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INFORMING, SERVING AND CELEBRATING THE LAKE REGION<br />
ake Hopatcong News<br />
FOURTH OF JULY <strong>2023</strong> VOL. 15 NO. 3<br />
All Their Children<br />
Over 2 Decades, A Landing Couple Welcomed 39 Foster Children To their Home<br />
THRIFT SHOP BARGAINS<br />
STAR GAZING<br />
CARVING OUT A NICHE<br />
DESIGNING STUDENTS
Landscape Supply • Dumpster Rentals • Recycling Facility • Pavers & Outdoor Living<br />
Landscape Supply • Dumpster Rentals • Recycling Facility • Pavers & Outdoor Living<br />
Happy 4 th <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong>!<br />
Happy 4 th <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong>!<br />
LOCATED UNDER<br />
THE FLAG ON RT. 15<br />
LOCATED UNDER<br />
THE FLAG ON RT. 15
<strong>2023</strong> Wade Martin<br />
<strong>2023</strong> Wade Martin<br />
<strong>2023</strong> <strong>2023</strong> Forbes Best-In-State<br />
Wealth Advisors<br />
Forbes<br />
Forbes<br />
Best-In-State<br />
Best-In-State<br />
Wealth Advisors<br />
Wealth Advisors<br />
Wealth Advisors<br />
RBC Wealth Management is proud to recognize Wade Martin <strong>of</strong> the Martin Wealth<br />
RBC Wealth Management is proud to recognize Wade Martin <strong>of</strong> the Martin Wealth<br />
Management Group as a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor in <strong>2023</strong>.<br />
Management Group as a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor in <strong>2023</strong>.<br />
We are proud <strong>of</strong> our commitment to the clients we serve and to the areas where we live<br />
We are and proud work. <strong>of</strong> In our the community, commitment Wade to the Martin clients is involved we serve in clean and water to the initiatives. areas where At work, we live<br />
and work. Wade In takes the a community, distinctive approach Wade Martin to wealth is involved planning to in help clean clients water achieve initiatives. their At work,<br />
Wade dreams takes a through distinctive various approach wealth strategies, to wealth including planning investments, to help clients cash management,<br />
achieve their<br />
dreams estate through planning various services, wealth land strategies, preservation, including philanthropic investments, efforts and cash more. management,<br />
estate Please planning join us services, in congratulating land preservation, Wade for philanthropic serving his community efforts and more. on his<br />
noteworthy Forbes honor.<br />
Please join us in congratulating Wade for serving his community and on his<br />
noteworthy Forbes honor.<br />
Martin Wealth Management Group<br />
Wade Martin<br />
Martin Managing Wealth Director Management – Financial Advisor Group<br />
Wade Martin<br />
(609) 936-6411 | wade.martin@rbc.com<br />
Managing Director – Financial Advisor<br />
www.martinwmg.com<br />
(609) 936-6411 | wade.martin@rbc.com<br />
www.martinwmg.com<br />
Zach Martin, Maria Gaspari, Wade Martin, Noah Wiegand,<br />
Leah Zikoski, Brett Scharf, Arthur Martin, Allison Delay<br />
Investment and insurance products <strong>of</strong>fered through RBC Wealth Management are not insured by the FDIC or<br />
Zach any Martin, other Maria federal Gaspari, government Wade Martin, agency, Noah Wiegand, are not deposits or other obligations <strong>of</strong>, or guaranteed by, a bank or any<br />
Leah bank Zikoski, affiliate, Brett Scharf, and Arthur are subject Martin, to Allison investment Delay risks, including possible loss <strong>of</strong> the principal amount invested.<br />
The <strong>2023</strong> Forbes “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” award was announced April <strong>2023</strong>. Data as <strong>of</strong> 6/30/2022. The award was developed by SHOOK Research and is based<br />
on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component <strong>of</strong> a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention,<br />
nvestment industry experience, and insurance review <strong>of</strong> compliance products records, <strong>of</strong>fered firm nominations; through and quantitative RBC Wealth criteria, including: Management assets under management are not and insured revenue generated by the for their FDIC firms. or<br />
ny other Investment federal performance government is not a criterion agency, because client are objectives not deposits and risk tolerances or other vary, and obligations advisors rarely have <strong>of</strong>, audited or performance guaranteed reports. by, Rankings a bank are based or any<br />
on the opinions <strong>of</strong> SHOOK Research, LLC and not indicative <strong>of</strong> future performance or representative <strong>of</strong> any one client’s experience. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research<br />
ank affiliate, and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss <strong>of</strong> the principal amount invested.<br />
receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. The financial advisor does not pay a fee to be considered for or to receive this award. This award does not<br />
he <strong>2023</strong> evaluate Forbes “Best-In-State the quality <strong>of</strong> services Wealth provided Advisors” to clients. award This was is announced not indicative April <strong>of</strong> this <strong>2023</strong>. financial Data advisor’s as <strong>of</strong> 6/30/2022. future performance. The award For was more developed information: by www.SHOOKresearch.com.<br />
Research and is bas<br />
n in-person RBC and Wealth telephone Management due does diligence not provide meetings tax or legal to evaluate advice. All each decisions advisor regarding qualitatively, the tax or legal a major implications component <strong>of</strong> your <strong>of</strong> investments a ranking should algorithm be made that in connection includes: with client your retentio<br />
ndustry experience, independent review tax or legal <strong>of</strong> compliance advisor. No information, records, firm including nominations; but not limited and quantitative to written materials, criteria, provided including: by RBC assets WM should under management be construed as and legal, revenue accounting generated or tax advice. for their firm<br />
nvestment © performance <strong>2023</strong> RBC Wealth is not Management, a criterion a because division <strong>of</strong> client RBC Capital objectives Markets, and LLC, risk registered tolerances investment vary, and adviser advisors and rarely Member have NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. audited performance reports. 23-PI-01425 Rankings (06/23) are bas<br />
n the opinions <strong>of</strong> SHOOK Research, LLC and not indicative <strong>of</strong> future performance or representative <strong>of</strong> any one client’s experience. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Resear<br />
eceive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. The financial advisor does not pay a fee to be considered for or to receive this award. This award does n
4<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
From the Editor<br />
Quite <strong>of</strong>ten I am invited to attend and asked to write about all sorts <strong>of</strong> events from a variety<br />
<strong>of</strong> organizations. It’s hard to say no—I don’t want anyone to feel their function isn’t worthy <strong>of</strong><br />
space in this magazine. Most are.<br />
Deciding which event to cover is simple, though.<br />
I have two main criteria when it comes to choosing to cover an event for the magazine.<br />
Timing, <strong>of</strong> course, is important. I want to make sure what I put in print is as up to date as possible.<br />
Sometimes, I come across something that I’d really like to see in the magazine, but the timing <strong>of</strong> the<br />
event just doesn’t work with the publication schedule. Maybe next year, I say to myself.<br />
The other criterion is the event itself. It can’t be a private function. If it’s not open to the public,<br />
whether it’s free admission or not, then I generally stay away.<br />
But sometimes—just sometimes—I’m talked into something I’m not quite sure makes sense for me<br />
to publish.<br />
This was the case with a cigar and bourbon cruise held in June on Miss Lotta, the dinner boat on Lake<br />
Hopatcong. (See page 30.)<br />
On the face <strong>of</strong> it, it’s not something I would usually consider for the magazine—and I’d been asked<br />
a few times if I would consider a story. I always balked, never really seeing a story beyond cigars and<br />
booze.<br />
But an exception was made once I found out this particular cruise would also be a fundraising event<br />
for the Lake Hopatcong Elks Lodge. Now I could see a story that had some meaning behind it, and I<br />
agreed that this cruise would be the social event page for the <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> issue.<br />
For clarity, I share an <strong>of</strong>fice with Lake Hopatcong Cruises in Nolan’s Point and pretty much know all<br />
there is to know about how Miss Lotta operates. I also know the crew.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> those crew members is Capt. Lee Moreau. He’s how this all got started, making little mentions<br />
<strong>of</strong> the fundraising cruise whenever he was in the <strong>of</strong>fice. Never pushy, just persistent.<br />
If you know Lee from Miss Lotta or his role with the Lake Hopatcong Foundation—a lot <strong>of</strong> you know<br />
him—you know the type <strong>of</strong> guy he is.<br />
He’s an ideas man, always thinking <strong>of</strong> how best to bring the community together. The annual Veteran’s<br />
Cruise around Lake Hopatcong? His idea. The Live from the Lake interactive cruise? Also, his idea.<br />
The Lake Hopatcong Foundation’s annual Block Party? Not his idea, but he and his crew execute the<br />
event with such precision, he’s become synonymous with it.<br />
The cigar and bourbon cruises on the boat? His idea, and on this night, he was a very willing<br />
participant, I might add. No worries though, he was <strong>of</strong>f duty.<br />
(For the record, while I do enjoy the aroma <strong>of</strong> most cigars, I did not smoke one during the event. Not<br />
my thing. I did try some <strong>of</strong> the bourbons, though. They all had a terrific, sweet, smooth scent, which<br />
is what I expected to taste on my tongue. How could my nose be so wrong? The flavor is never as<br />
smooth as your nose would lead you to believe.)<br />
The photo? My homage to Lee. Fun, yes, but also so much respect.<br />
Speaking <strong>of</strong> respect, please read the cover story for this issue. (See page 22.)<br />
Writer Melissa Summers pr<strong>of</strong>iles Carla Suitt, who, along with her husband James, matter-<strong>of</strong>-factly<br />
fostered 39 children in their Landing home over the course <strong>of</strong> a<br />
couple <strong>of</strong> decades. Many <strong>of</strong> these children—now adults—have<br />
stayed in touch with the Suitts all these years later.<br />
Melissa has known Carla for about a decade since Carla helped<br />
with child care for one <strong>of</strong> Melissa’s three children. She speaks the<br />
world <strong>of</strong> her.<br />
“She has a knack for kids. She respects them, they in turn<br />
respect her,” said Melissa.<br />
—Karen<br />
ake Hopatcong News<br />
THRIFT SHOP BARGINS<br />
STAR GAZING<br />
INFORMING, SERVING AND CELEBRATING THE LAKE REGION<br />
All Their Children<br />
FOURTH OF JULY <strong>2023</strong> VOL. 15 NO. 3<br />
For Decades, A Landing Couple Welcomed 39 Foster Children to their Home<br />
CARVING OUT A NICHE<br />
DESIGNING STUDENTS<br />
ON THE COVER<br />
Main photo: Carla and James Suitt in<br />
their home.<br />
Collage: A collection <strong>of</strong> family photos<br />
courtesy <strong>of</strong> the Suitt family.<br />
—Top photo by Karen Fucito<br />
KAREN FUCITO<br />
Editor<br />
editor@lakehopatcongnews.com<br />
973-663-2800<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />
Michael Stephen Daigle<br />
Melissa Summers<br />
Maria Vogel-Short<br />
Ellen Wilkowe<br />
COLUMNISTS<br />
Marty Kane<br />
Heather Shirley<br />
Barbara Simmons<br />
EDITING AND LAYOUT<br />
Maria DaSilva-Gordon<br />
Randi Cirelli<br />
ADVERTISING SALES<br />
Lynn Keenan<br />
advertising@lakehopatcongnews.com<br />
973-222-0382<br />
PRINTING<br />
Imperial Printing & Graphics, Inc.<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
Camp Six, Inc.<br />
10 Nolan’s Point Park Road<br />
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849<br />
LHN OFFICE LOCATED AT:<br />
37 Nolan’s Point Park Road<br />
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849<br />
To sign up for<br />
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Lake Hopatcong News<br />
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973-663-2800<br />
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Lake Hopatcong News is published seven times a<br />
year between April and November and is <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
free at more than 200 businesses throughout the<br />
lake region. It is available for home delivery for<br />
a nominal fee. The contents <strong>of</strong> Lake Hopatcong<br />
News may not be reprinted in any form without<br />
prior written permission from the editor. Lake<br />
Hopatcong News is a registered trademark <strong>of</strong><br />
Lake Hopatcong News, LLC. All rights reserved.
