Parsippany Hills Success at the 2018 FBLA SLC

PARSIPPANY — Thursday, March 8 and Friday, March 9 the Parsippany Hills High School Future Business Leaders of America club competed at the State Competition in Atlantic City.  Congratulations to the Chapter on their all-around success!  24 of the members have qualified for the National Competition in Baltimore, MD this summer, which is a PHHS FBLA school record.

PHHS FBLA group

Harvey Wang was appointed State Webmaster, a position held formerly by fellow Viking Siddhanth (Sidd) Patel.  NJ FBLA bid farewell to PHHS’s very own state officers Adam Giovanelli, Arijit Pingle and Sidd Patel.  Mr. Kandil was recognized as a NJ Local Outstanding Advisor.  All members who competed did a fine job of representing PHHS. 

Congratulations to the following:

EVENT

GROUP MEMBERS

PLACE

Business Plan*

Shivani Patel
Karoline Xiong

1

Business Financial Plan*

Yash Bhawsar
Brandon Sung
Kyle Sung

1

Community Service Project*

Arijit Pingle
Jeremy Thomas

1

Social Media Campaign*

Steven Feng
Juliana Urbis

1

Introduction to Business Presentation*

Harvey Wang
Nick Levytsky
Nicholas Kuo

1

Insurance Risk Management*

Ellen Chen

2

Introduction to Financial Math*

Alex Zhang

3

Help Desk*

Shrusti Goswami

3

Parliamentary Procedures*

Job Arita
Diana DeMottie
Matthieu Granvil
Amy Staudinger

3

e-Business*

Matthew Kwan
Arjun Nagendran
David Sudit

4

Economics*

William Yang

4

Business Calculations*

Ashil Vekaria

4

VBC – Personal Finance*

VBC – Management*

Yash Bhawsar
Shivani Patel
Karoline Xiong

2

1

Advertising

Brittney D’Mello

5

* Indicates National Qualifier

Kandil Chapter Advisor Recognition
Adam Giovanelli, Northern Region Vice President

Rainbow Lakes residents thanks crew from Maryland

PARSIPPANY — This message was submitted to Parsippany Focus from Andy Sadowski.

A huge thanks to Jake, Chad, Scott, Jimmy, and DJ, from NG Gilbert who restored power to my neighborhood.

This hard working crew came up from Maryland after the storm to help restore power and have been restoring power to the best of their ability.

Contrary to what many may think, these crews are not responsible for the delay in restoring power but are the cure. These gentleman packed up their belongings and left everything behind along with hundreds of other individuals from up and down the coast to help restore power to countless communities in the area.

Please take a moment to thank this crew and the countless other crews who are working tirelessly to restore power.

I had a brief moment to talk to these guys moments before they packed up for their next job and was grateful for restoring power to my neighborhood. If you have been without power, please share this as a way to thank you to all the crews out there who brought power back one neighborhood at a time.

Township Clerk to speak at Chamber event

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Clerk Khaled Madin will be a guest speaker at the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce “Lunch Dozen Networking Series” on Wednesday, March 14.

Madin will answer questions that pertain to the duties of the Township Clerk.

Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce is located in the Halsey Corporate Center, 90 East Halsey Road, Suite 322.

Reservations are required. $15.00 includes lunch. For more information contact Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce at (973) 402-6400. Click here to reserve your spot.

PACC is a service organization for businesses, merchants, residents, and volunteers that provides education, information, and networking opportunities to the Parsippany Area. We work with our local and county governments and stand ready to pursue any matter that can make our community a better place in which to live, conduct business, and make a living. We promote a healthy and more prosperous economic climate.

Prosecutor Knapp Attends “Huddle” Program

MORRIS COUNTY — On the morning of Saturday, March 10, Prosecutor Fredric Knapp, First Assistant Prosecutor Tom Zelante, and Detective Patrick LaGuerre attended a program at the Church of God in Christ for All Saints in Morristown, hosted by the African American Clergy Association of Morris County, New Jersey. The guest speaker was the former Vice President and General Manager of the New York Giants, Jerry Reese.

