FEATURED PHOTO: Franki DeSaro & April Martines | CREDIT: Abby Devey

The divine and destiny are constants throughout their story and led them to cofound a sanctuary for single mothers, children, and animals, firmly based in faith and positivity. The Sanctuary is already helping families, and the vision is to expand to a residential program.

CM: What is the mission of Light to Earth Sanctuary?

Our daily mission is to lovingly awaken each person towards their God-given purpose, by supporting their inner healing journey- physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. Our organization also helps animals and is Christian based, although we joyfully serve single mothers, children, families, and welcome volunteers, from all faith backgrounds. All feel welcome and at peace on the land; we are family.

CM: What types of events/services are held at the Sanctuary?

Many families at our farm have endured domestic violence, addiction, poverty, homelessness, loss of a loved one and much more. Presently, we offer one day workshops on art, cooking, and fellowship, and host retreats of various kinds on the farm for single mothers and their children. This year we created an organic community garden and all of the harvest will be donated to local families. Annual Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at the farm are magical experiences full of so much joy, gratitude, and love. Fellowship gatherings are personally one of our favorites. Believers of all denominations join to sing, make music, and pray for one another. Afterwards we all feast, laugh, rest, and enjoy life together over a shared meal.

CM: Describe the farm, and how it became the location.

The farm is surrounded by breathtaking views of rolling hills, a true oasis of God’s creation on earth. Although we do not yet own the farm, the owner, Avram Schmied, a 72-year-old Jewish man, has lovingly allowed us to serve families here since 2018. He told us, “This is a very special piece of heaven right here on earth” and is grateful that his vision for the land’s “destiny and greatness” will continue. We are presently seeking to raise three million dollars to purchase the farm and call it our home! There is a custom built 6,500 sq. ft. three story home with apartment quarters, an 18, 000 sq. ft. barn/meeting space, two cottages, two working windmills, spring fed pond site and two fenced in pastures for horses, a shed with a root cellar, organic herb and vegetable garden, one acre poplar forest, and an underground fresh spring.

CM: What is most rewarding?

We love seeing people from all walks of life: diversity in ethnicities, faith beliefs, and experiences coming together to serve and support alongside one another. We did not realize we would also touch the lives of many of our team members and volunteers, who also have shared the varied struggles of our families. Some special memories include a young boy’s declaration that this had been the best day of his life and the other children begging their moms to stay or return soon. Some children had never seen the stars, the moon, or horses before! One mother shared she had not seen her daughter this happy in a long time. Another was hosting a fellowship gathering for women in recovery and seeing their hope. There is no greater reward than knowing and seeing love, joy and healing on the faces and hearts of those we serve.

CM: What is the biggest challenge?

Raising the funds to purchase our farm, and gathering the needed people-a grant writer, non-profit accountant, and a professional fundraiser-in order to reach the next level of our mission to create a 1-5-year residential program. Please visit our website to read our full miracle story and for ways to donate, join our team, attend our gala and more: lighttoearthsanctuary.org, or email us to schedule a farm visit or learn more here.

CM: Favorite Quote

“Faith doesn’t make sense, it makes miracles.”

Find yourself with extra time on your hands these days? Ever dream of having professional actors and directors make a movie that YOU wrote? Do you just love to create? Well, you’re in luck!

The Middletown Arts Center has launched MAKE IT TOGETHER! – a free national online script-to-video project. The Arts Center hopes to spark creativity and fun collaborations as this initiative will connect kids, families and individuals with artists and arts organizations to bring their film ideas to life. Submit a short script (up to three minutes or approximately five typed pages in length) and the team of performers, directors and editors will use them (as many as they can) as the blueprints to make outrageous, beautiful, silly masterpieces. Every week, the Middletown Arts Center will pick a simple story situation to get you started.

This is NOT a competition or a place for aspiring playwrights to be discovered. This is a chance for kids and families to interact with some great artists and just make something for the sake of making something – the online equivalent of a rainy day DIY craft project, but you get to make it with pros!

STORY OF THE WEEK: Two people are in a boat. Who are they? What happens?

