By Robert Halberstadt

A crowd of 700 to 900

attendees were expected
at the 125th anniversary
celebration of the Blairstown Hose Company.
The rain that fell on
Saturday, August 23rd
kept most of them away,
but 300 to 400 did show
and they were not disappointed.
Fire companies from
Warren, Sussex, Morris
and Hunterdon Coun-

Frank Golick, an 18year-old Scout with

Troop 2010 in Hardwick, has been awarded
his Eagle Scout rank by
the Boy Scouts of
America Minsi Trails
Council. Eagle Scout is
the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting
program.
Fewer than five percent
of Boy Scouts nationwide attain this illustrious rank. Frank stands
among
outstanding
citizens
who
have
become Eagle Scouts;
among them is President
Gerald R. Ford, Jr.,
astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, cinematographer
Steven Spielberg and the
head of the FBI, William
Session, as well as
"Dirty Jobs" TV host
Mike Rowe.
Frank's Eagle Scout
project was to design,
plan, raise money for
and recruit volunteers to
build a very schoolspirited "Patriot Pride"
ticket booth that is
proudly displayed at
North Warren Regional
High School. In preparing for this project,
Frank sought out the
support of local BSA
Troops, the Blairstown
Township Committee,
North Warren Regional
Board of Education, as
well as local businesses

ties, along with Pennsylvania entered their

vehicles for trophy judging.
Food, games and free
gifts kept the visitors
busy. The rain was an
unwelcome guest, but it
did not dampen the
sprits of those that
attended the event.
Its not often you hear
of a 125th anniversary.
But Blairstown Hose
Company
No.
1

and organizations.
Success of a project
like this relies on hard
work,
dedication,
responsibility, communication
and
good
leadership.
Friends,
family and the community have embraced

celebrated this milestone on August 23rd.

In order to protect the
community and reduce
the insurance rates in the
built-up area of the town
in 1889, a group of
businessmen gathered in
the home of Dr. Amanda
Schubert, a dentist on
Douglas
Street,
to
discuss the matter.
Millionaires
Walter
Wilson and John I. Blair
donated land and a

Frank and recognized

him for his efforts.
Frank will continue to
give back to this community he calls "home",
hoping to make to make
a
difference
in
someone's life.
Frank will be awarded

building on Carhardt
Street and what is now
Route 94 to house the
fire company.
Mrs. Emma Strickland
Pettingrell, donated the
first bell that was paid
for from her earnings as
a music teacher. The bell
was placed in the belfry
of the firehouse tower
with a rope that hung
down to a box with a
glass front. If the alarm

and recognized in a
Court
of
Honor
ceremony on Saturday,
November 1st, from
2pm to 6pm at The
Mohican Fire Hall on
Mohican Road in Blairstown.
Frank is the son of
Jeffrey and Kelly Golick
of Blairstown. He began
cub scouts as a Tiger and
worked his way to
Webelos, earning the
prestigious Arrow of
Light award, followed
by his adventures in boy
scouts, earning his Eagle
Scout award.
Frank is an Ordeal
member of the Order of
the Arrow Witauchsoman Lodge. He is
currently an Assistant
Scoutmaster in Troop
2010.
Frank is a senior at
North Warren Regional
High School and plans
to attend Warren County
Community College and
pursue a career in diesel
mechanics. Golick is a
committed
varsity
football player and
wrestler for the North
Warren Patriots.
Boy Scout Troop 2010
meets
weekly
on
Monday nights at the
Hardwick
Municipal
Building on Spring
Valley Road from 7pm
to 8:30pm. The troop

The annual Blairstown Town Wide

Yard Sale sponsored
by the Blair Woman's
Club is being held on
September 20th and
21st. This year the sale
has been expanded to
include nearby neighboring areas. Applications may be found in
the lobbies of the Blairstown Post Office, Catherine Dickson Hoffman
Library and Blairstown
Town Hall. Applications
may also be emailed to
pwoelfle@embarqmail.
com. For more information, call 908-459-4129.
Maps will be on sale at
RE/MAX Ridge on
Main Street in Blairstown on September
19th and 20th. Signs for
the sale will be distributed at RE/MAX Ridge,
as well. All proceeds go
toward
community
charitable giving, scholarships and military
support.
Calling all North
Warren
Regional
Marching
Band

Alumni: this year

marks the 30th anniversary
of
NWR
Marching Band and
they would love to
recognize the alumni at
the Home Show that
will take place on
September 27th. If you
or someone you know is
a
Marching
Band
Alumni and would like
to attend, email north
warrenmarchingbandh
omeshow@yahoo.com.
Reserve a table now
for the Yard Sale Allamuchy
Community
Day, which will be held
October 18th at the
firehouse from 10am to
4pm. The sale is sponsored by Panther Valley
Ecumenical Church. To
reserve a table, call
908-269-5818 as soon
as possible, as tables are
limited and will be sold
on a first-come firstserved basis.
If theres one thing
Boy Scouts know, its
that the best part of
earning a badge is the
experience. And with

