Pequannock & POMPTON PLAINS
BROTHERS IN HARMONY
THE CHARLIE WESTERN BAND
STITCHING FOR THE STAGE
JULIA SQUIER
A Carving Wonder
JOHN WOODARD’S CREATIONS
Police Chief Dan Comune talks
community and his dedication to Pequannock. 18 A Brotherhood in
Harmony
Since making their official debut last year, The Charlie Western Band has brought a country and folk sound to our town and beyond.
22
Carving Happiness
Take a look into John Woodard’s world where he creates jawdropping sculptures made of sand, snow and pumpkin.
Summertime Community Activities
Need ideas for things to do in our area? Here are suggestions for improving yourself and the community.
BUY A TRICKY TRAY TICKET
The Tricky Tray Basket Raffle Fundraiser will be held Saturday, September 27.
Doors open at 10 a.m. The drawing begins at 12:30 p.m. Participants must be present at the drawing to win! Seats must be reserved in advance and are limited to 100. Must be 18 years old or older to attend.
Your generous donations will support the purchase of:
• A 55-inch Samsung TV for the Library Information Center
• Professional thermal laminating station
• Library Speakers Consortium annual subscription
GIVE BACK
This season at PV Park there will be a table in the breezeway with donation bins for two nonprofit organizations. If you’re going to the lake for the day, bring a little something to give back. Every bit makes a difference—and makes our community better for everyone.
• Brandon’s Heart and Sole
• Pequannock Township Food Pantry.
Purchase your seat in person at the library on Tuesday, September 9, from 4 to 8:30 p.m. $20 cash only, which includes one Blue Prize Ticket Sheet. Remaining seats will be sold at the circulation desk during library hours until sold out.
Tickets for purchase day-of (cash only):
• Blue Basket Ticket Prize Ticket Sheet: $10
• Gold Basket Ticket Prize Ticket Sheet: $20
• Grand Prize ticket: $25 (45-inch smart television donated by James Cramer, financial advisor)
Sponsored by the Friends of the Pequannock Township Library 477 Newark Pompton Turnpike Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
973-835-7460; peqlibraryfriends@gmail.com
aAHH, AUGUST. Summer has finally settled in, and I hope you are enjoying every bit of this well-deserved sunshine.
We begin this month’s edition celebrating young reader Ben Kosmack, who won the All Rise Reading Challenge. Among hundreds of students, Ben received a letter and certificate from Aaron Judge himself—such an inspiration and encouraging message to read and expand your horizons.
Next is a special story about Julia Squier, whose dream of designing for theater has come true. Check out her spectacular designs. This self-taught student of fashion created costumes for PTHS plays and has literally designed a life she loves!
With a salute to all of Pequannock’s finest, we are proud to offer the
story of how a hometown kid became Pequannock’s top cop. Read Chief of Police Dan Comune’s story.
Check out the Charlie Western Band. These lifelong friends have formed a brotherhood in harmony. Catch Charlie before he leaves to pursue his passion in Nashville, and follow their music links in the story. We wish him all the best as he pursues his dreams.
Our smiley cover story features John Woodard’s sand art at PV Park. Learn more about how this resident of Pequannock Township for the past 14 years got started carving sand, pumpkins and snow for all of us to enjoy.
Bicycle Tech is a perfectly timed business highlight, as almost all of us can use a tune-up or new bicycle/helmet for the Pompton Valley Rail Trail. Be sure to stop in to ensure your family’s safety on two wheels this summer.
Lastly, take a peek at your publisher’s hidden passion. I am a weekend junker and love going to garage sales; collecting items such as tools, tubs and sprinkling cans; and repurposing crystal bowls and vases into birdbaths for my garden. My added bonus: creating a bird sanctuary—and finding pure joy “blooming where I am planted!”
Speaking of birds, my fellow bird-watchers will love the beautiful birds captured watching each other in our August Photo Op. I hope you enjoy the remainder of your summer. Slow down and soak it all in; listen to the birds and take in all the beauty that surrounds us. We are so blessed to live in such a pretty community. As always, be sure to share your stories, pics and businesses with us at hello@pequannockmagazine.com. We are a magazine for and about you!
Donna Fillweber Publisher
Pequannock & Pompton Plains
Editor & Publisher
Donna Fillweber
Writers
Antonietta Henry
Dan Piccoli
Dana Regan
Mary Shumeyko
Angela Teta Kohle
Photographer
Antonietta Henry
Dan Piccoli
WAINSCOT MEDIA
Chairman Carroll V. Dowden
President and CEO
Mark Dowden
VP, Group Publisher, Regional
Thomas Flannery
VP, Content Strategy
Maria Regan
Creative Director
Kijoo Kim
Art Director
Rosemary O’Connell
Executive Editor Richard Laliberte
Associate Editor
Sophia Carlisle
Advertising Services Director Jacquelynn Fischer
Operations Director
Catherine Rosario
Production Designer Chris Ferrante
Print Production Manager
Fern Meshulam
Advertising Production Associate
Griff Dowden
Pequannock & Pompton Plains magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Pequannock Township, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2025 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN PICCOLI
Rewards of Reading
When signing up for a reading challenge, local elementary student Ben Kosmack didn’t expect recognition from baseball star Aaron Judge.
