NJ DISCOVER SPOTLIGHT: MEET BECKY LYNE MASTERSON ; A Lifetime of Caring and Meaning   by Calvin Schwartz  March 8, 2017 

Before I jump into the spotlight verbiage of this article and talk about Becky Lyne Masterson, I just got one of those epiphanies preceded by a wondrous incandescent cerebral light bulb getting turned-on. I need to tell you about the etiology of these spotlight articles; a history lesson of sorts. It makes this article about Becky Lyne more salient and relevant.

Six years ago I met Tara-Jean McDonald Vitale, my co-host now on NJ Discover Live TV Show.  Shortly thereafter, she introduced me to NJ Discover, a full service amazing production company nestled here in Monmouth County. Then the two of us went on the road and brought news features, personalities and special places to the world of NJ Discover.  Our mantra was quickly illuminated. We would focus our energies and resources on elevating people and places of New Jersey; after all, NJ Discover is all about discovering those aspects of New Jersey which CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS and even News 12 can’t begin to devote appropriate time. We can and do. It’s who we are.

There are seven million stories in the naked (city) New Jersey. There are people who give of themselves, are dedicated, driven, motivated and out there, often invisible, beneath the radar but part of the machinery of caring and sharing. It’s easy to interview Meryl Streep, a Senator or a bestselling author.  It’s harder to fit into a yellow or pastel submarine and get below the surface to substantive Jersey lives. The people “who do the real living and dying” (a line from “It’s a Wonderful Life”).  I had to get that favorite movie in here somehow.

Often in my writing, I bring in aspects of synchronicity, journeys and things meant to be. It’s part of who I am and a very long story.  A few weeks ago, I was asked by Laura Madsen, publicist and “a lady in red who writes,” to be an extra in Sean Guess’ new film ‘That’s Life,’ shooting a scene down the Jersey shore. I love the roar of the crowd and smell of greasepaint. A few minutes before the shoot, I met another extra in the film, Becky Lyne. Within a few synchronistic moments, we were talking about mental health, giving back, autism and relevance.  Her exuberance and devotion captured me as did that alluring smile. We kept talking. They were shooting in the next room. We kept hearing, “Quiet on the set.” I love that line.  But there it all was in that one brief shining moment. I wanted to learn more about her life and work with Developmentally Disabled Adults. Becky was the embodiment of all that NJ Discover Spotlight articles should be; a road on a journey to discover. I asked to interview her.

Cut to America’s Cup on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park on a Saturday morning, two weeks later. Firstly, Becky started working for the MENTOR Network (thementornetwork.com) in January. “The MENTOR Network is a national network of local health and human services providers in 35 states offering an array of quality, community-based services to adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain and spinal cord injuries and other catastrophic injuries and illnesses; to youth with emotional, behavioral and medically complex challenges, as well as their families; and to elders in need of support.”  When I researched MENTOR, I was kind of amazed by all they do, and the fact I’d never really known about them upset me; my lack of awareness.   I apologized to Becky for not knowing.

I asked when this passion and need to care for special people began. She absolutely blew me away and totally surprised. “Ever since I was five years old, I’ve been volunteering with my parents at functions with the Elks.” She worked Camp Discovery for ten summers through high school.  I was beginning to grasp that all of Becky’s life in caring and helping special people was an event of destiny. I thought of the movie, ‘Heaven Can Wait’ with Warren Beatty. As in the movie, she was destined from the early beginning to give back and care.

She talked about running the Special Children’s Committee at Tom Rivers Elks which gave out three scholarships. Part of her background expertise was also an employment specialist where she would teach and guide through the real world. In 1993 she graduated high school and college in 2009. Then in 2009, 2010, 2011 she taught basic skills Math and Language Arts in the Toms River school district. In September, 2012, they removed the basic skills program from the schools and two weeks later she found out she had cervical cancer and went ahead and beat it. “Once Sandy hit, I stayed busy with collecting donations and helping others even through my own surgeries.” Listening to Becky, for me, was an experience of being Jersey tough, resilience and a belief system that I rarely run into it. I was savoring every moment of our time together.

“I got involved right away in raising money for Sandy relief. We got eight planes of donations and ten trucks as well. The relief center was run by myself, my mom, and one other.”  Becky ran the relief center at the Elks until March, 2013. There was a party at the Elks where she met Caregivers of New Jersey and started working with them. “They deal with life plans and life skills. They got a grant and I became Disaster Case Manager where 75% had to have a disability. That was the grant.”

