Cherry Hill Sun

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  • Kim ‘spreads the word’ on issues raised at town hall

    Sen. Andy Kim held a town hall at Cherry Hill East on April 22 that drew a crowd of more than 300 people.

    The Democratic senator took to the front of the auditorium of his alma mater to address his constituents.

    “This idea (is) that we can gather together as people in this nation and talk through the challenges that are there, recognizing full well that we’re not all going to agree on it,” he said. ” … That we’ll have disagreements and issues and different perspectives here and there, but that we’re able to have this type of conversation and talk through what direction our country should be going.”

    The senator was met with a range of emotions from the crowd. While many applauded or cheered, others yelled, booed or clapped loudly in disagreement with him. Before taking questions, Kim laid out his concerns about President Trump’s actions since he has taken office.

    “First and foremost, with a simple yet profoundly important recognition, is that the President of the United States, Donald Trump, is abusing his power,” Kim noted.

    Someone in the crowd then began heckling. Kim stopped his address, walked to the back of the room and spoke directly to the individual. The two briefly discussed a disagreement on the Constitutionality of the president’s actions before Kim returned to finish his introduction and take questions and comments. 

    The town hall took place just under three weeks after the senator and 13 other Democrats joined Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ effort to withhold $8.8 billion in military equipment to Israel. The measure failed, but division over the issue among audience members at Kim’s event was clear. As attendees began asking questions, one woman stood up to thank Kim for his yes vote, saying it showed “moral clarity, care for human life and a willingness to listen to your constituents.”

    Another attendee defended Israel’s actions and expressed concerns about the country not being able to survive in the event of an arms embargo. Kim responded with his belief that there is no way to resolve the war in Gaza with military action alone.

    “I don’t discount the continued threat that Hamas … will very well pose,” he explained. “But again, what we’re seeing right now with this resumption of violence (and a) blockade (of) humanitarian assistance, it’s just going to fuel anger and hate that gives Hamas the ability to be able to regroup and be able to continue to sow their danger to the Israeli people and make it harder to be able to get … all the hostages out.”

    Outside of the Israeli issue, another town hall attendee, Linh Nguyen, addressed the need for federal workers and social services in the midst of government cutbacks.

    “I chose a career in public service, and so many of my co-workers chose a career in public service because we want to serve the public,” she remarked, “and we are not able to do that when we’re being illegally terminated.”

    Other audience members took their time to ask questions about multiple issues, including protections for LGBT individuals, in particular those in the trans community; due process in the wake of the deportation to El Salvador of immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia; and protection of U.S. citizens’ private data.

    Kim continued to take questions for a half hour after the town hall ended.

    “Go out and talk to other people in your own communities, your friends, your families and others, as I am doing as well, trying to make sure we’re spreading the word,” he noted. “The fact that you showed up today, it gives me immense gratitude for you that you’re paying attention.”

  • Cherry Hill Calendar

    Wednesdays

    Barclay Farmstead public tours Noon to 4 p.m. Barclay Farmstead, 209 Barclay Lane (off West Gate Drive). For more information, visit Barclay Farmstead: A Living History Museum | Cherry Hill Township, NJ. 

    April 30- May 7

    Happenings at the Cherry Hill library at 1100 Kings Highway North. For more information, call (856) 667-0300 or email info@chplnj.org. 

    April 30 – 11 a.m. – Microsoft Word Mail Merge.

    April 30 – 5:30 p.m. – Homework Hangout. 

    April 30 – 7 p.m. – Dark Night in April – The Lincoln Assassination.

    April 30 –  7 p.m. – Novel Writing 101 – 10-Week Series.

    May 2 – 10:30 a.m. – Microsoft Word for Beginners: Just the Basics.  

    May 2 – 11 a.m. – Art Explorers.

    May 3 – 10 a.m. – Gently Used Jewelry & Accessory Sale: Fundraiser Event. 

    May 3 – 12 p.m. – Dungeons & Dragons for Teens.

    May 5 – 6:30 p.m. – Barking Book Buddies. 

    May 5 – 6:30 p.m. – Using Your Library Account Online.

