Cherry Hill Sun

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  • ‘Coffee and conversation, no frills’

    Abigail Twiford/ The Sun A member of the public enters Ponzio’s Diner to speak with police about community concerns during Coffee with a Cop event.

    Police departments throughout the country look for ways to connect and engage with their local communities to support better community relations. 

    One of the most common ways of doing this is with programs like Coffee with a Cop, which the Cherry Hill Police Department holds regularly.

    The most recent was held at Ponzio’s Diner on Sept. 10, with Mayor Dave Fleisher and members of the township council also taking part in the initiative.

    Councilman Daniel DiRenzo was one of those in attendance, speaking with residents and police as the two hour event went on.

    “I’ve already seen it work,” he relayed. “One officer sat down with a resident who had some questions and they talked for about half an hour.”

    The department had set up a table in the front of the restaurant, next to the case of baked goods, giving out cups, pens, rubber wrist bands and stickers, as well as pamphlets with community resources.

    Officer Anthony Amato was primarily responsible for setting up the event, which is held quarterly. 

    “We try to go to different businesses throughout Cherry Hill Township, generally speaking an establishment that does offer coffee, because that kind of ties in everything,” he shared.

    As members of the public entered, staff at the diner would offer them something to drink, while other residents would meet with the officers before getting something to eat from the business.

    Alana Palmer was one citizen that came out specifically to meet with officers after hearing of the event on Facebook.

    “I actually work for a company that gives back to police and stuff, so I was kind of just trying to find a way to connect with more of them…,” she offered.

    Businesses throughout the township have been open to hosting, allowing for the department to move around throughout the area.

    “Usually we’ve been pretty successful with the businesses,” Amato said “They’re willing to participate. They’re excited to have us come in, and it’s just, it’s great because then we get to establish the relationship with the business.”

    The main purpose of the program and other community engagement activities is to give the public the opportunity to speak with officers and bring up any specific concerns or questions they have for the officers that patrol the township.

    “The idea behind it is just coffee and conversation, no frills,” Amato said.

    “Come and meet your police officers.”

  • Hundreds celebrate South Jersey Pride

    Photos by Abigail Twiford. People look in on booths set up along the Cooper River Park path at the South Jersey Pride Festival.

    While the majority of pride celebrations for the LGBTQ community are held during Pride Month in June, South Jersey has its own tradition in September of each year.

    A pride festival has been put on at Cooper River Park on the first Sunday of September since 2008 when founder Erin Baskin-Bradshaw and her then girlfriend realized that though there were pride celebrations all over the country, there was nothing in the South Jersey area.

    “We were coming back from Charlotte Pride in North Carolina, we were like, ‘Why don’t we have something like this where we live?’ We’re going to all these other places, and we don’t have anything in our own backyard,” recalled Baskin-Bradshaw.

    This year, the festival took place on Sept. 7 as a rain or shine event.

    Local businesses, vendors and community organizations came out, each setting up tents along the park’s paved path that runs parallel to the river.

    The New Jersey Chapter of the AIDS Memorial Quilt was in attendance, with a portion of the quilt on display for those in attendance to see and learn more about the organization.

    The quilt was first conceived during the height of the AIDS pandemic in 1985, as a way for loved ones of those who died of the disease to document their loved one’s name and help make others understand the impact of the disease. 

    The portion of the AIDS Memorial Quilt on display during the festival.

    Another community organization in attendance was the Transcendent Choir of Philadelphia, which aims to empower transgender people in the region through music.

    “We support singers at any point in their transition, whether or not they’re going through hormone replacement therapy,” explained founding artistic director Maya Kociba. “We sing classical, choral rap, pop music, musical theater, any, really, anything you can think of.”

    In addition to the various community organizations and queer-owned or operated businesses, there were also live performances, with comedian Michelle Tomko serving as the master of ceremonies.

    “What is so great about it is we see kids, we see dogs,” Tompkins noted. “We see people that are just out in the park for the day… It’s a real community builder. Anybody that wants to perform can make a lobby to be on the docket to perform, along with people that perform annually.

    “You would be hard pressed to find a more inclusive event.”

    The first of the live events was the annual voguing contest, in which anyone in attendance could sign up to participate to do their best form of the voguing dance, which is an important and recognizable part of LGBTQ culture. 

