COLLINGSWOOD
08108 SPRING 2021
Spring has sprung in
Collingswood
IN THIS ISSUE:
Fresh Hobbies Rooted in History Borough Bites ...and more!
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! M D A US P O R D
Letter from the
EDITOR: T he past year has been one of challenges, but it has also been one of hope and goodwill.
We have witnessed Collingswood neighbors supporting those in need, the community rallying around its small businesses and restaurants, and our essential workers going above and beyond every day. And while this time last year we were facing a future full of uncertainty, this spring we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. We are not through the COVID19 storm, but the growing availability of vaccinations and declining case numbers show promise. We’re even ready to start safely getting together with small groups. And what better way to gather than over a spread of delicious small plates and drinks? We talk about some of the local restaurants’ tempting menus in this issue’s Borough Bites (page 8).
Of course, if you’re not ready to expand your circle yet, that’s understandable. But perhaps you want to widen it just
a bit to let a new furry family member inside? Check out our story on Woof Love Animal Rescue on page 16 for inspiration. Over the last year, rescuing and fostering a new pet was a silver lining for many during the pandemic, a fulfilling way to fill all of the extra time they suddenly found in their schedule. Picking up a new hobby – or rekindling an old interest – was another one. We had the chance to catch up with some locals who did just that on page 12. We also caught up with a mover and shaker in town: Cass Duffey. The former Director of Communication/ Community Development and Business Improvement District Director took the helm of Borough Administrator in the midst of the pandemic (page 6), and she rose to the challenge. We hope you enjoy our spring issue, and as the rising temperatures and increasing safety bring more of us outdoors, we hope to see you around town – from a safe distance, of course.
08108 SPRING 2021 ISSUE
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PERRY CORSETTI VP OF SALES
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Spring 2021 ISSUE
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08108 is a publication of Newspaper Media Group, 130 Twinbridge Drive Pennsauken, NJ 08110 (856)779-3800 x6920 08108@newspapermediagroup.com
In this Issue: Kevin Callahan
Kelly Flynn
Jamie Giambrone
08108 contributors A borough leader Borough Bites Pandemic hobbies Helping furry friends A Look at Local History Photos around town Keeping Up with Collingswood
4 6 8 12 16 18 20 22
ON THE COVER Ryan Lawrence SPRING 2021
Madeleine Maccar Anthony Mazziotti
Jamie Stow 4
A brightly colored bicycle is parked in downtown Collingswood on a warm spring day last year. COVER PHOTO BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
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r i ion i to help e er one find their place in the world.
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Building connections
Borough Administrator Cass Duffey looks back at her 15 years with Collingswood BY KEVIN CALLAHAN
D
uring the string of snow and ice storms in February, Cass Duffey walked to work. Truly, she enjoys her job as the Borough Administrator of Collingswood so much that Mother Nature can’t keep her away. That, and well, Duffey only lives a few blocks away from the municipal building. Raising her family in Collingswood and being in the position to help her neighbors each day at work are both labors of love. “I think mostly everybody recognizes that it is a unique, special place,” Duffey said about Collingswood. “There’s a certain sense of community that you don’t get everywhere else.” Duffey, who graduated summa cum laude with a master’s degree in Public Relations from Rowan University, has worked for Collingswood since 2006. Her roles included media and constituent relations, graphic design, copywriting, branding, community SPRING 2021
and business development. Over the last 15 years, her extensive efforts have attracted reoccurring media coverage. “Collingswood, at the time, was really on the rise and they were getting a ton of media attention, the New York Times was calling and they didn’t have anyone managing their media relations,” she explained, “so a professor at the time said there was a brand new opening in Collingswood, and I actually said to him, ‘I don’t have any interest in working in local government,’ and he said you should just go for the experience. “I did and that was 15 years ago.” In 2018, Duffey was recognized with a “Top 40 Under 40” award by Southern New Jersey Business People. “When I stepped in and they were really on the rise, the administration here had already laid a lot of the groundwork and they were really trending upward,” Duffey added, “and at that point, it was just building and keeping the momentum going.” In September, she moved into the role of Borough Administrator when Keith Hastings retired. She was promoted from her dual roles as Director of Communication/ Community Development and Business Improvement District Director. “It was a super special time to jump in,” she said with a laugh about sliding into her new job during the pandemic. Duffey acclimated quickly as she was already challenged during the COVID shutdown. “My husband is a freight railroad conductor and he works nights and I work days and we have three kids, all elementary school or 6
