As the number of cancer cases among Generation X and millennials rises Camp Kesem's University of Missouri chapter is providing support for kids whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer According to data scientists are estimating over 2 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S While this prognosis often changes the life of patients and their family's forever experts said the news can be especially difficult for children In an effort to help with this process, Kesem's University of Missouri chapter hosted a camp for kids of cancer patients The non-profit's overnight camp provides kids with a chance to get back to the roots of their childhood have campfires and meet peers going through a similar experience Mizzou student counselors led last week's camp Parents said the kids had a chance to open up to counselors about their loved ones' cancer journey Danielle Grefrath first enrolled her kids in the camp in 2021 She said after receiving her initial prognosis the first thing on her mind was her kids--Benny and June A mother of two,Grefrath wanted to make sure her kids had the resources they needed during this difficult time "It is so important for me to know that my kids health and mental well-being is taken care of,"Grefrath said She added she began to search for groups in the area that specialize in helping children and families of cancer patients "Kids of parents who have cancer is a very underserved community,"Grefrath said That's when she discovered Camp Kesem.Grefrath said she believes the camp allows kids to be kids "When they're parent is diagnosed with cancer they're forced to grow up too fast," Grefrath said is allow them to get back to their roots of being a kids and remove all of that." Last week marked Benny and June's third year at camp They said they look forward to the fun-filled week each year "We did talent shows together," June said Benny added its comforting to have a community of support "Everybody there is going through the same stuff as you and it's like you're not alone," Benny said While the camp serves as a helpful outlet to kids of cancer patients,Grefrath said it also gives parents peace of mind "Fighting cancer is more than just physical--it's mental too," Grefrath said "To make sure I not only have my family with me but that their mental health and well-being is taken care of as well helps me fight harder." The support from Kesem doesn't stop once camp ends. The group also provides a number of year-round services "To have Kesem here in Central Missouri has meant the world to us,"Grefrath said Your request has been blocked by our security system due to potential security concerns Please contact us for assistance Aaron Grefrath is the new Jefferson City parks and recreation director after an appointment on Thursday from the Parks and Recreation Commission Grefrath was named the interim director in August after former director Todd Spalding was put on leave. Spalding eventually resigned in September The release states that 45 people applied for the position “I am very excited to have the opportunity to serve as the next Director of JC Parks We are fortunate to have many great park facilities and amenities throughout the City creating opportunities to improve the quality of life for all,” Grefrath said in the release “I look forward to working with the citizens of Jefferson City in the future on the many great park projects that lie ahead.” has 26 years of experience “working in the educational recreational and upper management setting.” Since 2015 he had been the assistant Jefferson City parks and recreation director He was previously the activity center director for State Technical College and a senior program director for the Jefferson City YMCA The release also states that he is a Helias graduate earned a bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University and obtained a master’s degree from William Woods University ABC 17 News is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KMIZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information WESTWOOD – After nearly 23 years of service Peter Grefrath, second-longest serving Borough Council member and state Elected Officials Hall of Fame inductee announced his resignation from the Borough Council this week Grefrath said he enjoyed his time on the Borough Council but he thinks it is the right time to step down “I felt like I wanted to pass the torch while it was still lit to someone who has great ideas and more energy to get them done than I have right now,” Grefrath said Pride: Rainbow flag to be flown at Westwood Borough Hall after debate over location Community: Westwood Charity Golf Outing is a success Grefrath: Westwood Councilman Peter Grefrath inducted into Elected Officials' Hall of Fame said Grefrath’s “ever-present voice of reason” on the Finance Committee and his humor will be missed “Peter always represented the town with all of his heart and has done an outstanding job as a councilman,” Birkner said “His insights are always carefully measured and always meaningful.” Grefrath said some of his proudest accomplishments during his tenure include construction of a Fire Department headquarters the revitalization of Veterans’ Memorial Park and administering strong and workable budgets that keep Westwood affordable “being an important part of the fabric that makes Westwood unique and a desirable place to live” is what Grefrath will look fondly back on “I enjoyed being part of the