Cherry Hill Sun

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  • Kids’ camp focuses on winter’s environment

    Courtesy of Camden County

    The Camden County Environmental Center in Cherry Hill is continuing through Friday, Jan. 9 its Winter Environmental Day Camp for kids of various ages.

    The programs range from one to one-and-a-half-hour sessions that began during winter break last month.

    Participants were separated into two groups, SnowTop Tots for children from 5 years old and younger on Mondays and Winter Tracks for those age 6 to 12 on Tuesdays and Fridays. Each class has a maximum class size of 15 students.

    Each age group was taught about various aspects of the environment and natural world, specifically topics related to winter, and both groups covered seasonal hibernation. The younger group dabbled in winter nature discovery and snowflakes, while the older kids covered winter survival, the science behind snow and winter birds.

    Fern Nguyen is one of the center’s environmental educators. She runs the winter program, as well as other environmental day camps in spring and summer. The winter break program is the first of its kind.

    “We’ve been trying to put more effort into engaging the community on environmental topics,” she explained. “So we thought it’d be great to have a winter break program, especially for the younger ages, to engage them early on.”

    The students also got to do STEM activities, as well as outdoor projects.

    “The kids are off break, so it’s perfect to come in and do some fun activities like hiking, creating snow or looking up at snowflakes or exploring winter animals and hibernation,” Nguyen noted.

    She said the county’s board of commissioners came up with the idea to get youngsters in the area engaged with the natural world and the environmental mission of the county.

    “We really try to emphasize hands-on engagement, fun things for the kids to do,” she said. “The kids seem to be very engaged or very happy to participate in our activities, so we’re trying to get them outside playing in what little snow we have and exploring.”

    Participants also utilized outdoor natural resources to make items like pine needle soda or pine cone syrup, and they analyzed the beaks of birds to see how they might seek out food through the season.

    “We were having a good response to our winter program …,” Nguyen said. “It’s something for kids to report to while looking for something to do during their time off from school.”

  • Cherry Hill Calendar

    Teens can paint and sip while listening to a playlist from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 13 at the Cherry Hill library.

    Jan. 7 to 13

    Happenings at the library. For more information, call (856) 667-0300 or email info@chplnj.org. 

    The library is closed on Sunday during the winter.

    Jan. 5 to Feb. 1 – Project Prom donation drive

    Jan. 7 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Tales for Twos

    Jan. 7 – 2 to 3 p.m. – Get Started with Libby

    Jan. 7 – 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. – It’s Slime Time!

    Jan. 7 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Becoming a foster or adoptive parent in New Jersey.

    Jan. 7 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Learn how to play American Mah Jongg.

    Jan. 8 – 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. – Little Bookworm’s story time

    Jan. 8 – 1 to 3 p.m. – Campaign for better hearing

    Jan. 8 – 7 to 8 p.m. – Concotions Book Club: “Thistlefoot.”

    Jan. 9 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Music and movement

    Jan. 9 – 11 a.m. to noon – Intro to AI Chatbots

    Jan. 9 – 5 to 7 p.m. – Movie sing-along: “Frozen”

    Jan. 10 – noon to 2 p.m. – Dungeons and Dragons for teens

    Jan. 10 – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Artist reception for “Lives in Motion: Captured.”

    Jan. 10 – 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Needlework meetup.

    Jan. 12 – 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – End-of-Life planning class on leaving clear instructions for loved ones

    Jan. 12 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – The Improv Project

    Jan. 12 – 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. – Documentary screening: “Islam’s Greatest Stories of Love.”

    Jan. 13 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Rhyme Time

    Jan. 13 – 10:30 a.m. to noon – How to best use an iPhone or iPad.

    Jan. 13 – 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Needlework meetup

    Jan. 13 – 4 to 5 p.m. – “Dragon Bookwanderers” for Tween book club

    Jan. 13 – 7 to 8:30 p.m. – Library book club: “This Time Tomorrow,” by Emma Straub

    Jan. 13 – 7 to 8:30 p.m. – Teen Paint & Sip: playlist painting.

    Camden County events

    For more information, visit www.camdencounty.com.

    Jan. 9 – Winter Environmental Day Camp, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Jan. 10 – 10 a.m. to noon – Winter sowing, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Jan. 10 – 7 to 11 p.m. – “MANIA: The ABBA Tribute,” Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.

    Jan. 13 – Noon – Board of Commissioners’ caucus meeting, Camden City Hall, 6th floor, 520 Market St., Camden.

  • County libraries joins forces

    The Camden County Library System has a new reciprocal borrowing agreement with its counterparts in Burlington, Gloucester and Atlantic counties.

