Four old girlfriends from North Bergen High School, after many years of staying together and social networking, came up with an idea for a business, ran with it, and became successful in their venture. This is their tale.
They call themselves “ageless hippies,” and have fun meeting, hanging-out, and traveling together. They are Judy Cellini, Susan Orluski, Dawn Taistra, all of North Bergen, and Peggy Zazzi, a North Bergen native now living in Staten Island. Their maiden names are Adler, Berry, Walker, and Hayes, respectively.
Cellini has a husband Jack, and two sons, Joshua and Philip. Orluski has two sons, Vaughn and Stephen. Taistra has a daughter, Jolie, and two sons, Wayne and Michael. Zazzi has a husband, Gary, two daughters, Jessica and Samantha, and two sons, Nick and Anthony. The last three ladies mentioned have grandchildren.
Cellini tells us that last year, the four gals went west to Las Vegas on a trip, and Zazzi came up with an idea about making T-shirts with a logo calling themselves the “Ageless Hippies Bitchin’ Club.” They made them and wore them in public.
People saw the girls wearing the shirts, loved them, and the idea of a social club began. So did the idea for a business enterprise. Thus far, it has been successful and has grown. This is also due in large part to the fact that Cellini, Taistra, and Zazzi have corporate financial experience in their background through individual college and family business experiences, and also that Orluski has a background in education.
The lovely ladies then went to form a website with the name of their club and created a place where everyone can talk about ageless hippie issues. They also use Facebook to network, and they enjoy meeting thousands of new friends, who of course get to chat with others, too.
This website encourages everyone to meet once a month, just like a support group, to commiserate, network, to offer advice to one another, spread good news, discuss the latest trends and daily news, and speak about nearly everything of interest.
The club website also has a section where people entering the site can purchase their shirts as well as new items like hats and tote bags. The four gals also plan to expand and sell bandanas and foot-flip floppers in the future. These lovely ladies also have expanded into outdoor markets and street fairs to sell their products in person, meet new people, and to expand their membership into their club and website.
They can be found on the internet by surfing into their site: “agelesshippiesbitchinclub.com.” The ladies can also come to you and meet you on your turf, if you can’t travel to their site at street fairs. You can do this by emailing them at ahbc54@aptonline.net and they will get back to you ASAP. By the way, the gals tell us that they also sell Hot Flash Fans, among other fun stuff through their website.
This past June, the four gals took to the road for street fairs, and will also be on the road to Red Bank, and you can read all about it on their website, on Sunday, Sept. 12. Further events will also be posted as they are finalized.
Readers, it just goes to show how friendships, networking, and ideas can grow into something good for the people and good for the creators as a business or avocation, especially during wary economic times. Plus, if a business is also fun to work at, with people you trust and get along with, then it is like heaven on earth in the business world. To these four gracious lovely ladies, I say to you, All the very best!
Hudson County Surrogate Judge Donald W. DeLeo of North Bergen will address the Galaxy Towers residents on the subject of “New Information on Wills, Living Wills, Living Trusts, and Stories from you Hudson County Surrogate’s Court,” on Wednesday, July 21 at 7 p.m. The location will be at the Spa Lounge – fourth floor at the Galaxy Towers Building Apartments, at 7000 Kennedy Blvd. East, in Guttenberg. Further information can be obtained by calling (201) 79-6378. Don’t miss it, the seminar is free to the public, and enjoy the evening!
Readers, what do actors Guy Iacono of Weehawken and Paul Iacono of Secaucus have in common with each other!?!? Well, aside from being uncle and nephew, respectively, they are also son and grandson to the retired and former Weehawken Mayor Stanley Iacono, who now lives in Ocean County, New Jersey. It’s a small world, isn’t it!
The Capuchin Franciscan Friars have quietly formed their Our Lady of Guadalupe Friary in Union City on 36th Street the past several years to the joy and pleasant surprise of many of their neighbors. Followers of Saint Francis of Assisi, their local spiritual leader is Father Vincent Fortunato, OFM Cap., who is in charge of their office of development and missionary activity. Their full name is the Capuchin Friar of the Province of the Stigmata of Saint Francis. Welcome to north Hudson County!
Police Captain Joel Magenheimer of Guttenberg is back at his desk after a bad injury, and is just happy to be back into the mix of things. Guttenberg Police Director/Town Administrator Michael Caliguiro of West New York is happy also, and said that he missed Captain Magenheimer’s professional presence and friendliness. Welcome back Captain Magenheimer!
Hudson County Freeholder Jose Munoz of West New York tells us that he is presently in training and studying to become a certified public accountant, and it will take approximately 18 months to take the state exam to become a CPA. Best wishes Freeholder Munoz!
The recent county-wide district elections for the Hudson County Area Vocational-Technical Education Association/NJEA provided a number of North Hudson County winners. The two top votegetters were Joseph Mantineo of West New York as president for a 35-plus year reign, and Francis O’ Keefe of Secaucus as treasurer, respectively, in his first time running. Other winners for various offices were Lynn Spatz, Jaime Mendez, Bob Rogers, and Mark Sinisi, all of North Bergen. Congratulations!
And so it goes…until next time…see you around town…MATT.
Readers who would like to contribute to this column can do so by mailing your news items, and photographs, along with your name, address, and telephone number to: Matthew Amato, columnist, c/o The Hudson Reporter, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, New Jersey 07030. Thank you!