Clifton Merchant Magazine - May 2018 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

In this issue, Clifton Merchant Magazine salutes working men and women, the everyday heroes who keep businesses and cities moving, and feed and clothe their families. On the following pages are a few of their stories... how they chose their careers, what drives them and why their work means so much. Enjoy!

Jane Stepien has figured out the secret of work. “Pick something you love to do,” Stepien said. “It’s not about becoming rich. It’s about doing something you enjoy. I’m 63 years old, and I love coming to work. I hope I can work until I’m 99!” Stepien, owner of Hair Expressions on 730 Broad. St., has countless reasons for her love of work – from her craft to her employees to her customers. “We become like family,” she said. “They know us, we know them and our lives become intertwined. We go to each others’ parties and support each other when we need to.” Stepien has owned Hair Expressions since Dec. 1987, first at its Main Ave. location across from the

Midtown Grill and today at its home behind Clifton Fire Station 6 at 730 Broad St. Owning a small business is not easy, especially during the past decade. “It seems to be harder lately,” she said. “Overhead goes up and it’s tough to make a profit. But somehow, we find a way to make ends meet.” While expenses and overhead are real concerns, customer loyalty is what keeps Hair Expressions in business. Many patrons (like Carol Greff above) are longtime regulars and consider Stepien and her employees, Agie Blanchut and Marlene Shafrin, close friends. Her customers also enjoy her part-time hairdressers: Vilma Pajuelo, Irene Reformat and Linda Colavitti. Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

“It’s personal with us,” Stepien said. “As I said, we’re like family. And I’m so lucky to have Agie and Marlene. We’ve been together 30 years!” American Story For Jane Stepien, there was never any doubt what she wanted to do. “There was something about hair,” she said. “Even when I lived in Poland, I knew I wanted to be a hairdresser. I didn’t even have real dolls then. Someone made my dolls.” Stepien was born in Klodine, Poland, and lived in a rural mountain community. “We were like The Waltons,” she laughed. When the family came to the United States in 1964, Stepien was amazed at her new home and surroundings in neighboring Passaic. “It was shocking,” she said. “I was 10 at the time, didn’t speak the language and was completely overwhelmed.” While her outgoing father had no problem adjusting to his new home, “My mother cried for five years,” Stepien said. The children had responsibilities. Each were about four to five years apart, and the older sibling was charged with watching the younger one as their parents worked. “You tell someone today a 10-year-old was looking after a five-year-old, and they’d be concerned,” she said. “But we had no choice. It was how it was back then.” Language was another challenge. “I will be forever grateful,” said Stepien, who attended St. Joseph’s School in Passaic, “for the St. Felician sisters for teaching me. There was no ESL classes back then. But I learned.”

Right Path In spite of the life adjustment, Stepien never lost sight of her dream. She attended the Capri Institute on Main Ave. in Clifton as a sophomore and was a licensed hairdresser when she graduated from high school. She got her first job at Desmond’s Beauty Shop in Passaic Park where she worked for seven years. The career was everything she imagined and more. “I loved being a hairdresser,” Stepien said. “It was a wonderful job, and I met so many great people.” However, her career would have to go on hold while she raised her family. In 1975, she married husband Edward, another immigrant from Poland. He had come to America from a different city, but the two were together in the same school since fifth grade. After their mariage, they bought a home in Clifton and had three children: Michael, Kimberly and James. Stepien was a stay-at-home mom for nine years working part-time. When it came time to return to work full-time, Edward encouraged her to try it on her own. “He said, ‘We can all help you,’” Stepien said. “So I made the decision to move into the Main Ave. location.” Now in her new Broad St. shop for the past six years, Stepien looks forward to continuing her work for years to come.“We love our customers and this community,” she said. “Whenever we can support one of the city’s organizations, we try to do it. I always say I’d never move. Clifton is so convenient, everything is here, every business and industry. “I also enjoy the diversity. We have a Polish church, Polish food. There’s a lot of variety here... whatever your background.” 16,000 Magazines are distributed to hundreds of Clifton Merchants on the first Friday of every month.

1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton, NJ 07011

@cliftonmagazine

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

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, Anthony Buccino, Patricia Alex

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

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

By Jack De Vries

Jon Lotz remembers three distinct times when the sea called out to him. 1 The first was when he was not more than 15 and his family was vacationing on a Disney cruise. Lotz accompanied his father Don on a tour of the ship’s bridge, and marveled at the instruments, the officers in uniform and, especially, the wide expanse of open sea.

2 The next was when he was a swimmer for Clifton High. On a long bus trip past Port Newark and Port Elizabeth heading to a meet, he would spy the large cranes ready to load or unload cargo, and catch a glimpse of the ships in the harbor.

3 The last time was when he stepped aboard the bridge of the training ship at SUNY Maritime College. The school is located near New York City’s Throgs Neck Bridge. Lotz had come to tour the college, looking to see if he had found his calling. The 2008 CHS graduate turned to his mom Karen and said: “This is what I want to do.” His mother told him to go for it. He has. Since then, Lotz, 27, has been as far east as India and as far west at New Zealand. He also has no intention of ever leaving the sea, planning to work aboard ships or on land in the shipping industry.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Jon Lotz in his work environment; with a cruise ship (his first job) and his view today (inset photo) aboard a cargo ship.

“When I was a freshman at SUNY Maritime,” he said, “they told us, ‘Your friends from high school will be at the Jersey Shore this summer. You’ll be halfway around the world by then.’ And I was – we went as far as Poland that summer.” The inspiration to become a merchant marine (which is not affiliated with the U.S. armed services) came from his uncle, Rick Main, who had captained tugboats and an oil cleanup ship, and told Lotz stories of his work. “I was like many 18 year-old kids searching for a career,” Lotz said. “He told me, ‘You always liked ships. You always liked the water. Give it a shot.’” Lotz never looked back. By his junior year, he had crossed the Atlantic three times, seeing places like the Azores, Iceland, Poland, France, Ireland and the Rock of Gibraltar. He sampled different foods and cultures, something he enjoyed. And he experienced the sometimes lonely life of a merchant marine, unable to communicate with his family for long stretches and missing holidays and events. However, life on the sea made it all worthwhile. In 2012, Lotz graduated from SUNY Maritime and got his license as a third mate unlimited, able work on a vessel of any tonnage, from tug boat to large ships). “In the U.S.,” Lotz said, “we’re called ‘mates.’ Other places, the title is ‘officer.’” Lotz was hired by the Celebrity Cruise Lines as a third mate on the Celebrity Equinox, responsible for much of the ship’s safety equipment. He joined the ship in Athens, Greece, and disembarked six months

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

later in Hawaii. “That was a dream come true to work on a cruise ship,” he said. After Celebrity, Lotz worked for the Crowley Maritime Corp., towing large barges from Jacksonville, Fla. to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Today, he works as a second mate with Masters Mates and Pilots Union. His assignments have varied. He once served aboard a research vessel for Columbia University and the National Science Foundation, doing seismic research. Currently, Lotz works on cargo ships taking containers to Europe or the Middle East. During his career, he admits to being seasick twice – once aboard his school’s training vessel, the other during a “nasty storm” on the cruise ship. While ships take great pains to avoid storms – often going miles out of their way to avoid bad weather – sometimes it’s unavoidable. “There is some fear,” Lotz said. “But you have to trust your ship and the ship’s designers – that they did an awesome job in building it and you’re going to make it out. I’ve been in pretty nasty stuff on little tugs, but you deal with it. It’s the nature of the job.” Thus far in his career, Lotz is most proud of earning his second mate license and providing tow support for the Polar Pioneer during Shell’s Alaska exploration in 2015. When he finally gets home to his family, Lotz still can be found on the water. “We go on cruises together,” he laughed. “People think I’m crazy.”

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

By Jack De Vries

In 1997, Carlos Armando Sotamba was working 12hour days, six days a week, as a dishwasher at the Northvale Classic Diner. He earned $250 a week (saving much of it), lived with his brother Jesús in North Bergen and missed his large family back in Ecuador. More than two decades later, he is the proud owner of Clifton’s Lakeview Bakery, a city homeowner and a proud American citizen. He’s also married with two children and loves his new hometown. “The people in Clifton are very nice,” Sotamba said. “This city welcomed me with open arms.” Sotamba’s life is a true American success story, one built on family, hard work and sacrifice. When he came to this country, within a week, he was taking English classes, determined to learn the language. “I said if I’m going to be here, I have to learn English,” said Sotamba. “I didn’t want others doing for me. I wanted to do for myself.” Since then, he certainly has. Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to farm-working parents,

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Sotamba is one of 10 children. As a boy, he helped his parents grow and harvest rice and corn. At age 18, he came to America and got a job at the diner where brother Jesús worked as a cook. Sotamba, who goes by his middle name Armando, would be fortunate that the diner’s owners also owned a bakery, formerly Kohout’s on Clifton’s Lakeview Ave. In 2001, he and Jesús, along with their brother Marcos and a partner, purchased it. By 2012, Armando had bought out his brothers and partner. Owning a bakery is hard work. Sotamba goes to bed each night by 9 pm and is up at 1 am. Since the bakery services commercial accounts, like local diners and his brother’s four restaurants, the work is constant. “Everything is baked fresh in the morning,” Sotamba said. “Whatever is left over is given to St. Anthony’s Church in Passaic.” Though the hours are long, Armando takes immense pride in his work. “I’m a cake decorator,” he said. “And when I [decorate], I make it like I do it for me.

e -

a n d t

d y

e d

Huge Selection of New Hondas in Stock and Ready for Immediate Delivery...

New 2018 Honda FITs

175

New 2018 Honda CIVICs

359

New 2018 Honda ACCORDs

187

New 2018 Honda CR-Vs

New 2018 Honda PILOTs

New 2018 Honda HR-Vs

New 2018 Honda ODYSSEYs

New 2018 Honda RIDGELINEs

Two Convenient Locations:

584 Rt 3 West, Clifton and 225 River Dr., Passaic

973-777-1600

Honda Check Engine Light On?

We’ll Analyze it FREE! (most dealers charge up to $100) Visit our 225 River Dr. Passaic location

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Clifton At Work “I like when people say, ‘That cake looks amazing.’” Another source of pride was Sotamba’s becoming a U.S. citizen in 2017. “I’m proud to be in this country because it gave me so many opportunities,” he said. “If you do things the right way, step by step, you can be successful here. And that’s why I have what I have.” Doing things the right way With the Cake Boss: Kleber Condo, Mauricio Tamayo and Pedro Quispe. has also had a profound impact on Sotamba’s personal life. Armando for four years before he proposed in 2008. One brutally hot day, he spotted a woman walking They now have two children: Angely, 6, and Daniel, 4. slowly and carrying a baby, heading toward a Passaic bus As a small business owner, Sotamba gives back to stop. He offered her a ride home. Along the way, she Clifton by donating to different civic causes and hiring mentioned she had a sister Armando should meet. high school students whenever he has a need. After two months, he worked up the courage to call “I tell them how I came up,” he said, “and that if they her. “We talked on the phone for four months,” he go to school and do things the right way, they’ll be sucremembered. “She lived on the other side of Clifton. I cessful. It depends on you, nobody else. My brother [finally] asked her to go to the movies and she said came here in 2003; now he’s opening a $7 million restau‘yes.’” Dayana, who came to America from Chile, dated rant.”

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

CHEVROLET AUTO GROUP SchumacherChevy.com

Enjoy Every Day, in a New Chevrolet! 2018 NEW CHEVY

EQUINOX MSRP: from $23,580

o g

y r -

Style and function come together in the all-new Equinox cross-over SUV

Come Join the Family... Now 4 Locations LITTLE FALLS DENVILLE CLIFTON LIVINGSTON 973.256.1065

973.627.0900

973.472.5500

973.992.9100

SchumacherChevy.com Auto Repair & On-Premise Body Shop with 24 Hour Towing Service

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Kim Latiano traveled far and wide in the 1980s as one of a trio of singers with The Party Dolls, a 60’s review band in which she often sported a mini-skirt and beehive hairdo. She spent years on the road playing in clubs six nights a week in far-flung places like Las Vegas and Hawaii. She worked with Dick Clark, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Connie Frances. These days her audiences are decidedly younger – and closer to home. Latiano is a teacher and owner of a successful children’s music and movement education program called “Music Together” for newborns through kindergarteners and their parents. She now has five teachers working for her and more than 150 families enrolled in her programs in Englewood, Teaneck, Tenafly and Rutherford. “It’s hectic but I love what I do, I love the kids,” she said. And now Latiano has brought the popular program to her hometown. “I’m looking to build in Clifton. I’m looking to get the word out that we’re here,” Latiano said, following a session on a recent Saturday afternoon at the studio space the group uses at In-Step Fitness on Van Houten Ave. The group, which also offers classes during the week, started in Clifton in the summer and offers a course of ten 45-minute sessions. “Ms. Kim” can be found – playing her guitar – serenading her young pupil and encouraging them to feel the rhythm and find their own musical voices. The program is great for family bonding, she said. “You’re giving your child a love of music. This is a great way to engage with your child; it helps with their speech, it helps with their motor skills, everything,” she said. “Classes are fun and parents have a good time, too.” Latiano said she feels fortunate that she has been able to turn her talent and love of music into her life’s work.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Kim Latiano (center) in her heyday with The Party Dolls; at right is Clifton’s Latiano family: Joe, Elena and Kim.

