2026 MEMORIAL DAY

Informing, serving and celebrating the lake region

L H N

ake opatcong ews

MEMORIAL DAY 2026 VOL. 18 NO. 2

In Memory, In Motion

After a devastating and deadly

February fire at One Step

Closer Animal Rescue in

Hopatcong, staff and

volunteers vow to

continue the mission

of finding forever

homes for dogs.

the magazine

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After a devastating and deadly

February fire at One Step

Closer Animal Rescue in

Hopatcong, staff and

Editor

Karen Fucito

editor@lakehopatcongnews.com

973-663-2800

Contributing Writers

Kathleen Brunet

Michael Daigle

Melissa Summers

Columnists

Sam DeAlba

Caitlin Doran

Marty Kane

Barbara Simmons

Joe Wohlgemuth

Editing and Layout

Maria DaSilva-Gordon

Randi Cirelli

Advertising Sales

Lynn Keenan

advertising@lakehopatcongnews.com

973-222-0382

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Imperial Printing & Graphics, Inc.

Publisher

Camp Six, Inc.

10 Nolan’s Point Park Road

Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849

To subscribe to

Lake Hopatcong News

call 973-663-2800, email

editor@lakehopatcongnews.com

or visit our website at

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Lake Hopatcong News

37 Nolans Point Park Rd.


From The Editor

Stuff. We all seem to have so much of it. What I have, no one

else wants, especially younger generations. And what you

have, I don’t want—because I have so much of my own.

After my mom passed in August of 2024, my siblings and I took

on the task of cleaning out our childhood home, something so

many people of our age have had to do.

Naively, I didn’t expect it to be such a monumental task. After

all, it wasn’t a big house. In such a modest space, how could there be so much stuff? My mom

had always kept the house neat, organized and uncluttered.

Our decision to keep and rent the house motivated us to get it cleaned out as quickly as

possible, setting aside items to keep, sell, donate or toss. Collectively, the toss part was a

last resort for all of us. Most importantly, we didn’t want to see our parents’ lives wind up in

garbage bags. Second, and maybe just as important, many of the items were still functional

and useful. Surely, we could find good homes for most of those items and avoid adding to

landfills.

Once we organized the contents—the attic proved to be a small treasure trove of neverbefore-seen

objects—we set aside the items we wanted to keep, taking what reminded us

of our life together in the house our parents built. Of the few items I took, my favorites are

two Hummel figurines from my mom’s collection. One is of a little boy and his dog looking

through a box camera that sits atop a tripod. The other is a little girl with a basketful of

ducklings standing next to a fence.

We also invited extended family to walk through the house and take whatever they wanted.

Happily, the rest of my mom’s Hummel collection now lives in Hasbrouck Heights with my

cousin, Lori.

An estate sale and a couple of garage sales later, we were still left with boxes of very useful

stuff, most of which we donated to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Mount Arlington. (The

church runs a very successful monthly rummage sale from its outbuilding, located just one

street behind it.)

For the most part, we were successful in our quest to keep as much as we could from a

landfill. Selling proved bittersweet. We knew we couldn’t keep everything—how could we

add more stuff to our stuff! Comfort came when connections were made between buyer

and item.

A man in search pots and pans for his wife in the Dominican Republic bought my mom’s full

set, which was probably purchased by her in the 1960s. That’s how well things were made back

then. A young woman living in Jersey City excitedly bought the set of vintage decoupage

coasters that sat on the coffee table in our living room our entire lives. Seeing my parents’

stuff get a second life helped us (and by us, I mostly mean my sister and me) get through the

getting-rid-of process.

It’s something I’ve now started to do in my own house.

There’s so much I don’t use anymore but know someone else could, like the people who

participated in an event called Pass It On: Kids Edition. (See page 30.) Hosted by the Roxbury

Public Library, the event was a free community exchange that allowed residents to donate

and adopt gently used children’s items. It was such a success, said event coordinator Lynn

Ludlow, that a second date will be added soon.

In another event to promote sustainability, the library, along with the Lake Hopatcong

Foundation, hosted its third Repair Café. In her column, Naturally Speaking, Caitlin Doran

writes about the frustration of our throwaway society. (See page 46.)

Maybe that’s the best outcome for all our stuff: finding new purpose, new homes and new

stories for them. —Karen

On The Cover

L H N

Informing, serving and celebrating the lake region

ake opatcong ews

MEMORIAL DAY 2026 VOL. 18 NO. 2

In Memory, In Motion

the magazine

Lake Hopatcong News is published seven times a year between

April and November and is offered free at more than 200

businesses throughout the lake region. It is available for home

delivery for a nominal fee. The contents of Lake Hopatcong

News may not be reprinted in any form without prior written

permission from the editor. Lake Hopatcong News is a registered

trademark of Lake Hopatcong News, LLC. All rights reserved.

Elyse Latella, a longtime OSCAR volunteer

from Hardyston, holds a box containing the

combined ashes of the six dogs that perished

in the February kennel fi re.

—photo by Karen Fucito

volunteers vow to

continue the mission

of finding forever

homes for dogs.

MUSIC MAN

4

LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS Memorial Day 2026

FAMILY REUNION

OPEN SPACE

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RE/MAX Town and Valley II

211 Route 10 East

Succasunna, NJ 0

Cell: 973-400-9540

Office: 973-598-10

Chris has a lifetime of memories, knowledge

and experience to share with buyers and sellers

and has sold more than 250 lake front homes.

and has sold more than 250 lake front homes.

Why work with anyone else?

Christopher J. Edwards

www.MrLakeHopatcong.com

chrisedwardsrealtor@gmail.com

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$2,000,000 | Mount Arlington

3.48 acre lot with 265 feet of frontag

$2,800,000 | Hopatcong


$1,190,000 | Hopatcong


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NEW YORK TIMES article, one of them twice!

Hopatcong, N.J.: ‘We Call It Lake Life’

lakehopatcongnews.com 5

Emedin Rivera surrounded by a lifetime of musical remembrances in his home in Landing.

Rhythm is in his DNA

Five-time Emmy Award–winning drummer

and percussionist Emedin Rivera was born

into music. After more than five decades

behind the drums, the Landing resident

credits both nature and nurture—the rhythm

in his DNA and an upbringing that cultivated

his gift. Along the way, Rivera said, he has

been blessed with numerous remarkable

opportunities.

“I have many friends who did not make it,”

commented Rivera about the others who also

dreamed of a career in music while he was

growing up.

Today, it’s no easier to make it in music; in

fact, it’s more difficult, he noted. Either you

are a global superstar selling out venues, or

you are playing at the local pub for tips out

of a love for music. Few thrive in the middle,

making a living from what they love. He,

however, counts himself among the fortunate.

“I’m just grateful for everything I have and

how it’s worked out,” said Rivera.

He’s not just an Emmy winner—he’s been a

globe-trotting force. Alongside his Emmys for

sound design work for PBS, HBO and CBS, he

has toured the world and played with such

icons as Harry Belafonte, Gregory Hines, Ben

E. King, Paquito D’Rivera, Vicki Sue Robinson,

Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Stevie Wonder.

He’s played on The David Letterman Show,

Showtime at the Apollo, Dellaventura and

6

by KATHLEEN BRUNET

Photos by KAREN FUCITO


Robert Wuhl’s World Tour.

His sound credits include Anheuser-Busch,

Visa, Bose and Mercedes-Benz. He has been

featured in Modern Drummer and Christian

Musician. His own CD, “Tropical Turbulence,” is

a lush Latin world-music journey layered with

rainforest rhythms, including sounds from one

of his own inventions, the Cyclone Shaker.

Growing up in the Bronx, Rivera inherited

his passion for music from his father, a

singer, and his uncles, guitar players, who

played in a band and practiced at home.

It was another member of their band, a

bongo player named Ernie, who taught

him to play that instrument when he was

10 years old and firmly hooked him on

music.

“They were always jamming in the

house,” recalled Rivera.

His mother was not a musician. Yet

whenever Rivera was sick, she bought

him a musical toy, maracas, bongos and

his first set of drums.

“I still have that in the attic,” he said,

proud of the mother who was not

concerned about a son making a racket

as he learned and perfected his skill.

At age 12, he and his family moved

to Puerto Rico, and he began playing

drums in a garage band. Upon reaching

adulthood, he joined the Air Force and,

while working as a jet engine mechanic,

played in a band that competed on other

bases.

When he completed his service, Rick

Montalbano, pianist, organist and composer,

whom he had met while stationed at Griffiss

Air Force Base, asked him to join his band

playing at Holiday Inns throughout New

York. Having returned to Puerto Rico, Rivera

jumped at the chance to earn money doing

what he loves.

As word spread about his firepower as a

drummer and percussionist, more doors

swung open. Rick Cua—bassist, singer,

songwriter—called him to Florida to join his

band. Then a call came from Roland Vazquez,

a drummer from California, who had moved

to New York City and wanted Rivera to

audition for his band.

From that point on, Rivera collaborated with

artists spanning diverse genres, performing

throughout the country and around the

world. He also teamed up with Eileen Ivers,

the original Riverdance touring fiddler, playing

in her band. That run wasn’t just artistically

rich—it was the stretch that paid off his

house.

His style is eclectic, ranging from Latin

rhythm and jazz to folk and Irish music, and

nearly everything in between. What sets him

apart isn’t just his range—it’s scale. In a single

performance, Rivera commands an arsenal:

drums, congas, woodblocks, shakers and

more, layering textures until it sounds like an

ensemble. He has been told more than once

that he sounds like three people playing.

To simplify things, he invented the “Conga

Toms” that allow him to more easily play his

arsenal. As a drummer, he said, “You’re using

Rivera plays his own invention, the Tri Bongos, one

of the many percussion instruments he has designed

and developed during his career.

all four limbs. You’re breaking your mind four

different ways.”

He also introduced the use of X-ray films,

which are made of plastic, as bongo heads to

make them more durable, calling them “Em-

Rays.” When he first started that practice,

Rivera used films that had been exposed, and

his bongos featured images of hands, feet or

whatever had been imaged.

Even his drums tell a story, each one handpainted

by him in bold, vibrant patterns that

echo his Latin Caribbean roots.

