Clifton Merchant Magazine - July 2018

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2018

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AS CLIFTON

GROWS, SO From the

EDITOR Tom Hawrylko

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WE

From the cover to page 88, the visual signature you see was created by Ken Peterson. Working with stories, photos and advertisements, Ken, for the last seven years, has made our magazine more readable, engaging and a pleasure to peruse.

Ken and I met in 2011 while he was a freelancer after he completed a program at a now closed graphic arts school. Prior to that he attended Montclair State. He graduated CHS in 2008, which fits him into our Where are These Mustangs theme and why I wanted to share his story.

In his years as a Mustang, Ken was a good lefty pitcher, outfielder and overall athlete. One friend that signed his yearbook called him “the most underrated athlete in CHS.” Another wrote: “Good luck with Adobe and your business. Bowling was awesome... keep that up too.”

Ken knew even before high school that he wanted to be in business, and specifically in the graphic arts trade.

“I was designing in Photoshop since I was 12,” Ken said of a key program used in the graphics arts industry.

“While I was in Woodrow Wilson, I started my interest in computer graphics, looking through sites like DeviantArt, seeing all the cool work others have done. My parents were great,” Ken continued. “Without hesitation, they paid a freelance designer for a few hours of online instruction to walk me through the basics of Photoshop.”

CHS 2008 grad Ken Peterson, the Art Director for our magazine, with Editor & Publisher Tom Hawrylko.

It was his competitive nature that got Ken to leave Montclair State and enroll in the trade-oriented school.

“I just wanted to work with other designers,” he said. “I wanted to compare myself with other professionals because I wanted to get better and grow as a designer.”

Over the years that he has been with Tomahawk Promotions, Ken and our team of designers and writers have worked together to build a better magazine. In that sense he is still that athletic Mustang, a real team player.

Keeping that sporting theme, Ken continues to practice, improving his game, coming up with new ideas both at our shop and in his firm, Graphic Sidekicks.

Go to graphicsidekicks.com to see his stuff.

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Subscribe $35 / year / $60 for 2 Call 973-253-4400 Contributing Writers Jack De Vries, Joe Hawrylko, Irene Jarosewich, Tom Szieber, Jay Levin, Michael C. Gabriele, Ariana Puzzo, Patricia Alex

Editor & Publisher Tom Hawrylko Art Director Ken Peterson Graphic Designer Natalia Dymora Business Mgr. Gabriella Marriello Social Media Mgr. Ariana Puzzo

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The Class of 1948 came of age in a much different time than today.

Graduations were held both in January and June, and the site of Clifton High School was the now Christopher Columbus Middle School.

The Class of ‘48 would set forth between the end of World War II and the start of the Korean War. The world was changing, and America was about to become bigger, faster and more prosperous. These students would play a big part in its success.

Since its appearance in the 1946 Oyster Bowl, the CHS football team had transformed Clifton from a collection of disparate neighborhoods to a city united behind its Mustangs. During the 1947 season, Coach Joe Grecco led the team to an 8-1 record powered by All-American running back Bobby Boettcher. That season, the Mustangs captured the Passaic Valley Conference title, as well as the Group IV, Section 1 crown.

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l Above, CHS Schools Commissioner Emil Gacy, “the father of Clifton Stadium,” kicks the first ball; Barbara Bush, Victor Rossi, Marlene E. Dietrich, Dominick Di Paolo, Eleanor Bizub and Richard Rento.

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Standouts included middle distance runners Bill Jacobson and Albert Frauenknecht, and long distance runners Steve Yurga and Richard Gincel.

Girls were also a part of the CHS sports scene, though in smaller numbers. About 30 female students participated in the Girls Athletic Association, competing in sports like basketball and swimming.

Though female sports teams are common today, the GAA was the only way for girls to play in 1948.

These were some of the school highlights of those that “set sail on the great liner CHS,” as described

by Angela Guilli, keeper of the 1948 Class Log. Helping guide the journey were Dick Rento, class president, Dot Jacubetz, vice president and Andy Sventy, treasurer.

All-American Bobby Boettcher

But the Class of ‘48 and the upperclassman of 1947 did something beyond winning football games: they helped build Clifton Schools Stadium.

The students had grown up with an unfinished stadium wall, a remnant of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative.

That changed after the 1946 and 1947 seasons.

After having to follow the Mustangs to Paterson’s Hinchcliffe Stadium for “home” games, Clifton leaders restarted construction (the stadium would be completed in 1950), giving the city a gathering point on fall Saturday afternoons.

In 1948, the Mustangs returned to track and field competitions for the first time since 1941.

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Di Paolo was home on a 30-day conMrs. Joseph Di Paolo went to valescent leave. He was flown out of the midnight mass early Christmas “Valley of Death” trap in North Korea to Day in 1951 and prayed to God for a hospital in Japan after being wounded her son, Marine Pfc. Dominick Di on Nov. 28. Until he walked into his Paolo, who was in the Korean War. house, his family didn’t know he was In November, Di Paolo, 21, headed home from Japan. was trapped by the Chinese north The Clifton Marine was wounded of Hagura, North Korea. His when he and another rifleman were surmother received a telegram in rounded on a ridge. He had a rifle, some December informing her that he ammunition and one hand grenade. He was wounded. couldn’t use the rifle because the underMrs. Di Paolo prayed as she had brush was too thick. The grenade was never prayed before. Then, she left his best weapon. He threw clods of dirt St. Anthony of Padua Roman to scatter oncoming Chinese and then Catholic Church and returned to when he knew it would do the most her home at 15 Hadley Ave. good, he threw the grenade, doing It was after 1 am and she was enough damage to allow him and his tired, but there was work to be Fighting Mustang and Korean War companion to escape. done. She began preparing the vet Dominick Di Paolo In earlier fighting, Di Paolo had a picfood for the Christmas Day dinner. ture of his mother and sister and sister-in-law cut in half She worked late into the night, and while she worked, by a bullet that went through the top of his helmet. The she thought of her son. bullet destroyed that half of the snapshot that pictured At 4 am, she was still working. Everyone had gone his sister and sister-in-law. His mother was still recogto bed and the night was silent. nizable when he tucked the photo’s remains into a new Then the doorbell rang. helmet. He lost the new helmet later when his convoy She took one unbelieving look at the clock and was attacked during an evacuation. went down the stairs of her second floor flat and Di Paolo was a former CHS Mustangs football playopened the door. er, who enlisted in Nov. 1948, along with lifelong Whether she spoke or not doesn’t matter. What she friend, Pfc. Salvatore Puzzo of 55 Barkley Ave. While said doesn’t matter. Her son was standing in the doorDi Paolo was home, Puzzo was overseas in a Japanese way on two feet that were not long ago frost-bitten. In hospital after being wounded three times. one leg, he still carried a hand grenade fragment. But he Both Puzzo and Di Paolo made it home to Clifton. was there, smiling. She cried.

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Robert Gursky, Frances Ann Biegel, Gerald Lipkin, Marie Laure Hakim, Gerard Parent and Frances Dinino.

The Class of 1958 grew up smackdab in Eisenhower’s America, experiencing the Golden Age of TV and the birth of rock ‘n roll.

They lived in a time of peace and prosperity America had never known before. These motivated Mustangs would leave their mark—both in Clifton and in hundreds of places far from the city.

The Class of ’58 featured everyone from bank presidents like Gerry Lipkin to Miller Lite’s NotSo-Famous Bartender, the late Gerry Parent, who appeared with comedian Rodney Dangerfield (pictured above) in a series of beer commercials.

Old time Clifton residents remember Parent— now deceased—as the owner of All in the Family restaurant, which is now Bogey’s on Valley Rd. near Paterson. Parent’s wife, Barbara, and his kids Denise, Cheryl, Colleen and Jerry all had a hand in the business.

It was part of Miller’s revolutionary ad campaign that began in 1975, which featured people like baseball manager Billy Martin, baseball owner George Steinbrenner and other celebrities. These commercials introduced Miller Lite as the first light beer and were a huge hit which—thanks in part to Clifton bartender Jerry Parent—launched the lite beer category.

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Another high-achiever was the late Marie Hakim, a longtime Clifton Board of Education member, who served from 1990 to 2008. Known as “Hak” to her classmates, she was active at CHS, serving as senior president of the Girls Athletic Association and selected by her 1958 peers as “most athletic.”

Another of CHS’s most athletic was running back George Telesh, who would gain All-American status before later becoming a doctor.

The naturalized citizen whose family had fled Stalin and endured the Nazis was instrumental in the 26-0 win over the rival Mounties at Montclair, scoring three touchdowns, kicking two extra points and rushing for 200 yards. Until that 1957 game, Montclair had not lost in 37 straight contests, and had beaten Clifton every season since 1947.

The Class of ’58 also experienced tragedy.

Graduates remember the passing of classmates Leonard Jezulin, who died in a car accident, and Enrico Bimonte, who died after years of complications from polio.

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No Game Meant More ‘58

On the 50th anniversary of the win over Montclair, the Class of 1958 acknowledged that no game ever meant more.

The Clifton-Montclair series began in 1947 with the Mounties winning, 18-0, breaking the Mustangs’ 17game winning streak. Undefeated Clifton teams from 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1956 also saw perfect years ruined after playing Montclair.

Many expected 1957 to be no different.

In a 2001 interview, Wendell Inhoffer, a 1952 graduate, said, “The only thing we couldn’t do for Clifton was beat Montclair. We cried after every loss.”

After the Mounties’ victory the prior year over Coach Joe Grecco’s Mustangs, Montclair was confident entering the 1957 contest.

The Mounties—who had gone 37 straight games without a loss—boasted an all-senior starting lineup and an offense averaging 35 points a game. Montclair

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featured stars like the Haines Twins—Robert and the more talented Richie, Essex County’s scoring leader—and quarterback Dave McKelvey.

“The year before,” said quarterback Bob Gursky in a 2007 interview, “they beat us and we had outstanding guys on the team, like All-Americans Moose Bosson and Roger Fardin (who played the ’56 game with the flu). Our captains, George and Pete Lehr, were the only returning starters, though Larry Kolk had gotten playing time in 1956.”

“Because of the graduations,” remembered Lehr in 2007, “Coach Grecco built nearly our whole team from scratch.”

Before the 1957 game, the Newark Star-Ledger’s Sid Dorfman and the Paterson Morning Call’s Bob Whiting predicted doom for Clifton, as did other writers.

Leading up to the game, Grecco held his usual tough practices. However, Clifton’s Ernie Niederer

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A 1999 picture of some members of the 1957 Mustangs. Standing, from left: John Smith, Coach Bill Vander Closter, Larry Kolk, Bob Gursky, Pete Lehr, Mike Novak, George Telesh and Bob Leciston; front Rich Inhoffer holds a piece of Montclair’s Woodman Field’s seat his father was sitting on at the game. Ernie Niederer is to his right.

remembered the coaches being “extremely positive,” building the team up and instilling confidence.

The players also got encouragement from former Mustangs.

“I remember getting calls from my brother Wendell who was playing for Princeton,” recalled Rich Inhoffer.

“He said, ‘I had four years to beat them and came up empty. Now, it’s your turn.’”

Waiting at Woodman Field were more than 13,000 fans, equally split between the towns. Defensive back Jack Boettcher remembered how the Mounties were walking toward the field “real slow, like they were kings or something.”

Grecco countered with his own tactic, bringing along every Clifton football player—including the freshman. It produced the desired effect.

In the book, The Glory Years by Robin Hodgson, Montclair’s Bill George recounted: “Clifton arrived with 120 players and took up the entire field where we were trying to practice. They dressed up everybody they had for that day to show strength and power, and the intimidation was almost overwhelming.”

Before the game, Grecco launched into one of his famous speeches.

“They talk about Knute Rockne, but he had nothing on Joe Grecco,” said Boettcher. “He’d be yelling, ‘Do your job, be tough, play to win!’ things like that. When he was done, we were ready to take on anyone.”

At game time, the sky above the field was overcast – perfect football weather, cool and gray.

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Game On After a scoreless first quarter, Montclair took advantage of a fumbled snap and drove 62 yards to the Mustangs 10 yard line. But the Clifton defense held firm, forcing the Mounties to give up the ball on downs.

The Clifton offense then went to work. Powered by two consecutive 36-yard runs by All-American running back George Telesh, the Mustangs drove to the Mounties’ 19-yard line.

“We ran a ‘36 Cross Block,’” said Niederer about Telesh’s gains. “Pete Lehr and Bob Leciston or me—we alternated as messengers shuttling the plays in—led the way, with Larry Kolk running ahead of George and taking out the linebacker.”

Sprung by the blocks, Telesh was like a ghost, slipping through the line and bolting down field for the big gains.

“I loved running that play,” said Lehr. “After my block, I’d look up and see George running downfield.”

However, the drive nearly stalled at the 11. On fourth and two, Gursky faked to Telesh and handed the ball to Kolk, who smashed through the line.