The program is titled, “The Huddle: Calling the Right Plays to Win”, and is focused on offering young men in the community the opportunity to obtain information and guidance for their future endeavors. As the oldest of seven siblings in a poor family from Northwestern Tennessee, Reese learned early in his life what it would take to succeed. He specifically emphasized how important a positive attitude and a strong sense of faith can be for a young man.

The heart of Mr. Reese’s presentation comes from his vast experience in the world of football. As the title of the program shows, “The Huddle”, plays an enormous role in everyday life. Mr. Reese challenged the young men in the audience to build their own huddles, with people who are willing and excited to help them succeed in life. Just as each side in football has eleven players, Mr. Reese also offered the audience his eleven positive factors that will make their huddles as beneficial as possible.

Jerry Reese and Prosecutor Knapp

Pastor Jerry Carter of Calvary Baptist Church opened the morning with an inspirational prayer. He organized this event, and it was the first installment of the quarterly programs that the African American Clergy Association of Morris County, New Jersey plan to host for members of the community. Pastor Carter worked with Pastor Robert Rogers, as well as with other members of the African American Clergy Association of Morris County, New Jersey to ensure that these young men had the opportunity to learn from someone who has proved that strong faith and positive attitudes go a long way.

Following Mr. Reese’s presentation, Prosecutor Knapp addressed the audience of approximately sixty guests, and explained his role as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Morris County, in which he is responsible for the 170 member Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and oversees thirty-eight municipal police departments. He lauded “The Huddle” program, as well as praised Mr. Reese for delivering an excellent presentation. Prosecutor Knapp then introduced First Assistant Prosecutor Zelante, who is the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office liaison to the Morris County Human Relations Commission, as well as Detective LaGuerre, who has always worked closely with the community in his twenty years of law enforcement.

The driving force behind this presentation, was the African American Clergy Association of Morris County, New Jersey’s desire to reach out to the adolescent members of the community, with the hopes of inspiring them to become the best members of society that they can be. Nearly have half of the audience were in fact teenagers, and the rest of the audience was comprised of members of the clergy, as well as local businessmen and officials. As Pastor Carter closed the meeting, he asked that all attendees work together in the future to plan these presentations for the community on a quarterly basis.

Spring Cleaning Clothing Drive for PHHS Wrestling Team

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Hills High School Wrestling Team is conducting a clothing drive this week, March 12- March 17.

The drive will help raise funds for the team to attend training camp at The College of New Jersey this June. They are partnering with NJ Clothing Drive, the fundraising division of Millennium International Textile, Inc for this event.

As spring approaches it is a great time to clean out your closets as well as support a good cause. Items being collected are gently used clothing, shoes, belts, hats, handbags, backpacks and purses. Fabric items such as curtains, bedding, towels, blankets, sheet and comforters. Also stuffed animals, small toys (under 14 inches), CD’s, DVD’s in cases and Bikes (no flat tires).

Items may be bagged in kitchen-sized trash bags and dropped off anytime by noon on Saturday, March 17, at 4 Hastings Road, Morris Plains. Or if you prefer, donations can be picked up at your house by our team members. Please contact PHHSWrestlingTeam@gmail.com to make arrangements. All donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be provided upon request.

Brianne Partington Will Participate in Annual LVC Concert Choir Tour

PARSIPPANY — Brianne Partington will tour Pennsylvania and New York with Lebanon Valley College’s Concert Choir. Partington, a graduate of Parsippany Hills High School, is pursuing a bachelor of arts in music business at The Valley.

The theme for the 2018 LVC Concert Choir tour is “Welcome to the Family,” and includes music from around the world that celebrates the bonds of family that we forge with each other. The core of the program features works about mothers and fathers, such as an arrangement of Lars Jansson’s Latin-jazz work, To The Mothers of Brazil; Matthew Erpelding’s setting of Rudyard Kipling’s poem of fatherly advice in If-; Ilyas Iliya’s haunting setting of the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father”) in Aramaic; a new hymn to the Holy Mother in Ola Gjeilo’s Second Eve; and Papa Loko, a Haitian prayer and celebration to the Vudou spirit of healing and all things green.