younger,” said Duffey, who worked remotely until late June. “During the pandemic, we were fully activated. As a local government, we were having calls with everybody up to three times a day and my house was also an elementary school, so we were quite busy last spring.” Duffey attended Edgewood High School, which is now Winslow Township. “I was the last graduating high school class from Edgewood,” said Duffey, who grew up in Atco. “So I’m South Jersey born and bred.” She credits the administration for being open and for interesting ideas from the public as a reason for Collingswood’s success. “The farmers market is just a great example of a resident saying we should have a farmers market and we said we would work with you to build that and it’s one of the best markets in the region,” she said. “Most of the good ideas we’ve had came from that type of feedback and capitalizing on the good ideas of residents.” And, of course, she is one of those concerned residents with good ideas. “Those moments when you really get to connect with people, that’s when you feel I helped someone today, or I improved the services today,” she said. “Those are the best days on the job.” Even when those days are the ones she walked to work in the ice and snow. ■ PHOTO BY JAMIE STOW
Borough Administrator Cass Duffey smiles downtown. Duffey has worked for the borough for 15 years in a variety of capacities. 08108
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Restaurants wake from winter hibernation eager to spring into new season of dining BY KELLY FLYNN
T
he winter hibernation is rapidly coming to its close. Yes, the season is drawing to an end, and the promise of warmer weather is just around the corner. But with the COVID-19 vaccines rolling out in full force, the world’s year-long hibernation is also inching closer to an end, too. With more people getting vaccinated and temperatures heating up, local restaurants are eager to keep everyone safely well-fed. Whether you’re only feeling safe hosting a gathering for two or have expanded your bubble to include a few friends, local eateries are safely offering up small plates and shareable options for your small group.
The Pop Shop Jessica O’Donnell, general manager at The Pop Shop, admits the COVID-19 pandemic has made it an unsettling time to work in the restaurant industry. “It’s been scary; it’s been hard,” she said. “Everyone has to pivot and change to keep up with what the customers are comfortable with during these times.” The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic proved especially challenging for The Pop Shop’s Collingswood location. Given the please see BITES, page 9 SPRING 2021
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location’s narrow storefront, the site wasn’t equipped for outdoor seating, and so when Gov. Phil Murphy prohibited indoor dining, the site attempted to sustain itself on takeout. But it just wasn’t proving profitable. For those reasons, the Collingswood location was entirely shut down for a time while the restaurant focused on its Medford operation where they were granted a variance for 13 outdoor tables. When indoor dining reopened, the Collingswood location turned the lights back on – with a new layout of course. Tables are now spaced six feet apart, and they’re seating at the state’s 35 percent capacity limit. A family friendly spot, The Pop Shop’s back party room was often the site of children’s parties and birthday gatherings. But given the current restrictions on gatherings, the Pop Shop can no longer host parties of up to 60 or 70 people like they once did. Within the last few weeks of February, The Pop Shop began getting flooded with requests to host small gatherings, and the restaurant is capping gatherings at 35 people. O’Donnell said they’re catering these gatherings toward diners’ comfort level. If the group is comfortable with a buffet, that option exists, but if they’d prefer guests remain seated and are served, the restaurant offers that option as well. The restaurant is offering takeout again
as well with a variety of appetizers and sandwiches for people to choose from. O’Donnell said some of their top sellers are the honeymoon chicken and the Santa Fe chicken sandwiches. The shop is known for their grilled cheeses, but the restaurant also offers unique items such as pretzel chips and pancake fries that are also popular among diners. Looking ahead, The Pop Shop has plans to expand. The neighboring restaurant permanently closed its doors, and so The Pop Shop will be knocking down some walls and increasing their seating capacity. While it’s been a tough road at times, O’Donnell said she’s hopeful that people will continue to get more comfortable dining out. “Every day gets better; we’re hanging in there,” she said. “The Pop Shop is kind of an institution of downtown Collingswood.” To learn more about The Pop Shop, visit https://www.thepopshopusa.com. please see BITES, page 10
PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
Previous page: Hearthside’s popular hamachi ceviche offers fresh, vibrant ingredients, with the citrus changing seasonally. Above, from left: Barbecue mac and cheese tater tots is an indulgent, delicious dish to share at The Pop Shop. The restaurant’s kitchen manager Sarah Carlone carries dishes to a table.
