July 2019
Jody Wood Quite Simply, Changing Lives
Cover photo by Benoit Cortet
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July 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, John Finnegan, Kenneth Marples, Lisa Wolff
Dear Residents, N
Giving back is when we give, and then nothing happens. No benefits for you, no recognition, nothing tangible gets sent your way. The biggest and sole reward is the realization that you’ve made a positive change in someone’s life. In this issue, we meet Jody Wood, a successful Hollywood actor who uses his dramatic talents to reach out to people with special needs, inviting them to perform in a way that allows them to communicate through improv. Jody’s program, SKIT, has changed many lives, and he shares with us the impact his work has had on both the community and his own personal career as an actor. We also revisit Violetta and Sergio Neri, creators of PALS (Pennington Adult Living Services), who are reopening a store that sells products created by artists and individuals with special needs, and is a place where they can feel welcomed and accepted. I am so proud to support these neighbors who are helping others live a better life, and to be able to recognize and celebrate the special needs community within our own.
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
o matter how tough you think life can be at times, there’s always someone who has to face challenges that are even tougher than yours.
I hope the stories impact your life as they did mine. Publisher: Rachel Donington, 609-462-6786
S
peaking with Jody this month was so incredibly interesting and, frankly, fun! Who doesn’t love hearing about a real, credited actor’s life, what he’s been in, how he started his career? Jody shares with us a fascinating story of his own dreams and career goals, but takes it a step further, giving us a glimpse into the thing that’s been his passion for the past two years: SKIT, an improv program for students with special needs. Jody’s dedication to this project is inspiring, and I think you, the readers, will really enjoy hearing about how it’s changed his life and the lives of many others. Maybe, you’ll also learn a thing or two. 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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July 2019
Resident Submitted
Facts About the Fourth By Catherine Bialkowski
Red, white, and blue become the primary colors on the fourth day of July every year, the United States’ Independence Day. On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress declared that the thirteen colonies were free of British rule, creating what has become an iconic federal holiday. Here are some lesser-known historical facts about this holiday and its associations:
What Else Happened on This Day? The fourth of July is automatically associated with Independence Day, but plenty of other interesting things have happened on this date in history:
A Brief History of Fireworks Undoubtedly, you will watch a fireworks display this year on the Fourth (or at least hear one!) Did you know that fireworks were actually invented in ancient China in the second century B.C.? They were bamboo stalks that exploded when thrown into fire, thought to ward off evil spirits. Between 600 and 900 A.D., a Chinese alchemist created gunpowder for the first time, mixing together sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate. This was put into hollowed bamboo sticks, creating the world’s first fireworks. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, fireworks found their way to Europe. The first United States settlers eventually brought them over to North America, where they have become traditional during holidays and celebrations.
1803 - The Louisiana Purchase Treaty was announced to the American people.
The Colors on the Flag Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress from 1774-1789, reported to Congress on June 20, 1782, that white signified purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; and blue, vigilance, justice, and perseverance. This three-color combination, however, is not unique to the United States; 30 total flags across the world use these colors in their design. Food on the Fourth Eating salmon on the Fourth of July is a New England tradition, as the fish was bountiful in rivers throughout the area. Pair it with peas this year to eat it in the traditional way! Americans will eat around 150 million hot dogs on the fourth. The winner of the 2018 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut, ate 74 of them in 10 minutes.
1054 - Chinese astronomers discovered the Crab Nebula, the sixlight-year-wide remainder of a supernova explosion.
1804 - The Scarlet Letter author Nathaniel Hawthorne was born. 1826 - Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died; this was also the 50th anniversary of independence. Talk about coincidence! 1862 - Lewis Carroll came up with the idea for Alice in Wonderland while on a boat with Dean Henry Liddell’s three daughters (the youngest of whom was named Alice); he told them a story that would eventually turn into this beloved book. 1884 - The country of France officially gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States. 1966 - The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson 1996 - The email service Hotmail went live.
