Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 10

6B GC www.courierpostonline.comcommunities COURIER-POST, Thursday, July 26, 2007 GLOUCESTER COUOTY COMMUNITIES Wedding gowns FarmSeeds to Success program hoping to receive federal funding on display in W. Deptford KRISTY DAVIESCourierPost Sparkles Jones, 17, a student at Woodbury High School and a participant in the Rutgers Cooperative Extension's Seeds for Success program, helps Beatrice Burk, 91, of Woodbury at the Youth Farm Stand on Route 45 in Woodbury. Continued from Page 5BGC working with (through) life skills and job skills training." Hughes said the USUA grant was their main source of funding, but to subsidize for next year, the Rutgers program is applying for more grants and seeking sponsorships from area businesses so it can continue. "The program in Gloucester County is one of the largest in the state," said Hughes. This year, the program has 27 participants.

As part of the Seeds to Success program, students continue their education through the summer by practicing job skills, customer-service skills and learning about nutrition, business, bank statements and other subjects that relate to life and work. After learning how to run a cash register, maintain stock and determine profits, the students go to their respective youth farm stands to sell produce purchased by the Cooperative Extension from farmers in Gloucester County. "They do get paid from farm stands," Hughes said. "These are students who otherwise wouldn't be able to get jobs. It helps them, but it also helps the communities." The stands, which are in Woodbury, Paulsboro and Glass-boro, began selling produce July 10.

At the Youth Farm Stand on Route 45 in Woodbury, Theresa to- if A 3 2JL -i" JEANNE RIDGWAYCourier-Post Twenty wedding gowns and three flower-girl dresses are on display now through the end of August at the West Deptford library. The exhibit, called A Century of Wedding Gowns, also features shoes, veils, accessories and money bags. The sponsor is the West Deptford Historical Association. Rohlfing, a teacher at Woodbury High School, asked Javon Jackson, 17, what the price of cantaloupes should be if there are eight in a box and a box costs $10. Determining prices and profits is part of the learning process for the teens.

"It keeps them stimulated and out of trouble," said Fran Harrelson, supervisor of the Woodbury Youth Farm Stand. Shoppers are able to choose from low-cost cantaloupes, watermelons, blueberries, cucumbers, zucchini squashes, tomatoes, ears of corn, peaches and nectarines. The stands accept Women, Infants and Children coupons, cash and food stamps as well as senior-citizen farm-market vouchers. "It's fun," said Jackson, is designed to reinforce the need for them to stay focused and interested in the two subjects. AWE tries to attract young girls through special experiments such as a lip-gloss clinic, which shows them how the shiny stuff is made.

Student Dana Demiduke, 17, thought the camp provided a great introduction to engineering basics. "It gave me a basic understanding of the different kinds of engineering to see if this is what 1 RowanProgram teaches fledgling historical association in 2001. The collection, which is to go on exhibit every several years, is always expanding. One recent acquisition is a gown, worn in 1907, by the mother of the late Ernest Parks, a West Deptford resident. "What do you do with an (old) wedding gown? Why not have someone take care of it and enjoy it as opposed to keeping it in the attic or a trunk?" Maska said.

When the gowns are not on display, members of the historical association wrap them in acid-free paper, place them in bins and keep them in cool environments to preserve them. Continued from Page5BGC filtration system to turn pond water into clean, drinkable water. Although this was the first Rowan Introduction for Students to Engineering camp, the university was running its ninth Attracting Women into Engineering camp, which introduces girls in the seventh and eighth grades to engineering. In middle school, many girls lose interest in math and science, Basantis said, and the AWE camp who's in his third year of participation in the program and wants to be a clothes designer. "I like being outside and helping people, too." Sparkles Jones, 17, a student at Woodbury High School, is in her fourth summer with the program.

She said her skills gained from the Seeds to Success program helped her obtain a job at Wendy's. "I shopped at the farm stand all last year," said Beatrice Burk, 91, of Woodbury. "I think it's a wonderful project and it saves me money. I can't drive, so I walk here because it's convenient. It's a godsend." Reach Kristy Davies at (856) 251-3341 or krdaviescourierpostonline.com engineering really want to do," said Demiduke, who will be a senior at Pitman High School this fall and is interested in chemical engineering.

Plans call for the workshops to be held again next summer, but their times and dates have not yet been established. Katie Kalvaitis is a freelance writer from Mantua who writes about Gloucester County for Communities. Reach her at -J. jf "They are on permanent loan to us. If any family wants a gown back, we would never say no," Maska said.

Helene Gray, program coordinator at the library, said the exhibit catches the eye. A guest book contains comments from exhibit viewers, some of them thrilled by the clothing's beauty and others curious to see gowns worn by local women whom they know. "Sometimes, clubs have their meetings here in the library. They will sit near the exhibit because the gowns make a nice backdrop," Gray said. Reach Jeanne Ridgway at (856) 251-3346 or e.Jk Continued from Page 5BGC style contrasts with other dresses on display.

One in particular, worn in 1943 by Olive Dragon, appears as if it could float away in spite of its multiple layers. Featuring an unevenly hemmed overskirt embellished by rosettes, the gown's train was constructed to swirl around the bride in an airy circle of netting and lace panels. The historical association's wedding-gown collection was begun during the late 1990s as a project by Maska's daughter, Aimee. Aimee, who studied fashion-apparel management in college, passed the gowns on to the iV Iff" 1 I "''''V" --t I 1 i r- i I 1 7.7 Olde Time Quality at Fair Prices o56.881.421o rree estimates -Tlvr;.