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3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms<br />
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Hopatcong, N.J.: ‘We Call It Lake Life’<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 5
Something for Everyone at New Hope Thrift Shop<br />
Story by ELLEN WILKOWE<br />
Photos by Karen Fucito<br />
The parking lot <strong>of</strong> the Milton United<br />
Methodist Church on the corner <strong>of</strong><br />
Milton and Dover Milton Roads was jampacked,<br />
except there was no service, unless<br />
you count the customer service inside the New<br />
Hope Thrift Shop.<br />
It was barely noon on a summer-like<br />
Wednesday in May and a steady stream <strong>of</strong><br />
customers filtered in and out <strong>of</strong> the store,<br />
donating and purchasing—there was lots <strong>of</strong><br />
purchasing.<br />
“You can’t come here and not buy something,”<br />
said longtime volunteer Rose Lang, who was<br />
working the register alongside volunteer Joan<br />
DeYoung.<br />
Founded by Jefferson residents Jim<br />
Wildermuth, Dottie Leonard and Carol Robins,<br />
New Hope opened its historic doors to the<br />
public in 2014, six years after the church<br />
decommissioned the 1824 chapel and after the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> its new church was completed<br />
at the other end <strong>of</strong> the parking lot.<br />
“The thrift shop had been in people’s<br />
thoughts for some time, but we had no place<br />
to put it,” said Leonard.<br />
Lang and DeYoung are just two in a pool<br />
<strong>of</strong> about 20 dedicated volunteers who pour<br />
their hearts into keeping the New Hope Thrift<br />
Shop and its customers humming along. Many<br />
volunteers are members <strong>of</strong> the Milton United<br />
Methodist Church or represent other churches<br />
in town.<br />
The “build it and they will come” adage<br />
applies here, as the customers keep on coming<br />
and coming back for more, particularly the<br />
hard-core thrifters.<br />
“We’ll have people come several times a day,”<br />
said Wildermuth.<br />
According to Leonard, Wildermuth was<br />
instrumental in transforming the vacated church<br />
building into a thriving thrift store—and in the<br />
record time <strong>of</strong> about a week, to boot. “All <strong>of</strong><br />
the shelving that looks like new wood—that’s<br />
all Jim,” she said. “As we needed more room, he<br />
would come up with it.”<br />
That includes the overflow outside: A large<br />
tent on the lawn houses everything from<br />
kitchenware to furniture to sporting goods. A<br />
row <strong>of</strong> tables is covered with piles <strong>of</strong> clothes<br />
and large framed artwork is displayed at the<br />
base <strong>of</strong> two storage sheds.<br />
Inside, the store takes on a micro department<br />
store-like setup as items are categorized and<br />
placed accordingly into sections that include<br />
clothing, accessories, housewares, toys and<br />
games. There’s even a mixed media section<br />
complete with old-school CDs and DVDs and,<br />
<strong>of</strong> course, books.<br />
Customers with their hands full but who still<br />
want to continue shopping can stash their finds<br />
into individual cubbies mounted on a wall next<br />
to the checkout area.<br />
Adjacent to the toy section and behind<br />
the scenes, several volunteers serve as quality<br />
control monitors, tackling bags and boxes full<br />
<strong>of</strong> new donations and pricing them accordingly.<br />
“Prices are set to move [items],” said board<br />
member Barbara Horacek. “So, they’re priced a<br />
little less.”<br />
Exhibit A: a woven picnic basket in perfect<br />
condition ticketed for a mere $3.<br />
“You never know what you’re going to find.<br />
It’s always different,” said Wildermuth. “Where<br />
else can you go buy a pair <strong>of</strong> pants for $2—<br />
brand new ones with tags still on them.”<br />
The proceeds from sales directly benefit<br />
the church—while the store itself benefits<br />
the entire community. This is exactly what the<br />
founders had in mind during the planning phase.<br />
“We wanted to donate to the community<br />
and help local people,” Wildermuth said.<br />
The volunteers have built mutually beneficial<br />
relationships with organizations including the<br />
Jefferson Township Historical Society, which<br />
serves as instant beneficiaries <strong>of</strong> historical<br />
items that have made their way into the store<br />
as donations.<br />
“We have three women volunteers who<br />
belong to the historical society, so we put things<br />
aside for them,” Leonard said. Those items are<br />
used in the Jefferson Township Museum or sold<br />
in the museum’s shop.<br />
Exhibit B: on this recent Wednesday, the<br />
historical society was about to inherit a glass<br />
keepsake dated <strong>July</strong> 1863 and etched with<br />
“Made in Gettysburg” to drive the authenticity<br />
home.<br />
Also <strong>of</strong> historical interest was the<br />
donation <strong>of</strong> a 100-year-old Lake<br />
Hopatcong Yacht Club trophy. “We<br />
gave it to the commodore, and he<br />
was very happy,” Leonard said.<br />
The reciprocal relationship with<br />
the community also fans out to<br />
Jefferson Township High School,<br />
specifically special needs students<br />
who pitch in weekly to straighten up.<br />
New Hope is also the go-to<br />
destination for costumes and props<br />
for school plays.<br />
From top to bottom, left<br />
to right: Shoppers browse<br />
through shelves and racks<br />
looking for treasures. Mary<br />
Parr, Lynda MacDonald<br />
and Barbara Motchan<br />
sort through new arrivals.<br />
Founding members Dottie<br />
Leonard and Jim Wildermuth<br />
with board member Barbara<br />
Horacek. Antonia Pavlova<br />
contemplates purchasing a<br />
set <strong>of</strong> chimes.<br />
6<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
The Milton Rescue Squad also benefits<br />
from donations, specifically clothing that has<br />
overstayed its welcome on the racks.<br />
“Any clothing we do not sell or have been<br />
on the racks for a while, we give to the rescue<br />
squad,” said Leonard.<br />
With the thrift shop as the middleman, a<br />
partnership between the rescue squad and<br />
Turnkey Enterprises helps provide funding to<br />
the volunteer organization.<br />
Turnkey is a New Jersey-based business<br />
that purchases clothing from nonpr<strong>of</strong>its and<br />
repurposes the items for distribution to needy<br />
locations. The rescue squad is paid about 9<br />
cents per pound <strong>of</strong> clothing, said Leonard.<br />
Even donations that have sustained damage<br />
are assured a home, even if that home is<br />
unconventional.<br />
“Any glassware or plates that we can’t sell<br />
here, we give to the Rage Room in Pompton<br />
Lakes,” said Horacek <strong>of</strong> Jefferson. (In adhering<br />
to its name, the Rage Room is an entertainment<br />
venue that allows clients to release their anger<br />
by breaking items otherwise deemed fragile in<br />
a past life.)<br />
Damaged goods aside, the volunteers have<br />
seen their fair share <strong>of</strong> unusual finds discovered<br />
by customers that were paid forward—and<br />
back. This included a vintage cash register<br />
complete with a $100 bill that was donated<br />
right back to the store. And the purse with a<br />
bonus $20—the customer kept the purse but<br />
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not the money, said Leonard.<br />
On this recent Wednesday, Wildermuth was<br />
on-site, managing the overflow tent and making<br />
conversation with customers.<br />
He attests to the diehards who return several<br />
times a day and have become attuned to the<br />
inventory’s fast turnaround. Wildermuth is just<br />
as accustomed to the early birds, perched onsite<br />
before the store opens.<br />
Just ask Sandy Fumai <strong>of</strong> Milton, a thrift shop<br />
regular for a little over five years. It was word<strong>of</strong>-mouth<br />
that sent her here, and she has had<br />
many happy returns.<br />
“There are so many good finds in here,” she<br />
said, clutching a beer stein emblazoned with<br />
a Redcoat soldier. “And the people are really<br />
nice.”<br />
In addition to the beer stein, Fumai stocked<br />
up on a few CDs and DVDs. “Whatever catches<br />
my eye,” she said.<br />
Oak Ridge resident Barry Chan<strong>of</strong>sky has been<br />
a regular since the beginning, collecting china<br />
and crystal and scoring a Waterford bowl for<br />
$1, he said.<br />
“It’s unfortunate. It’s not a well-kept secret<br />
anymore,” he said half-jokingly.<br />
In addition to drawing regulars from the<br />
community, New Hope also attracts shoppers<br />
from surrounding areas, such as Kathleen and<br />
Fallon Pace from Stockholm.<br />
The mother-daughter thrift team were on<br />
the hunt for gifts and scored a few serving<br />
Become a part <strong>of</strong><br />
the lake’s history!<br />
Join our membership today at<br />
www.LakeHopatcongHistory.com<br />
plates in the process.<br />
The deep discounts or “steals” play an<br />
essential role in the store’s success, further<br />
cemented by location and word-<strong>of</strong>-mouth.<br />
“If it wasn’t for the community, we couldn’t<br />
do this year-round,” added volunteer Barbara<br />
Motchan <strong>of</strong> Jefferson. “One hand washes the<br />
other.”<br />
As for the future, Leonard has just one wish:<br />
“That somebody will eventually take over.”<br />
Perhaps they have some time to buy because<br />
the store also sells clocks.<br />
For more information about shop hours and<br />
donating, visit miltonumc.net/communityoutreach/new-hope-thrift-shop.<br />
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HOPATCONG $875,000 • Fully renovated 2 story lakefront house. Open floor plan. New siding, new ro<strong>of</strong>, new gas furnace,<br />
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Lake Hopatcong/Jefferson $2,700,000 • 340 feet <strong>of</strong> Lakefront<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 9
Left to right: Glenn Burke adjusts<br />
a telescope at the first star party at<br />
Hopatcong High School. Christine<br />
Munoz peers through a telescope<br />
to get a glimpse <strong>of</strong> Venus as<br />
Kristin Ransiear looks on.<br />
The Sky’s the Limit for New Club<br />
10<br />
Story by MICHAEL DAIGLE<br />
Photos by Karen Fucito<br />
Venus teased, dancing against infinite<br />
darkness as silver light from the rising,<br />
yet unseen moon feathered the edges <strong>of</strong> the<br />
clouds shifting across the opening sky.<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> the 20 or so astronomy fans<br />
gathered in the courtyard at Hopatcong High<br />
School on a chilly June Saturday night and<br />
peered into telescopes to frame the fluttering<br />
Venus crescent in the tiny circles <strong>of</strong> their lenses;<br />
others held one hand above their eyes to block<br />
the glare <strong>of</strong> security lights that illuminated the<br />
building. The bark <strong>of</strong> a fox broke the silence.<br />
The group gathered to celebrate the first<br />
star party <strong>of</strong> the Hopatcong Observatory<br />
Astronomy Club, the dream <strong>of</strong> Hopatcong<br />
resident Justin McCarthy, 23.<br />
McCarthy graduated from Stevens Institute<br />
<strong>of</strong> Technology in 2022 and works as a structural<br />
engineer for Titan Engineering.<br />
The party was also a celebration <strong>of</strong> the<br />
observatory that McCarthy built in 2018 for an<br />
Eagle Scout project while he was still in high<br />
school.<br />
The wooden shell, painted in Kelly green, the<br />
school’s colors, has a ro<strong>of</strong> that rolls open, walls<br />
filled with charts, an array <strong>of</strong> technology and<br />
a telescope trained on Polaris, the North Star.<br />
“The telescope tracks the movement <strong>of</strong><br />
Polaris,” McCarthy said, while on a smartphone<br />
he displayed the crescent image <strong>of</strong> Venus as<br />
seen through the telescope.<br />
Venus shows a crescent face when the sun is<br />
between the Earth and Venus, he said.<br />
The club is a registered 501(c)(3) and was<br />
established to support the observatory’s<br />
operation, upgrade the facility and fund a<br />
scholarship program for the high school.<br />
For McCarthy, the observatory melds two<br />
key interests: science and engineering and<br />
giving back to the community.<br />
Excited by the Apollo moon landings <strong>of</strong> the<br />
1960s, McCarthy, along with his father, Daniel<br />
McCarthy, and his uncle, Glenn Burke, attended<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
the Stellafane Convention in Vermont in 2014.<br />
He returned from the long-running<br />
astronomy event and gathering <strong>of</strong> amateur<br />
telescope makers inspired to create his own<br />
observatory. He also donated an 8-inch<br />
telescope, which was the first telescope used<br />
in the Hopatcong facility.<br />
“I thought it would be a neat idea,” McCarthy<br />
said.<br />
It also filled a need for a new observatory, he<br />
said, since Lenape Valley Regional High School<br />
had shuttered its facility. The next closest is<br />
the Greenwood Observatory at Jenny Jump<br />
State Forest in Hope, which is open April to<br />
November. The site is operated by the United<br />
Astronomy Clubs <strong>of</strong> New Jersey.<br />
The availability <strong>of</strong> a local observatory was<br />
what brought Dan Duran <strong>of</strong> Lake Hopatcong to<br />
the star party.<br />
Duran, an information technology engineer,<br />
said he got hooked on astronomy in 2015 and<br />
bought his own telescope. But between the<br />
distance to his job out <strong>of</strong> the lake region and<br />
the distance and part-time stature <strong>of</strong> the Jenny<br />
Jump observatory, he was frustrated by the<br />
lack <strong>of</strong> dark spaces to observe the universe.<br />
The Hopatcong observatory fits that need,<br />
he said, and he became a member <strong>of</strong> the club.<br />
Duran’s observation is central to McCarthy’s<br />
intent: It is not enough to just build something,<br />
but that something should have a purpose<br />
beyond the thing itself.<br />
The observatory is not a project about him,<br />
but fills a need he perceived<br />
as a lake region kid.<br />
“I was always interested<br />
in astronomy,” he said, “but<br />
growing up I realized there<br />
was a lack <strong>of</strong> places for kids<br />
like to me to explore.”<br />
Thus, the club’s mission:<br />
foster an interest in<br />
astronomy for the local<br />
public; host age-appropriate<br />
events for local students; host<br />
star parties for the general<br />
public; minimize light pollution<br />
in the surrounding area; and<br />
equip the observatory with<br />
new astronomy equipment.<br />
And the most far-reaching<br />
goal: establish an observatory<br />
scholarship for Hopatcong High<br />
School students.<br />
The lake region saw<br />
McCarthy’s combination <strong>of</strong> community<br />
spirit and engineering skills in 2021 when, as<br />
a member <strong>of</strong> a team <strong>of</strong> Stevens students, he<br />
worked to define the conditions that were<br />
needed to return the functionality <strong>of</strong> the<br />
historic fountain at Hopatcong State Park.<br />
The century-old fountain was designed as<br />
both a public display and water-leveling device<br />
but had deteriorated.<br />
His comments at that time reflect his<br />
approach to the observatory: It’s personal.<br />
“I used to work at the park and saw how<br />
dirty and broken the fountain was,” he said as<br />
he took part in the project. “It’s a part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
history here. I’ve seen the old photographs<br />
<strong>of</strong> families enjoying the fountain. It was built<br />
along Lakeside Boulevard so the public could<br />
enjoy it.”<br />
The fountain is expected to be ready for<br />
display at its 100th anniversary in 2024, he said.<br />
Like they did during the Stellafane<br />
Convention years earlier, McCarthy’s father<br />
and uncle also attended the June star party.<br />
Burke, his uncle, brought a homemade<br />
telescope, a lightweight spindly framed model<br />
that was ready to assemble.<br />
Burke and McCarthy’s father <strong>of</strong>fered proud<br />
support and admiration, as they had done<br />
when the project was in its infancy.<br />
The elder McCarthy, a longtime member<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Lake Hopatcong Commission, sees<br />
Justin McCarthy leads an astronomy lesson<br />
for those in attendance at the first star party at<br />
Hopatcong High School.
