Giving back to the community

From left, Yasin Reddick, Anthony Winchatz, Matheny student James Wild, Marlo Bodinizzo and Matheny students Catherine Aragona and Raven Bennett.

The Resource Center of Somerset County, created to fight back against the negative effects of domestic violence, provides a safe house for domestic violence victims. But the victims, while living in emergency shelters, often lack some of the basic items needed for everyday living.

With that in mind, the students in Peggy Zappulla’s class at the Matheny School decided to collect items, such as toiletries, school supplies and clothes, from Matheny staff members. On September 12, they presented several boxes of items collected (or purchased at Wal-Mart with cash contributions) to Lt. Anthony J. Winchatz, Resource Center director of marketing and public relations, and Marlo Bodinizzo, development assistant and donations coordinator.

“We can ask corporations to write a check,” said Winchatz, “but when the gifts come from people in our community, they are extra special. Donations such as yours are so much more important to our program because they are sincere and come from the heart.” One student, Yasin Reddick, expressed the feelings of the entire class when he told Winchatz, “We just wanted to give back.”

Good knights

From left: Fred Dziurzinski of Far Hills, Chris Ryan, Ray Goger of Far Hills and Matheny president Steve Proctor.

Matheny adult patient Chris Ryan was inducted into the Knights of Columbus of the St. Elizabeth Far Hills and St. Brigid Peapack parish community chapter last year. So it was only natural that he would be on hand to greet representatives of the Knights when they visited Matheny recently to make their annual contribution, which this year totaled $2,000.

Ushering in the New Year

Rabbi Jaffe and adult patient Teddy Dobrich.

It has become a tradition every fall for Rabbi Evan Jaffe of the Flemington, NJ, Jewish Community Center to visit with Jewish students and patients at Matheny a few days before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to conduct pre-holiday services. This year was no exception as the energetic rabbi explained the meaning of the Jewish New Year and led his guest congregants in song and prayer.

An added attraction was his coaching of music therapist Alissa West, who did an admirable job of blowing the shofar, the ram’s horn that is an integral part of the High Holy Day services.

The FJCC is a conservative synagogue providing the Jewish community of Hunterdon County with religious, educational and social programs.

Alissa West blowing the shofar.

 

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