Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Table of Contents
What’s Inside? 6
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Chris de Vinck Essay The Miracle of Our Existence
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Transplanting Love A Family Teams Up to Share Love
16 Living on the Sidelines Crohn’s Disease and Nick Lavender
24 Nutritious & Cost Effective Paulison Ave. ShopRite’s Stephanie Pose
28 Mental Wellness Arabic Community & Mental Health
36 Everybody Hates You CCMS Kids Stand Against Bullying
CHS Musical Crazy for You Page 61
4 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
38 Filming with Franko Power of Film to Change Social Issues
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44 Cancer Survivor Theresa Colon Doing Laps for Clifton’s Relay for Life
48 Family Super Bowl Party
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250 Attend the 15th Annual Event
54 Neighborhood News Community Items from All Over Town
56 Politics & Business Lunches, Campaigns & Political Parties
58 Events & Briefs Things To Do during March
62 Student of the Month Nick Zecchino is 24th in Class of 2013
64 Birthdays & Celebrations Neighbors & Friends at Milestones
66 CHS Class of 1963 Reunion Graduating from an Architectual Gem
Police Unity Tour Page 52
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Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Moments of Grace
Consider the Miracle of Our Existence Essay by Chris de Vinck How many people had to have been born in order for us to exist today? We all had two parents, and four grandparents and eight great-grandparents, 16 greatgreat-grandparents. If we calculate fifteen generations back we see that we each had 32,736 great, great‌grandparents. One missing person in this chain, and we would not exist today. In May of 1940 my mother was eighteen-years old. She lived in Brussels, Belgium with her mother and with Henry, her brother. Her father was an officer in the Belgian Army and he was already separated from the family because of the impending war that crashed upon the world that spring. When Panzer Tanks, Nazi airplanes, and the Blitzkrieg over ran the small Flanders nation, my moth6 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
er was so frightened that she begged her mother that they leave before the enemy troops entered Brussels. So my grandmother, my mother and my Uncle Henry were suddenly refugees on a train heading south towards France. My mother said that the train had to stop many times because of the invading planes and their bombs. My mother also remembers the thousands and thousands of people walking, pushing carts, carrying sacks over their shoulders as they overwhelmed the roads, all trying to escape the oncoming invading army. Finally my mother and her little family arrived in a French coastal town they knew so well: Dunkirk. To my mother Dunkirk was a placed filled with summer memories on the beach.
In the history books Dunkirk will long be remembered as the place where over 300,000 British and French troops were surrounded by Hitler’s army and doomed to certain capture and death had it not been for Winston Churchill who ordered any boat or ship available in England to cross the English Channel and save the solders. Over 900 ships carried out this mission that is still, to this day, called the miracle of Dunkirk. So there was my mother and her younger brother and my grandmother standing in the chaos of Dunkirk in the spring of 1940. The Nazi troops were advancing. Over 300,000 solders were pushed into the little town and the surrounding fields, and my grandmother knew that they had to leave Dunkirk as quickly as possible. Because my grandmother was so familiar with the city, she and her children walked to the bus stop. Funny how we assume things will still work properly during times of a disaster. But sure enough, a single bus was making its way through the swarm of people trying to evacuate the dying city. When the bus slowly approached the depot, my mother, grandmother and uncle were at the front of the massive, desperate crowd. Suddenly hundreds of people surged and began to push forward, all hoping to get a seat in the bus. The bus kept rolling forward, slowly, slowly, when, because of the huge push from behind, my mother was thrown under the bus between the front and rear wheels. With the bus still in motion, with the chaos and shouting, with the mob pushing forward, my grandmother screamed out to the driver “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!”
The bus driver heard my grandmother and when he stepped out onto the street he started screaming back at her, angry that she was arrogantly demanding that he stop the bus. But then my grandmother quickly pointed and sobbed in a plaintive cry: “My daughter. She is under the wheels!” The bus driver stooped down and there was my mother, on her back with the rear wheels already rolled on my mother’s outstretched dress. The bus driver had to use a pair of scissors to cut my mother out from under the large, heavy wheels. Because the crowd was so packed he could not drive the bus in reverse. Because of this terrible shock to my mother and grandmother, the driver gave my family the first seats on the bus. Seconds later my mother would have been crushed to death. Seconds later I would not have been born. Seconds later my children would not have been born. We are precariously linked to people we never knew. How fragile our own existence is, so dependent on the lives of our ancestors making their own way and surviving. Remember Clarence the angel in the film It’s a Wonderful Life speaking to George Bailey? “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives,” Clarence says to George. “When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” In World War II alone it is estimated that 60 to 80 million people died. Think of all the broken families, the broken lines into the future; think in gratitude for the miracle of our existence. Christopher de Vinck is the Language Arts Supervisor at CHS and the author of 13 books. To order his recent work, Moments of Grace, call 1-800-218-1903.
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Clifton Health
Transplanting Love Daughter helped Dad “quit part-time job” when she donated her kidney By Carol Leonard
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t has often been said there is no greater bond than that between a parent and his or her child. For Karel Choteborsky, that concept took on new meaning when his daughter Mary gave him the gift of life. On Jan. 8, she donated one of her kidneys to him. Five years ago, Choteborsky, 66, was diagnosed with kidney insufficiency. He was treated with medication for a while but, as his condition worsened, his doctor eventually recommended that he go on dialysis. The procedure filters waste from the blood, a process that is normally handled by healthy kidneys. Although he can’t be certain what caused his kidneys to fail, Choteborsky speculates that his constant exposure to paint solvents and inks over the years may possibly have contributed to his illness. He had spent 40 years working in the chemical industry as a production and plant manager. Mary, 31, offered to be a live kidney donor for her father right from the start, but Choteborsky was against it. “I was very hesitant,” he said.
8 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Clifton Health “She’s a young woman and I was afraid that something might happen to her.” Choteborsky was placed on the kidney transplant list and spent four years traveling three days a week to St. Joseph’s dialysis center in Paterson. The sessions were each four hours long, but Choteborsky never complained. He just hoped that someday he would get to the top of the donor recipient list. “I made it my part-time job,” he said of his dialysis experience. While at the dialysis center last year, Choteborsky picked up a brochure advertising a seminar at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck about live kidney transplants, which he attended with his family to learn more about the procedure. “Everybody told us that it’s the best way to go,” he said. “There are so many applicants for kidney transplants that it can take up to 10 years waiting for a nonliving donor.” After the seminar, Choteborsky and his wife Dolores became more comfortable with the idea of their daughter giving up her kidney, and Mary took the next step. She called the transplant coordinator at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston to set up an appointment.