    Participants of all ages lined up at the performance area and danced across the lawn, each giving their own interpretation and spin of the dance, with some focusing more on arm movement as others used their whole body.

    Once everyone vogued, Tomko asked the audience to cheer the loudest for who they wanted to win. 

    The winner was Beau Baldyga, an attendee who dabbles in drag. Baldyga was presented with a tall, sparkly crown for their achievement.

    “It feels very rewarding being a drag performer who just came to do it so that my niece would get up,” Baldyga shared. “It was very, very fun. The crowd was very nice.”

    Several festival attendees dance to the music.

    Following the contest, Tomko started a dance party, encouraging everyone to get out on the lawn and dance to songs like the “Cha Cha Slide,” “Cupid Shuffle” and “The Wobble.”

    Drag performers Dr. Rasta Boi Punany and Mrs. Andrea LaMour entertained the crowd with performances.

    Mrs. Andrea LaMour gives a lip sync performance on the lawn during the Pride festival.

    Each one gave a lip syncing performance to different songs.

    The event lasted several hours with hundreds of people coming through the park to stop to speak with others, spend time at one of the booths or watch the performances.

  • Councilwoman issues public apology

    Courtesy of the Cherry Hill Township Facebook page. Cherry Hill Township Council meets to address community concerns and handle routine business.

    Cherry Hill Township Council’s meeting addressed concerns of several residents as well as handled routine business on Sept. 8.

    Councilwoman Carole Roskoph started off the meeting issuing a public apology for comments she had made during the public participation portion of the Aug. 26 Board of Education meeting, where she compared immigration detention facilities to concentration camps run by Nazis during World War II.

    “The comparison… was inappropriate, factually and historically inaccurate,” Roskoph said. “I recognize the harm my words caused, and I deeply regret making the statement… I am committed to listening, learning… thank you for sharing your perspective and giving me the chance to reflect and do better.”

    The council then approved an ordinance to amend the Alcohol Beverage Control portion of the township’s general ordinances to provide the issuance of an additional distribution license and up to two shopping mall special licenses.

    The township received correspondence regarding temporary use permits for the Silver Diner’s Alzheimer’s Awareness car show on Sept. 21, the Jewish Federation of South Jersey’s planned 5K on Oct. 12 and the Glass Garden’s glass blowing demonstrations scheduled for Oct. 12 to 14. 

    In addition, the council also received three block party applications. All of the applications had already been reviewed by the relevant departments and were approved as recommended.  

    During the public participation section of the meeting, the first person to speak was Sabrina Spector, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, who took the opportunity to commend Roskoph for her apology.

    “She recognized her mistake and apologized,” Spector acknowledged. “In today’s environment, when words do have an impact, leaders who take ownership of their mistakes and show a genuine desire to learn should be recognized.”

    Nicole Nance, a resident who was attending virtually, echoed Spector’s sentiment before also asking if there were any plans for what could be done with two boarded up homes on Mercer Street.

    “We see sidewalk,” she noted. “They’re working on the sidewalks. That’s great, but those homes have been there. I think people have asked about them in the past. Are there any plans… to do something with those two boarded up homes next to each other?”

    Another resident, Anne Iver raised concerns over minors allegedly threatening and harassing citizens in the community.

    She also raised concerns over the traffic light patterns between Abington Road and Route 70. 

    “The light allowed seven cars from the Barclay Exit to exit, and the Kingston side got three and a half,” Iver explained. “I was the half as the yellow light went bright red before I crossed the full intersection. Something is wrong with the timing.”

    This issue was later addressed by the council, who said that they are actively pursuing improvements to that intersection, receiving some concessions from the state to improve the timing by a few seconds and are trying to have a dedicated right turn installed. 

    The next township council meeting will be held on Sept. 28 in the N. John Amato Council Chambers and via Zoom.

  • Township honors Sept. 11 with remembrance ceremonies

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Township. The 9/11 Memorial located outside of the fire headquarters.

    Cherry Hill Township honored the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 with two different events.

    On Sept. 3, Mayor Dave Fleisher, council vice president Michele Golkow, councilmembers Sangeeta Doshi and Daniel DiRenzo joined the Flagging in Remembrance of September 11 event hosted by Katz Jewish Community Center (JCC).