    Effective this month, the agreement invites Camden County cardholders in good standing to conveniently obtain a card in the neighboring counties and access a wider selection of materials.

    “Libraries are the heart of our communities, and this partnership helps to strengthen libraries throughout our area,” said Commissioner Jennifer Fleisher, liaison to the Camden County Library System. “We’re excited to offer this program to our residents, giving them access to thousands more books and resources at no additional cost.”

    The agreement is much like the reciprocal borrowing pilot program launched in 2024 that included Camden and Burlington counties, along with several counties in North Jersey. Because each library’s policies differ, access to certain services like eBooks, digital streaming services, museum passes, technology items and other online resources may be restricted.

    “Partnering with our neighboring counties was the clear next step in expanding access to library resources,” explained Linda Devlin, director of the Camden County system. “We know that our community’s needs do not stop at the county line, so by sharing our resources, we are able to strengthen the need for equitable access to library services to all.”

  • An early New Year’s Eve at the library

    Abigail Twiford/The Sun
    The free New Year’s Eve event – while aimed at the youngest library patrons – was an opportunity for families to celebrate together.

    Children in the townshp celebrated the new year 12 hours early on Dec. 31, with a Noon Year’s Eve event at the library.

    It marked youth services librarian Katie Helf’s first year hosting and organizing the party.

    “The whole idea is just to give the kids a chance to celebrate the New Year in a relatively healthy way, because they’re not staying up past their bedtime or getting off their routine,” she explained.

    Held in the library’s lower conference center, the party featured music to dance to and colorful lights for a festive mood. A photo station was set up for families, who were invited to celebrate with their children. Several inflatable pink balls got kids bouncing, throwing – and laying. 

    Helf led the children and their parents in games of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes and freeze dancing, engaging participants in interactive games.

    “We had a lot of fun just playing, so that was good,” Helf noted. “And the dancing and the kids were funny, with all the different stuff they were doing, throughout the whole event.”

    As noon approached, Helf showed a video of dancing animated animals and a child announcer who led the New Year countdown of 10 seconds, with library participants calling out the numbers in unison.

    The free event – while aimed at the youngest library patrons – also included some parents, older siblings and even grandparents on hand.

    “It’s wholesome,” Helf observed. “It’s for the whole family. It’s fun, and it’s short, too. It’s not like you’re here for hours, you’re here for half an hour, a good family outing right before lunch.”

  • “A great way’ to usher in the holiday season

    Abigail Twiford/The Sun
    Families gather around the walkway at Croft Farm to get photos with costumed entertainers at the Dec. 7 festival.

    To ring in the season and celebrate the holidays, the township held its winter festival on Dec. 7 at Croft Farm.

    Activities and vendors were spread throughout the grounds, with a section of games and activities for children and families set aside toward the back of the farm. Food trucks lined up in the parking lot at the front of the main park.

    Machines creating fake snow from soap were in place to create the illusion of snowy weather. Across the front lawn, small butane fires in metal firepits were available for visitors to warm themselves or make S’mores from kits sold by Boy Scout Troop 70 to finance an upcoming trip to New Mexico.

    Scout leader Mike Lausi said the troop’s idea for the firepits came several years ago.

    “We’ve done it as a fundraiser ever since,” he added.

    Musical acts at the festival included Cherry Hill West’s chamber choir singers, semi-finalists in the high-school division of radio station B101’s Christmas choir competition. The school’s jazz combo also performed.

    Entertainers dressed as various characters walked through, including the Grinch, Olaf and Queen Elsa from Disney’s “Frozen,” Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Stitch from “Lilo and Stitch.”

    Abigail Twiford/The Sun

    Nikki Jay – whose voice studio also performed – got a photo with her family and Olaf.

    “He’s adorable,” she noted of the Disney character. “The first year we came here, there was only like one guy here, and now there’s like five. And so it makes a big difference. My kids absolutely loved it. It’s been an awesome experience.

    “We come every year, and we love this festival,” Jay added. “It’s a great way for all the community to come together and small businesses to support each other. I love it and support the arts more than anything.”

    Several of the farm’s small buildings held indoor activities, with one functioning as a place where guests could learn about winter holidays from various cultures, including Diwali, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. Henna hand art, Diwali decorations and a selection of library books about multi-cultural winter and autumn holidays were also available. 

    Another building featured the Robot Foundry, a demonstration of machines and devices and the process of making them. The children’s section of the festival was equipped with a snow globe-shaped bounce house, snow-themed games, balloon animal creators, mini golf and bracelet-making stations. 

