MORRIS COUNTY — The Joey Bella Memorial Fund, Inc. will host their annual fundraisers in early July. The Fund has been in existence for 30 years and has collected over one million dollars in donations which have been used to assist nearly 60 families with children who are affected with catastrophic illness in Denville and surrounding areas including Mt. Tabor, Rainbow Lakes, Boonton Township, Randolph, Morris Plains, Rockaway Boro and Rockaway Township.

The Tricky Tray is on Tuesday, July 2 “under the tent” at Gardner Field, Savage Road and Route 46W in Denville. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and calling begins at 8:00 p.m. $15.00 per person includes one sheet of tickets and light refreshments. No one admitted under 18 years–no infants permitted.

Please contact (973) 768-6487 for more information or to make a donation. Tickets sold at the door only.

Band Beer Beefsteak will be held on Wednesday, July 3 “under the tent” at Gardner Field, Savage Road and Route 46 West, Denville. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $60.00 per person and include an all-you-can-eat Beefsteak Dinner served by Giresi Caterers and 16+ microbrew beers.

Entertainment provided by The Benjamins. Buy your tickets online by clicking here. For more information, email info@joeybella.org.

MORRIS COUNTY — The N.J. Police Community Affairs Officers Association held the Spring 2019 Graduation Ceremony for its Law Enforcement Career Development Course.

This session hosted by the Bergen County Sheriffs & Prosecutors Offices graduated diverse students from more than 30 colleges and universities. These students completed 10 weeks of intense preparation to become law enforcement officers.

This is the 10th year running the program throughout the region. To date they have graduated more than 800 college students who have attended this free training.

Their goal is to prepare an educated, professional, diverse workforce for the future of law enforcement.

Law Enforcement partners of the program include the N.J. State Police, NJ Attorney General, NJ Department of Corrections, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), NJ Asian American Law Enforcement Officers Association, Hispanic American Law Enforcement Association, Blacks in Law Enforcement Serving the Community (BLESC), Port Authority Police Hispanic Officers Society, Port Authority Police BiState Coalition, Italian American Police Society of N.J., international Council of Women in Law Enforcement along with a number of local, state and county law enforcement agencies.

For more information on N.J. Police Community Affairs Officers Association call (973) 298-0746.

PARSIPPANY — Congresswoman Sherrill jointly introduced a bipartisan bill to provide states funding to fight the opioid epidemic. Alongside Representatives David Trone (D-MD), Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), and Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Sherrill unveiled a proposal to authorize $5 billion to extend the State Opioid Response Grant program. The money distributed through these grants has helped to provide additional treatment beds, expand treatment and recovery options, bridge gaps identified in systems of care, support robust prevention campaigns, among other actions taken by the states to address the opioid epidemic.

“I told New Jerseyans that I would find ways to work for commonsense, bipartisan solutions to some of our greatest challenges,” said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. “New Jersey lost more than 3,000 individuals to overdoses in 2018, and this crisis extends to every corner of our country. I’ve spoken to advocates, patients, healthcare professionals, and law enforcement officers in our community, and the lack of resources constantly comes up as a roadblock to progress in combating the opioid epidemic. Extending the State Opioid Response Grant program will give New Jersey and states across the country resources to address the opioid epidemic over the long term.”

“This crisis affects each and every community across America, and we have to ensure that each state has the resources necessary to combat this tragedy,” said Congressman David Trone (D-MD). “In my first 100 days in office I spoke with health departments, hospitals, first responders, elected officials, police officers, incarcerated individuals, mental health professionals, early childhood organizations, and those suffering from addiction. I heard loud and clear that we need additional and consistent funding to end this crisis. This legislation does just that. I thank Representatives Armstrong, Sherrill, and Riggleman for joining me in this bipartisan effort.”

“As a national leader in opioid reduction and overdose prevention, we applaud the introduction of these grants.  The impact of this funding could be far-reaching, saving thousands of lives each year and going a long way to addressing the opioid epidemic,” says Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Chief of Emergency Medicine at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, NJ and St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center. Dr. Rosenberg developed the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) program, a highly successful and unique approach to acute pain management without the use of opioids. St. Joseph’s was the first hospital in the country to launch the innovative ALTO program, reducing opioid prescriptions by over 82% in just 2 years.

“While we are seeing success in treatment and prevention in Sussex County, there is so much more to do to help our residents who struggle with addiction,” said Becky Carlson, Director of the Center for Prevention and Counseling in Sussex County. “There isn’t a single easy answer. This crisis requires sustained and creative solutions, from personalized care to education to support for families. As an SOR grant recipient, the Center for Prevention and Counseling knows the critical importance of this program, and the positive impact it’s had in Sussex. I’m glad Representative Sherrill is working with her colleagues to make this a priority.”