When the grant ended in May, 2013, she went to the Salvation Army in Toms River and did an 18-month gig “advocating for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, in every aspect of getting them back to their “new normal” into a safe, sanitary and secure home and assisted with the completion of county grants and helping them to receive monies through the unmet needs table.”

In January, 2016 she went back to Caregivers and became Support Coordinator.  This past July, Becky went to ARC and became an employment specialist. Of course I asked what it all entailed. “I have to help them gain confidence, respect and teach them what the real world is like. All of them are 21 and over and must have a high school degree.” All the while I’m listening to Becky, I’m trying to jump into her shoes. Can I even comprehend the devotion it takes to do this?  There are no marching bands, testimonial dinners, or basically anyone out there in Jersey land, including myself, who fathom and grasp this incredible devotion to people who are in need.

Now I really got blown away. In January, Becky started with MENTOR. Talk about unsung heroes. She became program coordinator for a residential house. “What is that,” I asked. “There are four individuals that live there. Two are wheel chair bound and two are ambulatory. There are three houses like this in Ocean County. I run the house. There are three shifts. We manage their lives. Some can’t talk. Some are blind.” I was quiet for a moment, digesting and absorbing. “But there are only four people you care for.  There are no big groups, or activities, or softball or parties or lots of aides and helpers. This is serious intensive care. There is no aspect of anything close to fun.”

Becky smiled, understanding my response. “You have to want to work here. It is a colorful world. Yes, there is always something happening. We do go to outings. They leave the house from 9 to 4pm. Go to day programs sometimes with arts and crafts.”  What she said was so powerful to me. I have to repeat it again. “You have to want to work here.”  Like the folk song from the sixties, this was my reason to believe in the value of epiphanies and why I’m writing an article about Becky Lyne Masterson.  This is a discovery for me, meeting this kind of devotion and life’s work. Nearing the end of our time together, she talked about her young daughter and son and how they’ve already expressed to her that when they grow up, they want to be just like her. I smiled thinking all about circles of life and continuity. I also thought about my work with discovery spotlights. Meeting Becky was spotlight right on and extending thanks to my friend, ‘synchronicity in the universe’, for meeting her on a film set.

INTERVIEW: An Evening with Actor Dave Paul  and ‘Company’   by Calvin Schwartz   Jan 27^th 2017

I continue to marvel (just like I’m a little kid, wondrously looking at the window of a toy store a few weeks before Christmas) at the exigencies and connectivity of Facebook and other realms of social media. Perhaps I can make the statement, even as a denizen of the sixties era, that social media has changed the course of the river of my life. So, yes, I dig social media. It digs me too. Somewhere, there is an essay tied into a prominent Saint dealing with people being brought together. Lost in space. This has been the set-up.

The forces of synchronicity and commonality came together back last June when Dave Paul and I connected on Facebook. We were now friends and communicated often through the utilization of the messenger service. Dave’s focus was when we could meet in real life and do that actor-journalist-interviewer thing. Right from the starting gate, I was intrigued with Dave’s aura of energy, confidence and love of acting. I’m partial to the acting profession; a long story. It took five laborious months of planning, cancelling and resetting appointments to finally settle in at the end of November.

I opened the door, there was Dave and fellow actor and friend Paul Vito (ergo, part of the ‘company’ of the night) We had spoken often in the preceding months so I really knew him to be the affable young actor standing in my hallway. Of course, I felt like it’s been years instead of our first live meeting. We sat down at that other social media phenomenon, a kitchen table, with two pizzas, one plain and one embellished, still warm. We ate and talked.

Dave is working on a movie, ‘That’s Life’ being filmed in Monmouth County by director, film maker Sean Guess. Synchronicity is alive. My very first video interview on a red carpet took place five years ago at Sean’s Red Bank premiere of ‘Nothing for Christmas.’  Dave continued, “When I was eight years old, my mother put in for me to be in Romper Room. But mom turned down the offer to do more. She got scared.” He graduated West Orange High School and his father wanted him to work in wall covering.