  • Cherry Hill Calendar

    Dec. 17 to 23

    Happenings at the library. For more information, call (856) 667-0300 or email info@chplnj.org. 

    Dec. 17 – All Day Event – Tween Take & Make: Snowflakes.

    Dec. 17 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Computer Basics.

    Dec. 17 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m. – Bundle Up.

    Dec. 18 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Community Conversation: Senior Citizens United Community Services.

    Dec. 18 – 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Introduction to Google Translate.

    Dec. 19 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Better Money Habits/ Fraud Protection.

    Dec. 19 – 11 to 11:30 a.m. – Art Explorers.

    Dec. 19 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Teen Winter Lock-In.

    Dec. 20 – 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. – Yoga for Everyone.

    Dec. 20 – 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 – Little Wiggles: Baby Story Time.

    Dec. 22 – 1 to 1:45 p.m. – Little Wiggles: Baby Story Time.

    Dec. 22 – 2 to 4 p.m. – Monday Movie: Small Things Like These.

    Dec. 23 – 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Needlework Meetup.

    Camden County events

    For more information, visit www.camdencounty.com.

    Dec. 17 – 3:30 to 6 p.m. – Holly Jolly Senior Dance, Donald E. Wilson Community Center, 425 Brooke Ave., Magnolia.

    Dec. 18 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Senior Line Dancing Classes, Pine Hill Senior Center, 131 East 12th Ave., Pine Hill.

    Dec. 18 – 10:30 a.m. to noon – Memory Cafe at Gloucester Township Blackwood Rotary Public Library, 15 S Black Horse Pike, Blackwood.

    Dec. 18 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Free Senior Prize Bingo, Wayne Bryant Community Center, 323 E. Charleston Ave., Lawnside.

    Dec. 18 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Dinner Dance, Magnolia Community Center, 425 Brooke Ave., Magnolia.

    Dec. 19 – 5 to 8 p.m. – Winter Wonderland, Roosevelt Plaza Park, 12-98 5th St., Camden.

    Thursday, Dec. 18

    Board of Fire Commissioners regular meeting 7 to 9 p.m. at 1100 Marlkress Road.

    Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting 7:30 to 11 p.m. via Zoom.

    Monday, Dec. 22

    Township council meeting 7 to 9:30 p.m. at N. John Amato Council Chambers and via Zoom.

  • Roskoph retires from council after 12 years

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Township
    Council honored retiring member Carole Roskoph and heard public comment on an ordinance that would increase the fee for massage businesses and their licensing.

    Township council’s meeting on Dec. 8 was the last for Carole Roskoph after 12 years of service.

    Fellow members took time at the end of the meeting to express their gratitude to the councilwoman.

    “We know that this is just the conclusion of this chapter and tenure of your service, but certainly not the end of your service to Cherry Hill or with any of us …” said Mayor Dave Fleisher. “We know this is the beginning of something new, and not the end, but it is with great gratitude that we say thank you for the 12 years that you’ve given the people of Cherry Hill in this role.”

    Each member of council said a few words about Roskoph before presenting her with a proclamation. She finished the meeting with some words of her own, reflecting on how she first took her council oath on the same night she and other members of the time paid final respects to former board member Joyce Alexander Walker.

    Roskoph also acknowledged her replacement, Rob Connor.

    “To the residents of Cherry Hill, thank you for your continued votes of confidence,” she said. “It has been the honor and privilege of my lifetime to represent you.” 

    One major issue discussed during the meeting was an ordinance that would increase licensing fees from $250 to $2,000 for massage parlors with more than one therapist. A number of owners expressed their opposition.

    Some are sole proprietors who would be exempt from the fee but still had concerns over the wording of the ordinance, fearing other area towns would enact similar measures. One of them is massage practitioner Rena Margulis. She worries the measure would deter other massage and bodywork therapists from moving to the township.

    “And while Cherry Hill government could have an understanding that self-employed, licensed massage and body or therapists who do not have employees are not covered by this fee,” she observed, “this understanding is not clear in the code.”

    Margulis also recalled that at one point in her career, she broke her arm and had to hire two student assistants to staff her business. She is concerned that a temporary disability could also negatively impact independent massage practitioners. 

    The township’s rationale for the fee is the cost of police resources it says are necessary to deter illegal activity at the businesses.

    “We recognize the legitimate massage businesses and the right to operate in Cherry Hill, but we also recognize the very unfortunate reality nationwide of illicit conduct and potential sexual exploitation,” Fleisher explained.

    “Sadly, that does take place in some organizations – and certainly none of you here tonight – but that is a reality that we recognize statewide and nationwide.”

