May 2020
An exclusive magazine serving the residents of Chatham, New Jersey
www.ChathamLivingNJ.com
Chatham CommUNITY “Let There Be Light” at Sunset Lake, Chatham Township, April 1. Photo by Paul Heitlinger
May 2020 | 1
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Dear Residents, As we write this letter to you, we hope you and your family are well. We wish to extend our gratefulness to our community's first responders for their selfless and courageous actions to keep our community safe during these difficult weeks. And, we are in awe of the beautiful acts of kindness that Chatham residents and businesses provided during these challenges times. Neighbors helping neighbors--and helping beyond Chatham's borders. No surprise, of course. That's simply what the people of Chatham do.
Publication Team
Publisher: John White Content Coordinator: Stacey McEvoy Designer: Tom Zielinski Contributing Photography: Christine Loy www.christineloyphotography.com christineloyphotography@gmail.com
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Contact: John White Email: jwhite@bestversionmedia.com Phone: 973-964-6446
Feedback/Ideas/Submissions:
Have feedback, ideas or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are the 25th of each month. Go to www.bestversionmedia.com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas and photos to: smcevoy@bestversionmedia.com.
Our real estate expert contributor Marianne Slamm writes a poignant article "Real Estate Amid a Global Crisis: Work Arounds for the New Normal." She assures us that whether you are a current buyer, seller or prospective renter, industry professionals will develop effective solutions and keep the market going in response to your needs. Turn to page 8. If you need help getting back on track or are just not feeling right, Professional Physical Therapy is here to help you. Specialists can assess and customize a plan for you to feel better again. On page 14, our physical therapy expert contributor Matthew Riordan of Professional Physical Therapy writes a thoughtful piece: "Getting Back on Track." Also in this issue, we have an uplifting piece about the Chatham Education Foundation's grant awards, an article about Attorney General Gurbir Grewal's visit to Chatham High School and some adorable pets from St. Hubert's for adoption. Be well, Stacey and John
Important Phone Numbers:
Chatham Emergency Squad 973-377-1131 Chatham Borough Police Department 973-635-8000 Chatham Township Police Department 973-377-0100 Chatham Borough Fire Department 973-635-9090 Chatham Township Volunteer Fire Department 973-377-0100 Green Village Fire Department 973-377-7073 Chatham Borough Hall 973-635-0674 Chatham Township Municipal Building 973-635-4600 School District of the Chathams 973-457-2500 Library of the Chathams 973-635-0603 Senior Services Center of the Chathams 973-635-4565/4556 Board of Health (Madison Health Department) 973-593-3079 Chatham Borough Recreation Coordinator 973-635-7066 Chatham Township Recreation Coordinator 973-635-3201
Stacey McEvoy, Content Coordinator
John White, Publisher
Content Submission Deadlines: Content Due: November 25 December 25 January 25 February 25 March 25 April 25 May 25 June 25 July 25 August 25 September 25 October 25
Edition Date: January February March April May June July August September October November December
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. © 2020 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.
May 2020 | 3
EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS
To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact John White at jwhite@bestversionmedia.com or 973-964-6446. ACUPUNCTURE Morgan Reade, NJ Advanced Acupuncture Downtown Madison 6 Green Village Road, Madison, NJ 201-400-2261 www.njadvancedacupuncture.com
Morgan Reade L.Ac., M.S. Morgan is Board Certified through NCCAOM (National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists and Oriental Medicine). As a practicing Acupuncture Physician he perfected his acupuncture skills on a broad spectrum of patients including sports injuries, autoimmune thyroid, digestive and infertility. He is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the art, science and practice of Oriental Medicine in an ethical manner, enhancing the health and well-being of the general public and his patients.
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CARPET & FLOORING Dianne Grossman The Carpet Girl 1 Cornell Pkwy, Springfield Township, NJ 973-218-1155 • dianne@thecarpetgirl.com www.thecarpetgirl.com
Whether we come to your home, meet in a convenient location for you, or you come to our Springfield, NJ showroom, we help you find high-quality flooring that fits your lifestyle at prices that fit your budget.
COMMUNITY WELLNESS Madison Area YMCA Family Center 111 Kings Road, Madison, NJ 07940 973-822-YMCA (9622) www.madisonareaymca.org marketing@madisonymca.org The Madison Area YMCA is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. With quality programs that develop a healthy spirit, mind and body at any age, we believe everyone, regardless of age, income or background, should have the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.
