Four Sussex County residents win Prudential CARES awards

Two Stanhope residents among community-minded employees Newark — Cynthia Bochniak of Stanhope, a senior disability claims examiner for Prudential Insurance, received a Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants Award of $250 for Noah’s Ark Animal Welfare Association. Bochniak devoted 120 hours in 2005 to Noah’s Ark Animal Welfare Association on the fund raising committee, raising the needed funds to support the hundreds of animals at the shelter. Noah’s Ark Animal Welfare Association is a no-kill animal shelter which provides unwanted and homeless animals with a safe and loving environment, including shelter, food and medical care, while finding good homes for them. Susan Reimer, of Ogdensburg, a project management director for Prudential Insurance, received a Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants Award of $250 for the Literacy Volunteers of Sussex County. Reimer contributed 56 hours to the literacy program in 2005. She held weekly tutoring sessions, working with one student in an effort to obtain his N.J. driver’s permit. She helped him become familiar with the computer and worked with him on learning the N.J. Driver’s Manual. Reimer found that there were no resources for tutors on obtaining a N.J. driver’s permit, so she researched sample N.J. tests. Her results not only benefited her and her student, but they were published in the Literacy Volunteers of Sussex County newsletter for other tutors facing the same issue. Literacy Volunteers is a national educational organization operated by professionals that deliver tutoring services to adult learners through a network of trained, volunteer tutors. Meg Thickman, of Sparta, a systems analysis and development specialist for Prudential Corporate Operations and Systems, received a Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants Award of $250 for the New Sussex Symphony. In 2005, Thickman devoted 75 hours to the New Sussex Symphony. She was a clarinetist in the orchestra, contributing musically, as well as assisting in several fundraising efforts. The mission of the New Sussex Symphony is to provide live, affordable classical music to the residents of northwestern New Jersey and to bring enjoyment to audiences of all ages, through the performance of symphonic music of the masters of past centuries, as well as composers of the present day. Kathleen Baron, of Stanhope, a quality assurance team lead for Prudential Insurance, received a Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants Award of $1,000 for the Girl Scouts: Lenni-Lenape Council. Baron volunteered 400 hours to the Girl Scouts in 2005. She leads three troops and plans meetings, activities and service projects for all three. Also, Baron is an Assistant Service Unit Manager, where she implements events and activities for 300 local Girl Scouts. One event Baron planned was a “Careers Night” for 11- to 17-year-olds, which included a job fair with 30 occupations represented. The kids participated in a mock job interview and talked with local college students. Baron is also a council trainer and Red Cross instructor in baby sitting, CPR and first aid and taught the girls that she leads these important skills. The Prudential Foundation and Prudential Financial, recently provided $478,750 in Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants to more than 650 nonprofit organizations worldwide. The Prudential CARES Volunteer Grants program recognizes individual and team volunteers based on a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service per individual.