If we phrase our headline in the form of a question it may give you a hint where you’ll be seeing Rumson Country Day School and Ranney alum Roey Hadar this month. Set your DVR to watch Jeopardy! on July 17 as a son of Monmouth County competes on the long-running game show.

“It was an honor to be on the program,” said Roey. “I had watched the show for years growing up and always thought it would be really cool to actually be on it. I had played quiz bowl for years in both high school and college and it’s effectively practice for Jeopardy! You have to answer questions about often-arcane knowledge by ringing in with a buzzer and it attracts the kind of people who want to be on the show. I always felt I had a bit of a mind for the game– I would always write the ‘fact of the day’ on the board of my homeroom in school–and tried out a few times. It took a couple of tries but I heard back when I took the test on a whim more than two years ago.”

Roey, who currently lives in Arlington, Virginia and works as a journalist for the PBS show Washington Week, auditioned in July of 2017 and was told he may be called in the following 18 months. Months after the time frame ended he got a call asking him to come to Los Angeles and be on the show.

“Being on the show itself was surreal,” shared Roey. “It felt as if the game had come alive in my living room. I always would watch and call out responses as the clues popped up on my screen but to actually have to pick the clues and play with a buzzer was a new experience. I know that both before I went on and even during it, I felt at once both really nervous and really excited. I was having a blast actually playing the game but could feel the pressure of not doing something overly embarrassing on TV. I actually blanked on most of the game and I’ll learn a lot about it when I see it air.” Having met host Alex Trebek once before when he represented New Jersey as the state bee champion at the National Geographic Bee, Roey said his interaction this time was limited.

“Alex is kept away from chatting with contestants too much to avoid any perceived conflict of interest or challenge to the objectivity of the game,” said Roey. “He comes out, hosts the game for you and leaves. I did get to chat with him briefly when I shared my anecdote and also at the end of the show in the conversation you see as the credits roll, but other than that, that’s about it. He did take questions from the audience during breaks in the show, however, and was quite friendly and welcoming there. He updated us on his cancer recovery (he said he would feel tired at the end of the day but that he was still in good spirits) and also showed pictures of himself still doing DIY work in his house.”

A graduate of both Georgetown University and Columbia Journalism School, Roey comes home to Fair Haven every year to volunteer with Holiday Express on Christmas Eve. Hopefully this year he’ll have a great story to share about his time on Jeopardy!

Deborah couldn’t make it on Thanksgiving, but Rob and Julie delivered the meal to Henry’s Fair Haven home instead and made a date to make him lunch, which Henry insisted he pay for since they made him Thanksgiving dinner! Julie managed to get local Fair Haven elementary school children to make Henry cards and dropped them off as well.

On November 29, 2018, Henry Stevens, a Navy lieutenant junior grade in World War II, his daughter Deborah and Joe Perrotto, had lunch at the Raven and The Peach Tea Room, were greeted by Chef Rob Candiotti and sat and got to know one another. Since then I think more people know about Henry and will most likely help him out from time to time. When I asked Julie Aurichio for a quote about this she said, “It’s not like I did anything great or unusual. I did nothing. I responded the way people should always respond every day. We should help one another every day, not just on Thanksgiving and not just because they saw it on Facebook.” Since that post, Julie and Rob have offered to clean his house from time to time and make him Christmas dinner. But then again that is just what Julie and Rob do.

“We should help one another every day, not just on Thanksgiving and not just because they saw it on Facebook.”

After the lunch, Joe introduced Henry to another local hero and neighbor in Fair Haven, Josh Zager, a retired Major in the Marine Corps and an F-18 pilot who flew over 40 combat missions in Afghanistan. They sat and talked for close to two hours that day, sharing heartwarming stories from the past. Henry served as an engineer on the USS Tuscaloosa, a Navy cruiser that President Roosevelt and other officials sometimes used for travel in the years before the United States entered WWII. The ship was involved in both the Atlantic and Pacific campaigns and participated in shore bombardment of Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Henry’s memory is sharp, and he can describe in detail the operation of the ship, what it felt like to be in the engine room during an attack, and shore leave in exotic ports, such as Shanghai. Henry has a collection of service medals from all the areas his ship visited – from China to the Mediterranean. Can you imagine being in that room with three local modern-day heroes and one from the greatest generation that ever lived, hearing those stories?!

To think it was just one Facebook post that connected so many new friends (me included) and a renewed hope for all who were part of this beautiful story. Henry turns 99 this month. Happy Birthday, Henry Stevens, and thank you!

See this article in print here.

