Oakland Traditions 2

That common ground so often spoken of, and the elusive moral compass national leaders struggle to find, were on display in Oakland, NJ recently with events sponsored by The Sports Association of Oakland , The Mother’s Club, The PTO, and The Newcomers & Neighbors Club. Organizations such as these build community spirit and their work and volunteer contributions earned Oakland the prominence of the being one of the best towns in America. Two organizations, The Mother’s Club and the Sports Association, celebrated fifty years, and the weight of tradition could be felt calling on new generations to continue the efforts.

The Sports Association of Oakland celebrated in style at a fundraising dinner in Portobello’s where past and present Hall of Fame inductees were honored for their work and commitment. The focus is on raising funds to support the nationally recognized sports programs Oakland offers its youth, but members can also be counted on to be there with shovels, buckets, fertilizer, and wide range of experience and common sense. Elbow grease, cooking oil, and a hot griddle are some of the other tools used to make The Rec Stand a vibrant part of the recreational fields.

Emotions filled the air as speakers remembered the many years of work, the joy of past parties, and expressed an appreciation that though times have changed- the mission remains the same. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised, the quality of Oakland’s recreation program rivaling that of any town in the nation, and fifty years of friendship, dedication and service have created a legacy of generosity for future generations to build on.

_________________________________________________________________________

The Mother’s Club opened the first meeting of their fiftieth year with a more meat and potatoes menu, Mexican style. As mothers often tend to do, there was a bit of multi-tasking as business mixed with pleasure at their Fiesta Night held in the Danny’D building. The meeting welcomed in new officers and new members, discussed upcoming events, and brainstormed on how to further support the community. Plans are underway to actively increase membership, and the spirit of Brenda Jacobson, recently deceased, was invoked to inspire those present to help bring in additional members. The Mother’s Club was operating on a skeleton crew until Brenda spread her passion to others, who in turn passed it on.

While fundraising and planning for local improvements are still being worked out, The Mothers’ Club offers some respite for local moms following their official meetings. Some of these activities involve crafts, and others are more genteel, such as the Wine Tasting scheduled for November 4th. Residents can get more information by emailing Gina Beck at beck251@msn.com.

__________________________________________________________________________

The NewComers & Neighbors Club held a Wine and Cheese event. A beautiful Indian Summer evening brought out some record number of residents for a major summer swan song. Unfortunately for The Journal, the reporter assigned to cover this event also was covering Fiesta Night with The Mother’s Club. The streets surrounding the Wine and Cheese event were packed with cars, and the reporter was concerned that the previous celebration, combined with high heels and dark streets, might have led to personal injury and embarrassment. The reporter, regretfully, was only able to describe the big outdoor tent decorated with fairy lights, an enormous crowd, and music playing. Frequent Journal commentator, Elizabeth Benducci, was at the event and did offer a brief summary. “It was a blast!”. And sent along the accompanying photo.

The Newcomers & Neighbors Club was founded to help women in Oakland make new friends and become familiar with the town. It has grown considerably from that initial purpose. In addition to their social events which include ladies only or couples nights out, they also sponsor several town events, such as Breakfast with Santa and Family Day at Crystal Lake. Meetings are the first Tuesday of every month from October to June, and are usually held at the Senior Center or an alternative location nearby.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The Manito PTO was busy with the book fair held last week in the school. A wide selection of educational products were available for purchase during the week. Children and adults alike browsed the offerings which were on display. With continued competition from television, and increasing competition from computer games, the book fair offered an opportunity to celebrate what is still the most revered form of learning, and it helps foster that important love of reading. It was a great event that allowed students to exercise some consumer independence; with parents assured that any purchase would prove fruitful.

The weekend also saw a Simple Supper at Manito. This was another event The Journal was unable to cover directly, but we could hear it! Based on our auditory coverage, it sounded like everyone was having a great time with music playing, games being played, and the joyful sounds of children using their “outside” voices.
__________________________________________________________________________
Another civic event that offered a fun afternoon was the Horseshoe Tournament hosted by The Knights of Columbus. The Ramapo Valley Knights, Council#5846, made Oakland their home in 1966. Their annual family picnic for members was held on September 6th, but the fundraiser this past weekend was open to all residents. As reported by Keith Ahearn, it was very well attended, for a very worthy cause.

What started out as an idea, became an incredible day of fun for a wonderful cause. The 1st Annual Ramapo Valley Knights of Columbus Council 5846 Horseshoe Tournament f/b/o the Wounded Warriors Project was a tremendous success.

Some highlights are:
· We raised almost $18k (our costs were less than $1k)
· About 250 people attended & consumed all donated food & drink
· 64, 2 person teams were entered in the tournmanet
· The tournament went smoothly
· The raffle, silent auction & 50/50 were extraordinarily successful
· The weather was absolutely perfect
· Everyone who attended had a lot of fun and would return in 2009!

As an organization whose core principles are charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism, it was indeed our honor and pleasure to host this event. Many of our Council members & their families attended as well as did many Oakland residents. We were also privileged to host guests from neighboring councils, with special recognition to the Ramsey Council who sent six members.

There are so many people to thank but the main person is the Program Director for the Ramapo Valley Knights, Marty O’Brien. Marty brought this idea up back in April of this year and then made it a reality. If not for members such as Marty, we would not be as successful as we have and continue to be.

Finally, after all was said and done, 64 teams had entered, played and 1 team was left standing. Brother Knights Bob Fabrizio and Rich Lawton from the Ramapo Valley Council emerged as the first-place winners. CONGRATS!!!

For photos and more information on the tournament, please visit us at www.kofc5846.org.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS SUCH A SUCCESS!!!

The Wounded Warrior Project provides programs and services that ease the burdens of the wounded and their families, aid in the recovery process, and smooth the transition back to civilian life.; and, residents should know that the program has helped veterans right here in the Bergen County area. Besides hosting singular fundraisers, The Knights also support annual events such as the Deacon Dick Mohr Memorial Coat Drive and Special Children’s Fund Drive.

Their Council home, at 7 Courthouse Place in Oakland, has been recently renovated with the help of numerous volunteers, and is available for rental for family, religious or holiday events. With seating capacity for 135, the hall offers a variety of amenities like a lounge with custom woodwork, paver patio, flat screen TVs, a serviceable kitchen and/or assistance finding reliable caterers. The new improvements also make it an excellent venue for business or civic events. Readers can learn more about The Knights, how to join, or inquire about their facilities by visiting The Knights website.