Clifton Merchant Magazine - July 2017

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Above, ‘07 grads Michael Huk, Melissa D'Arco, Michael Urciuoli, Brittany Gaccione, Charlie Hornstra, Stacey Corbo.

Below, ‘57 Fighting Mustangs discus strategy before a game and an unidentified CHS grad in 1997 expressing his views.

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Spend a few minutes strolling the halls of Clifton High School.

In increment of 10 years, we share stories of championship teams, of kids meeting their first loves, of Mustangs creating life long friendships or classmates meeting, decades later, at a reunion.

CHS ‘77 Drum Majorette Jackie DeBoer Checkerly, seen stepping off our cover, seems to lead this parade. Decades ago, she married her classmate Joe Checkerly and they reside in Long Valley and expect to be at the 40th class reunion in October.

While we are not able to tell the stories of every person pictured in this magazine, the following 60 or so pages connects you with many Mustangs, many of whom are still living or working here in town. Enjoy this look back at these CHS grads, from 2007 to 1957.

Seeing the future, Bill Chambers poses next to his hand-painted mural in 1977.

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Subscribe $30 / year / $50 for 2 Call 973-253-4400 Contributing Writers Jack De Vries, Joe Hawrylko, Irene Jarosewich, Ihor Andruch, Tom Szieber, Michael C. Gabriele, Douglas John Bowen

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By Carol Leonard “Even when you’ve played the game all your life, it’s the feeling of teamwork you’ll always remember.

You’ll forget the plays, the hits and the scores, but you’ll never forget your teammates.”

When senior captains Amanda Caparso, Deanna Giordano and Jill Leonard chose this quote for the back of the 2007 softball team’s T-shirts, little did they know that 10 years later, they would also have memories of a state championship to look back upon.

After watching the football team capture a state title, the first in many years for Clifton, before a huge crowd of hometown fans at Giants Stadium the previous fall, the softball players could only dream about repeating the performance on the softball diamond.

Along with four other seniors, Kim Ferrara, Ashley Jacobus, Jessica Perez and Cheryl Porter on the roster, and talented juniors, including Samantha Litchfield, Kim Lope and Lindsey Moore, the team had depth and experience, but perhaps most important, they had friendship and loyalty. Many of them played together through Little League and on a travel team known as the Clifton Fillies.

Starting pitcher Giordano and catcher Leonard were battery mates since age 10 or 11, so by their senior season, they could almost tell what the other was thinking.

“If Dee shook off the sign I gave her, which was hardly ever, I gave her a kind of gesture back to make her 6 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

laugh,” Leonard said.

The players also had great chemistry with their coaches, Cara Boseski and Stacy Veech, who, incidentally, were members of the 1997 state championship team, Boseski at third base and Veech at shortstop.

“We had a coaching staff that genuinely cared about our success more than anything else,” Jacobus said.

“They made us work hard, made us laugh and most importantly, they believed in us.”

Stuck at Newark Airport The 2007 season got off to a rocky start when the players, coaches and many parents spent nearly 12 hours at Newark International Airport waiting to fly to Orlando for the annual spring training trip at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. A freak mid-March snow storm grounded or delayed many flights. After finally getting on a plane and waiting more than an hour on the runway, the group had to deboard and return to the terminal.

As evening approached, it was announced that no more flights would take off. Tears flowed down the exhausted players’ cheeks, especially the seniors, who were faced with not getting in what was going to be their final trip to Florida.

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Finally, this generation has a state championship to brag about, cherish and remember, we wrote on Dec. 7, 2006.

Like so many decades ago, the Fighting Mustangs of CHS are the undisputed kings of football—Group IV State Champions—beating Paterson Eastside, 26-0.

On Dec. 2, 2007, Coach Ron Anello and his players gave the city a memory it would treasure forever as cavernous Giants Stadium became “East Clifton.”

From the opening staccato beat of the drums as the Marching Mustangs paraded into the stadium to the final seconds when the field and stands exploded with Clifton pride, this night belonged to us.

The newspapers claim 8,000 Clifton people were inside.

Don’t believe it… it felt as if the entire city was there. The fans came—from every section of town, representing every age group—to see their Mustangs. Clifton rooters filled almost a third of the lower bowl of Giants Stadium, spilling upward to the lower concourse, happy to be one large mass of Maroon and Gray pride.

And what a game they witnessed! As the band played “Ghostbusters” in the stands, the Mustangs dominated Eastside, a team that had beaten Clifton earlier this season.

Our boys neutralized Eastside’s running game and then stole the Ghosts’ passing attack, making each replay shown on the huge stadium monitors a “must see” event.

The many Mustangs—the football players, the band, the cheerleaders, student fans, parents and old Mustangs— made us proud. Since the team is being inducted into the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame in October, we will tell that story in an upcoming edition.

Top of page, the Lady Mustangs with Coach Cara Boseski before their big game in Toms River. Above, on the field at Giant Stadium on Dec. 2, QB Anthony Giordano with Coach Ron Anello. At right, the Dec., 2007 cover of our magazine, just before we went to Giants Stadium.

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The happy ending to the drama was that the Softball Booster Club was able to reschedule the trip for the following week. Fate must have been with them to re-book enough airline seats just one week later on a warmer, sunny day—and the team went undefeated in Orlando.

The regular season got underway only a few days after returning from Florida, with a 17-0 trouncing of Paterson Eastside and a one-hit performance from Giordano. Game two against an always competitive From left: in 2017 Ashley Jacobus, Deanna Giordano Cacchiola, Amanda Paramus team was a bit more chalCaparso, Jill Leonard and Kim Ferrara Leon. lenging, with 20-mile-per-hour cold winds, and even a few snowflakes. In until the end to congratulate the girls on their 7-1 win spite of it all, Giordano struck out 14 and knocked in two before heading to The Skylands in Randolph for prom. runs at the plate for the 5-3 win.

The four seniors who played in the game ran home A couple of early season losses, the first to rival to get showered and dressed to catch whatever remainRidgewood, and later to Pope John Paul in the annual ing time they could at the prom. As they entered the Clifton Classic in April, made the players more deterhall, Tardalo introduced the players-turned-“Prom mined to buckle down and work harder.

Queens”, and it ended up being a special night, after all.

The team had a great run of all wins the rest of the regAll the seniors took part in the after-prom festivities ular season, capturing the league title and coming back down the shore, but headed back early on Sunday for the to beat Ridgewood in their second encounter, as well as county championship game that afternoon against numother powerhouse teams such as IHA, Paramus Catholic, ber two seeded West Milford, another longtime rival.

North Bergen and North Hunterdon.

Unfortunately, the Clifton players had a somewhat sluggish performance that they could not seem to shake, Post Season Ups and Downs perhaps from all the mixed emotions of the weekend, Clifton had not won a Passaic County Tournament and lost the game to the peppered up Highlanders. crown since 2000, so the 2007 team was set on breaking While the county final loss was disappointing, the that spell. Seeded number one in the tournament, the seniors all recall that it made them more determined to Mustangs sailed easily to the semifinal game, where they bear down and go all out in the state tournament. would face Pompton Lakes. The only problem was that the game fell on the same night as the Senior Prom, and The Road to a State Championship tournament officials wouldn’t budge on the schedule.

Clifton got the number two seed in the North 1, Group Understanding that it was a difficult decision for 4 tournament, and easily swept its way to the sectional their teenage players, Boseski and Veech left it up to final game against number one seeded Bloomfield. It them to make their own choice about attending the was a hot, sunny day at the Bengals’ field, but the game or the prom. Four of the seniors decided to forego Mustangs, with their ace pitcher, Giordano, in the circle, the prom to play in the game, and underclassmen subwere ready to rock. stitutes took the positions of the senior starters who Everyone expected it to be a close contest between decided in favor of the other important milestone. these two classy teams, but Clifton came on strong in the Then CHS principal, now superintendent of schools, fourth inning, scoring eight runs and continuing on to a Richard Tardalo showed up all decked out in the black 10-0 mercy-rule victory before a stunned Bloomfield tuxedo he was set to wear to the prom. Tardalo stayed crowd, capturing the sectional title.

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Only one more game was left to win before the team could head to the Group 4 state championship game, a rematch against North Hunterdon, the North 2, Group 4 sectional champ.

The Mustangs had beaten their opponents 6-0 earlier in the regular season, but they took nothing for granted as they traveled to Whippany Park for the game.

As bases were loaded in the third inning and no score, Caparso singled to bring in the only two runs Clifton would need to seal the deal for a trip to the state championship at Toms River North High School on June 9.

“I can still remember the practice the day before the game,” Leonard said. “We were all so pumped up and excited. Coach Boseski and Coach Veech, well let’s just say they were the most superstitious people you will ever meet. I mean those two wore their turf sneakers to their day jobs for the entire state run, and I’m almost certain they wore the same polo coaching shirts, too.”

Giordano added, “I remember waking up at four or five in the morning so we could take batting practice, like we always did on our home field, before leaving for the game, and how anxious, excited and focused we were on the trip down.”

Clifton, a team that was no where to be found in The

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Star Ledger’s Softball Top 20 rankings at the beginning of the season, was ranked fourth in the state on the day of the state championship game, and facing the top ranked team, Toms River East.

A large crowd of Clifton supporters made the trip to Ocean County to cheer on the team, many of them with signs and painted faces and bellies. They made their presence known beyond the center field fence and in the stands on every play.

The game went a grueling nine scoreless innings, with a bunch of hitters from both teams left stranded on base, and Giordano and Lindsey PeQueen, TRE’s top notch hurler, battling against each other in the circle.

When Clifton opened the tenth inning, the game went into the tie breaker rule, with the last out batter from the previous inning starting on second base, in this case Giordano. Courtesy runner, junior Emma Gretina took her place on the base.

Leonard led off by laying a bunt down the first base line, as the speedy Gretina took off and beat the throw to third base. That set the stage for Ferrara, who got the game-winning RBI of her life with a single to center field. Junior Moore then put the icing on the cake with a single to knock in the second Clifton run.

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TRE puts its last batter out from the ninth inning on second base to start the bottom of the tenth, but she was quickly erased by a Leonard throw-down and tag by Perez, while trying to steal third on a pitch in the dirt.

Giordano struck out the next two batters to put the game away.

“I can remember watching Dee strike out the second batter,” Caparso said. “And, when the last batter had two strikes, my eyes were welling up. I turned to Jessica Perez at shortstop and we both couldn’t see, trying to calm each other down. Dee threw strike three and I threw my glove in the air and ran to hug her.”

Porter added, “I’ll never forget running onto the field after that last play, celebrating and being so happy and proud of what we had accomplished.”

Clifton finished the season 33-3, and ranked second in the state, behind only Notre Dame High School, the Parochial A state champion.

Celebrating Victory, Celebrating Team Following the trophy presentation, the photos and all the hugs, the players continued their celebration at the Seaside Heights boardwalk, enjoying cheese steaks and strutting around as state champs.

Returning to school on Monday, the team was greeted with the playing of the song We Are the Champions over the public address system, and at graduation former superintendent, Dr. Michael Rice, honored the players by unveiling the letters CHS shaved into his haircut, just as he had done following the football championship. Later that summer, the players were invited to sign autographs for fans at a Jackals game at Yogi Berra Stadium.

When asked what made their team so successful, all seven seniors had the same response: teamwork.

“If somebody made an error or struck out, we were

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always there to pick each other up,” Ferrara said. “I had so much faith in my teammates. Some of them are my best friends to this day.”

“Each of us made a huge impact on the outcome,” Giordano commented about the championship game.

“From the plays we made to get out of a bases loaded, no outs situation, to the final hits we got to score those two runs in the tenth inning. It was truly a team effort.”

“I'll always remember the strong bond we had, regardless of what happened on or off the field,” Perez added.

“It was always an I got you, you got me type of thing that was unbreakable. As soon as we walked on that field, nothing else mattered.”

Where Are They Now? So just what have these softball state champs been doing since that fateful day in June 2007? Here is a brief rundown of their lives: Third baseman Amanda Caparso, who recently married and is now Amanda Cafone, went to Montclair State University, where she majored in communication studies. She is an assistant business manager for World Wide Sales Perimeter Food Broker. She still enjoys softball, but now plays the high arch, slow pitch variety in a women’s league in Nutley, where she lives with her husband John, a stagehand in New York City. Amanda enjoys traveling and attending NY Giants games.

First baseman Kim Ferrara, became Kim Leon last November. She attended William Paterson University, where she received her degree in elementary education, and now works at School 5 in Clifton. She and her husband Robert, a technician for an automatic door repair company, just bought a home in West Caldwell. When not at work, Kim most enjoys spending time with her niece Mikayla.