that spirit <strong>of</strong> community activism in his son’s<br />
observatory.<br />
But it’s more.<br />
“We see the photos taken by the large<br />
telescopes from space and they are astounding,”<br />
he said. “But with this observatory, we can<br />
stand here on this tiny spot in the universe and<br />
see those stars and planets for our self.”<br />
Christine Munoz, a Hopatcong Middle School<br />
science teacher, taught Justin McCarthy.<br />
Grinning, she couldn’t contain her sense <strong>of</strong><br />
pride and joy at his accomplishment.<br />
She said the observatory and events such<br />
as the star party will open up the possibility<br />
for local students to connect with science and<br />
astronomy in more concrete ways.<br />
Munoz said she was looking forward to the<br />
day when the observatory and its technology<br />
are better integrated into the school’s science<br />
classes.<br />
On that June night, while the clouds<br />
overhead flittered in and out, McCarthy, ever<br />
the task-focused engineer, <strong>of</strong>fered a litany <strong>of</strong><br />
space objects that might be viewed if the sky<br />
opened up, especially the bright moon and<br />
satellites.<br />
“Communication and weather satellites<br />
travel east to west,” he said. “Spy satellites fly<br />
north to south to better observe more <strong>of</strong> the<br />
planet.”<br />
While waiting for clear skies, McCarthy<br />
conducted the night’s astronomy lesson on<br />
the terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth<br />
and Mars.<br />
“Venus is one <strong>of</strong> the brightest objects in the<br />
sky, but is actually a dull brown when viewed,”<br />
he said. “That’s because <strong>of</strong> the dense cloud<br />
cover.”<br />
Mercury can be seen crossing the sun, an<br />
event called a transit. Mars is red because<br />
<strong>of</strong> iron. And Earth has weather and well, “it’s<br />
home,” he said.<br />
For information about the Hopatcong<br />
Observatory Astronomy Club, visit<br />
hopatcongobservatory.org.<br />
Follow the observatory at facebook.com/<br />
hopatcongobservatory.<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 11
Student Artists Paint<br />
Library Windows<br />
Story and photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
The Jefferson Arts Committee hosted<br />
its first Window Painting Contest on<br />
a Saturday in June at the Jefferson Township<br />
Library.<br />
The competition was open to all schoolage<br />
children in the township, said Linda<br />
Santangelo, event chair. Three teams <strong>of</strong><br />
middle- and high school-age children<br />
participated. One team was made up <strong>of</strong><br />
five members from Girl Scout Troop 96725<br />
and another team was comprised <strong>of</strong> four<br />
members from Girl Scout Troop 96406. The<br />
third team was made up <strong>of</strong> three Jefferson<br />
Township Middle School students from<br />
special education teacher Theresa Fogel’s<br />
class.<br />
According to Santangelo, teams were<br />
required to submit a sketch <strong>of</strong> their artwork<br />
prior to the June 10 competition.<br />
“We wanted the artwork to be summery,”<br />
said Santangelo.<br />
Each team painted the outside <strong>of</strong> two<br />
side-by-side 41-by-44-inch library windows.<br />
All supplies were furnished by the arts<br />
committee. There was no entry fee.<br />
“We only asked the kids to bring their own<br />
snacks,” said Santangelo.<br />
Painting kicked <strong>of</strong>f just after 9 a.m. and<br />
Left to right: Representing the Curious Canvas<br />
team are Isabella Bavosa, Rachel Breen, Jaelyn<br />
Edore and Amanda Buccieri. Ashley Rosado<br />
working for team Pickles. Tegan Petretti, from<br />
team It’s Giving..Summer team, dabs on a cloud.<br />
teams finished by noon. Voting by the public<br />
was done on-site at the library the following<br />
week. Winners were announced at an awards<br />
ceremony on June 21, also at the library. Teams<br />
were judged on use <strong>of</strong> color and how well<br />
they executed the theme <strong>of</strong> their sketch,<br />
said Santangelo.<br />
Team Curious Canvas, Brushes, Books and<br />
Brains won first place with the likeness <strong>of</strong><br />
Curious George next to a stack <strong>of</strong> books and<br />
a field <strong>of</strong> bird houses.<br />
Team It’s Giving … Summer received second<br />
place for their version <strong>of</strong> a day at the beach.<br />
And team Pickles won third place for<br />
their colorful version <strong>of</strong> a library filled with<br />
bookshelves, kids and puppies.<br />
For freshman Jaelyn Edore, a member <strong>of</strong><br />
team Curious Canvas, the day was enjoyable.<br />
“It’s a good way to bring the community<br />
together,” she said.<br />
Kathy Buccieri, mom <strong>of</strong> Curious Canvas<br />
member Amanda Buccieri and co-leader <strong>of</strong><br />
Troop 96406, was more to the point.<br />
“They’re being creative, they’re <strong>of</strong>f their<br />
technology and they’re outside in the fresh<br />
air,” she said.<br />
Santangelo was pleased with the turnout.<br />
“The mission <strong>of</strong> the arts committee is to<br />
promote the arts,” she said.<br />
“And involve youth,” added Carol Punturieri,<br />
arts committee president. “We’re hoping that<br />
the kids involved in today’s event will bring<br />
more to the event next year.”<br />
Santangelo is certain the contest will<br />
become annual and is already thinking <strong>of</strong><br />
ways to expand the competition.<br />
“Next year will be open to adult teams as<br />
well,” she said, adding that the committee<br />
will also look into inviting local pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
artists to join as special guests.<br />
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High School Architecture<br />
Students Help Design New<br />
American Legion<br />
Story by MELISSA SUMMERS<br />
Photos by Karen Fucito<br />
From the charred remains <strong>of</strong> the longtime<br />
home <strong>of</strong> American Legion Post 245 <strong>of</strong><br />
Lake Hopatcong will rise a new and improved<br />
version <strong>of</strong> a hall that hosted dozens <strong>of</strong> fish<br />
fries, weddings, memorials and other social<br />
gatherings before it was destroyed by fire<br />
almost a year ago.<br />
While many will have a hand in rebuilding the<br />
structure lost on August 26, 2022, the veteran<br />
members determined to make it happen<br />
will have help from some young talent from<br />
Jefferson Township High School.<br />
Jason Nicholas, who teaches architecture<br />
and computer-aided design, or CAD, classes<br />
at the high school, recruited 16 students, some<br />
from his classes, to form the JT Design Studio.<br />
Under his guidance and in cooperation with<br />
the members <strong>of</strong> Post 245, the group is drawing<br />
up designs for the new building,<br />
Nicholas, a registered architect who began<br />
teaching at Jefferson four years ago, said when<br />
he saw the news about the fire, he immediately<br />
wanted to get involved.<br />
“I believe in something called ‘design for<br />
community’ so I wanted to pay back with my<br />
skills,” he said. “I thought it would be a really<br />
cool project to bring to one <strong>of</strong> my classes or a<br />
group <strong>of</strong> students—to bring them the real-life<br />
experience <strong>of</strong> what an architect does.”<br />
After speaking with his department<br />
supervisor and the district superintendent,<br />
Nicholas was put in contact with Jefferson<br />
Township Mayor Eric Wilsusen who reached<br />
out to Post 245 Commander Donald Doty.<br />
Doty is one third <strong>of</strong> the Rebuild the Legion<br />
committee that includes Eric Sudak, committee<br />
chair, and Russ Felter, former township mayor.<br />
It wasn’t long before meetings were set and<br />
the students got to work.<br />
While Legion members are looking forward<br />
to the new structure, the trauma <strong>of</strong> the fire still<br />
lingers.<br />
The fire was especially tough on Carl Gross,<br />
90, <strong>of</strong> Jefferson Township, who has been a<br />
Legion member for over 55 years. Gross had a<br />
front-row seat to the event that August day.<br />
The morning <strong>of</strong> the fire, his brother, Tony<br />
Gross, and his wife were preparing for a fish<br />
fry dinner when a grease fire broke out in<br />
the corner <strong>of</strong> the kitchen. Despite their best<br />
efforts, the couple could not get it under<br />
control.<br />
“My brother’s wife came running over to my<br />
house because my brother wouldn’t leave, so<br />
she figured she would get me and<br />
I’d get him out <strong>of</strong> there,” Gross<br />
said. “And I did, I came running<br />
over.”<br />
As Gross pulled into the parking<br />
lot, his brother, the prior post<br />
commander, had just come out.<br />
“We just stood there and watched<br />
the thing go. What a sight,” he said<br />
<strong>of</strong> the fire that quickly consumed<br />
the decades-old building.<br />
“When you are involved in<br />
someplace for 50, 60 years, it’s a<br />
lot <strong>of</strong> work, a lot <strong>of</strong> time,”<br />
Gross added. “And to lose<br />
everything … the pictures. It’s too bad.”<br />
Tony Gross passed away just months after<br />
the fire. “I think what did him in was this fire. He<br />
put his whole life into [the Legion],” his brother<br />
said.<br />
Doty, who has been a member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
American Legion for over 50 years, wasn’t<br />
able to get to the site right away on the day<br />
<strong>of</strong> the fire because the roads were blocked<br />
<strong>of</strong>f. “Everyone was calling, texting, so I knew<br />
about it right away,” he said. “We recovered<br />
very little—some ceremonial guns that we are<br />
trying to get refurbished and a few pictures—<br />
but nothing else.”<br />
Nicholas introduced the project to his<br />
students in October. “The first thing we did<br />
was come out to the site, and the students<br />
took measurements,” he said. “After we<br />
documented and photographed it, we put<br />
together a layout <strong>of</strong> the existing floor plan and<br />
then came up with the design concepts for the<br />
project.”<br />
Those working on the project are a mixture <strong>of</strong><br />
students enrolled in his classes, former students<br />
and a few with other interests. Savannah<br />
Peters, assisted by fellow videography student<br />
Kiley Shatzel, is filming the progress as part<br />
<strong>of</strong> a project for the Multimedia Broadcasting<br />
and Journalism Academy at the high school.<br />
Another classmate, Kyle Peters, contributed<br />
drone footage <strong>of</strong> the site.<br />
The group drew up floor plans, exterior views<br />
and met multiple times with Legion members.<br />
“They [Legion members] were very heavily<br />
involved in the initial drawings and the concept<br />
designs,” Nicholas said.<br />
The current plans are considered conceptual<br />
for preliminary cost estimates and could<br />
be adjusted as the project progresses, said<br />
Nicholas.<br />
Senior Ainesh Gobind, 18, a CAD student,<br />
didn’t know what he was getting into when he<br />
joined the team. “Architecture is not my thing,<br />
but I wanted to get out <strong>of</strong> my comfort zone<br />
a little bit,” said Gobind, who lives in the Lake<br />
Hopatcong side <strong>of</strong> town. “I thought, why not<br />
just go for it.”<br />
He’s glad he did, and he’s glad to have a<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional on his side during this project. “As<br />
long as we have Mr. Nick here, we are going to<br />
be OK. If he’s not here, we’re not OK,” he added<br />
with a laugh.<br />
Jacob Black, a 17-yearold<br />
senior from Milton,<br />
has always been interested<br />
14<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Top, left to right: Fire<br />
burns through the ro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
American Legion Post 245<br />
in August 2022. Jacob<br />
Black walks through<br />
the rubble with a set <strong>of</strong><br />
architectural plans. Nick<br />
Roberts makes changes to<br />
the design.
in CAD and architecture and<br />
was thrilled to take on the<br />
project. “I get to experience<br />
what actual architecture is<br />
like,” he said. “Instead <strong>of</strong> just<br />
designing things on my own,<br />
I’ll get to actually design<br />
something for someone, for<br />
the community.”<br />
The students are finding<br />
out firsthand that with a reallife<br />
project comes real-life<br />
stress.<br />
“You have to make everything perfect and<br />
correct. You have to fit into the lines <strong>of</strong> what<br />
they need, their budget. There’s a lot <strong>of</strong> things<br />
I didn’t know that I know now, like all the<br />
building codes and things we have to follow,”<br />
said Jacob, who will be taking this experience<br />
directly to Iowa State University, where he’ll<br />
pursue a bachelor’s degree in architecture.<br />
Sophomore Cole Havriliak, 15, <strong>of</strong> Oak Ridge,<br />
played a big part in the exterior design <strong>of</strong><br />
the new building. He takes pride in giving the<br />
veterans what they need—and more. “They<br />
wanted that old building back,” he said. “We<br />
were able to make the building a lot more<br />
modern, with a newer look and not outdated.<br />
And they were open to that, which I was happy<br />
about.”<br />
Cole suggested a cupola. “It will add more<br />
character to the building. We wanted to go<br />
modern farmhouse. It’s going to be blue. I’m<br />
really excited. It’s just going to look good.”<br />
Not all the students have architectural<br />
aspirations. Senior Paytan Grevesen, 18, is an<br />
Environment Science Academy student from<br />
Montville. She has become involved in order<br />
to study the effect <strong>of</strong> modern construction<br />
on the environment. “We had a class about<br />
ecological design,” she explained. “I think it’s<br />
important to think about things like that and<br />
how we can have a more environmentally<br />
friendly impact on the world.”<br />
Grevesen is taking a look at<br />
how environmental science<br />
can tie into the construction<br />
<strong>of</strong> the American Legion<br />
building. One way, she said, is<br />
to bring the outdoors in. “In<br />
the main hall, we are going<br />
to have more windows. The<br />
cupola could be opened for<br />
more natural lighting.”<br />
The group is nearing the end <strong>of</strong> the design<br />
phase, but Nicholas still insists that his<br />
students—like Nick Roberts and Joe Sporer,<br />
who both <strong>of</strong>fered creative alternatives to<br />
the existing plan at a May meeting—explore<br />
revisions and think about the cost analysis<br />
<strong>of</strong> each design they present to the American<br />
Legion. The process is ongoing, said Nicholas,<br />
who hopes a decision will be made soon.<br />
According to Nicholas, the work the<br />
students are doing is saving the American<br />
Legion approximately $15,000 to $20,000 in<br />
architectural fees.<br />
Doty and the committee are thankful for<br />
the support from the town and hope to<br />
restore Post 245 to its former luster in time<br />
for Memorial Day 2024. He’s also hoping the<br />
attention being paid to the Legion will prove<br />
fruitful in other ways, like membership and<br />
involvement.<br />
Left to right: With video camera in hand, Savannah Peters walks<br />
through the rubble after filming. Ainesh Gobind and Jason Nicholas<br />
discuss design elements as Kiley Shatzel looks on.<br />
“Members are getting older; we’re not<br />
getting new members. I’m hoping, with the<br />
new building, we get new, younger members to<br />
help out, take over stuff. It’s going to be nice.”<br />
According to Felter, an Adopt a Table, Adopt<br />
a Chair program will be <strong>of</strong>fered soon to help<br />
raise funds for furnishing the new building.<br />
Anyone will be able to purchase as little as a<br />
single chair or table or as many as they want.<br />
“It’s a way to contribute to the project and<br />
be able to say, ‘I helped rebuild the Legion,’”<br />
he said.<br />
“It’s a great project that gets us involved with<br />
our community,” added Grevesen. “And give<br />
back to these great guys who gave so much for<br />
us. It’s our way to give back to them.”<br />