10 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
“They have a very sophisticated program,” she said. “I met with the donor coordinator who explained what I would have to go through to be qualified. They walked me through the whole procedure and answered all my questions.” As an active young woman who enjoys skiing, running and playing soccer, Mary said she was concerned about the long term effects of the surgery and living with only one kidney. “I was much more frightened before I started the process,” she said. “I learned that it’s actually an extremely safe surgery.” The next thing was for Mary to be tested to see if she was a compatible donor for her father and to be certain that she was in good enough health for the surgery. An important thing that Mary also learned was that if she hadn’t been an appropriate match for her father, but was still willing to be a donor, she would have been placed in a registry to match her kidney with a compatible recipient. In return, her father would have received a kidney from another compatible live donor. The process began last August. After having her blood drawn to see if her type and antibodies
Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Clifton Health matched her dad’s, Mary found out that she was a suitmake sure that everyone is well-informed,” able donor. Then, she had to be cleared medically. This Choteborsky said. included a CT scan of her abdomen to make sure that Dolores felt confident that they were doing the right she had two healthy kidneys. “A small percentage of thing. “I was convinced that Mary was healthy enough people are actually and that she would be born with only one okay,” she said. “And kidney,” she said. I was looking for“They tested every ward to my husband major organ system having a new kidney in my body.” and not having to go Mary passed the for dialysis anymedical exams with more.” flying colors and in To help ease his November, she and anxiety before the her parents set the o p e r a t i o n , date for the surgery Choteborsky attendto be in January. “We ed a relaxation prodecided that we gram recommended wanted to enjoy the by a friend. It includAt Mary’s CHS Graduation in 2003, Karel, Mary and Dolores. holidays before ed training in meditagoing through this,” Choteborsky said. tion and positive thinking. “I believe it really helped Before the operation, Mary and her father each met me,” he said. with various members of the transplant team at St. On the day of the surgery, father and daughter were Barnabas, which is one of the largest transplant centers brought into adjoining operating rooms. Mary’s procein New Jersey. “They have a great support and educadure started first, about an hour before her father’s. tion program for donors,” Mary said. “The head of the When he was ready to receive the kidney, they team met with me for over an hour and walked me removed the donor organ from Mary. Her operation was through everything. I met with a social worker and the completed in two hours, while her dad was in surgery donor advocate, so I had all my questions answered and for about four hours. I wasn’t afraid.” After coming out of the recovery room the two were The whole family, including the Choteborsky’s son assigned to rooms next to each other in the transplant Karel, and his wife Tatiana also met with members of wing of the hospital, where Mary stayed for two nights. the transplant team to learn what to expect and how they As an organ recipient, Choteborsky was under quarancould help during the recovery process. “They want to tine and given immune suppressant drugs, which
12 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Clifton Health he will be on for the rest of his life. He remained in the hospital for five nights before going home to complete his recovery. This includes keeping away from public places until at least April, while his immune system gets stronger. Mary stayed with her parents in their Clifton home for about five weeks while regaining her strength after surgery and to help out with her father. “After about two weeks I started to feel much more like my old self,” she said. “It just takes time to get back your stamina.” Dolores took a leave of absence from her job as director of marketing and volunteers at Preakness Hospital to stay home with her husband. Young Karel took over the upkeep of the two-family home that he, his wife and their three year-old daughter Sofia share with his parents. Other extended family members including Dolores’ siblings also pitched in to help. “I’m relieved that it’s over,” Mary said. “I feel lucky that I was able to do this for him. Now, I hope he continues to recover.” Mary went back to her Manhattan apartment and her job as a book editor at Random House Publishing at
the end of February. She hopes to gradually return to her active life, which includes playing in a corporate soccer league and practicing yoga. Choteborsky also used to ski and play soccer before his illness, but he says that he will be content to just live a normal and healthy life. He and Dolores would like to get back to traveling, including visiting his two sisters in his native Czech Republic. “He hasn’t been there in four years,” Dolores said. “Traveling that far was impossible when he was on dialysis. The farthest we would go was to the Jersey Shore.” The couple also enjoy going to the theater, movies, concerts and museums and they hope to resume all of those activities when Choteborsky is permitted to get out more in public. Choteborsky gets teary eyed when he speaks of all the help he received from his family and how grateful he will always be to his daughter for the sacrifice she made for him. “What a great thing it is to have this kind of support in your life,” he said.
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National Nutrition Month®is a nutrition education and information campaign created by the American Dietetic Association and it is run every March. Eat Right,Your Way, Every Day reminds you to eat right and stay close to the basics. Choose nutrient rich foods, those lower in calories and filled with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Steer away from foods that are high in saturated and trans fats, sodium, cholesterol and sugars.
At the Paulison Avenue ShopRite, Registered Dietitian Stephanie Pose is in the store five days a week. Her job is to help our shoppers make good decisions regarding the importance of food choices and to help you develop sound eating and physical activity habits. She is also available for store tours for individuals or groups as well as one-on-one nutritional counseling. These services are free and it is another way for all of us at Cuellar Family Markets to say thank you for shopping here. Call or visit Stephanie to find out more.
Remember: Variety from all food groups is key to healthy eating.
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503 Paulison Ave., 973-471-0868 Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Clifton Health
Now on the Sidelines Crohn’s Disease Didn’t Derail His Dreams By Joe Hawrylko
uring Christmas of 2011, Nick Lavender came down with what he thought was a stomach bug. But after several days of feeling ill, he went to his physician, and then spent New Year’s in the hospital before his doctor’s fears were confirmed: Crohn’s disease. That would mark the start of the roughest six month stretch of Lavender’s life.
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“This was a different type of feeling. It felt like a bad cramp,” recalled the CHS 2010 grad. His doctor suspected food poisoning, but when the pain persisted, the physician thought it was an appendix issue. “I had to go to the hospital for a bunch of MRIs, CAT scans and all that good stuff.” The tests detected swelling in the appendix, as well as inflammation in Lavender’s intestines, leading the doctors to believe that the issue was Crohn’s Disease. A follow up trip to a gastrologist confirmed those suspicions. “I had never heard of it. I did a lot of research on my own to see what it was and it was scary,” he said. Crohn’s is an uncurable disease that affects the digestive track, causing nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach, loss of appetite and other issues. The severity of the symptoms varies by case. “Every story is different. Every person feels it differently. It affects everyone differently.” “Crohn’s is heredity and you would think there’s a past family history,” he continued. “However, no one in my family has a history of stomach problems.” Unfortunately for Lavender, who was thin before the onset of his disease, Crohn’s would cause him plenty of physical and mental anguish for nearly half a year. “For me, it was the roughest five months of my life,” he explained. “From January to May, I couldn’t eat anything. Not a single piece of food. Just applesauce, yogurt, jello... Everything I ate caused me pain. I had nausea every day. I lost 35 pounds and I was in bed all the time. When I wasn’t in school, I was in bed sleeping. I was just so weak and tired all the time. I would throw up on a daily basis.” 16 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Clifton Health At that point in time, Lavender was in his sophomore year of college at NJIT, having transfered from Connecticut State University. He had planned on speaking with the basketball coach about opportunities as an assistant or manager, but the sudden onset of Crohn’s completely derailed those hopes since it was such a struggle just to get to class in the morning. Things became so bad at one point that Lavender spent three days in the hospital in the middle of the semester after his disease created small holes in his intestines, which allowed food and waste to seep through, causing an infection. Still, despite his debilitating illness and the three day hospital stay, Lavender focused on academics and ended the semester with straight A’s. “I found a way to always remain positive. To fight through it, roll with the punches,” he said. “I couldn’t even drive myself to school. My parents would drive me to school, wait three or four hours until I was done and then would drive me home and I would go to sleep. That was pretty much my life for those five months.” Eventually, doctors were able to control his disease using a combination of daily pills and periodic intravenous medicine.
“Every nine or ten weeks, I have to go to the doctor to get an infusion of Remicade,” he said. The medicine is administered intravenously for three and a half hours at a doctor’s office. “It’s pretty much the main medicine used to treat Crohn’s. It puts the patient in remission for long periods of time.” In the end, he lost 35 pounds off of his 155 pound frame. It took months to get back up to his normal weight, and today, Lavender is sitting at a healthy 170 pounds. “Trying to tell a teenager they can’t eat, that’s the hardest thing in the world,” he laughed. “I used to drink six Boost meals (a liquid protein meal) a day. Those were the most disgusting things.” Lavender is fortunate that he has not had to drastically alter his diet since his disease has gone into remission. If anything, he has started to eat more healthy. “Everybody is different. I am very fortunate that I can really eat anything,” he said. “Nothing really bothers me much. Spicy foods, I try to stay away from that in the past since it has bothered my stomach, but I’m really lucky that I get to eat anything that I want pretty much. But I try to stay away from fast food, McDonalds and that stuff. I try to eat a lot of home cooked meals and continued on page 22 fruit every day.”
Liberty Tax Service at Richfield Shopping Center Offers $20 Discount & $20 Donation to the Club Liberty Tax Service at Richfield Shopping Center is doing double duty for the Boys & Girls Club and Clifton residents. Now through April 10, franchise owner Mary Ann Hatala Bowen will make a donation of $20 to the club and give you $20 off your tax preparation when you file your 2012 tax returns through her office.
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18 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Thanks to Dr. Sokolina,
For the first time in months, I’m sleeping through
the night! For 10 years as he got ready for bed, Lou Chimento rigged up a CPAP machine to manage his OSA. First he’d fill the cumbersome machine with distilled water, then connect tubes and a mask before plugging it in to create the positive air pressure he needed to regulate his breathing While the CPAP helped, the machine’s tubes, wires and noise kept him restless, preventing a solid 8 hour sleep. To say it affected the life of this 49year-old is an understatement. “I went months without sleep... two, three hours a night. I felt like a zombie.” So when Chimento found out about the Dental Sleep Apnea Appliance and visited Dr. Maria Sokolina at Harmony Dental Arts, he knew he had found a solution.
