Kiwanis Wine-Tasting Event a Success

The February 24 "Wine Tasting - Wines from Around the World" was a success.  Funds from the event will be given to ECLC of NJ and Kiwanis Scholarships. Kiwanis thanks all the people who came and contributed items for the event. Here are a few photos taken at the event.

Naturalist James Peck spoke at the February 22 Breakfast Kiwanis Meeting

Jim Peck, Executive Director of Cora Hartshorn Arboretum spoke about the arboretum and other nature areas in New Jersey. In photo above, Melanie Sze introduced Jim at the meeting.

Jim Peck authors the “Trail Mix” nature column published in the Home News Tribune, a central New Jersey newspaper. In six years he has visited 70 or 80 places and has written about beautiful places from High Point down to Cape May. He has given tours in the Pine Barrens. During the talk he showed beautiful pictures from Island Beach State Park, Cheesquake State Park, and other nice places.

Jim described the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum, which was started as a non-profit in 1961. There is a beautiful stone house and beautiful woodlands on the 16 acre property. It is a nice open-space park within Milburn, NJ. Most educational programs are for children, some of whom come from other cities like Newark and Union. They have an observational beehive and also have raised Monarch Butterflies. The Arboretum is open dawn to dusk and there is no admittance charge. Click on this link to visit the website.

There is a large range of topography in the state of New Jersey. The small area between the inner and outer coastal plains is called a cuesta. Rainfall on the south side ends up in the ocean. On the north side, it goes to large New Jersey rivers. Water is clean and pure in the south side of the cuesta.

A little known fact: the highest point on the USA eastern seaboard is Highlands, near Sandy Hook. He described the history of Sandy Hook lighthouse and other features on the Sandy Hook spit. He also mentioned Dismal Swamp in Edison, Rutgers Gardens, Delaware and Raritan Canal, Hackensack meadowlands and Lakota Wolf Preserve near Delaware Water-Gap. There are so many nice places to see, people should focus on places in the state that match their interests (birds, trees, etc.). For example, there are 700-year-old Black Gum trees in South Jersey. You can watch the sun rise in Cape May and then at the end of the day go over to Sunset Beach to watch the sun set into the Delaware Bay in the West.

The audience thoroughly enjoyed the talk.

Kiwanis February 22 Meeting Announcements

Betty Anne reported that the CHS Key Club will be holding evening meetings for the rest of the school year. With regard to the Wine-Tasting event, Rich asked all members to show up on Thursday. Mary Ann reported that over 100 tickets have been sold. Nancy reported that Chatham Bakery is donating desert. Alan passed around the work assignments for the Fish and Chips Dinner. Members were asked to indicate “OK” if they agreed with the assignment. March 15 is the deadline for members to run for District offices.

Diane Mann, President and CEO of the Madison Area YMCA, spoke on February 15 about the mission, values and goals of our local YMCA.

Diane Mann graciously thanked the Kiwanis club for the opportunity to speak about the YMCA.  She shared the YMCA mission statement and values. As a 501(c)3 organization, the Y raises money and uses it for good causes.

Jerry Cunningham introduced Diane Mann, the new President and CEO of the Madison Area YMCA. She recently moved to New Jersey from California to take the position.

The YMCA finances are in good shape (no debt), but they need to continue encouraging people to contribute money to the organization. She wants to encourage partnerships with other organizations of like mind to strengthen the community and support children and others in need.

They provide health and exercise facilities; but, the Y is more than that – they are a support facility. They provide services at two locations: the Kings Road Family Center (with a complete fitness center) and the F. M. Kirby Children’s Center on East Street. The former school can serve up to 350 children (infant through Kindergarten) in accredited classes.

The Y has a $9.2 Million operating budget, about 500 employees when fully staffed in the summer and about 9,000 members who use the fitness center. The Y raises $250,000 to $300,000 in contributions each year from several hundred donors. The Y is predominant in the community, highly valued by the community and has a strong Board of Directors.

They are dealing with the “post-2008” economy. More support has been needed and given to members hit hard by the recession. While the Y has been successful in keeping members, there has also been a reduction in revenue.

The Y is building their contributions campaign for the coming year. Volunteers are needed to go out in the community, tell people about wonderful YMCA experiences, and grow the number of donors. The campaign will raise awareness of the Y mission and raise money as well.