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Happy Fourth of July! Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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July 2019
Spotlight on Community
CHANCE on Main Reopens Its Doors as PALS on Main
A Community Store and Workplace Celebrating Abilities By Rachel Donington
CHANCE on Main started with a boy whose contributions are many, but whose abilities do not exactly match up with society’s expectations for full employment. Tyler Bell revealed that with a little time, understanding, and perspective, others might take a second look. He just needed a chance to show what he could do. Because not speaking is not the same as having nothing to say, Something to Say Art, was born out of Tyler’s satisfaction with a paintbrush. There are many others like Tyler—artist whose talents and contributions can be better revealed with time, understanding, and opportunity.
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photograph by Benoit Cortet
CHANCE on Main strived to feature irresistible finds that supported chances for an individual or a cause through meaningful work, earth-friendly and sustainable practices, and creativity. Celebrating handmade, organic, recycled and repurposed, fair trade, charitable, made in USA, and local products. Tyler and Chance founder, Liz Bell, moved to another state a few years ago, and its mission continued in the care of four local individuals, Janneke, Deb, Barb and Betsy. Eventually people move on and new opportunities for others become available. CHANCE on Main will reopen its doors this summer as PALS on Main, a community store and workplace
celebrating abilities. Pennington Adult Living Services, known as PALS, will be the new owners of this special store that brings art and artisanal wares crafted locally, as well as continue the tradition to provide opportunities for others who just need a chance to show what they can do. PALS morphed from Project Autism, a non-profit organization created by Hopewell Valley Vineyards owners, Violetta and Sergio Neri, to help adult individuals with autism achieve more independent, productive, and happy lives. The Neri family has experienced the impact of autism for over two decades, and they have supported local autism intervention programs for an equally long time. As their son Davide was moving into adulthood with ASD, there were few programs available for independence and employment. They created PALS so that people with disabilities could find meaningful employment in a safe and integrated environment. Be sure to visit PALS on Main to shop and enjoy their products and programs that help support the talents of local artists, and specifically individuals with special needs. Given a chance, everyone has something to say.
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PALS on Main is located at 34 South Main St, Pennington. You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy local and that’s kind of the same thing—here’s your chance. ‘PALS’ team members at work
For more information about PALS please visit the Hopewell Valley Vineyard website at www.hopewellvalleyvineyards.com.
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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I noticed that students were becoming more confident. You feel like you’re changing lives. JODY
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July 2019
Resident Feature
JODY WOOD Quite Simply, Changing Lives By Catherine Bialkowski
I Photos by Benoit Cortet
When Jody Wood was seventeen years old, his parish priest asked him to perform a dramatic monologue at a local Irish festival. Jody, from New Brighton, Staten Island, known for his lighthearted impressions of teachers and ability to make anybody laugh, donned the getup of a twentieth-century old woman and became her, someone whose husband and sons were killed in war and whose sorrow and grief emanated from the stage, reaching the audience. Jody’s friends and family were used to his comedic talents, but this performance was a step further. “By the end of it, you could hear a pin drop,” he says. “That’s when I said, ‘I’m going to do this for the rest of my life.’” From there, Jody began to audition for plays and theater programs, where he learned a lot about the craft through firsthand experience. After graduating from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Jody started to look for acting jobs. “I worked hard to develop myself as an actor,” he says. His very first role was in One Life to Live, a soap opera that started airing in the 60s. After working for various TV shows in New York (and performing his own one man show Off Broadway), Jody “made the big move to L.A.,” where he was signed by a manager and started working immediately. Throughout his career, Jody has been in Law & Order, The Young and the Restless, CSI: Miami, L.A. Confidential, NYPD Blue, ER, The King of Queens, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, and had a recurring role for four years as Detective Danby on Boston Public, to name a few out of his extensive list of credits. All the while, though, Jody says he felt there was something missing. “I couldn’t figure out why.” Eventually, Jody moved back to New Jersey with his family