South Jersey Magazine - Moorestown / Mt. Laurel

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SJM_MenOfTheYear_1122FINAL.qxp_SJM Feature 11 / 22 / 22 4 : 05 PM Page r 2022 Michael NASH AR ash will not graduate from Rowan Student Union and the treasurer of the E NUniversity until this spring , but he NAACP Rowan Collegiate Chapter , and Yhas E hasalready accomplished more through his beeninvolved in charitable efforts through H philanthropy than most people twice his thoseorganizations , such as a back to school T age . Being active in that regard was a lesson drive earlier this year . Nash also served as F he learned as a boy from his parents and anintern and later a legislative aide to Ostate other family members , including his grand - Sen . Troy Singleton , where he learned ENthe father , a pastor . “ I just always wanted to value of community outreach and developed M be a beacon for change and be a voice for leadershipskills . Nash , who is contemplating people who didn’t have the courage or the law school or graduate school after gradu - resources to speak up , ” he says . A native of ation , can possibly see himself running for Mount Laurel , Nash has blossomed during office someday , but his ultimate goal is to his time at Rowan , where he is a senior po - continue making a difference . “ I just try to litical science major . He is the founder and focuson taking it day by day , always being undergraduate coordinator of The Men of anadvocate for the people around me and Color Alliance ( MOCA ) , which aims to increase trying to be that person who can bring the retention of minority male students at others into spaces they weren’t able to get the university and has allowed him to create intobefore , ” he says . “ Hopefully that change important dialogue with the administration . can come , and I believe that it will come . ” He is also the vice president of the Black Cesar GARCIA arcia’s passion for baseball traces to start its first youth baseball league . The Gback to his homeland of Nicaragua , entiretrip is funded by Garcia and his siblings , and the sport remained a big part of his life butseeing the joy on the kids ’ faces is worth when he came to the U.S . with his family it , especially since he knows what it’s like and settled in Camden . After competing in togrow up using a broom stick as a baseball high school and college , he was able to bat . “ The fact that I can give these kids a stay involved as a coach and trainer , and glove and a ball so they can have a catch , today he works with players from the youth I’d be crazy not to do it , ” he says . “ I’m not a level to college and even minor - and ma - millionaire or anything , but I’m able to do jor - leaguers at Indoorance Sports Academy it and therefore I’m going to continue to do in Berlin . Having formed important rela - it . Hopefully we can grow it in the future , tionships and built a career through baseball , get some funding , invite more kids and he decided to pay it forward to the younger helpthe girls too by adding softball . ” Garcia , generation , starting in his native country . who also works in community outreach at Every year , he runs a goodwill mission to Cooper University Health Care , is holding Nicaragua , where he holds a free baseball an event in December in Camden to spark clinic , feeds the players and their families interest in baseball , and he is in the process and donates new and used baseball equip - of starting a nonprofit called Sports GIFT ment , which has even enabled his hometown ( globallyinspiring futures together ) . Harry PLATT his past April , Platt had what he calls NewJersey as a founding board member of Tone of the most memorable experiences the Young Leadership Council and later of his life when he traveled to Warsaw , servedas president of the organization . He Poland , and even into Ukraine itself to help chairedthe 1721 Building Committee , which deliver critical supplies to refugees from the developed Weinberg Commons in Cherry war - torn country . He was amazed by the Hill , a facility that houses seniors and inde - spirit of the people , who refused to leave pendent adults with special needs , with a their homeland . “ They were coming out to similar project now underway in Newfield . get supplies and going right back in , back Platt is also helping to create a security into a war zone , ” he says . “ They easily could force for faith - based organizations in the have come out and stayed out , but their area in response to increased hate crimes . ties to their community , their belief in their AVoorhees resident , he is the former mayor independence and who they wanted to be of the town , and he is the manager and really overshadowed that and they put vice president of Platt Memorial Chapels , themselves in harm’s way to defend their where his father Bernie is still active . Platt country . ” Platt is no stranger to giving back , andhis wife , Hilary , are the parents to Jaclyn though usually he concentrates his efforts andJacob and are members of the Katz JCC much closer to home . He first got involved andCongregation Beth El . with the Jewish Federation of Southern SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 19 issue 8 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 40 |