Click here for each week’s story or visit www.middletownarts.org. Make sure your script has your first name and last initial, age, town and state. Send us your boat story scripts at: MakeItTogetherScripts@gmail.com

Middletown-based Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer’s 5th annual Wish for a Cure Gala will be held on Friday, October 12, 2018 from 7 p.m. until midnight at the beachfront Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch, NJ.

All members of the public are invited to attend. Tickets are $150 per person and include a buffet dinner, a full open bar from 7 p.m. to midnight, and a cocktail hour. Infinite Love is a grassroots foundation and is entirely volunteer-run, so 100% of proceeds from the event will be used to fund new research grants and assist families of cancer fighters. Tickets can be purchased here.

Live entertainment will be provided by award-winning singer-songwriter and Jersey Shore native Taylor Tote, who was named one of the “25 must-hear local bands” by NJ.com, and one of the “9 Jersey Shore bands you need to hear” by the Asbury Park Press.

Pediatric oncologist Dr. Filemon Dela Cruz of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will serve as keynote speaker. Dela Cruz was awarded a $50,000 research grant by Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer in 2017, and is using those funds to further his research of rhabdomyosarcoma.

The evening will include a silent auction with 30 prizes including a football signed by NY Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning; an electric guitar signed by NJ legend Jon Bon Jovi; a weeklong vacation in Myrtle Beach, S.C., two Green Room tickets to a New York Jets game; weekend getaways to Philadelphia and Boston; and more. The night will also include over 100 raffle baskets, games, and a fun photo booth.

While many organizations exist to fundraise for cancer research in general, Infinite Love is entirely focused on funding pediatric research grants. “Childhood cancer is the #1 disease killer of our kids, and yet it only receives 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s annual research budget. In fact, over the last 25 years only 3 new drugs have been developed for any type of childhood cancer,” says Jim McCaffrey, Executive Director. “Our children deserve much more than this.”

In the United States, approximately 43 children every day (about 15,780 per year) are diagnosed with cancer. About 40,000 children are currently undergoing treatment in America, yet many of them are receiving the same treatments that childhood cancer patients received 30 years ago. Funding is needed to enable research for new, more modern treatment options — that’s where Infinite Love is focused.

“Over the past five years, Infinite Love has fulfilled more than $775,000 in grants to some of our country’s leading researchers. Additionally, we are able to help families both financially and emotionally as we truly believe that no family should fight this battle alone,” says Andrea Verdone Gorsegner, Founder/President of Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer.

Some of these previous grants include Dr. Don Small’s (John Hopkins) research in developing molecularly targeted therapy for FLT3 mutant pediatric acute myeloid leukemia, Dr. Brian Crompton’s (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) research aimed at targeting FAK and integrin signaling in preclinical models of ewing sarcoma and Dr. Charles Keller III (Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute) for research into the functional genomics of anaplastic wilms’ tumor.

While funding research is a top priority, Infinite Love also supports families by giving those in need financial grants and/or by helping to cover specific financial needs. Recently they wrote a check to cover the cost of repairing a struggling family’s only car. This past summer, Infinite Love teamed up with the Martin Group to gift a backyard makeover and new custom playhouse to a little girl who was restricted to her home due to a very compromised immune system.

This year’s Gala will help Infinite Love reach their next major milestone: $1 million in grants funded. For more information and to purchase Gala tickets, visit https://www.infiniteloveforkidsfightingcancer.org.

Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer, Inc., is a registered 501(c)3 corporation. All donations are tax deductible under current IRS rules and regulations regarding deductions to the fullest extent of the law.

About Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer

Infinite Love was inspired by Andrea and Dan Gorsegner’s 9-year-old daughter Natalie Grace who was diagnosed with a very high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 3. Natalie is now cancer-free, but Andrea’s efforts to raise awareness and funding for pediatric cancer have continued.

Since its humble beginnings in 2013, Infinite Love has funded over $750,000 in research grants nationwide and has provided of financial and emotional support to dozens of families with children with cancer.

Media appearances include Life & Living with Joanna Gagis and People’s Shave a Hero//Save a Hero event with the Middletown Township, NJ Fire Department. Additionally Infinite Love has had media support from PBS, The Today Show, Parents, Asbury Park Press, Women’s Health magazine, People magazine, NJTV News, CM Community Magazine, and Journal Publications.