The Y is also doing a program cost study to find the most efficient way to meet their mission. They are looking at everything they do to find savings. Data is being collected and analyzed. Also, community focus groups are being used to determine how to meet the highest priority needs at the least cost.

Kiwanis offered to be one of the focus groups providing input and assistance to the YMCA.

The Y needs a larger swimming pool and is analyzing the situation to determine how this need can be met. To learn more, please visit the YMCA website.

February 15 Kiwanis Meeting Announcements

Betty Anne announced that the CHS Key Club will meet at 7:30 PM on 2/15/11 in the cafeteria.  Rich reported on the Wine-Tasting, saying that Karen still needs a couple of volunteers to help with the tricky trays. He passed a sign-up sheet around. Dick reminded members that the February Board Meeting starts after the program. Alan handed out Fish and Chips tickets to members. Gary discussed the Chatham Borough spring clean-up, which will be scheduled for April 20.

Kiwanis February 8 Valentine Luncheon at Charlie Brown’s

The attendance was very good at the Kiwanis Valentine Luncheon. Members introduced their guests and everyone sang love songs.



Alan Robertson leads the members in song while Bob Stannard plays accompaniment on his keyboard.

Club President Dick Plambeck passed around the District 10 award given to our club for growth. He asked all members to keep working at growing our club. Karen Swartz announced that the CHS and MHS Key Clubs will provide the program for the Kiwanis March 22 breakfast meeting. There is a CHS Key Club meeting next Tuesday February 15 in the cafeteria at 7:30 pm. Future CHS Key Club meetings will be evening meetings. Nancy said Wine-Tasting ticket sales are going well. Alan Robertson handed out Fish and Chips Tickets to members so that they can sell them. He said placemat ads are going well.  Dick reminded members that the Board of Directors meeting will be held after the breakfast meeting at Charlie Brown’s on February 15. Dick and all the members thanked Valerie Olpp for organizing the Valentine’s luncheon meeting at Charlie Brown’s.

Members had a great time at this year’s Valentine’s Luncheon. Valerie Olpp is the first person on the right.

Rich and Debbie Behling presented a program on their recent trip to Africa

Rich and Debbie Behling went on a trip to Africa recently. Rich showed many of his photos and, with Debbie, described their interesting experiences.



Debbie and Rich Behling model T-shirts brought back from their recent trip to Africa. The back of Rich’s shirt shows the route map. Debbie’s shirt sleeve has flags of the four countries visited.

They traveled first to Johannesburg, SA and from there by small plane to Victoria Falls. From there they flew to four camps in four wildlife preserves. Tourists slept in eight huts with canvas walls. Open bathrooms were behind the tents. There was a common dining area with at least one wall and a bar where there was a happy-hour every evening. Temperature reached 104 Fahrenheit most days.

Travel was by small single engine planes but some travel was by boat. Debbie told of a native making flower necklaces – “he hoped the romance would last as long as the flowers.” They traveled on “game drives” in Jeeps (safari vehicles) which carried three rows of people.

From their tent Debbie and Rich could watch animals at a water hole. Animals arrived by kind - elephants, Cape buffalo, etc.

They saw many species of animals. They photographed animals: antelope, hyenas, baboons, wart hogs, monkeys, crocodiles, monitor lizards, a bat, painted red frogs, ostriches with babies, lions, termites and more. The trip was taken in the dry season and had more animals. In the wet season, there would be more birds. Travelers frequently got very close to lions by stayed quietly in the open jeep. They saw two lions attach and kill a Cape buffalo which had foolishly strayed from the herd.

Victoria Falls, twice as big as Niagara Falls, had low water because it was the dry season. They walked on a trail to view the falls and also took a helicopter ride to see the falls. One of their photos showed a beautiful rainbow made by the mist from the falls.

They went for an “up-close-and-personal” walk with 6-18 month old lions (a sort of “tourist trap”). Debbie grabbed a lion by the tail and let it drag her along. A photographer took the obligatory group picture of the 13 travelers (3 were single, the rest couples).

During the cultural day, they visited local people living in a village and learned their customs. Natives live in huts with walls made from termite mound “dung” which hardens like concrete. There was a girl playing” jacks” using natural objects like seeds for the jacks. Photos showed how natives carry babies and other items. There was a tour of the school, which is sponsored by Grand Circle Foundation. Multiple bathrooms by grade and sex are provided and each class grade maintains their own bathroom. Students are taught English. They used a beach ball globe to study geography.