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Pitcher Deanna Giordano, now Deanna Cacchiola, graduated from Ramapo College, majoring in psychology and starring in the pitching circle another four years. She and her husband Joe, a Ramapo baseball player, had a baseball/softball-themed wedding two years ago and now live in Nashville, Tennessee, where Dee works in human resources for a healthcare company and Joe is in marketing and sales for a removal and moving company. Dee is also pursuing her master's degree and certification in human resources.

Outfielder Ashley Jacobus also majored in communication studies at Montclair State and is a special events coordinator for several team building companies, hosting events throughout the state. She still lives in Clifton with her family, and enjoys, among other activities, going down the shore, playing high arch softball, and helping younger players learn the game of softball. She was recently in her longtime friend and softball teammate, Amanda’s wedding party.

Catcher Jill Leonard received her degree in Physical Education and Health from Montclair State, playing softball for two years before switching roles and

To Dr. Edward Dominguez—Dr. Paternoster’s associate for the past year and who has joined the practice full time— dentistry is a blend of art and science. “Every shape, color, form and angle of restoring a tooth is another part of the journey we experience as dentists,” said Dr. Dominguez.

A dentist since 2008, he has dedicated hundreds of training hours in implant and cosmetic dentistry. “Continuing education is the engine that keeps me focused on giving the patient the ultimate smile and comfort,” Dr. Dominguez added.

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becoming the freshman coach at Hackensack. She taught and coached at Passaic High School for three years, and now teaches at the district’s Gifted and Talented Academy. Jill and her boyfriend Dan Della Pietro, a technology education teacher at Marlboro High School, recently purchased a home in Hazlet. She enjoys living near the beach and keeping in contact with her old friends.

Outfielder Cheryl Porter went to West Virginia University, where she majored in communications. She works as a senior meeting planner for Worldwide Business Research, a market research firm, organizing and running conferences. Cheryl now lives in Jersey City and, when not busy at work, enjoys traveling.

Shortstop Jessica Perez attended Hillsborough College in Tampa, Florida, where she continued her softball career. She later transferred to Bloomfield College, majoring in nursing and psychology. She is a clinical manager/orthopedic assistant at Gotham City Orthopedics. She still lives in Clifton and enjoys traveling, going to the beach, shopping and spending time with her family and friends.

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FROM MUSTANG

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IMAM

By Michael C. Gabriele For Imam Osamah Salhia, it’s been a faith journey that has come full circle, with many steps along the way, leading him to become a spiritual leader at the Clifton campus of the Islamic Center of Passaic County.

Born in Paterson in July 1989, Imam Salhia grew up in Clifton, attended Woodrow Wilson Middle School, and graduated CHS in 2007. From the age of 13, he demonstrated a commitment to the Islamic faith and engaged in a devoted study of the Quran.

Inspired and guided by his mentor, Imam Mohammad Qatanani, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center, Salhia attended Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, where he studied for eight years and earned a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Law. Two years ago he returned to the US and served with an Islamic religious community in Charlotte, N.C. It was during this period that events unfolding in Passaic County would lead to his return to Clifton.

The Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC), founded in Paterson 27 years ago, serves the needs of “one of the largest Muslim communities in the United States, with a congregant base of over 25,000 people; a community inspired by the Quran and prophetic way,” according to its website at icpcnj.org.

Because of that growth, ICPC realized it needed to expand its reach in order to serve the spiritual, cultural and social needs of Muslims in Passaic County.

Last year the ICPC, an independent, 501c3 non-profit organization, acquired the former Richfield Christian Reformed Church on 259 Pershing Rd. This became the Clifton campus of the ICPC, which opened in June 2016, and set in motion the return of Salhia to his beloved hometown.

Speaking at an held May 7 open house at the Pershing Rd. campus, Imam Salhia proudly described 16 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

himself to be “a son of Clifton and a son of this (faith) community. The people here have supported me during my studies.”

Imam Salhia’s father and mother, Eid and Suad Salhia, arrived in New Jersey from Palestine in the early 1980s.

They first resided in Paterson and ran a restaurant on Main Ave. before relocating to Clifton with the future Imam and two brothers and three sisters.

At CHS he recalled being a dedicated, serious student but more focused on his youthful faith journey. Salhia described his discernment and formation as a sustained, thoughtful process, rather than one single moment of inspiration.

However, he did note that the path was made easier through the prayers and encouragement of his parents and the ICPC community.

Salhia, who is single, used the approaching one-year anniversary of the Pershing Rd. campus, the Clifton Centennial, as well as the start of the Muslim holy season of Ramadan (May 27 to June 24), as a backdrop to underline his aspirations for community outreach.

Ramadan is a reflective period that includes acts of charity, prayer and fasting. Among his priorities as a spiritual leader or Imam, Salhia said he will look to build bridges with his neighbors—those near Pershing Rd. as well as the city community at large.

“This mosque is a great opportunity to be an asset for all of Clifton,” he said. “One important ethic for all three Abrahamic faiths (Islam, Judaism and Christianity) is to have good relationship with your neighbors. Our mosque will be a welcoming place and my door is always open.”

Earlier this year, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson contacted Salhia, requesting that he provide Friday prayer services to Muslim patients. He agreed and began the prayer services in April.

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Another example of the Clifton campus outreach will be to support “Smile for Charity” (which can be found at smileforcharity.org), a Passaic-based food pantry founded five years ago, directed by Salim Patel, a member of the Passaic Board of Education. The work with Smile for Charity reflects four fundamentals of the Muslim faith, said Salhia: spirituality, service, the pursuit of knowledge, and community.

In addition to the goals put forth by Salhia, the Clifton campus will celebrate the diversity within the Passaic County Muslim population, according to Omar Awad, president and chief executive officer of the Clifton group.

“We will focus on the identity of the American Muslim community,” Awad explained. For example, the Muslim demographic in Passaic County includes a thriving Turkish community as well as large populations of Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese.

Awad said overall, Clifton and the neighboring towns have been supportive of the demographic evolution. Quoted in a June 2016 news report, Awad cited the friendly efforts of Clifton Councilwoman Lauren Murphy, who aided the group in organizing a prayer service at Main Memorial Park.

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Imam Qatanani, a guest speaker at Clifton’s 100 year anniversary celebration at City Hall on April 26, extended an invitation to all city residents to attend the May 7 open house called Dinner with the Neighbors.

Mayor Jim Anzaldi, Council members Ray Grabowski and Peter Eagler, and Board of Education Commissioners Lucy Danny, Judith Bassford and Fahim Abedrabbo were among those who attended.

Mayor Anzaldi addressed the May 7 gathering, saying the Muslim community is another example of Clifton’s grand diversity. During his remarks, he asked the ICPC members to be aware of concerns of residents in the Pershing Rd. neighborhood—specifically parking issues for Friday prayer services at the mosque which typically attract up to 600 people.

The ICPC purchased the Richfield Christian Reformed Church and 3-acre property in 2016. The Richfield church was established during the 1950s and was active at least through 2012, but suffered a gradual decline in its congregation numbers and sat idle for a number of months before being acquired by the ICPC. As a spiritual leader in Clifton, Salhia said he will look to build bridges. “Our mosque will be a welcoming place and my door is always open,” he pledged.

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Catching up with

THE CHAMPIONS

The 1997 Lady Mustangs softball team went 31-0 and were state champs. Above top from left, senior portraits, Lara Wanio, Peter Stefan Tatarenko, Stacy Lynn Veech, Deborah M. Sela, Courtney M. Whiting, Ryan S. Pienciak.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Softball diamonds, anyway. Coach Rich La Duke and his 1997 Lady Mustangs softball team used the slogan, meaning if they played hard on the diamond, good things would happen, It worked—the Lady Mustangs went 31-0 and captured the program’s second state group title. A decade later, success linked the ‘97 and ‘07 girls’ teams.

In 1997, senior co-captains Cara Boseski and Stacy Veech experienced firsthand the thrill of an undefeated season and a state championship.

Then in 2007 as coaches of the Lady Mustangs, Veech and Boseski watched their players experienced a similar championship run. “My favorite memory of CHS is winning the Group IV State Softball Championship in 1997,” said Boseski.

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Although Boseski has not forgotten the thrill of winning, she has gone on to experience other joys in life.

She has taught 8th grade Social Studies for 15 years at CCMS. More recently, she got married on Nov. 11, 2016. She and her wife, Nicole Gwinnett live in Clifton.

Pictured above is the 1997 softball team champions.

From left in the back row, Tamara Tinajero, Lara Foster, Kim Alongi, Jamie Anzaldi, Candice D’Andrea, Danielle Brill, Jen Carlo and Laura Tynio.

From left in the middle row, Kim Anzaldi, Bobbi-Jo Gonnello, Coach Dianne Besser, Coach Tom Danko, Megan Dozci and Amanda Bongiorno. From left in the front row, Melissa Butler, Renee Anderson, Cara Boseski, Coach Rick LaDuke, Stacy Veech, Aimee Calise and Amanda Smith.

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Robert Eickenberg, Aimee B. Calise, Mark Carfora, Cara Boseski, Christopher Baron, Jacquelyne Klein, Jeffrey J. Labriola.

Danielle (Reonieri) Quinlan today with her husband, Patrick Quinlan and daughter, Brynlee. Back in the day, CHS basketball players (right), from left, Kenny Tapia, Lorenzo Castaldo, Mike Rivera, Jose Serrano, Roberto Rosado.

Danielle (Reonieri) Quinlan “There really is something special about Clifton teachers who were Clifton students. We have a bond with each other and a pride in our district that is indescribable.” Growing up in the Allwood section of Clifton, Danielle (Reonieri) Quinlan, followed a path familiar to many—she attended School 9, followed by CCMS and then CHS. Now Quinlan just finished her 16th year teaching CCMS. “While attending Seton Hall University, I became a substitute teacher in Clifton, mainly working at CCMS. It always seemed like the right fit for me. In late April 2001, I was offered a teaching position at CCMS, to begin immediately. I accepted. I started teaching on a Monday, graduated college on Tuesday and have been here ever since.”

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CCMS in particular has pulled in a number of CHS alumni. “For me, it is amazing to work with colleagues who were friends long before,” continued Quinlan. “In 1984, I met Cara Boseski when we were both in kindergarten at School 9. That’s 33-plus years of friendship.

Dave White and I met when we were in the same 6th grade class at CCMS, in Room 203. Later, we were in the Mustang Band together, which is where I met Korinne Kensicki. Jeff Labriola, I met in Geometry class during our junior year at CHS.” However, one person she did not meet while at CHS was husband Patrick Quinlan. Also a CHS ‘97 graduate, the two stared to date in 2004. “Being in a class of 550plus students, we didn’t know each other in high school,” she noted. The couple married in 2009. On Valentine’s Day 2012, they welcomed daughter, Brynlee.

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Alicia Mazepa, Michael Rivera above in 1997, and The untimely death in today, at right, with March of CHS gym teacher Jourdan Kopec, CHS '96. and coach Michael Rivera She noted that they deeply shocked the commuspend their “free time traveling and boating on nity. Rivera was a basketball the Long Island Sound.” and baseball star during his years at CHS, and later returned to CHS as a physical education teacher and head coach for Mustang Varsity Basketball. Before returning to CHS, he was an assistant coach at Bloomfield and Kearny high schools, and Rivera’s mother, Nilda expressed gratitude to the taught phys-ed in Newark Public Schools. community for reaching out to the family, which makes While in high school, a member of the team coached them “feel tremendous pride in knowing he touched so

by Anthony Intile, Rivera was captain of the Mustang’s many lives.” “No passion was stronger than his love of Boys Basketball team in 1997. He was one of five senfamily; his wife Sophia, son Jordan, brother Joe, and iors that also included Roberto Rosado, Jose Serrano, his father and me,” said Nilda. We felt it every day, and Kenny Tapia and Lorenzo Castaldo. Later returning to continue to hold onto that as our greatest memory of CHS as teacher and coach, where he was beloved by our beautiful Michael.” his students and players, he fostered teamwork and success.

Alicia Mazepa A graduate of Kean University, he lived in Nutley A member of both the track and gymnastics squads, with wife Sophia and son Jordan. In addition to an Alicia Mazepa was an all-around athlete at CHS. infectious sense of humor that left smiles on the faces Captain of the Mustang Girls Gymnastics team in her of friends and strangers alike, friends remembered senior year, Mazepa was named All-League and AllRivera for his captivating personality. Quick to perCounty, advancing to States in the floor exercise. Twice form a magic trick, he was also a movie buff and pasnamed to the winter track All-League and All-County sionate sports fan. team, she broke several indoor track records, ranked At Rivera’s funeral, Castaldo called him a “great among the best pentathlon athletes in the country. teammate” who created even “greater memories.”

In the spring of ‘97, Mazepa was a three-time AllCastaldo was deeply saddened and was looking forward League and All-County track star, named runner-up for to seeing his former teammate at the 20-year reunion. the All-County Scholar Athlete of the Year Award.

