To register:

Download the Registration Form, or contact Barbara Fullerton at bfullerton@lsmnj.org or at 609.699.4102.

Download this Brochure

Burlington, NJ– Each Arbor Day the Moorestown Garden Club Appearance Committee awards a plaque to two organizations that embark on projects dedicated to the growth or preservation of trees and landscape. This year, Lutheran Care was honored to be one of those recipients as it continues to provide a beautiful setting for its patients and residents.

“It’s an honor to receive this on behalf of all of our residents,” said Lutheran Care Executive Director Doug Venzie. “We’re looking at bringing more of the outside in and trying to locate more trees and gardens in the view of our residents as wells as promote a sense of wellness for all in our center.”

Moorestown residents flocked to Pryor Park Friday morning to celebrate Arbor Day. “It’s a fabulous, annual event,” said Gina Zegal, of the Appearance Committee. “The Garden Club works with the township, chooses the location and then we work to get the tree donated. This year the Moorestown Jewish Association donated the tree, a beautiful river birch that is natural to this environment, so it should grow and flourish.”

Mayor Stacey Jordan spoke to the crowd about the importance of Arbor Day, describing herself as a true “tree hugger at heart.” Then came time for the award ceremony, where Venzie was presented a plaque in honor of Lutheran Care’s new environmentally friendly project.

“Lutheran Care came before the Appearance Committee two months ago and they showed us the gorgeous plan they have of improving and expanding their facility,” said Zegal. “It is a wonderful plan. The architect did a great job with the way they have positioned the building and parking lot, leaving the street side to be more enhanced with vegetation. We are looking forward to seeing the finished product, and we are happy this year to see Lutheran Care be the recipients of our award that we give out only once a year.”

Kevin Moran, director of New Visions Homeless Day Shelter, wrote a meaningful reflection for a book by Michael O’Neill McGrath, titled ‘Go To Joseph’.

Excerpt from Go to Joseph, copyright © 2013, World Library Publications, wlpmusic.com. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

AllRisk and Brickman Group Volunteer to Clean Lutheran Social Ministries of NJ’s Vegetable Garden

Camden, N.J. – Employees of AllRisk Property Damage Experts and the Brickman Group celebrated Earth Day by cleaning up the Lutheran Social Ministries of N.J.’s (LSM/NJ) vegetable garden in Camden. Children (ages 5-13) of north Camden maintain the vegetable garden during LSM/NJ’s Camden Children’s Collaborative summer camp.

On Monday April 22, employees volunteers from LSM/NJ, allRisk, Brickman, and residents participated in the cleanup.

“It was great to get out and clean up the garden,” says allRisk Vice President Christine Messina. “It’s such a beautiful symbol of LSMN/NJ’s good work, planting seeds of hope for the children of Camden, so they  can be nurtured, grow and flourish.”

During the summer camp, children learn how to eat healthy while maintaining the vegetable garden.

“The need to educate children and families on healthy choices is essential,” says Barbara Fullerton, Fund Director of LSM/NJ. “We decided to make sure the garden is ready for the summer camp by cleaning and preparing the site for the garden on Earth Day. It’s the perfect way to spend Earth Day,”

“This year the garden features basil, dill, rosemary, cilantro, tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers eggplant, squash, and sunflowers. Camp members also learned the importance of sharing by giving some vegetables to local community members. It’s an important garden not only for the children, but for the community.”

Photos:

Time: 10am to 12pm

Garden clean-up.

539 State Street
Camden, NJ 08102
Phone: 856-966-3402

LSM/NJ delivered 470 Easter baskets (150 more than last year) to children who have been impacted by super storm Sandy, as well as children and seniors within our programs: Project Home, Affordable Family & Senior Housing, Lutheran Social Ministries of Camden, Developmentally Disabled residents and New Visions Homeless Day Shelter. With the generosity of donations from several congregations, organizations, and individuals, we delivered bountiful Easter baskets filled with candy, stuffed animals, games, books and blessings. We extend our appreciation to all those who donated and helped bring smiles to the children’s little faces. And a very special “thank you” to the residents of Crane’s Mill who helped assemble and donate baskets, as well as Holy Trinity Hasbrouck Heights (in partnership with Redeemer Lutheran Church in Maywood) and Living Waters in Flemington for joining in and participating for the first time.

See for yourself, the smiles we helped create…

by: Craig Collins-Young

Does your will include instructions about your various social media accounts? Chances are, the answer is “no.” But if you’re an avid user of sites like Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, you may want to check out the U.S. government’s guidelines for creating a social media will.

For many of us, it makes sense to starting thinking about and planning out:

What happens to all my content: photos, blogs, etc.

Who handles shutting down my email accounts.

What becomes of my social media profiles (does my timeline note my expiration?).

As a 30-something user of many social sites, I can honestly say that before today, I hadn’t considered the idea of such a thing. Though, it does make sense.

