2013 Press Releases
Free Summer Music Program for Children with Special Needs Facilitated by Westwood Rotary
The Westwood Public Library has begun hosting a six-week music group for children with special needs (age pre-K through early primary).
The program, Social Music Jam, is offered by Marble Jam Kids, and is funded by *David's Fund, an endowment established by Tom and Lucy Ott of Westwood for the support and advancement of music therapy.
Social Music Jam is a therapeutic music group for children with developmental disabilities who have difficulty with social functioning. While engaging children in the process of making music, each session is designed to stimulate development, encourage socialization with their peers, and teach appropriate and joyful ways of interacting with others. Tom Ott stated “Music therapy has shown therapeutic benefits in many health related conditions, including persons with special needs. Our expectation is that these children will benefit from this summer program and it will lead to future, successful music therapy interventions for them.”
The goals over the course of the program include initiating interactions, increasing self-esteem and self-confidence, joining in play, sustaining eye contact, increasing ability to attend, increasing receptive and expressive language, and sharing enjoyment with others. Children will have the opportunity to play instruments, take turns, sing, improvise, and use props such as a parachute and scarves. Joann Nahmias, a mother of one of the children said “My son has loved the music program with Elizabeth. She is wonderful with children and especially with children with special needs. My son has so much fun in the class. He has always been musically-inclined, however, private special needs music classes can be very expensive, so we haven't participated in one for a few years. It is so great to have a free, fun and educational class available for him to enjoy!”
Social Music Jam is led by Elizabeth Balzano, a board certified music therapist who has been working with young children and music for 14 years. Elizabeth is the co-creator and co-producer of Bounce!, a series of DVDs created for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Elizabeth was featured nationally on the PBS Sprout show Musical Mornings, and currently works as a music therapist in New York City and is the Creative Arts Therapy Supervisor at MarbleJam Kids in Bergen County NJ.
To inquire about future Social Music Jam programs, please contact: Martha Urbiel, Director, The Westwood Free Public Library, 49 Park Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675 (201) 664-0583. To learn more about MarbleJam Kids go to their websitewww.marblejamkids.sharepoint.com.
*David’s Fund is a philanthropic endowment established in 1996 by Tom and Lucy Ott in loving memory of their son David. It is devoted exclusively to the support and advancement of the field of music therapy with funding going to research, education, clinical services and other related activities.
The Westwood Public Library has begun hosting a six-week music group for children with special needs (age pre-K through early primary).
The program, Social Music Jam, is offered by Marble Jam Kids, and is funded by *David's Fund, an endowment established by Tom and Lucy Ott of Westwood for the support and advancement of music therapy.
Social Music Jam is a therapeutic music group for children with developmental disabilities who have difficulty with social functioning. While engaging children in the process of making music, each session is designed to stimulate development, encourage socialization with their peers, and teach appropriate and joyful ways of interacting with others. Tom Ott stated “Music therapy has shown therapeutic benefits in many health related conditions, including persons with special needs. Our expectation is that these children will benefit from this summer program and it will lead to future, successful music therapy interventions for them.”
The goals over the course of the program include initiating interactions, increasing self-esteem and self-confidence, joining in play, sustaining eye contact, increasing ability to attend, increasing receptive and expressive language, and sharing enjoyment with others. Children will have the opportunity to play instruments, take turns, sing, improvise, and use props such as a parachute and scarves. Joann Nahmias, a mother of one of the children said “My son has loved the music program with Elizabeth. She is wonderful with children and especially with children with special needs. My son has so much fun in the class. He has always been musically-inclined, however, private special needs music classes can be very expensive, so we haven't participated in one for a few years. It is so great to have a free, fun and educational class available for him to enjoy!”
Social Music Jam is led by Elizabeth Balzano, a board certified music therapist who has been working with young children and music for 14 years. Elizabeth is the co-creator and co-producer of Bounce!, a series of DVDs created for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Elizabeth was featured nationally on the PBS Sprout show Musical Mornings, and currently works as a music therapist in New York City and is the Creative Arts Therapy Supervisor at MarbleJam Kids in Bergen County NJ.
