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INFORMING, SERVING AND CELEBRATING THE LAKE REGION<br />
ake Hopatcong News<br />
HOLIDAY <strong>2023</strong> VOL. 15 NO. 7<br />
Tidying Up<br />
Coinciding with the scheduled 5-foot drawdown, hundreds of<br />
volunteers removed trash and debris from Lake Hopatcong<br />
DRAMA ON THE RADIO<br />
WINTER STROLL<br />
DOG HAS ITS DAY<br />
A CLUB’S IMPACT
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4<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
From the Editor<br />
There are two components to this issue’s cover story. The first is the cleanup effort of Lake<br />
Hopatcong, carried out on Saturday, November 4 by an army of volunteers. The second is the<br />
recognition that the lake—thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Lake Hopatcong Commission and<br />
the Lake Hopatcong Foundation—is cleaner and healthier today than in 2018, the last time the statemandated<br />
5-foot drawdown took place. (See Mike Daigle’s story on page 22.)<br />
Volunteer-driven lake-wide cleanups are not unusual. A quick Google search yields documentation of<br />
people throughout the nation banding together to remove trash from their own cherished lakes.<br />
For example, on a day in September and for the 29th consecutive year, volunteers descended on Lake<br />
Travis in Texas and removed over 7,000 pounds of trash.<br />
In southern Indiana, a cleanup at Patoka Lake was also held in September. The folks there have been<br />
cleaning the lake annually since 2008 and have reportedly removed close to 43,000 pounds of trash to<br />
date.<br />
And, for the first time, New York’s Lake George, whose association is a recognized national leader in<br />
freshwater management, held a volunteer-led cleanup.<br />
The most disturbing headline, though, came out of Lake Tahoe in California and Nevada. “One hell<br />
of a mess,” is how Colin West, founder of Clean Up the Lake, described the scene volunteers from his<br />
nonprofit encountered along one beach, where July Fourth revelers left everything behind. “It was all<br />
intentional,” West told The Guardian news outlet at the time.<br />
Collecting someone else’s trash—whether it’s accidental or intentional—is maddening, but it seems<br />
it’s a necessary task. (Full disclosure: I can claim two pairs of cheap sunglasses somewhere at the bottom<br />
of the lake.)<br />
The Google search also produced stories about lake cleanups of a different sort—the continued battle<br />
to keep freshwater, well, fresh.<br />
At Onondaga Lake near Syracuse, New York, a more than 20-year dredging, capping and habitat<br />
restoration project was just completed. Last year, after nearly 40 years of clean up and restoration,<br />
Muskegon Lake in Michigan got a clean bill of health.<br />
These projects were costly and time consuming. But the agencies and organizations connected to<br />
these lakes had the foresight and gumption to greenlight the projects.<br />
Which brings me back to our cleanup.<br />
Local, county and state officials joined in the November cleanup, an indication that keeping the lake<br />
healthy is important not only to those of us who live in this region but also for those who make policy<br />
and allocate our tax dollars. Their participation signals a shift from ‘you’re on your own’ to ‘we’re here<br />
to help.’ Hopefully, this group of elected and appointed officials will continue to act now to ensure a<br />
cleaner future for the lake.<br />
As always, there are many other great stories in this issue, the last for <strong>2023</strong>.<br />
Writer Melissa Summers was busy, writing three of them, including one about Jefferson Township<br />
adding another component to its already great holiday celebration weekend in December. New this year<br />
is a winter stroll at Camp Jefferson. I’m told there will be around 100,000 lights among the many holiday<br />
decorations and activities available. (See story on page 12.)<br />
And in Hopatcong, Kiwanis Club members and first responders will be preparing free meals for<br />
Thanksgiving and Christmas for residents in need. (See story on page 26.)<br />
Then there’s the story of a recently published book, “Archer the<br />
Therapy Dog,” which is authored and illustrated by two locals: Katie<br />
Baron and Emily Beach, respectively. (See story on page 18.)<br />
The photo included here is of my last ride of the season on my<br />
wave runner. It was a Tuesday in early October, beautifully sunny and<br />
warm. I had the lake to myself and—as you can see by my hair (spikier<br />
than usual!)—I wasn’t out for a leisurely ride.<br />
I just love being on the lake—especially a clean one. —Karen<br />
ake Hopatcong News<br />
INFORMING, SERVING AND CELEBRATING THE LAKE REGION<br />
Tidying Up<br />
Coinciding with the scheduled 5-foot drawdown, hundreds of<br />
volunteers removed trash and debris from Lake Hopatcong<br />
DRAMA ON THE RADIO<br />
WINTER STROLL<br />
DOG HAS ITS DAY<br />
A CLUB’S IMPACT<br />
HOLIDAY <strong>2023</strong> VOL. 15 NO. 7<br />
ON THE COVER<br />
Jerry Scanlan trudges through the muddy<br />
water of Lake Hopatcong after retrieving a<br />
tire from the muck in Byram Cove.<br />
—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 />
Bonnie-Lynn Nadzeika<br />
Melissa Summers<br />
Maria Vogel-Short<br />
Joe Wohlgemuth<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 />
call<br />
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or email<br />
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Lake Hopatcong News is published seven times a<br />
year between April and November and is offered<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 of 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 of<br />
Lake Hopatcong News, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Hopatcong, N.J.: ‘We Call It Lake Life’<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 5
Left to right: Michael Jarmus<br />
as Henry the newsboy, Carlyle<br />
Owens as Victor Frankenstein<br />
and Shawna Lagan as Beth,<br />
wife of Owen’s Frankenstein.<br />
Lagan’s Beth lets out a scream<br />
as Owens’ Frankenstein reacts.<br />
6<br />
Frankenstein and the Radio<br />
Drama Come to Life<br />
Story by JOE WOHLGEMUTH<br />
Photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
If video killed the radio star, certainly it can<br />
be argued that television killed the radio<br />
drama. But if Jefferson Township residents<br />
listened closely on Friday the 13th in October,<br />
they could have heard the refrain “It lives!<br />
It lives!” as Raconteur Radio performed its<br />
radio drama “Frankenstein.” Sponsored by<br />
the Jefferson Arts Committee, the show was<br />
performed on stage at White Rock Elementary<br />
School in Oak Ridge.<br />
“It’s something different, and it’s very<br />
interesting,” Jefferson Arts Committee<br />
President Carol Punturieri said. “We thought<br />
‘Frankenstein’ would be great because<br />
Halloween is coming and it’s Friday the 13th.”<br />
The radio drama was a popular form of<br />
entertainment from the 1920s through the<br />
1950s and acoustic-only performances allowed<br />
audiences to close their eyes and use their<br />
imaginations as the story unfolded. Raconteur<br />
Radio productions visually transform this<br />
nostalgic art form using period costumes,<br />
vintage commercials, Golden Age radio<br />
equipment and extensive sound effects.<br />
Raconteur Radio, under the watchful eye of<br />
founder and artistic director Alex Dawson, has<br />
performed in an array of venues around the<br />
tri-state area, including libraries, restaurants,<br />
community centers and schools. “We did ‘Jaws’<br />
at a pool party, and we did ‘Star Trek’ at a<br />
planetarium—we do them anywhere,” he said.<br />
Dawson has adapted more than 170 radio<br />
shows over the past 10 years and his adaptations<br />
do not exceed an hour. “I can fairly quickly cut<br />
away the fat because we don’t ever go over<br />
55 minutes. That’s our limit,” he explained.<br />
Removing extraneous content from the original<br />
sources allows Dawson to focus on aspects of<br />
the story that are acoustically robust.<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Dawson adapted “Frankenstein” from a<br />
variety of sources, including Mary Shelley’s<br />
novel and the 1931 film starring Boris Karloff.<br />
“I bring in a lot of Mary Shelley that is not in<br />
the movie,” Dawson said. “I pull a lot of literary<br />
stuff, but I also understand what the audience is<br />
more familiar with and wanting as an audience<br />
for ‘Frankenstein.’”<br />
Dawson is confident his productions are<br />
unique when compared to other companies<br />
that perform radio dramas. “I like to use one<br />
microphone, and some theater companies that<br />
occasionally do radio dramas use microphones<br />
for each actor and I like to create this kind<br />
of energy that actors and characters are<br />
choreographed around the microphone<br />
jockeying for space.<br />
“We use costumes, we use lighting, and we<br />
use a fog machine,” Dawson said. “We create<br />
this immersive, highly theatrical show with<br />
basically two boxes full of stuff and two actors.”<br />
This isn’t the first time Raconteur Radio<br />
has visited Jefferson Township. The Jefferson<br />
Arts Committee booked “The Hound of the<br />
Baskervilles” last June, and in 2019 the Knights<br />
of Columbus Council 5510 sponsored two<br />
productions: “War of the Worlds” and “A<br />
Left to right: Jarmus as Monster<br />
with Owens as Frankenstein. Alex<br />
Dawson uses his computer to control<br />
lights, trigger fog and broadcast<br />
sound effects.<br />
Christmas Carol.”<br />
Punturieri recalled that<br />
the fog machine used in<br />
the production of “War<br />
of the Worlds” triggered<br />
the fire alarm, so when she<br />
booked “The Hound of the<br />
Baskervilles,” she wanted to<br />
avoid that offstage drama.<br />
“We had a fire official<br />
involved,” Punturieri disclosed. The fire official<br />
recommended how to best position the fog<br />
machine and what doors to keep closed to<br />
help prevent setting off the fire alarm, she said.<br />
The fire official was once again consulted for<br />
this performance.<br />
Raconteur Radio is a professional company<br />
and charges a fee for each performance, the<br />
bulk of the payment covering the cost of the<br />
actors. “There’s not much cost to staging it; it’s<br />
all in the talent,” Dawson said when explaining<br />
the expenses involved in producing one of his<br />
radio dramas.<br />
According to Punturieri, the arts committee<br />
paid $700 to book “Frankenstein,” which<br />
included a travel fee for the Metuchen-based<br />
troupe.<br />
“We’re happy to break even,” Punturieri said.<br />
“We just want to cover our costs, but if we<br />
make some money, that’s a good thing so we<br />
can have something else in the future.”<br />
Unfortunately, presale tickets were slow, only<br />
a few people purchased tickets at the door and<br />
the arts committee was unable to recoup the<br />
booking fee.<br />
However, the approximately 30 people who<br />
attended were filled with excitement and<br />
intrigue as they filtered into the auditorium of<br />
White Rock School.<br />
Fans of Mary Shelley’s book, sisters Samantha<br />
and Lauren Colella of Jefferson Township<br />
decided to attend the performance after
seeing a flier posted in town. Samantha Colella<br />
is pursuing her master’s at Montclair State<br />
University and her sister is a student at Morris<br />
Catholic High School.<br />
“We thought it would be something fun to<br />
do, and we want to support local theater,” the<br />
elder Colella said. “And it’s Friday the 13th, too!”<br />
“I read ‘Frankenstein’ in high school, and I<br />
became obsessed with it,” Lauren Colella said.<br />
Tired of entertainment that contains violence<br />
and coarse language, husband and wife theater<br />
enthusiasts Greg and Sheila Brown of Milton<br />
purchased tickets to enjoy a more wholesome<br />
theatrical experience offered by the radio plays<br />
of yesteryear.<br />
“We love theater. We saw this advertised,<br />
and it’s close to Halloween. And it’s a radio<br />
play,” Sheila Brown said. “It’s old-fashioned. We<br />
need that now.”<br />
Lauren Scott of Vernon attended the<br />
performance with her husband, Patrick. She is a<br />
member of the Jefferson Township Community<br />
Band, playing the flute and trumpet.<br />
“I like to find different things to do in the<br />
community. It’s really cool to see these types<br />
of unique events,” said Scott.<br />
all the technical aspects of the show, led<br />
a question-and-answer session after the<br />
performance.<br />
“This was an excellent show. Do you record<br />
these? Can we listen to them on your website?”<br />
Sheila Brown asked.<br />
“No, we don’t, but that’s a good idea,”<br />
Dawson responded.<br />
The evening ended with a special surprise<br />
for the audience as Jarmus performed his<br />
rendition of “Monster Mash,” proving he was<br />
an accomplished singer as well. He received<br />
an enthusiastic round of applause from the<br />
audience.<br />
“Thank you for the hand, but I already have<br />
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“This was a good experience. I definitely<br />
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The Jefferson Arts Committee will take a<br />
chance on offering another Raconteur Radio<br />
drama despite disappointing ticket sales, said<br />
Punturieri, adding she is considering offering<br />
the convenience of online sales to increase<br />
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Local audiences can only hope that Raconteur<br />
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the radio drama can endure, much like Shelley’s<br />
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LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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lakehopatcongnews.com 9
10<br />
Local Businessman Bets<br />
Big and Wins<br />
Story by MICHAEL DAIGLE<br />
Photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
In 1969, Keith Pokorny bet five bucks on Joe<br />
Namath.<br />
He won.<br />
He had a feeling the brash New York<br />
Jets quarterback would follow through on<br />
his guarantee that the Jets would beat the<br />
Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.<br />
The game was the first Super Bowl he<br />
