Clifton Merchant Magazine - November 2014 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Table of Contents

What’s Inside? 6

Great Futures Continue Here CHS Principal Tony Orlando, CHS ‘76

18 Students of the Month Meets Five Outstanding Mustangs

22 Politics on Stage at CHS Their Brogues are from Brooklyn

24 Optimist Cup Bragging Rights Turkey Day Rivalry Begins with Hot Dogs

28 Mustang History of the Bell From the Erie Lackawanna Rail Line

32 Great Futures Start Here 66 The Cyran Brothers in Vietnam

At the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton

38 B&G Club History Timeline From its Origins in the Twenties to Today 16,000 Magazines

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Editor & Publisher Tom Hawrylko Business Manager Gabriella Marriello Graphic Designer Ken Peterson Contributing Writers Irene Jarosewich Domenick Reda Carol Leonard Michael Gabriele

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Celebrate at the Club on Nov. 21

56 The Club’s Chief Sales Guy John DeGraaf Seeks Sponsors

62 Vets Parade Grand Marshal

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72 Alzheimer’s Disease Month The Journey into the Sunset of His Life

94 Always Spooktacular! Halloween Parade & Harvestfest Pixs Visit cliftonmerchant.com for current & past issues

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By Michael C. Gabriele Clifton High School Principal Anthony Orlando fully understands that, these days, his job description involves not only being the chief administrator of academic, athletic and extra-curricular programs, but also serving as the de facto chief executive officer and marketing coordinator in a highly competitive secondary school business environment. He also knows how important it is to choose the right words and proper tone of voice when communicating 6 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

with students, in order to help them to succeed. Even the simplest encounter might change the course of a young person’s life. It’s a lesson he learned years ago as a student Christopher Columbus Junior High School (Middle School). In today’s regional education market, it’s no secret that CHS, one of the largest high schools in the Garden State, faces significant challenges from private, parochial and county schools throughout Passaic, Bergen

and Essex counties, all of which are looking to recruit top student scholars, athletes and musicians living in Clifton. Orlando, who went through the city’s public school system, said his strategy is to meet this competition head on by underlining the existing strong “selling points” of CHS: a dynamic and diverse student body; a wealth of extra-curricular clubs and activities; a renowned marching band; and a plethora of advanced placement and honors course offerings. “Yes, we want to market our school,” declared Orlando, who is now in his second year at the helm of Pictured at left,it’s a typical day in the hallways of CHS as students stroll past their principal. At right, Anthony Orlando and his dad, also Anthony, pose on the front lawn of their home near School 1, in 1969.

CHS. “I never make any negative comments about other schools. We’re proud of what we have to offer.” Orlando said today’s decisions for selecting a high school resemble choices families make about where to send their students to colleges. “Parents want to make the best choices for their kids,” he said. “They have to decide whether they want a large or small high school environment. We have an open-door policy here at CHS. My job is to help parents make an educated choice. We’re proud of the diversity we have in town and in our school. We feel diversity is our strength. We think it benefits students, being in this environment for four years. Our school reflects our society.” The key, he said, is to provide outreach to engage families. The marketing strategy, shining a

Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Anthony Orlando spotlight on CHS, always begins with a team concept, according to Orlando. It’s a comprehensive effort that involves teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, coaches, support staff and ultimately the students themselves. “It’s the way we do things at CHS,” Orlando explained. “Everyone works collectively for the good of the school and the students.” Mustang Pride For teachers, it means embracing Orlando’s focus on school spirit, a campaign to boost morale and strengthen the academic environment. One day a month is dedicated as “Mustang Pride Day,” where teachers are encouraged to dress in Maroon & Gray CHS Mustang spirit wear. School spirit is also reflected in Orlando’s open-door policy of dealing with parents, teachers and the student body. Each day he literally (and perhaps symbolically) holds open the door to the main entrance of CHS as students begin their day. He also personally escorts prospec-

8 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Tony with his parents Tony and Irene Orlando in 1993.

tive students and their parents on guided tours of the campus. “The families ask good questions during the guided tours,” he said. “Parents are concerned about safety and security. They want their kids to have challenging academic courses. And they’re very interested in our clubs and activities. I always emphasize the importance of students being involved in activities outside the classroom.” The 2014/2015 CHS Clubs and Activities Directory lists 60 clubs that offer programs on the arts, community service, foreign languages, technology, business and academic enrichment. A sampling of choices includes the book review club, the computer club, the dance club, the financial management club, the Madrigals, the Math League, the National Honor Society, the robotics club and the student council. Last January’s open house at CHS tops the list of Orlando’s opendoor achievements, an event that will be reprised this school year.

It was an interactive day that included tours of the school’s media center, talks by coaches in the gymnasium, and tabletop displays of clubs. He said the clincher for the day was when the Mustang Band did their signature, high-energy “entry” into the auditorium and performed for the open-house attendees. The event already has paid dividends, sparking requests by families for individual school tours. “The word is getting out there,” he said. “We’re making progress.” One Day in the Locker Room Cordial, straight-forward and professional, Orlando is a thoughtful man who speaks clearly and succinctly, makes eye contact, and chooses his words carefully. It’s readily apparent that his thoughts on school spirit and promoting CHS are heartfelt— inspired by a hometown journey that began when he was a student at School One. Continued on page 14.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

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Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Joe Ingrassia is Sept.’s winner of Jonathan Green’s 2014 New American Lawn Contest. He is pictured with the DiDonna brothers Joe (CHS ‘03) and Nick (CHS ‘04) at their business, Charlie’s Nursery.

National Lawn Winner with Clifton Roots Clifton residents Joe and Nick DiDonna know what it takes to make a lawn stand out; just ask Joe Ingrassia, winner of Jonathan Green’s National Lawn Contest for September 2014. The DiDonna brothers, who own Charlie’s Nursery in North Arlington with their father Nick, told Ingrassia about the contest two years ago and turned him on to the lawn care products which resulted in his award winning lawn. “I had a major operation and I had to stop working,” said Ingrassia who was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer at the time. “I was recovering, bouncing off the walls. I could only do limited exercise so I figured, let me do the lawn.” At the time Ingrassia, by his own admission, described his lawn as needing work. “It went from a sandlot to a nice looking lawn,” he said. “I sent a picture of the lawn for the contest as a lark, and low and behold, I won.” Until a couple of years ago, Ingrassia was busy with work and did not have time to pay a lot of attention to his lawn. “I didn’t have the time or interest before,” he said. “Now I look forward to it. After I do it, I usually get a cold drink and admire it. I get tired, but on most days I feel good.” Ingrassia got the news, a gift certificate and a chance to win a grand prize from Rich Imlay, a representative with Jonathan Green. “It took two seasons to get to this point,” Ingrassia explained. “The guys at Charlie’s are really nice people. And so is Rich from Jonathan Green. They cover everything from soup to nuts.”

12 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Jonathan Green, which started in Kearny, is a family owned company that supplies grass seed, fertilizers and other lawn care products. So what was Ingrassia’s secret to a great looking lawn? “It’s a combination of superior grass seed and stimulated soil biology,” Imlay said. “No plant feeds on its own, nor does it work without biological stimulation. It needs airflow and proper PH.” Imlay said most important is timing, and Ingrassia did everything the right way. “It’s also tender loving care,” Imlay said. “He followed the timeline carefully. Timing is very important.” Jonathan Green uses a combination of natural and synthetic fertilizers to accomplish that result. “It’s all part of the fertilizer,” he said. “You have to reduce pesticides. When you over use pesticides, you do damage. Earth worms and ants are our friends.” And with the winter coming, Ingrassia is preparing his lawn for that as well. “I cut the lawn a little lower and I put winter fertilizer down until March,” he said. “The fall feed helps the lawn as it lays dormant over the winter. Joe DiDonna agreed with Imlay: Ingrassia did everything the right way. ”We are very proud to be a part of this achievement,” he said. “Working with Joe and helping him turn his lawn from a zero lawn into an award winning hero lawn takes time, dedication and knowledge. Being a family owned and operated small business like this shows that we can work face to face and hands on with our customers to give them great results that they can be proud of, unlike the big box stores.”

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Anthony Orlando One family connection has an important link to the school district’s history. Years ago Langley Claxton, his mom’s cousin, staked his claim to fame as a CHS administrator when he hired Joe Grecco, the city’s legendary football coach. As a student at Christopher Columbus during the early 1970s, Orlando candidly described himself as a quiet kid, somewhat intimidated by his surroundings. “I kept my head down and my mouth shut,” he confessed. And yet, despite the restrained, low-key conduct he imposed upon himself, there was one transcendent moment that became the fulcrum of his life. It involved a man named Bob Roberts, a physical education teacher. One day Orlando and other students were getting changed in the school locker room following gym class. A loud, semi-obnoxious youngster began needling Roberts in a sarcastic tone of voice, saying: “Hey, Mr. Roberts, what does it take to be a gym teacher?” The question clearly carried a disrespectful edge. However, Roberts took it in stride and calmly answered the student. “It’s a lot harder than you think,” he said. “You have to go to college and the course work is demanding. You have to take science, anatomy and physiology of exercise classes. You have to be very dedicated and take an interest in your students. The only guy in this locker room right now who could handle a program like that is Orlando.” The statement was unexpected and took several seconds to sink in. Initially, Orlando was stunned, but in a curious way he wasn’t embarrassed and didn’t feel awkward. Instead, the words by Roberts emboldened him.

Former School 12 Principal Sal Anzaldi recalled passing the crown for the King of Botany schools to Tony Orlando the day Anzaldi retired on June 26, 2007. “For years I dressed on Halloween with a black robe, a silver sash, a big heart on my chest with that crown. When Tony interned for me he was simply the Prince of Botany Schools. Then he became principal of the new School 17 and he would tell people he was the King. I had to reiterate that he was only the Prince until I retired and officially passed the crown onto him.”

He went home that day and told his parents he knew what he wanted to be when he was grown up. After graduating from CHS in 1976, Orlando earned his undergraduate degree at Montclair State University (MSU) in 1980. Following college, he applied for a job in the Clifton School District. “I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.” He was hired by Bob Roberts as a gym teacher and a coach at Christopher Columbus. “I used to tell people I had the best job in America—being a middle school phys ed teacher. Every day was fun.” Orlando spent 20 years as a teacher at Christopher Columbus and one year as an administrative intern. During this period he garnered two master’s degrees: the first at MSU, the second at New Jersey City University. Dr. Bob Valenti was the principal of the middle school, and he proved to be a mentor, especially in the areas of interpersonal skills and legal issues in the field of education.