To inquire about future Social Music Jam programs, please contact: Martha Urbiel, Director, The Westwood Free Public Library, 49 Park Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675 (201) 664-0583. To learn more about MarbleJam Kids go to their websitewww.marblejamkids.sharepoint.com.
*David’s Fund is a philanthropic endowment established in 1996 by Tom and Lucy Ott in loving memory of their son David. It is devoted exclusively to the support and advancement of the field of music therapy with funding going to research, education, clinical services and other related activities.
President of Lifesavers, Inc Speaks to Club About Being a Heart Safe Community
Westwood Rotary Supports Meals on Wheels
Founders of MarbleJam Kids Speak at Westwood Rotary NJ
April 25, 2013: Anna Villa-Bager, President, and Sarah E. Melone, Vice President, spoke at the Westwood, NJ Rotary Club on April 18th. April is Autism Awareness Month. Marblejam Kids is a nonprofit organization based in Tenafly NJ that uses creative arts therapy to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
In her presentation Anna stated that creative arts therapy is used as a means of engaging individuals providing a means of expression to improve psychological and sensory impairments and to increase interaction and communication. Critical to the program is the evaluation of each individual as unique and having broad differences in the level of their impairments. It is essential to individualize therapy for each child.
The Westwood, NJ Rotary Club is committed to supporting programs for special needs children. We are currently providing team tee shirts for the Westwood and Township of Washington special Recreational Tennis and Baseball programs.
The Westwood NJ Rotary in collaboration with Marblejam Kids is also exploring the creation of a music recreation program for young children with Autism. The program will be funded by the Westwood NJ Rotary and be held at the Westwood Free Public Library. This program will be run by a certified music therapist. The focus is to provide a fun social activity that will allow children to explore, communicate and socialize with their peers outside of the classroom.
For more information on MarbleJam Kids visit their website at www,marblejamkids.org.
For more information on the Westwood, NJ Rotary Club call Sue Thielemann at 201-280-1225
In her presentation Anna stated that creative arts therapy is used as a means of engaging individuals providing a means of expression to improve psychological and sensory impairments and to increase interaction and communication. Critical to the program is the evaluation of each individual as unique and having broad differences in the level of their impairments. It is essential to individualize therapy for each child.
The Westwood, NJ Rotary Club is committed to supporting programs for special needs children. We are currently providing team tee shirts for the Westwood and Township of Washington special Recreational Tennis and Baseball programs.
The Westwood NJ Rotary in collaboration with Marblejam Kids is also exploring the creation of a music recreation program for young children with Autism. The program will be funded by the Westwood NJ Rotary and be held at the Westwood Free Public Library. This program will be run by a certified music therapist. The focus is to provide a fun social activity that will allow children to explore, communicate and socialize with their peers outside of the classroom.
For more information on MarbleJam Kids visit their website at www,marblejamkids.org.
For more information on the Westwood, NJ Rotary Club call Sue Thielemann at 201-280-1225
Westwood and Washington Township Offering Special Needs Tennis and Baseball
April 12, 2013: The Westwood Rotary Club is providing Westwood and Washington Township's new special needs baseball and tennis program with team t-shirts.
The goal of the program is to provide positive recreational and social experiences for any child who has a physical or developmental disability.
The special needs baseball program starts April 16 at 6 p.m. in Westvale Park. The tennis program starts April 18 at 6 p.m. in McKinley Park. Both programs are open to Pascack Valley residents ages 7 and up.
For more information about the special needs programs available, Contact Gary Buchheister at gbuchheister@westwoodnj.gov.
For information about Westwood Rotary, N.J. visit our new website at www.westwoodrotarynj.com or email westwoodrotarynj@gmail.com.
The goal of the program is to provide positive recreational and social experiences for any child who has a physical or developmental disability.
The special needs baseball program starts April 16 at 6 p.m. in Westvale Park. The tennis program starts April 18 at 6 p.m. in McKinley Park. Both programs are open to Pascack Valley residents ages 7 and up.
For more information about the special needs programs available, Contact Gary Buchheister at gbuchheister@westwoodnj.gov.