Villagers eat lunch in a common hut with men sitting on seats and women sitting on the floor. Women prepare and serve meals ordered by men. Debbie was selected by the Chief to help the native women so she cooked and served Rich, kneeling as she presented him the food he asked for.

Because Kiwanis has the ELIMINATE project, Debbie asked a village nurse whether they vaccinate women for tetanus. She answered that they do vaccinate pregnant women if they can travel to the clinic.

The trip was managed by Overseas Adventure Tours, which is part of Grand Circle Tours. Click here to learn more.

Kiwanis February 1 Luncheon Meeting Announcements

Argyle Restaurant in Kearny is having the Robert Burns “interclub” February 2. Two members will attend.  Mary Anne Maloney reported that quite a few Wine-Tasting tickets have been sold.  Nancy Boucher announced that more tricky tray auction items are needed. Dick Plambeck reported on the NJ District Kiwanis Mid-Winter Conference held January 29, where the ELIMINATE project was discussed. Chatham-Madison Kiwanis won an award for growth in District 10. He also announced that the Valentine’s Luncheon will be held next week and asked members to alert Valerie via email regarding plans to attend.

January 25th Breakfast Program: Tim Barrett spoke on conflict resolution between global religions.

Tim Barrett extended his prior discussion on Conflict Resolution to issues that exist between major global religions. Today there are many religions active in America. In the world today, there is conflict between radical Islam religion and the Western way of life. Other conflict between religions also leads to friction and open conflict.  He mentioned a book: “The Faith Instinct” by Nicholas Wade (who is a science reporter for the New York Times). Click here for website. Wade notes the important role religion has played in all cultures for thousands of years. Religion serves as a way of binding people together in difficult times. Evolution has built religion into who we are as humans and Wade argues that there is a “religious gene.” We are “hard-wired” to be religious people.

Tim also referenced a second book: “The evolution of God” by Robert Kaplan. Kaplan argues that every major religion that has survived has evolved. There is a central, fixed unchanging core, but outside of the core the religion has evolved to grow and be more relevant in the changing world.

What allows religion to speak to people in a such a deep way? It is the powerful symbols. One such symbol is The Sheppard. While Tim recited “The Twenty-Third Psalm”, the room became silent as listeners were drawn into the deep, underlying meaning of the words. God can be known through the experience of thinking about The Sheppard and his sheep.

That Jewish Psalm grew to be embraced by the Christian religion. Jesus tells a story about how the Good Sheppard will help his flock of sheep, no matter what it takes. This same symbol is used over and over, even in the scriptures of Islam. The deep words of the Psalm connect us to people who were our ancestors thousands of years ago. We are bound to people here in the present and to others going far back in time.

The program ended on a positive note. What religions fight about is very superficial in comparison to the deep powerful experiences that unite us together. While there are differences between religions, there are powerful ancient experiences of union that bind us together and make us one.

Kiwanis January 25 Meeting Announcements

Nancy Boucher reminded members to sell Wines from Around the World Wine-Tasting tickets, which are available from Mary Anne Maloney. She also has post cards which members can use to invite their friends to the February 24 party. Nancy will distribute postcards to New Jersey Kiwanians at the January 29 Mid-Winter Conference.


Mary Anne Maloney hands Wine-Tasting Tickets to Doug Bryant as Nancy Boucher looks on.

Alan Robertson handed out Fish and Chips Dinner placemat ad bills to members. He also asked members to suggest businesses who might be advertisers.

Dick Plambeck said that he will not be going to the Kiwanis International Convention and asked for a volunteer to attend the Geneva, Switzerland event.

Valerie Olpp passed around a sign-up sheet for the Valentine Luncheon to be held on February 8. The served meal will include a choice of entrées: prime rib, chicken, pasta, etc.

Winter-Mix: January 18 Kiwanis Breakfast Meeting Cancelled

Due to hazardous snow and ice weather conditions, the Kiwanis January 18 breakfast meeting was cancelled. Photo shows rhododendrons clad in freezing rain.

January 11 Program: “Conflict Resolution” presented by Mary E. Barrett and Tim Barrett, Individual and Family Counseling

Mary E. Barrett and Tim Barrett, who do Individual and Family Counseling, were introduced by David Lloyd. They then described their education and experience. They are now in private practice. They also teach conflict resolution at Drew University. Much of the talk dealt with how the couple helps organizations deal with conflict.