“After I got through the line,” Kolk says, “I saw guys waiting to stop me. I dropped my shoulder—I was determined to get to the goal line.”

Montclair’s Haines twins raced at Kolk from opposite sides. Robert met Kolk first, wrapping himself around the ball carrier’s waist. Richie, coming at an angle from the Kolk’s left, hit a second later, careening off his brother and falling awkwardly to the ground.

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“It was obvious Richie was in a lot of pain,” said Inhoffer. “It took about 20 to 30 minutes to attend to him and get him off the field on a stretcher. During that time, I looked over at his twin who was having a tough time. He was emotional—like I’d have been if it had been my twin brother.”

In The Glory Years, Robert Haines said after his brother’s injury, “I was so upset I couldn’t focus on the game.”

When play resumed, Telesh rammed toward the goal line. A referee ran from his position and jumped into the air to signal the touchdown. Telesh’s extra point kick gave Clifton a 7-0 lead.

Montclair wasn’t done, though. Behind runs by Robert Haines and McKelvey, the Mounties drove the ball deep into Clifton territory. However, Bill George, who replaced Richie Haines, fumbled and the Mustangs recovered, ending the drive.

At halftime, Clifton led, 7-0.

Wearing Down Montclair Neither team scored to start the second half, but near the end of the third quarter, the Mustangs began moving.

Behind the smaller but determined Clifton line, the visitors marched down the field on Gursky’s option running and passing, slashing runs by Telesh and a long screen pass reception and run by Kolk.

Telesh’s short touchdown run (his kick was unsuccessful) gave Clifton a 13-0 lead.

“George was at his best that day,” said Inhoffer. “As soon as you blocked, he was gone. I had the cleat marks on my back afterwards to prove it.”

Needing points, Mounties Coach Clary Anderson had his team take to the air.

“Montclair began to pass on almost every down, which wasn’t their game,” recalled Niederer.

Led by the powerful Lehr, the Clifton lines were outstanding. On offense, they cleared holes for Telesh, Kolk and Gursky, resulting in gains on almost every play. On defense, they swarmed to the ball, holding the gifted Robert Haines in check.

When McKelvey tried to pass, Niederer, Leciston and others were in his face. Helped by the pressure,

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the Mustangs secondary had a field day. Montclair attempted 15 passes for seven completions … but also completed seven to the Mustangs.

Boettcher had an interception and junior Cliff Ruth had two. But the star of the backfield was Ray Promin, who intercepted three.

“They listed Ray at 5'8", 165 pounds,” said Gursky.

“He might have been 145 pounds soaking wet.”

On two of his interceptions, Promin lost his helmet, including one in the fourth quarter where he ran for 35 yards without it.

“I intercepted a ball in front of Robert Haines,” said Promin in 2007. “When he tried to tackle me, he ripped my helmet off. After the runback, my teammates came up saying, ‘Ray, where’s your helmet?’ It was the first time I realized it was gone.”

“Haines was so frustrated, he threw it into the stands and we had to stop the game until I got it back.”

However, the biggest interception of the day belonged to linebacker Walk Makoc.

Trailing 13-0, McKelvey attempted to pass. Under pressure from Niederer, he lofted a pass downfield.

Makoc stepped in front of the receiver and intercepted the pass, racing 35 yards down the sideline for the score.

Though Telesh’s kick was no good, Clifton led 19-0.

Forced to pass, McKelvey was intercepted on Montclair’s next possession. On Clifton’s first snap after getting the ball back, the magnificent Telesh—who ran for 200 yards that day—raced for the touchdown. His kick was good, giving Clifton its biggest lead, 26-0.

After three more interceptions, the game was over.

Clifton had ended its decade of frustration with a shutout victory—the first time the Mounties had been held scoreless since 1945.

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Euphoria As time ran out, it seemed the entire city of Clifton swarmed the field. Grecco and Telesh were hoisted upon shoulders and, despite police protests, both goal posts were torn down.

Inhoffer’s father, who had seen his sons lose at Woodman Field three times, ripped off a piece of his wooden bleacher seat and carried it onto the field.

The Clifton Police escorted the Mustangs back to the stadium, leading a caravan of happy fans sounding their car horns. A crowd of more than 2,000 was waiting at the high school.

However, not all the post-game moments were joyous. “When you hit someone during that game,” said Leciston, “you saw stars. After it was over, I started to shake a bit. It was like being in a car wreck— when it’s happening, you’re calm but after, you think ‘What did I just go through?’”

Nonetheless, throughout Clifton, people couldn’t celebrate enough.

Lehr remembered going into the A&P later that day and the store erupting into spontaneous applause.

Taverns were rumored to have stayed open all night.

Wherever the Mustangs went, especially at Poppy’s on

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Van Houten Ave., they were saluted. “I didn’t realize how big a win it was until later,” said Kolk. “Everywhere I went, people talked about the game.”

The emotional win and resulting injuries caught up to the Mustangs the next week as Bloomfield crushed Clifton, 33-6. Still, the Mustangs ended their season with a 21-0 win over Garfield, good for a 7-1 season record and honors as Group IV, Section I, State Champions.

“It was a total team effort,” said Niederer about the Montclair win. “But I give most of the credit to our coaches. Grecco and his staff—Bill Vander Closter, Emil Chaky, Mike Pellach, Walt Semon and John Corrubia—molded us and were outstanding.”

“Grecco,” says Kolk, “had a certain way he looked at you, another way of communicating besides words.

He’d look in your eye and make you understand that it was absolutely imperative to do your job.”

Along with thoughts of their coach, memories of that game remain forever vivid.

“I’ll always remember that day,” said Leciston, “how it was in the huddle—no one said anything. It was pure determination.”

“And we needed every bit of it to win.”

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Top left clockwise, Bobbie Hammer, Peggy Pontier-Renery, Sandy Fedor Asbell, Rich Asbell, Pat Puzio, Mary Berk Armona, Joe Roth, Barbara Levin, Les Croland, Larry Mialik, Bob Delotto, Barney Baukema and Mike Glennon.

If 1967 was the “Summer of Love,” then 1968 was the year all hell broke loose. The Vietnam War raged in Southeast Asia, the draft was on everyone’s mind, hippies battled with police on the streets of Chicago and two iconic leaders—Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—died from assassins’ bullets.

That was the world that faced the Class of 1968—an uncertain time to be graduating from CHS. During the war, 31 young men from Clifton would pay the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

However, though the world raged around them, some things remained the same as in the past for the graduates.

The Marching Mustangs were still the best band in the land, invited to perform at the Expo ‘67 in Montreal, Canada, during the summer prior to graduation. Director Saul Kay’s Mustangs also entertained at the World’s Fair, which ran from April to October. More than 500 million people from 62 nations participated in the event.

In sports, Clifton had one of its most dominating years ever, highlighted by the Mustangs boys soccer powerhouse.

Irene Ziemski, Bob Delotto, Wendy Nagel, Stephen Christopher, Annemarie Montesinos and Alan Franco.

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WHERE

ARE THEY NOW?

Karen Bertalan, Margaret Ann Elieze, Shirley Clos and Rita Collerone.

In just the team’s fourth season, Massimo Lupi, Angus Mac Leod and Fidele Marranaccio led Coach Severin Palydowycz’s team to a 41-2 record and its first Group IV state championship.

The tennis squad, also coached by Palydowycz and led by Jeff Weiner and Andy Bacha, ended the season as champions with a 13-0-1 mark and the Passaic Valley Conference crown.

The Mustangs cross country team went undefeated in dual meets, taking the Passaic Valley Conference Championship and placing third in the states. The team featured several fine runners, including All-County stars Tom Greenbowe and Pete Gitler, Shirley Clos-Gitler, Rita Collerone Van Lenten Bob Scott, and were led by Coach John Pontes. and Frank Van Lenten.

During the school year, the Class of ’68 was guided by Norman Stryker, class president, Another member of the Class of ’68 was a college Thomas Athans, vice president, Irene Ziemski, correprep student who was part of the Artist, Psychology and sponding secretary, Margaret Ann Eliezer, recording Audio Visual Clubs, and would go on to make a big secretary, and Wendy Nagel, treasurer. mark on Clifton—longtime Mayor James Anzaldi.

Encourage. Empower. Equip.

Under a Shady Tree Story Hour • July-August, Tuesday mornings 10:30-11:30am Stanley Zwier Memorial Park Van Houten Ave. Young children and their caregivers are encouraged to grab their blanket or towel and head to the park and sit and listen to stories read by volunteer readers. Free

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796 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton • 201-328-2326 Email: info@powerofoneccom.org • web: powerofoneccom.org

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Mark and Shirley Winkler at their retirement home—in Clifton—and back in the day at their CHS Junior Prom in 1967.

Mark and Shirley Winkler During the turbulent 60’s, the term “high school sweethearts” seemed to belong to another era. However, Mark and Shirley (De Vries) Winkler showed that it was a term fitting their relationship just fine, one that applies more than 50 years later.

Meeting as sophomores, the Winklers dated off and on for three years. “We were both assigned to the same lunch table,” remembered Shirley, “and that’s how we met and started talking.”

Shirley was a third-generation Clifton resident, whose grandfather owned Bailey’s Printing Press, located on the former Athenia Steel property on Clifton Ave. She went on to graduate from William Paterson University with a dual degree in regular and special education, and earned her Master’s at New Jersey City University.

“I loved my time at Clifton High,” she said. “We had great friends. There was a lot of school spirit. I remember going to football games and throwing confetti – everybody had confetti back then.”

Mark had a storied Mustangs football career. Part of the famed “Baby Bulls” backfield that included Steve MacPeek and Larry Mialik, Winkler gained 1,000 yards for two consecutive seasons and earned All-County honors. He went to Memphis State on a football scholarship.

“The Baby Bulls nickname was nice,” said Mark.

“That team was so close. Everyone sacrificed and did

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everything they could for the team. The camaraderie we had was special and that was true of our entire class.”

The Winklers had close friends at CHS. Shirley mentions Barbara (Klapmust) Baker and Jeanet (Reimesch) Sobota. Shirley and Jeanet attended School 3 and were together through high school and still friends today.

Mark was buddies with Rich Hayzler, who married his high school sweetheart Janet (Bird) Hayzler.

“One thing about that time,” said Shirley, “was girls were required to wear skirts or dresses. The following year, they let them wear pants. Another important part was the sense of community we all had. I think it was because we walked everywhere and got to know Clifton.”

After graduating from CHS, the couple were engaged three years later and married the following year. They settled in Clifton, raising two children, Brian and Kelly, who also graduated from CHS. Shirley was a stay-at-home mom before eventually entering the classroom—first as a teacher at Grove Hill Nursery School in Clifton, then as an educator in Clifton’s pre-school intervention program based out of School 16. She worked with special needs children for 25 years.

Mark entered the plumbing industry, ending his career as an estimator-salesman for Emcor Mechanical where he worked for 25 years.

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Bob DeLotto with his bride Pat today. Above in 1976, ’68 classmates Frankie Baris and Rich DeLotto at their Banana Man tavern at 394 Lexington Ave., at the corner of Russell St.

The Winklers are proud lifelong Clifton residents.

“We’re Cliftonites from day one,” said Mark. “Our family is close, our friends are here and we like the town.

There’s no reason for us to leave.”

In addition to golfing, bowling and traveling, the Winklers spend time doting on their seven grandchildren. “That sense of community never left us,” said Shirley. “I’m content here in Clifton.”

Bob DeLotto For Bob DeLotto, high school was a good experience.

“We still meet twice a year at Mario’s,” he said, “I see people like Frank Sisto, Lou Trentacoste, Bob Miedema, Skip Fazio, Susan Mulholland and Don Virgilito.”

During high school, DeLotto was all about sports. “I was on the football and track team, but I wasn’t very good,” he laughed.

However, he was good at was the bar and restaurant business. While at Rutgers, he began working as a bouncer and bartender at Joey Harrison’s Valley Lodge in Clifton and later at the Surf Club in Ortley Beach.

“We really didn’t ‘bounce’ anybody,” said DeLotto, voted “Class Wit” by his 1968 peers. “But I found out that I liked the business.”

After graduating with an economics degree, he bought his first bar in 1976, the Banana Man on Lexington Ave. He went on to own the Nutley Pub (1978 to 1992), Bojacks in Wayne (1992-94) and Dr. Livingston’s in Paterson (1994 to 2000).

“The bar business gave me a lot of freedom,” DeLotto said. “While many of my friends were starting jobs in businesses like banking or insurance, I was working

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nights and could play golf or go to the gym during the day. It was also a social thing. Though we just had our 50-year reunion, I’ve kept in touch with so many people through the years because they knew they could come and see me at the bar.”

Twenty-two years ago, DeLotto transitioned to a new career as a stagehand for trade shows and also got his real estate license. But what never changed was his bond with his 1968 classmates.

