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Mercer County Community College 1200 Old Trenton Road
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News01/08/2013: Mercer County Holocaust Center Invites Community to Viewing of Documentary “Children of Terror” Jan. 31 The Mercer County Holocaust-Genocide Resource Center (MCHGRC) invites the community to an open house and the screening of the documentary film “Children of Terror” on Thursday, Jan. 31. The doors open at 6 p.m. The film will be shown at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Q&A with the producer, Rider University Professor Dr. Shawn Kildea. The event is presented free of charge. The center is located on the West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, on the second floor of the Library Building (next to the college bookstore). Based on the 2009 book of the same name, the film combines the stories of two Holocaust survivors. Inge Auerbacher, a German Jew, survived Terezin, a Nazi concentration camp located in what is now the Czech Republic, while Bozenna Gilbride, a Catholic Pole, survived Chemnitz, a Nazi work camp in Germany. The film focuses on the interfaith relationship these two women forged in spite of the resistance to their friendship from some within their own communities. For more information, contact the MCHGRC at 609-570-3355 or email mcholgen@gmail.com. 09/17/2012: 9-11 Survivors and Their Families Share Their Experiences with Mercer Students Survivors of September 11th, family members of victims, and those who observed the day’s events from afar spoke at Mercer County Community College (MCCC) on Thursday, Sept. 13, as part of a panel discussion, “September 11 as Memory and History.” The event was co-sponsored by the New Jersey State Museum, in an effort to inform students and the public about the events that took place 11 years ago. “Today’s program is to help you think about what 9-11 means and how it has affected and changed lives,” said MCCC President Patricia Donohue. Anthony Gardner, director of the New Jersey State Museum, spoke briefly about the 9-11 exhibit currently on view at the museum, as well as his personal ties to the tragedy through the loss of his brother, Harvey. “The courage and compassion he showed in his final hours continue to inspire me,” he said. MCCC History Professor Dr. Craig Coenen, the discussion moderator, spoke on the importance of educating today’s youth on 9-11. “Some of my students were only seven years old when this happened,” he said. He noted that while the event was a rude awakening to the evil that exists in the world, it was also a time of sacrifice and true heroism for many Americans. “9-11 gives us hope that Americans can do great things in a time of tragedy.” Brian Clark was among the speakers who gave insight into what it was like to be at Ground Zero that day. He was one of only four individuals who survived from above the point of impact in the South Tower. He helped save another man who was trapped beneath rubble as he descended to the ground floor only four minutes before the building collapsed. “As a result of that day, I know how precious life is,” he said, noting that he lost 61 of his co-workers that day. Herb Ouida worked in the World Trade Center for 30 years prior to the 9-11 attack. While he was able to make it out safely from the 77th floor, his 25 year-old son, Todd, was on the 105th floor and did not survive. “As the firefighters passed me on the stairs I told them, ‘Please save the people above me. Please save my son.’ At his son’s memorial, when loved ones offered to give money in his son’s name, he was inspired to create the Todd Ouida Children’s Foundation, which helps others like his son, who had suffered from childhood anxiety. Edith Lutnick, who also lost a family member on 9-11, spoke about how the event inspired her and her brother to co-found the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, a nonprofit charity to address the needs of the victims of terrorism, natural disasters and emergencies. The charity was named Cantor Fitzgerald after a company that occupied three floors of the World Trade Center, and lost 600 employees in the attack. “I decided that if anyone was hurting the way I was hurting, I had to find a way to help them,” she said. In total the foundation has distributed over $180 million to the families of 9-11 victims. Thirty-year journalist Mike Kelly spoke about his experiences reporting on 9-11 for The Bergen Record in North Jersey. “I was frozen by the tragedy,” said Kelly, noting that he had no idea where to begin when he first arrived at Ground Zero, seeing the beams of the towers reduced to “twists of spaghetti.” Kelly spent three days talking to victims and their families. One notable person he met along the way was a police officer named Dorothy, who continued to dig through the rubble with garden tools for days until she was able to retrieve the body of her fellow officer. “Many angels surfaced through the insurmountable pain of 9-11,” he said, noting that 1,100 bodies were never