Due to the pending coastal storm and at the recommendation of the Highlands Office of Emergency Management, the Highlands St. Patrick’s Day Parade is officially cancelled and is rescheduled for September 21st, halfway to St. Patrick’s Day 2025
The Highlands Business Partnership’s plans to paint the town green for the 20th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will now be celebrated Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 2:00 PM. The colorful festivities will highlight Irish culture with nearly 120 marching units including bagpipers, marching bands, Irish dancers, and beautifully decorated floats. The parade will begin at Waterwitch Avenue and extend along Bay Avenue. The 2023 Grand Marshal is Timothy Hill, Highlands, NJ, for borough recreation director and borough administrator.
The Blind Men’s Association at Camp Happiness has been around since 1910, more than a century of being the spot where people with little or no sight could count on having fun, being with others who understand their disability, and simple getting to do lots of things they thought they might never do again.
Today, now that it is the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association newly revitalized and led by a strong and experienced woman who serves as the Director, it still has the charm and cheerfulness of the original Camp Happiness. But is in a far better position with far more capabilities and assistance, to be of great service to people whose disability is often overlooked with many people not even aware of how it impacts daily life.
The mission of the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association is to “enhance the quality of life for the blind and visually impaired through education, socialization and fostering an environment of hope and purpose.”
One visit to their current meeting place, across Burlington Avenue from the original Camp Happiness house in Leonardo, is enough to prove the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association is accomplishing its mission on an everyday basis which is delighting the men and women of all ages who look forward to the socialization each one says is “special, necessary, and something to look forward to.”
So meet Sarah Thoma, the dynamite, enthusiastic and hardworking Director who sets a high standard both in her programming for the group, as well as in ensuring everyone spends the day chatting, creating., laughing, sharing a meal, learning, and simply having fun. And while the guests are all busy doing all of the above, with a formidable group of volunteers who say they get more from the experience than they give, Sarah is busy working on researching grants, coordinating volunteers, running fund raisers and anything else that will make every day’s experience just a little better for each of the people she obviously loves.
Sara has been with the Association for less than three years, working hard and long on a “rebirth” of the agency had had been closed for two years but looked like it had been neglected many years before. Her first job, she felt, was to transform the house and property to ensure safety and comfort for the members. Looking back, she laughs, “Little did I know that was the tip of the iceberg.”
After getting that handled, including creating lovely grounds filled with comfortable chairs and tables for outdoor days overlooking the bay, she set about writing manuals for both the Board overseeing the Association as well as volunteers, setting protocols and policies to create an infrastructure. It also included exchanging board members who had lost the vision of the original founders and replacing them with eager new volunteers ready to uplift Camp Happiness and the Association spiritually, financially, and enthusiastically.
That part of the job is behind her now. And Sarah wanted to set up regular activities members could count on and look forward to.
Because they also depend on the support and assistance of other nonprofit organizations, it’s on Wednesday mornings now two of the trio of daily employees, Sarah and Kat Gramas, Operations Manager, with the help of Martha Sapaio, a part time bookkeeper, visit Lunchbreak to pick up their generous supplies of lunch for the members, as well as fresh fruit to take home and enjoy later. There are other days when generous friends call to see if they can donate lunches or gifts for the members as well.
A routine has also been established. The members arrive, usually by one of two busses supplied by the Association, coming into the building around 10:30, enjoy a morning snack and greeting, then take on hearty conversation a lot of laughs, and camaraderie, before starting the activities planned for the rest of the day.
Sometimes it’s someone coming in to give a talk or a demonstration, other times it’s an artist coming to show works of art and lead residents in unusual artistic projects. As a result, the meeting room includes an entire wall of paintings and crafts, some of which have won honors at the Monmouth County Fair and some are simply creative, just as art designed with paints while the novice artist is moving his brush or fingers in touch with music he’s listening to.
It’s late afternoon when the members say last minute goodbyes and share final stories with their friends then head to the bus for their trip home.
The 26 campers in Camp Happiness range in age from 21 to 96, each with varying degrees of visual impairment, but all with huge smiles, hearty laughs and sheer happiness at their Wednesday and Thursday meetings.
But they go home thinking about the next events they have in store…be it a trip to a concert, or the beach, a museum or a speaker at a meeting, an exercise to learn or a new challenge they want to take on. The Association takes the members to restaurants, and parks, and partners with other groups, including the Colts Neck Lions Club and the Monmouth County Park System for an even broader spectrum of activities.
It was called Camp Happiness in the first place because the men who started it looked at their special camp as a place where they were all happy. Those who are part of the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association today cherish the title and epitomize it with great smiles, deep laughter and happy faces. But they’ve added their own name to show the many things they’re now able to do. These Blind Citizens are better known among themselves as “Blinds on the Go.”