Kim Konikowski grew up on Holden St. in Botany Village. She began singing in the choir at Sts. Cyril and Methodius R.C. Church on Ackerman Ave. and became a cantor, singing at weddings and funerals. At Clifton High School, she was in the chorus and the dance club; outside school she pursued musical training. After graduating in 1983, she took a secretarial job nearby, and a co-worker in the mailroom mentioned The Party Dolls were auditioning for an opening. What followed was nearly 20 years of touring and performing with the cover band. “I did think we were going to be famous and do original songs,” Latiano said. She lived in South Jersey and would visit family in Clifton, eventually returning and getting an apartment in Lakeview. One night, she ran into Joe Latiano – they hadn’t known each other as CHS classmates, but, nearly two decades later, a connection was made. The pair married in 2003 and moved into Joe’s house on Hadley Avenue in Dutch Hill. Daughter Elena Rose – named for her grandmothers – is now in eighth grade at St. Brendan’s School, and the family now lives off Grove St. in Montclair Heights. Joe, a groundskeeper with the Tenafly Board of Education, takes meticulous care of the Clifton home they bought and renovated in 2012, said Latiano. She continued to perform with The Party Dolls through her six month of pregnancy, donning period wardrobe like a Diana Ross inspired sequined dress. After her daughter was born, she began teaching parttime at ‘Music Together.” No surprise – Elena is musical; she plays piano by ear,

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

sings and belongs to a dance company. As Elena grew, Latiano moved to teaching full-time before buying the business in 2015. Latiano is happy to be back in Clifton and building her business here. She also sings locally with the Cliftonbased band Swingman and the Misfit-Mutts. The group appears at the Grande Saloon and other venues a few times a month, and will perform in concerts in city parks this summer. After joining four years ago, Latiano “brought a whole new dimension” to the show band, said Councilman Ray Grabowski, the drummer. “We did swing and she brought the Motown vibe, the Shirelles. It’s gigantic.” He said Latiano’s charisma and “girl-next-door looks” make for a big audience connection and help elevate the group. “People love her,” Grabowski said. “She gets everybody involved.” Grabowski said her “soulful voice” complimented the seven-person group’s male vocals. “There could not be a better combination... and most importantly, she’s a Clifton girl.” After all her travels, Latiano said it feels right to have settled back down in Clifton near family and friends. The business is fulfilling and the gig with the Swingman band fits in perfectly. “I still get to perform and I don’t have to leave Clifton.” At 52, Latiano still enjoys the pace of performing and teaching. “I just keep playing away,” she said, flashing her 100-watt smile. “I’ll be doing this until I’m 70. Can I still be a rock star at 70...or 80?”

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

By Jack De Vries

Keith Huntley of Clifton’s Department of Public Works is strong. At age 52, he stands 6’1” and weighs 250 pounds, looking like an ex-linebacker. But unless you knew his story, you wouldn’t realize just how strong. Huntley works in a job he loves as an equipment operator in the DPW’s Parks Division. Spring and summer, he cuts the grass in the parks, trying to make them look good. He’s very particular about the baseball fields being a former player. In fact, he still plays softball on a few teams today. In the fall, his job is all about clearing the leaves; in the winter, he works salting and plowing the roads. “Any time there is bad weather or a storm like Sandy,” Huntley said, “I’m out there – me and everybody else in the department.” This April, he passed the state test at the city’s request and got his commercial pesticide applicator license. He looks forward to “making everything look nice and

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

green, and keeping the weeds away.” Huntley is a man comfortable in his own skin, in a job he wants to hold until retirement. He appreciates his coworkers and the city that employs him, and knows how each respects and cares about him. Beating cancer will teach you those things. Born in Yonkers, N.Y., Huntley grew up loving sports. He also had a mechanical aptitude and could fix things. When he had to leave Westchester Community College because of family issues – after a stint delivering beer – he got a job with Yonkers’ Housing Authority as a maintenance mechanic, working in the apartments. Married with a child, Huntley wanted to raise his boy in a better area than where he grew up. When his son Kyle was three, the family moved to Bloomingdale, N.J. A year later, Huntley was divorced and his wife moved out of state, leaving him to raise Kyle alone. Those first years were hard. Huntley worked for UPS but the hours were long and he relied on his sister

One-Stop

Making New Careers One-Stop Training for New Opportunities Nurses Aide

Job Seekers

Employers JOB SEEKERS

Computer Science

Unemployed? Under Employed? Need Training? Passaic County ONE-STOP Offers Training & Counseling.

e – -

y n

EMPLOYERS

Truck Driver Culinary Arts

ONE-STOP can provide a variety of Free Services, Incentives & Custom Programs.

Call Lauren Murphy

for details & to learn more

Director of One-Stop Lauren Murphy WDB Director Chris Irving 200 Memorial Drive, Paterson 973-340-3400 • pcwdc.org

One-Stop Job Seekers: 973-340-3400 • Ext. 7335

One-Stop Career Center Board of Directors Chair, Freeholder Bruce James Trustee Rev. Randall Lassiter

Passaic County Employers: 973-340-3400 • Ext. 7223 Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Clifton At Work Linda to watch Kyle when he was late. He knew things had to change. “I didn’t want somebody else raising my son for me,” he said. Huntley delivered beer again, bringing him closer to home, but it was still hard to leave Kyle at such a young age. Huntley would drop him off at early day care at 7 am and pick him up at the after-school program at 5:30 pm. Then in 2003, he heard about a job opportunity with the city of Clifton. “Like everybody else, you wait outside City Hall at 5 am, ready to submit applications,” he said. “I got hired as a laborer and worked in recycling for six years. I’ve worked in gardening, trees – did a little bit of

Immedicenter

1355 Broad St. • Clifton • 973-778-5566

www.immedicenter.com Dr. Michael Basista, Medical Director of Immedicenter Mon-Fri 8am to 9pm • Sat & Sun 8am to 5pm Walk-in Medical Care Weekday Appointments Available

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

everything. For the past few years, I’ve been working in the parks and really enjoy it.” His prior employment paid the bills, but the city work meant more to Huntley. “When I got the job for Clifton, it allowed me to raise my son the way I wanted to raise him,” said Huntley, whose work hours are from 6:30 am to 3 pm. “It allowed me to coach his baseball and football teams, and be involved in all school extra-curricular activities. Also, I wanted him to see me doing well in my career.” He continued to do well as Kyle grew. However, everything changed when Huntley was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer in 2014, discovered during a colonoscopy.

Keith Huntley with son Kyle as a young boy (facing page) and in a recent photo. Kyle will graduate from Ramapo College later this month.

battling and getting better. In Nov. 2015, Huntley underwent surgery to have his colostomy reversed. He’s currently doing well and will attend Kyle’s graduation from Ramapo College in early May. “I really feel lucky and blessed – not only to have beaten cancer – but to experience that It’s a Wonderful Life feeling and see what an impact you’ve made on

w e

d k

r e o e o h

people and how much they’ve made on you.” Some of that good feeling comes from the city he serves. “There are people in delis,” said Huntley, “who had heard my story – though I never shared it with them – and I’m asked to this day how I’m feeling and if they can do anything for me. “Clifton, as big as it is, really is a small town.”

y I -

“After the shock,” he said, “I interviewed doctors for my comfort level and a treatment plan. One was Dr. Mark Helbraun at Hackensack Medical Center. After getting to know me, he laid out a road map of what was going to happen. It lasted an hour. He also referred me to the chief surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering, Dr. Philip Paty. Huntley began radiation in August 2014, going through 16 treatments followed by eight chemotherapy sessions. In April 2015, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor. “I’d have the chemo on Thursday,” he said, “and take off Friday and Monday to recover, using my vacation days and sick time. The whole department could not have been better to me while I was sick. Everybody in the DPW was so supportive. If I needed something, all I had to do was ask and my coworkers would bend over backwards to help.” But challenges lay ahead. In June 2015, Huntley’s organs began shutting down. He had emergency surgery for a collapsed rectum and woke up with a colostomy. He kept Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

May 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

It has been a winding trip up the career ladder for Clifton native Jan Price. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. “It hasn’t been a traditional career path at all,” admitted Price, whose resume traces an impressive trajectory through no fewer than 18 positions at six companies since her first job out of college. Currently, Price is national director of Women’s HealthCare and Neurology Medical Science Liaisons Teams at Bayer HealthCare, a company with which she has worked for most of the past 17 years. “My advice to all the people that I have mentored has always been, ‘Don’t let titles tie you down,’” she said. “It’s all about wanting to get up in the morning and being truly excited about what you do. You are so much more inspirational to those around you if you are having fun.” What else is inspirational? Winning awards. Price recently earned – the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s (HBA) Luminary award. The award goes to women in healthcare who “serve as role models in their companies, actively mentor and sponsor others, help advance other women’s careers, and exhibit dedication to the healthcare industry.” She received the honor May 3 with 32 outstanding professionals at the 2018 HBA Woman of the Year event in New York City.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Interestingly, even as the event honored women whose influence has reached many corners of the business world, Price describes herself as someone who “has traveled the world, but never moved very far.” Today she lives in Little Falls but her roots run deep in the Clifton community. Her grandparents lived in Clifton, and her father, Walter Snyder, was long-time head of maintenance for the Clifton School System. Price remembers her father and his work as the spark that gave rise to her consuming curiosity in science. He was an electrician, and his was a world of wires and logic and math. Mustang Days She would carry this enchantment with science and math throughout her school career. It was during her years at CHS when Price’s involvement with academic extracurricular began to define her career path. “I was in every club you could possibly imagine,” Price recalled. “Spanish club, math club, National Honor Society, Russian club… I really was extremely happy to be a student in Clifton.”

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

It was also at Clifton High where she met one of the mentors who she would later describe as one of the most influential figures in her professional life – chemistry teacher, Bill Mandara. “He was the reason I majored in chemistry. He was the reason I pursued a science career,” Price said. Later, after graduating third in her high school class in 1970 and starting as an undergrad at Montclair State University, she met another important influence – chemistry proIn a 1989 photo are Bob and Jan Price; her parents, Walter and fessor Dr. Richard Lynde. The most important Betty Snyder; and late brother Jon and wife Pappy. advice she got from Lynde, Price said, was to Mentor and Leader keep going, to never quit following her passion for sciThese days, Price manages two teams of medical science and math. ence liaisons whose job it is to provide information on “I didn’t use my guidance counselors; I used my sciimportant research, diseases and products to health care ence teachers,” Price laughed. professionals. Her teams also support advisory boards But when asked who is the single most influential perand pipeline products in clinical trials. son in her career, Price’s answer comes quickly. “My inspiration these last several years of my career “My husband, Bob,” Price said. “He always encourhas been helping those in my charge grow and develop,” aged me to try new things and been my cheerleader. He she said. “I love learning about the individuals on my supports me in times of stress and concern and has celeteam and understanding their unique strengths. My brated my successes.” greatest joy is sharing in the success of my team.” And Price has had much success to celebrate during Price’s manager at Bayer, Dr. Edio Zampaglione, said her career. After earning her university degree, she her enthusiasm for what she does is clear – and it spreads became a teacher of science and math. She quickly to others. moved from teaching to research, however, and worked “The love that she gets from that team I’ve rarely seen with Roche Pharmaceuticals as a scientist. in my career,” said Zampaglione, who is Bayer’s vice While there, a female department head convinced her president of U.S. Medical Affairs, Women’s Healthcare to get her MBA – a degree she later obtained at Fairleigh and Neurology. Dickinson University in 1983. “She just is truly the quintessential team player, colHer work with Roche ran the gamut from sales suplaborator and problem solver. port to marketing responsibility for large chemistry ana“[The HBA Luminary award] is obviously well lyzers – a role capitalizing on her expertise in the field. deserved. She exemplifies all the key core values we It was only after building her marketing and sales acuhave at Bayer, and even all the key core values of being men through roles at several other smaller companies a decent human being and leader.” that Bayer came knocking in 2001. She started as a senAnd the award from this influential businesswomen’s ior marketing manager, but would later become involved group also stands as a testament to Price’s achievements in medical affairs with the company. in science and business – achievements that could inspire Though her resume carries a plethora of various titles, women entering science-related occupations today. Price said there was always one common denominator “Particularly early on you saw a real glass ceiling,” that defined her work. Price said. “Certainly it has gotten better as the years “The career path is what got mixed up along the way, have gone by. We’ve made huge strides since I started but never the science,” Price said. “There was always a out, but there’s still so far to go.” total love for science, a total curiosity.”