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Anthony Orlando Then, with a master’s degree in school administration and supervision in hand, Orlando was ready for a challenge and a change. He became the assistant principal at School 12, working under Sal Anzaldi (the brother of Clifton Mayor James Anzaldi), who became another trusted mentor. “Sal had a common-sense approach to practices related to education issues,” he Tony and his wife Kathy with their daughters Kara, Lisa and Jenna. recalled. “He knew how to handle disciDuring his 35 years as an educator in Clifton, Orlando pline. He knew how to deal with different kinds of peohas coached lacrosse, football, soccer and girls basketple.” The Orlando and Anzaldi families were neighbors ball. Along with his many joys from a career in education, in the area of town between Route 46 and Clifton he has experienced his share of personal tragedy. His Stadium. mom, dad and sister Flo all succumbed to cancer. He also The shift to being an administrator was a major decilost his best friend, Dan Dolinsky to the disease. Orlando sion for Orlando. His wife Kathy strongly encouraged and Dolinsky graduated together at CHS, played lacrosse him to make the move. together at MSU, and both started their careers as teach“She thought I would be good at it,” he said. As it ers in the Clifton School District. turned out, the timing was right and the progression of In his years working as a teacher, coach and adminishis career panned out well. Orlando spent three years at trator, Orlando kept in touch with Bob Roberts, who has School 12 and then was hired as the principal of School since retired and now resides in Florida. The two men 17, which opened in 2004. He tapped as the principal at became close and coached freshman football together at CHS just prior to the start of the 2013 school year. CHS, leading the team to an undefeated 8-0-1 record in 1990. One day on the team bus, the two were engaged in a conversation. Orlando seized the moment and said: “Coach, you know why I became a teacher? It’s because of you.” Orlando then recounted the story about the Christopher Columbus locker room. Roberts sat back, smiled and simply said he didn’t recall the episode. Today, that moment in the locker room continues to resonate with Orlando. More than just a sentimental memory, it has molded his philosophy as an educator and opened his eyes to the profound significance of even the most ordinary interaction with students. It’s the notion that, on any given day, teachers, mentors and coaches have the opportunity to inspire someone—identifying a gift within a person that hasn’t yet been fully realized. “It makes me think about what I say to a kid before I say it,” Orlando said. “As a teacher and a coach, you never know what kind of an impact you’re going to have on a young person’s life. You always have to encourage students, keep the message positive.” For Orlando and his students, this is the guiding message as the school year unfolds, Mustang Pride stays strong and the doors remain open. 16 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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Your homeowner’s policy does not cover flood damage. Clifton Merchant • November 2014

By Domenick Reda Meet our CHS Students of the Month, selected by the VPs of each wing. Do Unto Others Mark Glodava firmly believes in a couple of principles: work hard and treat others with respect. “I believe in treating others the way I wish to be treated,” said the North Wing Mark Glodava Alaa Khalil senior. “Since Pre-K my parents instilled in me that education and religion are a very therapy to help other athletes “heal important part of my life.” their injuries” and optimize perPrior to Clifton High School, Glodava formance. studied at Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Glodava recommends sports and Catholic School. “There I received a great clubs at CHS, as well as the education and religious foundation, which Students at Montclair Program. has prepared me for high school and hopeWhat makes the high school fully college,” he said. experience special for him? Glodava’s favorite subject is biology, for Glodava said it’s all about the peotwo reasons: the subject matter and the ple he has met along the way at teacher, Steven Meck. “I find biology very CHS. “The best thing about high interesting, expecially learning about the school is meeting great friends and human body and how it works,” he said. teachers,” he said. “They really “The other reason is Mr. Meck. He is a Maryen Girgis inspired me to do better, everyday.” great teacher. He makes class fun and interesting, which makes you want to learn.” Adjusting to Change Apart from academics, Glodava has always had a pasFor Senior Class President Alaa Khalil, becoming a sion for soccer, which he started playing recreationally as student at CHS was not easy. a five-year-old growing up in Clifton. At nine he joined “I was not in Clifton public schools until 7th grade,” a travel team. “ Today I love soccer even more, if that’s recalled Khalil, a senior in the South Wing. “Then I went possible,” he said. to Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Afterwards, I came Currently Glodava plays for the Clifton Stallions travstraight to the main campus of the high school, which el team and he loves the game so much, he also plays in was a huge transition.” a few youth Fustal leagues during the winter. “There is Khalil said the biggest difference between the middle no off-season for me in soccer,” he said. school and the high school is the size. “WWMS is really Glodava also volunteers at The Boys and Girls Club small,” she remembered. “It has only two floors and of Clifton as a soccer coach. much fewer students than CHS.” But once she adjusted, He hopes to continue playing soccer after high Khalil made friends, mainly through her involvement in school and eventually receive a doctorate in physical 18 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

athletics. “I run cross country and the Appreciate the Teachers 800 meter race during indoor and outMaryen Girgis, an East Wing 12th door track seasons,” she said. “After a grader, believes good teachers make all long day at school, seeing my teamthe difference. mates lightens up my day.” “The best thing about CHS is its Khalil said that bond between teachers,” said Girgis, who listed teammates was her best experience. Meck, Daniel Chilowicz, Josephine “They taught me how to laugh off the Altherr, Rosamaria DeFeo, Joseph worst of experiences,” she said. Feely, Daniela Buzzelli and Elizabeth Khalil encourages students to get Eisenmenger as great influences. “The involved. “The best thing about CHS is teachers are here because they want to Jessica Goldberg all that it has to offer,” she said. “There help you,” she said. “Not only textbook are so many clubs and other extra-curlessons, but life lessons.” ricular activities that will help you love your high school Girgis’ favorite subject is math “because of Mr. Feely experience. Join a team because the relationship created and Mrs. Buzzelli,” she said. “I aspire to have a career in between teammates is one that will never be broken.” science or math.” When it comes to academics, Khalil has two subjects Besides math, Girgis loves to write and twice won she favors. “I never thought I'd say this, but my favorite first place for Clifton’s Youth Week Essay contest. She is subjects are history and social studies,” she said. also involved with the Italian Club where she won secShe credits teachers Michael Rogers and Christopher ond place in a poetry contest. She is also treasurer of the Henry for her new found passion. “They taught me to Drama Club and volunteered for Sea Side clean up in appreciate the past and how to learn from it,” she said. 2012. In the future, Khalil wants to be a physical therapist. But she said her best experience was during history “Maybe right here in Clifton,” she said. class. “I enjoyed Mr. Henry’s review sessions,”

Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Students of the Month she recalled. “I especially liked the practice exams. It was fun to learn when the teacher was going above and beyond to help us on the exam.”

She said her best experience during high school was spending time with her two best friends: Maria Kutyla and Mari Angel Rodriguez. “If I had the chance to meet with younger students, I would tell them that the best thing about CHS is the diversity,” she said. “Everyone in our school is so different, yet you can find something in common with everyone you meet.”

A Musical Mustang “The past four years of my life have been dominated by music,” said Central Wing 12th grader Jessica Goldberg. “Since freshmen year, I’ve taken part in the Mustang Marching Band, orchestra, concert band, freshmen and friends ensemble, pit band, Hard Work and Perseverance and now I’m treasurer of the Tri M James Thomas, a 12th grade Annex James Thomas Music Honor Society.” student, worked hard this past year, Goldberg lists Meck and Janice earning him a place among the CHS Delorenzo, for biology and psychology respectively, as Students of the Month. “In previous years I did very her favorite teachers. “They both make learning the subpoorly and could care less,” said Thomas, who applied ject so interesting and I looked forward to going to their for the ASPIRE program in the spring of 2013. ASPIRE classes everyday,” she said. provides outreach to students with academic difficulties. Goldberg wants to study biology in college and Since becoming involved in ASPIRE, he has worked become a pediatrician. “I love working with children,” hard to rebuild his grades and set goals for his future. she said. Goldberg currently volunteers at Mt. Sinai Thomas said his best experience was “meeting cool Hospital. people,” adding that he would tell other students about the benefits of the ASPIRE program if given the opportunity. He said the smaller classes in the Annex, and the great teachers, make for a better learning environment 509 Hazel Street • Clifton • 973-772-1333 for students. Catering for all Occasions • mountainsideinn.com Staff members say Thomas is inquisitive, focused, Book now for friendly and gets along well with everyone. Looking ahead, he is considering becoming an astronomer or a computer technician. In his spare time he likes to bike and skate around Clifton.

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An All-Star Quartet; Four CHS Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program CHS Principal Anthony Orlando has announced the four students who have been commended in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program. The students— Nikola Kamcev, Rebekah Kusher, Francis Ledesma and Samantha Zalewska—are among only 34,000 students throughout the nation who are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. The commended students placed among the top 5 percent of the more than 1.5 million that entered the competition by taking the SAT/National Merit Scholarship Test.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

On Stage at CHS

With the past election season as a fulcrum, CHS teacher and director David Arts is directing “Hogan’s Goat.” The play takes place in Brooklyn in 1890, and focuses on the political intrigue of a mayoral campaign. The show will be staged on Nov. 11 at 7:30 pm, Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm, and a matinee on Nov. 23, at 2 pm. Cast members, many veterans of the JFK stage, pictured from left front are, Maura Huelbig, leads Natalia Piekarus and Mateusz Kowalcyzk, Noor Abedrabbo, Julianna Finocchiaro, Rebekah Kusher, and Mari Angel Rodriguez. From left second row: Alejandro Joewono, Monika Dlugoosz, Christopher Reyes, Kevin Kornecki, and Kylie Marie Gonzalez. Not pictured: Andrew De Jesus. Written by William Alfred, the story focuses on life in Brooklyn before it was incorporated with other boroughs to form New York City. Arts said the cast is filled with colorful characters, ”high- and low-class folks of that era: priests, nuns, and back-room political operators.” All of the characters in the play speak with an Irish brogue. The original Off-Broadway production opened on Nov. 11, 1965. Alfred won the Drama Desk Award for “Best Playwright.” 22 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Optimist Cup

The Optimist Clubs of Clifton & Passaic present...

HOT DOG NIGHT Mustangs and Indians will meet for the Hot Dog Night before their bands, teams and cheerleader compete in Passaic on Thanksgiving Day. Pictured front from left, Breanna Calderon, Ariel Velez, Dana Drobenak, Shanice Polanco; second row, left, Josiah Belfield, Stephen Lazorchak, Patrick Henry, Tyshawn Bunting.

As the ‘Friends of Youth,’ members of the Optimist Club are well aware that the best way to a football player’s heart is through his stomach. As such, the organization will host its annual Hot Dog Night, an event that celebrates the traditional Clifton versus Passaic Thanksgiving Day football rivalry. On Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 6:30 pm, football players, cheerleaders, band members, trainers and coaches will enjoy a fun meal at the Athenia Veterans Hall, 147 24 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Huron Ave., beginning at 6:30 pm. They’ll dine on franks and fries and size up their rivals. There will be cheers, table banging and good natured jeering, as competitors meet face-to-face before the 86th Thanksgiving Day clash between the two schools. The game this year, on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 27) kicks off 10:30 am at Boverini Stadium in Passaic. Clifton currently leads the series, which began in 1923, 44-36-5.

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Optimist Cup Last year the Mustangs defeated Passaic, 21-6, while Passaic prevailed in 2012, 29-0. The Optimist Club Trophy will be presented after the game, along with ‘Most Valuable Player’ awards for members of each team on offense and defense. The players will be selected by the opposing team’s athletic director. The Hot Dog Night began in the 1990s as a way to help foster harmony between the two schools. To Optimist Club members, with chapters in both Clifton and Passaic, the game and hot dog event serve as a way to let players know that, despite wearing different uniforms, they can still be friends. At the Nov. 19 event, one designated student from each team will speak about his experiences on the field and in the classroom. There also will be presentations on the history of the rivalry between the schools. The goal is to have student-athletes truly ‘recognize’ each other, not only as competitors, but also as neighbors. The students eat for free, but feeding 400 hungry teenagers can be expensive, so Optimist Club members are selling tickets to help defray costs. The public is invited to attend and adult tickets are $10 per person. To support the cause, contact Clifton Merchant Publisher Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400.

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Mustang History

Ring the Bell...Touchdown! By Robert Wahlers

Frank Pecci, a former member of the Clifton Board of Education, fondly recalled the sound of the train locomotive bell at football games, which was donated by the Erie Lackawanna Railroad in December 1953 to promote good sportsmanship and fair play in high school sports. “I remember whenever Clifton scored a touchdown, the cheerleaders would ring the bell. People in the stands who weren’t familiar with the tradition would start turning around and wondering where this booming sound was coming from,” said Pecci, who served on the board during the 1970s and again in the 1990s. He laments that this “bell of honor” has been silenced in recent years. “It was such a great tradition,” said Pecci, who won All-American honors while playing under football coach Joe Grecco at Clifton High School in the early 1950s. “Just like West Point has its mule and Navy its goat, the Mustangs had their bell. I sure would like to hear it start ringing again.” Pecci, who lived in Clifton for 65 years, now spends his retirement at his home in Barnegat and still travels north several times during the high school football season to root for the Mustangs. How did the bell come to Clifton? Pecci said because the now-defunct railroad used to run trains through Clifton and Passaic, Erie Lackawanna executives thought it would be a nice gesture to donate a brass bell from one of their locomotives to the towns they had served for so long. According to Pecci, the way the rules were set up, whoever won the Clifton-Passaic football game would get to keep the bell on their turf until the next contest. If one of those teams won the battle between the rivals three years in a row, the victorious team would have the honor of providing a permanent home for the bell. “Clifton did sweep the necessary three times to win the right to the bell. But then, for some reason, it stopped being used,” Pecci said. “It would be displayed once in 28 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

a whole season and then placed in storage underneath the stands at the stadium.” It was there that the bell sat for some 15 years, unprotected and deteriorating from the elements. Pecci said after he joined the board of education in 1971 and was appointed to the buildings and grounds committee, he began poking around in the storage area underneath the stands and discovered the bell. He decided to revive the tradition. “I couldn’t believe all of the stuff that was there. We must have removed 50 truckloads. While we were going through all of this junk, low and behold, there sat the bell.” With the help of the school’s maintenance department, the bell, which Pecci estimates has a weight of

At left, a Fighting Mustang with the famous bell during the 2006 state sectional championship run. Pictured above, three Mustang All Americans (Frank Pecci, the only Junior All American in the history of New Jersey, Ray Malavasi and Bobby Boettcher), were honored by the Saint & Sinners Society in the 1990s. At right, Passaic Indian Coach Manlio Boverini, who died Sept. 15, 2005.

about 200 pounds, was restored to its former luster and mounted on a platform that could be wheeled out to the field during games. Then one year, right before the Clifton-Passaic game, the bell vanished. “Clifton and Passaic both had good teams that year and everybody was looking forward to the game,” Pecci said. “The story of the missing bell made the newspapers and the police began an investigation. Turns out that Passaic had come into the stadium at night and taken the bell. At first, it looked like it might lead to some bad blood, but it was all really done as a prank. It was just like the Navy guys trying to get the Army’s mule and the cadets going after the Navy’s mascot right before their big game. We got the bell back before the game. I think the incident caused a lot of excitement.”

