Clinton Township Newsletter

1 7 a u g u s t 2 0 2 1 Summertime! e m i l y S m i t H O F G i R l S C O u t S e R v i C e u n i t 8 1 e A R n S G i R l S C O u t G O l d A W A R d ! Girl Scout Service Unit 81 congratulates Emily Smith for earning a Girl Scout Gold Award! Her project involved creating properly sized gowns for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) babies at St. Luke's University Hospital. "The Gold Award is our highest honor and represents a significant investment of time and effort," said Esther Ferguson, Girl Scout Service Unit 81 Manager. "Emily's project is truly making a difference in the community and we are proud of her accomplishment." Emily, who will be a senior at North Hunterdon High School in the Fall, said she first became aware of the need for NICU gowns during a high school sewing class freshman year. Realizing how much they were valued by the recipients inspired her to continue this endeavor for her Gold Award. To make the gowns, Emily first researched how to create a pattern. She then sewed a sample, wrote a list of instructions, and made a step-by-step demonstration video. She had originally planned to make them with a group, but due to COVID Emily changed course and assembled and distributed kits for making them at home. Each kit contained the pattern and instruction sheet with a QR code to the video, and enough brightly colored fabric, thread and velcro for two gowns. "To promote my project, I posted it to Facebook and received a wonderful response from people who wanted to help," said Smith. "Thirty volunteers made almost 300 NICU gowns which I delivered to the Women and Babies Pavilion at St. Luke's Anderson Campus in Easton, PA. This was six times my original goal of fifty gowns." One of the features most appreciated by the hospital is that the gowns are free of metal, which means they can be worn in an MRI. Staff commented that they will help to keep the littlest patients of the hospital warm and comfortable during their stay. Emily is grateful to the volunteers who helped to sew and fund her Gold Award project. The following link contains the pattern, instructions and video for anyone who would like to make gowns on their own to donate: https:// youtu.be/Pl5TaSJDBxM Clinton Township resident Emily Smith donated nearly 300 custom-made gowns to the NICU department of St. Luke's hospital to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award. Pictured are (left to right) Dawn Hosier, NICU manager at St. Luke's Anderson Campus; Neonatologist Patrick Philpot, MD; Emily Smith; and her parents Karen and Jeff Smith. Volunteering with the Clinton Township Democrats The Clinton Township Democrats are recruiting volunteers! If you believe in supporting our community in a variety of humanitarian and environmental causes and partnering with individuals who feel the same, please contact us at clinton.twp. democrats@gmail.com. We meet the first Tuesday of the month, and together we are powerful! Our next volunteering opportunity: The Western NJ Democrats Community Service Team is sponsoring a volunteer activity with Grow-a-Row on Tuesday, August 24 from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. The activity will likely involve harvesting crops and is open to adults and children (with adult supervision). The location will be either in Milford or Pittstown. Anyone interested in participating should contact Susan DeNegre at: sdenegre@comcast.net. There are other upcoming opportunities to help beautify Clinton Township – Follow us on Facebook for details: www.facebook.com/ClintonTownshipDemocrats To get involved in our growing and active group, contact us at clinton.twp.democrats@gmail.com We meet the first Tuesday of the month. Together we are powerful! – The Clinton Township Democratic Committee email: Clinton.twp.democrats@gmail.com www.facebook.com/ClintonTownshipDemocrats "Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill." ~ Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird t H e O p e n C u p b O A R d F O O d p A n t R y – d e C A d e S O F H e l p F O R t H e H u n G R y Don't miss the Open House at the Open Cupboard Food Pantry, on Saturday, August 21 at 1:30 pm! Join us to learn more about The Pantry and about our volunteer opportunities! The Open Cupboard Food Pantry & Thrift Shop is a private nonprofit 501(c) (3) agency. We believe our community has a responsibility to address the food needs of those who cannot afford to feed themselves and their families. Although less visible than in urban areas, the need in Hunterdon County is significant. Staffed entirely by volunteers, Open Cupboard Food Pantry in Clinton is funded by donations of food and money, and by proceeds of our in-house Thrift Shop, which accepts and sells donated clothing and household items. We also gratefully welcome donations of your time and talents as volunteers. To become a client or learn more about how you can help, call us at: 908.730.7320 or visit us on the web: www.OpenCupboardFoodPantry.org.

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