Membership Spotlight

Holiday Trolley - Wingman Planning

Wingman Planning, a Marketing Agency located in Manasquan, New Jersey, was founded by Tom Mirabella back in 2009. With over 10 years of knowledge, guidance and aid to small community businesses and storefronts, Tom and his team have helped push businessowners to new heights.

Not only does Wingman Planning excel in the areas of website design, social media management, photo and video services and more, but they continue to give back to the community through nonprofit efforts. Each year Wingman Planning hosts and partners with Shore Luxury Limos for the annual Holiday Toy Trolley, benefitting surrounding nonprofits with Christmas toys for children up to 18 years of age.

During this, Wingman Planning President Tom offers fellow business owners to become ‘Santa Stops,’ where they are to become a hosting spot for donations from staff, customers and whomever wishes to contribute. With this partnership, business owners will too expect a visit from Santa on a specific date and time for collection of donations, photo op and store showcase on the Shore Luxury Limos Facebook Page.

Last year, Tom Mirabella and his team have collected over 1,200 toys from clients, businesses and friends for chosen nonprofits and children of our community. If you wish to donate by delivering toys to Wingman Planning, please visit their contactless toy donation bin located in their office foyer of 2677 Route 70 in Manasquan. For those wanting to participate in this event, please contact Wingman Planning at (732) 539-5980.

ENCOMPASS HEALTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF TOMS RIVER

Encompass Health helps 91 year old great-great grandmother beat coronavirus!

Every time a call came from Community Medical Center, Toms River, where her 90-year-old mother was being treated for COVID-19 and pneumonia, Kim Wedemeyer feared the worst.

“I thought she was gone,” Wedemeyer said. “They say when old people get this, it’s a death sentence.”

Not for Jean Powell! After 10 days, the hospital phoned Wedemeyer with stunning news: This feisty great-great-grandmother was ready for discharge.

“I was shocked. I asked, ‘Are you sure?’” said Wedemeyer, 65, who lives in Lacey. “I thought, ‘I wonder if they’re making a mistake.’”

It was legit. Although she required supplemental oxygen and battled a consistent fever during her hospital stay, Powell never went on a ventilator. She was moved to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Toms River where she celebrated her 91st birthday on April 26 before heading home to Crestwood Manor in Manchester.

She arrived at the rehab hospital in a weakened state; but before long, “Mrs. Powell was up and running like her old self,” said Angela Gatnarek, her registered nurse case manager at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. “We would walk with her in the halls and practice stairs with her. You never would have known.”

A former flight attendant, Powell raised four children with a “suck it up and go on” attitude toward adversity. Wedemeyer said, “She always was a very strong woman, stronger than I could ever hope to be. She’s one tough cookie.”

The hardest part about the ordeal, Wedemeyer said, was being unable to see her mother in person for three-plus weeks. “My biggest concern was that she would die alone,” she said. “If it was her time, I didn’t want her to be by herself.”

Wedemeyer credits the staffs at both Community Medical Center and Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital for keeping in constant contact and coordinating FaceTime conversations whenever requested. At one point, Wedemeyer said a rehab staffer donned full protective gear just to help her mother turn on the TV.

“I cannot say enough about them,” Wedemeyer said. “They were worn ragged at both places, but they were absolutely wonderful.”

Seeing Powell return home made it all worthwhile.

“Yes, we see a lot of patients who are really struggling to overcome COVID,” Gatnarek said. “You don’t always get good news; but when you do, it’s a great reminder that there are people recovering out there.”

Powell suffers from dementia; however, on the day she turned 91, she was overjoyed as Wedemeyer and granddaughter Shaylin Bell wished her birthday greetings from right outside her room, holding a big sign in the window while calling her on the phone.

The next day, Powell was discharged. Wedemeyer came to pick her up, and the rehab staff brought out a wheelchair to move her from the facility to the car.

Not necessary. “No,” the 91-year-old coronavirus survivor said. “I can walk.”

(credits: Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press Published 5:00 a.m. ET May 13, 2020 | Updated 11:32 a.m. ET May 13, 2020)

"We strive to be the first choice for inpatient rehabilitation, achieving superior patient outcomes through comprehensive care in an interdisciplinary hospital."

