In Montclair: Pop Up Wellness Fest To Promote Restorative Justice

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the The Montclair Education Association. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Montclair Education Association (MEA) and Restorative Justice Montclair (RJM) will
host a Pop-Up Shop Wellness Festival, a free event open to the greater Montclair Community,
featuring vendors, community programs, and prizes, on Thursday, Nov. 14 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
at Montclair High School’s Main Gym.

“The vision is for an afternoon of healing, health and restoration,” said MEA President
Petal Robertson.

“This is an opportunity for community building and self-care,” added Gayl Shepard,
Teacher/Coordinator of Restorative Justice for the Montclair School District.

More than 30 vendors will be participating, such as family counselors, fitness instructors,
medical professionals, including Optical Academy, which is facilitating registration for free eye
exams, and other local businesses. MEA nurses, with assistance from Rite Aid, will be giving flu
shots and providing blood pressure checks. Eye exam appointments may be made here:
https://optical-academy.com/ev...

Attendees also will have the opportunity to learn about local community programs,
including Restorative Justice Montclair (RJM) – a town-wide initiative; other community
programs expected to be represented include Sister to Sister and Brother to Brother, the
schools’ PTAs, Montclair Fund For Educational Excellence, IMANI, and much more. Free raffle
prizes include gift cards and event tickets. The Wellness Festival is being partially funded by the
New Jersey Education Association through a PRIDE in Public Education grant.

Montclair Mayor Robert Jackson and other elected officials are planning to attend,
including 2nd Ward Councilwoman Robin Schlager, 3rd Ward Councilor Sean Spiller, and 4th
Ward Councilwoman Dr. Renee Baskerville, who will be providing an address on the dangers of
vaping.

The Montclair Education Association is the union representing more than 1,100
educators employed by the Montclair Public School District. Restorative Justice Montclair is a
community-wide effort to institute a commitment to justice, accountability, and collective
responsibility in and beyond our schools.

For additional information, contact Cathy Kondreck, Montclair Education Association, at
ckondreck@meanj.org.

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