Keller Williams Premier Properties Annual Short Hills House Tour is a success!

The other day was the second annual Keller Williams Premier Properties Annual Short Hills House Tour, and once again it was a huge success.  A goal was set to raise enough money to acquire 50 Autism NJ Classroom Resource Kits, and thanks to so many generous contributors and participants of the tour we REACHED THAT GOAL!  "I'm thrilled, and so happy to help get these great resources for the teachers that work so hard for our children,"said Melanie Rosenbaum, tour organizer and sales associate with Keller Williams Premier Properties of Essex, Union, and Morris Counties.

Tour Organizer & Sales Associate, Melanie Rosenbaum
The white box is the "present" that Millburn teachers will receive next March just in time
to help celebrate Autism Awareness month in April.

Thanks to the efforts of the tour there will be an opportunity for extra character education provided to our children via the Autism NJ classroom kits.  Tour goers were thrilled as well to have a nice day in town and had the wonderful chance to see the Short Hills Real Estate Market.  The Keller Williams Realty Sales Associates were able to give back to the community they serve, along with meeting so many great people.  The event seemed to be a win, win for all involved!  The following is what some had to say to the tour organizer, Melanie Rosenbaum.

Hartshorn School 2nd Grade Teacher, Kathleen Small

"I sincerely thank you for bringing the kits to Millburn.  I loved using it with my class and being part of this important movement to spread awareness.  Your dedication is truly inspirational"!

Keller Williams Premier Property, Sales Associate & Tour Volunteer, Michele Wardius

"Just wanted to compliment you on the amazing job you did organizing the home tour.  

It was a beautiful day and apparently a successful event. I'm in awe of your energy and enthusiasm! Congratulations"!

Michele Wardius & Melanie Rosenbaum
Sales Associates with KW

Keller Williams Premier Properties Operating Managing Partner, Cara Moxley
"A big thank you to Melanie for the vision and good will to allow KW to make a difference in our community. The tour will enable 50 local classrooms to have a greater understanding & empathy for their peers with Autism.  Also thanks to sellers who were eager to make a difference and expose their homes at the same time.  It was a win-win-win. It warmed my heart and made me proud to generate such good will"!  

The beautiful homes, the happy participants, and the fantastic Keller Williams agents:

Amanda Damesek at her listing at 378 Hartshorn Drive

Mitchell Friedman

& Lizzy Leighton

host the Shannon Aronson Team listing at 7 Farmstead Road.

Keller Williams Premier Properties of Essex, Union, & Morris Counties Operating Managing Partners, Howard Bunn (above) and Cara Moxley (below) welcome tour goers enjoying the homes on this year's annual KW Short Hills House Tour.

House Tour Participants visiting 62 Lake Drive

Armin Lusinyants hosts her listing at 14 Alexander Lane

Pamela & Lawrence Smith hosting the listing at Two The Crecent

Simon Westfall-Kwong races to his office to share the pictures he had taken the day of the tour.  Thanks, Simon!

Look for signs for next year's the Annual KW Short Hills House Tour!  And for more information or to be added to the email list please go to "Current House Tour" page found at www.RealShortHills.com.

Annual House Tour to Benefit Autism Awareness, May 3, 2014

In just a couple of days, Keller Williams Premier Properties of Essex, Union, and Morris Counties will be opening the doors to many top properties in town for you to tour.  It is a great opportunity to be able to walk through some of the most beautiful mansions and homes in the area, at your own pace.

This Saturday, May 3rd from 12-3pm you can tour 6 beautiful examples of prime Short Hills, NJ Real Estate ranging in price from $1.5M-$4M.

The Annual House Tour to Benefit Autism Awareness is on its second year and going strong. Last year, with the generous contribution and participation from town members and local friends, we contributed money to help create 300 Autism New Jersey's Classroom Resource Kits which went into New Jersey public schools. This year, we are beyond happy that 100% of ALL house tour ticket purchases and donations will go DIRECTLY to the Millburn Public School System. That means, all the money fundraised will go into local classrooms for our children!  Each tour ticket pays for half of one kit!

Autism New Jersey has paced the way for building acceptance and autism awareness.  They are tops in providing tools and resources in NJ classrooms to help foster understanding. There is no known cure for Autism, and with 1 in 45 children in New Jersey being diagnosed, it is extremely important to integrate early intervention and provide resources for our community to support acceptance of others.  

Here is a picture of what exactly comes inside of every kit:

Help directly make a difference in our local community!

To purchase tickets or to make a donation please visit Eventbrite.

We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Faces 4 Autism's “Bubbles for Autism”/ Letter to Parents for Autism Awareness Pilot

March 31, 2014

Dear 1st & 2nd Grade Hartshorn Parents & Guardians,

Some of you may know that April is Autism Awareness Month, and tomorrow your child will participate in an activity to acknowledge this via the Faces 4 Autism activity “Bubbles for Autism”.  During recess the first and second grade students will blow bubbles up into the sky. Why bubbles?  Because bubbles represent joy, happiness, & laughter and bring people together.  The point of this event is to celebrate differences and raise autism awareness; and awareness is the first step toward acceptance.  

