clifton merchant magazine - march 2012
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629 Clifton Ave Clifton
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470 Clifton Ave Clifton
973-546-6977
EXP 4-15-12
EXP 4-15-12
EXP 4-15-12 M
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entystka)
Follo
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pprehensive P
atient of Clifton and
Poller D
ental Group
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Smile
Makeove
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as $119 per month
you can have a new sm
ile$119 per m
onth based on credit approval and 60 month
financing through GE capital for a total of $5,000.
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 3
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant4
Tables of Contents
Whats Inside?
18
24
34
44
49
53
Teacher of the MonthJohn Silva, keeping kids physically fit
The Invisible WoundChief Giardinas brush with death
Hi, I Have CancerJohn Nelson battles Chordoma
The Middle Class InfiltratorJohn Alexander on opiate addiction
2012 Police Unity TourHelp Clifton PBA 36 get to Washington
Training & Commerce at PCCCTraining in Emerging Careers
34
53
Page 10
49
Rosangela Tumminia
At 26, beatingThyroid Cancer
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 5
16,000 Magazines
are distributed tohundreds of Clifton
Merchants on the firstFriday of every month.
Subscribe Page 75
$27 per year $45 for 2 years
Call 973-253-4400
Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko
Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko
Graphic DesignerKen Peterson
Staff WriterJoe Hawrylko
Contributing WritersIrene Jarosewich, CarolLeonard, Rich DeLotto,Don Lotz, Jack DeVries 2012 Tomahawk Promotions
1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011
60
72
76
78
88
90
96
Home ImproversSpring is here...get started!
Clifton Milestones50 years of priesthood for Father Weber
Clifton MysteryWho is Joseph Bellanca?
Arts & Other EventsMusic, Arts & More
Student of the MonthCHS senior Rachel Ventrella
Clifton Family Super Bowl PartyPhotos from the Boys & Girls Club
Birthdays & CelebrationsWhich of your neighbors is celebrating?
76
96
Correction: In Assembly Speaker Oliver's ad on page 33 of the February magazine,the photo of the Clifton Police Honor Guard was selected by the publisher, and doesnot imply an endorsement or relationship between the Clifton Police Department,Clifton PBA 36 and the Assembly Speaker. We regret any confusion caused by this.
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant6
Help a Friend?
Six year old JosephDelliSanti was diagnosedwith Acute Lympoblastic
Leukemia (ALL) in February
2012,andfamilyfriendsfrom
Cliftonhavesteppedintohelp
out.
Lori Ann LoGioco Zayatz
and her friend, Jennifer
Winfield DelliSanti, grew up
inClifton together andgradu-
ated from CHS in 1991.
DelliSanti left Clifton in col-
lege to pursue a career in
nuclear medicine, and later
married Ron DelliSanti in
2003 and moved to South
Carolina, where they now
reside.
Theirson,Joseph,wasborn
inOctober2005,begantofeel
illaroundJanuary2012.After
being misdiagnosed with an
infection that wouldnt go
away, Jennifer demanded a
full-body scan for her son, which
revealedALL.
Joseph was admitted to
Greenville Health System
Childrens Hospital in Greenville,
SC, and will be on a three year
treatment plan to cure his disease.
His parents have taken up tempo-
rary residence in a nearby hotel,
andareintheprocessoffindinga
new home closer to the hospital.
Neitherparenthasworkedfulltime
sincethediagnosis.
Thankfully, Jennifers friends
from Clifton and others have
steppeduptotheplateandhelped.
Chelle Geden (formerly
MichelleSmolinsky)anotherCHS
1991 grad who also resides in
South Carolina, set up a charity
donation website to help raise
moneytopayforJosephsmedical
expenses, which can be found
online at www.wepay.com/dona-
tions/medical-expenses-for-joseph-
dellisanti.
Lori Ann LoGioco Zayatz has
been helping publicize the charity,
andisalsoorganizingamotorcycle
runandfundraiserforlaterthisyear.
Jennifer and I have been life-
long friends, having first met in
Grove Hill Nursery School and
goingallthroughschooltogether,
said Zayatz. I would love to be
able to help her andher family in
whatever way possible, especially
beinganOncologyRNmyself.
Lori Ann LoGioco Zayatz asks Clifton to Help an Old Friend
From left is Jennifer Winfield DelliSanti,
Lori Ann LoGioco Zayatz, her son James
Jenns son, Joe. At right is Joe.
Cliftonites & Charity
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 7
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant8
Moments of Grace
In the late summer of 1991, mywifeandIspenttwodaysatBeachHaven,NewJerseywiththreeothercou-
ples.Wehadplannedthisweekendwithourfriendsfor
threemonths.
Our three children stayed with my parents; the cat
was provided for. I was tired, disappointed about the
weakresponsetomynewbook,andoverwhelmedwith
thebeginningofanewteachingyear.Forthefirsttime
inmyfifteenyearsofteaching,Ididnotwanttobein
theclassroom.
To spend two days at the seashore seemed to be a
goodidea.Whenwearrived,thefirstthingIdidwasto
watchtheoceanwavescrashagainstthesand,thenJoe,
Greg,TomandI,likefourlittleboys,ranonthebeach
andthendoveintothecurlingwater.Ourwivessetup
thechairsandumbrellas.
Ihadneverbeenintheoceanbefore.Iwasstartledby
thetasteofsalt,thoughitwastobeexpected.WhatIdid-
ntexpectwasthesizeofthewaves.Youhavetodive
underthematjusttherightangleandtime,Tomwarned
aswebobbledupanddownwiththetide.
Whoosh!Itwasasthoughastaircaselidhadcrashed
down againstme, awet, heavy suitcase lid, for Iwas
quicklyindarkness,beingtossedaround.Afterastrange
ripplingmotionpassedovermybody,Iwasfinallyable
tostandup.
Ilikedthat!Icalledout.
Forthenexthour,wefourmendoveintothewaves,
jumpedoverthewhitefoam,talkedaboutourlives,our
sons and daughters, ourwives, andwe floated on our
backs like content sea otterswrapped inwarmkelp. I
didntknowthattwohoursinland,Carlywasdying.
IrememberthefirsttimeImetCarly.
Two years earlier a student popped intomy class-
roomjusttointroduceher.Eversince,Carlymadeita
partofherroutinetostopineverynowandthentosay
hi.Ifshemissedme,shewouldwriteasmallnotesay-
inghello,signingitwithhernameandasmileyface.I
tapedthesenotesonthewall.
During those years I realized that Carly made it a
pointtovisitmany,manyteachers,andtheprincipal,and
herfriendsinandoutofschool.
By Dr. Christopher de Vinck
The Triumph of a Modern Hero
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 9
Tosaythatshewasachildoflightwouldtrivialize
thetruecharacterofthisextraordinaryyoungwoman.I
sayshewasextraordinarybecauseofherintellect(she
was accepted at Holy Cross College in their premed
program). I say shewasextraordinarybecauseofher
beauty,herathleticability,hersenseofgoodnessand
funandseriousnessandfriendship.
Butthewayshedealtwiththecancerthatwasdis-
coveredinherseventeen-year-oldlegsandlungsequals
thetriumphofanyhistoricormodernhero.
AsCarlybegantoloseherhairbecauseofthemed-
icaltreatments,shewouldcometoschoolwithapink
bowtiedneatlyaroundtheverylaststrands.
CanyouimaginethecourageittookCarlytostand
before her bedroommirror alone in themorning and
watchthedailychangesinherbody?
Canyouimaginethecourageittooktoreachacross
herdresser, takethecombinherhand,slowlycollect
the thinbitsofhair thatwere left,and tie that ribbon
intoadelicatebow?
I didntwant to come to schoolwith awig, she
saidoneafternoon. I justwant tobeme,Carly, like
always.
As the year progressed,Carlywasmore andmore
unabletoattendschool.Shehadsurgeryonherleg.
Shebegantousecrutches,butonthedaysthatshe
wasinschool,shealwayssmiled,teasedyou,andcame
upwiththerightanswersinclass.
CarlywasCarly,likealways.
Ihadntseerherforanumberofweeks.Iwasinmy
literary class.Wewere readingOthellowhen, at one
point,thedoorswungopenandCarlywalkedin.
Shesaidhellotoeveryonewithherusualsmile,then
shestoodbesidemeandplacedapictureonmydesk.
Itwasaglossyphotograph.Totheleftwasoneofmy
formerstudentsinhisWestPointdressuniform.Tothe
rightwas another cadet in his crisp uniform. Standing
between these two handsome youngmen stoodCarly.
Sheworea longcamel-coloredwintercoat.Shehada
yellowblousebuttonedatherbeck.Herlonghairframed
herfacewithexquisitesimplicityandgrace.
Wasntmyhairbeautiful,Mr.deVinck?Carlysaid
asIlookedupfromthephotograph.
