PARSIPPANY — St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, First Baptist Community Church, and St. Andrew Lutheran Church of Parsippany participated in an “Ecumenical Service and Walk with the Cross” on Good Friday, April 7.

The walk started at St. Gregory’s Church at 1:00 p.m., continued down South Beverwyck Road to Reynolds Avenue, and ended at St. Andrew Lutheran Church of Parsippany.

Participating was The Rev. Dr. Arron Oliver, Priest-in-Residence, St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church with Michael Flynn, Music Minister; Rev. Dr. Stacie Turk, First Baptist Community Church; and Vicar M.A. “Psomi” Psomas-Jacklosk from St. Andrew Lutheran Church of Parsippany.

PARSIPPANY  — April 1 is the start of Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany started the campaign by setting up pinwheel gardens and displays, with the first at the Parsippany Town Hall. Followed by several other displays around town to help raise awareness in our community by turning your attention to the importance of ensuring great childhoods for all children because our children are our future.  In addition, Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio will be issuing a Proclamation at the Council Meeting on Tuesday, April 4, designating April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month.”

While Child Abuse Prevention Month is underway, Kiwanis highlight the importance of ensuring great childhoods for all children because our children are our future.  The theme of the 2023 campaign is “Growing a Better Tomorrow for All Children, Together.”  The community garden metaphor reinforces the message that “Every day, we help families and children thrive.”

All throughout April, you will see pinwheels on display around the Parsippany and Lake Hiawatha areas as the symbol of this very thought…that all children deserve a great childhood because they are our future.  

And while the pinwheel can do many things — bring smiles, lift spirits, call for healthy starts for all children — the one thing it cannot do is move on its own.  Be the force that makes it move, bringing about real change for children in the United States.  Protecting our children is everyone’s job…it’s your turn to make a difference!  

Since 1983, April has been a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse.  As we look upon the faces of the many children in our communities and think about all of the children worldwide that suffer at the hands of others, let’s remember that April may be child abuse prevention month, but unfortunately, abuse happens every day.  That is why every year, during April, communities across the country come together to focus on this startling issue and the need for widespread prevention and public awareness campaigns to reduce the number of children who are abuse victims.  Sadly, there were 3.6 million cases of child abuse reported in the US.  Approximately five children a day die every year in the US due to child abuse or neglect.  Out of those 1825 children that died as a result of abuse or neglect, 45% are younger than one year old, 31% are from ages 1-3, 11% are 4-7, 6% are ages 8-11, 5% ages 12-15 and 2% are aged 16-17.

Karen DeChristopher, Kiwanis Director of “Young Children Priority One” programs, said, “As an organization that continues to focus on children, there is one goal that we are looking to achieve…to raise awareness of the many ways people can get involved in the fight against child abuse:  First, we can get educated, so you can learn to recognize the signs of child abuse, so you can be that one person with the courage to step up for these children and report abuse when you suspect it.  Secondly, you can volunteer or support your child advocacy centers (Prevent Child Abuse-NJ) by calling to determine how you can support them because every children’s advocacy center can benefit from your support for the programs and services they provide to child victims of abuse and neglect.  And lastly, but most importantly, we must help break the silence surrounding child abuse by raising awareness and spreading the word.  These children deserve a voice because this problem has been overlooked for far too long, and you can open the doors to this crime of secrecy because we can all make a difference for these children.

To learn more about what you can do to help prevent child abuse, contact Pamela Stalcup, Director of Development & Communications for Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey, at (732) 246-8060 or visit them on the web at www.preventchildabusenj.org. 

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council Agenda Meeting will be held on April 4, 2023.

Regular Township Council Meetings will commence at 7:00 p.m. All meetings will be held on Tuesday evenings. Council meetings are held at Parsippany Municipal Building, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard. Formal action may or may not be taken at all scheduled meetings.

Click here to download the agenda.

Any individual who is a qualified disabled person under the Americans with Disabilities Act may request auxiliary aids such as a sign interpreter or a tape recorder to be used for a meeting. Auxiliary aids must be requested at least 72 hours before the meeting date. Please call (973) 263-4351 to request auxiliary aid.

Click here to download the 2023 agenda schedule.

Mayor and Council

Mayor James R Barberio
Council President Loretta Gragnani
Council Vice-President Michael J. dePierro
Councilman Paul Carifi Jr.
Councilman Frank Neglia
Councilman Justin Musella

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Senior Community Center pool tables are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The center is available to all Parsippany senior citizens at 1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha.

There is no joining fee to the center, so come by for a visit to shoot a game or two. If you want to play more frequently, a $2.00 annual fee is all that is requested.

Call Parsippany Office on Aging at (973) 263-7351.

PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced the launch of her fifth annual Congressional Art Competition for NJ-11 students. The competition allows high school students to showcase their creativity and artistic expression. 

“New Jersey’s 11th District is home to so many incredible young artists,” said Rep. Sherrill. “Each year, I am impressed with all of our students’ submissions. The Congressional Art Competition is a great way to come together to celebrate their hard work. I look forward to seeing the artwork and encourage each high school to participate.”

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent nationwide and in each congressional district. Since the competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panel judges select the winning entries. The winner’s artwork will be displayed alongside winners from nationwide for one year in the U.S. Capitol.

Artwork submitted for NJ-11’s competition will be displayed at an art show and reception at Montclair State University on May 4. The winner will be announced at this reception.

Due to limitations of gallery space, NJ-11 high schools can select up to two students’ work to submit, and their art must be dropped off at Rep. Sherrill’s District Office. The deadline to submit is April 21. Rep. Sherrill’s office is 8 Wood Hollow Road, Parsippany, NJ, 07054. Click here to view the full guidelines and information about the Congressional Art Competition.