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

n e

r ” y y

n e e

l e g

”

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

By Jack De Vries It was the Clifton Mustangs against the world. On April 25-28, the “Mechanical Mustangs,” Clifton High School’s Robotics Team 3314, competed in the “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology” (FIRST) World Championships in Detroit’s Cobo Center. Founded in 1989, FIRST motivates students to pursue education and career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), while building self-confidence, knowledge and life skills. In Detroit, the Mechanical Mustangs competed with 405 world teams during the qualification rounds. Next, they were chosen in the first round of the draft, one of top eight teams in their division, and were quarterfinalists in the elimination tournament. The team was also invited to compete in off-season invitational tournaments in Massachusetts (May), Connecticut (October) and Indiana for the First Deep Space in March 2019. The road to Detroit actually began in January. Prior to the competition season that started March 9, the team

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

worked for six weeks to build a robot from a kit of parts – containing electrical components, motors, pneumatics and sponsor-donated mechanical items. After building and programing the robot, named “Cutlass,” the Mustangs spent six weeks traveling the states, participating in competitions in BridgewaterRaritan and Montgomery, N.J., Waterbury, Conn., Cleveland, Ohio, and Bethlehem, Pa. “I joined robotics,” said freshman Ashleigh Perez, “with a couple friends and, throughout the season, I’ve made many more.” This season, there were 3,336 FIRST teams from 25 countries competing in 80 District Events, 10 District Championships and 55 Regional Events. “I got involved with the mechanical design team,” explained Emily Austin, noting how her skills are now multi-faceted, “and found my passion in the mechanical aspect of robotics. In the two years I have been on the team, I have learned how to design using CAD (computer-aided design), worked with electrical [components] and have developed the skills necessary to fabricate parts on both the mill and the lathe.”

d e -

5 t

” w n D o Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Caption goes here.

Being part of Team 3314 is more than acquiring technical or mechanical knowledge. “Robotics is my second home, my second family,” Austin added. “This experience is more than I could have ever hoped for.” Battle Royale Watching a robotics competition is exhilarating – take the Buckeye Regional, held March 28-31.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

During qualifying rounds, two teams of three robots glided around a basketball court-sized space and lifted yellow cubes six feet into the air. They released the cubes onto a platform of a large balancing scale, as the other team placed cubes on the other platform – the winner tipping the scale in its favor. After the qualifying rounds, eight top teams, one of them the Mustangs, selected two robots to form an alliance for the elimination rounds.

s d s r -

f n

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;˘ May 2018

“That’s where the scouting comes in,” said James Hobin, one of the Mustang’s engineering mentors. “Students have to pick two robots that are complimentary to theirs and give them the best chance to win.” That’s something senior Ubaldo Cortes knows well. “I learned how to scout each robot in the pit,” he said, “and what type of information to write down about each match so my team captains could make good choices.” Between matches, the Mustangs pit crew performed maintenance on and re-programed Cutlass. In fact, between the first and second Buckeye competitions, the team added a wrist to the telescoping arm so they could change the orientation of the cube as it is placed on the scale. Along with placing cubes, teams earned ranking points by lifting their robots onto a low platform with a climbing mechanism. At the Buckeye Regional, the Mechanical Mustangs used a secret weapon: a set of back forks capable of carrying a partner robot. With 30 seconds remaining and the crowd buzzing, Cutlass dropped its forks and lifted itself and another robot up onto the platform. The Mechanical Mustangs were crowned “Regional Winners” of the Buckeye Regional. “The highlight of my season,” said junior Alvaro Garcia, who performed electrical, prototyping, and milling applications, “was seeing our first climb with our

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

alliance partner on our fork lift. Our hard work paid off!” Out of 4,500 international teams, the Mustangs are one of 20 teams to have a successful floor buddy climber. Team 3314 also won two engineering awards. The first, “Innovation in Control,” sponsored by Rockwell Automation, was presented for Cutlass’s vision system and autonomous programming; the second, “Excellence in Engineering,” sponsored by Delphi, recognized the Mustangs’ robot’s robustness, its telescoping arm and its ubiquitous fork lifts. Solid Foundation CHS’s robotics history began in 2010 when a small group of students – with a teacher mentor and two members of the Montclair Society of Engineers – went to the New Jersey Regional and won the “Rookie Inspiration Award.” Since then, the club has grown into a varsity academic team. Engineer mentors include CHS graduate Hobin, his son Kyle (who co-captained Montclair High’s award winning robotic team in 2007-08), Bob Andersen and Tom Colon. The Mechanical Mustangs are led by coach and teacher Monique Dituri, and the team blossomed under her direction. Before the competition season, the Mustangs met at “The Warehouse” – space donated by Hobin Construction and Montclair Society of

” e

e l m e e

l o t e o

d d h d

t n

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

judging leads are seniors Tam Engineers. During the nights Choudhury, Cortes and junior and exhausting weekends Lana Gaber, who make sure building the robot, students the team is well prepared for used Solidworks designing each match with statistics, software (donated by the comdata, and prior match video. pany and costing $8,000), fab“This year,” said Cortes, “I ricated parts on a Bridgeport worked on the chassis and Mill and Lathe, and programed transmissions, troubleshooting Cutlass on laptops donated imbalances and learning to fix through DonorsChoose.org. them. Through these experi“I did not realize how fast ences, I know that I want to everything would go,” said junstudy aerospace engineering.” ior Murad Arslaner, “the hours, Mihir Savalia on practice board. “I joined,” said Savalia, the stress, the competition, the “because I wanted to go into friendships or the things I computer science and learn how to program. I learned would learn. I wanted to learn programming and, in the how to wire, solder, to complete circuits and how to process, also learned about electrical. This year I had check to see if the wiring is correct. I [also] became the opportunity to be in charge of the robot’s vision sysfriends with Martin and Filip; they taught me what it is tem.” like to be on a team.” For the past three years, the Mustangs have qualified A core group of freshman are also part of Team for the FIRST world championships. Team 3314 is also 3314. They are James Mazzo, Melvin Hurtado, Jerret a Picatinny Arsenal STEM team, sponsored by the DeGuzman, Cristian Courtright, Cesar and Yasiel Department of Defense, and considered their “little Arguello and Alan Gonzales. powerhouse.” Picatinny also donates $10,000 annually More will follow with teams in the middle schools to help the students attend the world championship. and outreach at the elementary level. The Montclair Society of Engineers devotes almost “My sister was part of the team when it first got unlimited volunteer hours, and CHS alumni comes formed eight years ago,” said Gaber, “and she really back to mentor. In addition, the Mustang Pride organiloved it, so when I came to high school I made it my zation purchased a trailer in 2013, making it easy to goal to join the team as well. It has been the best decitransport the robot, tools and supplies to competitions. sion of my life. The experience made me decide to be a mechanical engineer when I previously had no idea Meet the Team what I was going to do.” The Mechanical Mustangs are led by co-captains, The team’s influence is something Ramirez – the juniors Filip Musial and Martin Ramirez, who also team’s design lead during build season and driver durleads the CAD team, designing and fabricating the ing competition season – shares with Gaber and others. robot. Ramirez is joined by seniors Alex Linn and Sarai “I am planning on applying to a local college to Ramos, juniors Garcia, Austin and Alice Acosta study mechanical engineering,” he said, “and come Rodriques and freshman Perez. back to mentor others.” “Becoming part of the Mechanical Mustangs is a “I want to study computer sciences in college,” privilege,” said Acosta Rodriques, who wants to earn a added team co-captain Musial. “I plan on continuing to mechanical engineering scholarship. “I love this team teach rookie team members next year while graduating because we’re like a family with all types of people – goofy ones, quiet ones, smart ones, determined ones at the top of my class.” and creative ones.” To help sponsor the Mechanical Mustangs, email James Musial leads the programming team that includes Hobin at jamesjhobin@gmail.com or Monique Dituri at mdifreshman Mihir Savalia and Arslaner. The scouting and turi@cliftonschools.net.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

m r e r

I d g x o

o d o e

m t l

t y y e a

e -

o e

” o g

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

By Jack De Vries You pull up to a light, and your brake pads squeal. Your left headlight is out. That annoying “check engine” light just came on. We’ve all been there. Any of those signs means a trip to the mechanic or dealership, and the vehicle is fixed. Except today, finding people to do the repairs is becoming harder for many businesses. And it’s getting worse. According to 2016 U.S. Department of Labor findings, the nation will need 26,720 more automotive service technicians and mechanics nationwide during a 10year period ending in 2024. Industry experts say that prediction is grossly underestimated. In a 2017, the TechForce Foundation, a nonprofit supporting technical education, predicts demand for a staggering 75,900 workers for the 2016-2026 decade. That doesn’t include 28,300 diesel mechanics needed.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Getting that yellow engine light turned off just became more difficult. Clifton High School is helping address this need by introducing students to vehicle engine and body repair, preparing them for potential careers in the field. “We offer two classes that expose students to this industry,” said CHS teacher Richard Alberghini. “The first is Power Mechanics that teaches engine basics; the second is Auto Tech, a hands-on course that takes what was learned in Power Mechanics and puts it into practice.” Alberghini, who has taught at CHS after a threedecade career in private industry, actively seeks to build a rapport with his students. While he keeps the classroom banter loose, the kids know there are rules to be followed and goals to be met. “I try to relate to the kids,” he said, “by entertaining and educating them at the same time.”

e ”

d e e t Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

He does this by making the auto industry come to life. There are field trips to technical schools and potential places of employment, and guest speakers from the automotive industry, technical schools and tool companies. “There were many interesting speakers that came in,” said student Edward Campoverde. “One speaker from PIA (Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics) in particular stood out. I could learn everything from the mechanical work to the electronic work on planes. My eyes opened wide imagining the work I can do in the future.” “Since I was a child,” said Manuel Garcia Sanchez, “I knew I wanted to get involved with cars. So when I saw this course as an option to take, I jumped at the opportunity. I went from knowing nothing to understanding basic knowledge of automobiles. “Through auto class, I have the option to take an apprenticeship at IAM (International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers) Union or go to Universal Technical School (UTI). In my future, I see myself ending up fabricating for a race team, whether it be NASCAR or Formula Drift. I know that this class set me up in the correct path.”

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

For the past two years, along with auto engine studies, students learned how to weld and worked with welding equipment, grinders, drill presses and die cutters. This year’s class project was to take metal scraps and build a sculpture or functional creation. “There’s nothing like making something and seeing the finished product for the students,” Alberghini said. “Auto class,” said Gianni Encarnacion, “taught me discipline and responsibility. I am looking to take the tools that I have acquired in this class and apply it to aeronautics school. I wish to see myself in a very comfortable position financially in two years. My goal is to first complete community college then move on to Stevens Technical Institute of Technology.” Alberghini introduced the IAM union sponsored apprenticeship program to provide another career option. In lieu of technical school tuition, priced at up to $36,000, the apprenticeship costs nothing. “In fact,” Alberghini said, “they earn $13-$15 per hour to start. It includes college automotive training, union benefits and placement in a union shop. Some students feel this is a better opportunity. I tend to agree with them. And I’m proud to say that five students have passed the test to qualify.”

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Auto shop students also learn welding and designed unique items from leftover pieces of metal.

There was once a stigma about automotive industry career with some believing workers to be uneducated. That has changed. Today, being a mechanic is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) career, calling for individuals to navigate the 25-30 computers contained in each vehicle. “I will be attending UTI in Bloomfield,” said CHS student Emir Lukovic. “I’ve chosen to go into this career because I have an interest in cars and love to work on them. I see myself owning my own shop in three years.” According to salary.com, starting salaries for an automotive mechanic I in this area is about $43,000. But according to Robert Paganini, president of Lincoln Technical Institute in Mahwah, N.J., (quoted in a 2017 New York Times article), top-level technicians can earn $100,000 a year after achieving master mechanic status and five years of experience. “My auto tech class,” said Zach Moore, “got me wanting to go to UTI for diesel to go to work on big trucks. I like diesel engines and how they sound, and I like bigger trucks and all the dump trucks, too. It’s a good career for me because I like hands-on work.” A solid financial future working in the industry is important to many, including Bryan Neris. “Auto class,” he said, “has helped me learn and obtain skills that are helpful in everyday life. I hope to achieve in two years a career with a stable income to support my family.” “When I have students come back,” said Alberghini, “who say I helped influence them and was instrumental in career, well, that’s the ultimate. It gives me verification that I was able to touch someone’s life. That’s what

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

it’s all about.” However, Alberghini knows his passion for helping students interested in the automotive or aerospace industry would not be possible without community support. “I’d like to thank the Board of Education and the administration for all the educational and financial support they’ve given the auto shop. It has made this class current and well equipped. “Also, Lynn Tuorto has been instrumental in providing students the opportunity to participate in a unionsponsored apprenticeship program for both diesel and automotive applications.” Along with Alberghini’s work, that support is paying dividends. Of the 31 Auto Tech students, 10 plan to pursue higher education in the technical field. “In auto class,” said Anthony Quintana, “I learned how much I enjoy to work with my hands. I made the decision to pursue electrical at Lincoln Tech. I want to run wires through houses and make a living helping people with any electrical related problems they might have. Mr. Alberghini provided me with the opportunity to figure out what I wanted to do as a career.” A sentiment Alberto Duran agrees with. “Auto tech has done a lot for me in the past two years. I have learned plenty of things in this class such as how to properly change a tire all the way to how to change an O2 sensor. “I will be attending UTI and I will learn about performance. I hope to open up my own performance shop within the first two years post education.”