His custom percussion kit is hauled in eight

cases. It was the sheer amount of musical

equipment he owns and transports that

led him and his wife, Mary, to move to their

Landing home. His Bronx landlord complained

about all the equipment he was storing in the

hallway outside his apartment because there

was not enough room inside. So, he and his wife

got in the car, drove for an hour out Interstate

80, took Exit 30, and found themselves in the

neighborhood that has been their home for

more than 30 years. There was a man outside

mowing his lawn, and they asked him about

finding a realtor. His wife was one and showed

them the house they purchased.

“To me, this is the country. It’s tranquility,”

said Rivera.

Along with his career, Rivera is grateful for the

sacrifices his wife has made being married to

a musician. The many nights spent alone as he

traveled and performed, raising their children

while he was away and all the work she has put

into fixing and decorating their historic home.

Last year, the couple’s home, which dates back

to 1912, was presented with a Roxbury Historic

Advisory Committee Preservation Award. The

Riveras are the second owners of the home

built by the Bryant family who owned the

famed Westmoreland Hotel.

“It’s something to be married to a musician so

long,” reflected Rivera.

“When I came to

Puerto Rico, her brother

was in a band, and he

made the mistake of

taking me to his house

one day,” he joked.

Mary added, “I was

the biggest groupie. I

was 16, and he was 26.

Everyone thought I

was crazy. ‘It’s a crush,’

they said. ‘It’s going to

pass.’” Forty-four years,

four children and five

grandchildren later, the

Riveras are still going strong.

Rivera continues to play and record and

has no plans to slow down, despite the

many challenges that come with a life in

music.

“I’ve been doing this all my life,” he said.

“You have to be crazy to be a musician.

There are so many things running against

you. You have got to love it.”

It’s not just making music that he loves,

but the impact it has on other people.

“Music is everything,” Rivera said. “It

keeps people happy. It heals people. It’s

amazing what it can do. I can’t be without

it. This is my life, and I wouldn’t have it

any other way.”

But Rivera does not take the credit for

his success. “This,” he said, looking around

his home and the life he and Mary have

built, “This is all him—the grace of God.”

Top: Rivera at a recent jazz concert in

Albany, New York. (Photo courtesy of Emedin Rivera.)

Right: Rivera’s studio is filled with

percussion instruments made out of a

multitude of items, including keys, bottle

caps and animal hooves.

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Balancing Growth and Green Space in Hopatcong


Public open space and land for recreation

are secured through numerous means,

including purchases and donations. And

they’re secured for assorted needs—

think trails, wetlands protection, historic

preservation and pickleball courts.

In Hopatcong, though, there’s the borough’s

Natural Area Preserve, whose history involved

newspaper subscriptions and movie tickets.

It’s a well-told tale, but Cliff Lundin, vice

chairman of the Hopatcong Open Space

Committee, gets to tell it this time.

According to Lundin, in 1934, a Brooklyn

movie theater and the now-defunct Newark

Evening News held individual promotions.

As a bonus for movie ticket purchases and

newspaper subscriptions, respectively,

people received ownership of about .01 acres

of vacant land in the Wolf’s Head section of

Hopatcong.

Over 1,400 such parcels were passed out,

Lundin said.

Since 1995, the borough has sought to

consolidate that land through donations and

foreclosures, collecting almost 1,400 parcels,

Lundin said.

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey has

been working with the borough to secure

additional donations to the preserve.

The reason this scheme comes back is that

the Hopatcong Open Space Committee, with

Lundin and Rob Bond, its chairman, has been

conducting a public review of the borough’s

2011 open space plan, an element of the overall

master plan. (The eight-member committee

was originally established in 2000.)

The general goals of the original plan were

to promote recreation use and preserve open

space while protecting the lake.

Revisions to the open space and recreation

plan would be sent to the borough’s land use

board and eventually the borough council,

Bond said.

“That’s why we need public input,” he said.

“We want to know what residents want.”

While no residents spoke publicly at a

council meeting about the issue, more than

400 returned a survey, he said. Another public

hearing is planned for the summer when the

land use board would take up a completed

draft of the plan.

The 2011 master plan said: “Where

appropriate, all new developments (site plan

or subdivision) should provide adequate area

for active and passive recreation activities.”

But it also said: “Hopatcong has two sets of

10

by MICHAEL DAIGLE


challenges and opportunities,

split east and west as the

Borough is. In the east, the

long-settled neighborhoods

along the lakeshore have a

shrinking amount of open

space left that can be used for

parks and athletic fields. What

currently exists is well-used for

recreation and social gatherings,

while development issues serve

to move vacant lots into uses

deemed productive, either

privately or publicly.

“In the west, the Borough

has continued its preservation

efforts to bolster its Natural Area

Preserve through donations and

acquisitions, while looking at

ways to tie together its wellspread

conservation lands

with a series of trails to make

the natural beauty available to

residents and visitors.”

The current review examines

existing park, recreational and

open space parcels, assesses

future needs and considers

whether to raise the borough’s

open space tax to qualify for

grants.

The borough survey listed a dozen parks

and outdoor recreation facilities and mapped

over 17 miles of trails.

Bond said new additions to the open space

inventory are a 400-acre annex to Hopatcong

State Park and borough trails in the

Northwood section above Henderson Cove.

Currently, the borough, in partnership with

the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, is making

use of a 2025 Tourism Expansion Grant from

the New Jersey Highlands Council. The $8,600

grant will fund more than 100 on-trail signs for

existing borough trails, 22 signs for the state

park annex and 16 roadway signs directing

people to trailheads and parking.

In 1999, voters approved an open space tax

of up to 1 cent per $100 of assessed value.

The borough currently collects 4/10 of a cent

per $100, Lundin said, raising $10,000 per year.

The owner of a home assessed at the

borough average of $380,382 pays an open

space tax of $96.

Ron Tappan, borough business administrator,

said the state raised the dollar requirement to

$25,000 for open space trust funds to qualify

for any potential state grant.

The review of the open space plan comes

while the borough also faces the possibility

Cliff Lundin, left, and Rob Bond with some trail-related signage

that will be hung around Hopatcong.

of redevelopment of at least two sections,

said Tappan.

The plans are currently formative, he said.

The first potential plan would be for the

western end of the borough starting at

Hopatcong State Park, he said.

That plan is dependent on the completion

of the replacement of the Landing Bridge in

Roxbury.

The Roxbury Township Council said in April

that the $37 million construction project

to replace the 1907 bridge could begin next

spring.

“Landing is a gateway to Hopatcong,” Tappan

said. At the same time, commuters from

Sussex County pass through the borough to

the bigger highways to the south.

The other possibility is the redevelopment

north of River Styx, Tappan said.

He has applied to the county to get the River

Styx bridge replacement on its project list. It

has not been funded.

Sussex County described the project:

Replacement of the 598-foot, 1949 bridge

with a new structure to address major deck

issues and a 10-ton weight restriction. The

project aims to improve safety and load

capacity, with a potential cost of $17 to $22

million and construction taking 24-36 months.

The second part of redevelopment

northeast of the bridge is the expansion of

the borough’s sewer system.

The borough recently installed approximately

2,300 linear feet of new sewer pipe to serve

32 residential homes on Hudson Avenue, an

area southwest of the bridge.

Tappan said developers often ask about the

sewer extension north of the bridge.

More development raised a long-standing

concern of the open space committee:

Making room for recreation.

With a population of 14,960, Hopatcong is 12.4

square miles, or 7,948 acres. The Highlands Act

of 2004 designated 2,615 acres of the borough

in the preservation zone, with limited chances

for development, and 5,333 acres within the

planning areas, where development would be

directed.

The 2011 open space plan also raised this

issue: “As with many northern New Jersey

communities, Hopatcong is saddled with

a history of residential development that

sprang from the post-World War II automobile

surge. The streets of the Borough are, with

few exceptions, not friendly to pedestrian or

bicycle traffic.”

In a word, both Bond and Lundin said,

“Parking.”

Limited public access to the lakefront is also

an issue, both said.

Lundin noted that when Hudson Maxim

developed lakeside housing, he allowed alleys

between some houses for lake access.

“Those alleys would allow kayakers, for

example, a way to the lake,” Lundin said,

adding there’s no parking.

Bond said expanding recreation facilities also

depends on parking access.

One key 2011 open space plan, Lundin said, is

the expansion of trails that provide access to

both the unspoiled parts of the borough and

the larger lake-area trail system.

The borough envisioned this idea as a

“green belt, running through the remaining

open lands and girdling the built-up historic

core and lakefront summer residences now

converted to year-round homes,” said the

plan.

That green belt included connecting trails

with neighboring towns like Byram and

Stanhope and marked trails through the

Hudson Farm property.

For Tappan, one word sufficed: “Tourism.”

Hopatcong, after all, is part of a key

recreation region, he said.

Together with the borough’s environmental

commission, which Lundin chairs, there’s a

renewed interest in community involvement

in preserving the environment and reinforcing

the borough’s commitment to beautification.

Rob Bond sinks an informational sign into the

ground near the Lake Hopatcong Access trail.

The 2011 plan set the goals for today’s

commitment: “To bring the Borough of

Hopatcong to the attention of those visitors

who appreciate the natural and wild beauty

still found in the Highlands of New Jersey, as

well as put the residents of the Borough in

touch with the opportunities for recreation

and encounters with wilderness that lie just

around the next bend of the trail.”

Don’t forget to cash in the movie tickets and

newspaper subscriptions.

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Multi-Generational North

Jersey Family Bowls Strikes

with Family Reunion

by MELISSA SUMMERS


If you walked into Lodi Lanes on a particular

Sunday in April, you’d see a wide variety of

bowlers. But if you looked a little closer at

the men, women and children occupying one

whole side of the building, you might notice

something else: a family resemblance.

That’s because for more than 70 years,

the Cirelli family has held a unique reunion

centered around a bowling tournament and

a traditional luncheon nearby. Now in its fifth

generation, the family has roots throughout

northern New Jersey and beyond.

According to the event’s organizer, Larry

Cirelli, 70, of Sparta, the legacy began in 1902

when his grandfather, John Cirelli, then 24,

arrived in West New York, New Jersey from

Marsico Nuovo, Italy. His wife, Vita, then 25,

stayed behind with two daughters, while

pregnant with their third child.

The older Cirelli took a job with a railroad

company, and his wife arrived the next year

after the baby was born. They went on to

have eight more children. Nine lived into

adulthood.

One of their sons, Joseph Cirelli, and his wife,

Jennie, had four children: Lenny who lives in

south Jersey; Linda Buonadies, a Rockaway

resident; Larry; and Les of Jefferson.

“I find it amazing that my father and his

siblings were able to put

something like this together.