Mary E. Barrett, David Lloyd and Tim Barrett

The talk addressed how individuals interact with communities (including organizations, families, etc.) that they are a part of. Individuals are all different and sometimes that leads to conflict in an organization made up of many individuals. People are happier if they are connected to and participate in communities. However, participation is in decline. A recommended book on this subject is “Bowling Alone” by Robert Putnam (click here to learn more about the book). Both individuals and communities are better off if there is more participation. There is reciprocity when groups of people interact in communities and help each other. A strong community can better deal with difficult problems that come up from time-to-time.

Family therapy techniques can be applied to conflicts in groups, organizations and institutions. Mary and Tim work primarily with religious institutions, which sometimes get in conflict. The approach is to hold an all-day retreat and to reframe the issues. The leaders of the church are asked, “Why are you still here?” Participants then tell stories about the good things that happened over the years. They see that in spite of the conflicts, the organization still has deep meaning to them. Next, the group is asked what is wrong with the organization (no finger-pointing allowed). Many problems are identified. Then the group works together to pick the top 10 problems. At the end of the day, the group realizes that they are all “in it” together and they are ready to work things out. One of the issues in organizations is how people communicate when there are differences of opinion. Mary and Tim train participants to communicate about the differences in a positive way. The differences should not become a win-lose situation.

Mary and Tim will continue this program at the January 25th breakfast meeting. 

Kiwanis January 11 Meeting Announcements

Valerie Olpp introduced guest Terece Patalini, the manager of the Peapack Gladstone bank in Chatham.

Joan May reviewed club scheduling information for the month of May. Madison May Day (Kiwanis cleans up Cole Park) is the first Saturday, May 7. Mother’s Day is the next weekend. The Neighborhood Sale could be held on the third or fourth weekend. Evangeline Lee suggested combining the Alumni Concert, held last year at Bayley-Ellard Field on the last weekend in May, with the Neighborhood Sale in Cole Park. Plans for the event must be made early so that an approval request can be submitted to Madison Borough by the beginning of March.

Betty Anne Keat reported that the CHS Key Club meeting on 1/12/11 will probably be cancelled because of the forecasted snow storm. She said there will be a Builders Club meeting on 1/11/11.

The Board of Directors meeting will be held Wednesday, January 19 at 8:00 pm at the Methodist Church. The District Mid-Winter Conference will be January 29 and six people are attending, more can attend if they want to.

Alan Robertson asked for help with the Fish and Chips Dinner which is scheduled for March 30. He needs volunteers to lead certain tasks. Rich Behling passed around the Wine-Tasting signup sheet, looking for a few more volunteers. Everyone is asked to contribute to the tricky tray and he passed around a list for sign-ups. Posters for the Wine-Tasting were handed out. Discussions regarding plans for the event were continued at a meeting on the Wine Tasting event held after lunch.

Wine-Tasting: Wines from Around the World

Chatham-Madison Kiwanis will hold the “Wines from Around the World" Wine Tasting event to benefit Kiwanis Chatham and Madison High School Scholarship Funds and the ECLC Foundation for Developmentally Disabled. The event will be held on Thursday, February 24, 2011 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm in Grace Episcopal Church, 4 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940.  Wine samples from a variety of vineyards and food from a local restaurant will be served.  There will also be a 50-50 drawing, a “tricky-tray” auction of contributed items and door prizes. Advanced admission tickets may be purchased in-person at a price of $50.00 (cash or checks made out to “Chatham Kiwanis Scholarship Fund”) by visiting Main Street Wine Cellars, 300 Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940. Go to website www.chathamkiwanis.org for more information, to place on-line ticket orders and to print a form for ordering tickets by mail.  Ticket orders by mail should be sent to arrive before February 18 to Chatham Kiwanis, P.O. Box 422, Chatham, NJ 07928. For more information and to order tickets, please call 973-635-7779 or 973-635-1705 (extension 17) or send email to Chatham-Kiwanis@comcast.net. Tickets will also be available at the door during the event at a cost of $60.

Mary Lloyd spoke on "Social Security Numbers and Other Kinds of Frauds".

Mary Lloyd was introduced by David Lloyd, who noted that there are ID problems because Social Security (SS) numbers have expanded beyond their original use. Mary described studies done by a company called “ID Analytics” which helps clients, including the SS Administration, fight fraud. MSNBC Red Tape Chronicles published results of an ID Analytics study of SS Number (SSN) fraud.