The organization also captured the attention of journalist Joan Lunden for their collaboration with singer-songwriter Taylor Tote on an award-winning music video for “Fighter” (an original song written by Tote and both Hannah and Natalie Gorsegner).

Additionally, Infinite Love recently introduced its new Executive Director Jim McCaffrey who is paving the way for the expansion of Infinite Love to the state of Connecticut. Jim, his wife Marian and their son James dove head first into the childhood cancer advocacy world when their daughter (and sister) Mia Rose was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma. Just 364 days into her fight, Mia Rose passed away while holding each of her parents hands. Mia was always celebrating life, even when faced with the impossible so it didn’t take long for the McCaffrey family to discover their new motto, and now Infinite Love’s as well…to #MakeItAmazing with each and every moment that you can.

Seeking individuals dedicated to preserving Monmouth County’s past

Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon is seeking nominations for the Monmouth County Jane G. Clayton Award and the M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation.  If you know a person or an organization that has gone above and beyond to preserve the history of Monmouth County, nominate that person by July 15.

“The Clayton Award and the French Award will be presented at Archives and History Day on Oct. 13 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan,” said Clerk Hanlon. “These awards will honor and highlight outstanding individuals who have shown a dedication to Monmouth County history.”

Created in 1997, the Jane G. Clayton Award honors individuals who, over a substantial number of years, have made exceptional contributions to the awareness, understanding or preservation of Monmouth County history. The award is named after former Monmouth County Clerk Jane G. Clayton, who was responsible for the creation of the Monmouth County Archives.

Past winners of the Clayton Award include John Belding, Margaret W. Dellinger, Joseph W. Hammond, Angel and Jack Jeandron, Cheryl A. Cook, Wayne T. Bell, Joseph G. Bilby, Edward J. Raser, Garry Wheeler Stone, Lydia Wikoff, Karen L. Schnitzspahn, Gerald Ceres, Flora T. Higgins, Lee Ellen Griffith, Michael S. Adelberg, Gail L. Hunton, Douglas F. Foulks, Wesley Banse, J. Louise Jost, Mary Lou Strong, and George H. Moss.

The M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation was created in 2015 by Clerk Hanlon and recognizes outstanding achievements of an elected official, government employee, public servant or civic organization in supporting historic preservation in Monmouth County through education, development, planning, rehabilitation, advocacy, community leadership or other means.

Freeholder Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry, Fred Carl, and Middletown Mayor (now Freeholder) Gerry P. Scharfenberger, Ph.D. are the previous winners of the French Award.

Archives and History Day will take place on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, located at 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan. Archives and History Day, an annual event since 1996, is organized by the Monmouth County Archives under the direction of Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon. This year’s exhibit focuses on the buildings of historic interest in Monmouth County. The event is expected to once again host more than 60 exhibitors presenting topics related to New Jersey history and their organizations.

Nomination forms for the Clayton and French Awards can be found online at www.MonmouthCountyClerk.com/Archives.

For more information or to request a nomination form by phone or email, please call 732-308-3771 ext. 3776 or email Shelagh.Reilly@co.monmouth.nj.us.

FEATURED PHOTO: FC Monmouth owners at the launch party, left to right, Jacco de Bruijn of Fair Haven, Simon Nynens of Little Silver, Mattia Buffolino of Middletown, John Kiely of Red Bank, Corbett Donato of Eatontown and Stavros Memtsoudis of Rumson.

FC Monmouth, officially launched late last year and is founded by local entrepreneurs and passionate soccer fans living across Monmouth County, is preparing for its inaugural season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a nationwide semi-pro soccer league. The first game will be played May 9, 2018 in and against Atlantic City before the first home game is planned for Saturday, May 12th. FC Monmouth will be playing its games at Count Basie Park in Red Bank. The experience around each of the home games is one of family fun for both young and old with competitive soccer, entertainment before the game and music and other engaging experiences during halftime. FC Monmouth is also working with local businesses and nonprofits to extend the experience beyond the game and give back to the community. All of this is the mission of FC Monmouth’s founders – to connect, entertain and inspire Monmouth County.