Maria Sokolina, DDS Dr. Maria Sokolina, DDS, is a firm believer in continuing her education. That is why this Clifton Dentist is a leading authority on alternative solutions to CPAP Breathing Machine in use for Sleep Apnea. She completed hundreds of hours of continuing education for Sleep Apnea at Dawson Academy, USDI Institute for Orthodontic Training and Tufts University. Dr. Sokolina graduated from NYU Dental School in 1998 with the Periodontics Honor Award. Her postgraduate training was at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Sokolina is also a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Apnea. She also has active teaching privileges at Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge. 20 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Do you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea & at night, use a CPAP Breathing Machine? This syndrome isn’t just annoying for you and your partner. OSA can be deadly. Those who suffer from this disease are at higher risk for heart attack. Many people use a CPAP machine which can affect your sleep quality, sex life and much more. But why suffer through something that is so easy to correct? If you suffer from OSA, visit Dr. Sokolina at Harmony Dental Arts. Learn about the Dental Sleep Apnea Appliance, an unobtrusive, comfortable, effective and custom treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Dental Sleep Apnea Appliance is a Highly Effective Solution... No Surgery, No Breathing Machine! “This thing is a life changer,” he said. “Anyone using a CPAP machine gets a hold of this appliance, they’d love it.” Chimento pulled the Dental Sleep Apnea Appliance from his pocket and popped it in his mouth to show how easy it is to use—and to travel with. Similar to a dental retainer, the Sleep Apnea Appliance is custom made of two separate pieces. Now when he goes to bed, the device helps prevent OSA while allowing Chimento to still speak, yawn and drink. Most importantly, it does not require an electric motor or head gear. “Dr. Sokolina and her staff are great,” he continued. “She fitted me for the appliance in one sitting. I came back for adjustments as I got used to it for comfort and fit. But she is always on time, never making me wait. While I appreciate that kind of service, what I value most is how Dr. Sokolina addressed my Apnea and actually gave me my life back. If you have OSA, give her a call.”
A typical Dental Sleep Apnea Appliance above and below how it looks in actual use.
1066 Clifton Ave. Clifton • 973-777-2731 www.njperfectsmile.com www.njdentalsleepapnea.com Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Clifton Health Lavender, who is an avid sports fan, also tries to keep in shape, but still sometimes finds his energy sapped. “I try to remain as active as possible,” he said. “I’ve always been an athletic person. I get tired really quickly. Every day I’m tired all the time.” Lavender occasionally gets minor flare ups of his disease. In the event of a sudden attack, Lavender said that he will go to a liquid diet for the rest of the day, and get as much rest as he can. However, overall, the disease is at a stage where it is entirely manageable. “I just try to not think about it. If it happens, I deal with it then,” he said. “Crohn’s is a struggle, something you’ve got to adapt to and work through it. If you don’t treat it right away, it is more harmful than it needs to be. Just listen to the doctors, listen to what you’re supposed to do and stick with it.” Because Lavender’s illness is in remission, he is free to pursue his two passions: teaching and coaching. The CHS grad is majoring in technology education, and would like to teach a drafting at a high school. He is also a paid manager for the school’s D-1 basketball team, and travels around the country with the squad. “I want to be a coach one day, so this kind of sidelined me for a bit,” said Lavender. “I finished out the year without doing anything.
22 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
The first thing I did was I went to the coach’s office and had an interview with him and everything went well.” “It’s a great opportunity for me,” he explained. “They gave me an in-depth role with the team. I’m very involved with the team and the coaching staff. I travel with the team pretty much across the nation.” Ironically, one of the school’s assistant coaches also has intestinal issues, and the two have bonded. “It’s funny. I work for NJIT basketball now. I’m the head manager and the assistant has Colitis, which is pretty much the same thing except it affects a different area,” he said. “But my experiences are completely different than his. He gets flare ups once a week. It’s crazy.” “I am able to sit down and talk about my experiences with him. He shares stuff with me and we laugh about it,” he said. “Being able to talk about what I am going through and laugh about it, it’s kind of been a big help.” With the disease now in a manageable stage, Lavender is looking ahead to the future. “I definitely want to coach at the high school level. If I have an opportunity at the college level, maybe a grad assistant or something, that would be great too,” he said. “I definitely want to be a coach one day. That’s why I am doing what I am now.”
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Clifton Health
Nutritious and Cost Effective Healthy, affordable menu items from ethnic traditions can be found in the aisles of your local supermarket By Tom Hawrylko
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As part of National Nutrition Month which is in March, the Paulison Avenue ShopRite and the store’s Retail Registered Dietitian Stephanie Pose offers ways to “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day” with foods from all corners of the globe. “As a registered dietitian, I am asked every day, ‘What should I eat?’,” said Pose. “The answer of course is, ‘It depends.’ Eating is not a ‘one-size-fitsall’ proposition. I make recommendations that accommodate the food preferences, cultural traditions and customs of the many and diverse groups who live in our community.” “The U.S. population is changing. By 2050, half of the population will be non-white. We need to have a global perspective on food and focus on diversity and multiculturalism, especially as they relate to the nutritional health of families,” stated Pose, who is also fluent in Spanish. “My goal is to promote and support good health awareness and practices for customers, store associates and community partners,” she said. “Good health, good nutrition and doing it all in an affordable way is part of our mission here.” Throughout March, Stephanie will conduct healthy recipe demonstrations, store tours, and one on one consultations for groups and individuals surrounding the “Eat Right, Your At left, Stephanie Pose discussing healthy food options with Angela Manzueta of the Family Head Start of Passaic as they plan for a tour. Way, Every Day” theme.
merica and our diverse communities, especially in northern New Jersey, are a nation of immigrants, with each group adding its cultural traditions, including food, to the country’s shared multi-ethnic experience.
24 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Clifton Health One of her popular subjects— Shopping Solutions on a Budget— will be presented to the Cooperative Extension of Passaic County and others. While her presentation takes visitors up and down the 19 aisles of the store, for those that can’t attend, she said to try these strategies for eating healthy on a budget:
26 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
• Be prepared when shopping. Have a meal plan and a detailed shopping list for the week. And remember, the old saying that going shopping while hungry is sure to cost you an extra dollars and calories is true. • When your store is running a sale on lean protein, buy extra pounds of chicken breasts or fish. Then, at
home, divide the protein into individual serving sizes and freeze it for up to three months. • When you see a good price on fresh fruit or vegetable, buy extra and freeze it. Berries and broccoli will freeze and last for months. • Cut snack foods. Cartoon character cereals are unhealthy and pricey. Choose air-popped popcorn (buy bulk corn kernels, not the microwave bags) and dried fruit. • Make your own nutritious soups, chilis and stews. Recipes are chock full of healthy yet inexpensive ingredients that will feed you and your family for many meals. • Other than milk, avoid buying beverages loaded with sweeteners. As part of the community service by the Paulison Avenue ShopRite, Stephanie’s services are free of charge. Call 973-600-0161 or email spose@shopritepassaic.com.
Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Clifton Health
Mental Wellness
By Joe Hawrylko
The Mental Health Association in Passaic County offers programs for the Arabic community to overcome social barriers and stigmas
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ith 36 regular clients and many more on a waiting list, Raja Salloum is a busy woman. A licensed clinical social worker at the Mental Health Association in Passaic County (MHAPC), her typical day consists of speaking with patients, listening to their issues, and offering advice, therapy and any assistance she can muster from her cozy office at 404 Clifton Ave. in Downtown Clifton. Salloum is the center’s liaison to the region’s large Arab-American population, which is estimated at more than 30,000 in Paterson alone. It’s a demanding job, but one that Salloum loves waking up for every day—helping others is her passion. A practicing Muslim herself, Salloum is keenly aware of the many societal and religious issues that Arab-Americans face. Many years ago, she chose to no longer wear her hajib, which is the religious scarf that Muslim women in the presence of non-related adult males. “I was asked by my dad to wear it, but never by force,” she said. Traditionally, girls are expected to start wearing it by age nine. “It was challenging in the beginning. I don’t think clients realized that. I challenged the ground I 28 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Clifton Health “It was challenging in the beginning,” Raja Salloum said of her decision to not wear a hajib. “I don’t think clients realized that. I challenged the ground I stand on. That should not define my ability to work with them.” stand on. That should not define my ability to work with them.” Salloum, who lives in Clifton with her husband and three children, understands what it means to be a practicing Muslim and an Arab-American. Just like her clients, she is active in the social and religious community. She understands their concerns about upholding the family name, even if that might conflict with personal beliefs. Salloum has been there before, and she wants to be an ally to those in her community who need help. The need for someone such as Salloum was realized by the MHAPC in 2006, after a task force was formed with the goal of increasing outreach to the growing Arab community. The group determined there was two main reasons that individuals did not seek help: stigma and not knowing where to turn. “If you think about Arab families, there’s a collective
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id… they’re not so individualistic,” Salloum explained. “The main function is to service family and maintain family honor and reputation in society is central to Arab psychology. There is that sense of commitment to that. Whatever behavior is exhibited by one child, it represents the whole family.” By 2007, the MHAPC was starting to hold small meetings in local mosques, schools and community centers, where they solicited anonymous questions from the crowd. Soon, administration realized that there was a definite need for services, but members of the Arab community were skeptical of turning towards outsiders for help. “We were just amazed—people were desperate for help. I think a lot of them did know there was something wrong. I think they recognized they were struggling with something, but where were they going to go?” said Salloum. “This was post 9/11. There
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Clifton Health
Some of the staff at MHAPC. From left: Marjorie Izaguirre, Family Support Specialist, Joanne Green Executive Director, Rebekah Leon, Associate Executive Director, Dennise Babin, Assistant Director of Outreach Services, Steven Sacks, Community Outreach Advocate, Yolanda Cobos, Parent Support Specialist
was a lack of trust in going to any place that would offer services. When you are a therapist, you have to ask very personal questions. To them, it was, why would I go out after I see on the news a woman has her hajib pulled off in the middle of the street, or a taxi driver in New York City is killed because people thought he was Muslim. Post 9/11 really did not help in terms of reaching out to people for services. That’s why I think this program timing was just right.” Salloum’s background as a Muslim and an immigrant from Jordan, combined with her warm, caring personality and passion for her job is what makes her perfect as the MHAPC’s outreach coordinator. She is aware of the issues facing the community, but with a Master’s in social
work, she is qualified to offer professional help to those who need it most. According to Salloum, an Arab-Americans who is suffering from a crisis of some kind would first turn to family for help, then going to a religious leader if the problem persisted. “The main individual support is the family— uncle, aunt, grandmother,” she explained. “Before they’d go outside, they go there. Once they go outside, they tend to go to their community leader. If they’re Muslim, they go to a mosque to see the Imam. He would play counselor basically.” Unfortunately, those with mental issues are sometimes viewed as not being religious enough, rather than someone suffering from mental illness. It’s a stigma that has
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dated back for many years, but recent outreach work has been slowly breaking down that cultural barrier. Salloum explained that many of her patients are actually referrals from Imams that the MHAPC has developed a relationship with. “It’s a sense of relief for them to have someone to talk to,” she explained. Because the ArabAmerican community is so tightly knit and the stigma surrounding therapy, Salloum takes great care in making sure that clients who know one another will not have appointments at similar times. “A lot of people just go under the guise of, ‘Oh, she just helps us talk better to each other.” Salloum said that convincing the family members of a patient to accept therapy is often one of the most difficult barriers to overcome. “I have many women who start to come, but then go ‘Oh my husband, oh my father,’” she recalled. “I tell them to bring them—I welcome them. It disarms them.” While the MHAPC’s outreach has been making headway in the community as a whole, Salloum noted that younger people are more apt to seek out help. “They’re more exposed to the idea of therapy,” she said. But overall, the clients that Salloum sees regularly are diverse; adolescents and seniors, males and females, and people from many different educational and religious backgrounds. “I have the most diverse diagnosis of anybody else. We think it’s that we’re the one program in the community. What’s most common?I want to say depression, anxiety… I don’t know why. But there’s ones
with serious mental illness like schizophrenia, it’s hard to hold onto them,” she said. “The more educated people are, they more they tend to think, how can I have a problem? I have my Ph.D, I have my Doctorate, how can I see this woman? No one is immune frome treatment, or having an issue either.” Salloum said the most important step in turning a new patient into a regular is to make sure that they are at ease. Therapy sessions are not just
about whatever mental illness the patient has, but their overall quality of life: How are their relationships? Do they enjoy their job? Do they have concerns? “One thing you have to keep in mind is the political arena. What is going on in the world?” she said. “Let’s say I’m seeing a Syrian family. What’s going on in the world is directly affecting them and we take that for granted, even before Arab Spring.”
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Clifton Health Since the implementation of the Arabic out reach program, the MHAPC client list has grown. But Salloum knows that she has plenty of more work to do overall. “This is the best we’ve been, but it could be better,” she said. “There’s still all this stigma.”
Mental Health Association in Passaic County ou don’t have to be an Arab-American to make use of the services offered at the MHAPC. Besides that specialized program, the MHAPC offers a wide variety of services to help those going through any number of problems, including counseling, therapy, peer to peer therapy, in-home series, specialized programs for children and the elderly, self help, legal services and more. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 26.2 percent of Americans 18 and up suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. The MHAPC was formed in 1948 and is a non-profit organization, with the primary goals being advocacy, support and education. The MHAPC is a part of 240 such organizations in the nation. The MHAPC will hold a fundraiser beefsteak on June 14 at the Boys and Girls Club at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $50, and entertainment will be provided by Brookwood. For more information on this event or services offered, visit www.mhapassaic.org, call 973-478-4444, or visit the offices at 404 Clifton Ave.
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Clifton Health
Everybody hates you.
You don’t hear bullying like this every day but chances are your kids do. These students at CCMS are taking a stand against bullying...by being more than a bystander.
36 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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ullying is not just a harmless rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up. Words like the headline on the facing page instill fear in the classroom, on the playground or even online. To address that issue, students from Christopher Columbus Middle School are taking a stand against their peers being bullied, pledging to be silent no more. They did it by performing a true to life play Bystander—A Portrait in Apathy—for sixth graders at CCMS and Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Participants, members of the CCMS Character Ed Club included Rosangela Garcia, Stephanie Celis, Tatianna Ayoub, Wurood Saleh, Dalia Huerta, Alyssa Dobles, Alejandra Garcia, Gabriel Sanchez, Brandon Lima, Cindy Fajzullah, Hazem Atallah, Sammy Tamimi, Justin Tunjo, Aylien Nunez, Aaliyah Damiano, Jessica Santana, Yousef Yousef, Nicole Hiromoto, Aseel Tasin and Shelsea Jara. Students took the work beyond recited lines. Many shared their own stories with bullying. The message was simple: if you witness bullying and don’t report it to someone, you are part of the problem. Character Ed members also help defuse issues as they arise in the classrooms and hallways by acting as peer mediators.
Estimates are that nearly one-third of all school-aged children are bullied. Students involved in bullying are more likely to have challenges in school, to abuse drugs and alcohol, and to have health and mental health issues. And the presentation by the CCMS students evoked awareness. “The guidance counselors’ offices were packed for the rest of the day with kids discussing horrible experiences with bullying,” said Kim Dreher, who teaches sixth grade math at CCMS. She coordinated the event along with Damein Callum, a 8th grade math teacher. The CCMS HSA helped underwrite the event. The campaign to end bullying is also active at CHS. There the ERASE (End Racism and Sexism Every) Club meets every Tuesday after classes in E312. The goal is to provides a progressive environment for all students to discuss issues related to sexism, gender and civility. ERASE holds various fundraisers and awareness campaigns during the year, which goes to support groups such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, as well as the Passaic County Women’s Shelter and more. At the meetings, students are encouraged to speak with their peers about their experiences, and on occasion, the group brings in public speakers.
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Clifton Health
Clifton Native Sheryll Franko Uses the Power of Film to Change the World, One Movie at a Time
Filming with
Franko
Clifton’s Sheryll Franko above with John Turturro. At left is the subject of her recent film, Ted “The Voice” Williams.
By Joe Hawrylko
hen she founded Falling Awake Productions in 2008, Sheryll Franko had a simple goal: inspire change by creating social awareness about issues using her camera. And over the years, she’s done just that, traveling United States, as well as Europe, the Middle East and North Africa while tackling a wide range of issues. “My firm has long produced media committed to changing social consciousness on pressing, modern topics,” explained the Clifton native who now lives in Manhattan. “I’ve met all these people who tell me their stories. It’s all really phenomenal—inspiring.”
