News from Project Self-Sufficiency

  Students from a record-breaking 38 schools in Sussex and Northern Warren Counties spent the last few weeks of 2021 collecting more than 7,500 new, unwrapped toys in a friendly Stuff the Stocking competition to benefit Project Self-Sufficiency’s Season of Hope Toy Drive .   Each year, the winning school takes home the coveted Stuff the Stocking trophy, along with a monetary donation to their school’s activity fund.   Second and third place winners also receive monetary donations for their schools.   Pope John XXIII Middle School was the victor in the 2021 contest, with more than 1,000 toys collected.   Returning champion Reverend George A. Brown Memorial School tied with the Hardyston Middle School for second place.   Additional honors went to Longest Running Stocking Stuffer Hilltop Country Day School, Most Consistent Stocking Stuffer Green Hills School, and Most Spirited Stocking Stuffer North Warren Regional.   Rookie Stocking Stuffer of the Year went to first-time participant Ox

  The public is invited to attend a demonstration of the traditional art of woodturning on Saturday, December 4th, 10:00 a.m., at the Peters Valley School of Craft Wood Shop .   Members of the Water Gap Woodturners will create magic wands, spinning tops, yo-yo’s, and ball catchers for donation to the Season of Hope Toy Shop, the local toy drive spearheaded by Project Self-Sufficiency to benefit thousands of children and teens in Sussex and Northern Warren Counties.   Peters Valley is located at 19 Kuhn Road in Layton.   Water Gap Wood Turners President, Jim Cerra, is a retired attorney with a long history of volunteering for Project Self-Sufficiency.   “I’ve had an ongoing relationship with Project Self-Sufficiency for a long time,” noted Cerra, who indicated that the group had been donating the hand-crafted items to the agency for several years.   “Typically, we do monthly demonstrations that teach woodturning.   This event is a workshop to make toys to hand over to Project Se