PARSIPPANY — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany recently installed its officers for 2016-2017 at an event held at Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46.

The new officers are President Greg Elbin; President-Elect Frank Cahill; Vice President Karen DeChristopher; Secretary Karen Gajewski; Co-Treasurer Steve Dickens and Barbara Lysenko and Immediate Past President/Foundation President Connie Keller.

The board of directors are Club Administration: Bob Keller, Community: Carol Tiesi, CYPO co-directors: Karen DeChristopher and Nick Limanov, Sponsored Youth: Ron Orthwein and Human and Spiritual: Dr. Susan Elbin.

Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.

The New Jersey District of Kiwanis was established in 1918. Now over 99 years later, the New Jersey District remains active with ten divisions and 80 clubs. The New Jersey Kiwanis Family, including Aktion Club, Circle K, Key Club, Builder’s Club and K-Kids Club members, is over 17,000 people strong who share the common bond of serving our local and global communities.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany was formed on December 5, 1991 with a roster of 46 original charter members.  The club was chartered in February 1992. Charter members included Jayne Beline, Frank Cahill, Margaret Cerbo, Nicolas Cerbo, Karen Gajewski, Harold Gantert, Barbara Ievoli, Ronda Kron, Michael Luther, James Mechtel, Jeanne O’Donnell, Frank Priore, Philip Santiago, Dr. Joseph Weisberg among others.

The first meeting was held at Concord Place (now Fairfield Inn & Suites Parsippany) and two years later the meetings were changed to Empire Diner.

The original board consisted of F. Houston Taylor, President;  James Mechtel, President elect; Ronda Kron, Vice-President; Karen Gajewski, Secretary; Mark Wiener, Treasurer; and Directors Dr. Joseph Weisberg, Joe Linfante, James Carabello, Mary Lynn Kaprel, Kelly Stratmore, Marion Clark and Richard Epstein.

Other Presidents included Ronda Kron (1994-1995), Dr. Joseph Weisberg (1995-1996 and 2004-2005), Karen Gajewski (1997-1998), Jayne Beline (1999-2000), Michael Mulhaul (2002-2003), Robbie Furman (2003-2004), Doreen Breenan (2005-2006), Joyce Garrow (2006-2007), Gordon Meth (2008-2009), Joseph O’Neill (2009-2010), Paul Philipps (2010-2011), Robert Keller (2011-2012), Davey Willans (2012-2013), Carol Tiesi (2013-2014) Mimi Letts (2014-2015) and more recently Connie Keller (2015-2016).

Some of the past and present programs and projects of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany are:

• Sponsor the Parsippany Hills High School, Parsippany High School and Whippany Park High School Key Clubs.
• Sponsor the Brooklawn Middle School and Central Middle School Builders Clubs.
• Sponsor nine K-Kids Clubs in the Grammar Schools in Parsippany.
• Co-sponsor a Division Aktion Club.
• Donate to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Parsippany.
• Donate to Project Graduation.
• Donate to the Interfaith Council of Morris County.
• Donate to the Homeless of Morris County.
• Cook for Homeless Solutions once a month.
• Donate to the Parsippany Library Programs.
• Donate to the Parsippany Food Bank.
• Donate to Programs through grants to our Foundation, such as Craftsman Farms.
• Sponsor the Parsippany Street Fair.
• Donate to the Morris County Battered Women.
• Donate to the Parsippany Day Care Center.
• Sponsor Scholarships for Kiwanis Youth Leadership Training, Key leader Training, Hugh O’Brien Camp and Scholarships for further education.
• Donate to Autism, Eliminate and Children’s Specialized Hospital.
• Support Little League in Parsippany.
• Support our local churches through an Ecumenical Breakfast for friendship, fellowship and exchange of ideas.
• Donate to Camp Nejeda.

The Club formed a Foundation, on June 3, 2004, to handle all the Service Funds raised for our programs and projects.  It is a 501(C)3 account and only covers the Fundraisers.  The Administrative account is still handled by the Club.  These two accounts are kept separate by the Laws of Kiwanis International.  The Foundation is composed of the same Officers and Directors as the Club but with a change in position and voting power.

For more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, click here, or attend our weekly meeting held at Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46, Parsippany at 7:15 a.m. Thursday.

PARSIPPANY — It has been a year since the Main Building at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital was demolished in late October 2015, resulting in the destruction of yet another Kirkbride Building. Kirkbride buildings were mental health facilities popular during the late 19th Century that were named after Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride, a founding member of the…

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PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Council President Louis Valori announced a special meeting to be held on Tuesday, October 25 at 1:00 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard.

The purpose of this meeting is to consider the adoption of an ordinance rezoning certain properties located in Troy Meadows to the RCW Recreation, Conservation, and Wildlife Zone District. Formal action may or may not be taken.

To read a copy of Ordinance 2016:26, click here.