Manlio Boverini, the late athletic director for Passaic High School, interviewed several years ago, picked up the story. “A couple of the coaches went there and put the bell in a van and took it back with us. It was always our contention that the bell didn’t belong to Clifton. “They won the last game between us before the Passaic Valley Conference broke up,” he continued. “So they said the bell belonged to them. We disagreed and finally decided it was time to do something about it. “After we took the bell, we started getting calls from the school and finally the police called. After talking with them, I made them understand it was all done in fun and just a matter of a long-time rivalry between two schools. But they said, ‘you still have to give it back.’ And we did.”

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Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Great Futures

By Tom Hawrylko

Volunteer. Contributor. Member. Coach. Parent. Player. Mentor. Friend. Chances are, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all passed through the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton in one of these roles. This is the place where generations of good have come together, a place that is forever a Clifton jewel. So with their 8th annual Alumni Beefsteak set for Nov. 21 (tickets and info at 973773-0966), we collected pages of then and now photos and stories to tell about where the club originated. Our reporting also explains where the club stands today and the ever-evolving future plans offered by its staff and many volunteers. 32 November 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Great Futures The Origins The late 1940s and 1950s was an interesting time in Clifton history. America had just begun her recovery from World War II. It was the Cold War age when ‘duck and cover’ was taught in schools, when Father Knows Best was a reflection of reality, and people began to pay more attention to the concerns of their children and teenagers. In 1947 a group of 13 women known as The Women’s Council for the Boys Club of Clifton under the leadership of Mrs. Suzanne Poles, along with the Clifton Kiwanis Club, realized there was a growing need for a program for young boys in the Clifton community. Since then, the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton has offered young people a safe, fun place to develop skills, self-confidence and other qualities needed to become responsible citizens and leaders. “It was the place to go” says Boys Club alum and lifelong resident of Clifton, Lou Poles. “I was 12 years old when my mother, David Walker and Steve Dudiak had the idea to start the club down in Botany.” Recognizing the need for such a place for young boys was only the beginning. Finding a location for the club was the next step towards establishing the organization. “We started at School #7 with 30 or so boys two nights a week, but more and more boys joined and eventually the club needed a larger location,” explained Frank Carlet, an original Boys Club member. “They bought an old bar over on Center St. It was one big room, but they made the old kitchen a game room with weights and other activities.” He recalled that the floor in the back room of the club “was on a downward angle and anything placed on the floor would roll down the incline. Always a source of tremendous amusement.” Lou Poles’ remembers: “We 34 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Indoor soccer league teams coached by Bob Foster (top) and Tom Hawrylko (bottom) in the late 1990s. The center photo is a recent photo at the club.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Great Futures

The Boys & Girls Club Seahawks today on a recent trip to compete in Florida and at right, a 1999 group.

would walk across the street to Domian’s Hall now The Courtside Pub, and use the basketball courts in the back.” Boys Club alum and former CHS teacher Al Carline recalls walking to the Passaic Boys Club to use the pool. “We would swim in our birthday suits because the Passaic Boys Club was afraid that our bathing suits could come off and clog the pool filters.” He laughed shaking his head. “What can I tell you? Different times.”

recreation, leadership and character development programs. There are more than 5,300 registered members, with 314 in the Early Childhood department, 1,525 in the After School and Summer Camp, 3,012 participating in Youth Swim Lessons, and over 1,000 competing in Youth Sports Programs.

Hot dogs, Hot Dogs...Bow Wow Wow Alumni from the early days of the Clifton Boys Club seem to have one memory in common. “Hot dog nights were the best! They were boiled hot dogs but we didn’t care.” Carline laughs and continues: “We would be eating our hot dogs while watching Dracula and Wolfman movies on one of those big old movie projectors and we would chant: Hot dogs, hot dogs …Bow wow wow…Eat em up, eat em up, eat em up NOW! Today’s club puts emphasis on educational achievement and career preparation in addition to the sports,

Volunteers Needed The 2014 operating budget is over $3.8 million, and hot dogs alone can’t sustain essential programs. The Boys & Girls Club relies on people throughout the community to donate, volunteer, coach teams, become board members and attend fund-raising events. The club will kick off its annual ‘Great Futures Campaign’ Nov. 24, 6 pm at Shannon Rose in Clifton Commons. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For information, call 973-773-0966, extension 111, or email jdegraaf@bgcclifton.org.

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Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

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1966—The Girls Club was founded by Donna Aiello, a first for New Jersey. Charles Manella, pictured right, helped support it, offering his East First St. address as the first home of the Girls Club in August. The first official home of Girls Club was 1241 Main Ave. Eventually, the Girls Club purchased their own building–an old post office on the corner of Van Houten and Mt. Prospect Avenues. 1968—A provisional membership certificate for the Girls Club was issued by the national organization. 1970—Full membership for the Girls Club was granted.

Clifton Merchant • November 2014

1970s

1974–Dolores Colucci was named executive director of the Girls Club in July. 1978–Clifton’s first after-school day care program is opened at the Girls Club, with 30 children.

A time when the Boys Club tag line was ‘The Club that beats the streets,’ the Clifton Club remained true to its traditions. The club featured ‘Gym & Swim’ programs as well as its wood shop classes, its ‘802’ room for teen members and the traditional Turkey shoot, Santa House, Winter ‘Penny’ Carnivals, and family movie and Bingo nights. Camp Clifton in Jefferson Township was in its second decade of serving over 500 day and overnight campers. It was directed by the Golden Chiefs, Severin Palydowycz and Thomas ‘Doc’ Fedor. The Boys Club membership ranged between 1,500 -- 1,800 youth, with the boys always outnumbering the girls 2 to 1. The club’s operating budget was several hundred thousand dollars and funds came from the United Way, its Annual Golf Outing at the Upper Montclair County Club, Bingo, the Annual Appeal and raffles. In the early 1970s, the Seahawks competitive swim team, led by coaches Joann Rean and Bill 40 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

O’Neill, competed in the New Jersey Swim League. In 1976, the club started the Winter Indoor Soccer League, WISL, now in its 39th season, serving 500 athletes and 48 teams in 6 divisions. The club’s competitive basketball teams traveled to compete against the Garfield, Paterson and Newark Boys Clubs. In 1979, the Teen Center and Social Hall opened to expand services to better serve teens. The Social Hall turned into a community fund-raising hall, which was home to beefsteaks and Chinese auctions. The Teen Center became the place to go for many of Clifton teens.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

1980s

1986–The Girls Club building is sold and clubs consolidate to form the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton, at 820 Clifton Ave. Dolores Colucci named executive director.

As the Club moved into the 1980s and membership expanded into the 2,000s with both parents in the workplace, the club grew to serve childcare needs when schools were out of session. The club began opening from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm on school holidays and started a ‘Camp At Home’ summer day camp with over 200 members staying at the club facility for an eight week summer day camp program. The Teen Program expanded with dances, concerts, arcade games and a music and TV lounge. In 1982 the Teen Council was formed to help operate the programs, selecting local bands and setting up community service projects and activities for young people. The club also had a Teen Leadership Club and Keystone Karacters, which traveled to National BGCA conferences across the country. In 1986, the club merged with the Girls Club and started to offer 42 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

bussing from the Clifton schools to the club after school every day for working parents. In addition, the club operated an early childhood pre-school and Oasis shelter for youth in trouble. Club recreational leagues, cheerleading, swim team expanded, while the travel basketball team continued to grow. The club’s basketball team won the NJJBL Championship by going undefeated in 1986 under the leadership of coach Tom DiDonna.

By calling for other banks to do their part, the Board of Directors of Clifton Savings Bank in 1998 was hoping to triple its investment in the young people of the Clifton area. The Board presented a check for $150,000 to the Clifton Boys and Girls Club for its capital campaign--and has challenged other Clifton banks to collectively contribute $450,000 in matching funds. “This project will benefit everyone in our community,” explained Kenneth H. Van Saders, then President & Secretary of Clifton Savings Bank. “Our

board felt that by rallying other banks to join in, we could maximize the effectiveness of our contribution. With more than a dozen banks in our town, I’m confident that they will meet the challenge. It will really make a dramatic difference.” Kenneth H. Van Saders, President & Secretary of Clifton Savings Bank; Gary Foerster, Dolores Colucci, Florence Cannizzo, Frank J. Hahofer. Back, from left: Clifton Savings Bank Directors John H. Peto; George F. Held, Jr., Vice Chairman of the Board; John A. Celentano, Jr.; Raymond L. Sisco; Joseph C. Smith and Thomas A. Miller.

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Our Thanks...

over a d Pancreatic Cancer for While my brother battle ones rk, spend time with loved year, he continued to wo il unt ing on the Red Napper and managed to keep fish nt wa to My mom Dorothy and I days before his death. a k the time to visit, send thank every one who too l ria mo me a t sen s ny folk card or say a prayer. Ma for e cur a earch into contribution to fund res ation, gh the Lustgarten Found ou thr r nce Pancreatic Ca thpage, NY 11714. 1111 Stewart Ave., Be

Don Knapp

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

48 November 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Members of the Class of 2014 earned about $66 million in scholarships and grants. Clifton graduates earned over $3 million of those scholarships and grants.

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Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Members of the Boys Club Choir performed at the 1964 Worlds Fair. The choir will be honored with a special award at the Nov. 21 Beefsteak dinner.

Great Futures... Started Here! By Michael C. Gabriele

Boys & Girls Club Honors Alumni Siblings will be among the noteworthy individuals celebrated by the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton, 181 Colfax Ave., as inductees into the club’s Hall of Fame. Induction ceremonies will take place during the club’s eighth annual alumni beefsteak dinner, which will be held Friday, Nov. 21, 7 to 11 p.m. This year’s list of honorees includes Anthony and Barry Tsouhnikas and Nicole and Nicholas Lavender. The beefsteak dinner is a fund-raiser for the organization, with money going towards an annual scholarship for a graduating senior at Clifton High School (CHS). For the siblings, as well as other Hall of Fame honorees and all those dedicated to the Boys & Girls Club, community service is a recurring, unifying theme that reflects their lives, values and accomplishments. Honorees typically say they have benefitted by the generosity and good will of those who came before them. “Giving back” to help others is their way of remaining true to that tradition. The club, for more than 60 years, has supported youth development activities in Clifton and provided community outreach to families. Giving back and community service are the foundations of the Boys & Girls Club, which is the premier youth service organization 50 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

in Clifton. These values are “evergreen” after six decades and continue to be relevant for those looking to develop their lives and careers in the “globally competitive information age” of the 21st century. “Our goal is to support our members in developing a mastery of core academic subjects while also integrating 21st century interdisciplinary themes of global awareness, financial, economic entrepreneurial and environmental literacy into academic areas,” the organization states in its education perspective literature. “We live in a technology and media-driven environment, marked by an access to abundance of information and the ability to make individual contributions on a wide scale. “To be effective in the 21st century, our members need to be able to exhibit a range of functional and critical-thinking skills,” the statement continues. “Members need to develop life and career skills of flexibility and adaptability, self-direction, social and crosscultural skills, productivity, accountability and leadership. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires members to pay attention to adequately developing these skills.”

