September 25, 2024

Ari Meisel is a Problem Solver Who is Deeply Invested in PPS and Community

To the Editor:

I’m writing in support of Ari Meisel as a candidate for the Board of Education. Ari is a problem solver who is deeply invested in our school system and our community, and I believe that he will be a capable addition to the Board.

You may have heard Ari described as an “efficiency coach.” I didn’t fully understand what that meant when I first met Ari a few years ago, but I’ve come to understand that it involves helping entrepreneurs and C-level executives become better managers and navigate challenging periods for their businesses. This is often during a time of growth or transition, and Ari’s role involves digging into the details of a business and finding ways to improve systems and operations, whether it be by leveraging technology (one of Ari’s favorite topics), by hiring or delegating in a strategic way, or by teaching his clients to be more effective managers and communicators. From my perspective, that is a pretty ideal skill set to bring to the management of a system as important as our school district.  more

Solidaridad Central Jersey Volunteers Note That Asylum Seekers are Our Neighbors

To the Editor:

We hear a lot of talk against immigrants and immigration these days, but too often we fail to remember that, many times, people come to this country seeking refuge from violence and persecution. They have a right to apply for asylum, in accordance with UN Conventions and U.S. law, but there is little assistance available to help them navigate a complex system of rules and forms to seek asylum. Many are desperately looking for a better, safer life for themselves and their children; they contribute to our communities, filling important gaps in employment and adding the richness of their cultures to our lives.

The recent ICE raid in Princeton reminds us that a number of Solidaridad volunteers first came together six years ago, in response to a series of pre-dawn raids at immigrant neighbors’ homes. We are grateful that our elected representatives spoke out against the most recent action and that community members mobilized to ensure that our neighbors in Princeton knew their rights.  more

Call for Action, Awareness at Intersection of Rollingmead, Snowden, and Hamilton

To the Editor:

Driving over the years has gotten more and more dangerous. Car crashes continue to be the leading cause of death in the U.S. Getting a call that a loved one has gotten into an accident can be a traumatic experience. I experienced this twice (in March 2023 and April 2024) when my mom called to inform me that my dad got into an accident and the car he was driving got totaled. Luckily there were no fatal injuries, but the thought that something worse could have happened still lingers. Recently another crash at the same intersection was brought to my attention — hence the call to action to create awareness among the community and to find a solution to avoid further crashes.

Both the crashes, coincidentally, happened at the four-way intersection of Rollingmead, Snowden Lane, and Hamilton Avenue. This intersection only has two-way stop signs and has blind spots. Contributing factors also include overgrown shrubs, and no indicators stating that the incoming traffic does not stop. In both instances the car coming from Hamilton Avenue did not fully stop and resulted in a multi-vehicle crash including my dad’s car and, in both instances, he was not at fault. This intersection has been noted by residents as the most dangerous intersection in town. Princeton has many pedestrians and cyclists going through the various intersections, and we need to make them safer before we have more accidents. more

BOE Candidate Mara Franceschi is Running For Reelection Because Experience Matters

To the Editor:

I am writing as a 14-year resident of Princeton, mother of three (college and two at PHS), longtime community and school volunteer, and current Board of Education member.

I am running for reelection to the BOE because experience matters. My background makes me uniquely qualified among the other candidates running to assist our schools from the very first day. With an MBA from Columbia, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter, and over a decade’s work experience in finance, I am well-qualified to manage financial oversight of the district. I currently co-chair the Personnel committee and sit on the Operations and Long-Range Planning committees. I have served as treasurer for the JP PTO, Nassau Nursery School, and Friends of the Library and on the town’s now disbanded Citizens Finance Advisory Committee (CFAC), among other volunteer positions.  more

Zhao and Potter are United in Dedication To Supporting Diverse Needs of Students

To the Editor:

As Asian parents in Princeton, we are deeply invested in the education and future of our children. This year, we have the opportunity to elect two candidates to the Board of Education who not only reflect our values, but also bring personal experiences that resonate with our community. Shenwei Zhao and Lisa Potter come from different paths, but both are united in their dedication to supporting the diverse needs of Princeton’s students.

