Keynote speaker Jim Entwistle.
Nine students proudly graduated from the Matheny School on Friday, June 15. On hand to wish them well was Jim Entwistle, the keynote speaker. His company, Village Office Supply, became one of Matheny’s vendors in 1989. Before long, said Entwistle, “We realized this was a special group of people we wanted to become more involved with.” Entwistle began his speech by asking for applause for the Matheny staff, whom he said one parent described as being “like angels.”
He was helped in his speaking duties by his 17-year-old daughter Samantha, who, as a fifth grader six years ago, had undertaken a school project to deliver personalized Valentines to all the Matheny students. That experience, she said, “triggered for me how important it was to volunteer at Matheny whenever they need me and whenever I can. Our family is proud to be part of the Matheny family.” Her father, referring to the phrase that appears on every page of the Matheny website, “Improving the Lives of People with Disabilities,” added that, “Matheny has improved the life of me and my family.” William Horton, mayor of Peapack-Gladstone, also spoke at the graduation and described Matheny as “a remarkable facility with a great history and a dedicated staff.”
The nine graduates were: Dina Conturso, daughter of Lisa Conturso of Belle Mead, NJ; Samuel DeMarzo , son of Diane DeMarzo of Livingston, NJ; Carly Finley, daughter of Tom and Antoinette Finley of Flemington, NJ; James Formisano, nephew of Nicholas and Alice Crupi of Randolph, NJ; Bozena Geraghty, daughter of Michael and Liz Geraghty of Cranford, NJ; Zachary Ludlow, son of Tom Ludlow and Melissa de la Puente of Mattituck, NY; Allyson Merer, daughter of Barry and Donna Merer of Scotch Plains, NJ; Katie Miller, daughter of Carolyn Miller of Brookside, NJ; and Nicholas Perfeito, son of Rui and Sandra Perfeito of North Brunswick, NJ.
Donna Merer and her daughter Allyson.
