Here you can learn more about our Newest Members. Also, you can reconnect with past Featured Friends.
SEAVILLE MEETING’S
FEATURED FRIEND
KARA JANSON
Kara grew up in Cinnaminson, NJ. During her teenage years, she was a dog groomer, a drug store clerk and her favorite job was working for her mother in the music business. According to Kara, there were many perks; free records, meeting musicians, chatting with local DJs and many parties!!
Kara graduated from Stockton State College and St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pa. Her interests include running, sewing (which daughter Alma loves too), and anything crafty (which daughters Fionna and Eliza are fans).
She is currently working for The Arc of Atlantic County. She supervises a Saturday Respite Program for families who have children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There are 30 children enrolled and they come to the program to spend time with friends so their parents can run errands on weekends. Kara directs exercise, cooking, crafts, games, and experiments. She encourages anyone with a talent or interest to contact her about volunteering there.
Currently, Kara is living in Somers Point with her husband Andy and her three daughters Fionna, Alma and Eliza. Their pet dog, Marshall, was rescued from Marshall, MO. In fact, all of the Janson’s pets are rescued animals. There are two quinea pigs, Big Boy and Henry, and Scaredy Boy the cat!
Kara has travelled stateside to Arizona and Nevada. A memorable trip was with her mother when they went to Germany and Belgium to visit her mother's father’s grave.
Although it took Kara a few years to realize this, she now knows that it is her mother who had the most influence in her life. She describes an old fashioned social network of friends in which her parents belonged. She remembers one of the couples in the group (who happened to be Quakers which didn’t impress her at the time) owned an island in the Chesapeake Bay, MD. They would invite the families to camp there. Kara remembers going most weekends during the summers. The community on the island grew to have a floating dock, six-bedroom house (no more tents) swimming pool and a mini train (to take supplies around the island to the house). Kara remembers it all being magical and even more so because her parents and the other parents helped build everything on the island because of the gift offered to them through Quakerism-share your good fortune with others.
Kara arrived at Quaker Meeting through a long and varied spiritual search. A girlfriend began attending Woodstown Meeting and suggested to Kara to seek out a Meeting near Somers Point.
Kara shares her time generously at Seaville Meeting by heading the Education Committee and directing the events and curriculum for First Day School. She is passionate about supporting individuals with disabilities to live independent lives. The Prayer of St Francis inspires Kara in her daily life.
