You could call this week a reflective one in the Rumson-Fair Haven area. It started with a sad farewell to the young Fair Haven hometown hero U.S. Army Pfc. Jamie Riley, 21.
Continue reading Focus: Reflections of Rumson-Fair Haven LifeCategory Archives: Local Life
A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.
Retro FHFD Chefs
Photo/screenshot of fire company yearbook
If you made it to the Fair Haven Fire Department Spaghetti Dinner last week, it probably brought back memories of those same guys as youngsters and their dads doing chef duty at the firehouse for many an event.
Retro Peninsula House Swim Teaming
Photo/Facebook collection via Joanne DeStephano Garelli
It was teaming today — rain.
And in some parts of the Rumson-Fair Haven area, like Sea Bright, the precipitation and high tides were forecasted to bring the usual coastal flooding to Sea Bright — or pools of water taken to the street, at least.
So, in keeping with wishes for voluntary swimming (rather than doggie paddling across the street) and sunnier days, the Retro Pic of the Day takes us back to the mid-1970s a different kind of team — not teaming rain, but swim team(ing).
This is the old Peninsula House Swim Team. Check out those freestyle tans, toothy grins and suits. Remember Peninsula House, commonly dubbed P-House? It was a popular, affordable beach club to team up with RFH buds and join back in the day. Recognize any of the RFHers win this pic?
They’re all about the swim and sunny daze.
— Elaine Van Develde
Retro Rumson Snow Day Imps
Snow days … Students in the Rumson-Fair Haven area haven’t used one yet this school year. Still, the anticipation of one that comes along with a fouled weather forecast bring back a lot of snow-coated, mischief-laden memories.
Continue reading Retro Rumson Snow Day Imps
Scene Around: Rumson Breakfast Club
Photo/Sue Hill-Spakowski
When you talk about dogs in Rumson, it’s usually a bulldog you’re referring to, as in the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) mascot. But, there’s a new dog in town who is providing a dog’s eye view into Rumson life. That would be Nancy Spakowski.
Continue reading Scene Around: Rumson Breakfast Club
Retro RFH Darkroom Days; Remembering Cliff Greene, 61
Hangin’ in the darkroom. There was such a thing at RFH in the 1970s. And it had quite the opposite renegade purpose of smokin’ in the boys room, as the ’73 Brownsville Station song mused.
Continue reading Retro RFH Darkroom Days; Remembering Cliff Greene, 61
Scene Around: Visit with Deer Friends in Rumson
Photo/Sue Hill-Spakowski
Oh, deer! That’s likely what Rumson dog Nancy Spakowski was thinking when she had a little visit with a family of deer while taking a stroll on Blackpoint Horseshoe Road today.
Continue reading Scene Around: Visit with Deer Friends in Rumson
Focus: Power of People 2018
People. People put the power of place into perspective. They pull us back into places we remember, milestones. They set us soaring toward our dreams, reaching for our own stars. They bring us down to Earth. They anchor us, our memories, our life journeys.
So, in honor of bringing the people in our lives, our communities, all into focus on the journey of one year in the Rumson-Fair Haven area, we offer a glimpse at the people around us in 20018. Relive. Remember. Treasure.
Happy New Year! Be sure to stop, take a look at the faces around you and embrace the memories created in 2019 …
Take a look back (and don’t forget to CLICK to ENLARGE!)
— Elaine Van Develde
Photo/Loujeanne Cuje 
Photo/FHFD 
Winning Itsy Bitsy Spider, Mom and Dad Photo/FHFD 
Focus: Power of Place 2018
There’s a lot to be said about the importance of place in people’s lives. It defines us in many ways. It brings us comfort. It triggers memories. It is a bookmark in our hearts. Oftentimes that important place is home.
So, to pay homage to the profound power of place in the Rumson-Fair Haven area, home, we offer a glimpse back to significant places of 2018 and many decades preceding it.
Happy New Year! Take a look and let the photos give a tug at your heartstrings. Remember.
(Oh, and don’t forget to click on each photo to enlarge and get the full view!)
— Elaine Van Develde
Focus: Fair Haven Holiday House Decoration Winners
Drum roll please … for, perhaps, the little drummer nutcracker boys on the front porch of the first-place winner of the first Fair Haven Holiday House Decoration Contest — the Ruscignos at 39 Parker Avenue.
Ben, Maria and Rocco Ruscigno added some special touches this year, they said. They collected PJs for ill children and their families at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center Children’s Hospital in an effort to give back the kindness they received when Rocco was ill one year. In an effort to make the drop-off spot as festive and easy to find as possible, spirits soared and their house got the deluxe decoration treatment. Maria announced that they dropped off “100 pairs of brand new pajamas” to Jersey Shore. She thanked all for the donations.
Congratulations to the Ruscignos!
Second place went to the family at 11 Country Lane with the beautiful array of white lights. If you’ve done your holiday lights drive with due diligence every year, you’ve surely seen and admired the display here.
And third place went to the folks at 77 Poplar Ave., whose home is adorned with lots of festive multicolored lights and decorations year after year.
All the entries were drive-by worthy. Take a ride around the borough to see for yourself. There were 13 that were entered in the contest. In the meantime, take a look at some photos of the winners. And don’t forget to click to enlarge!
Focus: Black & White Winter on the River
You’ve seen it before. The view of Rumson from Hartshorne Woods at sunset on a winter’s day is a stunning, stark one.
It’s simple. It’s black and white. It’s peace and landscape harmony.
Take pause and take it in.
Good night, Rumson-Fair Haven area.
— Elaine Van Develde
R-FH Area Weekend: Singing, Santa & Lights
It’s that kind of holiday-laced weekend again. And there are a couple of events in the area that will have you humming, ho-hoing or strung up, in a festive sense.
On Saturday, if you’d like to venture a bit out of the Rumson-Fair Haven area, there’s a holiday gift of song that awaits you …
You are cordially invited to celebrate the holiday season with a festive after noon concert. Red Bank Area Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society will present RINGING IN THE HOLIDAYS — a fun concert of vocal harmonies — on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Ocean Township High School Auditorium, 550 West Park Avenue, Oakhurst.
This is a merry group of harmonizing singers. You really have to see them to get your spirits soaring.
The concert will feature traditional holiday favorites sung in 4-part harmony by the Chorus of the Atlantic — a group of male harmony singers under the direction of Craig J. Page.
Also appearing on stage will be the Matinee Idles, a group of retired men that perform for area organizations in the afternoons. The Matinee Idles will sing some favorites and share some laughter and good cheer, under the direction of Will McCain.
In addition, there will be some special guests … Ocean Chamber Choir from Ocean Township High School under the direction of Teddy Kernizan.
And Santa is rumored to show.
Tickets are $18 for general admission, $15 for seniors and students, free for children age 16 and younger. Tickets are available at the door. Please call ahead to buy your tickets and save $3 per ticket. Call 732-784-7343 and leave your name and phone number.
The Chorus of the Atlantic welcomes visitors to their rehearsals. They meet Tuesday evenings from 7:30 – 10 p.m. beginning Jan. 8, 2019 at the Red Bank Middle School, Harding Road, Red Bank.
And on Sunday …
Santa will park himself in a chair at the Fair Haven Firehouse from 1 to 3 p.m. to visit with all the good boys and girls around the towns and offer gifts and candy.
Word on the street is that Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick will also be seen riding around town in the fire truck from noon to 1 p.m. as a precursor to the classic holiday event.
And all through the weekend and beyond …
Let your holiday decorations shine and be judged, as Fair Haven sets in motion its new festive decor contest. Which house is the most festive? Only residents know for sure.
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