“Both on and off the basketball court, Mike did Outdoors, she broke nine CHS records and finished everything with charisma and class,” said Peter third in the long jump at New Jersey’s Meet of Tatarenko, a CHS classmate. Classmate Dianne Champions. She also competed in the triple jump, high Nuemann said Rivera “had a bright soul with a smile jump and hurdles. In 2009, she was inducted into the that could light up a room,” and was a stand out among CHS Athletic Hall of Fame. a graduating class of hundreds of students.

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1997 Lady Mustangs today: Kim Anzaldi, Melissa Butler, Cara Boseski, Lisa Roberto, Jamie Anzaldi and Tamara Tinajero.

pectedly in 2010). He was also a proud Clifton Mustang who also gave back to his community.”

His extended family includes several Clifton educators and “my faith and my many wonderful Clifton teachers who taught me that hard work, dedication and determination pay off,” were important influences.

“As an adult, I have kept in touch with many of my teachers. I hope I am the type of a teacher my students will remember in 5, 10 and 25 years, and I hope my pasJeff Labriola teaches art at CCMS. sion for teaching and learning is transparent to my students.”

Labriola advises many extracurricular activities at CCMS, creates an annual and always memorable themed farewell dance for 8th graders and is a long time Jeff Labriola volunteer at the Clifton Arts Center. “The connection Along with Amanda M. Smith, Jeff Labriola was with the Clifton Arts Center started when I was at CHS, voted as “Most Dependable” students listed in the 1997 during Youth Week 1997, when I worked alongside the yearbook. Today, he brings that dependability and conlate Councilwoman Gloria Kolodziej, who, I am proud sistency of spirit to his job as an art teacher. to say, also became a special, lifelong friend.”

“September will mark my 17th year teaching at Christopher Columbus. I absolutely love teaching in my Lauren (Ashton) Fox community and working with former 1997 CHS friends Lauren (Ashton) Fox loves and was surrounded by and alumni Danielle Reonieri Quinlan, Cara Boseski art her entire life. She remembers how her father, Rich and Dave White.”

Ashton, a commercial artist, would work at home at Many CCMS teachers,” said Labriola, “are former times, spreading out work that he was preparing for a Clifton Public School students and I think that is a terclient across the dining room table. While at CHS, she rific example of loyalty to one’s community. (CCMS teacher) Korinne Kensicki is also a graduate of CHS. I took full advantage of the art program, crediting her still miss my good friend John Greco (a CHS ‘95 gradteachers, among them Carol Harmon and Maryann uate, also a teacher at CCMS who passed away unexBaskinger, for inspiring her.

Besides being a star athlete, Mazepa was a broadcaster on the morning CAST team, greeting students with Please rise for our National Anthem.

After graduation, Mazepa earned a spot on the Towson University dance team, leading the squad to the top of the rankings for the three years she was there. Auditioning to be a dancer at the 2002 NBA AllStar Game, she began a career as a choreographer, dancer, performing MTV videos, commercials, as well as live stage performances. Today, she is currently on the show Lip Sync Battle and teaching at a school in Midland Park.

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“I saw the passion they brought to the classroom for their work and saw that they could make a career out of something they loved and thought to myself ‘that’s what I want to do—I will become an art teacher.’”

That was exactly what she did after graduating William Paterson University. For the past 16 years, Fox has taught art at CHS. “Even though I knew I wanted to be an art teacher, I had no idea that it would be back in the same classrooms where I also learned,” she said, laughing. She loves her job, her students and after work, she heads home to the other people she loves, husband Michael and daughters Julia, 12 and Katie, 10.

Class Couple Jazz musician Craig Yaremko and his wife Andrea McNamara were named CHS Class Couple in the 1997 yearbook. The Class Couple did get married and still live in Clifton, in the Lakeview section, with their young daughter and son.

Yaremko, who earned his chops as a Marching Mustang, got his M.A. in Music Education from Montclair State and B.F.A. in Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance from New School University.

Andrea received her PhD from Fordham University in 2014, as well as a master’s degree in 2011. Earlier, she completed her undergraduate and another master’s degree at nearby MSU. Recently, she completed her Ph.D from Fordham and is teaching at Ramapo College.

For many years, she worked in various positions in the New Jersey school system, as a teacher and administrator, with a focus on math and science.

Joe he r in ang the .

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CHS ‘87 class couple Craig and Andrea (McNamara) Yaremko today with Nora, 3 and Bo, almost 11 months.

A saxophonist and composer, since 2001, Yaremko has lead his own groups and played with big names not only in jazz, but also the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New York City Symphony, as well Broadway and off-Broadway orchestras. He plays with the Craig Yaremko Organ Trio and has released CDs under that name.

Yaremko is director of the instrumental music program at Holdrum Middle School, in River Vale. He is also an adjunct professor at Montclair State. He conducts clinics throughout the New York metro area on jazz improvisation and woodwind performance.

Yaremko performs July 19 as part of the Centennial Concert Series at 7:30 pm at Woodrow Wilson MS. He will play with the Ron Aprea Big Band in a program dedicated to jazz greats Frank Foster and Count Basie.

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Authors, Educators,

EVERYDAY MUSTANGS In 1987, a postage stamp— because people still mailed letters—cost 24 cents. A gallon of gas was less than $1. Nobody had a cell phone or was on the internet. If you wanted contact lenses, you had to get a prescription. However, there was Nintendo and it was the year of “Moonstruck”, “Dirty Dancing” and “Three Men and a Baby.” Girls wore tight leggings with oversized shirts, and jackets with shoulder pads. Ronald Reagan was still president. He traveled to Berlin and told Gorbachev, “Tear down this wall!” U2, Fleetwood Mac, and George Michael topped the charts—because there still were charts to top. While there wasn’t exactly peace on Earth, for the most part, American boys got to stay home. All in all, it was a good year.

Scott Agnoli “To me, Clifton has always been a ‘big-little’ town,” said Scott Agnoli. “As a kid, Clifton seemed enormous. You knew everyone in your neighborhood, yet there always seemed to be a place you have yet to visit. It was like a field trip going to Clifton Auto Parts, or playing baseball at Nash Park, or going to the Allwood Theater.”

Everything important about business that he needed to know, said Agnoli, he learned in Clifton, working in his neighborhood deli, Ace & George’s, located between Hazel and Main.

“Ace & George’s on Madeline Ave. was the neighborhood hangout and was like an old general store in the middle of big city. Between that and Boy Scout Troop 7 at St. Paul’s, Clifton prepared me for life in a way I feel no other place could. Clifton had the resources of a huge city, but with a small town ‘touch.’”

Top right, Thomas Acton, Susanna Coan, Stanley Lembryk, Jennifer Mihalik, Scott Agnoli, Gina La Corte, Mike Grimaldi in 87 and recently.

At right, Scott Agnoli with his 8th grade son Jason.

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Dario Ghiglione, Catherine Paz, Mike Zielonka, Mike Novak, Peter Kedl, Jeff Baker. John Silva also teaches in Clifton and is shown here with fifth graders on the 2016 Safety Patrol trip.

Since 2007, Agnoli, who received a M.A. in art and design, has worked with Investor’s Bank in Short Hills, as vice president and director of marketing.

He has been a consultant with Popcorn Communications in Manhattan, and worked at AGA Creative for 14 years where his big-name clients included Dean & Deluca, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Anheuser-Busch, AMEX and FAO Schwarz.

Agnoli lives in Clifton, with his wife Darcie (CHS ‘88) and their children, Kayla, 12, and Jason, 14. The family is involved in the community and Agnoli, who coached baseball for five years, now coaches Kayla’s softball team. “I want my kids to also have great childhood memories of Clifton.”

Gina (La Corte) Yarrish Running a successful real estate and property management company was suppose to give her satisfaction. Yet at age 35, Gina (La Corte) Yarrish was in the hospital with a condition brought on by outside pressure and inner stress. “I was working harder and harder, yet becoming unhappier and unhappier.” Change was needed.

Gina and husband Thaddeus Yarrish, Jr. with children Michael, Melissa, Thaddeus III and Justin relocated to a 160-acre farm on a mountaintop in Pennsylvania. She came to Clifton a few days a week, but in January 2017, finally phased out of her real estate business altogether.

During the past 10 years on the farm that she calls YarCorte Acres, Gina transformed her life, becoming a motivational speaker, book author, life coach. She directs the Equine Assisted Learning program based on the farm. “I fulfilled my childhood dream to own a 32 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

horse. Working with the horse quieted my mind and stopped the ping pong in my head.” This discovery led her to further discoveries - including research that has shown working with horses helps people heal.

Equine Assisted Learning techniques are being used in conjunction with psychotherapy in a program in nearby Bergen County to help veterans overcome PTSD. Gina knows some of the staff. “However, you don’t need to suffer from PTSD to benefit from the same techniques,” she noted. She offers personal development programs, as well as professional development programs for businesses and organizations. “Often we get stuck in habits of the past, meeting expectations of those around us. This leads to stress, unhappiness. Here we focus on developing new habits, opening possibilities for the future.”

While EAL sounds unconventional, “working one-onone with a horse is non-threatening and because horses are so sensitive, genuinely helps people understand their strengths, their weakness, their habits so that they can begin to see themselves differently.”

Michael Grimaldi Mike Grimaldi still rides his Harley and he still loves Zepplin, whose lyrics from “Stairway to Heaven” he included in his yearbook quote. He also still collects Zippo lighters - the ubiquitous symbol of pop culture from the 1980s when half of America still smoked.

Even if you didn’t smoke, you probably still carried a Zippo to helpfully light up someone’s cigarette. Zippo introduced their wind-proof lighters with snazzy designs and different colors in 1980 and finally ceased production in 2007.

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Now Grimaldi, a custodian at School 8 in Delawanna, is the author of two books, one released in 2007 and one in 2011, based on his hobby. “Zippo is an American icon really known for its lighters, but the fact is they made a lot of other things,” said Grimaldi. So while the first book focused on the lighters, the second focused more on other Zippo products, such as retro camping gear and windproof eyewear. Since he has other collecting hobbies, Grimaldi figures someday he’ll write a third book.

Corey Genardi A lot of people meet their true love at CHS. One of the lucky ones was Michelle Avolio. Still a sophomore when she first met Corey Genardi (CHS ‘87) outside her gym class, she just knew that he was her guy. And now the couple, who married in 1992, just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They live in Montclair Heights where they are the proud parents of past and future CHS graduates - daughter Ava, 19, (2016), Gia, 17, (2018) and Bianca, 11, who will be the class of 2024.

About a year after Corey graduated from CHS, he had the opportunity to take over the business started by his father in 1968. He continues to run C. Genardi Contracting that next year will celebrate 50 years of doing business in Clifton and neighboring towns.

Peter Kedl One teacher inspired Peter Kedl to become a teacher.

“John Kostisin. Many remember him as the basketball coach at CHS. But back when I was at Woodrow Wilson, he was my science teacher. He made a very strong impression on me. He was an inspirational teacher and later, an inspirational coach. I admired and liked the way he taught. That always remained with me.”

Michelle and Corey Genardi, with Ava, 19, (CHS 2016), Gia, 17, (CHS 2018) and Bianca, 11, CHS class of 2024.

Now that Kedl is back at Woodrow Wilson as a teacher, he feels as though he has come full circle. And next year, he also will be teaching science. He reflects on the difference in teaching over 30 years.

“Today, kids have access to the most sophisticated electronics for information. But having information is not the same thing as understanding and learning.

Information alone is not knowledge. At times it is necessary to return to paper, to the basics, to books, research, go through the process of inquiry.” He hopes to impart the valuable process of inquiry and discovery to his students.

Kedl, who grew up in Clifton, now lives here with wife Christine (Andruch, CHS ‘03). They have two children, Alexander, 8, and Ottilia, 10. Not an athlete while at CHS, he took up running and snowboarding later in life. Although now, he laughs, he is not in shape to do either. Instead, he said, the family enjoys weekend road trips to cities nearby.

Good Neighbors, Great Rates

973-772-8451 Thomas Tobin 973-779-4248

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Bill G. Eljouzi 973-478-9500

Roofing • Siding • Gutters Ventilation • Chimneys

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The fast cars, the big hair and the tight jeans of CHS in 1987. At right, Stan Lembryk on the Mustang soccer pitch.

Dario Ghiglione The man loves hunting, fishing and most importantly, loves to cook. What? So why isn’t he married? He chuckles. “You know, it’s not so easy out there.”

Dario Ghiglione also loves being bar chairman at “the Coop” in Botany Village, more officially known as the Italian American Co-operative Family Association.

“Basically we’re a club for people of Italian descent.

We’ve been in Botany since 1894. We’re even older than the city of Clifton.”

While club membership is restricted, the bar on the first floor of the co-operative’s building on Parker Ave. is open to the public. Anyone can rent the ballroom, which is up a long flight of stairs and seats 300, or meeting room for large or small events.

