Cherry Hill Sun

Author: atwiford

  • In the soap at township library fundraiser

    Photos by Abigail Twiford/The Sun
    Carolyn Fahy instructs several attendees at the soap-making event on how to stir fragrance and color.

    The Cherry Hill library hosts at least one fundraiser a month to finance its various programs throughout the year. 

    The most recent was a soap-making workshop on Aug. 6 led by Carolyn Fahy of Uplifting Soaps LLC. She initially picked up the hobby during COVID, before transitioning into teaching classes on the craft.  

    “I took a soap-making class in person, and I literally brought home bulk everything, and I started making it from scratch,” Fahy recalled. “And then my husband said, ‘We have a lot of soap … I was like, I’m going to try to find something I can keep doing because I loved it so much. And I ended up here doing workshops.” 

    Library guests created two bars of soap, choosing a mold, color and fragrance for each, as well as choosing toppers to decorate them. Molds came in a variety of shapes and patterns, with some in the shape of roses or with ocean waves or floral patterns. Others were more classically shaped smooth ovals or rectangles. 

    Several library guests finished creating the mixture of soap before pouring it into molds.

    The class used a melt-and-pour method for their creations, which entails using soap specifically made to be melted down, cut it into small pieces, melted in a microwave or warmer and poured it into the desired mold, adding colors and scents as desired. 

    Family members Ariel Tecza, Adrianne Tecza, Kristin Tecza and Corinne Tecza attended together.

    “It was unique,” said Ariel, “because I’ve never made soap before. I liked all the options and all the colors.”

    Toppers, smaller and sometimes shimmery soaps came in various shapes, from paw prints, four-leaf clovers and mermaid tails to more unique shapes like Labubu dolls. 

    Given the number of fundraisers the library holds during the year, volunteer coordinator Meredith Meyer tries to make the monthly events more substantial and unique than free classes at the library.

    “I’m always looking for crafty things to do as fundraisers to make some money,” Meyer said. “They’re going home with a little bit more substance on something like this.” 

    Members of Fahy’s family helped to melt the soap in paper cups as she called up tables one by one so the handling of the molten soap could be managed. 

    Fahy emphasized to attendees the importance of stirring the liquified soap quickly, before the mixture begins to thicken soon after being removed from a heat source. Fragrances and colors were added to the soap slowly as participants mixed them, allowing them to choose the exact depth of color and strength of smell in the bars. The mixture was then poured into the molds.

    Once both molds were filled, crafters took the trays holding them and waited for them to set. Once that happened, the bars could be removed from the molds without getting damaged, and guests were asked to attach toppers. Fahy melted the flat bottoms of the decorations on a pan over a hot plate, then adhered them in the spots the attendees requested.

    Jennifer Bailey attended with her mother and saw neighbors she hadn’t seen in a while. 

    “That was cool to be connected with the community,” she observed. “It was amazing. It was really fun to learn the process, and it was really cool that we’ll have these pieces to take home with us.”

  • In the soap at township library fundraiser

    Photos by Abigail Twiford/The Sun
    Carolyn Fahy instructs several attendees at the soap-making event on how to stir fragrance and color.

    The Cherry Hill library hosts at least one fundraiser a month to finance its various programs throughout the year. 

    The most recent was a soap-making workshop on Aug. 6 led by Carolyn Fahy of Uplifting Soaps LLC. She initially picked up the hobby during COVID, before transitioning into teaching classes on the craft.  

    “I took a soap-making class in person, and I literally brought home bulk everything, and I started making it from scratch,” Fahy recalled. “And then my husband said, ‘We have a lot of soap … I was like, I’m going to try to find something I can keep doing because I loved it so much. And I ended up here doing workshops.” 

    Library guests created two bars of soap, choosing a mold, color and fragrance for each, as well as choosing toppers to decorate them. Molds came in a variety of shapes and patterns, with some in the shape of roses or with ocean waves or floral patterns. Others were more classically shaped smooth ovals or rectangles. 

    Several library guests finished creating the mixture of soap before pouring it into molds.

    The class used a melt-and-pour method for their creations, which entails using soap specifically made to be melted down, cut it into small pieces, melted in a microwave or warmer and poured it into the desired mold, adding colors and scents as desired. 

    Family members Ariel Tecza, Adrianne Tecza, Kristin Tecza and Corinne Tecza attended together.

    “It was unique,” said Ariel, “because I’ve never made soap before. I liked all the options and all the colors.”

    Toppers, smaller and sometimes shimmery soaps came in various shapes, from paw prints, four-leaf clovers and mermaid tails to more unique shapes like Labubu dolls. 

    Given the number of fundraisers the library holds during the year, volunteer coordinator Meredith Meyer tries to make the monthly events more substantial and unique than free classes at the library.

    “I’m always looking for crafty things to do as fundraisers to make some money,” Meyer said. “They’re going home with a little bit more substance on something like this.” 