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EDUCATION Breakaway Prep Test Prep & College Admissions Rick Michalak, Owner 268 Green Village Rd, Suite 2, Downstairs, Chatham, NJ and 18 Bank St. Downstairs, Summit, NJ 07901 973-457-1150 • rickm@breakawayprep.com breakawayprep.com We are a collective of top-notch teachers and counselors who have all have spent more time than we should admit with SATs, ACTs, Subject tests, college essays, college lists: You name it, we’ve worked with it. We offer one of the most deeply resourced and experienced teams in the world of test prep and college admissions.
FAMILY DENTISTRY Dr. Jacqueline S. Reid DDS 390 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 973-635-9456 www.jacquelinesreiddds.com Since 1998 our office has proudly provided high quality dentistry in Chatham and surrounding areas. Services include all aspects of modern dentistry as well implant restorations and prosthetics, cosmetic restorations. Dr. Reid is on staff at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as director of the dental residency training program.
KITCHEN & BATH RENOVATIONS Alan Archuleta, Archuleta Builders 973.986.6656 alan@archuletabuilders.com https://archuletabuilders.com/ Whether you are a homeowner, architect or real estate investor, finding the right contractor is key to the quality and success of your home renovation project. With attention to detail and a stylized eye, Alan Archuleta has his name on every home renovation project his team undertakes.
Law Offices of Rosemary Stone-Dougherty A Limited Liability Company
LEGAL REAL ESTATE Rosemary Stone-Dougherty, Esq. NJ & FL Bar Member 54 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 973-635-0300
rsdlawfirm@aol.com • www.rsdlawfirm.org Legal Services offered: • Real Estate Purchases/Sales • Estate Planning • Refinancesoffers exceptional Based in Chatham, Rosemary proudly • Landlord/Tenant Disputes • Land Use/Variance Applications • Probate• Collection
legal assistance for your real estate transactions. To Rosemary, the key to success is keeping 973-635-0300 • 54 Main Chatham, NJ 07928 you informed and St., educated, while protecting you as you move forward www.rsdlawfirm.org rsdlawfirm@aol.com through the legal•processes of buying, selling, or making improvements to your home.
LEGAL: DIVORCE MEDIATION AND LITIGATION Phyllis S. Klein, Esq. and Stephanie Frangos Hagan, Esq. Donahue, Hagan, Klein & Weisberg, LLC 44 Whippany Road, Morristown, NJ (973) 467-5556 pklein@dhkwlaw.com and shagan@dhkwlaw.com www.dhkwlaw.com Legal disputes involving marriage and children are among the most difficult situations a family can face. Phyllis Klein and Stephanie Hagan have been practicing family law for over 30 years. Their goal is to help clients through this challenging experience with compassion and understanding- advocating for favorable resolution through negotiation or mediation whenever possible, but always with total preparation to litigate successfully, if necessary.
NURSING HOME Garden Terrace Nursing Home 361 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 973-635-0899 info@gardenterracenursinghome.com www.gardenterracenursinghome.com Garden Terrace has been family owned and operated for over five decades by the Flemming family. We are a private, thirty bed, skilled nursing facility that specializes in long term care for individuals with cognitive and/or physical limitations.
ORTHODONTICS Dr. Barbara Fodero, DDS, MS Chatham Orthodontics 33 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 973-701-2200 www.chathambraces.com
PHYSICAL THERAPY Matthew Riordan Professional Physical Therapy & Training 111 Kings Road, Madison, NJ 973-270-7417 matthew@professionalptandtraining.com Matthew Riordan holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Rutgers University. He is the founder of Professional Physical Therapy & Training and has been conveniently located within the Madison and Summit Area YMCAs for more than 14 years. Matthew and his staff of Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy provide One-on-One specialized treatments to help people prevent as well as recover from musculoskeletal injuries and surgeries. He and his staff are also active members in the community.
REAL ESTATE Marianne Slamm, ABR, SRES Sales Associate Keller Williams Premier Properties marianneslamm@gmail.com www.Marianne-Slamm.kw.com M - 973-216-1912 Chatham has been my home for 25+ years. As your local agent, I’d welcome the opportunity to help you, your family and friends fulfill their dreams of buying, selling or investing in real estate in Chatham and the nearby towns.
WEALTH MANAGEMENT Chatham Wealth Management 10 Town Square #100, Chatham, NJ 800-472-8086 www.chathamwealth.com Chatham Wealth Management is a SEC registered investment advisor serving high net worth individuals, retirement plans and trusts. Our expert portfolio managers and financial planners average more than 25 years of investment experience.