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Hall of Fame been a volunteer with Catholic 2000s Charities and went to New The Tsouhnikas boys, who Orleans to rebuild homes reside on Joan Place, represent destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane the 2000s and have been memKatrina and is an annual particbers of the club for 15 years. ipant in the Clifton School Anthony Tsouhnikas said that District’s “Locks of Love” becoming a member of the hair-donation” program. Boys & Girls Club Hall of “The Boys and Girls Club is Fame represents an opportunity such a positive pillar in the to continue to “inspire the community for people of all youth of Clifton and be a posiages,” Nicole stated. “The club tive role model like so many provided me with various others were for me.” opportunities to participate in A full-time student/retail sports and other group activisales associate, Tsouhnikas is a ties. As I got older, I worked as candidate for a bachelor of arts part of the aquatics staff for degree in Science Business eight years. The club instilled Management and is slated to values in me and so many othgraduate from Felician ers, which have led us to lead College, Lodi and Rutherford, successful lives as adults. I feel in May 2015. A member of the it’s my responsibility to conFelician dean’s list, he is a stutinue encouraging children and dent/athlete representative at their families to become the NCAA Leadership Forum involved in all the club has to and the recipient of sports and offer.” academic scholarships. He parAnthony Tsouhnikas, his brother Barry and Nicholas Lavender was the ticipates as a volunteer coach Nicole Lavender are among the Hall of Famers for the era representing the 2000s. CHS Athlete of the Year 2010, for youth soccer. Soccer, busithe year he graduated. In 2014 he earned a bachelor’s ness, golf, football, hockey are among his passions. degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Barry Tsouhnikas, like his brother, plans to continue graduating with great honors in Engineering to be active in community youth programs. He serves Technology/Education. Earlier this year he began a as the assistant soccer coordinator for the Boys & Girls career in education as the STEM (Science, Technology, Club and is a soccer referee. Tsouhnikas works as a Engineering, and Mathematics) teacher at Randolph PGA apprentice professional, a retail sales associate of Middle School. He has maintained his interest in athletGolfsmith and is the program manager of the First Tee ics, organizing basketball clinics at the Boys & Girls of Northern New Jersey. Like his brother, he was on the Club and serving as a volunteer coach for the CHS dean’s list at Felician College and garnered an NCAA boy’s basketball team. athletic scholarship, along with an academic scholar“The Boys & Girls Club has had a major impact on ship at Felician. how my life has unfolded,” Nicholas said. “It continues Nicole and Nicholas Lavender are the other set of to represent a positive place for today’s youth by prosiblings representing the 2000s. For the last four years viding the necessary academic, social and athletic enviNicole has worked as a kindergarten teacher at School ronments that produces successful individuals. The #2. CHS class of 2005, she graduated Magna Cum club has instilled in me the fundamental qualities that Laude from The College of New Jersey and received a keep me motivated to make a difference in everything master’s degree in Education of the Deaf/Hard of that I accomplish.” Hearing and Elementary Education in 2010. She has 52 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

1990s The “Dutch Hill Boys”—Jogi Villallobos, Roy Bordamonte, Eddie Rowbotham, Og Quiri, Phillip Heisse, Mike Schmidt, Erly Bayuelo and Steve Feliciano—are the Hall of Fame inductees representing the 1990s. Robert Foster, the executive director of the Boys & Girls Club, recalled the Dutch Hill Boys, referring to them affectionately as “our typical club kids. They were here every day. They were a bunch of characters. Now their kids come to the club everyday.” One member of the group, Rowbotham, in 2011, was inducted as an individual into the club’s Hall of Fame, and this year he will be again honored, along with his buddies. Rowbotham works for the Passaic School District as the supervisor of health services and as the Affirmative Action officer. Renee Edwards, the supervisor of counseling (K to 12) for Passaic schools--who also took part in Boys & Girls Club activities--was pleased to learn the Dutch Hill Boys were being honored by the club. “They’ve all been tight and good friends for many years,” she said. “Yes, now their kids go to the club. Being part of the club has come full circle for them.”

Back in the 1990’s, from left, Bob Foster, award winner Eva Vega-Olds and Dolores Colucci.

Eva Vega-Olds also is being honored as a member of the Hall of Fame for the 1990s. She currently works as the anti-bias educator and director of research and communications for the Anti-Defamation League of New York. Vega-Olds earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Rutgers University and a master’s degree in Sociology at the New School for Social Research, New York.

Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Hall of Fame many hot dog nights, “sponsored by Athenia’s favorite son, Stanley Zwier, a former Clifton mayor. We were treated to a movie, hot dogs and lukewarm orange drinks. It was all free.” Brunett enjoyed a 40-year career as a communications and public relations professionGene Pami al, working with Columbia University’s Biosphere 2 Center and with prestigious news organi1980s zations such as CBS, Fox and Newsweek magazine. Paul Slater and Christine Morrison will enter the Stuckey, who resides in Wantage, spent seven years Hall of Fame as club members from the 1980s. Slater, with the Boys & Girls club (1963-1970). He is a retired a member of the detective bureau of the Passaic Police elevator construction mechanic and served with the Department, was with the club for eight years (1976 to West Paterson and Hardyston Township fire depart1984). He currently resides in Succasunna. ments. “Paul was a star athlete when he was a student at CHS,” Foster said. “He’s a man of few words. He ran 1950s our basketball and baseball programs at the club for Stellar athletes Gene Pami and William Zienkiewicz many years.” Slater’s charitable activities include New are being recognized as club alumni from the 1950s. Jersey Special Olympics, Morris Habitat for Humanity, Pami, a member of the CHS Class of 1951, was a star Autism Speaks and the New Jersey Chapter of the athlete in baseball, basketball and football. After gradLupus Foundation of America. uating from CHS, he signed with the St. Louis Morrison represents another sibling connection; her Cardinals minor league team and compiled a pitching sister Dawn also is a member of the Hall of Fame. record of 16-7. His pro baseball career was interrupted Foster recalled how Christine “found a home at the when he was drafted by the army and deployed as a solBoys & Girls Club. She was a very good swimmer and dier in the Korean War for 15 months. He returned to became one of our lifeguards. She also took part in our Clifton and played for the semi-pro Clifton Dodgers Keystone team leadership group.” Morrison has purbaseball team, eventually landing a job at the Passaic sued a career in sales and marketing. Valley Water Commission. Zienkiewicz looks back on his days at the Boys and 1970s Girls Club as carefree and fun. From his time in the Dave Rainone and Frank Salensky will be lauded as game room to honing his baseball skills, he enjoyed club members of from the 1970s. Rainone, who particparticipating in activities and looked up to mentors ipated with the club for 15 years, resides in East such as Bill DeGraaf and Frank Pecci. “Those guys Lansing, MI. He works as an accountant and earned a were my heroes,” he said, during a recent interview. MBA degree in Finance from Seton Hall University, “They were great all-around athletes and role models.” South Orange. He does community service work An outstanding baseball player, Zienkiewicz was a through his affiliation with Kiwanis International. first baseman during his CHS days. He had a pro baseball tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the early 1960s 1950s, when he met Gene Hermanski, who had “a Roy Brunett and Edward Stuckey are inductees who handshake like a polar bear.” were active during the 1960s. A resident of Raleigh, The two men hit it off well due to their shared Polish NC, Brunett, in his biography notes, recalled that he practically “lived at the club. My home was on Colfax ancestry. Hermanski was an outfielder and a member of Ave and I could be at the club in no time. The club prothe Dodgers on April 15, 1947, the day Jackie Robinson vided opportunities for me to feel special and succeed.” debuted at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and broke major Among his fondest memories, he enjoyed the club’s league baseball’s racial color line. Hermanski used his “I look forward to reconnecting with the (Clifton) community and raising awareness of the impact of after-school education, athletics and leadership opportunities for youth. I also look forward to helping to raise money for such a wonderful organization.”

54 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

powerful handshake to warmly greet Robinson on the baseball diamond and in the clubhouse--one of the few players to do so in those early days. Baseball was a “personal awakening” for Zienkiewicz, which inspired other aspects of his life and career. Following the tryout, he worked in the chemical business, where he accumulated enough funds to take over his father’s business, Clifton Reliable Movers. Today he is retired and resides in his home on Grove St. He also was a superb musician and played sax and clarinet with Bill Plaza orchestra for many years. Despite his vivid memories, Zienkiewicz is playfully evasive about his age, saying only that he is “39 and holding.”

World’s Fair in New York, and the club’s 1982 first Teen Council participants will be cited for special awards during Hall of Fame festivities. Koziol, a 1983 graduate of CHS, died in Miami on March 3 following a brief illness. He was 48. Koziol was an outstanding soccer player during his years at CHS, garnering all-state and all-county honors. Nino Lupi, the founder of the Clifton Stallions soccer club, was one of his local mentors. Koziol attended Loyola College in Maryland and was a soccer All-American, leading the team to two NCAA quarterfinal appearances. He also played professional soccer for nine years and took part in the Stan Koziol 1994 World Cup qualifying tournament. He worked as an investment banker while living in Florida. Tickets for the Nov. 21 beefsteak dinner are $40 per Special Awards person. Call the club at 973-773-0966 to reserve tickets Stan Koziol, along with members of the choir and or to become a sponsor. orchestra that took part in “Clifton Day” during the 1964

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Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Great Futures

SERVING THE HOMETOWN By Jack De Vries When John DeGraaf looks back, it’s clear and simple – his life has always been centered on Clifton. His family’s Dutch name is ingrained in the city’s history. It adorned the cold milk bottles placed in metal boxes on residents’ porches, delivered each morning before dawn. In the fifties, it was emblazoned in newspaper headlines over stories detailing the exploits of his uncle Billy DeGraaf, an athlete many consider Clifton’s greatest. DeGraaf will take the name recognition if that’s what gets him in the door – to start a conversation, to talk about his employer’s good works. He’ll smile at the memories and maybe add a story of his own. But soon, he’ll turn the conversation to the future – specifically the future of 5,300 Clifton children, their families and a host of seniors who benefit by the cornerstone group of buildings on Clifton Ave., just down from City Hall. Yes, it’s always been about the hometown. John DeGraaf is the Clifton Boys & Girls Club’s resource development director, and he needs your help. “My job is to get more people giving to the Boys & Girls Club,” DeGraaf says. “By doing this, we’re able to keep membership dues low so kids who need us most can afford to come to the club.” The kids do. The club averages more than 1,250 members using its facilities and programs daily. It’s open 314 days a year and operates programs for 15 hours and 30 minutes each day, Monday thru Friday. By comparison, Clifton’s popular Costco warehouse is only open 10 hours and 30 minutes each day. Outside of city services like the police and fire departments, diners, and all-night convenience stores, no institution stands ready to serve Clifton more. The club focuses on developing its members in five core areas: education and career, character and leader56 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

ship, health and life skills, and the arts and sports, fitness and recreation. It also provides pre-school and after school day care, along with programs that address substance and violence abuse. Members can participate in health and fitness programs, as well as literacy activities, including library, tutoring and homework help. The club features workshops on computers, fine arts, theater and music, and provides meeting space for many senior and non-profit organizations. And then there’s swimming – the club is known for aquatics program which has been growing strong since the new pool was built in 2000. The club charges members $40 per year and wants to hold that price firm. It’s not easy.

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Great Futures Helping develop young people – some from disadvantaged backgrounds – into responsible, thriving, and self-confident adults takes money – lots of it. According to the Clifton Boys and Girls Club’s 2013 annual report, membership dues account for only 58 percent of its $3.8 million operating budget. The club realizes just over 19 percent of its budget from grants and contracts, donations, and much smaller percentage from facility and pool rentals and United Way support, and receives no funding from city tax dollars. That leave a nearly 23 percent budget hole, and that’s where DeGraaf comes in. Despite being charged with fundraising more than $800,000 each year, he is undaunted and ready for the challenge. “This was a dream come true to come back here to this town,” says the 1982 CHS graduate. “It’s an inspiration for me to be able to help other kids from our community.”