BY DANA REGAN
READING BENEFITS CHILDREN
in countless ways—even socially and emotionally—as they read and explore different perspectives, cultures and life experiences. Early readers tend to have better overall academic performance, including enhanced concentration, memory and critical thinking skills. Reading is not just an academic requirement—the love or even appreciation of reading sets children up for lifelong learning and success.
One of Pequannock’s very own, Ben Kosmack, a rising fourth-grader at Hillview School, was recently recognized for being a strong and dedicated reader. In turn, he hopes to inspire other boys and girls his age to crack open a book and travel beyond the everyday.
Nicole and Kevin Kosmack, Ben’s
parents, understand how to instill a love of reading. Ben is the oldest of their four children, and Nicole recalls reading to him as an infant. Their bedtime routine always includes a book, and visits to the town library are frequent.
TURNING TO BOOKS
Nicole describes Ben as friendly, easy-going and, above all, kind. She reports challenges with getting him interested in reading at first, being that he is an active young boy who would often rather be playing baseball or basketball.
Yet Ben soon began to associate reading time with family time, and now he is more inclined to read than ever before. Nicole gives credit to Valerie Monroe, the librarian at Hillview
LEARN MORE
For more information about the Aaron Judge All Rise foundation and its work to inspire children and youth, and engage them in activities that encourage them to reach unlimited possibilities, visit aaronjudgeallrisefoundation.org.
Elementary School, for inspiring her son’s passion for reading.
Monroe makes reading fun with events such as Bookwormy and a Harry Potter reading competition called Quidditch. The desire to take part in Quidditch motivated Ben to read Harry Potter books with his dad daily.
Opposite page: Ben Kosmack in his front yard, reading a book about Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who sent Kosmack a signed reading award at Hillview School. This page: Ben holds the reading certificate he received from Judge’s foundation.
A RISING READER
Another special person who got Ben to grab a good read is the one and only Aaron Judge. An outfielder for the Yankees, Judge knows there is more to life than baseball. Judge created the Aaron Judge All Rise Foundation. The foundation’s main goal is to “inspire youth to become responsible citizens by engaging them in activities that encourage them to reach unlimited possibilities.” Reading is one of these activities.
Ben signed up to read under an All Rise reading challenge, and read he did. After reading an age-appropriate book and doing a book report, Ben received a letter and certificate signed by Aaron Judge himself! This certificate was sent to Hillview School, where his principal, Mrs. Stager, surprised him with it at an awards ceremony.
Ben was shocked and proud, and so were his parents! Awarding Ben with the signed proof of accomplishment from Judge at the Hillview awards pep rally in turn motivated others in the elementary school to participate in the All Rise reading challenge.
Nicole and Kevin Kosmack, Monroe and Judge are a team of unlikely people who all pitched in to help stimulate a love of reading within one little boy. As always, it takes a village to raise literate learners. Ben is fortunate to have so many people in his life who know the value of reading words, turning pages and creating motivation that involves family, community and even fame.
Dana Regan is a longtime educator who enjoys reading, writing, walking and yoga. Her newest hobby will be loving, hugging and kissing her very first grandchild.
Like the true fan he is, Kosmack pictures himself as his hero..
Stitching for the Stage
Julia Squier’s passion for performing arts and love of sewing led to a career as a professional costume designer.
BY ANGELA TETA KOHLE
JJULIA SQUIER, who grew up in Pompton Plains, fell in love with the arts at a very early age. Supported and encouraged by her family and friends, she has made her career in the arts a reality and a huge success! At the age of 7, Squier discovered the magic and wonder of the arts—visual arts, digital arts, music and the performing arts—that she enjoyed throughout middle school.
Freshman year of high school, Squier began to dabble in costume design. Learning from her mom, who is also very craft-oriented, she started piecing together costumes.
Sophomore year, Squier’s parents bought her a basic sewing machine and helped her create a sewing studio in the house. With the assistance of YouTube videos, Squier taught herself to sew.
She began to create costumes of some of her favorite characters and programs and to attend cosplay conventions and comic-cons in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
wearing and exhibiting her costumes. Squier loved meeting and networking with other creators, exchanging tips and learning new things along the way. “Learning this medium was so fun, so rewarding, and it gave me a new way to express my creativity,” she says.
