Tag: Quo Vadis

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on November 2, 2015 **

 

Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center will be hosting their first Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at their center located on 1400 Main Street (those using GPS should use the address 989 Main Street) in Sayreville to celebrate Halloween and also help animals find their forever homes.

While stores are stocking their shelves with everything Halloween related, from candy to costumes and even Halloween decorations, Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center in Sayreville is preparing to hold their Halloween event with hopes to try and help animals find their forever homes.

According to Dave Gaier of Sammy’s Hope, “We’re excited to host our first Halloween event, after opening just in January. Bring the kids—they’ll have fun, and families can experience the joy of bringing a dog, cat or kitten permanently into their homes. Or just drop by to visit us, and consider becoming a Sammy’s Hope volunteer, donor or just a friend. We welcome everyone… and so do our loving, sweet animals!”

Since black and orange are the colors for Halloween, and since black pets are harder to adopt out for a number of reasons, one being the common superstitions that surround black pets and black cats in particular, the adoption fees are reduced for black and orange cats and kittens.

Two animals at Sammy’s Hope that are looking for their forever homes are Sky, a black cat, and Tiger Lily, a black dog. According to Sammy’s Hope website, sammyshope.org, Sky is an adult cat that is a domestic short hair, and Tiger Lily is a young, female, Border Collie mix.

Sammy’s Hope’s website gives a short “bio” about the adoptable pets. When you click on Sky’s name, his bio says, “The first thing you will notice about Sky is his inquisitive bright yellow eyes set against a jet black coat. Sky is very intelligent and curious, exploring every nook and cranny that he can find.” They go on to say, “He loves to play and run around, but the thing that he loves the most is ‘hunting’ the mouse on the end of a wand toy, once he catches it, he will walk around carrying it dragging the wand behind him. He would do best with an experienced cat caregiver, and no small children. ”

Also on their website, the short bio for Tiger Lily says, “Come meet beautiful Tiger Lily! Lily loves to be where the people are, will happily sit for neck and chin scratches all day. She loves other dogs, who make her happy, playful nature shine through.” They go on to say, “Lily is a graduate of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Behavioral Rehab Center, where she participated in a program to help her overcome her fear of people. She has passed the program with flying colors and is now ready for a home of her very own. We just know she will bring joy to any family who welcomes her into their forever home.”

The inspiration behind the Halloween event is thanks to one of their board members. According to Gaier, “One of our board members, Naomi Milner, really loves Halloween and wanted to use the holiday to help us meet more people in the community and introduce them to our wonderful animals.” Gaier goes on to say, “Halloween is a wonderful day to visit Sammy’s and meet our adoptables.”

The Halloween event will be fun for everyone. There will be music, refreshments and a raffle where you will have the chance to win either a Kindle Fire HD6 or one of two LED TVs. As if the possible prizes aren’t good enough, there will also be dogs, cats and kittens that you could see, play with and adopt, helping Sammy’s Hope find their forever homes.

An important thing to note about Sammy’s Hope is that it is a private shelter. Sammy’s Hope takes in animals from other shelters and rescue organizations. Gaier said, “this allows the team at Sammy’s to provide extra attention and training for our dogs and cats, and also frees up space at those other shelters so they can care for more animals.” Gaier goes on to say, “We’re currently working with several organizations including Liberty Humane Society, the ASPCA and the Woodbridge Animal Shelter.” Help Sammy’s Hope celebrate Halloween and come to their event which will be filled with raffles, music and the opportunity to meet the faces behind Sammy’s Hope and their lovable animals.

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on November 2, 2015 **

Dogs in the ASPCA’s Behavioral Rehabilitation Center continue to successfully graduate their treatment programs with the hopes of finding their forever homes

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on July 5, 2015 **

As the summer months approach and the thought of graduation appears in students’ minds, the ASPCA is also thinking about graduation. The only difference is that the ASPCA is not thinking about students graduating, they are thinking about dogs graduating.