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Clifton Health Falling Awake Productions has championed numerous causes through film, and does extensive work with non-profit organizations. Called Out in the Dark is an upcoming short that examines the youth of the Middle East and how they’ve expressed themselves in the midst of several revolutions. The project was sponsored by the Moving Picture Institute and is currently in post production. Falling Awake Productions is also starting a new project, Bescherming, which means protection in Dutch. This film will focus on Holocaust survivors. However, though she’s covered a number of topics over her career, one issue that Franko has revisited on several occasions is mental health. It was her first short on the subject, Crazy Enough to Care, that propelled her career to new heights back in 2008. The film was partially shot in the Netherlands and focused on Drew Horn of the Turn-A-Frown Around Foundation, Inc. Horn, who suffers from bi-polar disorder, regularly visits lonely patients at mental institutions and nursing homes in the region. Crazy Enough to Care was warmly embraced by critics, and the film earned an honorable mention at the 2009 SAMHSA Voice Awards in Hollywood. “Somehow it went viral and ended up on the Independent Film Channel, BBC, in the Netherlands,” she said. “Where this all goes, I haven’t really thought much about mental health. When I first did the film with Drew, before I knew it the film was successful and I was getting calls from NYC and San Fransisco if I can come make a film with someone.” The success of Crazy Enough to Care immediately boosted Franko’s profile within the industry, and Falling Awake Productions began to take on new
Sheryll Franko in studio with John Turturro (right) and an unidentified individual.
clients, doing a variety of jobs for non-profits and businesses alike. However, despite covering a variety of issues in her films, Franko has always returned to mental health. Two of her upcoming films will focus on the topic. Heart and Soul focuses on those with mental illness dealing with physical ailments brought about by substance abuse. Those suffering from mental illness and addiction are more likely to die early, with cardiovascular disease and stroke being the leading causes. “A lot of people tend to think that these issues
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Clifton Health are isolated. It’s chicken and egg really,” she said. “People can take a drug and it can trigger an issue or vice versa.” The short film is narrated by Ted Williams, a voice actor whose career was derailed by mental health issues and addiction. He had spent many years homeless until a video of him demonstrating his vocal talents on the side of the road went viral on Youtube in 2011. Williams is now on the road to recovery, and was invited to participate on the project after a producer tipped off Franko. “He was really enthusiastic about appearing in the film. He embodies what we’re trying to push forward in Heart and Soul,” she said. “What drew him to the film was his own story,” she said. The film is available for $20 at www.heartandsoulfilm.org “We’re
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giving him this whole new platform. Not just a viral Youtube star, but his own platform for all of these issues.” Franko’s other current project is a feature length documentary, How to Touch a Hot Stove. Narrator John Turturro (Transformers, The Big Lebowski), best sums up the premise of the film in the trailer on Franko’s website: Stigma is something that is made, not given. But the good news is that if it is something made, it can also be unmade. “That film, I am hoping to show on college campuses to get the conversation started about mental illness,” said Franko. Learn more about How to Touch a Hot Stove, Heart and Soul and Franko’s other projects at her website, www.fallingawakeproductions.com.
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Mustang Pride By AnnMarie Genneken
People often ask me what our group is all about. Mustang Pride is the pride we have for our town, the history that we helped create and the happiness we all felt growing up here. Mustang Pride is a core group of people who care about the children of Clifton and aspire to give our kids and share with our community the same experiences we were blessed to have had. It is also our hope to be able to instill some of those same old fashioned values into our children—and our community—and show them by example that it is important to give back, and not just receive. Over the three years Mustang Pride has been serving Clifton, the group has been involved in many ways. We have donated money to the sound system upgrade for the CHS auditorium, supported Project Graduation and made a contribution for a Come out March 9 at noon at CHS to see them play the Harlem Wizards. new sign for School 2 which was damKneeling: Mark Gengaro and Tom DiDonna. Middle: coaches Krystal aged during Hurricane Sandy. Cevallos and AnnMarie Genneken. Back: Steve Shukaitis, Jack Jaeger, We do our giving through fundraisBob Foster, Tafari Anderson and Joe Kolodziej. ing. And we ask individuals and busiMiddle School on May 22 through May 26. On Sept. 20, nesses to help. Our next event is at CHS on March 9 at there will be a beefsteak/tricky tray. Proceeds from all noon. It is a basketball game between the famous events will benefit kids in our Clifton Public Schools. Harlem Wizards and the Mustang Pride Fireballs. As President of the group, I want to thank Vice It will be a fun event with guest coach Mayor Jim President Jack Jaeger, Secretary Bernice Mekita, Anzaldi. The game will be officiated by Clifton Police Treasurer Josephine Chichi, Membership Chair Chief Gary Giardina and Passaic County Sheriff Rich Michelle Filippone and fundraising co-chairs Ro Frucci Berdnik. Some of the Fireballs are pictured here so we and Lori VanBlarcom Huk. ask that you buy a few tickets and attend with the family. If you are interested in becoming a Mustang Pride Other ways to support Clifton Pride is to become a sponsor, supporter, attend or volunteer for one of our sponsor or purchase tickets to the May 4 Clifton’s Got events, write to me, AnnMarie Genneken at agenTalent event we co-sponsor with Clifton Recreation. neken@aol.com or any of those listed above, including Come out and spend a day or night at the 2nd Annual Mustang Pride Family Carnival at Christopher Columbus Jack Jaeger at jjaeger99@aol.com. Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Clifton Health
Cancer
Survivor
Theresa Colon shares her story... and explains how her new found
Inspiration can help others
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Theresa and Irving Colon will again participate in the Relay for Life at Clifton Stadium from June 8 to 9. For info on volunteering or joining a team, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.relayforlife.org. 44 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
hen Theresa Meffen started dating Irving Colon at the end of 1999, she had a hunch that he was someone special. And that gut feeling was proven right after the man she would go on to marry stood right by Theresa’s side in a year that saw her mother pass away, her being diagnosed with appendicitis and then Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. “Before she died, I told my mom, ‘This is the man I was going to marry,” she said. “She thought I was crazy because I was an 18 year old. But I was right. I knew if he stayed with me through all of that, he wasn’t going anywhere and we were going to make it through anything. I knew he was special, but that just made him extra special.” The two began officially dating on Christmas Day, 2009, shortly after meeting at Bergen County Community College. Though they were both from Clifton, they did not know each other. Theresa graduated from CHS in 1999, while he graduated from Eastern Christian High School that same year. “We were on cloud nine. We were that couple that were always happy and disgustingly cute,” she recalled. That all changed four months later in April of 2000, when Theresa’s mother suddenly became ill and was admitted to the hospital. “She was in the ICU for almost two weeks before she passed away,” she recalled. “Irving was at my
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side the entire time, taking me to and from the hospital, picking up my grandparents from the airport, meeting my entire family and helping us with all the arrangements for the funeral.” Eventually things seemed to return to normal, but Theresa didn’t know that the most challenging 12 months of her life were just beginning. “I went back to school and working part time at the library and Irving went back to work,” she recalled. “All seemed to be going well when I suddenly started having pain in my abdomen and had to have emergency surgery for appendicitis.” Theresa’s surgery was successful, and she soon returned home. However, at the doctor’s office for a routine check up a few weeks later in September, the Cliftonite received startling news. “Upon examination the doctor discovered an enlarged lymph node in my neck,” she said. “I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma stage two at just 19 years old.” “When we found out that I had cancer we were devastated,” Theresa continued. “I underwent chemotherapy and a month of radiation. I lost all my hair, and was pretty sick from the treatment. But at every treatment, test and doctors appointment, Irving was there. He showed me the true meaning of love when he was just 20 years old.” Theresa said it was the loss of hair that concerned her more than the diagnosis itself. “That was the hardest part. When the surgeon said you’ve got cancer, alright I can deal with that,”
she said. “Then I started questions. ‘Well, am I going to lose my hair?’ ‘Yes.’ That’s when I started crying. What does a 19 year old female worry about? And I had long hair at the time too.” In anticipation of the treatments, Theresa cut her hair short. Not long after she started chemo, the inevitable happened. “When that first clump came out, that was hard,” she said. “I handed it to my father and he almost started crying.” Theresa’s had started to return after her chemo, but started falling out again after she started radiation in January. “My hair stylist said to not cover what I had so that it will grow back in faster,” she said. Throughout the whole ordeal, Irving was right at her side through every treatment, every appointment and every bad day. “I felt so bad for him,” she said. “He probably wanted to go out, wanted to go to the mall or whatever, but we couldn’t. My white cell count was almost nothing... we rented movies, just sat and talked. We ordered in a lot.”
