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BETTER BEGINNINGS
PENNY PATTER

April 23, 2004

Everything’s GR8 at Exit Eight 

Once upon a long time ago, while driving, I spied a car with an interesting tag that used Ԅ?” in a novel way.  It could have been like this.  I was driving along at a mere 40 miles an hour in a 40-mph speed zone.   The guy in the car behind me, in righteous huff, with obligatory horn tooting and finger gesturing, passed me.   The tag, I noticed, through his dust, said, “Im L8”.   Noting that he had disregarded the bothersome detail that we were in a no passing zone, I thought, “At the r8 you’re going, Mr. Whoosits, you may indeed soon be the L8 Mr. Whoosits.   Since my car radio was not working, and the tape player had also ceased to function, my mind was free to play games.

   

I amused myself thinking of ways I could use Ԅ?” to form words.   Words like “termin8”, “apprec8”, medit8.  It was addictive, but since I imagined that it tended to hone up my little gray cells, I continued.

Within a day or two, some other fool mind game took its place.  I didn’t think about it 4 a while; then clever names and cutesy shorthand started to appear in e-mail addies and chat rooms.  Example: “BeKind2e1”.   But what brought it to a head was the 15th of April.  The word of the day was “procrastin8”.   I found myself again one of many, jubil8ing that the IRS 4ms were out of the way.


Eu4ic St8:

Adding to my joy:  Kerrie Peterson and her 4middable group are putting 2gether what promises to be a gr8 event for the Mayors’ Shining Star Gala.  it promises to be very successful (in terms of funds raised) as well as very impressive (in terms of honored guests and revered heroes).  Awardees are Binnie Thom, Dr. Suzanne Harkness, Brace Place, and Latina Womens Councill.  Honored community heroes are Dr. Jerome Bodin and Spc. Marc Seiden.  Join us on Sunday, April 25, beginning at 5pm, at the Ramada Inn.  While there, be sure to congratul8 

    Kerrie herself, and our Board Chair, Liston Abbott, too.

Kerrie herself will be honored Wednesday, April 28, 2004, at the Baldasarri Regency in Trenton.  She has been selected, on the basis of her many activities for the benefit of others), to receive the Mercer County Cherish the Children Award.  Call Althea Lewis (the gr8 keeper of d8s and places) for more details. Congratulations, and thank you, Kerrie, for caring so much for your community members.

W8ing Finally Over:

As for Liston and Joyce, well, we have all finally exhaled.   Their grandbabies, from Haiti, adopted by son and daughter-in-law, Wayne and Pascale, have finally arrived on US of A soil.   They are very beautiful, and wonderful and smart and very sweet.   Pascale, their new Mom, bought a pair of those slippers that light up for the three-year-old daughter, Bergenout.   “Bergie” kept one and gave the other to her little brother, Wisnor, age 16 months. 

    

(wipes away yet another little tear).

Pearl Bailey once said, “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.”  Well, it seems there was a shipload of paperwork involved, but a whole lot more love going on, making it all worth the while.  Welcome, Bergie and Wisnor, and congratulations to your new family.


We are Gr8ful to these Gr8 Supporters
Many thanks to Dee Murphy, again, for many useful gifts including juice, cereal, popcorn, as well as many dee-lightful supplies and discovery items. Also, again, to “Mr. Jonathan” Craig for needed items including baskets, bassinette, mobile, bike seat, crib bumpers and more, from Trinity Church in Princeton. I told “Mr. Jonathan” that my daughter’s friend had a brother stationed in Iraq. He wrote home that the children have no shoes and are burning their feet on the new roads they are building. He asked for children’s shoes.

Within two days, Mr. Jonathan had 60 pairs of children’s shoes collected and ready to 

     go! Arlene Banks and the Gasman Family are also longtime good friends, bringing items like books, toys, tables, chairs for use by us or by the families we serve.

The Lloyd sisters, Sarah, Abby, Molly and Caroline, wrote a little note surrounded with hearts, saying, “Here is some money we collected from our sharing banks. We hope it helps.” The total was the equivalent of 4,197 pennies, and brings the total penny collection to 1,523,041. Thank you, beautiful young ladies, and our hearts go out to you too. You are discovering early the joy and love that comes from giving and helping others.

Tuppence is No Cheap Sk8:
Penny Pincher has been one-upped. After all that converting boxes into building blocks, creating new toys from what would have been landfill, one would have thought she was the Recycle Queen. That was until some      one suggested that the waxed liners inside the cereal boxes is also very useful. She washes the liners carefully, and then uses them for freezing bags. Bravo!

Celebr8ing Children:
During the national Week of the Young Child, we also celebrate El Dia de los Ninos. One of the ways we call attention to the importance of our youth is called “Milagros”.      Children draw pictures about their wishes, dreams, and hopes for the future. Look for a display in the week ahead.

Giving place:
Ideas, suggestions? Please write to me at bewith@mail2peace.com; or PO Box 187, Hightstown NJ 08520. Remember you can visit our Web site at www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc. Our      volunteer webmeister, Liston Abbott, has archived past “Penny Patter” columns and Week-end Funwork there as well as information about the center. You can also call Better Beginnings at (609) 448-6226.