LAST WEEK’S SPEAKER was Chris Bonner, CEO, The Connection.
Chris started off with a short biography of his journey to becoming the head of one of Summit’s crown jewels. He was raised by a single mom and things were tight – organizations like the Connection were a beneficial part of his early life. After university he enlisted in the US Army and flew helicopters. After his Army hitch was up, he enlisted in the Coast Guard. In total, he served for twenty years, primarily in search and rescue assignments. After leaving the service he earned a master’s degree in education and began working in the field in Newark. In 2019, he was appointed head of operation for Kent Place School and five years later, accepted the position as CEO of The Connection.
Chris then spent the rest of his time discussing The Connection, a 102-year-old very family-oriented facility (The Connection was formerly the Summit YWCA). The bulk of the members are young – tots to teens. There are a multitude of activities from dance to summer camp. On any given weekday between 2pm and 6pm, there can be as many as four hundred kids in the after-school program the Connection runs for Summit Public schools and various classes in the main building. The Connection is a 501c3 and scholarship are available for those who need them. There are currently forty-five kids with special needs receiving an assortment of assistance, and there are also a host of classes and activities ranging from dance to swimming for all ages. English as a second language is also hosted at The Connection and has been for decades. Finally, The Connection hosts Pathways, a program that provides free support, education, and wellness programs for women with cancer. Indeed, The Connection provides education, support, and wellness to all the residents of Summit. (By the way, Chris is the first male CEO in 102 years.)
On May 5th our speaker will be Joanne Rajoppi who is the Union County Clerk. We’ve asked her to explain the new ballot process that will take place in the June Primary election for the first time. Ms. Rajoppi has focused on improving accessibility to services for residents. Her office handles various functions, including election administration, property document recording, passport processing, and assisting with Notary Public applications. Rajoppi has introduced extended hours for passport services and created outreach programs like an Annual Election Calendar and instructional videos on voting by mail. She has also worked on modernizing document records and enhancing voter security.
THE MEMBERSHIP DRIVE is in full swing. Donna is hoping to bring another three members into the club before the end of the year. She looks forward to hearing your recommendations for new people to join the club.
PRESIDENT ELECT MORT IS LOOKING for members to step forward to take on various functions for the club. Writing this newsletter, setting up programs, working with our facility host and the caterers to make sure our meetings run on schedule.
THE INSTALLATION EVENT has been scheduled for June 9th. Mark your calendars. Details coming up soon!
THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE has begun its work and will be announcing the results for 2025, which is our 100th year of donating scholarships to the club shortly. The presentations will be made at our first meeting in June.
And LASTLY, please finish up with your Raffle Tickets. It will help us fund our scholarships.
.png)