    May 6 – 10:30 a.m. – Rhyme Time. 

    May 6 – 1 p.m. – Citizenship Preparation.

    May 6 – 1:30 p.m. – LEAP Intermediate.

    May 6 – 7 p.m. – Crafter Hours: Beaded Hairclips 

    May 6 – 7 p.m. – Paint & Sip: A Celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month.

    May 7 – 10:30 a.m. – Introduction to Microsoft Windows 10: Part 1.

    May 7 – 10:30 a.m. – Tales for Twos. 

    May 7 – 2 p.m. – Music and Movement. 

    May 7 – 7 p.m. – Novel Writing 101 – 10-Week Series.

    Camden County events

    For more information, visit www.camdencounty.com.

    April 30 – 10-11:30 a.m. – Virtual National Apprenticeship Day event.

    April 30 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Virtual chair yoga

    April 30 – Noon to 2 p.m. – Billiards and Bowling, 30 Strikes Lanes, 501 White Horse Pike South, Stratford.

    April 30 – 1-2 p.m. – Chair yoga, Cherry Hill Municipal Building, 820 Mercer St. 

    April 30 – 6-7:30 p.m. – Virtual Camp Sunny Side event.

    April 30 – 6-8 p.m. – Stress Busting for Family Caregivers, St. Marys Villa, 220 St. Mary’s Drive, Cherry Hill.

    May 1 – 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Pickleball for Seniors, DeCou Park Pickleball Courts Evesham and Crowell Roads, Cherry Hill.

    May 3 – 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Just for Seniors Painting Party, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    May 3 – 2 to 7 p.m. – Down & Derby Wine Festival, Veterans Island, Cooper River Park, 5300 N Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    May 4 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Healthy Kids Running Series, Haddon Lake Park Hillside and South Park Ave., Haddon Heights.

    May 5 – 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. – Senior Line Dancing, Wayne Bryant Community Center, 323 E Charleston Ave., Lawnside.

    May 5 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Chair Yoga, William G. Rohrer Memorial Library: Haddon Twp Branch: Haddon 15 MacArthur Blvd., Westmont.

    May 5 – 4:30-7 p.m. – Seniors After Hours Ceramics Class, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    May 6 – 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Senior Line Dancing Classes, Lindenwold Senior Center, 2119 S. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold.

    May 6 – Noon to 2 p.m. – Senior Bocce Ball, Louis F. Cappelli, Sr. Bocce Ball Court, 5300 N. Park Dr., Pennsauken.

    May 6 – 1-2 p.m. – Tai Chi for Seniors, Wayne Bryant Community Center, 323 E Charleston Ave., Lawnside.

    May 6 – 4:30-7 p.m. – Seniors After Hours Ceramics Class, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    May 7 – 1-2 p.m. – Meditation Classes, Cherry Hill Municipal Building, 820 Mercer St., Cherry Hill.

    May 7 – 4-6 p.m. – Camden County Technical Schools Job Fair, Camden County Technical School- Gloucester Township, 343 Cross Keys Rd., Sicklerville.

    May 7 – 4 to 6 p.m. – 2025 Job Fair, Camden County Technical School- Gloucester Township, 343 Cross Keys Rd., Sicklerville.

    May 7 – 6 to 7 p.m. – R.E.A.L Sports Bocce Ball, Louis F. Cappelli, Sr. Bocce Ball Court, 5300 N. Park Dr., Pennsauken.

    May 7 – 6-8 p.m. – Stress Busting for Family Caregivers, St. Marys Villa, 220 St. Mary’s Drive, Cherry Hill.

    Thursday, May 1

    Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting 7:30-11 p.m. via Zoom.

    Reminder: May Quarterly Property Taxes and Commercial Sewer Rent Due This is a courtesy reminder that the next quarterly property tax payment and commercial sewer rent is due on May 1.
    There is a 10-day grace period for tax payments. If the 10th day falls on a weekend/holiday, the grace period extends to the next business day. During the grace period, the Tax Office will extend its hours from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

    Payments made after the close of business on the last day of the grace period will accrue interest dating back to the original due date. Tax payments are due Aug. 1, Nov. 1, Feb. 1 and May 1. Residential sewer rent is due on April 1. Commercial sewer rent is due on Nov. 1 and May 1. For more information, please call the Tax Collector’s Office at (856) 488-7880.

