Livingston Native Represents Team USA as Sabre Fencer for Paris Olympics
As she started competing on a more national level, Tartakovsky shared that success in the sport came early for her.
By Megan Roche
Elizabeth Tartarkovsky recalls watching the 2008 Olympic Games at the age of eight. She watched as her great uncle Yury Gelman coached the 2008 men’s sabre team and she was hooked on giving the sport a try.
“I loved that the sport was a mix of athleticism and being strategic. I was a bit of a sneaky kid so I loved that fencing is a physical chess game. It really stuck for me,” Tartakovsky said.
“I reached success really early. My first national competition, I made it into the top eight and got a medal with the under 10 youth category. At ten years old, I won my first national event and that success was pretty steady as I went up the age categories. I don’t think I really realized that I had a talent for it, I just loved to compete. Going to competitions for me was like a vacation from school, I got to travel across the country, I met a ton of friends from different states and I thought that was so cool,” Tartakovsky said.
After graduating from high school, Tartakovsky enrolled at Harvard University where she continued her fencing career. While in college, she also continued to compete at the senior Olympic level.
“I really loved college fencing and I really think it
reinvigorated my love for the sport. My whole life I was fencing as an individual and now I had an entire team behind me, and my team, we really called ourselves a family team,” Tartakovsky said.
While at Harvard, Tartakovsky won the Women’s Sabre NCAA Championship silver medal.
As the Tokyo Summer Games came around, Tartakovsky had her eyes set on traveling to Japan. She had taken a year off after her freshman year at Harvard to train and fence on the senior level. As fate would have it, Tartakovsky missed making the Olympic roster by a few points.
“It was really upsetting to me but I realized how much more I had to learn and that with enough time and effort, that I would be ready to be an Olympian one day,” Tartakovsky said.
To make the Senior National Team, a fencer must place in the top four in the nation. In 2022, Tartakovsky realized that dream and had
the privilege to wear USA Fencing across her chest.
“I just had this motivation to continue to work and to prove myself at that level of competition. It was amazing, I think I made a big step on my progress on that level.
A lot of the Olympic Team from Tokyo had retired, all of a sudden I became one of the most experienced people on that senior circuit and I think it really helped me step into that leadership role and realize that this is my time now,” Tartakovsky said.
When it came time to qualify for a spot on the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic roster, Tartakovsky faced a year-long road of earning points at various competitions, where depending on her ranking at the end of the season, would make or break her spot on Team USA.
“The hardest part about this year was really how mentally tough it was. I showed a lot of success, I finally made it into the top 16 in the world, I was
number one in the US going into the Olympic qualification season. The hardest season of your life is always the season after your best season, because you have so much to prove, that it wasn’t a fluke. I felt like an underdog for so long,” Tartakovsky said.
When the notification came that she was officially a member of Team USA, Tartakovsky admitted that it took some time for it to really sink in.
“It was really a sigh of relief, like ‘okay, I did what I was supposed to do’, but then seeing the support from family and friends
and people I’ve never met before, it’s quite amazing to see how many people are on my side. I’ve really had time to understand how special and unique this opportunity is and I’m so grateful for it,” Tartakovsky said.
While she hopes to bring home a gold medal, Tartakovsky is just proud of all the work that got her to accomplish her dream.
“I don’t want my experience to be defined by what medal I get or what place I get. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity, it’s the biggest privilege in the world.”
Elizabeth Tartakovsky realized her Olympic dream. She is currently competing in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games
(Credit: Serge Timacheff/USA Fencing)
Livingston Teen Wins Middle School Statewide Biomedical Research Essay Contest
By Megan Roche
Annika Raj graduated from Heritage Middle School in June, and as she heads to high school, she’s adding another accomplishment to her list: being named the 2024 New Jersey Middle School Essay Contest winner for the Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research.
Raj, a competitor by nature, was searching for a way to write about her passion and found the essay contest.
“I love doing competitions, I like challenging myself. I was just searching up biomedical research competitions in New Jersey and it came up. I like writing, it’s definitely something I can use to channel my passion and I think I’ve always known I’m interested in medicine or the way that it effects people,” Raj said.
Stumbling upon the contest, Raj only had a few days prior to the submission deadline to formulate her essay. The contest was open to middle school students across the state in sixth through eighth grade. The topic was What is Biomedical Research?
In her essay, Raj talks about the importance of animals in biomedical research. She talks about various diseases and the difference animals have made in helping to find cures, medications, and vaccines.
Her interest in biomedical research stemmed from seeing her grandmother (dadi) through her battle with dementia.
“My want to understand biomedical research was because of my dadi. Before leaving Singapore and moving to the US, we went to visit her in India and it was really hard to see her not be able to recognize my face or my voice or even know who I was. The thing with biomedical research, the whole process, it’s about understanding the cause of disease and trying to prevent it. As a 12 year old at the time, I would
obviously want to prevent dementia from taking over my dadi,” Raj said.
After submitting the essay, Raj noted that she “kind of forgot that she had entered the contest” and in May, she was notified that she won the competition.
“I was so shocked, I was so happy. I actually started jumping up and down. It was really special because I had done the essay in such a short amount of time and that they had even seen my essay as some sort of winner, it was crazy to me,” Raj shared.