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

There are few things most New Jersey residents might agree on. Perhaps tied in the top spot with hating to shovel snow is hating to sit in traffic. A long commute is the kind of month-after-year, sharedby-most-Americans activity that the human brain tends to delete from its archives for not being vivid enough. Yet this evening, the slow roll back through the Lincoln Tunnel and gridlocked Route 3 to John Gamba’s home in Clifton was where he recalled the long odyssey leading to his job as a senior perfumer for Givaudan’s New York City office. Gamba bears with the honking horns and bumper-tobumper because working at Givaudan is the opportunity to be a professional artist of what might be the most vivid yet overlooked sense – a craft with thousands of years of history many might miss in the moment: smell. “Forty years ago,” he said, “I never would have believed you if you’d told me where I’d end up. I didn’t know this field existed, that this was a job I could do.” Givaudan is the largest fragrance company in the world. The billion-dollar fragrance industry produces

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

thousands of distinct scents every year for a range of products. There are fewer working perfumers in the United States at any given time than there have been astronauts. Being a ‘Nose,’ as perfumers are nicknamed, means designing formulas out of hundreds of chemical compounds. A good scent has the power to leave a complex impression in a fraction of a second. The mummies of ancient Egypt were buried with bottles of perfumes made with oils just as identifiable to

someone in New Jersey today. With more ingredients than ever before, perfumers like Gamba must hone in on just about any idea with the right combination. But what, if you think about it, do strawberries smell like? Oceans? Christmas? What smells “bold” or “sophisticated”? No Easy Formula Strawberries, for the record, taste and smell like Ethyl Methylphenylglycidate. A perfumer trains to recognize how hundreds of such aroma compounds translate into something primal. Imagine a painter who can mix the shades and hues of each color used, referencing scientific names from memory, and then blot and daub specific ideas on a canvas of open air. It takes months of tweaking and “mods” of initial test blends to reach that moment when fragrances are good enough for a customer to want to bathe in, or burn to make the house smell like spring. Here, an extra three parts of, say, Nerolidal (the woody smell from a jasmine vine.) There, one part less of a terpenoid called Carvone – spearmint. That first top note, the middle notes, and the underlying base have to complement each other down to fractions of a percent. A perfumer must let their art echo their own tastes. If their instincts are off, the feedback for the finished product is clear. What doesn’t smell good just won’t sell as well as the competition. Early Life and Career Each day begins with Gamba putting on his suit and commuting on Route 3. This is a far cry from his early

years in and around some of the rougher neighborhoods in Passaic County. Born on February 3, 1957, Gamba came-of-age surrounded by the close-knit, Bronx Tale and Jersey Boysstyle multigeneration Italian-American communities. Led Zeppelin and the Eagles were already on the radio, but the old-world peddler still pushed his cart of fresh pears and cucumbers through the streets. “My parents always struggled growing up,” said Gamba. “That’s just how it was. “I started working when I was 12 to pick up the slack. They never had it easy. We first moved to Clifton partly because I kept getting mugged walking back to my grandmother’s house from Saint Anthony’s.” Gamba remembers the eggplant and tomato pasta sauces cooked by his mother Anna, who was a seamstress for 50 years. She sowed collars onto coats in sweatshop-conditions for 10 cents each on the industrial sowing machines at a loft factory. “The only hint I’d be a perfumer,” he said, “might’ve come from my mom. She always wondered why I’d smell something before anyone else noticed. What was cooking on the stove, if there was gasoline blowing in from outside.” His father, John Edward Gamba, was an infantry sergeant in General Patton’s army in World War II, and later worked as a mail clerk for Union Carbide and on the maintenance staff at Clifton City Hall. Gamba often wanted to escape the tobacco smoke clinging to the furniture from his father’s cigars, and the intense, repetitive labor waiting for many kids in the old neighborhood.

o Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Clifton At Work This meant finding a way to specialize. He took many childhood jobs – among them: delivering ink-blotted newspapers, cleaning out foul-smelling cages at the poultry market, butchering meat, washing dishes, stocking shelves at ShopRite, and walking the hospital wards at Saint Mary’s, now Passaic General. After graduating CHS in 1975, Gamba trained to do medical bloodwork analysis at Bistayne Paramedical The Gamba family: John, Jaclyn, writer Tyler, and Susan. Institute and the Lyons Institute in Hackensack. Aromatique, Haarmann & Reimer, and Fragrance He enjoyed taking red blood-cell counts and testing Resources in Clifton. He joined Givaudan’s fine frafor diseases. He almost applied to the pharmaceutical grance department in 2003. company Hoffman LaRoche in Clifton/Nutley, before a Today, hundreds of glass test bottles crowd his desk, chance conversation led him to the perfume company on-hand for a quick comparison before he adjusts numDragoco (now Symrise.) bers to send down to the lab for clients like Estee Lauder “There were so many smells and flavors around me,” and Victoria’s Secret. he said. “I knew this was what I wanted to do.” Highlight-reel nights overlap with an atmosphere like Meanwhile, he drove a taxi, worked in a pet store and high fashion or entertainment. delivered pizzas to help pay the rent, doing extra-related There are launch parties and industry-wide black-tie tasks like compounding formulas by-hand. ceremonies, like the Fragrance Foundation’s FiFi “A robot does a lot of that now,” he said. Awards (hosts have included Alec Baldwin and Joel His first project – making the smell of Suave antidanMcHale from NBC’s Community). Networking dinners druff shampoo in the 1980s – earned enough money to with clients might call for flights to cities like Sao Paolo, get him attached to other projects, including one which Brazil, and Nice in southern France. Gamba has also became the world’s first antibacterial soap for Dove. worked on personalized teams for clients like Brittney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Kim Kardashian. Perfecting the Craft Still, the No. 1 skill that sustains Gamba and his coJohn worked at Dragoco for 17 years, then switched workers will always be their personal frames of referbetween companies like Manheimer, Creations

You Don’t Have to Wait Until Friday to Eat Pirogies! Come to The Famous & Original (from Lexington Ave)...

HOMEMADE PIROGI

M-F 8 - 6 Sat 10 - 4 1295 Main Ave • Downtown Clifton Across from DeLuxe Cleaners

973.340.0340

WWW.HOMEMADEPIROGI.COM

Varieties • Potatoes & Cheese • Potato • Sauerkraut • Pot Cheese • Mushroom • Pot Cheese & Potato • Broccoli • Spinach • Pizza • Apple • Prune • Cabbage • Apricot & Cheese • Broccoli & Spinach

NEW! Great for Parties... Hot, Homemade Empanadas! 44

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Clifton At Work ence, paying attention to the minute details in each moment. If a musician lets childhood memories shape each chord of a song, then a perfumer is an artist catching echoes in a cologne. Example: Gamba runs past a bouquet of roses in the peddler’s cart while playing ball in 1966. He stocks strawberries at Shop-Rite in 1974. Gamba suggests a coworker add Nerol and Ethyl Methylphenylglycidate in 2018; he knows it will complement a similar perfume he worked on in the ‘90s. Maybe that overlaps with a teammate unconsciously remembering, say, the leather and air freshener from the first car she drove as a teenager. The perfume launches. The cash registers ring from Dubai to Garden State Plaza. Complete strangers smell nice to each other while walking through hallways and bars across the world. Maybe some dinner-dates follow, some “I do’s.” Millions of people wear these shared slices of vividness from each perfumers’ life – lives lived in the exact ways events played out, highs and lows. That first Dove soap Gamba made is still the same smell next to sinks across the planet today. Last year,

Gamba says he was walking out of his hotel room in Costa Rica when he smelled one of his Bath and Body Works fragrances. “They were pumping it through the whole building!” he said. “You never forget it because you made it. It was in the casino, the little mini shower-gels in the cabinets.” Gamba pauses mid-sentence. The spring Route 3 traffic finally clears up by the Tick-Tock Diner. “Kind of a weird thing,” he said. “All that time, 5,000 miles away, and smelling your creation in another country.” With the battery on his iPhone almost drained, John hangs up and continues on his way to an after-work dinner party. He is tired, but nothing worth doing is easy. There, or on other nights like it, he and other perfumers will think and feel about shared experiences that will ripple out in unknowable ways long after the events are over. Gamba is fond of saying, “If you work a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” The life of a perfumer is chemistry, art, and the butterfly-effect in a bottle. Writer Tyler Gamba has a nose for news. He is graduating Rutgers this month with a degree in English.

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

On August 31, 2016, Dean DeGhetto, Jr. celebrated completion of five years at sea with the U.S. Navy. After congratulations, he traveled to meet his nine-month pregnant wife, Kayla. Timing was on Dean’s side, and the couple drove to the hospital almost immediately. Less than 48 hours later, Hugh Patrick DeGhetto was born. His dad would enjoy a month of transfer leave with his wife and newborn son before heading back to work. For most, the chaos of the above events is enough to give you a migraine. For DeGhetto, it’s just another day on the job. Here’s how the boy from Clifton built his life in the U.S. Navy...

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Growing up on East 3rd Street in Clifton with his parents, Dean Sr. and Diane, and younger brother David, DeGhetto, now 32, always seemed apt for the military. After graduating St. Brendan’s School in Clifton, DeGhetto went on to balance academics and sports at St. Joseph’s High School in Montvale. “He attended lacrosse camp at West Point,” said DeGhetto Sr. “We weren’t surprised when he enlisted… we encouraged it.” Path to the Sea For DeGhetto Jr., the calling wasn’t always clear. After graduating with a bachelor of arts in philosophy from Rutgers University in 2008, DeGhetto land-

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

ed a job with an employment agency in Parsippany. But the financial collapse of 2008-09 hit hard and landed him in rough waters. After being laid off, DeGhetto decided he was through with 9-to-5 civilian work, and signed a contract to enlist as a sailor. Ten months later, the Navy called. In April 2010, the Navy flew Dean to Chicago for eight weeks of boot camp. There, he got his first taste of military life – from the physical aspects to the housekeeping errands. “Bootcamp is a lot of folding clothes and making beds,” he laughed. “Of course, there were the pushups, sit-ups, and fitness From left, Dean’s brother David, his dad Dean and Dean Jr. To keep things… but it wasn’t all what I was expectthe D’s going, the name of Dean Sr.’s wife is Diane. ing.” Did he ever find himself questioning operate the MK160 system – software that shoots two why he left life in New Jersey? “Never,” he was quick 5”, 54 caliber cannons on a cruiser. I learned to maintain to add. the electronics side of it… controlling the firing of the After finishing boot camp, Dean continued with 10 guns and radar systems.” months of fire control (FC) training — a highly techniWith FC classification under his belt, DeGhetto cal naval rank tasked with operating combat ship moved again to Norfolk, Va., to board a vessel. The weapons systems. problem? The vessel wasn’t equipped with the system In 2011, he transferred to a naval base in Virginia he just learned to use. Beach. “I attended sea school,” he said, “and learned to please turn to page 52

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

May 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Clifton At Work

“I wasn’t given a specific job. And His busy lifestyle was no if you’re on a boat, you’re new, and problem for Kayla, and the two don’t have a job… you’re going to be were a match made in patriotic cleaning. heaven. “I was there for about two weeks In 2015, Dean and Kayla and was cleaning the underside of an became Mr. and Mrs. Dean HVAC unit when an officer asked me DeGhetto Jr. if I could swim.” After completing his five Of course he could swim. years at sea and enjoying the The officer asked if he’d be intermonth of transfer leave, esting in training as a search and resDeGhetto checked into the cue swimmer in Florida. It was time Training Support Center for another move. Hampton Roads in Virginia Dean DeGhetto Jr. with son Hugh After a month of training in Beach, where he said life has Patrick and wife Kayla. Jacksonville, DeGhetto became the become “more normal” (by his search and rescue swimmer (SRS) of the USS Leyte Gulf standards). He still works there to this day. (CG 55), stationed back in Norfolk. “I currently do student management at a school for He officially had a job. intelligence specialists,” he explained. Between 2011 and 2016, he and his crew deployed to Come October 2019, Dean will have to decide Spain, Greece, Italy, Crete, Turkey, Nova Scotia, and whether he will “go out and find a real-person job” or stateside to Maryland and Florida. As the SRS, Dean deploy back to sea. For now, he is enjoying time with his would man the boat and monitor overboard situations. wife and son, and says it is too early to say which path he will end up taking. Hometown Pride As for his ties to Clifton, Dean’s parents still live in On the weekends, DeGhetto enjoyed time off. It was the same home he grew up in. They’ve purchased a flag during one of those weekends in 2013 when he met with in Dean’s honor at Clifton’s Avenue of Flags. friends to watch the Alabama-Notre Dame National Five times each year (Memorial Day, Flag Day, Championship game. Alabama would destroy N.D., 42Fourth of July, Patriots Day, and Veteran’s Day), the 14 – and Dean would also have his own victory. flags are erected through the municipal complex at On that night, he met Kayla. Clifton City Hall – a fitting tribute to our nation’s servKayla, now 29, grew up in the Airforce. “She was iceman and women. born in Nebraska, and has lived in California, Rhode And Dean DeGhetto, Jr. – once a kid from East 3rd St. Island, Florida, Texas, D.C, Virginia... I’m probably even – is proud to be part of this heroic group... and his city forgetting somewhere,” DeGhetto said. is proud of him.

STING I L W NE

CLIFTON

• $325,000 • 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths • 1,730 Square Feet • Cambridge Crossing • Living Room w/ Loft • Deck Overlooking Fountain • Amenities Galore

Have questions about Buying, Selling, Estates, Divorce, Relocation, Market Analysis, Short Sales or any Real Estate questions?

Call me now 973-725-8810 I can help!