“We’ve remained close friends all these years,” he said. “We keep an eye on each other.”

Kathy (Ivan) Stanchak While some in the Class of ’68 always remained close, Kathy Stanchak rediscovered her friends a few years ago at one of Bob DeLotto’s get-togethers at Mario’s. “I’m so glad I went,” she said. “These were the people from school I really cared about.”

At CHS, Stanchak’s good friends included Dot Puzio, Sandy Monks, Jane Obrzut and Frank Barris.

“Dot was my best friend since I was five. Unfortunately she passed away in February, which has left a tremendous void in my life.”

After graduating, Stanchak went to college but left at age 22 to work for United Airlines, where she flew for 47 years. In 1985, she returned to school, graduating from Montclair State College with her bachelor’s degree and earning her law degree from Seton Hall Law School.

Stanchak went on to work in corporate law for Prime Motor Inns and also maintained a small practice in Clifton. Over the decades, she completed 26 marathons “because of Joel Pasternack’s support.”

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Joel Pasternack recently and in 1968 on the cinder track at CHS with Gary Martinsen of East Paterson, Kevin Ryan and Tom Greenbowe. Below, Kathy Stanchak (with husband Mark behind her) at her wedding on Oct. 21, 1972, with Bob DeLotto doing the garter honors.

A lifelong city resident, Stanchak and husband Mark live in the Montclair Heights Section today. “We were high school sweethearts,” she said. “He went to Pope Pius, but in Clifton, everybody knows everybody.”

Joel Pasternack CHS would change Joel Pasternack’s life. Along with making friends with people like Joel Hecht, Alan Ash, Bob DeLotto, Lou Trentacoste, Dale Simon, Karen Shafman and Donna Mark, he discovered his lifelong passion as a member of the CHS cross country team.

“That’s when I fell in love with running,” he said, “and I’ve been running ever since.”

In 1974, Pasternack made his class proud by finishing in 28th place in the 1974 Boston Marathon with a time of two hours, 25 minutes and three seconds, one of 16 marathons he’s completed.

A former high school track coach, Pasternack also coached at colleges and universities like Ramapo, Montclair and William Paterson, his alma mater. He is currently the head cross country coach at St. Mary’s High School in Rutherford. In addition, he owned Joel’s Sports Shop in Styertowne from 1985 to 1999.

Formerly a lifelong Cliftonite who lived in Rosemawr, Pasternack recently moved to the Four Seasons at Great

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Notch in Woodland Park with his wife Bonnie (Greenwald), CHS Class of ’69.

Loretta (Crescenzo) Ahmad For Loretta (Crescenzo) Ahmad, CHS wasn’t just a place that created fond memories. It was also the school that gave her a career.

Ahmad attended Christopher Columbus Junior High and then CHS after going to St. Mary’s Catholic School in Nutley. Going to a new school was an adjustment, but she did make friends, especially with June Hilt Kamrath and Doris Keklak. “I remember a group of us meeting in the little theater each morning just to chat,” she said.

Along with new friends, the Clifton schools gave Ahmad direction. “It started in Christopher Columbus with Mr. Frank Pesile, the junior business training teacher,” she said. “I was good with typing and steno, and I won the junior business training award that year.

The business area was a great choice for me.”

At CHS, Ahmad was placed in the school’s secretarial program and benefited from other mentors, like teacher Juleanna Crowley. “One time a student complained that she gave a lot of homework,” Ahmad said.

“It was a good thing she did. I was much better for doing all that homework in my future.” In fact, Ahmad’s CHS work spring-boarded her into a 20-year career

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Above left, Lou Trentacoste and Carol Talansky, winners of the Class of ’68’s “Million Dollar Smile.” Right, the Ahmad family, from left, Dean, Dena, Odeh, Loretta (Crescenzo), Said and Adam. All the Ahmad children graduated from CHS.

with Hoffman LaRoche. “The greatest thing the school had,” she said, “was the work-study program where you went to school in the mornings and to a job in the afternoon. I worked for Hoffman LaRoche in high school, and they offered me a fulltime job when I graduated. My classmates, Nancy Carroll and Ruth Ann Lenart, also got jobs there.”

“I had a great career, going from secretary to administration to supervisor, only leaving when I had my third child.”

Loretta met husband Odeh after high school and are married 39 years. Along with son Saib from Odeh’s previous marriage, the couple had twins Deana and Dean in 1980 and son Adam in 1987. Today, the Ahmads have five grandchildren.

“All our children also graduated from Clifton High,” she added.

Today, the couple lives in Clifton’s Maple Valley Section, and Ahmad spends her time doing volunteer work, especially with the Clifton Education Foundation.

Lou Trentacoste When the Class of ’68 mentions friends from their high school days, the name “Lou Trentacoste” usually comes up.

“I had a great time in high school,” Trentacoste said.

“We were fortunate growing up in that era. I had friends in all groups, people in sports, the scholastic-minded and the ones who wore leather jackets. I was friendly with everyone and treated everybody the same.”

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Voted “Million Dollar Smile” by his peers, Trentacoste played basketball and football, starting at linebacker as a sophomore, when, he said, he got “pretty banged up.”

Friend Bob DeLotto said until Trentacoste got hurt, “Lou was the best football player I ever saw.”

After CHS, Trentacoste enlisted in the U.S. Marines and served as a member of the military police, spending most of his time in California.

“My unit was being rotated to Vietnam,” he said, “but when the pullout began in 1969, they held us back.”

Returning from the service, Trentacoste got his degree from Montclair State and his MBA from Rutgers University.

While in college, he worked summers in Bayhead as a lifeguard with classmates Rob Rosenberg, Skip Fazio and Frank Sisto. It was there where he met his wife Nancy, a nurse. The Trentacostes will be married 42 years on their next anniversary.

A resident of Mahwah since 1983, Trentacoste works in logistics for Alliance Shippers of Englewood Cliffs after a long career in the food industry. He continues to catch-up with his ’68 classmates at golf outings or gettogethers at Mario’s.

“Unfortunately,” he said, “we lost Sam Blanos and Tom Athans in 2017, but I still see Bob Rosenberg, Bob Miedema, Joel Pasternack and others.

“I really appreciate seeing everyone from my class whenever we can.”

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Nick Poulis, Mary Jo Anzaldi, Rich Berdnik and at right, Gary Butter contemplates a chemistry issue. Nancy Samra, Jeff Biegel, Alisa DeRose, field hockey players Sandy Thornton and Janet Nelson, Below, Jim Sadlock, (the lacrosse player on the cover), Lisa Avolio, Joe Hanrahan.

In the 70’s, fashion and music blended and battled. Students wore denim overalls or flashy polyester, and hair was rock ‘n roll long or disco blowdried short.

Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive blared from speakers, as did the Cheap Trick’s Surrender.

Japanese imports poured onto highways, kids pumped quarters into Space Invaders machines and the Yankees and “bleeping” Bucky Dent won the World Series.

There was upheaval in Clifton, too, as the nearby Quarantine Station prepared to become the new City Hall in 1979.

In the evolving world, the Class of 1978 flourished.

In March, the Honor Society sponsored a magic show, featuring three young magicians: Greg Brainard, Martin Eldridge and CHS student Larry Shagawat. They used disco beats, strobe lights and music from David Bowie and the Bee Gees to spice up their performances.

Another successful event was the “Gong Show.”

Modeled after the TV show, about 30 acts performed before a standing room only crowd, highlighted by Arthur Padko’s Elvis impersonation and Mike Bonin’s guitar playing.

During the school year, the “Sitting Team” made its debut. Created by David Browne, Al Meneghin and Ron Gelok, nearly 200 students signed up.

In sports, CHS was still home of the Fighting Mustangs.

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Motivated by Coach Bill Vander Closter, the football team captured their second straight league title with a record of 8-2 and were led by Scott Oostdyk, Bob Holly, Jerome Ingram, Brian Murphy and Richard Szieber.

The girls volleyball team, highlighted by performances from Falaja Palydowycz and Lynn Vrogindewy, also had a big year, going 13-3 and taking home the NNJIL title.

The boys soccer team finished with a record of 15-4-3 and won the Passaic County Championship, propelled by Ned Djukic’s 20 goals and Frank Erli’s defense. On the mat, the Mustang wrestling team ranked third in the state with an 11-3 record, capturing the State District 8 title behind star grapplers Jeff Eustace and Mark Feinberg.

In May, the Mustang Marching Band attended a competition at Disney World and marched down the middle of Main St., USA, and performed a concert in front of Cinderella’s Castle.

To end the year, senior class officers Cindi Petrisin, Rose Fecanin, Hope Smith, Cathy Capizzi and George Maragoudakis orchestrated the June 5 prom at the Westmount Country Club, a fitting sendoff to the Class of ’78.

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George Maragoudakis as the 1978 “Gong Show” host, future NFL quarterback Bob Holly, future Clifton firefighter Robert Terry. Cindi Petrisin, Debbie Rokicki and Nancy Samra say Mustang Pride.

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-

Above, clockwise, Betsy Welsh, John DePeri, Cindi Petrisin and Janet Halen.

Today, at right, Betsy Welsh Avella, John DePeri and Cindi Petrisin Telep.

Cindi Telep Similar to her classmates, Cindi (Petrisin) Telep felt a close bond with the Class of ’78. The students developed a strong community whether on the field or mourning the tragic loss of a classmate.

Unfortunately, she noted, tragedy was too common for their class.

“A sad memory was when we lost a classmate,” said Telep, “but it brought the class together.”

The classmate was Mark Kovach. Kovach, 17, was killed by his father a month before his graduation, along with his older sister, Sandra, 19, and mother, Edna, 50.

“People who didn’t really talk to each other did because we all knew him,” said Telep, a close friend of Kovach’s.

A couple of decades later, tragedy occurred again.

During the horrific attack on Sept. 11, 2001, the Class of ’78 lost John Grazioso.

Despite suffering these losses, the ’78 Mustangs do have great memories of their time at CHS. “What stands out was our incredible football and basketball teams,” said Telep. “We set all kinds of records for sports events in ’78. Sports in school were extremely exciting.”

Telep was not a casual fan, though. She got involved by becoming the CHS mascot in her senior year. Doing so meant that she went to all of the events and sports games with the cheerleaders.

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Additionally, she was a recording secretary, making her a senior class officer. There, she became close, lifelong friends with Class President George Maragoudakis.

Today, Telep’s Mustang spirit is still present. The former Lexington Ave. resident is planning the 40th class reunion with John DePeri, Janet (Halen) Vacca and Betsy (Welsh) Avella.

The reunion will be held Oct. 12-14 at Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch. Events include a bonfire on Friday night and a Saturday evening get-together.

Telep is not worried about planning, though. She is entirely comfortable working alongside others. For the last 18 years, she has worked as director of customer relations for a manufacturing company located in Randolph.

“I was always good at organizing things, so that’s my skill-set,” she laughed. “I’m kind of the hub of the company and that’s what I’m doing for the reunion.”

As for her personal milestones, Telep is the proud mother of Amy and Allison. A successful romance writer, Amy is married to Brendan, a U.S. federal marshal. Their children are Aidan and Emily.

As for Allison, she earned her teaching degree and is a stay-at-home mother for Hunter and Landon. She is married to Patric, a New Jersey State trooper.

To reconnect with the Class of ’78, contact Telep at cindi310@gmail.com or chsreunion1978@gmail.com.

Additional announcements can be found on the Clifton Senior High Class of 78 Facebook page.

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ears the G Club k n it Girls’ b.

At left, Jennifer Palmer and Mary Jo Anzaldi. Above, Anzaldi and her husband Bob Foster.

Mary Jo Anzaldi It’s all about Clifton for Mary Jo Anzaldi. The CHS ’78 graduate was involved during high school and is still serving her city today.

The former West Lakeview resident went through School 1 and CCMS. At CHS, she became manager of the girls basketball team.

Like all Cliftonites, Anzaldi has lasting memories that defined her high school experience.

One was how Algebra 2 was her favorite class.

Another, was teacher Mr. Joseph Musciotto, who had a “great rapport with the students and made class fun to attend.”

A standout memory, though?

“Hanging out with friends at football games and the Hot Grill,” she recalled.

Friends included Cindy Calligaro, Nancy Cardell, Daria Halaburda, Alesia Kotlar, John Di Lonardo and Bob Terry. Today, Anzaldi is still in close contact with several of them.

Anzaldi is married to Bob Foster, the executive director at the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton. The Allwood resident has worked at the club as the early childhood director for nearly 30 years.

Joe Hanrahan While at CHS, Joe Hanrahan was a soccer player and a drummer with aspirations to be a rock star. Even though he certainly had the hair for it, he moved past those dreams.

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Incidentally, hair did become a focal point for him.

After CHS, Hanrahan traded in his drum sticks for hair shears. He enrolled at Roman Academy of Beauty Culture in Hawthorne in September 1979. Eight months later, Hanrahan began working at Hair Dynamics on Lakeview Ave. After seven years he needed a change.