attended, Pokorny said. It wasn’t his last.<br />
That kind of instinct, a kind of “know when<br />
to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em” sense, was<br />
also in play, his son Brian Pokorny said, when<br />
20 years ago, his father opened U-Stor-It selfstorage<br />
in Jefferson. The family now owns four<br />
such facilities. In addition to U-Stor-It, there is<br />
Woodport Self Storage (also in Jefferson), AA-1<br />
Self Storage in Ogdensburg and U-Lock-It of<br />
Pocono in Bartonsville, Pennsylvania.<br />
“Dad saw the chance to add to the business,”<br />
said the younger Pokorny, who manages his<br />
father’s businesses.<br />
The move into the storage industry came<br />
at a time when the Pokornys’ manufacturing<br />
business—they had been making wiring relays<br />
for cars and trucks since 1971—was being<br />
pressed by cheaper Chinese products. That<br />
company would eventually close in 2019.<br />
“I can say that vision was appreciated,” Brian<br />
Pokorny said. “The storage facilities are thriving<br />
and growing.”<br />
That sense of when to change also was in<br />
play when the family opened the facility in the<br />
Woodport section of Jefferson. The newest<br />
business includes climate-controlled units,<br />
tapping a new market.<br />
“There was a need,” the elder Pokorny said.<br />
Clients needed to store items such as furs,<br />
which require colder storage temperatures,<br />
or HO-scale model trains, which require dry<br />
storage to inhibit rust, he said.<br />
When he is not innovating his way through<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
the Jersey business landscape, Keith Pokorny<br />
is attending National Football League Super<br />
Bowls—39 of them so far.<br />
He’s planning on making it 40 on February<br />
11, 2024, when Super Bowl LVIII is played at<br />
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.<br />
“It’s the best stadium,” he said. “Not a bad<br />
seat in the house.”<br />
The $2 billion stadium seats 65,000 and<br />
opened in 2020. Pokorny saw it for the first<br />
time when his daughter snagged tickets to the<br />
Rolling Stones concert on November 6, 2021.<br />
At first, he said, their seats were blocked by<br />
the large panels that are used on game days as<br />
the setting for the television post-game shows.<br />
But they disappeared, slipping below the<br />
playing field, leaving a clear view of the stadium<br />
and the stage, he said with a hint of awe.<br />
But if Pokorny can say a $2 billion stadium can<br />
have no bad seats, it is a reflection of the Super<br />
Bowl games he has attended and the times in<br />
which we live.<br />
After attending a Super Bowl in Detroit<br />
when it was 20 below zero, a little comfort is<br />
well appreciated. Or in New Orleans, paying a<br />
disc jockey $100 to have the guy’s wife drive<br />
Pokorny and his party to a restaurant. (They<br />
had been dropped off by a limo driver one mile<br />
from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and one<br />
mile from downtown, Pokorny said.)<br />
In 39 games, he said, he has seen the Super<br />
Bowl shift from college stadiums or older<br />
municipal stadiums like the Los Angeles<br />
Memorial Coliseum, where the first Super<br />
Bowl was held, or the Orange Bowl in Miami,<br />
where the Jets beat the Colts, to the modern<br />
showplace stadiums.<br />
Today the stadiums themselves and the<br />
events spawned for each Super Bowl are part<br />
of the show.<br />
It is estimated that Super Bowl LVIII will<br />
generate between $500 to $700 million in<br />
external revenue for the Las Vegas business<br />
community.<br />
Left to right: Keith Pokorny<br />
and son Brian Pokorny at<br />
their self-storage unit in<br />
Jefferson. Pokorny at home<br />
with some of his Super Bowl<br />
memorabilia. A collection of<br />
give-aways from past games.<br />
Pokorny said he has attended many of<br />
the Super Bowls as part of excursion tours<br />
sponsored by Atlantic City casinos. That<br />
connection allowed him an intro to the celebrity<br />
world that surrounds modern sporting events.<br />
He tells his Super Bowl stories with humility,<br />
wonder and humor.<br />
“I’ve played golf with Willie Mays, Ron<br />
Jaworski, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus,” he<br />
said.<br />
One of the most famous major league<br />
baseball Hall of Famers, a Super Bowl-playing<br />
quarterback and two of the most famous and<br />
most important professional golfers in the<br />
game.<br />
“Imagine that, for a little guy from Lake<br />
Hopatcong,” he said.<br />
In Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI,<br />
Pokorny said he gained an appreciation for<br />
the generosity of the Manning family, whose<br />
ties to the city relate to Peyton Manning, the<br />
star quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts<br />
for 14 years. A foundation started by Peyton<br />
Manning has contributed more than $50<br />
million to fund programs for disadvantaged<br />
families and children. In 2007, a local pediatric<br />
hospital was renamed the Peyton Manning<br />
Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent<br />
in Indianapolis after a multi-million dollar<br />
donation by Manning’s foundation.<br />
So, back to Joe Namath.<br />
In 1969 the NFL and the American Football<br />
League, in which the Jets played, were separate<br />
leagues.<br />
In 1967 the league bosses set up a “league<br />
championship game”—not even named a Super<br />
Bowl. The Green Bay Packers, as established a<br />
team as there was at the time, won the first two<br />
championship games.<br />
The Namath game, finally renamed Super<br />
Bowl III, changed a lot. The Jets win cemented<br />
moves that in three years led to the merger<br />
of the two leagues into the NFL as we know<br />
it today.<br />
Pokorny liked the brashness of Namath, the<br />
anti-establishment sense of the player and the<br />
game. Besides, it was just five bucks, he said.<br />
Also, while the Jets were then a New Yorkbased<br />
team, playing at Shea Stadium—they
moved to New Jersey in 1984—New York<br />
teams for North Jersey fans were home teams.<br />
And you always bet on home teams.<br />
Which is why in 2012, Pokorny found himself<br />
in Indianapolis rooting for another home team,<br />
the New York Giants, as they took on the New<br />
England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, one of the<br />
best known championship games.<br />
“That was the best game,” Pokorny said, “the<br />
helmet catch game.”<br />
The catch by Giants wide receiver David Tyree<br />
has been in internet rotation ever since and is<br />
featured as one of the best plays in Super Bowl<br />
history each time a new game is upcoming.<br />
Tyree was wedged between two Patriot<br />
defenders and—with one hand—pinned the<br />
ball, thrown by Eli Manning, to his helmet as he<br />
fell to the turf.<br />
The Giants scored the winning touchdown<br />
plays later.<br />
“Amazing,” Pokorny said.<br />
What tops all that for Pokorny—the travel,<br />
the schmoozing, the games, the excitement—<br />
is his family: wife Dorothy (Dot) and their three<br />
children of whom he said he is deeply proud.<br />
Their son, Brian “does a wonderful job<br />
running the day-to-day operations of the<br />
storage business,” he said. Daughter Michelle<br />
Matarese, is a physician assistant and daughter<br />
Colleen Montano, is a senior vice president for<br />
Bank of America.<br />
“I am blessed,” Pokorny said. “Life is good.”<br />
As life’s seasons change,<br />
As one life’s thing seasons remains.<br />
change,<br />
one thing remains.<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 11
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lakehopatcongnews.com 13
Debut of Jefferson Winter Stroll Promises <strong>Holiday</strong> Magic<br />
Story by MELISSA SUMMERS<br />
Photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
Stepping onto a shuttle bus in Jefferson<br />
Township this December will feel a bit<br />
like boarding the Polar Express as riders are<br />
transported to a winter wonderland at a familiar<br />
venue they probably won’t recognize.<br />
Organizers of the inaugural Jefferson Winter<br />
Stroll are hoping to enhance the holiday season<br />
with a combination indoor/outdoor walkthrough<br />
event planned for Saturday, December<br />
2 and Sunday, December 3 at Camp Jefferson.<br />
The winter stroll’s debut will take place in<br />
conjunction with the traditional tree lighting<br />
and Christmas in The Village festivities held in<br />
the Milton section of the township.<br />
The free holiday celebrations will kick off<br />
on Friday, December 1, with the tree lighting<br />
ceremony and the arrival of Santa Claus at the<br />
township municipal complex.<br />
On Saturday, December 2, Christmas in<br />
The Village will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.<br />
The event, which features vendors, choirs, a<br />
gingerbread house contest and more, takes<br />
place at various locations, including the Jefferson<br />
Township Museum, St. Gabriel’s Episcopal<br />
Church, Jefferson Township Fire Department<br />
No. 1 and Milton United Methodist Church.<br />
Starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, the Jefferson<br />
Winter Stroll will see Camp Jefferson—known<br />
for its historic main lodge, rustic cabins and<br />
quaint walking paths—transformed into a series<br />
of experiences meant to be explored by families<br />
and friends.<br />
The stroll marks the first time the entirety<br />
of Camp Jefferson is being used during the<br />
holidays.<br />
(Prior to this, only a portion of Camp Jefferson<br />
was used, primarily for visitors to have their<br />
photos taken with Santa Claus. The township<br />
will still light the Christmas tree, read “‘Twas the<br />
Night before Christmas” and welcome Santa to<br />
town at the municipal complex on Friday night.)<br />
The Jefferson Winter Stroll is the brainchild of<br />
Kim Madden-Finnegan and Earl Heller.<br />
As the township economic development<br />
committee chairperson and a previous town<br />
councilwoman, Madden-Finnegan has been<br />
involved in the planning of the holiday weekend<br />
events for years.<br />
Heller, of Pompton Lakes, is a former Jefferson<br />
Township resident who often DJs at community<br />
gatherings.<br />
“The camp is so beautiful at that time of<br />
year—the beginning of December,” said<br />
Madden-Finnegan. “We thought we should<br />
have it at night. We could light the place up. I’m<br />
thinking it would be a little thing, but this little<br />
thing has grown and grown.”<br />
“People wanted to see more things at Camp<br />
Jefferson,” Heller said. “It’s a beautiful facility<br />
and there’s so much that could be done with<br />
it. Everyone loved the visit with Santa and the<br />
other things that were happening there, but<br />
they were using only a part of it.”<br />
Madden-Finnegan and Heller, along with Grace<br />
Rhinesmith, the Jefferson Township director of<br />
recreation, began meeting in April to brainstorm<br />
ideas for expanding the Santa experience to the<br />
rest of Camp Jefferson, sharing input they had<br />
gathered from other residents.<br />
“I have been wanting to light up Camp<br />
Jefferson for the holidays since I started working<br />
here in Jefferson 22 years ago,” said Rhinesmith.<br />
“I can’t believe it is actually going to happen.”<br />
The event is being funded in part by the<br />
recreation department, the Jefferson Township<br />
Chamber of Commerce and through donations<br />
and contributions.<br />
The camp dates to the 1930s, when it was<br />
known as Camp Ranger, according to Rhinesmith.<br />
Young boys spent the night in tents while they<br />
learned about wildlife and nature. In 1963, the<br />
Clifton Boys and Girls Club bused campers there<br />
to enjoy the fresh air.<br />
The Lake Hopatcong property was purchased<br />
by Jefferson Township in 1998 and now consists<br />
of a series of cabins and other buildings, along<br />
with a lake area and amphitheater.<br />
During the Jefferson Winter Stroll,<br />
the camp will be divided into themed<br />
areas. Visitors will be given a “passport”<br />
they can get stamped at various<br />
locations along the stroll.<br />
Frosty Fields, a walkway that will feature<br />
almost 100 different inflatable decorations<br />
celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah, is Heller’s<br />
favorite. Among the blow-up elves and Santas<br />
will be a section with USA-themed inflatables<br />
called Patriots Path.<br />
“There will be a place where people can<br />
donate money to help our local American<br />
Legion that burned down last year,” Heller said,<br />
referring to the August 2022 fire that left Post<br />
245 a total loss. “We want to help our vets.<br />
Those men and women don’t have a place to go<br />
to right now, so we’re trying to help them raise<br />
funds to help rebuild their safe place.”<br />
Magical Meadows will showcase first<br />
responder vehicles decked out for the holidays,<br />
according to Heller. “Our township does a<br />
phenomenal job lighting up their vehicles. The<br />
men and women of Jefferson Township do such<br />
a great job of keeping us safe, so they’re magical.”<br />
Visitors will be encouraged to check out<br />
the Reindeer Games area for some friendly<br />
competition playing “Coal Hole,” a holiday twist<br />
on traditional corn hole.<br />
Children can check out Tinseltown Tattoos for<br />
some temporary designs sponsored by Etched<br />
in Ink Tattoos.<br />
Carolers from the Jefferson Township<br />
Historical Society will get attendees in the<br />
mood for the holiday season, according to<br />
Madden-Finnegan. “They’ll be in their big fancy<br />
dresses walking around.”<br />
Classic holiday movies will be shown at the<br />
indoor theater at Camp Jefferson, sponsored by<br />
the Jefferson Township Public Library.<br />
Merry Meows and Santa Paws will offer dog<br />
and cat adoptions, and kids (and kids at heart)<br />
can visit Rudolph at a special stable.<br />
According to Rhinesmith, the model train<br />
14<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Left to right: Earl Heller paints one of the skill games built<br />
by volunteers. Beth Blanchard and Martha Rothstein<br />
help paint newly-constructed game booths. Kim Madden-<br />
Finnegan presents an event map to the organizing<br />
committee at a meeting in October.
