Hopewell Valley Neighbors August 2019

August 2019

COURTNEY PETERS-MANNING Finding Her Place on the Planet

Cover photo by Benoit Cortet

A community magazine serving the residents of Hopewell Township, Pennington Borough and Hopewell Borough

Expert Contributors

Home Design and Construction A&E Home Design and Construction

Lawn and Landscaping Cutting Edge Lawn and Landscaping, LLC

Dermatology Windsor Dermatology

Real Estate Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate

Greg Fontaine – Owner 2479 Pennington Rd, Pennington, NJ I 609-737-4425 greg.aeconstruction@gmail.com I AEconstructionNJ.com

Nick Pirone - Owner 1652 Reed Road, Pennington, NJ I 609-356-3465 nick@ce.land I ce.land.com

Alexa Hetzel, Board Certified Physician Assistant 59 One Mile Road Ext., East Windsor, NJ I 609-443-0424 windsordermatology.com I #freezefat

Hopewell Valley 800 Denow Road, Suite N, Pennington, NJ I 609-737-9100 glorianilson.com

Financial Advisor Knox Grove Financial LLC.

Orthodontics DeSimone Orthodontics

Christina Nash – President & CEO 23 Route 31 North, Suite B10, Pennington, NJ I 609-216-7440 Christina@knoxgrove.com I knoxgrovefinancial.com

Dr. Karen DeSimone, DDS 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B-200, Pennington NJ 08534 I 609-737-8000 info@desimoneorthodontics.com I www.desimoneorthodontics.com

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To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Hopewell Valley Neighbors publisher: Rachel Donington: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com.

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August 2019

Publisher’s Letter

Publisher: Rachel Donington rdonington@bestversionmedia.com Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski cbialkowski@bestversionmedia.com Designer: Dale Ver Voort Contributing Photographer: Benoit Cortet www.benoitcortet.com Phone: 917-597-6297 benoit@benoitcortet.com Contributing Writers: Mary Galioto, Kenneth Marples, Lisa Wolff

Dear Residents, I

t can be easy to feel like no one person can make a difference.

We get overwhelmed with our lives and feel like as though nothing we do can have an impact. But the truth is, we all can contribute to the greater good.

In fact, so many people have contributed to the success of Hopewell Valley over the years —dedicated residents, business owners, and volunteers.

There are many names that stand out and shine bright, those known for their leadership and commitment, who see a better future not just for themselves but for the entire community.

A few of those names belong to people we feature in this issue, like Courtney Peters-Manning, Tom Foster, and Pat Ryan. These members of our community, our neighbors, are residents and business leaders who work tirelessly to do the right thing for our community, people with passion and big hearts, and an even bigger vision for making the place we call home better for all.

I hope you enjoy their stories and that they inspire you to believe you, too, can make a difference.

Advertising Contact: Rachel Donington Phone: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com Feedback/Ideas/Submissions Have feedback, ideas or submissions?

We are always happy to hear from you!

Deadlines for submissions are 25th of each month. Go to www. bestversionmedia.com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas and photos to rdonington@bestversionmedia.com.

Content Submission Deadlines: Content Due: Edition Date: November 25.................................... January December 25.................................. February January 25............................................March February 25............................................ April March 25.................................................. May April 25...................................................June May 25......................................................July June 25............................................... August July 25.......................................... September August 25.........................................October September 25 ������������������������������ November October 25................................... December

Publisher: Rachel Donington, 609-462-6786

A

s Rachel said, we often feel that as hard as we try, we alone cannot make a change. But the stories from this month prove otherwise, especially Courtney’s family’s story. In their case, something amazing and impactful came from one small idea that grew and was nourished and encouraged until it reached its full potential: and that idea is now the Cambridge School. I hope the feature this month incites in you a belief that anybody and everybody can make a difference; all it takes is some courage and motivation.

Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski

Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. ©2019 Best Version Media.

All rights reserved.

To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Hopewell Valley Neighbors publisher Rachel Donington: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com.

Hopewell Valley Neighbors

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Be sure to thank them by supporting their businesses.

Tell them you saw their ad in Hopewell Valley Neighbors.

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H AV E A H U N T E R D O N H E A LT H C A R E P H Y S I C I A N ?