    Sunday, May 4

    Barclay Farmstead 1st Sunday Open House 1-4 p.m. at Barclay Farmstead, 209 Barclay Lane.

    Authors & Artists Expo 2-5 p.m. at 820 Mercer St.

    Ensemble Concert: String Quartet 3 p.m. at Croft Farm Arts Center, 100 Bortons Mill Road.

    Monday, May 5

    Planning Board Meeting 7:30-11 p.m. via Zoom.

    Tuesday, May 6

    Art Blooms Juried Art Exhibit – Opening Reception 6-7:30 p.m. at Croft Farm Arts Center.

    Wednesday, May 7

    Art Blooms Juried Art Exhibit 4-7 p.m. at Croft Farms Arts Center.

  • Tips on keeping your balance at the library

    As the population ages across the country, communities have to focus on different areas of wellness than they did before.

    Among those concerns is balance and fall risk for seniors. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury in individuals 65 years of age and older. That statistic was addressed on April 17 at the Cherry Hill library, when it partnered with 3-Dimensional Therapy – a local physical therapy source that offers free balance screenings – to hold a community conversation on the subject. 

    The session offered tips and exercises that seniors and other adults with balance concerns can easily do at home. Physical therapist Katie Gaunt ran the event and demonstrations and went over some of the common causes of balance problems: eyesight; muscle weakness; and medical conditions like stroke, Parkinson’s and diabetes.

    “Neuropathy is a very common side effect of diabetes, so it happens a lot in your hands and feet,” she explained. “So obviously, we’re concerned with your feet. You lose sensation in your feet, so it’s going to throw off your balance if you can’t feel what’s under you.”

    Gaunt also described a test that can be done for balance, where an individual sits in a chair and tries to stand up without the use of their arms. The faster and easier a person is able to do that, the better their balance. 

    Gaunt also advised that anyone who feels dizzy when they sit up in the morning should move from bed slowly and wait until they feel steady to stand and start moving. Other recommendations to decrease the risk of falls include not carrying heavy objects or loads, wearing glasses and using walkers or canes if they are needed, ensuring adequate lighting, removing throw rugs and installing handrails by the toilet or in the shower.

    Judy Hymowitz is a local resident who was on hand for the library conversation. She goes to physical therapy once a week after tearing tendons in one of her quads three years ago. 

    “I just like to exercise as much as you can with it when, when it starts to hurt, you stop,” she said. “But it was very informative.”

    Hymowitz was also glad to hear Gaunt recommended the brand of walking shoe she uses with her orthotics. 

    Gaunt recommended other tests for balance. One is to stand on one foot with arms crossed over the trunk of the body and lean to each side. The length of time that takes varies by age. She also offered simple exercises, especially for those with little prior knowledge of them. They include kicking one leg to the side, practicing standing without use of arms and arm circles.

    More advanced exercises involved the use of foam pads while standing on one foot to practice balancing on softer surfaces.

  • Citizenship class shines light on community diversity

    Among the wide range of classes offered to residents by the Cherry Hill library is a one-hour U.S. citizenship preparation class that takes place at 1 p.m. every Tuesday.

    The aim of the six-week course is to prepare students for the naturalization test by helping them understand questions on the application, having them practice the reading and writing sections of the test and reviewing the language and conversation skills needed to succeed. The class also covers questions on subjects like civics and geography that may come up on the test.

    The test is a major part of becoming a citizen. Applicants must show they have the ability to read, write and speak basic English for one part of it. In the other, they are asked 10 out of a list of 100 possible questions that could be on any topic, including the U.S. government, history and related topics. In order to pass, applicants must answer at least six questions correctly. 

    Everyone has two chances to pass the test for a fee of $710 to $760. If applicants fail on the first try, they can take the test again between 60 and 90 days from their initial interview. 

    The class has two instructors, Phyllis Levitas and Julie Kligerman. 

