Home Care In Berlin, NJ

It's a community of friendship where the greatest lesson is that everyone has abilities worth recognizing.

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WPVI

BERLIN, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A Camden County nonprofit is helping enrich the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by helping them form a community.

The Arc of Camden County, which has its headquarters in Berlin, New Jersey, has been putting on events and organizing activities for hundreds of community members with disabilities for decades.

Its goal is to celebrate each person's abilities.

"To make the world a little happier and better and safer for people with IDD," explained Kara Badyna, a volunteer.

IDD refers to intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Speaking from a bench in "The Garden of Memories," a garden on the Berlin campus that honors those who have made a difference in the life of someone with an intellectual disability, Badyna talked about how important it is to provide services to families.

"We put the parties on for folks in our community with special needs and we also give them opportunities to compete," she said.

Badyna volunteers to spend time with her brother. Grace Trant helps organize and coach softball games and bowling outings for Mike and his friends.

"I played softball, baseball, I like bowling," Mike said.

"The smiles on our adult's faces just bring more joy to our hearts than I think to theirs," said Trant.

If you ask the Trants, being part of The Arc has not only changed Mike's life, it's helped his mom too. She's met an entire community of other caregivers who have quickly become like family.

"We're able to enjoy time with his family and his friends. A big part of his life is our circle," she said.

It's a circle of friendship where the greatest lesson is that everyone has abilities worth recognizing.

"There's this tendency to celebrate the successes of one another as much as they celebrate their own successes," said Badyna. "And I often step back and if all of us without IDD, all of us in the whole community could model our behavior after that, it would make this world a better place."

WEST BERLIN, N.J. (CBS) - A New Jersey nonprofit is hoping residents will help out by donating their time or items for people in need this holiday season. Efforts like this are truly a reminder of what the holiday season is all about.

Except here at For The Love of Pete's Pantry, they do this all year round.

Some of the items the Camden County-based nonprofit will give away to anyone in need include food, toiletries and baby items, and it's run solely by volunteers.

Jeanne Rodrigues started For the Love of Pete's Pantry in 2021. It's named after her father.

In just a couple of years, Jeanne's grown the organization to where they're now donating new holiday blankets to children in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, creating baskets for women at local domestic violence safe houses and organizing blessing bags with hygiene items for the homeless.

CBS News Philadelphia spoke with her about what she does and why she does it.

"My dad was a very giving person," Rodrigues said. "He liked to do a lot of things behind the scenes and he wanted to bless people along the way and we wanted to continue that legacy after he passed and spread cheer wherever we can. If people know how they can help and how they can contribute, they're willing to do it and you just have to give them an outlet."

For the Love of Pete's Pantry is run by volunteers and donations.

Jasmine Payoute

Jasmine Payoute joined CBS News Philadelphia as a reporter in June 2021.

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Sonic Drive-In and Buffalo Wild Wings GO were approved for Berlin Township in June, and the effort to rebuild the former Arby’s property on Route 73 into two units has recently started. In my visit just a few days ago workers had stripped off the outside facade.

The new restaurants will be located at the corner of Deangelo Drive (and Rt 73). This is the front corner of the Walmart parking lot. An IHOP restaurant is located directly next to the building where the two new restaurants are being developed.

42Freeway first wrote about the plans for Sonic and Buffalo Wild Wings GO (BWW GO) back in early June of 2023, when the project was heading to Berlin Township Planning Board for approval.

On June 13th the Mayor of Berlin Township Phyllis Magazzu shared an announcement on her Facebook page that the project was approved, and she also offered additional details on the project. A month later Berlin Twp passed a resolution for the approval, with more details around the requested variances.

The remodel effort will split the 3,000 sq ft building into two equal halves, with Sonic on the left (facing the front) and BWW GO on the right.

While the squarish building shape itself will remain unchanged it will see significant remodeling to convert it into two distinct restaurants, each with their own signature designs and signage.

Sonic will offer the full Sonic experience with a drive-thru, order pickup, and also feature their signature drive-in dining aspect. As is standard for the brand, there will be no indoor dining for Sonic.

Buffalo Wild Wing GO will offer a small indoor dining area for 14 customers, and will also support (walk-in) takeout. This new “GO” version of BWW is smaller fast-food like experience focused on their amazing wings, tenders and French fries. To be clear, it is not a full menu restaurant that most of us are familiar with, and this Berlin Twp location will not serve alcohol.

While it may seem like an unique pairing of the two restaurants, it turns out two brands are owned by the same corporation, Inspire Brands. Inspire is also the company behind Arby’s, and Dunkin’ Donuts!