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Dr. Barbara Fodero has provided orthodontic treatment for children and adults for over 17 years. She earned her dental degree from the University of Michigan, graduating first in her class, and continued there to complete three years of training in the specialty of orthodontics.
PHARMACY Liberty Drug 195 Main Street Chatham, NJ Phone: 877-836-0111 • Fax: 973-635-6208 www.libertydrug.com Liberty Drug and Surgical serving the Chatham area since 1965 has evolved into a premier compounding center as well as a full service pharmacy. Our state-of-the-art compounding lab enables us to provide customized medications in a variety of dosage forms for adult, pediatric, and veterinary patients.
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RESIDENT FEATURE
CHATHAM COMMUNITY AT ITS FINEST
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By Stacey McEvoy
ocial distancing, washing our hands constantly, school from home and working from home became our new normal during March and April when the coronavirus changed our lives. As we learned to keep at least six feet away from each other and to wash our hands for 20 seconds, and our teachers learned to teach from afar and our kids got into the groove of virtual learning, Chatham residents also sprang into action, banded together and did what they do best: Help. They lifted up one another, our local businesses and health care workers with their support. And they lifted our spirits. Stories of kindness, determination, courage, selflessness and love were everywhere. Rising from the uncertainty, FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group) www. FLAG2020.org was born to support local restaurants and keep the front line fueled. Chatham’s Liz Bernich began the crusade March 19 and was joined by Gina McGuire of Madison to become FLAG of Chatham and Madison—which turned into a nationwide movement. As of April 9, FLAG of Chatham and Madison raised $115,000 to feed the front lines in our local hospitals and health care centers. Local businesses received $41,000 that provided 6,400 meals, and 73 towns in 21 states started FLAGs of their own. It was nothing short of astounding.
Inspired by her hometown Huntington, Long Island, that started Huntington Hospital Meals group to feed health care workers during the crisis, Liz gauged interest from the Chatham community on Facebook, asking for donations to feed doctors and nurses with meals from local restaurants and food establishments. “In these really dark and stormy days this entire movement has brought so much goodness and help to those who need and deserve it. This simple concept is changing lives and bringing smiles to the faces of people who are dealing with really hard stuff inside those hospital walls,” wrote Liz in a Facebook post a couple of weeks after FLAG started. And the movement was elevated more. “We love our front liners” signs began popping up on lawns across Chatham and surrounding towns. Chatham resident Tracey Tango of Art with Heart designed the signs with the FLAG logo
Kate McEvoy, 12, painted a rainbow for hope. Hannah the cat gave it a “paws up.” 6 | Chatham Living
Liz Bernich and her family.
created by Chatham resident Beth Kneebone to show the community’s love and support to front liners as they drove through our neighborhoods on their way to work. Tracey also designed t-shirts with the logo to honor front liners. All proceeds of the signs and t-shirts were donated to FLAG. Chatham and Madison residents with sewing skills joined forces, formed Front Line Angel Sewers and answered the call to make masks for health care workers. The Library of The Chathams joined the crusade and began a mask drive. More than 2,500 masks were delivered to 17 hospitals and medical centers throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Manhattan as well as Chatham’s own Garden Terrace Nursing Home and Juniper Village at Chatham. Masks were also delivered to Madison Pharmacy, Madison Animal Hospital, Madison Borough Maintenance Dept. and Walgreen’s Pharmacy. Cartwright Bag, a locally owned privacy handbag maker, halted production of handbags to make masks to support the cause. The Senior Center of the Chathams staff continued to provide vital resources, information, physical and emotional support to Chatham’s senior population. Fifty volunteers shopped for more than 30 households and made calls to more than 2,000 Chatham residents over 65. They also answered calls from family members who could not physically be present but wanted to know that their
(Courtesy of Monica Schaefer, a volunteer sewer of masks)
loved ones were being looked after and were staying safe and healthy. “Clap to Show Gratitude” brought residents out of their houses, at a safe distance, to applaud, honk horns and bang pots and pans to honor front liners each Monday evening at 7 p.m. Residents lit candles and luminarias in their neighborhoods during “Let There Be Light” on April 1 to show support to front liners. People sent flowers from Sunnywoods Florist on Main Street to make friends smile. Rainbows made by children began appearing in Chatham windows. Symbols of hope. We are Chatham. We will get through this. This is commUNITY at its finest. �
Sunset Lake in Chatham Township during Let There Be Light on April 1. (Courtesy of Anna Zoni)
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact us at smcevoy@bestversionmedia.com.