Mary Lloyd, on the left, spoke at the January 4 meeting. In the center is Elizabeth Sloan and on her right is her grandfather, Alan Robertson.

ID Analytics can track 290 million SSNs. Forty million numbers are attached to more than one name. Twenty million people use more than one SSN. Most transpositions are caused by typographical errors that get into the credit system. A data entry person in a credit company can type one number wrong and suddenly you have a second SSN.

SSNs were originally intended to be used only for SS administration and IRS. Then their use expanded to ID purposes in credit and other areas. Because the SS number was never designed for new additional purposes, there are no internal checks on whether on not that SSN is really yours.

If the new erroneous SSN is unassigned (called a synthetic number), there is generally no problem. If the erroneous number is assigned to someone else, both people have a problem. The SS Administration and IRS don’t have the time and money to cull out transpositions. But sometimes they do send a letter saying that there is a mismatch in SSNs and ask the taxpayer to figure out what is causing the problem.

There are over 12 million illegal aliens in the USA. Six million of them work and use false SSNs. Some are unassigned “synthetic” numbers which don’t cause you problems. Others are using someone else’s active SSN, which is a problem. When the government agencies find there are two people with the same SSN, they don’t credit your contributions to your SS retirement fund but instead put contributions into a “suspense fund”. By 1999 the suspense fund contained $300 Billion. This grew to $585 Billion in 2005. Most is due to aliens giving false SSNs to employers and they leave before the 90 days allowed to deliver documents (which don’t exist) expires. Valid workers who try to receive benefits are turned down because the illegal alien with the same SSN is shown to be working. There are similar problems with student loans, warrants, etc.

To know if someone else is using your SSN, watch for problems with your credit (e.g., you are billed for and item you didn’t buy), not getting a tax refund or Estimated Tax Payment credit from the IRS, or for some other problem. Avoid giving your SSN to someone unless it is absolutely needed.

Mary noted that the SSN does indicate the area of the USA where you first received your SSN. (Click here to view sss.gov website showing this.) There is no proof that other information can be determined from your SSN. Anyone could have a problem with SSNs privacy, so always guard your number and watch for strange things happening that could indicate a problem.

In 2006 the US Military decided to move from SSNs to newly generated military ID numbers. This was necessary because the US Military did not adequately protect the SSNs. For example, the military stencils the last four digits of the SSN on laundry bags. To this day, the new system of ID numbers is still not implemented. Military people on combat duty are vulnerable to SSN ID theft because their priority is to just stay alive.

Mary also mentioned that a local scam, geared toward grandparents, is striking our area. It is called the “Hey it’s me” fraud. Some scammer calls you on the telephone and says, “Hey it’s me.” The grandparent guesses who it is and says, “Is that you, Alex?” The scammer answers “yes it’s me” and he goes on to say that he is in Canada or Mexico and has an awful problem and needs $5,000 wired to him right away. The scammer continues by offering to have a friend in the local area pick up the targeted grandparent, take him/her to the bank to withdraw cash and then to Western Union to wire the money. Another scam to watch for is someone calling to say that you won the sweepstakes. Be careful and don’t fall for any of these scams.

Kiwanis January 4 Meeting Announcements

Rich Behling passed around a sign-up sheet for the Wines from Around the World Wine Tasting Event. Members are asked to volunteer for unfilled jobs on the sheet. He will continue to pass the sheet around at future meetings.

Stu Shippey gave members a final report on the Holiday Nut Sale project. The project was completed as scheduled December 25th last year, income was very good and everyone gave Stu a rousing round of applause for a job well done. He and President Dick Plambeck thanked everyone, many of whom stood in the cold, for selling all the nuts. Mary Lloyd told everyone how helpful Stu was in delivering a large order of nuts to her office. She thanked him for doing a fabulous job.

Dick will be going to the training session Thursday evening and he asked anyone interested in going along to contact him. He also passed around a sign-up sheet for the NJ District Mid-Winter Conference to be held on Saturday, January 29 at the Crown Plaza in Somerset. Tom Mullin mentioned a letter from the NJ District office asking for input regarding planning for the 2012 District Convention. He will forward the letter to Ron to email it out to everyone. Karen Swartz announced that next Wednesday at 10:40 am there will be a general meeting of the CHS Key Club in the auditorium.