Volunteers and donations are always welcome for this non-profit organization. To find out more about it, contact the Director Sarah Thoma at 732-291-0878. See firsthand how helping someone with your own talent makes you feel better about yourself.
Looking forward to retirement from the US Navy after 32 years of service and scores of commendations and medals for excellence, Command Master Chief Eric Hubert still looks back on his first stepping stone that led to his Navy life.
The Keansburg native still says it is the teamwork, and the importance of setting goals and communication he learned at MAST that has enabled him to live a successful and happy life.
Now living in Lemoore, California, CMDCM Hubert enlisted in the Navy in September, 1992, after graduating from MAST. He went through basic training in Orlando, Florida, before reporting to Millington, Tennessee, where he attended and graduated from the Aviation Electronics Technician “A” School. His first duty assignment was at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, where he started with VF-101, a fighter squadron more familiarly known as the Grim Reapers, a unit that has evolved with several challenges and technologies during its years of service.
Hubert was with VFA-195 at Atsugi, Japan where he was a team member on the Integrated Weapons Team, and then transferred to VFA-147 at NAS Lemoore. He served as Quality Assurance supervisor and Maintenance Control Senior Chief, then served with VFA 147 as Maintenance Master Chief Petty Officer. Over the years, he also served with Naval Strike & Air Warfare Cenger in Fallon, Nevada and Strike Fight Weapons School Pacific in Lemoore, as well as serving as the Command Senior Enlisted Advisor at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit Lemoore.
Hubert was selected for the Command Master Chief Program in 2016 and transferred to another squadron, VFA-113, the Stingers, again at Lemoore. Three years later he transferred to El Centro, California as the Installation Command Master Chief. Since 2021, he has been with the Flying Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron 122 as Command Master Chief in Lemoore.
During his Navy years, Hubert also earned an associate’s degree from Coastline Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College, with minors in teaching and business management. He graduated from the Senior Enlisted Academy and the Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat Course in Newport, RI.
The Keansburg native holds two Meritorious Service Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, seven Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal, in addition to also receiving numerous unit and campaign awards. He also earned the Enlisted Aviation Warfare, Enlisted Surface Warfare, and Master Training Specialist qualifications during his three decades with the Navy.
Hubert and his wife Christine have been married 24 years and have one daughter, Hannah, who is a senior at CSU in Monterey, Calif.
Although retiring from active-duty Navy, Hubert plans on working another five years in the employee relations field.
It all started with a solid foundation laid at MAST.
Classmates from his high school alma mater who want to share their own stories with their former classmate can contact CMDCM Eric G. Hubert at Strike Fighter Squadron One Two Two, 210 Reeves Blvd., Hgr. 1, NAS Lemoore, Cal. 93246.
At Fort Hancock, anosprey nest that has been the subject of plenty of talk and interest, lots of money, and changes in expensive drawings and plans is gone. One day it was there, the next … BOOM! it had mysteriously disappeared.
The day after that, a huge boom, bright blue against the drab brown buildings on the historic former army base, appeared on the side of the building. The purpose of such an expensive piece of construction equipment is to enable workers to get to the top, presumably to see what’s going on.
Certainly things that have drawn the attention of so many who are eagerly awaiting the day MAST cadets can do their drills and practice their skills indoors any time, but especially in inclement weather, rather than out on Pershing Field or on the roads as they have been doing for years.
MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, is one of the five highly acclaimed specialty high schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District. Each year, its students consistently receive numerous college scholarships to the highest ranked colleges and universities in the nation. Each year, one or more students earn acceptances to any or all of the nation’s military academies. Each year, every graduate leaves that school armed with an education deemed one of the absolute best in the state. Each year, every students gets an education on what it means to be an American, and how much pride each can take in the history of the nation. And Monmouth County taxpayers and the United States Navy pay for all that education, experience and professionalism.
So why is there so much secrecy surrounding so many things about restoring another building to make an outstanding program even better?
Why are there so many who do not feel the public has the right to know what’s going on?
The business administrator for the school district is an intelligent, hardworking, personable and very adept woman certainly capable of all the many duties of her position. She does her job well.
However, when asked why a huge boom is being financed to stand up against a wall where once an osprey nest rested, or what it’s costing to have it there, or how the nest got taken down, her response is “I am unable to answer some of your questions.”
And then it was presented to the Monmouth County Business Administrator, another very bright woman so adept at her job. That answer has also not yet arrived.
When will personnel who work for Monmouth County, or any other governmental agency recognize that they are in reality, working for the taxpayer?
When will governmental leaders at all levels realize, accept and practice that the public indeed does have the right to know what is going on with their resources, their taxes, and their ideas?
The employees, including brilliant business administrators, take their orders from the leaders the people elect. It doesn’t appear that the elected officials care whether their employees respond to those who pay their salaries, the taxpayers.