In addition to an award, Raj also earned a cash prize and a chance to talk with biomedical research scientists.
“When I was talking to the scientists, I could understand the love they have for biomedical research. It kind of transmitted to me as well. It really refueled my passion for biomedical research,” Raj says.
Starting her freshman year at Livingston High School in the fall, Raj is looking forward to her four years at the school. However, looking beyond, Raj hopes to either have a career in biomedical research or business.
“I know a lot of people who already know what kind of job they are going to have after high school. I sometimes feel lost in the sense that I have two distinct passions: biology and business. Some people think that those are not cohesive, but I think they are. After freshman year, I think I will understand myself better but I think right now I’d love a career in business and biology,” Raj said.
Through putting the essay together, winning the contest, and talking with the scientists, Raj learned more than she thought possible.
“These scientists truly have such a passion for these animals. There are so many vets that are a part of biomedical
research. That’s what really resonated with me. These scientists truly change so many lives,” Raj said.
At the age of 14, Raj urges all her peers to truly find their passion in life.
“Narrow down and really focus on what you are interested in. If you just do competitions for the award, you have no personal gain and it isn’t striking enough. Once you hone down to what you are good at or passionate about, the competitions come rolling to you.”
For more information on the Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research, visit www.psbr.org
Annika Raj, left, accepts the first place award for her essay on biomedical research
Families Can Make the Most of Summer’s End
It seems like just yesterday people were heralding the arrival of summer.
After many months of fickle weather, summer’s warm temperatures and ample sunshine can be that hug from Mother Nature people need. But soon summer will be coming to an end, making room for apples, corn and pumpkin spice.
Even though summer will soon be singing its swan song, there is still plenty of time for families to enjoy the waning days of surf and sunshine. Here are some family-friendly options to consider.
Catch a concert
Summer is a time of year when many artists go on tour and sell out everything from arenas to ampitheaters to more intimate venues. Find a singer the entire family enjoys and grab some tickets.
Pick fruit
Peach season varies depending on where you live, but May through September is a prime time for pick-yourown farms to open their orchards to the peach-picking public. Turn those peaches into pies for Labor Day festivities.
Watch some fireworks
Those who didn’t have an opportunity to catch a fireworks display already this summer, or who enjoyed it so much that
they want more, can find out when the next big display will take place. Some beachside towns and even amusement parks regularly host fireworks shows on the weekends.
Climb a lighthouse
National Lighthouse Day occurs on August 7. Locate a lighthouse within driving distance and visit one of the beautiful and historic structures that commemorate maritime history. For example, Sandy Hook Lighthouse in New Jersey, which was lit for the first time in 1764, is the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States.
Pick a day to re-do
Ask all members of the family what sticks out in their minds as the best summer day so far. It may have been paddleboarding in a lake or taking a scenic drive. Compile the answers and then pick one activity to enjoy all over again.
Head to a state fair
State fairs fill calendars this time of year. They’re perfect ways to enjoy carnival rides, fair foods, live entertainment, and even livestock.
Watch balloons rise
Check to see if there is a hot-air balloon festival taking place nearby. Watch these huge items become lighter than air and get
lifted off the ground. Enjoy an outdoor movie
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Purchase or borrow a movie projector and set up a screen outdoors. That screen can be an actual outdoor screen or a white sheet stretched between two poles. Invite the neighborhood to come over, set up picnic blankets and enjoy a family flick. Camp out
Pitch a tent at a campground or even in your own backyard and spend an evening sleeping under the stars.
AUGUST 15th
AUGUST 16th AUGUST 17th AUGUST 18th
By Steve Sears
IGlory Days: 1980 Livingston High School Baseball
n the summer of 2022, former Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, invited all 16 of his teammates from the 1980 Livingston High School boys’ baseball team to his private suite at Citi Field in Queens, New York.
There was, obviously, a New York Mets game that evening, and 13 teammates made the trip.
But Christie’s invitation was more than about Mets baseball. In fact, the get together was even more than about the historic 1980 Livingston Lancers baseball season.
Christie said, “The amazing thing about the evening was that we had seen each other individually over the years a lot, but that was the first time since we had our championship dinner after the 1980 season that we were all together in the same room. And it was 42 years later, but you would think it was as if we had been with each other as a group a month earlier.”
George Alpert, who was a junior and Second Team All – State centerfielder who hit .383 in the spring of 1980, attended the Citi Field gathering.
“We just we loved to play,” Alpert said of the squad and its background. “We played on the same summer team, and it went from one season to the next season. It went by so fast. But we are all together in this, all friendly. And when we talk, even though we do not see each other for years, even decades, sometimes things are just like yesterday. The biggest thing was just the camaraderie that we had. We were friends on the field and friends off the field.”
Scott Parsons, who won 11 games for the Lancers in 1980 (credit 1980 Livingston High School yearbook) and juniors Alpert and Stan Yagiello, would be drafted by Major League Baseball teams – Parsons by the Oakland Athletics, and Writt, Alpert, and Yagiello by the Cleveland Indians.