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Treno Pizza Bar
Cheryl Pacitti, general manager at Treno Pizza Bar in Haddon Township, said the restaurant was lucky they already had a large, outdoor patio space. Throughout the summer, the outdoor space offered the restaurant a steady way to seat diners. During the summer months, the restaurant added a walkup bar on their patio where people could grab to-go cocktails. Pacitti said diners who may have had reservations at nearby restaurants still came to Treno to grab a drink while they wait. Given the guidelines on to-go cocktails don’t change, when the weather heats up, she anticipates Treno will once again open up the bar. But private events have largely taken the hit. Given the current health and safety guidelines, the restaurant is not offering buffets like they once did, and they’re limiting private gatherings to 25 people. So as not to eat up precious dining space during dining hours, the restaurant is only offering events during the day, and diners have to choose from their sit down menu. In the past, Treno would open up their entire patio for events, but now access is limited to
half the patio at most. Pacitti said there’s been a lot of interest from people eager to
host larger gatherings, but they just can’t accommodate the parties of 50 or 60 that people are requesting due to the current restrictions. She said they get inquiries for large parties that they need to turn down nearly every single day. Treno has always offered takeout, but their takeout business has seen a distinct uptick since the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant added online ordering to make things easier for those eager to pick something up. She said they’ve had some customers ordering food for private events in their
Move Forward .
Hearthside Leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hearthside was considered the place to be by many in South Jersey. With reservations booked up to 60 days out, the Collingswood hotspot had no shortage of customers and was, at times, even difficult to get into. So, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and forced owner Chef Dominic Piperno to close the restaurant’s doors, the shutdown was devastating for Piperno, his wife and coowner Lindsay, and staff. “Mentally, the hardest thing was like we were the busiest restaurant we’ve ever been leading up to COVID, and then all of a sudden, it was just gone,” Piperno said. From March 15 until Sept. 21, Hearthside remained shut down. Piperno said they dabbled with takeout for a time offering dinner packages for two, but the model proved fiscally unsustainable. By Memorial Day weekend, the restaurant was completely shut down until Governor Phil Murphy permitted indoor dining in September. Once Murphy allowed restricted indoor dining, Piperno had partitions made up, and he is abiding strictly by the 35 percent guideline. Customers are required to wear a mask whenever they interact with staff, and the restaurant is professionally cleaned twice a week in addition to nightly sanitation. Given the unpredictability of the times, please see BITES, page 11
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homes. The restaurant offers pastas that they can put into a larger container rather than individually package. The meatballs – which are all hand-rolled – are also a popular offering. In terms of small plates, the ricotta and honey jar with toasted crostini is another crowd pleaser. Treno also offers their own take on wings. The restaurant bakes their wings and seasons them with garlic and chili flakes. The menu changes seasonally, and so diners should expect Treno’s new offerings to be revealed come April. To learn more about Treno Pizza Bar, visit www.trenopizzabar.com.
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IInt / E Ext / R Res / C Comm
Hearthside is taking reservations only two weeks out. Piperno said the new structure has offered diners who struggled to book 60 days out a chance to dine at Hearthside for the first time. “It’s been really nice to hear people come in and say this is our first dinner since last March and it was so nice we could book it within two weeks,” Piperno said. When Hearthside reopened, they also brought back takeout with the entirety of the restaurant’s daily menu offered to-go. The dishes are fired to order to ensure freshness, and so the quantity of takeout they can offer is limited based on half an hour time slots. “We understand that some people aren’t comfortable going out to dine yet so we’re not going to limit our reach in the community when it comes to food,” Piperno said. “We decided to just push through and do takeout as much as we possibly can.” The contemporary wood-fired American menu is broken down into small, medium and large plates. Guests are encouraged to dine family style, and for a table of two, Piperno recommends that they order two small plates, one medium plate and one large plate to share. The small plates change seasonally, but diners can typically expect some sort of crudos or vegetable dish. The hamachi ceviche has been a small plate staple for three years with the citrus changing based on the season. “We try to give people an experience that they wouldn’t get at other places especially around here which is mostly Italian,” Piperno said. “We like to play on Latin American and Vietnamese and some Asian influences.” Piperno prioritizes the safety of his staff and guests, and for that reason, Hearthside is not currently booking any parties or large groups. At most, Hearthside will seat 10 people at their large table, and guests are required to be from the same household and to answer a variety of COVID-19 screening questions before they’re allowed to book the table. Hearthside is also offering outdoor dining which does not require a reservation and is first come, first served. While Piperno admits it’s been “a hard 08108
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PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
Previous page: Treno Pizza Bar Chef Logan Hawkins places a wood-oven Caesar salad into the oven, pictured up close at right. Above, from left: A plated Wagyu beef carpaccio at Hearthside. The restaurant’s Sous Chef Tom Anastasia prepares the popular hamachi ceviche.