The matter at MAST is just one incident. While boards of education are notorious for making it difficult to know what’s going on, municipal and county leaders also are so often reluctant to keep the public informed.
All this is going to get worse. This week, the state legislature is zooming through a bill which will make it more difficult and more expensive for the public to practice their right to know. The new OPRA bill, most likely gaining broad approval by our elected leaders, gives them and their employees more ways to hide things they do not want, or think, the public has the right to know.
We in Monmouth County, in New Jersey, in the United States, and in every municipality with government being paid by the people, need to be more aware, ask more questions and take more action to protect what our forefathers fought so long and hard for.
The Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club certainly celebrated St. Patrick’s Day like the Irish and in style with plenty of great music, a catered corned beef dinner and the old-fashioned but ever present charm and efficiency of Christine and crew at the bar and table. In addition to a great bagpiper who set the mood for the crowd, a special treat was the music of Rob Heren, the handsome young man who appeared in his American Kilts garb and sang a couple of great Irish tunes.
Rob is up from his Texas home and spending some time with his uncle, past Commodore Ed Newins, who certainly seemed a bit proud….as he should be….of Rob’s talent and friendship!
A recent story from the past in VeniVidiScripto brought numerous questions from readers as to what happened when Richard Stryker was elected Mayor and vowed to get rid of the smutty movies offered at the First Avenue theater.
With so many questions about how successful the former Mayor was in shutting down X-rated movies when he became Mayor in 1972, VeniVidiScripto contacted the former Mayor for an update on the story.
“It took two weeks of discussions and persuasion,” the former Mayor, now a resident of Middletown said, declining to identify what kinds of persuasion they used.
“But Lenny was very cooperative, and very happy to halt the dirty movies,” Stryker said.
Edwards, who owned a theater in Keyport, had purchased the Atlantic Theater from Maurice Parks before Stryker was sworn in as Mayor in 1972. The theater owner was showing what many referred to as dirty or obscene movies in both theaters, and Stryker objected to his borough being known as a town where people went to see dirty movies.
When he was sworn in at the reorganization meeting Jan. 1, 1972, the new mayor set as one of his eight goals a cessation to adult movies. He accomplished that goal in two weeks, he recalls now.
Stryker said shortly after the reorganization, he called Edwards in for a meeting, explaining to the theater owner their dislike for the films that were drawing people into the borough. Council assured the businessman of support and approval if he would eliminate those movies and instead focus on films that were more proper for both adults and children. The governing body also suggested an accent on family movies of all kinds, encouraging families to recreate together.
“Lenny agreed and we worked it all out,” Stryker recalls, “within a couple of weeks he had changed his choices from those that we all thought were unsavory to more entertaining and family-oriented films, from Hitchcock to Disney. It just took a matter of convincing him, which was not difficult to do, that Atlantic Highlands was a family town and encouraged others to visit and enjoy everything we had to offer, but not smut, filth, or anything that would continue the reputation the town had gotten from those X-rated movies.
The program will be presented by live at the Middletown Township Library on Tindall Road and via ZOOM .
Dr. Blair is an Associate Professor in the English department at Monmouth University, with special interests in New Jersey literature and popular culture. He spoke to the historical society in the past, highlighting Middletown author Henry Morford.
The program will include discussion of the variety of writings that have taken place in, around, or inspired by this coastal area of Middletown Township.
The event will be preceded by the Society’s annual meeting to which all are invited for the brief session. In person reservations are recommended early since seating will be limited because of ongoing renovations at the library.
The 20th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade sponsored by the Highlands Business Partnership will kick off SATURDAY, March 23 at 2 p.m., beginning at Huddy Park and ending at Bahrs Restaurants by the Captain Azzolina Bridge traveling the length of Bay Avenue.
The colorful St Patrick’s festivities will highlight Irish culture with nearly 120 marching units including bagpipers, marching bands, Irish dancers, and beautifully decorated floats. The parade will begin at Waterwitch Avenue and extend along Bay Avenue.
Timothy Hill, a graduate of Henry Hudson Regional School, and former director of the Highlands Recreation Department is the St Patrick’s grand marshal of the parade and represents decades of Highlands history and volunteer service not only in his own family but his wife’s family as well.
Hill is married to the former Laura Horan, whose family was involved in the community for many years, and whose late mother Jane was the co-founder of the Highlands Historical Society.
Tim’s great uncle, the late Joseph Dempsey, was borough mayor in 1949 and 50. His Aunt Clara was a founding member of Twin Light Historical Society.
The St Patrick’s grand marshal himself, while attending Brookdale, volunteered at the Highlands Recreation Department, and was hired in 1979, later working full time there and earning his degree as a recreational administrator, certified by the NJ Department of Community Affairs, In 1988, he completed requirements for his National Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA) and his New Jersey Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Professional Certification in Recreation Management. In 1984, late Mayor Robert Wilson appointed Tim as our Recreation Director and through Tim’s leadership and vision, many new activities, unique events and health and human service opportunities were offered for the pre-school, youth, teen, adult, and senior populations of Highlands.
