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TASK keeps cooking New leader, same mision for Trenton Area Soup Kitchen BY MICHELE ALPERIN
Amy Flynn, the new chief executive officer of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, grew up poor on a dairy farm in rural Ohio, with early memories of an absence of heat during the cold winters. She remembers “going to bed at night and my mom stacking blanket after blanket on top of me and waking up in the morning and seeing my breath.” But an ethic of communal sharing trumped poverty in her farming community. “Even though our family didn’t have a lot, we never had so little that we
didn’t have something to give back,” Flynn recalls. “We canned all summer to have food for the winter and shared some of that food with others who had less.” This commitment to communal sharing was exemplified for Flynn by her grandmother, “a person of service, who was always giving back to the community.” Flynn says that the big meals her grandmother cooked for everyone at harvest time are reminiscent of TASK’s mission and the critical involvement of volunteers in realizing it. Not only does TASK provide food for the hungry six days a week at its Escher Street home, no questions asked, it also gives more than 4,000 volunteers a year a chance to See TASK, Page 6
LHS Junior Marvin McNeil has been the driving force behind the resurgent Lawrence High basketball team. The point guard leads the Cardinals in scoring and assists. (Photo by Sam Pastorella.)
Neel Desai named LTPS Marvin McNeil’s emergence assistant superintendent has LHS basketball surging how far would administrative certification through the you go if they NJEXCEL/FEA Leadership Program. sick? The were Lawrence Township Public He also earned bachelor’s degrees
BY BILL SANSERVINO
Schools has selected Neel Desai as the in psychology and exercise science district’s new assistant superintendent and sports studies, offering him a wellfor curriculum and instruction. rounded foundation in education and The board approved Desai’s appoint- human development. ment at its Jan. 2 meeting, and he is set Desai has served in several leaderto begin the role on March 10. ship roles, including elementary school Desai, an educator and administra- teacher, vice principal, principal and tor with nearly 25 years of experience, director across various school districts. Welcome to Capital holds a Master of Education from Rut-Health. “His leadership is defined by his See DESAI, Page 3 gers Graduate School of Education and When someone you care about is sick, you’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they get the best care. And so do we.
BY RICH FISHER
If anyone needs to get Marvin McNeil’s attention, Jeff Molinelli knows the secret. “Any time you say basketball, Marvin comes running,” the Lawrence High boys basketball coach said. And McNeil won’t dispute that. “When I’m not playing basketball, I’m watching basketball,” the Cardinals junior point guard said. “I just love the game. It’s
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all basketball. I watch the NBA, college, other high schools. I really appreciate basketball.” His favorite college team is Duke, and his current NBA team is the Mavericks – because of one man. “I have a favorite player and it’s Kyrie (Irving),” McNeil said. “Pretty much every team he goes on, I’m watching that team. I remember when he was on the Cavs and See MCNEIL, Page 8
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