All posts by Elaine Van Develde

Schools Scene

RFH Students Serve Up Some Food for the Soul

Members of the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Cooking Club volunteered at the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation’s Soul Kitchen Community Restaurant in Red Bank recently.

Working with Soul Kitchen’s Front-of-House Manager Dolly Bonilla, the RFH students on April 16 cleaned off and set tables as well as organized menus for that evening’s crowd.

They were also given a tour of the facility’s garden, which provides fresh organic ingredients for meals, by gardener Robin Grossman. The students learned more about what the Soul Kitchen means to the local community.

“Hope is Delicious” is the motto of the Soul Kitchen, which provides healthy, organic, and locally grown food in a restaurant setting. For paying customers, there are no prices on the menu. Instead, they are invited to “pay it forward.”

A donation of $10 covers the cost of one meal, and anything extra helps defray the cost of someone else’s meal. Nonpaying patrons of the Soul Kitchen can perform volunteer work in exchange for family meals. Those who volunteer in exchange for meals are guided through their tasks by Soul Kitchen staff members, giving them a step up in qualifying for jobs in the restaurant industry.

The Soul Kitchen treats all customers with dignity and respect, while uniting communities and forming healthy and lasting relationships through food.

Volunteerism is very important to the success of Soul Kitchen, and there are opportunities available for those who would like to help out by busing tables, cleaning, stocking items, or serving. More information can be found at jbjsoulkitchen.org.

RFH students who volunteered their time were: Tori Hyduke, Christy Jadevaia, Katie Kane, Michaela Lake, Julia Marascio, Jenna Sandoli, and Becky Unsinn. They were accompanied by RFH Library media specialist Linda Wien Murray and English teachers Cassie Fallon and Lauren Grumbach, who are the club’s co-advisors.

— Edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH)

Local Life

Focus: Rumson Egg Hunt Eggcellence

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The weather held out for the 37th Annual Rumson Egg Hunt on Saturday and every bunny was out for the prizes and the day at Victory Park.

Sponsored by the all-volunteer Rumson Fire Department, kids in three age divisions combed the park for chocolate eggs and other prizes.

It was an eggcellent day, according to officials.

Take a look at the photos below, courtesy of the borough’s Sarah Orsay, for a glimpse into the day.

 

Local Life

Mangia! Spaghetti Dinner 2016

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For the love of … spaghetti and meatballs, the annual Fair Haven Fire Department’s Spaghetti Dinner proved a tasty good time for all.

Saturday’s event fed a continuous full house of friends, family and fellow fire and first aid folks. Call it a night of community amore.

Take a look at the above slideshow for a glimpse into the evening. 

 

Local Life

Saturday is Fair Haven Fire Company Spaghetti Day

Angelo DePonti has been cooking up some fun and famous meatballs in the Fair Haven Firehouse kitchen — Angelo and his gaggle of fire company guys, that is.

The 86-year-old 25-year social member of the fire company is an icon because of his meatball recipe. The meatballs, spaghetti and sauce feed hundreds annually at the fire company’s spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

“I was born to cook and I love sharing my recipe and food with so many,” DePonti said.

This year, the dinner is being held on Saturday, March 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. at, of course, the fire house on River Road.

The dinner is $10 for adults and $5 for for children. For the price, you get spaghetti and meatballs, salad, Italian bread and homemade dessert served by auxiliary, fire cadets and other members. It’s BYOB and take-out is available.

 

Local Life

Retro Rumson Barn Theatre’s ‘Cinderella: A Flash Fantasy’

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With the recent revisiting of Chef Rossi to her RFH and Barn Theatre roots, images of a show she worked on were once again conjured up.

It was a David Bowie/punk rock-inspired children’s theatre show done at The Barn in 1979 (or was it ’80?) that offered a colorful twist on the Cinderella story — Cinderella: A Flash Fantasy.

Set to Bowie, B52s, Blondie and a little Rocky Horror Picture Show music, memories of the show came spewing forward last week as most of the cast reunited at Rossi’s book signing.

It offered a special memory for Rossi, who was quickly adopted by this theatre tribe when she didn’t quite fit in with the status quo at RFH. Her bud Jeni Weber Zeller brought her to The Barn and she never left.

She worked tech crew on the show and made lifetime friends. A lot of people did, including this editor. In fact, Rossi’s book signing/reunion ended much like a typical cast party at Barnacle Bill’s decades later.

So, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day offers a glimpse back to that time at The Barn and that show.

Guess who? Yes, it’s me as the Tina Turner evil step sister trying to cram that glass slipper on. Oh, and that’s Anne Toronto McNamara offering some help.

“We were children doing children’s theater,” said the show’s Cinderella, Andrea Puscell last week. Somehow I don’t think this show would fly as children’s theater in today’s climate. Ironic.

The show also featured many RFHers. Check out the program. Do you know what Bowie song was played for the curtain call?

Obituaries

Services Set for Rumson’s John Sullivan

We, at Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect, extend our deepest sympathies to the Sullivan family and friends of John, whose final moments we saw spent proudly and happily marching in the Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday with his buddies in The Briody Bunch.

We are so terribly sorry for your loss. Here are some happy moments to remember John by …

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John’s obituary, courtesy of John E. Day Funeral Home …

John C. Sullivan, 78, of Rumson, passed away suddenly, Sunday, March 13.
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He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force and was an engineer at Bell Labs in Holmdel for 40 years. John was a Knight of Columbus, Red Bank Council 3187 and treasurer of The Briody Bunch of Rumson.

He is survived by: his beloved wife of 43 years, Patricia (nee: Keaveney); his loving children, John P. and wife Kim Tuby, Erin Sullivan, Kevin and wife Nicole Walker and Michael and wife Alyson.

Also surviving are: his dear grandchildren, Ryan, Andrew, Shane, Brian, Thomas and Jason.

A life celebration will be at the John E. Day Funeral Home Wednesday, March 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 17 at Holy Cross Church, Rumson.

In lieu of flowers donations to the Wounded Warrior Project 370–7th Ave. 3rd fl. Rm 320 NY, NY 10001 or the charity of your choice appreciated.

 

Schools Scene

Forrestdale Students Revisit Jersey Icons

Kaila Scarpa, a Forrestdale School sixth grader, uses an interactive learning device at the New Jersey Hall of Fame Mobile Museum. Photo/Rumson School District
Kaila Scarpa, a Forrestdale School sixth grader, uses an interactive learning device at the New Jersey Hall of Fame Mobile Museum.
Photo/Rumson School District

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi’s jacket. A Les Paul guitar. A Green Bay Packers helmet representing longtime Coach Vince Lombari. These were just a few of the items viewed by sixth graders at Forrestdale School in Rumson when they visited the New Jersey Hall of Fame Mobile Museum.

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