badges ranging from

backpacking to robotics,
there are tons of cool
experiences to be had.
So if your son is looking
for real adventure, get
him involved with Boy
Scouts of America.
Youll see firsthand how
once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities can lead to
a lifetime of success.
Join NJ Boy Scout
Troop 153; with members from Knowlton,
Blairstown, Frelinghuysen,
White
and
surrounding areas. For
more
information,
contact
Committee
Chair Laurie Meivogel
at
njbsatroop153@
gmail.com, ScoutMaster
Jeff Armstrong at 973214-0217, or Recruitment
Chair
Bob
Provencher at bob@
provencher.org; or visit
www.facebook.com/njb
satroop153.
The North Warren
Recreation Group is
welcoming
outdoor
enthusiasts that enjoy
things such as hiking,
bike riding, canoeing,
hunting, local fishing,
deep sea fishing trips,
golfing, archery and gun

target shooting, and

wildlife
sightseeing.
Hosting two activities a
month will be the goal
of the group. Email
Matthew at muconn47
@centurylink.net.
Happy belated birthday to Sandra Muller,
who celebrated on
September 1st.
Happy
birthday
wishes are sent to
Louise
Edgcomb,
September 3rd; Bill
Sprague,
September
4th;
Elisa
Yeagle,
September 6th; Robert
Bastedo,
September
8th; and Cody Jancovic, September 8th.
Say Happy Birthday to your loved
ones in The PRESS!
Send us their names and
birthdays and well print
them here for free! You
can also send a photo
and birthday wish for a
small fee.
We love hearing
from you!
Send your birthdays,
anniversaries and
other info to: The
PRESS, 1 Broadway,
Bangor, PA 18013
thepressmail@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook!

Renowned
folk-rock
duo Aztec Two-Step will
perform their own "fan
favorites," as well as
selections from their
Simon and Garfunkel
Songbook and The
Everly
Brothers,
September 13th at The
Historic
Blairstown
Theatre, located at 30
Main St. in Blairstown.
Tickets are $28 each for
the 8:30pm show. Doors
open at 8pm. For tickets,
visit thehbt.com.
Bursting on the scene in
1972 with their critically
acclaimed
self-titled
debut
on
Elektra
Records,
Aztec
Two-Steps first album
and three subsequent
albums for RCA Records
were staples of progressive FM and college
radio, and helped usher
the music of the 1960s
into the '70s and beyond.
Since then, Rex Fowler
and Neal Shulman have
spent a lifetime making
music together as the
folk-rock duo that takes
its name from a poem by
beat poet Lawrence
Ferlinghetti.
Richard
Cuccaro,
publisher
of
the
esteemed NYC music
magazine Acoustic Live!
states, Aztec Two-Step
is possibly the best

acoustic duo in the world

today while Variety
stated, ''...the right sound
at the right time... beautiful
acoustic
guitar
playing and questioning
lyrics... songs performed
with forceful vocals and
near perfect instrumental
harmonies.''
Recording and touring
non-stop since the early
70s, Rex and Neal have
accumulated forty-plus
years of awards, accolades and TV and radio
appearances that include
the David Letterman
Show, World Caf Live,
and the King Biscuit
Flour Hour, and have
graced countless stages
including those of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln
Center. In 1987, the duo's
Living In America
received the New York
Music Award for Best
Folk Album and was
named in Billboards
year-end critics poll, and
in 1999 they were the
subject of
No Hit
Wonder, a documentary
that aired on PBS.
In 2005, they released a
career-defining Days Of
Horses CD to rave
reviews. Up until this
point Fowler had been
the primary songwriter
of the duo, but here, five
of the albums eleven

songs, including their

baby boomer anthemic
Better These Days,
were penned by Neal
Shulman. The title track
Days
of
Horses,
written by Rex Fowler,
was used as the opening
and closing music in the
2012 documentary Selling Cars in America. Of
this CD release, the
Boston Globe said,
Fans of the duos
harmony-driven tunes
and easygoing acoustic
guitar riffs will recognize

their James Taylormeets-Simon

and
Garfunkel sound. Whats
new is the mood. This
album sits back on its
haunches as Rex Fowler
and Neal Shulman look
back wistfully at American pop culture and their
own ride through it.
In 2007, the duos song
The Persecution and
Restoration of Dean
Moriarty
(On
The
Road), initially released
on their debut album,
was included in Rhino
Records
Forever
Changing-The Golden
Age of Elektra Records
1963-1973, the story of
this landmark record
label and the music that
defined an era. The song,

according
to
Jack
Kerouacs
biographer
Dennis McNally, was the
first recorded about
Kerouacs iconic novel
On The Road. Also in
2007, Real Simple magazine named the duo's
self-titled debut as one of
the top five classic folk
albums, joining works by
superstars Bob Dylan,
Judy Collins, Tom Rush
and Phil Ochs.
The duos 2008 live
recording Time It Was The Simon & Garfunkel
Songbook (Red Engine
Records), features narration by the late legendary
Deejay and music historian Pete Fornatale, who
provided commentary
and insights based on his

interviews with his pals

Paul and Artie. Rex and
Neals 1972 Elektra
debut often reviewed
them as having the east
coast sensibility, intellectual lyricism, and
ethereal harmonies of
Simon & Garfunkel, so
to many in their field, it
wasnt surprising that
they would choose to
interpret and perform the
timeless songs and
harmonies
of
their
legendary predecessors.
Finally, in 2012, to
commemorate their 40th
Anniversary year, Rex
and Neal released their
10th
studio
album
Cause & Effect (Red
Engine Records). It is a
collection of 16 socially
significant
songs,
produced
by
Paul
Guzzone, who also
produced their Days of
Horses
CD,
and
features their long-time
bassist Fred Holman.
The album is a combination of re-worked previously recorded songs and
newly mined material.
Defined by intelligent
songwriting,
dazzling
acoustic lead guitar &
inspiring
two-part
harmonies, Aztec TwoStep continues to be one
of acoustic music's most
respected and enduring
acts, forty-plus years
after Fowler and Shulman serendipitously met
at an open mic at a
Boston coffeehouse.
For more information,
visit aztectwostep.com.