“It was time to cut the cord and make some serious bling,” he joked.

Since 1988, the ’78 Mustang has worked at his own salon, Infatuation on Market St. Recently, the salon moved to 832 Clifton Ave., next to Colonial Pharmacy Overall, the decision to move only helps the business.

Now, the salon is more visible in the center of the city.

“It was an excellent move,” Hanrahan confirmed.

Now in the business for nearly 40 years, he says that the best part of the job is staying close to home.

“Working in Clifton, watching the kids grow, seeing people I grew up. It’s all great,” he said. “It’s pretty neat seeing everybody still in town and the people who leave and come back. Clifton is still a quaint town.”

As for any retirement plans, when Clifton Merchant Magazine spoke to him in 2008, he said he will start thinking about that in about five years.

Now, in 2018, he has other plans.

“I remember saying that,” he said in amazement.

“Times change and it’s kind of like a new beginning now. I’m kind of rejuvenated.”

Hanrahan is married to Jacquline, and they have three daughters, Jayme ’09, Kelly ’12 and Jaclyn ’16. The girls went to Montclair State or William Paterson.

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Orbe.

Above, Donna Scancarella (third from left) with Jimmy, Jim and Gabrielle. Nancy Samra-Szymansky and Donna Sinisi in 1978.

When Donna (Sinisi) Scancarella forms a close relationship, she makes it last. The CHS ’78 graduate also passed that trait to her daughter, Gabrielle (CHS ’14).

Scancarella grew up in Lakeview on Piaget Ave. In her early years, she went to School 11 and Christopher Columbus Junior High School.

While at CHS, her best friend was Nancy SamraSzymansky. She also knew Robin MarkowitzRosenberg and Jane Was, who still lives in Clifton.

She remains close with them today. However, she and Was are connected by another generation’s friendship.

Gabrielle is best friends with Was’ daughter, Anna.

“Jane’s daughter Anna and my daughter Gabrielle have been best friends since Kindergarten at School 16,” said Scancarella.

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“Our daughters met at the age of four-years-old playing recreation soccer and then they got very friendly at Safety Town before the start of Kindergarten,” she continued. “They’ve been best friends ever since.”

That friendship even followed them to college.

Recently, the families celebrated the girls’ graduation from Monmouth University.

Scancarella admits that she and Was got closer over the years thanks to their daughters’ friendship.

“Jane and I traveled in different social circles in high school, so we didn’t spend much time together,” said Scancarella. “But we became fast, good friends when our girls became friends.”

These friendships cannot be forced. Rather, they are results of people who genuinely enjoy each other.

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It is also common for former Mustangs.

The Class of ’78 in particular was an exceptionally close group, brought together by tragedy and triumphs.

Scancarella still remembers the worst CHS moment.

“Sadly, one of the memories that defined my experience was the death of Mark Kovach,” she said. “I can remember it like it was yesterday.”

There were also great moments. Scancarella recalled spending her best times with Samra-Szymansky and going to Mustang sports games.

“I loved going to the football and basketball games,” she said. “Patrick Orbe’s antics during halftime at the basketball games were always a lot of fun.”

Scancarella’s commitment to lasting relationships does not end with her CHS friends.

“I’m married to Jim Scancarella, also from Clifton, Class of 1975,” she said.

“The ‘Readers Digest’ version of how we met was through mutual friends at a party,” Scancarella added.

“We just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary.”

Together, they are the proud parents of Jimmy, almost 27, and Gabrielle, 22. They live in the Montclair Heights Section on Grove St.

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As for Scancarella, she continues to keep busy. You may have even seen her involved in her local parish.

For three years, she has worked at St. Philip the Apostle Parish on Valley Rd. There, she is an evangelization minister and pastoral assistant.

She did not start there, though.

Prior to that, Scancarella graduated from Pace University with a degree in business. She began her career in New York real estate, but stopped working when her children were born.

Rejoining the workforce, she became a teaching assistant, employed for 15 years at The Forum School, a special education school in Waldwick.

“My son Jimmy is on the autistic spectrum and attended school there,” Scancarella said.

Nonetheless, working near home was most ideal.

She was involved with the parish in other ministries for about 15 years before formally working there.

“My career has taken a few twists and turns over the years,” Scancarella said. “I am truly blessed to be working in a job that I love and a job that’s only three minutes from my house.”

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Nadia Baran, Samuel Jacolow (the goalie on our cover), Anna Baran, Don Knapp, Lydia Baran and Mark Bialoskorski.

In 1988, CHS seniors only had to pay $.91 a gallon to fill up their Firebird or Monte Carlo’s gas tank and drive to the Allwood or Clifton Theater. Whether or not they’d be able to see the screen would depend on how high the person’s hair was in front of them.

It was the “Big 80’s” and the Class of 1988 was ready, wearing shoulder pads, headbands and bright colors.

The CHS sports teams grabbed headlines. The football Fighting Mustangs went 7-2, including a decisive victory over rival Montclair. The offense was led by Bill Shaughnessy, Pete McEnerney, Chris Shanley, Mark Graham, Cory

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Hefner and Dave Triolo, and the defense was powered by Pete Kofitsas, Ron Weiss and Jason Wolfson.

The cross-country teams also excelled. Led by Passaic County “Coach of the Year” John Pontes, both the boys and girls squads put together 9-0 regular-season records.

Clifton set a league record by having 15 runners named to All-League teams, including seniors Diana Garrison, Chrissy Klimek, Jackie Paz, Mercedes Zak, Nancy Podolak, Chris Lefel and Tom Siderits. Paz earned All-State and All-American honors.

Chris Bochna and Joe Grames.

At left, Thom Stoll, today a Clifton Schools painter.

Phone calls were a dime and had a cord attached (shown are Fred Goldbach and Chrissy Mazepa)! Jon Seda, was a Mustang wrestler before becoming an actor.

Finally, the gymnastics team went 12-0, capping a three-year streak of 32 straight wins. Leading them was senior co-captain Chrissy Mazepa, whose performances in the floor exercise earned her a first team All-League selection.

The Class of ’88 had other standouts. Tina Link and Brett Borowski were chosen “Class Intellects,” J.C. Gouse and Janice Chomiak had “Best Smiles,” and Joe Saporito and Teresa Miragliotta were Mustang proud,

voted “Most School Spirit.”

The Drama Club’s annual production was You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. The cast of six, which included seniors Karen Longo (Lucy), Caryn Midler (Peppermint Patty) and Ann Marie Moran (Snoopy), sang songs such as The Book Report.

A student not appearing in the play was wrestler and football player Jon Seda, who went on to Hollywood to star in movies and TV, beginning in 1992.

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The 1987 CHS volleyball team. Front from left, Elizabeth Forysiak, Kim Fusco, Olga Zielonka, Christine Jancew and Mary Ann Kosciolek. Back, Michelle Patzan, Donna Mekita, Tula Kofitsas, Krys Kosz, Racquel Celi and Elizabeth Saharig. Today, Celi is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Clifton.

If you knew Raquel Celi in high school, you probably saw her dominating the CHS volleyball court.

What you may not know is she also had a passion for Flamenco dancing.

“Toward the end of high school and college, I danced Flamenco,” said Celi. “While I was going to college, I would drive into the city three to four times a week.”

Today, Celi still finds time to do what she loves.

“I still go into the city at least twice a week because I’m a salsa dancer as well,” she added.

Despite her busy extracurricular schedule during her CHS years, Celi also worked at Damiano Pharmacy. She recalled her time there fondly.

“There wasn’t a moment when you stood still,” she laughed. “It taught me to be quick on my feet.”

“The biggest thing I walked away there with was massively good customer service.”

Celi also has fond memories of CHS. The best moments, she said, were spent with her ’88 classmates.

“I do believe we were one of the last generations that, because of the recent introduction to cell phones and adults could only afford them, we were still social.”

“We would still get together,” she added, “and thoroughly enjoyed not having phones around and actually creating deep, lasting relationships.”

Celi was similarly engaged in the classroom. She

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found that she gained the most practical skills in Jerry Waller’s typing class.

Waller taught vocational education.

“He was the type of guy that loved to teach,” she said, “and did it in a good way where people were compelled to learn something.”

These skills, she said, benefited her career as a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

When asked what appealed to her about continuing to live and work in the city, she noted a few reasons.

“We’re a great commuter city and we’re still a neighborhood city,” she explained. “Manhattan and all its cultural richness are in my backyard.”

However, her primary reason was even simpler.

“I take tremendous pride in living in Clifton,” she stated. “I love every corner of this town and I am thrilled to be part of a city that thrives on diversity.”

Celi grew up in the Athenia section, where she lives today. She attended School 12 and Christopher Columbus. As for her four years at CHS, Celi was adamant that she has no regrets.

“There were so many activities in school and somehow, there was always a feeling of comradery and freedom to be a young person,” she stated.

“I think we were lucky to still have such a carefree high school experience back in ’88.”

since grammar school.

At the time, it He also enjoyed history seemed injuring his class with his teacher Rudolph knee was a terrible Hudak, and has reconnected break for Don Knapp. and speaks with him over social After playing goalie for media. Other teachers he the CHS soccer team as remembered included Donna a freshman and sophoBattaglia and Theresa Cagna, more, another two along with Coaches John years as a high school Pontes and Thomas Danko. athlete awaited.

“East Wing wasn’t there “When I blew out yet,” Knapp said of CHS then. my knee,” Knapp said, “And there wasn’t that new “that was it.” tunnel from wing to wing. We Fortunately, life had used to go eat breakfast in one other plans. Instead of of the K’s – hot bagels, eggs defending a goal, and bacon around 7 am. Then, Knapp had a more Don Knapp with Mark Bialoskorski. we’d hang out in the morning important mission – to on that ramp between Central and South before going to help continue and build the family roofing business, R.F. first period. Those were good times.”

Knapp Construction, one of the most trusted in Clifton.

After hurting his knee and with no soccer practice to Outside of his soccer injury, Knapp has good memogo to, Knapp began working afterschool in his family’s ries of CHS. He still meets regularly with longtime 58-year Clifton business, started by his father Richard. friend Mark Bialoskorski, who has since moved to There, he learned the business from the bottom up.

Nutley, and remembers hanging with friends at “I started on the ground, doing the cleanup work,” Friendly’s, the Hot Grill, Rutt’s Hut and Troops Sub Knapp said.

Shop – a regular meeting place for Knapp and friends

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Today are (standing from left) Gina Liguori and Michelle Genardi; seated Lisa (Porcaro) Nilsson and Shannon Stumper, still best friends. A photo from the Big 80’s, (from left) Genardi, Liguori, Stumper and Nilsson.

Founding the operation in 1960, the elder Knapp ran his business until his death in 1991 when Don and his brother Richard took over.

“After my father died in 1991,” Knapp said, “our family ran the business as a team. My mom Dorothy (who passed away in 2015) answered the phones and handled the permits. My brother Richard was in charge of sales, and I was in charge of the work crews.”

The brothers remained partners until 2014 when Richard, 50, succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

“He was five years older,” said Knapp about his brother. “He had a degree in audio engineering and once managed a Drucker’s store in Union, N.J. When my dad died, he came back to the family business.”

Today, Don Knapp runs the business the same way his family always did – never signing a contract or taking a deposit. He also continues to use the same roofing supply vendor his father had since 1960. At each sales call, he tells potential customers his family business story.

“They understand that our name stands behind our work. This is my hometown. At 49, I live in the same house I did when I was a year old. Of the 29 jobs I have today, 25 are in Clifton.”

Instead of memories of goalie saves, Knapp’s Clifton legacy now includes hundreds of satisfied customers

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with completed rooftops dotting the city. Soccer stories might fade, but Knapp’s rooftops stay strong.

They have to – his family’s name and reputation depend on it.

You have to excuse Michelle (Avolio) Genardi for feeling emotional at the June graduation ceremony. She and husband Corey, who she met in CHS in 1986, took the same walk as their daughter Gia did (profiled in last month’s Clifton Merchant Magazine), 30 years ago.

“I’m a proud Cliftonite,” Genardi said. “I’m proud to have graduated here, and we’re proud of our daughter graduating from CHS. “It gave me a real sense of nostalgia when I sat in that stadium.”

Growing up off Hazel St., Genardi attended grammar school at St. Stephen’s in Paterson, her parents’ hometown. Entering Christopher Columbus Junior High and ultimately CHS was an adjustment.

“I got a head start to my adult life there,” Genardi said. “If you can navigate that campus, make friends and meet new people, it prepares you for life and how this world is always changing.”

The mom of three daughters (Ava, Gia and Bianca), Genardi enjoyed her 1980s teenage years.

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“Clifton was a different place,” she said. “Main Ave. where we hung out provided activities. There was Clifton Billiards, and the Clifton Theater was still there. There was the same San Remo’s pizzeria and the Hot Grill was nearby. You had options if you lived in that area.”