They wanted to do this special

event. We are still going strong,

and I get to know all my cousins

and nieces and nephews. I find

it absolutely amazing,” said Les,

68.

The lake-area Cirelli families include Les

and his wife, Bev, their four adult children,

including the first set of twins born into the

family, their spouses, and nine grandchildren,

including the first set of identical twins.

As branches of the family grew, it became

clear that an organized reunion was needed.

The men of the family had often met up

unofficially to bowl, Larry said. “Bowling was

huge back then. There were 10 times more

bowling alleys than there are today. That was

a family thing to do; you went out bowling.

The brothers were competitive, but I guess it

was an excuse to get together to drink.”

Even then, the gatherings were a multi-state

event. “Some of the family lived in Brooklyn,

so it was the Brooklyn guys versus the Jersey

guys,” said Larry. “My Uncle Phil used to tell

me that they didn’t like only getting together

for funerals and weddings. Tying bowling

to a reunion was the way to get everybody

involved.”

“The way I was told, it started in 1954. I was

7,” said Buonadies, 78. “My grandfather had

passed away, and they wanted to make sure

that all the brothers and sisters got together

at least once a year.”

The surviving uncles made it a mandatory

annual commitment. “You had to come. It

was a must. There was no saying no. The

Top to bottom: The lake-area branch of the

Cirelli family. Cirellis as far as the eye can see

at Lodi Lanes.

only way you didn’t go there is if you were

dying. That was the only way you got out of

it,” added Buonadies with a chuckle.

Exclusive committee meetings were held

every year to plan the date and the food,

according to Larry. “I loved it… so I used to

try and sneak into them. The meetings were

strict; you had to raise your hand.”

The first event was held at a small bowling

alley and restaurant in West New York.

Initially, women were not part of the planning

or the bowling tournament, Buonadies said.

“As the uncles got older, they let in the older

first cousins. Then all of a sudden, women

were allowed, and they started bowling, too.”

During the early years, the family would

eat at a local restaurant or hall.

Larry, who now leads the planning

committee, found one receipt

from a catering hall in the 1970s

where the meal cost $4.50 per

person and included an appetizer,

roast beef, ziti, soda, wine and

dessert.

“Then it got so expensive that the

aunts started cooking, and they

16


Left to right: Cousins Riley

Matthews, Gianna Riccio and Luca

Cirelli make it work in the photo

booth. Sean McNally gets a “pep

talk” at the bowling alley from his

mom, Dana Buonadies.

would rent out a place, and they all brought

stuff,” said Buonadies. “When they passed

away, the first cousins took over, then when

they passed away, the second cousins started

just to keep costs down.”

Events held in milestone years are extra

special. The 70th was catered and featured a

DJ, a photo booth, custom T-shirts and more.

For the past 30 years, they have kept the meal

cost to $20 per adult. “It goes to pay for the

hall and the wine and beer and the trophies,

and we also have very generous people that

donate stuff,” said Larry. “We had a couple of

people who actually left us some money in

their wills specifically for the reunion fund.”

There were a record 64 bowlers in eight

divisions signed up this year, he added. Dinner

at the Knights of Columbus in Lodi saw 117

people who ranged in age from 1 to 89.

The tournament itself is serious business.

Trophies are handed out for best score in

each division, most improved and best overall

score, as well as a “booby” prize—a bowling

pin hat—for the bowler dropping the most

points from the previous year.

Bowlers play three games each, and their

total score is documented for the records.

The best—and most competitive—bowlers

are in divisions one and two. The not-so-best

bowlers and the youngest are in divisions

seven and eight. The middle divisions, said

Dana Buonadies from Midland Park, are for

the ones who just want to have fun, which

was contradictory to the pep talk she gave to

her son, Sean, 13, after she found out his low

score. Buonadies, 46, is the daughter of Linda

Buonadies and her husband, Ray.

For the adults, previous years’ scores

determine their placement. “They take

everybody’s bowling average for the last

two years,” explained Jackie Matthews, 43, of

Mount Arlington. “If you won your division,

the following year you automatically move

up.” Matthews, who helps organize the

reunion, her sister Carly and her two brothers,

Scott and Vic, are the children of Les and Bev.

This year’s youngest bowler was Ethan Cirelli,

Left to right: Les Cirelli shares a laugh with his

cousin Billy Cirelli. Kenneth Lillo keeps track

of bowling scores. Matthew Dagrosa reacts to

rolling a spare while wearing a bowling pin hat.

6, son of Scott and his wife, Randi. While he

enjoyed hanging out with his family, he liked

the bowling portion of the day more. He

scored 145 in the three games.

Even though bowling isn’t as popular as it

once was, Scott, 41, said it’s the novelty of

planning a reunion around it that keeps it

together. “It’s 100 percent unique,” he said. “I

think it’s very interesting and it’s entertaining

for us to come out and do this once a year.”

At this year’s Lodi event, family members

came from New York, Pennsylvania and as

far away as Virginia and Florida, according to

Linda.

Originally from Parsippany, Gary O’Neil, 69,

Explore New Jersey’s largest lake!

continued on p. 18

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Top to bottom: John O’Neil Jr. gets the bowling

pin hat award from Larry Cirelli for dropping the

most points from last year. Family members line

up to record the awards ceremony.

Embark on a fun and educational

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S

C

A

N

M E


Reunion

(continued from p. 17)

traveled the farthest coming from Fort Myers,

Florida. “My mother would come out of

the grave and smack me upside the head if

I didn’t,” he said about his annual pilgrimage.

His mother would be proud. All five of his

children were there, as were a few of his

grandchildren.

This year’s most “senior” bowler was Dennis

Lillo, who traveled from Alexandria, Virginia.

Lillo, 79, a Brooklyn, New York native and one

of John and Vita Cirelli’s great-grandsons, was

at the very first tournament when he was 8

years old.

“In the beginning, you couldn’t bowl unless

you were at least 15 years old,” Lillo said.

“They had some strict rules. And you had

to be a member of the family. Even if you

were going to get married the next day, you

couldn’t bowl. Now, if you’re living together

for five years, they let the person bowl. Of

course, now they let children bowl, as long as

they can bowl with one hand.”

“It’s just amazing,” Dennis’s sister Lydia Lillo,

74, added. “It started with the elders… the

fathers, the grandfathers and then their sons

and daughters, and now it’s really all cousins.

All the aunts and uncles are gone. So, it’s all

the younger generation.”

Dennis attributes the longevity of the

reunion to its inclusivity.

Linda attributes the multi-decade success to

consistent communication. “We all keep in

touch with each other, make sure everybody’s

alright,” she said. “We see each other at the

family reunion, but you’ll get a text, you’ll get

something on [Facebook] Messenger.”

Matthews said she worries about keeping

the younger generations engaged and

returning each year. She hopes the middle

and younger generations, especially the locals,

will continue to enjoy the annual event. Bev is

optimistic.

“This will continue,” she said as she watched

her grandchildren run around the dance floor

with their cousins.

In a world where everyone seems

preoccupied with everything but family, Larry

isn’t surprised the Cirellis have kept it going.

“The majority of people realize how unusual

and historic this is,” he said. “I mean, 70

years getting together doing something like

bowling. They want to keep it going, they

want to be part of it. It’s really cool. I don’t

think there are any families out there that do

this. And I know there’s even less that ever hit

the 70-year mark.”

The family has certainly honored the wishes

of their elders—and then some.

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If you live in the area, access to these trails

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On My Radar

Story and photo by SAM DeALBA

Deceptively Dry Days

Imagine you head off on vacation for a week,

as many of us do this time of year, and you

ask your neighbor to water your potted plants

while you’re away. Your neighbor stops by a

few times and gives them a quick splash for

a second or two. It’s better than nothing, but

not by much. It might keep things going for a

little while, but eventually, the lack of real water

catches up.

That’s essentially what much of the region has

been experiencing for almost a year now.

It’s subtle—especially in the cooler months—

but the pattern has been consistent. April

marked 10 of 11 consecutive months with

below-normal precipitation. By then, the area

had been listed in drought conditions for more

than 38 straight weeks by the U.S. Drought

Monitor, a national map produced by federal

agencies and university researchers that tracks

dryness across the country. At the same time,

the New Jersey Department of Environmental

Protection has maintained a statewide drought

warning for more than 20 weeks, since early

December.

What’s been deceptive isn’t necessarily how

often it has rained, but how much has actually

fallen when it does. Based on long-term

climate normals from the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration, our region

typically sees measurable precipitation about

nine to 12 days per month.

Looking at my own gauge on the north side

of Lake Hopatcong, we’ve generally met that

frequency most months, with two exceptions:

last August and September when only six to

seven measurable precipitation days were

recorded each month.

The issue has been accumulation. Since last

June, rainfall has averaged roughly 25 to 30%

below normal. That deficit doesn’t always show

up in dramatic fashion. Instead, it builds quietly,

month after month.

Drought can also be deceptive because of the

time of year we’re in. When drought develops in

late summer or fall, the signs are obvious. Lawns

turn brown, streams slow to a trickle and foliage

begins to show stress. But in winter and spring,

the signals are harder to read. The landscape

can look healthy on the surface while deeper


water deficits continue to build below.

That’s why drought monitoring runs

much deeper than what we see in

our yards. Tools like the U.S. Drought

Monitor and agencies like the state DEP

evaluate a combination of indicators, including

precipitation totals, soil moisture, streamflow,

reservoir levels, groundwater levels and

vegetation response. When several of those

metrics remain below normal for an extended

period, drought conditions begin to take shape.

More importantly, they don’t resolve quickly.

Even during March when parts of the region

saw temporary improvement in streamflow

following above-normal precipitation, deeper

indicators told a different story. Subsurface

moisture levels from United States Geological

Survey monitoring stations around Sussex and

Morris counties remained below to extremely

below normal, while the state DEP regional

water supply indicators and reservoir systems

continued to reflect moderately to severely dry

conditions.

So why does this remain on my radar as we

move through late May into early June? Because

the seasonal stressors are only increasing. As sun

angles rise and daylight lengthens, evaporation

accelerates. More energy is being delivered to

the surface, meaning it now takes more rainfall

than it did in early spring just to maintain

balance. What may have been “enough” rain in

April is no longer sufficient by June.

What could this mean for summer? If you

follow my social media page, Weather & Wakes

– Lake Hopatcong, you know I don’t lean heavily

on long-range forecasting. However, every so

often a broader pattern becomes difficult to

ignore.