To donate services or to help with the<br />
rebuild email Don Doty at donandarlene@<br />
yahoo.com or call Russ Felter at 973-224-3827.<br />
To donate money for the rebuild, send a<br />
check to American Legion Post 245, PO Box<br />
187, Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey 07849.<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 15
NOW OPEN<br />
453 River Styx Road, Hopatcong, NJ 07843 thebeaconlh.com<br />
16<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
KATELYNN PETERSON<br />
LOCAL<br />
VOICES<br />
An admitted adrenaline junkie—she said she loves being in “the midst <strong>of</strong> the crazy”—Katelynn Peterson, is on track to chase<br />
thrills for a long time. At just 18 years old, the Lake Hopatcong resident volunteers for both the Jefferson Township Rescue Squad<br />
(an active member for two years) and Jefferson Township Fire Department Co. 2 (sworn in on March 1) and has already been<br />
on more calls than she can count. And if that doesn’t seem like enough, her summer jobs—part time at Jefferson Dairy and<br />
sometime dog walker—keep her more than busy. Having just graduated from Jefferson Township High School, Peterson has her<br />
sights set on being a trauma nurse and a paramedic and will be attending Moravian University in the fall.<br />
WHERE ARE YOU ORIGINALLY FROM? WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL?<br />
I was born in Illinois and adopted into an amazing family. They lived in Edgewater, New Jersey.<br />
They then moved to the house we live in now in Lake Hopatcong and that’s when they got<br />
me! I have lived here for all 18 years <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
WHO MAKES UP YOUR FAMILY?<br />
I have a 21-year-old special needs brother, Christopher; my mom and dad, Pam<br />
and Gerard; my grandma and grandpa, Louis and Verne Kiel; and my German<br />
Shepherd, Nikki, who I raised for The Seeing Eye when she was a puppy. I have<br />
her because she failed out for stomach problems.<br />
DESCRIBE THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE.<br />
I am a very outgoing and courageous person. I try to do anything in my<br />
power to reach my goals—even if it scares me.<br />
WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST/MOST EXCITING THING YOU’VE DONE?<br />
I saved a dog from Lake Hopatcong when I was on duty recently. I ran over to<br />
the dock that she was stuck under and laid on my stomach and tried my best<br />
to get her out. I first tried to grab her front legs, but she kept going back far under<br />
the dock, on the rocks. Then she came close but fell into the water, and I scooped<br />
her out by the butt. Before I could process what was going on, I had the over<br />
100-pound pit bull in my arms, licking my face and alligator rolling over me<br />
on the dock.<br />
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN LIFE AND WHY?<br />
I would have to say my grandpa because he is just like me. He used<br />
to be a cop and has been super supportive with all <strong>of</strong> my first<br />
responder decisions and my career path. He has given me very<br />
helpful tips and always makes sure to text me to be careful<br />
whenever I’m on duty or I get a fire call.<br />
DO YOU VOLUNTEER?<br />
I volunteer with the Jefferson Township Rescue Squad and fire<br />
department near me. I am a buddy in the Unified Sports program<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered by the Special Olympics. I also volunteer as a puppy raiser<br />
for The Seeing Eye. We get them when they are about 6 weeks old<br />
and keep and train them until they are around a year old. Then<br />
they return to The Seeing Eye for their formal training. I have<br />
raised three so far. I also volunteer at a horse stable where my<br />
brother participates in special needs therapy riding classes. I<br />
take care <strong>of</strong> the horses during the classes, or I am a walker. I<br />
lead the horse around the pathway or in the arena while the<br />
kids are using weights or doing other exercises.<br />
ANY HOBBIES?<br />
I love to sing and act and have been in all my school’s shows. I<br />
play my guitar in my free time.<br />
IS THERE SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE<br />
SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?<br />
I never truly liked ice cream until I started working at Jefferson<br />
Dairy. It definitely made me like it more!<br />
original creative strong<br />
I AM I AM I AM<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 17
Historic Objects Help Tell Her Story<br />
18<br />
Story by MARIA VOGEL-SHORT<br />
Photos by Karen Fucito<br />
Ever since Amy Elizabeth Curry was a kid<br />
in Stoneham, Massachusetts, listening to<br />
her beloved grandpa talk about the 1920s, she<br />
has loved history. It was a wonderful childhood<br />
spent with her large family visiting museums<br />
and exploring the countryside.<br />
She was especially drawn to the tools, gadgets<br />
and objects that survived over the years.<br />
“It wasn’t just what you learned in school<br />
about history,” said Curry, who today serves<br />
as executive director <strong>of</strong> the Morris County<br />
Historical Society in Morristown and is a<br />
resident <strong>of</strong> Roxbury Township. “It is the<br />
historical objects. These objects tell stories, and<br />
they are a gateway to learning more about our<br />
culture and what life was like back then.”<br />
Curry explained how antiquated objects<br />
illustrate history in a way historical data cannot.<br />
“These objects interpret history,” said Curry, 47.<br />
“[Having them] is a way to preserve the integrity<br />
<strong>of</strong> a historical building or dwelling and a way to<br />
understand the past.”<br />
From Stoneham, Curry made her way to<br />
Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, thanks to a four-year<br />
swimming scholarship to Penn State University,<br />
where she earned her undergraduate degree in<br />
cultural and natural resource management.<br />
Her bachelor’s degree led her to the<br />
Saugus Iron Works, a National Historic Site in<br />
Massachusetts, where she worked as a park<br />
ranger for seven years. “I worked my way up the<br />
ladder from a park ranger to lead interpretive<br />
park ranger and education team leader,”<br />
explained Curry. “I managed educational<br />
programming for two national historic sites and<br />
researched and executed a Teaching American<br />
History grant.”<br />
Looking for a new challenge, Curry left<br />
Massachusetts and returned to Pennsylvania,<br />
this time landing in Lancaster at Millersville<br />
University, where she obtained a Master <strong>of</strong><br />
Arts in history, focusing on Civil War and<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Reconstruction.<br />
Her goal was to marry her park<br />
ranger experience with her newly<br />
obtained advanced history degree.<br />
That led her to quickly be hired at<br />
the Morris County Historical Society<br />
in 2012.<br />
Curry sees her trek from Lancaster<br />
County to Morris County as an<br />
interesting contrast from rural life<br />
to a more cosmopolitan life. But<br />
metropolitan or not, history is a<br />
study <strong>of</strong> how people live, she said.<br />
“The study <strong>of</strong> history is local,” said<br />
Curry. “In Morris County, it is about<br />
Washington’s headquarters and Washington’s<br />
winter encampment. But in Boston, it is about<br />
the Tea Party and the Mayflower.”<br />
With a new job secured in a different state<br />
than where she was living, Curry realized she<br />
had a short window <strong>of</strong> time to find a place<br />
to live. The search brought her to the Lake<br />
Hopatcong region, where she found houses to<br />
be somewhat affordable. The only caveat, she<br />
said, was the number <strong>of</strong> homes still dealing with<br />
damage caused by flooding from Hurricane<br />
Irene in 2011. She chose the Landing house she<br />
now calls home because she loved the fact<br />
that it had no back door neighbors and that<br />
the house could never get damaged by floods,<br />
being so high in the hills.<br />
“My mom and I came up [to the house] here<br />
by car, and the drive was so long that we felt<br />
like we were traveling to the moon because <strong>of</strong><br />
the high hills and side roads along the lake,” she<br />
said <strong>of</strong> finding her home <strong>of</strong>f the lake. “Most <strong>of</strong><br />
the houses in my price range had water damage<br />
and this house was high and dry,” she laughed,<br />
emphasizing the “high.”<br />
But taking the high road requires hard work.<br />
Curry said her mother calls her driven. Curry,<br />
who is in a long-distance relationship with<br />
a national park employee in Massachusetts,<br />
said she could describe herself in one word:<br />
passionate. The combination is realized in a<br />
From top, clockwise: Amy Curry outside Acorn<br />
Hall in Morristown. Curry stands among a group<br />
<strong>of</strong> clothed mannequins. Curry in one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
storage rooms at Acorn Hall. One <strong>of</strong> the original<br />
windows from Curry’s childhood bedroom<br />
adorned with family photos, including her with<br />
her grandpa.<br />
disciplined woman who sets goals and meets<br />
them. The results are palpable.<br />
The historical society is headquartered at<br />
Acorn Hall in Morristown, the group’s only<br />
structural entity. The building is a modest<br />
country home built in 1853 as a foursquare<br />
Georgian and modified in 1860 to the Italianatestyle,<br />
with a decorative trimmed portico and<br />
gray gables. There is also a carriage house onsite.<br />
From her <strong>of</strong>fice on the second floor <strong>of</strong> Acorn<br />
Hall, Curry has led the charge to preserve the<br />
three-story, mid-19th century building and the<br />
property’s carriage house and has helped secure<br />
a 25,000-object collection used to tell the<br />
history <strong>of</strong> Morris County.<br />
“The three most significant collections<br />
objects we own are Acorn Hall, the carriage<br />
house and the St. Cecilia 1886 stained glass<br />
window that is attributed to John Johnston, a<br />
rival and contemporary <strong>of</strong> Tiffany,” said Curry.<br />
With single-minded direction, she streamlined<br />
operations without adding expenses, which
helped correct previous shortfalls, including<br />
increasing the skeleton staff from three to seven,<br />
adding a research assistant, collections assistant,<br />
facilities manager and a membership and<br />
volunteer coordinator. She has implemented<br />
a long-term strategic plan that has forged<br />
partnerships with history-centered nonpr<strong>of</strong>its.<br />
“When I started here, there were days that<br />
I was here by myself,” recalled Curry. “Every<br />
Tuesday I would be alone and have to stop what<br />
I was doing to run a tour. I learned a lot from<br />
that. But now we have people to handle tours<br />
and day-to-day non-management issues.”<br />
She has also secured partnerships with the<br />
roughly 40 local historical societies within the<br />
county and integrated technology and social<br />
media into the collection to ensure that Acorn<br />
Hall maintains a prominent place in Morris<br />
County history.<br />
Since her start in 2012, Curry has spearheaded<br />
the acquisition <strong>of</strong> 80 grants, worth over $3<br />
million, to preserve Morris County maps,<br />
artifacts, objects and Acorn Hall itself. The grants<br />
also increased funding for historic preservation<br />
and cultural history initiatives. Acorn Hall hosts<br />
between one and three unique exhibits a year<br />
and is internationally known for its historic<br />
textiles and historical clothing collection, dating<br />
from as early as 1790 through to the 1970s.<br />
“I did not do this alone,” emphasized Curry,<br />
waving to the pictures and commendations<br />
<strong>of</strong> other people involved in the restoration. “I<br />
stand on the shoulders <strong>of</strong> some great people.”<br />
Curry said the work she does for the historical<br />
society can be time consuming.<br />
“This is a big part <strong>of</strong> my life. In 2012, we<br />
were reinstalling the original slate ro<strong>of</strong>. We<br />
started construction then and have been in<br />
construction every year since. It’s been an uphill<br />
climb. My whole life is about this job,” she said.<br />
The care and preservation <strong>of</strong> an old, ornate<br />
wooden structure, she said, is constant.<br />
Interestingly, when her mother renovated<br />
Curry’s childhood home with new replacement<br />
windows, Curry asked for the original windows<br />
from her old bedroom. “It was a little room<br />
only big enough for a twin bed, but I grew up<br />
there. I am not a junk collector, but I wanted<br />
to preserve the memory <strong>of</strong> that room,” she<br />
said. Her mother obliged and Curry is now in<br />
possession <strong>of</strong> both windows from her former<br />
bedroom.<br />
“One hangs in my bedroom, and the other<br />
hangs over my desk [at home],” she said.<br />
For Curry, the ultimate goal is to get back to<br />
Massachusetts to where her family is, to where<br />
her history began, but not before realizing the<br />
work still needed to be done in Morris County.<br />
“I give this work 100 per cent <strong>of</strong> my attention<br />
and I want to leave it better than I found it,”<br />
she said, adding, “I just want to pass it along to<br />
someone who is as passionate as I have been.”<br />
For more information call 973-267-3465 or<br />
visit morriscountyhistory.org.<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 19
Father-Son Duo Keeps Digging Away<br />
20<br />
Story by MICHAEL DAIGLE<br />
Photos by Karen Fucito<br />
The beginning <strong>of</strong> the Jefferson-based<br />
business Al Hutchins Excavating was no<br />
more complicated than this: “Got a machine,<br />
started digging.”<br />
That was in 1979, Al Hutchins Sr. said. He<br />
had been working for another contractor and<br />
decided to put his experience to work for<br />
himself.<br />
“I had been doing septics since I was 17,” he<br />
said, “so I got some equipment and went out<br />
on my own.”<br />
In 1981, he was joined in the business by his<br />
son, Al Hutchins Jr., who runs the company<br />
today.<br />
For the younger Hutchins, it was an easy<br />
choice to join the business right after<br />
graduating from Jefferson High School.<br />
“I graduated and went right to work,” the<br />
64-year-old said. “I just got to it.”<br />
Their plain-spoken approach allowed the<br />
business to succeed during a time when<br />
Jefferson, like the rest <strong>of</strong> the Lake Hopatcong<br />
region, was growing as part <strong>of</strong> a population<br />
shift in North Jersey that filled up towns along<br />
Route 80.<br />
In 1980, Jefferson’s population was 16,413,<br />
according to the U.S. Census. In 2022, the<br />
township had 20,517 residents and a median<br />
Top to bottom: Al Hutchins Jr. and Al Hutchins Sr. with some<br />
<strong>of</strong> the company equipment. The younger Hutchins at a job<br />
site on Raccoon Island.<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
home value <strong>of</strong> $358,400.<br />
What the township also had was septic<br />
systems.<br />
What their business had, the son said, was<br />
the machine: a backhoe tractor and front-end<br />
loader. Perfect for digging septic systems.<br />
Thanks to a steep-sloping terrain and<br />
a state law banning the installation <strong>of</strong><br />
sewer systems across Jefferson’s extensive<br />
preserved landscape—the township alone has<br />
preserved 12,000 acres—Jefferson’s solid waste<br />
management system relies on individual septic<br />
systems.<br />
The younger Hutchins estimates the<br />
company has installed 50 septic systems a<br />
year since the beginning—more than 2,000<br />
systems—nearly all within a 5-mile radius <strong>of</strong> the<br />
company’s headquarters on Northwood Road<br />
in the Lake Hopatcong section <strong>of</strong> Jefferson.<br />
The limited range <strong>of</strong> the company’s territory<br />
is both a reflection on the type <strong>of</strong> work needed<br />
in Jefferson to keep up with demand and the<br />
source <strong>of</strong> sarcastic humor.<br />
“We had a job in Dover, and a worker joked,<br />
‘Oh, we’re traveling today,’” said the younger<br />