The 5th Annual Robert Anthony Melita Memorial Charity Softball Tournament will take place July 15, 2018 in Fair Haven. The event was started by Robert’s best friend, Steve Noglows, RFH Class of 2009, and has grown significantly over the past few years with 24 teams now participating. Robert’s parents, Beth and Charles Melita, assist with the tournament and have started a non-profit called the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association to aid with CPR training and equipment, and scholarships for RFH students. Hackensack Meridian Health has signed on to the event as a Grand Slam Corporate Sponsor, with other sponsors including Synergy Construction, Bayshore Community Hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, and Riverview Medical Center.

“Having this annual event helps to keep Robert’s memory alive in our beautiful community of Fair Haven,” said Beth Melita. “We’ve learned that giving back helps us to move forward.”

Robert enjoyed working with the youth in Fair Haven, especially as an umpire for Little League baseball. He was an avid bowler and was a member of the Titans softball team in the Rumson Sunday League with his dad, Charles. Robert also had a passion for cooking and loved spending time with his girlfriend, Samantha, friends, family, and his two sisters, Lauren and Haley.

You can register by emailing robertmelita.memorial@gmail.com or call 732.778.6800.

Seeking individuals dedicated to preserving Monmouth County’s past

Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon is seeking nominations for the Monmouth County Jane G. Clayton Award and the M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation.  If you know a person or an organization that has gone above and beyond to preserve the history of Monmouth County, nominate that person by July 15.

“The Clayton Award and the French Award will be presented at Archives and History Day on Oct. 13 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan,” said Clerk Hanlon. “These awards will honor and highlight outstanding individuals who have shown a dedication to Monmouth County history.”

Created in 1997, the Jane G. Clayton Award honors individuals who, over a substantial number of years, have made exceptional contributions to the awareness, understanding or preservation of Monmouth County history. The award is named after former Monmouth County Clerk Jane G. Clayton, who was responsible for the creation of the Monmouth County Archives.

Past winners of the Clayton Award include John Belding, Margaret W. Dellinger, Joseph W. Hammond, Angel and Jack Jeandron, Cheryl A. Cook, Wayne T. Bell, Joseph G. Bilby, Edward J. Raser, Garry Wheeler Stone, Lydia Wikoff, Karen L. Schnitzspahn, Gerald Ceres, Flora T. Higgins, Lee Ellen Griffith, Michael S. Adelberg, Gail L. Hunton, Douglas F. Foulks, Wesley Banse, J. Louise Jost, Mary Lou Strong, and George H. Moss.

The M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation was created in 2015 by Clerk Hanlon and recognizes outstanding achievements of an elected official, government employee, public servant or civic organization in supporting historic preservation in Monmouth County through education, development, planning, rehabilitation, advocacy, community leadership or other means.

Freeholder Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry, Fred Carl, and Middletown Mayor (now Freeholder) Gerry P. Scharfenberger, Ph.D. are the previous winners of the French Award.

Archives and History Day will take place on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, located at 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan. Archives and History Day, an annual event since 1996, is organized by the Monmouth County Archives under the direction of Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon. This year’s exhibit focuses on the buildings of historic interest in Monmouth County. The event is expected to once again host more than 60 exhibitors presenting topics related to New Jersey history and their organizations.

Nomination forms for the Clayton and French Awards can be found online at www.MonmouthCountyClerk.com/Archives.

For more information or to request a nomination form by phone or email, please call 732-308-3771 ext. 3776 or email Shelagh.Reilly@co.monmouth.nj.us.

Meteorologists are predicting significant snowfall overnight in Monmouth County and the Department of Public Works and Engineering is preparing County roads and monitoring the anticipated storm.

“County road crews have been spreading liquid salt brine on County roads since Monday afternoon in advance of the threat of snow,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the County’s Department of Public Works and Engineering. “The County’s snow room will open this evening and we will monitor the storm’s progress. Our process helps us manage the personnel needed at the County’s ten highway districts and dispatch crews as needed.”

According to the National Weather Service, snow, which may be heavy at times, is expected to begin tonight and taper off by Wednesday evening.

“If you must be on the roads, please exercise caution and if you come across plows and sand trucks, make sure to give them room to do their work,” said Arnone. “We have 225 trucks and equipment outfitted with spreading and plowing capabilities.”

Just as the County Public Works crews prepare and plan for winter storms, residents should prepare and plan as well.

“Now is the time to make sure your home and your vehicle are ready for whatever weather comes our way,” said Freeholder Patrick Impreveduto, liaison to the County Office of Emergency Management. “Make sure that you have snow shovels, snow brushes and rock salt or one of the more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways.”

Environmental Protection Agency has a complete list of recommended products that are safe for the environment and your home.

Ready.gov, the national emergency preparedness website has many resources and checklists to help residents plan and prepare for storms and other emergencies. Links to these resources are available on the Monmouth County website. You can also follow Monmouth County Government on Facebook and Twitter for emergency information.

The County maintains about 1,000 lane miles of roads, 35 building complexes and the Belford Ferry Terminal along with assisting municipalities.