and opened JW Actor’s Studio in Princeton twelve years ago, where he and his team began to offer improv-based training to students of all ages. Jody, who had worked in improvisational theater for many years, says it’s “all about working together as a team. There’s no ‘star.’” He teaches his students what he calls the “Yes, and” mindset: “yes, I am listening, and I am going to build on your idea,” he says. The principles used in improv and in this mindset are relevant to virtually anyone’s career--and life in general. Listening and communicating, two of the major aspects of this type of theater training, are integral parts of leading an honest, fulfilling life. “I noticed that students were becoming more confident,” says Jody. “You feel like you’re changing lives.” One of Jody’s students had an older brother with autism. The boys’ parents approached Jody with an idea: what if Jody developed an improvisational theater based program designed to build strong communication and social skills for students with special needs? Jody loved the idea, and for the past two years, has been working to develop SKIT (special kind of improvisational theater), whose mission is “building strong communication, collaboration, listening, and social skills for individuals with intellectual and Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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Resident Feature developmental disabilities.” Shortly after starting the program, Jody realized that SKIT was what had been missing all that time. “I said, ‘this is it!’” The “Yes, and” mindset works incredibly well with people of all abilities because “it teaches you to get there together,” says Jody, “there” referring to the end product: in the case of improv, a great scene! “It’s about focusing and listening and being fully present, not planning what you’re going to say or being the star. It’s about creating a story together, and serving that story. We cannot do that alone; we have to do it together. It’s the most rewarding work.” In his JW Actor’s studio classes, Jody teaches his students to understand that the people they are playing are human beings, and that they can pull them off the page and let them live for a while. Jody loves “watching the light go on” in a student’s eyes as they perform. And the students themselves are, for Jody, the most special part of the whole experience. Jody recalls one SKIT student, a boy with autism in South Jersey, who was shy and nervous to participate. “I shook his hand and said, ‘No problem. The only rule is you have to stay in the room.’” The young boy watched from the side at first, observing the other students. Slowly, he moved toward the group, where he eventually decided to try an exercise. One turned into two, and two turned into three. “He couldn’t stop! The teacher said, ‘What just happened? I’ve never seen him behave this way before!’ Everybody has something to offer.” Last summer, one of Jody’s SKIT groups put on an improv performance at the end of their two-week program. “They were
apprehensive to say the least,” he says, “so I told them they should think of it more as a way of showing our family and friends what our favorite improv games were. We went over an hour and they were awesome. To see such a light in their eyes and the confidence exuding from them was quite something.” After the show, at a pizza party celebration, Jody asked one of the young women who had performed how she felt. “Alive,” she replied. She looked at her mother, standing nearby, and they began to cry, embracing. “I stood there watching this, saying to myself, ‘Wow, this is why we’re doing this.’” Overall, the experience of opening JW Actor’s Studio and, more recently, SKIT, has been life-changing for Jody. “It has really opened my eyes to the potential of acting, what acting can be about. There’s no ego in this. Acting work is about communication and vulnerability and honesty. It can be used in a way that changes lives. That, to me, is even more rewarding than being in a movie.”
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JW Actor’s Studio welcomes students ages 7 and up. Please visit www. jwactorstudio.com for information about summer camp and other programs. For information on classes and summer camps for people with special needs, please see www.skitprograms.com.
Jody with the SKIT team in action
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact Rachel Donington at rdonington@bestversionmedia.com. 10
July 2019
Recipe
Brownie & Fruit Kabobs Perfect for your July 4th Celebration! By Rachel Donington
Brownie and Fruit Kabobs INGREDIENTS • 9X13-inch pan of Brownies (chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes) • 1 pint blueberries, washed • 1 pint strawberries, washed and hulled
You don’t have to save kabobs for the grill, they make great no-grill snacks too. These RED, WHITE, and BLUE kabobs are perfectly balanced with healthy fruits and sweet delights, like brownie bites and marshmallows, that the kids will surely gobble up. All you will need to assemble these yummy kabobs is fresh blueberries and strawberries, large marshmallows, and brownies of your choice. You could even drizzle them with hot fudge sauce prior to serving for presentation and for added chocolatey flavor.
