2. Centennial Birthday Party – March 2011
The Jubilee Committee
An Evening on the Boulevard: A Jazz-Age Centennial Jubilee
Linda Stansfield & Joe Wargo
There won’t be a party like it for another 100 years! 400 Lakers in their “finest feathers” celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Borough’s founding in high style last Saturday evening at the Mountain Lakes Club. Town Club president and event host, Maureen McSharry exclaimed, “the Jazz-Age Centennial Jubilee was a sold-out affair! The décor and music transported residents back to the Roaring Twenties.”
Kevin Lynk and Diane Hatton enjoy a toast with Debra and David Span
Lakers moved, grooved, “Charlestoned” and “swung” to tunes provided by the Gerard Carelli Orchestra. Tuxedos, beaded and sequined dresses, feathers, headbands, and hats adorned the guests as they boogied to music from the ‘20s to today, from Ragtime Jazz to Lady Gaga. Even Mme Belle de Rivera, suffragette leader and one the Borough’s most prominent founders, came to celebrate the Borough’s birthday (courtesy of resident Linda Stansfield). Centennial and Jubilee Committee member Debbie Terlizzi noted how much fun it was watching everyone arrive: “It was worthy of the red carpet.”
Amy and Larry Dodyks, Master of Ceremonies Jud Breslin and Andrew Gittle
Opening remarks from former mayor Jud Breslin set the tone for the evening. The “mayor in perpetuity” spoke of celebrating the special “Laker Spirit” which comes from the wonderful, lasting friendships among neighbors who share the same love for the beauty and history of the Borough.
Kathy & Mark Watrous
Other highlights of the evening included a dance performance by friends from Nash Dancenter of Randolph, and ‘Hapgood’s Hideaway: A Smoke and Spirits Lounge,’ professionally hosted by Melissa Stanislaw of M&M Master Pour, with cigars donated by Denville’s United Card and Smoke Shop.
Council members Peter Holmberg, Steve Shaw and Dan Happer and Town Club president Maureen McSharry help Beth Moran cut the cake!
The icing on the cake was an elegant tiered birthday cake which was decorated with peacock feathers and the names of all the streets in Mountain Lakes scripted into the frosting. Lakers toasted to a 100 years of friendships in Mountain Lakes and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ as Beth Moran did the honor of making the first cut into her creation. “The fun lasted late into the evening at the Mountain Lakes Club,” noted Mountain Lakes archivist Pat Rusak, “reminiscent of many a great party since it first opened in 1914!”
Bob and Francoise Burn
The spectacular evening was organized by Town Club President and Jubilee Chair, Maureen McSharry, along with members of the talented Jubilee Committee: Lisa Graf, Mary Joelsson, Megan Luciano, Pam Luciano, Beth Marshall, Beth Pickett, Debbie Terlizzi, Eileen Wilson, Jie Yuan, Paula Anderson and Dana Stokes.
Sally O'Brien and Chris Sullivan
Members of the Garden Club of Mountain Lakes helped create the gorgeous decor and floral arrangements, among them Kris Barlow, Nancy Bigelsen, and, SIMPLIFY’s Leslie Kiely. “The Town Club is the descendant of one of the first social groups in Mountain Lakes,” shared Stephanie Hoopes Halpin, chair of the Mountain Lakes Centennial Committee. “Their annual events and generous funding of town organizations foster our community’s special spirit. They were the perfect group to host Saturday’s Centennial birthday party, and they couldn’t have done a better job.”
Debbie and Lou Terlizzi
The generous support of community sponsors put the extra ‘jazz’ in Jazz-Age for all to enjoy: a champagne toast courtesy of Dixon Energy and PNC Bank; Ken and Dana Stokes stepped up to sponsor the orchestra; and our Gatsby Glamour sponsors contributed to the evening’s elegance: Stephanie and Russell Deyo, Joan Stanescu and Terrence Hahn, Cecilia and Dorian Lo, Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Malady, Margaret and Nigel Smith, and Kelly and Dean Thompson.
The Centennial Jubilee Gala would not have been possible without the generous support of many community sponsors and volunteers: The members of the Mountain Lakes Club; Pam Bavel, director of special events/banquets; Kirby Cookies; Katie Pillion Designs; Jim Haessig’s team at MMP Printing Group; photographer Kristen Totaro of ML Living Magazine; the Mountain Lakes Centennial Steering Committee; and St. Peter’s Church. Volunteers, Gayten Bouzane, Layna Kearns, Jessica Nasta Mahoney, Margaret McSharry, and Marilyn Nasta, and several of Beth and Dave Marshall’s teenagers staffed the coatchecks – all helped to make the evening special.
The orchestra played til midnight, the closing set culminated in a full-crowd kickline to ‘New York, New York,’ capping off a perfect evening. Without a doubt, Herbert Hapgood’s community vision continues to thrive as Mountain Lakes looks forward to the next 100 years. Just imagine how they will party in 2111!
For more photos, click here for a slide show taken by Kristen Totaro of Mountain Lakes Living magazine.
Themocracy
Interested in attending. Please send further info when it becomes available. Thanks.
Please send further info on the Birthday Party. Thank you.
We will post all information on the website. Keep watching!
Greetings Lakers! Join your friends and neighbors for the party of the century: ‘An Evening on the Boulevard: A Jazz-Age Centennial Jubilee.’
If you currently reside in zip code 07046, check your mailbox next week for your invitation!
If you are no longer living in town, you are most certainly invited! If you’d like to receive a printed invitation, please drop me a line townclub@mtnlakes.org, with your mailing address, and we’ll send you one.
Tickets are available for purchase online, with Early Bird pricing through February 12th. We’re are anticipating a sellout crowd!