Hutchins. Dover is about 12 miles from<br />
Jefferson.<br />
His father had the same comment about a<br />
job in Hackettstown, some 15 miles away in the<br />
other direction from Jefferson.<br />
“That was a big travel day,” he said.<br />
Still, he admitted, sometimes the range<br />
from Jefferson stretches to 10 miles.<br />
Today, the younger Hutchins said, travel<br />
to a job could entail using a barge to ferry<br />
workers and equipment to an island three<br />
times a day, as they recently did for a<br />
homeowner on Raccoon Island.<br />
The lake region and Jefferson are home,<br />
the men said.<br />
The elder Hutchins, 84, and his ex-wife,<br />
Ann, raised two children: their son and a<br />
daughter, Donna, who lives in Florida. The<br />
younger Hutchins and his wife, Rebecca,<br />
are Jefferson natives. They have no<br />
children and Rebecca manages the<br />
paperwork for the business.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the reasons the company<br />
has such a narrow service area is that<br />
it does not have to look far for work.<br />
“It’s all word <strong>of</strong> mouth. Our<br />
customers are local people,” the<br />
younger Hutchins said.<br />
The company does little<br />
advertising (Lake Hopatcong News is<br />
the exception) and word-<strong>of</strong>-mouth<br />
goes a long way in a close-knit<br />
community like Lake Hopatcong.<br />
“We always try to execute<br />
sensible solutions,” he said.<br />
He takes nothing for granted.<br />
“There is no shortage <strong>of</strong> work,” he said, but<br />
success depends on the company’s ability to<br />
complete a quality project. “We want to work<br />
well with the customer.”<br />
There is a reflective quality in his voice as<br />
he makes that statement: It is a measure <strong>of</strong> a<br />
man who knows his business with the ability<br />
to deliver a job and an appreciation that the<br />
reputation <strong>of</strong> the company his father started—<br />
and he now leads—is seen in the near-constant<br />
number <strong>of</strong> calls they get.<br />
“We rarely turn down a job,” he said.<br />
While both men said septic systems are<br />
a large part <strong>of</strong> the company’s work, the<br />
company also builds driveways, rock walls and<br />
foundations, and does site work, among other<br />
services.<br />
During the recent pandemic, which brought<br />
a burst <strong>of</strong> home sales and subsequent septic<br />
inspections and other business activity, the<br />
younger Hutchins said the company performed<br />
numerous demolitions.<br />
Notable projects undertaken by the<br />
company, the elder Hutchins said, are site<br />
work at Nolan’s Point, including the Windlass<br />
restaurant, the Lake Hopatcong Golf Club and<br />
an adjoining parking lot, which are all owned by<br />
Bela Szigethy.<br />
Hutchins said that work followed site work<br />
done for Szigethy when he built his lakefront<br />
house more than 20 years ago. (Szigethy also<br />
owns Lake Hopatcong News.)<br />
And the work rarely slows. In the middle <strong>of</strong><br />
May, the younger Hutchins said, the company<br />
was performing five jobs at once, including an<br />
installation on Raccoon Island.<br />
A constant in all the jobs the company<br />
performs, father and son said, is rock—granite,<br />
gneiss, marble and other hard stuff.<br />
“Rock is always part <strong>of</strong> the problem,” the<br />
younger Hutchins said with appreciation. “But<br />
we work with it.”<br />
Digging foundations in hard, rocky soil is as<br />
challenging as it sounds, he said.<br />
Rocky land, steep slopes and smaller spaces<br />
upon which to work, thanks to continued<br />
housing development, are all part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
challenges <strong>of</strong> working the lake region, he<br />
said. Each project requires more detailed<br />
engineering and careful planning.<br />
The presence <strong>of</strong> the rock influences the<br />
design <strong>of</strong> septic systems, Hutchins said.<br />
Septic systems are not just holes in the<br />
ground; they are engineered systems designed<br />
to capture and filter wastewater.<br />
What has changed over time, Hutchins said,<br />
is the engineering required to meet modern<br />
septic regulations. The standards have changed<br />
since the company was founded. The goal today<br />
is to produce more efficient septic systems and<br />
cleaner outflows that reduce pollutants that<br />
could enter the lake and aquifers.<br />
“The regulations are always changing,” the<br />
younger Hutchins said. “I understand it. It’s
important to protect the lake.”<br />
Those regulations, especially in Jefferson,<br />
have been responsible for continued work, he<br />
said.<br />
Each house sale now requires a septic<br />
inspection, and the inspection can lead to<br />
replacement <strong>of</strong> the septic tank or a new<br />
system, he said.<br />
It can also lead to high, sometimes<br />
frightening costs for a homeowner trying to<br />
sell the property.<br />
Replacement costs for any part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
system can range between $10,000 to $15,000,<br />
data shows, and new system installation can<br />
cost up to $60,000, depending on conditions.<br />
Old septic systems can still function<br />
properly, the younger Hutchins said, if they are<br />
well maintained.<br />
An important change in the industry, he said,<br />
is the new equipment.<br />
The old backhoe front-end loader has<br />
been superseded by smaller, more efficient<br />
machines, designed for specific types <strong>of</strong> work<br />
on a job site.<br />
“They are more agile, better designed for<br />
smaller worksites,” which are a growing part <strong>of</strong><br />
the company’s work, he said.<br />
The company has always had one goal, the<br />
elder Hutchins said.<br />
Whether it’s a septic system, a driveway or<br />
a decorative rock wall, “We want to leave the<br />
site better than it was.”<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 21
22<br />
Landing Family Opens Home, Fosters Dozens o<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Story by MELISSA SUMMERS<br />
Photos by Karen Fucito<br />
If ever there was a woman destined for<br />
motherhood, it’s Carla Suitt.<br />
This super mom, who celebrated her 70th<br />
birthday in April, has one biological daughter,<br />
two adopted sons with her husband, James,<br />
and has fostered 39 children.<br />
Suitt, <strong>of</strong> Landing, was born in Trinidad, West<br />
Indies, the fifth <strong>of</strong> seven children. She said her<br />
upbringing set the stage for her calling<br />
as a foster parent.<br />
Inspired by her mother, Pamella<br />
Rougier, Suitt learned to welcome<br />
anyone who graced their island home.<br />
“I believe my mom used to feed the<br />
neighborhood,” she said, with a bit<br />
<strong>of</strong> her island accent still showing<br />
through. “Any time you come to my<br />
house, my mother would ask you, ‘Did<br />
you eat yet?’ Always cook more, you<br />
don’t know who’s going to stop by.”<br />
Life in Trinidad was crazy, according<br />
to Suitt. “I was young, I did a lot <strong>of</strong><br />
things,” she said with an eyebrow<br />
raised. “We were teenagers.” At 16,<br />
she gave birth to her daughter,<br />
Alicia Rougier.<br />
“My mom, the whole village<br />
raised my daughter,” she said.<br />
Suitt enjoyed anything<br />
creative. She wanted to bake<br />
cakes and do things with her<br />
hands. “My mom said, ‘You<br />
have a little girl, you should<br />
learn to sew.’” She did, earning<br />
an associate degree in sewing,<br />
drafting and pattern design<br />
at John Donaldson Technical<br />
Institute in Trinidad.<br />
In March 1978, at age 25, Suitt<br />
moved to Brooklyn, New York,<br />
with her mother, two sisters,<br />
and Alicia—who was 7 at the<br />
time and still referred to her<br />
grandmother as Mommy<br />
and her mother as Carla.<br />
“It’s only when Alicia<br />
got to college, I said, ‘Stop<br />
calling me Carla. Start calling<br />
me Mother now,’” said Suitt.<br />
Suitt <strong>of</strong>ten visited a<br />
cousin in New Jersey and<br />
soon got a clerical job at<br />
Howmet Castings in Dover,<br />
where turbine blades were manufactured for the<br />
aviation industry. It wasn’t her ideal job choice,<br />
but it had one big benefit.<br />
“I met this guy, James [Suitt], and never went<br />
back to Brooklyn,” she said <strong>of</strong> the kind and<br />
distinguished man from Dover who caught her<br />
eye.<br />
In 1980, Carla Suitt got an apartment in Dover.<br />
It took two years for her daughter to join her<br />
because her mom and sisters were still holding<br />
a tight rein. “First, they told me, ‘You don’t have<br />
your own place.’ I got my own place. ‘Well, you<br />
don’t have a car.’ I got a car now. ‘Is it a good car,<br />
a running car?’” she said with a shake <strong>of</strong> her head.<br />
Once she and James Suitt were serious, they<br />
started looking for homes together and chose<br />
one in Landing, moving there in May 1984.<br />
Suitt waited until they were married that June<br />
before he moved in. “He always went back over<br />
to his parents’ house,” said Alicia Rougier-Walker,<br />
now 53. Suitt told her daughter she was setting an<br />
example by not allowing James to move in before<br />
they were married.<br />
The Suitts attended Mount Zion Baptist Church<br />
in Boonton, where in 1995 they met a 12-year-old<br />
girl named Shandora. She had been living with her<br />
grandmother but found herself needing a home<br />
and began staying with the Suitts.<br />
Rougier-Walker, who had been away at Army<br />
boot camp, came home to the surprise sibling.<br />
“She was going to spend the summer, my parents<br />
said. Just someone from church, that’s it, but then<br />
the grandmother just transferred everything to<br />
the Department <strong>of</strong> Children and Families [DCF].”<br />
DCF told the Suitts they’d cover medical<br />
expenses but didn’t discuss a foster payment. “I<br />
just wanted to help this child,” said Carla Suitt,<br />
who continued working full-time at Howmet for<br />
11 years. She just figured she’d pick up some parttime<br />
work for extra income to help defray the<br />
cost.<br />
So when a check arrived from DCF, the family<br />
was a bit confused.<br />
“We didn’t know what it was, so I’m like, ‘Ma,<br />
just return to sender,’” Rougier-Walker recalled.<br />
“So, we put it in another envelope and sent it<br />
back. Then, it came a second time.”<br />
And that, said Rougier-Walker, is when the<br />
Suitts found out that foster parents were given a<br />
supplemental income.<br />
Once the house was a certified foster home,<br />
the calls began. Tara and Alexa came in 1996. “The<br />
original girl didn’t like that,” laughed Rougier-<br />
Walker, who lived at home until she was 30.<br />
Some foster children were placed in their<br />
home for a week or two while their parents<br />
Top to bottom, left to right: Alicia Rougier-Walker visits with the Suitt’s first foster<br />
child, Shandora Miller, in December <strong>of</strong> 2004. William, James and Carla Suitt with<br />
Rougier-Walker. William Suitt, Rougier-Walker and Adam Suitt at Rougier-Walker’s<br />
college graduation in 2015. Rougier-Walker and William at their childhood home.<br />
Carla Suitt in her rose garden.<br />
(Some photos courtesy <strong>of</strong> the Suitt family.)
f Local Kids<br />
vacationed. Others stayed for up to two years,<br />
which is the time allowed for birth parents to<br />
make the changes necessary to get their kids<br />
back, according to Carla Suitt. The youngest was<br />
18 months, the oldest, 16.<br />
According to the Suitts, foster children in their<br />
home never wanted to leave.<br />
“They aren’t just eating macaroni and cheese,”<br />
Rougier-Walker said. “Mom is cooking for them.”<br />
Never straying too far from her true passions,<br />
over the years, Carla Suitt maintained jobs in<br />
a restaurant, bakery and fabric store and also<br />
provided child care (including for one <strong>of</strong> this<br />
reporter’s children). A skilled seamstress, she still<br />
takes on occasional work hemming dress pants or<br />
altering wedding gowns.<br />
She made a point <strong>of</strong> spending time with each<br />
child. “I make bread … I bake cookies … I braid their<br />
hair,” she said. The boys wore suits and the girls<br />
wore dresses for church and Sunday school each<br />
week.<br />
James Suitt, now 67, said children in their home<br />
felt safe and welcomed. “They are getting loved,<br />
they are getting attention, you are taking time<br />
out to listen and to do things with them,” he said.<br />
“The system knew, whoever was coming here was<br />
in good hands.”<br />
The Suitts met once a month with other foster<br />
parents. Often, they’d exchange kids’ clothes but<br />
not Carla Suitt. “They said, ‘Where you get your<br />
clothes?’ I said, ‘The store.’ They said, ‘You have to<br />
go to the thrift shop.’ I said, ‘Would you go to the<br />
thrift shop for your biological child?’ They’re my<br />
children, why wouldn’t I buy things in the store<br />
for them?”<br />
Suitt balked at parents who introduced only<br />
some <strong>of</strong> their kids as their own and some as<br />
fosters. “When you start separating them, what<br />
stigma are you putting in that child’s head?”<br />
In June <strong>of</strong> 2000, Suitt got the call about Adam,<br />
a 4-year-old boy from Mine Hill. His 2-year-old<br />
brother, William, was in Jersey City. “I asked, ‘Why<br />
are they separated?’ I’ll make room for both <strong>of</strong><br />
them,” she said. “First you take him out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
house and now he’s separated from his brother.”<br />
Adam Suitt, now 27, recalls never having space<br />
in his previous three homes. “I used to sleep in<br />
the hallway or living room,” he said. “In one home,<br />
they kept a whole space for the cat. Sometimes<br />
I’d go in and sleep with the cat. Here, we had our<br />
own room.”<br />
With three older daughters, Adam and William’s<br />
biological mother struggled to take care <strong>of</strong> five<br />
children. His dad was in and out <strong>of</strong> the picture.<br />
“I’m very blessed where I found myself,” he said.<br />
“Not many foster parents are willing to take care<br />
<strong>of</strong> children beyond their physical needs.”<br />
Two years later, Carla was told Adam and<br />
William’s parents would not be taking them back<br />
and that they were available for adoption.<br />
“They were signing <strong>of</strong>f their parental rights but<br />
only if the Suitts adopted the boys,” Rougier-<br />
Walker recalled.<br />
Carla Suitt was 49 and wrestled with the idea<br />
<strong>of</strong> permanently taking on two small children.<br />
“I started praying and asked myself why these<br />
kids came here.”<br />
The adoption was <strong>of</strong>ficial in September<br />
2002.<br />
“Taking on two personalities … two children<br />
I didn’t give birth to … but I didn’t feel that I<br />
didn’t give birth to them,” she said <strong>of</strong> the boys.<br />
“They are my children.”<br />
Despite obstacles, the Suitts worked hard<br />
to keep William and Adam connected to their<br />
biological family. The boys spoke to their<br />
sisters, and the Suitts would pick their father<br />
up and bring him to birthday parties. “We<br />
would take Adam and William for visits with<br />
their mom at DCF, then find out she didn’t<br />
show up,” said Carla about the scheduled<br />
meetings at the agency’s <strong>of</strong>fice.<br />
It was a bit <strong>of</strong> an adjustment for Rougier-<br />
Walker, who was 32 when the boys were<br />
adopted.<br />
“She said, ‘I’ve been a single child all my life—<br />
now I’ve got to share my inheritance,’” recalled<br />
Carla Suitt with a chuckle. “I told James this is<br />
what we are going to do. We are just going to<br />
spend it. There won’t be anything left to fight<br />
about!”<br />
Soon after the boys were adopted, the<br />
Suitts had seven children living in their home.<br />
James Suitt took money out <strong>of</strong> his 401k to buy<br />
a van.<br />
In 2007, the Suitts’ Landing home was<br />
expanded with larger bedrooms and an<br />
extra bathroom. Bunk beds in two <strong>of</strong> the<br />
four bedrooms were consistently filled with<br />
children over the next couple <strong>of</strong> decades.<br />
For many <strong>of</strong> those years, Carla said her<br />