Princeton’s Asian population makes up close to 20 percent of the town’s residents. Our community is growing, with families from China, India, Japan, Korean, Taiwan, and other Asian nations contributing to Princeton’s rich cultural landscape. Zhao and Potter are shining examples of how leadership can reflect the diversity of our town and support the unique needs of families like ours. more

Obituaries 6/25/2024

Edward “Ted” P. Bromley Jr.

Edward “Ted” P. Bromley Jr., beloved family member and all-around good person, died peacefully on May 25 at Pennswood Village in Newtown, PA. He was 87.

Ted was born in Philadelphia, PA, to Ruth Hancock and Edward P. Bromley and was the eldest of three children. He earned a BE from Princeton University in 1958 and an MBA from Harvard in 1961. He subsequently served in the U.S. Army for two years.

Ted met his wife, Barbara Broomhead, at a mixer in Boston. They were soon married and in the following 62 years had three children followed by four grandchildren.

Ted found professional satisfaction and success in a series of different jobs. He started out as a stock analyst, then changed directions to become the CFO for Mohr Orchards followed by becoming the president of North American Lace. He ended his career as an investment advisor for U.S. Trust. He worked well into his 70s simply because he liked his clients and associates and enjoyed the time he spent with them.

It was Ted’s love for family and friends that gave him his greatest satisfaction. Every year on Ted and Barbie’s wedding anniversary, Ted would write Barbie a poem that contained bad rhyming and terrible puns but always delivered smiles and laughter. He also loved inventing games to play with his children and grandchildren.

Ted loved travel, forecasting the weather, geography, architecture, and all things French. But spending a day on Silver Lake in the Poconos with his family and friends sailing, playing games, and enjoying the scenery is what he loved the most.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara; his brother James Bromley; his three children Tad Bromley (Dawn Reitz-Bromley), Lisi Bromley, and Brinton Bromley (Kerry Smisek); as well as four grandchildren Sky Walker, Emilie Bromley, Flynn Walker, and Nora Bromley.

A service for Ted will be held at Trinity Church in Princeton, NJ, on October 19 at 2 p.m. Gifts to honor Ted can be given to The Watershed Institute (thewatershed.org) or Compassion and Choices (compassionandchoices.org).

———

Fred Panitz, MD, JD

Fred Panitz 90, of Sheffield, MA, and Sarasota, FL, died peacefully at his home in Sheffield on September 14, 2024.

Fred was born in Brooklyn, NY, to parents Joseph and Jeanette Panitz who immigrated from Poland.

He earned a BA from Brooklyn College, and his MD degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He completed his medical training at Philadelphia General Hospital, and an Internal Medicine residency at the Veterans Administration Hospital in New York.

Fred married his first wife, Joyce Fishman Panitz, before reporting for his Army service as a Captain in Heidelberg, Germany.

They then returned to New York where he took a Cardiology residency at the same VA Hospital.

In 1965, he joined an Internal Medicine practice in Hightstown,  NJ, and was a founder of Hightstown Medical Associates with doctors Bernard Ghitman and Julius Richter.

With Bernie, Fred began the Hightstown Planned Parenthood clinic, using donated space, and an all-volunteer staff.

He also served on the Hightstown Board of Health.

Fred married Elaine Beguin Panitz, MD, in 1977.

After retiring in 1989, he earned his JD degree from Rutgers University School of Law. Fred thereafter assisted in medico-legal cases in New Jersey and Massachusetts.

They moved to Sheffield, where Fred served on the Sheffield Board of Health.  He and Elaine were instrumental in founding the Volunteers in Medicine clinic in Great Barrington, MA, which provided free care for uninsured workers.

Fred was predeceased by his parents, his sister Elaine Panitz Epstein, and his first wife.

Besides his beloved wife Elaine and their son, David, Fred is survived by his sons from his first marriage, Eric and Daniel (Amanda), and grandchildren Ty, Seraphina, and Hudson.

A graveside service will take place at Pine Grove cemetery, in Sheffield, MA, on September 25, 2024.