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Local residents turned to new hobbies – or expanded on old ones – over the past year BY MADELEINE MACCAR
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t’s been nearly a year into life with COVID, and phrases like “the new normal” and “unprecedented” anything are maddeningly common now. It’s easy to rail against losing a year to living in claustrophobic bubbles and at arms-length from loved ones. But as everyone keeps adjusting and adapting, some have found new, healthy outlets since COVID reshaped their worlds. Quarantine life, as difficult as it’s been, came with a silver lining: a chance to immerse themselves in something new. With more time to fill — and distractions being gratefully welcome — Collingswood residents and neighbors were among those revisiting nature, the arts, sports, family activities and more as they dusted off longforgotten skills or decided to take the plunge and commit to a new hobby. Jill Chestnut-Collins, an Oaklyn resident, discovered swimming a few years ago. The former collegiate runner describes her family as an athletic one, and watching her kids thrive in their swimming lessons made her want to develop her own skills, too, which brought her to Collingswood’s Roberts Pool. “I just decided to get into the pool one day and haven’t stopped since — but it kind of got stale, going to the pool without goals,” she says. When her pool announced the return of its adult masters team along with its September reopening, she saw her opportunity to go for something she had “been dying to do since March.” please see FOCUS, page 13
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Initially hesitant to put herself out there — “I started to pay for the swim team in November but didn’t start showing up until January,” she admits — Chestnut-Collins scrounged up the courage to get started. The community that greeted her, even as pool closures were followed by the pandemic-limited occupancies, soon proved to be a huge part of the appeal. Her fellow adult swimmers not only understand her struggles and milestones but also always know the kind of encouragement and shared
experience she needs. “I’ve been a runner my entire life so as a runner I’m confident, I know what I’m doing, but as a swimmer, I need someone to tell me what to do with my arms and legs,
guitarist” skills: As a Camden County librarian suddenly working from home, he faced an abundance of free time as his employer figured out a new operational model. With some focus and determination, Zegas filled those hours with making progress as a rhythm guitarist. “I actually practiced by playing songs and learning chords I didn’t know. I gradually got better: Practicing helps, who knew!?” he remarked, though he still feels more confident in his vocal abilities than his instrumental ones. Zegas first learned guitar basics during the summer of 1995, when he was not quite 16 and attended the Fairfax County Institute for the Arts summer camp. He let the skill languish for a while, then casually revisited it for about 10 years before the pandemic prompted him to get more serious. “For me, at least, it was a way to both relieve the boredom and distract myself from the parade of horribles going on in the please see FOCUS, page 14
and I like that challenge,” she said. “It’s great to have people who suggest ‘Hey, why don’t you try it like this?’ It reminds me of being part of a team when I was a teenager, and I’ve missed that.” Aaron Zegas is a new father who saw early pandemic life as an opportunity to improve his self-described “meddling
PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
Jill Chestnut got serious about swimming during the pandemic, joining an adult masters swim team at Collingswood’s Roberts Pool. She was inspired to get back in the pool when her children – including Adrian Collins, 5, pictured here – were taking swimming lessons.