Astronomy Club Meeting: Sept. 5th, 8pm.

North West Jersey Amateur Astronomers. FMI,
visit www.nwjaa.org.
Blairstown Committeeman Paul Avery
Available: Sept. 6th,
11:30am-1pm. Blairstown Town Hall. In an
effort to develop new
lines of communication
for Blairstown citizens,
Committeeman
Paul
Avery will again be
available to meet w/
residents. Future opportunities
will
be
published in Community Events.
2014 Twp. Community
Green Fest Sept. 7th,
1pm-4pm.
Fairview
Lake YMCA Camp,
1035 Fairview Lake
Rd., Stillwater. Rain or
Shine.
Hosted
by
Stillwater Twp. Green
Team, in partnership w/
Fairview Lake YMCA
to showcase hands-on
educational activities,
vendor displays, wildlife
show, Gemini 2 singing,
a Recycled Art Show to
encourage residents to
create art from trash/

recycled materials w/ a
prize for creativity in
use of recycled materials. Celebrate & support
Stillwaters
commitment to going green. For
vendor/
submission
forms & updates, visit
stillwatertownshipnj.com.
Free
Employment
Readiness
Training
Orientation: Sept. 11th
or
18th,
10am.
Provided by NORWESCAP Career & Life
Transitions Center for
Women. FMI or to register, call 908-835-2624.
Pre-registration
is
required.
Meat Loaf Supper:
Sept. 13th, 4pm-7pm.
Broadway UMC, 2233
Rt. 57, Broadway. FMI,
call 908-689-6951.
Team Home Instead
Yard Sale, Bake Sale,
Hot Dog & Popcorn
Sale Fundraiser: Sept.
14th, 10am-2pm. 127
Belvidere Ave., Washington. Rain or shine.
Proceeds benefit the
Home Instead Team at
the 12th Annual Joan
Knechel Memorial Walk

October 19th at River

Park, Hackettstown.
Free Learn to Twirl
Intro Class: Sept. 15th,
16th & 18th. Northeast
Brach of Warren Co.
Library, Rt. 46, Hackettstown. Wear shorts, tank
tops, sneakers & hair up.
Have fun while learning
basic Baton Twirling
skills in this intro class
provided by a United
States Twirling Association (USTA) Certified
Instructor. Batons will
be available. Teens 13 &
older, 3:30-4:30pm; Tots
5-8, 4:30-5:30pm &
Tweens 9-12, 5:306:30pm.
Blair Woman's Club
Meeting: Sept. 16th,
noon. The Inn at Millrace Pond, Hope. There
will be guests from other
clubs & a speaker from
the state organization.
FMI, call Elaine Anderson at 908-459-4435.
Two
Free
Square
Dance Lessons: Sept.
16th & 23rd, 7:30pm9:30pm. Halsted St.
Middle School cafeteria,
59 Halsted St., Newton.

Provided
by
the
Kittatinny
Rangers
Square Dance Club. All
ages welcome. Partners
not necessary. FMI, call
Connie at 973-383-9456
or Marjie at 973-2504244.
Blairstown Senior Bus
Trip: Oct. 15th. Oktogberfest at Woodloch
Pines, Hawley, PA. Sign
up Sept. 18th, 1pm at
Blairstown Town Hall.
FMI, call Mickey at
908-362-8919.
Chicken BBQ TakeOut Dinner: Sept.
20th, 4pm-6pm. Yellow
Frame
Presbyterian
Church. Limited tickets,
available through Sept.
15th. To order, call
973-383-5364.
Country
Western
Dance, featuring band
Tied To The Trax:
Sept.
20th,
7pm.
Historical Vass Farmstead, 97 Stillwater Rd.
Hosted by Hardwick
Twp. Historical Society.
Refreshments will be
available. FMI, call
908-362-8496 or 908362-5928.

Blairstown, Knowlton
& Hope
A & P, Alpine Meats, Animal
Mansion, Ash Plumbing,
Asian Combat Arts, A-Tech,
Auto, Blair Tile, Blair Tire &
Auto, Blairstown Chiropractic, Blairstown, Country
Florist, Blairstown Municipal
Building, Blairstown Eye
Associates, Blue Ridge
Lumber, Buckwood, Building
Specialties,
Burgdorff,
BuzzWorks, Caffe Nelle
Cucine, Cannon Country
Real Estate, Columbia Post
Office, Custom Colonial,
Dale's Market, David Krawski
Dentist,
DogHouse,
Dominick Pizza, Dr. Magalio:
Dentist, Ellias Restaurant,
First Hope Bank, Fitness
Empire, Fountain Mall
Laundromat, Frank's Pizza,
Gallery 23, Geo's Pizza,
Gourmet Gallery, Grand
Rental
Station,
Hair
Company, Hairs 2 You,
Historic Blairstown Theatre,
Hope Deli, Hope Haircutters,
JD Liquors, John Deere,
Kozimors Upholstery, Knowlton Municipal Building,
Lakeland Bank, Lebduska
Accounting, Marksboro Deli,
Mark D. Nelke: DMD,
Medical Associate, Mediterranean Diner, Napa, Nature's
Harvest, New HoHo, North
Warren Farm & Garden,
North Warren Pharmacy,
North Warren Truck Repair,
Old Stillwater General Store,
Pizza Express, PNC Bank,
Post Office (Both Locations),
Post Time Pub, R. Keiling,
Race's Farm Market, Radio
Shack, Remax, Shell Gas
Station, Skyland Bank,
Smitty's, Sunrise, Nutrition
Center,
Sun
Velocity,
Sunoco, The Auto Shop, The
Inn at Millrace Pond, Tile
Warehouse, Tractor Supply,
Tramontin Harley-Davidson,
US Gas, Voulas Hairway to
Heaven, Village Green,
Warren County Library, Wells
Fargo, Wilbur's Country
Store, Wine & Spirits,
Woman to Woman
Belvidere
A & P, Al's Pizza, ACI Truck

