The Christmas holiday

season will officially kick

off with the Jingle On
Main celebration scheduled for Saturday, December 5th, on Main Street in
Blairstown from noon to
5pm.
The celebration, sponsored
by the Greater Blairstown
Business
Association
(GBBA), will feature over
30 crafters, vendors, businesses and organizations.
Many unique items will be
available like original art,
handmade wreaths, and
sparkling jewelry. Vendors
like Tastefully Simple,
Origami Owl, Jamberry and
Perfectly Posh will also
offer fun gift ideas for shoppers. All of the shops along
the street will be open to
welcome families with
holiday cheer and special
surprises.
Children will enjoy free
activities offered by local
camps, non-profits and

educational groups. Visit

Re/Max's annual Winter
Wonderland display at 8
Main Street to meet your
favorite Christmas characters. Take a moment to
enjoy a free cup of apple
cider or hot cocoa, get a
glitter tattoo or sing along
with Girl Scouts as they
carol in the village.
The day will culminate in a
visit from Santa and his
friends at 3:30pm followed
by the official tree-lighting
ceremony at 31 Main Street.
Then the Blair Academy
Singers
will
perform
holiday favorites for the
crowd. Local restaurants
Gourmet Gallery, Post Time
Pub and The Blairstown Inn
will all be open for dinner,
so the fun can continue.
Businesses all along Main
Street will be collecting
non-perishable food items
for the First Presbyterian
Outreach Center Food Bank.
Visitors are also asked to

bring new, unwrapped toys

for Toys for Tots.
Jingle on Main is one of
the highlights of the year in

By Maria Cascario
Two important anniversaries
were observed last Tuesday in
downtown Bangor!
The tenth anniversary of
Recovery Revolution and the
first anniversary of A Clean
Slate were celebrated with the
Board, the staff and wellwishers.
As usual, Jana
Morris, MS, LPC, CAADC,
Founder
and
Executive
Director provided an array of
appetizers and desserts for
everyone to enjoy at the
events.
"I'm absolutely thrilled and
humbled by the support we've
had from the community for
the past ten years. We look

forward to many more years

of serving the Slate Belt
region.
Recovery Revolution began
with two people and two
programs and now we have
ten on staff, and more than
fifteen different services that
are responsive to the communities' needs, said Jana
They also have programs
for people struggling with
addiction and they help the
families through the process
of addiction and recovery.
"We hold sober events so
that clients and families can
practice principles they
learned through us." said
Jana.

In
partnership
with
Northampton County Drug
and Alcohol division, A
Clean Slate opened its doors
to the community in September, 2014.
"Since that time, we offer
programs such as yoga, life
coaching, art journaling, and
a place for 12-step meetings.
A Clean Slate has partnered
with AARP to do taxes and
has drop-in hours for the
community to use computers
and to talk with the recovery
support staff about issues
that impact themselves and
their families."
Congratulations to Jana and
her staff!

Blairstown, said newly

elected GBBA President and
Chair, Sandra Roberts. It's a
great opportunity for the

community to support our

local businesses and nonprofit organizations while
celebrating together.
For more information about
this year's Jingle on Main,
contact Jeanette Iurato,
GBBA First Vice President
and Membership Coordinator,
at
jeanetteiurato
@gmail.com.
The Greater Blairstown
Business
Associations
mission is to encourage and
support existing businesses
in the Northern Warren
County, New Jersey area,
promote the development of
new enterprises and foster
high business and civic standards in the community. The
GBBA is committed to
giving back to the community, thereby helping to
establish willingness on the
part of the general public to
do business locally. Learn
more about the GBBA, or
become a member, at
www.shopgbba.org.

Mt
Bethel
Lutheran
Brethren Church is looking
for your help to change a
child's life. Last year they
collected over 900 boxes to
send to a child who has never
received a Christmas gift of
joy in their entire young life.
Through partnering with
Franklin
Graham
and
Samaritans purse, over one
million
boxes
traveled
throughout the world to reach
children in war torn and third
world countries last year.
This year's goal is 1000
boxes. Even just one box will
make a difference in a child's
life. Please donate one average sized shoe box filled with
toys,
toiletries,
school
supplies, etc. to the church
November 16th through
November 23rd. For more
information contact Rose or
Wayne Taylor at 570-8975421 or the church at 570897-7142.
The Pen Argyl Alumni
Association is sponsoring a
trip to Deck the Halls at
the
American
Music
Theater on November 28th.
The trip includes dinner,
show and all tax and gratuities. For more information or
tickets, call Bill Ruggiero at
610-863-6297.
A holiday plant sale to
benefit local victims of
crime is accepting orders
now through December 1st.
Plants will be available for
delivery (with purchase of 10

or more) or pickup December

9th. They are offering a
variety of lovely poinsettias,
Christmas cacti and wreaths.
For more information, help
with placing an order, and/or
to assist with the fundraiser at
your place of business, please
call Sara Ullmer at 610-4376610 ext. 26 or email
sullmer@cvclv.org.
Order
forms can be printed at
www.cvclv.org.
The Slate Belt Heritage
Center has commenced a
new project and is asking
for volunteers to assist them
in reading and summarizing over 4,000 letters written by Slate Belt World
War II soldiers. These
letters were written to Horace
and Mona Strunk, who were
editors and founders of the
Homefront Magazine. This
magazine was distributed
throughout all the different
war areas and kept local boys
in touch with home. Working
hours for this project are
Mondays, 9am to noon, and
Tuesday through Friday, 1pm
to 4pm. If interested, or for
additional information, email
blau.marc@outlook.com or
call 610-588-8615.
Slate Belt Health and
Rehabilitation is looking
for volunteers. If you enjoy
talking, singing, dancing,
exercising, reading, and
more, and would like to share
your gifts with the residents,
stop by 701 Slate Belt Boulevard in Bangor for an application or call 610-588-6161.
Volunteers must be at least 16

years old.
The Ladies Auxiliary of
the Mt. Bethel Volunteer
Fire Company is seeking
new members and volunteers. If you are interested
and would like further information, contact Gail at 570897-6293 or Kris at 610392-7975.
St. Johns Cemetery is
seeking donations to help
with the upkeep of the cemetery, roadways and monuments. They are also exploring the idea of adding a Community Columbarium near
the mosoleum. Donations can
be sent to Carol Hummel c/o
St. Johns Cemetery, 136
Messinger Street, Bangor, PA
18013.
The Slate Belt Heritage
Center Oral History Project is seeking Slate Belt
senior citizens who would
like to be interviewed. If
you know of anyone who has
a story, call Marc Blau at
570-897-5459.
The Ladies Auxiliary of
the Mt. Bethel Volunteer
Fire Company in Mt.
Bethel is seeking new members and volunteers. If you
are interested and would like
further information, contact
Gail at 570-897-6293 or Kris
at 610-392-7975.
The proposed 2016 Roseto
Borough Budget is available for review at the
Roseto Borough Municipal
Building, located at 164
Garibaldi
Avenue
in
Roseto, PA.
The Annual Report for the
not-for-profit organization
Recovery Revolution, Inc.,
a Department of Health
licensed Drug and Alcohol
treatment provider, is available for review at our main
office located at 109 Broadway, Bangor, PA, 18013.
Effective November 14, 2015
this report can be reviewed
during normal business hours
9am-5pm Monday-Friday or
it is available on the website
at recoveryrevolution.org.

