North Bergen residents had a busy week recently when three town-sponsored events took place within a five-day span. All ages were covered, from toddlers enjoying carnival kiddie rides to school kids launching the football season to seniors dancing along with hits from years gone by.
First up was the annual football parade on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The football parade marks the beginning of the town’s football season.
North Bergen has one of the largest recreation football programs in the area with several divisions ranging from flag football for 6-year-olds to full contact in middle school. The town’s recreational program also includes a travelling team of all-stars from the various North Bergen teams that plays against teams from other towns.
The parade began at North Bergen High School and marched to the Recreation Center at 6300 Meadowview Ave. Hundreds of players, coaches, cheerleaders, parents, and fans participated, as well as Mayor Nichoals Sacco, Recreation Commissioner Hugo Cabrera, and many others.
The parade was followed by a football game at Stan Newman Memorial Field at 64th Street.
Dancing to the hits
Approximately one thousand seniors attended the 2014 annual senior picnic at Schuetzen Park Banquet Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 17, along with dozens of volunteers helping in the kitchen and with setup.
The township provided a schedule of buses to pick up attendees from the senior buildings and drop them back at home after the event. Other attendees drove to the picnic, where there were sandwiches, hot dogs, coffee cake, soft drinks and more.
Tuesday, Sept.16 was the beginning of the football season, launched with the annual football parade, followed by a senior picnic on Wednesday and a carnival at the library on Saturday.
____________
The township has been holding the annual event since 1992 as a way to honor senior citizens and thank them for their contributions to North Bergen. The picnic was one of Mayor Sacco’s first new community initiatives upon taking office.
The event has continued to grow each year, with the number of attendees seemingly always increasing.
Carnival time
The Kennedy Branch of the North Bergen Public Library opened one year ago, and to celebrate the anniversary and the positive effects the branch has had on the area, Library Director Sai Rao hosted a carnival in the building’s parking lot from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20.
Games and rides provided fun for all ages, along with music, face painting, snacks, and prizes.
The Kennedy Branch has been a tremendous success for the township in bringing library services to an area that was previously underserved by the system due to the distance from the main library. Mayor Sacco and the commissioners all expressed their pleasure over the positive reception for the Kennedy Branch and the carnival was a great way to celebrate its success.
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.