After chemo and radiation, Theresa was declared cancer free in February of 2001. Just a month later, the young couple was engaged. They’re now happily married for more than 10 years, and have a five year old son, Jonathan, who attends School 15. “When things get tough we always go back to the first year we were dating and say to each other if we made it through that we can make it through anything,” she said. “I have married my best friend and I could not of asked for a better husband.” As a form of repayment to Irving and the doctors, family and friends that supported though her ordeal, Theresa has become involved with several cancer charities. In 2005, she donated her hair to Locks of Love, and plans to do so once again next year once it is long enough. And for the past eight years, she has participated in the Relay for Life at Clifton Stadium, serving on the committee for the past two years. “I really enjoy it,” she said. “It’s my payback for being here still. I don’t think I’ll ever stop doing it.”
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Arts & Music The Garden State Opera offers two spring shows. On March 21, the GSO hosts a concert at the Sequoia Senior Center, 565 Broadway, Passaic, from 11 am to noon. Singers Justyna Giermola and Nathan Letourneau perform arias and duets from the operatic repertoire accompanied at the piano by Tristan Cano. Donation is $5 at the door. Then on April 6, the GSO takes the stage at the San Giuseppe Santa Croce Camerina Society, 131 Wagaraw Rd., Hawthorne with two works from Mozart: L’ Oca del Cairo and scenes from Cosi’ fan tutte. The performance will feature a chamber orchestra; tickets are $25. Call 973-685-9972, or for more details, visit www.gardenstateopera.homestead.com. Justyna Giermola nad Nathan Letourneau of the GSO.
Blue State Productions, in residence at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 380 Clifton Ave., presents the classic musical Godspell. Directed by Mac McCormick and Joseph Schreck, Jr., performances are on March 8, 9, 16, 22, 23 and April 5 and 6. Tickets are $20; $15 for students and seniors. Kids under 12 pay $10. Opening night tickets are $10. Since proceeds benefit St. Peter’s Haven Food Pantry, patrons are asked to bring a non-perishable food item. For tickets and other information, visit www.bluestateproductions.com, email bluestatetheater@aol.com or call 973-607-1924.
Godspell will be performed at St. Peter’s Church.
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Lambert Castle, the Victorian-era mansion on the ridge of Garrett Mountain Reservation on the Valley Rd. border between Paterson and Clifton, presents Message in a Bottle: The Bottleworks of Dr. Etta Ehrlich. The exhibit is displayed until April 28, Wednesday through Sunday, 1 to 4 pm. Admission is $5. For more info, call 973-247-0085 or visit lambertcastle.org. The Theater League of Clifton presents Murder Me Always by Lee Mueller. Staged at Mario’s Restaurant on Van Houten Ave., this whodunit gives the audience clues to help solve the crime. Tickets ($40) on sale with various shows March 1 to 10. For dates and times, call 973-928-7668 or go to www.theaterleagueofclifton.com. Applicants have until March 31 to join Impact 100 Garden State, a new philanthropic organization which seeks grant proposals from non-profit groups that have programs or projects in Passaic, Morris, Somerset and Sussex counties. Grants may be applied for in any of five focus areas: arts and culture, education, environment, family, health and wellness. Impact is based on a successful model that started in Cincinnati 12 years ago and is now used across the country: gather 100 women to join together to make a transformational giant. Grant size will be tied to the number of members. Membership is limited to women, but grants can benefit anyone. Annual membership dues is $1,000. Letters of Intent due April 15 and full applications by June 15. Final selection will be announced in October. For more details, visit www.impact100gardenstate.org or follow @impact100nj on Twitter.
Inspirations...50th Anniversary of Clifton Association of Artists is an exhibit and sale by members of the CAA. Opening at the Clifton Arts Center on March 6, the diverse exhibit of art will be displayed through April 13. The CAA was established in 1963 by a group of twelve artists. The mission of the Association is to promote the advancement of art and culture in Clifton by creating an environment for the expression of the visual arts. Admission is $3. Go to www.cliftonnj.org or like Clifton Arts Center on Facebook.
The Ninth Annual Passaic County Film Festival is on April 20 at 10 at the Fabian 8 Cinema, Center City Mall, Paterson. Admission to the preview and parking are free. Nearly 90 films were submitted by students and independent film makers from the county. Film entries are 10 minutes in length and fall into the following categories: general short film, public service announcement, documentary/historic film, and music video. One grand prize will be selected and given the Costello Award. The event is sponsored by the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the members of the Passaic County Film Commission. For more information, call 973-569-4720.
A Jazz Tribute Celebrating Art with Mike Luipersbeck is on March 16 at 3:30 pm at the Clifton Arts Center on the City Hall Campus, 900 Clifton Ave. Tickets are $10 and include refreshments, and a viewing of the original artworks by the CAA. Money raised goes to support the Clifton Arts Center, Inc. Luipersbeck is a retired Clifton detective and accomplished musician. His trio of musicians will also feature pianist, Peter Greco, bassist, Ron Naspo, and vocalist, Ms. Corinn Somers. The performance will feature selections from The Great American Songbook, ranging from Jazz to Broadway to Doo-Wop. RSVP in advance. For details, call 973-472-5499. Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Family Super Bowl Party
Clifton
Family Super Bowl Party (our 15th!)
Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013 • Photos by Alice Cantwell & Andrea Petrozzini Super Bowl 47 was a great success at the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton. Over 250 people attended the 15th annual alcohol and gambling free event. The success of the family party was made possible by nearly 21 sponsors and dozens of volunteers who helped to decorate the hall, cook and serve food and soft drinks and then clean up after the party. Families enjoyed an evening packed with activities such as arts & crafts, shooting pool, playing ping pong or table hockey in the game room, swimming in the heated Olympic sized pool or playing a host of ballgames in the gym. Another annual tradition is that admission is a non perishable food item. Over 250 items were collected and prepared by the Club’s Keystoners for donation to St. Peter’s Haven community food pantry. 48 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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Family Super Bowl Party Thanks to our sponsors, admission was a canned good which was donated to St. Peter’s Haven. The 15th Clifton Family Super Bowl Party was sponsored by... • CASA—Clifton Against Substance Abuse • Jim & Rita Haraka & Family • Rotary Club of Clifton • Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin • In memory of Florence, George H. Trinkle, Jr. & George H. Trinkle III • Barbara Dougherty in memory of Henry Dougherty • Clifton Police PBA Local 36 • Clifton Firefighters FMBA Local 21
• JSK Landscaping/The Bassford Family • Carlet, Garrison, Klein & Zaretsky • Liberty Tax Service, Richfield Shopping Center • Theater League of Clifton • Mayor, Council, City Manager & Municipal Attorney • Tom Miller • Dr. George Foukas, DMD • P&A Auto Parts • St. Philip The Apostle Knights of Columbus • The Fieldhouse Family
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POLICE UNITY TOUR We Ride For Those Who Have Died.
Our cycling team leaves Clifton on May 9 in the Police Unity Tour. Before the 300 mile bicycle trek to Washington D.C. begins, the Clifton group must raise more than $21,000. The Police Unity Tour is an annual bike ride with police officers from across the country. Our destination is our Nation’s Capital and the purpose is to commemorate fallen officers. Over 19,000 cops have given their lives in Officer John Samra the line of duty, and their names are etched on the National Law Enforcement Officers Monument and Memorial in Washington D.C. Each name represents a sad story of an officer who was killed in the line of duty, including Clifton Police Officer John Samra, who died in the line of duty on Nov. 21, 2003. Our team rides in Johnny’s memory and for all who gave their lives in the line of duty. The reason we need to raise the $21,000 is to maintain the monument and build a museum in our Nation’s Capital. To contribute, see any of the PUT members listed on the facing page, go to www.cliftonpba36.com and click on Police Unity Tour or call Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400. 52 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
2013 Clifton Police Unity Tour Members Bicycle Riders: Robert Bais Randy Colondres Richard DiBello Tom Hawrylko Daniel Ishak Motors: Mike Adamo Robert Bielstein Derek Fogg Brian Fopma Gary Giardina Support: Mark Centurione Michael McLaughlin cliftonpba36.com Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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The artwork of Jane Van Wie, a fourth grader at St. Brendan School on Lakeview Ave., is featured within the 2013 Passaic County Clerk Calendar.
Baseball legend Cal Ripken is at Barnes & Noble in Clifton Commons on March 5 at 6 pm to sign ‘Wild Pitch’, his third book in his “All Star” Series geared to 8-12 year old readers.
Bands are being sought for Clifton’s Historic Botany District Free Summer Concert Series which begins the second Friday of June. For info, write to jnikischer@aol.com.