    “It’s difficult to pass, and many Americans themselves couldn’t pass,” Levitas said. “So instead of people going unprepared, the idea was to give them a leg up.” 

    The idea for the library’s citizenship prep class came when a student in the library’s ESL class expressed a need for help to prepare to the naturalization exam. Participants in the citizenship class are encouraged to participate and ask questions in order to engage more with the material. 

    “We want to be welcoming,” Kligerman noted. “One of the reasons I’m doing this is, I want to put a welcome face to people who have tried really hard to get here, tried really hard to stay here. They’re not lounging around.” 

    The library sees students from an array of backgrounds in its citizenship and other programs.

    “Cherry Hill is a wonderfully diverse community,” Levitas pointed out. “My joke is, we’ve had people from every continent except from Antarctica, but I keep expecting a penguin to show up here at some point.”  

    “I mean, they know more history than many Americans by the time they leave here,” Kligerman emphasized. “I’m very proud of them, because many of my friends and colleagues wouldn’t be able to do it without the language barrier. They really study hard and try.

    “It’s very important to many people to be citizens here, to do it right.”

  • Window to charity

    Home Genius Exteriors has donated $100,000 worth of windows to Habitat for Humanity of South Central New Jersey, a local branch of the national organization that provides affordable-home ownership and repair services. 

    The donation was formally celebrated at a small ceremony on April 7 at the organization’s ReStore. 

    “Growth has awarded us the ability to have resources to be able to contribute, and the most respected part is being able to look back upon what we’ve done and what we are proud of,” said Austin Killian, co-founder and vice president of the East region for Home Genius Exteriors. 

    Leadership from both Home Genius and the Habitat for Humanity attended the ceremony, each bringing teams of volunteers to aid in delivering, sorting and organizing donated materials. 

    “We had quite a bit of unusable and unreturnable windows from prior projects in the past,” noted Ambrose Powell, a regional install manager for Home Genius Exteriors, “and they were sitting in our warehouse … We can’t necessarily use them on every house that comes up … so we found it to be a phenomenal opportunity to help the community.” 

    The windows will not be installed into houses built by Habitat but instead will be sold at the ReStore, which sells building materials and housewares at a discounted rate and uses the profits to continue building affordable homes in the community.

    “The ReStore plays a vital role in our mission by selling donated materials at a fraction of the cost, keeping usable items out of landfills, and generating proceeds that directly support affordable housing efforts in our communities,” explained John Garton, CFO/COO of the area’s Habitat for Humanity branch, in a public statement announcing the Home Genius donation.

    Home Genius has an initiative called Home Genius Cares, for which the company at least once a quarter puts away a small percentage of funds from every paid project to put forward donations and volunteer opportunities for its staff in every department. 

    “So our employees actually went out and found an opportunity with Habitat for Humanity, where they have a program that allows them to repurpose building materials, because their plan is to build homes, communities,” said Killian. 

    This is not the first time the two entities have partnered; Home Genius has helped donate roofs to veterans who needed repairs. Plans for further partnerships are in the works, both for more donated materials for the ReStore and another donated roof. 

    Annie Fox is chief development officer for the local Habitat branch.

    “I had been speaking with Austin (Killian), who’s one of the VPs and founders, and we’ve already agreed that he would help us replace another roof for another veteran,” Fox said. “So we’re going to be looking through our list of people who are in need and get that going as well.” 

  • East performs free concert at library

    The Cherry Hill Public Library spent the first full week of April celebrating 20 years in the new library building.

    Cherry Hill High School East’s music department held a free community concert on April 8, to mark the second day of the anniversary week.

    While students did not have a specific uniform, all were dressed in black. 

    This is the third year the high school’s music performers have been invited to the library for a concert.

    Gabriela Mandescu is the string specialist for Cherry Hill East, organizing and training the students who play string instruments.

    “We are doing a lot of practice. We usually start putting the small groups together in September for the new year, and we practice through the school year after school,” said Mandescu.

    Audience members began filtering in shortly before the 2 p.m. start time, finding their seats in the rows of cushioned folding chairs. 