Jooan an W Weixel eixel LaGreca

Sales Associate

Consistent Top Producer

1501 Hamburg Tpke, Wayne Wayne

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Accredited Buyer Representative

NJ REAL REALTORS LT TORS® Circle of Excellence 2017 - Silver

Broker Price Opinion Resource

The Cast of Godspell

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Memorial Day

Monday, May 28

11am Services at War Monument, Main Memorial Park

Events to Attend Sunday, May 27 • 7 pm - Volunteers decorate around War Monument in Main Memorial Park with American Flags

Monday, May 28 • 6 am - Avenue of Flags Set-up, City Hall • 8:15 am - Fire Dept. Service, Brighton Rd. • 9 am - Memorial Day Parade, Corner Clifton Ave. & Allwood Rd. to Chelsea Park • 9:30 am - Allwood Memorial, Chelsea Park • 11 am - City Memorial Service, Main Memorial Park • Noon - Military Order of Purple Hearts, Clifton Library • 12:30 pm - Post 347, Clifton Rec Center • 2 pm - Athenia Veterans, Huron Ave. • 6 pm - Avenue of Flags Take Down at City Hall Questions? Call 973-470-5757

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Memorial Day

Monday, May 28

Starting below and organized by the war in which they served, we have again published the name of every Clifton man who died while in service to our nation.

World War One Louis Ablezer Andrew Blahut Timothy Condon John Crozier Orrie De Groot Olivo De Luca Italo De Mattia August De Rose Jurgen Dykstra Seraphin Fiori Ralph Gallasso Otto Geipel Mayo Giustina

Selling replicas of the original Flanders’ poppy originated in some of the allied countries immediately after the Armistice of WWI. Disabled veterans make these artificial flowers, and earn a small income after their work is sold by members of local veterans posts on Memorial Day. Peter Horoschak Emilio Lazzerin Joseph Liechty Jacob Morf, Jr. William Morf Edwin C. Peterson Robert H. Roat Alfred Sifferlen

James R. Stone Carmelo Uricchio Angelo Varetoni Michael Vernarec Cornelius Visbeck Ignatius Wusching Bertie Zanetti Otto B. Zanetti

Diamond Memorials 973-471-5008 • 800 Broad St., Clifton We’re Here to Discuss Your Needs Mon-Fri: 10 am- 4pm • Sat: 10 am-3 pm • Bronze Plaques • Monuments • Porcelain Photos • Benches • Mausoleums • Cemetery Lettering • Cremation Urns • Pet Urns Find our selection online!

diamondmemorialsinc.com 56

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

The Shook & Garretson families will honor your loved one with respect & dignity • Pre-Need Funeral Arrangements • At-Need Funeral Arrangements • Cremation Services • Memorial Gatherings

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Memorial Day World War Two Joseph Sperling Charles Peterson Thomas Donnellan Jerry Toth Frank Lennon Joseph Carboy Julius Weisfeld Edward Ladwik Israel Rabkin Peter Pagnillo Harold Weeks William Weeks Salvatore Favata Herman Adams Edward Kostecki Charles Hooyman, Jr. Salvatore Michelli Richard Novak James Potter Adam Liptak John Van Kirk

May 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Cliftonmagazine.com

Monday, May 28 Carlyle Malmstrom Francis Gormley Charles Stanchak Joseph Ladwik Karl Germelmann Robert Stevens Albert Tau William Scott Benjamin Puzio James Van Ness Gregory Jahn Nicholas Stanchak Frank Smith, Jr Carl Bredahl Donald Yahn Joseph Belli Edwin Kalinka Stanley Swift Charles Lotz Joseph Prebol Walter Nazar Benedict Vital

Thaddeus Bukowski Leo Grossman Michael Kashey Stephen Messineo John Janek John Yanick Herbert Gibb William Nalesnik Joseph Sowma Bronislaus Pitak Harry Tamboer John Olear John Koropchak Joseph Nugent Steven Gombocs Thomas Gula Raymond Curley Harry Earnshaw James Henry John Layton Charles Messineo Joseph Petruska

Memorial Day Bogert Terpstra John Kotulick Peter Vroeginday Michael Sobol Donald Sang Andew Sanko George Zeim, Jr. Robert Van Liere Vernon Broseman Harold O’Keefe Edward Palffy Dennis Szabaday Lewis Cosmano Stanley Scott, Jr. Charles Hulyo, Jr. Arnold Hutton Frank Barth John Kanyo Bryce Leighty Joseph Bertneskie Samuel Bychek Louis Netto David Ward Edward Rembisz Lawrence Zanetti Alfred Jones Stephen Blondek John Bulyn Gerhard Kaden William Lawrence Robert Doherty Samuel Guglielmo Robert Parker Joseph Molson Stephen Kucha James De Biase Dominick Gianni Manuel Marcos Nicholas Palko William Slyboom Herman Teubner Thomas Commiciotto Stephen Surgent Albert Bertneskie

Monday, May 28 Charles Gash Peter Jacklin Peter Shraga,Jr. John Aspesi Micheal Ladyczka Edward Marchese Robert Stephan Roelof Holster, Jr. Alex Hossack Siber Speer Frank Klimock

Salvatore Procopio Harry Breen Gordon Tomea, Jr. Douglas Gleeson Fred Hazekamp Harold Roy Andrew Servas, Jr. Francis Alesso Walter Bobzin Vincent Lazzaro John Op’t Hof

The memory will live forever. Over the past year, we have had the privilege of serving the families of many veterans. In recognition of the service these veterans rendered to their country, we would like to show our appreciation this Memorial Day. In memory of their lives and their service, we recall...

• Robert Aleman Sr. • Mitchell Becker • Anthony Catanzaro • Albert J. Colgate • Frances Cuccia • James De Biase • Donald Frank Ingrassia • Salvatore Joseph Latteri • Florencio George Lebron

• Robert T. Lopuzzo • Stanley Marrone • Joseph R. Monaco • Donald Muller • Marius Louis Poles Jr. • Anthony Raia • Oleh Stefan Sklepkovych • James Van Luvender

James J. Marrocco Manager, NJ Lic No. 3320

Charlene Correa Director, NJ Lic No. 5139

470 Colfax Ave., Clifton, NJ 07013

973-249-6111 • www.marroccos.com Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Memorial Day World War Two

Monday, May 28 Louis Kloss Andrew Kacmarcik John Hallam Anthony Leanza William Sieper Sylvester Cancellieri George Worschak Frank Urrichio Andrew Marchincak Carl Anderson George Holmes Edward Stadtmauer Kermit Goss George Huemmer Alexander Yewko Emil Chaplin John Hushler Edgar Coury Robert Hubinger Wilbur Lee

Joseph Sondey John Zier Peter Hellrigel Steve Luka Arthur Vanden Bree Harold Baker Hans Fester Patrick Conklin John Thompson Thomas Dutton, Jr. Harold Ferris, Jr. Donald Freda Joseph Guerra Edward Hornbeck William Hromniak Stephen Petrilak Wayne Wells Vincent Montalbano James Miles

View The Giblin Report Thursday at 8:30 pm Cablevision Ch. 76 & FIOS Ch. 40 Check with your Cable Provider for Other Listings

Proud to Represent Clifton Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin 855 Valley Rd., Suite 104, Clifton NJ 07013 • 973-779-3125 60

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Vito Venezia Joseph Russin Ernest Yedlick Charles Cannizzo Michael Barbero Joseph Palagano William Hadrys Joseph Hoffer, Jr. Joseph Piccolo John Robinson Frank Torkos Arthur Mayer Edward Jaskot George Russell Frank Groseibl Richard Van Vliet Benjamin Boyko Harry Carline Paul Domino John Fusiak

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

Memorial Day

Monday, May 28

World War Two

Robert Hegmann Ernest Triemer John Peterson

Louis Ritz William Niader Alfred Aiple Mario Taverna Sebastian De Lotto Matthew Bartnowski John Bogert Joseph Collura Matthew Daniels James Doland, Jr. Walter Dolginko Peter Konapaka Alfred Masseroni Charles Merlo Stephen Miskevich John Ptasienski Leo Schmidt Robert Teichman Louis Vuoncino Richard Vecellio

Richard Vander Laan, Jr. Stephan Kucha ‘Gigito’ Netto

This photo of a Clifton sailor and his family is from 2007 but the Clifton tradition remains: services at 11 am on Memorial Day, Main Memorial Park.

What does it take for a Family Business to survive for 100 Years in a ‘Big Business’ environment?

Service - Honesty - Trust We Honor America’s Veterans

Productivity & Wonderful Clients & Friends

ERNEST T.

CHEIDEMANN Real Estate & Insurance

AGENCY

1297 MAIN AVENUE • CLIFTON

973-478-5967 • 800-43-HOUSE

Check Us Out on Facebook!

973-478-5967 or 800-43-HOUSE Your trusted Independent Insurance Agents since 1916. Let us evaluate your coverage!

“Own Your Own Home and Protect It” Call our agency for all of your insurance needs:

✓Homeowners Insurance ✓Personal Auto ✓Renters Insurance ✓Commercial Auto Bonds for Administrators, Custodians & Executors

1916

NOW

We Honor The Fallen This Memorial Day 62

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Korean War Donald Frost Ernest Haussler William Kuller Joseph Amato Herbert Demarest George Fornelius Edward Luisser Reynold Campbell Louis Le Ster Dennis Dyt Raymond Halendwany John Crawbuck Ernest Hagbery William Gould Edward Flanagan William Snyder

Allen Hiller Arthur Grundman Donald Brannon

Vietnam War Alfred Pino Thomas Dando William Sipos Bohdan Kowal Robert Kruger, Jr. Bruce McFadyen Carrol Wilke Keith Perrelli William Zalewski Louis Grove Clifford Jones, Jr. George McClelland

Richard Corcoran John Bilenski Donald Campbell James Strangeway, Jr. Donald Scott Howard Van Vliet Frank Moorman Robert Prete Guyler Tulp Nicholas Cerrato Edward Deitman Richard Cyran Leszek Kulaczkowski William Malcolm Leonard Bird John France Stephen Stefaniak Jr.

US Army/Special Forces Captain Michael Tarlavsky was killed in Najaf, Iraq on Aug. 12, 2004 and buried with honors in Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 24. Tarlavsky, CHS Class of ‘92, was captain of the Swim Team and enlisted in the Army in 1996. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded the Bronze Star. He is survived by his wife Tricia, son Joseph, his parents Yury and Rimma and a sister, Elina. The Veterans Alliance engraved his name on the Downton Clifton Main Avenue War Memorial in 2004— the first name added in 34 years.

Nov. 8, 1961 Plane Crash Robert De Vogel Vernon Griggs Robert Marositz Robert Rinaldi Raymond Shamberger Harold Skoglund Willis Van Ess, Jr.

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

J K

Councilwoman Lauren Murphy paused for a second between repeating the question and responding. “Before I was elected, did I know there were homeless in Clifton? Honestly, I did not. “I hate to say that, but I did not. I had no idea.” That probably includes the other 80,000 living here. Homeless. Clifton. Homeless in Clifton. Sounds odd – as if those words do not belong in the same sentence. Yet, noted Mayor James Anzaldi, while it is not a big problem, homelessness in Clifton is real and a complicated issue the city is responding to – proactively and compassionately. Sheltered and Unsheltered St. Peter’s Haven, a non-profit ministry of Clifton’s St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, has been providing a food pantry and temporary family housing since 1986, which now houses 18 people. Executive Director Kevin Donohue explains the complexity of sheltered and unsheltered homeless. “When people think of homeless,” he said, “they often think of those living on the street – these individuals are

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

unsheltered homeless.” This type of homelessness can be temporary or chronic. Nationwide, estimates of chronic and unsheltered homelessness with no expectation of obtaining permanent shelter is 10-15 percent of the homeless population. The more numerous group, he added, is the sheltered homeless – less visible but extremely vulnerable. The sheltered homeless include “couch-surfers” – individuals and families who for months or years move from family to friends to even strangers. They work but not enough to make ends meet. These include women fleeing domestic abuse; twoincome families combining several minimum wage jobs and suddenly losing one; and the disabled facing unexpected rent increases without the time or resources to locate accessible housing. This homelessness type often happens unexpectedly – a job loss with no unemployment benefits, a sudden rent increase, a spouse’s death causing an immediate drop in an elderly couple’s social security income. “These are the people who, with support and social services, can transition back into a stable life

From left, Mary Rossettini, Jennifer Kidd, Lauren Murphy, Kevin Donohue and Liz Loden.

n f f

– e t

s o

– t n

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

with permanent housing,” said Donohue. Typical homeless shelters divide residents by gender – dividing families and compounding the trauma of being homeless. However, St. Peter’s Haven focuses on families since they are particularly at risk. Another problem is many social services organizations Clifton Homelessness Task Force members (from left) Police Sgt. Edgar Ruiz, Police require a permanent address, Chief Mark Centurione, Health Officer John Biegel and City Manager Nick Villano. creating a Catch-22. Without The meeting was a turning point. An ad hoc commitsupport, sheltered homeless can quickly become unsheltee was formed to study the problem, leading to the tered homeless. founding of the Clifton Homelessness Task Force. Confronting the Problem In 2016, Botany Village residents and businesses were A Step Forward complaining about men living under the Ackerman Ave. The Task Force includes representatives from police Bridge. Murphy remembers the city council sending a and fire departments (often the first to spot street homegroup to determine the problem’s extent. less), health departments, private and public social serv“There were about 14 men living there,” Murphy ices, volunteers and city council members. The group’s said. “Each had his own area, mattresses, little flags or goal is to alleviate the existing problem and develop other items to personalize their space, because, after all, homeless prevention strategies. this was their home. Anzaldi says the issue of sheltered and unsheltered “We talked with them, listened to them, to their stohomeless is rooted in poverty. ries. We had to tell them that they could not stay and they While other problems contribute – health, addiction, were given a few months [to leave]. We helped figure out disability and unemployment – in every homeless shelter solutions for them and counseling was offered to instance, poverty is indeed present. And, while Clifton’s find supportive services.” population of unsheltered homeless is small, its populaAmong them were veterans, undocumented workers, tion of sheltered homeless is always there. and those who lost jobs or whose jobs had inconsistent “Between 2009 and 2017,” Anzaldi said, “we experihours and low pay. Some had substance abuse problems enced the worst economy since the Great Depression. or a mental disorder. Most did not speak English. It’s only a bit better now. People lost employment, could

973-772-8451 Roofing • Siding • Gutters Ventilation • Chimneys 66

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

n a

a o s e

t s h

C r

s p j n l p

not find another job and tumbled into poverty. Once you are in poverty, it’s hard to get out.” Among Clifton’s most vulnerable populations, Anzaldi noted, are the elderly. “Two seniors who receive two social security checks and a small pension and renting an apartment or even owning their home are suddenly in crisis when one spouse passes away. The income is cut by half, but the expenses are not. “Often these are exactly the type of people who are too proud to seek ‘welfare’ or are unaware of how to find support services. It’s our responsibility and obligation to help them.” Then, noted Murphy, there are the working poor. In her day job as executive director of the Passaic County One Stop Career Center, she feels the pulse of regional employment issues. “More than 100,000 people are on SNAP (food stamps) in Passaic County,” she said, “even with two people working. Employers give 29 hours, not full-time jobs. Labor jobs are no longer unionized, wages are stagnant, New Jersey cost of living in is high – and homelessness is often a consequence of simple poverty. More people than we know are only a paycheck or two away.”