display housed at the camp year-round will be<br />
lit up and decorated with a holiday theme by<br />
the Berkshire, Dover and West Milford Train<br />
Club.<br />
Other parts of the winter stroll, sponsored by<br />
area organizations and businesses, will feature<br />
handmade items from local vendors.<br />
Edible offerings include ice cream from AJ’s<br />
Country Cone and additional frozen confections<br />
from Jefferson Dairy. Hot chocolate will be<br />
served at the Gingerbread Canteen courtesy of<br />
Dunkin’ and local Girl Scouts. And food from<br />
various food trucks will also be available, said<br />
Madden-Finnegan.<br />
And, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus will<br />
welcome fans of all ages with some magic of<br />
their own.<br />
According Heller, there will be over 100,000<br />
lights that will add sparkle to the grounds.<br />
Wooden displays and cutouts featuring toy<br />
soldiers, gingerbread men, penguins, gumdrops,<br />
Christmas trees, snowflakes and more will be<br />
scattered throughout the camp. Heller has been<br />
crafting these for months and inviting inspired<br />
locals to paint them.<br />
“They feel like they are doing something they<br />
love,” he said. “We try to find people that are<br />
suited for those things, who are wanting to add<br />
their own personal touch, to make it great.”<br />
A little glitter never hurts either.<br />
Heller called Camp Jefferson a “hidden gem.”<br />
Sometimes it takes a team to bring out the best<br />
in a space that otherwise would go unused until<br />
the summer, he said.<br />
“We’re trying to show Jefferson what the<br />
camp is all about,” Heller added. “Having extra<br />
hands, volunteers, the community help with the<br />
event, just adds a little more to what that facility<br />
is all about.”<br />
Rhinesmith is extremely proud of the event<br />
and what it means to the community.<br />
“To see so many residents, nonprofit<br />
organizations and local businesses come<br />
together to pull off this event has been<br />
absolutely amazing,” she said. “Something I<br />
could only dream of until now. I look forward<br />
to seeing the product of their efforts culminate<br />
into the biggest event this town has seen in<br />
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“My goal is to see the happy faces, the kids,<br />
the families, just enjoying it,” said Heller. “I love<br />
the behind-the-scenes aspect of it, setting up<br />
the lights and showcasing all the things that we<br />
can do.”<br />
The Jefferson Winter Stroll will be open from<br />
4-9 p.m. on December 2 and 3. Visitors are<br />
encouraged to utilize the free event shuttle,<br />
dubbed the Jefferson Polar Express, by parking<br />
at Arthur Stanlick Elementary School, Ellen T.<br />
Briggs Elementary School or Jefferson Township<br />
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For more information or to volunteer, follow<br />
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jeffersonwinterstroll@gmail.com.<br />
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CHRISTMAS @<br />
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16<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
BRETT WISS DOUGLAS<br />
LOCAL<br />
VOICES<br />
In October, Brett Wiss Douglas, 45, became commodore of the historic Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club, making club history on two fronts:<br />
She is the first third-generation commodore and the first woman to hold the position at the 118-year-old establishment.<br />
“I think there have been many women before me that could have held this honorable position, but the timing may not have been right,”<br />
she said of the two-year position. Her family legacy at the club dates back to the beginning. Her great-great-grandfather, Pierre Brett,<br />
was one of the founding members, helping merge the Hopatcong Lake and Field Club and the Hopatcong Junior Club in 1904, which<br />
would become the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club. Her grandfather and father were both commodores and her grandmother and mother<br />
were both Women’s Auxiliary presidents. “We are very lucky to have many strong, capable women at the club,” she said.<br />
WHERE DO YOU LIVE? WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?<br />
I live in Hopatcong. I grew up in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania, but would come to the lake every summer as a child for sailing and<br />
swimming lessons at the club. When I was a teenager, my parents started renting houses on the lake. When I was in college,<br />
they bought a property and moved out of Dingmans to be on the lake year round. Dingmans<br />
Ferry was beautiful, a great place to grow up, but the lake has always had my heart. I was<br />
very lucky to be driving a boat at age 13, with independence on the lake.<br />
WHO MAKES UP YOUR FAMILY?<br />
I am married 17 years to Michael Douglas. We have two kids, Connor, 15, and Annabel, 11.<br />
We have a dog named Lulu and a cat named Rocket.<br />
HOW DO YOU EARN A LIVING?<br />
I am currently working part time at Andover Mohawk Physical Therapy as a receptionist.<br />
Out of college, I went to New York City and worked in advertising as a media buyer.<br />
WHAT’S THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A COMMODORE?<br />
First, you have to be nominated. Once approved, you serve two years as<br />
rear commodore (in charge of member entertainment). Then you move<br />
up to vice commodore (in charge of “house and grounds,” which includes<br />
all improvements or repairs, staffing and overall condition of the club).<br />
Then you move up to commodore, where you are in charge of the whole<br />
shebang!<br />
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE FIRST WOMAN COMMODORE?<br />
It is an incredible honor. I don’t think it was ever a slight to women to<br />
have not had a female in this position. I think it was just the right time<br />
and the right circumstances for me to get the job. And I am truly, truly<br />
honored and completely devoted to the role.<br />
DESCRIBE THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE.<br />
I’m a hard worker. When there’s something I want to do or achieve I<br />
go all in. I love to laugh, and I try to surround myself with fun, happy<br />
people. I’m very athletic (although sidelined by an Achilles injury).<br />
I’m loyal and caring, and I love fiercely! If you’re in my heart, I’ll do<br />
whatever I can to take care of you. I’m a strong woman who fights<br />
and works hard for what she believes in. I’m considerate, courteous,<br />
kind and I love dad jokes.<br />
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN LIFE AND WHY?<br />
My grandfather, Thomas Henry Wiss III, has been my hero since I<br />
was a young child. He was so funny, loving, kind and made me feel<br />
so loved. He was a hard worker, admired by all and always made<br />
me feel strong and supported. My parents, Thomas H. Wiss IV and<br />
Eugenia Wiss, were also huge influences in my life. And my husband<br />
and children.<br />
IS THERE ANYTHING MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED<br />
TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?<br />
When I was about 17 or 18, I lived in a shack in the parking lot at<br />
the yacht club for two summers while teaching sailing!<br />
involved invested strong<br />
I AM I AM I AM<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 17
Love of Therapy Dogs Inspires First-Time<br />
Author, 11-Year-Old Illustrator<br />
18<br />
Story by MELISSA SUMMERS<br />
Photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
There is something about a pleasant smile,<br />
loving eyes, soft fur and a gentle paw that<br />
makes everything better.<br />
The unconditional love and understanding of<br />
a therapy dog is the focus of a book published<br />
in September. It was written by first-time author<br />
Katie Baron and illustrated by Emily Beach, an<br />
11-year-old destined to immortalize Archer—<br />
her favorite therapy dog.<br />
Baron, 59, of Byram, has had dogs for decades<br />
and always wanted to train and certify one as a<br />
therapy dog. But not every dog was cut out for<br />
the task.<br />
She adopted her last dog after he failed to<br />
complete the training necessary to become<br />
a companion for the blind. “I thought he was<br />
going to be perfect, but he was rejected from<br />
The Seeing Eye because he was too scared,” she<br />
said. “He was a great, wonderful dog, but he<br />
could not be a therapy dog.”<br />
In 2018, Baron began looking for a better<br />
match. “He needs to be [even-tempered],<br />
he needs to like people, he needs to be nonaggressive<br />
and he needs to be friendly,” she told<br />
the breeder.<br />
Archer was born in June of that year, came<br />
home with Baron seven weeks later and<br />
immediately started working on those special<br />
skills. “To become a therapy dog, they need to<br />
pass a therapy dog test,” explained Baron. Dogs<br />
can be trained individually but Baron preferred<br />
the structure of the classroom.<br />
Baron enrolled Archer in formal training<br />
at around 13 weeks, beginning with puppy<br />
kindergarten at Top Dog Obedience School in<br />
Flanders.<br />
The trainer at Top Dog connected Baron with<br />
The Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs to learn<br />
about the certifications Archer would need.<br />
The Morris Plains-based business is one of only<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
a handful of national therapy dog organizations.<br />
Archer moved on from puppy kindergarten<br />
to beginners and advanced beginners through<br />
2019 but was forced to take time off in 2020<br />
due to the pandemic. During that time, Baron<br />
continued working with him.<br />
“In those four months, he grew up,” she<br />
recalled. “Something flipped in his little brain,<br />
and when we went back to training, I felt like<br />
this could really happen.”<br />
During his last round of advanced obedience<br />
training at Top Dog, Archer happened to be<br />
in a class with other dogs whose owners were<br />
also hoping to become therapy teams. So, the<br />
instructor geared the class toward what was<br />
needed to pass the Canine Good Citizenship<br />
Test or CGC, in addition to some extra skills.<br />
“We practiced with wheelchairs. We practiced<br />
with canes and walkers, sudden noises, and<br />
loud noises and crowds, things that they don’t<br />
normally cover in the basic CGC,” recalled<br />
Baron.<br />
In October 2020, Archer and Baron passed<br />
the CGC and the American Kennel Club therapy<br />
dog test administered by The Bright & Beautiful<br />
Therapy Dogs on the same day.<br />
“They don’t just test the dog, they test me<br />
too to make sure I can control him in a positive,<br />
compassionate, gentle way,” said Baron. “And<br />
that we have good communication.”<br />
All dressed up in his new red vest and<br />
nowhere to go because of lingering COVID-19<br />
shutdowns, Archer and Baron found themselves<br />
in a holding pattern until June of 2021.<br />
“I called Morris View Healthcare [Center] in<br />
Morristown and asked if they were open to<br />
therapy dogs and they said yes,” said Baron,<br />
adding she also let the nursing home know<br />
this marked her and Archer’s first time doing a<br />
therapy dog visit.<br />
The Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs has<br />
rules that therapy dogs, their handlers and the<br />
facilities have to follow. “I made sure that Morris<br />
Clockwise from top left: The cover of “Archer the<br />
Therapy Dog.” Archer with author (and human)<br />
Katie Baron and illustrator Emily Beach. Emily’s<br />
original drawing (on right) and as it appeared<br />
in book (on left). Emily autographs a book as<br />
Archer looks on.<br />
View understood them because it had been<br />
almost two years since they had any visitors,”<br />
said Baron.<br />
Archer and Baron started visiting Morris View<br />
regularly in August 2021. “He was amazing. He<br />
was born for this, literally,” said Baron. “He had<br />
so much fun.”<br />
Toward the end of September that year,<br />
Archer found a new way to share the love. He<br />
began attending the Read to a Dog program<br />
at E. Louise Childs Library in Stanhope. That’s<br />