husband worked 70-hour weeks, and the<br />
couple was able to pay <strong>of</strong>f the house.<br />
“I would call him at work and say, ‘James,<br />
they called me for another child.’ He’d say,<br />
‘Why did you call me? You know you’re going<br />
to take them anyway.’ I’d say, ‘Okay, love you,<br />
bye!’”<br />
Not every child was easy. Many had special<br />
needs or disabilities, but Carla Suitt would be<br />
there for them.<br />
“I always told DCF not to call me just because<br />
I have the room. I should be the last call they<br />
make. Call me the cleanup woman,” she said.<br />
“I’m not looking for a check. I’m not looking to<br />
babysit nobody’s kids. I’m looking to advocate<br />
for a child. That’s what I do.”<br />
One difficult case involved a 12-year-old<br />
boy named Ryan, who had been sent by DCF<br />
to Florida to live with an aunt, the only family<br />
member willing to take him. He had scoliosis<br />
and needed spinal surgery. The aunt would<br />
only agree to the surgery if she was paid as a<br />
full-time caregiver, so DCF called on the Suitts<br />
to foster him. “I started advocating for him,<br />
taking him to the doctor, the specialist,” said<br />
Carla Suitt. Ryan was able to have the surgery<br />
and stayed with the Suitts for about a year<br />
including recovery time, according to Carla.<br />
Then there was 3-year-old Joey, who was<br />
kicked out <strong>of</strong> day care because <strong>of</strong> his behavior.<br />
James Suitt was shocked. Rougier-Walker, not<br />
so much. She laughed at the memory <strong>of</strong> the<br />
precocious little boy.<br />
He definitely won Carla Suitt over. “Once,<br />
he went to the door and yelled: ‘Jesus, God,<br />
it’s me, Joey. I don’t want to leave this house!’<br />
He closed the door and said, ‘Mama, Jesus said<br />
I could stay.’ And I said, ‘If Jesus said you can<br />
stay, you can stay.’ Who am I to say Jesus didn’t<br />
tell him? He was something else.”<br />
One foster, Tyree, is now a firefighter in<br />
Somerset County. “He wanted some <strong>of</strong> my<br />
recipes to cook at the firehouse,” boasted<br />
Carla Suitt.<br />
James Suitt said they tried to take in mostly<br />
boys, close in age to their adopted sons. “If<br />
kids come into a home and there are no other<br />
kids, it’s tough, but when they see other kids<br />
it’s a different thing,” he added.<br />
“I would look at it like having another<br />
brother,” said Adam Suitt about his unique,<br />
extended family. “People would ask, ‘Who is<br />
that?’ I wouldn’t say my foster brother, I would<br />
say my brother. I would always see them as<br />
another brother. Some kids just needed that.”<br />
He would encourage the foster kids to share<br />
their feelings in ways they could not in other<br />
homes.<br />
“And my toys were their toys,” he said.<br />
“Sometimes when they’d leave, I’d give them<br />
something.”<br />
Often the children would come with<br />
everything they owned in a garbage bag,<br />
Carla Suitt said. But when they left, they took<br />
everything with them—<strong>of</strong>ten in a new suitcase<br />
or backpack.<br />
Once their sons were teens, the couple<br />
knew they were nearing the end <strong>of</strong> their time<br />
as foster parents. The last foster, Danny, lived<br />
at the home until 2018.<br />
Carla Suitt said she would do it all over again<br />
in a heartbeat. “I enjoy them. I cry when they<br />
leave. I wonder if their mother is giving them<br />
a bath, I wonder if they change their clothes.<br />
I hope she’s not keeping the diaper on too<br />
long.”<br />
Her husband said the couple “took kids that<br />
needed the love” and that their foster journey<br />
has been a joyous adventure with a lasting<br />
impact. “They’ve kept me young. You are part<br />
<strong>of</strong> them, and they are part <strong>of</strong> you.”<br />
“People do things for the wrong reasons,” said<br />
Carla Suitt. “I did this because I love children. I<br />
gave birth to one, but I fostered many. They’re<br />
all my children. And I did it because there was a<br />
need. I had the time and that’s what I did. And<br />
this poor man put up with it for me and my<br />
lovely daughter.”<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 23
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lakehopatcongnews.com 25
Club Has Carved Out a 40-Year Following<br />
Story by ELLEN WILKOWE<br />
Photos by Karen Fucito<br />
It was a Thursday night, and the halls <strong>of</strong><br />
Jefferson Township High School were in<br />
full swing with after-hours activities. There<br />
was the unmistakable sound <strong>of</strong> music and the<br />
unmistakable scent <strong>of</strong> … wood?<br />
Yes, wood.<br />
A smell that intensified as passersby followed<br />
it seamlessly to its source: the school’s wood<br />
shop. Except there were no students to be<br />
found, unless you count the small group <strong>of</strong><br />
adults trying their hands at wood carving.<br />
The mood was, well, chipper, among the<br />
men and women who were trading tools and<br />
tips across two tables that could very well be<br />
defined as literal carving stations. There were<br />
no chips on any shoulders but plenty in the<br />
hands <strong>of</strong> members <strong>of</strong> the Jersey Hills Wood<br />
Carvers club.<br />
Founded by former Jefferson Township<br />
High School biology teacher Earl Post, the<br />
club is celebrating 40 years <strong>of</strong> bringing the art<br />
and craft <strong>of</strong> recreational wood carving to the<br />
public.<br />
“It started out as an evening class for<br />
adults to teach recreation wood carving,” said<br />
longtime member Bill Brunner <strong>of</strong> Hopatcong.<br />
“The course was very popular and many <strong>of</strong> the<br />
students returned semester after semester.”<br />
Despite its popularity, the course folded in<br />
1983 but the demand <strong>of</strong> the public prevailed,<br />
laying the groundwork for today’s club.<br />
“Eventually the club name was voted on, and<br />
we <strong>of</strong>ficially became the Jersey Hills Wood<br />
Carvers,” said Brunner.<br />
Forty years later, the club sticks to its original<br />
objective as per its website: “To promote<br />
interest in and appreciation <strong>of</strong> the art <strong>of</strong> wood<br />
carving to all.” The club further markets itself<br />
as a “small, diverse group <strong>of</strong> people sharing<br />
their passion, time, knowledge and joy <strong>of</strong><br />
wood carving.” There are no membership fees,<br />
just a simple interest in wood carving will do.<br />
As the club gained traction, members took it<br />
on the road, providing interactive wood carving<br />
demonstrations at the New Jersey State Fair in<br />
Augusta, at schools and for area Boy and Girl<br />
Scout troops.<br />
The club will once again be featuring demos<br />
for all 10 days <strong>of</strong> the state fair this year, which<br />
begins August 4.<br />
Club members range in skill sets from the<br />
carving curious to the carving connoisseur,<br />
such as Brunner who let his curiosity get and<br />
then make the best <strong>of</strong> him in 1988.<br />
“It was just something I wanted to try, so I<br />
purchased a how-to book, a knife and a block<br />
<strong>of</strong> wood and went to town,” he said. “I dabbled<br />
with it for a few years until we started having<br />
children, then carving got put aside for some<br />
time.”<br />
Having never lost interest, he stumbled upon<br />
the club at a carving show in Wayne and<br />
slowly made his way back to the carving<br />
board, this time with his 11-year-old son,<br />
Christian, in tow.<br />
“He took to carving pretty quickly, and<br />
it was obvious that he had the eye for it,”<br />
Brunner said.<br />
Besides, what better way to carve out<br />
some quality father-son time? And like<br />
father, like son—Christian is now 25—the<br />
duo work the craft show circuit and sell<br />
their wares online and at shows.<br />
Meanwhile, longtime member and<br />
former club president Henry Hanzo discovered<br />
his inner carver earlier in life when he was a Boy<br />
Scout. He took carving to the next level while<br />
serving as a dental tech in the United States Air<br />
Force, where he had to carve teeth out <strong>of</strong> blue<br />
wax and cast them on metal.<br />
After more than three decades as a<br />
telephone draftsman and repairman, plus a<br />
stint as a telecommunications instructor at<br />
Passaic County Vocational Technical School,<br />
Hanzo has since returned to his first love<br />
<strong>of</strong> woodworking, specifically carving and<br />
woodburning.<br />
Over the years, he has attended his fair share<br />
<strong>of</strong> carving shows, placing first in one <strong>of</strong> them.<br />
“I like the challenge,” he said. “It’s good<br />
because you get feedback from pr<strong>of</strong>essionals.<br />
You learn different techniques.”<br />
With a focus on woodburning, Hanzo<br />
remains open-minded to the creative process.<br />
“I like to do anything,” he said. “I like carving<br />
and then woodburning because it highlights<br />
the pieces.”<br />
Hanzo takes particular pride in having carved<br />
a skull out <strong>of</strong> ash wood and then applying the<br />
woodburning technique to it.<br />
“Everyone has their specialty,” he said.<br />
“We’re not a teaching club, but if you want<br />
to learn how to carve, you saddle up to<br />
someone—we’ll put you alongside a mentor,”<br />
he said.<br />
That mentor just happens to be the club’s<br />
current president and carving connoisseur Al<br />
Santucci <strong>of</strong> Rockaway.<br />
As a Jefferson Township High School<br />
graduate, he is more than familiar with the<br />
wood shop as well as the late founder Earl Post.<br />
“Earl was a teacher when I was a student,” he<br />
said.<br />
Artistically inclined since childhood, Santucci<br />
signed up for wood shop in eighth grade and<br />
has come back to the classroom as a club<br />
member.<br />
Top to bottom, left to right: Newcomer Michelle<br />
Egan gets instructions from Al Santucci.<br />
Santucci, Bilquis Ansari and Agatha Sheerin<br />
discuss a group project during a May meeting.<br />
Mike Muldoon uses a band saw to cut the shape<br />
<strong>of</strong> a duck. A carving by Agatha Sheerin <strong>of</strong> a dog<br />
in motion.<br />
26<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
“I could always draw and make things,” he<br />
said. “I loved working with wood and took<br />
wood shop and drafting until I graduated high<br />
school.”<br />
He applied his hands-on nature in the<br />
workforce, first via drafting and then designing<br />
PC boards before winding down his career as a<br />
production engineer.<br />
Santucci learned <strong>of</strong> the club about five years<br />
ago through another member and is pleased<br />
with the result.<br />
“Many members have helped me improve<br />
my carving skills,” he said. His latest project is a<br />
wooden chain link.<br />
Now Santucci pays it forward by mentoring<br />
others such as Mike Muldoon <strong>of</strong> Sparta.<br />
Muldoon is so new to the club that the sawdust<br />
is still settling.<br />
“The first night here I was like, ‘Wow.’ There’s<br />
no messing around here, we just get right to<br />
carving,” said Muldoon, tipping his knife to<br />
Santucci for showing him the ropes.<br />
“Al said, ‘Sit down here and let me show you<br />
the five-minute wizard.’ He drew it on a paper<br />
and then a piece <strong>of</strong> wood and said, ‘Make a line<br />
here and there ….’”<br />
As a first-timer, Muldoon joked that the fiveminute<br />
wizard was more like a two-hour-andfive-minute<br />
wizard.<br />
“You go to town with a knife, but you can’t<br />
get too crazy too fast,” he said.<br />
A self-proclaimed wood-carving hobbyist,<br />
Muldoon worked in two hands-on careers: one<br />
in construction and the other as a mechanic.<br />
“I’ve done woodworking frequently on and<br />
<strong>of</strong>f and was always intrigued by carving,” he<br />
said.<br />
His intrigue, as well as word <strong>of</strong> mouth, led<br />
him to the club earlier this year.<br />
Since joining and completing his two-hourand-five-minute<br />
wizard, Muldoon has also<br />
gotten his ducks in a row—wooden ducks, that<br />
is, <strong>of</strong> which he has carved a few.<br />
“Everybody here is fantastic and very<br />
helpful,” he said.<br />
Michelle Egan, a graphic designer from Oak<br />
Ridge, could attest to that. Like Muldoon,<br />
she found out about the club through the<br />
grapevine and attended her first meeting in<br />
May, the same night Muldoon joined.<br />
“I needed to get away from computers,” she<br />
said. So, she subbed out a keyboard for a wood<br />
board and found Zen in the process. “This is<br />
like meditation,” she said, while detailing a<br />
small wizard.<br />
In terms <strong>of</strong> materials, club members tote the<br />
tools <strong>of</strong> the trade, always with the intent <strong>of</strong><br />
sharing.<br />
While members bring their own tools and<br />
source their own wood, the school provides a<br />
place to meet and a supply <strong>of</strong> wood scraps for<br />
the group’s yearly holiday project.<br />
Despite the Jefferson venue, the club has<br />
also attracted members from outside <strong>of</strong> town.<br />
A member for more than a decade, Agatha<br />
Sheerin <strong>of</strong> Stillwater took up wood carving<br />
“just for fun.” To date, she still marvels at the<br />
creations <strong>of</strong> her fellow crafters.<br />
“People make great stuff,” she said. “I am just<br />
amazed at the products.”<br />
On this recent Thursday, Sheerin was putting<br />
the finishing touches on a wooden Santa, part<br />
<strong>of</strong> a collection <strong>of</strong> ornaments that she and<br />
other members have been working on. Since<br />
joining the club, she is appreciative <strong>of</strong> the<br />
tool tutorials provided to her by the more<br />
experienced members she’s met along the way.<br />
Fostering the member-member relationship<br />
is exactly what Santucci hopes for while<br />
envisioning the club’s future. That, and growing<br />
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the membership in the name <strong>of</strong> what carves<br />
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perk.<br />
“We are a friendly group <strong>of</strong> people that<br />
create all kinds <strong>of</strong> carvings and help and<br />
support our members. I would love the club<br />
to continue to gain members and the current<br />
members mentor and teach this craft to them.”<br />
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers meets at<br />
Jefferson Township High School’s wood shop<br />
from 7-9 p.m. on the first, third and fifth<br />
Thursday <strong>of</strong> each month during the school<br />
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For more information go to<br />
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LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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lakehopatcongnews.com 29
Cigars, Bourbons and Philanthropy<br />
Story and photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
Billed as a cigar and bourbon cruise on Miss Lotta—Lake Hopatcong’s only<br />
dinner boat—41 guests at the June event not only enjoyed high quality cigars<br />
and uncommon bourbons, they also helped raise $1,000. The event also served as a<br />
way to recruit new members for the Lake Hopatcong Elks Lodge.<br />
Funds raised helped defray the cost <strong>of</strong> a luncheon honoring veterans that was<br />
held at the Elks lodge on June 24. The luncheon followed two complimentary Salute<br />
to Veterans cruises on Miss Lotta, said Ed Parrillo Jr., Lake Hopatcong Elks Chairman<br />
<strong>of</strong> Veterans Committee. In the past, the luncheon had been held at American Legion<br />
Post 245 in Lake Hopatcong, but a fire last summer destroyed the building.<br />
“The Elks are pleased to be able to step in and host this year’s luncheon,” said Parrillo.<br />
The cigar and bourbon event was hosted by Miss Lotta’s six captains as a thank you<br />
to members <strong>of</strong> the community who have partnered with Lake Hopatcong Cruises over<br />
the years.<br />
The invited guests enjoyed a tasting put together by Capt. Lee Moreau, who presented<br />
bourbons produced in distilleries from the area in the south dubbed the Bourbon Trail,<br />