    Assemblywoman Melinda Kane, Camden County Commissioner Jen Cooley Fleisher, the township police and fire departments, the Jewish War Veterans and the South Jersey Men’s Club were also in attendance.

    “It’s been 24 years since the tragedy of the September attacks,” Mayor Fleisher reflected. “In the minutes, hours, and days after the attacks, there was a feeling of pride, when our nation came together to rally around a common cause.”

    Each of the present groups and individuals helped place American flags in the ground surrounding the Katz JCC to remember the lives lost in the attacks.

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Township. Mayor Fleisher places American flags at the flagging ceremony for Sept. 11 victims.

    On the anniversary, the mayor, council, board of fire commissioners, Assemblywoman Kane, Fire Chief Wade Houlihan and Police Chief John Ostermueller joined the community at the township’s 9/11 Memorial in front of fire headquarters for the annual Remembrance Ceremony.

    “Patriot Day is a time to draw inspiration from that unity,” Mayor Fleisher said. “It is a powerful reminder of not just where we were, but where we can be. Reaffirming our commitment to treating each other with dignity and respect would be the ultimate tribute to all those lost on September 11th.”

    The solemn occasion was commemorated in a quiet ceremony to honor the lives of the fallen and the bravery of the first responders present that day who put their lives on the line in the effort to save others, also honoring the township’s own firefighters and police officers.

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Township. Township and county officials join members of the police and fire departments at the annual Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony.

    “We recognize the heroes who rushed towards the danger with unflinching determination to save lives then, and the courageous members of our own fire department, emergency medical services, and police department, all of whom have taken an oath to serve and protect, often at great personal risk, without seeking praise or recognition,” Fleisher continued.

    In addition, the mayor also acknowledged that average citizens also play a role and show bravery.

  • 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. 

    Sept. 17 to 24

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

    Sept. 15 to Oct. 12 – Library Halloween costume swap collection.

    Sept. 17 – 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. – Friends of the Library meeting.

    Sept. 17 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Tales for Twos.

    Sept. 17 – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Keep safe online.

    Sept. 17 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Learni how to play American mah jong.

    Sept. 17 – 7 to 8 p.m. – Crafter hours: Teen Zines.

    Sept. 18 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Little Bookworm’s story time.

    Sept. 18 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Community Conversation: “Elder Care Journey: Fundamentals of Estate Planning.”

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

    Sept. 22 – 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. – Little Wiggles: baby story time.

    Sept. 23 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Rhyme Time.

    Sept. 23 – 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Needlework meetup.

    Sept. 23 – 4 to 5 p.m. – Tween Book Club.

    Sept. 24 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Tales for Twos.

    Sept. 24 – 2 to 4 p.m. – Lego challenge

    Sept. 24 – 7 to 8 p.m. – Crafter hours: masking tape painting.

    Sept. 24 – 7 to 8:30 p.m. – Fall into Poetry, with Suzanne Gili Post.

    Sept. 24 – 7 to 8:30 p.m. – Selling merchandise online.

    Camden County events

    For more information visit www.camdencounty.com.

    Sept. 17 – noon to 2 p.m. – Billiards & Bowling for Seniors, 30 Strikes Lanes, 501 White Horse Pike South, Stratford.

    Sept. 17 – 3:30 to 6 p.m. – Harvest Moon Senior Dance, Donald E. Wilson Community Center, 425 Brooke Ave., Magnolia.

    Sept. 17 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – R.E.A.L Sports Golf, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken. 

    Sept. 17 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Talk to a Lawyer at REAL Golf, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken. 

    Sept. 17 – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. – Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes plus Jay Byham: Sundown Music Series, Haddon Lake Park, Hillside and South Park Avenue, Haddon Heights.

    Sept. 18 – 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Seniors Pickleball, DeCou Park Pickleball Courts, Evesham and Crowell Roads, Cherry Hill.

    Sept. 18 – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Senior Golf Lessons, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken.

    Sept. 18 – noon to 1 p.m. – Board of Commissioners Meeting, Camden City Hall, 6th Floor 520 Market St., Camden.

    Sept. 18 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – County disABILITIES Dinner Dance, Magnolia Community Center, 425 Brook Ave., Magnolia.