The ASPCA has multiple treatment programs and, according to Emily Schneider, Director of Media & Communications for the ASPCA, “We have a group of dog ‘graduates’ who have successfully completed their treatment programs at the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center, based in Madison, NJ.” Schneider goes on to describe their Rehabilitation Center by saying that the center “is the first-ever facility dedicated strictly to providing behavioral rehabilitation to canine victims of cruelty who suffer from severe fear and anxiety.”

Dealing with dogs that come from cruelty cases can be a hard task. Some of the dogs that are rescued sometimes suffer from such severe fear and anxiety due to their backgrounds that intervention from animal behavior experts become critical in addressing their issues and helping them become suitable for adoption.

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**All photos in the above slideshow courtesy Sammy’s Hope and the ASPCA**

Schneider said, “At the center, a dedicated team of animal behavior experts work daily with these dogs until they could be made for adoption.” She goes on to say, “Scientifically sound techniques are used to reduce the dogs’ fear of people, as well as to gradually acclimate them to unfamiliar objects, sounds, living areas, and real-life situations that can induce trauma and severe stress.”

It takes time for the dogs to go through the treatment programs but Schneider says, “Once dogs graduate the program, they are placed with various animal shelters across the county to be adopted into loving homes.” Two of those shelters are Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center in Sayreville, and St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ.

According to David Gaier, Volunteer and Board Member for Sammy’s Hope, “While awaiting their adoptive families at Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center, ‘graduates’ continue to practice the skills they acquired at the Rehab Center, and receive several hours a day of individualized attention, doggie play groups, and life skills practice.”

Gaier goes on to say, “Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center has taken in 13 wonderful dogs from the ASPCA Behavioral Rehab Center since Jan. 11, 2015.” Through discussions between Emily Schneider and David Gaier, approximately 18 dogs were mentioned, and as of June 11, 2015, seven doggie graduates are looking for forever homes.

Only two named Janet and Little E remain available for adoption at Sammy’s Hope. However, there are other dogs at St. Hubert’s who are still looking for homes. “We were thrilled to see these dogs succeed in our program, and we’re so grateful to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center and Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center for making their next steps on the road to recovery possible,” says Kristen Collins, ASPCA Senior Director of Anti-Cruelty Behavior Rehabilitation. Collins goes on to say, “Happy endings like these are a great example of the powerful work animal welfare organizations can do when we join forces to save lives.”

If you want more information on the ASPCA and their mission, please visit their website at aspca.org.

For more information on St. Hubert’s, visit sthuberts.org, or for Sammy’s Hope, visit sammyshope.org.

 

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on July 5, 2015 **

** The following article was originally published in Quo Vadis on May 2, 2015 **

 

Children’s Specialized Hospital will be hosting their ninth annual Walk n’ Roll event on May 16 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Johnson Park in Piscataway to raise money for their hospital.

The Walk n’ Roll event is free for those who participate.

“Walk n’ Roll is important because it is our largest community event. It is a wonderful opportunity to have our patients and their families support the hospital in a fun way,” said Toni Bodrato, the event coordinator for Children’s Specialized Hospital. “We invite our participants to walk or roll a 1, 2.5, or 5 mile course while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Johnson Park and the Raritan River. The Walk n’ Roll is followed by a carnival for young and old, where everyone can enjoy live music, games and prizes.”

Bodrato also said, “We have a few goals for this event. We are excited to welcome around 2,200 walkers this year—made up of patients, families, friends, and sponsors. We also have the goal to hit a record high for fundraising of $278,000. Last year’s event raised $267,000 to help fund the expansion of our New Brunswick in-patient program so we are able to treat more children. Each year the money raised by our sponsors and teams help to support a project to better our services and care for children in need.”

All the donations made during the event will go to benefit the Children’s Specialized Hospital, which has hospitals at 12 sites in New Jersey. The closest one is on Somerset Street in New Brunswick.