In 1996, ‘The Home Boy’ with Julie Brown was being filmed in West Orange and Dave became an extra. “I stayed for more scenes and got more into it.”  Then Dave talked about his athleticism. “The first time I went bowling, I bowled a 185, signed a PBA card and became a professional athlete in 2009.” He did some work at Bane Haunted House in Livingston which was interactive theater. By now, each of us had fully masticated a slice of pizza. The haunted talk segued into a discussion of para-normal investigations. Dave is multi-layered and we drifted around ghosts and electronic voice phenomenon.

“I did a skype audition for a western, but didn’t get the part. I made the last cut which fueled my energy. Along the way, there was six student films, background (extra) work.” I was fascinated when he told me, “I never did acting schools. I wanted to experience life which is the best way to learn. I like to be a renegade. Maybe it’s helping me be successful.”

He continued to do short films and student films. His confidence was rising. Next, Dave went to an independent film, ‘Dara Ju’ where he played an SEC investigator. The film is at Sundance as we speak. He laughed when he talked about playing an executive in Atlantic City. “On break, we gambled at the Borgata.”

In the movie, ‘The Set Up’ (2016) he plays ‘Ace’ a mob boss which appeared in the Urban Action Film Festival and was asked to act in the sequel. By now, our kitchen table group had maxed out on the second slice of pizza.  Dave talked about Paul Vito, their friendship and how he tries to get acting parts for him. For me, there was the depth of his character and loyalty which impressed. The doorbell echoed and a very fascinating Anngeannette Pinkston arrived; a very talented playwright, producer, author and part-time theatrical manager. The ‘company’ was complete.

‘Crow Hill’ is a web series for TV. He plays Paul, one of six zombie survivors. He also got Paul Vito a feature role in this film. All the while, through the past hour, I absorbed Dave’s devotion and passion to his craft, acting. The guy really loves what he does. I did my usual blink of an eye while my wife brought coffee and dessert. During the blink, I saw Dave as a guest on Jimmy Fallon. He had finally arrived and I had interviewed him way before Jimmy.

Angeannette’s play, “I Lost My Heart in Haiti” premieres in March at the Producers Club in New York City. I asked her about the story line. “One woman’s struggle to mend her heart as the country mends after an earthquake. I wrote each and every song.”

Dave’s list of credits is growing. His career is notable in its dedication and pursuit. I was impressed (so was my wife) when he told us that he played a disgruntled bank customer in a Christian Slater movie, ‘Mr. Robot’ on the USA Network and appeared background in ‘Vinyl.’

Dave met Paul on the set of ‘There’s No Way Out,’ a TV series now looking for a home on a major network. This past summer, I had a chance to work their red carpet after they finished shooting in Newark but I actually wound up in Senator Booker’s office down the street; a long story. Paul spent four years as a standup comedian and is still doing it. He finished a six-month course at the New York Film Academy.

Nobody did coffee and cake. But it was time to go introspective; a signature part of our interview time together; to get the essential Dave Paul. I asked Dave, “What makes you cry?” “Seeing my twins in an incubator. And if a loved one passes.”

“Do you have a philosophy by which you live?” “Loyalty and friendship is everything. When I pass, I want to be known as a true friend.” The best time in his life was when his three kids were born. “Amanda, 8, and the twins, Michael and Amy, 1 year. Of course special thanks to Jenn.” And the worst time in his life was when his grandpa died. “And now my uncle Jack who has Alzheimer’s. I’m dedicating my life to him.”

Hey Dave, “Does anything keep you awake?” “A good movie or sports.” His favorite movie, ‘Top Gun.’ He loves The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello and James Dean. I didn’t tell him, but there was something about him, all the while sitting around the table, that reminded me of James Dean in ‘Rebel Without a Cause.’

It was now a late November night. It was a fun time for me meeting this actor and his company. One last question. “Before I leave this earth, I won’t be satisfied until I…………….” A few seconds of thought until he answered. “Until I become an ‘A List’ celebrity, win a few nominations and give back to my family.”

I had an unusual request before he left; to sit with him on my dark cold leafy stoop outside and pose for a photo op; a long story. As Dave was walking to the car, I yelled about blinking my eye and seeing him on Jimmy Fallon. I’m not sure if he heard me.

YOU CAN FIND:     DAVE PAUL on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010269757660

and MOB DIARIES PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/Mob-Diaries-1075791545880165/

PAUL VITO: https://www.facebook.com/paul.laruccia/about?lst=1527695958%3A528167633%3A1485546938

ANNGEANNETTE PINKSTON: https://www.facebook.com/anngeannette.anngeannettepinkston