Project Self-Sufficiency is
asking area residents and
organizations to sponsor a
family at Thanksgiving.
Supporters are asked to
purchase a full Thanksgiving meal or provide monetary donations towards the
purchase of food.
The
agency is gratefully receiving
pumpkin or apple pies;
canned vegetables, including
yams and cranberry sauce;
dinner rolls; gravy; stuffing
and mashed potato mixes.
Contributions of frozen
turkeys will also be greatly
appreciated; however, donors
are asked to alert the agency
ahead of time if frozen
turkeys will be donated. The

non-profit agency distributes

complete
Thanksgiving
dinners to hundreds of local
families each year. Contributions, or notification of the
intent to contribute, are
requested by
November
19th. Frozen turkeys can be
delivered
on
Monday,
November 23rd, between
9am and 3pm. Donations can
be
made
at
www.
projectselfsufficiency.org, or
by calling 973-940-3500.
The Youth Center, located
at 16 Hampton Road in
Glen Gardner, NJ is offering a friendly, noncompetitive sport program
focusing on skill, sportsmanship, fun and exercise
of sports for children ages 4
to 9. The program will be
held on Saturdays, November
21st and December 5th, 12th
and 19th at 10AM. For more
information call 908-5374594.
The North Warren Lions
Club of Blairstown will be
holding their annual coat
drive on November 21st
from 9am until noon. Please
drop off gently used coats,
hats, scarves or gloves at the
office of Richard R. Keiling,
Esq., 104 Route 94, Blairstown, NJ. All donations will
benefit Warren County NORWESCAP. For information
please call Lynda Ochs at
908-362-9355.
Religious
education
classes at the Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship of
Sussex County have begun.
Children
ages
three
through 12 will participate
in a program called Sing
to the Power, which
includes lessons and activities that help children
explore ways they can use
their different forms of
personal power to effect
positive change in the
world. The classes are held
every Sunday from 10:30am
to noon in the fellowship hall,
located at One West Nelson
Street in Newton. For further
information, call 570-8282732
or
visit
www.
UUNewtonNJ.org.
Free exercise classes will
be held for adults at town
hall
in
Johnsonburg.
Classes are an hour long on
Monday and Wednesday at
10am, and Saturday at 9am;
or Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday at 4:45pm. For more
information, visit www.
frelinghuysennj.us/aerobics.h
tm, call Cathy at 908-8527426, or email cathy@cathy
baobean.com.
Blairstown Recreation is
offering
fall
workout
sessions of Zumba, PiYo,
Pilates and Yoga for adults
and teens. Zumba will be
held Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 6pm to 7pm now
through December 10th at
Blair
Academy
Dance

Studio. PiYo is offered on

Fridays,
now
through
November 20th from 8:30am
to 9:15am at the Evangelical
Free Church of Blairstown.
Pilates will be held Tuesday
and Thursday mornings from
9:15am to 10:15am at the
Evangelical Free Church now
through November 19th, and
Yoga will be held Mondays
and Wednesdays from 6pm to
6:50pm at Catherine Dickson
Hofman Library. For more
information, visit www.
blairstown-nj.org.
Public Notice: In accordance with the Adequate
Notice provision of the
Open Public Meetings Act,
please be advised that the
2015 meeting schedule for
the Warren County Mental
Health Board is as follows:
November 17th and December 15th at 5pm. Meetings
will be held in rooms 123A
and B at Warren County
Community College, located
at 475 Rt. 57 in Washington.

Public Notice: In accordance with the Adequate

Notice provision of the
Open Public Meetings Act,
please be advised that the
2015 meeting schedule for
the Warren County Human
Services Advisory Council is
as follows: November 24th
(location TBD) at 1:30pm.
Meetings will be held in the
Freeholder Meeting Room at
the Wayne Dumont Jr.
Adminisration
Building,
located at 165 Rt. 519 S. in
Belvidere.
A small religious group
study will meet for six
weeks,
on
Thursday
evenings from 7pm to
8:30pm. The dicussion will
be on the Message and
Mission of Christ. Meetings
will be held at the First
United Methodist Church of
Blairstown is located at 10
Stillwater Road in Blairstown. For more information
call 908-362-6693 or visit
firstumcblairstown.com.

Adult Fiction (Audiobook

Cd): Gordon, Michael R.:
Cobra Ii: The Inside Story Of
The Invasion And Occupation Of Iraq; Brand, Max:
Sixteen In Nome; Haley,
Guy: Reality 36: A Richards
&
Klein
Investigation;
Paretsky, Sara: Hardball;
Ross, Dana Fuller: Wyoming!
Easy Fiction: Barnett, Mac:
Sam & Dave Dig A Hole; Van
Allsburg, Chris: Jumanji
Adult Fiction: Albert,
Susan Wittig: The Darling
Dahlias And The Eleven
Oclock
Lady;
Carson,
Melody: The Christmas Bus;
Coyle, Cleo: Holiday Buzz;
Dekker, Ted: The Promise: A
Christmas
Tale;
Dunn,
Matthew: Dark Spies: A
Spycatcher Novel; Evison,
Jonathan: This Is Your Life,

Harriet Chance! A Novel;

King, Stephen: The Bazaar
Of Bad Dreams: Stories;
Kingsbury,
Karen:
The
Bridge: A Novel; Macomber,
Debbie: Home For The Holidays; Maden, Mike: Blue
Warrior; Maden Mike: Drone;
Roberts, Sheila: The Snow
Globe; Staub, Wendy Corsi:
Nine Lives: A Lily Dale Mystery; Taylor, Brad: The
Insider Threat: A Pike Logan
Thriller; Thor, Brad: Code Of
Conduct: A Thriller.
Juvenile Fiction: Daneshvari, Gitty: The League Of
Unexceptional
Children;
White, E.B.: Stuart Little
Magazine: Highlights For
Children
Young Adult Fiction:
Bardugo, Leigh: Six Of
Crows; Preller, James: Six
Innings.

Kirk Perez, like many other

young boys, always enjoyed
his toys, games and action
figures growing up. He's never
lost that love, even as an adult
and the father of three.
And now, Kirk, along with
his wife Nichole, has taken
things even a step further.
They recently opened up The
Toy Chest in Hope where they
sell toys, games, collectibles
and the like.
My house has been like a
warehouse of toys, said Kirk,
who says he began collecting
when he was seven years old.
I wanted to be able to display
them somewhere.
The shop is now open Tuesday through Saturday from
11am to 6pm, and Sunday
from 11am to 5pm, (closed on
Mondays). The ceremonial
grand opening of the store is
slated for Saturday, November
21st from noon to 3pm. The
ribbon cutting is scheduled for
12:30pm. There will be live
entertainment, drawings, light

refreshments and fun for

everyone. Anyone is welcome
to attend this free event.
Formerly in the advertising
and real estate businesses,
Kirk and his wife decided to

switch gears in their life and

found the perfect location for
their new store.
We needed a change of
pace, said Kirk. We came
out here and this spot was

what we were looking for.