September 18, 2024

Young Partiots Day

Reenactors march past observers on Sunday at the annual day of history-themed activities at Princeton Battlefield State Park, hosted by the Princeton Battlefield Society. Attendees share what they learned at the event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Search for Schools Superintendent Continues

By Donald Gilpin

Ratcheting up their search for a permanent leader, the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) Search Committee was set to meet on Wednesday, September 18 with two lead search consultants from School Leadership LLC, a Long Island-based firm hired last week.

Four firms were interviewed by an ad hoc BOE committee, and the BOE noted that School Leadership, which has led many superintendent searches for school districts in the New York metropolitan area over the past 20 years, “had the best combination of search experience as well as familiarity with the Princeton Public Schools.”

One of the lead consultants, Martin Brooks, who has served as superintendent in several Long Island communities, led the Tri-State Consortium, an alliance of public school districts of which Princeton is a member, for 16 years, and in that time he visited Princeton five times.  more

New Advocacy Group Seeks Community Input on Civil Rights Issues

By Donald Gilpin

About 35 local residents, seeking to sharpen the community’s focus on civil rights, have founded a new organization called Civil Rights Princeton (CRP).

“Civil Rights Princeton is a citizens advocacy group intending to serve the cause of civil rights in Princeton, as a sounding board and information source, and, when needed, an advocate and mediator for victims of discrimination in our community,” wrote Walter Bliss, a member of the group and a longtime local resident.

So far the committee has been meeting monthly with an agenda generated mostly by questions brought up by members of the group.

“We’re brand new,” said Lew Maltby, CRP chair and chief organizer. “Nobody knows we’re here. We think that once people know we’re here, they’ll bring complaints to us.” Individuals with concerns, questions or complaints should contact CRP at maltbyadr@gmail.com, he added. more

Noom Moves to New Headquarters in Palmer Square Office Building

By Anne Levin

Noom, the digital health and wellness company known for its psychology-based weight loss program, has moved into a 9,000-square-foot space at 1 Palmer Square. The company also has offices at 5 Penn Plaza in New York City.

Last Thursday, September 12, was move-in day for the company, coinciding with its introduction of Noom GLP-1 Rx, which combines an injectable weight loss drug with a way to taper off of it.

The program “addresses the biggest real-world problems with GLP-1s: poor persistence and lean muscle mass loss,” said Chief Executive Officer Geoff Cook in a press release. “Evidence demonstrates the vast majority of people, six out of seven, are not on these medications forever. They lose lean muscle mass and regain the weight, risking conditions like sarcopenic obesity, leaving them potentially worse off than before they started the medication. People need affordable access to these important medications, and then they need an offramp off of them. We designed Noom to be that offramp. Our goal is not to sell more medications; it’s to achieve sustainable, lasting weight loss for our members.” more

Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs Celebrates 90th Anniversary This Season

FOR THE JOY OF SINGING: Members of the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs gather each month to sing choral works under the batons of area conductors. There are no rehearsals or auditions, and all are welcome to sing or just listen.

By Anne Levin

At its founding in 1935, the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs (PSMA) was a small club, hosted by Princeton University’s Music Department. At informal Sunday afternoon meetings, about 20 people gathered to sing selections of choral literature. Accompaniment was by a single pianist.

These days, the PSMA boasts 266 members. An invited orchestra accompanies most works, which span the choral repertoire to include requiem masses by Brahms, Mozart, and Faure; Handel’s Messiah; and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, to name a few. Guest conductors from local choruses and choirs lead each gathering. A programming committee plans each season. more

Four New Signs on Lawrence Hopewell Trail Add to the “Outdoor History Museum”

HISTORY AT ITS HEART: The 17 informational markers along the 20-mile Lawrence Hopewell Trail help tell the story of Mercer County. Four new markers — two in Lawrence, two in Hopewell — were recently added.

By Anne Levin

Whenever the members of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation’s (LHTC) Saturday Morning Walking Club come upon one of the informational markers placed in key spots along the way, the walk halts for a moment as participants stop to take in the history of the area they are passing.