Autism is a socialization and communication disorder.  A new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows 1 in 68 children nationwide have autism; 1 in 45 children in New Jersey, which is reportedly the highest in the nation with the report indicating statistics showing 1 in 28 boys in New Jersey have autism.  This month you may see some items coming home from Classroom Resource Kits which Autism New Jersey has created to support teachers in understanding the disorder, and helping to spread Autism Awareness. 

If you or your child is interested in learning more about autism you can go to www.autismnj.org. To learn more about fundraising efforts to bring these activities and kits to our school you can go to http://www.realshorthills.com/real-house-tours-benefiting-autism-nj/.  Any questions, please contact Melanie@RealShortHills.com or feel free to call (973)768-1818.

Happy World Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd)!

Best,

Melanie Rosenbaum

(MSPEC) Millburn Special Education Committee building rep

(SEPAC) Special Education Parent Advisory Committee building rep

Autism NJ Rocks/ New House Tour Date

The other day in the mail came this splendid white box that looked like a delightful present.  And it was!

The box contained Autism NJ's classroom kit which we helped raise money for from the House Tour Benefiting Autism and Keller Williams Realty's Red Day.

The kit designed for teachers contains booklets in kid speak of autism facts, brief lesson plans which teach "students will understand that everyone has different abilities", posters, pencils, autism ribbon tattoos, book marks, decorations, and more, all for a classroom with 25 students in grades K thru 5.                        

This kit will help spread autism awareness throughout the community, just in time for Autism Awareness Month in April.

Autism affects 1 in 45 children in New Jersey.  It is a socialization & communication disorder.  There is a range and a spectrum within the disorder.  Behaving independently and appropriately are some of the biggest goals of people on the spectrum.

I spoke with Brynn Alberici, Special Event Coordinator at Autism New Jersey, and was thrilled that the next House Tour coming in May will now help create kits especially for Millburn Township.  Appropriately so, since the tour was planned by "Real Short Hills" and the homes on the tour were in Short Hills, which is a part of Millburn Township.

Thank you to Autism New Jersey for creating such an amazing resource to help spread Autism Awareness within Millburn Public Schools.   Last year Autism NJ's theme was to "Build Acceptance" and this year their theme is to "Make a Statement".  Mine is "Thank You"!!!

Please look for more information for the next house tour, and attend this great event for this awesome cause.  The next Tour is on Saturday, May 3rd from 12noon - 3pm.

Best,
Melanie

Autism Awareness Club Holds Successful Fundraiser At Soul Cycle

The Millburn High School Autism Awareness Club held a different kind of fundraiser, cleverly titled "The Awareness Cycle".  Members of the Millburn-Short Hills community hopped on a Soul Cycle bike for an intense spin class to raise awareness.  Soul Cycle generously sponsored the event at the newly opened Short Hills boutique studio on Feb. 7.  The participants raised over $1,400 while possibly burning the same amount of calories in a celebrity favorite Soul Cycle signature ride. The class, which is centered around community, brought town students, parents, the High School principal, along with members of the school board to sweat together for a good cause.

Photo from The Independent Press.
Principal Miron and students pictured together after the fundraising ride.

While Soul Cycle may not be a work out for everyone it was wonderful at creating a space for community to come together by encouraging each other to push through resistance and come out stronger. Julia Truitt, the high school senior and President of the club has created an organization that is dedicated to spreading a message of compassion, understanding and most importantly inclusion.  She has been honored in the past for her efforts at promoting awareness and fostering community. She did an amazing job with planning this successful event!  Her mother, Regina Truitt is a member of the School Board and is also focused on building a strong sense of community in town. We are lucky to have them both so actively contributing to our school district.  I was delighted to have participated and to have been a part of such a strong knit community that supports one another.


The Autism Awareness club will be hosting more events for Autism Awareness Month in April.

Keller Williams Premier Properties and Real Short Hills will also be hosting the second annual House Tour to Benefit Autism Awareness.  

For more information about the house tour, visit Real Short Hills.

Autism NJ's Classroom Kits for our Schools

Any question, just reach out to me!

This is it!  These are the kits that we helped raise money for from the Keller Williams Realty House Tour Benefitting Autism.  It takes 1 minute to register and it is completely free.  Go thru the link below to find Autism NJ's direct sign up which is copied below.  The kits will provide an abundance of resources to help spread autism awareness for April for teachers.   Inside the kits will be booklets that educate the kids on autism, posters from Autism NJ to celebrate Autism Awareness month in April, decorations, tattoos, give aways, etc.  Spread autism awareness and have your teachers register for these wonderful free kit!          

https://autismnj.org/school_resource_pack

School Resource Pack:
Free Awareness Tools for Teachers

The School Resource Pack contains all the tools needed for an elementary school teacher (Grades K to 5) to raise awareness in his/her classroom and includes supplies for a 24 student classroom.  Expected ship date of Packs is March 1, 2014.  