OnSundaymorninginBeachHaven,twofriendsin
ourgroupdecidedtowakeupearlyandwatchthesun
rise.Everyoneelsewasinvited,butweotherschoseto
sleepin.
At thebreakfast table,LindaandGregsaid,Chris,
wealmostcametowakeyouup.Aswewerewaitingfor
thesun,fiveorsixdolphinsleapedupintotheair,just
aboutinthesamesootwhereyouguyswereswimming
yesterday!
On Sunday, September 8, 1991, my young friend
Carlydiedathomeinher roomin thepresenceofher
familywholovedher,andthedolphinsleapedabovethe
wavesatBeachHaven,NewJersey.
This essay was excerpted from Dr.
Christopher de Vincks 1994 book
Songs of Innocence and Experience.
Chris is the Language Arts Supervisor
at CHS and the author of 13 books,
his best known work is The Power of
the Powerless a frank reflection on
the struggles and joys of loving his
severely disabled brother. To order
his most recent work, Moments of
Grace, call 1-800-218-1903 or look
for it in bookstores or online.
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant10
Medicine & Miracles
My ScarBy Joe Hawrylko
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 11
At just under four inches inlength, itstartsatthefrontofherneckandgentlycurvesaroundto
theright.Raisedanddarkerthan
theskinsurroundingit,thescaris
easily noticeableand thats just
how Rosangela Tumminia wants
ittobe.
To her, the mark on her neck
representsstrength;amemoryofa
darkertimeinAprilof2011when
Tumminiawasunexpectedlydiag-
nosedwithstagethreethyroidcan-
cerattheageof26.Now,aftera
year of treatment, the scar serves
asnotonlyasadailyreminderof
herown strugglewith cancer, but
as a tool to bring awareness to a
disease thatmore affectsmore than
50,000 a year in the United States
alone.
Tumminiastalebeganinherdoc-
torsofficeinMarsala,SicilyonFeb.
28,2011.
Iwasworriedabout rapidweight
loss and hair loss, way more than
youdlosenormally,sherecalled.Whileexplaining
mycomplaints,thedoctorwaslookingatmyneckand
suddenly stopped me from talking and asked me to
swallow.
The physician noticed a lump on her thyroid
known as a goiteron the right side of Tumminias
neck,roughlythesizeofahalfdollarcoin.
Right away, they rushed me for an ultrasound
immediately after that appointment, alongwithblood
work,sheadded.Thatwasfollowedupbyafinenee-
dle biopsy, inwhich a doctor uses a tool to extract a
sample from the mass on the neck. After a painful
experience the first time, twomore (and lesspainful)
oneswereadministered,oneinMarsalaandthenoneat
a specialist in Milan in mainland Italy, before
TumminiawasdiagnosedwiththyroidcancerinApril.
Iwas scared obviously, because of the diagnosis,
butmorebecause Iwas so faraway fromfamilyand
friends,saidTumminia.TheCliftonitewasbornand
raisedinPalermo,SicilyandhadbeenlivinginClifton
since1996priortomovingbacktoMarsalainFebruary
2010.
Ihaddonesomeresearchofthevastthyroiddisor-
ders there are, she recalled. I hadno ideawhat to
expect,noideathatmyoutcomewasgoingtobethy-
roidcancer.Theresnoonewiththyroidcancerorthy-
roiddiseaseinmyfamily.Thatsthelastthingyoud
getcheckedfor.
WhenIgotthediagnosisinMilan,therewerevery
thorough about the thyroid, surgery and treatment,
Tumminiasaid.Tryingtorememberatthetime,Iwas
sooutofit.Itwasjustashock.Allyouhearisjust,
blah,blah,blah...Cancer!Blahblahblah.
Theplanwasforatotalthyroidectomythecomplete
removalofthethyroid,anorganwhichisvitalinregu-
latinghormone levels. Tumminiasdoctorsalsodeter-
minedthatshewouldneedtohaveatleast20lymphn-
odesontherightsideofherneckremovedtomitigate
the further spread of the cancer. However, when the
operationtookplaceinMilaninMay,doctorsfoundthat
hercancerhadspreadfarmorethanexpected.
Rose and her father Natale in Milan, Italy in 2011.
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant12
Medicine & Miracles
There was supposed to be 20 lymphnodes taken
out,buttheywerecheckingasIwasopenedupandit
cameouttobeabout40lymphnodes,saidTumminia.
There are more than 200
lymphnodes in the neck
alone,andeachwasinspect-
ed by doctors during the
eighthoursurgery.
To gain entry into the
neck area, doctors had to
moveandpinbackhermas-
toid muscle, which left
Tumminiaunabletolifther
right arm at all. After
spendingaweekinthehos-
pital,shecontinuedontothe
nextphaseofherrecovery.
I found out over here,
theythrowyououtaftertwo
days. At two days, I was
stillsickandhavingfevers.
Butafterthat,Ifeltfine.I
just had muscle weakness,
but besides that Iwas fine,
especially compared to
other patients, recalled
Tumminia. They were
nauseous,throwingupandI
waseatingeverythinggiven
to me. One lady couldnt
eatbecauseshehadswollen
glands.Wehadtorinseout
ourmouthswithconcentrat-
edlemonjuice.Inthesup-
portgroup, therewerepeo-
plewholosttheirvoicefora
monthormore.
But although she physi-
cally felt fine, emotionally,
Tumminiawasstrugglingto
adapt to her thinning hair
andthefourinchscaracross
herneck.
Thehair,Ijusttriedtobe
positive. I knew it was a
temporarything,soIwasok
with it. Its weird... well, not weird, but uncomfort-
able, she explained. But the scar, Iwas scared at
firstwhentheytoldmethelengthofthescar...Butnow
Imcompletely comfort-
able. It reminds me
everydayofwhatIwent
throughandhowstrongI
reallyam.Ididntthink
I could have gone
throughit.
Withinafewweeksof
being discharged,
Tumminia slowly began
to warm up to the scar
thatshenowembraces.
I had a scarf on my
neck for a while, she
said. My neck was
actuallyreallywhitefora
whilebecauseIdalways
havea scarfof spf50on
because thesun is really
stronginSicily.
Far more stressful
werethephysicaltherapy
appointments, which
took place for one hour
every day for about two
months.
Therewas one exer-
cise I couldnt do and I
just had a breakdown,
she recalled. I was
expecting to get well
sooner than I had, and I
just had a breakdown
when I wasnt getting
there. But with the sup-
port of the therapists, I
realized I could do it.
Withinaweekorso,Iwas
finally able to and began
to really see changes. It
made me appreciate my
situation more because
there were people
According to theAmerican Cancer Society, there
willbeapproximately56,460newcasesofthyroid
cancer(43,210inwomen,and13,250inmen)inthe
USthisyear.Ofthatfigure,about1,780deathsare
expected to succumb to the disease. Common
symptoms include cough, difficulty swallowing,
enlargement of the thyroid (goiter), hoarseness,
neckswellingoralumponthethyroidorneck.
About80percentofpatientsareundertheageof
64atdiagnosis.Thenumberofpatientsdiagnosed
hasriseneachyear,mostlyduetoenhancementsin
detectionpractices. Generally, thedisease is very
treatable.Earlydetection(bystage2)forpapillary,
follicularandmedullarythyroidcancerscarryafive
yearsurvivalrateofnearly100percent.Anaplastic
thyroidcancersurvival ratesarearound7percent.
Regular neck examinations for lumps save lives.
Treatmenttypicallyinvolvesthecompleteremoval
of the thyroid, followed by radiation (either by
beam or radioactive iodine by mouth). Patients
must takehormonepills for the restof their lives.
Formoreinfo,visitwww.thyca.org.
Thyroid Cancer
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 13
There are about12,000 podiatristsin the UnitedStates, accordingto the Department
of Labor, and Clifton podiatristThomas Graziano is one of onlysix who hold both a Doctor ofPodiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) and aDoctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree.
As a foot and ankle specialist, my
main goal for all my patients is to
find caring solutions that last a
lifetime. I won't just treat the
symptom; I'll strive to correct the
problem... Permanently.
When you combine effective
treatments with my genuine
concern for your well-being,
that's a powerful combination.
-Thomas A. Graziano, MD, DPM,
FACFAS
GOUT TOEFeeling like your big toe is about toexplode? Gout can be an extremelyuncomfortable pain in the toe. Itmost often attacks the joint of theGreat Toe although other jointscould be affected. Photos here are ofa mass which Dr. Graziano removed,illustrating how the healing begins.Pre-operative Post-operative
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant14
HAVING SURGERY?You are not alone. Every day at our center,
dozens of your friends and neighbors have sur-gery.Mostoperationsarenotemergenciesandareconsideredelectivesurgery.
ThephysiciansatCliftonSurgeryCenterwantyou to learn about your operation and we alsowantyoutobeactive inyourhealthcare.Fromprocedures,toanesthesiatorecuperationandyourfollowup, even issues regarding insurances andpaymentdontbeafraidtoaskquestions!
