is I wanted to be the one walking out. So my goal was to be on Broadway. And to me, I equated Broadway with jazz dancing, and so I took ballet for the technique, which is the core of any type of dancing, and I took some tap classes. So I was going back and forth between CCM and New York, taking classes, learning the art of auditioning and how to find an audition. I also started making friends in the city, and I had one friend who knew a lot of Broadway people, and I started meeting people.”

Then in 1987, when searching through an industry publication for dance roles, Jones bypassed a printed mention of an open audition for the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. A friend encouraged her to attend that audition, telling her she’d be

a perfect Rockette. Jones, not envisioning being chosen and a bit hesitant, eventually convinced herself to go. “I wasn’t even going to go to the audition. I was always nervous at auditions. So I thought I would go and try to clean up some of the cobwebs, get better at auditioning.” When she arrived, the line was wrapped around Radio City Music Hall, and she thought, ‘Maybe I should just go take my Frank Hatchett class.’ Instead she remained, and was taken with a group to a rehearsal hall. “They put us in a line. I was stretching, and it was very intimidating.

Everyone was beautiful and had long legs, and I thought, ‘Just let me get through this audition.’” After being measured for the approved Rockette height, she made the cut and headed to the floor for a tap routine – in character shoes. “When it was over, I was going to the back of the room to get my bag, and the stage manager came up to me, and he said, ‘Jennifer, we’re going to give you a call back. Bring your tap shoes and bring your picture and resume.”

She went to the call back, and sealed the deal. Jones recalls, “I think it was just maybe a few months later that Violet Holmes, the choreographer at the time, called me and she asked me if I wanted to do the Super Bowl halftime show. That’s when I accepted the her offer.”

Photos courtesy of Jennifer Jones

And then the NBC News broadcast with Sue Simmons. “My mother called me and she said, ‘Jennifer is that you?!’ and I said, ‘I don’t know.’ Nobody said anything, only later to find out that it was me.” Jones was then put through media training, given mock interviews to get used to the real interviews that she would eventually do as the first official African American Radio City Rockette.

Another one of Jones’s proudest Rockette moments is when she performed at the Tony Awards in the Broadway revival of 42nd Street in 2001. The ensemble won the Tony Award that same night for Best Revival of a Musical. Jones was also the first African American Miss Morris County (1989), owned and operated the Jennifer Jones Dance and Fitness Studio in Rockaway from 1990 – 1993, and was the first to kick off CCM’s “I Got It Right” billboard campaign.

Jones, who retired in 2002 and is a member of the Rockette Alumnae Association as well as the Rockettes of Color Alumnae, is currently married to husband Jeffrey DeBarbieri, and has two children, Zachary and Isabella. She is a happy and grateful woman, and has funneled that gratitude towards awareness in a worthwhile initiative that for her hits continued on page 38

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 37

Page 38 • April 2022 • Wayne Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

NJ Starz...

continued from page 36 very close to home. She explains. “I wake up grateful every morning. In 2018 I was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. I was healthy my entire life: I had a professional dancing career, and I was vegetarian for over 20 years.

And when I was diagnosed it was, first of all, a surprise.”

Jones went through eight rounds of chemotherapy, and then had surgery the end of 2018. “In 2019 I was deemed cancer free, and I’ve been cancer free ever since. I went to Memorial Sloan Kettering and had an almost all-female team, which makes it very comfortable for me to speak about it, and I do a lot of work with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. I do speaking engagements about colorectal cancer and awareness, and try to spread the word that the colonoscopy age has lowered to 45 instead of 50. So, I wake up grateful every morning, first of all for my health, for having a roof over my head, for having food on the table, for my family, for my children, for my parents, and for my job.”

Her colorectal cancer battle and survival has redirected how she wants to live her life – a life that continues to be filled with good things. “I have a children’s book coming out the end of the year,” Jones says, “and I have my memoir that will be coming out in 2023, and various other projects that I’m working on. I’m able to shift focus to things that will benefit me and hopefully benefit others.”

For more information about the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, visit www.ccalliance.org. To learn more about Jones, visit www.rockettejenn.com.

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Wayne Life • April 2022 • Page 39

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