HUNTERDON FAMILY & SPORTS MEDICINE AT HO PEWE LL VAL L EY Hunterdon Family & Sports Medicine at Hopewell Valley is part of a network of family practices operated by Hunterdon Healthcare.

We pride ourselves on keeping you healthy.

CALL AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. Hunterdon Family & Sports Medicine at Hopewell Valley 84 Route 31 North, Suite 103 Pennington, N.J. 08534 609.730.1771

S -IN E LK WA COM L WE

L e a r n m ore now at H un te rd on He al th care . o rg / H un te rdQuality on Fami l yMed i2019.qxp_Layout cine Pennington August

1 6/28/19 4:37 PM Page 1

PQM gets Peak-of-the Season fresh produce delivered from our local farms 7 days a week.

• Pineland Farms in Hammonton

PQM WILL HAVE JERSEY FRESH PRODUCE...

Blackberries, blueberries, herbs, corn, cucumbers, broccoli, peppers & squash -along with Jersey Fresh eggplant, peaches, plums, tomatoes & potatoes.

All at the peak of flavor and delivered to us 7 days a week!

• Sansone’s Farm of Hopewell • Blue Moon Acres of Pennington • Zone 7 A New Jersey based 100% local farm fresh distributor

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Securities and investment advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.

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August 2019

Business Profile

Hopewell Motors

By Catherine Bialkowski

I

Tom Foster, owner of Hopewell Motors on East Broad Street in Hopewell Borough, used to drive by the very building that now houses his business every day on the way to school. He never thought he would one day be able to call it his own.

Photo by Benoit Cortet

Tom at Hopewell Motors service garage

During high school, Tom worked for the previous business in the building. Then, when he decided to start his own used car dealership in Hopewell, it seemed like the perfect spot.

“I’ve always had a love for cars, dating back to when I was a little kid,” says Tom, on why he decided to open Hopewell Motors. And, coincidentally, he is also related to a historical Mercer County car family, the Roeblings; Ferdinand Roebling was president of the Mercer Automobile Company. Founded in 1909, this company produced one of the most admired sports cars of its time, the 1910 Type-35R Raceabout, a car that won many races throughout the early 20th century.

What makes Hopewell Motors special is its specialization in German cars, sales, and service. Other similar businesses either sell or service cars—not usually both.

Tom says customer interaction is of high importance to him and his team. “We’ve become friends with a lot of our customers,” he says. He has known Dave, his business partner and head

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mechanic, for 15 years. And many of the younger workers at Hopewell Motors are adolescents and young adults who went through the Hopewell Valley Regional School system just like he did. There’s a strong sense of community. “When you work here, you develop a relationship, a friendship, with others,” says Tom. While Hopewell Motors specializes in German cars, Tom points out that they service all makes and models, both foreign and domestic.

For Tom, working at Hopewell Motors feels like just the place he was meant to be. A lover of cars and lifetime Hopewell Valley resident, he feels blessed to be able to run the business of his dreams in Hopewell Valley.

We specialize in the sale of pre-owned German Automobiles

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(609) 466-1550

hopewellmotors@gmail.com 49 East Broad Street, Hopewell, NJ www.hopewellmotors.com

Hopewell Valley Neighbors

vvv Please call Tom about buying a car or to inquire about service at 609-466-1550. Visit the showroom of Hopewell Motors historic location at 49 East Broad Street, Hopewell Borough or visit the website at www.hopewellmotors.com.

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bornness on from ol that ence.”

Tigue

University 0 Princeton,

The Wilson Family provides affordable dignified services to the families of Hopewell Valley since 1960.

2560 Pennington Road, Pennington, NJ www.WilsonApple.com

Wilson-Apple Funeral Home

Campus shared with St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center

Robert A Wilson, Owner NJ Lic # 2520

609-737-1498 Wilson-Apple Funeral Home

R.Asher Wilson, Manager NJ Lic # 3823/Pa Lic # FD-000766

609-737-1498

Ready to take the next step?