The program also celebrates the newest additions to our families, as in Stacey Gibb’s spiritual, Ain’t That a-Rockin’, and Carol Barnett’s adorable arrangement of Malcolm Dalglish’s Little Potato. Families often change, and are represented in the program by pieces like Kyla Vuotti Uutta Kuuta, a Finnish wedding song; and Only in Sleep, a reflection on childhood memories in our old age.

Perhaps most importantly, the entire program is rounded out with other works that celebrate our non-blood families-those we create for ourselves in our daily lives, like our friends, our coworkers, our classmates, and in our case, those with whom we have the privilege to sing.

The Lebanon Valley College Concert Choir is one of two auditioned mixed choral ensembles at LVC. Concert Choir has toured each year, primarily in the Northeast, since 1936. In addition, the choir has been heard on more than 30 national radio broadcasts including National Radio Pulpit and Great Choirs in America. The choir has performed with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and holds standing invitations to appear at the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City.

Other non-tour appearances have included the Lighting of the National Christmas Tree, the Festival of Lights at the Washington, D.C. Temple Visitor’s Center, performing with the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, and appearances before the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the Music Educators National Conference Eastern Division Convention in Washington, D.C.

The choir has toured internationally to Eastern Europe (1973), Great Britain (1999), Italy (2001), Central Europe: the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary (2007), and Norway and Denmark (2011.)

82nd Annual LVC Concert Choir Spring Tour Itinerary
Sunday, March 18
CONCERT – 3:30 p.m. at Pine Street Presbyterian Church
310 North 3rd Street – Harrisburg, PA 17101

Friday, March 23
MORNING WORKSHOPS with choirs at Conrad-Weiser High School
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS with choirs at Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Fine Arts
CONCERT – 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church
2344 Center Street – Bethlehem, PA 18017
Featuring guest performers from Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Fine Arts

Saturday, March 24
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS with choirs at Susquehannock High School
CONCERT – 7:30 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church
140 North Beaver Street – York, PA 17401
Featuring guest performers from Susquehannock High School

Sunday, March 25
CONCERT – 3:00 p.m. at Miller Chapel Lebanon Valley College
101 N. College Avenue – Annville, PA 17003

Concerts are free admission and open to the public. A free-will offering will be collected at each concert to benefit local charities.

Lebanon Valley College is a private, coeducational college founded in 1866 and dedicated to the liberal arts. The College offers 41 undergraduate majors plus self-designed majors and a range of minors, concentrations, and pre-professional options, as well as graduate degree programs in athletic training, business administration, music education, physical therapy, science in STEM education, and speech-language pathology.

The College has 1,624 full-time undergraduate students and 118 full-time faculty. Students can choose from more than 95 clubs and organizations, and 19 study abroad programs. LVC awards generous academic scholarships to those whose high school records demonstrate a commitment to challenge and achievement. Learn more click here.

Annville is 15 minutes east of Hershey and 35 minutes east of Harrisburg; Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore are within two hours.

Letter to the editor: Resident praises Mayor; Tom Jones and Nicolas Limanov

parsippany focusDear Mayor Soriano:

When you came to our door with our friend, Ken Dolsky, I knew that you were “The Man!” Little did i know how true my first impression of you fit!

Between what I’ve read in the newspaper, heard from employees and am a recipient of an act of kindness bestowed on our family, Parsippany, has been blessed to have you as our Mayor!

In particular, I am referring to the OEM program. My daughter spoke to one of your staff members, Tom Jones, and miraculously, Nick Limanov, the kindest, most responsible “One in a Million” man dug us out of the snow so that my husband could get to his Chemotherapy at St. Barnabas.

What a wise decision it was to hire a person of Mr. Jone’s caliber and personality to speak with the public and assure people that he personally will take care of matters! He gets the “ball rolling” and also follows through with a call.

Mr. Jones always speaks with dignity and respect and has a perfect personality. It is obvious that Mr. Jones loves his job and does it to the enth degree. Surely, you know your team by now, but everyone deserves a pat on the back … especially since the weather has probably made everyone working for the town have frayed nerves, to say the least.

Not enough words can be said about this program and the selflessness of Nick Limanov. He is our personal hero!

Once again, Mr. Mayor, thank you for caring so much about disabled seniors. It is so reassuring to know you have our “backs” and Parsippany cares!