Hometown Guy DeGraaf grew up on Luddington Ave., attending School 3, Christopher Columbus Junior High, and later Clifton High. At CHS, he met his future wife Maria, also a 1982 graduate. “We met in gym class,” he says. “I asked her out while we were practicing for the graduation ceremony.” The couple celebrated 27 years of marriage on Halloween and have two sons: Alec, 24, and John, 22, also Clifton High graduates. Like his famous Uncle Bill, who excelled in football and baseball and went on to star for Cornell University, DeGraaf played ball at Nash Park and later performed for Clifton High on the football, basketball and baseball teams through his sophomore year. “Then I started having other interests,” he remembers. “I was nowhere near the athlete my Uncle Bill was. I started thinking about college. I knew even back then I wanted to focus on business and finance.”

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Join us Wednesday, December 3rd at 7:15 pm Please join us as we open our doors to assist individuals who have experienced the death of a family member or close friend. This program is our way of reaching out to families we have served, and to others in our community, to let them know that they are not alone this holiday season. Everyone is welcomed to attend our memorial program. The program is free. Reservations requested, but not required. Please call 973-249-6111.

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James J. Marrocco Manager, NJ Lic No. 3320 Michael A. Waller - Director • John Opuda Jr., - Director

His father, John DeGraaf Sr., worked as a milkman for DeGraaf Dairies during the seventies. The wellknown city dairy was located on Van Houten Ave. where a Walgreens now stands and was owned by his grandfather Bernard and great-Uncle Sam. As people began buying milk from the supermarket and canceling home delivery, DeGraaf’s father prepared for his next career. While working as a milkman, he studied to become a teacher and went on to teach elementary school at School 8 in Passaic. The father’s job change to a career where he could help children would act as a roadmap for the son. After graduating from CHS, DeGraaf earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, also studying accounting. He worked in freight management for 10 years, but wanted more. “I was looking to make a career change,” he recalled. “I wanted to better use what I studied. Because of my background in accounting, I got a job with a Passionate Ministries Church in Union City. A priest ran the office for about 25 years. In 1998, I took over his position as resource development director.” While there, DeGraaf earned a master’s degree from Mercy College, and worked for a Franciscan Mission Ministry in Manhattan.

But in 2011, his life took a turn. “My father was sick,” DeGraaf remembers. “He had Alzheimer’s Disease. (see story page 72) My mother used to call me all the time and say, ‘You have to come home.’ I spent a lot of time taking care of my dad. With the commute from Manhattan, it got to be too much. So I took a job closer to home and it was great because I got to to take care of him.” DeGraaf worked briefly for the Boy Scouts of America in Oakland. While there, his father died the day before Father’s Day, June 2012. Several months later, DeGraaf replied to an advertisement for someone with experience in resource development. “That’s how I came to the Boys & Girls Club,” he says. You Can Help! The Boys and Girls Club’s fundraising efforts vary. DeGraaf oversees a direct mail campaign from November to March, a summer scholarship program from April to June, and telemarketing efforts. Other annual fundraising events include a Tricky Tray through the Ladies Auxiliary Club held Friday before Mother’s Day; an annual golf outing in August; and a September auto show that DeGraaf started.

Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Great Futures “Several car enthusiasts asked if I would be interested,” DeGraaf explained. “We formed a committee and started planning, even hiring a DJ for the event.” The show was sponsored by several local businesses, including Fette Ford, Morici Motor Sports, and NOC Autobody. Two years ago, the club had its first annual “Taste of Clifton” benefit. More than 350 people attended, raising $20,000. On Sept. 29, the club hosted its second annual such benefit, featuring 34 restaurants and caterers, and four liquor purveyors that offered samples to 500 attendees. “We tried to make it beneficial to the restaurants by working hand in hand with them,” DeGraaf explained. “It was free for them to come and they had a chance to market their businesses. It’s also a great night out for only $35 a person. People who attend have fun and help Clifton kids – what could be better?” DeGraaf is already working on the next big event: the annual Alumni Beefsteak Dinner on Nov. 21. It’s a chance to come home to the club for the thousands of past members, an opportunity to renew friendships, reminisce and, again, help the children of Clifton. For anyone who ever walked through the Boys and Girl’ Club’s doors, it’s a night not to be missed. “We have people coming from all over the country,” DeGraaf says. “We have former members coming to the event from as far back as the forties and fifties, right up to today’s members. It’s more of a get-together than a fundraiser.” Along with attending events, Cliftonites can support the club in other ways. Bingo meets eight times a week and is responsible for a large portion of the club’s revenue and remains strong. Hopefully, the winter will be kinder and lead to fewer postponement of this important fundraising source.

John and Maria with Alec, John Jr. and Emma Gretina.

Full Circle While his fundraising events and efforts, yield results, DeGraaf is constantly thinking of ideas to benefit the club and his hometown. “When the economy went in the tank,” says Bob Foster, the club’s executive director, “we had to ask members for more money. That’s where John’s experience comes in. We had to bring in someone qualified, and we’re happy to have him. We found a real diamond in the rough when we hired John. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do for the kids without his help.” Help that DeGraaf is happy to give. His Clifton roots remain strong and constant (he lives on Washington Ave., a block from his childhood home). But it’s his professional life that now finds him full circle, working to help an organization that has helped so many. “I know there’s a lot depending on my work,” says DeGraaf. “But I love my job. It gives me the chance to help others, and it’s a great feeling. I’m hoping I can convince a lot more people to help the Boys and Girls Club this year.

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Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Veterans Parade

Grand Marshal James V. Scangarello By Domenick Reda What a birthday present it was for lifelong Clifton resident James V. Scangarelloback on June 25, 1941. That was the day Scancarello, then a Madeline Ave. resident and today a Dutch Hill icon, turned 24. It was also the day he was officially inducted into the United States Army. And that was how Scancarello, now 97, described that day, looking back 73 years later. On that day in ‘41, Scangarellowas at what is now Firehouse No. 6 on Van Houten Ave. and Broad St. waiting to board a Public Service bus with three other Clifton residents. Their destination: the Trenton Armory. “When I get there, I see a couple of hundred guys,” Scangarelloremembered. “Then all of a sudden, the guy in charge yells my name. ‘Scancarello! Front and center! I figure, oh boy, I’m in trouble now.” What happened after that completely caught the young recruit off guard. “He yells out to the crowd: ‘It’s his birthday. Let’s sing it to him.’ They all start singing Happy Birthday.” Soon after, Scangarellowas in boot camp and then on to Virginia for training with the 48th Signal Heavy Construction Unit. By 1942, Scangarellobecame a world traveller, guarding the Panama Canal before being assigned to the European Theater where he and his crew were relaying telephone wires so Gen. George Patton and his tanks could move forward down the line. “As the lines were destroyed we would repair them,” Scangarelloremembered. “We used to wench a balloon 2,000 feet in the air on a cable.” After serving four years in World War II, US Army Sgt. Scangarelloreturned home to Clifton, and got married in 1946 to Angeline Messineo at Sacred Heart Church in Botany Village. Unfortunately, Angeline’s brother, Lt. Stephen Messineo, was killed in action at Anzio. One of six brothers and three sisters, Scangarellolooks more like someone in his 70s, but he has outlived many of his loved ones. Only one sibling is still alive, his sister Josephine, 86. 62 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

His beloved wife Angeline (formerly Messineo) passed away in 2013 at age 92. The couple was married for 67 years. “I miss my wife every day,” he said. “I wish she would be here to see all this with me.” But looking back on his life as a husband, father, veteran and Dutch Hill resident, Scangarellohas few regrets. “I’m very lucky,” he said. “I appreciate life every day.” Returning to Clifton after the war, Scangarellowas rehired by Bright Star Battery. He spent a few years at the Getty Ave. plant but then was hired as a labor foreman for Weny Brothers Construction. On Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 pm, Scangarellowill lead Clifton’s Veterans Parade from the Athenia Veterans Post on Huron Ave. as this year’s Grand Marshal. Scangarellois honored to be recognized by the Veterans Committee, but keeps it in perspective. “I’m just going to sit in the car and wave,” he said. “That’s my job.”

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Veterans Parade The parade will be led by the Marching Mustangs and musical groups from surrounding cities as well as float loads of veterans and youthful participants. Dolores Choteborsky knows Scangarelloas a past president of the Dutch Hill Residents Association and from his work with the flea markets at Weasel Brook Park on Paulison Ave. “I first met him with his wife Angie,” she said. “He ran the Dutch Hill Flea Market in June for many years. He was the first one there, at 6 am. Last year he was there with his lawn chair.” Choteborsky also remembered how some three decades ago Scangarellohelped with the construction of the now defunct Tire Playground at the 3rd St. entrance at At Angeline Scancarello’s birthday a few years back, from left: Eleanor Frazzza, daughter Nancy, Jim, daughter Anita and Josephine Messineo. Weasel Brook Park. About 15 years ago, Scangarelloalso helped spearhead a volunteer effort where several Clifton residents As someone who grew up in Dutch Hill, Oakley helped clean up the Clifton Train Station on Clifton knows Scangarellothrough the neighborhood, but first Blvd. Working hard even in retirement, met him at the American Legion Post with his late father, Scangarellomanaged that project for a decade. He and Louis Oakley, also a WWII vet. “It’s amazing, you other residents picked up litter, pruned trees and did would never think Jim is that old,” Oakley said. “I was landscaping to help beautify the area. “Always a hard recently arguing with his daughter Anita at city hall one worker, always friendly,” Choteborsky summed up. day. I said, ‘there is no way he is 97.’” Scangarellois also well known to parishioners at St. From their father to their uncle who died in WWII, Paul’s Church where he is an usher. But on Sunday, Nov. families members are proud to say that the Scancarellos 9, he will attend liturgy and then be recognized at the and Messinieos both served their country proudly. head of a parade. “He is one of the oldest WWII vets in Daughter Nancy (Wegrzyniak) said having her dad the city,” Keith Oakley, co-chair of the Veterans serve as Grand Marshal is an honor for Messineo and Committee said of the selection. “He’s a great guy. I’ve Scangarellofamilies. “I’m so happy my dad is being honknown him my whole life. He is a true American hero ored in the city he grew up in. My mom and my uncle and a great Cliftonite. He really shows our town well.” will be there in spirit.”

64 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Joseph M. Shook, Sr., Founder 1924 - 2008 Nancy Shook Garretson, President NJ Lic. No. 3657 Thomas J. Garretson, Director NJ Lic. No. 4988

Roy B. Garretson, Manager NJ Lic. No. 3550 Kevin V. White, Director NJ Lic. No. 4964

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Veterans Parade

Keeping Alive the Memories of the Fallen Two Cyran Brothers served in Nam, John returned Home while Richie died on the Battlefield. The Cyran brothers John and Richie and their sister Josephine Vetanovetz.

Josephine Vetanovetz prays for each of the five Richies in her family every day. But when the occasion is Veteran’s Day, the Richie she prays for first is her brother, Army veteran Richie Cyran, who was killed in action in Vietnam on June 6, 1969. Today, at age 84, Josie remembers Richie as one of the thousands of young men that did not have the opportunity to come back and celebrate Veteran’s Day. “A lot of people say we honor veterans because they saved the country, but it has a deeper meaning,” she said. “It’s such a sad thing to raise your child to be whatever they want to be, and then watch them make sacrifices from their everyday lives.” Soldiers came to her parents’ house four days after her brother was killed. The mother of four children (one of whom is named Richie), Josie, at the time, was serving lunch to students at St. John Kanty Catholic School. In the middle of lunch, a close friend whispered to her: “You should go home.” When she arrived at her parents’ house on Samuel Ave., her father, John Cyran Sr. said solemnly: “Something happened to Richie; not your son, my son,” meaning her brother. Josie’s mom Mary was in the hospital being treated for breast cancer. She was released the morning they were told about Richie’s death, and only managed to hold on for another month before succumbing to the disease and her sadness. Her dad, John Cyran, also was devastated and was hospitalized due to the stress he endured. He died 15 years later. 66 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

By Mariel Vazquez

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Veterans Parade During his tour of duty in Vietnam, Richie Cyran served in the Army and was a driver for Company B, 4th Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division. “It was a war that everyone felt we shouldn’t be in,” Josie said, recalling the protests and turbulence from the Vietnam War era. “My father was very, very angry. It was a terrible time.” For her, the memory of the war is still fresh and brings new pain whenever it’s rehashed. “Every time I try to forget it, some-

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68 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

one brings it up.” On the eve of Veteran’s Day, Josie’s brother, John Cyran, who also served in Vietnam and today lives in Georgia, also remains close to her heart. Interviewed by phone, John shared memories of how he learned of his brother’s demise. In 1969, John was stationed in Victorville, CA, when he received a call from a family member—he doesn’t recall who—telling him his younger brother, Richie, had been killed. He frantically returned to

Rutgers University. Working as a Chemist he went back to the University, graduated Rutgers School of Dentistry and was in the Prosthodontic Honor Society.