where he met his biggest fan.<br />
A regular at Read to a Dog, not just because<br />
she loves dogs but because her mom works<br />
there, Emily Beach, 11, was one of the first to<br />
read to Archer. “I thought he was amazing and<br />
just really sweet,” she said.<br />
“It’s a great way to encourage kids to read if<br />
they’re not comfortable reading because there’s<br />
a furry nonjudgmental dog here to listen to
them,” said Baron.<br />
She had become more involved with<br />
educating dog owners and anyone who would<br />
listen about therapy dogs with Archer’s own<br />
Instagram account. Along with the occasional<br />
cute dog video, Baron would encourage and<br />
offer tips on training.<br />
“I was like, ‘I bet I could make a book out of<br />
this,’” recalled Baron. “It was a dream I didn’t<br />
know I had.”<br />
She casually mentioned the idea to Emily in<br />
October. In November, Emily showed Baron<br />
a picture she had drawn of a potential book<br />
cover. “She named it ‘The Archer Book.’”<br />
That’s where the wheels really started turning.<br />
As Baron put a story together, she would send<br />
ideas to Emily, who would then come up with<br />
conceptual art for each page.<br />
Each depiction of Archer was submitted as<br />
a line drawing with the basic idea for what the<br />
page should look like, and the publisher’s artist<br />
brought their vision to life.<br />
“I just drew the Archer dogs, and then they<br />
did the background,” said Emily, a sixth-grader<br />
at Hopatcong Middle School.<br />
“The dogs are exactly copied because I<br />
wanted Emily’s Archers,” Baron said of the<br />
finished product.<br />
That’s because Baron loves how Emily draws<br />
Archer. “He doesn’t have perfect triangle ears.<br />
He’s got weird, funky ears, and she draws it that<br />
way. She draws him the way he is, and it looks<br />
like Archer. It doesn’t look like every other<br />
golden retriever.”<br />
Each page also has a tiny hidden Archer—<br />
just his face and a red bandana—as an extra<br />
incentive for young readers to flip through.<br />
The experience of illustrating the book was<br />
both thrilling and therapeutic for Emily.<br />
“In February <strong>2023</strong> a pit bull attacked me in<br />
my face,” she said. “Two days after, Archer<br />
surprised me at my house. It made me a little<br />
nervous because he was the first dog I saw<br />
after it happened, but then he made me more<br />
comfortable with other dogs and he was just<br />
really helpful to me in that moment.”<br />
Emily’s mom, Kelly Beach, said her daughter<br />
has become more confident. “After the dog<br />
bite I thought we would always struggle with<br />
seeing dogs, especially big dogs,” she said. “I<br />
was wrong. Working so closely with Katie and<br />
Archer—it has made Emily stronger.”<br />
Emily wants the world to know that therapy<br />
dogs aren’t like any other dog. “They help you<br />
not be nervous and to be brave and to feel safe.”<br />
Proud of her accomplishment, Emily loves<br />
showing off her work to other students. In<br />
October, she read to second-graders at Tulsa<br />
Trail Elementary School in Hopatcong. In<br />
November, Baron and Emily will visit Byram<br />
Lakes Elementary School, and in January they<br />
will be reading to students at Hopatcong<br />
Middle School.<br />
“I tell them I did the book because Archer is<br />
just amazing and it’s really fun to draw pictures,<br />
especially dogs,” Emily said. “Drawing is calming<br />
and relaxing to me.”<br />
The right side of each page of the book<br />
displays information intended for adults based<br />
on research Baron did for Archer’s Instagram<br />
page. She’s a firm believer in the benefit of<br />
therapy dog visits to schools, hospitals and<br />
senior residential facilities.<br />
“There was a clinical study done at an<br />
emergency room, and they determined that 10<br />
minutes with a therapy dog can reduce anxiety,<br />
depression, increase well-being and the most<br />
amazing thing—reduce pain,” said Baron.<br />
“I would love it if every school in the country<br />
had a therapy dog team,” added Baron. “I’ve just<br />
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seen such a difference with the kids.”<br />
Emily hopes her newfound title of children’s<br />
book illustrator will lead to bigger and better<br />
things. “I want to be a nurse and own a farm<br />
with lots of horses, dogs and cats so I’m able to<br />
take care of both people and animals,” she said.<br />
Both Emily and Baron hinted that more<br />
“Archer” books could be in the works.<br />
Baron said she and Archer visit Byram<br />
Lakes Elementary School, Byram Township<br />
Intermediate and Morris View Healthcare<br />
Center every week.<br />
“Archer the Therapy Dog” is available<br />
online through Barnes & Noble or Amazon.<br />
Follow Archer and Baron on Instagram @<br />
ArcherTheTherapyDog.<br />
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LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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lakehopatcongnews.com 21
Community Turns Out for Lake Cleanup<br />
22<br />
Story by MICHAEL DAIGLE<br />
Photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
This is a story about stuff.<br />
Comedian George Carlin famously<br />
did an entire routine about stuff and how<br />
emotionally attached to it we are.<br />
But we’re not talking that stuff.<br />
This is about the stuff that floats on the<br />
surface of Lake Hopatcong and rivers and<br />
streams, gets lost or tossed from a passing boat,<br />
or falls from a dock or slips through fingers and<br />
gets carried in a current.<br />
Stuff that gets buried in the shoreline weeds<br />
and mud. Stuff that doesn’t decompose.<br />
Stuff like hundreds of tires, deflated balloons,<br />
bottles made of glass, metal or plastic, plastic<br />
bags, toys, shoes and cigarettes.<br />
Stuff like the single pink Croc left on the sand<br />
at the Mount Arlington Public Beach.<br />
This is also a story about the hundreds of<br />
volunteers who clean up that stuff.<br />
On Saturday, November 4, they were at it<br />
again, at 50 spots around Lake Hopatcong armed<br />
with gloves and bags and boots and good spirits<br />
hauling out of the lake all the stuff left behind.<br />
Since 2013, the Lake Hopatcong Commission<br />
and the Lake Hopatcong Foundation have<br />
organized with myriad partners a lake-wide<br />
cleanup timed to the 60-inch drawdown of the<br />
lake that occurs every five years.<br />
This year the commission and foundation<br />
were joined by the Morris and Sussex Counties’<br />
Clean Communities; the four towns around the<br />
lake (Hopatcong, Jefferson, Mount Arlington<br />
and Roxbury); New Jersey State Police; Morris<br />
County Sheriff’s Office; Morris County Division<br />
of Mosquito Control; Hopatcong State Park and<br />
the Morris County Park Commission.<br />
Also on hand was Kati Angarone, the assistant<br />
New Jersey Department of Environmental<br />
Protection commissioner for watershed and<br />
land use management, who joined the hearty<br />
bunch of cleaners at Mount Arlington Beach.<br />
“This is a good measure of the community’s<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
involvement,” she said, “and provides the<br />
department with important information about<br />
the health of the lake.”<br />
Management of Lake Hopatcong’s depth<br />
began in 1932 with a 30-inch annual drop,<br />
including a water level drop to a depth of 60<br />
inches every five years, according to the 2011<br />
Lake Hopatcong Water Level Management Plan.<br />
The lake is considered full at 9 feet, measured<br />
at the dam in Landing. The drawdown is designed<br />
to allow repairs to waterside structures and to<br />
help flush from the lake the nutrients that feed<br />
weed growth.<br />
In 2016, the water level management plan was<br />
changed to allow a 22-inch annual drawdown,<br />
from 26 inches.<br />
The lake reached a water level of 5 feet at<br />
the dam on November 1, according to the<br />
foundation. The lake will remain at this level<br />
until December 15, when refill will begin and<br />
continue until the annual 22-inch drawdown<br />
level is reached or until ice forms.<br />
Without water, the lake offers a view of<br />
skeletal wooden docks; hundreds of feet of<br />
exposed, muddy shoreline; rivulets of streams<br />
carving the muck; and overgrown estuaries<br />
sometimes home to trapped debris.<br />
It was in one of the hidden estuaries at<br />
Hopatcong’s Roland-May Eves Mountain Inlet<br />
Sanctuary, where Hopatcong resident and<br />
entrepreneur Olivier Hoyer was presented with<br />
one of his Billie Cove T-shirts still wrapped in a<br />
biodegradable plastic bag.<br />
The shirt had been pulled from the water’s<br />
edge by a volunteer.<br />
“That’s my clothing brand,” Hoyer exclaimed.<br />
“It’s crazy.”<br />
The shirt was no worse for wear, just soaking<br />
wet.<br />
The irony did not escape him: He had<br />
donated shirts for a cleanup day raffle held later<br />
that day at the Lake Hopatcong Foundation’s<br />
headquarters in Landing.<br />
Hoyer and his friend, Stephanie Kealy of<br />
Morristown, joined about a dozen volunteers<br />
cleaning the water and roadside at Roland-May Eves.<br />
Hoyer said it was a chance to clean up his own<br />
piece of the lake. Kealy, a teacher with a degree in<br />
environmental science, said she had participated in<br />
many Jersey Shore beach cleanups.<br />
For Ted Pallis of Chester, at Roland-Eves with his<br />
daughter, Alexandra Pallis, 18, it was chance to return<br />
to the Lake Hopatcong region where he had grown<br />
up.<br />
“It’s an opportunity to help,” he said.<br />
The opportunity to help had Jerry Scanlan in<br />
hiking boots and shorts struggling through narrow<br />
water channels and layers of mud to retrieve a<br />
tire from the middle of the piece of Byram Cove<br />
shoreline near his home.<br />
(Why so many tires in a lake? For decades, tires<br />
have been used as buffers between docks and<br />
boats. When the nails or screws that fasten tires to<br />
docks fail over time, the tires sink to the bottom of<br />
the lake.)<br />
Cheering on Scanlan’s tire retrieval was Jule Girman,<br />
the chairwoman of Hopatcong’s environmental<br />
commission and Pat Hoferkamp, the commission’s<br />
deputy-chair.<br />
“In 2018, we pulled out a hot water heater,”<br />
Hoferkamp recalled.<br />
This year, she said, the group had only found the<br />
usual trash—tires, cans, bottles and the like—and a<br />
lot less of it.<br />
“Maybe we’re being better stewards of the lake,”<br />
she added.<br />
As Hoferkamp offered that assessment, Girman,<br />
completing a call with other event organizers, said<br />
reports from around the lake indicated that far less<br />
trash had been pulled from the lake than in the past.<br />
A report on the 2018 cleanup showed 7,700 items<br />
had been collected that year. A tally for this year’s<br />
event will be issued later by the foundation.<br />
“It’s an honor being a steward of the lake,” Girman<br />
said. “Maybe more people are paying attention.”<br />
One encouraging note offered by several<br />
volunteers at the end of the cleanup was that fewer<br />
single-use plastic bags were found among the trash<br />
collected.<br />
In 2022, New Jersey banned stores from using
plastic bags, requiring customers to use reusable<br />
bags for shopping.<br />
The 2018 report said 500 plastic bags had<br />
been pulled from the lake.<br />
Craig Bitten, a resident of Kingsland (a private<br />
development along the western shore of Landing<br />
Channel in Roxbury), said about one-third of the<br />
49 homeowners in the development participated in<br />
the cleanup.<br />
Most of the residents also actively clean their<br />
shorelines during the year, he added.<br />
“It’s pride of ownership and taking care of the<br />
lake,” he said.<br />
Bitten noted there seems to be less to clean up<br />
this year, especially larger items.<br />
“We may be getting ahead of it,” he said.<br />
Bitten said residents are interested in the plans to<br />
dredge Landing Channel.<br />
The dredging—and the potential that an<br />
oxygenation system could be installed in the center<br />
of the lake—reflect an effort to address known lake<br />