One of those signals right now is the expected

development of a strong El Niño pattern

Become a part of

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The fi rst water over the dam at Lake Hopatcong State Park in April.

later in the summer and into fall. Historically,

these patterns can influence storm tracks,

oftentimes suppressing tropical activity in the

Atlantic. That said, summer in the Northeast

always has its own rules. Thunderstorms remain

unpredictable, localized, and capable of quickly

changing short-term conditions.

Beyond rainfall and drought, there are a few

other things on my radar as we move through

this stretch. The summer solstice arrives on

June 21, marking the longest day of the year.

Interestingly, it does not align with our earliest

sunrise or latest sunset. This year, those actually

occur on June 14 and June 27, respectively. That’s

a subtle quirk of Earth’s orbit and axial tilt that

often surprises people.

And while Memorial Day is the unofficial

kickoff for the season, one event that tends

to sneak up on people is the Lake Hopatcong

Yacht Club fireworks, scheduled this year for

June 26, one of the signature moments of early

summer on the lake.

Looking ahead across this period, the seasonal

shift becomes unmistakable.

Between May 21 and July 1, average conditions

steadily warm. Water temperatures rise from

the 60s into the 70s. Daytime highs climb from

near 71 degrees to the low 80s and overnight

lows move from around 50 degrees to the low

60s.

Those changes don’t just show up in the

numbers. They show up in life on the lake, as

warmer water, longer daylight and steadily

fuller weekends signal the transition into peak

summer activity.

But underneath it all, the larger story remains

the same: balance matters. Rainfall, evaporation

and long-term water storage don’t always move

in sync with what we feel day to day. And that’s

exactly why it stays on my radar.

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From Ashes to Hope: Community Brings New Life

to Fire-Ravaged Animal Shelter

by KATHLEEN BRUNET


For Cassie Kowalchuk, founder and director

of One Step Closer Animal Rescue, the

fire that destroyed her Andover shelter left

behind the heartbreak of the six dogs that

did not survive. Yet from that loss, hope

has emerged—fueled by a community that

has rallied with extraordinary support for

the surviving dogs, the shelter, its staff and

volunteers.

When Kowalchuk purchased the property

on Stanhope Sparta Road in 2016 for OSCAR,

a no-kill shelter, her goal was clear: give dogs

with few options a chance at a forever home.

It was a promise she made to the animals—to

keep them alive as long as it took for them to

find good humans. When the fire on February

11 decimated the shelter, she feared she might

be prevented from keeping that promise—

until the community stepped in, surrounding

her and OSCAR with support.

When she arrived at the fire, Kowalchuk

recalled, “I was hysterically crying as I watched

the rest of the shelter burn. The reason we

do animal rescue is we are such animal lovers.

We’re a no-kill shelter, and for us that means

providing them with a second chance. Now,

they didn’t have a place anymore.”

The loss of the six dogs left Kowalchuk, her

employees and volunteers with a profound

sense of grief.

“That’s not what we promised them. We

wanted to give them a great life,” explained

Kowalchuk, her voice breaking with sobs.

Then her thoughts turn to the community’s

response to the surviving animals, the shelter

and the people who work and help there.

A GoFundMe page created to care for the

rescued dogs and rebuild the shelter raised

more than $500,000 in the first two days. The

shelter does not have space to store donations

and has asked those who want to help to

donate to their GoFundMe, which will cover

the cost of emergency veterinary care, medical

treatment, foster expenses and rebuilding. By

early May, the fund was just shy of $700,00.

As noted on that page: “OSCAR exists for

dogs who have nowhere else to go—the

overlooked, the surrendered, the ones who

just need time and love to shine. This fire may

have damaged our building, but it will not

destroy our mission.”

Kowalchuk added, “We have gotten so much

love and support from the community that we

want to fight even harder [to rebuild]. There

has been such a huge community outpouring.

Individuals have reached out. Businesses have

reached out. Organizations have reached out.”

In fact, the response was immediate, even as

the fire started.

When a seemingly harmless thin ribbon of

smoke appeared, Richie Hoer of Lakeside

Construction, which sits next to the shelter,

was finishing up work for the day.

“Everyone was pretty much gone, and I was

checking the schedule for the next day,” said

Hoer. Something caught his eye, and he looked

over at the shelter. “I could see what looked

like smoke from a fire pit,” he said.

Shortly after, around 3:30 p.m., he went to park

his truck in the lot at Lakeside Construction

and looked over again at the shelter. Now,

the back of the building was on fire. He also

noticed something else strange.

“The dogs are always barking, but they were all

quiet,” he said.

He called 911 and yelled to two fellow employees

who were still on site: Andrew Cuskie and Matthew

Reiner, a high school intern learning diesel engine

repair. The three ran down the snow-covered cliff

between the two properties to reach the shelter.

The outside gates of the kennels were locked, but

Reiner was able to locate a bolt cutter in a nearby

building, and the three began cutting the locks

and freeing dogs.

The dogs, recalled Hoer, “were next to their

gates, eyes locked on you. They were talking with

their eyes with just pure helplessness.”

As the three worked on the locked outside gates,

four on-site shelter employees, including Alex

Prunés and Kelley Lombardi, ran into the building,

lifting the kennel doors so the dogs could get

to the outside run, said Kowalchuk. According

to Prunés, the staff worked feverishly, getting to

all the kennels within five minutes, despite the

smoke and heat of the fire.

At work at her full-time accounting job,

Kowalchuk received a call from the Hopatcong

Animal Control Officer Gianna DiMatteo,

informing her the shelter was on fire. Kowalchuk’s

employees were too busy helping to rescue the

dogs to call her.

“It was a horrible night,” said DiMatteo, who

removed the six deceased dogs.

The combined efforts of the staff and the

Lakeside Construction employees turned the

statistics on shelter fires in favor of the dogs. In

many shelter fires, most, if not all, animals often

perish because no one is on-site and the fires can

Left to right: Cassie Kowalchuk is overcome with

emotion as she speaks to volunteers gathered at a

remembrance ceremony in March. Matthew Reiner

and Richie Hoer stand in front of the burned-out

kennels.


The sun sets over the kennel building the day before

the February 11 fire. (Photo courtesy of Alex Prunés.)

spread so quickly.

“We were in the right place at the right time,”

summed up Hoer.

The rescuers demonstrated great courage as they

worked to save the dogs while the kennel became

engulfed in flames and before emergency crews

arrived. For them, there was never any question

about stopping.

“It wasn’t courage; it was the only option,” said

Cuskie. “We kept going until the last dog was out.”

At the time of the fire, 43 dogs were being

housed at the shelter. Thirty-seven were saved.

One was seriously burned and was treated at

Newton Veterinary Hospital.

Multiple agencies responded to the fire from

both Sussex and Morris counties—police, fire,

ambulance squads, animal control officers and

emergency management officials, along with

numerous volunteers. Released from their kennels,

dogs were placed into crates and hiked up a hill

to a parking area where buses and ambulances

waited for them. They were then transported to

area veterinary facilities, where some stayed for

extended treatment. Others were then brought

to area kennels and Hudson Farm Club down the

road from the shelter.

The next several days were busy ones for

Kowalchuk, her staff and volunteers. With the

kennel completely destroyed and the shelter’s

other buildings damaged, they needed to find

housing for the dogs that did not require extended

care, which was the majority of them.

Fire burns through the kennel as volunteers finish releasing the dogs. (Photo courtesy of Alex Prunés.)

First, they worked from the Mohawk House

restaurant in Sparta before moving to the

Hopatcong firehouse on Maxim Drive. Every

day, The Barn Restaurant in Rockaway sent

over breakfast and lunch for the team. Mars in

Hackettstown provided volunteers with large

bags of candy.

Children from a pre-K class in Franklin drew

pictures of the dogs to cheer up shelter

employees and volunteers, and Girl Scout

Troop 98429 provided cookies. Many

local restaurants scheduled fundraisers or

adoption events, including Charley’s Tavern

in Lake Hopatcong, Jersey Girl Brewing in

Hackettstown and the Village Saloon in Sparta.

While many of the surviving dogs have been

adopted, several were placed into foster

homes and are available for adoption.

On March 28, staff came together with

more than three dozen volunteers, gathering

on the front lawn of the rescue property to

grieve, to comfort each other, to acknowledge

the community support and to honor the

six dogs that did not survive. In a short

ceremony, DiMatteo delivered a large wood

box containing the combined ashes of the six

deceased dogs to Lombardi and Katie McArdle,

who organized the event.

“It wasn’t just one village coming together,

it was like 50 villages coming together,” said

McArdle of the outpouring of support both

near and far.

By April, Kowalchuk reported they were

rescuing again. “We started renting a small

private kennel locally. Right now we have 20

dogs/puppies for adoption between the

foster homes and kennel space we are renting,”

she wrote in an email.

While the fire department has identified some

details about how the blaze began, Kowalchuk

said she is still waiting for insurance to issue its

report. Once that investigation is finished and

a determination made, she can begin planning

and building a new facility—one designed

to be more functional and equipped with

enhanced safety features.

“We couldn’t even begin to get through this

without our community behind us,” noted

a Facebook post on the OSCAR site. “You

carried us when we didn’t know how to stand.”

“For us,” added Kowalchuk, “the message

we want to get across is that the community

literally has rescued us in every

way possible. We are just so very

grateful.”

For more information and to

view dogs in need of fostering or

adopting, visit oscaranimalrescue.

org. To make a donation, visit the

GoFundMe website and search

Emergency Support for OSCAR

Dogs.

Left to right: Debbie Kowalchuk,

trustee, full-time volunteer and

Cassie’s mom, gets a hug from

volunteer Gabi Zeiler. Alex Prunés

and Kelley Lombardi at the fencing

placed around the burned out

kennels.


Behind The Curtain

Story and photos by JOE WOHLGEMUTH

Keeping Them in Stitches:

The Costumer’s Role

Having grown up a theater kid, one of my

favorite pastimes was watching reruns

of The Carol Burnett Show every weeknight

before dinner. To me, the show was a master

class in comedic performance. I closely studied

each sketch so that I could perform it, in its

entirety, at the bus stop the following morning.

After all, I did have a captive audience of one.

One of the most iconic moments from

The Carol Burnett Show—and arguably in

television history—played out during the

sketch “Went with the Wind,” a spoof of the

classic Civil War-era film Gone with the Wind.