“It started off as a place for Italian immigrants to meet, socialize, to get the kinds of Italian delicacies

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they couldn’t find elsewhere.” The tradition of serving up Italian specialities continues with annual pasta and polenta dinners, as well as reunions for those with Italian roots from specific regions of Italy.

Born and raised in Clifton, Ghiglione continues to live here and runs his own painting business as his day job, a business that he ran with his father for many years. He’s been a member of the club since right out of high school. “In 1988, I started doing some administration and have been here since.”

Stan Lembryk A former All-State soccer player for CHS, Stan Lembryk swells with pride at the mere mention of Mustang soccer.

“Absolutely,” he said. “There is so much tradition in Clifton soccer.”

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When talking about soccer, Lembryk has been a player, coach and a fan. After CHS, he went on to play for the Loyola University Maryland Greyhounds in the NCAA Eastern Conference, and then in the 1990s, played professionally for the Maryland Bays, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and the NY/NJ MetroStars (now the New York Red Bulls).

“When I was done with pro soccer, I wanted to come back to coach and teach. And there is no place I would rather be than Clifton. I had a great experience as student and athlete here.”

Lembryk had many influences, including Coach Fernando Rossi, who had been hired as coach in 1978.

“I teach history now, and remember some of the wonderful teachers that influenced me—Mr. John Meyer, Mr. Michael Chomiak, Mrs. Sandra Hartmann were among them. When it came to soccer, Coach Rossi was like another father. He guided all of us to be not only a good athlete, but a good person with high character.”

Lembryk first returned to CHS as assistant coach with boys’ soccer, working with his mentor, Rossi. He then took over the girls’ program for 10 years.

“They were an awesome 10 years. We raised the bar for girls Mustang soccer and the standard is still there.”

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Now he is in his fourth year as head coach in the boys’ program. “Coach Rossi gave us a strong foundation; 27 years at helm.”

Lembryk married high school sweetheart Kim Presto, also CHS ’87. In August, they will celebrate their 22nd anniversary and the couple has three children, Stanley Lembryk, III, 18; Arden who is 15 and Giovanni, 10.

He stays in touch with former teammates and classmates, including Tom Acton, former senior captain and now vice-president at Bloomfield High School, as well as Rich Babicz and Andy Brynczka, who still live in New Jersey. Some of those guys help Lembryk in his summer soccer camp: lembryksocceracademy.com.

“John Silva teaches and coaches at CHS, and Ed Klimek is a coach and teacher in Teaneck. Jenny (Mihalik) Kershaw now lives in Pompton Lakes, and teaches at Columbus.”

The fact that so many of his classmates became educators, Lembryk believes, is a direct result of the great education that they received in Clifton.

Even with all of the fun and success he had as a student athlete, Lembryk still says, with a laugh, that his favorite memory of those years remains “meeting the love of my life, my wife Kim, in 9th grade.”

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Helene Georgaros Berrios, Kevin McCarthy, Sharon Kuhl-Rome, Angela Rhodes, Tom Sidoti, Lori Van Blarcom.

STILL SERVING

CLIFTON

By Ariana Puzzo

If you want to catch up with Helene Georgaros Berrios, you can wait until the Class of 1977’s reunion on Oct. 14. Otherwise, you can simply come down to Botany Village any Friday during the summer, said Berrios. “I’m at the music series every Friday night with my truck.” Berrios was one of six members of the Class of ‘77 who visited our office on June 9.

She and her classmates visited to help promote their 40th reunion, which will be held at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch. The event hopes to bring back that “’70’s rock ‘n roll feeling” with a performance by Kinderhook and a beach bonfire the night before.

For more info, including how to book a hotel at a discounted rate, visit the CHS 1977 Facebook page or email Sue (Snyder) Pettoni at sspettoni@aol.com. In the mean time, start to familiarize yourself with some of our ‘77 Mustangs and how they got to where they are today. You might remember a face or two ...

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Back in 1977, coaches Robert Ungemah and Joseph Greene with co-captains Tim Hayes and Lou Byrouty.

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Norah Nugent, Tim Finan, Cheryl Fleming, Tim Hanrahan, Ellen Laura Nunno, Kevin Potter, Lisa Chigounis.

Angela (Rhodes) Montague “Downtown” Angela Montague is back home. She never really left, though. The difference four decades later is Montague has been involved in shaping Downtown Clifton into the commercial section of town that we know today.

“It was an opportunity to help revive the section of town that I grew up in many years ago,” she said of her role as Executive Director for the Special Improvement District (SID) along Main Ave., from the Passaic border to Piaget Ave. Formally known as the Downtown Clifton Economic Development Group, Inc., Montague is the chief advocate for some 300 property owners. Working with a Board of Directors, she manages, maintains and promotes the business district and run annual events, such as street fairs and special events, to promote the district.

“When you know the neighborhood, the neighbors and the merchants, it’s like you’re visiting family every day,” she said of her tasks.

She recently introduced a Downtown Clifton Restaurant Week in June, is planning for the Oct. 14 Downtown Clifton Street Fair, “and we’re working on a few things that we’ll discuss in an upcoming meeting. I don’t want to give anything away!” she chuckled.

Montague is also involved in other groups making a difference in Clifton. She is on the Board of the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton, as well as a new member at Passaic-Clifton Lions and the Clifton Elks Lodge.

Sometimes her various roles intersect: On July 11 from noon to 10 pm, she arranged for the Midtown Diner & Grill to donate 20% of the receipts on that day to be donated to the Boy & Girls Club.

Along with growing up in the city, she also raised her two children, Travis and Tricia in Clifton. They were raised in the same house as Montague and went to the same schools—School 3, CCMS and CHS. While her children were growing up, Montague got more involved around the city and its schools She became President of the HSA for School 3 and CCMS. 42 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Today, Travis has a finance degree from NJIT. Tricia just graduated Rutgers in Newark with the intention of becoming a veterinarian in the near future.

Montague’s connection to Clifton not only lends itself to making her a recognizable face around town, but also has her seeing many familiar faces.

“We graduated with about 998 students, and I met friends on the day of graduation who I’m still friends with now,” said Montague. “Kevin Potter was sitting in the row in front of me!”

She sees many other recognizable faces around town, including Fire Chief Kevin McCarthy, and she finds that when she is out socially or there is a meeting at City Hall, she is likely to bump into someone.

Therefore, it is safe to say that Montague runs into many familiar faces since she is often advocating, networking or on her way to any number of meetings.

Looking at her life and career, Montague said: “I most enjoy coming up with new ideas and moving forward, helping to improve whatever I am involved with.”

Helene Georgaros Berrios Schoolyard pacts are common amongst kids, but Helene Georgaros Berrios and Norah (Nugent) Spagnuolo made their pact last for decades.

When they became best friends 55 years ago, they lived two doors down on Long Hill Dr. It was soon after that they would walk to School 2 together every day.

“We made it a pact that if we were ever mad at each other,” said Berrios, “the one who truly knew they were wrong had to ring the doorbell and pick the other up.”

“We never walked to school without the other. It kept our friendship strong,” she recalled.

Lasting ages, Berrios and Spagnuolo still consider themselves best friends. They were each other’s maid of honor and Berrios is the godmother of Spagnuolo’s daughter, Danielle. Although Spagnuolo now lives in Monmouth Junction with her husband, Ciro, and the duo do not see each other as often, their friendship remains strong as the city they grew up in.

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Like all friendships, they had their disagreements that were resolved. “When you find a true friend like that, you don’t want to lose them over something silly,” she said.

While reminiscing about CHS, Berrios recalled that when Ciro moved to the neighborhood, both girls competed for his affection. Ultimately, Norah would be successful. Along with daughters, Danielle and Jaklin, Norah and Ciro also have a grandson, Dylan.

However, if you mention Ajax to Berrios, it will trigger an even funnier memory.

“We were washing her mother’s brand new Mustang, but we washed it with Ajax,” she laughed. “The green paint peeled right off and ran down Long Hill Dr.” Remarkably, both of them lived to tell the tale, only so that they could make the same mistake the following week when they used it to wash a white leather sofa and cracked the leather.

Spagnuolo still visits her dad, Steve Sr. weekly, who remains on Long Hill Dr. Meanwhile, Berrios put away Ajax and drives around in her R&H Catering van.

Working in the catering business with her husband, Robert Sr., she frequently runs into people that she knows from the CHS years. “‘See? I made you famous’ is what my husband says,” she laughed. She and Robert Sr. celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on June 13.

“We had the pleasure of our parents and family members around to celebrate with us,” she said, proudly.

Sharon Kuhl-Rome If you are still learning your way around the city, Sharon Kuhl-Rome is your go-to woman. Kuhl-Rome is a Realtor-Sales Associate for Weichert Realtors on Passaic Ave. “I’ve come to love my city and have lived in different sections over the years,” said Kuhl-Rome.

Not long after she graduated from CHS, she moved to Connecticut for five years and worked as a legal secretary with her then husband, who was serving in the U.S. Navy in Groton.

However, by the early 2000s she returned to NJ and pursued her “lifetime dream of being a cosmetologist.”

“Trust me it’s never too late to fulfill a dream, especially when your daughter is one of your instructors,” she stated. “I have to thank her for the many hours of redoing finger waves and perm rods because thanks to her, I passed my licensing first shot.”

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Helene Georgaros Berrios with from left, Robert Jr. (CHS 2007), Robert Sr. and Ricardo (CHS 2009).

Today, her daughter, Jovi is grown with children of her own, Alyssa and Amber, and Kuhl-Rome is living once more in Clifton. She resides in Downtown Clifton, one of the neighborhoods that she grew up in.

“Some of my original neighbors are still here and it feels like I never left,” she said.

Some of these neighbors at the time included Joe, Jeff, Jimmy and Lisa. Who does she credit for the way she turned out? Without a doubt, her nana, Gertrude.

“I owe my strength, dedication and drive in life to my Nana. She is the strongest person I’ve ever had the pleasure of having in my life. She’s gone now more than 10 years, but I know she’s always watching.”

Tom Sidoti There are some who are only in their field for the money and recognition. However, Tom Sidoti finds the most pleasure in helping those visiting his chiropractic office to regain their health “without drugs or surgery.”

His outlook is refreshing and sets Sidoti apart. For two years after CHS, he worked in the printing industry operating an offset printing machine. However, he then decided that he wanted to attend college and get a degree to become a chiropractor. It was after attending Montclair State and then Life Chiropractic College that he officially got into the business of healing.

“My wife Lynette Beyrouthy (CHS 1979) and I opened Sidoti Chiropractic Center in 1986 on Lexington Ave. in Passaic,” he explained.

Recognition for his role in the community was shown when he was appointed by Governor Christine Todd Whitman to the NJ State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. He was also voted “NJ Chiropractor of the Year” by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors and “Alumnus of the Year” by his alma mater.

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His success and accolades are received graciously.

“Aside from my profession, I’m grateful to be married 33 years to my wonderful wife Lynette, and very proud of our four sons,” he said. Three sons work in computer software related fields and the youngest follows in his footsteps, due to graduate as a chiropractor next year.

Kevin McCarthy Clifton Fire Chief Kevin McCarthy says that he has many to thank for his position today. Like Sidoti, he started his career on a different path.

Early in 1985, he became a police officer with CHS classmates, Robert Klingler and Edward Campanella.

After six months as a cop, McCarthy flipped and started as a firefighter in Station 6 on Van Houten Ave. and Broad St. under Lieutenant Dennis Bartolo.

Bartolo’s motivation is one of the things that McCarthy credits for his eventual promotions.

“My success is because of him and many other great people in the fire service that I have met during my career, who helped me accomplish my goals.”

Without those around him, McCarthy said that he would not have gotten as far in life.

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“I’ve been fortunate throughout my career,” said McCarthy, “to meet various people in the fire service who have encouraged me in different areas.”

“The earlier in your career that you have mentors, the better,” he advised.

McCarthy was never fooled—the job was not meant to be easy. He is responsible for 148 people and a budget of $20 million, not to mention 85,000 city residents.

The first promotion, though, is what he considers to be the most difficult.

“I think the first promotion from firefighter to lieutenant is the most difficult one because you learn what it takes to study,” he said. “Also, you’re gaining a lot of your knowledge for the first time.”

Nonetheless, there is an evident sense of pride in his voice when he talks about the city where he grew up and now is part of protecting.

Originally from Lakeview, he now lives in Allwood.

“It’s humbling and I’m proud of my accomplishments.

It is a tremendous amount of responsibility.” Beyond the mentors that he had who he formed bonds with, he also sees the closeness that Clifton provides to many of its citizens daily.

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He has felt that bond with his former Class of ‘77 peers. “[The closeness of Clifton] is something that’s unique and special. I’m still good friends with close to a dozen classmates and see them regularly. I consider myself fortunate to have that,” he added.

