More than 50 riders participated in the Almost Annual New Year’s Day Ride, one of our Reunion and Recruitment Rides. Several veteran riders brought prospects to join and ride with other veterans. The weather was perfect for January (sunny and in the low 50s) and the route was mostly flat and forgiving. It was a perfect way to kick off the new year. The route is here if you'd like to try it out.

The Almost Annual New Year's Day Ride has been a Princeton tradition since 1991. This was the first year year it was an Anchor House Reunion and Recruitment Ride. Judging by its success, this could become one of our annual events.

Santa with a new ride for one the kids. Thank you for your generosity.

To the amazing Ride/Walk for Runaways community,

Happy New Year! 2023 marks the 45th anniversary of Anchor House’s existence when we first opened our doors at our Shelter, providing a safe refuge from the streets for runaway and homeless youth with the goal of reuniting them with their families. It is absolutely amazing how our programs have grown since 1978 but also how the Ride/Walk has grown. Throughout our 45 year history, as we work and as you partner with us to raise awareness and funds, one thing has remained the same – "It's for the kids". In 2022, there were so many accomplishments that we are proud of. We have seen an increase in our services across all of the programs. We have created new partnerships in the community and we continue to advocate for the needs of our young people. The accomplishments of our youth have us grinning from ear to ear—college acceptances, new jobs, obtaining driver's licenses, and completion of certification and community programs.

The support that you have provided in 2022 continues well beyond the Ride/Walk raising funds and awareness for our agency. It is through providing funds for scholarships so our youth can pursue their dreams and attend college, a dream that might never have seemed possible to them. It is providing an amazing opportunity for our youth to enjoy a "Day on the Bay". It is coming in weekly to volunteer directly with the kids. It is providing some holiday magic and donating presents and gift cards to our kids. Most recently, one of our Ride supporters even connected Anchor House with a celebrity (a humble one so there is no name dropping here) who gave us a very generous gift. The list could go on and on with the generosity and support that is provided to our youth by the Ride/Walk community. For this we sincerely thank you!

We are looking forward to a wonderful 2023 as we celebrate 45 years on this journey together. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our youth.

— Kim McNear

You may remember this talented teenager who performed for us at Thunder Stadium before we departed for our Classic Ride of the 44th Ride for Runaways and received the Doug McCune Award.

Ashanti Ross finds a musical voice with Trenton Youth Orchestra

By Cammie Lee, Community News

Reprinted with permission

Ashanti Ross has the kind of stage presence that arrests you with its unassuming regality. She betrays no fear, no tension, no anxiety — as a soloist in the Trenton Arts at Princeton showcase last spring, she takes the stage without any hesitation.



With the Trenton Youth Orchestra (TYO), she performs an arrangement of Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion” — a complex and virtuosic tango piece requiring tasteful, daring improvisation. When she begins to play, tossing out trills and flourishes with silky ease, the power and beauty of her sound still the room.

Ashanti then hooks up her violin to her phone and a speaker for an improvised piece, performed in tandem with the Trenton Youth Dancers. In contrast to the heady sumptuousness of “Oblivion,” this improvisation — an original composition by Ashanti — is light and birdlike, nimbly mirroring the airy movements of the dancers.

Ashanti’s versatile playing speaks to the diverse range of musicians and genres that inspire her, from the classical virtuosos Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, and Hilary Hahn, to the hip-hop artists Lil Peep and XXXTenaction, to the all-boy British choir Libera. In my conversation with her, Ashanti spoke with a resolute commitment to honing her craft and discovering her voice as a musician.

Prior to writing this article, I had a limited working knowledge of Ashanti in my role as a violin coach for TYO. One of only a handful of TYO musicians who did not also attend Trenton Central High School, the Trenton-born young musician hovered enigmatically about the outskirts of the orchestra, yet was a permanent fixture at concerts and rehearsals. (I later learned that Ashanti had been one of the first musicians to join TYO, a year after its founding in 2016.) As the concertmaster, she led the orchestra boldly, and as a frequent soloist, she dazzled with her technical skill and artistry. I knew that she was a talented musician, but I had no idea how deeply and richly she lived a life of music — and more importantly, how fervently she had fought for the music in her life.

Ashanti, who now lives in Ewing, is the first in her family to pursue a career as an artist. When she was six years old, her teacher mother and father began taking her and her siblings to music classes held in the basement of their church (Blessed Sacrament in Trenton). It was here that Ashanti had her first encounter with the violin. “I’ve always had a love for music…[but] especially when I heard the violin, the sound of it, I fell in love with it,” she said. When offered the opportunity to pick an instrument to learn, she recalls that she immediately latched onto the violin, despite attempts from teachers and adults to deter her from choosing such a challenging instrument.