Cromwell-Immordino Memorial Home Joseph A. Immordino, Jr., Manager NJ Lic # 4231

609-466-0233 Timothy F. Reeg Funeral Director

Timothy F.University Reeg, Manager • 2015 Accepted as an Early Decision Candidate to Farleigh Dickinson

St. Mary’s Assisted Living

Grace Garden Memory Care Assisted Living

St. Joseph’s Skilled Nursing

NJ Lic # 3982/Pa Lic # FD-013977-E

Morris Hall Meadows

• 2016 Honors College Preparatory Graduate of The Lewis School

in Lawrenceville, NJ • 2017 TheLocated Lewis School of Princeton Honor For more information, please visit us at www.morrishall.org or contact us at mhadmissions@morrishall.org or 609.895.1937

609-392-1039

Serving Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, Lawrenceville, Society Inductee Ewing, Peinnington, Titusville, Blawenburg, and Princeton.

Knox Grove Financial • 2017 Dean’s List at Fairleigh Dickinson University

A Leading • 2017 Honored Alumni Speaker, The Lewis School Athletic Awards Banquet Research-based K-12 • Awarded a Full FourYear Scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson University College Preparatory • Accepted to all of his top ten colleges Day School • 2017 Most Valuable Player for Fairleigh Dickinson Cross Country Team

“When I first came to Lewis, I was frustrated by the demands of auditory processing in a • 2015 Accepted as an Early Decision Candidate to Farleigh Dickinson University Where thewritten Gifts of lecture Teachers situation Champion and by longer assignments, research and managing the load • 2016 Honors College Preparatory Graduate of The course Lewis School “I have faith, stubbornness and an education from Learning Differently, the Value Thinking in reading. I avoided writing whenever I could. However, theSchool work ethic Honor and Society teamwork • 2017 The Lewis of Princeton Inductee that The Lewis School that give me confidence.”

• 2017 Dean’s List at Fairleighathlete.

Dickinson University thecarried Box™ me through I learnedOutside at Lewisof have as a successful college I know that the June 24 - July Valuable Player for Fairleigh Dickinson Cross Country Team Andrew McTigue at• 2017 lessons I learned from my teachers Fairleigh and coaches TheMost Lewis School will stay with me in athletics Dickinson University • 2017 Honored Alumni Speaker, The Lewis School Athletic Awards Banquet Class of 2020 and in personal successes yet toProcessing come.”

Language and Learning | Auditory The Lewis School of Princeton, • Awarded a Full FourYear Scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson University Athletics | Performing &“The Visual Arts Lewis School helped me to realize that I should not be afraid to approach success in my own way.

Before attending Lewis, I never thought about success or that it would come easily, if it came at all.”

SAT | STEM | Math | Speech & Language

2011- 2016

• Accepted to all of his top ten colleges “When I first came to Lewis, I was frustrated by the demands of auditory processing in a lecture situation and by longer written assignments, research and managing the course load in reading. I avoided writing whenever I could. However, the work ethic and teamwork that I learned at Lewis have carried me through as a successful college athlete. I know that the lessons I learned from my teachers and coaches at The Lewis School will stay with me in athletics and in personal successes yet to come.”

Open Houses Saturdays 10:00 AM April 13 ~ May 11 ~ June 1

“I have faith, and an edu The Lewis give me co

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Andrew M

Fairleigh Dickin Class o The Lewis Scho 2011-

“The Lewis School helped me to realize that I should not be afraid to approach success in my own way.

Before attending Lewis, I never thought about success or that it would come easily, if it came at all.”

Topics and Trends in Education Seminars Wednesdays 1:00 PM April 24 ~ May 15

53 Bayard Lane, Princeton NJ 08540 www.lewisschool.org (609) 924-8120 53 Bayard Ln, Princeton, NJ 08540 | (609) 924 -8120 | www.lewisschool.org info@lewisschool.org

n, Princeton, NJ 08540 | (609) 924 -8120 | www.lewisschool.org 6

53 Bayard

August 2019 Ashley and Pat

Resident Feature Revisited

Revisiting Our Neighbors:

ASHLEY AND PAT RYAN

By Rachel Donington

In June 2018, we featured Pat Ryan and his family as our Resident Feature. Here, we get a quick update on what they are up to now.

Spending time at the Jersey shore. Taking day trips. Visiting family. Vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard. Making memories.

I

photograph by Benoit Cortet

After their kids—Lily, Liam and Quinn— wrapped up their spring sports, the family’s summer activities began. They spent time at their favorite local spots—hiking in Princeton, biking along the Delaware Canal in Lambertville, playing mini golf at the Pennington Golf Center, taking trips From the beautiful weather to the longer to Longwood Gardens and, of course, days, the family of five enjoyed it all this grabbing pizza at Vito’s. summer.

