The League of Women Voters of Sussex Highlands (LWVSH) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to empower voters and defend democracy. For more than 70 years, the LWVSH has been active in our local community.

LWVSH is open to people of all gender identities who want to help democracy work by protecting voting rights and educating voters here in Sussex County. Join one of our monthly meetings (in person or virtually)—details are available on their social media!

Their activities include:
-Voter outreach and registration drives held at local grocery stores, community events, and the NJ State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show.

-Their "Energizing Young Voters" program brings the voting process into local high schools. High school seniors learn how to register to vote, practice using the voting machines, and see how their vote is protected, processed, and counted.

-LWVSH hosts and moderates candidate forums and debates. Previous debates have been held for Sussex County township races, Boards of Education, and County Commissioner. The LWVSH does not endorse or promote individual candidates but enables opportunities for candidates to share their positions and speak to the voting public.

-Two scholarships are offered each year to Sussex County high school students. Last year’s recipients were students at Sparta High School and Kittatinny High School. The donations received from the Giving Tap will be used for the Scholarship Fund!

We can all help this organization continue its county efforts and fund scholarships by drinking the designated beer on our Giving Tap (21+, please)! This month we feature our 25th Anniversary Imperial Stout and for each unit sold, Krogh's will donate $1 to the League of Women Voters of Sussex Highlands. So please join us this month and raise a pint to defend our local democracy! Cheers!

We are starting the year off with our cuddly and furry friends at Father John's Animal House! Their overall objective is not only to find homes for otherwise homeless pets, but to provide veterinary care, necessary medication, housing, love, food, and companionship to any animal that enters their shelter. They also make it their mission to promote spaying and neutering to alleviate the problem of homeless animals and overcrowded shelters. They value people's bond with animals and strive to give each homeless animal a family that will love and care for them for a lifetime.

Father John’s Animal House was founded in 1999 by a small and very dedicated group of people who recognized a great need in our community to help animals that have been subjected to homelessness, cruelty, or neglect. The land was originally overseen by Father John, a retired member of the clergy, who took exceedingly good care of his livestock. The shelter was named after him to honor his dedication to the welfare of animals.

Now, the shelter safely and responsibly places over 800 animals each year. Each animal is fully vetted, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped before leaving for their adoptive home. Their personnel works hard to match each adoptive family with the perfect animal to become their lifelong pet. Father John's also offers a low-cost spay/neuter clinic to combat the ongoing pet homelessness issue. They continue to be a resource of information and service for our pet ownership community.

For January, Father John's will receive $1.00 from every draft sold on our Giving Tap so that they may continue to support and service responsible pet ownership. The beer on tap is our 25th Anniversary Imperial Stout. This stout is jet black in color, barrel-aged in ex-bourbon barrels and features hints of molasses and brown sugar.

In addition to the monetary donation they receive from us, we want to help fulfill some items on their donation list (see pdf icon). A box is in our main vestibule throughout January to accept donations, not only pet-related, but paper towels, laundry detergent, and tall kitchen trash bags are also great donation items! Please note, however, that all donated pet food MUST be chicken or turkey-based to prevent stomach upsets; that is their only stipulation! So consider donating an item or two because together, we can give these animals hope for tomorrow! Thank you for your support!

The recipient of December's Giving Tap is Lennon's House, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports the needs of persons with intellectual differences in every possible way. They aim to create a special needs recreational center, gift shop, and house to better this beautiful population. The founders' son, Lennon, is the inspiration for this endeavor. He is a 20-year-old young man with a sharp wit, a delightful sense of humor, and a genetic condition called CDK13. Due to his condition, he will never be able to live on his own. Lennon's House will become a home for Lennon throughout his life, and also for others in the special needs community. Learn more about this organization through their website or follow them on Facebook.

Krogh's Restaurant & Brew Pub will donate $1 from each draft sold on the Giving Tap this month to aid in Lennon's House goal of a special needs recreational center, gift shop, and house. Together we can give this beautiful population a place they can call their own, and all you have to do is drink our Beaulah's Pumpkin Ale (21+, please). Aside from pumpkins, it has cinnamon, spice, and everything nice in a glass! Try yours with cinnamon-sugar on the rim and thank you for your support!

Jack Insinga is a 2024 graduate of Sussex County Technical School in Sparta and on June 3, 2024, no one suspected that his life would forever change. On that day, Jack was involved in a terrible accident. The truck he was driving rolled and caught fire, and Jack sustained very serious, life-threatening injuries. Jack lost his left foot at the scene of the accident, suffered third-degree burns to both legs, and significant injuries to his right leg and foot. He was airlifted to Morristown Medical Center where he underwent the first of many surgeries. He was later transferred to St. Barnabas Burn Center where he was placed in the ICU Burn Unit.