    The concert began with a string quartet performance of two songs, “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik- First Movement” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and “Quartet number six, opus 64- Fourth Movement” by Franz Joseph Haydn.

    The students stood or sat at the front of the room, carefully tuning their instruments before they began putting their bows to the instruments’ strings. 

    They stared intently at the sheets of music in front of them, keeping in time with each other and playing the pieces with careful concentration. 

    This quartet featured ninth graders Joyce Lee and Alessandra Vieira on violin, tenth grader Remy Choi on voila and twelfth grader Erin Li on cello.

    Timothy Keleher is the instrumental director and teaches AP music theory at Cherry Hill East.

    “The students are being challenged. This is not music that’s been adapted for students. This is adult, the same music somebody would play there in the Philadelphia Orchestra,” said Keleher. 

    Upon the completion of the first quartet’s set, a second quartet walked up to the front of the room for their performance.

    This set included “Quartet number four, opus 18” by Ludwig van Beethoven, selections from “Water Music” by George Frideric Handel, and selections from “Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber. 

    When the latter of the musical selections was announced, the crowd stirred with a few audible expressions of excitement.

    The second quartet was made up of twelfth grader Kaiyan Ling and tenth grader Ethan Yang on violin, tenth grader Jaslyn Tsai on viola and ninth grader Katherine Gao on cello.

    “They’re very fortunate to have this kind of program, and it’s one of the unique programs that are in South Jersey at this moment… to have this luxury of having these small groups performing with budgets and everything. So we’re very fortunate that Cherry Hill still has this program and to offer that to the community,” said Mandescu. 

    “Spring Sonata, Number Five- First Movement,” also by Beethoven, was a duet performed by eleventh grader Sean Tran and twelfth grader Jason Liang, on violin and piano respectively.

    The concert wrapped with a set by a small group jazz band, performing “Take Five” by Paul Desmond and originally recorded by the Dave Brubeck Band, “If I were a Bell” by Frank Loesser, written for the Broadway musical “Guys and Dolls.”

    As with the string players, none of the music was adapted for the students, allowing them to challenge themselves. 

    The finale of the show was “Autumn Leaves” by Joseph Kosma and Johnny Mercer.

    The jazz band was made up of eleventh grade students Dan Cezair, Dan Hofmann, Jay Rivi and Lukas Ortega, and twelfth grader Mira Wang. 

    Every song was followed by an enthusiastic round of applause from the audience. 
    “This program is only possible because of our incredible administration which supports us and our students 1000% and are doing everything possible so that programs such as this one are available to students,” said Mandescu.

  • Putting the pieces together at township library

    The Cherry Hill library moved to its current building location in 2005, meaning that this year marks its 20th in the new building.

    To celebrate the anniversary, the library hosted a week of events for patrons that began on April 7. As a kickoff, the facility held a jigsaw puzzle contest. Each 200-piece puzzle featured the same image of the front of the building, framed with a blue sky at the top and a bright green grass at the bottom, making the puzzle more challenging due to the number of similar pieces.

    The contest was largely funded by the Friends of the Cherry Hill Public Library. Run by Hope Holroyd, the library’s public relations and marketing coordinator, the contest’s rules were firm: No distractions or devices were allowed, so most participants put away their phones or set them on tables out of arm’s reach.

    “This was something that we wanted to try at a smaller scale to see what a larger-scale program could look like,” Holroyd said. “And we figured for the people who really love puzzles, being able to come and be able to take it home with them was special.”

    When the contest timer began, participants rushed to tear off the wrapping on puzzles, ripped open the plastic bags inside the boxes and set to work sorting their pieces. The first person to finish a puzzle was awarded a $50 Target gift card and all puzzlers took theirs home with them 

    Some participants dove in and started putting pieces together, some got borders done first, and others set the lids of puzzle boxes upright so they could easily use the photos for reference. As the timer ticked on, the room remained almost silent, except for the sound of cardboard pieces coming together and the light tapping of folding tables.

    First to finish was Katherine Dilks, who completed her puzzle in under 15 minutes. She regularly competes in jigsaw puzzle competitions, including a national contest in Washington D.C., where she came in 34th out of 600 competitors. 

