Moorestown CASA Retreat a Rousing Success

This past weekend, 48 high school-aged youth from Moorestown participated in the annual Moorestown CASA (Community Alliance on Substance Awareness) retreat at Camp Dark Waters.  

This was one of the best-attended retreats in recent history and the weekend was a rousing success. The retreat emphasizes leadership, personal growth and substance awareness. Activities included a night hike, where groups of 10 or so students are led through the woods in total darkness and silence and have to rely on their peers to finish the hike successfully. Other events include a “sharing bonfire,” Above the Influence discussion and T-shirt design, training on a ropes course, meditation sessions run by Cyndy Pappaterra, other small group leadership activities and a presentation from Al-Anon, as well as a formal workshop presented by Janis Mayer-Obermeier and Dorie Kozuck.   

Mayer-Obermeier is a nationally renowned youth motivational speaker and is described by colleagues as “a force in the youth advocacy movement, a woman who transformed the youth and schools unit at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services into a vital force in the lives of New Jersey’s youth.”

Kozuck is a former SAC at and remains involved in substance awareness throughout the state.

The students were actively engaged in this workshop and were given skill sets to help them follow the path of good decisions. Above all, the students formed new friendships, strengthened old friendships and generally formed a bond with peers that have the same goals in life. Seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter throughout the weekend certainly proves they were successful in building those bonds.  

Of course, these events cannot take place without the help of amazing student and adult leaders. This year, like previous years, our student leaders were great. Brian Wardzinski and Jack Sencindiver led a fun, informative and successful weekend. Our adult leaders were also amazing. Led by Brad Kenney, these leaders included Georgean Wardzinski, Liz Cauler, Kendra Kenney, David Burris and Dwayne Ocasio. We cannot thank them enough for giving their time to our wonderful students. They all slept in cold summer cabins and used restroom facilities that are not like home. But when you thank them for this they all say “no, thank you,” as they gain so much from working with these students—a testament to both the leaders and the students involved with CASA.

Moorestown CASA is a community organization whose mission it is to keep our youth safe and healthy. We do this by providing information, education and healthy alternatives. To find out more, please visit our website.

Liz and Chris Sencindiver