“The signs are important. People love them,” said David Sandahl, chair of the LHTC’s board of trustees. “They always want to stop and read them, and find out what happened there in the past.”

With four more signs, created by Trenton-based Hunter Research, recently added to the 20-mile trail, the tally is up to 17. More are anticipated for next year.

 more

Princeton University Summer Programs Offer Rich Rewards for Range of Students

By Donald Gilpin

“Access” and “opportunity” are the goals for five different Princeton University summer programs, which this year served about 400 high school, public college, first-generation, lower-income, and transfer students.

Targeting Princeton University students as well as non-Princeton students, the University’s aptly-named Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity (EBCAO) this past summer sponsored the following programs: Aspiring Scholars and Professionals (ASAP), Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI), Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP), Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), and Transfer Scholars Initiative (TSI). more

Fields of Dreams: W.E.B. Du Bois, James Earl Jones, and the Library Book Sale

By Stuart Mitchner

So the lawyers suggested going around the globe and get someone completely opposite from J.D. Salinger. Not a novelist but a journalist, not a white guy but a Black guy, and that’s how I lucked out and got the role.

—James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

The feature attraction at this weekend’s Friends and Foundation Princeton Public Library Book Sale is a collection of rare African American literature donated by Rutgers Professor Donald Gibson, who died at 90 on January 3. During his four decades as a teacher, Gibson helped establish the study of Black literature as a legitimate university course. Among his numerous books, essays, and lectures is the introduction to The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois, which is available among the titles in the library’s non-fiction book group.

The Common Factor

Gibson presents Du Bois’s book as “a very personal document” in which the soul is “a common factor, exclusive of considerations of race, class, or religious affiliation, education or social status.” Gibson suggests that the “I am a person and you are a person” principle underlying The Souls of Black Folk shares the “whatever belongs to me as well belongs to you” spirit of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass.

Whitman’s famous mantra also expresses the foundational spirit behind secondhand books and the sales that keep them moving from reader to reader. That said, book sale patrons will still have to pay the stated cost for each volume, as well as the admission charges at Friday’s 9 a.m.-noon Preview Sale. As a longtime Princeton resident, Gibson no doubt attended his share of these sales, presumably finding treasures like those that will be on view in the Community Room from Friday, September 20 through half-price day on Sunday, September 22.  more

Princeton Symphony Orchestra Opens Season with Towering 19th-Century Masterpieces

By Nancy Plum

Princeton Symphony Orchestra opened its 2024-25 classical series this past weekend with two performances at Richardson Auditorium. Led by Orchestra Music Director Rossen Milanov, the ensemble presented music of two 19th-century compositional giants, as well as a contemporary piece with a Princeton connection.

Saturday night’s performance (the concert was repeated Sunday afternoon) opened with an unusual work by New Zealand composer Gemma Peacocke, currently a Ph.D. fellow in composition at Princeton University. Peacocke has been commissioned by ensembles worldwide, including New Zealand’s Orchestra Wellington and Arohanui Strings. These two organizations commissioned Peacocke in 2023 to create the one-movement Manta, a musical description of the oceanic manta rays which migrate to the seas around Peacocke’s native Aotearoa region. Perceived as solitary creatures, manta rays are in reality quite active, demonstrating acrobatic movements which would translate well to musical composition.  more

Premiere of “Empire Records: The Musical” Succeeds at McCarter; Energetic Script, Score, and Production Deliver a Fun, Heartfelt Story

“EMPIRE RECORDS: THE MUSICAL”: Performances are underway for “Empire Records: The Musical.” Presented by McCarter Theatre Center, by special arrangement with Bill Weiner, and directed by Trip Cullman, the musical runs through October 6 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Above: Temporarily unaware of the record store’s financial problems, the employees relish the relaxed atmosphere that their workplace offers. (Photo by Daniel Rader)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

McCarter Theatre is presenting the world premiere of Empire Records: The Musical. Directed by Trip Cullman, the exuberant production begins with a high energy level that it steadily maintains, even as it breathes to allow for character development that is by turns comic and poignant.

