Community stakeholders, elected officials, and representatives from local organizations convened at the Hopewell Valley Golf Club, now a county-managed facility, for the 28th Annual Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance Mayors’ Breakfast on Friday, October 18, 2024. This annual event features updates from the HV Municipal Alliance and each Hopewell Valley mayor, as well as honors a Volunteer of the Year.
Addressing Community Challenges
During the breakfast, Mercer County Executive Dan Benson highlighted the County’s partnerships with its towns to address the opioid crisis and commended them for their engagement. Benson spoke in particular about leveraging improved data about at-risk behavior by youth to adequately address the trends.
Voices of Valley Leadership
Hopewell Township Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning emphasized the importance of community. “Community is as critical as ever,” she said as she shared a personal anticdote about the evidence of positive role models found in members of this community “making a difference in the life of our kids.”
Pennington Administrator Gian-Paolo Caminiti spoke on behalf of Pennington Borough Mayor Jim Davy who was not present. Caminiti, who is relatively new to the position and to the area, praised Hopewell Valley for its collaborative spirit, which is essential for fostering strong community ties.
Hopewell Borough Mayor Ryan Kennedy thanked the HV Municipal Alliance as an “example of what community does when it works together.” Kennedy showcased examples from Hopewell Borough citing a recent Walk and Bike to School event, funds for Safe Routes to Schools, and the lowering of West Broad Street’s speed limit.
Honoring a Community Champion
The event also celebrated Dr. Suzanne Palinski, a pediatrician at Henry J Austin Health Center in Trenton, who was honored as the HV Municipal Alliance Volunteer of the Year. Prior to living in New Jersey, Palinski led the Department of Pediatrics at Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital in East Providence, Rhode Island. She also served as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University. Palinski has played a pivotal role in the Digital Wellness Initiative, a project that addresses the impacts of social media on mental health. This initiative, a collaboration among the Municipal Alliance, community members, and the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, aims to equip families with strategies for healthy digital engagement.
In presenting the award, Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece discussed the critical nature of the initiative in the current mental health climate, highlighting the challenges and opportunities presented by digital media.
“We are in a mental health epidemic,” said Dr. Rosetta Treece, Hopewell Valley Regional School District superintendent, “and social media is part of that.”
“Her [Palinksi’s] dedication, creativity, expertise, and passion for empowering others to build a healthier relationship with the digital world have made a significant impact. Suze’s commitment to this cause reflects her deep care for the well-being of our community, and we are truly grateful for her tireless efforts,” she said.
In receiving her award, Palinski shared, “The virtual world has vast power to transform and improve our lives, but it also has the power to harm. Like other technologies, with this vast power comes great responsibility. That responsibility is ours to work together to raise kids whose use of technology is healthy, intentional, and safe.