Although maintaining work-life balance can be difficult, Pat and Ashley were intentional about choosing career paths, where they could enjoy balance—in the community, in the office, and most importantly with their family.

For Hopewell Valley residents, Pat Ryan, President and CEO of First Bank, and Ashley Ryan, realtor for Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty, summertime is all about “balance,” being intentional about family time and leaving work at the office.

Pat said he chose community banking because it is a profession where he can make a difference. “I am helping to create a successful local economy where community members and local businesses will thrive,” he said. “I’m helping local residents get financing to start a new business, but I’m also able to coach my kids in sports and join community organizations.”

For the Ryans, the end of summer means the beginning of fall sports and getting ready to settle back into a more structured routine. Twins Lily and Liam are returning to Timberline Middle School as eighth graders and Quinn is entering first grade at Hopewell Elementary School.

“Ashley and I have found ways to not let our jobs run our lives,” Pat added. “Our careers provide a level of flexibility and an opportunity for balance. It’s important that we are home to have dinner together as a family and to tuck the kids in at night.”

vvv

‘PALS’ team members at work

Hopewell Valley Neighbors

Ashley and Pat 7

Resident Feature

I wasn’t born here but I think of it as my home.

I will be here forever.

Courtney

Courtney Peters-Manning

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August 2019

Resident Feature

COURTNEY PETERS-MANNING Finding Her Place on the Planet

By Catherine Bialkowski

I Photos by Benoit Cortet

W

hen Deborah and Jim Peters opened the Cambridge School in 2001 for students with dyslexia and other learning differences, they had no idea of the ways it would impact their own family, years later. The couple’s belief that every child deserves the opportunity for excellent education paired with their desire to “provide that education for bright students who learned differently” is what led them to co-found this incredible place, a K-12 school that specializes in teaching kids with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, auditory processing disorder, executive function difficulties, and other languagebased difficulties. Deborah and Jim, however, view them as learning differences rather than disabilities.

Courtney Peters-Manning, the couple’s daughter and Director of Finance and General Counsel of the Cambridge School, recalls when she and her family lived in Ohio and her mother worked at a college as a therapist.

“There were lots of students who had depression or anxiety who actually had an undiagnosed learning difference,” she says. Often, kids with a learning difference grow up believing they are not smart enough. “They need a different way to learn how to read.”

The Peters family moved a few more times and they were beginning to think about another move. “My mom had this idea,” says Courtney. So Jim took care of the financial aspect, and Deborah wrote the curriculum, and this idea turned into a reality in Pennington.

Courtney, meanwhile, carried on with her own life, still unaware of the role the Cambridge School would soon play in it. She attended Brown University where she studied psychology and went on to work in environmental consulting. “I realized if I ever wanted to move up I had to go back to school,” she says. So she did; she went to law school at the University of Chicago and became an environmental lawyer. Courtney met her husband, Tomas, who is originally from Dublin, Ireland, while playing darts at a local spot in Boston, and the couple lived in Boston for a while before choosing to move to Hopewell Valley for the open space and where Courtney had accepted her current job at the Cambridge School. “We love the farmland,” she says. “We wanted to stretch our arms out a little bit.”

The couple’s older son, Seamus, now 11, was in first grade when he found himself memorizing books in order to keep up with classmates. As time went on, though, the reading became more complicated, and he began to struggle. One Hopewell Valley Neighbors

night, he tearfully told his mother about his problems with reading. His brother Conor, now 9, was also diagnosed with Dyslexia in first grade.

Dyslexia is a genetic condition, so Courtney and Tomas suspect that Tomas has the same learning difference as his sons.

Discovering his learning difference as an adult has cleared up a lot of things for Tomas, spanning his entire life.

“We’re very dyslexia positive in my house,” says Courtney.

Her children knew what dyslexia and other learning differences were before they were diagnosed, because of the school their grandparents had founded. When both boys were diagnosed, they expressed joy not only in knowing there was a different way for them to learn to read but also in knowing they had this special learning difference that, their family had taught them, comes with a lot of gifts, such as excellent visual-spatial skills, creativity, visual processing, and more. “They both think it’s awesome to have dyslexia.”