Adapted from the 1995 coming-of-age comedy film, the show follows the exploits of the titular record store’s idiosyncratic but fiercely loyal employees, who form a tightly knit community. The employees’ determination to preserve their community leads them to take extreme, at times comically ill-conceived and dangerous, steps to prevent the store from entering into a franchise agreement with a corporation. more

‘Groundhog Day The Musical” Is Based on Film Comedy

SAME DAY, DIFFERENT VERSE: The full cast of “Groundhog Day The Musical,” which comes to Kelsey Theatre at Mercer County Community College from September 20-29.

It’s a case of “déjà vu all over again” — with a comedic, musical twist — when Playful Theatre Productions opens the 2024-25 Kelsey Theatre season with Groundhog Day The Musical, September 20-29, on Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC) West Windsor Campus.

Based on the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray,  Groundhog Day follows a day in the life of arrogant big-city weatherman Phil Conners, who is dreading the annual trip to Punxsutawney, Pa., to report on the town’s Groundhog Day ceremony. But his frustration with the event can’t compare to what follows, when a storm keeps him in town and he finds himself reliving the same day over and over again. Stuck in an endless loop of arrogance and cynicism amongst the quirky townsfolk, Phil must learn to take advantage of his second, third, and fourth chances to break the cycle and transform his life. more

Cécile McLorin Salvant Presents Diverse Program

BACK AT RICHARDSON: Jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant premieres her latest project at a performance sponsored by Princeton University Concerts on Wednesday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m.

After her Princeton University Concerts (PUC) debut celebrating Toni Morrison in 2023, jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant returns on Wednesday, October 9, at 7:30 p.m. to Richardson Auditorium, to premiere Book of Ayres, her latest project combining Baroque music, vaudeville, Sappho, and folkloric material of Europe and the Americas.

She will be joined by her musical collaborator Sullivan Fortner on harpsichord, keyboards, and piano, along with flutist Emi Ferguson, theorborist/lutist Dusan Balarin, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and percussionist Keita Ogawa — all renowned improvisers from genres spanning early music, jazz, folk, and electronic music. more

Garden Theatre Marks the Spooky Season

This October, the Princeton Garden Theatre will present a series of films to mark the spookiest time of the year.

The Garden’s programmers have scheduled a new restoration of Tim Burton’s eerie Sleepy Hollow; the screwball comedy I Married a Witch, with Veronica Lake as an immortal sorceress; the musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors preceded by a carnivorous plant presentation; the David Bowie vampire flick The Hunger as part of the Garden’s Fashion in Film series; and a documentary on Norwegian painter Edvard Munch.

For young viewers, the October $5 Family Matinee title is the animated creature feature, Hotel Transylvania.

The Garden’s Retrograde series will offer two films this October: the teen-vampire phenomenon Twilight, and the parody comic book film, The People’s Joker. The end of the month will see the return of Not So Silent Cinema providing live accompaniment to F.W. Murnau’s iconic Nosferatu, and on Halloween night the theater will present Dario Argento’s Suspiria.

The Garden Theatre is at 160 Nassau Street. Tickets are available at the box office or online at princetongardentheatre.org/specials.

Welcoming With Music

A “Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Concert” on Saturday, September 14 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Princeton was hosted by the Princeton Active Circle and Chinese Musicians Association as part of Princeton’s Welcoming Week activities. Works by Guggenheim Fellow composers and musicians from well-known orchestras, Broadway, and the Silk Road Ensemble took part.

Delaware River Harmony at Johnson Education Center

“SERENADE OF THE WETLANDS”: Delaware River Harmony, an event featuring music, poetry, and visual art that showcases the talent of artists inspired by the Delaware River including TingTing Hsu, whose work is shown here, is on September 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center.

Join D&R Greenway and the Artful Deposit Gallery on Thursday, September 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, for Delaware River Harmony, an evening where nature and art converge with the vibrant spirit of the community. It will be blend of music, poetry, and visual art as they showcase the talent of artists inspired by the Delaware River. Tickets are $35 per person with proceeds benefiting the Discovery Center at Point Breeze. RSVP by calling (609) 924.4646 or at drgreenway.org.