Tom Sidoti, Dave Remes, Doug Kabbash and Bill Hartmann are among these classmates.

McCarthy is married to Robin Borzotta, a ‘77 graduate. He also has three children, including Amanda, a nurse at St. Joseph’s, Meredith, a family social services counselor, and Brian, currently in college.

s r

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Lori (Van Blarcom) Huk Helping people was always in Lori (Van Blarcom) Huk’s blood and is shown in many aspects of her life.

Growing up on Washington Ave., she admired her parents’ ethic and knew that she wanted to do as they did.

“Both of my parents were in law enforcement,” she said. “They were my inspiration.”

Finding a career where she could help others was not direct for Huk. Originally, she attended court reporting school before she switched career paths.

“After starting my family, I went on to pursue my real estate license,” she said.

Huk is now a realtor for 24 years and works full time at Century 21 Van Der Wende. She also still finds fulfillment in helping people find their new homes.

“Buying or selling a home is one of life’s biggest events. I enjoy being able to make that transition a smooth one,” she added.

Huk’s desire to help others extends beyond her career and into the lives of her children as well.

When she started working as a young mother, she realized that she would need to have a flexible schedule. The reason being that she had every intention of being involved in her children’s extracurricular activities.

“My son Michael (‘07) played baseball his entire life, up to college,” she said. “I was involved with the CHS Baseball booster club. I was president for one year, including the first year that the baseball team played in Disney,” she added. Her daughter Shayne, who graduated in 2011, also cheered for the Junior Mustangs, in addition to doing some competitive cheerleading and being the stats manager for the CHS wrestling team.

Adults now, Michael, 28, is married to Amanda, and Shayne is 23years-old. Huk also has two grandchildren, Evan and Emma.

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Patricia Stagnitto, Philip Fenster, Eileen Ploch, Roy Stesko, George Kuch, Eric Peterson, Doreen Holmes.

Mustangs Reunite!

At the 50th reunion, former Mustangs, (above) Margot (de Leeuw) Villanova with Bert Hartsuiker and his wife Sue (Gasnik) Hartsuiker. Jerry Baker (left) also attended and dressed to impress.

By Ariana Puzzo You may remember Lin Ploch as the “original farmer’s daughter.” If you still live in Clifton and visit Ploch’s Farm, located at 148 Grove St., she probably remembers you as well.

“People come into the farm and say, ‘Guess who I am?’ I’m usually pretty good at it,” she laughed.

“You haven’t seen these people in 50 years, and they’ll bring their grandkids in for ice cream, and that’s how I end up meeting a lot of them,” she added.

Back in Feb. 2008, Clifton Merchant Magazine wrote a story on Ploch and her husband Bill Sachtleben, also CHS ‘67, who married in June, 2007. Recently, they had their 10th anniversary and celebrated by visiting and touring Alaska.

The couple still consider Clifton, home. So much so that from her backyard, “I can see whole farm,” she said.

Ploch attended the 50th reunion on April 22 at the Bethwood.

The event was successful, Ploch asserted, due to the incredible efforts of Pat Stagnitto, who now lives in Maine, and Cynthia Scudilla. More so, the event was “very special” and allowed Ploch “to see people that I hadn’t seen in years.”

50 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Lin Ploch, Jeanne Ambrosi, Linda Tobias, Bob and Pat Intveld, Lin and Bill Sachtleben and below Betty Kane.

“I have gone to every reunion; I’m very into knowing people that you knew before,” she said.

“I lost touch with Betty Kane—I didn’t know she moved to California—and saw her at the reunion.”

Other familiar faces included, Roy Stesko, Joy Salva, Jane Pennella, Phoebe Pollinger and Doreen Deock. She also saw Linda Tobias. “I went to kindergarten and church with her,” recalled Ploch. “She moved to Florida and we

had not seen each other for maybe 10 years.” Graduating with over other 1,000 students may seem impersonal, but Ploch made all types of friends.

“We had all our cliques, but I kind of went to each one,” said Ploch. She noted the benefit of having many friends, some overlapping with Sachtleben’s own. “Here we were [at the reunion] together, and friends that he had known were still friends with me,” she remarked.

) ) s.

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John Radcliffe, Michael Duch, John Kasich, Maureen Blasco, Peter Agnoli, Glenn Peterson, Karen Schafer.

Incidentally, one of Sachtleben’s best friends was close with Ploch in their early years at School 2.

Ploch also acknowledges that the family business kept her face recognizable around town. She works at the farm, as did her daughters, Stacy Taylor and Sandy Taylor, when they were younger. Both girls now work full time, Stacy, a school teacher, and Sandy as a nurse.

The farm continues to develop and grow through the generations as well. Ploch’s nieces Donna and Christina work there now, and the land has seen changes. Newer developments include selling ice cream, Italian Ice and baked goods for the city to enjoy. A rare gem in a city that once had many farms, Ploch says that Ploch’s Farm will open again on Aug. 3.

“I go to Stop & Shop and everyone’s asking ‘When are you opening?’” said Ploch. “It’s the family business.

We did it all these years and we still enjoy it.”

Margot (de Leeuw) Villanova You wouldn’t know it from how he was dressed at the reunion, but Margot (de Leeuw) Villanova swears that Jerry Baker quieter in high school.

“It was a surprise seeing him dressed like that; I thought he was part of the festivities,” Villanova laughed. “He said, ‘No, I just dressed that way.’”

The pair were in the band together, and Villanova said that when people walked up to him, he handed them a pin that read: ‘CHS ‘67 50th.’

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Baker was not the only source of excitement. At one point, Chris Hagens went over to dance with three ladies. “He said, ‘I never would’ve done this in high school!’” she chuckled.

However, Villanova expressed disappointment about the turnout, especially because it was the 50th reunion. Nonetheless, she noted that it “was just wonderful.”

“We haven’t seen some of these people in 50 years,” she said. “I stayed in Clifton, but many moved out.”

“You wonder how they will perceive you, but once we started speaking all that was dispelled,” she added.

Through the years, Villanova stayed in contact with Marlene (Scrosia) Holzli and Bert Hartsuiker, who married his high school sweetheart Sue (Gasnik) Hartsuiker.

Today, Villanova is married to Gino Villanova and they live on Plymouth Rd., off of Broad St. near CHS and School 2. She is retired after teaching ESL for 39 years in Passaic.

Villanova also comes from a family of CHS graduates. Her sister, Carla Francis is in CHS ‘64. Likewise, Villanova’s daughters, Lana Cassidy-Archila, CHS ‘94, Alycia Galway, CHS ‘97, and Andrea Villanova, CHS ‘10, went through Clifton.

Lana participated in choir and joined the Navy after graduation, and Alycia and Andrea were both in the Marching Band and track.

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Dumka Choir Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

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In 1982, that’s Doreen Holmes standing at right, with the Catholic Girls, which included Joanne Holland, Gail Petersen and Roxy Andersen. And at right, that’s Doreen today—still in Clifton and still making music of all kinds.

CHICK IN DRUMLINE

THE

Doreen Holmes knew drums were for boys, but she didn’t care.

You can’t rock out on a clarinet, and so as a ninth grader, she put down the girly instrument she had played for four years and picked up a pair of drum sticks.

“I didn’t really like the sound of the clarinet, but my parents had already bought it and didn’t want to get me a sax, but I could afford a pair of sticks,” recalled the ’67 CHS grad.

Naturally, Holmes had her sights set on joining the Marching Mustangs. But girls didn’t play drums in high school bands back then—certainly not in the best marching band in the world.

“My first few weeks in band camp were very tough,” she remembered. “That was to be expected, so I had to tough it out.”

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Doreen Holmes went from Marching Mustang to Catholic Girl

But in less than a month, the young girl from Hazel St. had won them over and became the first female snare drum player in the band’s storied 24-year history.

“I wasn’t even playing a year yet,” she explained. “I worked really hard and practiced three hours a day.”

Holmes was part of the unit that won two gold medals at the Kerkrade Festival in Holland.

During high school, she also played in a few garage bands. Holmes was the guitarist in The What Four with fellow Cliftonites Dennis Speiss and John Bha. She also played drums in a local group called The Fifth Dimension and in college, had a short stint with The Brats, a precursor to the successful band Godspeed, which included classmate Jeff Seitz and his brother Gary.

Holmes studied music education at William Paterson College and became involved in avant-garde music

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until 1981, when she auditioned to be the drummer in a Belleville-based band called The Catholic Girls.

“I didn’t know of them, but they were on their way up at the time,” she said.

In fact, as soon as Holmes joined the all-girl punk rock trio, they flew out to California to record their first self-titled album on MCA Records. “It was great to go out there,” the drummer recalled.

“To play on an album with a major record company was phenomenal.”

The Catholic Girls, which also included Gail Peterson, Roxy Andersen and, at the time, Joanne Holland, did the circuit and played clubs, among them the legendary CBGB and The Ritz in New A few years back, three Mustangs in the group SHE from left: York, the Dirt Club in Bloomfield and Loop Doreen Holmes on drums, Joan Bujacich on keyboards, singer and songwriter and Carol Hamersma on guitar.

Lounge in Passaic.

Charlie Frick, who attended CHS with Holmes, Candy Apple, Ladies First and She, which included fellow reviewed the band in the April 1981 edition of Oui magaCliftonites, Joan Bugacach and Carol Hamersma. But in zine: “They dress in the traditional convent-school uni2002, the drummer returned to The Catholic Girls. forms: white tailored blouses, black string ties, pleated “I always liked playing with the band,” she said. plaid skirts, knee socks and those cute little Mary Jane “Roxy invited me back and we’ve been going ever shoes, shined to a mirrorlike finish.” since.”

After the release of their first album, the Girls went That year, the rockers released Make Me Believe as on two national tours opening for The Kinks, The Clash their first indie CD, went on a tri-state tour and then and even Judas Priest during one of their shows in made a detour out west to take the stage at The Knitting Chicago, where a few unruly fans threw beer cans on Factory in Hollywood for the International Pop Overthrow Festival. The band continues to tour in promostage during the whole set. tion of their latest full-length CD, Meet the Catholic Girls.

“We just got up there and played,” Holmes explained.

“We were playing at Arlene’s Grocery in the city a cou“It was a tough crowd, but we were way better than they ple years ago and Steven Van Zandt came in and listened expected. They were like, ‘What are these chicks gonna to our whole set,” said Holmes. The E Street Band memdo?’ and then we blew them away.” ber liked the Girls’ song “Rock’n America” so much that The drummer isn’t even sure how they got on the bill he began playing it on his radio show. with the heavy metal band. “I think the only thing we had These days, Holmes performs at clubs like the Clash in common were our names.”

Bar in Downtown Clifton with the Clifton Community It was that religious moniker, derived from Petersen’s Band and offers lessons on drums—actual drums, not pads, and Andersen’s private school upbringing, that prevented and snares—to up and comers. “I especially enjoy workThe Catholic Girls from being as marketable as they ing with people who know they are never too old to start would’ve liked. “We couldn’t get on Saturday Night Live learning something new,” she said. To find out more, call because they thought we were too controversial,” said her for lessons: 973-345-9488.

Holmes. They were even banned from playing in Rhode Still, the love of music is what keeps her playing the Island because the state’s archdiocese thought their song clubs even as she nears her seventh decade.

“God Made You For Me” was sacrilegious and included a “I never think about age. I think you get a chance to live lyric that could insinuate that God is female. longer that way,” concluded the Albion resident. “If I Road life got old, so Holmes left the band in 1984 partthought about things like that, I wouldn’t be playing drums ly because she had other things she wanted to do. Over the because girls didn’t play drums early on.” following 18 years, she played in other groups called 56 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

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Bottle of Bread

By Joe Hawrylko

Some 1967 grads may remember Peter Agnoli as the vice president of their senior class. While he did not stay too connected to his Mustang classmates over the decades, these days, he’s still a front man, so to say.

Agnoli is the founder and leader of Bottle of Bread, a regionally touring group of musicians that perform in the genre of Bob Dylan and The Band.

Their name is in tribute to a Dylan song the singer recorded in the basement of Big Pink in West Saugerties, NY, near Woodstock, in the summer of 1967. The song title is Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread.

So how did he get from being a talking head for the class of ‘67 to the front man for a Dylan-esque band?

After graduation, Agnoli, who grew up in Dutch Hill, went on to Montclair State, where he earned a degree in English. He also received his teaching license, and taught a few English night courses in Passaic and then worked as a substitute in Montclair before deciding to begin his own travelling minstrel show.

“Full time teaching jobs were scarce, and I realized I'd rather travel. I traveled all over,” he said looking back to a time, some 50 years ago. “I had a few trips to Europe with my backpack, and lived a few months in Paris, then Ibiza (an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Spain known for its music and club scene) in ‘76 and traveled all over the Mediterranean,” he said.

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So that was around 1976 when he returned stateside and Agnoli still was Like a Rolling Stone.