vision of Westwood and worked to make it a place that is better than it was ‘back then,’” he said “I wanted people to experience improvements ‘This town is better now than when I first took office.’” he looks forward to walking around town with his wife and enjoying the things in town that he helped bring to fruition The Westwood Republican County Committee has 15 days to present the council with three candidates to replace Grefrath The council has 30 days from Grefrath’s May 2 resignation to choose from the pool of candidates That person will serve until the end of Grefrath’s term WESTWOOD—There is still time to place a memorial bench for a loved one in Veterans Memorial Park — at press time sites remain available at several of the verdant park’s pathways these nine sites are the last available memorial bench locations in the park before the project reaches capacity (There are a few coveted locations near the bandstand.) Bench program manager (and “councilman emeritus”) Peter Grefrath Westwood’s Municipal Bench Donation Program began in 2011 as a way to honor family or friends in lieu of memorial trees the planting of which are no longer permitted in Westwood parks.  and are a benefit to the many who frequent our parks and are looking for a place to relax and take in the view and the sounds of our town or a renegade chainsaw,” Grefrath tells Pascack Press “The Municipal Bench Program also offers memorial and commemorative benches that can be placed in any of the parks in town There are 61 benches at the borough’s 10 parks and various community locations are working together to install several benches as part of the age-friendly initiative funded by the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation through Meals on Wheels North Jersey.  The two are considering locations older residents might need to stop as they walk into town Brochures describing the Municipal Bench Program are available in the clerk’s office in the Municipal Center at the Recreation Department in the Community Center “Let’s maintain the positive momentum and continue to grow this program The organizers thank everyone for their continued support.” Pascack Valley election turnout bests Bergen County average 4 on $825K bond for purchase of 450 Pascack Road All content on this website is the property of The Press Group and is protected by copyright. Reproduction, distribution, or use of any material without prior written permission is strictly prohibited, unless otherwise stated. To report any misuse, please contact us at PascackPress@ThePressGroup.net Dramatic and Deveraux were the grand winners of the Rhinelander Bundeschampionate qualifier in Neuss-Grefrath Both horses scored high marks and especially Deveraux was only the second horse to crack the 9.0 barrier during the 2007 BuCha qualification season The 5-year old Dressage Horse class was won by Jana Freund aboard the super talented Hanoverian licensed stallion Dramatic (by Don Frederico x Weltmeyer) Owned by British Grand Prix team rider Fiona Bigwood Dramatic has three world class basic gaits Under his current rider and trainer Jana Freund he scored 8.8 and was the undisputed winner of the class Steffi Wittmann and Rijas placed second with an 8.4 score The 6-year old division was won by the Dutch rider Miranda Rongen on Deveraux (De Niro x Rohdiamant) The pair scored a fantastic 9.0 and beat Bernd Nothen on Daily Pleasure (by De Niro) who landed on second place with 8.4 Marion Schleypen and White Kiss finished third Back to the 2007 Bundeschampionate Index Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot Alyssa Dawson, a former staffer to LG Kim Guadagno was sworn-in tonight to a council seat in Westwood to succeed Councilman Peter Grefrath.  Dawson had announced her candidacy to run for Council in November alongside incumbent Ray Arroyo last month She was sworn-in by Guadagno in the council chambers Dawson becomes the youngest female public official in the state edging out Mendham Township Committeewoman Sarah Neibert and was appointed to her seat earlier this year "I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve as the newest member of the Westwood Council," Dawson told Insider NJ I have become the youngest female holding public office in the state as it allows me to connect with the younger demographic in Westwood and to be their voice as we work together to shape the future and continue the incredible successes of the rest of the governing body Grefrath resigned on May 1st from the Westwood Council after 23 years in office Dawson said Grefrath "left behind quite the legacy and while I have big shoes to fill I am confident in my ability to serve and believe that my passion for Westwood will emulate through my work as a Councilwoman." Guadagno tweeted her congratulations to Dawson earlier this evening: Congrats to @alyssakaye_xo just sworn in as THE youngest woman councilwoman in NJ. You and @SarahNeibert are the future of @NJGOP — Kim Guadagno (@KimGuadagnoNJ) May 16, 2018 I would like to receive emails from Insider NJ Receive our weekly Newsletterand set tailored daily news alerts Gorilla Protect is a new company formed in May this year to promote the Catus face mask Protective Gorilla Protect is a new company formed in May this year to promote the Catus face mask – a major leap forward in the effectiveness of personal protection products that are available to consumers in the fight against Covid-19 Behind Catus and the new company is Nova Textil the