Guests will experience a relaxing coffeehouse atmosphere while enjoying refreshments courtesy of Under the Moon Café. “Along the Delaware River & Crosswicks Creek” exhibiting artists Shawn Campbell, Kate Graves, Pat Proniewski, and Alan Fetterman will give presentations about how the Delaware River inspired their art. Inspirational readings from published poets Dan Aubrey, Alan Fetterman, Lois Harrod, Derrick Owens, and Maxine Sussman will reflect the beauty of the natural environment.  more

Princeton Makes to Host Art at Night on Sept. 21

“CELEBRATION”: Jessie Krause is among the artists at Princeton Makes, celebrating its third anniversary with an art making party on Saturday, September 21 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. in the Princeton Shop[ping Center.

Princeton Makes, a Princeton-based artist cooperative, will celebrate its third anniversary by hosting Art at Night, an evening art making party, on Saturday, September 21 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. The party will take place at its artist studios and art market in the Princeton Shopping Center.

Art at Night will be a fun evening of creativity and community. The event will feature live model drawing sessions (with supplies provided), a collaborative community art project, hands-on creative activities for all ages, live music by the Mark Carson Trio, a raffle of Princeton Makes Artists’ work, and more. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. more

“When They Were Here” at Trent House Museum

“WHEN THEY WERE HERE”: An immersive exhibition featuring works by local artist Beverly Keese-Kelley is in the William Trent House Museum’s Visitor Center in Trenton September 21 through September 29.

The Trent House Association hosts an exhibition by local artist Beverly Keese-Kelley in the Museum’s Visitor Center, premiering on Art All Day, September 21, and continuing through September 29. The exhibit, “When They Were Here,” complements the mission of the William Trent House Museum to share authentic stories of U.S. history. The museum is located at 15 Market Street in Trenton, across from the Hughes Justice Complex. Free parking and the museum entrance are at the rear of the property off William Trent Place.

“When They Were Here” is an immersive exhibit presenting a snapshot of those whose stories may not have been told. Keese-Kelley preserves their forgotten tales through an installation of artifacts, providing a visual journey into the past. With flashes of historical moments of untold and abandoned stories about the African American experience during enslavement and beyond, these stories are preserved and the contributions of those who lived them are celebrated.  more

Hobart Art Show Returns to Steinbeiser Farm

HOBART ART SHOW: A sculpture by Steven Snyder is shown in the meadow at Steinbeiser Farm in Fenchtown. Works by contemporary artists from the Delaware River region will be on view in the event running September 28 and 29 and October 5 and 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

The Hobart Art Show will return for its seventh consecutive year on September 28 and 29 and October 5 and 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The event showcases works by more than 25 of the region’s leading contemporary artists from the Delaware River region.

It is held on Steinbeiser Farm, a 26-acre property owned by Paul Steinbeiser, a prominent landscape designer and stone mason who has worked in the Hunterdon and Bucks County, Pa., communities for decades.  more

Downsize, Declutter, Discard, Move Forward With Walsh Senior Solutions Services

SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS: “The goal of Walsh Senior Solutions is to provide families with helpful solutions during downsizing and stressful moving situations. Our team is very efficient. We are professional organizers, helping people clean up, move out, and move into their new home,” says John Walsh, founder of Walsh Senior Solutions. Shown from left are employees Jack Sander, John McCollum, and Celeste Twamley.

By Jean Stratton

John Walsh

“Keep the memory, not the item.”

This suggestion by John Walsh is helpful to many of his clients as he assists them to transition from one living locale to another. The founder and owner of Walsh Senior Solutions in Princeton, he helps families with the often challenging and stressful decision to leave a home of many years and settle in a new location.

One of the most difficult aspects of this move is the dilemma of “excess possessions.” Parting with prized and meaningful items accumulated over the years is extremely hard for many people, and Walsh is cognizant of and compassionate about this major concern.

“Certainly one of the hardest things for people is to get rid of things,” he points out. “Books, memorabilia, childhood toys, all kinds of things. There can be a real emotional attachment, and we are careful to deal with that compassionately. Sometimes, I will suggest that they take a picture of something instead of keeping the item.” more