    Sept. 19 – WXPN XpoNential Music Festival, Camden Waterfront Stadium, 401 North Delaware Ave., Camden.

    Sept. 19 – 9 to 11 a.m. – Professional Development Training Series: Domestic Violence, The Silent Killer, Camden County Office of Sustainability, 508 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    Sept. 20 – 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Miracle League Baseball, Boundless Field at John Adler Memorial Park at Challenge Grove, 101 Bortons Mill Road, Cherry Hill.

    Sept. 20 – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Senior Painting Party, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Sept. 20 – 3 to 9 p.m. – Merchantville Music Fest, Chestnut and Park Avenues, Merchantville.

    Sept. 21 – 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Miracle League Baseball, Boundless Field at John Adler Memorial Park at Challenge Grove, 101 Bortons Mill Road, Cherry Hill.

    Sept. 22 – 4:30 to 7 p.m. – Seniors After Hours Ceramics Class, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    Sept. 22 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Dance Class, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Sept. 23 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Senior Line Dancing Classes, Pine Hill Senior Center, 131 East 12th Ave., Pine Hill.

    Sept. 23 – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Senior Golf Lessons, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken.

    Sept. 23 – 4:30 to 7 p.m. – Seniors After Hours Ceramics Class, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    Sept. 23 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – disABILITIES Horticultural Therapy Class, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill.

    Sept. 24 – noon to 2 p.m. – Billiards & Bowling for Seniors, 30 Strikes Lanes, 501 White Horse Pike South, Stratford.

    Sept. 24 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – R.E.A.L Sports Golf, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken.

    Sept. 24 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Camp Sunny Side Online, Virtual Event.

    Wednesday, Sept. 17

    Wellness Walk 9 to 10 a.m. at Cherry Hill Mall.

    Thursday, Sept. 18

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

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

  • Little-league stars take girls softball titles

    Courtesy of Nick Pacatti.
    The members of Cherry Hill Atlantic Little League’s 10U girls softball team hold banners showing their two titles.

    For the first time in more than a decade, a Cherry Hill Atlantic team has won the 10U district title. 

    The girls softball team – made up of players 8 to 10 years old – not only had a successful season, but won enough games to make it to the District 13 championship, where it won all four of its games.

    “Effectively, it’s an all-star team of our little league,” said Nick Pacatti, a team coach who has worked with the girls for several years. “A lot of these girls have been playing together for close to four years, most of the team, not all of them.”

    The District 13 victory took the team to the Section Four Tournament, where its record was 4-0, advancing the players to the state tournament for their age bracket in Pequannock. The Section Four contest marked the first time any Cherry Hill Atlantic softball team had taken home that title, a major achievement for the players. 

    “It’s a fun experience,” noted Pacatti, “very cool for the kids. It’s something that they won’t forget … They worked really hard to get there, so if anything, it goes to show you if you work hard at something, good things do happen.” 

    While the girls did not advance past their two games against District Seven’s Elmora and District One’s Hanover teams at the state tournament, they still appreciated the opportunity to represent their section.

    “We didn’t win up there, unfortunately,” Pacatti acknowledged, “but it was just a great experience for the girls.”

    Since the team has competed in the district for the last three years, the 10U district win was its last opportunity to secure titles for the players’ age division.

    “This is our third go-round in the district,” Pacatti explained. “So we started, we kind of went in one year early, when we had the girls, just to give it a shot. And then this was our last chance at the 10U age group.”

    Pacatti emphasized that the sense of closeness the girls had with their teammates was another major factor in making their achievement possible.

    “I’ve been with these girls for so long, it was cool to just get that front-row seat and watch them develop into softball players, leaders and (see) the bond that they forged together, even welcoming in new girls,” he said.

    That bond meant it was hard to tell the difference between the girls who had played together for four years and the ones who had just joined the team.

    Though Cherry Hill Atlantic is best known as a baseball organization – with 80% of registrants playing the sport – Pacatti said the 10U league has been supportive of his softball team throughout the season.

    “They were having watch parties for us when we were up there, watching our games, coming to our sectional games, district games,” he recalled. “So it was cool to see their classmates that are boys support these girls, too.”