“I spent a lot of time in California, and made a few cross country trips around the states in my ‘69 VW bug,” he continued. “I also lived for a while in Haight Ashbury, San Francisco, with my brother Jim.” It was there that he got to be in the audience for The Last Waltz concert on Nov. 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom, which was billed as The Band’s farewell concert appearance. The concert was turned into a legendary film by Martin Scorsese and is hailed as one of the greatest concert films ever made.

Agnoli headed home to Clifton for Christmas 1976 and soon after met his wife Amy through his brother Jeff, who lived in Montclair. “We decided to stay in this area, were married in 1978, and have two beautiful sons, Peter and Matthew,” he said, noting they have lived in Verona for the past 31 years.

Over those decades, Agnoli worked in Manhattan in the printing industry for over a quarter century, seeing a trade evolve and downsize. While he continued playing music since his youth, a few years back, he started working as an instructor at Guitar Center in Totowa and the music world was welcoming. Bottle of Bread came to fruition in 1992, explained Agnoli: “I’m the lead singer, and I play acoustic guitar and harmonica. It’s a five-

piece band with myself, and a keyboard player, lead guitar, bass, and drums. Bob Messino, a Clifton grad who is a few years older than me, is on the drums.” As far as the focus on the genre of Dylan and The Band?

“Bob and I were among the first ones to come up with the idea, and then we just found people. I had always been playing music since I was 15 or so, and played in a few random bands in high school not worth mentioning,” he continued. “It really wasn’t an audition process. We just had people get together and there were a lot of changes over the years, especially on lead guitar. But we have a pretty good ensemble now.

“Dylan has always been my number one guy from when I was a kid. Our group, we also cover The Band, who used to back up Dylan. They toured with him in 1966 and 1967, and then retreated to Woodstock. It was the Summer of Love and they were going a totally different direction than the stuff coming out of San Francisco,” said Agnoli. “The Band went on to become famous on their own. The whole thing ended in 1976 at the Last Waltz. What good fortune I had to see that live.”

In charge of Mustangs back in ‘67: Linda Tuminello, Grace La Valle, Ken Denzel, Pete Agnoli and Dave Holloway. On the facing page today, that’s Peter Agnoli with Bob Messino on drums.

Bottle of Bread is out and about and performs once or twice a month. “We will play at Tierney’s in Montclair on Sept. 9, and then on Sept. 23 we’re at Mexicali Live in Teaneck on Sept. 23,” said Agnoli. “We stay busy. A lot of people love this music, and it’s good to play it for young people who may not be aware of Dylan or The Band. So it’s great to keep playing it and keeping it alive.” See them perform live, search them on YouTube or find them on Facebook.com/dylanband.

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Third Ward Park Music Festival corner of Van Houten & Passaic Aves., Passaic Bring blankets or lawn chairs!

Sponsors include Polish/Slavic Federal Credit Union, Wawel Bank, Nicholas Martini Foundation, State Senator Paul Sarlo, Assemblyman Gary Schaer, Assemblywoman Marlene Caride, Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin, Weiner and Mazzei, PC, Slovak Catholic Sokol and Clifton Savings Bank. This project is funded in part by the Passaic County Cultural and Heritage Council at Passaic County Community College, through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of the State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Park is Handicapped-Accessible.

Call Greg Komeshok for more info: 973 - 473 - 5111 Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

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From top left: Dennis Hahofer, Roseanne Russo, Ronald Van Winkle, Joyce Persen, Ronald St. Laurent, Joan Magnoli, Robert Nightingale. Top left standing Penelope "Penny" Stamler, Alberta "Chippy" Luchetti and Gloria Lutz. Sitting is Angela Colluci. Bottom left is Barbara Townes and Joyce Persen. Bottom right: Dick Moran, Roger Fardin and Mike Novack.

STILL MAKING

MEMORIES

If you asked Roger ‘Roge’ Fardin how he spent the summer of 1956 before his senior year at CHS, he would reply that he passed the time playing baseball and football. That was at least the answer that his classmate, Carl Klotz, then President of Chess Club, received when they returned in September. Fardin reciprocated the question: “What’d you do?” he asked Klotz.

“I read the chemistry book,” replied Klotz, who went on to study at Columbia University and became a lawyer, while Fardin received a football scholarship to Notre Dame, graduating with a business degree. Both of the guys did well at CHS and in the lives that followed. In fact, they met up recently at the Class of ‘57 reunion.

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By Ariana Puzzo

Looking back at his freshman year at college, Fardin quickly learned that playing for Notre Dame would be a much different experience than his time as a Fighting Mustang. “You play football in high school for fun,” he said. “[College freshmen] never played in the game; they were only dummies for varsity.” He acknowledged that he would not have gotten as far as Notre Dame and his business degree without Coach Joe Grecco’s pushing, encouragement and mentoring.

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At left, Peter Tritak with Henry Eng, above, Carl Klotz, Ernie Weber and Virgil "Juggy" DeMario.

At the end of his freshman year at CHS, Grecco got a hold of him. When he found out that Fardin was taking general courses, he would not accept it. “‘You can’t do that,’” Fardin bellowed his best impersonation of Grecco. Had he not listened when Grecco insisted that he take college prep courses, Fardin asserted that he would have remained on the same path, namely to join the army. “He set me straight and I always praised him on that every time I saw him,” added Fardin.

“I didn’t think anything of college,” he added. “If I didn’t have a scholarship, I would’ve gone to the army.”

From there, he went to Notre Dame at the age of 17.

Despite blowing out his shoulder at the end of November his freshman year, the school honored his scholarship.

Fardin still quips about how the school was in the 50’s.

“You look at the glory of going out to Notre Dame.

Let me put it this way, it was all guys,” he said, dryly.

“The lights went out at 10 p.m. and you could stay out until midnight one night a week.”

Nevertheless, he went on to work in NYC as an assistant controller in Robert Hall for 22 years.

“I figured out, eight years of my life was spent commuting on bus and train,” he laughed.

When Angela Collucci Jones attended the 1964 World’s Fair in New York with her husband, Jim and her then 6-month old baby, she had no idea that she would leave with a friend, who she would not meet for 23 years.

As she described it, they approached a huge computer with a large sign reading: “Do you want a pen friend?”

The process was simple: she filled out her name, address, 62 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

age and five interesting hobbies on an IBM card. Once she put it into the computer, it generated the information of Pat Phelps of New South Wales, Australia.

“I turned to my husband and said, ‘Jimmy, this is going to be interesting,’” Jones said with an amused lilt.

“I wrote a long letter about myself, my family, who lived in Passaic near St. Mary’s Hospital at the time, and CHS,” she added. “I mailed the letter and said to my husband, ‘If I don’t hear in 2 to 3 months, I’ll never hear.’”

She did hear back from Phelps, though, and the result was a 52-year friendship. In her response, Phelps described life in Australia, where she lived in a house on stilts and hung diapers under it to dry. Jones remarked that on dry days, the diapers would be dry in minutes, but on wet weather days, it could take days to dry.

Jones learned that Phelps was also married and had just had her sixth child. They continued to write to each other, regaling each other about their lives and experiences, and finally when Jones’ baby was in high school, they called each other on the phone for the first time.

“We cried and it was very emotional,” said Jones.

“It was Christmas Eve here and Christmas Day there.

She was going for a picnic with her family and I described to her the snow and how our neighborhood was all decorated in lights and it was dark,” she added.

The long-time confidants met in 1988 when Jones finally visited Australia to celebrate the bicentennial.

Then, Jones invited Phelps the following year to her daughter’s wedding. Despite not being certain that she could visit, Phelps ended up staying for six weeks.

“We brought her to a Broadway show,” said Jones. “I wanted her to see an American show about America.”

They also drove to Washington, Philly and Baltimore.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of their friendship is their ability to always pick up where they left off.

“It was like we had just seen each other yesterday. Our letters were huge. Try typing a 17-page letter.”

Harold Black, Beverly Crudell, Gerald Zelenka, Carl Klotz, Bohdan Gojnycz, Peter Tritak, Barbara Townes.

Today, they still keep in touch and find a lot of relatability despite living in different regions of the world.

“They’re having lots of the same problems we have in this country, but our friendship remains.”

Jones remains as connected to Clifton as she does to her long-term friend. She worked as a Home Economics teacher for 31 years. Overall, she could not determine one particular moment that was the most rewarding.

“My goal was not only to teach what was in the book,” she said, “but to have the kids to look out beyond and see beyond the borders of Clifton and the U.S.A.” Before that, though, she was a student at CHS. She fondly reflected on the 1950s and the community that the decade created within CHS’ halls.

“Clifton is 12 sq. miles with different neighborhoods and at the Annex, we got to meet each other,” Jones said.

“I met my closest girlfriends through St. Anthony’s in Passaic and later had classes with them.”

Today, several of them who met in 6th grade still get together to go for lunch.

“The bonds you make as a kid, many of them you keep your whole life. How lucky we were that we grew up when we did,” she said, wistfully.

Peter Tritak Peter Tritak always enjoyed a little extra speed and the rush of adrenaline that came with it. Back in the day, he drag raced for Chrysler Corp. and left a legacy.

“I was voted in the Hall of Fame for Division I drag racing,” Tritak said. He was also voted into the Honor Legion 24 years ago at York, P.A. Tritak began drag racing in the early 1960s, ultimately stopping by the mid-1970s. Prior to racing, he worked with a car dealer and started with first car, which was sponsored by Chrysler Corp. One date sticks out to him.

“Winning Nationals Stock Eliminator in Indianapolis in 1969 was definitely a highlight,” he said.

Today, Tritak deals with air conditioning for cars while also working part-time at Tritak Performance, an auto repair center at 520 Lexington Ave.

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Elaine Maksym It all comes back to Clifton for Elaine Maksym. She once walked the halls as a Mustang in the 50’s and has returned to the city to watch her grandchildren do the same. “I returned in 2011 and am enjoying traveling,” said Maksym.

She also enjoys attending her grandchildren’s activities that they participate in through Clifton schools.

She has attended dance recitals, cheerleading competitions, as well as lacrosse, baseball and soccer games.

When reflecting on where our Mustangs are now, Maksym is a perfect representation of Clifton being multigenerational.

Many, like Maksym, find themselves looking back fondly at their years spent in the city. “Clifton High School 1953-57 were the best times.”

Leah Blackman Schwartz Today, young adults of Jewish heritage can participate in Birthright Israel, giving them the opportunity to travel to the Hebrew nation and discover their identity.

Leah Blackman Schwartz had a similar experience in the 60’s. After college graduation, Schwartz spent a year studying in Israel. She quickly learned that she could hitch anywhere in the country and that she would meet many types of people.

“I visited Arab villages,” said Schwartz, “and enjoyed friendships with people from many different countries and all walks of life.”

She studied at Hebrew University with people from all over the world. Today, most parents would be up at night frantic if their child was hitching rides across foreign countries.

However, traveling on trains and hitching her way across communities far beyond Clifton’s 12 square miles became second nature for Schwartz and her friends. “I hitched through Europe on our way home,” she said. “I also traveled by train in Italy because my friend and I didn’t know Italian, but got through France and England with no problem communicating.” She returned to the U.S. and taught world history and Hebrew studies.

Richard Vandenbrouck Most young adults post-graduation flounder while trying to determine what direction they want their life to take. For Richard Vandenbrouck, he followed the 64 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

honorable path that lead him to first serve his country and later, his city.

He enlisted in the Air Force and served a four year hitch. When he returned to Clifton, he met Janice Marinello, purchased a home and found a stable job.

The couple married 52 years ago in 1965 and have three children and five grandchildren.

“I served in the Clifton Police Department for 31 years and after retiring, volunteered for Avenue of the Flags,” said Vandenbrouck. Today, he resides in Monroe Township.

Alice Heerschap Clearwater When you want to contact high school friends today, you text or use Facebook. Alice Heerschap Clearwater and Class of ‘57 kids keep an email chain.

That also worked well for her fellow classmate from School 3 on Washington Ave. Recently celebrating their 60th reunion, Clearwater maintains that the graduating class are as close as ever. School 3 kids still get together when they can arrange it.

“The Annex (which was on Clifton Ave. and First St.) brought us all closer together,” said Clearwater, mirroring Angela Collucci Jones’ earlier sentiment.

“The Class of ‘57 was the best.”

Clearwater still has a high regard for Clifton’s grammar and high schools. Although she now lives in Clifton Park, N.Y., she still remembers the city fondly.

She is widowed from Bill, CHS ‘56, in 1988. They had three children and nine grandchildren. Clearwater is the only daughter of Leonard and Marguerite, whose story we shared in Nov. 2007.

Marguerite died at 108 on Dec. 30, 2015.

Joyce Persen Sunshine “I actually loved CHS and believe the Annex was what brought our class so close,” said Joyce Sunshine, who added that it also formed unbreakable friendships.