The buffet lunch menu for the day was announced: cream of broccoli soup, chicken Frances, meat balls, teriyaki salmon, mashed potatoes, string beans, garden salad, mushroom salad, corn salad, barley salad, garlic beans and assorted deserts.

Joan May, President Elect of Chatham-Madison Kiwanis Organized the Annual Christmas Program Held December 21

Kiwanis President-Elect Joan May was introduced by President Dick Plambeck. Joan introduced Kiwanis volunteer speakers who had prepared special Christmas remembrances and games. She was very happy to see the huge attendance by members and spouses. At the start of the meeting, Bob Stannard led everyone in singing Christmas carols.



Ron Whalin, Nancy Boucher, Joan May, Karen Swartz and Dick Plambeck

Christmas 1776

Karen, an advocate of New Jersey revolutionary war history, asked everyone to think back to the Christmas of 1776. George Washington crossed the Delaware to win the battle of Trenton. Shortly afterward, soldier enlistments were running out and Washington’s small army was about to return to their homes. Washington needed to convey to his troops the urgency of the situation and he asked them to stay. Karen read Washington’s inspiring words. The army responded with loyalty, staying on through the cold winter. (Click here to read the words from Winter Soldiers by Richard Ketchum.) She spoke these words to let all know that we can draw inspiration from our great leaders of the past and that we can all do our part.

Christmas Song Game

Ex-teacher Nancy Boucher distributed to everyone a game sheet (a kind of quiz). The page had a list of hints for Christmas Songs. Nancy read the hints one-by-one and people shouted out the answers. Everyone had a grand time playing this game. (Click here to see a copy of the game with the answers.)

A Christmas Poem

Karen Swartz spoke again and read a poem that Jim Baker had asked her to read. “I have a list of folks I know, all written in a book, and every year at Christmas Time I go and take a look ….” (Click here to read the entire poem). Karen said that Jim Baker wanted her to offer the poem, as a Christmas greeting, to each and every one of you.

TubaChrismas

Ron Whalin described TubaChristmas events held around the USA. The first one was held December 22, 1974 on the ice-skating rink at Rockefeller Center in NYC. Over 500 tuba players (who usually “get no respect”) gather every year on the ice to play a full program of Christmas carols. The movement has grown to over 240 events held around the USA every year. (Click here to visit the TubaChristmas website.)

Ron and his wife Bert drive a couple of hours to Reading, PA every year to enjoy the TubaChristmas held at Gring’s Mill. It is held in the second story of an old stone barn where about 50 tuba, euphonium, and baritone musicians play carols and tell jokes. The fireplace and crowded room make for a cozy, pleasant experience for families. Many Holiday Lights are also displayed outside in the park. Ron showed several short video clips from the December 10 concert. (Click here to see a YouTube video of TubaChristmas in Reading.)

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Joan May was the last story-teller, speaking about the joy of Christmas cookies. She remembered her mother baking Christmas cookies and every day when Joan came home from school, the cookies smelled better and better. Joan said, “The cookies that stood out in my mind and that I loved the best were the sugar cookies that were shaped as Christmas trees, Santa, wreaths, even cartoon characters, etc. We iced them with different colors and then Mom hung them on the tree.”

Joan’s Mom enlisted her at the age of six to help ice the cookies, so her cookie-making talents developed at an early age. From that time on, cookies were an important part of Joan’s Christmas’. There were some years without cookies after her Mom stopped baking. (Joan’s sister and brother were not into cooking).

Joan wanted this tradition to be known by her grandchildren. For the last 14 years she made and hung the cookies on the tree. About halfway through this period she wondered whether anyone else really cared about the cookies.

Then, about five years ago at the funeral of an uncle, Joan’s cousin came up to her and told her that a favorite memory was “being able to pick a cookie from the tree and taking it home.”

With that encouragement, she was renewed and continued baking cookies. As she baked and decorated 10 dozen this year (18 hours of icing), she wondered if she was “getting too old for this.” Then Joan’s young grandson visited her and he looked at the brightly lit tree. Staring at the tree he said, “Grandma, didn’t you make cookies this year?” Joan said she is now encouraged for at least another five years. The good thing is that she is giving her granddaughters cookie cutters for Christmas.

Next, Joan announced that she had brought along a dozen cookies in a box to present to some lucky person in the audience. At the beginning of the Kiwanis Christmas meeting, as members and guests arrived, they were given a tree-shaped memento decorated with a single Christmas ornament. The person who held the tree with the “star ornament” would win the box of delicious sugar cookies. AD Dudderar was that lucky winner.