The hospital’s website, childrens-specialized.org says, “The hospital serves children affected by brain injury, spinal cord dysfunction and injury, premature birth, autism, developmental delays, and life-changing illnesses.” They go on to say, “Renowned therapeutic programs include physical, speech, and occupational therapy; psychology services; neurodevelopmental physician services; recreational therapy and child life, and a full complement of support services.”

** The following article was originally published in Quo Vadis on May 2, 2015 **

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on April 19, 2015 **

 

Potholes have been affecting New Jersey drivers every day. These potholes can be seen all around local streets near The College. They cause pricey damages because sometimes they are nearly invisible, causing costly damages to vehicles.

Potholes are popping up every where especially after winter weather conditions

Potholes have become a major issue due to the severe winter Middlesex County has experienced. According to the state of New Jersey’s Department of Transportation website, potholes happen when moisture from rain or melting snow pierces the road surface and freezes, causing the pavement to crack. Sudden temperature changes that cause a “freeze – thaw” cycle create outbreaks of potholes. During the winter, a temporary patch is used and later replaced with a permanent patching material. This is the reason why a majority of potholes form immediately after weather like the one Middlesex County has faced.

The drive to The College can be a puzzle with all the potholes on Route1 and on roads closer to the College like Woodbridge Avenue. As a matter of fact, the website of the radio station NJ 101.5 lists Edison as the New Jersey city with the biggest potholes.

 

 

Students at the College sometimes try to avoid the daily traffic of Woodbridge Avenue by taking the shortcut through Executive Avenue. The problem with this shortcut is the massive potholes that can emerge on the drive. Winter weather could be one of the causes of these potholes but the constant truck traffic also plays a major role in the creation of these potholes. The massive potholes around the College can cause costly damage. Eric Canavera, a frequent driver of the area surrounding The College, said, “I drive my wife to and from the College daily. We had spent over $2000 to have work on our car including a wheel alignment in November.” Canavera said that he understands that there has been bad weather but he also said, “At the same time many of the potholes are ones from last year that were not fixed. Coming out of the side of The College on Mills Road is a pothole that has been there since 2013 and it is getting bigger each year.”

The major damage that the potholes are causing is getting the attention of New Jersey lawmakers. According to News12.com, “Motorists are expected to pay thousands in repairs sustained from potholes.” They also say that the Department of Transportation- says it plans to spend around $4 million on pothole repair for state roads.

To speed up the process of repairing these potholes, motorists are urged to report potholes that they notice. This will speed up the repairs by allowing the local government to focus on specific problem areas. According to the New Jersey’s Department of Transportation website, “If you are reporting a pothole for the Garden State Parkway or the New Jersey Turnpike, please complete the form on the New Jersey Turnpike Authority website.” They also say that if the road is not listed under the “Interstate/Route” pull down menu, the road may be under county rather than state jurisdiction. Potholes should be reported to the appropriate County Pothole Hotline. The Middlesex County Pothole Hotline is 732-940-3800.

 

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on April 19, 2015 **

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on April 10, 2015 **

 

The March of Dimes will be hosting an event titled “March for Babies” on Sunday April 26 at 9 a.m. at Johnson Park in Piscataway. The reason, according to their website, marchforbabies.org, is so they can give hope to nearly half a million babies born too soon each year by raising money to help fund research and programs to find answers to problems babies have today.

The March for Babies event raises money to help fund research that will to find what causes problems in babies. According to bestofnj.com, “March for Babies is the March of Dimes premier fundraising event. It supports research and other programs nationwide and in our community to help babies born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive.” The beginning days of a baby’s life can be crucial, which is why March for Babies is a great way to have a form of preventative care and also care after birth.

One issue March for Babies deals with is premature birth. According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, mayoclinic.org, “A premature birth is a birth that takes place more than three weeks before the baby is due.” They go on to say, “Premature birth gives the baby less time to develop in the womb. Premature babies, especially those born earliest, often have complicated medical problems.” Premature birth can cause a plethora of issues which include: heart conditions, cleft lip, lung problems, spine issues and also eye problems.

