Our Retro Pic of the Day focuses on a gull on the beach in Sea Bright.
The intent of this pic is to get Rumson-Fair Haven people all ready for the warm weather ahead — of course.
What’s your favorite spot at the beach and what are you looking forward to most once the sun hits the shore?
The following is a press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH)Chess Club achieved a record-breaking finish at the Shore High School Chess League Championship Tournament on Feb. 25.
RFH placed fourth out of 36 teams in the tournament at the Monmouth Mall for the best finish in school history.
Chess Club Advisor and RFH Math teacher Kevin Pfister describes sophomore Nicholas “Nick” Alescio as the club’s “Top Dawg.”
“Nick is the highest-rated player on our team, and his work ethic both inside and outside of school is remarkable,” said Pfister. “Last year, Nick was our ‘fifth board’ — and after one year of hard work and determination, he has landed himself as our ‘number one board’.”
“I am very excited to see Nick continue to grow as a chess player and as a student over the next two years.”
According to Pfister, the Chess Club provides an opportunity for RFH students to participate in friendly matches against their peers. As a Varsity Club, RFH competes each week against other schools in the Shore High School Chess League, with the top teams vying for a championship.
In addition to their historic finish at the Championship Tournament, the RFH Chess Club achieved a 2014/15 Regular Season record of 6-2. This was the best finish since 2007/08 and it earned the club a Second Place berth in the Fischer Division.
The club’s Playoff record was 2-2.
Members of the 2014/15 Chess Club are: Danny Alegria (Varsity Squad), Nick Alescio (Varsity Squad), Charlie Barnes (Varsity Squad), Jacob Black, Lizzie Boyce-Blanchard, Maggie Boyce-Blanchard, Justin Daluise, Theo de Quillacq (Varsity Squad), Jack Felice, Tristan Kilper, Peter Maris, Teddy Montalbano (Varsity Squad), Arnold Muralt, Logan O’Connell, Connor Placer, Cole Stevens (Varsity Squad), Alex Thomson, Alex Werner, Eli Weitzner, and Doug Young (Varsity Squad).
By Elaine Van Develde
Aloha! The Foundation of Fair Haven has gone from Oktoberfest lederhosen and beer steins to hula skirts and leis with its newest fundraiser — the first annual Tiki Haven.
Locals gathered at the Knights of Columbus hall in Fair Haven on Saturday for an evening of luau food and festivities. Most everyone came dressed for the occasion in one way or another; and while gathering for “some tropical fun,” people participated in a super 50/50, auctions, games and dancing for a $50 donation to The Foundation of Fair Haven for Future Fair Haven Days.
The photo booth in the food and dancing room revealed some interesting visitors.
Food was provided by Red Bank Flavour. Local businesses provided baskets for the raffles and auctions; and Jake’s Surf Shop, a Sea Bright business owned by an RFH graduate, donated sweatshirts to the Tiki Toss game.
Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect caught a glimpse into the evening with lots of photos. Check out the above slideshow set to tropical music for a look. Make sure you click on the icon in the lower right corner of the video to enlarge to full screen!
By Elaine Van Develde
It was good for the soul. A comforting scent of collard greens, pigs’ feet, chicken and fish filled the air. And there was a hearty helping of Fair Haven families rooted in the borough since the 19th century connecting.
It was Saturday afternoon’s Fisk AME Chapel Soul Food Dinner at the church in Fair Haven.
“We sold out!” one of the organizers cheered. “Seventy dinners!”
That was only a couple of hours after they opened the doors. They were proud and the food was not the only reason why.
The Fisk AME Chapel congregation has been steeped in Fair Haven history since 1858. Named after Civil War hero General Clinton B. Fisk, a “devout Methodist” and champion of civil rights, the first Fisk Chapel in Fair Haven was where Bicentennial Hall now stands.
Before that, the congregation had a church on River Road near what is now the Shrewsbury Yacht Club — then dubbed the Bethel AME Church (congregation).
Fisk, a Union officer, ran President Lincoln’s Freedman’s Bureau when the Civil War ended. He championed equal rights laws for African-Americans and education focusing on special courses about those rights. He ended up living in Rumson.
“Soon after the Civil War and his arrival in Rumson, New Jersey, General Clinton B. Fisk became very interested in the local Black community at Fair Haven village,” a narrative on Facebook compiled by Stacy Harris (a descendent of the well-known Rileys and Browns) said. “Many of his servants were Blacks, and Fisk apparently won the admiration and respect of these employees.”
After a fire destroyed the original Bethel church in 1875 and those in the black community, many of whom were some of Fair Haven’s founding fathers, were forced to make their way to Red Bank to worship, Fisk made sure a chapel was built to quell the difficulty of commuting.
Right before the church was built, he was also instrumental in having what was a school for black children on Fisk Street. It was known for many years as the Youth Center. After the end of segregation, Youth Center was used for kindergarten.
Kids were walked there to school on a rope. But, that’s a whole other story.
Fisk Street Chapel’s Rev. Thomas Johnson was very proud on Saturday, as were all the participating congregants and guests who made the Soul Food Dinner a Success.
Take a look at the photos in the above gallery for a glimpse into the event. Recognize anyone? It’s a pretty sure bet you do, if you’ve lived in the area for any length of time.
Saturday was a very ducky day in Rumson.
Live ducks were out wandering around by the river banks at Victory Park. Then there were myriad decoys, photos, drawings, paintings — all things ducky, otherwise bird-inspired, sporty and collectible — at Forrestdale School as the Two River Exhibition of Sporting Collectible Art held its second annual event all day.
Rumson Police Chief Scott Paterson was honorary chairman of the show; and he had a couple of special family members by his side.
Take a look at our slideshow for a glimpse into the event. Don’t forget to click on the icon in the lower right corner of the video to enlarge!
Slideshow and photos by Elaine Van Develde
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