found, leaving those families without closure. Drexel University History Professor Scott Knowles spoke on how 9-11 is remembered today and how it may change in the future. “History is unpredictable and historical memory is doubly unpredictable,” he said, recounting the many debates that have taken place over how the twin towers would be memorialized for future generations. Several panelists encouraged those in the audience to learn more about 9-11 by visiting the exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum and speaking to those who knew the victims of the tragedy, as it will continue to serve as an important moment in U.S. history for generations to come. Jessica Rohr was one of several Mercer students who attended. “It was very emotional and moving,” she said. “It was a different experience to hear first-hand stories of survivors and families of victims, rather than just be told about it on the news.” For more information about the 9-11 exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum, visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov. 05/03/2012: MCCC Lecture Focuses on Ways to Preserve New Jersey’s Environment
Marc Rogoff, environmental education specialist at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), spoke to an audience of students at Mercer County Community College on April 25 about how every day practices can affect the natural world. The talk was part of the college’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
Rogoff commended New Jersey on being one of the states with the highest rate of recycling in the country, but noted that 65 percent of materials that could be recycled in the state still end up in the trash. “We buy more than we ever need, and we use more resources than anywhere else in the world,” said Rogoff, imploring students to take action and reduce their own carbon footprint.
“I work for politicians, and I’ve seen a lot that are fully aware (of environmental issues), and some that couldn’t care less,” said Rogoff, emphasizing that the changes in daily practices need to start with how each individual person lives their life. He noted that the average American throws away 4.5 pounds of garbage per day, and in New Jersey, that average is even higher, at 6.5 pounds.
“There’s nothing that can’t be recycled or reused in some way,” said Rogoff, mentioning plastic waste as one of the main environmental issues.
“There’s nothing wrong with plastic; women have been wearing it since the 20s,” said Rogoff, referring to nylon stockings. He said the issue is that residents don’t make the effort to recycle everything they can.
“Turtles see plastic bags as jellyfish, and other animals see it as food,” he said, noting that one dead fish was found with two pounds of plastic in its stomach. He added that New Jersey sends most of its recycled plastic to Patagonia, an environmentally friendly clothing store which reuses the materials in its products.
Rogoff also spoke about an organization in Chatham, NJ, “Back 2 Tap,” which helps both corporations and residents reduce their use of disposable plastic bottles by sharing information on how much waste they cause in the environment, and encouraging the use of reusable water bottles.
He also noted that New Jersey has the highest standards for tap water in the country, so residents shouldn’t shy away from drinking straight from the faucet instead of drinking bottled spring water.
Rogoff told students about the many ways they can reduce their carbon footprint, such as ceiling fans, which only use 150 watts of electricity, instead of air conditioning units, and LED light bulbs, which, if left on constantly, would only cost approximately three cents per year in electricity.
Installing solar panels on the roof not only saves on electric bills, but also helps maintain the roof for a longer period of time, while increasing a home’s value. “The solution to all of our energy problems has been up in the sky all along; it’s the sun,” Rogoff said.
He also surprised his audience by telling students that a small sedan with good gas mileage is actually much better for the environment than a hybrid. He said that rare minerals are used to make hybrid car batteries, which causes them to be expensive and also drains the environment of natural resources.
Instead, he recommended “hypermiling,” which involves slowing down and speeding up on highways at a slower pace, which has increased his car’s gas mileage by 7 mpg.
A former teacher and museum educator, Rogoff manages multiple award-winning education websites and the DEP's Speakers Program. He works with the NJ Commission on Environmental Education, and assists schools with outdoor classroom development. Prior to working at the DEP, he also served on a wilderness rescue squad with the National Park Service. He is the recipient of the New Jersey Audubon Society’s 2012 Excellence in Environmental Education Award.
Additional information on ways to help the environment can be found on the DEP’s website, www.state.nj.us/dep/seeds.
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