March of Dimes and March for Babies have so far been successful because, according to the March for Babies website, “More than 500 local programs were supported to help educate women and reduce risks during pregnancy. Comfort and information was offered to 90,000 families with a newborn in intensive care through March of Dimes NICU Family Support. Your involvement also helped the U.S. premature birth rate drop for the seventh year in a row.”

Those who are interested or would like to make a donation can visit www.marchforbabies.org. Emails can be sent to NJ637@marchofdimes.org and calls can be made to 732-952-9010. According to the March for Babies website, their goal is to raise $356,000 and as of March 29, they have raised a total of $107,492.

** The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on April 10, 2015 **

**  The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on February 16, 2015 **

 

Sammy’s Hope, an animal welfare and adoption center, will host a grand opening next to the Sayreville Animal Hospital on Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. to help reduce the amount of homeless animals in the Middlesex County area.

Sammy’s Hope is an animal welfare organization that formed in September of 2010. It all started when dedicated adult volunteers would go to municipal shelters to socialize the homeless animals that were there.

Hubbard mentioned that they concentrated on long-stay animals. When asked what kind of breed was most common, Hubbard said, “Pit bulls were common long-stay animals because of the misconceptions about them.” She went on to say, “With proper training, they could be great family pets.”

On their website you will see their logo, which is the face of a Pit bull; Pit bulls are perceived by some as a “vicious breed”. Pit bull owner, Nicolle Centrella, described her Pit bull, Nala, as “the friendliest dog she has ever known”.

“Nala was thrown out with her sister on a really cold and snowy night,” Centrella said, describing how Nala, like many other Pit bulls, was abandoned. “Luckily, Nala and her sister survived and my friend found them just in time. He told me about both dogs and I immediately told him that I would take one of them, which turned out to be Nala. She was so cute and she was so happy when I got her.”

The “Pit bull” breeds are well-known in dog-fighting rings. On www.NJSPCA.org, Col. Frank Rizzo, chief law enforcement officer for the New Jersey SPCA, says, “This is a business. It’s gang-related. Pit bulls are viewed by their owners as prizefighters and the ones that lose are discarded like trash.”

“Sammy’s Hope was named after a big Pit-bull brindle mix named Sammy, who had a deceiving face, but was a teddy bear at heart,” Hubbard said, sharing the story behind the adoption center’s name. “Sammy was the first to get fostered and soon after being fostered, he was adopted into a loving and happy home down by the beach.”

The founding members of Sammy’s Hope thought Sammy exemplified what their mission was all about. Sammy’s Hope is dedicated to trying to find loving and forever homes for the animals they continue to care for.

Sammy’s Hope doesn’t only help dogs; they also make great efforts in finding cats loving homes, too.

“We converted dog kennels into cat kennels,” Hubbard explained. “We have music, enrichment activities and volunteers that come in to socialize with the cats.”

Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare and Adoption Center opened on Jan. 12. The facility is “small and controllable”, according to Hubbard, who went on to say, “We only have one employee and about 65-70 volunteers who come in on shifts to help out with the animals.”

“The grand opening for the Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare and Adoption Center in Sayreville is set for Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m.,” according to Nj.com, which goes on to say “The new facility will serve the needs of homeless animals in the Middlesex County area.”

The new adoption center is located on 1400 Main St. in Sayreville, NJ next to Sayrebrook Animal Hospital.

To volunteer with Sammy’s Hope, go to www.sammyshope.org, or e-mail volunteers@sammyshope.org.

**  The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on February 16, 2015 **

**The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on February 8, 2015**

 

Faculty and students got together for the College Assembly meeting in the Rose M. Channing Danziz Amphitheater of L’Hommedieu Hall on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 2 p.m. to discuss aspects of the College that needed to be revised, changed or added; the members of the College Assembly made the necessary revisions by getting input from the faculty and students who were present for the meeting.

At the meeting, many things were discussed ranging from new classes being added to adding a new degree option. For those interested in a Global Studies A.A. Degree, there is now the option to choose that degree here at the College. During the College Assembly, the Media Arts & Design A.A.S. Degree was revised.