Stop, Bagel Smith, Bel-Pike

Lanes, Belvidere Diner,
Belvidere Spa, Clucas Farm,
Curves, Dee Doo's, Dr.
Amannda Richline, Food
Mart, Four Sisters Winery,
H&R Block, Hearth Shop,
Hickory Mortgage, Little
Johns Pizza, Mediterranean
Riverside Designs, Riverton
Hotel & Restaurant, Rosal
Jewelers, Short Stop, Skee's
Busy
Bee,
Skoogy's,
Steckel's Shell, Station,
Thisilldous, Uncle Buck's
Diner, US Gas, Vincent
Haircuttery & Plus, Zack's,
Zeeks
Washington
A & P, Bagelsmith, Fliegauff
Jewelers, Home Instead
Senior Care, Kaffe Kaprys,
Lost Ladies, Mediterranean
Bistro, MWC Racing, PrideN-Groom, Quick Check,
Rossi, Second Time Around,
Shopper Stop, Silver Stars
Bagel,
Smith
Dodge,
Stanley's
Pizza,
Town
Market, Washington Diner,
Washington Shoe
Newton
A&G Pizza, Back in Motion,
BMW Dealership, Charm,
Co. Seat, Dunkin Donuts,
Hampton Diner, Ho Hos,
HobbyTown, Holiday Inn,
Home Furniture, Warehouse,
Kathy's Restaurant, Newton
News Stand, Optical Center,
PB&J, Quick Check, Shop
Rite, Skylands Sport Shop,
Springboard
Shoppe,
Superior Shower Doors, The
Chatter Box, VW-Audi
Dealership, Weis
Hackettstown
A & P, Bachs Home Healthcare, Cozy Corner, Golden
Skillet, Hacktettstown Free
public Library, Hackettstown
Guns & Ammo, Hackettstown Sandwich Shoppe,
Hackettstown
Regional
Medical Center, Mama's
Pizza/Cafe Baci, O'Neill's
Jewelers. Prickley Pear,
Quick Check #2, Riverstar
Diner, Tranquility General
Store, Valley Bagel, Weis,
Willow Caf
Columbia
Ayers, Roses Cafe

Hello fellow readers,

On August 7th, I proudly
announced Happy First
Tomato!
Excited
chipmunks didnt get the
first bite, the fate of all my
tomato attempts in years
past. Don't laugh... I
displayed my single
bounty for a few days on
the windowsill before I
indulged in its amazing
flavor.
Since then no other
tomato has come to ripen
thanks to the rock wall
residents who have left the
remains of three or more
each morning, as if to say,
Thats what you get for
coveting the one ripe
tomato we left for you.
Truth is if they ate the
whole darn thing I'd be
less upset, the slaughter
somewhat hidden, and at
least the food would not be
wasted.
Cal from East Stroudsburg reminded me of a
preemptive approach. He
asked if he picked tomatoes green and ripened
them inside would they be
just as good as vine
ripened ones. Yes indeed!
Tomatoes are one of the

only vegetables (actually

theyre a fruit), that can be
picked before completely
ripened. In fact, they may
be better as it prevents
splitting or bruising and
allows control over the
ripening process.
Tomatoes cannot ripen
unless they reach their full
size, known as the mature
green stage. If picked
before they are less
flavorful, meaning they
taste like cardboard, such
as those normally bought
off-season at the supermarket.
Theres a fine line when
picking tomatoes at the
mature green stage and
picking too early. The
best way to tell is to sacrifice one just when it turns
a lighter green to see if
there is a gel-like
substance inside. At this
stage
two
growth
hormones change and
cause the production of
ethylene gas, which in
turn ages the cells resulting in ripening.
Place your tomatoes out
of direct sunlight and in
seven to 10 days, theyll
reach peak ripeness. Or if
you wish to ripen faster,
wrap in newsprint or a
brown paper bag, which
will contain the ethylene
gas. Store tomatoes at 55
to 70 degrees (cooler if
you wish to slow the
ripening) and check
regularly for ripeness.
Enjoy the bounty before
the assailants or the first
heavy frost snags them;
and at the same time
avoid skin cracks, green
shoulders and stretch
marks (lucky tomato).
Garden dilemmas?
askmarystone.com