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world,” he said. Tate Perazelli is a self-professed lifelong “bird nerd” who shares his passion with family members. They’ve spent decades visiting locally accessible and nationally renowned birding spots like Cape May, a migratory hotspot attracting “ginormous” sky-swallowing swaths of flying birds. But with COVID curtailing travel, a squirrel-proof bird feeder and a handcrafted bird bath soon led to the Perazellis’ yard becoming a haven for all kinds of feathered friends. “I kind of did it as an homage to my mom, because it reminds me of her and how much she loved birds and, really, all living creatures,” he says. From their dining room, Tate and his wife Margaret can see the flocks of birds visiting their yard, giving them an up-close look at natural phenomena like the goldfinch molting its warm-weather yellows and turning gray. The New Jersey state bird is shedding its drab winter colors now, and the finches’ patchwork yellows have been a visual reminder to slow down and find something to appreciate in the present. “Things are really hard for a lot of people right now, but you still have to find ways
to live life — cautiously, of course — because it’s just too short,” Tate says. “The birds are still living their lives, and watching them is so calming. The goldfinches molt over time: It’s a slow process, but it’s incredible to watch. It’s helped us learn to take it a day at a time and not be in such a hurry.” Finding everything
from a few moments of peace to emotional satisfaction make the payoff of a dedicated hobby one of its biggest appeals. The Perazellis have developed a new tra-
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dition of weekly trips determined by what nearby location they draw from a jar, while the birds in their backyard give them some perspective, too. “Nature doesn’t care that there’s a pandemic: Nature is still there, the earth is still there, it’s all still just as beautiful as ever and it’s still there for us to enjoy,” Margaret says. “We can look down and see our own misery or we can look up and see the joy around us.” For Zegas, he’s also been learning how to sling some finely h o n e d classic cocktails. Preparing for not only jam sessions with friends but also serving drinks to a home full of guests are glimmers of hope for a return to social activity. “Due to the pandemic, I’ve not seen much of my family in person, just my fiance and my newborn child,” he explains. “But, I’m sure that when we start having gatherings again, I’d be happy to break out some nice cocktails.” Chestnut-Collins says that no matter what kind of daily stresses she’s been carrying before she gets to the pool, they all melt away as soon as she dips into the water. The pool, she said, is where her focus is reduced to the swimmer she was yesterday and the swimmer she’s working to become tomorrow. “All of us adults are coming to the pool with some kind of baggage, like a stressful day at work or thinking about calling this doctor or prioritizing all the things you have to do,” she says. “When I get in the pool, I cannot focus on anything but swimming. To me, that’s the biggest benefit.” Tate found that tending to his tiny flying neighbors reinforces the importance of respecting all creatures great and small, just like his mother did — which comes with a mutual benefit. “Caring for these birds, even something like cleaning their feeders, is so therapeutic
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to me,” he says. Of course, as Zegas points out, “not everyone is going to have the time or emotional or mental bandwidth to take up new hobbies” after a year that has offered some truly harrowing trials and tragedies. But for those who benefit from refocusing their energy on something creative or informative, diving into a hobby can be a productive way to find something positive in a difficult 12 months. “It taught me something at age 40-41 that I hadn’t really picked up as a teenager: That if you actually practice at something every day, you’ll get, if not good, at least good enough to have fun with guitar,” Zegas said, finding merit in learning itself. “I’m not going to be the next Hendrix, but when the pandemic is over, it’ll be fun to jam with friends and keep up with better musicians and hold my own.” Chestnut-Collins believes there’s no time like the present to try something new, and she credits swimming for being her constant in uncertain times. “I can’t emphasize enough how swimming has gotten me through the year,” she says. Tate and Margaret are keenly aware of how bad the pandemic is for many. But taking in the good things — like, as Tate says, realizing that “there’s no one else I’d rather live through a pandemic with than my wife” — is important, too. “We have hot water, we have food, we aren’t in a war zone,” Tate says. “It isn’t the fact that the glass is half empty or the glass is half full: It’s the fact that you even have a glass.” ■
From left: Tate and Margaret Perazzelli check out a bird book while watching the feathered friends through their window. Tate arranges his bird feeders outdoors. The couple were casual bird watchers prior to the pandemic, becoming more invested in the hobby over the past year. Learning an instrument – here, guitars hang at Collingswood Music downtown – was another popular hobby picked up by locals during the pandemic, including Aaron Zegas. 08108
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BY RYAN LAWRENCE