Everyone has been great to us.
We really appreciate the
support we've gotten. Mayor
Tim McDonough has been
especially helpful.
The Toy Chest is located on
335 High Street in the center
of Historic Village of Hope,
NJ.
In addition to action figures,
collectibles, unique past and
present reproductions of
games and toys, the shop
offers new items in a family
atmosphere not found in many
stores anymore. A visit to the
shop is sure to bring back a
load of memories for adults
and new memories for
children!
Kirk and Nichole have three
children; Lyla, eight, Kirk Jr.,
seven, and Lucas, one. Their
parents own a toy store. That's
got to be pretty cool!
For more about the The Toy
Chest, visit www.thehope
toychest.com or call 908-4590494.

distributed to third grade

students throughout North
America.
The Blairstown Rotary Club

distributes dictionaries to the

four elementary schools
(Blairstown, Frelinghuysen,
knowlton and Hope) third

grade classes at this time.

They give each child their
personalized student dictionary.

By Bob Halberstast

Friday, October 16th, was

National Dictionary Day, in
consideration of Noah Webster birth in the year 1758. He
became known as the Father
of the American Dictionary.
The Rotary, in honor of Webster, set October 16th aside as
a day to emphasize the importance of learning and using
dictionary skills to increase
ones vocabulary. The Gift
Of Knowledge as it became
known was started in South
Carolina by a woman named
Mary French, who used her
own money to purchase and
deliver dictionaries to 86
school districts and 580
elementary
schools.
A
visiting Rotarian from Cedar
Grove, NJ, Bob Pityo,
adopted the same procedure
in 2001 for the New Jersey
elementary schools. It has
now gone nationwide.
Eleven and a half million
dictionaries
have
been

Slate Belt Young at Heart

Club Annual Salute to
Veterans and Military:
November 19th, 12pm.
Social will follow the
program. FMI, call Mary
Lou DeRea-Lohman at 610863-4846 or 610-844-4630 or
Minnie Thomas at 610-8636589.
PUMP Fundraiser: November 19th. By the Dozen. 415
Johnsoncille Rd. 10% of all
dinner sales with be donated
to PUMP. They will also be
collecting
non-perishable
items for donation. FMI, call
610-428-4652.
Christmas Bazaar: November 20th, 10am-7pm &
21st, 9am-3pm. East Bangor
UMCC, 136 W. Central Ave.
(Rt. 512), E. Bangor. FMI,
call 610-588-4453 or visit
ebumc.org.

Craft & Vendor Bazaar:

November 21st, 10am4pm. Hope UCC, Wind
Gap.
BAHS Slater Band Bingo
& Tricky Tray: November
22nd, 11am. Blue Valley
Farm Show. FMI or tickets,
call 610-588-4385 or 610588-1780.
Washington Twp. Vol. Fire
Co. Ladies Aux. Holiday
Cash Bingo: November
22nd, 11am. The Washington, 920 Washington Blvd.,
Bangor. FMI or tickets, call
Shirley at 610-863-4603 or
Sandy at 610-599-9976.
Pies Sale: November 25th,
11am-noon. 703 S. Delaware Dr., Rt. 611 Stone
Church/Mt. Bethel. FMI,
Chrissy at 610-599-0809
Black Friday Penny Party:
November 27th, 4pm. Good
Shepherd Lutheran Church,
1335 Old Carriage Rd.,
Northampton (the corner of
Howertown
and
Old
Carriage Roads in Allen
Township). FMI, call Carole
at 610-262-7493.
Pen Argyl Alumni Assoc.
Bus Trip: November 28th.
American Music Theater
Christmas
Show
in
Lancaster. FMI, call Bill at
610-863-6297.
Forks of the Delaware
Bottle Collectors Association Annual Bottle &
Antique Show & Sale:
November 29th, 9am-2pm.
Bethlehem Catholic High
School, Madison & Dewey
Ave., Bethlehem. FMI, call

William at 610-264-3130.
Toy Bingo: November 29th,
12pm. Our Lady of Victory
R. C. Church, Church Hall.
Cherry Lane Rd., Tannersville, FMI, call 570-6294572.
Borough
of
Portland
Annual
Holiday
Tree
Lighting
Ceremony:
November
29th,
7pm.
Downtown Portland. FMI,
call Stephanie Steele at 610216-6716 or Cindy Fish at
973-600-7120.
Famous
Glenn
Miller
Orchestra
Performance:
December 1st, 7pm. M.
Craig Paine Performing Arts
Theater. Hosted by the
BAHS Slater Band Boosters
To pre-order tickets, please
call Deb Heiney at 610-5997012 ext. 2137 or email
heineyd@bangorsd.org.
Northampton
County
Detachment 298 - Marine
Corps League Meeting:
December 2nd, 1900 hours.
1621 Lehigh St., Easton. All
active duty and honorably
discharged
Marines
welcome.
FMI,
email
jimmineousmc@rcn.com.
Slate Belt Baptist Church
Christmas Coffee House:
December 4th, 7pm. 1620
Church Rd. (across from
Wind Gap Middle School.)
FMI, call 610-390-9124. Free
music and snacks.
Lucy Flinn State Farm
Insurance's 7th Annual
Christmas Party: December 5th, 2pm-4pm. The Gap
Theatre. Santa will be there

at 2:30. FMI, call 610-8635190.

New Approach Christmas
Concert: December 6th,
2pm.
Trinity
Lutheran
Church, 404 Broadway,
Bangor.
Cub Scout Pack 34
Spaghetti Dinner: December 11th, 4pm-7pm. Grace
Methodist Church, 404 E.
Mountain Ave., Pen Argyl.
Dine & Donate Fundraiser:
December 16th. Country
Roads Pizza, 1491 Lake
Minsi Dr.,Bangor. A percentage of the proceeds will be
donated to benefit American
Cancer Society thru the
Relay for Life. Relay is May
20th & 21st 2016 at Bangor
Park, 4pm-4pm. FMI, call
Karen at 610-588-2429.
Columbia Fire Co. No. 1
Breakfast w/ Santa: December
19th,
9am-11am.
Firehouse. FMI, call 610588-0597 or email kidsparty
@columbiafireco.org.
East Bangor UMCC Financial Peace University Class:
January 9th, 1pm. 136 W.
Central Ave. (Rt. 512), East
Bangor. FMI, or to register,
contact
Becky
Saltern
rebeccaasaltern@aol.com,
610-739-4024,
or
visit
ebumc.org.

