Still Time for Joy

More than two weeks after Tropical Storm Helene devastated parts of North Carolina, damaged infrastructure means some residents in remote areas are still stranded. Volunteer pilots, many from the Jersey Aero Club in Lakewood, NJ, have flown more than 15 tons of food, medicine, diapers, and even body bags to small airports in the southeast. Relief workers there then deliver the supplies using horses, ATVs, and helicopters.
The relief effort was started by a 29-year-old Toms River, NJ man, who wants to pay forward kindness shown to him.
Please note: The volunteers in Lakewood, NJ, are no longer soliciting donations of supplies; they are concentrating on distributing what has already been collected. They ARE looking for additional volunteer pilots to take supplies to North Carolina this month (October 2024). Contact Steve Adams of Jersey Aero Club at [email protected]

Jersey Aero Club https://www.njaeroclub.org/
Sandra Levine Productions  https://sandralevine.com/

Watch Still Time for Joy as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd 

Every April and October, Clean Ocean Action holds massive Beach Sweeps to rid the New Jersey Shore of all kinds of trash and debris. The nonprofit group has been advocating for the ocean for 40 years, and running Beach Sweeps for 39 years. (The fall 2024 date is October 19th.)

Thousands of volunteers come out to rid the beaches of bottle caps, cans, styrofoam, tires, and other garbage. Participants say they feel good not only about beautifying the land, but also protecting animals that may otherwise be harmed or killed from ingesting, or becoming entangled in, the debris. Clean Ocean Action's Debris-Free Sea Coordinator Kira Cruz explains.

Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweeps https://cleanoceanaction.org/beach-sweeps
Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com/

Watch Still Time for Joy as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

Mary's Place by the Sea is a gorgeous wellness retreat in Ocean Grove, NJ, where women with cancer put their stress on pause to heal mind, body, and soul. Remarkably, all services are provided free of charge.

Mary's Place was co-founded by Michele Gannon in 2009, and has served some 15,000 women in the past 15 years. Women with cancer receive services including oncology massage, reiki, nutritional counseling, and much more. Most important, they connect and bond with other women facing similar challenges.

Each year, Mary's Place raises funds through a Walk-a-Thon and 5K Run on the Ocean Grove boardwalk. The 2024 event will take place October 12.

Mary's Place by the Sea https://www.marysplacebythesea.org/
Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com/

Watch Still Time for Joy as a video podcast on YouTube @sandralevineprod

Ocean County Rutgers Master Gardeners hold their Fall Garden Days in Toms River, NJ, to talk to the public about all the activities that can be done in the garden, even after fall arrives. Susan Emhardt-Servidio, senior horticulturist and coordinator of the program, talks about the benefits of planting native species, composting, soil testing, cleaning your tools, and much more.
Master Gardener Programs can be found in all 50 states.

Rutgers Master Gardener Program https://njaes.rutgers.edu/master-gardeners/
Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com

Watch Still Time for Joy as a video podcast on YouTube @sandralevineprod

Boasting miles of easy walking trails and stunning views of the salt water marsh, Cattus Island County Park is a 530-acre oasis in Toms River, Ocean County, at the New Jersey Shore. The park is home to nesting ospreys each spring, offers opportunities for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, and educates visitors about native plants and wildlife in the Cooper Environmental Center. 
Nikki Vernachio, chief park naturalist, talks about the benefits to body and mind of being in nature, and the importance of exposing the riches of the natural world to children, the future stewards of the planet.

Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation https://www.oceancountyparks.org
Sandra Levine Productions https://sandralevine.com

Watch Still Time for Joy as a video podcast on YouTube @SandraLevineProd

Yoga provides so many health benefits to both body and mind; adding a sunrise surf lesson at the New Jersey Shore makes the experience even more beautiful and beneficial. 

Marissa McIntyre is the founder of Yoga del Soul in Toms River, NJ, which offers yoga classes for all levels. She and her partner Jeff Croteau run a Yoga-Surf camp during the warm weather in Seaside Park, NJ.

I recently gave it a try with my daughter, Caroline, and had a great time, even though I found learning to surf quite challenging.

Yoga del Soul  https://www.yogadelsoulnj.com/
Sandra Levine Productions  https://sandralevine.com/

Watch Still Time for Joy as a video podcast on YouTube @sandralevineprod

Listen to this remarkable story of resilience, and turning pain into purpose.

At age 21, while walking down the street on Spring Break in Daytona Beach, FL, Steven Benvenisti was struck and nearly killed by a drunk driver. He suffered horrific physical injuries as well as a severe traumatic brain injury, and doctors thought he would not survive.

Benvenisti vowed, if he were able to make a complete recovery, to devote his life to working to prevent drunk driving accidents, and helping people who have suffered a brain injury. 

Today, he is a personal injury attorney and partner at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon in Teaneck, NJ, helping victims to receive compensation for their injuries. He is the chair of the advisory board of MADD - NY/NJ/PA, and the president of the board of trustees of the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey.

Davis, Saperstein & Salomon https://www.dsslaw.com/
Sandra Levine Productions  https://sandralevine.com/

Still Time for Joy is available as a video podcast on YouTube @sandralevineprod

World-renowned dementia care specialist, Teepa Snow, provides practical advice and trusted information on all aspects of dementia and caregiving, so family caregivers, caregiving professionals, and the medical community can assist people living with dementia with more respect, greater success, and less frustration.

Teepa, who has been an occupational therapist for 45 years, founded Positive Approach to Care, which offers extensive training opportunities, both in-person, and online, to thousands around the world.

In this episode, Teepa gives host Sandra Levine—whose mother had Alzheimer’s Disease—pointers on how she might have handled some difficult situations, like the need for her mom to stop driving.

Positive Approach to Care: https://teepasnow.com/
Sandra Levine Productions: https://sandralevine.com/

Still Time for Joy is available as a video podcast on YouTube @sandralevineprod

Art therapy uses making art to help bring subconscious thoughts to a more conscious level, and open the door for discussing them. Joanna Flora is a board-certified art therapist with a practice in Sparta, NJ, and a member of the board of directors of the NJ Art Therapy Association. Joanna explains how art therapy can help people of all ages with issues ranging from anxiety to postpartum depression to PTSD. 
Flora and Associates: https://floraandassociates.com/
NJ Art Therapy Association: https://www.njarttherapy.com/
Sandra Levine Productions: https://sandralevine.com/

Still Time for Joy is available as a video podcast on YouTube @sandralevineprod

Opportunities for physical recreation can be severely limited for blind and visually impaired young people. Camp Abilities changes all that by giving participants a chance to hone athletic skills, which in turn boosts confidence. The camp's coaches include Kean University students who will use their experiences to provide richer opportunities for visually impaired students in their physical education classes.

Alex Stribing, Ph.D., assistant professor at Kean University in NJ, and director of Camp Abilities at the RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams in Toms River, NJ, explains the benefits to the young athletes, the college students, and the greater community.

Thank you to Scheno Photography for many of the photos of Camp Abilities in this podcast.

Camp Abilities - Field of Dreams: https://rwjbhfieldofdreams.com/camp-abilities/
Sandra Levine Productions: https://sandralevine.com

Still Time for Joy is also available as a video podcast on YouTube @sandralevineprod