Clifton to attend the wake at Shook Funeral Home. “My mom never really accepted the news that my brother had died,” John Cyran said. “She was very ill and she took it hard.” A 1964 CHS grad, John Cyran attended Rutgers University and confessed that he spent “more time partying than studying.” As a result, his grades slipped and in April 1966 he was drafted for military service. However, rather than join the Army, he decided to enlist in the Air Force. He went to Amarillo, TX, for basic training, then onto Champaign, IL, for technical training, before going to Tampa, FL, for his first assignment. John Cyran was in Vietnam for two years (1967 and 1968) and was an eyewitness to the Tet Offensive, a major conflict that began in January 1968. He was stationed in Cam Ranh Bay during this period, working as a member of the ground crew that repaired pneumatic and hydraulic systems of fighter jets. Among his most vivid memories of the war, he said every night he watched the sky light up as aircraft strafed the mountains across the bay with tracer bullets. As for his thoughts on the observance of Veteran’s Day and his tour of duty in Vietnam, John Cyran feels service to the country is important, “even if we disagree with the policies of our leaders. We all make mistakes; our country makes mistakes too, but it’s still important to serve.” Eventually, John Cyran transferred to McGuire Air Force base, Trenton, and was discharged from the Air Force in February 1970, having attained the rank of

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Veterans Parade Staff Sergeant. Today he lives in Loganville, GA, and usually visits family members in New Jersey once a year. For Josie, painful memories linger, but she remains an optimist. Today, in her comfortable home, surrounded by dozens of family photos, she’s able to smile about all the Richies in her life. In addition to her brother, son, and late husband, two uncles also were named Richie. Over the years Josie was a participant in Clifton’s Memorial Day ceremonies hosted by the Athenia Veteran’s Post, which is located on Huron Ave. In addition, she has been asked to lay the wreath on the Downtown Clifton Main Memorial monument for the Vietnam Veterans on Memorial Day—her brother having been

the first Athenia resident to be killed in Vietnam. Richie Cyran received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Medal for injuries he sustained during his service. After his death, he was honored by a memorial service, which was attended by city officials and military dignitaries. Nancy Shook and the Trella sisters, June and Joan, raised funds to have Richie’s name inscribed on the memorial at Sperling Park. While the family appreciates the posthumous awards, these honors have not healed the loss. Thus, on the occasion of Veteran’s Day, it’s important to honor those who served, like John Cyran, as well as commemorate those, like his brother, Richie Cyran, who made the ultimate sacrifice and never returned from the battlefield.

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Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Alzheimer’s Disease

John and Celina DeGraaf with their children Eileen and John.

RSONAL JOURNEY E P A

Alzheimer’s Disease By Michael C. Gabriele

Five years ago John and Celina DeGraaf were playing Canasta with friends, one of their favorite social activities, something they had enjoyed doing for many years. However, on this night, John seemed a bit disoriented and agitated. He kept asking: “How do you play this game?” Celina, feeling perplexed, didn’t understand his behavior, as it was highly unlike her husband. “John, what’s wrong? What are you talking about?” Not long after that episode, John had a series of medical tests and examinations, and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In retrospect, Celina said that, in the months leading up to the card game, John was becoming forgetful, would occasionally have trouble navigating familiar roads in his a car, or made remarks with an awkward placement of words. Initially, she overlooked these incidents, knowing that John had a hearing disability. John DeGraaf died from Alzheimer’s complications on June 15, 2013 at the age of 84. The disease overtook him rapidly. At first, Celina served as her husband’s care72 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

giver, but eventually she needed to hire home healthcare workers. John responded well to the home aides; prescription medications had little benefit for him. “My husband was the most wonderful man in the world and a good father,” Celina said. “He did everything to please me. He was a caring person and went out of his way to help people. He loved his family. He enjoyed sports and had many friends.” A navy veteran and lifelong Clifton resident, John DeGraaf was born on Feb. 17, 1929 and graduated from CHS in 1947 (Celina graduated in 1949). He worked as a milkman in the family business, DeGraaf Brothers Dairy, for 30 years, then earned a teaching degree from William Paterson University in the late 1970s and worked for 15 years in the Passaic School District. He taught briefly at Catholic schools and was a night school instructor in Passaic for those seeing their general education development (GED) degree. He also was involved in athletics, as a softball umpire and a volleyball referee.

“I’m just getting to the point where I can talk about it,” Celina said, blinking back tears. While she remains active and continues to socialize with family and friends in Clifton, the cruel disease took its toll on her as well. “When you’re married, you become one with another person. Now I’m half of one. Near the end, John could barely speak, but his last words to me were: ‘I love you.’” Celina and John were married for 62 years, with a son, daughter, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Celina described her husband as a proud, dignified man who enjoyed life, but then, out of nowhere, he was stricken with Alzheimer’s. “It’s a horrible sickness that takes everything away from a person,” she said. “It robs you of your dignity. You lose your independence, interests, and skills.” November is “National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and Caregivers Month,” a campaign that quietly hits home in a city like Clifton. While the focus typically is on the disease itself, the tragic, untold story of Alzheimer’s is the crushing burden on caregivers—family members forced to endure a painful struggle to care for affected loved ones. Alzheimer’s is a terminal neurological illness. It’s

estimated there are 170,000 individuals in New Jersey diagnosed with the disease; more than 5 million Americans throughout the United States. There are no known direct causes of the illness (although there may be a genetic predisposition), no cure and few treatment options. While many are familiar with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease—short-term memory loss and disorientation—it’s the later stages of the crippling illness that are most frightening. The brain slowly shuts down and the afflicted person succumbs. Here in Clifton, available services provided under the auspices of the Denville-based Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, include the Daughters of Miriam Center, 155 Hazel St., which hosts a monthly support group for Alzheimer and dementia care-givers. Myrna M. Gomez, special projects coordinator, who serves as the facilitator, said the group meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month, 11 am to 12:30 pm, and is open to the public. Assisted by Vicki Rosario, Gomez said the meetings serve as a forum to discuss important, everyday issues concerning the care of a loved one suffering from

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Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease. The sessions are run by licensed clinical social workers who are experienced in group dynamics. An important function of the support group is to ease the tension for family caregivers, according to Gomez. “It’s a reprieve,” she said. “These meetings provide 90 minutes of freedom. Those who attend get to know other people facing the same concerns with the care of someone with dementia.”

74 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

As the facilitator, Gomez said she tries to coax people to share their frustrations. Many times, in order to cope with the pressures they face, caregivers withdraw and bottle-up their feelings. “There’s a loneliness factor,” she said. “It’s a constant worry. They watch the disease slowly progress in their loved ones.” Dr. H. Lewis Chodosh, who served for 60 years as the medical director at Daughters of Miriam, described Alzheimer’s as a “family

disease. The family is the secondary victim. There are huge burdens on the caregivers. They become reclusive and lose their social outlets. They don’t even have time for a cup of coffee with friends.” When interacting with Alzheimer families, Chodosh emphasizes two points. First, he said caregivers must realize the risks to their own health, such as depression, due to the pressures they face from the constant care they provide. Second, they should not “sit and wait for a cure. There are dozens of experimental drugs in the pipeline, but we may never find a cure, because aging is the main risk factor. Drugs may modify or slow down the progression of the disease, but there’s no magic pill.” Chodosh compared Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s disease. “We haven’t found a cure for Parkinson’s either, but we do have drugs and treatments that can help.” He lamented that, several years ago, due to cuts in Medicaid reimbursements, Daughters of Miriam was forced to close an adult daycare program. According to information posted on its website (www.daughtersofmiriamcenter.org ), the Daughters of Miriam Center/The Gallen Institute still offers inpatient care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. In addition to the monthly support-group meetings, the center has a 76-bed dementia-care unit. The Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association (website: (www.alz.org/nj) provides information, assistance and support to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, their families and caregivers as well as healthcare profession-

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Alzheimer’s Disease als. Kenneth Zaentz, the president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Chapter, said the best way to describe the plight of caregivers in Clifton and elsewhere is to say that each day is “a 36-hour day,” filled with stress. “This is a major public healthcare issue facing us as a society,” Zaentz continued. “This is a disease that will bankrupt our healthcare system. We, as a nation, haven’t recognized that yet. We face serious economic and societal consequences.” Given the rapidly aging Baby Boomer population, the number of people with Alzheimer’s will grow and continue to strain private/public healthcare resources. When it comes to confronting the disease, caregivers focus on the most basic necessities of life for their loved ones: bathing, dressing,

eating and mobility. Zaentz said that, at best, it’s difficult for families to access support services. “Most services to care for people with Alzheimer’s are not covered by insurance. There are major cost and affordability issues. Not many people have long-term health insurance, and Medicare was not designed for long-term care. On a statewide level, these issues are under review by the New Jersey Alzheimer’s Study Commission, a task force created by Gov. Christie in September 2013 to examine service options and assess the impact of the malady in the Garden State. Zaentz is one member of the commission, which is expected to file a report by the end of 2015. For more information on the Clifton support group, call the Daughters of Miriam Center at 973-

By 2050 the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease will skyrocket to 16 million. This year the National Institutes of Health has earmarked $566 million in research funding, compared with $5.4 billion for cancer research, $3 billion for HIV/AIDS, and $2 billion for cardiovascular disease. In 2012, an expert panel of scientists concluded that $2 billion in annual Alzheimer’s research funding is needed to achieve breakthrough treatments for Alzheimer’s by 2025. StoryCorps, a non-profit media company based in Brooklyn, NY, runs its “Memory Loss Initiative,” which has recorded testimony from over 2,000 Alzheimer’s patients across the country. CDs are created for families, and the recordings are stored at the Library of Congress. Occasionally, select recordings are aired on National Public Radio. The project, launched in 2006, is funded through a grant from the Pumpkin Foundation of New York. Dina Zempsky, the director of the initiative’s mobile recording tour, said it’s a meaningful experience for families to preserve stories from loved ones. 76 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

772-3700. To reach the Denville office of the Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, call 973-586-4300. There is also a 24-hour helpline: 800-272-3900.

“You can imagine how important this is,” Zempsky said. “Older adults suffering from dementia generally have problems with short-term memory loss, but their long-term memory is strong and intact.” The initiative is conducted through a partnership with the national Alzheimer’s Association, headquartered in Chicago. Arrangements for recording sessions are made on an individual basis. For more information on the project, go to storycorps.org.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

78 November 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Clifton Cares Chris Liszner, Lizz Gagnon and Dona Crum (at right) are asking Clifton residents to join them again in collecting items to ship to our troops serving overseas. Among the items: cookies, candy, hanging holiday decorations, and lights to brighten their ‘homes.’ “Homemade cookies (vacuum sealed) are a hit but any cookies, chocolate, nut bars, Pringles and pepperoni are always enjoyed,” wrote Chris Liszner. “So when you grocery shop, please remember our soldiers and pick up some extras.” Also, personal items as well as white socks, Visine, gum, hard candy, powder drinks, magazines, crossword puzzles and Suduko books. White ankle socks are always needed by female soldiers and black, brown and white high socks by the males.

80 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton Cares remains grassroots—all volunteer. The Gagnon home on Brookwood Ave. still serves as ‘headquarters” but there is a collection bin at City Hall. Veteran’s halls across town are also accepting items and coordinating with the trio who manage all the logistics of getting the items air borne. And to make the December holiday delivery, they have set a Nov. 29 deadline for the campaign.

To cover costs of mailing, make checks of $15.90 made payable to the “Clifton Post Office” to cover the cost of a US Postal Priority Flat Rate box which will be filled with items. If you have any questions, email Lizz at gags2120@aol.com or call her at 973-818-8141. You can also make checks to “Lizz Gagnon” and send c/o Clifton City Hall Tax Assessor’s Office, 900 Clifton Ave., Clifton, NJ 07013.