pollution causes with larger projects. This effort is<br />
fueled by an urgency that arose after 2019 when the<br />
lake was essentially closed by an extensive and longlasting<br />
harmful algal bloom (HAB). Businesses in 2019<br />
suffered significant losses as traditional lake activity<br />
diminished while the HAB persisted.<br />
Since 2019, using a combination of state funds and<br />
grants, pilot projects have spread around the lake,<br />
Left to right, top to bottom: At Mount Arlington Public Beach, volunteers, elected officials and members<br />
of the Lake Hopatcong Foundation stand with Kati Angarone, assistant New Jersey Department of<br />
Environmental Protection commissioner for watershed and land use management, third from left. Mount<br />
Arlington fourth-grade students and their parents roll tires that had once been attached to the docks at<br />
Lee’s County Park Marina but fell into the lake. (Photo courtesy of Donna Macalle-Holly.) A full toolbox pulled<br />
from the muck in King’s Cove. (Photo courtesy of Linda Karpiak.) Al Grabinski opens a trash bag for wife Claire<br />
Grabinski along the shoreline at Roland-May Eves Mountain Inlet Sanctuary in Hopatcong. Lee Moreau<br />
carries a bag of trash and a tire retrieved from the lake. Carolyn Rinaldi watches as Madelyn Adams pulls<br />
a piece of garbage from the lake. Roxana Scanlon reaches to grab a glass bottle while holding onto a dock<br />
finger near Brady Bridge. Donna Macalle-Holly, cleanup coordinator, with husband Bruce Holly, Anthony<br />
Fiumara and son, Anthony Fiumara, in Ashley Cove in Jefferson.<br />
Colleen Lyons, the administrator of the Lake<br />
Hopatcong Commission, previously reported.<br />
The projects included: the installation of<br />
floating wetland islands in Landing Channel<br />
in Roxbury; shoreline stabilization through<br />
plantings at Memorial Pond in Mount Arlington;<br />
replacement of filtration material in stormwater<br />
drains in Jefferson; and replanting of a wetland<br />
stormwater basin in Hopatcong.<br />
Another state grant funded projects in all<br />
four lake towns to install and maintain biochar<br />
(carbon) sleeves in two stormwater ponds<br />
and in a series of stormwater structures,<br />
manufactured treatment devices and inlets into<br />
Lake Hopatcong.<br />
The project also included the removal of<br />
sediment that has accumulated immediately<br />
in front of or adjacent to stormwater pipes or<br />
outfalls that discharge directly into the lake,<br />
Lyons said.<br />
A federal grant funded the restoration<br />
of Witten Park in Hopatcong where Sperry<br />
Spring will be rehabilitated with new plantings<br />
to stabilize its banks to better filter runoff. In<br />
addition, a new stormwater system will be<br />
installed to direct runoff to a naturally occurring<br />
slope before it enters the lake.<br />
Also, on Glen Brook in Mount Arlington’s<br />
Memorial Park, about 75 linear feet of the brook<br />
will be regraded and new plantings added to<br />
increase the filtration of runoff.<br />
In addition, Hopatcong installed sewers for<br />
40 lakeside homes and Lake Hopatcong State<br />
Park was hooked into the local sewer system,<br />
eliminating an old septic system.<br />
Awaiting possible federal funding is a sewer<br />
system for lakeside Jefferson.<br />
A study of the Landing Channel project,<br />
funded by a $113,650 grant from the New Jersey<br />
Highlands Council, focused on the dredging<br />
process and “beneficial reuse” of the dredged<br />
materials, including the restoration of Floating<br />
Island.<br />
The oxygenation system would consist of<br />
oxygen generators placed on the shore of the<br />
lake and a system of pipes to carry the oxygen<br />
to the lake bottom. An exchanger device would<br />
mix the oxygen with the anoxic water, creating<br />
a higher level of dissolved oxygen in the turbid<br />
water, thus helping reduce the amount of<br />
phosphorus, the lake’s chief pollutant, said<br />
...continued on page 24<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 23
Lake Cleanup (cont’d.)<br />
Fred Lubnow of Princeton Hydro LLC, the lake’s<br />
environmental consultant.<br />
This system is similar in theory to the aeration<br />
system installed in 2020 in Hopatcong’s Crescent<br />
Cove, Lubnow said. The difference is the<br />
aeration system in Crescent Cove adds oxygen<br />
to the water as it stirs the entire water column,<br />
and the oxygenation system injects oxygen into<br />
the bottom layer of the water.<br />
Hopatcong Mayor Michael Francis said the<br />
Crescent Cove aeration project has shown clear<br />
results.<br />
“There were ice fishermen in the cove and<br />
herring have been jumping, something that had<br />
not happened for many years,” Francis said.<br />
The future of the lake was a concern for<br />
Catalini Forero of Mount Arlington, who, with<br />
her son Matiis, 9, joined the cleanup crew at the<br />
borough’s beach.<br />
“He’s part of the next generation who will be<br />
using and taking care of the lake,” she said.<br />
Additional members of that next generation<br />
are sisters Katheryn Hand, 15, and Allison Hand,<br />
17, of Mount Arlington.<br />
While Katheryn struggled to keep her<br />
sneakers on as she trudged through the thick<br />
muck, Allison said they use the local beach<br />
often, and she will walk out onto the lake when<br />
the ice is solid.<br />
“This is our beach,” she said.<br />
The highlight for the Hand<br />
sisters: They collected the pink<br />
Croc.<br />
Mount Arlington Mayor<br />
Michael Stanzilis said someone<br />
should present them with the<br />
“Pink Croc Award.”<br />
Top to bottom, clockwise: The skeleton of a<br />
wooden boat was discovered by volunteers in<br />
Kingsland and can be seen in the muck just<br />
offshore in Landing Channel. Volunteers pose<br />
with the debris they collected around Bertrand<br />
Island. (Photo courtesy of Linda Karpiak.) Kathy<br />
Appleby shows a hammer she pulled from the<br />
muck near the public beach in Mount Arlington.<br />
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LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
lakehopatcongnews.com 25
Woman’s Club Helps Those in Hopatcong and Beyond<br />
26<br />
Story by BONNIE-LYNN NADZEIKA<br />
Photos by KAREN FUCITO<br />
On a sunny weekday morning in October,<br />
the Elba Point Beach Club was buzzing<br />
with voices as members of the Hopatcong<br />
Woman’s Club gathered for its monthly<br />
meeting. Coffee and water in hand, 17 of the<br />
group’s 38 members settled down on seats<br />
around U-shaped tables as the meeting began.<br />
A reading from the Collect for Clubwomen—<br />
the group’s pledge—kicked things off and saw<br />
members recite the following: “Grant that<br />
we may realize that it is the little things that<br />
create differences, that in the big things in life<br />
we are one.” Members then said the Pledge of<br />
Allegiance.<br />
Whatever your image of a women’s club<br />
meeting that follows might be, it is unlikely<br />
to encompass all of the activities of this<br />
industrious group. This is not just a group<br />
of women meeting for lunch and coffee—<br />
although that is the congenial part of the<br />
meeting.<br />
This is a group that supports a wide variety<br />
of causes in the immediate Hopatcong area<br />
and beyond.<br />
First up for discussion was the club’s ongoing<br />
collection for veterans at the Lyons VA<br />
Medical Center. Everything from toiletries to<br />
shoes to art supplies was on the list handed<br />
to each member who would then shop for the<br />
needed items.<br />
Co-President Pat Beach went on to report<br />
that 25 holiday stockings were already on<br />
their way to active servicemen and women<br />
around the world ensuring they would arrive<br />
in time for the holidays. Filled with small<br />
gifts collected by members, the stockings<br />
are the first of several outreach projects the<br />
Hopatcong Woman’s Club is a part of for the<br />
holiday season.<br />
The club members also discussed the<br />
ongoing help to area Head Start preschoolers<br />
from low-income families by providing toys<br />
and much-needed clothing as holiday gifts.<br />
Siblings who are not in the Head Start program<br />
also receive a toy or gift card, depending on<br />
their age.<br />
During the meeting, members also voted<br />
to purchase two wreaths for<br />
the Wreaths Across America<br />
program, which takes place<br />
in December and sees fresh<br />
wreaths placed on the graves<br />
of veterans.<br />
Members also discussed<br />
making ornaments to<br />
decorate an artificial tree<br />
that would be available for<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
auction—along with other decorated trees<br />
and wreaths—during a New Jersey State<br />
Federation of Women’s Clubs event. The<br />
NJSFWC’s open house in November would<br />
serve as a fundraiser for the state umbrella<br />
organization.<br />
Member Diane Ottman and Co-President<br />
Ellen Buongiorno shared prototypes of<br />
ornaments. Using a combination of yarn, toilet<br />
paper rolls and ping pong balls, they each<br />
created different gnome ornaments.<br />
Currently, there are 164 clubs in New<br />
Jersey, which are divided into 15 districts.<br />
The Hopatcong club is part of the Highlands<br />
District.<br />
According to club historian and member<br />
Marcy Thompson, the Lakeland Woman’s<br />
Club and the Lake Hopatcong Women’s Club<br />
consolidated to form the Hopatcong Woman’s<br />
Club in 1957. A year later, the group joined the<br />
New Jersey State Federation of Woman’s Clubs.<br />
“It is the largest volunteer women’s service<br />
organization in the state,” said Thompson.<br />
But it’s not all work for the local club.<br />
In September, the Hopatcong Woman’s Club<br />
held a celebratory luncheon in honor of their<br />
65th anniversary and one of their own—Pat<br />
Hofmann, who has been a member for 60<br />
years.<br />
“I remember when we went to state<br />
conventions, and the women wore long<br />
dresses and gloves,” said Hofmann, who was<br />
also honored by the Borough of Hopatcong<br />
with a proclamation making September 22,<br />
<strong>2023</strong>, Pat Hofmann Day.<br />
Hofmann worked for many years at<br />
Hopatcong High School. She was so active in<br />
so many community efforts, one not-to-benamed<br />
principal said to her: “Will you please<br />
get out of my life?”<br />
One of her proudest accomplishments, she<br />
said, was serving as club chairperson for the<br />
NJSFWC’s autism<br />
project for two<br />
years. In that role,<br />
she organized a<br />
volleyball marathon<br />
with proceeds going<br />
to autism research.<br />
“I didn’t know then<br />
that I would have a<br />
grandson with autism,” she said, “but I guess I<br />
was being prepared. He’s doing very well.”<br />
At the September event, Thompson<br />
summarized some of the donations the club<br />
has made over the years in support of the<br />
Hopatcong community and beyond.<br />
In the early 2000s, funds were donated to<br />
help purchase a “jaws of life” device for the<br />
borough’s first responders.<br />
In 1986, the club donated to the restoration<br />
of the Statue of Liberty. In 1998, a clock was<br />
gifted to Hopatcong Borough to commemorate<br />
the borough’s 100th anniversary. The club also<br />
helped purchase a fire truck for the New York<br />
City Fire Department to replace one lost<br />
on September 11; donated to the Kentucky<br />
Federation of Women’s Clubs to help with<br />
flood recovery and donated to the Mississippi<br />
Federation of Women’s Clubs for tornado<br />
relief.<br />
Recently, the club has helped Ukraine by<br />
supporting UNICEF.<br />
The group also does its part to help students.<br />
During the October meeting, member Linda<br />
Kalata discussed the Hopatcong High School<br />
student whom the club will sponsor for the<br />
Girls’ Career Institute. This three-day college<br />
preparatory program for young women takes<br />
Top to bottom, clockwise: Pat Beach reads a thank you note at the October<br />
meeting. Members of the Hopatcong Woman’s Club each hold an item to be<br />
donated to Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Intervention Services. Sheryl<br />
Hoer looks at a gnome ornament made from yarn.