    Members of Fahy’s family helped to melt the soap in paper cups as she called up tables one by one so the handling of the molten soap could be managed. 

    Fahy emphasized to attendees the importance of stirring the liquified soap quickly, before the mixture begins to thicken soon after being removed from a heat source. Fragrances and colors were added to the soap slowly as participants mixed them, allowing them to choose the exact depth of color and strength of smell in the bars. The mixture was then poured into the molds.

    Once both molds were filled, crafters took the trays holding them and waited for them to set. Once that happened, the bars could be removed from the molds without getting damaged, and guests were asked to attach toppers. Fahy melted the flat bottoms of the decorations on a pan over a hot plate, then adhered them in the spots the attendees requested.

    Jennifer Bailey attended with her mother and saw neighbors she hadn’t seen in a while. 

    “That was cool to be connected with the community,” she observed. “It was amazing. It was really fun to learn the process, and it was really cool that we’ll have these pieces to take home with us.”

  • Township, students partner for blood drive

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Mayor’s Office
    Volunteers had their blood taken for donation at the township’s recent blood drive.

    Cherry Hill partnered with the American Red Cross on Aug. 1 for a five-hour blood drive at the Carmen Tilelli Community Center.

    The drive was planned through the Red Cross Leaders Save Lives Program, an initiative that encourages high-school and college students to organize and lead blood drives during breaks from school. According to the Red Cross – the largest single provider of blood and blood products nationally – someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets every two seconds, and 29,000 units of blood are needed to keep up with the daily demand.

    The Save Lives program also offers scholarships and educational opportunities to students who choose to participate in and plan drives, as well as training and toolkits to help them smoothly run drives. Two students from Cherry Hill East led the community center drive, meeting all of the goals they set out to achieve.

    Teens from both East and the Red Cross were the first to initiate the sponsorship, reaching out to the township to arrange the drive.

    The event also aligned with Mayor Dave Fleisher’s wellness campaign and the township offered the Tilelli center as the drive’s location.

    “Partnering with the American Red Cross and two of our Cherry Hill high-school students to host a blood drive at the community center is a powerful way to bring people together for the greater good,” Fleisher said. 

    One blood donation can go to multiple people and can help save multiple lives, including those with severe physical trauma or chronic diseases like cancer or sickle cell anemia, both of which can often require multiple transfusions.

    “It gives our residents the chance to make a real impact by donating blood and helping those in need,” Fleisher noted. 

    Certain types of blood and plasma are in the highest demand; type O negative blood and type AB plasma can be given to patients with any blood type. O negative blood is only present in 7% of the U.S. population, with AB plasma only present in 4%. 

    Brian Bauerle is the chief of staff and acting business administrator for the mayor’s office. 

    “It’s very consistent with the mayor’s wellness campaign that he’s been working on throughout the year,” Bauerle explained. “So it was a perfect opportunity for us to partner on this program. The event went great. We were happy to host it.” 

  • Township, students partner for blood drive

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Mayor’s Office
    Volunteers had their blood taken for donation at the township’s recent blood drive.

    Cherry Hill partnered with the American Red Cross on Aug. 1 for a five-hour blood drive at the Carmen Tilelli Community Center.

    The drive was planned through the Red Cross Leaders Save Lives Program, an initiative that encourages high-school and college students to organize and lead blood drives during breaks from school. According to the Red Cross – the largest single provider of blood and blood products nationally – someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets every two seconds, and 29,000 units of blood are needed to keep up with the daily demand.

    The Save Lives program also offers scholarships and educational opportunities to students who choose to participate in and plan drives, as well as training and toolkits to help them smoothly run drives. Two students from Cherry Hill East led the community center drive, meeting all of the goals they set out to achieve.

    Teens from both East and the Red Cross were the first to initiate the sponsorship, reaching out to the township to arrange the drive.

    The event also aligned with Mayor Dave Fleisher’s wellness campaign and the township offered the Tilelli center as the drive’s location.

    “Partnering with the American Red Cross and two of our Cherry Hill high-school students to host a blood drive at the community center is a powerful way to bring people together for the greater good,” Fleisher said. 

    One blood donation can go to multiple people and can help save multiple lives, including those with severe physical trauma or chronic diseases like cancer or sickle cell anemia, both of which can often require multiple transfusions.

    “It gives our residents the chance to make a real impact by donating blood and helping those in need,” Fleisher noted. 

    Certain types of blood and plasma are in the highest demand; type O negative blood and type AB plasma can be given to patients with any blood type. O negative blood is only present in 7% of the U.S. population, with AB plasma only present in 4%. 

    Brian Bauerle is the chief of staff and acting business administrator for the mayor’s office. 

    “It’s very consistent with the mayor’s wellness campaign that he’s been working on throughout the year,” Bauerle explained. “So it was a perfect opportunity for us to partner on this program. The event went great. We were happy to host it.” 

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