The 1980 Lancers may be the greatest sports team ever to represent Livingston High School. Ranked as one of the top 10 teams in the country, the Lancers finished with a 28 – 2 – 1 record (12 of those wins were by shutout and quite a few by rout) and won the Irons Hills Conference, Greater Newark Tournament, the Group IV Section II and overall Group IV state titles.
In addition to the beforementioned, other members of the record-setting squad were Stephen Slotnick, Todd Silverberg, Mike Genovese, Fred Alworth, Troy Brydon, John Whelan, Bill Giuliano, Steve Pontiakos, Michael Citron, Marcello Bonvini, Tom Cooney, and Phil Ortolani.
Four Lancers, seniors Scott Parsons and Marty Writt, continued on page 7
Kidz World Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
1980 Livingston Lancers head coach, Bill Lampeter (credit 1980 Livingston High School yearbook)
Glory Days...
continued from page 6
The team was coached by Bill Lampeter, who would win 401 games in his career, and he was assisted by Tony Hope.
Alpert said of Lampeter, who passed away in 2018, “He was great coach. He let us play, there was never an issue, and there was a lot of respect between us. He did not really have to say much. He made out the lineup, put the guys out there, and we performed. It was a real pleasure and honor to play for him.”
The 1980 Lancers are only one of three teams to be inducted into The Big L Club, the Livingston High School Hall of Fame.
Senior Bill Giuliano, who set a team record with 43 runs batted in and led Essex County with an .819 slugging percentage, said, “We were good athletes who played together for so many years; whether it was Little League, or some of us played together on the Babe Ruth team, and some on American Legion.”
Cather Marty Writt transferred from nearby Newark Academy to Livingston High School after the Christmas break. He went on to bat .486 that spring with 52 hits.
Writt said, “Going into the season, we were ranked number one after the first game of the season, and we stayed number one the whole year.” And with that ranking came plenty of attention. “And I just remember the crowds that used to come and watch us it. It wasn’t like it is today. We had people up and down the first and third base lines. It was really a neat experience playing in front of all those people.”
When it came to strengths, the Lancers had it all over the field. Nine all-time team records were broken, and 12
individual records were tied or broken.
Yagiello said, “I guess you could say we had a wellrounded lineup.”
Giuliano said regarding the Lancers starting pitchers, “Probably the three guys that were our two, three, and four starters probably would’ve been number one pitchers for anybody else.”
The ace of the staff was Parsons, who also occasionally played in the outfield or first base. The 6’ 4” righthander was 11 – 0 for the season with a 0.38 ERA and eight shutouts.
Writt said, “Scott was a great pitcher. He made First Team All - State as an outfielder the year before, and I think everybody knew that he was the best player in the state. We all knew it as teammates, and it was just comforting knowing that you had him on your side, just knowing he was there. His presence, I think, made everybody else relax.”
The most significant challenge to the Lancers in 1981 came at the hands of Morris Knolls, who both tied and defeated them during the regular season. The other loss came to the Summit Hilltoppers.
For Parsons, the most memorable part of the season was a key play in the Group IV state championship final against Hamilton East.
Parsons recalled, “I was not terribly sharp that day. Hamilton East had loaded the bases, and it was the middle of the game. A player for their team hit a line drive, and off the bat I thought, ‘Oh my God, we’re in big trouble.’”
The “rocket” was headed out to left centerfield, and Alpert, who Yagiello said “could run like a deer,” raced
over and made a tremendous catch.
“A guy hit a screamer to left center and I just ran as fast as I could and made the catch,” Alpert said. “And that kind of locked up the game up for us.”
“It was a third out of the inning,” Parsons said, “and I can still look back and see him running and extending his glove and making that catch. I don’t think they really threatened again after that, so that that was huge.”
Christie concurred with Parsons, “If I close my eyes right now, I can still see George making that catch. He went into a full sprint, and at the last minute, stuck his glove out and caught it in the webbing of the glove. If that ball gets hits by him, it is a whole different ballgame. But he caught that ball and I think that broke their back after that.”
Indeed. The Lancers were Group IV champions with a 3 – 0 victory.
Yagiello said of Alpert, “He made a lot of great catches the year, and nobody could run the outfield like George. He was a great outfielder, a great hitter.”
Perhaps Alpert’s game saving snare of the liner, the dominance of that 1980 team, or fondness for Lampeter and Hope were discussed during that summer evening in 2022. It was, after all, the perfect baseball atmosphere, and no doubt memories abounded.
But a big part of those 17 players and that season was both on and off the diamond, and it resonated that night inside the suite at Citi Field.
Christie put it best. “It was so natural and so easy, so warm and friendly with people, showing what we do have and what we share, which is true love for each other.”
Harry Sun, MD, FACS, Named Director of Transplant Surgery at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
The Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (CBMC) announced the promotion of Harry Sun, MD, FACS, to Director of Transplant Surgery. Dr. Sun joined the program in 2007 and has served as the program’s Associate Director of Transplant since 2016. He also holds the position of Associate Professor of Surgery at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School. In addition to being a highly experienced kidney and pancreas transplant surgeon, Dr. Sun’s clinical interest and expertise include laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, minimally invasive technique, pediatric kidney transplantation, and vascular and peritoneal dialysis access. His interests also include clinical outcomes research and teaching medical students and residents with particular focus on surgical skills and evidence-based medicine and practice.