    The mayor then went into more detail about the time it takes to review regulatory compliance, monitor, investigate and enforce criminal statutes when a permit is requested. Council also heard from the public on second reading of changes to zoning ordinances that will allow for solar projects without the need for a special use variance permit.

    The changes were approved.

    The next township council meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Monday in person and via Zoom.

  • The history behind Washington’s Delaware crossing

    Abigail Twiford/ The Sun
    Michael Jesberger displays a map illustrating the Battle of Trenton during his presentation on Washington’s Crossing.

    As part of its grant-funded series to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary continues, the township library held a Dec. 3 lecture on Washington’s 1776 crossing of the Delaware River and the subsequent battles of Trenton.

    The discussion was led by Michael Jesberger, an independent military historian specializing in the Revolutionary and Civil War periods.

    “You know, 250 years is not a lot compared to the rest of the world,” he remarked, “but it’s ours, our 250th So yes, we made it. We should be very pleased and very happy that we made it that far.” 

    Jesberger started off the discussion with a slide showing the most famous representation of the crossing, the Emanuel Leutze painting titled “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” But he also highlighted its inaccuracies.

    “You have George Washington standing upright,” he explained. “Not a good move on a little boat like that with his leg first on the side of the boat. That’s probably not good either. Not good to be mixed in on such a small boat with the rank and file.”

    But Jesberger acknowledged that the painting is an artistic representation of Americana rather than historical fact.

    As he transitioned out of that and into the story of the crossing, Jesberger stressed that the crossing of the Delaware was a major turning point for the Continental Army during the war, with the summer and fall of 1776 seeing several massive losses among American troops.

    “In the summer and fall of 1776, it’s an absolute disaster and total collapse,” he pointed out. “It’s incredible. In the summer of that same year, Washington takes command of an army, a rebel army, of 20,000 men, maybe the highest the army will be at.” 

    Jesberger explained that while those numbers seem low compared with the country’s modern armies and wars, it’s what Washington had to work with at the time. The British had control of New York, so Washington knew he had to make some kind of move to keep the revolutionary effort going. He formulated the plan for three crossings of the Delaware that would allow for a sneak attack on Hessian forces. 

    Due to a variety of setbacks and struggles, Jesberger emphasized, the group Washington led was the only one to actually make it across the river, though it faced challenges that delayed the attack, reaching the Hessians only during the day instead of taking them by surprise at night.

    Jesberger also highlighted various local landmarks in South Jersey and the Philadelphia area that relate to the battle and the crossing.

    “It’s an unbelievable part of your heritage and history here in New Jersey,” Jesberger observed, “and that’s where the Hessians would be.”

    Jesberger also explained that at the site of Washington’s Crossing, there is a marker of the unknown soldiers who died.

    “As we move into the festive season,” he advised, “we should always remember and reflect on our first veterans, because if we don’t, who will?”

  • Board of ed hears latest on budget process

    Cherry Hill Board of Education
    Board of education members listen to details of the budget for the 2026-’27 school year.

    The township board of education discussed the ongoing process of preparing a 2026-’27 academic year budget at a Dec. 3 meeting.

    Jason Schimpf is the assistant superintendent, business administrator and board secretary responsible for leading the budget preparation process. He presented several slides at the meeting of that process.

    “I’ve continued to make my rounds to each of the schools to meet with their school principals and administrative teams,” he noted. “I really enjoyed those discussions, and I thought, now, consistent with our budget preparation calendar, I would continue to provide some updates at our work sessions as we move through the process here.”

    As schools within the district have until Jan. 16 to justify their budget requests, Schimpf focused primarily on revenue for the meeting. He began with a rundown of the district’s tax levy analysis, which along with the budget fund balance is one of the only pieces of revenue over which the board has control.

    Since there is a 2% cap on the tax levy, that would equate to an additional $4 million in revenue for 2026-’27. The average homeowner in the township would see this impact reflected in a $115 property tax increase. 

    The coming academic year will be the first time since the $300-million bond referendum in 2022 that residents will see a decrease in the principal and interest payments of the bonds. That would continue for the next three fiscal years, translating to a $61 decrease on the debt service side of the budget for the average homeowner.

    “It’ll be a welcome relief having the ability to hopefully or potentially increase the general side of the tax levy to support our operations,” Schimpf pointed out, “while at the same time offsetting that increase with the decrease on the debt service side of things.”

    The district also has about $3.3 million in banked cap – or unused taxing authority – that can be utilized for larger tax increases without a public vote. Unused funds will expire during the next academic year if left unallocated. The tax impact of the banked cap is estimated to be around $97, which would translate to a net increase of $151 in taxes on the average assessed home.

