God Speed, Captain Pete; Pool to Close Sept. 2; School Starts Sept. 3

Our Borough family lost one of its own this week. Peter Van Der Velde passed away at the age of 77. Pete proudly served his country in Vietnam with the U.S. Army, and “Captain Pete” served for over 36 years on the Hawthorne Police Department, achieving the rank of Captain, and he served as a Traffic Officer, Emergency Management Coordinator, and was active on a statewide level throughout his career. After retiring from the police force, Pete worked at Hawthorne High School as a resource officer, and since 2016 worked for the Borough of Hawthorne in the capacity of Code Enforcement Officer. Pete touched many lives, not only here at the Borough, but throughout the town. He will be missed by all of us. On behalf of the Borough of Hawthorne, I extend my sincere condolences to his wife, Lorraine, and his entire family.

The tax bills were mailed out last week; if you haven’t received it already, please be on the lookout for it this weekend. The grace period has been extended to September 18, 2024 without penalty of interest.

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The Hawthorne Pool will close for the season on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, at 6pm. Thank you to our Pool Manager, Rob Berger, our Assistant Manager, Maria, and the entire staff for a great pool season.

The first day of the new school year is this Tuesday, September 3. To all of our students, have a great year; study hard and take advantage of all that school has to offer. Residents, please take it slow when driving and respect the crossing guards who are assisting our children. Please be careful particularly around the schools, and please be alert for children who may go in and out between parked cars as they cross the street. Our police will be out making sure everyone is safe.

The Citizens Police Academy is accepting registrations. This program begins September 10 and runs through October. For information, applications, or to learn more, please email Detective Joe DiGeronimo at 6255@hawthornepdnj.org.

Last Tuesday night’s show at the Boro Bandshell, country band Big Hix, marked the end of a great summer series of music and film. This year’s concert series was terrific. There was a great variety of genres of music. Organizing the Summer Bandshell Series is no easy task, and I want to specifically thank Chairman Michael Pasquale and the entire Boro Bandshell Committee who work very hard all year to schedule and coordinate the concerts.

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On Wednesday, our Mayors for the Day, St. Anthony School students Niyam and Ayaan Patel spent time with me at Borough Hall. We had a great time visiting the police department and all of the departments throughout the borough, where our employees explained what a typical day is at Borough Hall and what each department does to serve its residents. There were a lot of questions asked, and the youngsters were excited to be here. They were a joy to host, and their visit was very enlightening. I have no doubt I will be hearing from them when they begin their school year, as they had many great ideas for the town.

Please come out on Saturday, September 7 for another amazing musical experience at the library grounds. Music from 1pm to 4pm. Enjoy the great sounds of Last Night in Town. Food and ice cream trucks will also be there!

The Hawthorne Rotary Club has just announced Taste of Hawthorne on Tuesday, October 8 from 6:30pm to 9pm at Macaluso’s. Tickets will be sold online this year, with a limited amount of tickets available in person at Diamond Wine and Liquors ($55.20 online / $60 in person). Please see the attached flyer for details.

The Hawthorne Green Team and Chamber of Commerce invite everyone to enjoy some “green fun” – Green Fair Sunday, September 8 on the grounds of the library from 10am to 1:30pm; flyer is attached with more information.

On September 14 the Passaic County Department of Human Services - Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Office of Recovery proudly hosts the annual Recovery Celebration. The Recovery Celebration is a way to recognize and honor individuals in recovery and remind those still struggling that hope exists. They will celebrate through food, entertainment, resources and fun. It is a reminder that challenges can be overcome; they will have drumming, dancers, speakers and healthcare resources. Please see their flyer which is attached.

On Saturday, September 21, the Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce presents the annual Fishing Derby at the Goffle Brook Pond at 8:30am. Please see the flyer attached for more information.

Also on Saturday, September 21, from 12pm until approximately 1:30pm our friends at Retro Fitness Fair Lawn will present a free fitness class on the grounds of the Boro Bandshell, as part of our on-going partnership with them under the Mayor’s Wellness Program. The class will include a full-body workout, dance fitness, cardio, and stretching. Please join us.

If you would like to be a vendor at Hawthorne Day, September 28, I encourage you to sign up now, as space is limited. Forms are on our website, or call Ellen at 973-427-1168.

Please mark your calendars for Saturday, October 5, as the Downtown Summer Music Series continues with our own Willy Wilson performing in the pocket park from 4pm to 7pm. Please stop downtown and support our local businesses.

The Friends of the Library will accept donations of items during the time when the Book Loft is open. Please see their flyer for details.

Interested in Scouting? Troop 85 meets every Wednesday at 7pm at the Rea Avenue Reformed Church (89 Third Avenue). For more information, please see the flyer attached.

The Roosevelt School PTO will be doing a shoe collection, details of which can be found on the attached flyer.

If you see something that doesn’t seem quite right, please call the police department at the time that you notice something. If you would like to speak with me directly about any concerns or any ideas you have, please call me directly. I am in my office every day.
Have a great Labor Day Weekend, and stay safe.

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