We would like to thank Salerno Duane Inc. in Summit for bringing you this month’s cover story.
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EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
REAL ESTATE AMID A GLOBAL CRISIS: WORK AROUNDS FOR THE NEW NORMAL
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Contributed by Marianne Slamm, Keller Williams Realty ife has shifted and continues to change. Thanks to the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve been forced to brainstorm workarounds and adjust to the dynamics of the New Normal. The good news is…when the chips are down, we tend to do our best work.
COVID-19 cannot totally put our lives on hold.If you’re a current buyer, seller or prospective renter, rest assured that industry professionals will develop effective solutions and keep the market going in response to your needs. Your life or work scenarios may dictate a move. In fact, you may already be in the middle of selling your house. Plus, we’re seeing an uptick in the suburban rental market. Increasingly, families want to temporarily get out of the cities. Real estate professionals are here to help you. It’s simply that their methods and platforms will be modified. Thankfully, the industry has already provided agents with the technology tools and training to run our businesses virtually. We’ll have to expand the use of these tools and rely on them in new ways. Video tours, including 3D viewing, will help us make
the insides of homes more visible, and both buyers and sellers will benefit. Facetime and Zoom showings will allow agents to connect with clients. Plus, when you’re getting ready to sell, these same technologies will allow agents and stagers to work with homeowners, become familiar with a property and provide consultation. These methods combined with robust additional marketing will enhance seller exposure to potential buyers. We might even speculate that the use of these channels will inform a higher level of communication between buyers, sellers and agents. The administrative side of client work can also be handled digitally. We have the capability to use electronic and remote document signing for listings, contracts and closings. Closings may still be held at your attorney’s office, but the modified format will require advance paperwork preparation and signing, and only essential people will participate in the official closing. Getting mortgage approval for buyers can also be easily done by phone complemented with drive-by appraisals to gain a property’s accurate market. What’s more, your agents will not only be thinking creatively but also relying on the relationships they’ve already built to accommodate clients. Those established relationships enable efficient and effective interface with town officials and attorneys. Tasks such as closing out permits, obtaining Certificates of Occupancy and completing final meter readings are easily coordinated. Granted, these methods may seem awkward at first. Until they become second nature, it may take longer to sell a house or move from offer to closing. But patience, ingenuity and staying the course will have a payoff—which will include, reinforce and continue to test a life lesson: Difficult times are the proof that necessity is the mother of invention. To get market insights or discuss your situation, call Marianne Slamm at 973-216-1912 or write to her at mail to: marianneslamm@gmail.com.
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WHAT THE 1940 CENSUS TELLS US ABOUT CHATHAM TOWNSHIP
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Contributed by Patricia Wells, Chatham Township Historical Society
ost people think about the Federal Census for only as long as it takes them to fill it out every ten years. People doing genealogical searches have more interest because clues to their relatives can often be found there. But historians love these documents because of the plethora of data the census provides about individuals and whole populations. Individual census data is not released until 72 years after a census is taken, so the 1940 census was released in 2012. This census gives us a good picture of Chatham Township in that year. The town had a population of 2,026 people, a 45% increase since the1930 census. In 1910, 53% Harry's Store, run by Harry Harootunian, of homes were on farms. This decreased to 35% provided mail service to families living in 1920 and 19% in 1930. Farm data were poorly near the corner of Fairmount Avenue and Meyersville Road. He knew everyone, so recorded on the Township’s 1940 census, but he just handed you your mail. (Courtesy only 7% of adults over 21 were working in dairy of Chatham Township Historical Society). and agriculture. About half of them worked for the greenhouses found throughout the township. More adults worked in industry and insurance, commuting out of town to their jobs. Here is a sampling of the annual salaries of the period: housekeeper on a private estate $260 ($480 in 2020 dollars), greenhouse worker $1,200 ($22,000), claims approver for an insurance company $2,500 ($46,000), and telephone engineer for a telephone laboratory $5,000 ($92,000). Several areas of town had seen new development. Recently built houses on Edgewood Road and Fairfax Terrace were valued at about $12,000 ($220,200). New homes along Longwood were worth about $7,000 ($129,000). Long Hill Country Club Estates was beginning its building boom with homes valued at $4,000-5,000 ($73,000-$92,000). There were a dozen mansions/estates in town ranging in value from $20,000 to $100,000 ($367,000- $1,800,000). These included Allen McAlpin’s home Boisaubin on Treadwell Avenue, Elliott Averett’s Dixiedale on River Road, and Aglar Cook’s Broadfield Farm (later the Kirby Estate) on Shunpike. Many families rented their homes. The lowest rent was $8 ($147) and the highest $100 ($1835). Most people were paying $15-60 ($275-$1100). In 1940, there were 1,376 adults over 21 in the Township of whom 548 (40%) had eight years or less of education. A handful had never attended school. Only 269 (20%) had completed high school and 170 (12%) had college degrees. Eighteen percent of the adult population were immigrants; most were naturalized citizens or in the process of attaining citizenship. The largest number were from Germany, followed by England, Russia, Ireland and Scotland. The 2010 census recorded 10,452 people living in Chatham Township, nearly 5 times the number in 1940. The changes to the town during that time have been significant. The 1940 census allows us to see how much things have changed.