Prior to joining CBMC, Dr. Sun completed a two-year fellowship in multiorgan transplant at the University of Alabama Birmingham. He performed a
General Surgery internship and residency at CBMC, serving as Chief Resident during his final year. He received a medical degree from SGU’s School of Medicine and an undergraduate degree in biology from Muhlenberg College. Dr. Sun is board certified in surgery and has presented his original research at several national conventions.
Dr. Sun, together with Stuart R. Geffner, MD, Chairman and Surgeon-inChief, Department of Surgery, Matthew Rosenzweig, DO, and Matthew Hanlon, MD, with Associates in Transplant and General Surgery, and James Guarrera, MD, Grace Lee-Riddle, MD, and the transplant surgeons from Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School and University Hospital in Newark, NJ, form New Jersey’s largest and most experienced group of transplant surgeons. They specialize in renal and pancreas transplantation, dialysis access, and general and advanced laparoscopic surgery.
Specializes in Managing All Diseases of the Retina, Vitreous, and Macula including:
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Macular Degeneration
• Retinal Detachment
• Macular Holes
• Floaters • Flashes
• Retinal Tears
RWJBarnabas Health Calls for Blood Donations During Summer Months
With the summer here, RWJBarnabas
Health is hosting several blood drives throughout July and August across its healthcare facilities to help reduce shortages already experienced at many of our facilities.
Life-saving blood and platelet donations are given to patients in a wide range of circumstances, including cancer care, trauma events such as car accidents and home accidents, childbirth, and mass casualty events. Historically, blood and platelet inventories drop during the summer months when donors are on vacation or off from school and college.
“Fewer people think about donating blood during the summer, but accidents and medical emergencies don’t take a vacation,” said Sally Wells, Business Development and Community Liaison for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s (RWJUH) Blood Donor Services. “Blood and platelet donations could be the difference between life and death for someone in need. This is why donations are needed throughout the year, but especially during the summer when hospitals across the state experience declining supply levels.”
A full list of upcoming blood drives, starting with those occurring in July, include:
August 13, 2024: Pine Belt Subaru, Community Showroom, 1021 NJ-88, Lakewood, NJ 08701
August 14, 2024: Lakewood Community at Monmouth Medical Center-Southern Campus Conference Rooms A, B, C, 600 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701
August 27, 2024: The Ashley Lauren Foundation, Recreation Gym, 601 Main Street, Belmar, NJ 07719
August 28, 2024: Monmouth Medical Center, Unterberg Learning Center, 300 2nd Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740
August 29, 2024: Long Branch Employees and Community, Adam “Buckey” James Community Center, 231 Wilbur Ray Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740
Donors must be 16 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds (120 pounds if 16 years old), and present photo identification. Donors who are 16 and 17 years old require written parental consent. If the donor has a history of viral hepatitis at age 11 or older or is recovering from an infectious illness, they are ineligible to donate.
To make an appointment at a fixed RWJUH Donor Room or to find a blood drive location near you, please visit https:// www.rwjuhdonorclub.org or call 732-2358100 ext. 221.
Now Serving GLUTEN FREE PIZZA
100 Years Ago This Month
The month of August has been home to many historical events over the years. Here’s a look at some that helped to shape the world in August 1924.
• Three people are killed and 10 others are injured when a boiler fire erupts on the French battleship Courbet on August 1. The Courbet survives the fire and is eventually utilized during World War II.
• John Carroll O’Connor is born on August 2 in Manhattan. O’Connor would become one of the most memorable television actors of all time, notably portraying “Archie Bunker” in the sitcoms “All in the Family” and “Archie Bunker’s Place” in the 1970s and early 1980s.
• Berlin Jews hold a memorial service for Jewish soldiers who died during World War I on August 3. The Jewish service takes place after a Jewish preacher was forbidden from delivering a prayer during a similar service held outside the Reichstag commemorating German soldiers who died during the war.
• Women from six European nations compete in the first Women’s International and British Games in London on August 4. The competition is held because track and field events at the Summer Olympics were limited to men only.
• Confidence man Charles Ponzi is released from prison in Plymouth, Massachusetts on August 6. Ponzi served less than four years
of a five-year sentence for financial crimes.
• Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia, a first cousin of the late Tsar Nicholas II, declares himself “Guardian of the Throne” for the Russian Empire on August 8. Two years later, the Grand Duke would declare himself the emperor-in-exile.
• The earliest sound film footage of an American president is recorded on August 11 when Lee de Forest films U.S. President Calvin Coolidge on the White House lawn. De Forest uses his experimental Phonofilm process to make the recording.
• Andrew S. Anderson, the Democratic Party nominee for South Dakota Governor, is gored by a bull on his property on August 11. Anderson does not survive the attack.
• Former world middleweight title holder Kid McCoy shoots his lover, Teresa Mors, on August 12 in Los Angeles. McCoy, retired from boxing at the time of the shooting, shot Mors in a drunken rage after she told him what her friends thought of him.
• United States Senator Nathaniel B. Dial and John J. McMahan, his challenger for the Democratic Party nomination in an upcoming election, are each arrested for disorderly conduct in South Carolina on August 20. Dial approached McMahan brandishing a chair during a campaign meeting that became contentious.
