Advance Robbinsville
DECEMBER 2022 FREE
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
Swept out of office
An advocate for homeless families HomeFront chooses new CEO to replace retired founder
All three Robbinsville School Board incumbents denied re-election
By ReBeKAh SchrOeDer
By BiLL SANserViNO
Sarah Steward has big shoes to fill. There is no question about that for the person chosen to take over from HomeFront’s longtime CEO and founder, Connie Mercer, who led the nonprofit organization in combating family homelessness and poverty for 31 years. But Steward naturally stepped into them, bringing with her a recognition of the task ahead, as well as a message of timeless importance—rather than focus on ‘replacing’ Mercer, Steward had already been working alongside her to fill stomachs across Mercer County for seven years, equally nourishing minds and spirits as HomeFront’s COO. HomeFront, based in Lawrence Township, announced Mercer’s transition back in March. In an April interview with the Lawrence Gazette, the pioneer behind the area’s first family shelter shared her intentions to pursue “bigger picture issues,” such as legislative reforms, before passing the torch. Following a national search for the best candidate to succeed MerSee STEWARD, Page 6
Robbinsville voters elected three newcomers to the township Board of Education on Nov. 8, rejecting re-election bids by Christopher Emigholz, Kerriann Fox and Lauren Paluzzi. Peter Oehlberg, Jeffrey Pierro and his running mate, Raghu Nandan, received the most votes, according to unofficial results as of Nov. 21. A total of seven candidates were running for three-year seats on the board. In addition to the above candidates, Allison Prabhakar—who was running on a slate with Fox and Paluzzi— also lost. Vote totals were as follows: Pierro 2,382; Nandan, 2,107; Peter Oehlberg, 1,853; Emigholz, 1,624; Lauren Paluzzi, 1,298; Prabhakar, 1,189; and Fox, 1,097. Also on the ballot were two local public questions. Approved was a measure that would combine the township’s zoning and planning boards into a consolidated Land Use Board (2,582 yes, 1,801 no). But voters rejected a question that would have increased RobbinsSee ELECTION, Page 4
With the Robbinsville “Flock” of student supporters behind them all the way, the members of the Ravens boys’ soccer team celebrates the team’s first state championship in program history. Robbinsville defeated Mendham in a shootout in the NJSIAA Group III final at Franklin High School on Nov. 12, 2022.
Ravens boys’ soccer team wins state championship By Rich Fisher
En route to making history, the Robbinsville High boys soccer team showed an incredible ability to dig deep and produce in the most pressurized of situations. Much of it had to do with quality players and coaching, but there was also the intangible of rigatoni
and an Italian shorti. “It was the togetherness of the team,” senior defender Sean Smith said. “(Senior defender) Nolan O’Grady’s dad said it best when discussing our team’s chemistry, saying ‘I might have to take a loan out after all the pasta parties and WaWa visits this year.’ “These group hangouts definitely
connected us on a more personal scale. Because we were close outside of soccer, inside of soccer we wanted to win games and fight for each other. Our scrappy play comes from our togetherness and the fact that no one on the team had an ego or was worrying about stats. Everyone stepped up when they had to.” See CHAMPS, Page 10
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