While Genardi acknowledges Clifton’s size, she also believes it has a small town feel. Her best friends are Lisa (Porcaro) Nilsson, Class of ’89; Shannon Stumper, Class of ’90; Christine (Domino) Machovsky, Class of ’88 (married to Eddie Machovsky of the same class); and Gina Liguori, Class of ’91.

“My favorite teacher,” she said, “was Mrs. Hourihan for 9th grade algebra. She was caring and patient, and embodied everything a great teacher should be. I was lucky enough to run into her as an adult and tell her so.”

Genardi also has memories of working at the CHS Canteen (now the site of the Clifton Police kiosk), where she sold pens, notebooks and snacks.

“Pub Fries were the best!” she said.

While the city and school’s size once prevented students from getting to know each other, Genardi believes that is not the case today.

“Back then, you were less aware of your entire city as a whole,” she said. “Kids in Lakeview now have friends in different areas. When I went to school, you might never have traveled in the same circle as some people.

Social media closed that gap. People are now connecting outside.”

“You have so many more children who would’ve been secluded who are now included – that’s the biggest and best difference.”

Another difference is the knowledge-sharing that technology creates.

“Things that wouldn’t have been on my radar are now part of my kids’ interests. As Clifton changed, the nature of the high school changed. These graduates today are aware of things. It’s evolved into something fantastic.”

Genardi, who works in her husband Corey’s business, C. Genardi Contracting, believes the advantages that today’s students have are significant.

“You’re getting great academics and so many different groups and organizations you can be a member of, like Girls Learn Internationally.”

“That didn’t exist when I was there. It’s exciting!”

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Clifton Merchant Magazine began its coverage of school issues and did its first edition celebrating high school grads.

In 1998, the New York Yankees put together one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, going 114-48 and winning the World Series. However, the CHS Mustangs softball team was even more dominant, going 31-0 for the second consecutive year and again capturing the Group IV State Title with a win over Cherokee High School.

The Mustangs were led by senior pitcher Laura Tynio, who established a new state mark with a career record of 67-1. Coach Rick LaDuke also set the then state record with 400 career softball victories.

Other athletic squads enjoying success in 1998 included baseball (18-9-1), golf (14-6), boys tennis (15-8), track (girls 5-2, boys 6-2), boys volleyball (176) and boys soccer (18-3-1).

The Mustang girls tennis team featured one of New Jersey’s greatest all-time players ever. During her fouryear CHS career, Keiko Tokuda went 86-0 and winning the state singles title every season.

As a senior, she overcame a bout with colitis and the pressure of remaining undefeated, setting a record of

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Andrew Piotrowski, Meagan McDonald, Joseph Haro, Janine Jarosz, Bryan Armstron and Lila Realubit.

excellence that might never be equaled.

As always, the 135-strong Mustang Band continued to excel. “The Showband of the Northeast” competed in “The Calgary Stampede,” a challenging international competition.

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Staff Sgt. Oscar G. Buonafina, US Army

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Other highlights for the Class of ’98 included a “Prom Fashion Show” in February, and the performance of Once Upon a Mattress in March.

On May 8, the annual senior prom was held at the Skylands Manor in Randolph where the Class of ’98 danced to classics such as YMCA and Shout and performed the Electric Slide dance.

The following month, at the June 24 commencement, the audience heard from Scott Pogorelec, senior class president, Humaira Chaudhry, valedictorian, and Mary Laihee, salutatorian.

However, the Class of ’98 was one member short at graduation. Marek Bodyziak passed away two years earlier at 17.

Bodyziak dreamed of one day becoming a professional soccer player and was on his way, earning a spot on the CHS team. Sadly, his life was cut short in 1996 by cancer.

CHS also lost two former educators during the ’97’98 school year with the passing for Aaron Halpern, who served as CHS principal from 1963-88, and Charles Holland, former humanities supervisor from 1960-97.

After experiencing triumph and sadness, the Class of ’98 moved forward into a world that would change from analog to digital during the next decade.

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Jessica Byrne and Marisa Shanahan, then and now.

Those closest to Jessica Byrne know that she values personal connections. It is those connections that keep her in Clifton.

Byrne’s earliest relationships formed at Richfield Farms. At an early age, customers could watch her play while her family worked with customers.

Today, Byrne can be found behind the counter.

However, she did not expect to work at the farm. “After trying a PR job in New York City, I realized what I missed was the connection to people I knew,” Byrne stated.“My second day of work in PR was 9/11. I was not even done setting up my apartment.”

That aside, Byrne missed the sight of familiar faces.

“I see so many people on a daily basis, either at work or grabbing coffee or lunch,” she added. “I constantly run into people who are our customers and I love that.”

Also, the mother of four enjoys her job’s flexibility.

She is able to bring her boys Jackson, 8, Owen, 6, Harrison, 4, and Kevin, one and a half, to the farm.

“They get to see their grandparents and uncle, and I can show them ‘what Mommy does at the Farm,’” she said. It is evident that she hopes to instill that closeness and “love for the business” in her children. She and her brother are committed to ensuring the farm’s legacy.

“We want to be around for another 100 years,” she said. “Clifton has always supported us and we are lucky for that.”

While Richfield Farms remains a large part of her life, she also formed friendships in the city’s school district.

She has remained best friends with her classmate Marisa Shanahan for almost 30 years. “Marisa is someone I have known since elementary school. There is a group of us who have remained best friends since School 16.”

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She describes the friends made in second grade at School 16 as similar to her own family.

“They have been there every step of the way— through college, marriage, children,” she said. “Having someone this long in your life means total acceptance of who you are.”

Through years of friendship and carpooling, Byrne and Shanahan’s families got close. Other close friends included Sara Paige (CHS ’98) and Lisa Jagniatkowski (CHS ’98).

These friendships, Byrne attested, were hard to be away from. Therefore, they all regularly visited each other during college.

Byrne received a business degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Later, she chose to work in her hometown for the same reasons why she loved CHS. “I couldn’t have imagined going to school anywhere else,” she said. “You do know mostly everybody even though it was a big class.”

“It was a community feeling.”

One thing is certain—Byrne is committed to history, not unlike Clifton Merchant Magazine. So, despite any uncertainty of Richfield Farms’ land, she and her family hope to preserve its place as a city landmark.

In the July 1998 graduation edition, Stephanie Moncavage predicted to Clifton Merchant Magazine that computers would be our future. Twenty years later, she was definitely onto something.

At the time, Moncavage was preparing to study at RETS Institute in Nutley. She wanted to be a computer technician. “You can do a lot of fascinating things with computers,” Moncavage said at the time.

The Paramus Catholic HS Class of 2018 leaves a legacy of resilience, quick wit, and high academic achievement.

Together, this very talented group of students has earned over $68 million in scholarship money.

Members of the class shared joy and pain together, but through their faith and belief in God they have come to understand life more fully.

The Class of 2018 celebrates being the 50th graduating class of Paramus Catholic High School.

Congratulations Class of 2018!

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By Ariana Puzzo

Stephanie Moncavage has worked with Dr. Jonathan A. Gold since she was a senior at CHS.

During those years, she also found herself becoming the DECA chapter vice president.

DECA’s mission statement is to prepare emerging leaders in marketing, finance and other fields in high schools and colleges around the world.

Moncavage joined DECA for marketing and was at first unaware of the organization.

“Mr. Robert Starling and Mr. Frank Valenzano asked if I wanted to join DECA,” she said. “They explained to me that we’d be doing competitions.”

Afterwards, her classmates took a vote and elected her as the DECA chapter vice president.

“We got awards and got to go to Canada,” she added.

Along with her DECA memories, she stressed CHS teachers shaped her high school experience. She first attended Clifton schools in ninth grade after attending St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School.

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At CHS, one notable teacher was Ms. Susan Peters.

“Besides caring for the students — reaching out oneon-one to make sure they were OK in class and their life — she made history fun.”

“Because of her, I love history,” recalled Moncavage. “I still love history because of her.”

Any lasting memories that defined her experience?

“How big it was,” she said, candidly. “At that time, we had three buildings—north, south and central. It was a struggle to get from class to class. We had to speed walk and I still do that today.”

Other memories included sitting outside during lunch and working her last two years at the canteen. In her words, the canteen was “definitely an experience.”

These days, Moncavage’s work is different in obvious ways, but still has her hustling.

“I’m a 911 police dispatcher,” she said. “Originally, I wanted to become a crime scene investigator, but you need to start in dispatch.”

Though not what she set out to do, Moncavage realized that she needed to readjust her plans. Especially, she said, since “no one wanted a female technician.”

Even so, she found that she truly enjoys working in dispatch.

“When I completed my training, I wanted to stay in dispatch because I absolutely love it. Now, I’ve been doing it for 13 years.”

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In July 1997, Keiko Tokuda was playing the best tennis of her life. Competing in the USTA National Tennis Center in New York City, she was set to play in a tournament before the US Open in August.

However, something was wrong.

The symptoms had been there for about a year. Food was hard to keep down. Trips to the bathroom became a race. Still, Tokuda was in great shape and ate such a healthy diet that her body was able to handle the discomfort and maintain her rigorous schedule.

During the tournament, things got worse. Now, she was having trouble keeping water down.

Tokuda focused on her matches, letting her tennis instinct take over, honed by endless practice and competition. As usual, her will to win was superior to the other players, and she captured a few rounds. But as the tournament wore on, her body wouldn’t cooperate.

In the late rounds, Tokuda faced a tough opponent. “I tried to keep playing, but lost,” she said.

Out of the tournament and without tennis to distract her, her ailing body screamed louder.

“I went to urgent care, then to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson,” she said. “They gave me an IV and started doing tests.”

The diagnosis was ulcerative colitis. Tokuda spent three weeks in the hospital, replenishing her fluids and getting a blood transfusion. When she left, she was 2030 pounds lighter and rail thin. Not eating will do that.

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It would take her two months to recover. That meant no tennis—no conditioning, no practice and no matches.

The sport that consumed so much of her life would wait.

As her body healed, Tokuda was left with a new emotion—one unknown and unwelcome.

It was fear.

Allwood Girl Tokuda’s parents—father Kuniaki and mother Sachiko—are from Japan. Older sisters Akiko and Yukie were also born there.

Kuniaki had a passion for sports. He loved to ski and play tennis, but baseball was his favorite. He played for Hiroshima Technical High School team, and then six years for Nireco, his company team in the Tokyo Corporate Baseball League. One season, they were league champions with Kuniaki hitting second and sporting a .333 batting average.

He was also passionate about working in the United States. In 1979, Kuniaki got that opportunity, and the

Tokudas moved to Clifton’s Allwood Section. Keiko was born the following year.

“My father showed a lot of courage moving us to a new country,” Tokuda said. “So did my mother.

She was passionate about literature, but gave up her career to raise us while my father worked.”

Tokuda remembers a wonderful childhood.

School 9 was within walking distance and Mt. Prospect Park was right behind the family’s home.

Nearby was Chelsea Park, which featured the tennis courts where she would learn the game.

“They were beautiful courts,” Tokuda said. “The city took such good care of them.”

The Tokudas would go to the courts as a family with Kuniaki coaching Akiko and Yukie. The four-yearold Keiko would collect tennis balls in a shopping cart.

“At some point,” she said, “I picked up a racket and began hitting balls against the chain link fence. I felt left out—I wanted to play. They started hearing me hit back there and decided to let me.”

Along with teaching the game, Kuniaki incorporated a cross-training element, helping his daughters develop strength and agility.

“He applied his training for baseball and skiing to tennis,” Tokuda said, “and did it very early on for me.

At the time, kids were out there simply playing. As the sport became more physical, having that foundational training made a significant difference.”

Building a Legacy While Akiko and Yukie were excellent players (each would win Passaic County singles titles for

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Clifton High), Keiko was a prodigy.

She began playing in national tournaments in elementary school.

At 9, she played against 12 yearolds; at 11, she competed against 14 year-old players.

“I never could have dreamed of having the life I have without my mother,” Tokuda said. “For example, she hates driving, but had to take me to Long Island every weekend.

She would spend hours studying maps to plot out how to get there.”

Playing against tougher older competition made Tokuda nearly impervious to pressure.

Entering high school, she was the No. 1 player in the New York-TriState area (and had been for five years) and rated No. 13 in the world for players 18 and under.

“A lot of those [opposing] players also played at the Tri-State tournaments, so it felt like business as usual. In my freshman year, I went into it looking to see how far I could go.”

She went a great distance.

Playing as Clifton’s No. 1 player (older sister Yukie was No. 2), Tokuda went undefeated, losing only a single set to Anastasia Pozdniakova from Moorestown Friends at the state championships.

She credited her resolve to win as reason for her success. “My mental toughness was my No. 1 strength,” she said. “I could very much buckle down. I would be there until the other person cracked.”