By Richard Mabey Jr.
Iconfess, when I recently visited my Cardiologist at University of Florida Medical Center and saw the scans of my Left Ventricle, a part of me felt a degree of anger, a part of me felt sad, and a part of me felt a great calling to get closer to God. I have Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. In a most simplistic way of looking at it, my Cardiologist told me that Apical HCM is essentially “cancer of the heart.” The heart muscle tissue grows at a very rapid rate. So much so, that they begin filling up a heart ventricle, so that the ventricle no longer has full capacity for blood. Thus, the heart has to work all so much harder. Eventually, the overabundance of heart muscle tissue fills the heart ventricle and sadly, the patient passes.
In many ways, I consider having Apical HCM as a blessing. First of all, it has inspired me to get the word out about Apical HCM. Basically, one in 500 people have HCM. Considerably less have Apical HCM, which means that the heart muscle tissues are filling up the bottom of the heart ventricle. HCM gets very little educational publicity. I am working on changing that.
Secondly, it has forced me to get my personal affairs in order. I’m a bit of a pack rat, and in the past few months, I have thrown out a lot of old calendars, broken scissors, instruction manuals, left-handed smoke shifters and dozens of old computer wires. I’ve given a lot of my clothes to thrift shops. Along with an assortment of bric-a-brac, old ceramic horses and old vases.
And most importantly it has been a time of focusing, and I mean laser focusing, on getting right with God. Reading scripture, praying and meditating have taken on a new vitality of importance to me.
Facing A Terminal Illness
One thing I have noticed, since being diagnosed with Apical HCM, is that a lot of my relatives, friends, neighbors and fellow church members have backed away from me. There is an unspoken awkwardness in them, when they talk to me. It’s almost as if they don’t know what to say to me. It’s so ironic, dealing with a terminal illness is the time when a person needs the support of others, but all so many people end up retreating from the terminally ill individual. O. Henry himself would be in awe of the irony of it all.
If you know of a terminally ill individual, please do reach out to them with kindness and a loving spirit. Please, please, please do not say things like, “well, we all have to go sometime.”
Leave the past behind, in talking with a terminally ill person. There’s no need to bring up the time your terminally ill friend or relative broke Aunt Melinda’s favorite, incredibly expensive vase.
Please do not say that you are praying for the terminally ill person. Rather, instead, ask your friend or relative if you can pray for them, right then and there. The words of comfort and assurance will mean the moon and the stars to that person.
If you visit a terminally ill person, give them a gift. It could be a very inexpensive gift. Maybe even something that you bought in a dollar store. It can even be something as simple as a rock or a leaf. Something that the terminally ill person can look at and hold in hand, long after your visit with them is over.
And finally, mail them (using good old fashioned U. S. Mail) a little card. In your own hand writing, share a little memory that was near and dear to your heart, about your terminally ill friend or relative.
Life is short. None of us are going to live forever, upon this third rock from the sun. Love one another. Forgive, forgive and forgive people for the wrongs they may have done to you. Be kind to strangers. Give a couple of dollars to a homeless person. Support animal shelters. Rescue a dog or cat from a shelter. Love one another. For truly, love is the single most positive powerful force in the universe. To thine own self, be true.
Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He hosts a YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” Richard most recently published a book of poetry and short stories. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@gmail.com.
Yours truly with Yodie. One of the many pups, I took care of, when I had my little dog walking business.
By Steve Sears
OMorristown, You Have a Professional Football Team!
n June 13 at the Dover Sportsplex in Dover, New Jersey, representatives of the new Entertainment Football Association (ENTFLA), announced at their introductory press conference that Morristown had been awarded a three of four available franchises for the inaugural 2025 summer season.
The 2,500 seat William G. Mennen Sports Arena will be the Morristown team’s home arena. A coach for the Morristown team has not yet been hired, and the team’s name is up to the fans, who can visit he league website at https://www. goentfla.com/morris-county/ and make suggestions. In September, the franchise will also host an in-school coloring contest for students to design the Morristown uniforms.
National Football League Hall of Famer, Andre Reed, Commissioner of the new Entertainment Football League (ENTFLA), a brand of the Entertainment Football Association, said, “There’s nothing better than to see a community come together through sports. Especially in small towns like Morristown, communities feel a sense of pride when there is a strong purpose to uplift all those involved there. Businesses begin to flourish more when everybody is involved. Our communities are an important part to cities being uplifted by the people
who live and prosper.”
Dave Helmer, who is in his 21st year as the Executive Director of the Morris County Parks Commission, said of the selection of Morristown, “Just to be considered, with the history that Morris County has from a youth football perspective, I think it is great. I think this, in a community where people know each other and get to know each other, is just a great opportunity for us.”
The ENTFLA is a unique brand of football. Seven players on each side of the line of scrimmage on a 50-yard field, no huddles, no kicking field goals or punting. You go for it on fourth down, and for a two-point conversion following a touchdown, which translates into high scoring games. There are 12-minute quarters and 20 seconds between each play.
And, should a pass wind up in the stands, the first fan to catch the ball or recover it gets to keep it.
