Filling the Bill

From left, MBS students Blake Kernen of Short Hills, NJ; William Segal, Millington, NJ; Kendall Cairoli, Tewksbury, NJ; Lamson; and Jenna Dertouzas, Oakland, NJ.

During the 11 years that he taught science at Morristown-Beard School in Morristown, NJ, Bill Lamson spent every Monday afternoon bringing a group of seven students to Matheny to help out with recreation therapy activities and to interact socially with Matheny patients and students. The Mo-Beard volunteers rotated from a group of approximately 75 students.

In addition to this regular routine, Lamson also galvanized his students to volunteer and raise money to support Miles for Matheny, the annual fundraiser and community event held every April. Last year, despite the rain and wind, more than 20 Mo-Beard students served as walking partners in the Lu Huggins Wheelchair Walk.

Lamson, a resident of West Caldwell, NJ, is now retired, but he visited Matheny one last time in  January with some of his students, to enjoy a thank you party organized by coordinator of volunteer activities Gail Cunningham and volunteer assistant David Curcio. They presented him with several mementoes of his time at Matheny including photos, press clips and one more Miles for Matheny t-shirt to add to his collection.

On a recent Monday afternoon, MBS students Blake Kernan, left, of Short Hills, NJ, and Tatiana James of Basking Ridge visited with Matheny student Aaron Turovlin.

The relationship between the Morristown-Beard School in Morristown and Matheny goes back longer than anyone can remember. Every Monday afternoon, a group of eight or nine students from Mo-Beard, a coeducational independent school for grades 6-12, visit Matheny to participate in a wide variety of activities, from card games and crafts to adaptive sports and computer games.

In all, about 50 middle and upper school MBS students take part in the Matheny visits, an activity the school is very pleased about, as it says on its website: “The students and faculty of the MBS community are proud to acknowledge themselves as some of Matheny’s most consistent, proactive volunteers.”

In addition to the weekly visits, Morristown-Beard students raise money every year to support Miles for Matheny, the annual fundraiser and community event being held this year on April 22 at Liberty Park in downtown Peapack, NJ. Last year, Mo-Beard students raised $2,600. Fundraising activities for this year’s Miles are just getting underway.

At last year’s Miles for Matheny, Mo-Beard student Neil Gadde presented Matheny president Steve Proctor with a check for $2,600 while classmates and faculty members looked on.