    “I think the main strategy is practice, lots and lots of practice,” Dilks explained. “And then seeing what works for you, because a lot of people have different strategies that work for them, and if you try to switch your strategy, it might slow you down.”

    Though Dilks finished first at the library contest, she insisted that the gift card go to the second-place puzzler – Kristen Dowd – since Dilks was there merely to compete for fun and take a puzzle home. Participants continued working on their puzzles after the contest ended. 

    “I think it was definitely something different that we don’t usually offer,” Holroyd noted. “I think it was interesting to see, even when people were finished, they just kind of wanted to hang out and talk. And then even when people won, people still wanted to finish theirs and enjoy their time putting it together. That’s why we left so much time for people …

    “That’s the point … just come have fun.”

    Judy Rothman competed for the first time at the library.

    “It was a lot of fun,” she said. “I was with a lot of people my age, so I guess young people just haven’t gotten into puzzles yet, which I think they should, because it really helps your brain.”

    In addition to the puzzle competition, the library also sold 500-piece puzzles with a different image of its building on them. Both the sale and competition not only served to commemorate the library anniversary, but emphasized the facility’s stock of puzzles for patrons, who can check them out and return them when completed.

  • Cherry Hill Calendar

    Wednesdays

    Barclay Farmstead public tours Noon to 4 p.m. Barclay Farmstead, 209 Barclay Lane (off West Gate Drive). For more information, visit Barclay Farmstead: A Living History Museum | Cherry Hill Township, NJ. 

    .

    April 23-30

    Happenings at the Cherry Hill library at 1100 Kings Highway North. For more information, call (856) 667-0300 or email info@chplnj.org. 

    Through April 27 – Camden County Domestic Violence Center Donation Drive

    April 23 – 10:30 a.m. – Tales for Twos

    April 23 – 11 a.m. – Microsoft Excel for Intermediate Users.  

    April 23 – 7 p.m. – Novel Writing 101 – 10-Week Series.

    April 23 – 7 p.m. – Tell Tale Poe. 

    April 24 – 10:30 a.m. – Story Time.

    April 24 – 7 p.m. – RESCHEDULED – Concoctions Book Club: Piranesi. 

    April 25 – 10:30 a.m. – Music and Movement.

    April 25 – 5 p.m. – The Hunger Games: An Escape Room Adventure. 

    April 26 – 10:15 a.m. – Yoga for Everyone.

    April 26 – 12 p.m. – STEM Explorers.

    April 26 – 2 p.m. – Jersey Boys and Jersey Girls: Music Born in the Garden State. 

    April 26 – 3 p.m. – Crafting Club.

    April 27 – 1:30 p.m. – CHPL Tresses & Trends: A Hair & Beauty Experience.

    April 28 – 2:30 p.m. – Get Started with Libby. 

    April 28 – 6:30 p.m. – “Stolen Childhoods: Thriving After Abuse” – Meet the Author, Shari Botwin. 

    April 28 – 6:30 p.m. – Night Owls.

    April 29 – 1 p.m. – Citizenship Preparation.

    April 29 – 7 p.m. – Teens Cook: Dirt Cakes.

    April 29 – 7 p.m. – Whole Foods Made Easy.

    April 30 – 11 a.m. – Microsoft Word Mail Merge.

    April 30 – 5:30 p.m. – Homework Hangout. 

    April 30 – 7 p.m. – Dark Night in April – The Lincoln Assassination.

    April 30 –  7 p.m. – Novel Writing 101 – 10-Week Series.

    Camden County events

    For more information, visit www.camdencounty.com.

    April 23 – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Meditation Classes, Virtual Event. 

    April 23 – 1 to 2 p.m. – Meditation Classes, municipal building, 820 Mercer St., Cherry Hill 

    April 23 – 3 to 6 p.m. – Pennsauken’s 2nd Annual Autism Awareness Expo, Eden Gardens, 1444 Route 73, Pennsauken.

    April 23 – 6 to 7 p.m. – R.E.A.L Sports Bocce Ball, Louis F. Cappelli, Sr. Bocce Ball Court, 5300 N Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    April 23 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Camp Sunny Side virtual event. 

