CMAP Chronicles
Stay up-to-date on the latest trends, tips, and topics with these short, informative, and fun-to-read articles written by CMAP staff & guest contributors.

Open Doors
Meet Val and Martha
Charlotte Mullen (Intern) • Jul 02, 2025
Val and Martha – A Life of Adventure, Family, and Connection We had the pleasure of speaking with Val Mathews and Martha, who both participate in the Nutrition Program at the Suzanne Patterson Building. Their lives have been full of adventure, family, and meaningful connections. Here is their story: ...
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GrandPals
GrandPal Sheila Von Zumbusch
Meet Sheila Von Zumbusch, an educator with decades of experience teaching preschool and kindergarten at an independent school. Now retired, Sheila has spent the last...
Ella Leving • May 06, 2024
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GrandPals
GrandPal Caroline Purnell
Caroline Purnell has been a GrandPal for the past two years. She is retired from teaching French, Spanish, and ESL for adults, and embodies a...
Ella Leving • Apr 25, 2024
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GrandPals
GrandPal Deb Pillow
Deb Pillow, originally from Michigan and with a background in teaching and storytelling, found her perfect fit in GrandPals after moving to Princeton from Arizona...
Ella Leving • Apr 22, 2024
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GrandPals
GrandPal Joan Kuskin
Joan Kuskin is the grandmother of five wonderful adult granddaughters, and have very much missed the experience of reading to them as young children. It...
Ella Leving • Apr 12, 2024
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GrandPals
GrandPal Ellen Gilbert
Ellen Gilbert is a retired librarian. She has been doing GrandPals for about a hundred-million years, and thinks it’s the bee’s knees. “Early on, Camryn...
Ella Leving • Apr 12, 2024
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GrandPals
GrandPal Frank
GrandPal Frank: Spreading Joy One Fist Bump at a Time In the heart of our GrandPals sessions, amid the pages turned and stories shared, there...
Ella Leving • Apr 11, 2024
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Open Doors
Meet Virginia
Hi, I’m Virginia, and let me share my wonderful experience at the lottery event on March 16, hosted alongside the Princeton Art Museum and Princeton...
Ana Carolina González-Peña • Mar 29, 2024
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Open Doors
Meet Robin Bivins
I’m Robin Bivins, a Princeton local and the sixth generation from the heart of New Jersey. Right now, I call Reading Circle home, and I’ve...
Ana Carolina González-Peña • Feb 28, 2024
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Open Doors
Meet Debra Morgernstern
I discovered a gem within the Center for Modern Aging Princeton — the French club. Joining this vibrant community not only revived forgotten memories but...
Ana Carolina González-Peña • Feb 21, 2024
