In the News
The following 3 press releases and newspaper stories have been released or published within the past two years:
Taekwondo Instruction Begins at Cedar Hill CDC
From left: Andrew Jennings, Craig Hill
On Monday September 29th, 2008 the students of Cedar Hill Community After School Program for low-income families in Boonton, were treated to a Martial Arts Exhibition performed by Master Craig Hill, Instructor Andrew Jennings and their protégées of HoSan Taekwondo of Randolph, which is owned by Grand Master Y.H. Kim, and is one of seven HoSan Taekwondo schools in New Jersey.
The exhibition launched the new partnership of HoSan Taekwondo with Cedar Hill CDC in offering free classes to all students enrolled in the after school program.
The seven person team ranged in ages from 8 to 45 with skill levels of pre black belts to 4th degree black belts. The program included the basic steps to beginning Tae Kwan Do as well as very advanced techniques.
The children of Cedar Hill CDC After-School Program were enthralled watching the demonstrators jump five feet in the air and break solid wood boards with their hands, feet and head.
Taekwondo is an unarmed martial art and the national sport of South Korea. It is the world's most popular martial art.
According to instructor Andrew Jennings, "We at HoSan Taekwondo feel that all children that are interested in this sport should have the opportunity to experience it. Not only is it excellent exercise for their bodies, it has the added benefits of teaching mental and ethical discipline, justice, etiquette, respect, and self-confidence."
Bridget Burke-Weiss, Program Director of Cedar Hill Community After-School Program added, "The students were so impressed with the exhibition, especially seeing children their age so advanced in the art. They kept saying "look—she is only in third grade and she can do a flying side kick—I want to learn to do that!" For more information please call Cedar Hill CDC at 973-263-9959 or visit their website at www.cedarhillcdc.org.
The following story appeared in the December 24, 2008 issue of NeighborNews Boonton-Boonton Twp.-Mountain Lakes edition:
Santa’s helpers spread early cheer
(by Lisa Kintish - December 24, 2008)
From left: Bill Walsh, Julia McConville, Samantha Seekamp and Rich
Hennion
Santa Claus paid an early visit. There was entertainment, and a holiday feast, but for one little girl, the best part of the celebration was receiving brown Hannah Montana shoes.
Good cheer was plentiful at the Christmas party thrown on Dec. 13 for the children enrolled in the Cedar Hill CDC after-school program. The hosts were the employees of Hennion and Walsh, a Parsippany-based brokerage company. It would be easy to quip that for a brief time, the company was transformed into the North Pole, or to quote from “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” or to use any number of holiday article cliches, but that would disservice the children, the employees, and the specialness of the afternoon they shared together.
On a simple level, the party was a fun moment, while on a more complex level, it showed that generosity and kindness continue to thrive in Morris County even during a recession.
Hennion and Walsh’s employees from Rockaway, Dover, Montville, and other towns all pitched in to better the season for the 32 Boonton children, from kindergartners to sixth graders, who are from low-income homes.
As Bill Walsh, a partner in the firm, noted, giving back to the community is important to his company and has been since it was founded 19 years ago.
“It is the culture we breed,” he said.
Steve Kowalski reads “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” during the party hosted by Hennion and Walsh for children who attend the Cedar Hill CDC after-school program in Boonton.
Therefore it was not surprising when two young employees, Samantha Seekamp and Julia McConville, both administrative assistants, presented the idea of giving to the Cedar Hill children, who meet at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Boonton after school. The women heard about the program while searching for a group of children to assist.
The women were not looking to do a toy drive or make a donation, but to truly enhance the Christmas of some local children. The party included presents as requested by the children along with clothes, shoes, and socks - items that are much needed by growing youngsters.
There was plenty of food with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and desserts served on nice tablecloths and dishes - not paper.
Walsh seemed truly touched by this when he said of the women, “They wanted to make it as personal an experience as they had growing up. A home-cooked meal.”
Everybody at Hennion and Walsh was involved, be it with shopping, wrapping, or some other party detail. This included Walsh and his partner Richard Hennion.
Walsh said, “We’re funding all this, but we’ll get our hands dirty like everyone else.”
Besides shopping and helping to serve food, the partners read a story about Santa Claus and shoes. Steve Kowalski, the company’s senior vice president, read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Bridget Burke-Weiss, program director for Cedar Hill CDC, cheerfully recounted how the children “squealed when they opened their gifts.” She talked about all the special moments, such as when Santa called each one up for a gift specifically for that child and the fact that they really liked the shoes.
Said Burke-Weiss, “I was surprised. I didn’t think it would mean that much to them.”
The reason for the gift of shoes, explained Burke-Weiss is that children go through shoes quickly and the price gets ever more expensive. Some of the children were particularly in need of new footwear because their old shoes were falling apart. The new shoes purchased by Hennion and Walsh were brand names, items that Burke-Weiss said, “were not what would be in the family budget, not something that was going to happen.”
Of the entire day, she said, “It was really nice, we depend upon the generosity of donations. The parents were touched that they had the party for the children.”
As for the guests of honor, besides finding the day to be a lot of fun, their impression depended upon their age.
Burke-Weiss said, “For the younger children, there was the magic of Santa. For the older children, they realized it was a gift. They realize the act of generosity.”
The children also had the opportunity to give. Besides sending thank-you cards after the fact, the kids showed their appreciation with songs, “Come All Ye Faithful” and a Yuletide medley. This was not the first time the children performed, nor will it be the last. Already they have entertained the residents at the Fireman’s Home and will be singing at other area nursing homes.
“We are trying to find ways for them to give back because people have been giving to them,” said Burke-Weiss.
The children’s singing did touch the adults in the room. McConville described it as “awesome” and said that the party surpassed her expectations.
The day was not just about tangible presents, but also memories. McConville took from the day the memory of the children running to hug Santa Claus as he tried to enter the room and of her helping the children play with their new toys.
“As a company, we like to give back to the community so we can change the lives of other people and bring wealth to them as well,” she said.
It is probably yet another cliché to say it is difficult to determine who was more touched that day and who received more, the adults or the children. But in the end, that does not really matter.
Giving is not limited to December. The big fundraiser for Cedar Hill CDC, which operates in connection with Boonton recreation, is to make summer camp possible for the children. For more information, visit www.cedarhillcdc.org.
Lisa Kintish can be contacted at kintish@northjersey.com.
Photos courtesy of Hennion & Walsh, Inc.
PHOTO COURTESY: BRIDGET BURKE-WEISS