Sincerely
Jan Altman
Harvey Altman
Laurie Altman

P.S. The animals also thank you.

Letter to the editor: Thank you Mayor Soriano

parsippany focusDear Editor:

Temple Beth Am would like to thank Mayor Soriano and the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills for allowing our congregation to use the town hall meeting room to hold our worship services this past Friday evening.

During the most recent storm, our building on Beverwyck Road not only had lost power but the road was closed preventing access to the building.  Additional thank you to the Parsippany Police Department who were able to escort us into the building to retrieve our prayer books and Torah.

Our congregation came together last Friday evening and was able to hold a beautiful worship service despite the impact of the storm.  A very special thank you to Mayor Soriano for his help.

Marcia Geltman, President
Rabbi Estelle Mills

 

Owner loses “Key Fob;” Car stolen from residence

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Patrol Officer Jaime Mendez responded to a residence on Stafford Road for a reported stolen 2017 Hyundai Sonata. Upon his arrival, the owner stated he last saw his vehicle at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 3 when he left his house.

The victim stated that he lost or misplaced his spare key fob during the evening of Monday, February 26. While on scene conducting his investigation, Officer Mendez was advised that the vehicle was recovered by the East Orange Police Department.

This incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact the Parsippany Police Department Investigative Division at (973) 263-4311.

2017 Audi Q7 stolen from Wynwood Drive residence

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Patrol Officer Ernest Ebanks responded to a residence on Wynwood Drive for a stolen 2017 Audi Q7. Upon his arrival the victim advised him that she parked her vehicle at 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27 outside her residence and noticed it was missing at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 28. The victim advised that her purse and keys were left inside her vehicle.

The vehicle was recovered in Newark on Wednesday, February 28 at 9:52 p.m.

This incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact the Parsippany Police Department Investigative Division at (973) 263-4311.

Mayor Soriano: I want action by Verizon today

PARSIPPANY — On Sunday afternoon, March 11, we received word from the Parsippany Department of Public Works (DPW) that Mayor Soriano said if Verizon wasn’t in Parsippany cleaning up their downed wires he would personally go inspect the areas with DPW and clean up the wires so that streets can open before the Monday morning commuter and school traffic. Soriano, being an experienced electrician would cut the wires himself, and have the DPW remove them.

Parsippany Focus contacted Mark Bocchieri, Verizon’s director of external affairs, to advise him of the Mayor’s intentions.  He said “We are currently in storm practices; We want to make sure the wires are not live and safe for area residents and our employees; We were waiting on the power company to notify Verizon so we can take action.  He also stated his managers were reaching out to the power company for an update.”

Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano

Mayor Soriano said “I will continue to work and put the pressure on until Parsippany is 100% restored.”

Parsippany Focus made a tour of some of the closed streets remaining in Parsippany.

We found East Halsey Road at Jefferson Road, not touched by Verizon at all, and actually the area worsen since we took our first set of photographs on Thursday afternoon. Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department had the entire area blocked off. (Editors Note: after we published this article, we received information from Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department that Verizon crews are currently on scene making repairs. After they are finished Cablevision will have some repairs to do.)

South Beverwyck Road – Verizon was on the scene at 5:30 p.m. repairing the downed lines and road will be open shortly. (We aren’t sure of the exact time they arrived at the location, but when we visited the location at 5:30 p.m. they were hard at work and almost completed the removal and replacement of the downed wires). There were Parsippany workers at the scene waiting to clear the snow and ice from the road so the road could reopen. (Editor’s Note: We were informed after publishing this article, that the road is now open to traffic).

Verizon trailers carrying telephone pole to the area of South Beverwcyk Road
Verizon trucks at the scene on South Beverwyck Road

Park Road: Crews are on the scene attempting to repair the remaining of the cable and/or telephone wires and the area should be open sometime this evening or early Monday morning. Mt. Tabor School is located at 140 Park Road. (Park Road between DeHart Drive and Geoffrey Drive is closed).