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• Large marshmallows • Hot Fudge Sauce for drizzling, if desired • Bamboo/wooden skewers INSTRUCTIONS 1. Alternate threading brownies, fruit and marshmallows onto wooden skewers. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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Real Estate
Hopewell Valley Market Activity
MAY SOLDS - Homes ADDRESS
156 Shrewsbury Ct 11 Academy Ct 5 Academy Ct 15 Blue Ridge Rd 31 Washington Crossing Penn Rd 6 Grenloch Dr 17 Orchard Ave 41 Wilfred Ave 8 Hilton Ct 202 Deer Run Ct 509 Tuxford Ct 47 Lafayette St 6 Morningside Dr 91 Knox Ct 15 Park Ave 67 Hart Ave 83 E Broad St 2 Winding Brook Way 6 Applewood Dr
BEDS 2 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 4 4 3 6
BATHS SOLD PRICE
1.5 1 1 1 2 1.5 1.5 & .5 1 2.5 2.5 2.5 1.5 2 2.5 2 2 2.5 2 3.5
$84,640 $197,000 $202,500 $275,000 $285,000 $296,400 $300,000 $305,000 $308,000 $311,000 $315,000 $330,000 $340,000 $364,000 $365,000 $390,000 $395,000 $395,000 $404,000
ADDRESS 116-118 S Main St 78 Bayberry Rd 412 S Main St 4 Carey St 32 Chicory Ln 30 2nd St 2607 Pennington Rd 68 Lambertville Hopewell Rd 3 Madaket Ln 120 King George Rd 129 E Delaware Ave 103 Pierson Dr 3 Fitzgerald Dr 1 Applewood Dr 11 Applewood Dr 16 Todd Ridge Dr 46 Harbourton Woodsville Rd
BEDS 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 3 4 4 5 4 5 5 5 5 5
BATHS SOLD PRICE 2 $407,000 2.5 $483,000 2.5 $500,000 2.5 $507,000 2.5 $530,000 2 $575,000 3.5 $616,500 2.5 $625,000 3.5 $650,000 2.5 $667,500 2.5 $698,500 2.5 $715,000 4.5 $775,000 4.5 $799,100 4.5 $839,500 4.5 $999,000 4.5 $1,025,000
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.
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HOPEWELL VALLEY OFFICE 800 Denow Rd, Suite N, Pennington, NJ 08534
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July 2019
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Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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Calendar of Events
Hopewell Happenings
Every Saturday 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 Quoits & Horseshoes @ at the Train Station Park, Hopewell Borough Time: 7pm Tues., July 2 Movie: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Mankind finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, artifact buried on the moon and, with the intelligent computer HAL, sets off on a quest (G, 139 minutes). @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 1:30-4pm Part of A Universe of Stories@ the Movies Series. No registration necessary. Thurs., July 4 Independence Day 2019 in United States Happy Fourth of July! 4th of July Races Presented by Pennington Borough Recreation Dept. Ages 3-12 years old. @ The Pennington School Track, Burd Street, Pennington Time: starts at 9:15am Fri., July 5 Concerts in the Park: Gravity Hill Band @ the Volunteer Bandstand Park, Hopewell Borough Time: 7-9:30pm Rain date Sun., July 7. Co-sponsored by 1st Constitution Bank Mon., July 8 Blawenburg Band Concert @ the Train Station, Hopewell Borough Time: 7:30pm Wed., July 10 Make A Model Rocket Delve into the world of space engineering. Explore our solar system before venturing out into distant galaxies. Through illustrations and group experiments, learn about orbital velocity, stages of a rocket, Newton’s Third Law of Action and more. Then make your own cardboard model three-stage rocket. If there is time, students can make additional models, such as spacecraft, the night sky, and
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constellation viewer. @ Pennington Public Library, 30 North Main Street, Pennington Time: 3-5pm For Ages 8+. Space is limited. Please register to kha@penningtonlibrary.org Participation fee is $5. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Thurs., July 11 Movie: Gravity (2013) Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. (PG-13, 91 minutes). @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 7-8:45pm Part of A Universe of Stories @ the Movies Series. No registration necessary. Wed., July 17 Life St. Francis A presentation from Life St. Francis, a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly. @ Hopewell Valley Senior Center, 395 Reading Street, Pennington Time: 10-11am . Thurs., July 18 Summer Concert Series: Charlie Don’t Surf @ Howe Commons Lawn, Pennington Time: 6-8pm All Welcome! Fri., July 19 Movie: Apollo 13 (1995) The story of the 1970 lunar mission, which suffered an explosion in space that disabled the ship, leaving the astronauts and Mission Control to work frenetically on devising a plan to get the men home safely. Based on actual events (PG, 140 minutes). @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 1:30-4pm Part of A Universe of Stories @ the Movies Series. No registration necessary. Concert in the Park: Sarah Donner Band @ the Volunteer Bandstand Park, Hopewell Borough Time: 7-9:30pm Rain date Sun., July 21. Co-sponsored by 1st Constitution Bank. Sat., July 20 Meditation for Beginners Attain health, clarity, and joy. In this one-hour session you will learn Isha Kriya, a simple 1218 minute practice, to help you to become meditative effortlessly. Isha Kriya does not require any previous experience with meditation and can be done sitting in a chair. @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 10-11am No registration necessary.
This session is brought to you by the Isha Foundation, an international non-profit aimed to bring well-being to everyone through yoga and meditation. Mon., July 22 Blawenburg Band Concert @ the Train Station, Hopewell Borough Time: 7:30pm Wed., July 24 Take it Easy! Proper & Safe Body Mechanics Anne Marie Chipowski, MSPT, Director of the Greenwood House r3 Rehab Program and licensed physical therapist, will review how you can become more active if you just implement proper & easier ways to maneuver your body while doing the normal activities of daily living. @ Hopewell Valley Senior Center, 395 Reading Street, Pennington Time: 10 -11am Movie: Interstellar (2014) Astronauts embark on a dangerous mission through a wormhole in order to find a habitable planet in a distant galaxy (PG-13, 169). @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 1:30-4pm Part of A Universe of Stories @ the Movies Series. No registration necessary. Sat., July 27 Pennington Farmer’s Market: Peach Day & Recycling Event @ Rosedale Mills front lawn, 101 Route 31, Pennington Time: 9am-1pm Mon., July 29 Movie: Marooned (1969) Mission control races against time and a hurricane to retrieve three astronauts trapped in space on a malfunctioning craft and running out of oxygen. With Oscar-winning special effects. (G, 134 minutes). @ Mercer County Library, Hopewell Branch Time: 6:30-8:45pm Part of A Universe of Stories @ the Movies Series. No registration necessary.
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.
July 2019
The Wilson Family provides affordable dignified services to the families of Hopewell Valley since 1960.
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Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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In The Arts
Hopewell Valley Arts Council News By Mary Galioto | Public Relations and Media Coordinator, Hopewell Valley Arts Council
Get creative with us! Come express yourself at the “Art Tent” during the Pennington summer concerts on the lawn of Howe Commons in Pennington, Thursdays, July 18 and August 15. Join us to add your creative touch to a work of art decorated by members of our community. As part of the HV Arts Council’s initiative, Out of the Ashes: Art Emerging from Fallen Trees, ash wood spires will be decorated to commemorate the devastating loss of the ash tree, one of the primary native trees in Hopewell Valley, as they succumb to the effects of the invasive emerald ash borer beetle. More than 60 art spires, decorated by local artists, will be on display throughout Hopewell Valley during the summer of 2020.
Congratulations to 2019 scholarship winners! 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. Congratulations to the HV Arts Council 2019 scholarships: Owen Harrison will attend the University of NC, School or the Arts; Ruby Reynertson will enter the music program at Drexel University; Meredith Taggart will attend Boston College, Morrissey College of Arts & Science; and Eliza Rosenthale, will pursue a creative writing degree.
