Still Time for Joy

Margaret (Peggy) Swarbrick, Ph. D. has spent a lifetime developing and teaching about “The 8 Dimensions of Wellness”, a framework she originally designed to help people struggling with mental health and addiction challenges, and trauma. Her work has been endorsed by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and has been widely adopted by corporations, schools and universiti...

Every May and June, along the Delaware Bay, trained volunteers with reTURN the Favor help horseshoe crabs stranded on their backs by righting them and pointing them towards the water. These crabs, whose eggs are critical to the survival of migratory shorebirds, would otherwise perish if they were unable to right themselves on their own. Scientists say horseshoe crabs have been on the Earth for som...

Beach Days for All raises funds to improve beach access at the New Jersey Shore for people with mobility issues. Hard, connecting panels are placed on the sand, allowing people in wheelchairs to get closer to the ocean. The panels have also made it easier for elderly people to enjoy the many benefits of spending time near the ocean. Jessica Krill, founder and president of Beach Days for All, expla...

Every year, the nonprofit Barnegat Bay Partnership holds the Barnegat Bay Blitz, a massive trash cleanup throughout the bay's watershed at the New Jersey Shore. In the past two years, volunteers picked up about 13 tons of trash, beautifying the area, and protecting wildlife. The Barnegat Bay is an ecological treasure, and an extremely popular spot for boating, fishing, crabbing, and other rec...

"The Smart Goose" is one of producer Sandra Levine's favorite stories of all time. In 2010, a Canada goose that had been shot with a bow and arrow, miraculously chose to land in the yard of a veterinarian in Toms River, New Jersey,  who was willing to help. Dr. Bernard Levine is Sandra's father and together they worked to save the injured bird and capture the amazing story. Whi...

When a brain injury occurs, whether due to a fall, a car crash, a medical issue, or another reason, often life is dramatically changed for both the survivor and family members. The initial crisis can be terrifying; there are so many questions, and often too few answers, leading to overwhelm. Survivors may be unable to walk, think clearly, or live independently after an injury. With excellent medic...

During winter months, numerous harbor seals can be seen resting or "hauling out" on the rocks in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The American Littoral Society, a coastal advocacy nonprofit, hosts regular seal walks during which visitors learn about the seals' amazing comeback story. Seals historically came here from Canada and...

March 14 is National Save a Spider Day, the perfect time to highlight the critical need to protect spiders, not fear them. Dr. Paula E. Cushing, past president of both the American Arachnological Society and the International Society of Arachnology, has been joyfully studying spiders for decades. She says our fear of spiders is outsized: of the more than 53,000 species of spiders, approximately 10...

Learn all about composting - whether you want to use a worm bin inside, or a larger bin outdoors - from Master Composter Sandra Blain-Snow, with the Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management. Composting not only creates a rich, natural fertilizer for your garden, it saves critically important space in the landfill.  Blain-Snow talks about the best ingredients to add to your compost bin - f...

Do you know how maple syrup is made? Recently visitors to the New Jersey Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson Township, NJ, learned all about the fascinating process. At the Sugar Shack, Roger Smith, a seasonal naturalist at NJ FREC, talked about tapping sugar maples for sap, which is then boiled down on an evaporator. Participants even sampled the pure, maple syrup on small pancakes, befor...

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, based in Denver, Colorado, celebrates Random Acts of Kindness Day every February 17th. A recent interview I did with the vice president of the foundation inspired me to create a list of 12 Kind Ideas for you to try today, or any day, that come from the foundation's 2026 Kindness Calendar.  You can download the calendar--and lots of other resources--for...

A random act of kindness can be as simple as holding the door for the person behind you, or writing a heartfelt note of gratitude. Brooke Jones is vice president of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, based in Denver, Colorado. Jones explains the science behind the mood boost that comes with being kind: an increase in levels of the brain's feel-good chemicals, including dopamine, serotoni...

In late January 2026, large swaths of the United States were blanketed for more than ten days in snow and ice, making it difficult for wildlife to find food and water. In this episode of “Still Time for Joy”, we talk about the best ways to help songbirds with Josh Gant,  president of the Atlantic Audubon Society in New Jersey, at the Jersey Shore. Gant, who is a naturalist at Wells Mills County Pa...