Through her first three years at CHS, Tokuda was the top player in the state, winning the state singles title each year. All that remained was to cap her career with a perfect senior season.

Cost of a Champion To attain such success, Tokuda paid a price.

“I did not have a normal high school years,” she said. “I started traveling internationally in the eighth grade for tournaments. Whatever spare time was spent practicing, sleeping and doing homework, trying to catch up.”

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She kept a low profile at CHS. “I never cared how I dressed,” Tokuda said. “I’d wear something practical like my sweat suit every day because I was going to practice after school. I didn’t care about my looks, reputation—I didn’t care about anything. I was far from being popular.”

“But I had good friends who were supportive of me: Chitavan Pandya, Harini Rao, Dave Rak and Kristin Orlovsky. They would help me catch up on schoolwork because I was away so much.”

One Friday night, she asked to take a night off to go to the movies with a boy she began dating.

“My father said ‘sure,’” Tokuda recalled, “but I immediately regretted it. All I could think about was missing practice at the tennis club in Fairfield where I was every night. It was too weird for me to be missing practice by being at the movies.”

Tokuda credits her CHS teachers for their assistance when she missed school, especially Mr. Smith (chemistry), Mr. Zschack (biology), Mr. St Clair (physics) and Ms. Bobby (physical education). Many stayed late to tutor Tokuda when she got behind.

“With English and history, it was a matter of reading,” she said. “With physics, chemistry and math, you had to learn equations and some didn’t click from reading a textbook. They were such fantastic teachers— they made it absolutely interesting.”

Though tennis was important, school came first in the Tokuda household.

“My dad instilled in me hard work and discipline,” she said, “and was adamant about schoolwork. If I was not getting good grades, I could not continue with tennis. Both my sisters graduated at the top of their class— they set the tone and were my role models.”

Senior Setback After her colitis bout that summer, Tokuda missed 66 days of school. However, it gave her time to pay more attention to the world around her. She went to

Willowbrook Mall and felt lost. She began keying in on friends’ conversations about clothes, boys, jobs and gossip, and had a similar reaction.

“That summer,” she said, “was the first time in my life that I had taken any time off from tennis. All of a sudden, it was like, this is what normal people do? It was eye-opening. While it would have been fun having my world revolve around Clifton, I loved being part of the global tennis community.”

She would think about her times abroad, spending weeks in England, Italy and France competing in tournaments.

“I knew I was doing something very special,” Tokuda said. “Most people didn’t have these kinds of experiences. My tennis friends were all in the same camp—a little weird, definitely misfits, always on the road and who didn’t have too many friends at home.”

But Tokuda learned much. In Italy, she met a girl from Bosnia who hadn’t been home in two years.

“I learned about the war from her,” she said. “That was my education. It was special, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.”

After her illness—one that sent her home with a PIC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) providing nutrition—she was unsure if she wanted to play tennis her senior year. “I was scared,” she admitted.

“I had never had moments of weakness my entire life.”

Tokuda started playing a little in September and more in October.

“But nothing like the daily intensity I had prior to getting sick,” she said.

For guidance, she went to her father.

“I told my dad, ‘I don’t know if I want to play.’ What I was saying was I was scared and not ready. My father said I’d regret it if I didn’t— senior year only happens once and is not something you want to regret.

He said to go out there, give it your best and see what happens.

“I just needed that encouragement it was OK to try.”

Magnificent Mustang Slowly, Tokuda regained her strength, gutting through early season matches. “Before the state tournament,” she said, “I trained harder than I ever did, but I was so rusty.

That first week, everyone came out to watch me, and I played horrible.

I’m sure the other players felt they had this in the bag.”

The Luciano and Arcucci families look forward to hosting you.

Dessert chef Pina Luciano, her husband and head chef Jerry Luciano with their daughter Melissa and son-in law Roberto Arcucci

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“Because the state tournament was held over two weeks, I still had five days to train as hard as I could, and I came back with a vengeance.”

In the semifinals, Tokuda beat Mahwah’s Amy O’Donnell to face Manasquan’s Maren Haus in the Oct. 30, 1997, final held at Mercer County Park. Despite the fact Tokuda had beaten Haus in the finals last year, the crowd sensed revenge was in the offing.

It was not to be.

Haus broke Tokuda’s serve to go up 1-0 in the first set, but the Mustang fought back, pinning her opponent to the baseline throughout the match. Tokuda beat Haus, 61, 6-2, to become the first athlete in New Jersey tennis history to win four singles titles.

“It almost seemed like she knew how to tear me apart,” Haus said to The Record.”

Next Phase of Life After closing her high school career (and graduating 11th in her class), Tokuda went on to Stanford University where she captained the tennis team and was part of the three-time NCAA women’s champions (1999, 2001, 2002), earning All-American honors.

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After playing pro tournaments in Japan and Australia following her college graduation, Tokuda reassessed her life. She realized that she did not want to live out of a suitcase and train seven hours a day anymore.

“It was time for me to move on to my next chapter,” she said. “I’d reached the pinnacle of my tennis experience at Stanford, and didn’t have the passion or desire for the long and arduous pro tour journey.

She sent her dad a postcard from Australia saying she had player her last tournament.

“He took it well,” she said.

Tokuda opted instead for a business career. Today, she is head of marketing for Front, a computer software company in San Francisco.

However, she thinks often of her hometown where her parents still live.

“What was special for me about Clifton was its diversity,” Tokuda said. “I never realized it until I left. When I went to my friends’ houses, I saw their culture. Having a classroom full of people from other countries creates diverse thinking and different ideas.”

“Clifton is what America is, especially today.”

Clifton Merchan

t Magazine • Volu me 12 • Issue 9 • September 7, 2007

e 6, 200 8 • Issu e 6 • Jun • Vol ume 13 nt Mag azin e Clif ton Mer cha

Take One Free, Please

The 2007-08 calendar year was memorable for the United States and CHS. The country elected its first African American president, Barack Obama, Pope Benedict XVI visited the U.S. and the colorized $5 bill went into circulation.

Above Earth, NASA’s Phoenix spacecraft made history, being the first to land on the north polar region of Mars.

In Clifton, the sports Mustangs had a busy year.

Led by Manuel Caicedo, the boys soccer team captured the Group IV state championship, while the boys cross country team finished 33-3, good for second in the NNJIL. The girls cross country squad was even better, taking first.

Other outstanding seasons included girls soccer (134-4), girls volleyball (17-6), wrestling (16-8), boys bowling (second, NNJIL), girls indoor track (champions) and girls bowling (champions). Spring sports also saw the Mustangs excel. The softball team finished 18-

10, good for NNJIL Division A champions. Girls outdoor track had a 6-1 season and boys volleyball went 25-6, earning the NNJIL championship.

The Arts were also represented, as the art gallery featured work by Kelly Amaniera, Aisha Aburomi and Iris Concepcion, among others. The Class of ’08 also experienced a cultural exchange program in London, accompanied by teachers Ms. Craig, Mr. Lesler, Mr. Ronney and Mrs. Ketley.

On stage, CHS presented 42nd Street, Cactus Flower and The Holiday Show. Other highlights included the prom fashion show and performances by the CHS Choir, Madrigals and Orchestra.

Unfortunately, the Class of ’08 experienced tragedy when James “Jimmy” Hoey (above left) was struck and killed in a pedestrian accident on Route 46 in April.

Another CHS junior Michael Hamade died in December in an accident along the same highway.

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Casey Hawrylko, Ken Peterson, Lindsay Berberich, Matt West, Bev Lacsina and Matthew Hunkele.

Brooke Mullen told Clifton Merchant Magazine in September 2008 that she wanted to be an FBI field agent. Although her plans changed, she has no regrets.

Mullen lived near Lakeview Ave. She was in and out of the district until she went to WWMS for sixth grade.

Before that, she attended St. Philip’s and School 11.

At 18 months, her mother signed her up for gymnastics. From there, she developed a life-long passion.

“I didn’t really have much direction as far as growing up,” Mullen admitted. “My parents always focused on, ‘Go to college,’ but never ‘What am I going to college for?’”

She knew she was passionate about gymnastics and track before and during her time at CHS. She also said in 2008 that she wanted to work for the government after joining CHS’ ROTC program.

“I didn’t know what the right choice was and tried to pick something interesting,” she said.

That led Mullen to attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. She went to study forensic science.

However, after a couple of college transfers, she decided that her true passion was what she had done since age 14.

“I was a gymnastics coach between the ages of 14 and 24,” she said. “Then, I switched to a cheerleading facility as a tumbling instructor.”

“I learned the ins and outs of stunting,” she continued, “and became a cheer coach. I fell in love with cheerleading and began teaching the actual sport.”

Today, Mullen has taught children at CC Champs in Waldwick for the past four years.

Any children of her own?

“No, I teach everyone else’s children and give them back at the end of the day,” she quipped.

She attributes her love for the sport to the earliest CHS lessons that she learned from Coach John Pontes both on and off the track.

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“He always had such great words of wisdom both for the track and for life to teach us outside of sports.”

Track especially provided her with insight that she did not realize at the time would be useful for life once outside of CHS. “Gymnastics is a more individual sport,” she said. “In track there are relay races, so you really have to work together with teammates.”

“If you’re on the same race, you all have to be on the same page so you know what you’re going to do.”

It seems fair to assume that Mullen knows what she is going to do long-term. In fact, there is every indication that she even knew it while at CHS. “Throughout my high school career, the highlights were sports,” she said. “I was one of those kids where sports was my life. If I didn’t have to go to school, I would be doing a sport all day long.”

Looks like it all worked out.

Ghalib Mahmoud may be used to traveling the world, but he still has strong ties to Clifton.

Growing up, the former Dutch Hill resident went through School 12 and Christopher Columbus Middle School. A month after his CHS graduation, his family’s business Barry’s Bagel & Deli, opened its doors at 10 Market St. However, his four years at CHS determined his future. Originally, he planned to go to college to become a doctor. However, he chose a different direction after taking Mr. Henry’s AP American Government and Politics course.

“We were the first class that took that course,” explained Mahmoud. “His class actually put me a step ahead in the political science major.”

One memorable CHS experience was when he and his peers went on a cultural exchange program. “I went in my junior year to England,” he said. “Then, the year after, they visited us. It was a major experience.”

From there, he prepared for law school. He completed his undergraduate degree at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in three years. In 2015, he graduated Seton Hall Law School.

Today, he is a senior research fellow in Center for Policy and Research at Seton Hall University School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey, and also licensed in Dubai, where he lives and works as an associate at a corporate firm.

“I received a job offer in July 2017,” said Mahmoud.

“I am working at a large corporate firm, Hadef & Partners. We represent a lot of international clients and I do a lot of traveling.”

He also traveled in law school. For research, he went to Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. He also traveled to Kazakhstan to document Guantánamo Bay detainees.

He has also visited Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and Luxembourg to “study the economic impact of refugees and their work conditions in Europe.”

Despite frequently traveling, he has maintained stability in his relationships. He still talks to many CHS friends, including Abdelhamid Shahin, Robert Harsaghy and Ali Alsaidi.

On a personal note, he wed his wife Alaa in August of 2013.

When Casey Hawrylko completed her senior survey, she knew she would become a teacher. However, it was a broken foot that helped her realize the depth of her commitment to teaching special education.

“I broke my foot senior year of high school while we were crashing junior prom parties down the shore,” she said. “I had to be home-schooled for a while and then couldn’t participate in gym when I returned.”

“While waiting to be picked up with my broken foot, I witnessed a heartfelt interaction between a teacher and his students as he helped them on the bus.”

In her words, she was immediately inspired.

However, she learned that there were no volunteer opportunities in CHS Special Education classes.

Determined, she went directly to the source and worked out a special volunteer schedule with Mr. Armstrong.

The moment was pivotal for Hawrylko’s later career.

“I went on to volunteer within the special needs community and get my Master’s in special education while working in a specialist school in Australia.”

Most would not consider traveling so far from home, but Hawrylko had traveled before in her junior year.

“I participated in the Study Abroad program to England with Ms. Craig and Mr. Lesler,” she said. It was hands down the most amazing thing I was a part of

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in my high school education.” She noted the abroad program benefitted her in a couple of ways. For one, it “ignited my passion for traveling.” Secondly, it strengthened her existing friendships and fostered new ones.

Friendships, like with her English exchange partner Clare, have remained strong over the last decade.

“We have visited each other and gone on vacations numerous times,” she said. “She is my English sister!”

Another friendship that Hawrylko kept through the years is with Beverly (Hills) Lacsina. The pair became friends after meeting in sixth grade.

“I saw that she signed her name as Beverly Hills and I was in awe and asked if that was really her name and she said yes.”

Today, Hawrylko lives in Morristown and is preparing for her fourth year at Brookdale Elementary in Bloomfield. She is working in special education in September after teaching general education.

“As the years went on, I knew I was missing something. I was teaching, but not exactly what I wanted.”