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Non-Profit Spotlight
A FORCE OF NATURE SHARYN MAGEE By Lisa Wolff | Executive Director, FoHVOS
A
n era of instant gratification is one of the greatest challenges to the world of conservation. Some people have difficulty understanding how their actions today impact the world of tomorrow. Others find it frustrating that nature has her own pace and planting seeds may take time before bearing fruit. Conversely, Sharyn Magee, Washington Crossing Audubon Society (WCAS) President, recognizes that a steadfast devotion to conservation, along with the patience and dedication necessary to carefully document findings, results in positive outcomes from which others may benefit far into the future. Her commitment to long term conservation merits Sharyn Magee as the July 2019 FoHVOS Force of Nature. Sharyn joined WCAS decades ago and began attending their field trips. She credits Hannah Suthers for introducing her to bird banding at Featherbed lane. She got involved with a Cornell sponsored project called, “Birds in a Forested Landscape” and continued its mission even after the funding ran out. Her years of mapping breeding birds has Sharyn Magee
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Photo by Benoit Cortet
informed her positions on some of the most pressing local matters. Ms. Magee joined forces with FoHVOS Stewardship Director Michael Van Clef on an important study that researched bird breeding sites in a regenerating forest. The study noted a negative correlation between bird and deer populations and a positive correlation between native plant availability and important bird habitat. Their work corroborated the conventional wisdom that suggests that deer overpopulation and invasive species proliferation are harmful to local habitat. Armed with plenty of scientific data to validate her views on local issues, Sharyn Magee has engaged in tireless advocacy on behalf of WCAS. Most recently she has taken stands against the PennEast pipeline and for considering environmental impact when determining the most appropriate housing development sites. Her positions are well reasoned and pragmatic. “More data equals better decisions and better advocacy in terms of ill-conceived projects like PennEast,” said Ms. Magee to explain her unwavering position that running a pipeline through Baldpate Mountain would do irreparable harm. She has concentrated her bird census on areas impacted by PennEast, including an owl survey two winters ago in conjunction with New Jersey Conservation Foundation, documentation showing the highest density of breeding neo-tropical birds, and references to the Louisiana water thrush – an indicator species – who only breed at high quality streams. Her sense of urgency is heightened due to the fragility of Baldpate Mountain. She has monitored not only the Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain, but also the larger Sourland Ecosystem preserves. Baldpate, she explains, has a higher quality understory since its steeper lands weren’t farmed and those areas came back first with highest quality parallel to the slopes.
Baldpate Mountain has some of the highest quality habitat but is among the most vulnerable due to its size and shape. “Baldpate is special because it has the highest density of breeding neo-tropical birds,” Magee shares, “Yet it is so fragile since it is already the minimize size for interior forest spaces. Its long and narrow shape results in only small areas of high quality habitats with too much edge habitats.” Ms. Magee expressed frustration that the Division of Fish & Wildlife agrees with her conclusion and strongly came out against running a pipeline through Baldpate Mountain, but unfortunately, they do not have the final say. Another important local issue surrounds the state’s requirement to build and offer more affordable housing in Hopewell Valley. Ms. Magee supports Hopewell Township’s dedication to building its new developments behind the Pennington circle in an area known as the Zaitz tract but has concerns about proposed development that may occur in the current BMS location. “Building behind the Shoprite makes sense because it would cause the least environmental disturbance,” Magee shared but explained that the area nearest the bridge to Pennington is valuable and should be protected. She applies the scientific methods to stewarding her own property. She lives on 5 acres of land that includes two acres old woods and two acres young forest. She replaced invasive patches with native and planted understory to attract birds. Over time she has experimented with different plant mixes to increase berries and pollinators. Her parting advice was to encourage our readers to actively contribute to eBirds and join global efforts to populate current data. Sharyn Magee has furthered the FoHVOS mission through her dedication and commitment to conservation and we are proud to name her our FoHVOS Force of Nature.
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