place every June at Rutgers University.<br />
Sponsored by groups across the state,<br />
participants tour the campus and listen to<br />
professionals ranging from chefs to doctors<br />
discuss their career paths.<br />
“Some clubs sponsor multiple girls, but our<br />
group is small, so we sponsor one each year,”<br />
explained Kalata.<br />
The club also has a scholarship program for<br />
high school seniors who are college-bound.<br />
Students from Hopatcong High School, Sussex<br />
County Technical School, Lenape Valley High<br />
School and Pope John High School are eligible.<br />
Along with assisting students, the club<br />
also helps women and children impacted<br />
by domestic and sexual assault. For 25 years,<br />
the Hopatcong Woman’s Club has rallied its<br />
support behind Domestic Abuse & Sexual<br />
Assault Intervention Services (DASI), a Newtonbased<br />
group that helps those in Sussex County.<br />
Every October, in recognition of Domestic<br />
Violence Awareness Month, the club holds<br />
a linen party meeting. Members bring new<br />
sheets, towels and blankets, which are then<br />
distributed by DASI to families entering its safe<br />
house. Most families entering the safe house<br />
arrive without such basic belongings.<br />
According to Kim Prentiss, DASI’s coordinator<br />
of office and volunteer services who spoke to<br />
club members during the meeting, the families<br />
keep these linens when they are able to leave<br />
the shelter.<br />
With so many initiatives, one might think<br />
the club spends most of its time fundraising.<br />
But members are as efficient as they are<br />
altruistic. An annual fashion show is the club’s<br />
sole fundraising event. Proceeds are used<br />
to fund the Girls’ Career Institute candidate,<br />
the scholarship program, the Wreaths Across<br />
America program and some state and national<br />
initiatives.<br />
All local charity donations—items for<br />
military and veterans’ groups, gifts for Head<br />
Start children, DASI contributions and craft<br />
materials—are funded by club members, said<br />
Beach.<br />
“I’ve always been someone who wants to<br />
help other people. It’s such a reward,” said<br />
Beach.<br />
For more information or to join Hopatcong<br />
Woman’s Club, contact Pat Beach at<br />
pebeach@gmail.com.<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 27
Hopatcong to Offer Traditional<br />
<strong>Holiday</strong> Meals to Those in Need<br />
Story by MELISSA SUMMERS<br />
Families and individuals struggling to make<br />
ends meet in Hopatcong and several<br />
surrounding towns will have a free warm<br />
meal to look forward to this Thanksgiving<br />
and Christmas, thanks to the generosity and<br />
dedication of the borough’s police department<br />
with help from fire and EMS members.<br />
For the third consecutive year, the<br />
Hopatcong Police Department, in partnership<br />
with the Kiwanis Club of Greater Roxbury, will<br />
offer free holiday meals, according to borough<br />
police officer Taylor Gentner.<br />
Last year, the Kiwanis Club bought and<br />
donated all the food—about 300 pounds—<br />
including eight turkeys for Thanksgiving and<br />
eight hams for Christmas, said Cain Pope, club<br />
president.<br />
“We also provided desserts,” he added.<br />
The club will supply about the same amount<br />
of food for this year’s meals, he said.<br />
The meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas<br />
will be served in person or offered for takeout<br />
at Defiance Company No. 3 Firehouse on<br />
Hopatchung Road.<br />
“We have a tray line, so if people want to<br />
come, they can,” said Gentner, “or they can<br />
contact us, and we’ll put them on a list, and<br />
we’ll deliver to their house.”<br />
Genter said most residents opt for<br />
delivery. Last year, more than 100 households<br />
throughout the borough had meals delivered,<br />
she said.<br />
Residents of Hopatcong, Netcong, Stanhope<br />
and Byram are invited to stop by if they find<br />
themselves in need of a meal, for some holiday<br />
cheer or simply some great company.<br />
Residents can register for the Thanksgiving<br />
and December meals through the police<br />
department but doing so is not required.<br />
“Anyone who shows up is always welcome,”<br />
said Gentner. “We wouldn’t turn them away.”<br />
Past recipients are invited to<br />
email or call the police department,<br />
but Gentner doesn’t want anyone<br />
to be left out. “We keep a running<br />
list of people who have contacted<br />
us in the past. Usually, we’ll contact<br />
them and ask if they would like to<br />
participate again.”<br />
Officers in Netcong, Stanhope<br />
and Byram have offered to fulfill<br />
the needs and requests of anyone<br />
who reaches out from those<br />
areas for meal deliveries. While the free meal<br />
offering is currently open to these residents as<br />
well as those from Hopatcong, Gentner said<br />
they will coordinate with other jurisdictions if<br />
the need arises.<br />
Hopatcong officers and members of the<br />
fire department work together, cooking,<br />
assembling and packaging each component<br />
of the meal. Kiwanis volunteers help man the<br />
kitchen when the first responders are out<br />
making deliveries, said Pope.<br />
A lot of people who participate in the<br />
Thanksgiving meal also participate at Christmas,<br />
according to Gentner.<br />
The weather can be a factor. “Last [Christmas]<br />
Volunteer Lisa Konefal and Kiwanis Club of Greater<br />
Roxbury Secretary Allyson Adams box salads at last year’s<br />
Thanksgiving Day meal.<br />
(Photo courtesy of Cain Pope, Kiwanis club president.)<br />
B"H<br />
there were even more deliveries because it was<br />
during that super cold windstorm.”<br />
In Hopatcong, it’s all about serving the<br />
community and making sure everyone feels<br />
included. “I’m glad that people who need it<br />
get a nice hot dinner around the holidays,”<br />
Gentner added.<br />
This year, the Thanksgiving meal will be<br />
held on Thanksgiving Day from 10 a.m. until 1<br />
p.m. The holiday meal will be held Saturday,<br />
December 23 from 5-8 p.m.<br />
For more information, to donate or to<br />
sign up for delivery, contact Taylor Gentner<br />
at 973-398-5000 or email tgentner@<br />
hopatcongpolice.org.<br />
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Goodbye to My Lake Hopatcong Flower House<br />
Story by MARIA VOGEL-SHORT<br />
As I move from my treasured Lake<br />
Hopatcong home, I look fondly back<br />
at my 28 years spent among the tempestuous<br />
beauty and numerous adventures of the lake.<br />
I bid goodbye to the sunny and wet summer<br />
days on the beach, the myriad hiking trails where<br />
our dog got lost sniffing at the scents of birds<br />
and other critters and the endless panoramic<br />
views of every season we enjoyed as a family.<br />
In the summer, there was boating and<br />
swimming. In the fall, great hiking and foliage. In<br />
the winter, the lake glistened with insecure ice<br />
and the snow covered everything like a frozen<br />
blanket. In spring, new flowers and trees would<br />
bud with the beginnings of new life and new<br />
wonder.<br />
If you liked being active, you loved Lake<br />
Hopatcong because you had so many options:<br />
boating sports, fishing, sledding, sailing,<br />
snowmobiling, jet skiing, water skiing, biking,<br />
hiking and running. Or you could simply go for<br />
walks, enjoying the view and a rush of fresh air<br />
and gravel or sand under your feet.<br />
My husband, Francis, and I took his parent’s<br />
summer home—it’s been in his family for 67<br />
years—and lovingly renovated it to raise our<br />
blended family, which included four boys. We<br />
went up and out, adding bedrooms and an<br />
upstairs aerie where we could look out of the<br />
window and see such leafy trees that we felt we<br />
were living in a treehouse. We were.<br />
The trees released such delicious oxygen<br />
that when our son would leave and come back<br />
home, he’d comment that nothing smelled as<br />
good as home.<br />
There were endless places to enjoy. Across the<br />
back of the house ran a little brook where our<br />
sons played, and my husband and his brothers<br />
had played before them.<br />
We put a little bridge in the back so<br />
the children could run across and play in a<br />
playground meant for children under 5—but<br />
that never stopped a curious teenager from<br />
contemplating life on the sturdy chain-length<br />
swings.<br />
The beach and the boats provided an escape<br />
for us. My husband would take our youngest<br />
son in a stroller to the beach and take a swim<br />
while the baby napped under a canopy of trees.<br />
During the summer, the lake was full of boats<br />
jostling the waters: pontoons, small cabin<br />
cruisers and deck and wake boats. We had a<br />
sturdy canoe that could take us anywhere we<br />
wanted on the lake.<br />
In the early spring and late fall, we’d watch<br />
sailboats cross the waters as calmly as the wind<br />
would allow. At night, you could always see the<br />
stars in the cobalt sky and feel the crisp night air<br />
waft across you like nature’s kiss.<br />
32<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
I nicknamed our house<br />
the Flower House, but it<br />
didn’t start that way.<br />
As a former summer<br />
home, gardens were not<br />
essential to beach days<br />
and my mother-in-law<br />
got to the beach every<br />
day. She had no time for<br />
gardening.<br />
But once we purchased<br />
the house, I was stubborn.<br />
I was endlessly toiling<br />
in the clay and rock to<br />
create rich dark soil full of<br />
worms.<br />
By the time I was done, I would watch<br />
hummingbirds hover and zoom over my<br />
hydrangeas and gladioli. Every plant had a<br />
particular season.<br />
The growing season was a concert of various<br />
flowering movements. The bees and butterflies<br />
were always busy pollinating my flowers, from<br />
the first whiff of spring with crocus, forsythia<br />
and hyacinths to the Easter lilies and tulips.<br />
Right on cue, the daffodils would appear, then<br />
the phlox, azalea, rhododendrons, mountain<br />
laurel and sea pinks. The hosta would slowly<br />
become little giants even when the shade was<br />
minimal and the deer were plentiful.<br />
It took a while to figure out where each plant<br />
belonged, so there was a great deal of moving<br />
and taking up residence in another area of the<br />
yard. Each plant was not always destined to<br />
survive either, because squirrels, moles, rabbits<br />
and other animals were hell-bent on eating<br />
them.<br />
Along our picket fence facing the road, day<br />
lilies fought with boxwood for territory, and<br />
each season they looked different, sometimes<br />
not surviving the winter.<br />
I will remember how wonderful my neighbors<br />
were during the 100-year flood of 2000, when<br />
rushing lake waters scraped out the bottom of<br />
our house, causing us to later put a concrete<br />
The Short family at the lake in 1986. Standing: Kevin, Francis III,<br />
Francis II, Mae and Thomas. Sitting: Brain and Cecilia Loftus Salmon.<br />
(Photo courtesy of the author.)<br />
floor in our first-floor bathroom as a precaution.<br />
Flooding hurt our neighbors and many<br />
others in the area. But the neighborhood came<br />
together, and we all grew stronger.<br />
I’ll also remember the time our inflated<br />
Christmas Snoopy left our backyard and sailed<br />
down the rushing waters of the brook to the<br />
lake after a heavy rain in a salute to the holiday<br />
spirit. Our neighbor called to tell us Snoopy<br />
was on his way to the lake! Yet our beloved lake<br />
house survived through heavy rains and strong<br />
winds—and it will for many more years.<br />
With our children grown, it is time for a young<br />
family to come and make their own magical<br />
memories along the lake.<br />
It is on this lake that we put my husband’s<br />
brother and sister to rest, and also scattered<br />
the ashes of my husband’s mother and his<br />
grandmother.<br />
There will be flashbacks of days lying on the<br />
beach and watching the clouds. Or the time we<br />
took friends on a pontoon and nearly capsized.<br />
And the many times we had to run home from<br />
the beach in the pouring rain.<br />
It is with a bittersweet fondness I say<br />
goodbye, but I will treasure the memories and<br />
delight in the stories we can tell of our time at<br />
Lake Hopatcong.<br />
WORKING TOGETHER FOR A CLEANER LAKE!<br />
You can be part of a<br />
community-wide effort<br />
to keep Lake Hopatcong<br />
vibrant and healthy, now<br />
and for future generations!<br />
Give a gift and join us today at<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 33
HISTORY<br />
George Washington Did Not Sleep Here<br />
by MARTY KANE<br />
Photos courtesy of<br />
the<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG<br />
HISTORICAL<br />
MUSEUM<br />
One of the frequent questions we hear at<br />
the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum<br />
during programs and on historical cruises of the<br />
lake is if certain famous individuals ever lived<br />
at Lake Hopatcong. The names most often<br />
referenced include Alan Alda, Bud Abbott and<br />
Lou Costello, Farrah Fawcett, Al Capone and<br />
Babe Ruth.<br />
As a leading resort from the 1880s to the<br />
1940s, it is not surprising some celebrities chose<br />
to spend time at Lake Hopatcong. Just as Aspen<br />
and Vail attract the rich and famous today, the<br />
lake was alluring to a prior generation. It was<br />
particularly popular with entertainers.<br />
In the years before air conditioning, most<br />
theaters closed for the summer. With its<br />
convenient location just 90 minutes by train<br />
from New York City, Lake Hopatcong attracted<br />
everyone from vaudeville headliners (who might<br />
stay several weeks at a lake hotel) to struggling<br />
performers (who could share a bungalow).<br />
Entertainers tended to congregate at two<br />
main sections of the lake. The Espanong Hotel<br />
in Jefferson hosted a who’s who of vaudeville<br />
and burlesque performers. A second actors’<br />
colony developed around the Northwood<br />
section of Hopatcong where many entertainers<br />
rented bungalows, and Glasser’s Pavilion (later<br />
the Northwood Inn and now Lola’s) was the<br />
center of social life.<br />
The lake’s most famous residents over the<br />
years are: actress Lotta Crabtree, who owned<br />
a house in Mount Arlington from 1885-1920<br />
and was a regular summer resident until 1900;<br />
inventor and industrialist Hudson Maxim,<br />
who owned a large estate on the west shore<br />
from 1901 until his death here in 1927; author<br />
Rex Beach, a summer resident from 1911-1917,<br />
who owned a home on Chicopee Road; and<br />
vaudeville and Broadway star Joe Cook, who<br />
hosted legendary parties at Sleepless Hollow,<br />
his 21-acre estate in Davis Cove.<br />
Lake Hopatcong’s appeal as a celebrity<br />
destination diminished as its resort status<br />
faded. While a few noted residents retained<br />
houses at the lake, most moved on to trendier<br />
destinations. Since questions persist, I thought<br />
it would be fun to respond to the myths and<br />
truths of whether certain individuals ever lived<br />
at or visited the lake.<br />
Alan Alda – False! While we cannot rule out<br />
that he ever stopped by Lake Hopatcong, the<br />
actor never owned a house at the lake. This<br />
tale seems to have originated on the Jefferson<br />
House tour boat years ago (alcohol may have<br />
been involved).<br />
Babe Ruth – True! The baseball legend did<br />
not own a home at the lake, but his 1939 visit to<br />
Cook’s place in Davis Cove is well documented.<br />
Al Capone – False! Lake Hopatcong was a<br />
major resort during prohibition, so it is not<br />
surprising that numerous speakeasies operated<br />
around its shores and alcohol was relatively<br />
easy to obtain. The gangster knew Cook and<br />
there were many hotels, so while it is possible<br />
that Capone visited, he never owned a house<br />
here.<br />
This rumor may have started because the<br />
former Lotta Crabtree house was once owned<br />
by John J. Dunne, a major bootlegger from<br />
Hudson County in the 1920s.<br />
Farrah Fawcett – True! George Barrie, former<br />
owner and chief executive of Fabergé, once<br />
owned the large home on the former Maxim<br />
property on Lakeside Boulevard in Hopatcong.<br />
Under his leadership, the company launched<br />
many cosmetic products and deployed<br />
celebrities to promote them.<br />
Fabergé launched an entire line of Farrah<br />
Fawcett hair care products during the 1970s,<br />
and the actress indeed did visit Lake Hopatcong<br />
during this time.<br />
George Burns and Gracie Allen – True! Burns<br />
and later his wife, Allen, both visited friends at<br />
the lake and stayed at lake hotels.<br />
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello – Partially true!<br />
Just before the comedy duo hit the big time,<br />
Lake Hopatcong was a part of Abbott’s life.<br />
During the early years of their marriage, Abbott<br />
and his wife, Betty, worked together as a Burns<br />
and Allen style comedy team, with Betty as the<br />
comedian.<br />
Though it is unclear when they first<br />
visited Lake Hopatcong, the Abbotts were<br />
in Northwood each summer from 1933 to<br />
1936. The Lake Hopatcong Breeze referred to<br />
their rented cottage as “Abbott’s Castle.” In<br />
1940, when Abbott and Costello traveled to<br />
Hollywood to film their first movie, their wives<br />
spent the summer at Lake Hopatcong.<br />
Thomas Edison – True! Edison was a frequent<br />
visitor to the lake in the 1889-1899 timeframe as<br />
he traveled to his mining operation on Sparta<br />
Mountain. Edison was a close friend of Maxim<br />
and most likely visited him at the lake in later<br />
years.<br />
Milton Berle – True! The comedian was a<br />
regular summer visitor at the Alamac Hotel in<br />
Mount Arlington in the 1930s.<br />
Bert Lahr – True! Before he became known as<br />
the cowardly lion in “The Wizard of Oz,” Lahr<br />
spent several summers in Northwood in the<br />
1920s.<br />
Joe DiMaggio – True! DiMaggio was a<br />
documented visitor to the lake, as were New<br />
York Yankee teammates Red Rolfe, Lefty<br />
Gomez and Bill Dickey.<br />
Kelsey Grammer – True! Grammer’s<br />
grandparents owned a house at the lake and<br />
34<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Left to right: Babe Ruth visiting Joe Cook’s<br />
home (Cook is kneeling), in 1939. Bud Abbott<br />
and Lou Costello on the Kate Smith (far left)<br />
Radio Hour, circa l939. Hudson Maxim and Rex<br />
Beach in the front seat with (unknown) friends,<br />
circa 1915.
