I am New Jersey 101.5's Morning Drive Producer/Reporter, formerly the station's Evening News Anchor from 2013 to 2016. I'm proud to be a member of our on-air and digital teams which were honored by the New Jersey chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, for coverage of the 2016 Seaside Park bombing, and by the New Jersey Broadcasters Association, for the 2015 fatal Amtrak derailment. I got my start in radio at The College of New Jersey, on student-run WTSR-FM, and graduated from TCNJ in 2009. Before coming to 101.5, I did news and sports for WGHT-AM in Pompton Lakes and WYNY-FM in Milford, PA. In a previous life as a child actor, I appeared in the Broadway cast of "Beauty and the Beast" from 1994 to 1996. I live in Hunterdon County with my wife, Kristen, and our 6-pound toy poodle (and king of any room he enters), Archie.
Patrick Lavery
Flashmob and dances will raise money, demonstrate kindness
For the upcoming World Kindness Week, the nonprofit organization Life Vest Inside is preparing its annual global flashmob and fundraiser, the Dance for Kindness, which will be in two New Jersey towns on the same day.
Monmouth County group is more than just prom dresses
Cinderella's Closet has replaced one major annual event, and is currently preparing for its only fundraiser of 2018.
Parkway exact change lanes, coin baskets finally being phased out
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will be removing coin baskets from the 11 mainline Garden State Parkway toll plazas, replacing their "exact change" designations with full service or E-ZPass only lanes.
Jersey Shore fundraiser provides scuba training for disabled veterans
A New Jersey businessman's desire to help disabled veterans has morphed into what is now an annual fundraiser that gives them the opportunity to rehabilitate through scuba diving.
‘Walk with Joe’ once again honors Manalapan’s heroes of 9/11
The annual "Walk with Joe" has evolved from its initial mission as a remembrance for township victims of the September 11th attacks into a major fundraiser for local organizations.
Middletown teen’s group builds friendships for special needs kids
Last month, a new nonprofit organization was publicly introduced, hoping to fill the gaps in resources and services that may be inaccessible or inadequate for Monmouth County teens with special needs. And the group's founder is still a teenager herself.
Annual Wiffle ball fundraiser is a remembrance — and a reunion
Even if the main components of the James Volpe Foundation's annual Wiffle Ball Tournament haven't really changed as the event nears its eighth year, the tourney has taken on a second meaning for participants.
Asbury Park has great beach — but its residents can’t afford fee
Lisa Marie Cramp has lived in Asbury Park for five years, and in that time she has seen the drastic effects of a poverty line that roughly 30 percent of the city's residents live below, as of the 2010 Census.
Medical pot bill would allow more centers, easier access for minors
The bipartisan legislation would impact minors as well, by removing a requirement they undergo psychiatric evaluations before being cleared for the state's program, and permitting them access to edible pot.
Cruise giveaway’s mission is in its title: Kick Cancer Overboard
The nonprofit has given away 268 free cruises in the last eight years, all to New Jersey families.
Five NJ Catholic Charities branches help fight trauma, adversity
Serving 300,000 New Jerseyans annually, Catholic Charities provides assistance to residents seeking counseling for behavioral health or addiction, or who may be facing homelessness, food insecurity, or lack of access to proper clothing.
What should parents and other kids know about autism?
You're a parent of a child who's described as neurotypical, but a classmate of your child is on the autism spectrum. Before you plan a playdate or a large gathering like a birthday party for your kid, what do you need to know about autism?