“Only freshmen were in the classes,” she said, “and we met people who became lifelong friends.”

Sunshine is a generational Mustang—she has kids and grandkids still in Clifton. Her sons, Stephen Camp, Sr., CHS ‘78, Chris Camp, CHS ‘82, and Jeffrey Camp, CHS ‘84, went through Clifton. Her grandchildren also attended or will attend CHS, including Jessica, CHS ‘08, Michael and Taylor, CHS ‘13, Stephen, Jr., CHS ‘15, Lexi, CHS ‘18, and Ava, CHS ‘23.

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ARTOF

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SPINNING

By Douglas John Bowen

He’s a prostate cancer and Chances are pretty good that kidney cancer survivor, and had if you’ve attended one of double-knee surgery. Those Clifton’s many special events obstacles haven’t slowed him or traditions, you’ve benefitted down, or robbed him of any from the guiding hand of Mike zeitgeist for life, be it work or Novack. play. Novack oversees his latest Clifton’s annual Santa Claus business, Ultimate Spinning and tour of the neighborhoods? Mike Turning Corp., as joyous work.

Novack got that started, along The Moonachie-based comwith Tom Insigna. Clifton’s pany (ultimatespinning.com) marathon? Check; Mike Novack offers high quality, economical was a founder. Clifton’s annual metal spinning and forming City Picnic (set this year for July capabilities to manufacture 4)? Better check with Mike metal parts and products for Novack, co-founder, for the many uses, from artistic to utilevent’s early days (“around Mike spins, does Elvis (with a bobbyitarian, from “ventilation parts 1962, I think”). This year’s socked associate) and also poles a gondola. to antique restoration.”

Centennial Parade? Well, Interviewed at his Moonachie office last month, Novack isn’t leading that, but he did oversee the 50th Novack described his business as a labor of human anniversary predecessor of this year’s event. endeavor. “It’s not really a machine shop; it’s an art Novack, CHS ’57, believes one should love what they form,” akin to the making of pottery by Native work at, and love where they live. He’s lived that belief Americans and others. in his 80 years, through several business ventures and “This is more like an art; it’s personalized, and every with detours living in Florida and the Jersey Shore spinner’s technique is a little different.” beginning and (mostly) ending in Clifton.

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CHS CLASS

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1957

“You have to think when you’re doing it, how the metal forms, how it moves,” added his longtime business associate, Diane Van Blarcom, CHS ’68, a native of the Albion neighborhood and a Clifton resident to this day.

Leaving Clifton, and returning Novack (with Van Blarcom) has overseen varied businesses during his long career, most of them within Clifton. “I was in insurance for 40 years, located on Van Houten Ave.,” Novack said. “I also had a travel business on Van Houten.” The street was a good fit, he said with a laugh, because “I lived on Van Houten” as a child. He ventured slightly farther afield, acquiring a screw machine shop in nearby Wallington that demanded precise production tolerances.

Novack sold the travel business “somewhere around 1991,” and “at age 58 or 59” moved to Florida—but not as part of any retirement program. In the Fort Lauderdale area, he established another business; water tours using his own gondola, the Romantic Venice, for individuals and small groups (lasolasgondola.com).

“It seats four comfortably,” Novack noted. The gondola averages 60-to-70 bookings per month.

“I got it from a guy won it on The Price Is Right,” he added, showing the craft stowed last month behind his Moonachie office. The Romantic Venice doesn’t limit its appearances to the Florida landscape; it was seen on many a location in the New York metropolitan area, including Little Italy’s San Gennaro festival, various New York parades and the Columbus Day Parade in Seaside Heights, store openings and on the Hackensack River.

(Can Clifton itself expect such a visit soon? Novack suggested the interviewer should “stay tuned.”)

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

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57

WHERE

ARE THEY NOW?

Prodigal son returns Florida didn’t hold Novack for long. Much like his gondola, Novack found himself returning north, first to the Jersey Shore and, finally, making his roundtrip complete by coming back to Clifton.

Roughly 15 years ago, Novack said, he “fell into the Ultimate Spinning business. My father-in-law had run it,” and Novack purchased the business from the latter’s estate upon his father-in-law’s passing. Novack once more thrived in building a business. “It was very small; we’re much larger now,” he said.

Asked if Ultimate Spinning was a natural next step from his experience with a machine shop, Novack said no. “This is completely different,” he asserted. At the machine shop, “We would make small parts, but [in reality] the machines would do the work. Here, we have to make the form to make the part, and it’s an art. There’s much more manual labor, spinning and shaping a flat piece of metal.“ Though some might consider “manual labor” an odious option, Novack boasted that his shop is both efficient and pleasant. “I like to think employee morale is high,” he mused. “We work hard, but we enjoy it. We strive to be flexible so that each person can deal with personal or family issues. No negatives. I believe people should like to do what they do for a living.

“And,” he stressed, “we’re very efficient. It amazes me how most businesses stay in business, how inefficient they are.”

Novack retains one machine in his Moonachie shop for machine shop precision work, a holdover from his previous business and a talisman of his philosophy to focus on the long term. “When you do something, it’s not a one-time deal. I wouldn’t go into something that isn’t repetitive. I’m in it for the long haul.”

A more precious item on the property: Novack’s son, Todd, an expert spinner. Daughter Kerry, in Ho-Ho-Kus, is handling child-raising chores at present, but “she’s going to come work with me, too,” Novack said.

His other son, also named Mike, resides in Port Townsend, Wash., involved in sea rescue and “underwater work on boats,” the father said.

In a way, son Mike is following a different set of his father’s footsteps. Shortly after graduating from CHS in 1957, Novack made the local New Jersey news when he saved two people from drowning in Barnegat Bay. 68 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Change and continuity Married for 50 years to his wife Gail, Novack today sees Clifton almost in split-prism—what once was and what now is (or, perhaps, sometimes still is). He’s not overly nostalgic, but he can effortlessly catalog numerous changes Clifton has undergone.

“Everyplace I go [in Clifton] reminds me of something that happened” in the past, he said. “I can reminisce when the Morris Canal existed; I used to play there.” Also recalled is the old wooden bridge on Van Houten “where the Garden State Parkway traverses now.” A shop in Athenia used to “stamp out the base for railroad cars seemingly in one shot.” Novack also remembers passing by grazing cows on his way to Sunday church service.

He also served as the era-equivalent of Uber driver for his schoolmates back in his high school days. “I’d pick up my buddies in Delawanna, on Monroe St., on Ackerman Ave. It took me 40 minutes to get to school,” he said, smiling at the thought.

Some items no longer existing include one of Novack’s own efforts, an athletic course named for his father, on Van Houten Ave., designed to encourage city residents to improve their physical fitness. “The city abandoned it,” Novack said, which he lamented, noting that while Clifton tried the idea earlier than most, other municipalities have stuck with the concept.

On the other hand, the Santa Claus parade marches on, Novack noted with pride. “It was 1973, maybe earlier, and I wanted to give back to the community, but I wanted to do it philanthropically rather than monetarily,” he explained. “This way, anything I did went directly back to the people of Clifton.”

Novack canvassed city merchants, seeking donations and coordinating with them for appearances by Santa Claus at a specific time. “I’d request perhaps $500 and the store owner would get a sign in his window, along with brochures, saying [for example], ‘Santa Claus will be here at 2 pm., and we’ll give gifts for the kids.’”

Pointing to Diane Van Blarcom, he added, “Diane’s sister was one of the elves.” Novack acknowledged that the setup is “different today,” but expressed satisfaction that the event is still recognizable.

Another difference, both geographically and geologically: Novack grew up on Van Houten, but “where I live now was once a mountain,” he quipped.

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Passaic County Employers: 973-340-3400 • Ext. 7223 Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

69

RELAY FOR LIFE

Clifton’s June 10 Relay for Life raised more than $65,000 to fund research by the American Cancer Society to fight the disease. More importantly, it brought together survivors, friends and family of the fallen and gave hope to others.

Sixty cancer survivors celebrated their triumph over the disease by walking in the Survivors’ Lap to kick off the Relay.

The tribute lap to the late Gloria Kolodziej, a fighter to the end and great supporter of Relay, brought her family and loving friends to keep her spirit of finding a cure so strong.

Sindy Delacruz sang the National Anthem that was also signed by Bryan Cammarino. Cancer survivor Freeholder Bruce James encouraged everyone to support Relay so research can continue. As night began to fall, lights were turned off and more than 500 candles were lit

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at an emotional luminaria service as walkers remembered those lost to the disease. To the voice of survivor Brian Grace performing Amazing Grace, participants walked in a lap of silence around the track lined with more than 300 luminary bags as a tribute to those who have battled and survived and those lost to the disease.

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DeLuxe Cleaners offers FREE evening pick-up & delivery service to Clifton Residents on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 6 and 8:30 pm.

GOOD DEEDS

With a goal of filling 300 backpacks with supplies for K-5 students and 100 for middle schoolers, the Back2School Outreach mission is to provide Clifton’s underprivileged children with a free quality backpack filled with school supplies for the school year.

Organizer Kim Castellano, pictured with some young volunteers, said sponsors this year include CSBK (Clifton Savings Bank), Main and Allwood Public Library, Clifton Firehouses, Walgreen’s and Dr. Suzi at Clifton Chiros. More sponsors and contributions are welcomed before the Aug. 24 deadline.

To contribute, make checks to Power of One CCOM, Inc. and mail to Back2School Outreach c/o Power of One CCOM., Inc, PO Box 6080 Clifton, NJ 07015. To participate in this outreach project, call Kim Castellano at 201-328-2326, or email kim@powerofoneccom.org.

The Back2School Outreach needs the communities support once again, by donating backpacks filled with school supplies. “The days of children coming prepared on their first day of school are a thing of the past,” said Castellano. “Contribute and help the Back2School Outreach can make a difference in a child’s education.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

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Free Summer Concert Series: Wednesdays in July & August, Woodrow Wilson Middle School Bring your lawn chairs! All programs begin at 7:30 p.m. Rain?

Concerts move indoors at WWMS. July 12 - Clifton Community Band Clifton’s own concert unit providing crowd pleasing programs that all will cool a summer evening.

July 19 - Count Basie Tribute Band Playing the most famous of the Basie library with vocalist and 19 professional musicians.

July 26 - Rhythm Ramblers An eight piece Dixieland band serving up sing-a-longs, licks of original American Jazz and an audience participation experience.

August 2 - Rat Pack Show A re-creation of the music and fun of the Sinatra-Martin-Davis era!

With a live “Vegas” orchestra!

August 30 - Forever Ray The highly entertaining tribute to Ray Charles with rich vocals and a live Soul inspired band.

August 9 - West Point US Army Band. This professional orchestra has inspired and entertained audiences with a program of Americana and concert pieces. Patrons will enjoy a truly patriotic show.

Additonal Events:

August 16 - The Gramercy Brass Orchestra of New York. A 29 piece American Brass Band playing Americana and movie titles, with Broadway vocalists.

August 23 - Clifton Native Night An evening of homegrown talent that cover genres from the 1960s to these current days.

July 20, 2017 at 7 pm Clifton Night at the Jackals Location: Yogi Berra Stadium August 15, 2017 - 7 pm Clifton Night at the Subway Series Location: Yankee Stadium Bus departs: 3:15pm September 23, 2017 Ellis Island & Statue of Liberty Trip Location: Clifton City Hall September 30, 2017 - 9 am-12 pm Clifton Scavenger Hunt Location: The Barrow House October 21, 2017 - Time: TBA Trip to 9/11 Memorial & Museum October 25, 2017 - 7:30 pm US Marine Band Performance Location: CHS Auditorium November 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12 Fri. & Sat. 8 pm, Sun. 2 pm Theater League of Clifton presents Thoroughly Modern Millie November 30, 2017 - Time: TBA Centennial Gala: Valley Regency Info: cliftonnj.org or on FB “Celebrate Clifton’s 100th”

72 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

THE ARTS Friends of the Clifton Library offer Musical Mondays at Clifton Main Memorial Library, 292 Piaget Ave., at 2 pm. On July 10, a talented youth showcase features pianists Jen Marie Chie, Joseph Paul Chie and Tyler Fengya with Nathaniel Corbett on trumpet and Ethan DeRose-Travia on cello. The Aug, 7 show features pianist Greg Baron in As Time Goes By. The Tamburitzan’s an international folk ensemble presenting song and dance of Eastern Europe, will perform on the CHS stage on Sept. 23 at 4 pm. Presented by Holy Apostles Church in Saddle Brook, tickets are $35 or $40 day of the show. For tickets and more info, call 973-460-0243 or go to talentshadows.events.

The Clifton Arts Center’s Tag Sale at the Senior Barn is July 8, rain or shine. Donations such as fine or costume jewelry, small furniture, china, crystal, fashion accessories such as scarves or purses, table linens, and handcrafted items are welcomed. Profits from items sold support the Arts Center. Drop off items at the Senior Barn on July 7 from 3:30 to 5 pm. Info at 973-472-5499.