which are not available for purchase locally.<br />
Each guest received a complimentary cigar at boarding time, said Moreau.<br />
The cigars used for the fundraiser were sourced through an anonymous donor and<br />
were considered one <strong>of</strong> “the highest quality” cigars around, said Elks member Alex Banos.<br />
“This is a real community connection,” said Moreau. “We raised some money and<br />
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30<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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lakehopatcongnews.com 33
HISTORY<br />
Drawn to Lake Hopatcong<br />
Leyendecker, Pyle, Parrish, Flagg, Wyeth,<br />
Gibson, Remington, Rockwell. In an era<br />
when photography was still new, the sketches<br />
and paintings created by these iconic artists<br />
entered millions <strong>of</strong> American homes in the form<br />
<strong>of</strong> calendars, magazine and book illustrations,<br />
advertisements and art prints.<br />
Through their bold and original work, which<br />
appeared in popular magazines, American<br />
illustrators <strong>of</strong> the late 19th and early to mid-<br />
20th century played an important role in the<br />
development <strong>of</strong> both literature and popular<br />
culture.<br />
Although this commercial art was passed over<br />
by collectors for years, today these works are<br />
highly prized.<br />
American illustrations began to appear in<br />
newspapers in the late 1800s as publishers<br />
discovered that art increased sales and<br />
stimulated interest in a story. By the turn <strong>of</strong><br />
the century, magazines began to compete for<br />
mass circulation as editors added fiction to the<br />
mix <strong>of</strong> articles. These stories usually featured<br />
at least one illustration to set the tone, portray<br />
characters and catch<br />
readers’ attention.<br />
The work <strong>of</strong><br />
certain artists<br />
became instantly<br />
recognizable. Charles<br />
Gibson’s Gibson Girl<br />
became the ideal for<br />
millions <strong>of</strong> young<br />
women—and men.<br />
J.C. Leyendecker’s<br />
renderings <strong>of</strong> the<br />
34<br />
by MARTY KANE<br />
Photos courtesy <strong>of</strong><br />
the<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG<br />
HISTORICAL<br />
MUSEUM<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Arrow Collar Man attracted fan mail<br />
and even marriage proposals.<br />
Uncle Sam, drawn by James<br />
Montgomery Flagg, became an<br />
American icon. Frederic Remington<br />
helped popularize the adventure and<br />
romance <strong>of</strong> the West, while Howard<br />
Pyle’s work brought American history<br />
and the chivalry <strong>of</strong> the Middle Ages to life.<br />
The iconic images created by Norman<br />
Rockwell, perhaps the best-known American<br />
illustrator, captured everyday American life and<br />
became part <strong>of</strong> the nation’s culture.<br />
One artist considered an unheralded great<br />
among American illustrators had ties to Lake<br />
Hopatcong.<br />
P.J. Monahan was among New York’s most<br />
prolific illustrators during the first three<br />
decades <strong>of</strong> the 20th century. Monahan created<br />
advertisements, movie posters, magazine covers<br />
and commissioned art but produced most <strong>of</strong> his<br />
work for the “pulp” magazines <strong>of</strong> the day. (The<br />
name comes from the cheap wood pulp paper<br />
on which they were printed).<br />
Pulp magazines <strong>of</strong>ten featured illustrated<br />
novel-length stories <strong>of</strong> characters like The<br />
Shadow and the Phantom Detective and were<br />
intended for adult readers while comic books<br />
were aimed at children and adolescents.<br />
Although many respected writers wrote<br />
for pulps, these magazines are perhaps best<br />
remembered for their lurid, sensational stories<br />
and thrilling cover art. Little attention was paid<br />
to the work <strong>of</strong> pulp illustrators at the time, but<br />
in recent years, due to some <strong>of</strong> Monahan’s other<br />
work, his art has become better known and more<br />
collectible.<br />
Born in Iowa in 1882, Monahan began life as<br />
Patrick John Sullivan.<br />
At the age <strong>of</strong> 9, after losing both parents<br />
and a sister to an influenza outbreak, he and a<br />
brother were taken in by neighbors Rose and<br />
Jim Monahan. At 17, Patrick Monahan won an art<br />
scholarship to Drake University in Des Moines.<br />
He began illustrating newspapers in Chicago and<br />
St. Louis after graduating and soon won an art<br />
contest that sent him to study painting in Europe.<br />
Monahan married Louise Averill in 1905<br />
and soon moved to New York City, where he<br />
immediately found employment illustrating<br />
fashion catalogs.<br />
In 1907, he began painting covers for Leslie’s<br />
Weekly, a leading magazine. During the ensuing<br />
From top to bottom, left to right: Cover<br />
illustration from <strong>July</strong> 1, 1909. Cover illustration<br />
from August 3, 1911. Cover illustration from<br />
December 9, 1922.<br />
Pat and Louise Monahan at Hopatcong’s Pine Tree Point<br />
on Lake Hopatcong, circa 1920.<br />
years he painted for many popular magazines<br />
<strong>of</strong> the day, including Ladies’ Home Journal,<br />
Cosmopolitan and Hampton’s Magazine.<br />
Monahan earned $125 for a typical painting<br />
in the 1910s when the average annual American<br />
salary was under $750.<br />
In 1912, Monahan’s friendship with author Jack<br />
London led to his illustrating “Smoke Bellew,”<br />
London’s collection <strong>of</strong> short stories about the<br />
Alaska Gold Rush. Monahan was admitted to the<br />
Society <strong>of</strong> Illustrators the same year, where he<br />
became friends with James Montgomery Flagg<br />
and Norman Rockwell. During World War I,<br />
Monahan teamed with a committee <strong>of</strong> artists to<br />
help the war effort by contributing paintings for<br />
Liberty Bonds and recruitment efforts.<br />
Monahan’s work is noted for its composition,<br />
design and use <strong>of</strong> color. Contemporary art<br />
editors acknowledge his skill in depicting women.<br />
Roger Hill, an expert on American illustrators,<br />
wrote in his book, “The Fantastic Worlds <strong>of</strong> P.<br />
J. Monahan” that Monahan “brought a quality,<br />
not simply <strong>of</strong> art and draftsmanship, but <strong>of</strong><br />
femininity and romance to the women he so<br />
obviously loved to paint.”<br />
The artist’s best-known illustrations, however,<br />
are <strong>of</strong> a different subject altogether.<br />
Between 1913 and 1923, after his work caught<br />
the attention <strong>of</strong> author Edgar Rice Burroughs,<br />
Monahan painted all 13 covers for the Argosy All-<br />
Story pulps featuring Burroughs’ Tarzan stories.<br />
As Burroughs expert Bill Hillman explained in a<br />
feature on the website erbzine.com, Monahan<br />
“created stimulating images full <strong>of</strong> romance<br />
and adventure,” which perfectly captured the<br />
author’s concept for this character.<br />
An admirer <strong>of</strong> Leonardo da Vinci, Monahan<br />
was also a self-taught engineer whose inventions<br />
included a compact umbrella.<br />
In 1915, he designed the Monahan Rotary<br />
Tube Engine, an internal combustion engine<br />
that was patented. Shares <strong>of</strong> stock were sold to<br />
raise money and a workshop was constructed<br />
in Guttenberg, New Jersey, to build the engine.<br />
Although the technology was exciting, the<br />
venture ended in failure, the stock was worthless<br />
and the place <strong>of</strong> business closed.<br />
Many <strong>of</strong> Monahan’s close friends and associates<br />
lost money on their investment, which the artist
tried to pay back for the rest <strong>of</strong> his life. Cranking<br />
out illustrations for the pulp magazines in the<br />
1920s allowed him to maximize his earnings.<br />
During the 1910s, the Monahans lived in Bergen<br />
County, home <strong>of</strong> the developing motion picture<br />
industry. Working at Fox Studios, Monahan<br />
painted portraits <strong>of</strong> such early movie stars as<br />
Tom Mix, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.<br />
Living in New Jersey also brought Lake<br />
Hopatcong to Monahan’s attention.<br />
The August 30, 1919 issue <strong>of</strong> the Lake<br />
Hopatcong Breeze noted that “P.J. Monahan and<br />
family, <strong>of</strong> Woodcliff, NJ, will spend the month <strong>of</strong><br />
September at the Point Camp.”<br />
The family soon bought a summer cottage,<br />
known as Noisy Nook, between Pine Tree Point<br />
and Northwood. Over the next decade plus, the<br />
Breeze frequently mentioned the Monahans<br />
entertaining guests and the activities <strong>of</strong> their<br />
children. Louise Monahan and the children<br />
stayed at the lake all summer while Monahan<br />
commuted. It was said that he kept no art<br />
supplies at the bungalow. One <strong>of</strong> his favorite<br />
sayings was, “when you work, you work hard and<br />
when you play, you play hard.”<br />
In 1924, the Monahans bought a 32-acre farm<br />
in Mount Fern, Randolph Township. An art studio<br />
was created in the barn. Horses, cows, chickens<br />
and pigs were tended by Louise and the children,<br />
and the youngest Monahan child was born there<br />
in <strong>July</strong> 1924.<br />
Sadly, a fire in 1928 destroyed the studio along<br />
with Monahan’s supplies, artistic library and 200<br />
<strong>of</strong> his paintings.<br />
Soon after, the artist suffered an injury in<br />
a traffic accident, which left him with severe<br />
headaches and evidently led to the cerebral<br />
hemorrhage that caused his death in November<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1931 at the age <strong>of</strong> 49.<br />
Monahan was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery<br />
in Wharton. Louise raised their eight children<br />
on the farm and never remarried. She became<br />
an inspector at Picatinny Arsenal, operated a<br />
Shamrock Dairy store in Mount Fern and was<br />
an active member <strong>of</strong> the Rutgers Agriculture<br />
Extension, where she was known for her prizewinning<br />
flowers and poultry.<br />
Louise Monahan died at age 84 in 1968. Several<br />
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<strong>of</strong> the Monahan children stayed in the area. Son,<br />
Joe, resided at Nolan’s Point until his death in<br />
2002. In fact, I had the pleasure <strong>of</strong> playing s<strong>of</strong>tball<br />
with one <strong>of</strong> P.J. Monahan’s great-grandsons<br />
during my career at Picatinny.<br />
In 2007, the museum acquired an original<br />
Monahan painting. Depicting a steamship, the<br />
work is now proudly displayed next to a vintage<br />
copy <strong>of</strong> the September 28, 1912 issue <strong>of</strong> Leslie’s,<br />
whose cover it graces.<br />
Roger Hill described Monahan’s life as “very<br />
exciting and productive … filled with both a<br />
love for his family and a drive to work hard at<br />
the easel,” adding that, though his life and career<br />
were cut short by a quirk <strong>of</strong> fate, “he left us with<br />
a legacy <strong>of</strong> great beauty.”<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 35
COOKING<br />
WITH SCRATCH ©<br />
Story by ERIKA SIMMONS<br />
Recipe by BRITTNEY SIMMONS<br />
Photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
Editor’s Note: Regular columnist Barbara Simmons<br />
is on an extended vacation in Europe. Filling in<br />
while she is away are daughter Erika and daughterin-law<br />
Brittney.<br />
grew up blessed with a mother who adores<br />
I cooking. (She also adores my brother and<br />
me, but this is not the point at the moment!)<br />
You all know her as Barbara Simmons, the usual<br />
writer <strong>of</strong> this column. Maybe you have even<br />
tried and saved some <strong>of</strong> her recipes.<br />
Throughout my childhood, my mom was<br />
always excited to experiment with unique<br />
ingredients and create new dishes on a weekly<br />
basis. This wasn’t just a once a month “new dish<br />
alert.” This was literally every week—something<br />
culturally new and different to try on our plates.<br />
(I will never ever forget the first time I saw an<br />
octopus tentacle sprawled out on a plate, and<br />
she told us it was a freakin’ salad!)<br />
Mom wasn’t just throwing down spiffed up<br />
new renditions <strong>of</strong> mac n’ cheese; this was full<br />
FAMILY BUSINESS SINCE 1996!<br />
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Foodie Family<br />
on!<br />
She would get into<br />
homemade focaccia<br />
bread kicks, make gyro<br />
sandwiches with lamb she<br />
sourced from a butcher<br />
in Hackensack or stir-fry<br />
up some walnut chicken<br />
Brittney Simmons and<br />
Erika Simmons<br />
(a Chinese dish she learned how to make in<br />
college from her roommate’s mom).<br />
I’ve got so many memories <strong>of</strong> every goulash,<br />
carbonara, Thai peanut coconut shrimp, Greek<br />
salad, Turkish kibbeh. It was an adventurous ride!<br />
My point here is that I feel very lucky and am<br />
so grateful for the exposure and teachings in the<br />
world <strong>of</strong> food that my mom bestowed upon us.<br />
(I’ll speak for my brother and dad here, too!)<br />
She would quiz us to look for different flavors<br />
in our mouths: “Okay, who can guess what’s in<br />
this sauce?” “Mmmmm, garlic? Chipotle chile?<br />
Vinegar? A little sugar?”<br />
I believe my now sister-in-law, Brittney, would<br />
have the same thing to say about this wonderful<br />
woman we call mom. Brittney once referred to<br />
my mom as her “palate expander.”<br />
Brittney came into our family 11 years ago. She<br />
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and my brother, Francis, <strong>of</strong>ten cooked<br />
together when they started dating. (I<br />
remember a strong smoothie-era early<br />
on.)<br />
My mom’s natural love <strong>of</strong> teaching<br />
and Brittney’s love <strong>of</strong> learning and<br />
perfecting—especially around food—<br />
became quite a delightful match.<br />
And voilà, an extraordinary cooking duo<br />
was formed.<br />
Together, they create some <strong>of</strong> the most<br />
fantastic—and very difficult to execute—<br />
dinners I’ve ever had in my life. I’m talking<br />
recipes with over 50 directions, which is<br />
a little out <strong>of</strong> my league but, hey, I am here to<br />
appreciate!<br />
Last summer our family got on this Korean<br />
barbecue kick. I’m not sure who or where it<br />
started, but I am relishing in it all!<br />
The flavor pr<strong>of</strong>iles in Korean cooking are vast,<br />
exciting, bright, powerful and succulent. A true<br />
party in your mouth.<br />
The contrast <strong>of</strong> textures plays <strong>of</strong>f all those<br />
fantastic, unusual flavors, and you’re transported<br />
into another world. Korea, perhaps?<br />
The recipe here is the best summer dish you<br />
could ever show <strong>of</strong>f: Brittney’s own Korean<br />
barbecue tacos. I don’t think I’ve come across a<br />
finer shredded slaw than hers.<br />
Brittney takes home cooking to a new level.<br />
Every aspect <strong>of</strong> a dish she puts out is so well<br />
executed and truly beautiful.<br />
When she “throws” something together,<br />
expect to be wowed.<br />
Her curiosity for new flavors and the refined<br />
confidence in her skill are just a few <strong>of</strong> the<br />
things I truly admire about her.<br />
Boy, I’m lucky. I’ve been graced by the cooking<br />
gods with an Oma, a mother and a sister-in-law<br />
who are talented chefs!<br />
Anyway, onto the recipe.<br />
Meat goes into the Crock-Pot, you go out on<br />
the boat, you come back, whip up a quick slaw<br />
and a fancy mayo—bam!—the whole crew is in<br />
awe.<br />
And then you fall asleep kissed by the Lake<br />
Hopatcong sun and live happily ever after.<br />
You’re welcome, from the Simmons.<br />
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Korean Short Rib Tacos<br />
Serves 4-6<br />
This recipe is adaptable and can be served with toppings <strong>of</strong> your<br />
liking.<br />
Gochujang, a Korean condiment, is a spicy paste used in Korean<br />
cooking and is made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice<br />
