Medford Living • April 2019 April 2019 • Medford Living14 15

Do you have a Young Achiever in the house?

Calling all artists, thespians, poets, musicians,

scholars, and philanthropists. Save your kids’

achievements in print and share their story with

Medford Living. Email us at joe.vianna@n2pub.com.

young achieversBy Cindy Margraf and Moreen Rademaker, The Bluff residents

Neighborhood photos by Lisa Mongulla, Lisa Mongulla Photography

a college prep program and hired a full-time college prep and career

coordinator who, along with the volunteers, provides similar support

to make college a reality for the LUCY graduates.

MR: Volunteering at LUCY has been incredibly rewarding. At

LUCY, we have the ability to help change the future for Camden’s

high school students. We can make a difference in their lives the

same way we try to support our own children. I must admit, I en-

joyed the process with my own children (call me crazy, I thought

it was fun.). But with LUCY, I can see all I have learned put to use

with those who can benefit most from our support.

Who are the other neighborhood volunteers in the

photo with you? 

Karen Yang (Highbridge), LUCY volunteer, Moreen Rademaker (the

Bluff), LUCY college prep volunteer, Donna Page (Wellington Woods),

LUCY board member, Cindy Margraf (The Bluff), Lucy mentor and

board member, Diana Nolan (Highbridge), LUCY volunteer mentor.

Other Medford LUCY volunteers not in the picture include Suellen

Monaghan, Gretchen Thompson, Shelly Vickers, Pam Boyd, Annema-

rie Brownmiller, Kathy Murphy, and the Rommeihs family. 

Tell ML readers about the big event coming up: 

On Friday, May 3, we have our big fundraiser at the new Ameri-

can Water Corporate Headquarters at 1 Water St, Camden from

6 - 10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.LucyOutreach.org/

spring-event. (more details in the calendar of events)

Photo by Lisa Mongulla,

Lisa Mongulla Photography.

Cindy Margraf by Lisa Mongulla,

Lisa Mongulla Photography

Moreen Rademaker by Lisa Mongulla,

Lisa Mongulla Photography

Neighborhood family names

and ages:

CM: Cindy Margraf and daughters Ash-

ley, who now lives in NYC, and Kaitlin,

who also lives in NYC with husband

Kevin Stephens. And son Tyler lives in

Philadelphia. 

MR: Tony and Moreen Rademaker and

our five kids, Sean (28), Erin (27), Con-

nor (26), Keilan (23), and Quinn (19).

What is the name of the orga-

nization, and what is its main

purpose?

CM: LUCY Outreach, Camden. We

offer multi-lingual, culturally sen-

sitive, educational, social, spiritual

and service-oriented services to

low-income youth and young adults

ages 12-25. Volunteers donate

meals or cook at LUCY to provide

daily meals for the youth attending

after-school and evening programs

as part of LUCY’s healthy eating

program. High school students from

all over the city come each week to

LUCY for tutoring, college or career

prep assistance including SAT prep,

assistance with their college appli-

cations, essay writing, completion of financial aid

forms and scholarship applications.

What is your personal involvement with LUCY?

MR: I am a college prep volunteer. The college

application process can be daunting. Having worked

the process with our five children, we learned quite

a bit along the way. Applications, essays, common

app, FAFSA, scholarships, supplemental applications

tailored by university, college tours large and small,

public and private, faith-based and secular – it is a lot

to even write about. Now, imagine what that is like

without a computer or a parent who has been to col-

lege to assist you. This is before any fees for standard-

ized tests or applications are even considered.

CM: I first got involved at LUCY as a college-prep

volunteer six years ago, with my kids “grown and

flown”; as an empty-nester, I had the time and

interest to get more involved. Volunteering at LUCY

and interacting with young adults was a labor of

love with immeasurable compensation of multiple

rewarding experiences. Three years ago, I was in-

vited to be on LUCY’s board, and next month, I will

assume the role of board chair. Working with LUCY

makes me feel like I really make a difference.

Tell us something that stands out about your

experience with LUCY:

CM: One of my most memorable

experiences was when a girl came in

two weeks before Christmas to “start”

her college application. When I asked

her what she had done so far, she said

“nothing!” Yikes! Crunch time! Two

weeks before Christmas, I had a ton to

do with shopping and holiday prepa-

rations, and her application was due

January 1! I recall taking months helping

my kids with their applications, and we

only had two weeks before Christmas

to get it done. So that night, I sat with

her at the computer and assisted her

with her college application and essay.

We met several times that week, and we

also emailed back and forth until it was

finished. Just in time for the January 1

submission deadline, she got it all done

and submitted her completed applica-

tion. The rewarding experience was that

she not only got accepted but with a full

ride to St Joseph’s University. Without a

volunteer being there that evening, she

may not have met the deadline and may

not have attended college. She graduated

and now returns to LUCY and partic-

ipates in the graduate program. Since

then, with fundraising, LUCY developed

The Bluff Residents Cindy Margraf and Moreen Rademaker Tell The Story of LUCY (Lifting Up Camden’s Youth) Outreach

NEIGHBORHOOD LADIESM E E T T H E M E D F O R D L I V I N G

W H O A R E L I F T I N G U P C A M D E N ’ S YO U T H !

Karen Yang (Highbridge) LUCY

Volunteer, Moreen Rademaker (the

Bluff) LUCY College Prep Volunteer,

Donna Page (Wellington Woods, LUCY

Board Member), Cindy Margraf (The

Bluff) Lucy Mentor and Board Member,

Diana Nolan (Highbridge) LUCY

Volunteer Mentor.