Adoption: A Panel Discussion

Learn about the different types of adoptions—international, domestic, private and agency—from a panel of experts at Bernardsville Public Library on Tuesday, February 12 at 7:00 pm. Anyone considering adoption will learn valuable information from this group which will include Attorney Douglas Pine, Susan Kibler of Adoption Services International, Julie Ritsema of Bethany Christian Services, Adoptee Coach Kathy Vervan Bugglin of Self Reflection Coaching LLC, and Kristi Dawicki from the Division of Child Protection & Permanency (now DCP&P, formerly DYFS).

An adoption lawyer based in Bloomfield, NJ, Mr. Pine will moderate the discussion which will cover common adoption issues and concerns for families thinking about adoption or in the initial stages of adoption. Susan Kibler specializes in adoptions from the Ukraine. Julie Ritsema works at Bethany Christian Services and will speak to domestic adoptions in the United States. Kathy Vervan Bugglin, CPC, ELI-MP, is a life coach with expertise in working with adopted individuals and their families. Finally, Kristi Dawicki will speak about the New Jersey state agency responsible for child protection and welfare.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.

Going Solar 101

If you have questions about the practicality of installing or leasing a residential solar energy system for your home, come hear Christal Rosenka and Sean Barr of Independent Solar discuss the basics of residential solar energy systems on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:00 pm at Bernardsville Public Library. They will explain how a solar PV system works and speak about tax credits, federal and state incentives, current legislation, whether such a system adds to the value of your house and what the advantages and disadvantages are to leasing or buying.

 

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Clinton, NJ, Independent Solar specializes in solar and renewable installations in Hunterdon, Warren, Morris, and Somerset Counties. They also act as a boutique distributor of source materials to other solar installers from Massachusetts, to Virginia and Ohio. Independent Solar specializes in the use of American made solar panels and accessories.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link under Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.

"It's All About the Stories": Story Quilts by Judith Shevell On Display at Bernardsville Library in February

Tahiti

Story quilts by Judith Shevell will be on display in the library’s Community Room during the month of February in an exhibition titled "It's All About the Stories."  The public is invited to the artist’s reception on Sunday, February 3 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Ms. Shevell began creating art quilts in 1997 as a means of exploring close relationships with others.  A botanist by training, she also focuses on natural themes and is interested in anatomy and pathology.  In plants, disease alters growth and appearance in interesting ways.  Her love of plant anatomy shows up repeatedly in her quilts.

Ms. Shevell is intrigued by the creative process.  She doesn't believe in doing things only by the book and is a big fan of winging it.  "If you don't know how something is supposed to be done, you are much freer to do it any which way you can," she says.  Her motto is "There are no wrong decisions, just design opportunities!"

Ms. Shevell has exhibited and received awards at various international venues since 2001, and is published in 500 Art Quilts: An Inspiring Collection of Contemporary Work (500 Series) by Ray Hemachandra and Karey Bresenhan (Lark Publishing, 2010).  Her quilts are in private collections in the U.S. and abroad.  She is an assistant instructor of Artistic Expressions (Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton, NJ), a course designed to help adults with developmental disabilities express their own vision while working in a variety of media, and is the instructor of Story Quilts at Hunterdon Art Museum.  She also makes quilts on commission.

This exhibition will be on view in the library’s Community Room during regular library hours unless a meeting is in progress.  For further information, please call the library at 908-766-0118.

Saturday Samplers Book Group to Meet

Bernardsville Library’s book discussion group, Saturday Samplers, will meet on Saturday, February 2 at 3:30 pm to discuss "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens, the literary classic set in the turmoil of revolutionary France. It examines the abuses of the French Revolution, telling a tragic tale of slaughter and false imprisonment against a backdrop of political intrigue. Free. No sign-up is needed.

Basking Ridge resident Fauzia Burke will lead the next monthly guided meditation session at Bernardsville Public Library on Friday, February 1 at 10:00 am.  Ms. Burke’s style of meditation incorporates many cultural traditions and uses the power of word and imagery to facilitate a meditative experience. Each experience is honored as unique and can help reduce stress, generate creativity, and create positive energy. Free. No sign-up is needed.

The University of Can-Do Master's Program

After a year of successful workshops at "The University of Can-Do,” inspirational speaker and workshop leader Andrea Mastrobattista is ready to move to the next level.  Thus, the "University of Can-Do Master's Program" will begin meeting on Wednesday, January 30 at 7:00 pm at Bernardsville Public Library. "Do you have a goal that you think you can't make happen?" asks Ms. Mastrobattista, "Well, you can, because you have what it takes to accomplish it."

This workshop will run throughout the year, and each month participants will discover more skills for cultivating and maintaining the "can-do" determination to make a dream come true.  Of this first meeting, Ms. Mastrobattista says, "Just like Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking,' you can master the art of living a 'Can-Do' way of life.  Come to this revolutionary program to learn how YOU can become a 'Can-Do' Master!"

There is no charge to attend the library workshop, but advance registration is requested.  Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org, and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.

The Future of Work: Sustaining Lifelong Learning Skills

Being a lifelong learner is an essential skill for the foreseeable future.  Mike Landau, retired CEO of SetFocus, a technology school, will speak at Bernardsville Public Library on Tuesday, January 29 at 7:00 pm about the continuous process of acquiring learning skills to stay current in the technological age. He’ll discuss where technology is going; what new skills are needed to be effective in the workforce; how to think exponentially; and how to create your own plan to acquire the skills you need.

Mr. Landau has started a number of successful small businesses since 1987, prior to which he was the Director of Strategic Planning at AT&T. SetFocus, a technology school, specialized in training and placing IT professionals.  Mr. Landau has an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA from New York University.

           

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested.  Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link under Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.