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ine years ago, Rose Hamilton was walking her son, Jadon, to Zane North Elementary School on a chilly February morning with her 2 ½-yearold daughter, Kyleigh, in tow. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. Another mom had a little black puppy. Kyleigh hadn’t interacted with a dog before. Rose asked the fellow parent, who was fostering the pup, for permission and, suddenly, Kyleigh Hamilton had a new best friend. “I still have the picture,” she said. “Kyleigh is wearing a purple coat, there’s a little snow on the ground and the puppy is hip high on her. And then she’s got her hand around her.” Rose sent the photo via email to her husband, Mark. “You don’t play fair,” he responded. Roxy (the dog’s name now) came to visit the Hamilton family on a Saturday shortly after the meet, and she never left. She found a new home, with Rose, Mark, John Mark, Jadon, little Kyleigh Hamilton and the rest of the family. About six weeks later, the Hamiltons welSPRING 2021
comed Rusty, another rescue puppy, into their home, too. Roxy needed someone she could play a little rougher with. “She was a really easy dog,” Rose said of Roxy. “Which tricks you into another one.” Rose Hamilton laughed. A chance meeting with a puppy at a school playground quickly led to adopting Roxy, then one dog turned into two, and soon she was volunteering as a foster for a rescue group, and then somewhere around a half dozen dogs a year became about 30 a month when she started her own rescue and now, nearly a decade after running into Roxy at the schoolyard, Rose Hamilton has helped save more than 1,000 dogs’ lives. Woof Love Rescue is a foster-based dog rescue organization based out of the Hamiltons’ home in Collingswood. It launched in August of 2017, a handful of years after Rose Hamilton had gained experience as a regular foster for another local rescue organization. But, in reality, Woof Love’s genesis was in the serendipity of meeting Roxy and then a conversation just a few months later, when Roxy and Rusty had made themselves at home with the Hamiltons. 16
“We’re looking at them one night and my husband turns and looks at me and he said, ‘How could anybody throw this away? How does this happen? How are these dogs, that are part of our family, trash to somebody else? How is that? How does that happen?’” Rose recalled. “And you know, we kind of talked about it. I said, we have to do something.” “Something,” initially, was fostering. Then, 3 ½ years ago, it became Rose Hamilton finding her true passion in running her own animal rescue organization, Woof Love, with a logo she has tattooed just above her wrist. Hamilton and her loyal network of foster moms and dads throughout the Delaware Valley – she estimated there are around 40, most are local and all are within an hour’s drive, so they can use the same veterinarian to keep the pups healthy and growing – have volunteered countless hours to saving lives and dedicated themselves to promoting animal welfare. The majority of the dogs arrive at Woof Love from Animal Aid USA, an organization that drives custom rigs – with heatplease see WOOF, page 17 08108
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ing, air-conditioning and stainless steel crates – and have a caravan of three or four vans following their path to and from Georgia. The dogs are saved from high-kill shelters and brought up north for a second chance at life, thanks to rescue organizations like theirs. “(Good Samaritans) are pulling these dogs from the ditches, from under trailers, from the conditions they’re in, they’re saving them, and then they’re sending them to us,” Rose Hamilton said. “We make it work,” added Mark Hamilton. “And it’s growing. And the bottom line is we’re saving lives and we’re creating better lives for these animals and also building other
South), people are starting to get it,” Hamilton said. “It’s not going to happen overnight. Change never happens overnight. It just doesn’t. They’re starting to get it. “And the dogs we get, we place in wonderful homes and it’s to see the updates on our Facebook page. It never ceases to amaze me,
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sometimes if I’m having a really rough day, asking how did I get here, and then I’ll get a text or a message or one of my fosters or volunteers comes to me with a story about one of the dogs that we’ve placed. And that’s it. I’m done. I know why I’m doing it, and that’s it. Those moments. I know why I’m doing this. This is who I am.”
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families in the area, providing new experiences (for them). Children growing up with a dog – that brings me back to when I was a kid, the American story, children and a dog, going to the park. I’m very proud of her.” Rose Hamilton estimated that Woof Love Rescue takes in somewhere from 20-35 dogs a month. Thanks to her own pack of fosters, Facebook and websites like Petfinder, the dogs usually have somewhat short stays at Woof Love en route to finding permanent homes and before a new group of two to three dozen dogs arrives four weeks later. “The areas we’re pulling from (down
Previous page: Puppies from the same litter made their way from Georgia to New Jersey in February for a chance at a second life thanks to Woof Love Rescue, a Collingswood-based rescue organization that takes in two to three dozen dogs each month and helps find them adoptable homes. Above, from left: Beth Ann Rogers, a board member with Woof Love Rescue and one of the organization’s regular foster moms, holds one of the puppies up for adoption in February. Another of those puppies – adorable Daphne – was looking for a new home in February, too.
