Sussex County Sheriff's Office Gives a SLAP Where it's Needed & SCACH Puts Up a Great Show

Mary Jo Mathias is the Executive Director of Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council – SCAHC.  She was ecstatic that her Newton location was chosen to get the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) called New Harmonies. She found out about this wonderful traveling exhibit and submitted the application through the N.J. State Council for the Humanities which awarded Newton as a host location after they visited the site.  SITES was smitten with the Newton SCAHC location for their New Harmonies exhibit, because it was the ideal location for their project called “Museum on Main Street“-(MoMS).

There is little argument that the Newton’s SCAHC Building on 133 Spring Street is authentic Main Street America.  Some of the buildings on Spring Street date back to the late 1800’s.  Instead of a modern day arts building with its own sprawling campus, SCAHC Gallery is squeezed among other store front buildings of the same circa.  This building has the look and setting of real Americana that fits the theme of their exhibit- New Harmonies American Roots music.  This project is an audio and visual display of Root Music that has grown out of old folk traditions. It is music that distinctly defines us as Americans. Newton Spring Street echoes these qualities of the old heritage of American towns across our nation that has become the birthplaces to American music.

Mary Jo realized that being an Executive Director of a small arts building meant she had a small budget that accommodated her quaint gallery showroom.  This project required some intensive labor because it involved large panels to be attached and configured in the proper sequence.  There was no possible way with a small regular and volunteer staff they would be able to construct this exhibit on their own.

Rural towns are known for their community focused sheriff’s offices.  The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office is one of them working in partnership with other pillars of the community.  The Sheriff’s Office was able to come to the art gallery’s rescue.  It was the Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program (SLAP) that was the dauntless force to provide assistance.

SLAP provides a safe alternative to incarceration for individuals sentenced for non-violent offenses.  In lieu of serving time in jail, SLAP program participants become a gratis workforce on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.  The intent of this labor may not be out of devotion to a community organization by those participants in the program.  But, the results in the end have been so beneficial to the community and organizations like SCAHC.

Mary Jo watched as the SLAP participants labored to solve the puzzle of panel pieces.  Some of the men had a carpentry background lending their professional knowledge along with their elbow grease.  Ironically, some of the protest music legends that graced these exhibit panels had their own tales of personal incarcerations.

Mary Jo Mathias got her New Harmonies exhibit up for the September 18 – October 30^th presentation.  The SLAP participants got to write off their indentured time with new found pride to a very worthy community project.  The people of the

Sussex County area got to see a free awesome exhibit from the Smithsonian. 

Come visit the New Harmonies Exhibit September 18^th
– October 30^th – Sat & Sun 12:00-4:00pm;Tues, Wed, Fri  - 9:00 -3:00pm ;Thurs – 9:00 -8:00pm  http://www.scahc.org/

Nonprofit organization or government agency within Sussex County interested in utilizing SLAP can contact Lt. Mark Lospinuso at 973.579.0865, ext. 2330 for further information. http://www.sussexcountysheriff.com/corrections/slap_swap/

Do you think SLAP is a good program for Hopatcong and should Hopatcong’s Nonprofit organizations take advantage of it?