Seeking Solutions While some may not consider sheltered homelessness to be a problem, social workers, educators, public health officials disagree. Constantly moving between temporary housing means school registration is difficult and education inconsistent. People with health problems, such as diabetes, addiction or mental illness, lose their records and stop taking medications. They also may have no hygienic means of storing and preparing food, compounding health problems and increasing emergency room visits. All this comes at a price, not only to them, but to the community. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in 2017, approximately one in every 600 U.S. residents lacked permanent shelter. The federal government does have aid programs to assist states and municipalities in helping current and potential homeless. Clifton tried to navigate the maze of assistance programs and regulations on their own, said Murphy, “but it wasn’t really working.” For help, the Task Force turned to consultant Mary Rossettini, a former executive

Encourage. Empower. Equip. Boundaries Workshop • Wednesdays 1 to 3 pm or 7 to 9 pm Live your life more fully and freely. Learn how to take control of your life. Free will offering. Turn Off The Stress Workshop • Thursdays 1 to 3 pm or 7 to 9 pm Discover how you can have less anxiety and more Joy... Everyday! Free will offering.

One to One Life Coaching with Kim Castellano Stress Relief, Transitions, Life Purpose, Overcoming Obstacles, Life/Work Balance, Leadership Development 4 one hour sessions $140

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

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

CHS Key Club Helps Those in Need

with the social services non-profit Advance Housing in Teterboro. “Previously,” said Rossettini, “the strategy was to try to solve the problem that caused the homelessness – alcohol abuse, drug addiction, unemployment – assuming that once that problem was resolved or under control, permanent housing would follow. “Now the approach is flipped. Experience has taught us that once an individual or family is in permanent supportive housing, the concurrent problems are more readily managed.” This approach is known as “Housing First.” The issue is finding permanent supportive affordable housing – a tough problem in New Jersey. Developers have few incentives to build it and most existing affordable housing and housing subsidies have wait lists.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

This year, the Clifton High School Key Club was awarded a $900 grant from the Kiwanis Youth Opportunity Fund for a joint project with Homeless Bus. Founded in 1992, Homeless Bus heads into New York City every Saturday night, driving through the streets, providing quick and simple food options, warm socks, and personal-size toiletries to homeless individuals living without shelter. On April 13, Key Clubbers prepared 300 turkey and cheese sandwiches plus 300 snack bags. Then on April 14, the group headed into the city to distribute the food. “It is amazing to see what kind of difference we can make by giving a little bit of our time to volunteer. We believe everyone should be able to have a good meal. The Homeless Bus project was an eye-opening experience because we got to see homelessness in New York firsthand, “said Genesis Isuiza, CHS Key Club President. Closer to home, CHS Key Clubbers help with the Community Meals Program. Run by the United Reformed Church on the third Saturday of each month at 352 Clifton Avenue, the program is open to anyone who needs a meal. Members of the church prepare the food and the Key Clubbers serve the meal.

To qualify for many federal funds, which are distributed to a state, a municipality must participate in the annual Point In Time (PIT) survey. On a specified January date, municipalities count and record their homeless populations – those living on the streets, in cars or in abandoned buildings. Also counted are those in public and private shelters, and “couch-surfers” who voluntarily report and are recorded on the survey Clifton participated jointly with Passaic in a PIT survey this January – a necessary step in determining the severity of the problem. Teams fanned out to count and speak with homeless people on the streets. And, since homeless populations are transient and fluid across city boundaries, one recording location was provided. This year, St. Mary’s Hospital on the Clifton-Passaic border was chosen as the location. Information about the reporting date was distributed at shelters, food panties, police stations and hospitals. As an incentive to report, food, warm clothing, and a hot shower were promised. People were asked where they spent the night, and answers ranged from a police station waiting room, hospital emergency room, friend’s basement, homeless shelter and the street. Rossettini acknowledged the first joint CliftonPassaic PTI survey featured both success and failure. “For example,” she said, “our street teams need to be better trained. Individuals we know to be homeless refused to speak with our teams, therefore could not be counted.” The Task Force is now in the process of evaluating the PTI results.

Hometown Volunteer Elizabeth Loden is one of the Task Force volunteers. A social worker, she grew up in Clifton, graduated from CHS and moved to Washington D.C., most recently working with the Child Welfare League of America. Loden has returned to live in Clifton and is committed to using her experience to help. One often overlooked resource, she noted, is local businesses engagement in helping solve local homelessness problems. “Ideally,” she said, “we would like to believe that all [efforts] are driven by humanitarian impulses and compassion. But in the case of businesses, it is in their selfinterest to participate in designing solutions.” Street homelessness is said to be are bad for business, detering foot traffic, decreasing property values, destabilizing neighborhoods and restricting business expansion. Businesses, she noted, should be engaged, not only by providing cash, but bringing creativity and perspective. Understanding the economic impact of poverty and homelessness, Anzaldi said the need for increased outreach to explain tax programs, utility discounts and available low-income housing subsidies. Besides efforts to access federal and state programs – and making use of Clifton’s own homelessness support network – he appealed to the city’s kindness. As human beings, Anzaldi said, it is our obligation to feed the hungry and clothe the poor. “Clifton is compassionate and kind,” he said. “There are so many generous people in Clifton, and charity is goodness. Our attitude of giving of time, of money, of experience remains a key reason why our city is a good place to live. “‘A city that cares’ is not just a slogan.”

Have Clifton Merchant Mailed. $35 PER YEAR $60 FOR TWO

Mailed via first class to your home.

Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________State: ___________________________________ Zip:______________________Phone:_____________________________________________ Email:________________________________________________________________________ PLEASE MAKE CHECKS TO TOMAHAWK PROMOTIONS, 1288 MAIN AVE., CLIFTON, NJ 07011

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Clifton, a Tree City USA, Just got a Bit Greener. On April 24, taking advantage of a $20,000 “Green Streets” grant from TD Bank, 100 community leaders, volunteers and students from School 12 planted 11 trees in Hird Park. Another 39 trees were planted in Randolph and Nash Parks later that week. Of the 3,500 Tree City USA municipalities, several hundred applied for the grants, and Clifton was one of 10 chosen, besting major cities across the nation. At the Hird Park event, TD Bank’s Don Buckley presented a plaque to Mayor James Anzaldi. Also attending were many neighborhood residents who met Congressman Bill Pascrell, Councilmembers Ray Grabowski, Bill Gibson and Lauren Murphy, as well as members of Clifton’s Beautification Committee.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

, l Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

The TD Green Streets program has been ongoing for the past six years and is managed by the Arbor Foundation. Mario Martinez from the National Arbor Day Association praised Clifton for being a Tree City USA for over 21 years and a Growth Award Community for 19 years. Carrie Sargeant from the NJ DEP Forestry Division said Clifton’s legacy of tree programs included a Community Forestry Management Plan and that achievement was further attested to by decades of Clifton receiving grants for its commitment to sustainability through reforestation. In a few short years, Clifton will benefit from the matured tree canopy, creating welcome space for residents to rest and enjoy the shade and serenity. “Hird Park has the potential to offer Cliftonites the ambience similar to Gramercy Park,” said Recycling and Clean Communities Coordinator Al DuBois. He sees additional benefits at the nearby Nash Park. “As the trees grow and mature,” said DuBois, “they will cool the fields but not interfere with the baseball games being played.” DuBois noted that the trees will also shade the Nash Park dog walk, something welcomed by pets and their owners. “Studies show,” said Paul Cowie, a tree consultant for Clifton since 1996, “that the monetary value of the benefits trees provide significantly exceeds the cost of planting and maintaining them.” School 12 students will continue to monitor the Hird Park tree growth in the years ahead, incorporating STEAM principles (Science Technology, Engineer, Arts and Math). Principal Maria Parham-Talley said they will study botany, measure, observe and describe growth and change, and learn how plants are used to build healthy bodies.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

May 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

May 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ May 2018

For some, writing books starts early in life. For others, like Clifton’s Bert Nelson, becoming an author happens after years of life experience have strengthened his or her creative muscle. At age 82, Clifton’s Nelson has written and published his first book, Maddoc, a tale of a Vietnam veteran and maverick New York City police detective in search of his missing college-age daughter. Set in the 1990s, the thriller follows Anthony Maddoc as he, as the book jacket describes, “embarks on a crusade to find his daughter and, as avenger, bring fury upon those who shattered his life and settle every wrong regardless of the consequences.” A former boxer in his youth, Nelson got the inspiration to write his book about two decades ago. In the late 1990s, his wife Beth showed him a threeparagraph story about the closing of a baby farm in Nepal by French and English authorities. Women were being kidnapped to deliver babies for black market adoption. “I sat down at my desk and began to write,” Nelson said. “When a good idea hits you, it carries you along, and that’s what happened. Nelson would write from 9 am everyday to sometimes 11 pm. When he finished, he had completed a 204,000-

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

word novel, good for 800 pages. “I tried to get people interested in it,” he said, “but they said it was too long.” After failing to interest a publisher, Nelson put the book “on the shelf.” But his dream of seeing Maddoc in print never left him. Writer’s Path Nelson grew up in Connecticut and books were his first love. By fourth grade, he was reading eight books a month, borrowed from the New Haven Public Library. He favored animal and sports stories, and biographies. However, his father Carl, a painting contractor who emigrated from Sweeden, wanted his son outside working or playing. To continue to read, Nelson found a small space under a stairwell where he read by candlelight. He also began to work, first as a paperboy, then at a

e n

bottling plant where he worked his way With his working career coming to up from inspector to assistant foreman. an end, he decided to resurrect Anthony Along with his twin brother Alexander Maddoc. (Nelson also had two other brothers and a sister), he attend Wilbur Cross High Dream Achieved School where he was a B student. He Picking the novel up again three went on to Southern Connecticut State years ago at age 79, Nelson began editUniversity and majored in English. He ing his story. After 12 weeks, he had it missed making the Dean’s List just two down to a more manageable 100,000 marking periods. words and self-published the book “I thought that was pretty good as I through Amazon. was working in the bottling plant 48 “Anthony Maddoc is a ‘man’s man’” hours a week,” he laughed. Nelson said. “He’s smart, dangerous A big influence on Nelson’s life and has a dog who is even more dancame from being part of the Salvation gerous. People have said they can’t put Army. the book down. It’s fast moving, intriBeth and Bert Nelson “My parents were members of the cate, with many different elements.” Salvation Army Church,” said Nelson, “and I was bapLike Maddoc, Nelson has a dog, but a more gentle tized into the faith. The Salvation Army always encourcollie named Lacey. And, instead of battling villains, he aged its members to do its best, to strive and make the spends time building bird houses, which he gives out to most of your life. That stayed with me and gave me a his neighbors. sense of worth.” The father of five also continues to spend time with At age 20, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stahis books and words. tioned in Frankfort, Germany. When his overseas tour “My favorite writer is Mark Twain,” Nelson said. ended in 1957, Nelson continued his education, ultimate“I’ve read about everything he’s written. Writing is hard. ly earning his Ph.D from the University of Connecticut. It’s onerous and demanding. If you’re not committed, His career led him to stops in both the academic and you can’t be a writer.” business world, before working in his final position as a Nelson is considering writing a sequel to Maddoc, business consultant. using some of the content cut from his original novel. While he was employed by Essex County Community But he won’t do it by keyboard; today, he uses a text-toCollege, Nelson moved to Clifton. During the 1990s, he type computer program to making writing easier. used his academic background to benefit his new home“To be a writer,” Nelson said, “you have to be close town when he was appointed to the Board of Education your emotions, which I am. Once you find a plot, you after an elected member accepted an out-of-state job. bring your emptions and your intellect into it, build good Nelson ran successfully for another term but was defeatcharacters and you write. “The hard part is finding good ed on his second try. plots. I fell into this one.”

o l

a Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

MILESTONE

On April 22, First Lutheran Church at 1337 Van Houten Ave., welcomed Bishop Tracie Bartholomew of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to worship and mark 125 years of ministry in Clifton and Passaic. She was greeted by Pastor Jeff Miller, above center, and parishioners at the service and a reception following worship. The church began as the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran St. Anskarii Church of Passaic on 63 Jackson St. in Passaic. In 1925, the church purchased property and built at the corner of Washington and Putnam Place in Clifton before moving in 1965 to its present location. “Over 100 members gather for worship each week and we work diligently to make a positive change in Jesus’ name in our community and throughout the world,” said Miller.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

UNF Fundraiser Soyuzivka Heritage Center The Largest Ukrainian Festival in the United States, organized by the Ukrainian National Foundation, under the patronage of the Embassy of Ukraine.