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Parades & Events The Athenia Veterans Post is in the midst of a ‘Toys for Tots’ campaign which concludes with a dance on Dec. 5 from 7 to 11 pm. All are invited to the Post at 147 Huron Ave. Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door, which includes drinks and buffet. Bring an unwrapped toy to make a child’s Christmas special. On Dec. 13, the Post will hold a Christmas Party from 7 to 11 pm. Tickets are $35 and includes dinner and open bar. Or... ring in the New Year on Dec. 31, at 7:30 pm. Music by Family Tradition and the deadline to purchase tickets is Dec. 24. Parties are open to the public. Stop down for info or call 973-778-0931. Boy Scout Troop 23’s Italian Pasta Dinner is Nov. 8 at 6 pm at St. Andrew the Apostle Church, 400 Mt/ Prospect Ave. The all-you-caneat menu includes pasta, meatballs and dessert. The cost is $10. Scout meetings are in St. Andrew’s Church basement on Fridays, from 7 to 9 pm. Info at 973-960-7490. Clifton Avenue of Flags is looking for volunteers to help raise and lower flags on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11. If you want to help dress up the City Hall grounds at Clifton and Van Houten Ave. with some 1,668 flags to honor veterans, be there at 6:30 am and look for a group of people at the barn. There you will meet coordinators John Biegel Jr., Keith Oakley or Bill Van Eck and they will direct the efforts. Can’t make it in the wee hours? Volunteers are also needed to meet that same day at 3 pm to help take down and properly store the flags. Info at 973-519-0858. 82 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton’s Veterans Parade is Nov. 9 at 2 pm. While the parade steps off at the Athenia Veterans’ Post on Huron Ave., the line of march will continue through the heart of Athenia, along Van Houten Ave., to City Hall. Look for the Marching Mustangs to lead, followed by other marching bands, scouts and veterans, both on foot and atop floats. It is always a real red, white and blue event, so put on a heavy coat, and bring the family and friends and a few chairs. Sit yourself on Van Houten Ave. or meet the line of march at the City Hall reviewing stand. Info at 201-774-6666. Five Ways of Seeing is the theme of an art show and sale in honor of Clifton’s Sculpture Park’s 20th anniversary. The exhibit is displayed at the Clifton Arts Center through Dec. 13 and features the work of Janice Mauro, Elaine Lorenz, Alan H. Drossman, Judy Schaefer and David Soo. A reception open to the public is on Nov. 8 from 1 to 4 pm. Admission is $3 for non-members. The gallery is open Wednesdays - Saturdays from 1 to 4 pm. Group tours are available by appointment. Info at cliftonnj.org or call 973-472-5499.

Friends of the Clifton Library meet on Dec. 3 at 7 pm in the Community Room on Piaget Ave. Renew memberships for 2015 or join the group in its efforts to add some extras to the services offered. Fees are $5 per person, $10 for a family and sponsors and benefactors are welcomed. For details, call Vivian Semeraro at 973-472-8188. The agenda includes an election of officers, a vote on the group’s constitutional amendments and the guest speaker will be Great Falls National Historic Park Ranger Ilyse Goldman. The Clifton History Discussion Club’s with Jack Houston and Rich DeLotto will discuss issues that were in 1964 on Nov. 13, from 7 to 9 pm at the Hamilton House, Valley Rd. Topics for the 50-year retrospective include cultural, social, and political events such as the Beatles, the World’s Fair, Civil Rights, the Voting Rights Act, escalation of the Vietnam War, and the presidential election between Barry Goldwater and Lyndon Johnson. Houston is a Dean of History at Fordham University and DeLotto is an expert on local history and military matters. Refreshments will be served. Info: 973-472-5326.

CHS Class of 1984 30 year reunion is on Nov. 8 at the Parsippany Sheraton. Tickets are $89 for the buffet dinner, plus cash for the bar. Info at: reunionsunlimited.com, or check out the CHS Class of 1984 Facebook page, or email johnamoisonlaw.com. CHS Class of 1994 20 year reunion is Nov. 29, 7 pm at the Empire Club in Little Ferry. Tickets are $80 and include dinner, open bar, and entertainment. Details on the CHS Class of 1994 Facebook group page, or email apashman@gmail.com. CHS Class of 2004 10 year reunion is at 7 pm on Nov. 28 at the Brownstone. Look for Clifton Class of 2004 on Fb or write to Class President Tom Garretson at, shookfuneralhome@gmail.com CHS Class of 1970 is planning its 45 year reunion for Sept 26, 2015 at the Best Western in Fairfield. Info: email Ann Marie Ayers Williams at Clifton1970Reunion@gmail.com. CHS Class of 1974 had its 40 year reunion on Oct. 11 at the Bethwood in Totowa. Organizer Jeri Cohen said about 180 attended, adding that two years of hard work, stories in our magazine, and plenty of meetings helped make it so successful.

Friends from Kindergarden which was about 52 years ago, some of the CHS Class of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;74 grads at their reunion on Oct. 11. Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Around Town Paramus Catholic High School students learned about homelessness at PC’s 8th Annual Tent City Experience on Oct. 24. Living as the homeless do for a day, they made tents and ate meals soup-kitchen style. The curriculum also includes service projects, such as helping out a food bank, harvesting crops at a farm, and showing community support for the Paladins Marching Band which will participate in the Clifton Veteran’s Day Parade. Find details at paramuscatholic.com. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 380 Clifton Ave., hosts its next Market Fair on Nov. 15; then will present the St. Nicholas Fair on Dec. 6. Shoppers will find new and used items for purchase, from clothing and furniture to antiques and collectables. Tables are still available for rent at $30 or $25 for vendors who bring their own tables. Proceeds benefit the food pantry at St. Peter’s Haven for housing the homeless. Info at saintpetersmarketfair.com or call 973-886-5105.

Paramus Catholic students helped harvest crops for a local food bank.

Stuffed CabbageFest: St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 81 Washington Ave., will have its 8th annual preThanksgiving Stuffed Cabbage-Fest on Nov. 22. Pick up homemade treats of rice and ground beef by 12:30 pm, but order by Nov. 18. Call 973-546-2473, and leave a message with the quantity you want, and your name and phone number. Extra sauce is $3 per container. Also available: poppy rolls ($12) and prune (lekvar) or cinnamon/sugar rolls ($10). Order baked goods by Nov. 11. Proceeds benefit church renovations and historical preservation.

Thanks to customers of Nina’s Salon on Valley Rd., about $600 was raised on Oct. 18 to benefit three year old Colin Michael Jones who was born with brain damage and growing health care costs. Owner Nina Corradio is pictured with Colin’s grandfather Ray Lil, staff and family members.

84 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

The Italian American Family Association’s Holiday Craft and Gift Fair is Nov. 15, 10 am to 5 pm, at the association’s building, 282 Parker Ave., (known to many as the Coop in Botany Village). Some 20 vendors will feature homemade and brand-name items. St. John Lutheran Church hosts its Thrift Shop on Nov. 8, from 9:30 am to 1 pm, at the church on 140 Lexington Ave., Passaic. Clothing, toys, and household items will be sold. The church will have its Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show Nov. 22, also at the church, from 9 am to 3 pm. An assortment of crafts will be sold. Info at 973-779-1166. Angels of Animals 7th Annual Tricky Tray is Dec. 4, at 7 pm at The Bethwood. The $45 ticket ($400 for a table of 10) includes dinner and a raffle with proceeds to benefit animals in need. Info at 973-932-0039, or email Amy at angelsofanimals.org. Doors open at 5:30 pm. All general donations are tax deductible and can be dropped off Fridays at the Clifton Petco on Rt. 3, from 6:30 to 9 pm. For a list of animals available for adoption today, call 973-287-7797 or visit www.angelsofanimals.org.

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Arts & Theater Clifton residents who are cast members in TLC’s Moon over Buffalo include Marquise Figeroa, Jeannie Kempa, Susan McDonald, Michael Purdy and Felipe Rodriguez. They perform in Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig on Nov. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23 at the Aprea Theater, 199 Scoles Ave., Clifton. Tickets and seat selection for the comedy can be purchased at theaterleagueofclifton.com or by calling 973-928-7668. Mail checks with show date and time to ‘Theater League of Clifton,’ PO Box 4072 Clifton, NJ 07012. Blue State Productions, in residence at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, hosts the Adanna Journal on Nov. 8 at 4 pm. Hear readings and interpretations of writing, poetry and literature. Admission is free but bring non-perishable food items for St. Peter’s Haven Food Pantry. Info at bluestateproductions.com or call 973-607-1924.

The Theater League of Clifton enters its 9th season with Moon Over Buffalo.

Stanley A. Kobylarz and John A. Budzinski are co-chairs of The Chopin Singing Society #182 Polish Singers Alliance of America of Passaic, now in its 104th year, and one of the oldest male independent choral groups still active in the United States. The group’s Annual Christmas Concert is Dec. 7 at the Polish American Cultural Center (Polish Peoples Home), 1-3 Monroe St., Passaic. The $25 tickets includes a buffet, the performance by members of the local group as well as guest artist 3 Po Tenors. The men are also selling ads in their journal, which range from $15 to $100. Call 973-478-8268 or 973-779-4310.

The 27th annual Lambert Castle Holiday Boutique is Nov. 8 to 30. Tour and shop the 1893 Victorian castle at 3 Valley Rd., on the Clifton pottery artist Susan Paterson and Clifton border which Barbetti-Norton (right) will feature offers thousands of unique holiday her work along with 30 other artists gifts, jewelry, handmade decoraat the Potters’ Guild Annual Pottery tions, quality crafts, collectibles, Festival & Sale, Nov. 15 and16 at gourmet foods and more. The Community Presbyterian Church in Boutique is the major annual Mountainside. Vases, wall pieces, fundraiser for Passaic County pitchers, teapots, platters, Historical Society (PCHS). Open casseroles, raku and pit-fired vesWednesdays to Fridays from 10 am sels in varying colors and styles, as to 9 pm and Saturdays and Sundays well as sculptures and decorative until 5 pm, admission is $6 for objects, will be available for sale. three visits. For more on the Credits cards are accepted. PCHS, its services and memberAdmission is free. Info at pottersship, go to lambertcastle.org or call guildnj.org or 201-452-3817. 973-247-0085. 86 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

The Clifton Association of Artists members have a show and sale at the Clifton Library on Piaget Ave. displayed through Nov. 29. See the exhibit during regular library hours. The CAA meets at 7 pm on the first Monday of the month at the Lester Herrschaft Center behind City Hall. The CAA sponsors annual art shows and sales. Membership is $20 and offers privileges such as sponsored exhibitions and vendor discounts. For more info, call 973-546-8977 or 973-773-9721. The Clifton Mustang Band Alumni Association meets on Nov. 18 at 6:15 pm in the CHS bandroom. Reconnect with alumni for both social and civic activities. Info: cmbaa2002@yahoo.com.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Community People

James J. Marrocco of Marrocco Memorial Chapel received the 2014 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award. Mayor Anzaldi and Dr. Vincent Malba and friends and family at the opening of the Abundant Life Chiropractic Center.

Marrocco Memorial Chapel has been honored by the National Funeral Directors Association with the 2014 Pursuit of Excellence Award. Only 151 firms from around the world received the recognition, placing MMC among an elite group of funeral service providers. To earn the award, fourth generation owner James J. Marrocco continues to meet or exceed business standards set forth by the program and demonstrate proficiency in key areas of funeral service, from compliance to community involvement and innovation. The Colfax Ave. firm is now in its 115th year of service to the region. More details at marroccos.com.

Abundant Life Chiropractic Center hosted the opening of its new location at 248 Edison St., on Oct. 4, part of the Bobbink Shoppers Village on Valley Road. Abundant Life was established by Dr. Vincent J. Malba in 2003 with the intention of enhancing the health and wellness of the community. The location is a homecoming of sorts, as he attended School 5, WWMS and graduated CHS in 1993. He attended The College of New Jersey and New York Chiropractic College for a doctor of chiropractic degree. In an interview in this magazine in 2013, Dr. Malba said his philosophy has always been to pay it forward. Learn more at drmalba.com.