OUR DOCTORS WELCOME QUESTIONSThatmeans having a conversation. If you do
not understand the answers, ask the doctor toexplain them clearly. Bring a friend or relativealong to help you with your questions andanswers. Webelieve thatpatientswhoarewellinformedabouttheirtreatmentaremoresatisfiedwiththeresults.
Ifyouare facingsurgery that isnotanemer-gency, we want to help you and your familyunderstandmoreaboutyoursurgery.Yourdoctoror nurse also can help you understand what isbeingdoneandwhy.
HOW LONG WILL RECOVERY BE?Ourstaffcantellyouhowyoumightfeeland
what youwill be able to door not doaftersurgery. Knowingwhat to expect canhelpyougetbetterfaster.Howlongitwillbebeforeyoucangobacktoworkorexerciseagain?Followyoursurgeonsadvice tomakesureyourecoverfullyassoonaspossible.
WHY CLIFTON SURGERY CENTER?Recently, the Accreditation Association for
AmbulatoryHealthCare(AAAHC/Accreditation
Association)distinguishedCliftonSurgeryCenter
for providing a safe work environment and the
highestqualityofcaretoitspatients.
AAAHC accreditation is recognized as a
symbolofqualitybythird-partypayers,medical
organizations, liability insurance companies,
stateandfederalagenciesandmostimportantly,
youour patientsneighbors and health care
professionals.
Status as an accredited organization means
CliftonSurgeryCenterhasmetnationally rec-
ognized standards for the provision of quality
healthcare.Itisastoryourstaffandphysicians
areproudtoshare.
Having Surgery? We Can Help.
Pain ManagementGeneral Surgery
Dr. Ramon Silen Dr. Kazimierz Szczech Dr. Jeffrey Miller, DPM Dr. Eugene A. Batelli, DPM
Podiatry Podiatry
Dr. Terry McSweeney Dr. Zi na Cappiello
PodiatryChiropractic
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 15
PODIATRYThomasGraziano,DPM,MD
1033Clifton,Ave.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-473-3344
JeffreyMiller,DPM
1117Route46East,2ndFloor
Clifton,NJ07013
973-365-2208
EugeneA.Batelli,DPM
1117Route46East,2ndFloor
Clifton,NJ07013
973-365-2208
ZinaCappiello,DPM
886PomptonAve,SuiteA-1
CedarGrove,NJ07009
973-857-1184
GlennHaber,DPM
140GrandAve.
Englewood,NJ07631
201-569-0212
JohnMcEvoy,DPM
152LakeviewAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-340-8970
KevinHealey,DPM
152LakeviewAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-340-8970
MatthewWelch,DPM
6506ParkAve.
WestNewYork,NJ07093
201-662-1122
AnasKhoury,DPM235MainAve.
Passaic,NJ07066
973-473-6665
PAIN MANAGEMENTLadislavHabina,MD
1117Route46East,2ndFloor
Clifton,NJ07013
973-357-8228
KazimierzSzczech,MD
1033CliftonAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-473-4400
BinodSinha,MD
1117Route46East,2ndFloor
Clifton,NJ07013
973-777-5444
ToddKoppel,MD
721CliftonAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-473-5752
ENDOSCOPYPiotrHuskowski,MD
1005CliftonAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-778-7882
CHIROPRACTICMichaelGaccione,DC
26ClintonSt.
Newark,NJ07012973-624-4000
TerryMcSweeney,DC
600MountProspectAve.
Newark,NJ07104
973-485-2332
ENTStephenAbrams,MD
1070CliftonAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-773-9880
ORTHOPEDICSKentLerner,MD
17JaunceyAve.
NorthArlington,NJ07031
201-991-9019
UROLOGYDanielRice,MD
1001Clifton,Ave.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-779-7231
OPHTHALMOLOGYCharlesCrowley,MD
1033CliftonAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-472-6405
GENERAL SURGERYKevinBuckley,MD
1100CliftonAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-778-0100
EdwinKane,MD
1100CliftonAve.
Clifton,NJ07013
973-778-0100
RamonSilen,MD
1117Route46East,Suite301
Clifton,NJ07013
973-779-4242
Call your physician about schedulingyour surgery at Clifton Surgery Center.
PodiatryGeneral Surgery
Dr. Kevin Buckley
Dr. Thomas Graziano,
DPM, MD Charles Crowley, MD Dr. Daniel Rice, MD
Ophthalmology Urology
Schedule your surgery at Clifton Surgery Center. We are athree room state of the art, nationally accredited, physicianowned facility. Smaller and more service oriented thanhospitals, patients and theirfamilies benefit from theconvenience and lower cost.
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant16
Medicine & Miracles
whoweresolimitedandhereIwas,complainingwhere
Iwasat.
When I finallywas able to start doing the stuff I
normallydoatthegymlateron,thatwasprettycool,
Tumminiacontinued.Ilearneditsnotsobadafterall.
IthoughtitwouldbetwoweeksandIdgohomeand
befine.Idefinitelylearnedhowtobeverypatient.
Besidesthephysicaltherapy,themostarduouspart
of recoverywas the radiation therapy,whichcame in
the formof ahighlyconcentrated, singlepilldose so
strongthatTumminiawasrequiredtobeisolatedfrom
allothersfortwoweeks.
Theymakeyouclaspedyourhands andput them
out and they dump it right in with tongs, she said.
Thenhebackedaway,watchedmetakeitandleft.
For the next 14 days, Tumminia was permitted to
onehourofcontactwithothersperday.Ithoughtit
was funnyat first. They tellyou to flush the toileta
coupleoftimes,haveyourowntoiletries,yourownbed
sheetseverything,sheexplained.Iendedupstay-
ingatafriendshouseallbymyself.Ididntwantto
putmydog,Ares,orthepeopleIlivedwithatrisk.
After completing her treatment and therapy,
Tumminiareturned toCliftonat theendof2011,and
hasbeenseeingdoctorsforfollowups.Tumminiahas
become active with the Thyroid Cancer Survivors
Association (thyca.org)and ImTooYoungForThis!
CancerFoundation(stupidcancer.com).
From hearing other peoples stories, how they
foundoutaccidentally, Ive realized theresmore that
canbedonetobringawareness,sheexplained. By
participatinginthesegroups,itjustmakesmewantto
shareandtalkaboutitmore.Itmakesmecomfortable.
Im not the only one dealing with this and people
shouldknowthatthereareorganizationsoutthere.
Tumminia has been particularly involved with
StupidCancer,attendingkaraokefundraisersandplan-
ning to run in an upcomingmarathon. Talkingwith
othersfromthesegroupshasmotivedtheCliftoniteto
returntoschool.
Nursinghasalwaysbeenaninterestandthisispush-
ing me to learn more about my body, explained
Tumminia,whoworkedasaphlebotomistpriortobeing
diagnosed. Its definitely a push going through this
experience.Itshowedadifferentsideofme,howstrong
Icanbe.Ihadbeenputtingoffthenursingandnowits
timeformetogetthatgoing.IfIcanovercomethis,Ican
definitelypushmyselfbackintoschool.
Dr. Jeffrey Miller, DPM, FACFAS Dr. Eugene Batelli, DPM, FACFAS
Ever Hear of a Diabetic Foot?Your health is our concernDiabetes is a metabolic disordercharacterized by irregular bloodsugar (glucose) levels, whichdamage the nerves, affects thecirculation and bodys ability toheal, stiffens the joints and causesfoot ulcers, which makes patients more prone to infection.
Affiliated Foot and Ankle Specialists invite you tocome in for a consultation and discuss your path tofreedom and mobility.
Clifton Office1117 Rt. 46 East973.365.2208
Teaneck Office751 Teaneck Rd.201.238.1595
Sayreville/Parlin Office2909 Washington Rd.732.727.5502
Visit our patient education center online & make your appointment today!
www.ipodiatry.com
We now have three convenient locations:
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 17
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant18
Teacher of the Month
During his four years as an exercise instructor for acorporate wellness program, School 5 physical educa-
tion and health teacher John Silva worked with his
share of out-of-shape and overweight adults, many with
elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol and other
markers of deteriorating health.
When he decided to make a career change into
teaching, Silva said he was motivated by the opportuni-
ty to have an earlier impact on the lives of kids, includ-
ing the importance of setting fitness goals that he hopes
they will follow for life.
A Clifton native, Silva attended School 1 and what
was then Christopher Columbus Junior High. He went
on to Clifton High School, where he was an All-County
Mustang football player and Record newspaper Athlete
of the Week. He graduated from CHS in 1987 and
enrolled as an exercise science major at William
Paterson University.
Although his father had been a teacher in Clifton for
34 years, teaching math and serving as the AVA (audio-
visual aides) supervisor at Christopher Columbus, the
younger Silva initially didnt plan to get a teaching cer-
tificate. I was more interested in working with adults
at the time, he said.