established fabric finishing company based in Grefrath and now run by father and son team Rainer and Oliver Hurtz Rainer Hurtz founded Nova Textil with a single Monforts Montex stenter and just five employees in 1999 and has steered its constant development and growth over the past twenty years “Our initial focus was on the coating of mainly glass fibre fabrics awnings and sun protection products for outdoor furnishings,” he said “We had a great customer who was providing us with so many orders that by 2005 we took the decision to order a second Montex stenter This also allowed us to enter the market for blackout and digital printing fabrics We’ve had a great ongoing relationship with Monforts from the beginning.” A third Montex stenter line was installed at the company’s Grefrath plant in 2015 by which time the company had grown to 40 people and a major new market had opened up in the supply of fabrics for promotional materials at exhibitions and trade shows “We had a fantastic two years in 2018 and 2019 and everything was going great for the first three months of this year but in April it all came crashing down,” said Oliver Hurtz “Coronavirus put an end to trade shows in 2020 which had a very serious impact on our business.” the company was exploring the potential of a new biocidal product from one of its chemicals suppliers which has both antiviral and antimicrobial properties “We had already been producing coated fabrics for hot gas filtration and realised that in combination with this new microporous coating we had the basis for a very effective single-layer face mask,” Rainer said “Achieving this with a single layer product rather than the usual three has resulted in a significant advance in comfort for the wearer and because the mask is able to disinfect itself and helps regulate humidity it can be worn a number of times without needing to be washed It only needs to be washed when it gets dirty and can also be washed up to twenty times without losing its properties which has to be preferable to single-use disposables.” Catus face masks are based on 100% woven cotton and the active ingredients in the finish are a reaction mass of titanium dioxide and silver chloride certified to ISO 20743 for their antibacterial effect and to ISO 18184 for their antiviral effect They are proven to eliminate over 99.99% of the human coronavirus 229 E with the multiplication of microorganisms such as germs and bacteria prevented by the biostatic action of silver salts and viruses destroyed by oxygen-releasing substances and a mechanism that attacks their fatty envelope The virus membrane loses its cholesterol content and the virus is inactivated Gorilla Protect next plans to make the masks available in four colours – black olive and grey – and is also working on colour branding and printing labels “It’s not possible to print on the surface of the mask after it has been coated but it is possible for volume orders to be printed before the treatment,” Oliver Hurtz said “Face masks are going to become an established part of life in the West like they are in Asia and need to be as comfortable and convenient as possible for the wearer,” his father concluded we believe Catus is a significant step forward.” www.monforts.de www.nova-textil.com Ahlstrom-Munksjö launches Extia Protect portfolio for face masks Mondi to make meltblown nonwovens and surgical facemasks Partnership creates 100% British Made Brilliant face mask A mayor was sworn in for a third consecutive term and a councilman kicked off his ninth term last week – both achieving notable distinction in borough history by Bergen County Freeholder Tom Sullivan at the reorganization meeting that took place Tuesday Republican incumbents Ray Arroyo and Peter Grefrath were sworn into their full three-year council terms with family by their side by Judge Alan Karch Birkner has been the only mayor in the borough’s history to be elected into a third consecutive term Arroyo said in his speech after being sworn in The three thanked voters who supported them in the uncontested November race Birkner thanked voters for also choosing him over former councilman Gary Conkling for the Democratic Party nomination in the June primaries "Thank you for this opportunity to continue to serve this great town of Westwood," Birkner said Grefrath was sworn in for the ninth time with his daughter Victoria holding the bible and wife Noeline standing close by – a tradition that hasn’t let up for 20 years "It’s kind of like winning the super bowl – it never gets old and it’s a lot of fun," Grefrath said of the swearing in ceremony that takes place at the start of an elected official’s new term "I’m going to tell you why I’ve served 20 years," Grefrath said telling a room of about 50 people about his upbringing and how his parents influenced a lifetime of service "There are already a lot of families in Westwood who give back," he said if you can give a little bit of your time to Westwood Grefrath is the co-founder of the annual Westwood Charity Golf Outing used for scholarships for borough residents "I’m grateful for the chance to serve another term," said Arroyo He said the per-son who’s influenced his polit-ical awareness the most has been his wife Joanne "I learned a lot about being a public official from my wife," he said "I never realized how civic-minded [she] was until I got elected to office." Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi attended the event and praised the borough council’s ability to meet its goals without letting party affiliation stop the process of important decision making "You’re a role model for the rest of the Pascack Valley region," she said "Two parties can work together to get stuff done." Ben Kezmarsky was appointed borough administrator at the meeting after nearly a year of being the interim administrator following Bob Hoffman’s termination last January Borough Attorney Russell Huntington was reappointed to his position at the meeting Taking over the council president seat from Arroyo who was unanimously approved for the position WESTWOOD – The LGBT Pride flag will once again be raised at Borough Hall this June to celebrate Pride Month after a debate over the location and presentation of the rainbow emblem sparked impassioned comments from the mayor and public about the importance of the central display The scuffle began when Councilman Peter Grefrath proposed a resolution Tuesday to place a new flagpole at the entrance of Westvale Park in the borough for the accommodation of “initiative flags such as the rainbow flag or any other flags deemed appropriate by the governing body.” Grefrath said he voted in favor of flying the flag in the town for the first time last year but took offense to the way it was displayed – hanging from a balcony at Borough Hall He compared its appearance to a frat house depicted in the movie “Animal House.” saying the flag should be flown proudly – “draping it over a balcony” was disrespectful to the flag and what it symbolizes H.S. Sports: Bergen County lacrosse semifinal previews New Jersey: This city is the most ethnically diverse city in nation He and other council members also said they felt Westvale Park might be a more prominent location for the flag where there’s foot traffic from not only Westwood residents but those from other communities asking why his fellow governing body members would want to “hide” the flag in Westvale Park on the outskirts of the community – a comment other council members took offense to Birkner said the Pride flag is not a political statement or a special interest statement but a representation of the town’s position on inclusion and support of the LGBT community “I’m very proud of Westwood and its recognition as a welcoming community committed to providing an environment that’s free of intolerance harassment or differential treatment of anyone,” Birkner said “That’s why I believe it’s very important that the pride flag be flown at Borough Hall – that is the hallmark of our town our government and what we stand for.” About 10 Westwood Regional High School students that are members of the Gender Sexuality Alliance club attended the meeting Some spoke about how meaningful seeing the flag hung in the center of town was to them spoke about the paralyzing fear and anxiety LGBT teens experience and the feeling that they’re “less than.” “For any kid that’s in the closet – it’s very scary – but just to drive past that flag will give so many people hope more so than in Westvale Park,” he said said moving the flag to Westvale would shadow the town’s message of inclusiveness “Driving by and seeing that flag hung so obviously in the center of town made me not only proud to be who I am but also showed that my town was proud of me “It shows we’re not afraid to display equality acceptance and love for all to see as they drive through the center of town It’s more than just a flag or banner to us.” Westwood: Rainbow flags fly in Glen Rock, Westwood Bergen: Ridgewood will fly Gay Pride flag in Van Neste Square Passaic: New Milford flies rainbow flag for LGBT Pride Month Resident Dritan Xhillari said the flag’s location at Borough Hall boils down to one word – endorsement – almost as if the town is saying “we approve this message,” he said The council decided at the close of the meeting to authorize for spending of dollars to purchase two new flag poles which will flank the one already existing at the municipal complex The Pride flag will fly among the American flag the POW flag and the Honor and Remember flag this year The town also hopes to add the state flag to the mix said the flag’s location at Borough Hall will “reinstate the symbol to its rightful place in this hall.” a vote for acceptance and a vote for peace in this community for everyone,” she said 2011 at 9:12 pm ETMembers of the Westwood governing body heard about the revitalization project during the council meeting Tuesday night Councilman Peter Grefrath outlined plans that Borough Planner Ed Snieckus worked on to enhance the park The revitalization project includes four phases The first phase put water into the park in preparation for plantings that will come later Grefrath said he wants to begin phase two of the project soon especially since one resident has already purchased a memorial bench for Veterans' Park through the some of which are memorial benches and some not are part of the second portion of the project Other elements for phase two include construction layout creating more friendly pathway configurations improving lighting and adding waste receptacles Grefrath said a 12-foot wide paver plaza will be installed around the bandstand during phase two as well which he said would give "the bandstand a little definition." He said shrubs would also be added to the bandstand area but would not interfere with sightlines for summer concerts Grefrath said he would have Snieckus create a large map for a full presentation to the governing body at a future meeting