Special Guest

Oleksandr Ponomariov

FRIDAY NIGHT FUNDRAISER

0.#%%$1 2. "%-%&)2 .536)4*!

*0!)-)!- )++!'% !-#)-' 31)# .-' 02 0!&21 %+)#).31 2(-)# ..$1 .-#%021 )- %1%+*! !++ %%0 !0$%- !-$ !"!4!1

0%12 32)5

05-! %$51(5-

(322+% "31 2. 3$1.- !++%5 !4!)+!"+% &0., /!0*)-' !0%!1

$,)11).-

VIP Parking $20

Soyuzivka

Heritage Center

%20.

!(!

941-966-5241 | 845-626-5641 heritageuki@gmail.com

Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;˘ May 2018

3,*! (.)0

Vendor info:

s K

.,! 05,! .(!#(%41*5 .0*1(./ *0!)-)!!-#%

216 Foordmore Rd. Kerhonkson NY 12446 845-626-5641 soyuzivka.events@gmail.com www.soyuzivka.com

UPS GIFT

The North Jersey Elks Developmental Disabilities Agency (NJEDDA) received a $20,000 grant from United Parcel Service Foundation to enhance technology and augmentative communication skill training for children and adults with medical special needs. “This grant will provide the needed computers, I-Pads, and projection equipment necessary for our children and adults to learn to communicate, speak for themselves and learn new academic and functional skills,” said NJEDDA Director William Weiss. “We are grateful to the UPS Foundation for their focus on global corporate citizenship and philanthropic program.” NJEDDA offers a free Toddler Program, Elementary School, High School, and Adult Training Center in Clifton. Call 973-772-2600 or visit www.njedda.org for more information.

Tug-of-War at last year’s Realy for Life. Wendy’s and the Relay for Life Clifton Committee will host a meet and greet on May 29 from 5 to 8 pm at 83 Main Ave. Mention Relay and teams will receive 15 percent of your check toward their 2018 goal of raising $60,000. Also at 7 pm that evening the RFL Committee is hosting a meet and greet for anyone interested in starting a new or team captains now who are looking for some support. Join these veterans and they’ll be happy to show you the ropes to fighting cancer.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Pirates of the Cure-ibbean is the theme of Clifton’s 2018 Relay for Life. The 14th Annual Relay for Life is at Clifton Stadium from noon to midnight June 16. Attendees can walk, run or simply enjoy a day to remember those who passed from cancer and support those who now have cancer. To form a team or volunteer, call Chris Liszner at 973-650-2719 or Kim Castellano at 201-3282326 (info at cliftonnj.org/cliftonnj). For info about the American Cancer Society, visit cancer.org.

These Mustangs were among the student athletes nationally who in mid-April received scholarships to play sports and study at various colleges. Signing their letters of intent, from left: Anthony Nole, who will play soccer at Felician University. Hadeel Alshujaieh signed with Felician University for Track and Field. Sarah Adams signed with Virginia Union to run Track and Field. Samantha Rozon signed with Georgian Court University for Track and Field. Alenys Morales received a Division 1 Track and Field scholarship to Rider University as a hurdler, long jumper, and sprinter.

The Red Hat Angels, a Relay for Life Clifton team, is hosting an All You Can Eat Breakfast at UNO’s Chicago Grill, 426 Route 3 West on May 12, from 8 to to 10 am. A $20 donation provides eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, French toast, fruit, crumb cake, orange juice, tea or coffee. A portion of that goes back to the team in their fundraising effort. If you are not filled by then, come to Bruno’s Restaurant, Route 46, Clifton Plaza on May 23 or June 6. Mike and Rich, owners of Bruno’s are donating 20% of all checks (pretax) between 11 am and 9 pm. This offer is on dine-in, take-out and delivery orders. For tickets call Lauren at 201-893-0473 or Chris at 973-650-2719. Strides Against Cancer has partnered with Paint Nite and the Rock Bar and Grill for an artsy fundraiser on May 31at 7:30 pm. Enjoy two hours of painting and maybe a glass of wine at Rock Bar (414 Main Ave.) with guidance from a local artist and raise a glass of wine to fight cancer. Tickets are $45 and $15 will be donated to the team. Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

By Anthony Buccino

Marco Pires is no stranger to discipline or dedication. The CHS sophomore tackles extra-curricular activities with aplomb while holding down a five-daya-week job after school. None of that has kept him from being named to the Distinguished Honor Roll. History teacher Christopher Keegan said: “Marco is a dedicated learner and consistently works to the best of his abilities and actively participates in class. He is very involved in extra-curricular activities and has been successful balancing academics with his part-time job as a cashier at Corrado’s Market on Main Avenue.” Keegan noted Pires is “a very caring and considerate student. He willingly helped acclimate a new student to CHS. He’s an all-around good guy.” Keegan said the young man gets along well with classmates and teachers, and expresses sincere interest in others. Pires enjoys singing, acting and soccer. On weekends he likes to go out with friends or stay home with family.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Pires’s extracurricular activities include CHS drama club, the honors singing group MadCaps and Climate Club. He is also a private first class in the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) where he is on the drill team. Pires enjoyed being in CHS’s presentation of Footloose, as an ensemble cast member. It was his first play and whetted his appetite for acting. “The things I enjoy about all of these extra-curricular activities,” said Pires, “is that in some way they teach me something new. “One of my best my best school related experiences was being recognized at the Distinguished Honor Roll Dinner.” Marco handled another hurdle differently. “I was having a problem with a particular student. The student would always do something to try and aggravate or bully me. But little by little, I just stopped

s g a e n

f t

s l

. d d

Student of the Month giving him this power, and he eventually stopped. “If I could give other teens advice about problem-solving, it would be stop giving that other person power. Once you stop giving that person power, they will stop and leave your life.” Pires said his favorite subject in school is history. “I like learning about how things were and how we got to where we are today. My favorite teacher for history would have to be Mr. Keegan, because no matter what, he comes into class with a positive attitude and is very confident.” CHS music teacher Cory Pinto worked with Marco in sixth, ninth and tenth grades. “Marco is doing fantastically in my class,” Pinto said. “He is very motivated and always trying even when doing things for the first time. His dedication to the musical was tremendous.” Pinto added, “Marco is open, honest, and caring. He’s willing to put himself out there, a future leader.

His dedication to his commitments put him well above his peers. He’s always willing to do whatever is asked.” Pires is self-directed. “What motivates me,” he said, “is I know I have to do well in all my education to secure a great career. This can only occur if I put in the effort needed.” He’s most inspired by his mom. “She is very talented and a hard worker,” Pires said. “One day I would like to be like my mom and have that inspiration she has.” His advice to younger students: “The best thing about CHS is how easy it is to talk to your teachers about things that are going on. They will always be there to listen and help you out if you are having a hard time.” Pires plans to finish high school, attend college and join the Marines or the Navy – depending on the how hard the acting and singing bug stings him. We’ll find out about that in two years.

MONDAY Pizza Night Large Pie $8.95 or 2 for $15.95

TUESDAY Pasta Night Entrees $8.95 includes Salad

WEDNESDAY Parm Night Entrees $9.95 Shrimp or Veal $11.45

2 Toppings: + $3 3 or 4 Toppings: +$5

All Prices +Tax

Includes 2 Sides

Thursday Date Night! 2 Entrees & 1 Appetizer $25 (Off Select Menu)

Bigger, Better

Best Pizza! 18 Inches! Large Pies Now

FREE Delivery! Mon-Sat: 11am - 10pm • Sun: 3pm - 9pm 755 Van Houten Ave., Clifton At left, Ken, head chef Francisco and Yang

973-928-4500 Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

HISTORY Be a part of Clifton’s history. An essay contest about the city’s history is open to all Clifton students. Enter to win one of three prizes, $100, $50 or $25 gift cards, awarded in each age-group category. Grammar school: Write a one-page essay about past or present family life, school life, (including activities) or life in your community. Essay can include pictures of you, with your family, school or at an activity in Clifton. Junior High, and High School: Write a research paper about Clifton’s history. Junior high students must write a two-page essay; high school students must write a three-page essay with references. Director Steve Bell is surrounded by the cast of “The Fantasticks,” Students can write about subjects like perthe spring production of the Theater League of Clifton. The show sonal family history, the American opens May 11 at Holy Assumption Church Theater Hall, 35 Orange Ave., Clifton. Call 973-928-7668 for ticket info. Revolution, Lenape Indians, Early Settlers, Early Industry, Agriculture or the Morris leave a message with name and telephone number. Canal. The Clifton Historical Commissioners, who sponMail finished essays to Mayor Jim Anzaldi, 900 sors the contest, will judge all essay entries. Clifton Ave., Clifton, N.J. 07013. The deadline for Winners will be recognized and awarded their prizes entries is May 18. at the Clifton City Council meeting at City Hall on June For questions, call Kim Oeffler 973-472-1703 and 19.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

ARTS

The Mustang spring concert season kicked off with the annual All-City concert held at Clifton High School March 27. Elementary and middle school band students audition for a seat to participate in the concert and represent their school. The concert begins with the elementary school students and progresses on to the middle school students. The climax of the concert is the famous crash in of the CHS Marching Band. The Marching Band enters the auditorium from many different sides and performs melodies from their Fall season. High School Band members visited and interacted with future Marching Mustang’s before the concert. Photo by Donika Troller

Members of the American Legion Quentin Roosevelt Post 8 were delighted to present a $500 donation to St. Philip’s Preparatory School April 11 for “Math Manipulative.” From left are St. Philip’s Principal Barbara A. Zito and American Legion, Finance Officer Marty Neville, Past Post Commander Robert Miller and First Vice Commander Jack Travers.

4'+%B*1D'%(IB#JD !"#$%&'()*+%,'-(.,'/(0"*1'#( 0++&2#,%#&'3(4'25 67(.&8(9:;;(!"#$%&'3(<=(>?>:@ )*+%,'-A,'/,"*1'#5&B)*+%,'-A,'/,"*1'#C,%%5'D%

I&(K&*(F,JD(,(1*+#2,"(#'+%B*1D'%(2&""D2%#'-(/*+%(#'(K&*B(,%%#2L(M#JD(#%( 'DN("#$D(O(FD"P(,(2F#"/(#'(%FD(!"#$%&'()*+#2(IDP,B%1D'%(AK(AD2&1#'-(,( 1*+#2(,'-D"Q(6"D,+D(/B&P(&$$(#'+%B*1D'%+(&'R

S,%*B/,K3(),K(@T%F $B&1(U(0)(V :@(6) 4'(%FD(!"#$%&'(W#-F(S2F&&"(.,'/(X&&1(

EFD(!).00(#+(,(<&'G6B&$#%( 7B-,'#H,%#&'

Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

EARTH DAY

Scouts, schools and friends of Clifton Parks met up at Main Memorial Park on Earth Day, April 22. They cleaned the grounds and dipped their toes into Racy’s Pond to fish out debris, giving fish and turtles a little more room to live. Above, about 100 parents, students and staff from the Clifton and Bloomfield campuses of Rainbow Montessori School are pictured at the Clifton Recreation Department-sponsored event.

Above, Cub Scout Pack 23 also joined in for the Clifton Rec Earth Day cleanup at Main Memorial. Scouts of all ages got their hands dirty, helping to clean the park of trash and debris. Pack 23 is based out of St Andrew’s Church and welcomes new members. On May 24, the pack invites potential scouts to a free picnic at St Andrew’s Church. Email pack23clifton@gmail.com for more on the event and scouting.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

ARBOR DAY

There is a reason Clifton is a Tree City USA. For the last 21 years, members of Clifton’s Beautification Committee planted trees around the city. Shown here in Jubilee Park on Clifton Ave. on a rainy Arbor Day, April 27, DPW tree experts planted another 6-foot crepe myrtle which will bloom this spring and stay colorful for three seasons.

The 13th Annual Cut-a-thon at Christopher Columbus Middle School is May 21. CCMS’s Character Education Club is sponsoring the event and will send the collected hair to Children With Hair Loss, which provides hair replacements at no cost to children and young adults facing medically-related hair loss. If your hair is at least eight inches and would like to make a contribution, write to Kim Dreher (kdreher@cliftonschools.net). Permission forms are needed for those under 18. Register at clifton.k12.nj.us/schools/columbus. A Beefsteak/Tricky Tray hosted by the Home and School Association of School 2 will be held at the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton May 18. Funds raised will support activities, field trips, classroom supplies and recreation equipment. Needed are auction items, gift certificates, gift baskets or donations. Info: Diane Moyse at 201-220-4056 or Millie Sardella at 201- 832-2114.