Chatham Township Town Hall in the 1940s. The Police Departent was located in the small addition on the back. The building was located near Nash Field on Southern Blvd. (Photo by Bob Stoll).
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CORONAVIRUS AND HOME CLEANING – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW By Ines Cohron
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Owner, Total Home Cleaning ere’s what everyone needs to understand… Cleaning a surface removes the visible dirt and dust. Sanitizing is meant to reduce bacteria, viruses and fungi. In the cleaning industry, the word “sanitizing” refers to a solution or device that reduces the amount of germs on a surface by 99.9 percent or more—a level that’s considered safe by public health standards. “Disinfecting” is used for products that kill 99.99% of germs on a surface. At first glance that does not seem like a big difference but it is actually an exponential reduction. (Read - when you’ve ‘absolutely, positively gotta kill’ those germs). Good news? … the coronavirus we are all fighting is susceptible to household disinfecting products! Take a look at the list compiled by the American Chemistry Council (it’s a little easier to read and recognize than other lists).. https://www. americanchemistry.com/Novel-Coronavirus-Fighting-ProductsList.pdf. A word to the wise – disinfecting is NOT effective without first cleaning. When you spread a disinfectant or sanitizer on a surface that has not first been cleaned to remove dust and debris you are wasting time, effort and product. The disinfectant will simply sit on top of the dirt that will shelter nasty germs. Also, disinfectants need “sit” time to be truly effective. That means, you apply it and let it sit according to directions for maximum efficiency. I like to leave the surface of a door knob dampened/wet with the disinfectant. That brings us to the hot spots for germs in a home! Those include - light switches, door knobs, faucet fixtures, pulls and any high touch surfaces. Lots of people forget the very popular remote control and phones. When we clean remote control, we dampen the cloth with the product and set the remote face down on the cloth in the dampened cloth. This way we are not spraying into the remote.
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LATEST CHATHAM HOME SALES STATS FROM THE SPELKER REAL ESTATE TEAM ADDRESS 51 LINDEN LN 12 CANDACE LANE 173 NOE AVE 35 STERLING DRIVE 129 NOE AVE 46 ROWAN RD 82 WESTON AVE 45 OAK DR 104 PINE ST 82 SUNSET DR 73 N PASSAIC AVE 647 FAIRMOUNT AVE 24 ROSE TER 38 UNIVERSITY AVE 26 LUM AVE 28 N HILLSIDE AVE 63 LAFAYETTE AVE 14 KENSINGTON RD
ORIG LIST PRICE $2,650,000 $2,595,000 $2,199,000 $1,450,000 $1,125,000 $1,095,000 $1,250,000 $995,000 $1,199,000 $700,000 $649,900 $645,000 $599,900 $670,000 $699,000 $599,000 $575,000 $315,000
LIST PRICE $2,650,000 $2,545,000 $2,199,000 $1,450,000 $1,125,000 $1,095,000 $999,999 $995,000 $949,000 $700,000 $649,900 $645,000 $599,900 $670,000 $659,000 $599,000 $530,000 $315,000
SALES PRICE $2,650,000 $2,365,000 $2,050,000 $1,450,000 $1,010,000 $1,000,000 $999,900 $985,000 $935,000 $665,000 $640,000 $640,000 $632,000 $625,000 $600,000 $565,000 $515,000 $325,000
DAYS ON MARKET 0 219 30 9 0 92 249 29 144 31 39 10 8 30 77 66 100 23
Year to date up to March 1. Market Data as per Garden State Multiple Listing Service 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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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May
Editor's Note: This month we're spotlighting virtual events offered online here in NJ and beyond. Enjoy! VISIT THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The Smithsonian offers fantastic resources for families, including online tours of their museums. Sit down together and see the dinosaur bones, fossils, and other exciting exhibits. It's almost like being there. Bonus: Choose your favorite exhibit and research everything you can about it. Give your family a report! https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour BECOME AN IMAGINEER!