Announcements: Kiwanis December 21 Breakfast Meeting at Charlie Brown’s in Chatham



The annual Christmas meeting started with everyone singing Christmas carols: Jingle Bells, Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Joy to the World. Next, Stu Shippey reported that there are only about 10 items left from the Holiday Nut Sale. This is the end of the sale, which was very successful. Income exceeded budget. He thanked members for their guidance and help.



Dick Plambeck (left) thanked Alan Nekoukar.

Alan Nekoukar, manager of Charlie Brown’s Restaurant in Chatham Twp., was recognized and thanked by President Dick Plambeck for the excellent service and food he and his staff provided at Kiwanis meetings today and over the many years. Alan thanked the club members and acknowledged his Charlie Brown’s workers who did such a great job. 



December 14 Program: Tim Butler, Co-Director of Green Vision, Spoke on the Recycling Program Staffed by Autistic Workers.

Tim Butler described Green Vision, which is the electronics recycling program affiliated with The Allegro School in Morris Knolls. The workers are Autistic developmentally disabled students and adults.

Valerie Olpp introduced Tim Butler who spoke about Green Vision, an electronics recycling organization

Green Vision is now incorporated, has 501(c)3 status and has its own board of directors.  Work continues to be done at the Allegro School but will move to a new building in Morris Plains. Workers take electronic equipment apart and ship it to companies for processing. The new facility will provide higher end training and employment for students and adults.

Arrangements have been made with several major corporations (e.g. Cantor Fitzgerald, ADP, etc. ) to supply discarded computers and other electronics to Green Vision. Green Vision can accept anything with a cord except for Televisions and Computer Monitors.

PC Problems, LLC in Madison serves as a location for collecting electronics discarded by Madison residents. Click here to learn more. The items are then delivered to Green Vision for recycling. Green Vision also handles New Vernon Township. Discussions are also underway with Chatham Township.

Over a period of one year, Green Vision recycled 101,000 pounds of materials. Just this morning, Tim collected 14,000 pounds of electronics. Autistic workers love the program and the staff.

Tim asked Kiwanis to encourage contacts who might have electronics to dispose of to get in touch with him at Green Vision. Click here to go to the Green Vision website.

Announcements: Kiwanis December 14 Meeting at Charlie Brown’s in Chatham

President Dick Plambeck reminded members to let Kiwanis know if their email address, phone number, etc. changes. Stu gave an update on the nuts project. He said sales are going well and his sales goal will be met by the end of the month. Members were urged to buy/sell as many as possible.

Betty Anne Keat said that a CHS Key Club officers’ meeting will be held in Rich Yar’s office at 10:45am on Friday 12/17 (editorial note: this was moved to Thursday). Dick told members that the CHS Key Club asked Kiwanis to submit an ad for the “Gen Rocks” concert program. Members approved purchasing a full page ad.

Joan May announced that sign-up sheets were placed on tables to get a count of the number of members and guests who will attend next week’s annual Christmas meeting, which will be a breakfast at Charlie Brown’s. Dick announced that a board meeting will follow next week’s the breakfast meeting. He also announced that the District Mid-Winter conference will be held Saturday, January 29 at the Somerset Crown Plaza.

Karen Swartz announced that members should start work on finding Tricky Tray items for the “Wines from Around the World” Wine-Tasting event. Detailed Tricky Tray info will be sent to members via email.

Heather Alonge announced that ECLC students will be presenting their Christmas program, “Rhythms of the Season” on Thursday at 12:30 pm.

Kiwanis NJ District Governor Marc Litwack with Nancy Boucher at the December 14, 2010 breakfast meeting held at Charlie Brown’s restaurant.

NJ District Governor Marc Litwack attended the club meeting. This is his first club visit since he suffered a bad fall six months ago in which he was seriously injured. Marc is a member of the Chatham-Madison Kiwanis Club. We admire his determination as he recovers after 9 months at Kessler Rehab and resumes his responsibilities as District Governor. He wished the club continued success enriching the family of man and serving the children of the world.

Colonel Amos Chalif and his wife Margaret attended the meeting. He holds dual club membership and we were happy to see them.

Amos and Margaret Chalif at Charlie Brown's Restaurant in Chatham Twp.