However, the ENTFLA will be much more than football. Consider that sandwiching the game itself is energetic, pregame activity with live music, and youngsters elevating themselves in bounce houses while sharing the parking lot with barbequing tailgaters. Then, once doors open, an electric atmosphere of indoor laser lights, smoke and fireworks will greet entering fans. At halftime, America’s
Got Talent contestants will perform, and once the game is over, the fans are allowed on the field to meet the players, coaches, and cheerleaders.
Finally, a fairly high-level concert will close the afternoon.
Tommy Benizio of BeniZio Sports, who for about 30 years has either owned or operated professional sports teams, started a consulting firm that works with pro sports teams and leagues on their business operations. He was contacted Entertainment Football Association founder, Doug Freeman,
to help build an arena football league in the New York\New England area. Danbury, Connecticut and Fitchburg, Massachusetts were the initial two communities awarded franchises, and Morristown was the third for the ENTFLA’s inaugural season of four home games, four away games, and one neutral site game per club.
A fourth community is yet to be selected.
Benezio said, “It is this kind of full event, not quite a full day festival, but a day of entertainment, with all things happening.”
Entertainment Football League Commissioner, Andre Reed, speaks at the Entertainment Football League’s introductory press conference
NAS Wildwood Museum Houses WWII Planes, Contains Rich History over Past 82 Years
With about a month left of Summer, there’s a lot of time to enjoy the serenity of the beach with a trip to the southern New Jersey coast. While there, you might strongly consider a visit to Wildwood’s Naval Air Station Aviation Museum in Lower Township, NJ where aviation history awaits.
Museum-goers will be amazed at the many World War II planes all situated in a World War II-designed hangar as well as many artifacts from the 1940’s.
After America declared war on Germany and entered World War II officially in the European theatre, American bases along the Atlantic coast gained importance unlike ever before.
The Wildwood Naval Air Station became a great training ground after it was commissioned. Between 1943 and 1945, pilots practiced night flying and target practice over the Delaware Bay nearby. The hangar itself came to Wildwood by railroad as a kit which was put together to house aircrafts in 1942.
Sitting now in the hangar are TBM Avenger and F6F-3 Helicat among a collection of over 25 planes. Yet the hangar’s usage was far from only being utilized during wartime.
After being de-commissioned following the conclusion of World War II, a dentist and U.S. Navy pilot named Dr. Charles Cox decided to operate United States Overseas Airlines. The company provided national and international fights out of the hangar.
An aficionado of memorabilia and artifacts from the WWII-era, Cox utilized the space to display his collection – which includes Coca-Cola machines, record players and posters among other era-related items.
Other magnificent areas of the museum
emphasize more modern components of aviation such as speed and propulsion. Jetpropelled aircraft is showcased with military jets such as the T- 33 and supersonic F-16. Also at the museum, one will find many rotary-wing aircraft in the collection. On display are a retired HH-52A from the U.S. Cast Guard as well as a Bell UH-1 Iroquois known in aviation circles as a “Huey.”
Another display shows off a Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Jet Engine from a Boeing 777. The museum contains remnants of early aviation development dating back to the Wright Brothers era.
A great time to visit the museum will be from Thurs, Aug. 29 through Sunday, Sept. 1 when “Airfest 2024” takes center stage. This year the four-day show features aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police, AtlantiCare MedEvac and Cape May County Mosquito Commission among a wide array of vendors.
Kids will love the amount of hands-on and interactive exhibits at the museum as people continue to say that it’s one of the best kept secrets in Cape May County.
Admission is $16.00 for those 13 years old and up, and $12.00 for those between the ages of three and 12. Active duty military members are admitted for free as do museum members. U.S. Military Veterans receive a $2.00 discount and dependents must pay regular admission.
NAS Museum Hours are from 10am-4pm daily from March through December and closed on weekends during January and February. It is located at 500 Forrestal Rd, Cape May, NJ 08204.
For more information about the NAS Aviation Museum and in Wildwood, logon to www.usnasw.org.
The Incredible Healing Power of Prayer
By Richard Mabey Jr.
Growing up in the old Mabey Homestead in Lincoln Park, Grandma and Grandpa Mabey lived with us. If you faced the old farmhouse, my bedroom was on the second floor, in the front of the house on the right hand side. Grandma and Grandpa’s bedroom was right behind mine. Both of our bedrooms looked out to West Drive on the side.
When I was 12 years old, I had a severe case of Rheumatic Fever. For one full year of my life, my feet never touched the ground. I spent the entire year, except for the times I was in the hospital, in my bedroom. Grandpa would often come into my room to visit with me. He loved to tell me his remembrances of working on the old Morris Canal. For decades, Grandpa served as the Chief Engineer of Incline Plane Ten East.
But more than telling me wonderful and colorful tales of life along the old Morris Canal, Grandpa would often pray for me. Grandpa would sit at my old desk chair, on the right hand side of my bed and pray and pray and pray for me. While sitting down, Grandpa would place his right hand upon my right shoulder, close his eyes and most earnestly pray for God to heal me.
