Would you like to make a difference? Volunteers are needed to help Kidsbridge, a tolerance museum that focuses on community service, anti-bullying, tolerance, disability awareness and sensitivity, appreciating differences, and character education. Volunteers will greet and talk with kids in small groups from area schools at the museum located at the College of New Jersey in Ewing. An open house is scheduled for Wednesday, January 7, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.##M:[more]##
Lynne Azarchi, pictured at right, of West Windsor, who has had careers in advertising, marketing, business development, and consulting, has been involved with Kidsbridge for six years. She began as a volunteer and moved into the executive director position soon after. “I fell in love with the project because of its mission — diversity appreciation, character education, and life skills for at risk youth,” she says.
Azarchi, who was born and raised in Trenton, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Pennsylvania State University, Class of 1975. She received her MBA in marketing from Columbia University Graduate School of Business in 1982.
Azarchi conceived and created the children’s tolerance museum on campus as a partnership with the College of New Jersey. Each year, more than 2,”500 elementary school children interact with 400 education and psychology undergraduates, supervised by their professors. Other students and retired seniors volunteer as docents in the museum earning community service.
Her past positions include assistant director with Longmont Pioneer Museum in Longmont, Colorado from 1979 to 1980; intern with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City from 1980 to 1981; director of marketing and public relations with the Hayden Planetarium and American Museum of Natural History in New York City from 1984 to 1988; managing director for American Society of Civil Engineers in Reston, Virginia from 1988 to 1998; and president of Zarkey Consulting in West Windsor from 1998 to 2002.
Azarchi’s husband works in New York City in advertising. Her daughter, Rachel, 18, is a graduate of High School South and a freshman at University of Miami in Florida. Her son, Jacob, 15, is a freshman at High School South. The family has lived in West Windsor for 10 years.
No training is necessary — just an interest in character education and interacting with children,” says Azarchi. “Retired teachers are specially welcome.”
Visit www.kidsbridgemuseum.org or call 609-581-0239 for information. Register for the open house by E-mail at lynnekidsbridge@aol.com.