As Squier continued through high school, she became involved in costume design for plays at Pequannock Township High School, in her junior year completing the full costume design and in senior year independently designing the costumes for the show. This was in addition to maintaining a tough academic schedule. “I have always been a very serious student and deeply committed to my schoolwork,” she says.
Julia Squier
Left: Julia Squier
Below: Drawings outline Squier’s concepts for a production. To see how the actual costumes looked, turn the page.
DEEPER INTEREST
Squier began to consider options for her postsecondary education, believing that she wanted to study theater, specifically costume design, but she did not want to give up her academics. “I was struggling a bit because, although I loved the arts, I was seriously into academia,” she says.
She discovered Marymount Manhattan College and was intrigued by its wide array of liberal arts offerings as well as programs in theater and costume design. She applied and was quickly accepted.
While living on campus during her freshman year, Squier was diagnosed with autoimmune disorders that had a negative impact on her health, so she decided to commute to school to better keep up with her well-being.
During her sophomore year, she took her first course in costume design, found everything about it fascinating and was hooked even more. “I have to thank my wonderful professor and advisor, Karen Kinsley, for everything she taught me,” Squier says.
Kinsley understood Squier’s love for academics and taught Squier how much research and analysis are involved in costume design. Squier graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Costume Design and Production, adding a minor in Drama Therapy to her repertoire.
PROFESSIONAL BEGINNINGS
Energetic, enthusiastic and gregarious, Squier is a people person. “Being able to collaborate with actors and other people in the process is so important,” she says. “When I design a show, I want the actors to feel comfortable and safe around me.”
Because of COVID-19, Squier was not able to design her senior show at Marymount, but after she graduated, the school invited her back to design for its mainstage musical, “Urinetown.”
“I was thrilled to design for “Urinetown,” and overwhelmed with the confidence they had in me,” Squier says. She has since returned to design for other shows and loves working with the faculty and students there.
In 2022, Squier took a chance with The Public Theater in New York City. After several stitch tests, she was offered the job of costume coordinator. “I learned so much working as costume coordinator, from budgeting and purchasing, navigating technical issues, fittings and so much more,” she says. “I realized that I wanted to—and could—make a career as a costume designer for theater.”
After two years, Squier was offered a design position at Public and has designed several shows there. “I have worked really hard to establish myself as a designer in New York City, making and maintaining contacts and networking constantly,” she says. “I am so thankful to the people at Public for giving me a chance.”
CONTINUING SUCCESS
In the summer of 2023, Squier accepted a position designing costumes at Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, New York. Learning from the artistic director, Sarah Norris, Squier dove into all the creative aspects of the process and thrived! Norris and Michael Aguirre, founding directors at New Light Theater Project in New York City, invited Squier to design a show for them. Since then, she has designed several, and is currently a resident artist there.
In 2024, Squier returned to Pendragon Theater and designed for a few of its shows, but “The Marvelous Wonderettes” has a special place in her heart. “It’s a jukebox musical comedy featuring hit songs of the ’50s and ’60s,” she says. “I sewed eight costumes in eight days, completely from scratch. I put my blood, sweat and tears into this show, and it was totally worth it.”
Squier created four 1950s-style poodle skirt dresses and four 1960s mod-style A-line dresses for the show, and they were so spectacular that she won an award for her
designs—Best Costume Design for Professional Theater in Central New York—from Broadway.com. Last fall Squier worked as associate costume designer for “The Bestiary” at Greenwich House Theater, and this spring she worked as costume designer for “Night Sings Its Songs” at New Light Theater.
Squier has other plans in the works but will return to Pendragon Theater this summer to design for its shows. “Everyone at Pendragon is like family,” she says. “Working with the kids at their Camp Pendragon is just the best! They are so willing to learn and always offer to help me in the costume shop. I can’t wait to get back there this summer.”
Squier hopes the positive momentum continues because her passion for what she does keeps getting stronger.
Angela Teta Kohle, retired after 35 years of teaching, lives in Pequannock. She enjoys volunteering at her church, traveling, reading, baking, walking and working for the family business.
Opposite page: Costumes for “Muppet Cabaret” (top) and “The Marvelous Wonderettes.”
Left: Sketches led to these realized costumes for “Mr. Burns, a PostElectric Play.”
Below: Costumes for “Muppet Cabaret.”
Top Cop
Take a closer look at Pequannock’s finest through the eyes of Police Chief Dan Comune.
Chief Daniel Comune stands beside one of the Pequannock Township Police Department’s newest vehicles.
BY MARY SHUMEYKO
W“WHEN I WAS a kid, I decided that if I couldn’t become a professional athlete, I wanted to be a cop,” says Pequannock Police Chief Dan Comune. He grew up a few streets away from Pequannock’s Town Hall and idolized a neighbor who served as a state trooper. That influence stayed with him through his school days, helping form the character needed in the office he now occupies.