In a Facebook post, Mayor Soriano said “I know from personal experience that the men and women of JCP&L who are spending 16-hour shifts restoring power deserve a great deal of praise. Working in winter conditions is far from easy, and I believe I speak for all Parsippany residents in thanking them for providing a service that is, frankly, life-threatening. The president and field managers of JCP&L have been working closely with me to restore Parsippany’s power grid. However, their board of directors and stockholders have made virtually no progress upgrading our power infrastructure or building resources for major disasters since the devastation of Hurricanes Irene and Sandy. This lack of vision and planning is what has put us in jeopardy.”

“The fact is that we are still using the same type of utility poles dating to the Morse Code lines of the 1840s, despite the widespread availability of 21st century technologies. Telecommunications companies such as Verizon and Optimum also share the blame in the antiquated state of our electrical and communications infrastructure. The electrical, telephone and cable utilities must begin to coordinate their recovery efforts, and stop squabbling over jurisdictional issues while residents languish in the dark and cold,” he continued.

“I stand with Governor Murphy in his call for an investigation into the practices of New Jersey’s utility companies, and look forward to sharing with the broader public the disgrace of the response to this storm in Parsippany specifically. I also look forward to closely monitoring the progress that JCP&L and the other utilities make in sharply increasing their preparedness procedures. Anything less than a complete overhaul is unacceptable. To this hour, three major roads in our township remain closed. The reality of the situation is this: another storm of this magnitude, or even larger, will come. It may be this year, or the year after; it is coming. Major storms, hurricanes and other disasters are a fact of life, something that our state has extensive experience with and something that we must be more prepared for. We thought that was going to happen after Hurricane Sandy. It did not. I now stand not only with our Governor, but also with the leaders of hundreds of other communities in our state, in saying this to the public utilities: this must not happen again, and we are watching you with a laser focus,” said Soriano in his Facebook post.

If you are one of the 214 households without power please make sure you re-report your outage directly to JCP&L.  It is reported from the Parsippany Police that most outages will be restored by the end of today. According to the JCP&L outage map, the remainder should be restored by the end of the day tomorrow.

 

Registration for Mount Tabor Music Camp

PARSIPPANY — Mount Tabor Music Camp will be celebrating their 65th year when the door opens on Monday, July 2.

During the camp, held at Brooklawn Middle School, children can learn a new instrument or improve existing skills.  Classes are held weekday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon. Students will receive lessons on their instrument(s) of choice and then come together for full band or ensemble rehearsal.  The camp runs through the month of July and concerts are giving during the final week.

Students from any district are welcome to attend.  To be eligible for registration, the youngest students must have completed the third grade and the program welcomes students up through senior year of high school.  Classes offered include a jazz program, guitar program and music theory classes, as well as instrumental lessons.

For online registration click here. Discounts are given for pre-registration before Monday, April 30 as well offering discounts for multiple family members enrolled in the program.

Email your questions to tabordirector@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook.

Councilwoman McCarthy and Peterson drafting a resolution to investigation public utilities

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Councilwoman Janice McCarthy and Emily Peterson spent the last week working with the Mayor Michael Soriano administration to get streets plowed and power restored to our residents as quickly as possible.

As we move towards the next township council meeting, we are drafting a resolution supporting the Phil Murphy administration’s investigation into NJ public utility companies and requesting that Parsippany be able to participate fully in those investigations and the public hearings that will be held.

The fact that so many of our residents were (and in some cases remain) without power for several days is unacceptable and we look forward to working with other communities to make sure we have a more robust and effective storm response.

John Murphy leads Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade

MORRIS COUNTY — Although the weather was chilly and crowds were thinner than usual, it was a great, great day for the Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade route extended from Town Hall on South Street, around the Morristown Green, to Morristown High School on Atno Avenue.

This year the Grand Marshall was John Murphy was born and raised in Morris County. In his early years, John grew up in a section of Morristown called Little Dublin which is in the shadow of Assumption Church, the parish his family belongs to today. His parents, Michael and Bridget, were both born and raised in Ireland. His father hails from County Kerry and his mother from County Clare. After independently immigrating to the United States as young adults, Mike and Bridie met in New York City and decided upon their marriage to make Morristown their home.