The Jersey Shore Chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey held an informative workshop on Winter Sowing at Jakes Branch County Park in Beachwood, New Jersey, in January 2026. Ellen Silverman, a member of both the Native Plant Society of New Jersey and the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Ocean County, provided expert tips on how to jump-start your garden with winter sowing. Steps include gathe...

Do you want to help butterflies, birds, and bees thrive, and help mitigate some of the damage we've done to Mother Earth? Master Arborist, Basil Camu, wrote "From Wasteland to Wonder: Easy Ways We Can Help Heal Earth in the Sub/Urban Landscape" to provide practical ways everyone can do their part to help the planet. He is so committed to this work, he is offering the book to everyon...

Working in law enforcement can be among the most stressful jobs: police respond to traumatic situations including fatal motor vehicle accidents, suicides, shootings, fires, domestic violence, and much more. For more than 25 years, a peer support program called Cop2Cop has provided expert help to New Jersey police officers and their families. The phones are staffed by men and women who have retired...

Working towards protecting the environment, feeding the hungry, and taking care of our loved ones, not only does good in the world, so often it makes the person helping feel good, too. As the new year begins, take a look at this episode of "Still Time for Joy", full of wisdom from some of our favorite guests of the podcast during 2025. They talk about finding purpose and meaning in pitch...

CAREing for Children is a small, nonprofit in Ocean County at the New Jersey Shore, that provides food and toys around the holidays to families in need. CFC President Barbara Farley says if you see a problem in your community that needs addressing, just start!  CFC, like many nonprofits, holds a yearly golf outing to raise funds to support its mission. This year, CFC had just 8 weeks to organize i...

Tina Coetzee was looking for a way to keep her 77-year-old father, Chris Taylor, who lives with Alzheimer's disease, happily occupied. She handed him a paint brush and changed his life. Taylor, who had been struggling with severe emotional outbursts in recent months, now paints every day, and, with the help of new medications, is feeling much better.      Taylor's vibrant paintings are a...

There's a movement underway to educate homeowners and landscapers on the benefits of leaving leaves, rather than removing every leaf that falls from trees. Decomposing leaves improve soil health, and a vast array of plants, insects, birds, and mammals depends on leaf litter to survive.  Jean Epiphan holds a Master of Science degree in Ecology from Rutgers University in New Jersey. She is an a...

A Need We Feed is a small, but mighty nonprofit at the New Jersey Shore whose volunteers bring meals to Ocean County residents living at the federal poverty level, who don't qualify for help from other programs.  Many of the organization's clients are veterans, homebound elderly, and families living in motels.  From local restaurants, A Need We Feed purchases boxes of individually packag...

Caregiving for a loved one with a serious, longterm illness can be stressful, isolating, and overwhelming. The Caregiver Action Network, or CAN, provides a wealth of free resources, including webinars and a helpline.  CAN is the lead organization celebrating National Family Caregivers Month in November. Caregiver Action Network https://www.caregiveraction.org/ Sandra Levine Productions  https://sa...

Thomas "Tommy Duck" Lewis, who began carving wooden objects as a very young boy, today is an award-winning decoy artist. He creates wooden decoys as well as nautical folk art from his studio near the Delaware River in New Jersey. He carves decoys in both the Delaware River and Barnegat Bay traditions. Lewis has volunteered or been employed as a first responder for more than 35 years; tod...

On Halloween,1999, Sandra Levine's husband, Michael, was rushed by helicopter to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania due to Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, or ADEM. Michael nearly died -- twice. His recovery was long and very difficult, lasting many years. And while Michael eventually made a remarkable recovery, even after 26 years, challenges remain. Both Sandra and Michael...

Staying active and exploring the arts is good for the mind, body, and spirit for people of all ages. Sherri Ehrlich, founder of Vibrant Activities, brings creative programs into senior facilities in several New Jersey counties, keeping residents engaged, and boosting joy. Ehrlich is an accomplished singer and artist, who encourages seniors to let go of judgment and enjoy the process. In this inter...