the future actor visited when he was very<br />
young.<br />
Mario Cuomo and the Cuomo children –<br />
True! In the 1960s and 1970s, the politician<br />
and his family visited a lake home owned<br />
by Charles and Mary Raffa, the parents of<br />
Cuomo’s wife, Matilda.<br />
The Lake Hopatcong Breeze documents<br />
visits over the years by other well-known<br />
individuals, including L’Oréal founder Helena<br />
Rubenstein, singer and radio personality Kate<br />
Smith and footballer Woody Hayes.<br />
As many visitors to the Lake Hopatcong<br />
Historical Museum have noticed, Joe Cook also<br />
contributed to this historical record. Cook had<br />
his guests engrave their names on a piano in<br />
his home, providing further documentation of<br />
some of the lake’s famous visitors.<br />
The signatures of comedians and siblings<br />
Left to right: At the Alamac Hotel with owner Walter<br />
Jacobs, center, are Milton Berle and his mother,<br />
Sandra Berle, in 1931. (Berle signed and sent this<br />
photo to the museum.) Bert Lahr (standing, third<br />
from left, ready to rumble) at the Northwood Inn in<br />
the summer of 1922.<br />
Groucho and Chico Marx; actress and dancer<br />
Ginger Rogers; writer and engineer Rube<br />
Goldberg; boxer Jack Dempsey; film director<br />
Frank Capra; and actor Dave Chasen are among<br />
the hundreds that can be seen on the piano,<br />
which now resides at the museum.<br />
Apologies if we have burst your bubble about<br />
Alan Alda but rest assured the lake’s shores<br />
have truly welcomed many other celebrities<br />
throughout the years.<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 35
COOKING<br />
WITH SCRATCH ©<br />
Cookies Are My<br />
Love Language!<br />
36<br />
Story and photos by<br />
BARBARA SIMMONS<br />
If you’re a fan of Instagram psychotherapy,<br />
I’m sure you’ve run across the term “peoplepleaser.”<br />
According to the most recent definition from<br />
Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, a peoplepleaser<br />
is a “person who has an emotional need<br />
to please others at the expense of his or her<br />
own needs or desires. But people-pleasing isn’t<br />
necessarily a bad thing, as it shows you are a<br />
caring person who values social connections and<br />
enjoys making others happy.”<br />
I think all of us can relate to this definition.<br />
Granted, some people-pleasing behaviors are<br />
detrimental, such as overexplaining, not being<br />
able to say no and feeling responsible for other<br />
people’s feelings. An overabundance of these<br />
behaviors can lead to resentment, said author<br />
Amy Morin in a 2017 Psychology Today article.<br />
As a mother and grandmother, I have lots of<br />
behaviors that could be considered peoplepleasing,<br />
but I feel that my motivation, especially<br />
when baking for others is concerned, comes<br />
from a good place.<br />
Gifting a beautiful plate of certifiably delicious<br />
homemade cookies is a wonderful way to<br />
share your love and show your appreciation to<br />
family, friends, co-workers, your car mechanic,<br />
hairdresser and anybody else you’d like to<br />
include.<br />
The act of baking and giving to others, I<br />
believe, exemplifies caring behavior.<br />
My motivation is love and gratitude. Baking<br />
Christmas cookies (with scratch!) has been fun<br />
for me since I was a little girl. I’ve collected a<br />
ton of excellent recipes over the years and still<br />
love the whole process of baking, decorating and<br />
giving away gifts of homemade cookies.<br />
Over the years, I’d get together with my<br />
cookie baking crew early in December to bake<br />
lots and lots of cookies. Regulars from back in<br />
the day were Rita Earle and Sue Elam; both of<br />
whom were always so generous sharing their<br />
family recipes and cookie baking tips and tricks.<br />
Back in the day we all had our “cookie<br />
obligations” and spent two to three days mixing,<br />
baking, assembling and decorating 13 or 14<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
different kinds of cookies to give to friends and<br />
relatives far and wide.<br />
After the final cleanup, Sue, using large number<br />
estimation, would divvy up all of the cookies.<br />
We’d transport them home where we were then<br />
faced with the task of packing them all up.<br />
I started by making a list of the usual suspects<br />
of cookie recipients and preparing tins for<br />
shipping and trays for in-person giving.<br />
I carefully layered the cookies between doilies<br />
in the tins, sealed them up with a note inside,<br />
made the address labels and packed them in<br />
priority mail cardboard boxes jammed with<br />
newspaper so the cookies would arrive fairly<br />
intact.<br />
I sent cookies to friends in California, New<br />
Hampshire, Texas, Ohio, Connecticut, Virginia,<br />
Maryland and Germany.<br />
For the trays, I lined pretty Christmas paper<br />
plates with a doily and arranged an assortment<br />
of cookies on top. With crinkly cellophane, I<br />
wrapped them, gathering the cellophane up on<br />
top and tying them with a pretty wire-edged<br />
bow. I must say, they were quite attractive.<br />
The cookie trays went to post office<br />
employees, neighbors, the workers at the<br />
auto repair shop, my hairdresser, a few of my<br />
husband’s subcontractors and mostly to school,<br />
where I taught.<br />
The janitors, IT employees and front office<br />
secretaries were priorities—you can’t do your job<br />
without their support—and Christmas cookies<br />
were a great way to thank them. Of course, the<br />
administrators each received their own tray, and<br />
the biggest one was for my colleagues in the<br />
world languages office.<br />
I remember how joyful I felt, like I was the OG<br />
Call Jim to buy or list today!<br />
House Values<br />
James J. Leffler<br />
Realtor<br />
RE/MAX House Values<br />
131 Landing Road<br />
Landing, NJ 07850<br />
201-919-5414 Cell<br />
973-770-7777 Office<br />
jimleff.rmx@gmail.com<br />
Left to right: Gingersnaps fresh from the oven.<br />
The author’s niece and daughter, Kelly Stewart<br />
and Erika Simmons, making gingersnaps in 2021.<br />
Christmas elf as I flitted from office to office<br />
delivering these gifts.<br />
I still bake a ton of Christmas cookies to send<br />
off every year. I could complain about the price<br />
of postage and the cost of gas, but these are<br />
presents for people I don’t see very often.<br />
It really makes me happy to share Christmas<br />
this way, and it’s a great way to spread my love!<br />
A personal preference when baking and<br />
sharing your results: I think it is important to have<br />
a nice variety of cookies—some nutty, some<br />
fruity, some citrusy, some chocolatey and a few<br />
spicy—represented in your tray or tin.<br />
This issue’s recipe is for my wicked spicy<br />
gingersnaps. They can cause a bit of afterburn, so<br />
when I say wicked, I mean it. Not only do they fill<br />
the bill in the spicy category, they are pretty, too.<br />
About the gingerroot: I use quite a bit of fresh<br />
ginger for teas, cooking and baking, so I buy a<br />
large “hand” (about a pound or more) of ginger<br />
then peel and slice it before putting it into the<br />
blender to mince it. Then I freeze whatever is<br />
left over from the 5 tablespoons called for in the<br />
recipe.<br />
I put the remaining minced ginger in cupcake<br />
tins and then later bag these ginger “pucks” for<br />
teas or other recipes.<br />
James J. Leffler<br />
Realtor
Wicked Spicy Gingersnaps<br />
Yield: 144 when made with a 2-teaspoon-size cookie scoop<br />
Ingredients<br />
Wet:<br />
Dry:<br />
5 tablespoons fresh, finely minced gingerroot<br />
4 cups flour<br />
(from a piece weighing about 1 ½ ounces)<br />
¼ teaspoon salt<br />
½ pound unsalted butter<br />
1 tablespoon white pepper<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
2 beaten eggs<br />
1½ teaspoons baking soda<br />
½ cup molasses (spray your measuring cup with ½ teaspoon cinnamon<br />
nonstick cooking spray so that all of the molasses ½ teaspoon cloves<br />
releases into the batter)<br />
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
2 teaspoons white vinegar<br />
Procedure<br />
Notes:<br />
Decorate with an assortment of colored<br />
sugars, Christmas nonpareils, sugar pearls or<br />
sprinkles for decoration. Traditionally I use<br />
red, green and white sugar for decorating<br />
the gingersnaps. We’ve also used sprinkles,<br />
dots or pearls for variety. Coarse demerara<br />
sugar can be used for non-holiday cookies.<br />
1. To prep the ginger for mincing, cut off the dry ends, peel remaining ginger and slice thinly across the grain to minimize the size of the ginger<br />
fibers. The fibers can be a bit off-putting as they can resemble hairs. Ew. Add the ginger slices to a food processor and whiz until very finely<br />
chopped. Set aside.<br />
2. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light in color.<br />
3. Add eggs, molasses and white vinegar.<br />
4. Add in the minced ginger and beat to blend well.<br />
5. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.<br />
6. Using a large spoon, gradually add the blended dry ingredients to the egg mixture, stopping every now and then to scrape down the bowl.<br />
7. Chill dough for two hours or freeze until ready to use.<br />
8. Preheat oven to 350°<br />
9. Using a 2-teaspoon-sized cookie scoop, portion out the dough and remove to a plate.<br />
10. Put the colored sugars in separate bowls.<br />
11. Roll the portioned-out dough into balls, then roll in sugar.<br />
12. Place about 1” apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.<br />
13. Bake for 6 minutes, rotate the cookie sheets and bake for another 6 minutes. The cookies should be a bit brown on the bottoms.<br />
14. Let cool completely on racks and store in an airtight tin. These will keep for a good month. In fact, these are often the cookies that are left<br />
over. (As I said, they’re not for everyone—haha!) Their flavor and texture actually improve after a couple of weeks.<br />
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lakehopatcongnews.com 37
WORDS OF<br />
A FEATHER<br />
38<br />
Story and photos by HEATHER SHIRLEY<br />
Although I’m not a big fan of most social<br />
media, I’m addicted to TikTok. I’m<br />
particularly a fan of Vitus “V” Spehar, the creator<br />
of “Under the Desk News,” which provides nutshell<br />
reporting of news events.<br />
Every Thursday, they post “Good News Only.”<br />
Inspired by Spehar, I decided to devote this issue’s<br />
column to environmental good news. It’s my<br />
version of holiday cheer.<br />
We can all use good news, right? Especially<br />
during the holidays, when we want everything to<br />
feel happy and bright—even though sometimes it<br />
may not.<br />
Let’s celebrate some happy progress.<br />
The organization One Tree Planted, despite only<br />
being in their ninth year, achieved the incredible<br />
milestone of planting 100 million trees across 79<br />
countries. That equates to planting more than<br />
30,000 trees every day for the past nine years!<br />
As they reach maturity, these new trees will<br />
restore ecosystems and provide habitat for<br />
countless species of birds, animals, insects and<br />
more. The trees will stabilize key areas that have<br />
been negatively impacted by humans and climate<br />
change. They will provide drinking water for millions<br />