Grand Marshall John Murphy and wife Jennifer

In 1997, John was elected to the Morris County Freeholder Board (county commissioner) where he served for 15 years.

He joined the Morris Township Volunteer Fire Department in 1982, where he is still one of its most active members.

John has received numerous Leadership and Achievement Awards from organizations including the first Alex DeCroce Leadership Award by Governor Christie in 2012.

He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Morris Township with their four children. John is a Financial Advisor at Private Advisor Group in Morristown.

Brief History of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

St. Patrick was born in Wales, when it was part of the Roman Empire. He was kidnapped at about age 15, sold as a slave and taken as a slave to Ireland. There he learned to pray to God and experienced a conversion. After a time he escaped to France. Having loved the Irish people, he returned to Ireland as a missionary, the first Bishop of Ireland, around 432.

20 years later, most of the Irish were Catholic. There is much reverence and honor for St. Patrick as the Patron of Ireland to this day. He is very much a part of true Irish Culture today.

March 17, 1780 – After the long hard winter of 1779-1780 in Jockey Hollow, Morristown NJ, George Washington, in recognition of the support of his Irish militiamen, and there were plenty of them, gave them the day off and thus began the first St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in the United States. The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade then was in Morris County occurred in 1780:

    • March 17, 1979, thanks to the Irish American Association of Northwest Jersey (IAANJ), the first official modern day Morris County St. Patrick’s in Morris County, was held in Wharton, NJ. Parade marchers paraded down a one mile stretch of Main Street, Wharton, to the cheers of hundreds of spectators.
    • In 1981, while on a trip to Ireland, the president of IAANJ commissioned the nuns of the Carmelite Monastery, Tallow, County Waterford, Ireland to produce a hand-painted banner of St. Patrick and this exquisite work of art has led all Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parades since then.
    • From 1979 through 1990, the parade became larger and larger as it grew in popularity. More and more groups joined the parade and more and more spectators came out to enjoy it. By 1983, there were 48 units in the parade.
    • By 1988, there were 56 units in the parade with over 1500 marchers and over 4000 spectators.
    • In 1990, the parade in Wharton had its largest parade with greatest number of spectators ever marching down Main Street, It was clear that the parade had outgrown Wharton, a small and gracious community that hosted the Parade.
    • In November 1990, IAANJ teamed up with the Friendly Sons of St Patrick (FSSP) of Morris County and began working with the Morristown administration to bring the parade to Morristown. It was a perfect place for the parade. It is the county seat; has a terrific and safe environment for a fun-filled family day for all residents of Morris County to enjoy; has adequate parking for parade participants and spectators; plus, Morristown has a rich history in Irish culture going back to the Revolutionary War.
    • January 18, 1991, a Certificate of Incorporation for Non-Profit Organization, was issued for St. Patrick’s Day Parade of Morris County, Inc., and a Board of Trustees was formed for the new non-profit organization. It was formed to run the parade, to pay parade expenses, and most importantly, to provide charitable contributions to promote Irish culture and support various local children’s and other organizations that benefit Morris County.
    • March 16, 1991, the annual Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade stepped off in Morristown for the first time with 3000 marchers, 13 bands and several floats and fire companies. There were thousands of spectators there to enjoy the day. It was a great day for everyone and has been ever since.
    • From 1991 though 2014, the parade has grown to over 120 diverse groups, including over 20 bands, with over 4000 marchers with 50,000 to 80,000 spectators enjoying the Parade each year depending on weather.
    • In 2000, the Morris County Parade history was submitted by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen to the Library of Congress and was. featured in the Library of Congress Local Legacy Program, a high honor and tribute to the efforts of parade organizers and volunteers. Our parade got national recognition. Today, it takes over 75 volunteers puttiing in in excess of 2500 hours each year to put on the Parade.
    • In 2006, to accommodate the parade’s growth in size and popularity the Parade route was extended three blocks by going around the Green instead of just passing through it.
    • Since 1991, the Parade has voluntarily donated over $250,000 to the Town of Morristown as part of the Parade’s good neighbor policy to keep the parade from costing taxpayers anything.
    • Since 1991, the Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Inc. has donated almost $350,000 to local charitable organizations in keeping with the mission of our Non-Profit organization.
    • Since 1991 Parade Day has begun with Mass at Assumption Church at 10:00 a.m. The Mass is a special celebration of Irish Culture in honor of St. Patrick.
    • In 2012, the Parade added Pre-Parade events to entertain spectators around the Green while waiting for the Parade to start.