    Since softball is a growing sport in the township, Pacatti hopes his team’s efforts will increase its visibility.

    “We’re primarily a baseball organization, and no baseball team got close to going to states,” he pointed out. “It was the girls … I’m very excited that these girls could set that blueprint and be that example for the younger girls in our league – and hopefully the surrounding leagues in Cherry Hill.”

  • Library hosts class on computer backups

    Abigail Twiford/The Sun
    Instructor Peter Mokover hosted the class, acknowledging that while no method is a guarantee of security for devices, backups are recommended.

    The Cherry Hill library’s many offerings include sessions that teach people how to use technology and software and protect their electronic devices.

    “Back up Your PC: Protect Your Information,” taught by Peter Mokover on Sept. 3, explained to the 12 people in attendance their options for copying data outside of a computer to protect against a device getting lost, damaged or broken. 

    Mokover – who routinely addresses the topic at the library – began by asking how attendees would feel if their computer was to suddently stop working. He explained that there are generally two ways a computer can be backed up, either by copying all of the data to an external solid-state drive (SSD) or hard drive, or by backing information up to the cloud. 

    Creating a backup with an SSD requires the user to plug in the external drive and export the data onto it themselves, then store the SSD in a safe location.

    “Most people have at least one bed in their house,” Mokover said. “You can put it (the SSD) between the box spring and mattress, or put it as far away from the computer as you can get. Or give it to a friend. But lock it before you do that,” he added, noting some of the possible safety locations.

    Backing up to a cloud service is an option that allows the user to save information to a computer that is not in their own home, with the backup completed online after the user subscribes to an available service.

    “The single biggest advantage of cloud-based backups is that it is located somewhere else,” Mokover noted. “If your house literally caught on fire and burned down to a pile of dust, your computer that’s in the house probably didn’t survive, but at least all your data is backed up somewhere else.”

    He acknowledged the advantages and disadvantages of each backup type, including the difficulty in finding a secure place for a physical hard drive and the risks of having personal information stored on a computer owned and operated by a stranger, as happens with cloud backups.

    Mokover also acknowledged that no method is a complete guarantee of computer protection, backing up a device is still a better idea than not. 

    “I like to go to these classes,” said resident Audrey Giza. “It’s being taught right, it’s being taught professionally. We have outlines, we have something to go on instead of just winging it. And I think he (Mokover) is excellent.”

    After his presentation, Mokover answered questions and addressed other concerns from the class, such as the best places to store passwords for cloud services or external drives, including with friends or in a safety deposit box.

    “I think the class went well,” he noted, “and I think if nothing else they got, they understand how important it is to back up their computers.”

  • ‘Sense of community’ at township food fest

    Photos by Abigail Twiford
    Residents take seats at the Al Fresco Affair food truck festival at Croft Farms. Ten vendors provided food from lemonade to lobster.

    The township wrapped up its summer season on Aug. 28 with an Al Fresco Affair food truck festival at Croft Farms that drew about 500 people.

    The event included community groups, local businesses, residents and township officials who enjoyed food from 10 vendors selling everything from popsicles and spring rolls, lemonade to lobster. Attendees over 21 also had access to a beer garden.

    Live music was provided by music duo Aaron Hehl and John Dutton, who both played acoustic guitar and sang a mix of cover songs and original works. 

    Musical duo John Dutton (left) and Aaron Hehl perform a mix of cover and original songs at the festival.

    Tables and chairs were set up in the middle of the Croft Farm lawn, so festival guests could eat comfortably and listen to the music. Others opted to bring their own camping chairs or blankets.

    Township, county and state leaders also made appearances, some mingling with constituents and eating ice pops. 

    “I’ll tell you, there’s a lot of good stuff to eat, that’s for sure,” said Councilman Daniel DiRenzo Jr. “It’s very nice running into all these people on a social side of things. You feel comfortable.

    “That’s what Croft Farms does, it makes you feel comfortable.”

    Mayor Dave Fleisher was also on hand and took the stage to address the community.

    “We are seeing record-breaking attendance at all of our events here,” he noted, “and we’re thrilled that you are supporting it and thrilled it has been a terrific summer coming together, (with) lots more in the fall.”