Three new courses have been added to The College. They are all go along with the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) model, which is helpful to students yearning to achieve the academic status they need. When responding to student, E. Villapiano’s questions regarding the statistics that support the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) model, Professor Nester responded by stating, “Research at Columbia University suggests the ALP model is a very dynamic and effective way to get students to achieve the status that they need to get to college level classes.” Professor Nester went on to say, “Assessment of the ALP pilot program here at MCC suggests that, at the completion of the semester, many students in the ENG 010 ALP course outperform ENG 121 placed students.”

The three courses, which are reading and English classes, are proven to be beneficial to students. At the assembly, Professor Spano and Professor Winchester, who are both instructors in the pilot ENG ALP courses here at the College, spoke positively about the successes in the program. Professor Nester clarified for Professor Blanco by saying, “traditional ENG 121 placed students receive a traditional ENG 121 even if in the class with ALP students”. He continued to clarify by saying, “the assessments have shown that the ALP students in the mixed ENG 121 class performed better, in many cases, than the traditionally placed ENG 121 students in the same class, not that the traditionally placed ENG 121 students performed better than their counterparts in homogeneous ENG 121 classes.”

Also during the assembly, there were course description changes made for two classes. These changes were made to the ENG 121 class and also the ENG 122 class. Both class description changes had to do with minor wording changes. At the assembly, Veronica Clinton, Executive Director of the Middlesex County College Foundation, spoke to the assembly regarding the upcoming 50^th Anniversary Gala. The Gala is to be held on campus on April 28, 2015. Veronica Clinton also encouraged attendance to the gala. Tickets are $200 per person with the fundraising goal set at $165,000; so far, $48,000 has been raised to date. There is a maximum of 300 seats available and anyone interested in the 50^th Anniversary Gala can contact foundation@middlesexcc.edu for more information. The next meeting of the College Assembly will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 2:00 PM.

**The following article was previously published in Quo Vadis on February 8, 2015**

**The following article was originally published in The Signal on April 25, 2015** 

 

Middlesex County residents can enjoy the numerous benefits of the spring weather now that the weather has warmed up all over the county. It is now the time that residents of the county finally come out of the hibernation they were under due to the extreme winter weather.

Signs of spring have peeped through all over the county. As you walk through the College, signs of spring can be seen. People in t-shirts, no winter jackets and the temperatures in the 60s are all signs that winter is now in the past. The beauty that comes with spring is not the only benefit, spring has health benefits as well.

There are multiple health benefits that come with spring, like more physical activity, spring gardening and even fresher produce. As the weather warms up, more people choose to do activities outside rather than staying inside and doing things like watching TV or playing video games.

Spending time outside can also lead to more Vitamin D, which can come directly from the Sun. According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, mayoclinic.org, “Vitamin D is found in many foods, including fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. The sun also adds to the body’s daily production of vitamin D, and as little as 10 minutes of exposure is thought to prevent deficiency.”

Proper exposure to the Sun can be extremely beneficial for treating diseases like cancer. Pulitzer Prize-winning news source, theguardian.com, says, “Vitamin D deficiency has been inconclusively linked to numerous conditions, including breast, bowel, lung and prostate cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and rheumatoid arthritis.”

The spring weather can also increase positive moods, said Haley Cafarella, a student here at the College; “The warmer weather is also beneficial because everyone seems to be in a better mood now that winter is over.” The spring weather also allows more people to enjoy the outdoors on campus. Cafarella expressed her love for spring saying, “I love the fact that the weather is warmer because I can wear lighter clothes and eat lunch outside when I’m on campus.” The spring weather will hopefully last long enough for it to be enjoyed. Students are encouraged to get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer.

**The following article was originally published in The Signal on April 25, 2015** 

**The following article was originally published in Quo Vadis on May 16, 2015**

 

Localities in our area are raising the cigarette-buying age to 21 to emphasize the benefits of not smoking. The age limit to purchase all tobacco products and electronic cigarettes are being increased.