The late Dr. Martin Rosenthal was my doctor. He would climb up the 15 steps of the old Mabey Homestead, with his little black bag in one hand and a portable EKG Machine in his other hand. He was a wonderful doctor. I remember one time, Dr. Rosenthal entered my
bedroom while Grandpa was praying for me. Grandpa was so lost in praying for me, that it took him a few seconds to realize that Dr. Rosenthal was in my room with us. I think that Dr. Rosenthal was a little amazed of the sincerity and earnest voice tone of my dear grandfather’s prayer. I deeply believe, without one iota of doubt, that my grandfather’s prayers greatly helped me to heal. For the strep infection had moved from my throat to the valves of my heart. I was most seriously ill.
My grandfather, Watson Mabey, did not have a lot of formal education, yet he was one of the wisest men I have ever known. He knew the ways of wildlife. He had a great knowledge of wild flowers. He would often leave apples at the end of Mabey Lane, in the forest area, for the deer to enjoy.
Grandpa went Home to be with the Lord in May of 1968. I don’t think a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about that dear, kind, gentle, strong old man. In many ways, he taught me the fine art of story telling. If there is one thing I can share with you, dear reader, it is this. Never, ever, ever underestimate the incredible healing power of prayer. For God loves you, more than you will ever know.
Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He hosts a YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” Richard most recently published a book of poetry and short stories. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@ gmail.com.
An old, old picture of my dear paternal grandparents, Watson and Bertha Mabey.
Gerard T. Freda, DMD
Calm First-Day-of-School Jitters
Starting school for the first time or simply returning to campus after another summer break can lead to mixed feelings. Kids may be excited to see their friends every day, but that comes at the price of the end of lazy summer days.
The first day of school is on the horizon, and parents may discover their children seem a bit despondent that vacation is coming to a close. Such feelings may stem from more than the end of summer vacation. Some students may be nervous about going to school. New faces, new experiences and new teachers can lead to a little anxiety. Here are some ways to tame the nerves.
• Do a trial run. Before school starts, do a test run to the drop-off location, bus stop or pick up whomever will be carpooling together. Getting into that routine can help reduce nervousness.
• Participate in meet-and-greets. Some schools offer certain events designed to introduce students even before classes begin. Schools may host ice cream socials or picnic lunches on school grounds, particularly for younger grades. These events give children an opportunity to get to know their classmates before the first school bell rings.
• Take a school tour. If a student is about to start in a new school or will be attending school for the first time, families will want to see if they can get tours of the school
and facilities. Just one glance inside can be enough to familiarize students with the lay of the land, which might make things less scary on the first day.
• Check the class list. Some schools do not provide a list of all students in particular classes, but increasingly those that rely on programs like Google Classroom or Canvas may enable students to see who will be in their class. Children also can use social apps like Instagram and Snapchat to locate school-associated groups to find other students. Parents and their children can brainstorm how to deal with other students who may have been difficult in the past, while also perusing lists for friendly faces.
• Practice conversation skills. Many modern kids have their eyes locked on devices. They may be a little rusty with ice breakers and initiating conversation. Role playing at home can give kids some ideas of how to forge new relationships in the classroom.
• Recognize and take concerns seriously. Parents and other caregivers can be receptive to conversation with children regarding their concerns about starting school. Talking about feelings can help kids tame their nervousness, especially when adults take them seriously.
Children may be nervous about starting school. Parents, caregivers and teachers can work together to help students overcome these jitters quickly.
By Steve Sears
DNJStarz
NJ Stars: The Semonski Sisters Hometown: Hackettstown
uring a recent, beautiful spring Tuesday, two of the original six Semonski Sisters of Great Meadows, Audrey and Michelle, paid a visit the New Jersey home of their mom, Roberta “Rusty” Semonski.
When the time was right, the duo got together and sang for their mom.
If you closed your eyes, you could envision the remaining Semonski Sisters – Joanne, Donna, Valerie, and Diane –joining in and transporting you back to 1974 – 1978 when as young women they performed on The Lawrence Welk Show.
Joanne said, “They (Lawrence Welk and those who worked on his show) were wonderful people.”
Audrey added, “They were like a family.”
Later that afternoon, Audrey and Michelle headed back to their roots, a 150-acre farm property the ladies lived on in the early 1970s. They hiked the land they had run on as children, as the lake installed by their dad reflected the many surrounding trees.
Via Facebook, Michelle aptly described the day. “So many memories of my dad and family. Gosh…. I got teared up!”
You cannot tell The Semonski Sisters story in just 1,500 words. There is too much history and music, and so much love.
So, consider this August 2024 feature – the first NJ Starz
article ever to highlight an entire family – just an introduction. There are plenty of videos on You Tube for further exploration and enjoyment.
Raised by their loving parents, Joseph and Roberta “Rusty” Semonski, the birth order of the talented sisters is as follows: Diane (1956), Donna (1958), Joanne (1960), Valerie (1962, who passed away in 2022), Audrey (1963) and Michelle (1967). Diane and Michelle are Hackettstown High School graduates. The other four sisters graduated from high schools either in Florida or California.
The Semonski Sisters first performed on The Lawrence Welk Show during Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas specials prior to appearing regularly starting in 1975. Diane left the group in 1976 to pursue her own career in music and songwriting, while her five sisters remained with the show until 1978.
The Semonski Sisters started singing in the Garden State, but their big break came in Florida.
