Tag Archives: music

My Life as a Firemen: The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: October Meeting and Entertainment October 19th, 2025

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The membership arrived at the NJ State Firemen’s Home to find the home decorated for the upcoming Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays. It seemed like yesterday we were up here for the Summer Barbecues.

The outside grounds of the NJ State Firemen’s Home

We had a lot to talk about at our October meeting with the Annual Convention behind us. There had been discussions on the Home and its expansion, renovations going on and the upcoming holiday season. I thought it was one of the best meetings we had in a long time.

The outside of the home decorated for the upcoming holiday season

Our fundraising has been coming along really well and we have exceeded our drive from last year. I think the word getting out about what we do and the Social media has been a huge help. We not only want to show our fellow fire companies where their money is being spent but how it is being spent.

We discussed also our upcoming reorganization breakfast at the Wyckoff Fire Department in November and the Annual Christmas party in December. Our Secretary, Tom Simpson discussed the gift this year and a planned lunch for both the staff and the membership. Everything is underway and planned for a great holiday season.

After the meeting was over, we joined the residents in the main meeting room where refreshments were being served and the entertainment had started.

Gigi entertained the residents on a stage decorated for the upcoming Halloween season

Gigi performed a series of Classic rock and Country music

Gigi performing Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore”

Gigi performing the song “That’s Amore”

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Gigi performing the Patsy Kline hit “Crazy for you”

After ending her performance with ‘God Bless America’, we got up and introduced ourselves to the residents. We let everyone know about our upcoming Christmas party, which is always a huge hit with the residents and staff alike. We also we wished them well and for their years of service to the fire service, which they seemed touched by. Then we took our group picture.

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association

We ended the program with one of the employees of the home, Eleanor, singing with Gigi a heartfelt song., “I Believe”.

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Eleanor singing “I Believe”

What I thought was interesting was one of the guys told me she had once been a backup singer to Michael Jackson. I thought that was really gift that this woman shared her voice and love for these guys.

It really was a wonderful afternoon and I want to thank everyone who made it possible. This is our gift to our fellow firefighters.

Day Three Hundred and Forty ‘Create Tomorrow’-An evening with the Bergen Institute for the Creative Arts (BICA) at Bergen Community College-A Local Journey May 22nd, 2025

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On the evening of May 22nd, 2025 our college, Bergen Community College, on the Paramus Campus held a wonderful evening of music, dance, art, fashion and culinary delights through the partnership of the Colleges of Art, Music and Culinary Arts in the School of Business/Hotel Management, which make up the incubator, the Bergen Institute of Creative Arts (BICA). This evening showcased the talents of not just the students but the Professors who taught them as well.

The opening reception welcoming everyone

We started the evening with a wonderful cocktail party which the Culinary students created for everyone to enjoy. The food was wonderful and so beautifully displayed.

The delicious crab cakes and beef and cheese tartlets on the table.

The Caramelized Pork Belly has an Asian flair to it

The Vegetarian Quesadilla

The crab cakes were a big hit

The infused Water, Freshly Brewed Ice Tea and Virgin Sangria were offered as beverages

During the Cocktail Party, I got to talk to some my counterparts and some of the students on their works that night. They had done a wonderful job. The Art Department had their works hung all around the Cocktail Party.

The artwork’s theme dealt with the Migrant Crisis

Pictures of people involved in the Agricultural industry

The Fashion Program also put their designs and fashions on display during the party as well.

The student designers that evening showed their designs first at the Cocktail Party

After the Cocktail Party, we moved into the auditorium for an evening of entertainment. We would be getting to see the talents of the Theater, Dance and Music departments as well. The first to perform were members of the Theater Department, who did a wonderful job with their performances. These students could really belt out a tune.

The musical performance of student singer, Francesca Muffoletto, singing “Always Something More”

Then student singers, Ashlyn Kurtzmann and Christine Dunning performed “Perfect Strangers” from the musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”.

The start of the performance

The student singers performing “Perfect Strangers”

Our Dance Department performed next and student dancers, Manna Tao and Lila Knowles performed the dance, “La Bicicleta”.

The student dancers performing “La Bicicleta”

Then our Music Department performed next and one of our Professor’s in the Music Department, Professor John La Barbara, performed with students Steven Hanst and Haydn Day, original songs that he had written. All the music was a Brazilian theme and harmony was brilliant.

Professor John La Barbera with his trio performing “Aqua De Coco”

Professor La Barbera’s original song “Aqua De Coco”

After his performance with his trio, Professor La Barbera performed music from the movies with musician Gunnar Marks, one of our Music students on campus.

The last performance was all the music students, Gabrielle Buttacavole on vocals and Gunnar Marks, Steven Hanst on guitar, Aden Even-Ezra on bass and Michael Ramirez on keyboards performing original songs by both Gabrielle Buttacavole and Gunnar Marks.

The students performing “Share Air” written by the students

After the Intermission, Professor Mary Bays from the Fashion Department introduced her student designers and then they started the fashion show.

Professor Mary Bays introducing the student designers and they started the fashion show.

The Fashion show

The Fashion Show

The Fashion show

The Fashion show

The Fashion Show

Then the student designers came out with their models and did the runway finish with all their creations. These above creative designs were by student designers Michael Agostino, Camila Stefania Rodriguez Cervantes, Ediliana Pena, Priscilla Reyes, Donna Mendoza and Maritza Gomez. Their designs were quite unique.

The student designer and his creations

The student designer and her creations

The student designer and her creations

The student designer and her creations

After the Fashion Show was over to a very rounding success, Professor Ronda Drakeford, Chairwoman of the Hotel and Restaurant program thanked her students for providing the wonderful food for the program. The Culinary students did a wonderful job with both the cocktail hour and the desserts that followed the end of the program.

Then the performances ended and we all went outside the Ciccone Theater to have the dessert hour, which was not quite an hour as all the students, parents and faculty enjoyed the sweets and they were devoured quickly.

The Raspberry Tartlets served after the show

The Raspberry Chocolate Tartlets after the show

It was an excellent evening of students and faculty showing the immense talent of the students at Bergen Community College on our Paramus Campus and the skills they will bring forward in their future colleges and their careers. Congratulations to all our students involved with the Bergen Institute for the Creative Arts (BICA).

It was a wonderful evening everyone!