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SJM_MenOfTheYear_1122FINAL.qxp_SJM Feature 11 / 22 / 22 4 : 05 PM Page 4 Richard JONES ones has always considered himself an hit by a car or even stuck in a soccer net at a Janimal lover , but more of the domestic local park . He has learned how to properly kind , like the dogs and cats his family had holdand feed them , and has even become as pets . He never had any experience what - a trainer to prepare different birds to be soever with wildlife until he and his wife aroundpeople for educational presentations . Pam decided to volunteer at Woodford Alongtime Medford resident who also vol - Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge as a way to give unteers at a horse farm with his wife , Jones back to the community in retirement . “ I received the New Jersey State Governor’s thought maybe I could wash dishes and JeffersonAward in 2021 for his contributions clean floors behind the scenes , ” he says , to animal welfare , and shows no signs of “ and then on day one I went into the hospital slowing down . “ We’re very committed to and met Lori [ Swanson ] , the director , and Cedar Run and they keep us young , ” he she said , ‘ Welcome . Here’s a squirrel . ’ ” In says . “ It’s such a rewarding feeling : You’re the 10 years since , Jones has worked with a helpinganimals , you’re helping people learn wide range of animals , from baby foxes to aboutanimals and the importance of wildlife great horned owls and red - tailed hawks , in our area . I enjoy it so much — my wife animals that were perhaps abandoned or and I both do . ” Damien GHEE ommunity service was ingrained in and Sicklerville , also plays an important CGhee at a young age , since his father role at TD Bank , where he is the regional was a police officer and his mother worked vice president of the Greater Philadelphia in the court system and both became pastors Lending Group . A lifelong advocate for di - actively involved in a number of causes . He versity , equity and inclusion , he is the ex - and his wife Suzanne are now doing the ecutivelead for the Black Employee Network same for their three children , as they set withinthe bank , and has been part of recent the example of giving back in various ways efforts to increase access to capital for Black - and even get the kids involved when possible , andminority - owned businesses and to ed - like a recent turkey drive the entire family ucate the Black community about services participated in leading up to Thanksgiving . available to them . “ To me , it’s about being Ghee serves as chair on the executive board proactive in the community , understanding of directors for the People’s Emergency whatthe needs are and not just waiting for Center in Philadelphia , which provides sup - something to happen , ” he says of his efforts port for families experiencing homelessness , both through his job and away from work . and as vice chair of the Virtua Health Foun - “ Beingan advocate for that , helping to raise dation , which provides services such as a money and having that connectivity to the mobile grocery store for low - income residents communitywhere we all came from is im - of Camden . Ghee , who grew up in Camden portant . ” Tim JENNINGS nspired by his parents , who he calls the tools and resources to get back on their Ihardest - working people he’s ever known , feet . Other organizations he is proud to Jennings has always been a go - getter , supportare Project Refit , The Ike Foundation , whether starting his own company , sup - Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity porting countless causes in South Jersey , or and Family Promise , and he was recently discovering his latest passion , an interview honored with the Heritage Award from St . program he created and hosts on Instagram . Johnof God Community Services for his al - In 1998 , he founded Telecorp Inc . , a full - truism . In 2020 , he started Walkin ’ and service IT management company currently Talkin’with Tim , in which he conducts fun , being rebranded as Telecorp Technologies , informal interviews with local leaders and and its success has allowed the Woodbury influentialpeople in South Jersey to provide resident to dedicate time to his community unique insight into the guests and serve as and numerous nonprofits . He has volunteered motivationfor younger professionals . “ Having on the board for the Woodbury Athletic As - the ability to give back or help anyone is sociation , helped raise money for various truly a gift , ” he says . “ I’m truly grateful to sports programs and coached multiple teams be able to work with so many amazing in soccer , basketball and softball , and is a charitableorganizations . I feel it’s all of our board member and volunteer for Harbaugh responsibility to help whoever we can , Village / George’s House in Mullica Hill , which whenever and wherever we can . We rise helps displaced families by giving them together . ” SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 19 issue 8 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 41

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