    “It’s been a wonderful event,” Councilwoman Jill Hulnick observed of the festival. “We have hundreds of people out here, and we’re glad that Cherry Hill can come out and celebrate as a community.”

    Congressman Donald Norcross also made an appearance, walking the grounds before speaking to the crowd.

    “It’s great to see everybody out …” he said. “I enjoy what Cherry Hill does for a sense of community. This is what makes Cherry Hill great … It’s like a great neighborhood. We lived here for 10 years, and my kids started school here. It’s a great place to raise a family.

    “So let’s give it up for Cherry Hill.”

  • Cherry Hill Calendar

    Wednesdays

    Barclay Farmstead public tours Noon to 4 p.m. For more information, visit Barclay Farmstead: A Living History Museum | Cherry Hill Township, NJ. 

    Sept. 10 to 17

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

    Sept. 1 to 14 – All Day – Cradles to Crayons donation drive. 

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

    Sept. 10 – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Internet Basics.

    Sept. 10 – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Work it Out@Your Library: Create, Test, Improve!

    Sept. 10 – 6 to 8 p.m. – Teens on Twitch.

    Sept. 10 – 6:30 to 8 p.m. – WHYY Bridging Blocks: “Book Banning: Censorship or Protection?”

    Sept. 10 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Learn how to play American mahjong.

    Sept. 11 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Little Bookworms Story Time.

    Sept. 11 – 7 to 8 p.m. – Concoctions Book Club: “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.”

    Sept. 12 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Music and movement.

    Sept. 13 – 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. – Yoga for everyone.

    Sept. 13 – 3 to 4 p.m. – Crafting Club.

    Sept. 13 – 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Teen volleyball.

    Sept. 15 to Oct. 12 – Halloween Costume Swap Collection.

    Sept. 15 – All Day – Teen Take & Make: Back to School Bingo Cards.

    Sept. 16 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Rhyme Time.

    Sept. 16 – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – LEAP

    Sept. 16 – 4 to 5 p.m. – Library board meeting.

    Sept. 16 – 7 to 8 p.m. – A’Daila’s Journey with the Jazz Greats.

    Sept. 17 – 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. – Friends of the Library meeting.

    Sept. 17 – 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Tales for Twos.

    Sept. 17 – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – “Keep Yourself Safe Online.”

    Sept. 17 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Learn how to play American mahjong.

    Sept. 17 – 7 to 8 p.m. – Crafter hours: Teen Zines.

    Camden County events

    For more information visit www.camdencounty.com.

    Sept. 10 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – R.E.A.L Sports Golf, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken.

    Sept. 10 – 6 to 8 p.m. – 9/11 Medal Ceremony for Veterans and First Responders, Cooper River Park, 5300 North Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    Sept. 10 – 7:30 to 10 p.m. – The Tisburys plus The Describers at the Sundown Music Series, Haddon Lake Park, Hillside and South Park Avenue, Haddon Heights.

    Sept. 11 – 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Senior line-dancing classes, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    Sept. 12 – 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Cardio on the Cooper, Cooper River Park, 5300 North Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    Sept. 12 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – 2025 job fair, Cherry Hill Mall

    Sept. 12 – 4 to 7 p.m. – Camden County Police Summer Fun Nights, Elijah Perry Park, 9th and Ferry avenues in Camden.

    Sept. 12 – 7 to 10 p.m. – Movies in the Park: “The Avengers,” Haddon Lake Park, Hillside and South Park Avenue, Haddon Heights. 

    Sept. 13 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – BAYADA Regatta, Cooper River Park, 5300 North Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    Sept. 13 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Sippin’ on Station, downtown Haddon Heights on Station Avenue.

    Sept. 14 – 3 to 6 p.m. – Rainbow Table: “Building an LGBTQ-plus Intergenerational Community,” Katz JCC, 1301 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill.

    Sept. 14 – 3 to 8 p.m. – Gospel Fest Along the Waterfront, featuring Hezekiah Walker & Friends. Sunset Jazz Series, Wiggins Park, 2 Riverside Drive, Camden.

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

    Sept. 15 – 4:30 to 7 p.m. – Seniors after-hours ceramics class, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    Sept. 16 – 10 to 11 a.m. – Virtual board of elections meeting.

    Sept. 16 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Coffee Talk for Caregivers, virtual. 