He said he would also get in touch with the Westwood Heritage Society and the VFW and Westwood Veterans' Council to see if members had any comments about the plans The governing body hopes to pay for phase two of the project with $164,000 in leftover funds from an ordinance appropriating money for improvements "There will not be any money coming from the taxpayers as a new bond or new funding." Phase three of the revitalization project will beautify the areas around the memorials in Veterans' Park which includes a cohesive plan for shrubbery and plantings around each He said there might also be ornamental tree groupings around the perimeter of the park to make passing cars less visible The VFW and Westwood Veterans' Council will have a say in the changes Phase four will continue site improvements Grefrath said pathways that lead to nowhere would be eliminated and suggested a perennial garden could be installed near the 9/11 memorial in the park Council President Robert Miller asked how much phases three and four would cost and where funding would come from Grefrath said that while he didn't know the exact cost he believed phase two would be the most expensive since it includes the lighting and 12-foot paver plaza He said he would have an answer on the cost at the next council meeting He added that he was unsure where the money to pay for the last phases would come from Councilwoman Cynthia Waneck said she believes the project is important "I think that Veteranas' Park is a key element to our borough and that we should continue to move forward to revitalize it," she said Sciara thanked Grefrath for his work and said he believed the borough should continue to pursue grant opportunities to help pay for the project The next Westwood council meeting is scheduled for Aug Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. taking part in the ARC transatlantic rally have been rescued after it began sinking and they could not trace the source of the leak A crew of five taking part in the ARC transatlantic rally has been rescued after their yacht began sinking yesterday The crew of the German-flagged Noah: Alexander Grefrath their two sons aged 12 and 10 and crewmember Jörg Zeibig a one-off aluminium-built BM39 by Berckemeyer Yacht Design began taking on large amounts of water three days after the start of the rally from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia Grefrath and his crew were some 340 miles south-west of Gran Canaria at the time They were unable to locate the source of the breach The skipper contacted ARC rally control at 1218UTC on 23 November and was given some advice about trying to locate where the water was coming in Grefrath issued a Mayday at 1409UTC when the water level had risen to above the level of the batteries and the electric pumps were no longer functioning The crew were unable to control the inflow of water with the boat’s manual pumps The Mayday was received by MRCC Tenerife and a number of other ARC yachts Those closest altered course to stand by: yachts Ocean Dream A request to all ships by the Maritime Co-ordination Centre was answered by the James Cook and after the Grefaths accepted assistance from the vessel ARC yachts were released to continue on their way The evacuation of the crew of Noah happened in late afternoon the same day with children and adults getting off the yacht at 1645UTC and transferring across on liferaft The RRS James Cook is en route for Santa Cruz de Tenerife with an expected arrival of early morning on 25 November The location and drift of the yacht has been monitored via an onboard YellowBrick tracker and it is expected to sink completely in the next 24 hours The position of the yacht Noah when it sank Alexander Grefrath wrote: ‘We confirm we are safe on our way to Tenerife remained calm and kept the situation under full control and were rational; we were able to make professional use of VHF Mayday communication I am convinced that we kept calm due to training and education and good equipment mostly inspired by the ARC safety guidelines… also big thanks to the professional preparation of the event Describing the hours leading up to the evacuation wrote: ‘At 14:20 we intercepted a Mayday call from a neighbouring boat…We were only five miles north of their position so we pulled down the sails and immediately motored over to them – it took us about an hour to reach them All four boats were in constant communication with each other and Noah must have been reassured to know that help was on the way The family on Noah deployed their liferaft The rescue operation was managed most professionally by the captain of James Cook He allowed them to drift towards him and then the passengers climbed up scrambling nets on the side of the ship to safety ‘The lady of the Noah contacted us after their rescue to let us know that they are all safe and well and to thank us for our support Our hearts go out to them and we wish  them well for whatever happens now We are very grateful that we are on the ARC and surrounded by so many helpful hands The cause of the sinking may never be known In a similar-sounding incident on last year’s ARC rally the crew of British yacht Magritte was evacuated to a ship after their yacht begin taking on large amounts of water and soon became sluggish and unstable The crew were unable to locate the source and remain mystified as to the cause You can read the story of the 2015 sinking here The June 2025 issue of Yachting World is out now.