J J J A Serving Springfield and Mountainside SPRINGFIELD N.J., VOL. 76 NO. 2 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2004 TWO SECTIONS Donations Towrship ponder offer Church Mali rezo By Rick Klittich area of anything liisto. Stuff Writer Along with the alluwuu^ * dignity A change to a pending ordinance family housing to be built, the ordi- for Springfield's Church Mall are;» nance also gives permission for day- By Brian Pcdersen will allow for the area's mixed use care centers and a playground, among Managing Editor zone to include single- and multi-fam- other specific construction. Whether they were hanging on ily residences, a move that makes Helen Hcumann, a current member racks, fashionably wrapped around a some anxious over what the historic and former secretary of the Spring- mannequin or folded in neat little area will look like in the future. field Historical Society, asked the piles on tables, one thing the all-pur- The Township Committee Township Committee what the height pose room of Springfield limanuel approved the change at its Aug. 24 and density changes were for the United Methodist Church had a lot meeting, with a public hearing and rezoning of Church Mall. of last week was clothing donations. final vote set for Sept. 28. Bergen said the highest height is The garments all came from peo- The area includes the properties three and a.half stones or 35 feet. lie ple in the community who donated located on Church Mall between First was unsure of the exact density to "Angel's Closet," a collection Presbyterian Church of Springfield changes. staffed by volunteers at Springfield and Sarah Bailey Civic Center, near Heumann sees this as being two Emanuel and St. James Church in the intersection with Morris Avenue. high and overpowering, and said that Springfield that strives to give peo- Township Attorney Bruce Bergen anything that tall would compete with ple a chance to purchase back-to- explained that the Springfield Envi- the churches and everything else in the school clothing who might otherwise ronmental Commission originally area. be forced to go without. wanted to declare the area as a historic "It would make the area look very Just two days before Saturday's district, but were unable to get this crowded," Heumann said. "I'm not clothing sale in the church, the Rev. designation granted. against redevelopment, but I thought Elaine Wing of Springfield Emanuel Photo By R«B» Ron SJb«y»q Volunteer Heather Wittig sorts piles of men's clothing donated to Angel's Closet at A p,ofessional study that already We had a general agreement to pre- explained how many donations were had been conducted determined that serve the historical ambiance of the received sb far, pointing out how Springfield Emanuel United Methodist Church. The sale, which took place Saturday, allowed needy people in the area to purchase back-to-school clothes. there was already too much change to area." quickjy the community answered the the area to declare it historic and, Several weeks ago, a family-owned call to provide quality clothing. therefore, untouchable. Still, the Envi- from formalwear to dressware, as was folding clothes in the back. Volunteers not only sort and pack business owner addressed the Town- "Seventy-five percent of what we ronmental Commission sought to pre- well as purses, lies, underwear and Rueda said she had heard about the food, but drive the van that takes ship Committee and Planning Board, got was barely used, tagged cloth- serve the historic ambiance of the asking that the ordinance be tabled for shoes. The people that came to the Angel's Closet through her church, them into an environment vastly dif- ing," said Wing. "People have been area, at the very least, which includes further review. The business is looking sale were carefully screened before which is the nearby First Presbyter- ferent from their own, an aspect of very sensitive to our goals." Sarah Bailey Civic Center, tombstones to expand and develop in the Church being invited to shop, for the simple ian Church of Springfield, and she the program that Wing finds unique. The response to donations was so and the church. Mall area. fact of making sure no one took decided to help out those less fortu- Getting ready to do a BRIDGES overwhelming that Wing found it Bergen said there was then a Heumann said that ideally, two- advantage of the opportunity. nate. run to New York City the next day difficult to make room for oil the thought to rezone the ar^a to foster story garden apartments would be Potential shoppers were elected "That's what hits me," she said, boxes of clojhing, which had been was none other than Donald Schw- some type of reasoned development. allowed, leading to development and, frora the Interfaith Council for the referring to