    April 23 – 6 to 8 p.m. – Stress Busting for Family Caregivers, St. Marys Villa, 220 St. Mary’s Drive

    April 24 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Senior Prize Bingo, Louis F. Cappelli, Sr. Bocce Ball Court, 5300 North Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    April 24 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Yoga, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd. Cherry Hill

    April 24 and 25 – 8 to 11 p.m. – Get The Led Out, Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.

    April 26 – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Household Hazardous Waste Collection, Collingswood Public Works, 713 N. Atlantic Ave., Collingswood.

    April 26 – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Annual Camden County Certified Gardeners Plant Sale, Camden County Office of Sustainability, 508 Lakeland Road, Blackwood. 

    April 26 – 8 to 11 p.m. – Get The Led Out, Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.

    April 27 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Healthy Kids Running Series, Haddon Lake Park Hillside and South Park Avenue, Haddon Heights.

    April 27 – 2 to 3 p.m. – Together in Song, Virtual Event.

    April 28 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Chair yoga, William G. Rohrer Memorial Library, Haddon Township

    April 28 and 29 – 4:30 to 7 p.m. – Seniors After-Hours Ceramics Class, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    April 28 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Dance Class, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill

    April 29 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Yoga, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd. Cherry Hill

    April 30 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. – Virtual National Apprenticeship Day event.

    April 30 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Virtua chair yoga

    April 30 – 12 to 2 p.m. – Billiards and Bowling, 30 Strikes Lanes, 501 White Horse Pike South, Stratford.

    April 30 – 1 to 2 p.m. – Chair yoga, Cherry Hill Municipal Building, 820 Mercer St. 

    April 30 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Virtual Camp Sunny Side event.

    April 30 – 6 to 8 p.m. – Stress Busting for Family Caregivers, St. Marys Villa, 220 St. Mary’s Drive, Cherry Hill.

    Wednesday, April 23

    Preparing for Retirement: Principles for Comfortable Retirement 6:30 to 8 p.m., via Zoom.

    Thursday, April 24

    Rent Review Board 6 to 10:30 p.m. via Zoom, N. John Amato Council Chambers, municipal building, 820 Mercer St.

    Saturday, April 26

    Wellness Walk 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Croft Farm, 100 Bortons Mill Road

    Branching Out: Tree Seedling Giveaway 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Croft Farm

    Sunday, April 27

    Shredding event 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1 Perina Blvd.

    Monday, April 28

    Call for Artists: Art Blooms Juried Art Exhibit 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Croft Farm Arts Center, 100 Bortons Mill Road

    Council meeting 7 to 9:30 p.m. via Zoom, N. John Amato Council Chambers

    Tuesday, April 29

    Call for Artists: Art Blooms Juried Art Exhibit 4 to 7 p.m. at Croft Farm Arts Center

    Ongoing:

    Camden County Domestic Violence Center Donation Drive Help women and children in need. The Cherry Hill library is accepting donations for new/unused items for the center. Accepted items include feminine hygiene products; shampoo, conditioner and body wash; bar soap; deodorant; toothbrishes and toothpaste; baby wipes and diapers. Reach the 24/7 hotline at (856) 227-1234. For a counseling appointment or legal advocacy, call (856) 963-5668. All services are free and confidential.

  • Cherry Hill Calendar

    Wednesdays

    Barclay Farmstead Public Tours Noon to 4 p.m., Barclay Farmstead, 209 Barclay Lane (off West Gate Drive). For more information go to Barclay Farmstead: A Living History Museum | Cherry Hill Township, NJ. 

    .

    April 16- 22

    Happenings at the Cherry Hill Public Library at 1100 Kings Highway North. For more information about the events, call (856) 667-0300 or info@chplnj.org. 