When the impoverished Miss Starlett, played

by Burnett, sauntered down the stairs wearing

a dress she made from drapes—adorned

with the curtain rod across her shoulders—

television history was made. So much so, that

Miss Starlett’s “curtain dress” is on display at

the Smithsonian.

Although Burnett brilliantly delivered the line,

“I saw it in a window and just couldn’t resist it,”

it was the sight gag—the costume—that stole

the show. Designed by famed costumer Bob

Mackie, the dress was intended to get a laugh.

During an interview with PBS, Mackie said he

Jennylind Stecker, who plays Aunt March, with

costumer Viviana Wadleigh.


came up with the idea the night

before the taping of the sketch.

He wanted a big laugh, and he delivered.

Audience members may not leave a theater

humming the costumes, but the costume

design—especially in a period piece—can

make or break a production. To better

understand the role of the costumer, I reached

out to Viviana Wadleigh of Rockaway, the

costume designer for the Roxbury Arts

Alliance’s upcoming musical production of

Little Women.

Coincidentally, Little Women is also set

during the Civil War and tells the tale of the

March sisters as they navigate life and love in

New England. This musical version of Louisa

May Alcott’s novel ran on Broadway in 2005

and starred Sutton Foster as Jo and Maureen

McGovern as Marmee.

Wadleigh’s origin story as a costume designer

began when she was 5 years old and spent

Saturdays watching her mother sew. “I wouldn’t

go out with my friends. I would stay inside all

day and just watch her sew,” she said.

Wadleigh’s grandmother and greatgrandmother

were also hobbyist seamstresses,

and she pestered them to teach her how to

read pattens and sew. Her interest in costume

design grew when she entered Morris Hills High

School, where she participated in the theater

program, performing onstage and observing

the costumer offstage.

After graduating from high school in 1999,

Wadleigh attended Centenary University and

studied fashion design. At the time, the college

did not have a costume design program. She

took a corporate job in accounting upon

leaving Centenary but had an epiphany during

the pandemic—she wanted to return to her

passion for sewing and pursue a career in

costuming.

Wadleigh’s realization and determination

landed her jobs on Broadway. Currently, she

works in the wardrobe departments for MJ:

The Musical and Hamilton, repairing and

taking care of the costumes.

Wadleigh was thrilled when she was asked

Sarah Kowalchuk (Meg), left, and Natalie Crespolini (Jo) during

a recent rehearsal.

to be the costume designer for RAA’s Little

Women. She said ever since she read the novel,

she has been chomping at the bit to design the

costumes for this show.

“I love the fact that it’s just a love story

between sisters,” she said. “I love that kind

of connection between them—growing up

and getting past the death of their sister.”

Wadleigh’s brother, Carlos, passed away in

2004, which gave her an even deeper, lifelong

connection to the novel.

For inspiration, Wadleigh begins each show

with the creation of an active portfolio

that includes sketches of her designs and

photographs of previous productions. Her

sketches include the colors she wants to use

for specific characters as well as the fabric for

each costume.

For example, Wadleigh sketched the character

of Jo in slacks and a vest using a darker palette

since she is somewhat of a tomboy. And

she sketched Aunt March in a blue and gold

gown with peacock feathers because she is

Viviana Wadleigh with Hilary Beirne as

Marmee.

somewhat of a show-off.

Wadleigh also draws inspiration from her

actors. During a fitting session, the actress

playing Amy said she loved butterflies. This

sparked the idea that is driving Wadleigh’s

unifying vision for the costume design for

Little Women.

“What if I just assign a beautiful bug to all the

sisters to kind of represent them?” Wadleigh

asked herself. Before she dove into her

research to find the perfect bug to symbolize

each sister, she ran the idea by the director.

“Because at the end of the day, it’s his vision—

my job is to help bring that vision,” she said.

Luckily, butterflies are the ideal representation

for Amy. “She goes through the biggest change

from being a young lady to a married woman,”

said Wadleigh. Not only will Amy wear

butterfly jewelry, but Wadleigh hand-painted

butterflies on Amy’s apron.

“Jo’s going to be the worker bee—she gets

things done and she always needs a task to do,”

she said. “And Meg is going to be my ladybug.”

As the eldest sister, Wadleigh chose a ladybug

to represent Meg as the protector of her

younger siblings.

Wadleigh is most excited about the bug she

picked to represent Beth, the middle March

sister who tragically dies of complications

from scarlet fever. “Beth is my dragonfly—

symbolizing transformation, adaptability,

self-realization and joy—and a deeper

understanding of life and a connection to the

spiritual realm,” she said. “So, in act two, all the

sisters are going to have a little dragonfly pin or

brooch—either in their hair or as a necklace—

to have their sister with them throughout the

rest of their lives.”

Wadleigh is committed to designing

costumes that will help the actors find their

characters, and she gets a kick when they

look at themselves in the mirror and tell her

that now they feel like their character. She

discusses character development with the

director, and then brings those discussions to

her costume fittings with the actors. “So, when

I’m dressing them, I know what I’m putting on

them is along the lines of what that director

wants, and then I’m able to discuss that with

the actor,” Wadleigh said.

The most challenging aspect of Little Women

is costuming the entire show on a tight budget.

Wadleigh will make some of the costumes

from scratch, but she will also refurbish older

costume pieces, pull stuff from her own

collection and go thrift shopping to complete

her design. “I can make something amazing out

of nothing,” she confidently said. “Just because

you have a limited budget doesn’t mean it

can’t be beautiful and wonderful—and look

like a million bucks.”

470 Route 10 West • Ledgewood, NJ

Wadleigh’s ultimate goal is for the audience

to be immersed in the story and to transport

them directly into the Marches’ living room.

“I want the audience to feel like they’re

almost traveling into this time and be able to

experience this story along with the sisters,”

she said. “I think the storytelling needs to

happen all across the board, not just with the

words and the actors—everybody has a hand

in telling the story,” she said.

Little Women runs Saturdays and Sundays,

May 30 – June 7, at the Roxbury Arts Alliance’s

Citizens Bank Theater in Succasunna.

For more information and tickets, visit

roxburyartsalliance.org.

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Clockwise from top left: Roxbury’s Ana Oliva tries out

new toys with her daughters Sophia, 2, and Ellie, 4.

Amy Chipko helps Cindy and Curt Kronish of Stanhope

with their donations. Maxwell Wu, 2, from Long Valley,

gets his hand on a red truck while his mom and

grandmother shop behind him. Chipko and Jill Matt sort

through bags of donated items. Stephanie Wong from

Blairstown shops for her 9-month-old son. Jace Smith,

8, and his father, Michael, from Mount Arlington, donate

some of Jace’s old toys.


Library Hosts ‘Pass It On’ Event

Story and photos by KAREN FUCITO

On Saturday, May 2, a steady flow of visitors to the First Presbyterian Church of Succasunna’s

all-purpose room browsed through tables full of gently used kids’ items during the first Pass

It On event.

Hosted by the Roxbury Public Library, the event was the idea of Lynn Ludlow, supervising librarian

- youth services. As a seasoned participant in the Buy Nothing Project—a movement that sees

items given away for free on Facebook—Ludlow has also attended many in-person giveaway

opportunities near her hometown of Vernon.

“I knew this was something people would want,” she said, adding the goal was to further

sustainability. “Events like this make people aware that you don’t need to

buy things.”

It was a sentiment echoed throughout the morning, with visitors keenly

aware of the importance of upcycling perfectly good items.

Like Ana Oliva from Roxbury. She donated no-longer-used toys and nolonger-worn

clothing and then did a little shopping with her two children,

Ellie, 4 and Sophia, 2.

All was going well—the girls found one or two new-to-them toys to bring

home—until Ellie spotted and grabbed her pink flower rain boots and

made it known she was not ready to let them go. A quick distraction by her

mom with a colorful toy averted disaster. The boots were soon forgotten

and remained to be claimed for another home.

“Honestly, she hardly ever wore them,” said Oliva.

For grandparents Cindy and Curt Kronish of Stanhope, the event was a way

to recycle some of the larger items they had from when their grandchildren

were babies.

“This is an excellent idea,” said Curt. “It’s a great way to keep stuff out of landfills,” added

Cindy.

Victoria Wu came from Long Valley with her 2-year-old son Maxwell and her mother,

bringing with her a carload of things she no longer needed.

If she hadn’t found out about the event (she’s a member of the library), she said she

would have donated her things to a place like Goodwill. “But this is more specific, more

focused,” she said.

“We all just have so much stuff,” said Amy Chipko, senior library assistant - youth services.

“An event like this gives the community access to items they might need,” she added.

Ludlow said she wants everyone to know the Pass It On event is for everyone.

“While we certainly have

people in Roxbury and the

surrounding area who can’t

afford to buy everything they

need/want for their families,

everyone can benefit from

passing on items that aren’t

needed anymore. The Earth,

your kids and your wallet all

benefit from using items that

have been passed on.”

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New Lottery Ticket

Gives Local Pups

Top Billing

Story and photos by KAREN FUCITO

Feeling lucky?

Meet Bailey, a 10-year-old mixed breed, and

Jezebel Jane, a 3-year-old Doberman Pinscher. Both

were recently crowned “Top Dog” by the New

Jersey Lottery and appear at the top of Jersey

Dog, the lottery’s latest $5 scratch-off ticket.

Bailey and Jezebel Jane were selected from thousands

of entries across the state.

Bailey, weighing in at 35 pounds, stood out for her “love of naps” and appreciation for “warm

weather,” said Lottery spokesperson Krystle Retana in an email. Jezebel Jane, she said, stood out for her “Jersey

attitude and irresistible charm.”

Jezebel Jane’s humans, Pam and Mark Ruzicka of Lake Hopatcong, heard about the Top Dog contest while listening to a local radio station.

Pam initially thought about her daughter’s dog but then realized she had her own prize pup in Jezebel. The

Doberman’s photo was uploaded to the Lottery’s website and voted into the top 50.

Mark said to gain as many votes as possible, the couple asked everyone they knew to cast a vote. “We killed

it,” he said with a chuckle.

“She loves people, and she loves to play,” said Pam. Even at 89 pounds, Pam said she takes Jezebel Jane,

whom she calls her lovebug, “wherever I can.”

Bailey lives with her humans Diana and Joe Fullman and Diana’s parents, Diane and Edward Yaeger, in Netcong.

She was rescued through the Cold Nose Warm Heart organization.