(NAPSI)Reality TV
shows, online webcasts
and YouTube videos
have encouraged many
people to try the do-ityourself (DIY) route
when it comes to tackling
less-complicated home
renovations or fixes.
Often, there are advantages to DIY projects,
such as financial savings,
learning new skills,
environmental benefits
and more.
Sometimes, however,
safety can seem an afterthought when it comes to
DIY. Bear in mind,
accidents can happen to
anyonewhether youre
cleaning the gutters,
installing new floors or
rearranging heavy furniture.
In fact, of the more than
50 million DIY home
improvement
projects
that will take place this
year, one in five of the
participating homeowners will experience an
injury, according to the
Home Safety Council.
These accidents can add
up: The Healthcare Leadership Council found that
without health insurance,
the average cost to treat a

broken leg is more than

$10,000.
This can be a problem
considering a recent
survey of employees,
commissioned by Aflac,
found that 49 percent of
employees have less than
$1,000 on hand to pay for
out-of-pocket
medical
expenses.
When participating in a
DIY project, consider the
following safety tips to
help reduce your risk of
becoming injured and
facing medical bills you
cant afford.
1.
Always
follow
instructions:
Before
starting any project,
carefully read the instruction manual of any appliance or tool youll be
using.
2.
Forgo
fashion:
Always wear protective
clothing, including safety
goggles, gloves and a dust
mask, when working with
potentially
hazardous
materials. Avoid jewelry
and loose clothing while
using power tools.
3. Keep a first-aid kit
handy: Choose a first-aid
kit thats easy to carry,
latches securely and can
be opened quickly.

4. Never leave a project

unattended: Never leave
tools or materials unsupervised during a DIY
project.
Unattended
power tools or a bucket
of paint on your ladder
can be a disaster in the
making.
5. Know when to hire a
pro: Although you may
save money with a DIY
project, taking matters
into your own hands may
do more harm than good.
Small jobs can be simple
but many tasks are better
left to the experts.
6. Add a layer of protection: Consider adding a

supplemental accident
insurance plan to help
you stay ahead of medical bills and out-ofpocket costs that can
accumulate with an
emergency. To learn
more about the benefits
of an accident insurance
policy, visit www.aflac.
com/accaident.
Protecting yourself at
all times is important,
especially when the cost
of an accident could put
you in a deep financial
hole. You can be safeall while getting your
hands dirty and tackling
new projects.

North Warren Boy

Scouts of America
Troop 2010 attended
summer camp at Hawk
Mountain Scout Reservation in Schuylkill
Haven,
Pennsylvania
July 20th through 26th.
Eight boys attended
with two leaders.
The
hardworking
scouts earned a total of
67 merit badges, including Rifle, Woodcarving,
Shotgun,
Textiles,
Wilderness
Survival
and many, many more.
One scout participated
in
the
COPE
(Challenging Outdoor
Personal Experience)
Program. All Scouts
participated
in
the
POLAR BEAR SWIM
each morning. For the
fourth year in a row,
Troop 2010 won the
Clean-Camp Award. A
fantastic time was had
by all. Even the new
leaders had an opportunity to complete CPR/
First aid requirments for
training.
Aside from earning
merit
badges
and

awards, everyone had a

great time, brought
home a lifetime of
memories,
learned
many
new
skills
through the merit badge
programs and enjoyed
the outdoors, including
camping,
boating,
fishing, playing games
and working together as
a team.
BSA provides a variety
of youth development
and camping programs
that promote good character, leadership and life
skills.
Their
adult
volunteer leaders are
working toward teaching young people the
values and skills they
need to succeed in life.
The Troop is open to
boys 11 through 18
years old in the North
Warren area. They are
comprised of residents
from Hope, Blairstown

and Hardwick. Everyone is welcome.

The
Troop
meets
Monday nights at the
Hardwick
Municipal
Building on Spring
Valley Road from 7pm
to 8:30pm. For more
information,
email
Troop2010NJ@gmail.c
om, call Golick at 908362-0171 or Demkowicz at 908-362-8454.
Troop 2010 camps
once a month, earns
merit
badges,
and
always has fun while
learning skills. Future
trips include mining
diamonds in Herkimer,
NY and Washington
D.C. The Troop is
proudly chartered by the
Hardwick
Historical
Society.
Any time is a great
time to join Scouts!
Stop by and see what
theyre all about.

William Baumgartner
owner and operator of
Imagine Computers, is
back in Blairstown.
William had his long
standing
computer
business on Main Street
and in the Blairstown
area for almost 15 years.
He is now back on Main
Street and happy to see
so many familiar faces
again.
Imagine Computers, a
Christian
based
business, offers many
services, such as computer repair on all makes
and models, including
Macs!
If you have data that
needs to be recovered
and you've been told it's
impossible, bring it to
Imagine
Computers.
William has over 25
years experience in the
computer
technology
field. Other services
include
networking,
virus removal, website
design, transfers, fixing
slow systems, set up and
installations, technical
support and free consultations.
William is also an
expert in fixing your old
or torn photos that may
mean a lot to you. No
matter what age or
condition, he can make
your photo look beautiful again.
Another service he
offers is private com-

puter classes, so call

today to schedule a class
to learn whatever you
need to know on your
computer.
Imagine Computers is
now located at 17 Main
Street where Book Nest
used to be. He is right
down the street from
Nature's Harvest. Hours
are Tuesday through
Friday, 9am to 6pm and
Saturday, 10am to 2pm.
If you can't make it
during regular business
hours, please feel free to
call William for an
appointment at 908362-3000. Emergency
services are also available.
For more information
on Imagine Computers,
log on to www.imagine
computers.org.