In addition to the numerous youngsters aided by the programs offered by the Recreation Center under Tim’s leadership, Hill also oversaw park and beach improvements and general maintenance, resulting in successfully securing grants for the Borough partnerships to provide recreation and park related activities.
Hill served 37 years as a borough employee and more as a volunteer for the borough as well as the Highlands Business Partnership established in 1999.
Hill also served as borough administrator for more than five years and also served on the Planning Board, Highlands Depuration Committee, FEMA Long-Term Recovery Planning Team, and the Highlands Business Partnership’s Hope for Highlands Committee.
The Hills, who currently live in Orlando, Fla, have two children
The Business Partnership will host the annual “Competition of Floats” for all businesses and/or Organizations in the parade, competing in three (3) categories: Best of Show, Prettiest, and the Most Original. In addition, a trophy will be presented for the Best of Apparatus.
Participants representing military, political, civic, church, and other organizations will be in the line of march
The Henry Hudson Regional Marching Band and cheerleaders will perform with more than 100 members. Cadets from the NJROTC program at MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology at Sandy Hook, will present the honor guard at the beginning of the parade.
Pipe and Drum Bands include the Monmouth County Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Middlesex County Police & Fire Pipes and Drums, Union County Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Staten Island Pipes & Drums, and Patrick Torphy Pipes and Drums.
The Partnership urges the purchase of tickets for its “Lucky Pot of Gold” 50/50 Raffle. All proceeds “pay the pipers,” and winner need not be present for the drawing. Parade-goers will also receive free giveaways thrown from the many floats competing in the parade.
The parade is made possible by the Partnership and its sponsors; Monmouth County Tourism, Montecalvo/Bayshore Family of Companies, Bahrs Landing, Feed & Seed, Farmacie by the French Market, Dovetail Vintage Rentals, Hufnagel Tree Service, In the Garden, Off the Hook, Proving Ground, Seafarer, Sandbox at Seastreak Ferry, WRAT, 95.9, PKF O’Connor Davies Accountants and Advisors, The Brian & Joelle Kelly Family Foundation, and Driftwood Real Estate Group, Scott Inderwies.
To facilitate parking accommodations for marching units buses, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church has moved its Palm Sunday vigil mass from the routine 4 p.m. mass to 6:15. The Church is on Route 36, Navesink Ave., across from the new Highlands Borough Hall.
Bahrs Restaurant in Highlands, together with the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association, is featuring Vincent Dick and Emma Spreckels, the Surfer Girl of Asbury Park on Wednesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Bay Avenue restaurant.
Author and historian Vincent Dicks, best known for his books on Spring Lake and Asbury Park, will present the story of the woman who was the only daughter of Sugar King Claus Spreckels, one of the richest men of the world. As a young woman, Emma was infatuated with Hawaii and its king in this novel, and learns that even with love for her, her father can and will destroy anyone who defies him. It’s the story of the gilded age and how Emma is the mysterious girl from the Sandwich Islands who put on a surfing exhibition in Asbury Park in the 19th century and was known as a surfing pioneer in New Jersey in the late 1880s.
The program is presented both in person, with tickets at $10 and including light refreshments, or at no cost via ZOOM. Reservations can be made online at navesink maritime.org. or for further information at myhumphreys@gmail.com.
The Navesink Maritime Heritage Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging Eastern Monmouth County with maritime and water related historical, skill building, environmental, and recreational activities, and encouraging responsible use of the Navesink estuary.
With Sunday, March 24 observed as Palm Sunday throughout the Christian world, the Rev. Jarlath Quinn, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help St. Agnes parish has announced Holy Week services as both churches for the week.
Palm Sunday will be observed in both OLPH and St. Agnes on the vigil, Saturday, March 23, with a 6:15 mass at OLPH and a 5:15 mass at St. Agnes. The OLPH mass is later than the usual Saturday evening mass to accommodate the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Highlands.
Sunday masses will include the 9:30 a.m. mass at OLPH and masses at 7:30. 10:45 and noontime at St. Agnes.
Holy Thursday, March 28, will be observed as a mass at OLPH at 7 p.m.
Good Friday, there will be a celebration of the Lord’s Passion at St. Agnes Church at 3 p.m.
The Holy Saturday vigil mass for the Feast of Easter will be at 8 p.m. at St. Agnes on Saturday, March 30.
Easter, masses will be 9:30 a.m. at OLPH and 7:30, 10:45 and noon time at St. Agnes, the usual schedule for Sunday masses.
Because it is Holy Week, there will be no 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. masses on Holy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday.
