26 / matters magazine / fall 2026 Claire McGee & Varrita Siryon THE REMEDY COLLECTIVE “ Our roots in wellness and com munity began long before we opened our doors. I (Claire) have spent years immersed in Maplewood, building relationships and developing an eye for curation, design and creating spaces that feel welcoming and special. I (Varrita) bring more than 15 years of dedicated study in yoga, Thai bodywork, Ayurve da, meditation and Reiki, along with a deep understanding of holistic wellness. Friends since our days at Columbia High School, we each followed our own paths, gathering knowledge, experience and connections before coming togeth er to create something that felt natural. Today, we’re combining those strengths in a space that brings ancient wisdom into modern well-being, offering an herbal apothecary, holistic wellness services and a welcoming place for the community to find connection and grounding.” VALUE COMMUNITY HONOR FRIENDSHIP “ Sparrow Social Club is a wom an- and minority-owned Hong Kong Mahjong pop-up. We partner with local businesses to host monthly events centered around culture, connection and community. As four longtime friends we've spent the past 15 years building a close friendship – our kids have grown up together, we celebrate holidays and birthdays and even travel as a group. Two of us grew up playing Hong Kong Mahjong and have fond memories of how naturally the game brought people together. During a girls’ trip to London, we imagined creating that same feeling for others and Sparrow Social Club was born. It’s a place to take a break, learn something new, enjoy good food and music and connect. At the heart of it all is friendship. That spirit has resonated with our community, with every event selling out.” BORN TO HELP “ As an early childhood specialist, behavior consultant and parent coach, I count my brother Hani as the inspiration for my career. He has Down syndrome and growing up I often joined him dur ing his therapy sessions. What felt like fun and play to me sparked a desire to work with children. I have a master’s in special education and worked for many years providing one-on-one therapy to children with autism and intellectual disabilities. Over time, I saw how much parents needed practical support, too. Today, my private practice focuses on parent coaching and behavior consul tation. I observe children at home and school and get to know family dynam ics. This helps me develop strategies for parents to use every day to support their children and navigate challenging behaviors. ” Nadine Maher NM COACHING AND CONSULTATION 9 Highland Place, Maplewood shopremedycollective@gmail.com shopremedycollective.com South Orange nadinemahercoaching@gmail.com nadinemahercoaching.com Anisha, Jenny, Monica & Jenn SPARROW SOCIAL CLUB info@sparrow-socialclub.com @sparrowsocialclub sparrow-socialclub.com
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