    Sept. 16 – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Senior golf lessons, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken. 

    Sept. 16 – Noon to 2 p.m. Bocce Ball for seniors, Louis F. Cappelli Sr. Bocce Ball Court, 5300 N Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    Sept. 16 – 4:30 to 7 p.m. – Seniors after-hours ceramics class, Carol Norcross Senior Center, 512 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.

    Sept. 16 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Zumba at Cooper River Park, 5300 North Park Drive, Pennsauken.

    Sept. 16 – 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. – The “Orchestra Starring Electric Light Orchestra & ELO, Part II,” Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.

    Sept. 17 – Noon to 2 p.m. – Billiards and bowling for seniors, 30 Strikes Lanes, 501 White Horse Pike South, Stratford.

    Sept. 17 – 3:30 to 6 p.m. – Harvest Moon senior dance, Donald E. Wilson Community Center, 425 Brooke Ave., Magnolia.

    Sept. 17 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Talk to a lawyer at REAL Golf, Camden County Driving Range, 8001 S. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken. 

    Sept. 17 – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. – Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes, plus Jay Byham. Sundown Music Series, Haddon Lake Park, Hillside and South Park Avenue, Haddon Heights.

    Friday, Sept. 12

    Senior festival 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Holiday Inn, Cherry Hill.

    Saturday, Sept. 13

    Second Saturday Trail Crew Session 9 a.m. to noon, location to be determined.

    Wednesday, Sept. 17

    Wellness Walk 9 to 10 a.m. at Cherry Hill Mall.

  • A student mission to help the homeless

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Township Facebook page
    MedKit Mission founder Aniket Chintapalli (second from right), two members of his organization and Mayor Dave Fleisher discuss where to hold future drives to provide medical kits to the homeless.

    Community service clubs and organizations are common high-school extracurricular activities, and while they’re often found in educational environments, they can also be offshoots of outside national or local groups. 

    This is what makes MedKit Mission – a service organization started by East High School student Aniket Chintapalli – so unique. The senior first got the idea last summer while he spent time in Philadelphia. 

    “I was kind of near the 8th Street area,” he recalled, “and I saw a difference between how there were a lot of hospitals around the area, but there was still a lot of homeless people who really don’t have the best access to basic medical needs, such as bandages, hand sanitizer and everything.” 

    The disparity led Chintapalli to start a drive for basic medical supplies at the Cherry Hill library that would then be handed out to homeless people in Philadelphia.

    “In Cherry Hill, at least our area in Cherry Hill, we do have a very privileged life here,” Chintapalli acknowledged. “So it felt like a way we could give back.”

    That first MedKit Mission drive netted $200 worth of medical supplies that were distributed to shelters in the Camden area at the request of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley (VOADV). The organization runs seven homeless shelters that have benefitted from MedKit donations.

    The group also got a donation from the Philadelphia Union soccer team of about $1,900 in medical supplies, including large quantities of KN95 masks.

    “We’re partnering with shelters in the Philly area to help distribute the masks,” Chintapalli said.

    While the work of collecting donations and packing the kits is done by township high-school students, MedKit Mission is an independent outside entity not affiliated with the schools or the district. It also does educational work through its social media, focusing on information about public health and the nation’s homelessness epidemic that is specifically aimed at those in high school.

    MedKit Mission’s Instagram page is full of infographics with statistics on drug abuse, the stigma surrounding some health care and challenges faced by the homeless. It has also started a new program called the Speak Up Challenge that addresses the biggest public health concerns of high-schoolers and relays them to local officials.

    Most of the work done by MedKit Mission is organized and completed throughout the course of the school year, with the summer months used for planning and networking with other service organizations. In the upcoming year, it hopes to expand to more neighboring communities, including another chapter Chintapalli wants to start in Marlton.

    “Our entire focus has been in Cherry Hill … but we do want to expand to different towns,” he noted, “along with getting more exposure to different people in different areas, and also (to) give kids more leadership experiences.”

    Chintapalli emphasized that anyone can get involved in his work by making donations.

    “Our student volunteers really just help us out with packaging our kits,” he pointed out, “but any physical donations, like basic medical supplies, would be helpful at one of our drives, which are gonna start coming up soon, as the school year starts.”