The late George Hayek is forever associated with The Cabs and his love, advocacy and passion for the corps will be memorialized on July 8 when the 53rd Annual Grand Prix returns to Clifton Stadium. The Hurricanes, Skyliners, Bushwackers, Sunrisers, Fusion Core, Buccaneers, Cadets 2 and the Caballeros will all perform in a truly moving tribute to George’s memory.

Info at hawthornecaballeros.org.

The 5th Annual Citywide Garage Sale is all day on July 8 to benefit the Clifton Arts Center. Dozens of homeowners across the city will be offering a wide range of items for sale at their homes. The Arts Center will provide advertising for each individual garage sale in posters, newspaper classified ads and online at cliftonnj.org. Go to the site and search Clifton Arts Center and find a listing of all participating homes with addresses organized by neighborhood. In addition to the online ads, the list of participating locations will be posted on flyers at the libraries, city hall and other public places. For info, visit the Arts Centers Wed. to Sun., 1 to 4 pm, or call Arts Center Advisory Board Chair Jeff Labriola at 973-698-4075.

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

73

Boys & Girls Club

On his way to the CHS Prom, Carlos Polanco visited a benefit reception at the Cuellar Family Market ShopRite Wines & Liquors of Clifton on Paulison Ave. to thank people and share more details about his journey as Youth of the Year.

Clifton’s Carlos Polanco was selected from among 12 finalists from Boys & Girls Clubs across the region and was named the 2017 Northeast Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He will receive a $10,000 college scholarship renewable for up to four years. Polanco, featured in our May magazine, along with fellow Clifton student leaders Andrea Rojas and Hiral Shah, was selected because of his civic engagement and leadership among younger Club members.

“My philosophy is that leadership means service,” Polanco, above center, said at a reception he attended on June 12. “My desire is to lead by serving others will continue to be the hallmark of my character.”

Midtown Diner & Grill at 1216 Main Ave., will be supporting the Boys & Girls Club on July 11 from 11:30 am to 10 pm by donating 20 percent of patron’s checks before tax to the Club. Stop and dine that Tuesday and present this note when paying your bill.

74 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

In September, Polanco will compete in Washington to vie for the National Youth of 2017 title, which comes with an additional $100,000 scholarship and the opportunity to serve as a national spokesperson for four million Boys & Girls Club kids and teens in America.

Polanco, who is a refined orator, prides himself not just on academic achievement, but also on his civic engagement. In 2016, he helped found the Clifton Student Union, which is completely student run, student led and student oriented.

“Today’s youth are often left out of conversations directly regarding them: specifically, conversations about their education,” Polanco said. “A youth movement which is organized, mobilized and determined to bring about positive change through civic engagement will be the youth movement I help bring to fruition.”

Polanco first joined the Boys & Girls Club after waiting to pick up his little sister from the Club’s Kinderkare program. He joined and immersed himself in the Club as a mentor and role model for young members.

He wants the kids to dream big and know that anything is possible. “If they see that someone like themselves, who overcame similar obstacles, who broke barriers, can be Youth of the Year, they too will envision themselves where I stand,” Polanco said.

If selected, Polanco hopes to use his voice and platform to promote civic engagement.

Boys & Girls Club Gina Corradino and Barbara Sedorenko of the Corradino & Papa Law firm here in Clifton, with B&G Club Board member Gloria Martini, center. The law firm, headed by Jack Corradino and RC Papa, is sponsoring the purchase of two buses to help the Club transport the nearly 6,000 kids they service annually.

“Young men from my background are not meant to be leaders who are a positive influence on their communities,” Polanco said. “Young men like me are not meant to be activists and scholars, yet this young man is. I not only break barriers, I shatter them.” Born in the Dominican Republic, Polanco said, his mother was determined for Polanco to be the first in his family to attend college. Come September, he will attend Dartmouth College and hopes to become a lawyer and serve on the Supreme Court.

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

75

AVENUE OF FLAGS

Pictured above on Flag Day are some of the many volunteers who make the Avenue of Flags a reality. The group depends upon donations and volunteers to help create a display of nearly 2,000 flags on the campus of city hall for patriotic holidays. The next set up is Patriot Day, Monday, Sept. 11, followed by Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11. To volunteer, to contribute for items such as motorized carts to help transport flags, or for other details, call Keith Oakley at 201-774-6666.

76 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

FUNDRAISER The Sept. 10 Boys & Girls Club’s 4th Annual Car Show has added another attraction with a mini bike show and swap meet. Organized by Brad Chupick, 20 x 20 foot space rentals are $20 pre-registration or day of show $25. Proceeds benefit the Club. Call 973-715-8225 or write to hemibrad@yahoo.com for details.

Mustang Coach Stan Lembryk Soccer Camp is designed for kids in recreation, competitive travel levels and the high school season. The camp runs from July 24 to 28 at WWMS. Pre-K through Grade 8 camp is from 9 am to noon; Grades 9-12 will train 4 to 6 pm. Info at Lembryksocceracademy.com or call 973-460-9026. Part of the proceeds support the CHS soccer programs.

Brad Chupick collects vintage minibikes, those little noisy two wheeled items from the 1960s and 70s. He and other collectors are displaying the bikes at the Sept. 10 car show in a benefit to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club.

The Mike Rivera Memorial Basketball Camp is run by Mustang head coach Mike Cadmus. The camp is designed to help players get prepared for the next level of competition. Two sessions are offered—July 10-14 and Aug. 21-25. Both are at CHS and the camp is designed for kids entering 3rd through 9th grades.

Cost is $150 per session. Details at mustangselitebasketballacademy.com or by calling 973-489-4068.

The 2017 CHS Athletic Hall of Fame will host a dinner and induction on Oct. 15 at noon at the Brownstone.

Inductees include Anthony Yelovich, along with Cara Boseski, Deanna Giordano, Paul Kornaszewski, Stephen Yacykewych, Coach Richard La Duke, Contributor Florence Calise, the 2006 CHS Fighting Mustangs and the 2001 CHS girls soccer team. Over the coming months, we will profile the inductees. Jack Whiting and Tom Hawrylko are selling ad for the Journal. Call 973-253-4400 for info.

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

77

By Ariana Puzzo This year’s final choices for Student of the Month share the same last name, similar perspectives on achieving success, but they are still their own people with unique interests. Nicole and Jessica Alexander finished their freshman year at CHS, and are eager to share their experience and make the transition easy for other students.

Getting involved was the beginning of utilizing all that CHS has to offer, noted Nicole.

“The best thing about CHS is the fact that there are so many different sports and clubs,” she said. “Joining a club or a sport is really a great thing to do because you are able to meet people that you share the same interests with, and are able to make the most of your experience in CHS.” In the past year, Nicole ran indoor and outdoor track. She was also the Vice President of Student Council for the Class of 2020 and played the role of the Jester in CHS’ production of “Once Upon a Mattress.” All of these activities are special to her, but she particularly caught the acting bug at a young age and hopes to pursue it in some capacity.

“I have always loved singing and just performing in general,” she said, “so one of my aspirations would definitely be to perform for a living.”

Nicole maintains the importance of receiving a full education, though, and plans on attending college. When asked where she finds 78 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Sisters Jessica and Nicole Alexander share the title of student of the month.

her inspiration and motivation to continually do more, she responded: “I am inspired by success. The more I achieve, the more I want to achieve,” Nicole explained.

“I was always a competitive person,” she added, “so one thing that really motivates me is losing.

Whenever I lose, it only makes me want to work harder.”

Jessica shares her sister’s motivation and drive to be successful in her current and future endeavors. She is President of Student Council for the Class of 2020 and also performed in “Once Upon a Mattress” as the role of Lady Larken.

“Success motivates me,” she explained. “Obtaining success helps to inspire me to achieve my next goal.”

Although Jessica calls on herself to be a motivating force, she is also inspired by her parents. She noted that they raised her to be the person that she is today and expresses gratitude for their constant support.

Looking to the future, Jessica plans on attending college to study a field yet undecided. Although she has not determined her major, she has expressed interest in “law or something in the culinary arts.”

The sisters both stress the importance of speaking up for oneself.

They also acknowledged that working with others to self-advocate can be beneficial for all involved who may have remained silent otherwise.

“No matter who or what you are up against,” said Jessica, “handling a problem is a lot easier when you can talk to somebody else about it, rather than trying to take care of it all on your own.”

“If you don’t say anything, nobody will ever know that there’s a problem,” Nicole added.

Despite their busy schedules, the Alexander sisters enjoy different hobbies in their spare time. On weekends, both enjoy listening to music and spending time with friends and family.

a a

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CLASS OF

2017

CHS GRADUATION

WHERE WILL THESE MUSTANGS BE 2027?

June 23, 2017, Joe Grecco Field

728 Mustangs of the CHS Class of 2017 took the field as high schoolers for the last time on June 23, moving on as graduates. Photos here are from that Commencement exercise which was held at 3 pm to beat the rain. Off to colleges, the military, area jobs and local business, they enter the next stage of life. Ten years from now, we will be reaching out to them to determine Where are These Mustangs Now?

n o

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Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

79

Birthdays & Celebrations - July 2017

Nicolas Calvo will be 8 on July 11. Groovy greetings to Skip Kazer who celebrates July 6th.

Walter Pruiksma turns 94 on July 26. Jamison Wellins will be 2 on July 7. Former Downtown Clifton Post Office guy Harry Quagliana celebrates on July 23.

Happy Birthday to...

Send dates & names... tomhawrylko@optonline.net Amanda Di Angelo.............

Ray Merced .......................

Marie Angello ....................

Chris Torrao .......................

Nicholas Iannacone ............

Bob Landrith .......................

Robyn Sue Lord ..................

Frank Rando.......................

Lori Lill ...............................

7/3 7/3 7/3 7/4 7/5 7/5 7/5 7/5 7/6

Bob Obser, (AKA the Music Matador) will ceberate his 85th birthday on July 18.

Susan Rego ........................ 7/6 Darlene Franek ................... 7/7 Ron Curtiss ......................... 7/7 Angelo Grippo ................... 7/7 Thomas Marriello ................ 7/7 Edward Sepulveda.............. 7/7 Jenna De Liberto ................. 7/8 Christopher Landrith ............ 7/8 Joyce Sunshine ................... 7/8 Cynthia Kester .................... 7/9 Robert Marriello.................. 7/9 Jesse Hasting.................... 7/10 Kristi Schopfer .................. 7/10 Anthony Zaccone.............. 7/13 Alyssa Marie Misyak......... 7/14 Ann Schamble .................. 7/15 Derek Dobol..................... 7/16 Jessica Dobol.................... 7/16 Joanne Gursky.................. 7/17 Carrie Szluka ................... 7/18

Isabella Andruch turns 11 on July 1 Alexander Razvmov ..........

Ryan Saccoman................

Cocoa Saccoman .............

Ashley Jacobus .................

Linda Portaro....................

Megan Suaifan.................

Kaitlin Vinciguerra ............

Harry Quagliana ..............

George Shamar................

7/19 7/19 7/19 7/19 7/20 7/20 7/22 7/23 7/23

Dorothy and Ted Guzowski will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary on July 10. Dorothy has a birthday on July 8! Matthew Derendal turned 63 on June 27, reports his bride Martha.

Kenneth and Donna Chipura on July 11 will celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary.

80 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Joan & Gene Murphy will celebrate their 53rd wedding anniversary on July 25th.

Kayla Lord......................

Anna Schubert ................

Eva Gasporowska...........

Kathy Valdes...................

Joseph Lopez ..................

Ornella Ganoza .............

Gina Oliva .....................

Amanda Fabiano............

Lee-Ann Varga ................

Stephen Camp Sr...........

Joe Prebish .....................

Frances Greco ................

7/24 7/24 7/25 7/25 7/27 7/27 7/28 7/29 7/29 7/30 7/30 7/31

George Lattimer turned 100 on June 4 and is pictured with Alexandria Plocharczyk.

Cliftonmagazine.com • July 2017

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Helping Others

The NJ Special Olympics torch relay made its way through Clifton on June 9, pictured above, as part of the 750 miles it travels on its way to The College of New Jersey. Last year, $3.7 million was raised for the athletes of Special Olympics New Jersey. This year with the 34th Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run, the runners and police departments hoped to raise even more for these special games. The officers ran 26 separate legs throughout the day starting at 4:45 a.m.

82 July 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com

The run ended at the Special Olympics New Jersey summer games opening ceremony at The College of New Jersey. Hundreds of students and supporters lined the streets throughout the day to support the Special Olympics of New Jersey and law enforcement officers.

July 2017 Cover copy_Layout 1 6/27/17 9:33 AM Page 3

July 2017 Cover copy_Layout 1 6/27/17 9:33 AM Page 4

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