Disney and the Khan Academy have teamed up to offer this free online course for budding Imagineers. Kids (or adults--this is serious fun for any age) can build their own theme park while learning about STEM topics. Bonus: Plan your own theme park all about Madison! https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/hass-storytelling/ imagineering-in-a-box DOODLE ALONG WITH AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR, MO WILLEMS
Kids love Mo Wilem's books, and now they can doodle with him every school day at 1pm EST. Bonus: Draw along with Mo and share your art on social media. https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/
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LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE
Duolingo offers FREE online language courses for everything from Spanish to French to Klingon. Do it together as a family or strike out on your own. Bonus: Plan an imaginary trip to the country whose language you're studying. https://www.duolingo.com/ EXPLORE THE GREAT COURSES
Attention all library card holders, you can take programs offered by The Great Courses for free using the streaming service, Kanopy. Take better pictures, learn about history, literature, music, and more. Bonus: Take a course together with the family. https://madisonnjlibrary.kanopy.com/frontpage PRACTICE HAPPINESS
Yale University is offering one of its most popular courses for free through Coursera. The Science of Well Being teaches students how to increase happiness and boost productivity. Bonus: For a fee, you'll receive a formal certificate of completion. https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ART
Google has teamed up with some of the world's best museums, bringing them right into your home via the internet. Bonus: Recreate some of the world's greatest paintings in your home. It's silly, but why not? https://artsandculture.google.com/ WRITE SOMETHING
Arts by the People has moved its programming online. Check out their website for opportunities to read and listen to your work and the work of other writers. Bonus: Email your work to rbarry@bestversionmedia.com and we might print it in a future issue. https://www.artsbythepeople.org/event-poss KEEP MOVING WITH THE MADISON AREA YMCA
While the doors are closed the Y is still sharing workouts and daily encouragement on their social media channels. Bonus: Make up your own fun fitness routine--soundtrack included. https://www.madisonareaymca.org/
May 2020 | 13
EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
GETTING BACK ON TRACK Contributed by Matthew Riordan, Professional Physical Therapy & Training
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s I write this in March, we are in the midst of social distancing and possibly quarantining. I’m hopeful that by the time this is published in May, our lives will be getting back on track and return to some level of normalcy with an opportunity to be in some ways even better than before. There is no doubt that there are going to be secondary effects of this pandemic, both negative and positive. Trying times can actually bring out the best in some people. Renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung stated “Man needs difficulties; they are necessary for health.” Some of the positive secondary effects I’ve noticed and hope will continue include seeing entire families walking together, a break from the norm of being overscheduled and kids having adequate time to recover from playing multiple overlapping sports. A real positive would be the realization of the detrimental effects on health and family due to commuting up to three hours per day and therefore igniting a change in life/ work balance. I’m certain that many have already undergone detrimental secondary effects. Prolonged stress of this pandemic keeps people in their parasympathetic system, otherwise known as the fight or flight response. This causes increased levels of harmful hormone secretion such as cortisol. Cortisol can alter respiration, sleep, metabolism,weight gain, elevate blood pressure and blood glucose levels, as well as increased muscle tension creating aches, pains and slow recovery. This can be a vicious cycle which can leave you feeling, well, just off with
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everything, not even knowing what is actually wrong or how to even begin to get out of it. Additionally, being cooped up at home with your muscles and joints getting stiffer and seizing up more and more each day compounds this problem. Here are a few simple, basic, yet very effective tips for getting back on track. Slow, controlled, deep breathing can start to shift you from fight or flight mode back to your sympathetic or a more relaxed and efficient state. Don’t just jump back into the same routine. Get yourself going with basic moves and a stretching program. We have lots of great free programs at www.FeelBetterWithPT.com This past month has taught us that health is wealth and should always be a priority. Don’t fall back in the habit of ignoring those aches and pains until there is a real problem. If you need help getting back on track or are just not feeling right, we are here to help you. Our specialists can assess and customize a plan for you to get back on track and feel better again. We would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation to our first responders, frontline healthcare workers and teachers and provide them with some extra special attention. We are here to help you. Visit www.FeelBetterWithPT.com to find out more. Speak with a specialist at 973-270-7417 or even stop in and see us within the Madison Area YMCA.
CHATHAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION HOSTS EVENING OF RECOGNITION AND GRANT SHOWCASE
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Contributed by Chatham Education Foundation he Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) hosted approximately 100 attendees at its inaugural Evening of Recognition and Grant Showcase on Thurs., Feb. 27, at Chatham High School. The evening celebrated academic excellence while recognizing CEF's donors and grant recipients. Chatham High School’s boys and girls a cappella groups and orchestra, led by teachers James Lawrence and Ken Bryson, entertained guests during the reception catered by Devour Creative Catering. Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa greeted guests with an opening address reiterating the mission statement of the School District of the Chathams, “to discover and grow the gifts within each child.” Guests had the opportunity to See the World with Virtual Reality, funded by a grant requested by Tamar Spitzer and Ines Wishart. Donors peered into virtual reality goggles, wandering about the streets of France and scaling the Great Wall of China. Donors experienced firsthand the remarkable opportunity the goggles afford students to engage in authentic conversations in their language of study. Ms. McCabe’s Reimagined Classroom, also funded by CEF, taps into the diversity of the students, who do not all learn the same way. She has created a kinetic classroom, where students are given different options of where to sit and how to learn. Ms. McCabe also discussed her passion project, the TED talk class which she conducts at CHS. This class and the TED style talks give students the tools to change the world and help make it a better place. Her students recently participated in a TEDed convention in New York, which addressed the climate crisis. Jessica Liatys’s middle school robotics team assisted her in presenting Winston and Wanda, the humanoid robots funded by the Chatham Education Foundation and the Chatham Middle School PTO. The Robotics team shared with donors how they used programming languages to design a formal road diet to alleviate traffic congestion on Main Street. Danielle Dagounis presented district wide STEM
focused grants such as MAKER Idea Boards, Large Format Printers, and Aero Robotics. Donors were treated to a tour of the dynamic production studio otherwise known as Connor Henderson’s classroom. The lighting equipment and high-quality pulse lenses funded by the CEF’s grant have afforded all students in the class the opportunity to use specialized equipment in the production of their weekly news and live interview format shows. Stacy Winters and Mallory Lynn shared with donors how The Thinking Classroom continues to positively impact the way teachers and students approach mathematics. Students solve mathematical problems on vertical spaces including writable walls and standing desks, enabling continuous collaboration, increased problemsolving skills, and enhanced math confidence. In the Digital Pen Tablets for Graphic Design and Visual Arts showcase, Eric Hreha and Keira Spadaro invited donors to use the digital pen tablets themselves, to create bright mandalas or infuse digitized landscapes with color and hue. Students worked alongside the donors, invoking pop art greatness with a tremendous schematic of every superhero known to mankind. Karen Chase spoke about the TED experience she shared with other educators from SDOC who took the TED Masterclass to enhance their public speaking, connectivity, and presentation skills. This class has changed the way
Laura Bojanowski (event co-chair), Bethany Gianusso (event co-chair), Chatham Education Foundation President Sally Allen and SDOC Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa with CHS volunteers from National Honor Society and Key Club (Photo by Aaron Berger)
Ray Beegle, Chatham Education Foundation donor, experimenting with the virtual reality goggles, (Photo by Aaron Berger)
district educators interact with their students and approach the student learning experience. Andrea Murphy and Lisa Lattarulo’s Rest and Relaxation Room offered donors the chance to sit still in meditative darkness surrounded by music, aromatherapy and stress manipulatives. This room encourages community connectedness and presents students with opportunities for activities such as meditation and yoga. The evening showcased the vision of the educators and administrators who have helped forge an innovative path for the School District of the Chathams. One donor said, "Tonight was an eye opener for me. I was so impressed by all the grants on the tour.” According to CEF President, Sally Allen, “The generosity of CEF’s donors and ingenuity of our district leaders and teachers continue to positively impact students’ learning environment. These innovative grants take on even greater significance as the school community transitions from classroom to cloud in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.” CEF extends its deepest gratitude to the donors and school community as well as local business partners STH Printing, 908 Media, and Devour Creative Catering for making this evening so special. Chatham Education Foundation is a leading provider of private funding to the School District of the Chathams, supporting innovative and creative educational programs and special projects that are designed to enrich the mind and body. Through fundraising efforts, CEF was able to award over $104,000 in grants to teachers, supervisors and school in 2018-19, raising total awards to the district to over $1.4 million since 1997. May 2020 | 15