By some alignment of the stars, Courtney started working at the Cambridge school before Conor was born and before she knew dyslexia played any kind of role in her immediate family. It’s a crazy coincidence and a huge gift. “I’m the luckiest person. I go to school with my chidren. I get to see my parents every day; I share an office with my dad. He is mostly retired now, but he has taught me a lot. I feel so lucky to be doing something so meaningful.”

And, Courtney feels she has found her “hometown.” “I wasn’t born here but I think of it as my home. I will be here forever,” she says. She is involved with the community in many ways; she is on the boards of Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and the Lawrence Hopewell Trail. Nature and open space, she says, are “so important. That’s why we moved here.”

Courtney says she’s been looking for Hopewell Valley her entire life. “I finally found it. I really love it.”

She shares her words to live by, which truly encapsulate the spirit of giving, encouragement, and making a positive difference in the world her family demonstrates. They come from poet Gary Snyder: “Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there.”

And Courtney has done just that.

vvv To learn more about the Cambridge School, please visit www.thecambridgeschool.org.

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Courtney & Tomas, with their sons Conor and Seamus

Providing Landscape Design, Installation and Maintenance to Pennington NJ and the surrounding towns since 2006‌

HOPEWELL’s Premier Lawn and Landscaping Company

Jody with the SKIT team in action

www.ce.land 10

August 2019

Seamus and Conor

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Real Estate

Hopewell Valley Market Activity

JUNE SOLDS - Homes ADDRESS BEDS 8 Academy Ct 1 113 Ingleside Ave 3 606 Bollen Ct 2 42 Brewster Ct 2 515 Amberleigh Dr 3 4 Apache Dr 3 6 Church Rd 3 7 Cortlandt Ave 3 705 Deer Run Ct 3 101 Sandpiper Ct 3 440 Washington Crossing Pennington Rd 3 16 Creek Rim Dr 3 67 N Greenwood Ave 3 410 Reading Ave 3 120 Pleasant Valley 3 107 Pierson Dr 3 18 Manley Rd 4 81 Columbia Ave 4 77 Elm Ridge 3 128 River Dr 3 109 W Welling Ave 3 5 Hedgecroft Dr 3

BATHS SOLD PRICE 1 $215,000 1 $285,000 2.5 $300,000 2 $305,000 2.5 $310,000 1.5 $314,900 1.5 $319,000 2 $328,200 2.5 $350,000 2.5 $365,000 1 $365,000 2 $385,000 1.5 $385,000 2.5 $389,900 2.5 $417,500 2 $475,000 2.5 $493,200 2.5 $498,500 2.5 $520,000 2 $529,900 2 $538,300 2.5 $545,000

14 Fox Run Rd 13 Cleveland Rd W 107 Jamieson Dr 75 Columbia Ave 2 Voorhees Way 21 Harbourton Ridge Dr 420 Burd St 2 Pine Tavern Ct 13 Aunt Molly Rd 21 Nelson Ridge Rd. 54 Mountain Church Rd

4 4 5 4 4 4 4 5 4 4 4

2.5 3 3 2.5 3.5 3.5 2.5 3.5 4 4.5 2/3

$550,000 $562,500 $600,000 $605,500 $640,000 $685,000 $697,500 $725,000 $802,500 $820,000 $1,095,000

2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4

1 1 2.5 2.5 2.5 2 2 2.5 3/2

$1,500 $1,900 $2,600 $2,700 $2,900 $2,900 $3,000 $3,000 $4,200

RESIDENTAL RENTALS 17 Burd Street 86 New Rd 43 Haddon Ct 250 Brinley Drive 141 Coburn Rd 17 Carey St 19 Fanning Way 45 Manley Rd 17 Independence Way

Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. The data does not represent the listings of any one agent or agency but represents the activity of the entire real estate community in the area. Any real estate agent’s ad appearing in the magazine is separate from the statistical data provided which is in no way a part of their advertisement.