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A look at
LOCAL HISTORY
Collingswood home to one of oldest oak trees in New Jersey BY ANTHONY J. MAZZIOTTI III
SPRING 2021
T
he Borough of Collingswood needs a Lorax – stat. You know, the mythical creature from the Dr. Seuss book of the same name. The little orange guy with the fluffy yellow moustache. No, the borough isn’t in the midst of an arboreal crisis. In fact it’s quite the opposite. The borough wears its “Tree City USA Community” badge with pride. The issue, if it can even be called that, comes at the hand of the massive white oak tree on the White Horse Pike in front of the Scottish Rite Auditorium. The giant white oak has been around longer than the United States has had independence from England. The Lorax, who speaks for the trees, could quite possibly speak on behalf of the oak which has likely seen its fair share of impor18
tant historical events. Think of the phrase, “If these walls could talk, the stories it could tell,” but instead of walls it is a giant primordial oak tree in the middle of town. In the meantime, the borough has the next best thing on staff in commissioner Joan Leonard. A commissioner since 1997, she is also the chair of the Collingswood Shade Tree Advisory Board. She was one of the founders of the Collingswood Horticultural Society, too. The tree in question is estimated to be closer to 500 years old, though popular urban legend says 300, according to Leonard who referenced a report from deceased Collingswood native and tree aficionado David Johnson. please see LOCAL, page 19 08108
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LOCAL
“He was an expert,” Leonard said. “He did measurements and studies on it [the tree] less than 10 years ago.” Five hundred years. Think about this: The U.S. declared independence from England 245 years ago in July. The white oak on the White Horse Pike was already 250 years old by the point. Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 – this tree was born roughly 25 years after that. For argument’s sake, the tree’s been around since the genesis of recorded North American history. The pilgrims who traveled south from Plymouth Rock? This tree’s seen it. Scrappy colonial soldiers fighting off the world’s strongest army for our country’s freedom? This tree had a front row seat. The same big tree you’ve driven by a thousand times could have been a prime meeting spot along the Underground Railroad. A piece of breathing American history is right in the borough, and its longevity can be chalked up to one thing – it was left alone. “Want to know how to keep a tree alive?” Leonard asked rhetorically. “You don’t mess up the earth under the tree. “There’s a whole ecosystem under the grass. There’s roots, the soil and everything interacting with each other under there; it’s massive. The tree is enormous, the roots are
enormous.” The location of the tree, with respect to the Scottish Rite Auditorium, is calm. A school wasn’t built on the property. Neither was a soccer field. With minimal traffic at best passing through, the tree was left perfectly still to watch and bear witness to the ever changing life around it. “If you leave a tree to sit on an acre of land, the tree will live,” Leonard added. “Oaks can live a long time. It’s a perfect match of everything around it. God bless it.” It makes sense that one of, if not the, oldest oak tree in New Jersey is found in Collingswood. Leonard claims Knight Park is home to a handful of trees that are north of 200 years old. And as a proud Tree City USA Community, the borough puts trees at the forefront. For the past 20 years, the borough celebrates Arbor Day by having the Shade Tree Advisory Board meet with all of the third graders in town to plant seven to 10 trees in Knight Park. “When you plant a tree with children, you’re teaching the next generation the value of not just planting the tree but appreciating it, interacting with the earth. To take care of nature, to water it, to have a connection to it from your heart,” Leonard said. The Shade Tree Advisory Committee has planted nearly 3,000 trees since 1997, according to Leonard. All of this is done through the borough budget – it is some-
thing that is important and helps maintain the title of a Tree City USA Community. “Knowing we’ve come so far and done so much and have that title as one of the towns in New Jersey, I feel like we’ve done our part,” Leonard said of being a Tree City USA Community. “We should lead by example and action. Do positive deeds to set that example so people can see and appreciate not just today, but for generations. It means everything to me.” Because of Leonard’s efforts, future generations will be able to take note of the 500-year-old oak on the White Horse Pike, the handful of 200-year-old trees in Knight Park and even the 1-year-old saplings planted by Collingswood third-graders. It’s part of what makes Collingswood, Collingswood. If the trees could talk, the stories they could tell would be fascinating. Until then, we’ll rely on Leonard to speak on their behalf. Until the borough can ink the Lorax to a contract, that is. ■
PHOTO BY JAMIE STOW
This massive white oak tree outside of the Scottish Rite Auditorium on the White Horse Pike is the oldest in the borough and one of the oldest in the entire state, estimated at close to 500 years old.
