BRINGING FUNDRAISING TO LIFE: CLIFTON SEAHAWK RANKED NO. 1 Richard Poplawski is a perfect example of the type of impact fundraising by the Boys & Girls Club has on the youth of our city. The 10-year-old Cliftonite is a nationally recognized swimmer who is ranked No. 1 for his age group in the 100 yard breaststroke, and he was introduced to the sport through the Club’s Gingerbread House pre-K program. “It really all started in the Gingerbread House pre-K program,” said his mother, Surayah. “He was only 4 years old at the time and they introduced him to swimming,” she said of the directors and coaches in the pre-K program. “Then in 2014, he joined the Club’s swim team, the Seahawks. It’s a nice sport and the Club is a really nice place with a great pool. He’s competitive, so it really took off.” In the three years since, Richard Poplawski has become a dominant force in the national swimming scene, traveling across the country with the Seahawks. In addition to his national breaststroke ranking, Poplawski is ranked No. 1 overall in New Jersey, owns 13 Seahawk records, and holds countless meet and state records. “His coach, Anna Abakumova (above), has been mentoring him and honing his swimming skills through her expertise and experience in swimming,” she said. “Anna, Nadia Stavko (the director of aquatics), and Bob, they’ve been such great supporters of him by all means, whether it be stroke technique or pulling him out of the water if he is doing something wrong.” In addition to swimming, Poplawski is an accomplished violinist in the Montclair State University Youth Orchestra, and is the lead violin in the chamber ensemble group. The fifth grader also in advanced classes at St. Philip Preparatory School on Valley Rd. It’s a busy schedule, but his mother believes that he’s able to do it due to the habits developed in the Club’s pool. “Swimming with the Seahawks has given him a lot of discipline. He has a busy schedule, but it has made him really focused,” explained Poplawski. “He comes here when they have open swim on the weekend. And he also exercises before they have their swim practice during the week, which they call dry land. We’re here almost every day, and that’s in addition to his other activities. The Club has been a great place for him.” 64 March 2017 • Cliftonmagazine.com
Now in his third year on the Board, Bob Jaffe has previously served as the president of the Clifton Rotary Club, and has long been active in various charities and organizations. “The Clifton Rotary has always been very generous to the Club,” explained Jaffe, 80, who has lived in Clifton for more than 32 years. “I was also the head of the North Jersey Chamber of Commerce for some time, too, and it was a very active organization. Gloria Martini, who is currently the president of the Club board, was the head of the Chamber for 10 years. So we’ve worked closely. And there’s Russ Schneider, Angela Montague, Jeff Cupo, and Frank Carlet … all people that have come together for the community.” Teamwork pays off “My involvement is really in the fundraising end of it, and one facet of that is the Annual Campaign,” he said. “Luckily, I’ve had a good committee and a good Board that really digs in. Last year, our goal was 50 percent greater than the prior year, and this year, we’re aiming for an increase of 25 percent.” Jaffe has seen firsthand how that money is funneled into programs that directly support the children of Clifton. “It really was an eyeopener for me when I joined the Board. I had no idea how important it was and how many kids the Club supports,” he recalled. “Without fundraising, we would not have the activities we do,” Jaffe asserted. There are so many single parent families or families where both parents work, so this is an outlet for kids. And that need has