137 Hopewell Wertsville Rd. Hopewell Twp For Sale

HOPEWELL VALLEY OFFICE 800 Denow Rd, Suite N, Pennington, NJ 08534

609.737.9100 www.GloriaNilson.com

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August 2019

Architect since 1996 Building Types Include: Single Family Residences Locally, at Beach and Mountains Offices, Restaurants, Retail and Historic Buildings New Buildings and Renovations 150 + Built Projects in NJ PO Box 250 Sergeantsville, NJ 08557 609-902-8840 l gary.GMArchitects@gmail.com

Hopewell Valley Neighbors

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Calendar of Events

Hopewell Happenings

Every Saturday in August Pennington Farmers’ Market Bringing together 4 Hopewell Valley local farms and other small businesses every Saturday through the middle of November. Local artists and musicians featured each week, and community groups are provided with a place to reach out to their neighbors. @ Rosedale Mills front lawn, 101 Route 31, Pennington Time: 9am-1pm Every Wednesday in August Quoits & Horseshoes @ at the Train Station Park, Hopewell Borough Time: 7pm Thurs., August 1 Tail Waggin’ Tutors: Giselle & Pistal Come read to Reading Therapy Dog Giselle or Pistal and their owner Debra Lampert-Rudman.

A great way for readers to develop fluency while gaining confidence. @ Pennington Public Library, 30 North Main Street, Pennington Register for a 15-minute slot at www. penningtonlibrary.org. For ages 5 and up.

Movie: 2001: War of the Worlds (1953) Mars makes a devastating attack on Earth.

(G, 85 minutes). @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 7-8pm Part of A Universe of Stories@ the Movies Series. No registration necessary.

Fri., August 2 Tips for Keeping Your Skin Radiant & Healthy Discover the newest techniques that can help you keep your skin healthy and looking radiant. Learn how to take proper care of your skin to prevent and reduce the unwanted signs of aging. Dermatologic products and procedures, including sun protection, Botox and microdermabrasion will also be discussed. @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 10-11am Please email hopeprogs@mcl.org to subscribe.

Concerts in the Park: This Old Engine @ the Volunteer Bandstand Park, Hopewell Borough Time: 7-9:30pm Co-sponsored by 1st Constitution Bank Rain date Sun., August 4 Mon., August 5 Teen Anime Night Watch the latest Anime and enjoy themed treats. Age 12-19. @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 6:30-7:30pm Contact: Katie Chase at kchase@mcl.org

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Blawenburg Band Concert @ the Train Station, Hopewell Borough Time: 7:30pm www.blawenburgband.org Wed., August 7 Movie: WALL-E (2008) Oscar-winning CGI-animated delight about the misadventures of the last robot on Earth, circa 2800, who romances a sleek, high-tech android.

(G, 98 minutes). @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 2-3:45pm Part of A Universe of Stories @ the Movies Series. No registration necessary.

Thurs., August 8 Tail Waggin’ Tutors: Giselle & Pistal Come read to Reading Therapy Dog Giselle or Pistal and their owner Debra Lampert-Rudman.

A great way for readers to develop fluency while gaining confidence. @ Pennington Public Library, 30 North Main Street, Pennington Register for a 15-minute slot, call 609-737-0404.

For ages 5 and up.

Wed., August 14 Interfaith Caregivers: a program for Hopewell Valley Seniors @ Hopewell Valley Senior Center, 395 Reading Street, Pennington Time: 10-11am For more information go to www.hopewelltwp.org/177/Senior-Services Thurs., August 15 Summer Concert Series: Tone Rangers Band @ Howe Commons Lawn, South Main Street, Pennington Time: 6-8pm All Welcome!

Wed., August 21 How do you Communicate: a program for Hopewell Valley Seniors @ Hopewell Valley Senior Center, 395 Reading Street, Pennington Time: 10-11am For more information go to www.hopewelltwp.org/177/Senior-Services Sat., August 24 Animation at the Station: Outdoor movie at the Mini Park @ the Train Station, Hopewell Borough Time: 8pm Tues., August 27 Storytime For Kids Action rhymes, songs, and felt board activities are part of the program for ages 2-5 years. An age-appropriate craft follows story time. @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 1-1:45pm No registration required. Ages 2-5 with a caregiver. Siblings welcome.

Sat., August 31 Labor Day Weekend!

vvv Let us help promote your local community event!

Please join our Hopewell Happenings Page by sending us your Event Listing. Open to all Hopewell Valley organizations, clubs and local businesses. You can email your submissions to rdonington@bestversionmedia.com.

Fri., August 16 Concert in the Park: Na’Bodach @ the Volunteer Bandstand Park, Hopewell Borough Time: 7-9:30pm Co-sponsored by 1st Constitution Bank Rain date Sun., August 18 Sat., August 17 Yoga for Beginners Yoga has been used to relieve stress, anxiety, and tension. It can be beneficial to the mind and body by promoting a more relaxed and comfortable state of being.

