CNJ+ September 2023

THE STORY OF ONG’S HAT, NEW JERSEY By, Lauren Kowlacki

Timmy’s Story: A SENSORY FRIENDLY BIRTHDAY By, Pam Teel Young Author Tim Rohrer, who has overcome many obstacles in his life due to his autism, is set to release his second children’s book. The book is a sequel to his first book, Timmy’s Story: A Story About Autism and Friendship . His first book, focuses on inclusion, and is based on his own past life experiences. His second book, Timmy’s Story: A Sensory Friendly Birthday, also is a reflection of his past, and teaches one about autism through the eyes of someone who lived it. For those with autism, sensory sensitivities may make birthday parties difficult to enjoy. Tim’s second book tells a true story, with that in mind, about how his teacher and his classmates made his birthday party one that he could enjoy. Tim’s brother Daniel, who is a senior at Allentown High School, is doing his senior practicum helping behind the scenes of “Tips4Inclusion.” He did the book editing for his brother. Tim has not only become an author but a speaker, self-advocate, and educator of disabilities. He has been asked to speak at schools, conferences, and has also received a commendation from the NJ State Senate and Assemblymen. He is also a managing partner of a teen founded nonprof it organization called 5Help Foundation. To learn more about Tim and the amazing resources he created, check out his website at: https://tips4inclusion.wixsite.com/disabilityinclusion. Tim’s new book is now available to purchase on Amazon. New Jersey has a reputation for being a quirky and unusual place, and there are many bizarre stories that have come out of the state over the years. However, one of the most unusual and intriguing stories involves a small town called Ong's Hat, located in the southern part of the state. The story of Ong's Hat begins in the early 1980s, when a group of scientists and philosophers came together to form the "Institute for Chaos Studies and the Physics of the Impossible." The group was led by a man named Wali Fard, who claimed to be a descendant of a long line of Sufi mystics. According to Fard, the institute was dedicated to studying the nature of reality and exploring the possibilities of time travel and alternate universes. The group was headquartered in a small cabin in the woods near Ong's Hat, and they attracted a small but dedicated following of like-minded individuals. How ever, the group's activities were shrouded in secrecy, and they kept to themselves for the most part. Then, in the mid-1980s, a strange rumor began to cir culate about the institute. According to the rumor, the group had discovered a way to travel to parallel univers es, and they had actually done so themselves. The story Ong's Hat, c. early 1970s

was that the group had abandoned their cabin and dis appeared into a parallel universe, leaving behind only a few scattered clues and pieces of equipment. The rumor quickly spread, and it wasn't long before people from all over the world began to visit Ong's Hat in search of clues to the mysterious disappearance of the institute. Some claimed to have seen strange lights and heard unusual noises in the woods, while others re ported seeing strange symbols and messages scrawled on trees and rocks. To this day, the truth behind the story of Ong's Hat remains shrouded in mystery. Some believe that the entire story was a hoax, perpetrated by the members of the institute as a way to promote their philosophical ideas. Others believe that the group really did discover a way to travel to parallel universes, and that they sim ply vanished into one of those alternate realities. Whatever the truth may be, the story of Ong's Hat remains one of the most bizarre and intriguing tales to come out of New Jersey. It serves as a reminder that, no matter how much we think we know about the world around us, there is always the potential for the unex pected and the unexplainable.

18 4 CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2023 MAY 2023