Pack Contents

• Kids Booklet on Autism (Qty: 24)
• Bookmarks (Qty: 24)
• Temporary Autism Awareness Tattoos (Qty:24)
• Pencils with Autism Awareness Message (Qty: 24)
• Lesson Plans for Teacher
• Autism Awareness Poster
• Puzzle Piece Bulletin Board Decoration (Thank you to Becker School Supplies!)

Ordering Information

To request your free Autism Awareness Resource pack, complete the form below.  Limit one (1) pack per classroom.  Grades K-5 only.  Only New Jersey schools are eligible to participate.  Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.  Thank you to our sponsors (left) for underwriting the cost of the production and distribution of these materials!

Questions?  Email us at aamonth@autismnj.org or call 609.588.8200 x31.  Click here to view other items autism awareness items available for order. 

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School Resource Pack Form

Teacher Contact Info

Prefix  <Select>  Mr.  Ms.  Mrs.  Dr. 

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone

Grade  <Select>  Kindergarten  1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  *

Shipping Address -- Where we will mail pack

School Name*

Street Line 1*

Street Line 2

City*

State  <Select>  New Jersey  *

Click to view help for this field.

Zip Code*

If you live near Trenton/Robbinsville and would like to pick up your Reource Pack at Autism New Jersey's office, check the box below.

Yes, I can pick up the pack!

Below, these"Ambassador" kits are actually appropriate for ANYONE (parents, administrators, teachers) and go along well with the above classroom kits which are geared toward K-5 teachers.  The classroom kits were sponsored by a House Tour with Keller Williams Premier Properties of Morris, Essex, and Union Counties, and these particular ambassador kits below are from Autism NJ for ANYONE to help spread autism awareness. 

Registration Now Open:  2014 Ambassador Program

Dear Melanie: Thank you for your past participation as an Autism New Jersey Awareness Ambassador. Believe it or not, April, National Autism Awareness Month, will be here before we know it!   Registration is now open for our 2014 Autism Awareness Ambassador Program. Make A Statement This year, our Awareness Ambassador Program theme is "Make a Statement."   Put your unique stamp on your message and help us raise awareness and build communities that embrace and accept people with autism and their families. Sign Up Today:  You can join us again in our 2014 campaign by signing up as an Autism Awareness Ambassador. Please note: You must register again this year to participate and receive your information kit.  Expect the new kit to arrive by late January. Program Features: Every Ambassador receives our free kit, including poster, bookmark and Kids Booklet. Ideas and activities for all ages, from school-aged children to adults.  Special sections for Educators and Junior Ambassadors (K to 12). Check out our updated Autism Awareness Ambassador "Hub" where you can post photos, videos, event announcements, download publications, link to other resources and connect with other ambassadors and friends.   We encourage all of our ambassadors to keep us informed of their activities and events so we can share them with others. Email us at aamonth@autismnj.org or call 609.588.8200 ext. 21. Thank you for your continued participation in spreading awareness about autism and making a statement about the importance of autism awareness and acceptance in your community. 2014 Awareness "Keep Calm and Raise Autism Awareness" T-shirts now Available: Order Today! We are pleased to be partnering with Spectrum Works, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides job training and employment to individuals with autism, for the production of this year's shirt. Check out our T-shirt and other awareness items, they make a great holiday gift! Sincerely, Your Friends at Autism New Jersey P.S.  Pre-order our new 2014 Autism Awareness Shirts today!  Just $15. Visit our hub:  www.autismnjambassador.org

Thank you to the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund for their grant funding in sponsorship of this program.

Autism New Jersey 500 Horizon Drive, Suite 530 Robbinsville, NJ 08691 Phone: 609.588.8200  |  Fax: 609.588.8858  |  Email: information@autismnj.org Privacy Policy  |  Email Preferences © 2013 Autism New Jersey

Dear Melanie:

Thank you for signing up to become a 2014 Autism Awareness Ambassador. We look forward to your participation in helping to spread awareness during National Autism Awareness Month in April 2014 and "Make a Statement" in your community.

Kits will be mailed in mid-January.  

For any questions or to request additional materials, please email us at aamonth@autismnj.org or call us at 609.588.8200 x31 between 9:00am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday.

  

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The following information was recorded for your registration: 

 Ambassador/Junior Ambassador
NAME: Melanie Rosenbaum

On behalf of Autism New Jersey, thank you again for registering to be an 2014 Autism Awareness Ambassador and working to make a positive statement in your community! 

Your Friends at Autism New Jersey
www.autismnj.org
www.facebook.com/autismnj

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Check out our 2014 Ambassador Hub at www.autismnjambassador.org where you can post your photos, videos and events and connect with other ambassadors interested in raising awareness.

Don't forget to order your 2014 Autism Awareness Shirt and other items online today.  Proceeds benefit Autism New Jersey.