Representatives from the Isha Foundation will provide an introduction to yoga and its benefits.

They will guide participants, teaching simple yoga postures. @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 10:30am-12:30pm

July 2019

Hopewell Valley History

Historic Living

Lee and George White’s Home at Pennington Railroad Station

By Catherine Bialkowski | Photos by Benoit Cortet For 20 years, Lee White has taught at Toll Gate Grammar School in Pennington. A familiar face for countless Pennington residents, she has impacted the lives of many a student. But the story of where she lives, her home, is unique and interesting in itself.

Lee and her husband, George, live at Pennington Railroad Station, a former passenger station built in 1882 by the Reading Railroad Company. Although the passenger line ceased operating in the 1950s, the freight line continues today.

The station building in which the couple lives is a beautiful stone structure that was bought by Erwin Harbat in the mid1970s. Erwin and his brother owned a dairy farm, and they used to bring their milk to the station twice a day to be shipped out. Erwin transformed it into Lee enjoys a cup of coffee home at the station, train and all.

two separate apartments in the 70s, maintaining an upstairs living area long used by the live-in station master and his family.

In the mid-1980s, Erwin collaborated with Princeton architect Robert Hillier, who would design the Station at Pennington condos nearby to echo the architecture of the train station.

Lee and George bought both units of the property in 2005, when their kids, Brian and Ellen, were still in school.

Having moved to the area in 1997, they had already lived in two different homes before settling at the station. When they saw it, they were sold. “We walked in there and it was such a wonderful space,” she says. “It still had a lot of elements of the 1970s. We wanted to make it look like the 1870s again.”

Lee and George get a lot of friendly questions about living at the station. The general one is “what’s it like?”

“It’s pretty cool to live in such an important part of Hopewell Valley history,” Lee says. Another frequent question is about the noise from the freight trains rolling past. According to George, “those 18-inch stone walls dampen the noise considerably. I’ve actually grown to enjoy the soft clicketyclack; and that’s only when I actually notice it!”

The station is a big piece of Hopewell Valley history. And Lee and George are so happy living in this wonderful community which they originally targeted because of the excellent schools. When Lee went on to become a teacher as a kind of fourth career (she’s worked in higher education, as a corporate trainer, and from home part time while their children were little), it was a perfect fit.

“We fell in love with Toll Gate,” she says. “The principal and staff were so welcoming.”

They joined Pennington Presbyterian Church as soon as they moved in; they are both still very involved in church leadership, choir and service activities.

“Over the years we’ve come to know so many wonderful people and treasure the dear friendships we’ve made here.”

They remember their very first Pennington Day, too.

George, who works for the New Jersey Association for Justice, even started a musical group 12 years ago by the name of Pennington Station with some old friends from college. Their home has impacted them in ways they had not expected!

Overall, living at Pennington Station has been an incredible experience for George and Lee White. With a background rich in history, happy memories, and interesting facts, the station has provided them with a home in the community they so love.

And for that, they are deeply grateful.

vvv Hopewell Valley Neighbors

15

In The Arts

Hopewell Valley Arts Council Scholarship Winners Share Passion for Art

By Mary Galioto | Public Relations and Media Coordinator, Hopewell Valley Arts Council

This year’s Hopewell Valley Arts Council Scholarship award winners all work in different media, but share a passion for the arts and its ability to shed light on the workings of their inner self and the community.

Harpist Ruby Reynertson will attend Drexel University in the fall, and her enthusiasm for music is contagious. “My life is driven by passion and self-motivation,” she explained, “with music being one of the most valuable pieces of it.”

Senior Owen Harrison’s love for acting enriches his inner-life.

“Bringing a character and a story to life is my greatest passion in the world but it’s much more than just what I do when I’m performing,” he said. “My art has given me a medium through which I can understand myself.” Harrison will attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to pursue a BA in drama and acting.

Eliza Rosenthale is a poet whose precision with language helps her articulate and her own self-exploration. She will continue writing as a student at Rutgers University. “To me, writing poetry is more than translating all the sensory details of a fraction of life onto a page,” she said. “It is about developing a better understanding of myself.”

