Clinton Township Newsletter

2 6 a u g u s t 2 0 2 3 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M w O m e n ' s F O r u m i s a D D i n g a n O T H e r F a C e T T O O u r P r O g r a m ! During the summer, WF hosts a summer movie program, just a little change from the usual. Our selections are eclectic - new, old, classic. In August we'll have one luncheon and one virtual session. Zooms work out well in the deepest cold of Winter and in the Summer when it's either too hot to go out or when you're away and like to connect with us from afar. Hope you'll be inspired to "go to the movies" with WF this Summer! The August WF event dates are: August 10: Luncheon, August 24: Virtual Zoom. Don't forget the sunscreen! Starting September 2023, Women's Forum In Depth will be a discussion-only program fashioned for small groups and held randomly on the off Thursdays from the usual WF program days. (Randomly = every 4 or 6 weeks) Meetings will be held in the History Room at 1:30 pm. This opens up an opportunity for a book or short story discussion, a TED talk viewing and discussion, or as in our Zooms, a discussion of material viewed at home. The meetings will last an hour with a little grace of 15 minutes over if necessary. Sign ups are with an email to me (just as for our virtual meetings) and an email confirmation back from me. Our September luncheons will be dedicated to the writer Amy Tan, with a documentary on her life on September 7, then in our new small group In-Depth series, September 14 at 1:30 we'll have a book discussion of her breakthrough novel The Joy Luck Club, and finally at our second luncheon on Thursday, September 21, we'll wrap it up with a viewing of the movie version of the book. She is a fascinating person, one who has achieved great success with her writing abilities and one who has survived a psychological tumult of life long proportions. I just read the first page and I am hooked. Great Summer reading! So you may ask: Why the In-Depth program? Greater enrichment. My hope is to continue to find new ways of experiencing all that is out there for us. With this letter, it's the documentary that I would like to address: After viewing the documentary at our September 7 luncheon, I would like to seat a panel of women who have worked or presently work in the field of mental health. I am hoping that within our ranks we can do so. A valuable discussion is sure to emerge. Many of you have been along on this journey we call WF from the start, and lately we have had several new members join us. I ask you to unite with me as we enlarge and enrich our parameters by sharing your learned wisdom and knowledge. If you work or have worked in the field of mental health and would like to participate in our panel to discuss the Amy Tan documentary Unintended Memoir on September 7, please contact me. To join Women's Forum, please contact Evelyn Breheney Glynn, program director, at: womensforumusa@gmail.com. Your address will then be added to our email distribution list for detailed information regarding all events and for links to the virtual material for the Zoom discussions. We look forward to hearing from y0u! As always, Evelyn Breheney Glynn s u b s T a n C e u s e D i s O r D e r r e s O u r C e s a v a i l a b l e a C r O s s n e w J e r s e y Anyone seeking help with addiction, whether struggling personally or helping a loved one, can call 1-844-ReachNJ (1-844-732-2465) to receive immediate support and assistance from live, trained addiction counselors based here in New Jersey. The help line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Naloxone, sometimes referred to by the brand name "Narcan," can revive people who have lost consciousness due to opioid overdose. New Jerseyans aged 14 and over can obtain naloxone freely and anonymously at participating pharmacies. One two-dose naloxone nasal spray kit will be provided per visit. People who obtain naloxone do not need to provide a name or a reason. H u n T e r D O n H O s P i C e w i l l O F F e r y O u T H a r T b e r e a v e m e n T s u P P O r T g r O u P Hunterdon Hospice is pleased to announce the relaunch of our Youth Art Bereavement Program. The program is open to all children and teens (K through 12th grade) who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The Youth Art Bereavement Program will use art as a medium to explore and express grief. All participants will be placed in age-appropriate peer groups to help foster friendship and support. The curriculum, tailored to the specific developmental needs of each group, will be facilitated by professional counselors and trained volunteers. Parents/guardians can participate in a companion group for education and support. The program will now be offered twice a year. The first session will meet Wednesday evenings, September 20 through November 8, from 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm at The Senior Center, 4 Gauntt Place, Building 1, Route 31 S, Flemington, NJ. The second session will be offered in early 2024. There's no cost for families to attend this program thanks to grants and donations from members of our community who support Hunterdon Hospice's commitment to bereavement services. For more information, contact Hunterdon Hospice Social Work and Bereavement Coordinator, Laura Suozzo, LCSW: lsuozzo@hhsnj.org or: 908.788.6100. Option #2 - ext. 3059. H e i s l e r a P P O i n T e D T O s e r v e O n n a T i O n a l C a s a / g a l l e a D e r s H i P C O u n C i l CASA of Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties (CASA SHaW) announces the appointment of Tracey Wilson Heisler, Executive Director, to the Suburban Leadership Council of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children. Serving a two-year term, Heisler, along with child welfare leaders from across the nation, will play an integral role in voicing the unique needs of the 893 local programs that make up the National CASA and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) network. In 2021, the CASA/GAL network, with its 97,920 volunteers, served more than 242,176 children who have experienced abuse or neglect. With more than 391,000 children entering foster care on any given day, the leadership council will focus its efforts on ensuring that the network achieves its mission of serving all children through best-interest advocacy. "The National CASA/GAL Leadership Councils are a vital part of our efforts to serve more children in the foster care system, while continually improving their outcomes," said National CASA/ GAL Chief Executive Officer, Tara Lisa Perry. "We are so excited and grateful to have Tracey again provide her insight and expertise as we strive to move our mission forward on behalf of all children who have experienced abuse or neglect. This is her second term of appointment in this role, and we are glad she opted to continue serving with the council." Mrs. Heisler is a long-time child advocate in Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties with deep ties to the community, growing up in Somerset and Middlesex Counties. She holds BA and MA degrees from the University of West Florida with emphases in Juvenile Justice, Forensics, and Trauma. She has spent the last 35 years working with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and juvenile and adult offenders. Child advocacy, however, is her passion and purpose. "I am honored to be again appointed to this important national role," said Heisler. "As a representative of the state CASA network, I am looking forward to bringing our New Jersey successes and challenges to the national level as we work collectively to support, empower, and protect abused and neglected children across the nation. Our state is doing a lot of great work, from an emphasis on trauma informed care to addressing the disproportionality of black and brown children in child welfare to focusing on keeping children with family and more. Our colleagues across the country can benefit from the work we are doing here in New Jersey." About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Association for Children: The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children, together with its 939 state and local member programs, supports and promotes court- appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who has experienced abuse or neglect in the United States can be safe, have a permanent home and have the opportunity to thrive. National CASA/GAL offers leadership and support to the network of programs and leads its continued growth. CASA/GAL volunteers and staff work every day to advocate for children, youth and families. To learn more, visit: www.NationalCASAGaL.org. CASA of Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties is part of a statewide network of community-based, non-profit programs that recruit, screen, train and supervise volunteers to "Speak Up for a Child" removed from home due to abuse or neglect. CASA is the only program in New Jersey that uses trained volunteers to work one-on-one with children, ensuring that each one gets the services needed and achieves permanency in a safe, nurturing home. To find a local CASA program in your county, visit: www.CASAofNJ.org.

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