and salt. It has become widely available, and we’ve been able to find it<br />
at our local supermarket. Check your local Korean greengrocers, too.<br />
You can substitute the gochujang in this recipe with 1 tablespoon ketchup mixed with 1<br />
tablespoon light miso paste (your supermarket should have miso paste) and 2 teaspoons <strong>of</strong><br />
Sriracha sauce.<br />
The toppings for the tacos listed here are our personal favorites. See variations for more ideas.<br />
Ingredients<br />
For the short ribs:<br />
1 medium yellow onion, chopped<br />
2 tablespoons chopped garlic<br />
2 tablespoons grated ginger<br />
2 cups low-sodium beef broth<br />
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce<br />
¼ cup brown sugar<br />
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar<br />
2 tablespoons gochujang<br />
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil<br />
salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
3-4 pounds bone-in short ribs (about 6)<br />
1 tablespoon cornstarch<br />
8 s<strong>of</strong>t corn or flour taco tortillas<br />
kimchi, for serving<br />
For the sunset cabbage slaw:<br />
1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />
1 teaspoon sesame oil<br />
½ small head red cabbage, shredded<br />
½ small head green cabbage,<br />
shredded<br />
2 medium carrots, grated<br />
2 green onions, chopped, salt and pepper<br />
For the gochujang mayo:<br />
¼ cup mayo<br />
½ teaspoon gochujang<br />
juice <strong>of</strong> ½ lime (about 1 tablespoon or to taste)<br />
Procedure<br />
1. Add the first nine ingredients for the short ribs into the slow cooker. Stir to combine<br />
the brown sugar and gochujang.<br />
2. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides.<br />
3. Heat 1-2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable, etc.) on medium-high in a<br />
heavy bottomed pan.<br />
4. When the oil is hot, add short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides. This should take<br />
2-3 minutes per side. You may need to work in batches, so you don’t crowd the pan.<br />
5. Transfer the browned short ribs to the slow cooker, meat side down.<br />
6. Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4-6 hours, or until the meat is fork tender<br />
and falling <strong>of</strong>f the bone.<br />
7. When the meat is done, skim some <strong>of</strong> the fat <strong>of</strong>f the top and discard.<br />
8. Spoon out approximately 2 tablespoons <strong>of</strong> the liquid and combine with the cornstarch<br />
in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Pour cornstarch mixture back into the slow cooker,<br />
stir and continue cooking uncovered on high for about 20 minutes.<br />
9. Remove the short ribs from the liquid, shred the meat and discard the bone and any<br />
pieces <strong>of</strong> fat you don’t want.<br />
10. Spoon the desired amount <strong>of</strong> the cooking liquid over the shredded meat.<br />
11. In a bowl, combine the wet ingredients for the sunset cabbage slaw. Add the shredded<br />
cabbage, carrots and green onions and toss. Season with salt and pepper.<br />
12. In another bowl, combine all ingredients for the gochujang mayo.<br />
13. Heat tortillas in a pan for a few seconds on each<br />
side. Cover to keep warm.<br />
You can serve everything separately and have<br />
guests assemble their own tacos.<br />
Here are some other ideas for taco toppings:<br />
Mango salsa Asian cucumber salad<br />
Lime crema Pickled red onions<br />
Sliced avocado Toasted sesame seeds<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 37
WORDS OF<br />
A FEATHER<br />
“You’re Gonna Need<br />
a Bigger Boat”<br />
Story and photo by HEATHER SHIRLEY<br />
Ahh, summer in New Jersey. There’s not<br />
much better than it, is there?<br />
Long days full <strong>of</strong> sunshine lure us out on the<br />
lake and down to the shore. Both are fantastic<br />
destinations. Both present unique, complex<br />
ecosystems that are vibrant and wondrous.<br />
An ecosystem describes “a community <strong>of</strong><br />
living and non-living things that work together,”<br />
according to PBS. The size <strong>of</strong> the community<br />
doesn’t matter; complete ecosystems can be<br />
found in a single tide pool, a lake, a terrarium on<br />
your desk or different zones <strong>of</strong> the ocean (tidal,<br />
deep water, etc.)<br />
Every aspect <strong>of</strong> an ecosystem works together,<br />
in balance, to keep the community thriving,<br />
including air, soil, plant matter and a variety <strong>of</strong><br />
animals. Among the most important animals are<br />
predators, especially apex predators, which sit at<br />
the top <strong>of</strong> the food chain.<br />
Studies repeatedly show that when these<br />
predators are removed or depleted, the entire<br />
ecosystem fails. (The Natural Resources Defense<br />
Council <strong>of</strong>fers good information about this<br />
phenomenon. Go to www.nrdc.org/sites/<br />
default/files/predatorimportance.pdf to learn<br />
more.)<br />
If predators are thriving, it means an ecosystem<br />
is also thriving. Given this, I thought it would<br />
be interesting to learn more about the aquatic<br />
predators <strong>of</strong> our favorite summer destinations.<br />
In the Musconetcong watershed, which<br />
encompasses Lake Hopatcong, the apex aquatic<br />
predator is a fish known as a muskellunge or<br />
“muskie” for short.<br />
Though not good for eating, these amazing<br />
creatures are coveted game fish, therefore, catch<br />
and release practices are encouraged.<br />
Though muskellunge are not native to New<br />
Jersey, they were first reported here in 1900, in<br />
Greenwood Lake, according to the United States<br />
Geological Survey. According to Laurie Murphy,<br />
38<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
owner <strong>of</strong> Dow’s Boat Rental in Jefferson, the<br />
muskie is fished regularly by a handful <strong>of</strong> local<br />
fishermen on Lake Hopatcong.<br />
These elusive fish are strikingly beautiful, with<br />
elongated silvery bodies that can be covered on<br />
their sides with stripes, spots or almost leopardlooking<br />
patterns. Muskies average 2 to 4 feet<br />
in length and 15 to 35 pounds, although some<br />
record holders have been twice that size.<br />
They have tremendous, long jaws with large<br />
canine teeth. These fish prefer clear waters and<br />
establish two ranges in summer, one shallower<br />
and warmer, the other deeper and cooler. They<br />
patrol both, regularly searching for food.<br />
Almost anything constitutes their prey; any<br />
fish (including other muskies), muskrats, mice,<br />
rats, frogs, even ducks. They can eat prey that is<br />
two-thirds their body size. Yowza!<br />
Muskies spawn in late spring, and the young<br />
grow to 12 inches long by November <strong>of</strong> their<br />
first year. As young fish they are vulnerable to<br />
a variety <strong>of</strong> other predators, but as adults, only<br />
humans and bald eagles pose a threat.<br />
They typically live for 12 to 18 years, and there<br />
are records <strong>of</strong> 30-year-old muskies. Makes you<br />
want to get out your fishing rod, right?<br />
Or are you instead rethinking a swim in the<br />
lake? Are you tempted to drive to seaside points<br />
south, instead?<br />
Of course, in the ocean, the apex predators<br />
are sharks. New Jersey’s bays and marshes serve<br />
as nurseries for three species <strong>of</strong> sharks: the<br />
smooth dogfish, the sand tiger shark and the<br />
sandbar shark. Of these, sandbar sharks are the<br />
most common.<br />
Each species gives birth to live young in places<br />
like Little Egg Harbor and Barnegat Bay. The<br />
juveniles, also called pups, are then abandoned<br />
and left to manage on their own.<br />
The pups take refuge hiding in the grasses<br />
<strong>of</strong> estuaries. There they hunt for fish and<br />
crustaceans, growing until they’re large enough<br />
to try out the open ocean.<br />
Young sharks that survive this initial foray into<br />
the Atlantic usually return to the sanctuary <strong>of</strong><br />
their youth. They spend another year there in<br />
relative safety, eating, growing and developing<br />
the skills necessary to survive.<br />
Once they leave their estuary home for good,<br />
they spend their life at sea, only returning to the<br />
bays to birth more pups.<br />
In addition to the breeding species <strong>of</strong> sharks,<br />
New Jersey waters also host annual visiting shark<br />
species such as the hammerhead, basking, mako,<br />
thresher and the big guy himself, the great white.<br />
Whether lauded by Discovery Channel’s Shark<br />
Week or vilified by Hollywood and uninformed<br />
people, sharks fascinate us. Given that, it would<br />
seem we would want to do more to protect<br />
them.<br />
But like so much <strong>of</strong> our wildlife and natural<br />
resources, sharks and their ecosystems are under<br />
threat from more frequent storms and sea level<br />
rise. Both affect salinity and stability <strong>of</strong> fragile<br />
Top to bottom:<br />
The author shot<br />
this photo at an<br />
aquarium.<br />
Lake Hopatcong’s<br />
Bob Neals<br />
caught a muskie<br />
beneath the ice<br />
at Monksville<br />
Reservoir in<br />
January, 1997.<br />
Photo from NJDEP<br />
website.<br />
ecosystems. The Nature Conservancy, thankfully,<br />
is making promising strides to combat this and<br />
hopes to expand its progress to more areas <strong>of</strong><br />
New Jersey and beyond.<br />
So, gentle readers, enjoy the lovely summer<br />
days. And as you cool <strong>of</strong>f and swim or dangle<br />
your feet in the lake or ocean, try not to think<br />
about what lurks below.<br />
Dunnn dunn…duuuunnn dunn…duuuunnn<br />
dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun<br />
duuuunnn dun!<br />
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directory<br />
CONSTRUCTION/<br />
EXCAVATION<br />
Al Hutchins Excavating<br />
973-663-2142<br />
973-713-8020<br />
Lakeside Construction<br />
151 Sparta-Stanhope Rd., Hopatcong<br />
973-398-4517<br />
Northwest Explosives<br />
PO Box 806, Hopatcong<br />
973-398-6900<br />
info@northwestexplosives.com<br />
ENTERTAINMENT/<br />
RECREATION<br />
Lake Hopatcong Adventure<br />
973-663-1944<br />
lhadventureco.com<br />
Lake Hopatcong Cruises<br />
Miss Lotta (Dinner Boat)<br />
37 Nolan’s Pt. Park Rd., LH<br />
973-663-5000<br />
lhcruises.com<br />
Lake Hopatcong Mini Golf Club<br />
37 Nolan's Pt. Park Rd., LH<br />
973-663-0451<br />
lhgolfclub.com<br />
NJ Electric Boat Rental<br />
NJeBoats.com<br />
Roxbury Arts Alliance<br />
72 Eyland Ave., Succasunna<br />
973-945-0284<br />
roxburyartsalliance.org<br />
HOME SERVICES<br />
Central Comfort<br />
100 Nolan’s Point Rd., LH<br />
973-361-2146<br />
Evening Star<br />
LED Deck/Dock Lights<br />
eveningstarlighting.com<br />
Homestead Lawn Sprinkler<br />
5580 Berkshire Valley Rd., OR<br />
973-208-0967<br />
homesteadlawnsprinkler.com<br />
Happs Kitchen & Bath<br />
Sparta<br />
973-729-4787<br />
happskitchen.com<br />
Jefferson Recycling<br />
710 Route 15 N Jefferson<br />
973-361-1589<br />
jefferson-recycling.com<br />
Martin Design Group<br />
973-584-5111<br />
martinnurserynj.com<br />
The Polite Plumber<br />
973-398-0875<br />
thepoliteplumber.com<br />
Royalty Cleaning Services<br />
973-309-2858<br />
royaltycleaningserv.com<br />
Sacks Paint & Wallpaper<br />
52 N Sussex St., Dover<br />
973-366-0119<br />
sackspaint.net<br />
Sunset Decks & Outdoor Lvg<br />
973-846-3088<br />
sunsetdecksnj.com<br />
Wilson Services<br />
973-383-2112<br />
WilsonServices.com<br />
LAKE SERVICES<br />
AAA Dock & Marine<br />
27 Prospect Point Rd., LH<br />
973-663-4998<br />
docksmarina@hotmail.com<br />
Batten The Hatches<br />
70 Rt. 181, LH<br />
973-663-1910<br />
facebook.com/bthboatcovers<br />
Lake Management Sciences<br />
Branchville<br />
973-948-0107<br />
lakemgtsciences.com<br />
MARINAS<br />
Katz’s Marinas<br />
22 Stonehenge Rd., LH<br />
973-663-0224<br />
katzmarinaatthecove.com<br />
342 Lakeside Ave., Hopatcong<br />
973-663-3214<br />
antiqueboatsales.com<br />
Lake’s End Marina<br />
91 Mt. Arlington Blvd., Landing<br />
973-398-5707<br />
lakesendmarina.net<br />
Morris County Marine<br />
745 US 46W, Kenvil<br />
201-400-6031<br />
South Shore Marine<br />
862-254-2514<br />
southshoremarine180@gmail.com<br />
NONPROFIT<br />
ORGANIZATIONS<br />
Lake Hopatcong Commission<br />
260 Lakeside Blvd.,Landing<br />
973-601-7801<br />
commissioner@lakehopatcongcommission.org<br />
Lake Hopatcong Elks Lodge<br />
201 Howard Blvd., MA<br />
973-398-9835<br />
lakehopatcongelks.com<br />
Lake Hopatcong Foundation<br />
125 Landing Rd., Landing<br />
973-663-2500<br />
lakehopatcongfoundation.org<br />
Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum<br />
260 Lakeside Blvd., Landing<br />
973-398-2616<br />
lakehopatconghistory.com<br />
PROFESSIONAL<br />
SERVICES<br />
Barbara Anne Dillon,,O.D.,P.A.<br />
180 Howard Blvd., Ste. 18 MA<br />
973-770-1380<br />
Fox Architectural Design<br />
546 St. Rt. 10 W, Ledgewood<br />
973-970-9355<br />
foxarch.com<br />
RBC Wealth Management<br />
wade.martin@rbc.com<br />
609-936-6411<br />
www.martinwmg.com<br />
REAL ESTATE<br />
Kathleen Courter<br />
RE/MAX<br />
131 Landing Rd., Roxbury<br />
973-420-0022 Direct<br />
KathySellsNJHomes.com<br />
Robin Dora<br />
Sotheby’s International<br />
670 Main St., Towaco<br />
973-570-6633<br />
thedoragroup.com<br />
Christopher J. Edwards<br />
RE/MAX<br />
211 Rt. 10E, Succasunna<br />
973-598-1008<br />
MrLakeHopatcong.com<br />
Karen Foley<br />
Sotheby’s International<br />
670 Main St., Towaco<br />
973-906-5021<br />
prominentproperties.com<br />
Geba Realty<br />
Century 21<br />
23 Main St., Sparta<br />
973-726-0333<br />
C21GebaRealty.com<br />
Jim Leffler<br />
RE/MAX<br />
131 Landing Rd., Roxbury<br />
201-919-5414<br />
Darla Quaranta<br />
Century 21<br />
23 Main St., Sparta<br />
973-229-0452<br />
livelovelakelife.com<br />
RESTAURANTS & BARS<br />
Alice’s Restaurant<br />
24 Nolan’s Pt. Park Rd., LH<br />
973-663-9600<br />
alicesrestaurantnj.com<br />
Big Fish Lounge At Alice’s<br />
24 Nolan’s Pt. Park Rd., LH<br />
973-663-9600<br />
alicesrestaurantnj.com<br />
The Beacon<br />
453 River Styx Rd., Hopatcong<br />
thebeaconlh.com<br />
The Bagel Place<br />
181 Howard Blvd., MA<br />
973-810-3636<br />
thebagelplace.net<br />
The Windlass Restaurant<br />
45 Nolan’s Point Park Rd., LH<br />
973-663-3190<br />
thewindlass.com<br />
SENIOR CARE<br />
Preferred Care at Home<br />
George & Jill Malanga/Owners<br />
973-512-5131<br />
PreferHome.com/nwjersey<br />
SPECIALTY STORES<br />
Alstede Fresh @ Lindeken<br />
54 NJ Rt 15 N, Wharton<br />
908-879-7189<br />
AlstedeFarms.com<br />
At The Lake Jewelry<br />
atthelakejewelry.com<br />
Four Sisters Winery<br />
783 Rt 519W, Belvidere<br />
908-475-3671<br />
foursisterswinery.com<br />
Hawk Ridge Farm<br />
283 Espanong Rd, LH<br />
hawkridgefarmnj.com<br />
Hearth & Home<br />
1215 Rt. 46, Ledgewood<br />
973-252-0190<br />
hearthandhome.net<br />
Helrick’s Custom Framing<br />
158 W Clinton St., Dover<br />
973-361-1559<br />
helricks.com<br />
Italy Tours with Maria<br />
ItalyTourswithMaria@yahoo.com<br />
Main Lake Market<br />
234 S. NJ Ave., LH<br />
973-663-0544<br />
mainlakemarket.com<br />
Orange Carpet & Wood Gallery<br />
470 Rt. 10W, Ledgewood<br />
973-584-5300<br />
orange-carpet.com<br />
The Fade Barber Shop<br />
181 Howard Blvd., MA<br />
201-874-2657<br />
STORAGE<br />
Woodport Self Storage<br />
17 Rt. 181 & 20 Tierney Rd.<br />
Lake Hopatcong<br />
973-663-4000<br />
40<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR A DAY ON THE LAKE<br />
A One Stop-shop<br />
Accessible by Car or Boat<br />
973.663.0544 mainlakemarket.com<br />
mainlakemarket<br />
234 SOUTH NEW JERSEY AVE. LAKE HOPATCONG, NJ<br />
DOCKSIDE GAS<br />
SNACKS<br />
BOATING SUPPLIES<br />
SANDWICHES<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 41
akeside<br />
CoNstruCtioN<br />
A full service site-work<br />
contrActor speciAlizing<br />
in the following AreAs:<br />
excAvAting & pAving<br />
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www.Lakeside-NJ.com<br />
973-398-4517<br />
Fax 973-398-5623
ORTHWEST<br />
EXPLOSIVES<br />
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and Commercial Projects<br />
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P.O. Box 806<br />
Hopatcong, New Jersey 07843<br />
973-398-6900<br />
Fax 973-398-5623<br />
We Love Rock! Serving New Jersey & New York
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