As a student at both Pequannock Township High School and William Paterson University, Comune played football, becoming captain of his college team in his senior year.
Along with fitness and education, his leadership skills developed, all combining when, after graduating, he entered the Morris County Public Safety Academy.
The course is tough. Recruits are trained in physical fitness, defensive tactics, firearms use and emergency driving. Along with learning skills, trainees must also pass academic tests.
Five months of intense training paid off, and on January 1, 1999, newly commissioned officer Dan Comune was welcomed into the Pequannock Township Police Department.
RISING THROUGH THE RANKS
Like every new hire, Comune started out as a patrolman. Working under a sergeant’s supervision, each recruit is assigned to a squad with three other officers and one dispatcher. Twelvehour shifts are organized with a rotating schedule that changes every two weeks from daytime to long nights.
They patrol the town in one of a dozen vehicles, monitoring traffic, answering calls and providing a reassuring presence in all areas of Pequannock. Calls to 911 are monitored by the units’ own dispatchers and
From left are Detective Sergeant Matthew Halligan; Sergeant Joseph Peters; (squatting) SRO/Patrolman William Juliano; Chief Daniel Comune; Captain Robert Brown; (squatting) Detective Lieutenant Kevin Ricciardi; Lieutenant Jeffrey Jones; and Patrolman Sean Higgins.
fielded by whoever is on duty. First aid and fire services are summoned as incidents require. It’s a systematic and efficient process, exhibiting the teamwork and structure evident throughout the department.
Five years into his career, Comune stepped up to sergeant. Promotions are attained through testing, time of service and leadership aptitudes. In his new role, administrative work entered the picture as he would now oversee daily procedures. Working with other sergeants and lieutenants, Comune filled his role with
Left, from top: The Pequannock Township Police patch. An interior view of one of Pequannock Police Department’s vehicles. Opposite page: Patrolman Sean Higgins in a Pequannock Police Department cruiser.
diligence as well as hard work.
In 2012, Sergeant Comune added the title of detective to his resume and later became the traffic sergeant, a crucial position in town.
In only seven square miles, we have five public schools, many preschools and several churches—all generating lots of vehicular and foot traffic. With two major business areas that continue to grow, as well as a stretch of Highway 23, the town’s traffic and detective bureaus are both busy.
Currently these departments are headed by the familiar names of
Lieutenant Jeff Jones, who oversees all patrols, and Lieutenant Kevin Ricciardi, leader of the detective unit.
Moving up the ladder again, Sergeant Comune became Lieutenant Comune in 2014. Again he assumed more administrative duties, putting his management skills to work. And in 2019, he was promoted to captain, serving only one year at this job before 2020 crashed on all of us.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Along with the challenges of the pandemic, Comune’s beloved predecessor, Brian Spring, became seriously ill. As the town lent its support to Chief Spring’s final days, Comune moved from captain to acting chief and then into the top position.
Reflecting on challenges and rewards, he comments: “One of our difficulties is recruitment and retention. But our greatest reward is this town and its residents.”
Proud of how community service has flourished to support a safe and peaceful environment, Comune cites many examples.
Under the leadership of School Resource Officer Bill Juliano, daily police involvement in all our schools provides a consistent and supportive image. Juliano also runs the popular Junior Police Academy every summer, where lively youngsters can see for
themselves what police work is like. With hands-on practice, participants experience a ride-along, physical training and team-building activities.
“It’s impressive to see these kids grow and develop confidence in one week,” says Comune.
Community services have grown in other aspects in the past few years. Prom talks for teens, scam seminars for senior citizens and car-seat checks for infants are all now routine offerings. Business watches and vacant-house monitoring are offered upon request. Bicycle safety is provided, and a bicycle rodeo is offered every summer at Greenview Park, where the helmet law is strongly emphasized.
EVENTS AND RECOGNITION
The department also holds two major fundraisers. The most recent
was a hugely successful beefsteak that welcomed over 500 hungry patrons. And an upcoming golf outing will offer another opportunity for township residents and guests to have fun and support the cause.
Proceeds from these events provide substantial scholarships awarded each year to deserving Pequannock Township High School seniors. Our officers also support many sports teams as well as townwide causes when needs arise.
In August 2024, under the enthusiastic direction of Sergeant Steve Cicchetti, Pequannock held its first annual National Night Out. This is a national effort that promotes camaraderie between police departments and the public.
After an overwhelming success last year, plans quickly got underway for the 2025 event, scheduled August 5.
Among other highlights, it will feature games, giveaways, food trucks, music and a dunk tank. (Don’t miss your chance to dunk Chief Comune!)
Finally, our Police Department is proud to announce that after a thorough procedure under the direction of Captain Robert Brown, we are fully accredited by the State of New Jersey. Not every town can claim this, so it’s a huge accomplishment for Pequannock.
