Richard K. Rein’s column last week on PNC Bank’s Chris Lokhammer, who died June 9 at the age of 68, triggered many responses from readers who had their own stories about the woman who put a human face on her corporate endeavors.
One reader spoke of Lokhammer entertaining his toddler as he and his wife did their banking. Another reminded us of PNC’s support for the exhibit of the paintings of Lonni Sue Johnson, the Princeton woman who had suffered an irreversible form of amnesia but regained her ability to paint. The sponsors hoped the bank might pay for some framing of some of the works. Lokhammer did much more: organizing a busload of clients to visit the exhibit at Johns Hopkins.
Lokhammer is a reminder that our community is made up of companies, but the companies are made up of people, sometimes people who really care.
#b#To the Editor: Blairstown’s Links#/b#
On Friday, June 16, the Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC) held its second annual Links to Youth Golf Outing at Fox Hollow Golf Club. The event raised more than $25,000 in support of our Summer Bridge Program, which addresses the “summer learning gap” and builds social-emotional skills by providing a free week-long program for young people from low-income communities, including 200 students from Trenton.
PBC empowers young people, primarily from under-resourced communities, to strengthen their social-emotional skills through experiential, environmental, and adventure-based programming. We collaborate with schools, university partners, and community-based agencies to develop in youth, a deepened self-awareness, responsible decision-making, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Thanks to our sponsors: Bret Baier and Fox News; Brown & Brown/Sobel Affiliates; Laurent Chapuis; Clear Channel; Susan Danielson; Dick’s Sporting Goods; ESPN; Fox Hollow Golf Club; Gennett, Kallman, Antin, Sweetman & Nichols; Joel Heymsfeld; Praveena Joseph-de Saram and Vijay Krishnamurthy; Lang’s Ski & Scuba; Metro North; Bruce Petersen; Pinneo Construction; Princeton U Store; Barbara & Dick Rambo; Don Seitz; Small World Coffee Roasters; Daniel Smits Salon; Karen & Tim Stauning; Trader Joe’s; Ayoola Toyer and Muscle Management Services; Trenton Country Club; Trenton Thunder; Unionville Vineyards; Unlimited Silkscreens; and Chris Van Buren.
Also thanks to PBC’s board chair, Sarah Tantillo and board member Don Seitz, who were our golf co-chairs, and Meredith Murray, director of development, for their hard work and leadership.
Pam Gregory
CEO, Princeton-Blairstown Center