Donna explained. “My dad saw that we had talent, and he showcased us in different things, because my mother and dad had a band that they used to perform in for weddings and banquets.”
Joseph also owned a music store in Dover called Tempo Music Center, and he would bring musical instruments home and saw that his daughters could also play instruments in
addition to their singing. Realizing the young Semonski
needed a bigger stage to display their talent, he moved his family to Florida.
The east coast’s southernmost state would prove fertile ground for their discovery. Two months into their new home, “Rusty” saw in a local newspaper that Donald O’Connor was going to be performing at the Top of the World restaurant at Walt Disney World.
“It was a big, huge restaurant which had this huge continued on page 22
The Semonski Sisters on The Lawrence Welk Show (courtesy of The Semonski Sisters)
six
from page 20
elevator all the way up to the top, and it overlooked all of Disneyworld,” Donna recalled. “We got tickets, and we all rode the elevator up and off. It was eight of us, and because there was so many of us - God had his hand in it, of course - the maître d’ sat us at a table right off the dance floor. We sat there watching Donald O’Connor perform and, in his act, he came off the stage and he would get someone to sing and dance with him.”
Youngest sister, Michelle, was the one to initially draw O’Connor’s attention, and that led to her and her sisters performing with him that evening. This encouraged a meeting between Joseph and Harry Weist, Disneyworld’s band leader. Aware that Welk was heading to Orlando to do the popular show, Dining for Dollars, Weist thought the girls should audition for him. This then led to an introduction to Walter Windsor, who was producer of Channel 9 WFTV in Orlando, the Dining for Dollars network.
Joanne recalled, “Walter Windsor set up a live, on-air audition on Dialing for Dollars. And it was hysterical because my dad and mom had to go out with us, and we had to get all these outfits. We looked like the Partridge Family!”
Audrey said, “We were rushed into the studio and sang, and he loved us, and he said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I just found one of the finest acts - The Semonski Sisters - and I am going to take them all to California with us.’ And he did just that.”
Floridians for just under six months, the Semonskis packed up their station wagon and headed almost 2,500 miles to Welk’s mobile home resort in Escondido, California. “It was a whirlwind,” Audrey added with a laugh, “and it was with our dog.”
Michele, who was seven when the sisters first appeared on the show and 10 when they departed, said, “He (Welk) was very good to us. He was very professional in that way. He
wanted us to be pure and wholesome. He took us so many places and gave us this beautiful opportunity.”
While performing at the Welcome Inn Restaurant, Welk’s eatery in Escondido, the older Semonski sisters served as hosts and servers, but eventually all the sisters would sing while their dad would walk the restaurant playing his accordion. They were being groomed for their four seasons on the show.
It got to be hectic at times, and California was much different from their humble beginnings.
Joanne said, “Were very naive to the Hollywood thing. There was a lot of things that we saw, that were so absurd compared to where we came from. We were in this laidback town, and then there was this hustle and bustle and everything.”
And there was the demand to perform, a commitment they had to make.
Donna said, “Every week, there was an arrangement that we had to learn and memorize. There were no words in front of you. You had to memorize the words to the song, and fortunately we were singing all the old-time standards which The Lawrence Welk Show always performed. We were accustomed to these songs because of our dad and mom, and we heard these songs a lot. We did not know the words, but we heard the melodies.”
Joanne added, “We had to really be serious about what venture we were on. It was overwhelming. There were times when we would just really want to pack it in. But we knew this was what we wanted to do.”
When it came to the songs they had to sing, Jimmie Rogers’ “Honeycomb” was the most difficult. Audrey said, “It was so many verses, so many words, and it was fast.”
And then there were the favorites. Donna added, “We always wanted to copy the Andrews Sisters. We would sing
“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and “Apple Blossom Time,” and Lawrence had the Lennon Sisters on for many years, and he wanted us to sing those songs, too, which we liked.”
“Chim Chim Cher-ee” from Mary Poppins was perhaps the highlight, and with good reason. In addition to singing, the sisters got to act while dressed as chimney sweepers.
Around the time The Semonski Sisters were preparing to leave The Lawrence Welk Show, Joseph in 1977 bought an inn and restaurant in Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains, which he called the Semonski Sisters Country Inn & Lodge, a venue of music, dance and food, offering entertainment every Saturday night in the main dining area as well as in the lounge.
The Semonski Sisters waited tables and, of course, sang for the guests.
Donna said, “It was nonstop Monday through Sunday. It never stopped, and it was overwhelming. It was a very difficult life, but we enjoyed it.”
Joseph Semonski has passed away, but Roberta “Rusty” Semonski is healthy and well at age 86.
Michelle said, “I miss my dad. If you had to look back at the way God placed everything in our path, it really had a lot to do with my father. He groomed us from the time that we were babies to be musical. And if I had to reminisce for five minutes, all of us - including Valerie - would all be in one spot at one time singing, and seeing that proud look that he always had on his face.”
For Audrey, her wish would be to have to family return to their first days in Escondido, when the family ascended a mountain and sang “He,” a 1954 song about God written by Richard Mullan and Jack Richards.
“If we can all sing that together with daddy and mommy standing there with us,” Audrey said, “that would be something. That was such a beautiful song.”
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