William is known for

being an honest business
man and cares about
helping you solve your
technical problems. He
is also a member of the
Blairstown
Business
Association.
If you would like to
donate a computer you
are no longer using and
it's six years old or less,
Imagine
Computers
refurbishes computers
for area residents who
are in need. If you are in
need
of assistance,
please call Imagine
Computers to see if they
may be able to help you.
Imagine
Computers
would like to extend a
warm welcome to all
area residents and they
look forward to working
with you again soon.

The Orton-Gillingham
program provided by
The Reading Teacher is
a
phonics-based
program,
systematic,
sequential and rulebased. It was designed
for dyslexic readers, but
can also be used in many
other cases.
The
Reading
Teacher, Ann Marie
Schwartz, is a local,
fully-certified teacher
and private tutor. She
has taken the full course
of
instruction
at
Fairleigh
Dickinson
University, which qualifies her as a beginner-

adult instructor.
I have been to many
parent meetings and
have heard many parents
tell how hard their child
has to work and how
they have searched to
find answers, Ann
Marie said. I am available after school or on
weekends, by appointment.
For more information
about The Reading
Teacher, see her ad in
the business directory
on page 13, contact Ann
Marie at 908-459-5424,
or annmarieschwartz@
gmail.com.

The Blair Womans

Club is pleased to
announce the recipients
of their annual scholarships for 2014. Lisa
Wilbur and Kathleen
Dispoto have each
received a $1,500 scholarship to be used to
defray tuition costs.
Lisa will be attending
Centenary
College
where she will be a
Liberal Arts/Education
Major with a concentration in Special Educa-

tion.
Kathleen
will
be
attending The College
of New Jersey as a PreLaw Major with plans to
pursue a career as a
prosecutor.
The Blair Womans
Club meets on the third
Tuesday of each month
in the Catherine Dickson Hofman Library at
12:30pm with a guest
speaker. For more information, call Bobbi at
908-362-8918.

Hundreds of children
and their families turned
out for the 12th annual
Back-to-School Fair at
Project Self-Sufficiency
recently.
Information
sessions gave parents
tips on anger management and instructed
families about detecting
and preventing child
sexual assault. Meanwhile, children got free
haircuts, played games
and received back packs
brimming with free
school supplies.
Representatives from
local social service
organizations were on
hand to discuss topics
ranging from healthcare
to household safety to
literacy. Agency staff
members and volunteers
handed out school
supplies, played games,
organized crafts and
provided dinner and
snacks.
Project
SelfSufficiency is proud to
offer the Back-toSchool Fair to our
participants again this
year,
said
Claire
Willetts, Program Coordinator at Project SelfSufficiency. The helpful information and
services available to
families at this event
prepare both children
and their parents for a
successful school year.
We are grateful to all of
the social service agen-

cies, businesses and

volunteers who took
time to lend a helping
hand to local families in
need.
Project
SelfSufficiency
Program
Coordinator
Melissa
Bischoff
offered
a
presentation about the
Enough
Abuse
campaign to participating families. Parents
were educated about the
nature and scope of
child sexual abuse and
learned about tools
necessary for the protection of children. In a
separate
session,
Licensed Clinical Social
Worker Kris Imbrie
discussed the importance of managing anger
and offered parents tips
for positive communication.
Participating
social
service
organizations
included
Bridgeway
Rehabilitation Services;
Care Plus New Jersey,
Inc., Childrens Mobile
Response/Family Intervention Services; Division of Child Protection
and
Permanency;
Domestic Abuse and
Sexual Assault Inter-

vention
Services;
Family Partners of
Morris and Sussex
Counties;
Ginnies
House; Legal Services
of Northwest New
Jersey; Literacy New
Jersey; Moms Quit
Connection; National
Alliance on Mental
Illness; Neighborhood
Health Services Corporation; Newton Medical
Center Health Education;
NORWESCAP;
Parent Interactions with
Schools and Teachers;
Partnership for Maternal
and Child Health of
Northern NJ; Planned
Parenthood;
Summit
Oaks Hospital; Sunrise
House; Sussex County
Division of Social
Services;
Sussex
County Public Health
Nursing; Sussex County
Special Child Health
Services;
Sussex
County YMCA and
others.
Employees from Trans
Options will be on hand
to fit and distribute 135
bike helmets to participating children. The
non-profit transportation agency will raffle
off brand new bikes

equipped with training

wheels to two lucky
children from the Little
Sprouts Early Learning
Center.
Hair stylists Roseanne
Francavilla,
Debi
Zingone,
Christina
Corsello,
Renee
Pyskaty, along with
stylists from area salons
volunteered their time to
offer free haircuts to
students.
Two
gift
certificates for free
haircuts were supplied,
as well.
The stylists who
volunteer to cut hair at
the Back-to-School fair
each year are to be commended
for
their
graciousness, patience
and enthusiasm, said
Project Self-Sufficiency
Executive
Director
Deborah Berry-Toon.
The children look
beautiful,
and
the
parents are delighted
because the service is
free and available to
their families each year
at the fair.
Project
SelfSufficiency is a private
non-profit communitybased organization dedicated to improving the
lives of low-income
families. The agency
has served more than
20,000 families, including more than 30,000
children, since its inception in 1986. Project
SelfSufficiencys
mission is to provide a
broad spectrum of
services enabling lowincome families to
improve their lives and
the lives of their
children.
For more information,
call 973-940-3500, or
visit www.projectself
sufficiency.org.