After completing his degree, Silva was hired by
American Corporate Health Programs, a firm that con-
tracted with businesses to run onsite fitness centers. He
served as an exercise instructor at a site in Clifton spon-
sored by PSE&G for its employees, and later as a coor-
dinator for several sites that the company ran.
PE Teacher John Silva presenting a Thumbs Up Award to Emily Majowicz at School 5 on Valley Rd.
Teacher John Silva Aims toKeep Kids Physically Fit
Beyond the Three Rs
Photos and Story by Carol Leonard
-
Clifton Merchant March 2012 19
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant20
Teacher of the Month
When he decided to make the switch into education,
Silva enrolled in an alternate route program to get his
teacher certification. He worked for two-and-a-half
years in the Newark Public Schools under the supervi-
sion of a mentor, while completing the additional
coursework and passing the Praxis exam required by
the state.
It was a very tough, but I thought it was fantastic
experience, Silva said of his time in Newark. The cir-
cumstances required you to be very creative at times.
Some schools didnt have a gym, so we had to use
whatever space was available. I even taught deaf kids.
While still working in Newark, Silva served as a vol-
unteer coach with the CHS football team and, in the fall
of 1997, he was hired for a physical education opening
at School 13, where he spent more than 10 years. He
also taught briefly at School 14 and has been at School
5 for the past three years.
Silva is very passionate about the value of what he
teaches. He views physical education class as more
than just a time for playing basketball, volleyball or
other traditional sports. Instead, he tries to engage his
students in a variety of activities that he hopes will peak
their interest in something that will keep them physical-
ly active for life.
Staying fit isnt just about athletics, he said. You
dont have to be a star athlete or even involved in a
sport to stay physically fit.
To help his students become aware of their fitness
levels and to motivate them to do better, about 10 years
ago, Silva initiated the use of a computer software pro-
gram at School 13 known as FitnessGram. The pro-
gram has since been adopted by all the schools in the
district.
FitnessGram enables physical education teachers to
measure the levels of their students in several areas of
fitness, including aerobic capacity, muscular strength
and endurance, and flexibility, and it can also calculate
body mass index, another important health marker.
After performing a series of fitness tests, such as
push-ups, abdominal curl-ups, trunk-lifts and others
challenges, the students results are input into the com-
puter. The program then provides a report for each stu-
dent comparing his or her results to what are called
Healthy Fitness Zones. The research-based standards
are set for boys and girls of various ages to reflect the
levels of fitness needed for good health.
Silva uses FitnessGram to assess each of his students
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 21
in grades three through
five at the beginning of
the school year and
repeats the tests again
in the spring to see
what progress has been
made by each child.
We spend time
going over the report
so they understand
what it means, he
said. Then we set
goals for how they can
improve their results
when we retest. It
helps them know what
areas they need to
work on.
Silva takes every
opportunity he can
during his physical
education and health
classes to explain to
his students how tak-
ing care of their bodies
by keeping physically
active can help them to not only stay healthy but also
perform better in the classroom. I always tell them,
your brain needs a healthy place to live, he said.
He also rewards them with certificates for their
progress throughout the year in meeting certain bench-
marks, and periodically gives out a Thumbs Up Award
to a student for good effort during an activity and posi-
tive behavior in class.
Since he only sees each class two days a week, Silva
reminds his young charges that he expects them to con-
tinue to engage in some kind of physical activity every
day at home. Over the recent February vacation week,
he provided each of them with a log sheet to record
what they did every day to stay physically active for at
least 60 minutes.
Aside from his goal of keeping kids physically fit,
Silva also views his classes as a time to instill in his stu-
dents what he calls the six pillars of character: caring,
responsibility, trustworthiness, citizenship, respect and
fairness. He takes the time at the end of each class to
review with the children how their actions in class,
such as following the rules of a game or exhibiting
good teamwork, are related to these character traits.
Hes a great role model, School 5 Principal Dr.
Fran Parker said of Silva. With the distraction of com-
puters and video games, its important for kids to learn
the importance of physical activity. He provides them
with the skills and values that they dont always get
outside of school.
When Silva leaves School 5 at the end of the school
day, he puts on his other hat and travels to Clifton High
School where he serves as supervisor of the weight
room. He runs an organized strength and conditioning
program five days a week for CHS athletes as well as
students who just want to work out and stay in shape. He
holds certification as a strength and conditioning special-
ist from the National Strength & Conditioning
Association.
At home, Silva and his wife Michele, who teaches
middle school art in Montville, are involved with the
activities of teenage daughters Heather, Amber and
Jenny.
Third graders with School 5 PE teacher John Silva
-
March 2012 Clifton Merchant22
Teacher of the Month
He also enjoys getting
together with his parents,
Joe and Joan, as well as
with his sister, JoAnn, and
brother, Joe, and their fam-
ilies.
Many in town may
remember the elder Joe
Silva as the Eyes of the
Clifton Mustangs during
the days when he would
videotape all the football
games at Clifton Stadium.
Joan was also well
known in town, serving for
many years as director of
the Senior Citizen
Outreach Center.
John and Michele Silvawith Jennifer, Heather andAmber with grandparents
mom Joan and Joe.
Dr. Michael Basista, Medical Director of Immedicenter
Immedicenter1355 Broad St. Clifton 973-778-5566www.immedicenter.com
To More Serious AilmentsWe at Immedicenter are here for you, 365 days per year
Monday - Friday 8am to 9pm
Saturday and Sunday 8am to 5pm
Walk-in Medical Care
Weekday Appointments Available
From Aches & Pains...
-
Clifton Merchant March 2012 23
-
March 2012 Clifton Merchant24
Medicine & Miracles
The Invisible WoundInvisibleHow a near fatal accident led Chief Gary Giardina to
become an advocate for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.By Joe Hawrylko
-
Clifton Merchant March 2012 25
On March 10, 1984, just past 3 am, Police OfficerGary Giardina responded to a call about an altercation
involving occupants from two vehicles. He stopping
both cars on Route 3 East near what is now Clifton
Commons. Officer Carl Zoecklein arrived as backup.
Routine stop. Standard procedure.
But as any officer knows, even the seemingly nor-
mal scenes can quickly turn deadly.
Do you remember the Batman series on TV, when
the lights spin when someone got hit? laughed
Giardina. Thats all I remember from getting hit, just
lights spinning around. The next thing I know, Im
lying on the ground, looking up.
Giardina, who was at the driverside door of the
vehicle he pulled over, turned around to the lights of a
speeding sports bearing down on him. He was clipped
in the right leg, thrown violently into his partners
cruiser before smashing into the pavement. Paul
Ogden, patrolling nearby on Passaic Ave., was the first
to respond after hearing Zoeckleins frantic officer
down call blast over the radio.
I knew I was going into shock. I felt my body
slowing down. Then (Ogden) covered me with a blan-
ket and stayed with me there, recalled Giardina. I
remember lying on the highway and I knew something
was wrong with my arm. It was lying there like this
across my chest and it was comfortable... except when
I look down at my hand it was palm up.
The driver, who never stopped, hit Giardina with
such force that he spun around and smashed his arm on
fellow officer Carl Zoeckleins cruiser, shattering his
right elbow. Giardinas right leg, which took the brunt
of the collision in the thigh, did not suffer any breaks,
but deep internal bleeding caused it to swell to more
than twice the normal size.
Once admitted to St. Joes, doctors were immediate-
ly concerned with the injury to the leg. To reduce pres-
sure, it was popped with an incision, spraying blood
everywhere just moments before Giardinas wife,
Cindy, rushed into the ER.
I had just gotten married. Just under a year mar-
ried and the phone rings at 3 am, he recalled. To tell
you the truth, I dont really remember any specific
thoughts because the pain was so intense every time
they moved me. I dont think I had any thought that I
was dying. I was alert, I was young. When
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-
March 2012 Clifton Merchant26
Medicine & Miracles
youre young like that, mortality doesnt come into
play.
With the swelling subsid-
ing, Giardina was prepped for
reconstructive surgery on his
elbow, which took place later
that morning. Surgeons insert-
ed a large screw to allow the
bone to heal, and placed him in
a cast for six to eight weeks.
Giardina spend the next week
under observation in the hospi-
tal to make sure there was no
further injuries or complica-
tions. A few days into recov-
ery, another serious wound
was discovered.
They were giving me a
sponge bath and my wife is in
the room and just yells, Oh
my God, what is that? he
recalled. On his buttock was a
large red mark that a doctor mis-
takenly diagnosed as a
staph infection.
The pain was so
intense there it brought me
to tears, said Giardina.
When it became worse
after discharge, he went to
his wifes physician and
learned that it was actually
a third degree burn. At the
time of the accident,
Giardina had a can of mace
on his belt, which exploded
when he hit the ground.