If you remember Beverly Lacsina from CHS, you probably saw her at Mustang sporting events. She stayed involved whether she was rallying the crowds or in them.

“I was a CHS cheerleader and managed the baseball team throughout all four years,” she said.

One of the most memorable moments, she said, was the incredible feeling of witnessing the CHS 2007 Football State Finals.

It was not all about sports for Lacsina, though. She also enjoyed her classes, her teachers and was involved in other extracurricular activities. “CAST was one of the best classes,” she said. “I also think my freshman year drama homeroom was one of my favorites.”

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As for teachers, the former Allwood resident gives a lot of credit to Mr. Wu and the science department.

“He knew how to make learning fun,” she said.

“A lot of the teachers in the sciences department, I felt, really had a lasting effect on many students,” she added.

Every aspect of high school was made better by having close friends nearby, though. The friends she made have also stayed a large part of her life.

“I keep in touch with a lot of my close friends from high school,” Lacsina said, “but I’m proud to say that I am very much still best friends with the lovely Casey Hawrylko.

“We have been friends for about 16 years since we met at CCMS. She is one of the best people I know.”

Today, Lacsina is an executive assistant to the CEO of a trust company from Monday to Friday.

She also found a way to incorporate her love for wine into the work that she does on the weekend.

“On weekends, I give wine tastings at Beneduce Vineyards in Pittstown,” she said. “After working in the restaurant industry for seven years, I developed a huge passion for wine, so I decided to still be involved with something I really love.”

Who says you can’t do it all?

Matt West is still new as a cop, but he knows his way around the City. It helps that he spent his entire life here.

The Clifton police officer grew up in the Delawanna section, where he still lives. He attended School 15 and CCMS. It was in the middle school where he met his closest friends.

“Three of my good buddies are John De Graaf, Thomas Steinfeldt and Chris Tudda,” said West. “We met in sixth grade at Columbus.”

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These 20 CHS students and their teacher chaperones Cassie Craig and John Lesler represented our city while in Greensward College, in Hockley Village, Essex, England. From April 19-30, 2007. Participants pictured here, in no particular order: Sara Austin, Melissa Aviles, Maja Bradaric, Brianna D’Errico, Katherine Estrada, Casey Hawrylko, Rebecca Hurlbut, Julia Komarczyk, Eric Latham, Ghalib Mahmoud, Chris Papademetriou, Ashley Parsons, Abhay Patel, Catalina Rodriguez, Michelle Sauerborn, Bryan Stepneski, Jeannine Termyna, Chris Tietjen, Sarah Weiss and Chelsea Welsh. In 2008, these young adults and their families will play host to the English students when they visit Clifton.

West then went on to CHS, where he enjoyed Ms. Steransak’s environmental science class. It was also there that he participated in extracurriculars.

“I didn’t last too long on student council,” he laughed.

“I played volleyball for my first three years and I was middle hitter.”

After CHS, it was time to make some decisions.

He attended Montclair State University and graduated with degree in history. He originally wanted to be a teacher, but found he did not connect with the classes.

From there, he “kind of happened into police work.”

“I was working as a bartender at Red Robin – I never had a job that wasn’t in Clifton,” he added. “One of my buddies was telling me about the police.”

“It was always something I kind of wanted to do. I took the civil service test and scored really well.”

Eventually, he got a call from the Clifton Police Department and became an officer in July 2013.

Did he always want to serve in Clifton?

“When I took the test, I was really willing to go anywhere,” he said. “But when the option came to work in my hometown, I jumped on it.”

West is an officer in the patrol division. As he puts it, “If you call 911, I’m the guy that comes.”

That serves him well.

“I like that I get to help people and I’m not pigeonholed,” he said. “I’m not just narcotics, not just juvenile cases. I see everything on a day-to-day basis.”

His reasons for working in Clifton are straightforward.

He wants to serve the city he grew up in. Also, his parents Ralph and Kim, and younger sister Kelly (CHS ’12), work locally.

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Christian Hyra, Rebecca Potocki, R Harsaghy, Sydney Sciarrino, Eric Wahad and Jessica Gomez.

Ralph works in a warehouse behind Cups and Joe’s Crab Shack in The Promenade Shops At Clifton, and Kim is the manager of Uno Pizzeria & Grill.

Meanwhile, Kelly works with the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton as a preschool teacher.

As a result, he recognizes a lot of faces.

“I was always pretty active in rec sports and my parents were coaches and part of the Home and School Association,” he said.

“Because of that, I know a lot of people in town, so I see a lot of people and I like getting to help them out.”

West admits it can be difficult when he knows the person involved in an incident or crime. Regardless, he recognizes that you still have to do the job.

It makes it a little easier that it is a job he loves and he is doing it in his city. It requires hard work, though.

“The dynamics of the city are constantly changing,” he noted. “We’re trying to deal with the heroin epidemic

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creeping in. It is one of the major problems we’re dealing with and I want to try to alleviate that any way I can.”

“I want to help Clifton remain a safe place to live.”

Lindsay Berberich learned many useful lessons at CHS. However, the most useful tip that the CHS ’08 Mustang received?

“Hold on tight when going through the mosh pit,” she said.

Berberich was born and raised in the Lakeview section of Clifton. She has since moved to Tribeca in New York City.

Even so, she still remembers her Clifton days fondly.

She started in the district at School 11 and attended WWMS before finishing at CHS. Along the way, she had great teachers and made lifelong friends.

“Mr. McCunney and Mr. Lesler were my – and probably everyone else’s – favorites,” she said. “CAST class with Mr. McCunney was my entry into the communications field, which I pursued a degree in at college.”

After CHS, she attended Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Later, she transferred and graduated from William Paterson University.

Berberich’s gratitude for CHS has not lessened despite graduating a decade ago. It gave her direction in college, as well as led to her job with S-Curve Records.

“I work for an independent record label managing radio promotion and marketing,” she explained. “I pitch our artists’ singles to radio stations around the country in hopes of getting our songs played on their station.”

Additionally, Berberich “coordinates between other record labels, artist management teams, brands partners and radio stations to increase our artists’ exposure.”

One of the perks of the job is that she gets to travel to see different shows and meet artists. Some musicians that her company currently works with include Andy Grammar and We The Kings.

Prior to S-Curve, she worked at Republic Records with artists like Ariana Grande, Drake and The Weeknd.

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Before that, her first job in the field was working as a promotions assistant at iHeartRadio.

Despite her celebrity-focused job, Berberich is still grounded in reality and her Clifton roots are still visible.

She remains in close contact with her CHS friends.

“Luckily, I’m close with almost all of my high school friends,” she said, including Becca Potocki, Stefanie Cramer, Jessica Gomez, Casey Hawrylko and Alex Cetinich (Ceglarz).

“I was in Alex’s wedding in 2016,” she said, “and will be maid of honor in Becca’s wedding next year.

“I love catching up with the others when I come back to visit.”

For Ivana Massa, teaching at CHS is like returning home. The Class of ’08 graduate has taught biology CP in her former high school for two years.

“You don’t realize how much you miss it until you come back,” she said, fondly.

Massa grew up close to Woodrow Wilson Middle School. She attended the neighborhood’s middle school after attending School 2.

“I basically went down Van Houten Ave.,” she said with a laugh.

During her time as a CHS student, she was heavily involved in extracurriculars. Activities included being volleyball manager and acting in fall and spring plays.

She was also a member of Model Congress for two years before becoming Democratic vice president in her senior year.

“I also started a fencing club at the end of sophomore into my junior year,” she added.

As a future educator, it is perhaps no surprise that Massa enjoyed many of her classes.

“I liked English, history, art and science,” she said.

“For science, I liked more biology, not the others.”

The teachers, she said, made the lasting effect.

“I had Mr. Henry for history honors and I really liked his class,” she said.

Noteable mention also went to Dr. Elisa Greenwald.

“She’s just a really good teacher and a good, genuine person,” said Massa. “She’s very intelligent. The way she teaches – you can tell she has a lot of passion.”

Their relationship has not ended now that Massa has returned. She cited reconnecting with former teachers as one of the best parts of returning to Colfax Ave. “Dr. Greenwald said she always wanted one of her students to come back as a teacher and it didn’t happen until me,” she said. “It was really nice.”

Massa studied at Rutgers. She majored in exercise science applied kinesiology with a minor in lassics.

“After college I worked at a few different places, including Kessler Rehab and a spinal cord injury rehab place,” she said.

“I quickly realized this was not what I wanted to do.”

Following her realization, she became a substitute teacher in Clifton. She started primarily in School 1 and stayed on the elementary level until moving to the middle schools.

While subbing for two years, she was mostly in the math department at CCMS. She managed to stay busy while she taught.

“During that time I decided to start the steps for Alternate Route and took some classes in speech pathology, as well.”

“I was very lucky and was offered a job as a science teacher the next year.”

While she teaches biology, she is also working toward her master’s degree in physiology.

Looking ahead, Massa also said that she would like to one day have a family.

For now, it appears CHS is where she belongs.

“When you come back, you look around the hall and get nostalgic. It’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m back home.’”

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RN Vernice Waiters of Physicians Dialysis working with Tiffany Sheppard recently.

and a person would come up and say “Hi” to Tiffany.

The day Tiffany Sheppard arrived in Clifton, the “She never meets a stranger,” Kathy said. power went out – not only in the city, but also across the Northeast and parts of the Midwest. That happens when A True Clifton Girl an outgoing bundle of energy like Tiffany arrives. That A story illustrating the mutual love between Tiffany type of positive electricity can bring down a grid. and many in her hometown occurred when the Brays Tiffany, 8, arrived from Florida on Aug. 14, 2003, a went to a Clifton parade to see their nephew march dynamic special-needs child who is the niece of Kathy with the Boy Scouts.

Bray. Along with husband “Here comes the Marching Joe, Kathy would become “So now we look to our community,” Mustangs down the street with Tiffany’s legal guardian and Joe Bray said.

“We understand it is Bob Morgan at the lead,” said join the Bray family. They a huge decision to donate a kidney.”

Joe Bray. “And he spots Tiffany would all welcome son and in the crowd.” brother Nicholas in 2007.

“In the midst of the music and marching, he starts “Tiffany was so happy to have a baby brother,” said waving and calling, ‘Hi, Tiffany! How are you today?’”

Kathy Bray. “She is such a good helper and she just Tiffany did well in school, even earning “Student of wanted to do everything for him.” the Month” honors in 2015. She especially enjoyed the She was also happy in her new hometown. Tiffany CHS program exposing special education students to attended School 2, Woodrow Wilson Middle School many types of work (Tiffany functions at about the and Clifton High, and went to the Clifton Boys & Girls level of a 12 year-old).

Club after school.

Eight years ago, she joined the Clifton Recreation’s Being extremely social, she loved her schools and Buddy Canteen program (a program for special needs knew almost every student and teacher. individuals), and it became the highlight of her week, Often, the Brays would be out somewhere in town

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seeing friends and participating in activities.

Tiffany also became involved with the Clifton Recreation Department’s Special Olympics team.

At the Passaic County and New Jersey State games, she ran the 50m, 100m, was part of a 4x200m relay team and competed at basketball and bocce competitions.

“A story that illustrates the type of person she is,” said Joe, “was when we were with 20 or so Special Olympians on Main Ave., waiting for the torch to arrive.”

“A Clifton police officer was across From left in Clifton: Nicky, Kathy, Joe and Tiffany. the street in a patrol car. He rolls down his window, picks her out of the crowd diploma in Clifton Stadium along with the rest of the and yells, ‘Hi, Tiffany!’ He knew her from Clifton Mustangs, the Brays attempted to enroll Tiffany in a High.” day program through the Clifton Adult Opportunity “I joked to Kathy, ‘Maybe Tiffany can get us out of Center. a parking ticket.’”

All she needed was a physical before starting.

After graduating in 2016, where she accepted her That’s when the Brays lives changed.

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Tiffany Sheppard New Normal The results of the physical’s blood test alarmed the doctors. Tiffany’s kidney numbers were extremely high. The doctor called for a second test to confirm the findings.

When he got the results, he called the Brays and told them to take Tiffany to the hospital for tests. “Tiffany always had a huge fear of doctors,� Joe said. “To have to be admitted to the hospital was tough. We did not leave her side, and constantly reminded her that we would always be there with her. After a day of tests, we had an explanation: Tiffany was born with only one kidney, and the one she had was not functioning well.�

The news shocked the family – Tiffany had hardly ever gotten sick. “It was a long week in the hospital,� Kathy said. “Tiffany had a port put in and started on dialysis. That became our new normal.�

The girl who was once scared of doctors was now seeing them often. Tiffany began going for dialysis treatments three times a week, three and a half hours at a time. She had surgery to create a fistula or passage in her right arm where she has two needles placed to receive her treatment.