District 5 serves up Corned Beef at 19th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

PARSIPPANY – District 5 served up Corned Beef and Cabbage at its 19th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, March 10 at the Old Bloomfield Avenue firehouse.

The annual event attracted many residents, firemen, politicians and friends who enjoyed a delicious cooked corned beef, cabbage, boiled potatoes and carrots. There were even hot dogs for the kids, as well as cake and cookies.

Registration open for Youth Roller Hockey and Street Hockey

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PARSIPPANY — Registration is now for Parsippany’s Youth Roller Hockey and Street Hockey Program. Residents and nonresidents are welcomed to join! Cost is $50.00 per child. Street Hockey is for first to third grade, and Roller Hockey is for third to ninth grade.

To register online, click here.

Register in person is available at One Knoll Drive, Lake Hiawatha or at Central Middle School on Tuesday, March 20 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For questions click here to email.

Don’t forget to clean around your fire hydrants

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills got an estimated 22 inches of snow this week. Numerous power lines and trees down all over the roads, the last thing our volunteer firemen need to do is try to dig out a fire hydrant when there’s an emergency. Please help our volunteers and dig out your fire hydrants. While it may not seem like an issue, when you think about all of the trees and power lines that may affect us, the last thing the firemen need to worry about is being able to access a hydrant.

This small task that you do can help out so much in the event of an emergency.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Ordinance 169:16c states: The owner, tenant or occupant of any lands upon which a fire hydrant is located or the owner, tenant or occupant of any lands abutting the sidewalk upon which a fire hydrant is located shall be responsible for keeping the fire hydrant clear of any obstructions.

Law Enforcement Night to be held on March 16

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris Area Coalition for Education and Positive Choices is rapidly becoming a household name in Morris County.  Word is spreading about the many initiatives being instituted by this unique, powerful group that provides the community with facts and information in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse. Everyone is quickly realizing the benefit to families when they sign-on. The importance of introducing kids to new activities and promoting substance-free events that keep them occupied (such as sports, exercise, career days, teen dances and activities with law enforcement) is of paramount concern when it provides ways to uphold a child’s self-esteem.  The Coalition is a proactive team comprised of elected officials, law enforcement, educational leaders and concerned citizens who are up to date on the latest crazes and abuses that are plaguing our children.

Law Enforcement Night will be held on March 16 at 7:00 p.m. at Mennen Arena, 161 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown.

Please join officers and police departments from all over the state at the Coalition’s Second Annual Law Enforcement Night.  It is at this event that youngsters get to see firsthand how law enforcement officers are positive influences in our community.  Law Enforcement Night has been known to further develop these relationships often providing career opportunities for teens who might not have ever considered such a path.

The equipment on display at this event is known to even awe adults.  Never will one see such an array of machinery like this at one location.  Kids are able to ride the horses provided by the Park Police, see the Morris County Hope Van, jump in helicopters, ambulances, emergency vehicles of every shape and size, wear riot gear, try on handcuffs and comingle with the law enforcement community in a fun atmosphere.

The important aspect to remember here is that law enforcement is trained to make these kids feel safe and important.  Confidence and self-esteem go a long way in helping a child say no to his peers when the time arises.

 

Loyal Attendees Weather the Storm in Support of Homeless Solutions’ Dream Builders’ Bash

MORRISTOWN — Attendees were wind-blown and snow covered as they arrived at the Westin Governor Morris in Morristown on Friday, March 2.  Over 200 guests weathered the storm to attend Homeless Solutions 18th Annual Dream Builders’ Bash. Despite the nor’easter guests filled the ballroom for an evening of cocktails, dinner, and dancing.  They enjoyed participating in the Wine Pull, Raffle, and Silent & Live Auctions allowing them to further support HSI. 