With a salute to all of Pequannock’s finest, we are proud to offer the story of how a hometown kid became Pequannock’s top cop.
Mary Shumeyko is a retired Pequannock teacher who helps at her church and the Pequannock Library. Traveling, running, reading and spending time with family fill her free time.
A Brotherhood in Harmony
BY DAN PICCOLI
PPEQUANNOCK HAS LONG been home to most of the five members of the Charlie Western Band. These lifelong friends, most of whom graduated from Pequannock Township High School in 2015, have been walking home from school together, biking through town and making music in each other’s basements for over 15 years. What began as jam sessions among friends has grown into something far more meaningful: a band built on friendship, passion and the joy of sharing music.
The group officially came together in June 2024, making their first public appearance as a band on August 18, 2024, and they’ve been building momentum ever since.
MEET THE BAND
The Charlie Western Band’s members and their musical contributions consist of:
• Charlie Western: guitar (acoustic and electric) and lead vocals
• Chris Lundy: drums and backup vocals
• Kevin Rogan: lead guitar
• Neil Hoogmoed: bass, acoustic guitar and backup vocals
• Andy Feldman (who hails from Boonton Township): keyboard
Rooted in country and folk, the band draws inspiration from the likes of the Eagles, James Taylor, the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead. Their live sets are filled with
original music—a decision driven by the satisfaction of watching audiences connect with songs they have written themselves. “It’s powerful and humbling to watch people enjoy something you created,” says Western. While all members contribute to the songwriting process, Western stands out as the primary writer, with an astonishing 450-plus original songs under his belt. Each represents a unique idea or emotional moment. Western describes his songwriting process as intuitive. He first hears the melody and rhythm, then builds the lyrics and hook around it.
Western’s favorite self-written song is “Back on Broadway,” while Lundy gravitates toward “Lovely Tonight,”
In the Charlie Western Band, five friends offer sound and soul to listeners both local and beyond.
a tune that features the band’s signature three-part harmony. A selfproclaimed Deadhead, Rogan finds his musical identity in the legacy of the Grateful Dead, while Hoogmoed leans toward the Allman Brothers’ classic “Ramblin’ Man”.
SHAPED BY VOICES
Like many musicians, the band members have drawn inspiration from their families. Hoogmoed’s mother, Lori, is a seasoned wedding band performer and part of a local group called Three-Day Weekend. It was Lori who taught Western how to sing.
Lundy’s father, Chuck, also played in bands for most of his life,
fueling Lundy’s musical curiosity and talent. These connections run deep, weaving the band’s story into the broader musical fabric of their hometown area.
In 2021, Western faced a major personal and professional challenge. After noticing vocal fatigue and limited vocal range, he was diagnosed with a vocal cord cyst that required surgery. The outcome was uncertain—and the possibility of losing his singing voice loomed large. But after a successful surgery and smooth recovery, Western emerged with stronger vocals than ever, an experience that deepened his commitment to music.
Opposite page: Introducing The Charlie Western Band, from left: Neil Hoogmoed (bass guitar and backup vocals), Andy Feldman (keyboard), Charlie Western (acoustic guitar and lead vocals), Chris Lundy (drums and backup vocals) and Kevin Rogan (lead guitar). Above: The Charlie Western Band enjoying what they do: singing, playing and just having fun. Right: Charlie Western shares one of his original songs, which happens to be his favorite, “Back on Broadway.”
STORIES FROM THE STAGE
Not all performances have gone perfectly. The band’s first-ever gig, a holiday party, came after just a few rehearsals. With Hoogmoed on bass guitar, it was obvious to the band that he did not really know the song. That is when Rogan, on lead guitar, leaned toward Hoogmoed, telling him to turn his guitar all the way down—a subtle but strategic save that turned a near-mishap into a shared laugh.
A more recent and triumphant memory came in March, when the band joined Hoogmoed’s
mother’s band on stage at the Sunset Pub & Grill. It was a full-circle moment and a highenergy performance that Western called “amazing.”
For Hoogmoed, the most moving experience came after Western’s surgery: “That first show back together—it was unforgettable,” Hoogmoed says. “Just being on stage again, doing what we love— it meant everything.”
As Western puts it, “It’s just so cool to be playing music with your best friends, who are also pretty darn good musicians.”
GROWING REPERTOIRE
Charlie Western released an album, “It Was not Always This Way,” in March 2017. His latest album, “Seasons,” dropped on May 2, 2025— his first professionally produced album, featuring all-original songs and marking a new milestone in his evolving musical journey.