by protecting watershed areas. More carbon will be<br />
captured; more oxygen produced.<br />
I know it’s winter in New Jersey, but maybe we<br />
can all commit to planting a tree next spring? Or<br />
donate to One Tree Planted? Or do both!<br />
New Jersey was the nation’s ninth-largest<br />
producer of electricity from solar energy in<br />
2021, according to a report on the U.S. Energy<br />
Information Administration website. Most experts<br />
LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Good News For Nature<br />
agree that fighting climate change will not only<br />
require reducing dependence on fossil fuels—as<br />
solar panels do—but also finding ways to remove<br />
the carbon dioxide already released into our<br />
atmosphere.<br />
Scientists may have identified one new tool that<br />
would help achieve this. Divers on the Italian island<br />
Vulcano discovered a cyanobacterium microbe<br />
that lives deep underwater in volcano seeps. These<br />
microbes consume carbon dioxide very quickly.<br />
Researchers are striving to find ways to use these<br />
natural agents to remove carbon dioxide from the<br />
atmosphere.<br />
There is increasing evidence that shows if we<br />
can achieve the climate goals that global councils<br />
have established, the planet will recover. Penn<br />
State University scientists have determined that<br />
once the world hits net-zero carbon emissions,<br />
temperatures will stop going up within five years.<br />
Some impacts of climate change are expected<br />
to continue, such as glacial melting, but wouldn’t<br />
it be amazing to stop the depressing cycle of<br />
weather reports about hitting the hottest summer<br />
on record?<br />
Similarly, Duke University researchers say that<br />
if we can stay at true net-zero emissions, half of<br />
the human-made carbon dioxide would be taken<br />
out of the atmosphere within 30 years. Those trees<br />
that have been planted and the microbes in our<br />
oceans could be expected to absorb 50 percent<br />
of the carbon in our atmosphere within about 30<br />
years.<br />
Hope is not lost.<br />
And there is still more good news. The American<br />
Bird Conservancy, an organization about which<br />
I cannot say enough positive things, (consider<br />
donating to them this Giving Tuesday), has made<br />
incredible strides to protect and support our<br />
environment.<br />
Working with partners in federal and state<br />
entities as well as other nonprofits and private<br />
landowners, this organization has improved<br />
more than 250,000 acres of bird habitat in the<br />
United States. From North Dakota to Texas, the<br />
conservancy has positively impacted how lands are<br />
managed. Species that will benefit include Eastern<br />
meadowlark, Northern bobwhite, many species<br />
of warblers and shorebirds and even monarch<br />
butterflies. The organization’s<br />
efforts will also help protect and<br />
manage our water supply, an<br />
increasingly precious resource.<br />
In Maine, colonies of adorable<br />
and beloved Atlantic puffins are<br />
once again stable after suffering<br />
severe population declines due to<br />
Left to right: Atlantic puffin. A tree<br />
stump in the shape of a heart.<br />
Scan the QR code with<br />
your phone’s camera<br />
to hear the sounds of<br />
puffins.<br />
climate change. The seabirds, which live on coastal<br />
islands in the north Atlantic, require cliffs to breed.<br />
They are proving themselves resilient, reaching<br />
a colony size of about 3,000 after a successful<br />
breeding year.<br />
A couple of bird species that were thought to<br />
be extinct were recently rediscovered. In Columbia,<br />
the Santa Marta sabrewing, a splendid type of<br />
hummingbird, was rediscovered after not having<br />
been seen for 10 years. Even more amazing, a Papua<br />
New Guinea species, the black-naped pheasantpigeon,<br />
was sighted for the first time since 1882 by<br />
an expedition of scientists.<br />
Lastly, consider this happy message from Mother<br />
Nature. In August, I was hiking in the woods near<br />
my home in Florida. A recent hurricane felled some<br />
trees, and I noticed this trunk, literally in the shape<br />
of a heart. I can’t think of a better holiday message.<br />
No matter what happens, even when damaging<br />
hurricanes hit, nature still finds ways to show us<br />
love. Happy holidays, dear readers. May you find<br />
peace and joy with your loved ones this holiday<br />
season, and may you enjoy and treasure the many<br />
wonders of nature.<br />
Cheers to good news!<br />
Need NEED<br />
more MORE<br />
Space? SPACE?<br />
Need<br />
more<br />
Space?<br />
Self Storage<br />
in JefferSon WOODPORT townShip<br />
SELF STORAGE<br />
U-Stor-It<br />
Self Now Storage renting<br />
20 Tierney Road<br />
CLIMATE in JefferSon CONTROL townShip<br />
• UNITS<br />
Woodport<br />
U-Stor-It<br />
Two locations<br />
Self 20 Tierney<br />
in<br />
Storage<br />
Jefferson<br />
Road<br />
Township!<br />
17 Route 17 181 Route South, • 181 Lake South Hopatcong<br />
Woodport<br />
5 x 5 to Self 10 x 40 Storage<br />
•<br />
20 Tierney<br />
units<br />
Road<br />
available<br />
17 Route 181 South, Lake Hopatcong<br />
5x5 to 10x40 UNITS AVAILABLE<br />
973-663-4000<br />
5 x 5 to 10 x 40 units available<br />
973-663-4000<br />
973-663-4000<br />
Now reNtiNg U-HaUl trUcks & trailers<br />
Now reNtiNg U-HaUl trUcks & trailers<br />
RENTING U-HAUL TRUCKS& TRAILERS
Promoting the Arts in Our<br />
Community for Over 25 Years!<br />
JAN<br />
13<br />
FEB<br />
18<br />
MAR<br />
9<br />
Big Hix<br />
High Energy Modern Country<br />
Silver Starlite Orchestra<br />
19 Piece Big Band<br />
Rave On<br />
Timeless Rock & Roll<br />
MAR Mike Marino<br />
23 “Welcome to the Family” Comedy Night<br />
APR<br />
13<br />
MAY<br />
10-19<br />
Visions of the Near East<br />
Travelogue of Dance<br />
Proof<br />
A Dramatic Play<br />
www.RoxburyArtsAlliance.org<br />
For details and tickets<br />
Citizens Bank Theater<br />
72 Eyland Ave, Succasunna NJ<br />
973-945-0284<br />
@RoxburyArtsAlliance<br />
BOOK YOUR NEXT PARTY WITH US<br />
RESERVE YOUR DATE TODAY CALL: 973.668.9302<br />
• Choice of plated, buffet, or reception style meal.<br />
• Ballroom set with tables, chairs, linen, holiday<br />
centerpieces, china, silverware & dance floor.<br />
• Professional, affordable & friendly bartender service.<br />
NEWLY RENOVATED<br />
(Perfect location & price for parties up to 170 people)<br />
Affordable catering & beverage packages available.<br />
We can accommodate daytime business holiday parties.<br />
PACKAGES CAN INCLUDE<br />
• Decorated ballroom for the holiday season, complete with<br />
holiday trees, wreaths & garland throughout the property.<br />
• Large parking lot with a covered foyer for dropping<br />
people off by the door.<br />
Lake Hopatcong Elks | 201 Howard Boulevard | Mount Arlington,NJ 07856<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 39
directory<br />
CONSTRUCTION/<br />
EXCAVATION<br />
Al Hutchins Excavating<br />
973-663-2142<br />
973-713-8020<br />
Global Contracting<br />
800-292-3268<br />
globalpaving.com<br />
Lakeside Construction<br />
151 Sparta-Stanhope Rd., Hopatcong<br />
973-398-4517<br />
Masters Concrete<br />
570-396-2376<br />
mastersconcrete.com<br />
Northwest Explosives<br />
PO Box 806, Hopatcong<br />
973-398-6900<br />
info@northwestexplosives.com<br />
ENTERTAINMENT/<br />
RECREATION<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 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 />
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 />
Metro Supply and Service<br />
201 Green Pond Rd., Rockaway<br />
973-627-7626<br />
metrosupplyinc.com<br />
The Polite Plumber<br />
973-398-0875<br />
thepoliteplumber.com<br />
Royalty Cleaning Services<br />
973-309-2858<br />
royaltycleaningserv.com<br />
Sunset Decks & Outdoor Lvg<br />
973-846-3088<br />
sunsetdecksnj.com<br />
The Probilt Group<br />
973-886-3654<br />
probiltgroup.com<br />
TriStae Lighting<br />
973-358-9302<br />
LightTheTristate.com<br />
Wilson Services<br />
973-383-2112<br />
WilsonServices.com<br />
Zoeller Engineered Products<br />
908-674-0122<br />
973-471-2600<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 />
NONPROFITS<br />
Chabad Berkshire Valley<br />
973-370-5595<br />
chabadberkshirevalley.org<br />
Lake Hopatcong Commission<br />
260 Lakeside Blvd.,Landing<br />
973-601-7801<br />
commissioner@lakehopatcongcommission.org<br />
Lake Hopatcong Elks<br />
201 Howard Blvd, MA<br />
973-668-9302<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 SERVICES<br />
Barbara Anne Dillon,,O.D.,P.A.<br />
180 Howard Blvd., Ste. 18 MA<br />
973-770-1380<br />
Homework Helpers Tutoring<br />
18 Schooley’s Mt. Rd., LV<br />
908-876-1776<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 />
Jim Leffler<br />
RE/MAX<br />
131 Landing Rd., Roxbury<br />
201-919-5414<br />
jimleff.rmx@gmail.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 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 />
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 />
J Thomas Jewelers<br />
243 Sparta Ave., Sparta<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>Holiday</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
Hearth and Home<br />
Fireplace And Chimney Specialists<br />
PELLET, WOOD & GAS STOVES<br />
SALES, SERVICE & INSTALLATION<br />
•Custom Mantels<br />
•Gas Logs<br />
•Glass Doors<br />
•Fireplace Refacing<br />
•Chimney Cleaning &<br />
Repair<br />
Accessories<br />
Gifts<br />
Charcoal Grills<br />
1215 Route 46 West<br />
Ledgewood, NJ<br />
HOURS<br />
Monday-Friday 10-6<br />
Saturday 9-4<br />
Check our Facebook<br />
page for seasonal or<br />
summer hours<br />
@ Hearth & Home<br />
of New Jersey<br />
973-252-0190<br />
www.hearthandhome.net<br />
LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESS WITH OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE<br />
SPECIALIZING IN RETAINING WALLS & BULK HEADS<br />
OUTDOOR KITCHENS • PATIOS • WALKWAYS<br />
globalpaving.com<br />
800-292-3268<br />
globalpaving<br />
globalpaving<br />
Serving North New Jersey<br />
lakehopatcongnews.com 41
ORTHWEST<br />
EXPLOSIVES<br />
BLASTING CONTRACTORS<br />
❖ Construction Drilling & Blasting<br />
❖ Drilling & Blasting for Utilities, Mass<br />
Excavations, Roadways & Bridges<br />
❖ Quarry Drilling & Blasting<br />
❖ Drilling & Blasting for Residential<br />
and Commercial Projects<br />
❖ Explosive & Non-Explosive Methods<br />
info@northwestexplosives.com<br />
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
Are Are All Grinder All Grinder Pumps Pumps Created Created Equal?<br />
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24-7 emergency service
PLEASE JOIN LIVETHELAKENJ FOR THE <strong>2023</strong> ANNUAL<br />
and<br />
AT<br />
DEC. 2 & DEC. 3 12PM - 5PM<br />
THE BIG FISH LOUNGE WILL BE OPEN FOR GUESTS TO PURCHASE DRINKS WHILE SHOPPING<br />
NEW VENDORS FOR <strong>2023</strong>!<br />
VISIT LIVETHELAKENJ.COM FOR FULL VENDOR LIST<br />
SPIRIT JERSEYS, SIGNS, ORNAMENTS, GAMES AND TOYS, AND MORE AVAILABLE FROM MAIN LAKE MARKET<br />
GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE FROM THE WINDLASS, LAKE HOPATCONG GOLF CLUB, & LAKE HOPATCONG ADVENTURE CO.<br />
BAKED GOODS AND GIFT CARDS FROM ALICE’S CSA GIFT CERTIFICATES AND GOODS FROM HAWK RIDGE FARM<br />
BUY A $100 GIFT CARD FROM LAKE HOPATCONG CRUISES & GET A $20 BONUS CARD!<br />
24 NOLANS POINT PARK RD, LAKE HOPATCONG, NJ