“She was found in a box on the side of the road in Virginia,” said Diana Fullman. “She was the only female

puppy in a boxful of two litters of puppies.”

Diane Yaeger said she came upon the contest while visiting the Lottery’s website and knew they had to enter

Bailey. “What do we have to lose?” she asked herself.

Like Jezebel Jane, Bailey secured enough votes to put her into the top 50, which ensured a place in the scratchoff

section of the card. A panel of judges

then named Jezebel Jane and Bailey as Top Dogs,

which landed them solo treatment at the top of the card.

“I think this is pretty cool,” said Fullman.

Clockwise from top left: Bailey from Netcong. Jezebel Jane from Lake

Hopatcong. Diana Fullman, Diane Yaeger and Bailey. Mark and Pam Ruzicka

with Jezebel Jane.


Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post By Allison Pataki – Reviewed by Regina Bohn, E. Louise Childs Library

In this fictionalized account of the life of Marjorie Post, the reader is introduced—or re-introduced—to a woman who,

for most of her life, was regarded as the wealthiest woman in America. The only child of businessman C.W. Post, Marjorie

was very much her father’s daughter. As a child in her father’s barn, she helped glue cereal boxes. His Post Cereal Company

would grow into General Foods, and Marjorie would be the sole heiress to this vast business empire.

At the helm, Marjorie proved a savvy businesswoman. General Foods grew and so did her role in society. Her money and

connections afforded her access to the most important and influential people in the world, from celebrities to presidents

to international statesmen.

Allison Pataki’s novel presents to the reader a woman of substance, a life force who tried to put her privileged circumstances

to best use. Marjorie never held back from living the fullest of lives, despite a series of personal setbacks and tragedies. She

held many titles over the years, including philanthropist, designer, diplomat, wife and mother. Pataki weaves a fascinating

story by highlighting all the magnificent lives of Marjorie Post, including as a leading businesswoman and the role she played in revolutionizing

American eating habits.

Heartwood by Amity Gaige – Reviewed by Mary Hassenplug, Roxbury Public Library

When a hiker becomes lost on the Appalachian Trail, an all-out search begins. In Heartwood, , by Amity Gaige, the

narrative shifts among the warden in charge of the search, the lost hiker as she writes letters to her mother, and a wannabe

sleuth. Part mystery (lots of puzzle pieces that sometimes seem like they’re from different puzzles), part character study

and part exploration of mothers and daughters, the novel pulls it all together to reflect on what it means to be lost and

found.

As the search unfolds, each of the primary characters is revealed. Beverly, the first female game warden, deals with the

pressure to prove herself in a male-dominated environment. Brilliant but socially isolated, Lena is determined to solve

the mystery but her past clouds her ability to see clearly. Valerie, lost and facing death, shares her fears in her journal as

a way to maintain control.

When a possible link to an American military complex becomes part of the equation, all three women embark on a

frantic effort to find closure on multiple fronts. In Heartwood, Gaige leads with a mystery but follows with a study of strength and survival in

all its forms.

The Life of a Little Plastic Bottle by Suzanne Fossey, Illustrated by Gisela Bohorquez

Reviewed by Tina Mayer, Mount Arlington Public Library

This fun and engaging board book is a wonderfully illustrated story for young readers that tells the heartwarming tale

of the life of a plastic water bottle.

First purchased to quench the thirst of a young child, the bottle is used to take the reader on a journey of refilling,

reusing, reducing and repurposing a simple plastic bottle.

Although short in length, this tale shows—through beautiful illustrations—how environmental awareness is everyone’s

responsibility. It also demonstrates how, with resourcefulness, items can be repurposed and reintroduced into the

environment in a healthy way.

Ruby Falls by Gin Phillips – Reviewed by Seth Stephens, Jefferson Township Public Library

While crawling through a cave passage under a Tennessee mountain in 1928, Leo Lambert discovers a 150-foot waterfall.

He names it after his wife, Ruby, and turns it into a tourist attraction.

Ruby Falls, , a cleverly constructed mystery, is told by Ada, the best friend of the waterfall’s namesake. Ada has a secret:

She regularly sneaks into the caves and explores them at night. Only in the darkness and confines of the cave can she

feel free of the grief for her late husband and multiple miscarriages. There, Ada meets Quinton, a fellow explorer seeking

escape from his harsh life.

To keep Ruby Falls operating as a tourist attraction during the Great Depression, Lambert hires a clairvoyant to find

a hatpin that has been secretly placed in the caves. Ada and Quinton are hired to follow the clairvoyant, his wife, his

manager, a reporter and a town leader in the search for the hatpin. Along the way, someone is murdered. Ada and Quinton

are faced with leading the party back to the surface and identifying the murderer before their light and supplies run out.

While the identification of the murderer is surprising, the best drama is Ada and Quinton realizing they can transcend the darkness of their lives

by learning to trust their feelings for each other. Who would have thought that crawling through claustrophobic tunnels and caves, in complete

darkness, hundreds of feet beneath the ground, could be a cathartic experience?


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History

by MARTY KANE

Guitar Maker Gets

Start in Hopatcong

Iwas sitting at the Lake Hopatcong Elks when

an old friend, Tom Pedersen, asked why I had

never written about Bob Benedetto. When I

admitted being unfamiliar with how Bob fit into

Lake Hopatcong’s history, Tom was glad to open

my eyes.

Thanks to him, I learned about a former local

whose handcrafted guitars have left an indelible

mark on the music world.

Robert (Bob) Benedetto was born October

22, 1946, in the Bronx. Like many New York City

families in the 1950s and 1960s, his parents were

looking to move to the country to enjoy fresh

air and a home of their own. Many chose Long

Island, while a smaller number headed west to

New Jersey.

Bob’s Uncle Frank and Aunt Sadie had moved to

Dupont Avenue in the Hopatcong Hills section

of Hopatcong in 1952. After spending time with

them there, Bob’s parents decided to follow.

In 1956, Salvatore and Marie Benedetto, along

with children Bill, Rich, Bob and Mary moved to

Jefferson Trail in the Hopatcong Hills to start a

new life.

Bob was enrolled in fourth grade at the River

Styx School (also known over the years as

Hudson Maxim School). At the time, Lake

Hopatcong was still overwhelmingly seasonal,

with a small year-round population. The

Benedetto family moved just as things were

starting to change. With a permanent population

just over 1,000 in 1950, Hopatcong would reach

38

Historic photos courtesy of

BOB BENEDETTO


Benedetto (third from left) with siblings and cousins

at River Styx Cove in Hopatcong in 1959.


some 3,300 by 1960. (In 2010,

the population would plateau

at more than 15,000.) Bob

attended St. Michael’s School

in Netcong for seventh and

eighth grades before going on

to graduate from Sparta High

School in 1964. (As Hopatcong

High School would not be built

until 1970, Hopatcong students

were bused to Sparta in these

years. Bob’s old brother, Rich,

was in the Sparta graduating

class two years before with another Hopatcong

celebrity—Janet Adams, who grew up on Stone

Avenue and became Miss New Jersey 1963 and

later a Hollywood actress.)

Bob came from a classic Italian family where

relatives gathered on Sundays and holidays.

There was always a musical component to go

with the food.

“Uncle Frank was the family musician. He

played professionally and often on a New York

City radio station,” said Bob. He said his uncle

studied violin as a boy, playing an instrument

made by his father, Antonino, a cabinet maker

working for the Steinway Piano Company.

“[Uncle Frank] taught music to me, my siblings

and cousins. We all played musical instruments.”

Bob chose the guitar and soon took weekly

Bob Benedetto outside his guitar shop on Stanhope Sparta Road

in Hopatcong in 1975.

Benedetto, right, with his band Velvet Tones (Ed Grogan, Ralph

Puco, Paul Rampone and Kevin Mahony) at Feuerstein’s Tavern in

Hopatcong in 1960.

lessons with his uncle. Playing for an audience

was encouraged and early on, Bob, his siblings

and cousins played in a group they called the

Swingin’ B’s.

While the love and pursuit of art and music

were widespread, another skill ran deep in Bob’s

family that would shape his destiny. Bob’s father

was also a skilled cabinetmaker and part of three

generations of woodworking craftsmen. He

passed this love and skill to his son. One of Bob’s

first creations was a mini replica of his Uncle

Mike’s guitar. (He was another relative whose

influence would shape Bob’s career.) During his

teen years, he would carve quite a selection of

miniature guitars.

In eighth grade, Bob and some friends formed

a small band, the Velvet Tones. They played

music popular with his

parents’ generation and

were able to get local

work. Their gigs included

the Villa at Bertrand Island

Park, as well as popular

Hopatcong establishments

like Feuerstein’s Tavern, the

Rainbow Inn and the Mad

House. Bob said he has

many fond memories of

growing up in Hopatcong,

including many of playing

at the local taverns.

After graduating high

school in 1964, Bob spent

four years in the Air

This 2005 Bravo prototype guitar is prominently

displayed in the Benedettos’ Florida home.

Force. He was able to stay connected with

his two passions—playing the guitar and

working on wood carvings. The year 1968 was

an incredibly transformative time in his life. In

March, his mother passed away, and in July he

was discharged and returned to Hopatcong. He

moved in with his father in a new house that had

been built by his father and brothers on Sparta

Stanhope Road.

Bob continued to follow his interest in

music by playing in local bands, first with the

Stardusters and later Limelite. It was at this time

he combined his love of music with his passion

for woodworking.

He opened a shop out of the house, with the

main part of the business repairing guitars. But

with a bigger goal in mind, in 1968 he crafted

the first “Benedetto guitar,” a jazz-inspired,

hand-carved archtop guitar, something he was

familiar with thanks to his Uncle Mike. Defined

as a hollow-body instrument with a curved top

and back that produces better sound and warm

tones, this type of guitar is commonly used in

jazz, blues and rockabilly.

When Bob started making archtop guitars in

Hopatcong, there was just a handful of wellknown

artisans producing these instruments in

America. With the approval of his father, he was

soon using the well-seasoned wood from the

kitchen table, and his sister’s bed for the necks

continued on p. 40

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(continued from p. 39)

of his new guitars while he established longterm

sources of supply.

While playing in a band in 1974, Bob met Cindy

Whyte at a New Jersey wedding reception she

was photographing. The following year, they

were married. She has been his full partner in

building the business through the years while

photographing and documenting his guitars and

their players.

Bob’s regular gigs in northern New Jersey led

him to become friendly with other guitarists.