Opposite page: Over 40 people attend a live performance hosted at the Hidden Track Records store located on Main Street in Boonton.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The band is now entering its second chapter as Western prepares to move to Nashville to pursue a career in music full-time. He hopes to write and collaborate with other artists, grow his craft and immerse himself in the creative heartbeat of Music City. What does this mean for the rest of the band? They are staying together. Lundy will step up as lead vocalist, and the group plans to continue writing, performing and, most importantly, having fun. During conversation, you can feel the happiness for Western while at the same time sadness that, after years together, they’ll be taking different paths.
When asked to sum up their journey, one band member says it best: “We’ve had a decade’s worth of laughs in the last year—it’s been so much fun.”
Western signs off with his signature phrase that he uses just before performing with the band: “Let it rip”—and that is what they do, and continue to do, as a brotherhood in harmony.
You can find Charlie Western Music on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Facebook.
Dan Piccoli is a regular contributor to Pequannock & Pompton Plains and is the owner of 4 Shore Photography LLC.
Above: During a break while rehearsing at Gorzo’s Lair on Main Street in Boonton, members of the ban exhibit the friendship, passion and laughter they often share together. From left are Kevin Rogan, Charlie Western, Neil Hoogmoed and Chris Lundy (not shown is bandmember Andy Feldman).
Carving Happiness
John Woodard makes lasting impressions with transient sculptures of sand, snow and pumpkin.
BY ANTONIETTA HENRY
CCARVING OUT TIME for a hobby is important, but for Pequannock resident John Woodard, it’s a way of life.
Originally from New Hampshire, Woodard has lived in Pequannock for the past 14 years, and locals have come to know and admire his beautiful snow, sand and pumpkin carvings. We took a further look into his beginnings as an artist and how his creative outlet is helping him live out his dreams. “I have always liked art,” says
Woodard. “Growing up in the very rural town of Freedom, New Hampshire, [I found] drawing helped to pass time.” Charcoal, pastels, paints and pencils are mediums Woodard enjoys. Drawing and painting in high school art classes felt right. His natural talents improved with practice, and his methods of creation pivoted as well.
Before moving to Pequannock, Woodard lived in Clifton, and one winter he dazzled neighbors with a
giant snow carving of a polar bear. Taking advantage of the snow in his own front yard was something Woodard continued when settling into Pequannock Township.
“I loved to create fun snow sculptures for my young son,” he reflects. “Lines would form outside of our home in Pequannock whenever I would create snow sculptures on our front lawn. It was becoming a driving hazard at times.”
Opposite page: John Woodard puts the finishing touches on the 2025 Memorial Day weekend sculpture at PV Park in Pompton Plains. This page: John Woodard smooths out edges of the sand sculpture at PV Park.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
This interest from townspeople inspired Woodard to get serious about snow carving. “I participated with my cousin in Sanctioned Snow Sculpting events that are held in Jackson, New Hampshire,” he says. “It took a few years, but we won, and were invited to participate in the U.S. Nationals in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin”—Woodard’s favorite snow-carving event, part of an annual Winterfest celebration.
During the event, the city draws in over 70,000 people who arrive to observe the main event: a snow sculpting competition in which 15 professional teams compete. Temperatures are normally frigid, but Woodard has carved there in 53-degree weather, having to wrap carvings in sunshades to keep sculptures intact!
“The competitions are 72 hours of carving, eating—and sleeping is optional,” he says. A favorite sculpture was an elephant eating a small ice cream cone and sitting with a mouse eating a big ice cream cone. The creativity is endless!
“Our very first event there, we won first place People’s Choice and second place overall,” Woodard says. “That was in 2019-2020, right before COVID hit.”
Winning the Nationals got Woodard noticed. “I was eventually invited to participate as a master carver for an upcoming Disney show,” he says. “When asked if I knew of other carving teams to be participants I called Dave Vasilenko—and he and his team kicked butt! For anyone watching that show, five people were from Pequannock.”
BECOMING PROFESSIONAL
Living in New Jersey, we’re supposed to have plenty of months of snow for sculpting, but as of late, our winters haven’t provided Woodard with enough of the cold stuff. When he isn’t flying out to where it’s frigid enough to carve snow, he’s focusing on other mediums, namely sand.
When Vasilenko (who at the time was part of the Parks and Rec Advisory Board) reached out to Woodard asking him to do sand sculpting at the popular PV Park swimming lake in town, Woodard was game.
“I jumped at the chance, and started learning how to carve sand there,” Woodard says. “Parks and Rec, along with DPW, very generously provide me with a pile of sand to carve, and I kick off Memorial Day weekend with a sculpture.” Locals look forward to seeing what Woodard will create each year and are amazed at the staying power of his sculptures.
Woodard chalks up his skill to learning “one sculpture at a time.” He watched many YouTube videos and gives credit to tons of practice, trial
and error—“lots of errors,” he says. He also tips his hat to “the generosity of Master Sculptor Matt Long, who has been providing me with guidance over the years.” Long, of Sand Masters fame, has given Woodard guidance in the best methods of sand carving. Sand has given Woodard many opportunities.
