SETTING THE AGENDA: Part 2 of 2
South Brunswick organizations are all looking forward to a prosperous, and happy 2002.
Their goals range from increasing the number of activities at the South Brunswick Family YMCA, to introducing people to various religious faiths, from expanding services for the elderly and disabled to completing work on several new township parks.
This week, the South Brunswick Area Clergy Association, the South Brunswick Family YMCA, Citizens for Independent Living, Community renewal, the South Brunswick Community Development Corporation and the Recreation Advisory Board offer their agendas for 2002.
Here is some of what they said.
Clergy Association
The Clergy Association will continue to build understanding and tolerance throughout the community with some new programs and by continuing traditional ones.
The Rev. Francis Hubbard, president of the association, said among the first things scheduled this year will be the Martin Luther King service at St. Cecilia’s R.C. Church at 7 p.m., Jan. 20.
"Christian, Jewish and Muslim speakers will tell what it means to be a peacemaker in accordance with their religion," said Father Hubbard.
The clergy also is sponsoring a program in conjunction with the Adult Community School that will run for seven weeks, on Thursdays, from Jan. 24 to March 7.
Father Hubbard said the program is called "One Nation Under God: Many Houses of Worship."
"Basically, it’s sort of an evening’s introduction to a number of faiths and faith perspectives," he said.
The program will be held at South Brunswick High School and will first feature Imam Hamad Ahmad Chebli from the Islamic Society of Central Jersey on Jan. 24.
Rabbi David Eligberg will speak Jan. 31 about Judaism, followed by a team of Presbyterian and Reform clergy who will discuss the Reform and Presbyterian faiths in Christianity.
On Feb. 14, the Rev. Fred Schott of Christ the King Lutheran Church and Father Hubbard, pastor of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church will speak about their respective faiths within Christianity.
The Rev. Sherwyn James of the Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church is scheduled for Feb. 21, followed by the Rev. Joseph Desmond, pastor of St. Cecilia’s, and Carolyn Hughes, lay member of St. Augustine of Canterbury R.C. Church, who will discuss Catholicism.
The series will conclude with a roundtable discussion March 7.
The association will also continue to award scholarships to high school students who have made an impact with their tolerance and understanding of people from different backgrounds, said Father Hubbard.
Nick D’Amore
South Brunswick
Family YMCA
The YMCA celebrated the opening of its Culver Road facility in Monmouth Junction last March. During its first nine months of operation, the YMCA has served more than 2,400 children in summer day camp, more than 3,000 children in swim lessons and well over 200 children per week in sports and gymnastics programs.
The YMCA is eyeing 2002 as a bounce-back year for the organization, says Andre Gruber.
The first order of business is to try to increase membership that has peaked at 500.
"We’ve reached a plateau, so we want to extend it to 700," Mr. Gruber said.
To reach that goal, the Y will go through several alterations including the relocation and enlargement of the fitness area, increased attention to a facility dance center and an increase in the daycare capacity from 63 to 87.
"We’re going to be changing up some programs," Mr. Gruber said. "We want to enhance the programs and be able to provide for more people."
The YMCA also going to try and reach its $200,000 goal for the "Bridge to the Future" fund-raising campaign. The money will be used to increase programs and participation, for construction and to become more self-sufficient. Mr. Gruber said the YMCA also will try to reduce current debts by refinancing through tax-exempt bonds.
Brian Shappell
Citizens for
Independent Living
Citizens for Independent Living will be focusing its efforts on providing additional transportation for its members in 2002.
The CIL is a nonprofit organization that provides developmentally disabled adults with housing and services, such as job counseling and assistance with shopping, as well as other daily chores.
President Betty Pochinski said the CIL will be receiving a minivan by the end of January or by February.
"We’re buying a minivan to provide transportation for our participants," she said.
Ms. Pochinski said the minivan will be used primarily for recreation and supermarket trips at first, but will eventually be used to get members to doctor appointments and their jobs.
"The town provides a lot of transportation, so the van will be used to supplement that," she said.
She said the van was purchased through donations from businesses, local organizations and individuals.
Ms. Pochinski said CIL will most likely employ a township driver for the van.
CIL also plans to keep working to improve the lives of its members.
"As always, our goal is to help members try to live independent lives," she said.
Nick D’Amore
South Brunswick
Community Renewal
Community Renewal of South Brunswick wants to develop new programs and expand existing ones in 2002.
"This year, we are not only continuing successful programs, but are developing new ones in order to reach more residents," said South Brunswick Community Renewal Director Shirley Osipov.
Community Renewal is a nonprofit organization that operates solely on donations. Originally set up to help Manville flood victims, it now provides outreach programs to township seniors and youths.
The group will continue its existing youth outreach programs, such as the Crossroads School Garden Club and Back to School Backpacks program.
Senior outreach programs, such as the Saturday Social at Charleston Place and the Hands On program, also at Charleston Place, and the South Brunswick Senior Center will continue in 2002.
The organization also will continue its voter registration program.
Ms. Osipov said the organization wants to do more to include the Oakwoods Senior Housing complex in its senior outreach programs.
She said the organization is developing new senior outreach programs, including a Sunday sports program, informative and educational workshops, and art and creativity day trips.
Nick D’Amore
SBCDC
Applying for additional grants from the township and state are a top priority for the South Brunswick Community Development Corp. in 2002.
Community Development provides federally subsidized housing for seniors and the disabled.
"Our goal is to provide safe and affordable housing to senior citizens and the disabled, and to continue to provide services so they can age in their own homes," said Karen Scalera, administrator of Community Development and Oakwoods Senior Housing.
"As the population gets older, more services are required," she said.
Ms. Scalera said the organization has applied for a grant to provide residents of Charleston Place, another senior housing facility on Route 27, with a service coordinator.
"That person would coordinate case management for services, help arrange medical transportation and help residents complete forms," she said, adding that as the population gets older, simple tasks such as completing forms can become more difficult.
"Forty-five percent of the Charleston Place population are between 80 and 89 years old. Five percent are between 90 and 99 years old. That alone shows me there is a need and that we’ve been pretty successful," said Ms. Scalera.
She said Community Development also is looking into expanding a state congregate services grant that provides one meal a day and housekeeping services for Charleston Place. Ms. Scalera said she would like to see the grant expanded to include the same services for Oakwoods.
Recreation
Advisory Board
Several big projects will keep the South Brunswick Recreation Advisory Board busy in 2002.
Frank Bollaci, committee chairperson for the board, said the group plans to continue working on three new South Brunswick parks in the next year.
He said preliminary plans to begin construction are being made for Beechwoods Park on Route 1, and conceptual plans are being developed for Friendship Park, at the intersection of Friendship and New roads. Plans are being made to construct basketball courts, ball fields and a roller rink at the site.
Mr. Bollaci also said the board also plans to continue to oversee a project to turn the 80-acre Bayshaw property, off Broadway Road in Dayton, into a park complete with open space and multipurpose fields. Conceptual plans and a contest to name the park are in the works for 2002.
Besides parks and playgrounds, Mr. Bollaci said the board plans to also focus its attention on the development of the aquatic center, a South Brunswick community swimming pool. He said there are two sites for the center under consideration.
Overall, Mr. Bollaci said the board will continue to review programs being run by the recreation department as well as parks and other facilities throughout the year. He said the board’s primary job is to listen to public input and make recommendations to the recreation department and the council for community facilities and programs.
"It is our job to tell the township how to manage these facilities for the community," he said. "The community comes to us and we turn around and discuss the plans and bring them to the next step, and that is what we will continue to do in 2002."
Melissa Morgan