    April 16 – 10:15 a.m. – Friends of the Library Meeting

    April 16 – 10:30 a.m. – Tales for Twos

    April 16 – 2 p.m. – Lego Challenge 

    April 16 – 6:30 p.m. – American Mah Jongg: Review of the 2025 NMJL Card

    April 16 – 7 p.m. – Novel Writing 101, 10-week series

    April 16 – 7 p.m. – Teen LEGO Contest 

    April 17 – 10:30 a.m. – Community Conversations: Improving Balance and Fall Prevention

    April 17 – 10:30 a.m. – Story Time 

    April 17 – 4 p.m. – Library board meeting

    April 17 – 7 p.m. – Teens on Twitch 

    April 20 – Library Closed for Easter

    April 21 – 2 p.m. – Documentary: “Plastic People”

    April 21 – 6:30 p.m. – Spam, Phish, Smish: Avoiding Fraud Online 

    April 22 – 10:30 a.m. – Rhyme Time

    April 22 – 1 p.m. – Citizenship Preparation

    April 22 – 1 p.m. – Introduction to Pinochle 

    April 22 – 2 p.m. – Needlework Meetup 

    April 22 – 7 p.m. – Crafter hours: book paper flowers.

    April 22 – 7 p.m. – How to Reduce Household Waste. 

    Camden County events

    For more information visit www.camdencounty.com

    April 16 – 3:30 to 6 p.m. – Spring Fling senior dance at Donald E. Wilson Community Center

    April 16 – 6 to 8 p.m. – Stress Busting for Family Caregivers at St. Marys Villa, 220 St. Mary’s Drive, Cherry Hill

    April 17 – 12 to 1 p.m. – Board of Commissioners Meeting at Camden City Hall

    April 17 – 6 to 9 p.m. – disABILITIES Night to Shimmer Prom at Collingswood Grand Ballroom

    April 19 – 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Just for Seniors Painting Party at Camden County Environmental Center 

    April 20 – 2 to 3 p.m. – Together in Song

    April 22 – 10 to 11 a.m. – Board of elections meeting, virtual event

    April 22 – 1 to 2 p.m. – Tai Chi for Seniors at Wayne Bryant Community Center

    April 22 – 4:30 to 7 p.m. – Seniors After Hours Ceramics Class at Carol Norcross Senior Center

    April 22 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Martial Arts at Camden County Environmental Center 

    Thursday, April 17

    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. 

    Monday, April 21

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

  • Easing stress in police stops of autistic drivers

    The majority of drivers will be pulled over at some point in their driving careers, with a MarketWatch survey finding that the average American driver receives at least two speeding tickets in a lifetime.

    So while seeing a police car behind a driver with lights and sirens on can be nerve-wracking, the experience is particularly stressful for those who are neurodivergent or on the autism spectrum. They can become overwhelmed by sensory overload and fail to respond as an officer would typically expect.

    The situation has resulted in a new Camden County initiative known as the Blue Envelope Program, which allows drivers to voluntarily opt in and receive a blue envelope of necessary documents they may need in a traffic stop to let an officer know if a driver has unique needs and requires special communication.

    “We always look for ways to further engage with our community, and particularly residents who may have individual needs or circumstances,” said Cherry Hill Mayor Dave Fleisher as he rolled out the program in the township. 

    “I would think it would work for anyone with special needs,” noted Police Chief John Ostermueller. “It’s just certainly an immediate clue or a recognizable document that the officer would see that. It just starts that checklist of things for them to look for.”

    Given that the needs and capabilities of neurodivergent drivers can have a wide range, the envelopes also contain information about a specific disability, including whether the driver is verbal or non-verbal, and advises drivers on how to speak with an officer to alleviate a tense situation.

    “We expect it to immediately give us a sign or an easy recognition point of someone that may have a special need who’s verbal or not verbal,” Ostermueller explained. 

    The chief recommends that an envelope be kept out of sight and in a location easily accessible in a car, such as the glove compartment or center console. 

    “With the Blue Envelope Program, Cherry Hill is expanding its efforts to promote neuro-diversity awareness throughout the township and meet the needs of residents of all abilities,” a release from Fleisher’s office reads.

    Immediate results on the program’s effectiveness have yet to be seen, but officials are expected to learn more in the next several weeks and months.

    “As always,” Fleisher maintained, “we both sought public input and continue to receive input from the public after this is launched and up and running, since we always strive to improve the services we provide to our residents.”