Studio artist Meredith Taggart is a believer in the power of the arts to move people throughout her community. “I want to encourage people in my community to get involved with art,” she said “as any person can benefit from trying art, no matter their skill-set or experience.”

Though their art and creative perspectives may vary, our 2019 scholarship winners clearly demonstrate a bright future for the arts in Hopewell Valley.

Since 2015, the Hopewell Valley Arts Council has offered four scholarships each year to graduating seniors of Hopewell Valley Central High School. These scholarships of $500 per recipient are a critical part of the HV Arts mission to encourage creativity in the Hopewell Valley community and foster lifelong participation in the arts.

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Hopewell Valley Arts Council is proud to acknowledge the 2019 scholarship winners: Eliza Rosenthale, Owen Harrison, Ruby Reynertson, and Meredith Taggart (not photographed)!

Save the Date! ArtConnect Forum: A Community Gathering for Art Enthusiasts, Artists & Creative Minds on Wednesday, September 18 at The Pennington School. Come to this informative and social gathering to hear three local artists share their work, inspiration, and creative process.

vvv For more information about our art initiatives and community art programs that celebrate art in the everyday, please visit our website hvartscouncil.org.

August 2019

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Recipe

EASY ELEGANT SHRIMP LINGUINE

By Madison Farkas

Pennington Montessori School Premier Early Childhood Education 6 Weeks thru Kindergarten Academic Curriculum Music-Spanish-Outdoor Education

Ingredients

Directions

Approx. 10.5 oz. package linguine, cooked and drained

Melt butter in large wok or frying pan.

10.5 oz. package peeled cooked shrimp, thawed

Add garlic and brown lightly, then add onion and brown lightly.

2 cloves garlic, minced

Add cooked linguine and toss until combined.

2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped 2 Tbsp dry white wine 2 tsp dried parsley flakes 2 tsp chili flakes 2 Tbsp butter

Add wine, parsley, chili flakes, parmesan and salt and pepper, then toss to combine.

Add shrimp and toss until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

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1 Tbsp parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste

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August 2019

Non-Profit Spotlight

THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS

By Lisa Wolff | Executive Director, FoHVOS

I

n the late 1700s, English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge inked a phrase still known today as “Water, Water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink.” Hundreds of years later, the expression still haunts readers who immediately imagine being thirsty on a boat surrounded by salty ocean water.

Although there are still significant concerns about the local water supply, technological advances throughout the years have provided some solutions toward improving drinking water availability.

Unfortunately, a similar ecological issue exists that has only worsened over time. Imagine a world of birds, butterflies, and insects searching desperately through the greenery of our forests and landscape to locate nourishment for themselves and their young, only to find none.

As development increases, lawns are planted, and invasive species overtake our landscape, native plants, once readily available, become scarce commodities unable to sustain the important beings sharing our earth.

About a decade ago, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space Stewardship Director Mike Van Clef and Washington Crossing Audubon Society President Sharyn Magee authored a study that researched neo-tropical migrant birds at The Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain in Mercer County, and the Northern Stony Brook Preserve in Mercer and Hunterdon Counties.

They specifically researched Kentucky and hooded warblers and found that the number of birds increased along with the availability of native plants.

More recently, researchers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute wanted to know how plants in human-managed landscapes affect the reproductive success of resident bird Hooded Warbler

I

Photos by Sharyn Magee

populations. Similarly, they studied local plantings and monitored the nests of Carolina Chickadees. The analysis found that chickadees could only sustain their population when at least 70 percent of plants in a nesting area were native.

Local landscapes fall woefully short of that number.

In November 2018, The National Academy of Science published their study entitled, “Nonnative plants reduce population growth of an insectivorous bird.”

The conclusion is clear – We need to make more native plants available.

We all have the ability to help, starting in our own backyard. “Each plant in your landscape you should think of as a bird feeder,” says Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware who also worked on the Smithsonian study. “It either has food in it, or it doesn’t.”

Many local nurseries and nonprofit organizations offer native plants for sale. Also, consider converting a small portion of lawn to meadow using a native seed mix. Contribute to or volunteer with nonprofits that offer community conservation initiatives to work on public lands to identify and reduce invasive species populations and restore with local native plants.

vvv For more information, visit fohvos.info or email lwolff@fohvos.org.

Kentucky Warbler

vvv

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