These musicians would spread the gospel of

Bob’s amazing craftsmanship and the guitars

he was building at his small shop. By the 1970s,

jazz players Bucky Pizzarelli, Chuck Wayne, Joe

Diorio and Cal Collins were all playing on a

Benedetto archtop guitar. His reputation grew

and by the 1980s and 1990s, Johnny Smith, Jack

Wilkins, Ron Eschete, Martin Taylor, Howard

Alden, John Pizzarelli, Andy Summers, Jimmy

Bruno, Kenny Burrell and Pat Martino were also

using his guitars.

In 1976, Bob and Cindy decided to leave

New Jersey behind and moved to Homosassa

Springs, Florida, later setting up a shop in

Clearwater. The 1970s and 1980s were a low

point of interest in archtops, with many rock

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and pop (and some jazz and

blues) players switching to

other guitar styles. However,

Benedetto guitars helped

keep this style of guitar alive.

As interest in archtops was

revived in the 1990s, Bob

and Cindy relocated back

north to Marshalls Creek,

Pennsylvania. Bob pioneered

archtop guitar construction

classes and in 1994 he

authored what is considered

a landmark book, Making

an Archtop Guitar, and

followed that with his 1996

instructional video, Archtop Guitar

Design & Construction.

After 10 years in Pennsylvania, the

Benedettos moved back to Florida as

Bob entered into a licensing agreement

with Fender Musical Instruments to

produce his models—under his training

and supervision—in their shop.

In 2006, Benedetto ended his licensing

agreement with Fender and partnered

with businessman/guitarist Howard Paul

to open a small manufacturing facility in

Savannah, Georgia, to make a full line of

archtop guitars.

This year, Benedetto Guitars Inc. is

celebrating its 20th anniversary in

Savannah. The guitars are built in Georgia by

a team of six craftsmen trained by Damon

Mailand, who worked at Bob’s side for eight

years and now spearheads manufacturing.

A Benedetto guitar remains the pinnacle of

craft, tone and beauty. It is estimated Bob has

personally handcrafted nearly 1,250 musical

instruments. Benedetto guitars have been

profiled extensively in books, magazines and

on television programs, not to mention being

played at countless recordings, soundtracks and

concerts worldwide.

They are part of the permanent collection of

the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum

From top: Benedetto in his Florida studio with one of his

guitars. While technically retired, Benedetto still spends

time in his studio carving and shaping guitars.

of American History and the National Guitar

Museum. Although his core clientele has always

been jazz guitarists, there have been many

contemporary players who also play Benedetto

guitars, including Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett,

Leo Kottke and the previously mentioned Andy

Summers.

While the Benedettos are now retired in Ocala,

Florida, Bob still makes an occasional guitar for

his personal pleasure at home.

It’s a long way from that first guitar built in

Hopatcong almost 60 years ago!

To learn more about Benedetto and his

guitars, visit benedettoguitars.com.

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Cooking With Scratch ©

by BARBARA SIMMONS


Pretzels with Scratch

Hello, faithful readers! I’m going to

approach this new column a bit

differently than those I’ve written in the past.

The detailed recipe instructions are part of

the story. I’ll follow with the ingredient list and

streamlined directions.

I want to initiate you all into the world of

baking with yeast.

So many of us are terrified by it, and I’m here

to banish your fears. I taught my 3 ½-year-old

grandson to bake yeasted breads and pretzels

this winter and I’m sure I (Oma) can teach you,

too.

Julien, my grandson, loves a project. Being a

retired teacher, I love to come up with a lesson

plan for the day. My granddaughter, Sadie,

who is almost 2, joined us for our last pretzel

session and seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. I

now have two fine baker’s apprentices!

Making pretzels from scratch needs a little

bit of do-ahead work. It also takes about two

hours to get the dough ready, so there is time

for a nap about halfway in.

Yes, it’s a process, but what a great thing to

learn as a kid.

Pretzels are made with a yeasted dough, so

the first thing we do is wake up the yeast. It

is a living organism, sold dried in “suspended

animation,” and I always proof it before I use it.

This step lets you know if the yeast is alive and

will raise your dough. (Yeast is sold in packs of

three, in case you kill it on the first try!)

Start by adding warm water to a measuring

cup. How hot should the water be, you may

ask? Well, if you’ve ever given a baby a bath,

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you know. You don’t need a $100 instant

read digital thermometer to measure the

temperature—just run the kitchen tap until

the water feels slightly warm on the inside of

your wrist. Not too hot, not too cold. If you

do have a thermometer, the pros say around

105 F.

Pour the water into a large glass measuring

cup. Dissolve the sugar into the warm water,

so that the yeast has something to eat, then

cut the packet of yeast open and sprinkle it

over the top. You don’t have to mix this in.

We cover the measuring cup with a damp

dishtowel and bring it into our living room and

put it up on the mantle over the woodstove.

It’s nice and warm up there in the winter, but

any draft-free spot in your house will work just

fine.

After 10 minutes or so, we check the measuring

cup on the mantle to see if the yeast is bubbly

and foamy (it’s ALIVE). These bubbles are what

will make your bread (or pretzels) rise. We then

bring it back into the kitchen and get started

with the mixing process.

The following steps are pretty much the same

in most yeasted bread recipes. Making pretzels

differs from other types of bread baking just

at the very end of the process.

We measure the flour into my largest bowl.

I ask Julien to make a “volcano” (a well) in the

center of the flour, and then we gently pour

in the proofed yeast mixture and the cooled

melted butter with the salt mixed into it.

By hand, (and he loves this part—the flour

feels so nice, so silky) Julien scoops some of

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The author with her grandchildren, Sadie and

Julien Simmons.

the flour from the edges of the well to cover

up the yeast. This protects the yeast from

direct contact with the salt in the butter

(which can kill it) and prevents the ingredients

from sticking together.

I have him mix the flour and proofed yeast

mixture with a big wooden spoon and help

him out when the dough gets harder to stir.

Now it is time to knead the dough.

I have a very big cutting board that we use

for kneading. We sprinkle the board with flour,

then drop the shaggy dough mass out of the

bowl onto it and sprinkle it with some more

flour. Julien objects to how sticky the dough is

at first and doesn’t like how it makes his fingers

stick together. He’s learning that once he starts

really kneading, all of that excess dough will

pull off his fingers and get mixed into the

dough ball.

We take turns, adding flour as we go until the

dough feels right (a tiny bit glossy, smooth,

cool and just very slightly moist). We then put

the dough ball into a big bowl, greased with

Pam cooking spray, and cover it with that same

damp dishtowel and set it up on the mantle

again.

It’s nap time!

The dough needs about an hour to double

in bulk. You can check the dough by poking a

finger into it; if it springs back, it’s ready.

You can make the pretzels at this point, or

refrigerate the dough overnight, covered, then

shape, boil and bake off the pretzels the next

day.

Shaping the dough is more fun than playing

with Play-Doh, and tastes better, too.

With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough

into small portions, about 1/3 cup (75 grams)

each. Roll each piece of dough into a 20–22-

inch rope, flattening the air bubbles out of the

dough as you go. Julien is pretty good at this.

If you want to make the classic pretzel shape,

form a circle with the dough rope by bringing

the two ends together at the top of the circle.

Twist the ends together twice, then bring the

twisted ends back down towards yourself and

press them down to form the pretzel. Try to

keep the loops fairly large. The kids have a

lot of fun coming up with all kinds of original

pretzel shapes. Last time we had turtles,

bunnies, snails and a few other odd creatures.

Set your pretzels aside on a clean plate or

cutting board and get ready to finish.

Boiling the pretzels in a water-baking soda

solution is what gives them their chewy

texture and sheen. I usually do this, so it’s good

to have Opa (my husband, Aaron) or Mom (my

daughter-in-law, Brittney) or Tante Erika (my

daughter) nearby to distract the kids.

Drop two pretzels at a time into a large soup

pot and boil for 20-30 seconds. Place each on a

parchment-lined baking sheet, top with coarse

salt, seeds or everything bagel seasoning, then

bake for 12-15 minutes until dark golden brown.

After taking them out of the oven, brush the

pretzels with melted butter.

We love these pretzels with coarse deli

mustard, cheese dip or just plain. This is such a

fun, satisfying project. I hope you try it!

INGREDIENTS

Yields: about 12

Strawberries are in —

and so much more

• 1 ½ cups warm water (around 105 F)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 standard packet instant or active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled, divided (1 tablespoon for the dough,

2 for brushing the pretzels after baking)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus 1 additional cup to be added as needed

• Toppings: coarse salt, sesame seeds or everything bagel seed mixture

• Cooking spray (Pam)

Baking soda bath:

• ½ cup baking soda

• 9 cups water

DIRECTIONS

1. Proof the yeast in the warm water and sugar.

2. Add this mixture and 1 tablespoon melted butter, with the salt mixed in, to the flour.

Stir until combined.

3. Knead, adding additional flour as necessary until the texture is firm and smooth.

4. Transfer dough to a large, greased bowl. Let rise, covered for 1 hour, or until doubled

in bulk.

5. Preheat oven to 400 F.

6. Shape 1/3 cup portions of dough into ropes, then form into pretzels.

7. Boil pretzels in water-baking soda solution for 20-30 seconds. Transfer to a

parchment-lined cookie sheet, top with coarse salt or seeds and bake for 12-15 minutes

until dark golden brown. Brush the pretzels with the rest of the butter and eat them

warm.

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www.AlstedeFarms.com

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Naturally Speaking

by CAITLIN DORAN

Can Repair Cafés Save the World?

Thanks in part to a constant, nearly instant,

delivery system of news, both local and

global problems loom especially large these

days. The feeling of Weltschmerz is a hard

thing to combat in 2026 with wars, the threat

of climate change and political discord taking

up bigger spaces in our brains and in our lives.

During these times of strife, may I order you

some hope from your local Repair Café?

Repair Cafés are free neighborhood meeting

places where people get together to help

each other repair broken items, keeping them

out of landfills. At Repair Cafés, you’ll find

familiar faces: neighbors, friends, folks you’ve

seen standing in line at the grocery store or

post office. They’re volunteering their time,

fixing everything from broken lamps to

busted bicycles—even sharpening dull knives

and sewing holes in clothes.

Repair Cafés are generally organized into

specialized stations, where volunteers with

a declared expertise get to work fixing and

mending everything from small appliances to

textiles.

The environmental benefits of Repair Cafés—

breathing a second life into salvageable items

instead of adding to the burden of our everincreasing

waste stream—may seem obvious,

but they’re worth highlighting here.