The remnants of the mace
and can shards created a
third degree chemical burn
that was made worse by the
cream prescribed by the
hospital physicians.
But as intense as the
pain was from the burn and
the surgery, the most ago-
nizing experience was the rehab that took place fol-
lowing the removal of Giardinas cast two months
later.
I was living in an apartment
at the time and I did a lot of
rehabbing on my own, he
recalled. For one exercise, Im
lying on the floor in the living
room and my wife, she actually
had to sit on my chest to hold
me down for this. I had a can of
soup or peas or something, and
Im on my back trying to curl it
and the pain was so intense that
I kept trying to cheat and pull
my body up.
Today, the only visible rem-
nants of the injury is a circular
scar on his thigh, a linear scar
stretching a couple inches on the
elbow, and a slight bend in the
arm which creates a very minor
loss in the range of motion.
In total, the surgery, and
the painful rehab exercises
that Giardina did from
home kept him out of work
for six months, and the
pain lingered for a couple
years after returning to the
job. But the accident also
left him with wounds that
were not of the physical
variety.
Years later, I was diag-
nosed with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD),
Giardina recalled. The
Chief estimates that he was
diagnosed between three
and five years after the acci-
dent. Many times, people
dont realize they have it.
The way I was diagnosed
was because my wife had it.
At the time, I under-
On previous page is a photo of Gary Giardina(center) in the hospital with his wife, Cindy,
and cousin, Mark.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is severe
anxiety that can develop after experiencing or wit-
nessing a near-death injury or other traumatic event
such as assault, domestic abuse, rape or war. PTSD
can occur at any age in both genders.
PTSD symptoms fall into three categories: reliv-
ing the event (flashbacks and nightmares), avoid-
ance (emotional numbing or feeling detached) and
arousal (difficulty concentrating or anger manage-
ment issues). For near-death experiences like
September 11, survivor guilt is common. Those
who suffer from PTSD may also have issues with
alcohol or dug abuse, depression or other medical
issues.
Diagnosis is done by a psychiatrist who looks for
certain symptoms. In PTSD, these are present for at
least 30 days. Strong support from family and friends
and trained professionals can help defeat PTSD.
What is PTSD?
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 27
-
March 2012 Clifton Merchant28
Medicine & Miracles
stood she was going through some-
thing, but I didnt understand what.
People dont realize that trau-
matic injuries not only affect the
injured person, but the immediate
family as well. Thirty years ago,
no one spoke of PTSD. It was real-
ly an untalked about issue, he
continued. I was talking to the
psychiatrist that my wife was see-
ing, and she was asking me ques-
tions about the accident... shed
ask me, what are your feelings
about this, are you having any
nightmares? I remember in the
beginning, I had a few, but really
nothing other than that. In other
words, I was in denial. Years later,
the doctor said to me my answers
to these questions, not having any
stress about it, these were all red
flags indicating to her that I was
indeed suffering from PTSD.
In retrospect, Giardina said the
symptoms are now obvious: angry
outbursts, decreased patience level
and other sudden changes.
Someone on the outside can
recognize something faster than
the person going through it, he
said. Its mood swings, anger
issues... things would stress me out
that would not normally do so.
Professionally and at home. This
whole job is nothing but control.
You have to control emotions when
youre responding to a scene. If
youre emotions get out of whack,
thats an indicator of PTSD.
Initially reluctant, Giardina
began attending sessions with the
same psychiatrist, and began see-
ing results after opening up.
Its very difficult (speaking
with a psychiatrist). We hide a lot
of ourselves behind doors, he
said. When trying to deal with
this, in your mind its difficult to
open these doors to get in touch
with your emotions associated with
the trauma. We try to protect our-
selves, but we actually hurt our-
selves.
Back then, I didnt tell any-
body about it. I didnt tell the
department and I paid for all the
treatments by myself, the Chief
continued. Back then, you didnt
talk about that. So really, I went
through it with my family alone.
Back then, you didnt want to risk
losing your job.
Privately, some of his col-
leagues knew of his battle, but
Giardina mostly kept to himself.
He became a vocal advocate for
awareness about PTSD after
-
Clifton Merchant March 2012 29
watching a fellow cop struggle
with it later in his career.
Probably about 10 years ago, an
officer in Clifton was involved in a
shooting, explained Giardina. I
recognized he was having difficul-
ty processing. PTSD can some-
times take years to manifest. Its
like a pot with water, and it keeps
boiling until it boils over.
At that point, Giardina was
already in adminstration, and due
to increased awareness about
PTSD on a national level and abil-
ity to influence change, he set out
to install programs to address the
issue in the CPD.
In the beginning, I think I was
looked at skeptically by some peo-
ple when I first started to bring
this up, recalled Giardina.
Having the military recognize it
helps. Congressman Bill Pascrell
calls it the closed wound or the
invisible wound. He talks about it
all the time.
I was very hesitant going in,
he continued. It was painful, Ill
tell you that having gone through
it, but it was definitely well worth
it. I used to tell people who were
hesitant that no one goes in and
comes out worse. You go in and
come out better. Its a long, slow
process, especially for police offi-
cers who by nature are skeptical.
You have to create a trust with the
person youre dealing with to
touch on these issues.
The Chief said that strides in
awareness, both locally and on a
larger scale, have brought attention
to a very real problem for cops.
A normal person is going to be
so enraged, so disgusted with
some of the things we see, but a
police officer has to contain that
while theyre dealing with it,
explained Giardina, who was
appointed Chief on March 1, 2010.
What happens is that contained
emotion over time is the problem.
That part, everyone has to be cog-
nizant of.
Life or death situations, super
traumatic scenes like the death of a
child... anything like that can set it
off, he said. I was very instru-
mental in trying to bring it to the
forefront in our department. But a
problem has developedand this
is in my opinionthat some peo-
ple are using this now to take
advantage of pensions.
Im a firm believer, being that
it happened to me, that it is treat-
able if you want to be treat-
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant30
Medicine & Miracles
ed and cured. And it is very real, he said. There are
cases where someone is so traumatized that they can-
not return to the service. That goes for military, fire-
men, EMT, police. People are
so traumatized by certain cir-
cumstances and its real, they
will never be able to return to
the service and I understand
that. Its a known fact. What
I am saying is that there is
another small percentage that
are using it as a golden para-
chute.
The Chief gave examples
of egregious claims from
across the state: an officer
who filed after accidently sta-
pling his finger at a firing
range, a cop falling out of a
chair and a fireman falling out
of bed at a firehouse.
You no longer need a trau-
matic event, said Giardina,
explaining that a ruling a few years ago changed the
pension process. Giardina said his goals are to create
awareness, see that proper channels and resources are
available to those suffering
from PTSD, and to push for
legislation to restore balance
to the pension plan laws and
punish those who take advan-
tage of the system.
If anybody reads this and
recognizes themselves in this
story, then they need to get the
help they need and deserve,
explained Chief. They need
to not be afraid. On the flip
side, I dont want it to be
abused either. My experience
and 33 years in law enforce-
ment has assisted me in deal-
ing with people, and assisted
me to do this. Because of my
position, I have a bigger plat-
form to get this out there.
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 31
-
March 2012 Clifton Merchant32
Our staff: Alicia, Juan, Anna Lee.
Carousel CafYour Neighborhood Eatery
Old memories of The Carousel Caf? Forget them. Long gone. New owner
and chef Paulyne Wang brings to MarketSt. a new eatery, from menu to decor.
And it is all done in great taste. Were still the same neighborhood
luncheonette but cleaner, prettier and withan awesome menu, says Wang, a grad of theFrench Culinary Institute.
She honed her skills at the noted La Grenouille onEast 52nd St. in NYC preparing classic French cui-sine and making spontaneous creations.
Cliftonites who enjoy fresh food, flavors and flairin their meals will savor her new menu.
Restaurant quality food is at the heart of what wedo. We have traditional burgers... but Ive addedAngus beef, serve it with fresh guacamole andsalsa... Want hearty? Try our new turkey meatloaf... Ido a lot of Chinatown style food. It offers great valueand it is so healthy!
Those looking for some simple morning fareeggs,pancakes and more or an afternoon lunch that iseither healthy or heartysometimes both! will stillfind that at The Carousel Caf.
But with a smile and a hearty laugh, Paulyne wantspeople to know that The Carousel Caf offers muchmore than breakfast and lunch.
At night, she continues, we dim the lights andpatrons can dine, relax and enjoy a beverage with ourgreat food in a friendly eatery. Who says a dinnernight out has to be expensive and dressy? Not us!Come and enjoy...
Hours are Mondays from 10 am to 9 pm, Tuesdaysto Saturdays 7 am to 9 pm and Sundays 7 am to 3 pm.
Chef Wang and her staff can also cater a party athome or an office. Stop in and sample the foodand take home a menu.
64 Market Street 973.778.4929
Chef Paulyne Wang bringsback delicious food andreasonable prices to herlandmark luncheonette.