This year the Bash was themed Riding Home Together, representing Dream Builder Award Honorees, Gran Fondo NJ (GFNJ) founders Marty Epstein of Marty’s Reliable Cycle and Bill Ruddick, GFNJ Director.  Seven years ago they created the GFNJ to give back to their local community. “We love to support Morristown, we love to support our community, that’s why we do this,” Marty Epstein said during his acceptance speech. “You are a great organization and inspire us to keep doing this.  We are beyond honored to be your award recipients tonight,” stated Bill Ruddick.

Lisa & Gary Pancoast

Longtime Homeless Solutions volunteer and Parsippany resident Diane Martin received the Mary E. Van Kirk Volunteer Spirit Award.  Diane is a superstar volunteer and someone HSI can rely on no matter the task.  She is a regular cook at the shelter and helps in so many other ways from painting rooms at the shelter, stuffing envelopes, to leading the HSI Gran Fondo rest stop in Chester. 

Before the evening came to a close, guests heard from former HSI Transitional Housing Program participant, Rebecca. She shared her emotional journey and the fairy tale life she feels she is living today. With the help of Homeless Solutions, Rebecca says she was empowered to take charge of all aspects her life. She is now on her way to purchasing her own home. She took time to thank donors and volunteers, “Because of your generosity and support my life is forever changed.” Rebecca was surprised by her 19-year-old daughter who delivered her flowers at the end of her speech. An emotional moment everyone enjoyed.

Homeless Solutions CEO Dan McGuire said, “I was deeply moved to see so many people in attendance despite the storm. We are truly fortunate to have such dedicated and loyal supporters.  Many people remarked that the awful weather and power outages were a stark reminder of how the event helps to keep our community’s homeless safe and warm every day.”   

The Dream Builders’ Bash is Homeless Solutions, Inc. (HSI) signature fundraising event. It is a dinner/dance, that brings together attendees from Morris and Somerset County to raise funds for HSI shelter programs. It has sold out for the last four years in a row.

Homeless Solutions, Inc. (HSI) is a private, non-profit organization with 35 years of experience in meeting the needs of those affected by homelessness in Morris County. Our philosophy is, “a Hand Up, not a Handout”.  There are many ways we work to accomplish our mission to offer shelter, services, and supportive housing to homeless and low-income people.  HSI runs four shelter programs and a Transitional Housing Program to help guests develop the skills to successfully return to independent living.  We also operate the Mt. Kemble Home for Senior Women of limited means and develop and manage Affordable Housing throughout Morris County. For more information click here.

Goddard School celebrates 10th Anniversary with Dr. Seuss

PARSIPPANY — The Goddard School celebrated its 10th Anniversary, along with Dr. Seuss’s birthday on Saturday, March 3.

There was a special appearance from “Cat In The Hat.”

Mayor Michael Soriano read “Oh, the Thinks You can Think” to the children, and then Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officer William Stone read “Green Eggs and Ham.”

To prepare for Read Across America Day on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Goddard School hosted their second annual book drive to support Bridge of Books Foundation.

There were plenty of raffle drawings for the children along with entertainment by Annie B.

Annie B is an interactive musical experience! In a moment she had children become fabulous farm animals, play musical games, and reach for their ‘Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes’. Children sing and dance along to kids’ classic favorites and to Annie’s original songs.

The Goddard School is located at 311 Smith Road.

The Goddard School is a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce.

Annie B “Live Guitar Entertainment for Kids”
Parsippany-Troy Hills Officer William Stone was reading “Green Eggs and Ham” to the children
Officer William Stone with the Cat in the Hat
Officer William Stone greeting the children
The children was playing “Pin the Hat on the Cat”
Mayor Michael Soriano reading “Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!” by Dr. Seuss to the children
Mayor Michael Soriano reading “Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!” by Dr. Seuss to the children
Mayor Michael Soriano with “The Cat In the Hat”
Thing 1 (also known as Charlotte Inauen, 8) and Thing 2 (also known as Vivian Inauen, 3)
Umer, 9, “Stack The Cats Hat”
To prepare for Read Across America Day on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Goddard School hosted their second annual book drive to support Bridge of Books Foundation
Goddard School owners Sushama and Ravi Patil with “Cat In The Hat”
Goddard School is celebrating 10 years in Parsippany