MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF
NJBCA/CAMP HAPPINESS
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Soooo…… what has been happening at Camp Happiness?
I am working and maintaining the tried and true, and planning and implementing additional program pieces. One new program that will be starting any day is a “book club”. We will be reading a book by Mary Higgins Clark titled “On the Street Where You Live”. Dottie Lee tells us that the suspense novel is set in Monmouth County and many places mentioned in the book will be familiar to us.
Exercise, Art, Music, Health, Safety, Nutrition and Medically based activities are also in the “start up” mode. Some of you may be impatient, but I promise it is almost here.
One major happening here recently was a fire in the furnace that fortunately was contained. Unfortunately, we were without heat for a few days and camp was suspended until the furnace was replaced. We are now back up and running and looking forward to happiness at camp.
Rhoda Yucht
Executive Director
DATES FOR UPCOMING
EVENTS
NEXT BCA MEETING WILL BE HELD ON . . . FEB 4, 2012
. . .MAR 3, 2012
MIDDLETOWN LIONS SUPER BOWL PANCAKE BREAKFAST AT APPLEBEE’S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FEB 5, 2012
OFFICE CLOSED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FEB 20, 2012
SAVE THE DATES:
LADIES AUX. SPAGHETTI DINNER . . . . . . . APR 14, 2012
7TH ANNUAL GIFT AUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . MAY 18, 2012
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND TRY TO ATTEND
PLEASE CALL 732-291-0878 IF YOU WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THESE EVENTS.
LADIES AUXILIARY NEWS
February will mark the 42nd Anniversary of the Ladies Auxiliary. The Auxiliary is committed to supporting the NJBCA in every way possible. We have a Spaghetti Dinner planned for Saturday, April 14, 2012. The price of the dinner is only $10.00 and includes salad, spaghetti, meatballs, sausage, bread, dessert, and beverage as well as fellowship and ambiance. In addition to all this, you are helping a great organization provide programs for blind and visually impaired individuals. If anyone would be willing to donate salad items (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, etc.), butter, coffee, cheese, soda, or monetary donation to offset some of the costs, we would be greatly appreciative. Grace Rosner has graciously offered to make homemade sauce (gravy for the benefit of true Italians) for this affair as she did for the last one in October.
The Thrift Shop is ready for the New Year with an array of clothing, knick-knacks, glassware, kitchen items, linens, etc. all at a reasonable price. Come in and check us out! The Thrift Shop is in desperate need of donations of gently used items of all kinds to sell. We are unable to accept televisions or VCR’s due to their inability to be sold at any price. Also, don’t forget that the Thrift Shop has new hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9a.m. to 1p.m.
CAMPERS CORNER
Bernice Berger of Garden Club RFD at Middletown gave us a wonderful presentation about potatoes with a wonderful sampling of potato pancakes. Thank you Bernice for your informative lecture and great food tasting!
Bernice is also in the process of arranging for our Day Camp participants to celebrate the Chinese New Year on Tuesday, January 24th at Crown Palace Chinese Restaurant located on Route 35 in Middletown. Even though the actual day for the celebration is on Monday the 23rd, we are sure the food and presentation will be just as outstanding the day after.
We were able to obtain some donations of yarn for our Crochet Club which should keep our participants going for a while. A slight correction of the genesis of the Crochet Club needs to be made. A dialogue was started by Doug Scott with Hillary which resulted in Betty Sorrento volunteering as our first Crochet instructor for a couple of years until she moved to Pennsylvania. Since that time, the Crochet Club has been one of our popular offerings. Due to Beverly Shimada’s efforts, weaving has also come into being on Wednesdays.
GOOD AND WELFARE
We mourn the passing of Madge Blood, long time member of NJBCA and mother of our immediate past President, Charles Blood. To honor the memory of Madge Blood, the family has asked that donations be made to the NJBCA.
We are also saddened by the loss of Marion Theisen, devoted wife of camper George Theisen. Our sincere condolences to both families on their loss.
Tony Gallo, member of the NJBCA for more than thirty years, has been recently diagnosed with serious medical issues. Please keep him in your prayers.
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
DOROTHY LEE 2/5
STOCKTON HOPKINS 2/6
JOSEPHINE STRIEDL 2/12
LOUISE HERBERT 2/18
CHARLOTTE POOLE 2/21
BOB GUIJARRO 2/21
HAPPY AND BLESSED BIRTHDAY!
FOR JERSEY CITY TRANSPORTATION CALL LEAH BROWN AT 201-963-7914
THANK YOU Current Century Club Members!
Century Club members are dedicated to our mission of improving the lives of the blind and visually impaired, and are proud to show it. YOU can make a difference by joining this exclusive group today. Your annual commitment of $100.00 or more will help ensure that our programs continue to impact lives. You can make your gift in so many ways – even in monthly installments! Questions? Contact us at 732-291-0878 or director@njbca.org. If writing a check, please make payable to NJBCA and note “CC Membership” in the memo. Thank You.
Current Century Club Members
AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL POST 338
IN MEMORY OF HAROLD ANDERSON
ROBERT & SUE ANDERSON
SHIELA BARTON
BEACON AWARDS & SIGNS
CARL & BERNICE BERGER
HERB BODENSIEK
JIM & PAT COUGHLIN
AL & JENNIE DELIA
IN MEMORY OF EDNA DOUCHA
JACK & MARGE HULSART
JEFFREY & DORIS IRWIN
IN MEMORY OF TOM JACKSON
DON & SHIRLEY JACOBS
KAY KELTY
LAWRENCE & RUTH KORN
LORA KUITUNEN
SEN. JOSEPH KYRILLOS
BARBARA LECHTANSKI
ALEX LEE
DOTTIE LEE
MARK LEE
TODD & LIZA LEE
MAYER FAMILY
JOHN & THERESA MATSEN
KEVIN & DOROTHY MICHELS
LOUIS & LENORE MILLER
RONALD S NEWELL
BRIAN STEFANSKI
ROBERT STEFANSKI
JOSEPHINE STRIEDL
GEORGE & MARION THEISEN
CATHY TOTI
FAMILY OF ELOISE WAGNER
MIKE & BETTY WEITE
FRED C WILLIAMSON
CHARLES WIRTH
Welcome to our new Century Club members, The Family of Eloise Wagner and Craig Finnegan. Thank you Al & Jenny Delia and Bob & Pat Guijarro for renewing your memberships. We also wish to thank Todd and Liza Lee for their continuing monthly donation to Camp Happiness.
ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION!
DONATE YOUR USED CAR
Do you have a car you wish to donate or know someone who desires to donate their used vehicle to a worthy charity? New Jersey Blind Citizens Association has entered into an agreement with Vehicle Management Services to act as our agent for used car donations. Letters of receipt will be provided to all donors for tax purposes on acceptable cars with clear titles. Proceeds will come to NJBCA to be used for our programs. Call us at 732-291-0878 if you’re interested.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
The NJBCA 7th Annual Gift Auction is coming!
We are beginning our solicitations for goods and services as well as monetary donations in earnest for our Annual Gift Auction, which is our largest fundraiser of the year. If you would like to donate new items or know of any business that would be willing to donate new items or services, we would be greatly appreciative. As in the past few years, we expect this popular event to be a sellout. Tickets will be available around March. Watch for further notice in future bulletins.