See complete menu on facebookwww.facebook.com/CarouselCafe
-
Clifton Merchant March 2012 33
ur
m.
Lunch Platter Specialswith choice of greens, rice, french fries, or vegetable
Bowtie Pasta w/ Roasted Mixed Vegetablesasparagus, crimini & button mushrooms, onions, redpepper, & tomatoes sauteed in roasted garlic, oliveoil, red pepper flakes and olive tapenade $8.25
Cheesesteak Sub with 3 mixed cheese meltroasted garlic, carmelized onions & peppers $7.50
Crab Cakes in Lettuce WrapsHawaiian inspired crab cakes. fresh crab, panko
crumbs, cayenne, jalapeno, shallot, carrot, red pep-per, cilantro, coconut, soy sauce, lime juice, mayo,
red wine vinegar and honey. $8.95
Fried ChickenChicken leg deep fried with buttermilk, cayenne,paprika, garlic, oregano, thyme & adobo. $6.95
Grilled Cajun Chickenmarinated & sauteed in special cajun spices $6.95
Mac & 3 Cheeses with Carmelized Shallots & Onions
Baked elbow macaroni, mix cheeses, carmelizedshallots & onions and splash of hot sauce $6.95
Orange-Ginger BBQ Shrimp on Skewermarinated in orange, ginger, bbq sauce, honey and
black pepper. $9.75
Pan Seared Pork Chopboned-in chop sauteed & smothered with onions,
green peppers and mushrooms $7.95
Panko Chicken Parmesan w/ Baked Ziticoated with house-made panko seared to golden
brown, baked with mozzarella cheese and marinarasauce; served with baked ziti $7.95
Penne with Pesto Saucehouse-made pesto sauce dressed over penne pasta.
pesto: basil, olive oil roasted garlic, parmesancheese and pine nuts. $7.25
Penne Pasta with Mozzarella, Basil and Marinara
Penne pasta topped with house-made marinarasauce, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil $7.50
Philly Steak Egg Rollsthin sliced beef with 3 mixed cheese melt, roastedgarlic, carmelized onions, and peppers in egg roll
wrapper and deep fried $7.50
Roast Chicken Breastbone-in chicken breast seasoned with cayenne,
paprika, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt and pepperroast to golden brown $7.95
Stuffed Pepperbaked green pepper stuffed with ground beef, rice,
house-made marinara sauce, parmesan cheese andtopped with melted mozzarella cheese $6.50
Turkey Steak Herosliced turkey with cheddar & mozzarella cheese melt,
sauteed onions, peppers and mushroom $7.50
Caesarromaine lettuce, parmesan cheese,fresh crotons, caesar dressing $5.95
Capresemixed greens, fresh mozzarella,
tomatoes, roasted red peppers &basil dressed with olive oil & bal-
samic vinaigrette $6.95
Greekromaine lettuce, tomatoes, green
peppers, feta cheese, olives,cucumbers, red onion and
greek dressing $6.95
Grilled Veggiesmixed greens, asparagus, zucchini,
red peppers, red onion, stringbeans, tomatoes, red potatoes, egg-
plant, balsamic vinaigrette $7.25
Mixed Greensgreens tossed with sauteed button
mushrooms, bacon, sliced egg $5.95
Nicoiseboston lettuce, green beans,
capers, grape tomatoes, blackolives, hard boiled egg, and
chopped parsley & basil $6.75
Three Bean Saladmixed greens, cannellini, kidney,
garbanzo beans, celery, red onion,rosemary, and olive oil
& apple cider vinaigrette $6.95
Salads
AddChicken $2.50
Steak $3.75Fish or Seafood $4.25
Dinner Specialswith greens & choice of fries, garlic mashed or baked pot, rice or veggie
Beef, Shitake & Snow Pea Stir-Frysteak strips stir fry w/ shitake mushrooms, snowpeas, onions, ginger,
green onion, jalapenos, cilantro, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, chili garlic,and 5 spice powder, $13.95
Braised Short Ribs with Chocolate and Rosemaryslowly cooked short ribs with bacon, onions, shallots, carrots, celery,
tomatoes, garlic, red wine, bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder,thyme, rosemary and house-made chicken broth. $17.95
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp Kebabsmarinated in olive oil, garlic, thai basil, fresh lemon juice, wrapped
with proscuitto and grilled $15.95
Seared Scallops w/ Jack Daniels Coconut Saucelarge scallops are seared in shallots, garlic, Jack Daniels, coconut milk
& house -made chicken stock $16.95
Steamed Mussels in Coconut Curry White Wine Saucemussels sauteed in olive oil, garlic, onions, red pepper flakes;
curry powder, coconut milk, splash of white wine for added flavor. $10.95
Poached Salmon in Parchmentsalmon, asparagus, leeks, carrots, orange & lemon slices, white wine and
fresh herbs baked in individual paper parchment packets. $17.95
Asian Inspired Noodle Soups
Wonton Noodle Soup
chicken & cilantro filled wonton wrappers in house-madechicken broth; served with sauteed bok choy $6.95
Beef Stew Noodle Soup
beef cubes slow-cooked in beef stock with garlic, ginger, onions, mush-rooms, green peppers, chili, star anise & five spice powders $7.50
Chicken & Wonton NoodleVietnamese inspired soup. white meat chicken, wontons,
green onions, garlic, ginger, shallots cilantro, basil, mint, bean sprouts, fishsauce, house-made chicken stock $7.25
Roast Pork or Roast Chicken Noodle Soupchoice of chinese roast pork or roast chicken $6.95 add wontons-$7.95
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant34
Medical Miracles
At the age of 19 years old, the doctors diagnosis waslike a death sentence. Sitting nervously with his par-
ents, John Nelson watched as the doctor walked into the
room, slapped an MRI on the board, pointed to a white
blob and coldly remarked, Theres a mass in your head,
and it needs to come out.
On that afternoon in February of 2004, John Nelson,
average college student, turned into John Nelson, cancer
patient. He promptly dropped out of the University of
Maryland, and returned home to Clifton wait out the
next four weeks until his surgery date and ponder his
fate. Doctors explained that the mass could not be iden-
tified until it was extracted, but Nelson had done enough
amateur research of his own to worry himself sick for
entirety of the month of uncertainty.
Would doctors be able to reach the mass? Would he
awake with brain damage? Would he awake at all?
After a successful but painful surgery, his worst fears
were realized: the mass was diagnosed as Chordoma, a
slow growing but resilient form of brain cancer that car-
ries a high rate of reoccurrence. A strikingly high num-
ber of patients suffer a relapse within 18 months. The
average life expectancy is seven years.
Nelson is now in year eight of being cancer free.
But while no longer present, the prospect of reoccur-
rence weighed heavily on Nelson for many years.
Chordoma survivors, we basically live in six month
increments, he said. We live MRI to MRI. The aver-
age life expectance was seven years, so I started to plan
around those statistics.
By Joe Hawrylko
-
Clifton Merchant March 2012 35
Well Mail Your Easter Order!
We now bake Homemade Hungarian RtesRtes, or Strudel,
is one of Hungarys mostrenowned dishes. We bakeit like in the old days andoffer it to you in Lekvar,Poppyseed, Sour Cherry,Apple. Apricot or Cheese.
Our cases are filled withfresh Poppyseed, Lekvar,
Apricot and otherHungarian Spices!
The Jozsa Family, now in our second generation...
Holiday Hams & otherTraditional Easter Foods
Pork, Beef, Cheese & Meat Products
Home Style Smoked Bacon& Smoked Sausages
We make our own Salami & offer many fine Imports
-
March 2012 Clifton Merchant36
Medical Miracles
Varieties Potatoes & Cheese Potato Sauerkraut Pot Cheese Mushroom Pot Cheese & Potato Broccoli Spinach Pizza Apple Prune Cabbage Apricot & Cheese Broccoli & Spinach
HOMEMADEPIROGI
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Determined to remain stoic instead of being con-
trolled by his emotions, Nelson adhered to this mantra
until he passed the seven year benchmark in February
2011. Around that time, he had an epiphany: he was
thus far victorious in the physical battle on his body, but
cancer was winning the war on his mind.
I realized I had lived differently because of
Chordoma. Everyone always says, Dont let cancer
define you, and that always pisses me off. Its nice, but
it does drastically change your life, he said.
Meanwhile, its been seven and a half years and Ive
not even had a reoccurrence. You dont know whats
going to happen and to change your plans... I really
thought I was doing the rational thing, but I spent seven
years of my life planning or waiting for something that
didnt happen. I did live as if it defined me.
The first indication that something was wrong was in
February 2003, when Nelson, when a senior at Clifton
High, was walking home from school.
It was actually close to winter break and my eye was
acting weird, though I thought I just needed glasses or
something like that, he said. It felt like I had double
vision out of the corner of my right eye.