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SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CHATHAMS SPOTLIGHT: ATTORNEY GENERAL GUBIR GREWAL ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO “SPIRAL UP”
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Contributed by School District of the Chathams n Fri., March 6, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal visited Chatham High School. The Attorney General took students on his journey of patriotism and shared how his failure at being a writer and the events of September 11 changed the course of his life path. He shared how these events taught him that he needed to be resilient in the face of adversity and to take advantage of every opportunity rather than to treat a closed door as a dead end. He encouraged students to implement the same methods that he uses to promote the mental health of police officers. With a message to “spiral up” rather than “spiral down” he challenged students to chart their own course. While adversity in life is a certainty, Grewel stressed that the outcome in the face of adversity is determined by an active choice to be resilient. He shared how after September 11, he immediately became a target of racism because of how he looked, despite being an American Citizen his whole life. He took this opportunity to seize his patriotism and dedicate the remainder of his career to public service. Attorney General Grewal challenged students to stop at nothing less than acceptance of others saying, “We do a great job preparing you for standardized exams, but are we doing a good enough job to prepare you to be good people? Are we teaching you the civility to be in this moment right now? Are we teaching you the civics lessons? Are we teaching you all that we can to treat each other not to “tolerate” each other. “Tolerance”, I hate that word. It’s got to be about acceptance. Are we teaching you enough because we can’t control what’s happening at your dinner tables, but we can sure control what’s happening in our schools. If we’re going to conquer hate, we need to do a better job of confronting bias among our young people, because our young people are our future.” The Cultural Committee of the Chathams (CCC) was instrumental in arranging for the Attorney General to come to speak to Chatham High School Students. The Cultural Committee of the Chathams is a grassroots effort consisting
Attorney General Grewal with school district administrators and the Cultural Committee of the Chathams: Chatham High School Principal Darren Groh, Tracy Ness, Allison Guvenel, Minati OConnell, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, Kalpana Tumu, Sanjula Samar, Carolyn Dempsey, School District of the Chathams Superintendent Michael LaSusa, School District of the Chathams Social Studies Supervisor Steve Maher.
of Chatham Borough and Chatham Township residents. The committee was formed to help promote ideas and events in the spirit of diversity and inclusion. Through its programs, the Cultural Committee of the Chathams promotes goals of accepting, respecting, and valuing differences that include but are not limited to attributes such as ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, religion, gender, age, race, sexual orientation, ability and family circumstances. With these goals in mind, Attorney General Grewal was the first of three speakers they wanted to host. As a person born and raised in America by Indian immigrant parents, the Attorney General has learned to overcome adversity by having resiliency and through his experiences learning his true passion for life-law. The School District of the Chathams welcomed the opportunity to work with the Cultural Committee of the Chathams to have the Attorney General share his message of public service.
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ADOPT-A-PET
St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center provides services that support the human-animal bond and seeks to foster an environment in which people respect all living creatures. Learn how you can volunteer, foster, and adopt at sthuberts.org. You can meet and adopt any of the following animals at our Madison Campus, 575 Woodland Avenue.
Contributed by St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center Photos by St. Hubert’s
These handsome fellows are Philip and Hogarth. Philip (pictured on the left) can be a little shy at first, but warms up once he’s comfortable. A home with lots of toys (and plenty of places to climb and hide) would be purr-fect for Philip. Hogarth (on the right) enjoys a good petting – and he could chase a laser pointer all day long! This dynamic duo is available for adoption as a pair from St. Hubert’s Madison location.
Vincent is a fun, goofy guy who loves everyone he meets. He loves toys. He loves to run. He loves to give hugs and kisses! He's got tons of energy, but will cuddle in your lap. He's also great with kids. Come visit Vincent at St. Hubert’s Madison location!
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Meet Darla! This super sweet girl loves going on walks – but she loves curling up on the couch, too. She’s looking for a quiet, calm home to call her own. She really likes hanging out with other dogs. In fact, she would do best in a house with a social, confident dog to show her the ropes. You can visit Darla at St. Hubert’s in Madison.
Say hello to Butters! Her laid-back, easygoing personality makes her a great fit for first-time cat owners. She’d thrive in a tranquil house where the vibe is mellow – and there’s lots of treats! If she could share a home with another, more outgoing cat, that would be fantastic. Come meet Butters at St. Hubert’s Madison location.
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