Free Child Sexual Assault

Prevention
Seminar:
November 18th, 10am-noon
& 6-8pm. 127 Mill St.,

Newton. To register or FMI,

call Project Self-Sufficiency
at 973-940-3500.
NORWESCAP Career &
Life Transitions Center for
Women Free Employment
Readiness
Training:
November 19th, 10am. 16
Broad St., Suite 7, Washington Pre-registration is req'd.
FMI, 908-835-2624.
Grand Opening of The Toy
Chest: November 21st,
12pm-3pm. 335 High St.,
Hope. FMI, call 908-4590494
or
visit
www.
thehopetoychest.com.
Thanksgiving Eve Service:
November 25th, 7pm. Delaware Presbyterian Church.
Clarence Street, Delaware.
Joint service with the First
Oxford Presbyterian Church
at Hazen. All are welcome to
give thanks. FMI, call 908475-4500.
Forks of the Delaware,
Chapter #14, Society of
Pennsylvania Archaeology
Meeting: December 3rd,
7pm. Palmer Memorial
Library, 1 Weller Place (off
Newburgh Rd.) Easton. FMI,
contact Leonard Ziegler at
908-750-4110.
Friends of Mt. Olive Public
Library Holiday Fundraiser Bag O' Book Sale:
December 5th, 10am-4pm.
202
Flanders-Drakestown
Rd., Flanders, in rear of Main
Library.
FMI,
visit
www.mopl.org or call 973
691-8686.
Santa's Secret Workshop:
December 5th, 9am-1pm.

Blairstown
Elementary
School, 1 Sunset Hill Rd.,
Blairstown. FMI, email the
Blairstown
PTG,
ptgbl
airstown@gmail.com.
Jingle on Main: December
5th from 12pm-5pm. Main
St., Blairstown.
Blairstown
Dog
Park
Rabies Clinic: December
5th. Register at Blairstown
Municipal Bldg or on line at
blairstowndogpark.com.
FMI, call Alice Anderson at
908-459-4032
38th Hope Christmas Craft
Market: December 5th,
10am-5pm & 6th, 10am4pm. Hope Twp. Village.
Proceeds fund recreation
programs for Hope Children.
FMI,
visit
www.hope
township.com.
Warren County Community Singers Winterfest of
Song: December 5th & 6th,
7:30pm. Grace Lutheran
Church, 300 Roseberry St.,
Phillipsburg, Sunday concert,
3pm. First Presbyterian
Church of Washington, 40
East Church St. FMI, email
jprim7@netscape.net.
8th Annual Holiday Craft
Show & Breakfast w/
Santa: December 12th,
8am-11:30am.
North
Warren
Regional
High
School hosted by the
National Art Honor Society
and Future Business Leaders
of America. Breakfast w/
Santa will be from 8am11:30am. Craft Show from
9am-4pm.
FMI,
email
NWRnationalartshonorsociet
y@gmail.com or call 908362-8211, ext. 1303.
Knights
of
Columbus
Council #12430 Blood
Drive: December 12th,
8am-noon. St. Jude RC
Church, McNulty Hall, 7
Eisenhower Rd., Blairstown.
The blood drive will be held
in memory of Deacon
Michael Sullivan.
For
appointment, call Robert Ho
at 908-382-1525, or email
rhmt1998@gmail.com.

The sales associates of

RE/MAX Ridge Real Estate
treated more than nearly
2,000 children, parents and
grandparents in northern
Warren County to a wondrous
Halloween party on Main
Street in Blairstown.
The festivities started with
the childrens parade down
Main Street... on their way to
the annual costume competition at the new Ace Hardware
& Feed Center parking lot.
However, as happens each
year since RE/MAX Ridge
commenced
its
annual
Halloween party in 2005,
many contestants manage to
make an early visit through
the front door of the RE/MAX
Ridge office on 8 Main Street
in Blairstown, NJ enjoy some
quick treats and excitement
within and exit through the
side door to continue with the
parade. Following the judging
of costumes the children
trick-and-treated in the area
for the next few hours...
thanks to the good weather
and creative and generous
participating downtown area
homes and businesses.
Carol Ruddy, a RE/MAX
Ridge sales associate and
Halloween
coordinator
explained, Its so exciting to
watch a sea of 100s of parents
and children moving towards
the office en masse... knowing
the joy that awaits them. Its
the start of a very busy and

fun-filled evening.
Each year RE/MAX Ridge
chooses a theme, a closely
held secret that both parents
and children look forward to
discovering on Halloween
night. In the previous 10 years
characters and set designs
from Charlie Browns Pumpkin Patch, Sesame Street and
The Muppets , The Wizard of
Oz, The Pirates of the Caribbean, The Roaring Twenties,
The Big- Top Circus, Mother
Goose Nursery Rhymes,
Alice In Wonderland, Star
Wars entertained the children.
This year it was Disneys
classic and popular characters
that thrilled the children.
Donald Duck, a.k.a. Joanne
Van Valkenburg said We had
a lot of fun once again transforming our real estate office
into a place where the
children could enjoy so many
of their favorite characters.
Disney movies & music
played from large screen
monitors everywhere and
every wall in the RE/MAX
Ridge office was decorated
with familiar sets and life-size
images of their favorite characters. The pink and orangeadorned walls sparkled with
1000s of blinking lights.
Donald Duck (Joanne Van
Valkenburg) beckoned the
children and parents to enter
this years fantasyland. Fulllength mascot costumes
made some of the childrens

bestknown characters come to

life. Their wide-eyes and
smiles were greeted by
Minnie
Mouse
(Alicia
Williamson), awaiting with
open arms and Famous Amos
cookies, on their first leg of
many treat stations through
the office. As they moved
through the labyrinth of
sounds and sights, the
children offered great big
hugs (and were greatly
hugged in return) by the
Mickey Mouse (Ray Williamson), Olaf and Buzz Lightyear
(Larry and Lawrence Kaspereen)
distributing
Smart
Popcorn, Goldfish, Pretzels,
Chocolate Mints and more ...
and finally received the
coveted brightly-colored glow
necklaces from Goofy (Carol
Ruddy) and Alladin (Jeff
Paliscak). Parents cameras
were flashing everywhere.
One parent gave voice to the
sentiments of so many that
expressed their appreciation
during the evening, Every
year we anticipate and love
this RE/MAX Ridge party
and are grateful for the time
and considerable effort the
agents make on behalf of our
children. The children loved
the mascot outfits of Minnie,
Mickey and Donald Duck this
year and all the Disney characters. We look forward to
coming by next year and
seeing what surprises the

agents of RE/MAX Ridge

have in store for us all.
For RE/MAX Ridge Real
Estate, Halloween is the first
leg of a busy year-end schedule of events. Immediately
following their Halloween
Party they kick off the Toys
For Tots collection drive,
culminating in their Christmas Party (Saturday December 5th - all day) for the
children of the northern
Warren County communities
and beyond... featuring Santa
and The Grinch amongst
many other holiday characters.
RE/MAX Ridge offices in
Blairstown and Washington
are Toys For Tots drop-off
centers, as well as nonperishable food items. Please
contribute one or more new
and unwrapped presents
during the month of November... and add a glow to the
heart of one more child this
Christmas season. You can
contact RE/MAX Ridge Real
Estate at 8 Main Street in
Blairstown,
908-362-7200
and their newly located office
at 325 W. Washington Ave in
Washington, 908-689-4444
and
online
at
www.
njresidence.com.