The harmful effects of smoking can be seen almost everywhere one goes.  Lung cancer, rotting teeth and mouth cancer is amongst the many problems smoking can cause. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States. This is about one in five deaths. They go on to say, “Smoking causes more deaths each year than all of these combined: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Illegal drug use, Alcohol use, Motor vehicle injuries and Firearm-related incidents.”

This is why many areas in our county are taking a stand and raising the cigarette-buying age to 21. According to an article posted on nj.com, “Highland Park is joining a recent trend of towns in New Jersey and nationwide that have taken it upon themselves to ban tobacco sales to people under 21. In Middlesex County, Sayreville has also raised the cigarette buying age.”

Tara Canavera, a Highland Park resident and student at the College, doesn’t agree with this movement and says, “If a person is 18 and legal to die for your freedom, then that person should be able to buy what is legal to get at 18 everywhere else. Many people in Highland Park who support the ban called me and another person opposed to this right-wingers and friends of the tobacco lobby.” She goes on to say, “I am not a right-winger, or friend of the tobacco lobby. I am an American citizen who is sick of our rights slowly being taken from us by the government at all levels.” Jeff Wertz, another resident of Highland Park, agrees with this decision and says, “I don’t see it as rights being taken away. I see it as a values issue, this move reflects the values of Highland Park.”

**The following article was originally published in Quo Vadis on May 16, 2015**

**The following article was originally published in Quo Vadis on January 29, 2015**

 

Winter Storm Juno, the recent snowfall that touched down on January 26, 2015 in the Middlesex County area was predicted to be a record snowfall because of  the amount of snow that was supposed to be received.

Preparations for this snowfall caused citizens to go out shopping for any last minute items that were needed. Throughout social media and also some news channels it can be seen that store shelves were being emptied by those worried. A recent post on Facebook that came from a concerned shopper stated, “Oh boy…. no bread, no eggs and no juice…seriously…let’s hope there’s some milk left.”

The Middlesex County area was predicted to get one to two feet of snow. Many news channels were predicting it to be a “blizzard”, but when the snow stopped it was far from a blizzard. In reality, the Middlesex County area only got about 7-8 inches.

Towns were even going so far as to contacting the residents and notifying them of the snowstorm and how to prepare and stay safe. The East Brunswick Township sent out recordings warning the residents about the snowfall and reminding them to clear the roads so that the plows could get through.

As is expected when a storm like Juno hits, there were many school closures and early dismissals. On 26 Jan., The College took the necessary steps to close the campus early at 12:30 p.m. to ensure the students have a safe drive back home, later deciding to keep the campus closed on 27 Jan. because of the snowfall that was happening; The College was reopened on 28 Jan.. Winter Storm Juno is the first early dismissal and school closure of the spring semester for The College.

Winter Storm Juno was expected to be bad and almost blizzard-like which caused government offices to take early precautions. On nj.gov it stated, “With Winter Storm Juno expected to impede transportation and travel throughout New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie today declared a State of Emergency, authorizing the State Director of Emergency Management to activate and coordinate the preparation, response and recovery efforts for the storm with all county and municipal emergency operations and governmental agencies.”

Mohammad Zadeh of the Lawn Salon Landscaping Company in the Middlesex County area said, “The forecast was not quite on target I guess due to the vast size of the storm, but it did come through in some northern states.” When asked if he believed that Winter Storm Juno was a “blizzard” he stated, “It was not a blizzard in New Jersey, but it had the length of time of a blizzard… the snow flakes were smaller and less affective.”

Although Juno wasn’t as big as predicted, The Lawn Salon was out as soon as the snow started. When asked how long it took to clean up the snow, Zadeh stated that, “We started 10 p.m. Monday and we are still cleaning some parking spots that were occupied during the storm. It’s Wednesday, 2:30 p.m. now.” Companies like The Lawn Salon Landscaping Company have worked long hours to ensure that the roads were safe to travel on again.

**The following article was originally published in Quo Vadis on January 29, 2015**