For the local Berlin Township franchise location, the upcoming Sonic and BWW GO are owned by the same franchisee, but each of the two restaurants will be operated as completely separate businesses.

Sonic Drive-In Berlin Township

Sonic is an American drive-in fast food chain which opened its first location in 1953 under the name Top Hat Drive-In. Today as Sonic they have almost 3600 locations!

A signature aspect of Sonic is their drive-in dining experience, where you drive into designated parking spots, each which have their own dedicated menu signboard. You place your order from your car while parked in the spot, and when your food is ready a Sonic employee will bring it out to you.

You can then stay right there in the same parking spot, eating your delicious meal or treat inside your car!

It’s harkens back to the drive-ins of the 1950s… right out of the Happy Days Tv show!

Another iconic aspect of that classic drive-in experience was the “car hop” employees who would bring out your order, would wear roller skates. This is something that is still marketed as part of the Sonic experience, but honestly I don’t know how prevalent this is in the South Jersey locations!

Sonic also offers a traditional drive-thru window ordering experience, if you just once you grab your food and go.

They do not offer indoor dining. If you want to eat your meal on site, well that’s what the drive-in aspect is all about.

The Sonic menu features all of the American classic casual food items such as juicy hamburgers, delicious hot dogs, tender chicken… as well as a large menu of ice cream based treats such as milkshakes, sundaes and Sonic blast.

Their commercials are regularly seen on television and the brand is constantly inventing new and interesting seasonal menu items to bring customers in to try the latest delicious offering.

For the Berlin Township Sonic drive in, as mentioned they will be on the left side of the former Arby’s closest to Deangelo Drive.

They were approved to add eleven of their drive-in parking spaces (with the menu boards) situated along the Deangelo Drive property line. Those parking spots will have a 1,500 square foot overhead parking canopy to protect from precipitation when ordering or receiving your food.

Other South Jersey Sonic locations are located in Audubon, Cinnaminson, Millville and Hainesport

Buffalo Wild Wings GO

The Buffalo Wild Wings Go will be opening on the right half of the shared building, and will feature a small dining area with 14 seats, as well as offer takeout orders. There will be no drive-thru for Buffalo Wild Wings GO in Berlin Twp.

So as mentioned at the start of the article, this is not a full Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant like the ones on Cross Keys Rd. Gloucester Township, or outside the Moorestown Mall.

The GO version of BWW is focused on fast service of their delicious Buffalo wings, chicken tenders and French fries..

The best way to understand the BWW GO concept is.. they are in the same category as the popular Wingstop restaurants.

It’s a smart move for the Buffalo Wild Wing brand, because if you consider other competitors like Wingstop who have built successful national restaurant chains from the smaller wing/tender/fries menu… well obviously Buffalo Wild Wings has a strong reputation in those same food categories, so why shouldn’t BWW create their own smaller and faster version?!

A Buffalo Wild Wings GO location was also approved for Voorhees NJ almost two years ago. In my most recent visit over the summer it did not appear that construction had started there, but I’ll be back soon to check up on it

Links and Location

Sonic Drive-In and Buffalo Wild Wings GO (proposed)299 Route 73 NorthBerlin Township NJ

Berlin Township Mayor’s Facebook Message (June 2023)

The Victory Sports Bar in Berlin recently completed a remodel of their main interior bar area. This is the second large upgrade effort of what will likely be a three-step full building remodeling effort.

The Victory Sports Bar is a large multiple bar area and restaurant facility located on Route 73 in Berlin Township, very close to the Jackson Road intersection and less than a mile from where the White Horse Pike crosses 73.

Last year Victory added a large building addition for an all season patio area and new bar. This year was the main indoor bar remodel, and next year they expect to remodel the main restaurant dining area.

Victory Sports Bar – Inside Bar

While the inside bar remodeling effort carries a similar layout as before with a large rectangular bar in the center and table seating surrounding the perimeter… they have refreshed almost every surface in the space.

New carpeting, coverings, tables and seating, and they’ve even swapped out the old stone fireplace for a more modern and colorful model.

The prior décor of the indoor bar space was heavy on a light wood which gave it a somewhat dated 1990s look.

With the remodel the owners have carried over the modern grey theme from the new patio area.. but inside added comfortable new black barstools with red cushions… which adds contrast to the space.

Of course the signature center bar TV tower remans, as well as the TVs surrounding the space.

Victory Sports Bar is a perfect place to catch all your favorite sports action… and they offer Game Day Drink Specials and for the Eagles games… half-price wings! (Dine-in only)

And don’t forget that the have the patio bar area at Victory Sports Bar.