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What do you love most about Collingswood? PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
PHOTO 1: Coffee makes the walks worth it for Eric Osman and Alex Dolan-Mescal and their pooch, Bendy. The duo said their favorite thing about the borough was a cup from Constellation Collective. “We love coming out for coffee and breakfast and walking around the parks,” they agreed. PHOTO 2: Amanda Batchelor said Bespoke Home + Life was her favorite thing about Collingswood. Batchelor’s niece, Stella Rose Carey, had her own opinion. “The toy store and the hot chocolate – it’s really good!” the 4-year-old said.
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PHOTO 3: “There is a community feel to it and it’s walkable,” said Alissa Hochman, pictured here with 3-year-old daughter, Maya. “I love our neighbors we have gotten to know.” PHOTO 4: Mark Zelliman claimed the borough’s small town feel, shops, restaurants, and walkability were his favorite things. No question his dog, Jamison, would agree with the latter. PHOTO 5: Barb Lafferty, walking with her dog, Aggie, couldn’t decide on a favorite thing about Collingswood: There was just too much to choose from. “Where do I start? There’s just so much! It’s just so great – the parks, restaurants, shops – everything,” she said.
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PHOTO 6: “The little shops and how friendly everyone is,” said Marisa Diaz, carrying her 14-month-old, Jack. PHOTO 7: The borough’s walkability, variety of activities, parks and shops were favorites for the Higgins – Michelle, Joe and 2-year-old Eden. They also love how friendly everyone is around town. PHOTO 8: “We have been here 10 years and love being so close to town, having such wonderful things like the farmers market, Haddon Culinary, all the restaurants and the parks,” said Sara Gates, here with her 5-year-old daughter, Emma. SPRING 2021
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PTA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ groups/CollingswoodHighSchoolPTA.
Keeping up with
Collingswood It’s all in the details
beautify the park. Supplies will be provided. Learn more at www.collingswood.com.
Clean up, clean up
Collingswood High School PTA members are playing Easter Bunny in April, when they will fill your yard with candy-filled eggs! (And for those who prefer, a basket full of eggs is available, too.) Choose 25 eggs for $20, 35 eggs for $30 or 40 eggs for $40. Orders must be placed by Friday, March 26. Discover all the details on the
Collingswood Reads Book Club
Love to read? Love to talk about it? On the fourth Wednesday of every month, the Collingswood Library plays host to the Collingswood Reads Book Club, giving readers a chance to share their thoughts on a variety of books, from mystery to historical fiction and everything in between. March 24 is “Nothing to See Here” by Kevin Wilson, April 21 is “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson and May 19 is “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides. Join the conversation from 7 to 8 p.m. at the library, 771 Haddon Ave. Learn more at www.collingswoodlib. org.
When it comes to your social Collingswood Restaurant Week calendar, change is … not Take advantage of prix fixe menus at a number of borough restaurants from April always good. But sometimes 11-16. Meals will be available for both dining in and taking out, and reservations are it’s inevitable. In the event of limited. The borough plans to close the cancelations and postponements, avenue and expand outdoor seating. Masks Saturday, April 24 and social distancing required. Check out 12th Annual Green Festival: Sustainable be sure to double check the participating restaurants and menus at www. Collingswood will teach you it’s easy to be collingswood.com. green at its annual festival from 9 a.m. to status of the following events 2 p.m. along Irvin Avenue. For the ecobefore attending. friendly expert to the going green novice, “Egg”cellent Fun there’s something for everyone. Live music, Sustainable Collingswood has planned a series of cleanup events at Knight Park, set for the first and third Saturday of each month, starting March 20 and ending in November. Starting at 9 a.m., volunteers are asked for an hour of their time to help
Kids Zone, demonstrations, eco-friendly products and services, and plenty more. Check out www.collingswood.com or the event’s Facebook page for more information and to confirm all details, which are subject to change.
Saturday, May 1
Collingswood Farmers’ Market Opening Day: From Jersey Fresh produce to locally roasted coffee, fine crafted cheeses to artisan breads, this market offers a little bit of everything. Located on a stretch of pavement between Haddon Avenue and the PATCO speedline in Collingswood’s downtown district, the market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon through Thanksgiving. Rain or shine. Learn more at www.collingswoodmarket.com.
Saturday, May 7
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Arts and wellness take center stage at this Illuminate Festivals event planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Collingswood Senior Community Center. Aura photography, bodywork, energywork, crystals, essential oils and more are planned. Admission and workshops are free, and low-cost services will be available. Find tickets at www.illuminatefestivals.com.
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