Sixty-four-year Fair Haven Fire Department member and former longtime Fair Havenite, actor, voice-over artist and radio broadcaster, Tom Dorick, more recently of The Villages, FL, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 9. He was 86.
Continue reading In Memoriam: Former Longtime Fair Havenite, 64-Year Fire Company Life Member, Actor, Broadcaster, Tom Dorick, 86 
It’s spooky and kooky Halloween party season.
And there’s nothing quite like a costume party full of festive, fun fiends who take full advantage of the season to say the devil made them do it when it comes to tricks and the sometimes questionable treat of their disguises.
Continue reading Retro Firemen’s Halloween Party Posse 
Reprise, because the countdown to Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair time has begun! Yes, there are games of chance at the fair, but most would agree that everyone’s a winner with the fair and its cache of memories for any area-raised kid. Spin …
“Round and round she goes; and, where she stops, nobody knows.”
That usual was the sing-song mantra echoed through the grounds of the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair back in the day. It was emanating from the guys manning the game of chance booths that still line the grounds — the loud ticking of the wheel with the spin, numbers going round and round, fingers crossed, breath held … until they stopped on that winning number. “Aaaaaand we have a WINNER!” Woohoo!
Continue reading Retro Wheel of Fair Fortune Former Fair Havenite, longtime popular teacher, fireman, Charles “Gary” Verwilt, passed away peacefully, after a long battle with dementia, on Monday evening, Aug. 4, at his temporary home in Eatontown. He was 79.
Continue reading In Memoriam: Former Longtime Popular Teacher, Fair Havenite, Fireman, Gary Verwilt, 79 It was National Night Out on Tuesday — a night when police and other emergency responders come together with those they protect and serve for a little community interaction, learning and fun.
Continue reading Focus: National Night Out Fun in Fair Haven 
A reprise Retro Pic of the Day in honor of Fair Haven Fire Department’s Old Timers’ Day. The tradition continued this past Sunday; and, the Old Timers won under the leadership of RFH Class of ’78 grad and longtime Fire Department member Bill Heath. Now, back to the 1960s with the annual FHFD tradition, now that the new of back then has turned into old. Bill Heath was far from old enough to even join …
Nothing says community spirit like a face full of dirt and smashed eggs on your Sunday casual best. Well, nothing like Fair Haven Fire Department’s (FHFD) Old Timers’ Day, anyway. Add to that the fact that the young ones from back in the day are now the old timers and the losers … of the traditional baseball game that is the day’s focal point.
Continue reading Retro Old Timers’ Day Tripping Our annual reprise honoring the inspiration for R-FH Retro — my mom, Sally Van Develde — on what would have been her 102nd birthday. A birthday wish … Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom. You remain in the hearts of so many … Besides, I won’t let them forget.
“If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?” ~ Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz
For the love of home and a Fair Haven mom … that’s right.
Sometimes a birthday without her is about lighting the candles, making the wish, sustaining the simple legacy of going home, staying home with my mom, Sally Van Develde.
Today would have been her 102nd birthday. If she had lived to blow out all those candles on her cake, I wondered what she would have done. What her wish would have been.
Continue reading A Birthday Wish: Going Back Home with Mom
There’s a new chief in town. Well, there’s a new chief, deputy chief, assistant chiefs, lieutenants, captains, president and vice president in the Fair Haven Fire Department’s fire company, first aid squad, auxiliary and water rescue.
Continue reading Scene Around: Swearing In Fair Haven Fire Department’s Line Officers 
It’s all relative. You’ve heard it before. “He was like family.” Like. And sometimes people just say someone was family, no “like” involved. Family.
That’s usually because sometimes, DNA be damned, someone is no doubt family to someone, or many, in every way but the genetics. And sometimes, that’s just because a person’s actions in life scream a louder familial compassion and love than their genes — like a bear hug that squeezes all the good into us.
One girl called forever Fair Havenite Garry Allers her uncle. Uncle Garry was laid to rest yesterday. While on this Earth, he didn’t flinch at the relative reference from his adopted niece. It was the truth in every way that mattered, after all. Yes, it’s all relative.
Continue reading Remembering Fair Haven’s Garry Allers: A Lifetime of Relative Kindness Passed OnSanta Claus came to town in Fair Haven on Friday night. He left his reindeer at home to play their holiday games so he could get a ride in the firetruck.
Continue reading Scene Around: Santa Sleighs All in Firetruck Arrival Yes, it’s that time of the year. Tree time. And there’s no finer a time than the traditional Christmas tree sale at the Fair Haven Firehouse.
Continue reading Scene Around: Tree Time at the FirehouseStop, drop and roll with the lesson! That’s what Fair Haven Fire Department volunteers are teaching kids these days about fire safety.
Continue reading Scene Around: Fire Safety Lessons Taught in Fair Haven 
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