With 14 years of sand carving under his belt, Woodard now also carves commercially, competitively and just for fun. His work can be seen all over the local area and surrounding towns in summer. Teaching carving to camp kids has been rewarding over the years as well.
One of his favorite competitions is hosted by Long in Wildwood on the weekend after the Fourth of July. The event is open to amateur carvers, although it features a pro-am (professional amateur) class, in which Woodard takes part. Pro-am carvers have two days to carve 12 to 14 pounds of sand into art!
SHIFTING SANDS
One of Woodard’s favorite commercial accounts is with Camelback Water Park in Pennsylvania. “Commercial
work is challenging and rewarding,” he says. “I always did sculpting for fun—the money from commercial work basically helped me buy better tools. I’ve been leaning into doing more commercial work since being laid off from my IT job.”
If you go to Camelback, you will see Woodard’s painted murals on the minigolf course or his sand carvings at the water park. (This season, it’s a race car).
Woodard notes that not all sand is carvable. “It needs to be a dense packing sand,” he says. “The best is a fine-grain, unwashed sand with a bit of clay in it.” Sand from different sand quarries in and around New Jersey has been provided for Woodard’s commercial jobs.
Extending the life of a sand carving is crucial. Using a fixative coating, wood glue and water that’s diluted and sprayed can help a carving survive much longer. “With waterproof wood glue, a carving could last months,” says Woodard. Of course, the only element that Woodard can’t control are vandals, and the biggest enemy while carving sand is wind.
This page, from left: I spy a sand sculptor: Pequannock’s John Woodard. One of Woodard’s pumpkin carvings. Opposite page, from left: A patriotic sand sculpture by Woodard. An elephant and mouse eat ice cream in a snow sculpture that Woodard and his snow team carved at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
LEARN MORE
Follow Woodard Creative Carvings LLC on Instagram (www. instagram.com/woodard_creative_carvings); email john@ woodardcreativecarvings.net; or call 201-289-7965.
GREAT PUMPKINS
In addition to sand carvings, Woodard also provides pumpkin carvings for Camelback. He has already carved over 100 foam pumpkins this year for an event this fall at the park. The Camelback Halloween display is continually added to each year.
Woodard also carves pumpkins for various charity events. Working with local Boy and Girl Scouts to teach pumpkin carving and working with camps to teach the art of sand sculpting to kids are highlights of Woodard’s career.
Woodard credits John Brown (a member of his snow-sculpting team) with helping him to learn more about pumpkin carving. “I’m proud to call Jeff a member of my snow-sculpting team,” Woodard says. “He has participated in the 2019 Halloween Wars and won many competitive events. I taught him snow sculpting and he taught me ways to hone my pumpkin-carving skills.
Pumpkin Carving competitions are some of Woodard’s favorites. Hopewell Amazing Pumpkin Carve in Woolsey Park, New Jersey and the Moravian
Tile Works Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, showcase beautiful competitive pumpkin carvings.
To keep your pumpkin carvings hanging around a bit longer, Woodard suggests not carving too deeply into the flesh of the pumpkin. Using a diluted bleach and water spray works well, as does brushing exposed areas with vegetable oil or petroleum jelly.
LIGHT AND SHADOW
As forms of art tend to interconnect, photography plays a key role in Woodard’s sculpting. “While people see me working with sand, snow and pumpkins, the actual medium is light and shadows,” says Woodard. Some lines and shapes created in a sculpture are to capture light and shadow in a particular way for the camera. “Sculpting sand, snow and pumpkins is a temporary art,” he says. “Matt Long taught me [that] you carve for the photograph, and the photo will live longer.”
Woodard has received awards from the New York Daily News and New Hampshire Magazine for his sculpting.
He’s been writing a book in between sculpting seasons and established Woodard Creative Carvings LLC.
In his free time, Woodard enjoys spending time with his beautiful family: wife Melissa and son T.J. He and his wife are spectators for their son’s track and soccer, and enjoy trips to visit colleges for the Pequannock Township High School incoming junior. T.J. also helps with heavy lifting in summer for Woodard’s jobs.
“My family is very supportive of my goals” Woodard says. The trio enjoy vacationing and visiting different sculpting competitions; art is always a part of everything. “Art helps to encourage growth, and [it] makes someone creative and stretches their brain,” he says. “The creativity helps with everyday life and problem management, forcing you to think outside of the box.”
Antonietta Henry is a wife, mother of four and owner of Antonietta Henry Photography in Pompton Plains. She enjoys living and working in our beautiful township!
Trash to Treasure
Antique and everyday items can add visual interest to your backyard garden.