However, after undergoing a battery of tests at Clara
Mass Hospital, doctors determinedincorrectlythat
he was suffering from mononucleosis and a sinus infec-
tion, and he was given steroids. When the symptoms
returned about one year later, Nelson realized that the
doctors had not only misdiagnosed him, but incorrectly
recorded answers regarding his medical history.
It was bad enough that when I got the medical
records back, it said I had blurry vision, not double
vision, he said. And, according to them, I smoked
a pack of cigarettes a day and never drank alcohol. I
never smoked, and would sometimes drink on the
weekends.
Nelson was once again put through a battery of tests.
Doctors originally suspected multiple sclerosis before
noticing a small mass, roughly the size of a walnut, near
the base of his brain.
When they told me I had something that had to
come out, I was relieved, said Nelson. When youve
been misdiagnosed for so long, youre just happy that
they get it right. But they also didnt project the sever-
ity of it. Generally, saying it has to come out is not a
good explanation because it makes it seem like its a
straight forward operation. But as you get more second
opinions, it becomes a lot worse experience.
At the time, there was a lot of new techniques, he
continued. Not everyone had the same thing. Of the
four doctors I went, they each had four entirely different
opinions on the correct technique.
Each of the proposed surgeries carried great risk and
lasting consequences: One, the surgeon would enter
through the top of the head, with great potential for
brain damage. Another wanted to go behind the ear,
with a 10 percent chance of total hearing loss. A third
doctor wanted to remove his cheekbones to enter
through the sinuses, a procedure that would allow for
much greater field of vision, at the cost of Nelsons
sense of smell and tastepermanently.
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 37
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant38
Medical Miracles
3
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W
Ultimately, Nelson chose the surgeon who offered a
transsphenoidal surgery. They basically cut through my
mouth in front of my teethcanine to caine basically
then go into the
sinuses the
back through the
clivus, he
explained. My
tumor was in the
clivus. The only
thing that was
physically differ-
ent after the sur-
gery my smile. It
changed a bit
because of the
scar tissue under
my lip and the
fact that they cut
some of the mus-
cle.
Its weird.
You kind of
detach yourself a
lot. The first guy
said its got to
come out and its clear that all the things it can be are all
really bad, Nelson continued. My way of handling it
was to find the best surgeon and get through that part.
But then suddenly it becomes much more real when
youve picked and they set a surgery datethis is actu-
ally happening. Those four weeks were basically a black
hole. People tried to take me out and all that, but I kind
of wasnt there.
The day before the surgery, Nelson went to Columbia
Presbyterian Hospital for tests and prep work. Fiduciary
markers were glued onto his head so doctors could gen-
erate a 3D image of the brain to guide surgeons the fol-
lowing morning.
I slept like a baby the day before. I have no idea
why, he said. At 5 am, my parents and I left for New
York. It was a very quiet car ride.
It was a bad way that I approached it. I just figured
that if something went really wrong that I obviously
wouldnt have to deal with it. Thats the way I was
thinking, Nelson added. Its just that having no con-
trol really sucks. That part just scared me. The surgeon
is there to do his job and this is my job to just show up.
Spending four weeks at age 19 thinking I could die is
pretty awful.
There really is no
other emotional
memory of the
experience.
When you get
there, its actually
not a waiting room
but a staging area,
where the other
people having
neurosurgery are,
he said. Theres
little dividers and
whenever it is time
to have surgery,
you walk with
them. It gives the
very distinct feel-
ing of walking to
the guillotine.
They have you lay
on the table. I
remember them saying, ok, were going to knock you
out, and I said OK, do a good job.
Four hours later, surgeons completed the job and
Nelson was wheeled to the recovery room, coming to in
a groggy haze.
I remember waking up, not in that much pain and just
thinking, ok, I made it. Then three hours later, the anes-
thesia wore off and I was in an insane amount of pain, and
my face really, really hurt, he recalled. I looked like
Shrek. I had nasal backing, probably about six inches of
gauze back in my nose. There was a lot of cutting in the
sinuses, so they did it so it can heal closed.
Most painful of all was the spinal drain that was
placed in between two vertebrae at the base of his back.
Part of the Chordoma was close enough to the
spine that surgeons breached the dura, which
Chordoma is an extremely rare and aggressive type of cancer that is
thought to form from the remnants of the notochord, which becomes the
spinal cord at birth. Chordoma can be found in the skull base or any-
where in the spine.
It is extremely rare, with only 300 people being diagnosed each year in
the United States, meaning research is limited. There are no approved
drugs for Chordoma, but new studies are under way. The typical treatment
is surgery. Radiation is an option, but due to the proximity of vital process-
es in the brain, surgery is generally prefered. Radiation treatment on the
brain greatly increases the chance of other cancers later on in life.
The age at diagnosis can vary, but patients who suffer from a skull
base Chordoma are typically aged 49; spine Chordoma patients are usu-
ally 69. Following surgery, there is a high chance of reoccurrence with-
in 18 months. The average survival rate following diagnosis is seven
yearsa number that is greatly enhanced if the patient is young, healthy
and has a successful surgery.
The Chordoma Foundation is the foremost authority for information,
awareness and fundraising. Visit www.chordomafoundation.org.
What is Chordoma?
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 39
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant40
Medical Miracles
encases the highly toxic spinal fluid, and the drain was
put in place to relieve pressure.
Every minor moment in my back sent pressure
waves to my head, explained Nelson. I had that in my
back, draining for the whole week that I was there. You
get the worst headache from it.
Towards the end of his stay in the hospital, doctors
performed another MRI to see if the surgery was a suc-
cess. However, due to swelling and the aggressive
nature of the disease, a proper diagnosis could not be
achieved for another 12 weeks.
I started to feel better, but then I think, three months
from now Ive got to get another MRI to see if they got
all of it, he recalled. That was probably the hardest
thing. That was the most painful thing Ive ever gone
though, and I knowing that you have to get another MRI
and if its not clean, you have to deal with all of this
again... its insanely hard to deal with.
There is an additional one week wait for the results
still a major source of stress for Nelson even after eight
years and 35 MRIs.
That first three month one, that was the only one that
I had to go into the office for the results. That was anoth-
er trip where we are not saying much in the car,
The Nelsons. Top left, clockwise: Lynnette, Bruce,
Liz and John. Bruce is a board member of the
Chordoma Foundation.
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he recalled. The surgeon comes in
and just starts putting up the slides.
He says that looks like scar tissue
and it does look like we got it all.
That was honestly the first time my
parents and I relaxed in five
months.
While at home recovering, Nelson
began looking up support groups and
research funding for Chordoma, and
was surprised to find that there was
little information or awareness
beyond some online communities.
I made a website about my expe-
rience with Chordoma and listed
ideas we needed for a foundation,
explained Nelson, who has back-
ground in programming. Soon, his
site was the top search engine listing
for the disease. Four months after
surgery, I was getting calls from one
or two people a day. It became clear
that there was an obvious need.
After laying the ground work,
Nelson got his parents, Bruce and
Lynnette, to help him set up a foun-
dation and raised a significant
amount of funding for Chordoma
research. In 2005, Nelson met a fel-
low survivor, Josh Sommer, through
one of his support groups, and the
foundation began to grow.
Joshs mother is a general practi-
tioner, he explained. At that point,
Nelson had returned to school and
began to focus more on his studies.
A MD is a huge advantage in getting
to see researchers. After a few
months and some conversations, I
just said, you guys take over every-
thing and start a new foundation.
In 2006, Nelson transfered all of
his funding to the Chordoma
Foundation, where he remains
involved to this day. The following
year, he graduated from the
University of Maryland with a
degree in finance. But even after
overcoming cancer and receiving his
diploma, Nelson continued to living
in six months increments. Mentally,
he was bound to the statistics that
surgeons dictated to him.
If someone asked, Were you
depressed? I would say no, not at
all. Generally, I have a very stoic
approach to this thing. I actually
think it was wrong of me to do, but
I did it up until a year or two ago,
he explained. I started my founda-
tion and wanted to change this out-
come, but chose to not engage it
emotionally as much as possible. I
didnt approach things positively or
negatively. I approached it as an
engineering problem. It worked for
a while, but then it didnt.
There really was no point that I
was telling anyone that I was
scared or anything like that. I just
thought, this has to happen, why
worry about it, Nelson continued.
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Medical Miracles
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 43
Its actually an emotional coping
mechanism, just not one that I was
recognizing at the time. Its called
denial actually.
In February of 2011the seven
year anniversary of his surgery
Nelson had his regular MRI and
waited. After an agonizing week, he
was confirmed as cancer free.
Im way past the averages now,
he said. The longer you go without
having a reoccurrence, the higher
probability you wont have another.
In the best shape of his life due to
exercise, a good diet and intermit-
tent fasting, he began to reflect on
his life since surgery.