In the years leading up

to 1889, Blairstown's
citizens were the main
defense against fires in
the village of Blairstown. The majority of
the buildings were wood
frame and would ignite
easily. Water would be
carried in buckets by
residents
from
the
Paulins Kill or Blair
Creek to do what they
could to extinguish the
fires. As a result fire
insurance rates in town
were quite costly.
In August 1889, town
leaders met to discuss
the establishment and
needs of a volunteer fire
company. By October
8th, 1889, The Blairstown Hose Company
was established. Walter
Wilson donated the land
at the end of Meadow
Pathway (now Carhart
Sreet). John I. Blair (87
years old at the time)
was responsible for
donating two major
needs: the pipework to
carry water to various
hydrants throughout the
village and the erection
of a firehouse.
In late October 1889,
the fire company had
raised
money
to
purchase five hundred
feet of hose at $125, two
nozzles and a trumpet.
By June of 1890 the
firehouse was complete.
A festival was held at
that location to celebrate
with the community and
to continue fundraising
efforts. The furnishings
of the new quarters and
new suits were yet to be
purchased. Donations of
a dozen lanterns and two
axes were reported at
this time. The first bell

was donated about 1891

from earnings by music
teacher Emma King.
January
7,
1892,
marked the first call to
action when the shed of
the Blairstown Hotel
caught fire. This fire
was quickly extinguished with a few
buckets of water. However, it reassured local
residents of the quick
response that the hose
company could provide
(reported to be five
minutes).
In the 125 years since
the Blairstown Hose
Company No. 1 has
been established, it has

gone on to successfully
fight many serious fires
in the village and the
township. Our sincere
gratitude to the bravery
and dedication of the
volunteers who have
protected our community.
Additional information
regarding the first 100
years of service of BHC
No. 1 can be found on
The
PRESS
News
Online Facebook page.
Blairstown
Historic
Preservation Committee,
Celebrating
Blairstown's
175th
Anniversary. 1839 2014.

Psychiatric Emergency
Screener Dejaye Botkin,
MA, LPC, NCC, will
give a presentation for
the National Alliance on
Mental Illness of Sussex
on Thursday, September
4th, at 7pm, on how to
utilize
psychiatric
screening and evaluation services when a
loved one is experiencing a mental health
crisis. The public is
welcome to attend free
of charge. Questions
from the audience will
be encouraged.

For the second straight

year the Warren County
Regional Chamber of
Commerce and the
Warren County Department
of
Human
Resources Division of
Aging and Disability
Services, are teaming up
to host the 2nd Annual
Business and Senior
Expo.
This years event, open
to the public, is scheduled for Saturday Sept.
27 from 10am to 2pm at
Warren County Technical School. The school
is located on Rt. 57 in
Franklin Township, next
to Warren County Community College. There is
no charge to attend.
Gold sponsors for the
expo as of mid-August
are
Hackettstown
Regional
Medical
Center, ShopRite of

Ms. Botkin is a certified

mental
health
screener and a licensed
professional counselor
with a private practice in
family counseling and
mediation. She is also
an adjunct professor at
Centenary College.
The
presentation,
sponsored by NAMI,
will be held at Bridgeway
Rehabilitative
Services, 93 Stickles
Pond Road, Newton.
For more information or
directions, call 973214-0632.

Greenwich Township,
and St. Lukes Hospital,
Phillipsburg Campus,
and Silver Sponsor,
Compassionate Care.
Dozens of vendors are
expected to be on hand,
offering
information
about various businesses
and senior programs
from around the county,
and nearby. Among the
programs and information to be provided will
be pleasure cruises, fall
prevention, and Medicare. There will also be
health screenings and a
special emphasis on
services for caregivers.
Plus, much more!
There are still openings
for vendors and sponsorship opportunities.
For further information
visit www.warrencounty
chamber.com or call
908-835-9200.

The Water Gap Singers,

now under the direction
of Mr. Joseph Mello,
will begin rehearsals for
their Christmas Concert
on September 8th at the
Lutheran Church of The
Good Shepherd, located
at 168 Rt. 94 in Blairstown. Rehearsals will
be
every
Monday
evening from 7pm to
9pm. New members are
welcome for all voice
parts. No audition is
required; only the ability
to match pitches.
The
concert
will
include a variety of
Christmas
anthems,
motets are carols from a
variety of musical styles.
Also, Vivaldis Gloria
will be performed. This
Gloria is perhaps the
most well-known of
Christmas pieces after
Handels Messiah. The
hauntingly
chromatic
and soulful Et in Terra
Pax and powerful double
fugue Cum Sancto
Spiritu sections are
always memorable.
The Water Gap Singers
new director, Mr. Joseph
Mello, is well-known
throughout the United
States, but particularly in
NJ. Mr. Mello has been
the Director of Music at
Christ Episcopal Church
in Newton since 1979.
He has performed as a
baritone soloist throughout the NJ/NY metropolitan area. Also, Mr.
Mello was the choral
director of Kittatinny
Regional High School in
Newton, NJ for 36 years,
retiring in 2011. His
choirs have performed
widely on the east coast
from Florida to Canada;
in California, and were
featured on the NBC
Today Show.