“She is so amazingly brave every day,� said Joe. “From the kid so afraid of doctors – it was a major ordeal to get her immunizations – to her today is just amazing.�

Now in her second year of dialysis, Tiffany, 22, is on the waiting list at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston for a kidney transplant (the wait in New Jersey is usually more than four years). While a living donor would be ideal for Tiffany, the Brays’ do not have a suitable donor in their immediate family. “So now we look to our community,� Joe said. “We understand it is a huge decision to donate a kidney.�

The Brays hope and pray someone in Clifton will read Tiffany’s story and consider making such a lifegiving gift.

While people can live long healthy lives with a single kidney (donor life expectancy is unchanged), the energetic girl who is always smiling – a person who knows and cares for all she meets – desperately needs the one kidney they can spare.

To learn more about donating a kidney to Tiffany Sheppard, visit the Living Donor information page at rwjbh.org/ldi. To complete a Living Donor referral form, visit rwjbh.org/livingdonorreferralform.

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50 years of Boy Scouting history came to an end on June 19 when leaders William Martin, Lucille Kirk, Alice Hener and Loretta Friedman folded Troop 15’s colors a final time.

Handicapped Troop 15 has 13 scouts with intellectual and developmental disabilities (above). Among them are two Eagle Scouts, the highest honor in Scouting.

For five decades, the retiring staff has led the troop on trips, outings and meetings every Tuesday night at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at 810 Broad St. Clifton.

The leaders certainly lived up to the Scout Oath: “... to help other people at all times ...” God bless them and the all Scouts of Troop 15.

A 90-year old bassinet was donated to the Hamilton House Museum that was previously owned by the Ehrle family, who resided in a historical home at 1342 Broad St. They also owned Ehrle Homestead Gardens for some 50 years, which was adjacent to the property and is now the site of Kessler Rehabilitation Center. Also gifted to the Hamilton were two water color paintings of their home and an infant baby scale. Shown from left are Leslie (Van Winkle) Kropinack, Arlene Bayeux, Kathleen (Ploch) Mack, Bonnie Van Britsom, Marilyn Ehrle. The Hamilton House reopens in the fall for tours.

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PRAISE

The PRAISE Special Needs Baseball Team was part of the CML (Clifton Midget League) end of season awards picnic June 23. For details on the next season of baseball, email cliftonpraise@gmail.com.

Clifton’s Tiffany Smith carried the torch through Downtown Clifton on June 8 as officers from Clifton and others towns escorted athletes to The College of New Jersey for the 50th edition of the Special Olympics of New Jersey.

Athletes ages 8 and up competed in 24 Olympic-type sports with medals awarded to the top three in each sport.

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EAGLE SCOUT

A before and after photo of the Secaucus Coast Guard Auxiliary mustering area, which was restored by Eagle Scout candidate Dylan Spies, at center right with glasses. Also pictured is Troop 8 Scoutmaster Bill Gentillo, Scouts Jason Gentillo, Charlie McCarrick and Michael Gentillo at the June 10 ceremony to dedicate the area.

Troop 8 Eagle Scout candidate Dylan Spies knows how to expedite. In a span of nine days, he and his crew completed a restoration project to provide boaters on the Hackensack River with a great place to launch.

Dylan, 16, will be a junior at CHS this fall and was instructed in boater safety at the Secaucus U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. When he considered his Eagle project, he presented the idea of putting up a 20 foot flag pole and two benches overlooking the Hackensack.

The building the Auxiliary occupies was identifiable from the street, but not the river. The commander of the flotilla approved and so did the Secaucus mayor.

Funds were raised and supplies were gathered.

Given the help of Scouts from Troop 8 and members of Flotilla 10-02, the project came to fruition between June 1 and 9. On June 10, the “Blessing of the Fleet” and the project unveiling took place (before and after photos show the transformation). Dylan has one test to pass before becoming an Eagle Scout.

The Dutch Hill Residents Association’s high school scholarship winner is CHS grad Michael Guzman. He received a $750 scholarship and will attend Kean University as a business major. Pictured from left are Margaret Glenn, Dutch Hill Scholarship moderator, and Michael with parents Francisco and Velma Guzman.

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MUSIC & ARTS

The Friends of the Clifton Public Library opened its fifth season of Musical Mondays with a June 5 performance by the students of MP MusicHouse and St. Andrew’s children and teen choirs, under the direction of Michelle Petrasek. The next show is on July 9 at the Main Memorial Library and features Fonte’s Piano Trio. The Aug. 6 show is at the Allwood Branch Library, 44 Lyal Rd., at 2 pm and will feature the 3-D Dance of Clifton showcasing talented tots and teens. Free and open to the public, children ages ten and older are welcomed when accompanied by an adult. For info call 973-772-5500.

For the past 15 years, Greg Komeshok, above left, has brought Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra to Passaic’s Third Ward Park at Van Houten and Passaic Aves. Come out July 26 for a free concert at 7:30 pm for an evening with the 18-time Grammy Award-winning polka band.

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Juan Suarez is not afraid to dream big. He’s already thinking about playing pro soccer or ending up in a Division I program like Stanford or Syracuse. He also aspires to become a surgeon.

So it’s little wonder the freshman has already attained the honor as CHS’s June “Student of the Month.”

To accomplish his goals, Suarez stays disciplined, focusing on school, soccer and church. Inside the classroom, he constantly challenges himself to go above and beyond.

“Jason’s sense of purpose and enthusiasm distinguish him from his peers,” said English teacher Nick Hernandez. “He models upstanding behavior.”

Suarez appreciates that. “The satisfaction I get,” he said, “when someone tells me I’ve done a great job motivates me.”

Suarez gives back to his community as a member of the Clifton Boys & Girls Club Keystone Club. “I enjoy Keystone,” he said, “because I get to help kids.”

Teacher Raymond Cooper added about Suarez: “He’s diligent and sticks to his word. He demonstrates leadership daily.”

We look forward to seeing what Suarez’s next three years as a Mustang will bring.

2018 GRADS

Clifton students I’Zayah Lora, Raquel Gomez and Troy Casserly celebrated their graduation from the North Jersey Elks Developmental Disabilities High School. The students are pictured with their proud parents, Clifton case manager Sue Schemly (center) and Executive Director Dr. William Weiss (right).

Kim Castellano and Kenneth M. Morris, Jr., were honored at the 2018 New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Award at the War Memorial in Trenton on June 2.

Castellano, mission director of Power of One in Clifton, was recognized for her innovative work in providing counseling, mentoring and community involvement through her non-profit organization.

Morris, vice president, external affairs, St. Joseph’s Health, was named as the BD Paterson NJ Patriot winner, a testament to his decades of public service. Morris has served Paterson since 1992 through his service impacting education, arts, health care, housing, youth and justice.

Kim Castellano and Kenneth M. Morris, Jr.

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Jack Corradino and law partner RC Papa donated two busses to the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton June 21 at a reception hosted by the Cuellar Family at ShopRite Wines & Spirits.

The new vehicles, which cost about $100,000, will transport 1,400 kids per week to and from schools to the main facility at 181 Colfax Ave. as well as 15 school extension sites. Once there, kids will enjoy sports, recreation, leadership, tutoring and character development training.

“We both were members of the Club,” said Jack Corradino, “and those years made an impact on us both. That’s why we want to give back.”

RC Papa recalled the days of swimming, playing soccer and hanging out in the Teen Center. “We’ve been blessed and the Club is still doing great things for Clifton kids. That’s why we support the Club.”

“Corradino & Papa LLC is amazing,” Club Director Robert Foster Director said. “This donation comes at a time when we must replace our aging fleet of busses. The timing could not be better.”

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Birthdays & Celebrations - July 2018

Nicolas Calvo turns 9 on July 11. Isabella Andruch is 12 on July 1. Walter Pruiksma turns 95 on July 26.

Mammie Angello hits a milestone on July 3. Former Downtown Clifton Post Office guy Harry Quagliana celebrates on July 23.

Happy Birthday to...

Send dates & names... tomhawrylko@optonline.net Amanda Di Angelo.............

Ray Merced .......................

Marie Angello ....................

Chris Torrao .......................

Nicholas Iannacone ............

Bob Landrith .......................

Robyn Sue Lord ..................

Frank Rando.......................

Guru of Brew Skip Kazer.....

7/3 7/3 7/3 7/4 7/5 7/5 7/5 7/5 7/6

Bob Obser, The Music Matador, will be 86 on July 18.

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Lori Lill ............................... 7/6 Susan Rego ........................ 7/6 Darlene Franek ................... 7/7 Ron Curtiss ......................... 7/7 Angelo Grippo ................... 7/7 Thomas Marriello ................ 7/7 Edward Sepulveda.............. 7/7 Jenna De Liberto ................. 7/8 Christopher Landrith ............ 7/8 Cynthia Kester .................... 7/9 Robert Marriello.................. 7/9 Jesse Hasting.................... 7/10 Kristi Schopfer .................. 7/10 Anthony Zaccone.............. 7/13 Alyssa Marie Misyak......... 7/14 Ann Schamble .................. 7/15 Derek Dobol..................... 7/16 Jessica Dobol.................... 7/16 Joanne Gursky.................. 7/17 Carrie Szluka ................... 7/18

Joan & Gene Murphy celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary on July 25.

Alexander Razvmov ..........

Ryan Saccoman................

Cocoa Saccoman .............

Ashley Jacobus .................

Linda Portaro....................

Megan Suaifan.................

Kaitlin Vinciguerra ............

Harry Quagliana ..............

George Shamar................

Kayla Lord........................

Anna Schubert..................

7/19 7/19 7/19 7/19 7/20 7/20 7/22 7/23 7/23 7/24 7/24

Kenneth and Donna Chipura on July 11 will celebrate their 47th wedding anniversary. Matthew Derendal turned 64 on June 27.

Mary (Brugnoni) Kennedy will be 89 on July 18.

Eva Gasporowska........... 7/25 Kathy Valdes................... 7/25 Jack DeVries Sr............. 7/26 Joseph Lopez .................. 7/27 Ornella Ganoza ............. 7/27 Gina Oliva ..................... 7/28 Amanda Fabiano............ 7/29 Lee-Ann Varga ................ 7/29 Stephen Camp Sr........... 7/30 Joe Prebish ..................... 7/30 Frances Greco ................ 7/31

Dorothy and Ted Guzowski will be married 36 years on July 10, two days after Dorothy’s birthday on July 8!

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2018

85

CABS In CLIFTON

86

July 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

The trademark sombreros remain. Gone are the bell-bottomed pants and the puffy shirts. The Hawthorne Caballeros have new athletic looking uniforms with tight fitting pants and shirts accented with flares of colors and buttons. The Cabs bring their new look and their 2018 game—The DUÆL—to Clifton Stadium on July 14 for an evening of competition between 10 drum and bugle corps. For tickets, call 973-945-5912.

Tomahawk Promotions 1288 main avenue clifton, NJ 07011

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PA I D

PeRmiT No. 280 LaNc. Pa 17604

Fred Spoelsstra

Dave Kellleey

Linton Gaines

Weendeelll Maki

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Angie Cardeenas

Jose Gignoux Nancy Rodriguez Waltter Porto

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Patricia Elmahdyy

Gla adys & Alberto Mesones

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www.NicholasRealEstate.com

Mabel Mesones

Co Aleexa C onstandiinou

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Edg gar Meza

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RENOVATED IN 2000 LOCATED ON A CUL-DE DE-SAC. LARGE LIVING ROOM, LARGE DINING ROOM, EAT-IN-KITCHEN WITH SLIDING DOORS TO PATIO AREA. 2ND FLOOR PRESENTS LOFT AREA, 4 BEDROOMS INC MASTER BEDROOM WITH MASTER BATH AND WALK IN CLOSET. 3RD FLOOR WITH 2 BEDROOMS AND FULL BATH.

OFFERING LIVING ROOM, DINING O ROOM, KITCHEN, 3 BEDROOMS AND BATH ON EACH FLOOR. FULL BASEMENT. PARKING FOR 1 CAR. SEPARATE UTILITIES. EXCELLENT LOCATION, CLOSE TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ROUTES AND SHOPPING, ALSO NY BUSES NEARBY.

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CLIFTON $ $325,000 GOOD OPPORTUNITY A GOOD MIX-USE PROPERTY IN CLIFTON. VERY MOTIVATED SELLER. A 3-BEDROOM APARTMENT ON TOP OF A COMMERCIAL UNIT. PROPERTY HAS A VERY OWN PARKING SPACE.

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FAIRLAWN $679,900 SPLIT LEVEL - EXCELLENT LOCATION Cesar Guzman

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LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM, TILED KITCHEN WITH BREAKFAST BAR COUNTER AND SITTING AREA, SLIDING DOORS OPEN TO DECK/PAVERED PATIO WITH ININ GROUND HEATED POOL. 4 BEDROOMS WITH 3½ BATHS, HUGE MASTER BEDROOM WITH HUGE MASTER BATH. FINISHED BASEMENT, LARGE FINISHED DEN WITH DRY BAR.

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