Representatives Sherrill, Trone, Armstrong, and Riggleman are members of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. Led by Representative Trone, the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction includes more than 50 Members of the newly-elected freshman class from districts across the entire nation. The purpose of the group is to come together to understand the extent of the impacts of addiction and to jointly promote policies to reduce overdoses and deaths.

To read more about the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act, click here.

To watch Congresswoman Sherrill’s full remarks at the press conference this morning, click here.

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey’s program to make community college tuition-free for certain students, which began with a pilot at 13 county colleges, is being expanded to cover eligible students at all 19 county colleges in the current spring semester.

“With this expansion, students in need at all 19 of our community colleges will have access to an education that is within financial reach and allows them to worry about their grades instead of how they will pay for school,” said Governor Murphy. “We know that if our students can obtain a higher education, our communities become more prosperous, their employers become more competitive, and the state economy becomes more innovative and attractive to businesses. I look forward to providing this critical opportunity to students at all 19 community colleges for the upcoming Fall and Spring semester.”

Thirteen county colleges across New Jersey began piloting the Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) program in January 2019, while all 19 county colleges indicated interest through their application for the Community College Innovation Challenge last summer. The expansion will provide qualifying students with the ability to attend county college tuition-free this spring at these six additional schools: Brookdale Community College; County College of Morris; Essex County College; Raritan Valley Community College; Rowan College at Burlington County; and Sussex County Community College.

Students across the state now will be eligible for CCOG if they meet the requirements of enrolling in at least 6 credits this spring, making satisfactory academic progress, coming from families with adjusted gross incomes between $0 and $45,000, and having a completed application for federal and state financial aid. Such students are eligible for CCOG, which is a “last-dollar” grant that covers any gap remaining between their tuition and covered educational fees and all other financial aid grants they receive. Current students who are already enrolled at these six additional institutions will be processed for potential CCOG eligibility over the next few weeks; students do not need to complete any additional application to be considered for eligibility.

“We initially pursued a pilot approach at 13 community colleges to ensure that the program costs did not exceed the funds appropriated. Throughout the pilot, all 19 county colleges have been working to build capacity for the program expansion and to share learnings and best practices during implementation with the goal of expanding in the fall,” said Secretary of Higher Education Zakiya Smith Ellis. “We are delighted to announce that we now have room to expand this opportunity even earlier than anticipated to benefit all eligible students statewide.”

“The 19 county colleges recently provided detailed information about all of the students enrolled this Spring. Our analysis of these data shows that the current Fiscal Year 2019 funding for CCOG will be able to cover eligible students at all 19 county colleges, as a greater share of students are receiving other aid this semester, including Federal Pell grants and State TAG, than was the case in prior years” said David Socolow, Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. “We are delighted that students at New Jersey’s county colleges are hearing about this initiative to make college more affordable.”

The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) and the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) are jointly administering this funding opportunity. To learn more about the Community College Opportunity Grant click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of Freeholders has proclaimed April as Sarcoidosis (Sar-Coy-Doe-Sis) Awareness Month in Morris County, to help call attention to this lesser-known disease and efforts to foster research that could lead to effective treatment.

Representatives of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research joined the Board of Freeholders to accept the proclamation at the county government meeting in Morristown on Wednesday, April 24. Included were Mary Morlino of Hanover Township, Mary Cobb of Morris Township, Bridget Hillman of Hanover Township, and Cathy Wick, who is the New Jersey Ambassador for the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research or FSR.

“An estimated 200,000 people in the nation, including residents of Morris County, are affected by this debilitating and deadly multi-organ disease, which has no known cure nor reliable treatment,” said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana. “It can affect people of any age, race, or gender, but is most common among adults between ages of 20 and 40, and the rate of incidence is higher in African Americans.”

“We have asked these residents of our county to come here tonight, to accept this proclamation, so we can help call attention to this disease and their efforts to improve the quality of life and prognosis of those living with this disease, and to encourage more research to find effective treatments.”

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas—tiny clumps of inflammatory cells—in one or more organs of the body. When the immune system goes into overdrive and too many of these clumps form, they can interfere with an organ’s structure and function. When left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to fibrosis, which is the permanent scarring of organ tissue.

This disorder affects the lungs in approximately 90% of cases, but it can affect almost any organ in the body. Despite increasing advances in research, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and no known cure.

Volunteers, researchers, caregivers, and medical professionals are working to improve the quality of life and prognosis of those living with this disease, and but much more research is needed to find effective treatments.