the roomful of clothing stacked against the wall of the crdt, the township's new fire chief. Approximately two months ago, there hopefully, adequate space. She said around her. "You don't know what it church's all-purpose room. Homeless of Union County and the Rough'y 100 bagged lunches were was a rczoning proposal put forth to that a park-like atmosphere that does- means when you don't have clothes, Thanks to the help of dedicated Vauxhall Community Health Clinic, getting bagged by volunteers that the Planning Board to allow the n't distract attention from the church- clean clothes." volunteers from the community and while Springfield Emanuel branched night and Schwerdt, a member of expansion of appropriate uses. Based es would be best. local churches, the room was trans- out to other agencies and churches, Ginny Johnston, music director Springfield Emanuel, was happy to on that action, the matter went back to Heumann added that the family- formed into a small store, complete as well as the American Red Cross, of Springfield Emanuel, was sorting help out. the Planning Board and the board has owned business would still make with mannequins, clothing racks, said Wing. clothing into boxes*and enjoyed the "It's enough to do something for since referred it back to the Township money off of something like that, and signs for clothing categories and a "The purpose of this sale is to opportunity to help out for Angel's someone a little less fortunate," said Committee, which has agreed with the regardless, Springfield should come ; dressing room. prov .de a nice shopping environ- Closet. "One of the nice things about Schwerdt. change in rezoning. first. Wing said Nordstrom department ment that allows people to retain a both these churches is what they do Wing said a total of 40 children "We'd been looking at this for Though not definite, the ordinance store had been very helpful in not sense of dignity and not feel embar- about outreach to the community," and 27 adults found clothing for some time," said Mayor Clara Harclik. looks to be approved Sept. 28 After only donating the materials the rassed about it," said Wing. said Johnston. their back-to-school wardrobe at "It's the type of thing that no matter that, Springfield will have to wait and church needed to conduct the sale, The prices on clothing ran from '^i^Si^iishAflP0115^' tnc church was- Saturday's sale. what you do, you're no: able to please see what becomes of a once historical but in helping themset up their own 25 cents to $5, with most items also pa-paring for a BRIDGES Out- It's only the first time that everybody." setting that will most likely be store. priced between 25 cents and $ 1. reach run, where volunteers pacfc Angel's Closet has been done in Harelik added that the Township changed by expansion, horizontally or The wide variety of clothing that Several volunteers were getting boxes of food to ship to homeless Springfield, but the pastor hopes the Committee and Planning Board are vertically. the church received covered all age ready for Saturday's sale, including people in Newark and lower Man- not looking to destroy history, and that grcups, sizes, genders and types, project will continue to grow in the Yolanda Rueda of Springfield, who hattan; years to come. there are no immediate plans she is Managing Editor Brian Pedersen aware of that will damage or rid the contributed to this report. Schools get set for opening day By Rick Klittich ing Walton School this year. policies that need to be typed and edit- Staff Writer According to The'.ma L. Sandmeier ed." With less than a week to go before School Principal Michael Antolino, Kielty said that he's excited by the . the start of school in Springfield, the summer schedule that consisted of level of education and the emphasis on school faculty and administration developing a master schedule and con- education he's seen throughout throughout the district are making the ducting interviews for open positions Springfield, and that, most important- necessary adjustments and putting the was time consuming. ' ly, he's getting ready for the kids. finishing touches on anything that can "We had an administration meet- "It's a great district in a really nice assure a smooth transition from vaca- ing...," Antolino said. "We looked to area," said Kielty, who previously tion to education. set goals for the school year, both worked in Statcn Island. "We're all for At Edward V. Walton School, Prin- building and -district-wide." progressive education and the educa- cipal Lisa Fcrrare is busy putting Antolino, principal since 1986, still tional philosophy that students are the together everything that the parents looks forward to each new school center of what's going on," Kielty need to know to continue, or begin, year.