Charles Dickens beloved

holiday story, A Christmas
Carol, will return to the local
stage for a second annual
presentation as a classic 1940s
radio stage production on
December 18th, 19th, and
20th. The program will be
hosted by the newly re-opened
Roys Hall (formerly the
Historic Blairstown Theatre).
A Christmas Carol is the
inspiring holiday masterpiece
of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge,
whose ghostly journey and
transformation through Christmas past, present, and future is
among the most beloved
stories in literature.
First published in December
1843, Roys Hall production of
A Christmas Carol will be
staged as a 1940s radio show
complete with sponsors,
jingles, and an audience
Christmas carol sing-along.
Producing A Christmas
Carol as a radio show puts a
special spin on a very wellknown and very well-loved
holiday classic, noted director Amy Hovell. What a treat
to be the opening act
welcoming theater back to our
community.
Returning local talent Craig
Evans (as Scrooge) will be
taught the true meaning of the

holiday by ghostly apparitions

Rick Schiaffo (as Scrooges
equally
miserly
partner,
Marley), Betsy Reilly (as the
Ghost of Christmas Past) and
Paul Arvary (as the Ghost of
Christmas Present). Conor
Flynn (as Scrooges nephew
Fred), Bob Halberstadt (as
Scrooges
clerk,
Bob
Cratchit), and Brian Mulligan
(as the effervescent Mr. Fezziwig) will help to dash
Scrooges Bah, Humbug
attitude. Hope resident John
Norcross will narrate the
production with cast members
Bridget Hovell, Kevin Flynn,
Micki
McMillan,Holley
Petrie, Joseph Steenstra, Steve
Yeager, and Desli Norcross
adding to the holiday flair.
Take part in the second
annual
production
of
Blairstowns newest holiday
tradition. Show times for
Friday and Saturday, December 18th, and 19th will be at
8pm with a Sunday, December
20 matinee at 3pm. Tickets
($15 for adults; $10 for seniors
and students) are available at
the door or through Roys Hall
at RoysHall.org or by phone at
908-349-1428. Shop early!
Tickets for the annual production of A Christmas Carol
make an ideal holiday gift.

Molly Szpakowsli, a sophomore at Morris Catholic High

School, in Denville, NJ and a
member of Ss Peter & Paul
Praise Group has begun the
Malawi Project in our area.
Malawi is a small country in
sub-Sahara Africa is one of
the poorest nations on earth.
While we often throw away
perfectly good prescription
containers, medical pharmacies and hospitals in Malawi
have nothing but torn pieces
of paper for wrapping medicine.
Please consider donating
your old prescription containers to the project. The

containers not only help families keep their medicines clean

but more importantly out of
reach of small children.
Donations can be dropped off
at Sts. Peter and Paul Church,
Rt. 46 Great Meadows, NJ,
call 908-637-4269 for details.
Molly can be reached at 908798-8380 or molly.szpak
owski@mcstudent.org.

Ciao Amici,
Growing up in the butcher

shop the all American holiday

of Thanksgiving was embraced
by Italian American grandparents with much enthusiasm and
happiness. They were proud
and thankful of all the opportunities they had being American. I hear stories of some
Italian American families that
would make lasagna, ravioli
and meatballs to have with
their turkey dinner. My family
was not like that, the closest
menu item that was Italian was
our sausage in the stuffing.
Macaroni and meatballs could
wait until Sunday. When I was
about nine or ten and I did not
have CYO basketball practice,

Grandpop and I would come

up to the farm [where my
business is now] and I would
help with some of the chores.
The livestock did not take
Thanksgiving Day off. Grandpop would say they still need
to be given feed, hay & water.
I would go up in the hayloft
and drop the alfalfa to the
steers. Then we would go
across the street to the barn in
the bottom section on the left
side that was under ground to
where the barrels of wine were
stored. I would help fill the
gallons to take home for the
Thanksgiving Feast. Grandmom is home preparing a big

Individuals and families in

Sussex and Warren Counties
now have easier access to
health care and other services
through Sussex Warren
Project Family Connect, a
service provided by Project
Self-Sufficiency as a result of
a grant from the New Jersey
Department of Health. The
one-stop source for information links individuals to
medical, educational and
social services which can
enhance their overall health
and quality of life. Since the
programs inception in July,
2015, the agency has handled
hundreds of calls requesting
assistance. Local residents in
need are invited to call the
toll free number, 844-8073500, for help with questions
regarding health care, education, housing, utilities and
other needs.
The new initiative is a natural fit for Project SelfSufficiency explains Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive
Director of Project SelfSufficiency. Project SelfSufficiency has referred local
families to area resources for
many years as part of our
case management and home
visitation services. Unlike
more generalized resources
services, Project Family
Connect
ensures
that
specially trained workers
follow up with each caller to
make sure that their needs
have been met and to determine whether or not they are
in need of other services.
Project Family Connect
promotes better overall
health and well-being for the
entire
community,
by
connecting individuals and
families to the resources they
need.
Specific functions of the
Sussex
Warren
Project

Family Connect program

include connecting individuals and families to community resources for health
care, maternal infant and
early childhood home visitation programs, domestic
violence shelters and support
services; educational alternatives;
family
support
programs; financial assistance; employment training;
infant and child care; early
intervention; referral to
emergency housing and
utility assistance services; as
well as programs for senior
citizens, veterans, and other
community services and
programs.
A comprehensive community resource guide is also in
development. The guide will
be available online as well as
in local social service agencies, healthcare providers,
government offices, educational institutions and other
venues. For more information about the services available through Sussex Warren
Family Connect at Project
Self-Sufficiency, call 844807-3500.
Project Self-Sufficiency is a
community-based non-profit
organization which specializes in services for lowincome families in northwestern
New
Jersey.
Programs offered at Project
Self-Sufficiency
include
family literacy education,
computer training and job
placement services, assistance with parenting skills,
childcare, counseling and
advocacy, referrals, and help
with emergency basic needs.
For information about the
programs
and
services
offered by Project SelfSufficiency,
visit
www.projectselfsufficiency.
org or call 973-940-3500.

feast for us today, he said.