For a wealth of information on Sarcoidosis, including symptoms, treatments, research and support, click here.

MORRIS COUNTY – The New Jersey AIDS Walk, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization which collaborates with several New Jersey cities that are home to leading HIV/AIDS service organizations.

This year’s event will be held on Sunday, May 5. PRIDE Run Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., PRIDE Run begins at 9:00 a.m. AIDS Walk Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., AIDS Walk begins at 1:00 p.m. in Central Park of Morris County.

On this day, thousands of people throughout New Jersey will walk in solidarity in an effort to support those living with HIV/AIDS in the Garden State.

It is a yearly example that Jersey Strong means compassion, community and commitment. Despite incredible progress, New Jersey continues to rank among the ten states with the highest rate of HIV infection in the country.

With over 40,000 people currently living with HIV in New Jersey, we are in great need of community support. Join us in fighting this pandemic by walking with us in the 2019 New Jersey AIDS Walk. Now more than ever, we need your help to save lives. We are in need of lifesaving funds for the HIV+ community, as well as helping to build the first and only LGBTQ+ center in Morris County.

All of the funds raised from the NJ PRIDE Run and NJ AIDS Walk will allow NJAS to continue to provide compassionate care and social services to each person who walks through our door. “Walking sends a clear message that we won’t allow the healthcare needs of people who are HIV+ and part of the LGBTQ+ community to be forgotten,” said Laurie Litt, Chief Executive Officer of NJAS which organizes and hosts the Morris County location.
We are pleased to announce Janssen Infectious Diseases as the 2019 Presenting Sponsor.

For more information on how to get involved as a walker or volunteer in Morris County, please click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Suffering in silence rarely, if ever, provides relief. Rather it is seeking assistance and being part of a community of people who understand that bring the strongest healing. Recognizing that, County College of Morris (CCM) students Raven Resch, of Belvidere; Alexa Wyszkowski, of Rockaway; and Marco Mirlas, of Landing, decided to use their experiences with mental illness to establish a place of acceptance to help others.

As part of a project for her Contemporary Social Issues class at CCM, Resch developed the concept for “Despite My Diagnosis,” a series of columns written by those who have struggled with mental illness. She presented the idea to Wyszkowski, who as editor- in-chief of the student newspaper – The Youngtown Edition – agreed to run the series this Spring Semester.

Resch, who has suffered with post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety, explains that she felt compelled to show others that mental illness does not define a person nor eliminate the ability to have a successful life.

“There are so many people with mental illness and I want to show people that you can strive and thrive if you get the help you need,” she says.

Mirlas, as president of the CCM Writers’ Club, agreed to write one of the columns about his experiences with attention deficit disorder and to find others willing to share their stories. When asked, he would also proofread the works of other participants and offer suggestions as to their wording and content. A history major, who hopes to become perhaps a teacher or lawyer, Mirlas says he welcomed the opportunity “to help inspire others.”

In each of the columns, the writers have focused not only on their disorders, but also their successes in life on their paths to recovery and acceptance. The series was picked up by Morris County Proud to be Stigma Free, which included each of the students’ stories on its website. The stigma-free communities initiative, https://morriscountystigmafree.org/, is a county-wide program that aims to eradicate the stigma associated with mental illness and substance use disorders. It is dedicated to raising awareness by creating an environment where individuals are supported in their efforts to achieve wellness and recovery.

On Wednesday, April 24, the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders presented Resch, Wyszkowski and Mirlas with certificates of appreciation for raising awareness that those with mental illness should not be defined by their diagnosis.

For Resch, a mother of a four-year-old, the turning point toward wellness took place after she checked herself into an emergency room because she knew she had to get better for her family. Working with social workers, she was encouraged to focus on building a successful life, so she enrolled at CCM and now plans to become a licensed social worker to help others as she was helped. At CCM, she also became involved with the Active Minds Club to assist with its mission to increase awareness about mental illness.

“I have found so much support for my dreams and goals here,” she says. “CCM does that for me.”

Wyszkowski, who suffers from severe food allergies and anxiety and depression, has extensive experience working to help others. She has spoken on panels for Food Allergy Research & Education, writes a blog on food allergies and plans to take Mental Health First Aid Training courses. At CCM, in addition to serving as editor-in-chief, she is vice president of service for the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. A dual major in culinary management and liberal arts, she also is working on two certificates in small business and special events. Her dream position is to be teacher who works with students on school publications, such as the newspaper and yearbook.

Regarding her work on The Youngtown Edition, her goal has been to assist with creating an atmosphere of acceptance and celebration. “Everyone is going through something,” she says. “I believe it is important to create welcoming environments.”