2006 Mustang Band Drum Majorette Jenny Sichel may have moved one step closer to being Clifton’s first Para-Olympic athlete. This past August Sichel took second place, winning a silver medal as coxswain of the para-rowing quad boat at the 2014 World Rowing Championship in Amsterdam to become a world champion athlete. In addition she was nominated for US Rowing National Team Athlete of the Year. After training in 2012 at US Rowing’s High Performance Center in Oklahoma City, she moved on to Boston where she started training with the US National Para-Rowing Team in preparation for the 2013 World Championship races to be held in Chungju, South Korea. She trained for three months in Boston and then traveled to Amsterdam with the team for another week of practice on the race course before the racing began. “We could have really beaten them,” she said. “Adaptive athletes are no different from you or me or any other able-bodied athlete. They train hard, they are talented and they want to win. They truly are elite athletes.” Sichel expects to compete with her team at the 2016 summer Para-Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. 88 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton Parents Requiring Action and Information for Special Education (P.R.A.I.S.E.) is a nonadversarial parent support group for parents and families of special needs children. Meetings are at the Allwood Library on the fourth Monday of every month, through June. On Nov. 17 at 7 pm, Mary Ann Comparetto from the NJCIE will present a workshop on the Inclusive Education. For details, find them on Facebook or email cliftonpraise@gmail.com. Clifton’s branch of the National Federation of Grandmother’s Clubs of America, #1036, is recruiting women of all ages to join and support their club. At least 8 members are needed to keep this group’s charter. Men are also welcome to join. For info call Colleen Murray: 973-253-9579.

To mark the Feast of Sacrifice in Muslim culture, members of he Peace Islands Institute donated fresh lamb to celebrate Bayram and to help stock the shelves of St. Peter’s Haven on Oct. 7. From left: Ercan Tozan, Director, Peace Islands Institute; Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin; Lynn Bocchini, Manager, St. Peters’s Haven; Osman Gunes, Director, Turkish Cultural Center; Mrs. Osman Gunes and St. Peter’s Haven staff members.

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They say it’s a man’s world, but you wouldn’t say that after speaking to Clifton residents Marianna Hoholuk, Julie Karlicki, Antonina Oliver and Irene Lesiw, pictured above. Being the only four females on an all-male Board of Directors at the Ukrainian Center in Passaic, each lady chairs a major social event which helps to bring together Ukrainians from all over the tri-state area. “Our events are always well organized, fun and safe”, says Marianna Hoholuk. “It isn’t always easy because we have families and work full time. We make time and rely on the generosity of many people who also volunteer and work for the good of the Ukrainian Center. We feel blessed to be a part of a big and strong Ukrainian community that supports us. A community with several churches, an Elementary school, a Saturday school, two credit unions, numerous organizations and a Ukrainian Center known as the “Center”. Over the last five years, the Center has gone through many changes. Today, a generation of young and eager families are joining its membership and are continuing to work to keep alive the Ukrainian heritage, language and culture. Our goal is to expand our membership and provide an establishment which is 90 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

safe, esthetically modern and efficient so that generations of Ukrainians could continue the tradition established so many years ago. Join us at our annual Christmas Bazaar on November 30, 9 am to 3 pm. Find us and like us on Facebook. Our large party hall (3,600 square feet) accommodates 300 people and is ideal for weddings, baptisms, bridal showers and more. Details on Facebook.

Michael Najda has become an expert on Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It is not what he expected to become at 51 years of age but this Clifton resident and former business owner has no other choice—he received the ALS diagnosis on Sept. 28, 2012. Najda’s battle against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gherig’s disease) attacks the motor skills, and will eventually leave him unable to walk, talk or even swallow. From the time of diagnosis, patients typically live two to five years. “Every case of ALS seems to be unique but what I can say for sure is that it hits everyone the same emotionally,” said Najda, who can no longer walk any distance. His once large, strong hands are now very weak. “I need help in the shower, bathroom...,” he said matter-of-factly. “This disease is completely debilitating. Not only is it very painful, devastating, and fatal, but it is costly. I am in a powerwheelchair on a permanent basis.” Once large and imposing, standing over six feet tall and topping the scales at 300 pounds, Najda’s size is diminished since being confined to a motorized chair. He has since backed off responsibilities of running Counter Creations, the Hackensack-based business that he and his wife Patricia founded in 2001. The Najda’s live in Carlton Towers and have two sons Michael Anthony, 27 and Zachary Ryan, 16. The Najda family is asking the community for help as insurance does not cover many things: “We need a van to

In 2013, Michael, Mike, Zachary and Patricia.

transport me and the powerwheelchair to doctor visits and to allow me to live to some degree outside of my home. I want to continue to take short trips and to participate in family gatherings. I appeal to the generosity of family, friends, and caring strangers to help me purchase a handicap van. The average price for a used, older but dependable one runs between $25,000 and $35,000.” To help out, go to www.gofundme.com/7rld34, and see they have raised about half the amount needed. “If it weren’t for friends and family, I wouldn’t be able to do it,” said Najda, pictured above at the The Walk To Defeat ALS in Saddle Brook on June 8. “Especially our church and school (St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Passaic). They’ve been very, very supportive. If you can help, we’d appreciate your contributions.” Clifton Merchant • November 2014 91

People & Community Joseph Sia was recently feted by the Passaic County Freeholders as Italian American of the Year. A resident of Clifton since 1971, he wanted to be close to his job at Hoffman LaRoche. But he didn’t know the city would become his home away from Italy. Sia, now 81, retired from Roche. a few years back. But during his career there, his impact in medical research the field of electronics is storied. His passion for electronics helped in the development of life enhancing devices still used today. For instance, in 1974, he developed a method to monitor indirect systolic blood pressure and arterial blood pressure by direct catheter implantation in a squirrel monkey and simultaneously recording the results for analysis. A description of this device and application was published in the Scientific Journal of Physiology and Behavior. Sia, through various inventions and innovations, has contributed to improvements in health which extend lives. He is the author of six publications in science journals. He also set up a state of the art co-op program at Hoffman LaRoche with local engineering universities and Clifton and Nutley high schools.

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His passion for electronics started as a child in Cardinale, a village in Calabria, Italy. During World War II, he gained literal ‘hands on’ knowledge of electronics from bombed out German tanks. He earned money building and selling radios for locals. He learned how to do this by reading books he ordered from engineering schools. He ordered the parts from electronic manufactures. It was his devotion to electronics, as well as the circumstances of WWII that led him to the United States when he was 17 in 1951.

Unable to speak English and with just $50 in his pocket, Sia settled in the Bronx, NY. He worked various jobs, was fixing televisions and studying electronics. Always an entrepreneur, various business ventures led him to receive an employment offer at Roche. For Sia and his then growing employer, Roche, it was a marriage of great innovation, opportunity and growth. Today, Sia still lives in that same home in Clifton he purchased 43 years ago. He is married and his two children who between them have three grandchildren.

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Self Reliance members at the event from front, right: Jaroslaw Fedun, Val Bogattchouk, Andriy Sadovyi, Kateryna Sadova, Anna Zayachkivska, Bishop Borys Gudziak, Svitlana Lewko, Ivana Lotoshynski, Halyna Hotsko, Mariya Shchur, Dr. Michael Lewko, Halyna Semenyak. Second row: Nicholas Kosciolek, Volodymyr Semenyak, Vasyl Hotsko.

Ukrainian Americans from Clifton and Passaic, headed by the board of directors of the Self Reliance (NJ) Federal Credit Union, traveled to the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on Nov. 2 for a benefit luncheon to support the Ukrainian Catholic University. Located in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, it is the only Catholic university on the entire territory of the former Soviet Union. Between Dr. Michael Lewko and the credit union, almost $15,000 was provided

from Clifton area Ukrainians to support the event and the university. The community has also pledged to raise another $25,000 before the end of the year. Guest speakers included the Ukrainian Catholic bishop of France, Boris Gudziak, pictured center in the photo, who is also the university president. To his left is Miss Ukraine 2013, Anna Zaiachkivska, and the Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi and his wife Kateryna.

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Over 180 costumed characters marched down Main Ave. on Oct. 26 to Main Memorial Park in Clifton’s Annual Halloween Parade & HarvestFest. HarvestFest continued there with games and rides costing between a quarter and a dollar. Families enjoyed a midway with rides, games, pumpkin painting, scarecrow stuffing, a petting zoo and hayride trips—even an Apple Pie Bake-off! Photos from the event are shown here. For details, call the Clifton Recreation Dept. at 973-470-5958.

94 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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Clifton Merchant • November 2014

Birthdays & Celebrations - November 2014

Nicole Mokray will be 14 on Nov. 7. Eucaris Talllarias celebrated her 19th birthday on Oct. 21 and her friend Zully Delgado turned 19 on Oct. 15. Van Houten Ave. jeweler Frank Lacki turned 88 on Nov. 2. Happy 29th birthday to niece Nancy Hawrylko on Nov. 19. Keith Oakley is 61 on Nov. 26. Peter and Heather Fierroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son Matthew will turn 3 on Nov. 25. Alan Spoto turns 60 on Nov. 3. Ouch!!

Birthdays & Celebrations

Send dates & names...tomhawrylko@optonline.net Jazzlyn Caba ................11/1 Robyn Jo Paci................11/2 Thomas Scancarella .......11/2 Kelly Tierney .................11/3 Lance Dearing ...............11/4 Olivia Nysk ..................11/4 Andrew Seitz ................11/4 Victoria Krzysztofczyk ....11/5 Tanya Ressetar...............11/5

Kristina Azevedo ...........11/6 Nicole Lorraine Bonin.....11/6 Martha Derendal ...........11/6 Danielle Osellame .........11/6 Kristen Soltis..................11/6 James Ball.....................11/7 Kevin Lord.....................11/7 Francine Anderson.........11/8 Ray Konopinski..............11/8

Beverly Lascina..............11/8 Marie Sanzo .................11/8 Donna Camp ................11/9 Tricia Montague ............11/9 Brandy Stiles ...............11/10 Tom Szieber ................11/10 Stacey Van Blarcom Takacs.....................11/10 Joseph Franek III ..........11/11 Laura Gasior ...............11/12 Geraldine Ball .............11/13 Patricia Franek ............11/13 Robert Paci .................11/13 Gregory Chase ...........11/15 Ken Peterson ...............11/15 Matthew Phillips ..........11/16 Anthony Wrobel ..........11/16 Michael Zangara.........11/16 Marilyn Velez ..............11/18 Joseph Tyler ................11/19 Joseph Guerra.............11/20 Jon Whiting ................11/21 Andreas Dimitratos ......11/22 Martha Derendal celebrates her 60th birthday on Nov. 6, reports her husband Matthew.

96 November 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Stephannie Peterson (CHS 2001) and Adam Yoda announced their plans to marry on August 29, 2015.

Wish a 7th Birthday to Mr. Cupcakes on Nov. 1. Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ November 2014

Birthdays & Celebrations - November 2014 You’ve read about Marguerite Heerschap before—when she turned 100 in 2007 and in 2012 at 104 when she told us she quit scotch and tomatoes. On Nov. 17, the Lincoln Ave. resident turns 107 and said she will likely have lunch at Agamie Deli on Market St. (she loves the cole slaw) with friends Sally Brask and Caryl Diana.

Katerina Dimitratos ......11/22 Margaret Egner ...........11/22 Carol Peterson.............11/24 Brian Derendal ............11/25 Eileen Fierro................11/25 Peter Kedl ...................11/25 Crystal Lanham............11/25 Rachel Prehodka-Spindel ..11/25 Brian Derendal ............11/25 Kristen Bridda .............11/26 Jessi Cholewczynski .....11/26 Dillon Curtiss...............11/26 Bethany Havriliak ........11/26 Kelly Moran ................11/27 Sami Suaifan...............11/28 Amanda Grace Feiner..11/29 Anne Hetzel ................11/29 Christopher Seitz .........11/29 Kaitlyn Graham ...........11/30 Barbara Luzniak ..........11/30

Clifton’s favorite UPS guy Norman Erickson and his wife Debbie announce the marriage of their son Brian to Patty Kroog, daughter of Fred and Maureen Kroog, of Kearny. The Oct. 4 wedding was held in Ithaca,N.Y. where the two attended college. 98 November 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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