The 17th Annual Lollipops & Roses Concert performed by the members of the Clifton Community Band is on May 19 at 2 pm at the Christopher Columbus Middle School Auditorium. Musicians, many of them former Marching Mustangs or other amusical alumni of CHS, will perform under the baton of Maestro Bob Morgan. The repertoire ranges from the music of Broadway to timeless classical favorites. Admission is $7; children under 12 free. Proceeds benefit the Clifton Education Foundation and the Clifton Community Band. Advance tickets are available by contacting CliftonBand@optonline.net or calling 973-777-1781. Tickets will also be available at the door.

The Tank Pull Challenge is June 24 from 8 am to 4 pm at 1100 Clifton Ave. Presented by the Knights of Columbus, Tank Pull teams attempt to move an 80,000pound tank mounted on a flatbed truck. The 20-member team entrance fee is $1,500 and must be submitted by June 12 (register at tankpullofc.org). The Tank Pull Competition benefits veterans and military wounded and has raised more than $1 million for wounded vets. Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

GOLD MEDALS Clifton Recreation Strikers, a Special Olympics Bowling Team, brought home eight gold and seven silver medals in singles competitions and one gold, two silver and one bronze in team competition. With parents, fans and friends, they celebrated their season with a buffet luncheon and awards at Mr. Bruno’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in Lyndhurst on April 29. Fourteen of the 21 athletes participated by attending each week of practice from October through March. The parents of athletes were also on the squad. Helen Counterman is one of eight coaches and parent of two children on the team. “This is our fourth year having the party and third year at Mr. Bruno’s,” she said, adding. “We appreciate their support and kindness.” For info on the league, write to her at helenc1023@gmail.com. Eighth graders at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School who scored in the 90th percentile nationally on the High School Placement Test (HSPT) include from rear left Khrystyna Kovtun, Victoria Skala and Christina Banya. Seated are teachers Sonia Lechicky and Tetyana Fedak with high scorer Stefan Andruch at center.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

FOR A CAUSE

Host Gerard Scorziello and Bob Brown, Lou and Maureen DeStefano and Ron Bracke and Bob Frisch.

Great food, great wine and a great cause all came together at Bistro Amore on Lakeview Ave. during the Clifton Republican Club’s third annual scholarship fundraiser. With every available seat taken, attendees enjoyed a five-course food and wine pairing dinner, with wines hand selected by wine expert Bill Brown. He spent several minutes discussing each wine and how its flavor profile enhanced the food selected to pair with each course, which included a mix of both white and red wines. Republican Club President Gerard Scorziello was thrilled with the overwhelming support and generosity of the guests and could not have been happier with how well the evening turned out. “We were very pleased to be able to host such a wonderful event,” Scorziello said, “in one of my favorite local restaurants. Everyone seemed to be as thrilled with the food and wine as I was. “With the support of so many people, we will be awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a senior from the Class of 2018 at the upcoming Scholarship Awards presentation at Clifton High School.”

John and Jackie Muller are hosting the 18th Annual Summer Sunset Blues Cruise on July 10, from 6 to 8:30 pm. Limited to 35 tickets, the tall ship A. J. Meerwald, departs Liberty State Park in Jersey City for a trip around New York harbor. Carlos Colina and Straight Up will perform and the Mullers serve up a great evening of music as the ship takes in the sunset on the water. Attendees are invited to bring food and beverages to make a picnic on deck. Soft drinks are provided. Call 973-340-9405. Proceeds benefit “Musicians On A Mission,” which raises funds for local charities.

Teacher Appreciation is Month-long at the ShopRite Wines & Spirits of Clifton as Cuellar Family Markets invites teachers to present a school ID at 895 Paulison Ave. and receive a free $5.99 bottle engraving. The offer runs from May 8 to June 30. Also on June 2, from noon to 4 pm, ShopRite is offering teachers with a valid ID a free afternoon of sampling, snacks, gifts, raffles and classes by a sommelier, who will offer ideas in all aspects of wine service, as well as wine and food pairing. Contact Melissa Longo at mlongo@srcliftonwines.com. Cliftonmagazine.com • May 2018

Birthdays & Celebrations - May 2018

Kristy and Ihor Andruch celebrate 16 years of wedded bliss on May 4. Mnohaya lita (meaning Many Years to You) Stefan Andruch who turns 14 on May 3. Gia Camille Genardi turned Sweet 18 on May 2. Happy 20th to Yassin Aburomi on May 14. Greyson Pierce Tauber’s 5th birthday is May 2.

Happy Birthday to... Send dates & names... tomhawrylko@optonline.net Richard Hango ................. Mike Szwec ..................... Samantha Cruz ................ Lou DeStefano .................. Jessica Perez .................... Jordan Lynn Bykowsky ....... Maria DeGraaf ................ Julia Komarczyk................ Irene Kuruc ...................... Margie Maloney............... Thomas Zangara .............. John Anderson Jr............... Spencer Flynn................... Russell Courtney ............... Dolores Hatala ................. Jordan Kulesa................... Vanessa Laine Montesano.. Mary Domyon .................. Margie Hatala.................. Dorothy Alburo................. Terry Capilli ..................... Jim Findlay.......................

5/1 5/1 5/2 5/2 5/2 5/3 5/3 5/3 5/3 5/3 5/3 5/4 5/4 5/6 5/6 5/6 5/6 5/7 5/7 5/8 5/8 5/8

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Alexandra Homsany ......... 5/8 Rory Houston ................... 5/8 Frank Lo Gioco................. 5/8 Ashley Kulesa................... 5/8 David Peter Mosciszko ...... 5/8 Matthew Nagy ................. 5/8 Christine Siluk .................. 5/8 Thomas Steranko .............. 5/8 Petey Pathos..................... 5/9 Amelia Smith.................... 5/9 Ray Zang......................... 5/9 Joe Gore........................ 5/10 Rebecca DeChellis .......... 5/11 Brandon Gorny .............. 5/11 Jessica Camp ................. 5/12 Joe De Liberto ................ 5/12 Michael Lonison.............. 5/12 Donna De Liberto............ 5/13 Jeff Reilly ....................... 5/13 Michael Zawicki ............. 5/13 Chloe Landrith ............... 5/14 Chuck Amucka ............... 5/14

Alice De Liberto .............. 5/14 Dorothy Brown ............... 5/15 Earl Grosser Jr. ............... 5/15 Victoria Leja ................... 5/15 Fred Gurtman................. 5/16 Mark McGuire................ 5/16 Rosemary Canavan......... 5/17 John Hawrylko ............... 5/17 Vick Ascencio................. 5/18 Jamie Antal .................... 5/18 Michele D’Amico ............ 5/18 Walter Hryckowian ......... 5/18 Mariana Pineda ............. 5/18 Becky Kuter .................... 5/19 Jennifer Mulick ............... 5/20 Julianna Smith ................ 5/20 William J. Portocarrero III ... 5/21 Ken Bender .................... 5/21 Joe Murolo..................... 5/21 Matthew Palladino .......... 5/21 Kage Lord ...................... 5/22 Danica O’Brien .............. 5/22 Danah Alburo ................ 5/23 Jessica Bielen ................. 5/23 MaryEllen Krattinger ....... 5/23 Michele Perez ................ 5/23

Michael and Rosemary Baran celebrate their 25th anniversary on May 7. Donald Lopuzzo ........... 5/24 Michael Santosuosso..... 5/24 Brittney Abell................ 5/25 Olivia Hryckowian........ 5/25 Connie Paladino........... 5/25 Derek Bykowsky ........... 5/26 Alyssa Dalbo................ 5/26 Kaylee Pinter ................ 5/26 Jonathan Rideg............. 5/26 Fred Antes ................... 5/27 Kyle J. Magaster .......... 5/27 Steve Bielen ................. 5/27 David J. Ricca .............. 5/28 Anthony Alcalde ........... 5/29 Valerie Gancarz ........... 5/29 Anthony DeSomma ....... 5/30 Rachel Gergats............. 5/31 Christopher Ramirez...... 5/31 Zachary Sjosward ........ 5/31 Christopher Smith ......... 5/31 Logan Thompson........... 5/31 Congratulations to Gene and Gloria Toma on their 55th wedding anniversary on May 5. Cliftonmagazine.com â&#x20AC;˘ May 2018

THIS JUST IN... May the 4th be with you! Enlist in highly specialized and advanced Star Wars Jedi training on May 4, from 6 to 8 pm, at the Clifton Recreation Center, 1232 Main Ave. Young Padawans will learn cool Jedi Martial Arts techniques that will make them ready to apprentice with a Jedi. Learn about the Jedi Code of respect and discipline, experience lightsaber sword training, such as stances, deflecting objects like laser blasts, and participate in mini-structured battle competitions. Other activities will include a Star Wars coloring station for very young Padawans, trivia questions and a station for Star Wars tattoos. Jedi Knights who successfully complete training will receive a certificate and a foam lightsaber. They will then be expected to be guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic. After completing training and having passed the Jedi Trials, they made be ready to be a full member of the Order. Come dressed in costumes, attend from near and far galaxies...Awaken the force in you! Instruction by the Academy of Martial Arts. The cost is $35 for residents and $45 for others. Visit www.cliftonrec.com or use your Force and simply appear at the event.

May 2018 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Do you have an old instrument hanging around your home, just collecting dust? Become a music angel for a Clifton student by donating your instrument! The Clifton Mustang Band Alumni Association is co-sponsoring an Instrument Drive on May 26 from 9 an to noon in the CHS Band Room. Help keep the rhythm alive by giving the gift of music!

For questions, write to mustangbandalumni@att.net

Tomahawk Promotions 1288 main avenue clifton, NJ 07011

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PA I D

PeRmiT No. 280 LaNc. Pa 17604

Fred Spoelstra

Dave Kellleey

Linton Gaines

Weendeelll Maki

Luiss Yzaguirrre

Angie Cardeenas

Jose Gignoux Nancy Rodriguez Waltter Porto

Sophia Constandinou

Patricia Elmahdyy

Gla adys & Alberto Mesones

Alb berto Mesones Jr.

www.NicholasRealEstate.com

Mabel Mesones

Aleexa C Co onstandiinou

Hugo Meza

Edg gar Meza

FAIR LAWN $699,800 SUPERIOR CURB APPEAL COME IN TO THIS CUSTOM CREATED TILED ENTRYWAY, 4 BEDROOMS WITH 3.1 BATHS. HUGE MASTER BEDROOM AND BATH SUITE. LIVING ROOM WITH LARGE BAY WINDOW, DINING ROOM LEADS TO THE TILED KITCHEN WITH BREAKFAST BAR COUNTER AND SEATING AREA. STAINLESS APPLIANCES STAY. PAVERED PATIO WITH IN-GROUND POOL. FINISHED BASEMENT WITH FAMILY ROOM, DRY BAR.

CLIFTON $299,900 00 VERY NICE HOUSE IN EXCELLENT LOCATION FEATURES LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM COMBO, MODERN EAT IN KITCHEN, 3 BEDROOMS (POSSIBLE 4), 2 FULL BATHS, FINISHED BASEMENT AND MANY UPDATES. FENCED BACKYARD, ROOF (4Y), GAS BOILER (5Y), SIDING (3Y), WATER HEATER (2Y). DRIVEWAY. CLOSE TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

CLIFTON $315,000 , GREAT LOCATION FOR COMMUTERS MOVE IN READY FIRST FLOOR CORNER UNIT WITH 2 BEDROOMS, 2 FULL BATHROOMS. 2 ASSIGNED PARKING SPOTS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE UNIT. POOL AND FITNESS CENTER IN THE COMMUNITY WITH WATER FOUNTAIN. CLOSE TO SHOPPING, RESTAURANTS, MOVIES AND MAJOR HIGHWAYS.

CLIFTON $339,900 LOVELY LARGE 2 LEVEL HOME

Ju uana Torres

FEATURES MANY UPGRADES. NICE FRONT PORCH. LIVING ROOM WITH FIREPLACE, FORMAL DINING ROOM, NEW KITCHEN & BATHS. 3 BEDROOMS WITH CEDAR CLOSETS. HUGE REAR ENCLOSED PORCH. FINISHED BASEMENT WITH FIREPLACE. BALCONY OFF BASTER BEDROOM. NEW BOILER. 2-CAR GARAGE. A MUST SEE!

CLIFTON $475,000 00 LARGE TWO FAMILY HOME 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.

Sheila a Esd sda ailee

CLIFTON $549, 549,000 6 FAMILY HOME 5 อด TWO BEDROOM UNITS 1 อด ONE BEDROOM UNIT SEPARATE UTILITIES. FULL BASEMENT

Ja acqui Rogers

Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman

Marceliino Hernandez

Patrricia Velez

Nikola as Ralllii

Yanet Iturrald dee Santana

Roselyys Ramirez

Cesar Guzman

Francisco Sanchez

Micah FFrrancis

Evelyyn Munoz

Owen Ecclees

JJo oanna Arias

Emiliio Oscanoa Yanira Angelees

Bobby Persaud

Nina Robayo o

Jose TTrrinidad Tatiana Mosquera