Jack had his second surgery on June 6, three days after the accident, to remove burnt skin from both legs. On June 17, Jack underwent his third surgery, which was the amputation of both legs below the knee. Jack remained in the hospital throughout the summer battling bacterial infections, sepsis, and skin grafts. He underwent three more surgeries and at one point he had to be put on a ventilator, but throughout it all, Jack persevered.

On August 30, Jack was transferred from St. Barnabas to Kessler Rehabilitation in Chester for much-anticipated and needed therapy. Jack underwent therapy sessions multiple times a day and on September 20, after almost one month of being at Kessler, Jack was finally able to go home, but his story was far from over. On October 28, Jack was back at St. Barnabas for his 7th surgery and hopefully, this was his last one. Once all of Jack's skin grafts heal properly, he will begin the process of getting his prosthetics.

Krogh's is sponsoring Jack Insinga on November's Giving Tap to help in the ongoing efforts to defray expenses for him and his family. June to November has been just the beginning of Jack's journey and there is a long road ahead to recovery. We will donate $1 from each draft sold on the Giving Tap this month so please enjoy Birdsmouth Beer's Black Lager (21+, of course). In addition, we will have donation buckets out to collect spare change or a monetary donation because we know every little bit makes a difference, and every little bit helps to get Jack closer to recovery and independence.

To help out a little more with Jack's catastrophic expenses, we are sponsoring an all-day Dining To Donate on November 10. Please save the date, come out, and join us to support this courageous and determined young man. Together, we can all make a difference!

If you are so inclined, the family has a GoFund Me page set up for donations. Look up its title: "Support Jack's Journey to Recovery" (https://gofund.me/55ecb240).

Last, but not least, the family wants you to know they are thankful and appreciative beyond words, and they request that you keep Jack in your thoughts and prayers.

This month we are sponsoring an organization that turns wishes into dreams come true! Founded in 2015, Wished Upon A Child was established to provide holiday assistance to families and children experiencing financial hardship. They are proud to have made such a meaningful impact in our community thanks to the help of generous donors and volunteers local to Sussex County and beyond. The core of their work lies in the continuous passion and dedication they bring to this project every year.

They service almost all of the children in Sussex County who are somehow involved with The Division of Child Protection and Permanency. This may mean that they are living in a foster home, or a group home, or they may be living at home with families struggling to hold things together. Over the years they have been lucky to experience tremendous growth and also be able to provide Christmas for many additional children and families who need their help. The families they work with are almost all from Sussex and Morris counties and referred through Benny's Bodega, school nurses, social workers, and various other agencies and organizations. They also accept self-referrals through an application process.

What sets Wished Upon A Child apart from a general gift collection is that they have created a custom "Dear Santa" form that asks each of these children exactly what they are hoping for most on Christmas. The gifts you see on their sign-up lists are what each of these kids is dreaming about being under that Christmas tree when they wake up on Christmas morning. Even if in most scenarios that may seem impossible, with the help of friends, family, and an amazing community, they have provided Christmas magic to 150+ deserving children every year for the past 8 years.

By sponsoring Wished Upon A Child this month, Krogh's will donate $1 from each draft sold from the Giving Tap to make a meaningful difference in the lives of local families in need. So enjoy our Fall Harvest & Chill IPA! Must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol.

September's Giving Tap at Krogh's will support PFLAG Sussex County, a local LGBTQ+ support and advocacy group helping members learn how to be better allies and supporters for their LGBTQ+ loved ones.

PFLAG Sussex County local chapter (https://www.pflagsussexnj.org/) was founded in 2023 to provide support, education, and advocacy on behalf of our local LGBTQ+ community. Their chapter currently has 40+ participants and is open to all interested individuals. Learn more about PFLAG Sussex County by following their social media outlets or attending a meeting. Details for attending a meeting can be found through their social media outlets.

PFLAG Sussex County would like to invite our community to attend their annual PFLAG Craft Fair and Celebration on Saturday, October 12 from 12-4:00 pm at the pavilion behind Sparta United Methodist Church at 71 South Sparta Ave. They will have 20+ vendors selling various things like crocheted items, baked goods, home goods and decor, pottery, soaps, homemade jam, and SO MUCH MORE! In addition to all that, there will be live music at this event, tarot card readings, a silent auction, and a bake sale! So please save the date for October 12th and check it out!

For September, PFLAG Sussex County will receive $1.00 from each draft sold on the Giving Tap and proceeds will help fund their local community education and support programs. The beer on the Giving Tap is our head brewer's 2,000th brew! He made a Kottbusser or German Honey Ale. This ale is straw-colored and features an aroma of biscuit and the flavor is slightly sweet with a hint of honey. This is a medium-bodied ale, very drinkable, with a hop flavor and a dry finish packing a punch with a 6.8% AbV. Here's to 2,000 brews and counting! Must be 21 or older to consume alcohol.