Clifton Center
Dutch Hill
Christopher Columbus Middle School HSA hosts a Tricky Tray on March 15 at 6:30 pm at the Boys & Girls Club. Tickets are $20; bring your own food and beverages. Alcohol is permitted but no one under the age of 18 will be admitted. Last year’s event was sold out. Call 973-818-6045 or write ccmstrickytray@verizon.net for tickets.
The Dutch Hill Neighborhood Association meets March 21 at 7:30 pm at the Family Fellowship Church, at the corner of Second St. and DeMott Ave. The group’s flea market is June 1 in Weasel Brook Park. Vendor space is $35 while food vendor are charged $100. Call 973-365-2577.
East Clifton Richfield St. Andrew’s HSA presents a St. Patrick’s party at 400 Mt. Prospect Ave. on March 9 at 6 pm. Cost is $40 or $70 a couple. Call 973-473-3711.
Clifton Recreation hosts the Bunny Bash on March 30 at Nash Park. Breakfast (for a fee) at the Hot Grill is at 7:30 am and the Egg Hunt is free and starts at 9:30 am. For info, call 973-470-5959.
Happy Easter We’ll be open Easter Sunday
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Politics & Business Director of Homeland Security Edward Dickson (pictured at right with Governor Chris Christie) will be the guest speaker at the Passaic County 200 Club’s Winter Breakfast on March 13. Held at The Brownstone, the event starts with breakfast and networking at 7:30 am. Tickets are $25. RSVP by March 8. Make checks payable to the 200 Club of Passaic County, 3 Garret Mountain Plaza, Suite 204, Woodland Park, NJ 07424. The 200 Club is an organization whose members will provide financial support to the survivors of public safety officers killed in the line of duty. For details, call 201-450-1271 or email pc200club@aol.com. The North Jersey Regional Chamber of Commerce presents the 13th annual SAVOR Food and Wine Festival on March 4. Held at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, over 25 restaurants and purveyors will be on hand with food and wine. Tickets are $50. On March 8, the NJRCC’s fifth annual Women’s Leadership Event is at The Brownstone. Free admission thanks to Berkeley College. Passaic County Surrogate Bernice Toledo and Deborah Hoffman, Director of Passaic County Economic Development, are among the speakers. On March 14 at 5:30 pm, the NJRCC and the Tri County Chambers of Commerce are teaming up for a night of merriment at Gary’s Wine & Marketplace in Wayne. Tickets are $15 or $20 for this night of wine sampling, cheese tasting and networking. For more information, visit www.njrcc.org, or call 973-470-9300.
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Lunch and Learn is the theme of the March 18 event at the North Jersey Federal Credit Union. Beginning at noon, lunch will be served at the group’s headquarters, 711 Union Blvd., Totowa. Guest speaker is Betty Heiman, CEO of Transparent Health, who will discuss health care reform. Free. RSVP by March 11. Call 973-785-9200 or marketing@njfcu.org. The Clifton Teacher’s Association, the union which represents 1,100 staff members—teachers, paraprofessionals, coaches and athletic trainers—has an election. CHS teacher James Costello is running for President against Frank Gengaro, a WWMS Child Study Team member who has served as CTA chief for 15 years. Running unopposed: Recording Secretary Jean Sogorka, of CHS; Treasurer Saundra Josipowich, of WWMS; Corresponding Secretary Frances Chiarelli, of WWMS.
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Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. was reappointed to the House Committee on Ways and Means and House Budget Committee. The 113th Congress will be the second term Rep. Pascrell will serve on the Budget Committee, and the fourth term in which the Democrat from Paterson will serve on Ways and Means, where he will continue to serve on the Subcommittee on Health. The Passaic County Republican Party nominated Frank Feenan, a retired captain in the county Prosecutor’s Office, to run against Richard Berdnik, a Cliftonite and first term Democrat sheriff in the Nov. 5 election. The GOP also endorsed Philip H. Weisbecker, Jr., a former mayor and councilman in West Milford, and Christian E. Barranco, a union electrician who lost the Pompton Lakes Council election as a Democrat in 2011 and then switched parties. They will run against incumbent Democrats Pat Lepore and Terry Duffy. The Clifton Republican Club meets March 12 at 7:30 pm at VFW Post 7165, 491 Valley Rd. Open to all registered Republicans, annual dues are $10 and refreshments will be served. Future meetings are April 9, May 14 and June 11. Call 973-365-1060 for more info.
Kevin O'Neil, owner of Clifton’s IHOP on Rt. 3, with employee Damien Burke. The two and extra crews worked on National Pancake Day on Feb. 5 as some 1,172 shortstacks were served at no charge. Patrons, in return, donated $1,172 to the Children’s Miracle Network, the beneficiary of this nationwide effort.
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Events & Briefs CHS Class of 1987 Mustang Robert Haraka. athletic director of Morris Hills High, has been selected to received the Directors of Athletics Association of New Jersey (DAANJ) North 1 Sectional Award of Merit. Haraka sits on the Executive Committee of the Morris County Secondary Schools Athletic Association and is also the President of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference. He will receive the award at a banquet at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City on March 20. Haraka resides in Bloomfield with his wife Laura and their two daughters. His parents, Jim and Rita, live on Rollins Ave. For more info, call the school at 973-664-2307. A half-century ago, services of the Erie Railroad connecting Clifton, Passaic and Paterson to Ridgewood, Hawthorne and other towns was terminated. The April 1, 1963 closing marked a change in the physical as well as the cultural landscape in the area. On March 13 at 7 pm at Lambert Castle, on Valley Rd. on the Clifton/Paterson border, Passaic Historian Mark Auerbach will discuss the significance of the line that tied together the northeast US as well as the changes made locally by the removal of the tracks. The public is invited to attend. Presented by the Passaic County Historical Society, go to lambertcastle.org for details. The CHS Class of 1960 will hold a reunion on July 18 at Tomahawk Lake in Sparta from 10 am to 6 pm. The $25 ticket includes all you can eat food throughout the day as well as free parking. Make out checks to Kathleen Ploch Mack, and mail to 311 Cleveland Lane, Rockaway Township, N.J. 07866 and include your contact info. Contact Nancy Lewis Zink at 570-588-9473 or (nadelma1942@yahoo.com) or Phyllis Tiedeman Brescia at 352-259-3023 or (ptermont@comcast.net). St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 81 Washington Ave., will host a Ukrainian Easter Egg (Pysanka) Decorating Class on March 21 from 6 to 8 pm. Open to all ages, cost is $12 and the price includes supplies. RSVP by March 18. The kitchen will also be open offering perogies, baked goods and ethnic gifts. For info, call 973-546-2473. 58 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
Robert Haraka with his family—wife, Laura, and daughters, Anna 11, and Emily, 8—after being inducted to the Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Feast Day of St. Joseph is on March 19 but the Geraci Citizens League’s 83rd Dinner Dance is on March 16 at The Brownstone at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $90. Call chair Nina Corradino at 973-470-8982. The St. Paul’s RC Church Rosary Society will host a fish and chips dinner/Chinese auction fundraiser on March 13 in the church basement in Downtown Clifton. Funds will benefit Lindsey Loeb, a toddler in need of a heart transplant. Call 973-246-7974. Liberty Tax (Richfield Shopping Center) employees will be participating in the Relay for Life at Clifton Stadium on June 8. Liberty Tax will also be working with the ACS to donate tax services to cancer survivors. Join Team Liberty; call 973-778-0700. For info about Relay for Life, visit www.cancer.org. Clifton Mustang Band Alumni Association hosts a bowling fundraiser on March 9 at 6 pm at Parkway Lanes in Elmwood Park. Tickets are $50 for a couple ($25 individuals), $20 for CHS students, or $15 for buffet only. The price includes three hours of bowling and buffet, raffle. Visit www.mustangbandalumni.org.
The CHS Prom Fashion Show is March 3 at 2 pm at the JFK Auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the door. Tuxedos are provided by Deluxe Formal Wear and ladies will wear fashions from Brunellle’s, Group USA, Vesa, Sandreen’s, Tina’s Bridal, and Bou Bou’s. Salons include Guy Anthony, Sante Fe, Hair Craft, Beauty Plus and Loni’s Cuts. Make up by April Lewandowski and Suleiry Matos. Tickets were printed by Mason-Porter Funeral Home. Funds raised go to support Project Graduation, which is a drug and alcohol free overnight event for seniors that takes place immediately after they graduate. The students will be shipped to a secret destination for a night of partying, games and fun in a safe environment. Info, call Maryann Cornett at 973-779-5678.