One year Grandpop left the
radio on to listen to the
Bangor vs. Pen Argyl football
game. It was a beautiful
autumn day and we sat on the
tailgate of his pick up truck
just a grandfather and grandson. We were just enjoying
the day to be thankful of all
that we had. I dont know the
way Grandpop was bought up
but it must have been rough. I
remember him saying, Now
Josie dont forget to put a
flower on my grave. I would
just be in shock when he said
that and then we would just
laugh and hug each other not
knowing that he was planting
a seed that yes one day he
would be gone. On this
Thanksgiving and every
Thanksgiving I am thankful
for my wife, parents,
children, grandchildren and
my grandparents who loved
and guided me to be the man I

am today. I am grateful for

my family and friends who
help and support me in my
business. Happy Thanksgiving and may our Lord Bless
you all.
Con cordiali saluti,
Joe
Growing up in the Butcher
Shop, is available at the
shop or on our web page. To
receive menu specials and
our newsletter, join our mailing
list
at
JDeFrancoAndDaughters.co
m, click on mailing list and
enter your email. Send your
Roseto stories, recipes and
comments
to
portipasto@epix. net or call
610-588-6991.
J. DeFranco and Daughters
is located at 2173 W. Bangor
Rd. in Bangor, PA. Store
hours are 7am to 7pm, seven
days a week, with catering
available anytime or by
appointment.

Oxford Central School held

Above the Influence Day on
October 27th. This is a national
event that encouraged students
to live above the negative influences in their lives, such as:
drugs, alcohol, bullying, gossip
and more. The students at
Oxford Central School decided
to conduct a school-wide event
to celebrate Above the Influence Day and to spread the
awareness of the Above the
Influence campaign.
The members of the Above
the Influence club identified
negative influences they see in
their school and community
and spoke with all of the
students at Oxford Central
School about living these negative influences. The topics
included: "Be Above Hate",
"Be Above Drama", "Be
Above Peer Pressure", "Be
Above Bullying", "Be Above
Smoking" and "Be Above
Drugs". Each student created a
poster and a speech about the
topic to present to students
during lunch on the 27th.
The posters and speeches
discuss the dangers or consequences of engaging in these
behaviors and what students
can do to live above these influences. Afterwards, students of
Oxford Central School took a
pledge to live above the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Here is the pledge the

students signed:
I Pledge to Live Above the
Influence.
I pledge to live above the
influence of drugs and
alcohol.
I pledge to live above negative influences, such as: bullying, gossip, judgment, and
criticism.
I pledge to live above the
influence
by
respecting
myself, my body, and my life.
I pledge to live above the

influence by being a positive

role model for my friends and
peers.
The program was coordinated by the Coalition for
Healthy and Safe Communities, Warren County Branch,
under the direction of Prevention Connections, a program
of the Family Guidance
Center of Warren County. For
more information about the
Coalition and what it has to
offer, please call 908-2231985.

The Red Thread Cafe is

excited to announce the
upcoming performance of
Emily Barnes and Mike Herz
on Saturday, November 21st.
The Red Thread Cafe, a fairtrade coffee, art and music
venue of Hopesprings, is
located at 301 Market St.,
Bangor, PA. The Red Thread
consistently offers the Slate
Belt, the Poconos and the
Lehigh Valley an exciting mix
of new music from unique
artists from the area and
across the country. November will be no exception!
Emily and Mike are accomplished artists in their own
right but they are also
collaborators in a joint musical project called Closer to
Home.
There will be a
nonperishable food collection
at the show for Slater Family
Network.
Hailing from the tiny rural
town of Johnsonburg, NJ,
22-year-old indie singersongwriter Emily Barnes has
been wowing audiences of all
shapes and sizes for the past
three years with her hypnotic
vocals and eclectic style.
A staple in the Northwest
New Jersey music scene,
Barnes writes and sings songs
that belie her age. Songs of
love found and lost, of hope
and disappointment. Armed
with an acoustic guitar and an
array of imaginative tattoos
Emily is no old school folkie
but shes no pop princess
either. Think early Nora Jones
with a funkier fashion sense.
Can you catch Emily
Barnes? Her new single is a
smash and when her star
begins to rise it might rise too
fast to be able to catch her."
imoveilive.com
Raised in rural Northwest,
New Jersey, Mike Herz grew
up amongst farmlands and

majestic mountains. So,

naturally, as a teenager his
music of choice was rap. Why
you ask? The words. There
was poetry and passion there,
and it resonated. Some years
later Mike discovered the
songs of Bob Dylan, and after
listening to those words his
heart clinically stopped for
three minutes. While dead he
saw a heavenly blinding light
and returned to Earth with the
understanding that simply a
guitar and words could alter
the universe.
Closer to Home is the
contemporary project of
singer-songwriters Mike Herz
and Emily Barnes based out
of northwest, New Jersey.
These two artists combine
heartfelt harmonies, penetrating songwriting and a natural
artistic chemistry that makes
for a captivating live show.
The union of Herzs rich
vocals
with
Barnesmesmering
voice
creates an inimitable sound
and style that is turning heads.
Closer to Home is a new force
to be reckoned with on the
indie music scene.
The Red Thread Cafe will be
collecting nonperishable food
items at the show. The food

items will be donated to The

Slater Family Network for
their Emergency Food Pantry.
Items such as canned foods,
pasta, peanut butter, jelly or
cereal would be very much
appreciated. Everyone bringing a nonperishable food item
to the show will receive a free
coffee, tea or soda. So help
your neighbor and enjoy a
beverage on the house.
Before the onslaught of
holiday
shopping
commences, before the stress
of battling long lines at the
big box stores begins give
yourself a night out. Kick
back with some friends, share
conversations and laughs, sip
some delicious coffee and
envelope yourself in the
wonderful sounds of live
music from Emily and Mike.
The magic starts at 7 p.m.
Suggested donation is $5 for
individuals and $10 for an
entire family. Coffee, tea,
soda and scrumptious snacks
will be available.
Upcoming events: Christmas gift/bazaar and karaoke
December 19th; Art Night at
Bloom in Bangor January
16th. For a current list of
events at The Red Thread
Cafe visit our Facebook page.

(NAPSI)You can still

have a hot time in your own
backyard, even when the
weather cools, if you follow
these trends and enhance the
natural beauty of your patio,
poolscape, walkway or driveway.
Heres a look at five delightful ways people make the
most of their outdoor space
these days, according to the
experts at Belgard, the go-to
place for paving stones, fire
features, brick ovens and
other
outdoor
living
elements.
Get cozy: For enjoyment
all year round, install a
fireplace or firepit as a part of

The Penn State Extension

Lehigh and Northampton
County offices are now
accepting applications for the
2016 Master Watershed
Steward Program here. The
program, now in ten Pennsylvania Counties, is designed
to provide people who are
enthusiastic about the environment with the information
and skills necessary to share
their experience and knowledge with others.
Master Watershed Stewards
receive 40 hours of training
on topics including water
quality, stream health, native
plants,
recreational
resources, and groundwater.
After completing the training
session, students fulfill 50
hours of volunteer service. In

a backyard space to serve as a

much-loved gathering spot
and a complementary, permanent part of an overall outdoor
living design.
Bigger is better: Depart
from the traditional small
cobble and brick pavers and
explore large-format pavers
for natural stone looks that
mimic the appearance and
texture of slate, flagstone or
hand-chiseled rock.
Creative cohesion: Take
advantage of modular units
such as grill islands, brick
ovens, wood boxes, fireplaces
and more to create a customized outdoor space that works
with a patios existing pavers

subsequent years, Master

Watershed Stewards can
maintain their status through
20 hours of volunteer time to
watershed
projects
or
programs, and attending a
minimum of 10 hours of
continuing education training. Examples of projects
and
programs
include
designing and installing
demonstration rain gardens
or streamside plantings,
teaching children about
stream ecology, and organizing educational workshops
that address such topics as
backyard conservation or
homeowner storm water
management.
The 2016 Master Watershed
Steward training program
starts Wednesday, March 9th

to create a harmonious, cohesive look.