    Schimpf also touched on state aid, though with a new governor taking office in January, that funding is unknown. Some of Gov. Phil Murphy’s budget legislation changes are not permanent, and governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s plans for those have not been made public.

    One of Murphy’s policies was limiting decreases in state aid to 3% and increases to 6%. 

    “There’s still the potential there, without those caps, that the district could be looking at another substantial state aid cut,” said Schimpf.

    No definitive answer to whether those caps will remain in place will be available to the district until Feb. 26, after Sherrill approves a budget. 

    Schimpf also discussed the district’s fund balance and the different categories in that amount. The unassigned balance functions as the district’s savings account, estimated to be at about $4 million by the end of this school year. Schimpf estimated that in that same time, the fund balance would have about $5 million in designated revenue and $3.8 million in capital reserve, with no restricted funding in the balance.

    The public hearing and final adoption of a budget for 2026-’27 will take place on April 28.

  • Cherry Hill Calendar

    Dec. 10-16

    Happenings at the Cherry Hill library. For more information, call (856) 667-0300 or email info@chplnj.org. 

    Through Dec. 13 – Bundle Up Coat Drive. 

    Dec. 10 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Tales for Twos.

    Dec. 10 – 6:30 to 8 p.m. – WHYY Bridging Blocks: Equity in Education.

    Dec. 11 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Little Bookworm’s Story Time.

    Dec. 11 – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Winter Concert with the Chamber Ensembles of Cherry Hill High School East.

    Dec. 11 – 2 to 4 p.m. – Must Watch Documentary: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.

    Dec. 12 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Music and Movement.

    Dec. 13 – 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. – Yoga for Everyone.

    Dec. 13 – noon to 2 p.m. – Dungeons & Dragons for Teens.

    Dec. 13 – 1 to 3 p.m. – Artist Reception: The Stillness Between Moments.

    Dec. 13 – 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Needlework Meetup.

    Dec. 14 – All Day – Library Closed.

    Dec. 15 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Gingerbread Decorating Extravaganza.

    Dec. 16 – 2 to 3 p.m. – Inspect Your Gadget.

    Dec. 16 – 4 to 5 p.m. – Library Board Meeting: Bill Pay Only.

    Dec. 16 – 5:30 to 8 p.m. – K-Pop Demon Hunters Watch Party.

    Dec. 17 – All Day Event – Tween Take & Make: Snowflakes.

    Dec. 17 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Computer Basics.

    Dec. 17 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m. – Bundle Up.

    Camden County events

    For more information, visit www.camdencounty.com.

    Dec. 11 – 10 to 11 a.m. – Office of Emergency Management virtual planning meeting.

    Dec. 11 – 11 a.m. to noon – Identifying and Preventing Financial Elder Abuse, Camden County William J. Rohrer Memorial Library, 15 MacArthur Blvd., Westmont.

    Dec. 11 – noon to 1 p.m. – Board of Commissioners meeting, Camden City Hall, 6th Floor, 520 Market St., Camden.

    Dec. 11 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Yoga, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Dec. 13 – 4 to 8 p.m. – Second Saturday, 678 Haddon Ave., Collingswood.

    Dec. 15 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Senior line-dancing classes, Wayne Bryant Community Center, 323 E. Charleston Ave., Lawnside.

    Dec. 15 – 3 to 8 p.m. – Jordan Davis Toy Give-A-Way, Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Drive, Camden.

    Dec. 15 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Dance Class, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Dec. 16 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Coffee Talks with Caregivers, virtual.

    Dec. 16 – 3 to 8 p.m. – Teddy Toys, Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Drive, Camden.

    Dec. 16 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Bocce Ball, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Dec. 17 – 3:30 to 6 p.m. – Holly Jolly Senior Dance, Donald E. Wilson Community Center, 425 Brooke Ave., Magnolia.

    Wednesday, Dec. 10

    Wellness walk 9 to 10 a.m. at the mall.

    Thursday, Dec. 11

    Board of Fire Commissioners workshop session 7 to 9 p.m. at 1100 Marlkress Road.

    Senior citizen holiday party 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at DoubleTree by Hilton.

    Rent Review Board meeting 6 to 10:30 p.m. at N. John Amato Council Chambers and via Zoom.

    Saturday, Dec. 13

    Second Saturday trail crew session: Kresson Trails 9 a.m. to noon at Kresson Trails.

    Monday, Dec. 15

    Planning board session 7:30 to 11 p.m. via Zoom.