On Feb. 6, which was National Signing Day for high school athletes, Erick Ferrars (baseball, Lackawana College) and Matt Miazga (soccer, University of Michigan) inked their letters of intent. From left, is Erick’s mother, Tanja, CHS Athletic Director Rick Handchen, and Matt’s parents, Adam and Elizabeth.
Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Mustang Thespians
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Crazy For You Peter Adamo is Bobby Child and Alli Green is Polly Baker as the leads in the CHS spring musical Crazy For You. Staged March 15 and 16 at 7:30 pm with a 2 pm matinee on March 17, this romantic Gershwin Musical Comedy revolves around a young man—Bobby Child—who wants to live the life of a tap dancer back in the 1930’s. His mother and fiancée want him to settle to a career in NYC. But he is sent to foreclose on a theater in Deadrock, Nevada where he meets the girl of his dreams... Polly Baker. From there, much tap dancing and singing cowboys as love triumphs!. The cast also includes Kenneth Fowler, Greg Gwyn, Matt Bodner, Angelia Mocera, Walter Geschleider, Nasia Robles, Slavka Alexa Simic, Gabby Punale, Bobby Lupo, Shreya Patel, Isaiah Polanco, Andrea Ruiz, Brandon Neal, Jessica Mahmoud, Susan Liberti, Felipe Rodriquez, Brianna Labanich, Maura Huelbig, Jonas Avancena, Rebekah Kusher, Alex Moncaleano, Pamela Prandy and Jason Rosa. Directed by Elizabeth Eisenmenger, choreograped by Lois Manzella-Marchitto, staged by Christina Paulin, Julie Chrobak, Ken and Matt Kida with music under the baton of Robert Morgan, tickets are $7 for students/seniors or $10 for adults. Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Student of the Month
n r o H g n Toot a t s ing his Mu By Joe Hawrylko
On February 23, Nick Zecchino was one of five Marching Mustangs honored for their love of music by participating in the North Jersey Regional and AllState Bands. Zecchino, along with Andrew Roennau, Nikola Kamcev, Brian Prada and Kevin Biernat, performed at the NJPAC in Newark along with some of the finest musicians in the state. For Zecchino, it’s a fitting end to his illustrious music career at Clifton High. The CHS student of the month started learning to play as a fouth grader at School 16 under the guidance of Mr. Romaine. However, it was his father, Mark, that really inspired Zecchino. “He played trumpet, sax and drums,” he said proudly. “There was always some type of music in the house.” When it came time to chose an instrument in fourth grade, Zecchino went with the trumpet. “Trumpet looked easy,” he laughed. “I thought it only has three valves and it sounded interesting.” Zecchino continued to play trumpet through middle school, attending Woodrow Wilson, before switching to cornet in high school as a freshman. ‘There’s not much of a difference between cornet and trumpet,” he explained. Zecchino made the switch due to an opening at the position in the Marching Mustangs “Cornet is a little bit warmer sounding.” Since entering high school, Zecchino has embraced his love of music, and spends most of his free time involved with the many programs at Clifton High. In addition to the Marching Mustangs, Zecchino has been in the pit band for three years, and has spent four years as a part of the concert band and brass ensemble. For the past three years, he was also selected to be a member of the honor band, which is the group that plays at CHS commencement in June. 62 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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However, the crowning achievement of his Mustang musical career has been his inclusion into the AllState Band. “You audition and I got into Regional Symphonic, Regional Orchestra and All-State Symphonic,” he stated. Each band has its own concert, and auditions are held annually in January. However, despite his love of performance, music isn’t in Zecchino’s future, at least as far as his career is concerned. “I want to keep on playing trumpet, but I don’t want to major or minor in it,” he explained. Zecchino’s passion lies in engineering, due to his love of math and science, and the influence of his family members who work in the field. “Three of my cousins are engineers,” he said. They specialize in chemical, mechanical and bio medical engineering. “I really like math and science. I’ve been doing really well in calculus AP and AP chemistry.” Perhaps those good genes had something to do with his achievements... Zecchino is ranked 24th in the class, and is enrolled in AP English and middle college accounting, which is a course sponsored by Berkeley College at CHS.
He also took AP US history as a junior and got a four on the exam. Zecchino’s high marks are sure to land him acceptances from several good schools. He has applied to Stevens Institute of Technology, Lehigh University, and a couple of Ivy League schools, including University of Pennsylvania, which is his number one choice. “I love that UPenn is in the city, but the campus has its own vibe. It doesn’t feel like it’s in the city,” he said.
Back in CHS, Zecchino still has a few more academic and musical performances left before his Mustang career is over, but he is eager to move on to new challenges in life. “When I get to school I’ll see what the different types of engineering are about,” he said when asked about his future career goals. “I am leaning towards mechanical engineering because of the physics aspect of it.”
All-State Band 2013 honors...
They represented the Marching Mustangs at NJPAC on Feb 23: From left with cymbals, sophomore Nikola Kamcev on battery percussion, Kevin Biernat a sophomore trumpet player, Nick Zecchino is a senior trumpeter and at front right senior Andrew Roennau, who is also on trumpet. Missing from photo is Brian Prada whose tuba they are holding. Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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Birthdays & Celebrations - March 2013
Casey Hawrylko is 23 on March 2. Happy Belated birthday to Jayke Williams who turned 5 on Feb. 26. Beware the Ides of March! Elaine Sassine... Happy 63rd birthday! Congratulations to Corey & Michelle Genardi, celebrating their anniversary on March 28...their daughter Bianca Eda is all smiles for her 7th birthday on March 2. Margaret Solovyov celebrates on March 6.
Happy Birthday to... Send dates & names...tomhawrylko@optonline.net Julie Generalli Dominick .......3/1 Meaghan Franko .................3/1 Kathleen Pocoek ..................3/1 Eric Sudhalter ......................3/1 Kenzie Lord .........................3/3 Valerie Godowsky................3/5 Alice Paxton ........................3/5 Patricia Vigh........................3/5 Carol Crudele......................3/6
Ted Grzybowski...................3/6 Pat Smith.............................3/8 Victoria Crudele...................3/9 Pamela Culque ..................3/10 Tiffany Sabo ......................3/10 John Gorny .......................3/11 Teddy Harsaghy.................3/11 Eddie Gasior, Jr. ................3/12 Mike Pesaro ......................3/12
William Thomson will celebrate his first birthday on March 8. Victor Berdecia ..................3/13 Diego Hernandez ..............3/15 Tyler Hughes......................3/15 Laura Lee ..........................3/15 Melisa Calvo .....................3/16 Suzanne Ciok....................3/19 Janette Hughes ..................3/19 Caitlin Lotorto ....................3/19 64 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
Jenny Sichel celebrates her 25th birthday on March 9. Colleen Murray .................3/20 Holly Sorenson ..................3/20 Nenad Vuckovic................3/20 Monica Ahmed .................3/21 George Andrikanich ..........3/22 Elisabel Reyes ...................3/24 Carmen Rivera ..................3/24 Kyle Hooyman ..................3/24 Suzanne Wachtler .............3/26 Michele Andrikanich..........3/27 Jennifer Mondelli ...............3/27 Nicholas Surgent...............3/27 Aidan Tedesco ..................3/27 Muriel Curtin.....................3/28 Francis Salonga ................3/31 Paul McVeigh....................3/31 Chris Kolodziej..................3/31 Joe & Pat Torelli celebrate their 42nd on March 6. Happy Birthday to Pat Hiller on March 22. Nina & Frank Corradino celebrate 40 years March 25. Correction: Eric Lux turned 18 on 2/3 and sister Renee was 12 on 2/14! Clifton Merchant • March 2013
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CHS Reunion
Mustangs from the Class of 1963 planned a reunion for Nov. 29.
Recognize any of these 1963 grads? From left, top: Vera Swiderski, Michael Zwier and Ellen Grexa. Middle: John Peto, Helen Latawiec and Jay Horwitz. Bottom: Lauren Santin, Joan Bertoli, James Janish, Audrey Johnson and Ethel Silverman.
They graduated from the ‘architectural gem of Clifton.’ And by naming their yearbook Rotunda, they paid tribute to the ‘most striking feature’ of the new high school on Colfax Ave., ‘the circular area used for cafeteria, instruction and activity purposes.’ CHS Class of 1963 grads spent two of their three years there. To relive that era, Helen Kubik and Ellen Grexa have organized a reunion on Nov. 29 at the Mountainside Inn. Call 973-742-4466 or 973-365-2178 to purchase tickets and more information. 66 March 2013 • Clifton Merchant
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