Spruce it up: If a decks
surrounding
landscaping
thins when the weather cools,
consider planting fall perennials that bloom and thrive
during those months including certain varieties of
hydrangeas, mums and tall
grasses.
Pull up comfort: Define a
space and create extra seating
with built-in seat walls and
add ottomans, throw pillows
and stools to create an even
more inviting outdoor setting.
Homeowners can find
further inspiration on ways to
bring backyard dreams to life
using the Belgard Idea Book
or even uploading a photo of

and continues on subsequent

Wednesdays from 6pm to
8:30pm through mid-June.
The course also includes
three hands-on Saturday field
trips. Classes will be held at
partnering
environmental
organizations throughout the
Lehigh Valley. The fee for
the program is $100, which
helps offset the costs for
program
materials
and
professional guest speakers.
Scholarships are available
for those with financial hardships.
For more information about
the Master Watershed Steward Program or to request an
application for the 2016
training program, contact
Erin Frederick by telephone
at 610-391-9840 or by email

their own outdoor spaces to

the Project Visualizer.
In addition to creating beautiful hardscapes installations,
the company is dedicated to
giving
back
through
Welcome Home, an initiative
aimed at supporting members
of the military and their families. Until Veterans Day,
Belgard will donate $100 for
every paver project installed
to the USO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting, connecting and comforting American troops and
their families throughout
every step of their military
journey. For more information about how you can
contribute,
visit
www.
belgard.com/home.

at elf145@psu.edu. Applications are due by January 8th.

Two information sessions
will be offered. One will be
held on Wednesday, January
13th, 2016 from 6:30pm. to
8:30pm. at the Lehigh
County Agricultural Center.
The second will be held on
Wednesday, January 27th at
Illick's Mill in Bethlehem
from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.The
2016 Master Watershed
Steward Program is a collaborative effort of Penn State
Extension, the Watershed
Coalition of the Lehigh
Valley, Northampton County
Conservation District, Appalachian Mountain Club, the
Wildlands Conservancy and
the Lehigh Gap Nature
Center.

Hello, Fellow Readers!

Last weeks buck rub chat
inspired John from Pen
Argyl, PA to ask if feeding
deer would keep them from
eating his shrubs. There are
signs around town offering
deer corn for sale which
means folks with kind intentions are feeding them. Or,
maybe planning to bait them
for a hunt which hardly
seems fair game.
Its tough not to feel badly
for wildlife when temperatures are frigid and snow
abounds. However, feeding
deer can actually harm them.
And because food piles
wont meet all of their nutritional needs, it will devastatingly add to deer browse as
feeding concentrates deer in
one area. Never mind their
enormous mess of leavebehinds and yellow snow.
Their unnatural concentra-

tion also increases the risk of

spreading parasites and
disease such as Chronic
Wasting Disease (CWD)
found in in Pennsylvania in
2012 - thankfully not yet in
our local area. CWD is similar to mad cow disease,
though
there
are
no
confirmed cases of humans
contracting it.
Deer have a blend of bacteria in their digestive system
that work together to enable
them to break down plant
material. As seasons change
their bacteria changes to
accommodate the food thats
available. According to the
NJ Division of Fish and
Wildlife website, When
deer are fed high carbohydrate foods out of season
they lack the necessary gut
microflora to digest these
foods. This can result in
lactic acidosis, which causes
bloating, diarrhea, enteritis,
and in some cases, death.
You hear more concern over
bear being a threat. But just
like bear, by feeding deer
they lose their fear of
humans and can become
dangerous. I recall reading
about a human attack by a
deer a few years back in Lake
Hopatcong, NJ.
Yes, weve moved into their
territory making guilt a motivation to offer up food. But
feeding deer (and bear by
leaving trash outside) can
dramatically increase their
fertility which adds to the
problem of overpopulation.
Deer are hardwired to get
through the winter on their
own. They go into a feeding
frenzy in the fall to build up a
fat reserve to go along with
their winter coat. As the cold
weather sets in, their metabolism slows, they become less
active, and theyll seek
sheltered areas. Supplementing food interrupts their natural ability to adapt and
survive. So no help is the
best help for deer (and your
garden).
Garden Dilemmas?
askmarystone.com

Many grandparents spend

cash on their grandkids
whether by chipping in on
tuition
bills,
purchasing
special treats or simply buying
holiday gifts and helping with
day-to-day expenses. Many
seniors say that creating a
financially secure life for
themselves and their family is
an important goal. As a grandparent, it can be hard to find a
balance between supporting
(and spoiling) your grandkids
while ensuring you dont run
short on funds to reach your
own financial and retirement
goals. Here are four tips to
keep it all in check:
1. Know what you can afford.
No matter how much you
enjoy splurging on your
grandkids, your financial
security should remain your
first priority. There are many

unknowns in retirement,
including your longevity,
fluctuation of the markets and
the impact of inflation on
purchasing power. Spend and
gift within your means to
maintain your own financial
health in the future.
2. Determine if youre giving
or loaning. If youre giving a
gift, understand current federal
tax rules, which are based on
the calendar year. In 2015, you
can give up to $14,000 to each
family member before the
federal gift tax is applied. And
make certain the recipient
knows its a gift for their own
tax purposes, and so there is no
uncertainty about whether or
not they need to pay you back.
If you are loaning money to a
grandchild, be very specific
about the terms and repayment, and consider having a
written document that both
parties sign and date. This can
help safeguard your financial
situation and ensure both of
you are on the same page
now and in the future.
3. Talk about it. Many people
tend to shy away from discussions about money and
finances with their family. If
you would like to help support
your grandchildren or save for
their future goals like college
or a down payment on a home,
be sure to communicate this
with their parents. This can
help your adult children do a
better job with their own

financial
planning.
For
example, if the parents of your
grandchild know how much
you are expecting to contribute to their childs education,
they may be able to decrease
the amount allocated to a 529
Plan and invest more toward
other goals, such as their own
retirement.
4. Establish boundaries. Even
if you want to help your
grandchildren
financially,
depending on their situation, it
may not be appropriate to do
so, or to repeatedly provide
support. Everyone appreciates
help, but if your grandchild
needs to learn financial
independence, there can be
value in letting them live
within their own means. Keep
in mind the smart and
sometimes tough financial
lessons you learned as you
made your own way as a
young adult, and the pride that
came
with
successfully
overcoming challenges.
If you want to provide financial support to a family
member, but havent incorporated it into your overall financial plan, consider consulting a
financial professional. He or
she can help you evaluate your
financial needs and goals and
create a strategy. A clear and
realistic understanding of your
own financial picture can help
you identify how much you
can comfortably give and stay
on track with your own goals.

