Gatherings

{ ON THE TOWN } Gatherings

Bergenites always show up to support their friends and neighbors—especially when help is needed most.

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BERGEN WINE & FOOD EXPERIENCE

BERGEN magazine held its annual Bergen Wine & Food Experience in October at the Edgewood Country Club in River Vale. More than 700 guests attended the event, which featured food and drink from dozens of area restaurants, caterers, breweries, wine and spirits merchants as well as health, beauty and real estate professionals. Attendees sampled appetizers, entrées and desserts and paired them with fine wines, craft beers, specialty cocktails and hard seltzers. The festivities also included live music, demonstrations, giveaways and more. Stay tuned for details about next year’s party! 1–11 Scenes from the 2022 Bergen Wine & Food Experience

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1 BERGEN VOLUNTEERS Members of the Hackensack Regional Chamber of Commerce joined Hackensack-based Bergen Volunteers for their Day of Service. The Chamber volunteers participated in the nonprofit’s CHEER program, which assists homebound seniors with tasks such as grocery shopping and light errands. 12 Chamber of Commerce members prepare for their Day of Service.

THE COMMUNITY CHEST

The Community Chest held a Donor Appreciation Party at Jaguar Land Rover Englewood. The nonprofit located in Englewood provides grants to other agencies that serve those facing hardships in eastern Bergen County. 13 Amie AbuRustum, Andrew Kovar, Vicki Sidrow, Emily Yang, James Geraghty, Martin Huguley

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PHIPHEN STUDIOS

Phiphen Studios, a boutique state-of-the art post-production house, celebrated its grand opening in Englewood Cliffs. The facility serves New Jersey’s growing film community as studio and independent productions continue flocking to the Garden State. 16 Joe Perrino, Molly Connors, Malik Yoba, Vincent Piazza, Jane Sinisi

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BERGEN COUNTY OPEN SPACE TRUST

State, county and local Ridgewood officials celebrated the grand re-opening of the Wild Duck Pond in Ridgewood, the north entrance of Saddle River County Park. The Duck Pond underwent a $1.7 million ecological restoration project, including the installation of fountains and aerators to reduce algae growth in the pond. 17 County Executive Jim Tedesco, middle, cuts the ceremonial ribbon.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Staff at Veris Residential, a real estate investment company, pitched in to assist Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County on one of its fall builds. Habitat builds affordable homes for working families in the community in an effort to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness. 14 Veris Residential volunteers show off their “build” T-shirts.

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ST. JOSEPH SOCIAL SERVICE CENTER

Columbia Bank raised and donated $100,000 for St. Joseph Social Service Center in Elizabeth. All funding was raised at the bank’s 34th Annual Golf Classic, held at the Hackensack Golf Club in Emerson. 15 Thomas J. Kemly, Bernadette Murphy, Karen Maher, Minoska Mateo

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CENTER FOR FOOD ACTION

The team at TD Bank assembled 500 snack packages to be donated to the Center for Food Action. The food pantry’s Weekend Snack Pack Program provides healthy, kid-friendly and easy-to-prepare snack foods to local children at risk. 18-19 Staff from TD Bank packaged and donated snack bags