Association honors local student with scholarship

A scholarship for $500 was presented recently to Luke Boralsky by Wendy D'Ulisse, president of the Brookwood Musconetcong River Property Owners' Association. Boralsky is a 2004 graduate of Lenape Valley High School and will be attending the College of New Jersey this fall. One of the requirements for this award is a 200-word essay on life in West Brookwood. Boralsky's winning entry is presented here: West Brookwood Essay When 1 was young, on hearing that we might possibly move to the lofty Sagamore Woods development, I approached my mother and firmly stood my ground with an unwavering opinion. I set forth my argument with the naive counterstrike of, "We can't move because I like the ‘squished-in' feeling of my home." And of course, my mother inherently understood what I meant upon my earliest introduction of the phrase into our ‘ vernacular. Squished-in: adj, complacent and satisfied when one is within an arm's reach of anyone. As the youngest of four siblings, the darling son of a father and mother, and the proud owner of a not-so-miniature dachshund, I possess a comprehensive appreciation for that word. Maturing in West Brookwood, I was properly inducted into the society of "squished-in," and my fondest memories originate here: my oldest brother and his multitude of friends organizing basketball tournaments outside my house followed by matches of chicken fights in our pool; walking to my friend's house for rounds of Toe Jam and Earl on Sega Genesis; bike rides to the infamous Monkey Trails between Ash and Avon Street where the next Dave Mirra was cultivating his/her passion; and spring treks across River Road with my other brother so he could teach me the ‘how to' of fishing. Thankfully, my mother took my entreaty to heart as the allure of Sagamore Woods faded, and rather than move, her solution was an addition to our house in order to alleviate some of the "squished-in" feeling. Although West Brookwood lacks a lake, we do not depend on superficial beachfronts in order to galvanize our community. Instead, we are able to rely on the warmth of our neighbors. However, West Brookwood could be brought even closer together if the park on River Road was utilized more effectively. Picnics and other events with games and prizes for children should be held there in order to unite members of our community who live on opposite ends of the neighborhood. Because West Brookwood is becoming more and more populated by newlyweds, events at the park would be a perfect segue for the new homeowners, as well. Nevertheless, I am confident that, like me, a new generation of West Brookwood children will be able to share in the same fond memories.