Personal loss deepens couple's devotion to community
Give Back Foundation helps carry on daughter's legacy
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer

DANIEL HULSHIZER staff Ivan and Ginny Olinsky are being recognized as this year's People Who Make a Difference in the community for their contributions to the New Egypt Relay for Life and establishment of the Give Back Foundation, which helps local families in need.

UPPER FREEHOLD- Ginny and Ivan Olinsky have a passion for making a difference in the lives of others, and helping those in need.

A great personal loss has been part of the catalyst for their involvement in bettering the lives of members of the community.

The Olinskys grew up together, and often double dated other partners in high school. Ginny recalled that they both got married on the same day - to other people. Through the years, they remained friends and stayed in touch.

When their first marriages ended, both were single again and each had two daughters. Ivan called his old friend, and he and Ginny had dinner together. A relationship soon developed, and they married in 1985.

The couple's daughter, Michelle, who died of cancer in 2000, has been the inspiration for much of the work they have done.

Ivan Olinsky recalled that Michelle had a garden at herMedford home and raised vegetables. She put her produce on a table by the road in front of her house with a sign that read, "Take what you need and leave the rest for your neighbor."

Olinsky remembered that when his daughter was ill, her neighbors gave back to her by bringing her family food every night.When she was diagnosed with cancer, the doctor gave her a prognosis of having only three months to live, but she vowed to live long enough to see her infant son, Corey, go to school.

Corey, now 13, is a real tribute to his mother's legacy, said Ivan. He volunteers with the family's Give Back Foundation and has spoken of becoming a cancer researcher, according to his grandfather.

In what his grandparents call a great blessing to the family, Corey's father,MichaelMcAleer,married the Olinskys' younger daughter, Danielle, in 2004. They had a daughter, Callie, earlier this year. All together, the Olinskys have five grandchildren.

Despite the difficulties they have endured, the Olinskys say they are very fortunate. After Michelle's death, they started a Relay for Life fundraiser in New Egypt for the American Cancer Society.

"It was a healing process for both of us," said Olinsky. "It raised a lot ofmoney for theAmerican Cancer Society."

After running the Relay for Life, along with other members of the community, for four years, Ivan thought it would be good to create a foundation that could focus on the needs of the local community.

Organized in 2005, the Give Back Foundation is a nonprofit organization operating in Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington, Mercer and Middlesex counties to help people in need with life-altering circumstances. Ivan serves as the executive director of the foundation's board. Other members of the board of directors are Michele Lawrence, Ronald Dunster, Frank P.Armenante, Susan Rosenshine, Robert Rosenshine, Ruth Ann Lenart, Nancy Nitahara, and Dolores George.

Since its inception, the foundation has raised $200,000, nearly all of which has gone directly to helping those in need, Ivan said.

"We don't raise money and keep it," he said. "As soon as it's raised, we give it out."

Volunteers for the foundation are always needed, he said. Ginny has chaired both of the fundraising galas the foundation has thrown. The most recent gala was held at The Shadowbrook, Shrewsbury, on Nov. 10, and raised $20,000.

The foundation had five people on the gala committee, which organized activities, dancing, a live band, and a silent auction for the event, she said. The foundation honored three recipients at the gala, who will also be honored, as all recipients are, with a summer picnic at the Olinsky home.

The foundation's most recent round of giving included providing a freezer to an organization that feeds hungry children in need, according to Ivan. The Give Back Foundation will also give a financial grant to a family who needs immediate eye care for one of their children.

The foundation recently gave another gift of financial aid to a family who lost two young children to a terrible genetic disease. The group will also distribute hundreds of toys during the holiday season to needy children, he said.

Ivan also serves as the president of Princeton Nurseries, the largest landholder in the township. Earlier this year, Princeton Nurseries announced it would phase out operations within the next three years. When the project is finished, Ivan said, he will retire and devote most of his time to charitable work.

Ivan believes that people who have not faced a crisis may take certain things for granted.

"When you have the opportunity to reach out and help people in need, you realize how many people do have difficult times," he said.

Olinsky said he keeps in contact with all of the foundation's recipients. Unfortunately, four child recipients died in the past year, he said.

"That's the hardest part of it," he said. "We lost our daughter. The memory goes on."

For more information, visit the foundation's Web site at www.thegivebackfoundation.comor call (609) 259-4961.

Donations to the foundation may be sent to P.O. Box 535, Allentown, NJ 08501.