Mr. Mello has been the

recipient of the NJ
Governors Recognition
Award, the Governors
Award for Arts in
Education Distinguished
Leadership and the
Governors Award for
Master Music Teacher,
having been named NJs
Master Music Teacher in
2010. He also was
awarded the Yale Distinguished Music Educator
Award by the Yale
University School of
Music. Currently, he is
serving on the Eastern
Division
Conference
planning committee of
the American Choral
Directors Association.
The singers warmly
welcome Mr. Mellos
leadership and talents
upon the recent retirement of Water Gap Singers founder and director,
John Arnedt.
For more information,
call Jim at 973-9279555 or 973-229-6049
or visit watergapsingers.
org.

serves youth from the

area ages 11 through 18
year round. Any time is
a good time to join
scouts.
Since the first Boy
Scout earned his Eagle
award in 1912, the
distinction has been
earned by more than two
million men. Requirements include earning at
least 21 merit badges

and
demonstrating
ideals of service and
leadership,
including
organizing and leading
an extensive service
project.
BSA provides a variety
of youth development
and camping programs
that promote good character, leadership and life
skills.
Their adult
volunteer leaders are
working in conjunction
with their organizations
to teach young people
the values and behaviors
they need to succeed in
life.

The First Presbyterian

Church of Blairstown
will welcome guests
Kelly Planer and the
Perks during a special
Rally
Day
family
worship service at 10am
on Sunday, September
7th. Community members of all ages are
welcome to attend and
enjoy the groups altbluegrass,
American
roots music with a
gospel influence.
Featuring
Planers
vocals, Dave Coin's sly
banjo and Dave Imhof's
solid bass, Kelly Planer
and the Perks is known
for its eclectic mix ranging from covers by The
Beatles and Nirvana, to
traditional
bluegrass.
The bands shows are
full of unmistakable

style and fun.

First Church Rally Day
is a long-standing tradition marking the start of
fall and the impending
kick-off of the Sunday
School year. Classes
will begin the following
week, on September
14th. The churchs
educational programs,
for children in preschool
through sixth grade,
typically take place at
the same time as the
regular 10am service.
Family Worship, during
which Sunday School
students attend worship
instead of their regular
classes, occurs approximately every six weeks.
These special services
are geared to an intergenerational audience.
First Church also offers

nursery care (birth to

age three), confirmation
class (7th and 8th grade)
and a senior high youth
group.
The First Presbyterian
Church is located at 1
Main Street in Blairstown. Distinguished by
its tall white steeple, the
church has a history of
ministering to those
within the community
and abroad. Its food
pantry, located in the
church Outreach Center
at 35 Main Street, is
open every third Saturday.
For more information
on the September 7th
service, First Presbyterian
Church
youth
programs or ministries,
contact the church office
at 908-362-5254.

By Michael Nelms, The

Yellow Frame Presbyterian Church

I had never heard of a

dappled willow until I
ended up at Tranquility
Farms on a Spring day
seven or eight years ago.
I am not a Master
Gardener. I am not even
a gardener. Often I am
not sure what constitutes
a weed versus a flower.
And what I plant usually
depends on what I
happen to find at whatever place I am. I bought
a small shed as a clubhouse for my son. I
wanted to plant some
things around the clubhouse, so I went to Tranquility Farms that day
looking at some buckets
of trees and bushes.
When I saw the dappled
willow I thought to
myself, Oh, thats
pretty, and I really,
really like the name:
dappled willow. So,
based on this very unscientific, non-masterful
approach to gardening, I
bought
two.
This
particular kind of unscientific approach has
often led to plants that
do not survive, as I have
been known to buy
plants that need full sun
and then, since the
labels do not interest me
beyond whether or not I
like the name, I end up
planting it in the shade.
However, as bad golfers
are fond of saying when
they occasionally hit a
really good shot, Even
blind squirrels occasionally find a nut. The
dappled willows I just
happened upon have
done very well, despite
my approach to plant
selection. And not only
do I still really love the
name, dappled willow, I
really do enjoy their
color and growth from
spring to late fall.

Their blotches, or
dapples, of white and
red on their green
apetalous flowers and
their arching, hanging
branches bring me real
joy.
So, with thoughts of
the end of summer upon

me, as I passed the

dappled willows on my
way back to the house
yesterday, I imagined it
would not be long
before the deciduous
death of autumn would
render my beautiful
dappled willows bare

and bleak, expunged of

all enchantment.
Sometimes it is only
when we are about to
lose something that we
want to get to know it
more. So, after entering
the house, I went to the
computer to research the

origin
of
dappled
willows. I discovered
they originate from
Korea,
Japan,
and
China. My fondness of
the dappled willow
deepened knowing this.
It gives me a feeling of
connection with countries half the wide-world
away. It somehow adds
to my sense of connection to this wide, wild
worlda living earth
of which I am only a
microscopic part; and
yet, feeling microscopic
is, somehow, not a bad
feeling at all. It is not the
feeling of being vulnerable to something larger
and more powerful,
rather, somehow a
feeling of being a part of
something Life-Giving,
something that can grow
a dappled willow in
Korea as well Fredon,
New Jersey.
It is a wild, wide world,
and I think part of my
enjoyment of dappled
willows is also the wildness of their growth. I

suppose some people

keep them meticulously
trimmed, but I enjoy
their untrimmed wildness and the luxuriant
shade they provide
when growing so unencumbered. If you sit on
the dirt underneath a
large, wild dappled
willow in the middle of
hot summer day, you
will experience coolness.
Underneath such wild,
uncontrolled
growth,
with my gluteus maximus planted on earths
dirt floor, I have experienced a calm, cool
cathedral with a chorus
of wind-blown petals
praising the Giver of all
Life. And now, armed
with a deeper knowledge, I can also imagine
the same chorus singing
in Korea, Japan, and
China and to the ends of
the world, imagine
being part of something
so wide, so wild, and so
wonderful, that only my
silence can do it justice.