A recent graduate of Warren

County Technical School
was honored by the Warren
County Board of Chosen
Freeholders as its members
presented her with a scholarship award from Investors
Bank and the NJAC Foundation, a non-profit affiliated
with the New Jersey Association of Counties.
Hannah Quamme of Washington now attends County
College of Morris, where she
is pursuing International
Studies. The daughter of
Rich and Tracy Quamme, her
interests include learning
languages she is currently
learning Russian reading,
writing, hiking and painting.
Freeholder Richard D.
Gardner, the countys liaison
to NJAC and a past president
of the organization, noted
that Quamme was not only
a great student academically,
but also involved extracurricularly. While in high
school she served as president of the National Honors
Society chapter, and was a
peer mentor, a four-year
member of the Child Development program, the Central
Region Vice-President of
Skills USA, and involved in
the annual theater productions at Warren Tech.
In its nomination to the
NJAC Foundation, Warren
Tech officials described
Quamme as a respectful and
energetic student. Warren
Tech Principal Geta Vogel,
who attended the scholarship
presentation at the freeholder

board meeting, echoed that,

noting that Quamme was an
outstanding student who
captured the hearts of everyone at Tech.
Vogel added, We look at
teenagers and young adults
like Hannah to make a difference, and on behalf of those
of us at Warren Tech I can
tell you she already has.
Freeholder
Director
Edward J. Smith and Freeholder Jason J. Sarnoski
joined with Gardner in
presenting the $500 scholarship, which is given annually
to
county
vocationaltechnical school graduates
who plan on continuing their

education at a county college

or at a state college or
university.
Investors Band through the
Investors
Foundation
awarded the NJAC Foundation a grant of $16,000 to be
used for scholarship in each
county where the bank
conducts business. Since
2011, the bank has funded
$74,000 in scholarships to
148 county vocationaltechnical school graduates.
Gardner noted it is fortunate
to have an organization such
as Investors Bank underwriting college scholarships,
noting, These folks are
investing in you, the future.

By Jennifer Lively

The most misunderstood

and over-rated drug happens
to be Viagra. Yes, according
to a study by Dr.Vivek Jain
titled
"The
Viagra
Chronicles" Jain found that
86% respondents had taken
the drug without doctor's
advice. Any time you take
any drug without Dr.'s advice
it is misuse or abuse. Viagra
misconceptions and myths
such
as
"improved
performance, longer lasting
arousal, and lasting desire"

have created more demand

for the drug. The reality is
that Viagra is useful only in
cases of erectile dysfunction,"
said Jain.
The drug, Jain says, also
affects the heart and the lungs
and has other side effects. If
used by someone who does
not have ED, they could result
in medical emergencies.
Some side effects are
headaches, stomach ache,
severe joint aches, and visual
disturbances. Also, Viagra is
not for women but because of

the misconceptions even

women are experimenting
with it.
Unceremoniously
popping it affects multiple
organs in the body.
It is best not to misuse or
abuse any medication. Use
only prescriptions prescribed
for you; do not take your
friends or family members
medications; and use your
medications exactly as they
are prescribed. Questions?
Talk to your primary
physician or the staff at a
Clean Slate in Bangor.

The First Presbyterian

Church of Blairstown, NJ,
will launch the Christmas
season with a special,
family-friendly Hanging of
the Greens event on
Sunday, November 29th.
Community members are
welcome to attend the 10am
worship service, which will
focus on the history and
meaning of the Advent
season.

During the service, the

church sanctuary will be
decorated for Christmas, with
congregational participation.
A celebratory coffee hour will
follow with light refreshments.
The
First
Presbyterian
Church is located at 1 Main
Street
in
Blairstown.
Distinguished by its tall white
steeple, the First Presbyterian
Church has a history of
ministering to those within the

community and abroad.

Worship and Sunday School
are held on Sundays at 10am
Its food pantry, located in the
church Outreach Center at 35
Main Street, is open every
third Saturday.
For more information on
the Hanging of the Greens or
any
First
Presbyterian
Church ministry, contact the
church
office
at
908-362-5254.

Our family sends our

heartfelt "THANKS" to the
"Slater Youth Assoc." for the
touching ceremony
that retired the football
jersey #'s of Todd Strohe #83'
Doug Communale #32, and
David Hopstetter #33. Three
guys who loved to play
football!
Todd started out with the
Patriots and later helped
coach.
He felt it was
important to be involved
and make a difference in a
child's life. A special thank
you to Rhonda Ascani and

Scott
Minnich for their dedication
to this program
Also, we were all touched by
the wonderful ceremony that
the Bangor Area School
District
presented in retiring Todd's
#83 and giving us his jersey
that was framed. The Student
Cheering
Section amazed us with their
bodies painted with the #83.
What a tribute to Todd!
Todd's children, we as his
parents, brothers and their
families,aunts & uncles,
cousins and friends will never
forget the love and support of
our community.
The

memories of Todd will remain

with us forever!
Always
"STROHE
STRONG",
Walt & Carol L. Strohe

By Maria Cascario

The
Second
Annual
Veterans Day Breakfast was
held Wednesday at Plainfield
Elementary School in the Pen
Argyl PA School District.
Once again, it was a success
and the cafeteria was filled
with approximately two
hundred students with family
members who were in the
service.
Laughter and
fellowship were boundless as
everyone was welcomed with
breakfast delights and a
remarkable program put on
by the students under the
direction of their dedicated
teachers and staff.
Kim Borden, Librarian, gave
the Welcome and read the
Veterans Day Proclamation.
Everyone recited the Pledge
of Allegiance. Claire Ceraul
was so impressive singing the
National Anthem. The Boy
Scouts posted and retired the
colors. The entire third grade
class directed by music
teacher,Tiffany
Tarleton,
sang a Veterans Day Thank
You song. The Green and
White
cheerleaders
performed.
Phil Giaquinto, principal,
told the veterans We are
honored and thrilled to have
you here.
He thanked the staff and
everyone who partipated in
making the event a success.
He said the faculty had a

dress-down
day
and
donations went to the
Wounded Warriors Project.
Christine
DelVecchio,
guidance counselor, received
a donation from Giant and it
was used for flowers for each
veteran.
As Mrs. Borden said, The
entire school came together.
The Breakfast was a

collaborative effort.
The students did art work
which was placed on the wall
in the hallway and photos of
the students and veterans
were taken with the artwork
as a backdrop.
The faculty and PTA
volunteers brought baked
goods and helped to serve. It
was a great morning!