For information about Westwood Rotary, N.J. visit our new website at www.westwoodrotarynj.com or email westwoodrotarynj@gmail.com.
Meals on Wheels Director Speaks to Rotary Club
Jeanne Martin, director of the Pascack Valley Meals on Wheels, recently was the guest speaker at the Westwood Rotary Club.
Martin, who is also a member of The Rotary Club, shared the background of the organization, their purpose and goal.
The organization was founded by Margaret Cook-Levy, who started Meals on Wheels 40 years ago with a group called Pascack Valley Center, an organization made up of 15 churches and temples from Pascack Valley. They saw a need for area seniors who were at risk of not having a hot meal every day. With a $200 donation from the Montvale Rotary, delivery started out of the Park Ridge Diner. Within a year the program moved to Pascack Valley Hospital where it remained until the hospital closed in 2007. Meals are now provided through CareOne at Valley, Oradell Health Care Center and The Christian Health Care Center.
They strive to deliver two meals per day to home bound seniors and people with disabilities and to provide a daily well check to these clients. Sometimes the option to eating healthy is a choice between paying for medication or getting proper nutrition. The cost of feeding a senior for a year is the same cost as having a senior in the hospital for a day. The concern has also been to maintain the quality of the food that’s it provides while providing proper nutrients. The organization is also participating in a meal delivery program that provides nutritious meals to people with breast cancer and their families. Currently, Meals on Wheels provides its service during the week but with a joint venture in the future with The Rotary Club of Westwood, a weekend service route maybe just around the bend.
For more information on the Meals on Wheels program contact Jeanne at 201-358-0050.
Martin, who is also a member of The Rotary Club, shared the background of the organization, their purpose and goal.
The organization was founded by Margaret Cook-Levy, who started Meals on Wheels 40 years ago with a group called Pascack Valley Center, an organization made up of 15 churches and temples from Pascack Valley. They saw a need for area seniors who were at risk of not having a hot meal every day. With a $200 donation from the Montvale Rotary, delivery started out of the Park Ridge Diner. Within a year the program moved to Pascack Valley Hospital where it remained until the hospital closed in 2007. Meals are now provided through CareOne at Valley, Oradell Health Care Center and The Christian Health Care Center.
They strive to deliver two meals per day to home bound seniors and people with disabilities and to provide a daily well check to these clients. Sometimes the option to eating healthy is a choice between paying for medication or getting proper nutrition. The cost of feeding a senior for a year is the same cost as having a senior in the hospital for a day. The concern has also been to maintain the quality of the food that’s it provides while providing proper nutrients. The organization is also participating in a meal delivery program that provides nutritious meals to people with breast cancer and their families. Currently, Meals on Wheels provides its service during the week but with a joint venture in the future with The Rotary Club of Westwood, a weekend service route maybe just around the bend.
For more information on the Meals on Wheels program contact Jeanne at 201-358-0050.
Westwood Rotary Club Elects Officers
February 18, 2013
The new Rotary Club of Westwood was launched on January 31 and serves the communities of Hillsdale, River Vale, Washington Township and Westwood.
Members of the new club recently selected their officers, including Frank Di Dolci, Sue Thielemann, Martha Urbiel and Aurora Abdool.
Rotary is a worldwide network which aims to change lives in communities. The Westwood club will hold its next meeting at 12:15 Thursday at Burke's at 65 Old Hook Road.
Anyone who wants to attend or wants more information can call Susan Thielemann at (201) 280-1225 or e-mail her at sathielemann@gmail.com.
The new Rotary Club of Westwood was launched on January 31 and serves the communities of Hillsdale, River Vale, Washington Township and Westwood.
Members of the new club recently selected their officers, including Frank Di Dolci, Sue Thielemann, Martha Urbiel and Aurora Abdool.
Rotary is a worldwide network which aims to change lives in communities. The Westwood club will hold its next meeting at 12:15 Thursday at Burke's at 65 Old Hook Road.
Anyone who wants to attend or wants more information can call Susan Thielemann at (201) 280-1225 or e-mail her at sathielemann@gmail.com.
New Beginnings