Consider the types of items that make

their way to the café, like clothes in need of

mending. Thanks to the influx of “fast fashion”

—trendy, high-volume, low-quality clothing

at very cheap prices—100 billion garments

are produced annually, with a mind-bending

87% ending up incinerated or in landfills,

according to the United Nations Environment

Programme.

In terms of water use, the fashion industry is

Earth’s second-largest water consumer behind

agriculture. It uses 93 billion cubic meters

of water annually—or enough to meet the

consumption needs of five million people. As

for its carbon footprint, the fashion industry

contributes 10% or more than the emissions

from international flights and maritime

shipping combined!

Such staggering numbers demand that we


stem the tide of textile waste by becoming

more thoughtful consumers, but also by

introducing a simple solution: mend the

clothes we own.

Repair Cafés can help.

This brings us to an equally important, if less

quantifiable, benefit of Repair Cafés. If these

cafés offer a solution to dealing with wasteful

overabundance, they also offer something we

are at risk of running deeper deficits in: good

old-fashioned community.

When I attended my first Repair Café last

February at the Rutherford Public Library, I

was greeted by smiling faces, eager to chat

and help fix my item. The Lake Hopatcong

Foundation office had a tabletop shredder

that had lost its will to shred, and I was

determined to fix it.

While I waited, I befriended several other

“patients,” and we marveled at the room full

of “doctors,” one reviving a waffle maker from

the 1950s. “It worked right up until this year,”

the owner proudly declared. And so ensued

pleasant conversation about how things were

formerly built to last.

As it happened, my little tabletop shredder

was prohibitively difficult to fix and came

home with me. Planned obsolescence in our

current retail culture could fill up an entire

column and is a much harder thing to repair.

The shredder awaits a second surgery…

However, this experience brought out so

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much nutritious interaction, the kind that

more and more news articles declare our

society is starving for. The link between

connectedness and social well-being is well

documented, and a recent study found that

talking to strangers might even make you

happier.

It has to do with “relational diversity” or

the mix of interactions with different social

groups that you experience in a day. Here was

a group of people from all backgrounds—me

and my shredder, an elderly couple with a

broken waffle maker, a volunteer repair man, a

Boy Scout who was looking on and learning—

all coming together to help each other and

talk about life (and waffles).

It might have taken me until 2025 to attend

my first Repair Café, but the movement has

been around far longer. It was initiated by

Martine Postma, a Dutch environmentalist

and former journalist. She organized the

very first one in Amsterdam on October 18,

2009, sparking a global initiative that has since

spawned 2,500 cafés worldwide, including

one right here in the Lake Hopatcong region.

In the Spring of 2025, a partnership among

the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, the Roxbury

Public Library and the Township of Roxbury

brought the Roxbury Repair Café to life. At

that first event, we triaged 77 items. This past

fall and spring, we repeated the event and

repaired even more things.

Seeing people come together to help, talk,

listen, teach, learn and laugh, is quite the

hopeful thing. I highly recommend it.

So, take a look around your home for

appliances on the fritz, broken jewelry,

bicycles with flat tubes or clothes in need

of mending before the next Repair Café

on Saturday, October 17 at Roxbury Fire

Company #2.

Because even if, like me, you walk away with

an unfixable item, you’ll have gained quite a

bit of faith in your community.

And you might find yourself coming back for

a second helping of hope.

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Directory

AUTOMOTIVE

Sebrings Automotive

973-398-1444

CONSTRUCTION/

EXCAVATION

Al Hutchins Excavating

973-663-2142

973-713-8020

Lakeside Construction

151 Sparta-Stanhope Rd., Hopatcong

973-398-4517

Northwest Explosives

PO Box 806, Hopatcong

973-398-6900

info@northwestexplosives.com

Prospect Point Construction

157 R 181, LH

973-663-0167

prospectpointconstruction.com

Robertson Excavating

973-398-9476

ENTERTAINMENT/

RECREATION

The AMP Arts

1 West Blackwell St., Dover

973-663-0167

richardsbuilding-dover.com/the-amp

Dover Sportsplex

111 Bassett Highway, Dover

973-620-8216

doversportsplex.com

Lake Hopatcong Adventure Company

37 Nolan’s Pt. Park Rd., LH

973-663-1944

lhadventureco.com

Lake Hopatcong Cruises

Miss Lotta (Dinner Boat)


973-663-5000

lhcruises.com

Lake Hopatcong Mini Golf Club


973-663-0451

lhgolfclub.com

Mitchko Mountain Recreation Area

101 Compton-Gobel Rd., Wharton

Roxbury Arts Alliance

72 Eyland Ave., Succasunna

973-945-0284

roxburyartsalliance.org

HOME SERVICES

Central Comfort

100 Nolan’s Point Rd., LH

973-361-2146

Dixon Energy

973-334-1000

DixonBros.com

Evening Star

LED Deck/Dock Lights

eveningstarlighting.com

Homestead Lawn Sprinkler

5580 Berkshire Valley Rd., OR

973-208-0967

homesteadlawnsprinkler.com

Jefferson Recycling

710 Route 15 N Jefferson

973-361-1589

jefferson-recycling.com

Magnum Waste Services

973-737-2200

magnumseptic.com

Metro Supply & Service

201 Green Pond Rd., Rockaway

973-627-7626

metrosupply.com

The Polite Plumber

973-398-0875

thepoliteplumber.com

Window Genie

973-726-6555

windowgenie.com/northwest-nj

LAKE SERVICES

AAA Dock & Marine

27 Prospect Point Rd., LH

973-663-4998

docksmarina@hotmail.com

Batten The Hatches

70 Rt. 181, LH

973-663-1910

facebook.com/bthboatcovers

Lake Management Sciences

Branchville

973-948-0107

lakemgtsciences.com

MARINAS

Flash Watersports & Marina

151 NJ-181, Lake Hopatcong

973-663-7990

flashmarina.com

Lake’s End Marina

91 Mt. Arlington Blvd., Landing

973-398-5707

lakesendmarina.net

West Shore Marine

453 River Styx Rd., Hopatcong

973-398-8500

NONPROFITS

Lake Hopatcong Commission

260 Lakeside Blvd.,Landing

973-601-7801

commissioner@lakehopatcongcommission.org

Lake Hopatcong Elks

201 Howard Blvd, MA

973-668-9302

Lake Hopatcong Foundation

125 Landing Rd., Landing

973-663-2500

lakehopatcongfoundation.org

Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum

260 Lakeside Blvd., Landing

973-398-2616

lakehopatconghistory.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Diversified Properties

973-810-3950

jeffersonplacenj.com

Fox Architectural Design

546 Rte. 10 W, Ledgewood

973-970-9355

foxarch.com

REAL ESTATE

Kathleen Courter

RE/MAX

131 Landing Rd., Roxbury

973-420-0022 Direct

KathySellsNJHomes.com

Robin Dora

Sotheby’s International

670 Main St., Towaco

973-570-6633

thedoragroup.com

Christopher J. Edwards

RE/MAX

211 Rt. 10E, Succasunna

973-598-1008

MrLakeHopatcong.com

Karen Foley

Sotheby’s International

973-906-5021

karen.foley@sothebysrealty.com

Jim Leffler

RE/MAX

131 Landing Rd., Roxbury

201-919-5414

jimleff.rmx@gmail.com

RESTAURANTS & BARS

Alice’s Restaurant


973-663-9600


Big Fish Lounge At Alice’s


973-663-9600


The Windlass Restaurant

45 Nolan’s Point Park Rd., LH

973-663-3190

thewindlass.com

SENIOR CARE

Preferred Care at Home

George & Jill Malanga/Owners

973-512-5131

PreferHome.com/nwjersey

SPECIALTY STORES

All Roads Baked Good & Coffee

694 NJ 15 South, LH

973-885-4391

@allroadsvegan

Alstede Fresh @ Lindeken

54 NJ Rt 15 N, Wharton

908-879-7189

AlstedeFarms.com

Black Bear Fitness

681 NJ-15 S, LH

blackbearfitness.com

Hawk Ridge Farm

283 Espanong Rd, LH

hawkridgefarmnj.com

Hearth & Home

1215 Rt. 46, Ledgewood

973-252-0190

hearthandhome.net

Helrick’s Custom Framing

158 W Clinton St., Dover

973-361-1559

helricks.com

Main Lake Market

234 S. NJ Ave., LH

973-663-0544

mainlakemarket.com

Melanie's Custom Coverings

Lake Hopatcong

973-627-3021

melaniescustomcoverings.com

Orange Carpet & Wood Gallery

470 Rt. 10W, Ledgewood

973-584-5300

orange-carpet.com

STORAGE

Woodport Self Storage

17 Rt. 181 & 20 Tierney Rd., LH

973-663-4000



Nolan’s Point Park Rd., Lake Hopatcong

livethelakenj.com • 973.663.2490 • Connect with us!

LivetheLakeNJ

A Timeless Lakefront Masterpiece

Rare 1904 Stickley Craftsman Lakefront Retreat

EXCLUSIVELY PRESENTED BY KATHLEEN COURTER

SCHEDULE YOUR PRIVATE TOUR TODAY 973.420.0022

House Values

131 Landing Road

Landing, NJ 07850

973.770.7777

Kathleen Courter

“the difference between listed & sold”

Built circa 1904 and commissioned by Gustav Stickley as a

summer retreat on Lake Hopatcong, The Estate at Windemere

is one of the few privately owned Stickley-designed homes

known in New Jersey. Located in Mount Arlington’s historic

Windemere waterfront section, this remarkable property

reflects the craftsmanship and natural design philosophy of

the American Arts & Crafts movement. This home features

rich hardwood millwork, exposed beams, custom builtins,

broad lake-facing windows, sleeping porches, and four

fireplaces with original tilework. Set on approximately .64

acres with over 100 feet of deep-water frontage, the estate

offers expansive lake views and spectacular sunsets. The

home includes four levels of living space, an in-law suite,

balcony-level rooms, generous parking, and a detached threecar

garage. A finished boathouse adds exceptional guest

space with a bedroom, full bath, and open gathering room

leading to a covered waterfront porch. Just one hour from

New York City, The Estate at Windemere is a rare opportunity

to own a significant piece of historic craftsmanship, blending

architectural pedigree with premier lakefront living.

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR!

www.kathysellslakehomes.com

2026 MEMORIAL DAY

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