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Toms River Contact Info:

Solangie Pabon, RN, BSN (Angie)

Business Development Director

O 732 505-5094/ C 732 486-9333/ F 732 818-4839

E solangie.pabon@encompasshealth.com

JOE SHARP PHOTOGRAPHY

All Is Sharp Photography, a full-service photographic business, Farmingdale, N.J., founded in 1990, is celebrating its 30th year in business.

Joe Sharp started his photography career with his first newspaper printed image in 1973. He received a B.S. in Photographic Science and Instrumentation from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 1983 that included extensive training into the chemistry, physics and optics of photography. Still and motion picture photography, television production, and aerial reconnaissance training from several U.S. Navy Schools of Photography added to Sharp’s expertise.

After RIT, he spent 10 years as a research chemist, designing and manufacturing photographic film and paper for Polychrome Corporation in Clark, N.J., and Anitec Imaging in Binghamton, N.Y.

For three years, Sharp was a ship's photographer on the aircraft carrier USS FORRESTAL where he photographed everything from the 1976 Bicentennial in New York with President Ford to medical autopsies, to aerial photos spending hundreds of hours in helicopters.

April 2002, with the pending birth of their second child, Sharp became a self-employed, full-time photographer. Allyson was born 28 days later with Down Syndrome. A much differently balanced home and work life started. Today, Ally is a happy healthy 27-year-old who won two medals at this year’s Winter Special Olympics.

In 2003 All Is Sharp Photography went digital; and today offers a full range of photo and video services. In December 2006, after five years working as a freelance photographer at Georgian Court University (GCU), Sharp became a photography instructor there. Today, after eight years at GCU, Sharp is an adjunct instructor at Ocean County College. Sharp said, “My photography job is incredible fun . . . teaching it is completely over the top.

In 2015, after decades of aerial photography of real estate and construction sites, All is Sharp added drone photography to its photographic services. Licensed by the FAA, and completely insured for everyone’s safety, All is Sharp offers a full range of photo and video services from the air.

A long-standing relationship with Don Lordi and the Allaire Studio gave Sharp access to a range of clients throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties. Lordi’s retirement broadened and deepened Sharp’s relationship with Monmouth County, its people, and businesses. Sharp said, “I will never be able to repay the opportunities and experiences Don gave me, but I try every day!”

For Sharp, every work situation is unique and different. “Human beings are consumed by a desire to remember. That’s what a photographer creates . . . memories for you and future generations. Photography is a tremendously personal activity. It catches people and situations at their best and worst; and, occasionally, simultaneously. A talented photographer must be invisible in the middle of the situation, very sensitive to people and their feelings, and still record that memory for them. I have been very blessed by the level of trust that my clients put in me.”

Sharp’s upbringing in a family of teachers and his time in the Navy taught him that service to others, either individuals or institutions, is satisfying; and in that spirit, Sharp strives to anticipate clients’ needs and meet their every expectation.

Sharp said, “As we approach our 30th anniversary, we’re still asking the same question: ‘What can All is Sharp shoot for you?’”

For more information, contact Joe Sharp at jmsharp@allissharp.com or call 732-942-9229. Visit www.allissharp.com.

CHEMED

CHEMED was founded in 2009 to provide a comprehensive, integrated system of health care to individuals and families in Lakewood and the surrounding areas. We provide outstanding preventative, treatment and health education services.

CHEMED offers many services including Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Women's Health, Behavioral Health, Radiology (including Mammography), Dentistry, Podiatry and specialty services. We have convenient hours and our Fast Track Department offers extended walk-in hours for immediate issues with an onsite pharmacy.

CHEMED staff members speak many languages including Spanish, Hebrew and Yiddish. A translation service is available to accommodate other languages. We provide many other services to assist our patients including outreach and enrollment assistance for the Health Insurance marketplace and eligibility screening for New Jersey Family Care.

CHEMED offers a Sliding Fee Scale Care Program for its uninsured and underinsured patients, based on income level and ability to pay for care. Patients who qualify are charged a discounted fee.

Click Here to view our website.

JOE SHARP PHOTOGRAPHY