Each of the three segments individually are large enough to be their own independent business, but the smart building design allows them stand on their own while also being very connected to the other aspects.

Victory Sports Bar Berlin also offers live music with a Friday Country Acoustic Night, and Saturday Night Bands.

They do a great job keeping their Facebook page up to date for bands and other specials, so be sure to follow them

Links and Location

Victory Bar & Grill795 New Jersey Route 73Berlin Township, NJ 08091

Facebook! Go Like.. they seem very active with posting

Website

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

The nonprofit organization has added a station in Berlin, N.J.

Katalinas Communications, Community Contributor

Listeners in the Lansdale, Pa. and Berlin, N.J. areas can now hear an eclectic mix of 20th century nostalgia with recent additions of 105.7 FM and WTHA-FM 88.1 to the Radio Delaware Valley non-commercial public radio station family.

The expansion brings the unique format, which features the old standards of the 20s, 30s, big band, the early days of blues, rock ‘n’ roll, country, soul, polka and more beyond the greater Philadelphia core currently served by WRDV-FM 89.3 in Hatboro, eastern Montgomery County; 107.3 in Philadelphia; 97.1 in Bensalem, lower Bucks County; and 91.7 in Bristol and Levittown, lower Bucks County.

“We considered it part of the Delaware Valley,” said Charles Loughery, who serves as president of Bux-Mont Educational Radio Association, the nonprofit organization formed to operate the radio station. “We felt it fit in.”

Loughery was a 20-year-old communications student in 1979 when Centennial School District in Bucks County shut down the previously dubbed WCSD 89.3 radio station. By 1980, Loughery had established a nonprofit organization which allowed for the station’s transfer from school district ownership. For a time, he and other volunteers operated from the basement of Warminster Township’s municipal building, eventually relocating to its current home on York Road in Hatboro in 2000.

“We’re still here today,” Loughery said.

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Under his leadership, the station transformed from a membership organization to being managed by a Board of Trustees. In the late 80s, the station’s call letters morphed from WCSD to WRDV. Soon after, the station “dramatically changed” the music format from acid rock and heavy metal to the standards in regular rotation today.

“We’re trying to target stuff that people remember that’s good stuff,” he said.

General Manager Fred Rice said RDV strives to stay away from the “tried and true formats.”

“How many more classic rock stations do you need?” Rice asked.

Unlike most radio stations, RDV DJs choose their own music, according to Public Information Officer and Voice Talent, Laurie Jacobson. The station has a pair of turntables, as well as a CD player that DJs can use, along with their laptop, to play music on-air.

“Even within each format the shows sound different,” she said of the station’s staff, which consists of more than 40 volunteer DJs. “We’re kind of a mix of old and new with the music.”

The station offers training for individuals seeking a career in broadcasting. Jacobson’s son, Anders, a senior at Central Bucks South High School and Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, serves as the station’s Production Director, recording and editing underwriting spots and promos, editing public service announcements, assisting with remote broadcasts and more.

“It felt natural,” Anders said of his RDV volunteer time.

In addition to playing a vast collection of music every day, Radio Delaware Valley features public affairs programming, a community bulletin board which highlights local nonprofit events, as well as area church services Sundays from 7 a.m. to noon.

RDV continues to see its listener base grow through streaming, which has broadened its reach as far away as England, Germany, Florida and for locals on their travels to the Jersey Shore.

The station is funded solely through its annual fund drive, as well as business and corporate sponsors.

Given the age range of fund drive contributors, Rice said millennials comprise a large segment of their listening base.

“We’ve got listeners in their 20s and 30s,” Rice said. “They’re devoted to the station.”

Get involved

Radio Delaware Valley will hold its annual fund drive from Oct. 15 through Nov. 4. RDV will host an open house on Saturday, Nov. 11 from noon to 4 p.m. at its studio, 126 S. York Road in Hatboro. For more information, visit www.wrdv.org.

About Radio Delaware Valley

Radio Delaware Valley is a non-commercial, educational, public radio station operated by the Bux-Mont Educational Radio Association, a nonprofit organization. Programs are heard on WRDV 89.3 FM in Warminster Pa., 107.3 FM Philadelphia Pa., 97.1 FM Bensalem Pa., 105.7 FM in Lansdale Pa., WLBS 91.7 FM Bristol-Levittown Pa., and on WTHA 88.1 FM in Berlin, N.J. The station can be streamed from its website, https://www.wrdv.org/index.html.