PARSIPPANY — Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms held a “Head, Hand & Heart Gala” on Saturday, October 15 at Knoll County Club East.

The “Head, Hand & Heart Gala” was held to honor two local non-profit groups, Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany and Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio gave special recognition to the honorees, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany and the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills and thanked the Craftsman Farms Foundation for helping to make Parsippany a great place to live and work. Those volunteer organizations make up the fabric of Parsippany and have contributed to the designation by Money Magazine as the fifth best place to live in the nation.

Governor Christ Christie, in a letter to the attendees stated “As a National Historic Landmark, the Stickley Museum has been an integral part of New Jersey’s historical and cultural landscape. By offering a range of educational programs and tours for its visitors, the Museum is committed to providing a distinctive for their dedication to preserving and sharing our State’s history and commend those who will continue this worthy endeavor in the future.”

The Gala’s “head, hand, and heart” theme has long been associated with the Arts and Crafts movement, the movement that inspired Gustav Stickley’s vision for Craftsman Farms, stated Vonda Givens, Executive Director. “The dedicated members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany and the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills serve our community with head, hand and heart. Over the years Kiwanis Club has partnered with Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms and both clubs have pointed the way, pioneering a path of service to the community that the museum seeks to emulate. We all share the overlapping goal of serving children in Parsippany-Troy Hills and enhancing the lives of local families. For many years, the Kiwanis Club and the Woman’s Club have worked tirelessly doing both. We are thrilled to spotlight their efforts,” said Givens.

For over 60 years, the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills has demonstrated its commitment to the community through an impres­sively wide range of community service endeavors. For many years the Club has served the township and the state with initiatives to support education, home life, conservation and more. An early project supported the founding of Parsippany Library. Today the Woman’s Club is involved with both large and small projects, many ongoing, which assist and support families in need, victims of domestic violence, the elderly and active military. Educational oppor­tunities for local children are fostered through a spelling bee, reading awards for 5th graders, citizenship awards for middle school students and scholarships for high school seniors. For the last two years, the club has also awarded a scholarship to a victim of domestic abuse who wants to continue her education. Every two years, the New Jersey Federation of Woman’s Clubs selects a new charitable organization to support. Currently the club is championing “Prevent Child Abuse-NJ.” Past statewide projects included “Autism Awareness” and support for “National Alliance on Mental Illness.” The club also has an active social side. From Bunco nights, a book club, holiday parties and more – club members keep busy!

The focus of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsip­pany is to improve the quality of life for children and families by giving primacy to the human and spiritual rather than the material values of life. The Club is committed to making the world better by making communities better.

Marking its 25th year of service to Greater Parsippany, the Kiwanis Club hosts weekly meetings, each Thurs­day morning at 7:15 a.m. at Empire Diner. Any community need can become a Kiwanis service project, especially the needs of children. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany believes that by helping one child, you help the world. This dynamic organization sponsors Key Clubs in both local Parsippany high schools, Builders Clubs in the middle schools, and K-Kids Clubs in elementary schools, with over 500 student members. The Kiwanis Club has supported the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms’ Family Days and other children’s programs for many years, but it is just one local organization to benefit from the organization’s support. Its community service efforts, particularly in service to children and families, leave a large footprint on the area. The club supports the Parsippany Child Day Care Center, Parsippany Library, and numerous other organi­zations such as Housing Partnership, NJ Sharing Network, The Women’s Theater, Jersey Battered Women’s Service, Homeless Solutions, Eliminate Project, Parsippany Community Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Camp Nejeda and Children’s Specialized Hospital.

PARSIPPANY — Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk was held in the Mack-Cali Business Campus on Sunday, October 16. 332 teams and 3,373 participants have raised $404,792.47.

The tree top individuals were Making Strides Gold Pacesetter Joan Van Soest raising $18,687, Making Strides Silver Pacesetter Fran Saliter raising $6,905 and Making Strides Silver Pacesetter Making Strides Donor Nancy Medford raising $6,615.

Three top teams were: Team Tilcon raising $22,448; The Fighting Champions Team raising $8,445 and Team Mary raising $8,225.

And the three top corporations were Morristown Medical Center raising $25,894.11; Tilcon New York Inc. raising $22,448 and Realogy raising $7,906.

Parsippany-Troy Hills School District headed by Ms. Aimee Doyle, with 92 members participating raised $2,570.00.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks are the largest network of breast cancer awareness events in the nation, uniting communities with a shared determination to help free the world from the pain and suffering of breast cancer. Passionate walk participants raise critical funds that enable the American Cancer Society to fund innovative research; provide free, information and support to anyone touched by breast cancer; and help people reduce their breast cancer risk or find it early when it’s most treatable.

The money raised through Making Strides walks helps the American Cancer Society in the fight against breast cancer by funding innovative breast cancer research; by providing free, comprehensive information and support for those touched by breast cancer; and by helping people reduce their breast cancer risk or find it early when it’s most treatable.