I’ve created a lot of content so far, and I’m likely to create a lot more in the future.

Well, in order to prevent my content and my accounts from floating endlessly in the ether of the Internet, the government suggests appointing a trustworthy person as your online executor. This person will be able to act on my behalf to transition and/or close accounts and sites.

How do I Write a Social Media Will?

In How and Why You Should Write a Social Media Will, USA.gov suggests the following steps:

Review the privacy policies and the terms and conditions of each website where you have a presence.

State how you would like your profiles to be handled. You may want to completely cancel your profile or keep it up for friends and family to visit. Some sites allow users to create a memorial profile where other users can still see your profile but can’t post anything new.

Give the social media executor a document that lists all the websites where you have a profile, along with your usernames and passwords.

Stipulate in your will that the online executor should have a copy of your death certificate. The online executor may need this as proof in order for websites to take any actions on your behalf.

Social Media Will: Resources and Such

So, here is what I’ve come up with to help you learn more about and then create a social media will. The listing is by no means all-encompassing, and it is not meant in any way to be considered legal advice. The following is simply a list of things I think you may find helpful:

Social Media Site Policies

• Facebook: Deactivating, Deleting and Memorializing Accounts.
• Twitter: Contacting About Deceased User.
• LinkedIn: Verification of Death – Deceased Member

Email

• Gmail: Accessing a deceased person’s mail.
• Windows Live/Hotmail.
• Yahoo!: Will not provide access, citing the No Right of Survivorship and Non-Transferability clause in the Yahoo! terms of service.

Other Tools

• If I Die: Facebook app that allows your to leave behind a letter or video.
• _LivesOn: A tool that will tweet for you in your afterlife.
• PlannedDeparture: Provides a safe and secure electronic vault to manage and transfer digital assets if you become critically ill or die.
• DeadSocial: Allows you to post content from your Twitter, Facebook and Google+ accounts at defined intervals or on certain important dates or anniversaries.

Articles on the Social Media Will

• The Social Media Will: An Expert Guide to Your Digital Afterlife
• May You Tweet In Peace: Social Media Beyond The Grave
• How and Why You Should Write a Social Media Will

Happy National Nutrition Month!

Celebrated annually in March, National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses on the importance of making informed food choices, developing healthy eating habits, and increasing physical activity. This year’s National Nutrition Month theme is “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day,” which encourages a personalized approach to eating healthier food, as lifestyle, cultural traditions, and health concerns all impact our individual food choices.

Now is a great time to rediscover the benefits of healthier eating habits and physical fitness, especially concerning brain health. As we age, we tend to forget things more easily. However, new research has shown that we can do things to help keep our minds sharp. We all know we need to exercise to keep our hearts and bodies healthy, but physical activity also increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain and can improve focus and concentration. Leisure activities, including board games, crossword puzzles, playing musical instruments, and reading are also great exercises for our minds. In addition, eating right may help to reduce the risk of developing dementia. Consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables, fatty fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, and tuna), nuts, seeds, and whole grains may slow the risk of cognitive decline. Challenge yourself to add at least one of these habits to your routine each week this month as your way of participating in National Nutrition Month!

Crane’s Mill joins the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in celebrating the 40th anniversary of National Nutrition Month with our very own special theme, “Taste Your Way to Wellness.” Our theme was created to promote the importance of individualized food preferences while making smart choices. By tasting a variety of delicious healthy dishes and learning about how they are prepared and why they are good for your health, you can make the right choices that are customized to your personal taste. During the month of March, we will be dedicating a week to highlight four important types of foods: whole grains, healthy fats, plant-based proteins, and “better for you” drinks. We will also be raffling off some great National Nutrition Month memorabilia as well as providing handouts and recipes!

Jennifer Lin, MS, RD

Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM/NJ) is pleased to announce that Amy Pennenga began her tenure as disaster recovery coordinator on February 25.

In this new role, and in partnership with Lutheran Disaster Response, Amy’s primary responsibility will be working with volunteers and volunteer hosting sites to coordinate recovery efforts in New Jersey as result of SuperStorm Sandy. Amy will also work with the long-term recovery groups (LTRG) in Ocean and Monmouth counties to provide a holistic approach to assisting those impacted by the storm.

Amy is a graduate of Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, and University of Oxford, UK. She spent two years in England as part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Young Adults in Global Mission program and is experienced with volunteer management and event coordination.

Amy resides in East Windsor and is a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, East Windsor. When not at work, Amy enjoys hiking, working with her church youth group, spending time with her family, and reading. She can be reached at apennenga@lsmnj.org or (609) 699-4137.

Lisa Barnes, director of community partnering and advocacy for LSM/NJ, will also continue to serve a significant role in disaster recovery, working with long-term recovery groups beyond the shore area, and helping in the distribution of resources to LTRGs.