I realized there are a few really
big opportunities that I passed up,
and it all basically dawned on me at
that point, Nelson recalled. I basi-
cally wasted seven years of my life
in a way. I would have done things
very differently. I regret the way I
had acted.
What stood out most of all was a
relationship with a girl at graduate
school. Basically, I avoided dating
since surgery, because it makes
things harder. The idea of getting
sick again is bad enough, but the
idea of getting sick again with
someone who really cares about me
watching is pretty terrible. Its hard
enough knowing my family and
friends have to deal with it,
explained Nelson. I had a really
bizarre relationship with Kate, but I
still pushed her away and rejected
the idea of dating her until she final-
ly gave up. It took a long time, but I
really regretted that, and it caused
me to rethink a lot of things.
Following his epiphany, Nelson,
who has been living in Washington,
D.C. since 2008, rededicated himself
to his studies. In the Fall of 2010, he
enrolled in a course in Computational
Social Science at George Mason
Universitya six month program.
However, after receiving the clean
MRI in February 2011, Nelson
applied and was accepted to the
schools CSS PhD program.
Originally, I was doing it
because I thought it was an interest-
ing program and I thought it would
help me find people interested in the
same thing for projects to work on,
he said. It was not a long term
thing at all. I was still thinking that I
should not live another six months.
But I like this school. The stuff
I have been building, thats exactly
what this is, continued Nelson. It
will take at least three or four years,
which is well beyond that window
of comfort. But you know what?
Im enjoying what I am doing.
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant44
Medicine & Miracles
Heroin addiction is a problem that is often associatedwith the more urban cities in Northern New Jersey. But
according to John Alexander, its a very real issue in mid-
dle class communitiesincluding Clifton. The gateway
to this drug epidemic might just start in your medicine
cabinet.
Oxycodone and OxyContin (the brand name for oxy-
codone), theyre basically the most popular street drugs
out there, explained Alexander, a Licensed Clinical
Social Worker (LCSW) and certified drug and alcohol
counselor who primarily deals with individuals aged 18
to 27.
Street pharmaceuticals are very accessible, and its
easy and very conducive to addiction, he continued. In
other words, its not a socioeconomic deal. Its not like
one kid growing up in a school yard in poverty using
drugs. A lot of times we associate drug addiction with
the inner city. This is infiltrating middle class families
with a history of addiction.
Medicinally, these synthetic opioids are used as robust
pain killers.
However, recreational users prize this pill for its
potency, and the lack of social stigma that comes with
heroin and morphinetwo powerful opioidsor other
strong drugs that must be injected, snorted or smoked.
And unlike other street drugs that are diluted with chem-
icals can dull a high or be fatal, oxycodone tablets are
pure and each dosage is labeled.
If I give you a pill at a party, its a lot easier than
going into the ghetto and saying, Heres a needle, heres
a match book, said Alexander, who received his LCSW
Masters from Rutgers New Brunswick, and has been
practicing for two decades. Ironically, thats where
many end up.
But just like heroin, oxycodone carries life-altering
side effects: crippling addiction, sickening withdrawals
and a physical dependency that can influence the user to
go to desperate measures to get a fix.
It is this dark side of the prescription pain killer addic-
tion that drives an infrequent user to its much more dan-
gerous cousin, heroin.
With the streets ebb and flow, sometimes oxy-
codone is available and sometimess its not. And its
expensive. You can spend up to $160 a day on the habit,
explained Alexander. What happens is kids can no
longer get the drug, they go into Newark to use
John Alexander, a licensed LCSW, mainly treats indi-
viduals aged 18 to 17 who are addicted to drugs.
InfiltratorBy Joe Hawrylko
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 45
o
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s
o
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant46
Medicine & Miracles
heroin, and get three or four
dime bags to alleviate their
withdrawal symptoms.
Ironically, it is cheaper to
shoot dope. And when a kid
gets desperate, he goes and
does it, he continued. Its
easy to graduate to street
heroin. Its in Clifton, Nutley,
Bloomfieldits definitely a
middle class problem.
Even if the individual has
the support and the resources
to seek out professional help,
the road ahead is anything but
smooth.
Here is a typical scenario:
Youve got a 23 year old kid
addicted to street pills, nar-
cotics, and he goes through a
four or five day detox at
Bergen Regional and is ref-
ered to intensive outpatient
treatment that may last up to
four months, explained
Alexander. The patient then
gets group therapy, counsel-
ing and psychiatric help.
Then he is discharged and
thats where the problems
begin.
Alexander estimated that
some 25 percent of patients
have dual diagnosisthey are
addicted to a drug and suffer from some form of a men-
tal disorder, which can something like Narcotics
Anonymous an unbearable experience.
This is where the treatment gap comes in for a lot of
people. Its not a given that they make this connection
with the NA or AA, he said. And its not always the
clients fault. We tend to blame the client if theyre not
going to meetings, not following structure. But were
discharging people that are neurologically vulnerable.
They havent learned how to cope without drugs.
Another issue for recovering addicts is that doctors
will sometimes perscribe Suboxone, an opioid blocker,
which, while useful for
relieving withdrawal
symptoms, is equally as
addictive and prone to
abuse.
Oxycodone, heroin
and then Suboxone. Id
say I see that about 60
percent of the time,
said Alexander. Its the
Methadone of this gen-
eration. It sedates the
addict. Patients fre-
quently use Suboxone to
mask the effects of con-
tinued drug usage, mak-
ing it seem as if theyre
on the road to recovery.
Alexander explained
that the best rehabilita-
tion is 12 full months of
total sobriety: a residen-
tial treatment program
that and detox to break
the behavioral and phys-
iological patterns, fol-
lowed by outpatient
treatment and NA.
The problem here
is we dont get a year,
he said, alluding to
financial or insurance
limitations. People
who are straight for a
year, about 77 percent of them will do for the rest of their
lives. Those who dont follow up after treatment, your
odds are around 33 percent. No treatment at all, were
looking at 7 to 10 percent recovery rate.
To tackle that treatment gap, Alexander has been
speaking with his peers about holding affordable group
sessions at The Boys & Girls Club or other community
centers that would be willing to donate time.
We need to start thinking creatively, he said.
Alexander hopes to have a plan in place in the near
future. A lot of young people die because of this and
continued follow ups need to be done.
Know someone who may have a drug problem, orlooking for help yourself? There are many differentresources, both private and public, that can helpwith any type of addiction. Here are a few recom-mended by John Alexander:
Sober Solutions: 888-762-3730High Focus Centers: 201-291-0055Bergen Regional Medical Center: 201-967-4000
For information and videos about drug abuse andaddiction, visit www.hbo.com/addiction.
Where to Turn?
-
Clifton Merchant March 2012 47
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant48
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Our 16 man team leaving Clifton on May 9 in the Police Unity Tour hasan arduous task ahead of them... besides the 300 milebicycle trek to Washington D.C. The group must alsoraise more than $28,000 to help build a monument andmuseum in the nations Capitol.
The Police Unity Tour is an annual bike ride toWashington D.C. in memory of fallen officers. Nearly19,000 cops have given their lives in the line of duty, andtheir names are etched on the National Law EnforcementOfficers Monument and Memorial in Washington D.C.
Each name represents a sad story of an officer fromacross the U.S. killed in the line of duty, including CliftonPolice Officer John Samra, who lost his life while serving on Nov. 21, 2003.
Go to www.cliftonpba36.com and click on Police Unity Tour to donate.To help out or for more information, call Clifton Police Officer JohnKavakich at 973-470-5897 or Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400.
Officer John Samra
POLICE UNITY TOURWe Ride For Those Who Have Died.
How Can You Help?
ATTEND A FUNDRAISER:March 16, 2012Pub NightFundraiser at Pub 46
May 6, 2012 4 - 8pm Pasta Dinner at The Boys & GirlsClub of Clifton
BUY A RAFFLE TICKET:Win a TV or a Bike
MAKE A CONTRIBUTION: Officer John Kavakich973-470-5897
Tom Hawrylko973-253-4400
Congressman Bill Pascrell and Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik and those picturedon the following pages helped us kick off the 2012 Clifton PUT Fundraiser at Bliss.
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant50
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 51
Riders:Andrew Alvarez
Robert Bais
Randy Colondres
Richard DiBello
Brain Fopma
Tom Hawrylko
Daniel Ishak
John Kavakich
Charles Kazimir
Motors:Darren Brodie
Derek Fogg
Gary Giardina
Vincent LaRosa
Support:William Frank
Gary Giardina Jr.
Michael McLaughlin
Next fundraiser@ Pub 46 onMarch 16, 8pm
Our thanks to Joey Barcellona of Bliss Lounge who hosted a benefit on Feb. 17 tokick off the Fundraiser for the Clifton members of the 2012 Police Unity Tour.
2012CliftonPoliceUnity TourMembers
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March 2012 Clifton Merchant52
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Clifton Merchant March 2012 53
Business & Commerce
Creating OpportunitiesPCC