SUMMER INTO THE fall is garage-sale season, offering lots of opportunities to turn trash into treasures. Check out some fun ideas from Donna Fillweber, the publisher of Pequannock & Pompton Plains magazine, from her own garden and beyond.
Above: Crystal vases and bowls can be turned into fun birdbaths to create a bird sanctuary.
Far right: Ladders and windowpanes can be decorative or used as lattice.
TREASURE TROVES
There are plenty of local places to hunt for items that can be repurposed to beautify your yard and garden. Here are some suggestions for sourcing your next treasures.
• Local Estate sales
• Facebook Marketplace
• Goodwill of Pompton Plains
• Weekly garage sales posted on Pequannock.org
• Good old-fashioned trash picking
Clockwise from top left: Old chairs and washtubs make great containers and create interest on your porch, deck or throughout your garden and yard. Old antique sprinkling cans and tools can be functional— or simply fun in the garden.
Cycling Central
Rich Cusick followed a dream to found Bicycle Tech and has served riders for almost four decades.
BY MARY SHUMEYKO
“CHOOSE A JOB you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” The quote is attributed to Confucius but aptly describes Rich Cusick, owner of Bicycle Tech in Lincoln Park.
A local fixture for nearly four decades, Bicycle Tech occupies a convenient spot near the center of town. Cusick has been in the business for over 38 years, first on Main Street and now in his current location at 2 Station Road.
Cusick shares that he went to college for computer programming but quickly realized he wouldn’t enjoy corporate life. An avid mountain biker, he followed his dream and opened his shop in January 1987. The rest is history.
Although bicycles have become “massively more complicated” in the past several years, Cusick’s work ethic has not changed. He is committed to excellence, high standards and customer service.
maximum efficiency and
Opposite page: Owner Rich Cusick with a room full of wheel rims at Bicycle Tech in Lincoln Park. Above: Welcome to Bicycle Tech at 2 Station Road in Lincoln Park. Left: Ensuring that a bike fits a rider for
comfort is among many services Bicycle Tech offers.
GETTING RIDE READY
Bicycle Tech is the only exclusive Trek dealership in our area. However, besides selling Trek bikes, Cusick and his talented staff can repair any brand, including e-bikes.
Safety is all-important, with proper assembly, fitting and equipment emphasized. Kids’ bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes and tandem bikes are all candidates for the Bicycle Tech team’s skills.
In addition to bikes, the shop offers accessories: Helmets, shoes, lights, clothing and repair parts are available along with assistance on proper fitting. Gift cards are another convenience—good for adding to serious cyclists’ never-ending needs.
Many bike repairs can be done on the spot, so walk-ins are welcome. While waiting for a diagnosis, wander around the well-organized sales area and chat with Cusick about his other passion: Generation Reverb, his rock band!
SHARING SKILLS
Cusick’s love for his work shows in his community service. He helps Pequannock’s Summer Day Camp yearly with a Bike Rodeo, where kids learn cycling skills and safety.
He lends his expertise in other towns as well, often donating products and services. You can see him soon at Pequannock Police Department’s National Night Out.
Whether you’re getting a bike ready for vacation, riding competitively or simply enjoying cycling on the new Pompton Valley Rail Trail in town, Bicycle Tech is a great place to start.
Mary Shumeyko is a retired Pequannock teacher who helps at her church and the Pequannock Library. Traveling, running, reading and spending time with family fill her free time.
Clockwise from above left: Helmets save lives! The staff at Bicycle Tech makes a point of making sure helmets fit properly. A well-stocked showroom meets a wide variety of cycling needs. Bicycle Tech is the only exclusive Trek dealership in the area.
Sweet Summertime Treats
When it’s hot, check out these cool local spots for a refreshing indulgence.
Café Classico 679 Route 23 South Pompton Plains
Curly’s Ice Cream 30 Route 23 North Riverdale
9Defying Gravitea 211 Newark Pompton Turnpike Pequannock
High SocieTea House 20 Old Newark Pompton Turnpike Wayne
Just A Little Somethin’ 591 Newark Pompton Turnpike Pompton Plains
Pompton Nutrition Juice Shop
200 Newark Pompton Turnpike Pequannock
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard 225 Newark Pompton Turnpike Pequannock
Stefano’s Ristorante & Gelato 565 Route 23 South Pompton Plains
The Crepe Escape 141 Newark Pompton Turnpike Pequannock
The Scribble Garden 163 Newark Pompton Turnpike Pequannock thecolumbiainn.com
High SocieTea House
Café Classico
Stefano’s Ristorante & Gelato
TWO BIRDS eye each other warily as they approach a suet feeder in this picture taken in late May by Jeff Gillman from his patio at 287 Sunset Road. Gillman used a remote control shutter and a tripod.
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PHOTO OP
