The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: Annual June Meeting and Barbecue June 10th, 2023

On the afternoon of June 10^th, 2023, the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association sponsored our annual barbecue which we sponsor each June for residents and their families at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ. With the COVID restrictions slowly being lifted, families were finally able to join us for the occasion which makes these events special. This annual picnic is paid for the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association with the generosity from fire departments all over Bergen County.

We lucked out with a sunny, warm day and this got residents and their families outside to enjoy the nice weather and a wonderful food. The members of the kitchen staff along with our member and grill master, NJ State Firemen’s Association President Bob Ordway, cooked a wonderful barbecue lunch that included chili, hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, potato and cole slaw salads, corn on the cob, baked beans, and fresh watermelon for dessert. The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association assisted the kitchen staff and acted as servers to the guests.

NJ State Firemen’s Association President and BCFHA Member Bob Ordway with Chef Prince of the NJ State Firemen’s Home

This afternoon was enjoyed by the residents of the Firemen’s Home, who always relish an afternoon out. Everyone had a great time. This wonderful event could not happen without the help of the staff of the Firemen’s Home of Boonton, NJ especially the Activities and Kitchen staff, which does such a great job cooking the food and providing the set up and getting the residents outside.

It was a great barbecue with another planned in August of this year. We look forward to another wonderful day of food and entertainment.

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association in 2022

Thank you to all the members who came out to support this fantastic event that is enjoyed by so many people.

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: February Meeting and Entertainment February 19th, 2023

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association met for the first of our annual meeting on the afternoon of February 19th, 2023. Members had come from all over Bergen County to attend the meeting.

We discussed our Calendar for the year of events planned. We discussed the recent fundraiser that the organized for much needed funds for the organization to run the upcoming barbecue in June and the Christmas Party in December (can you believe that is in nine months?).

The Members’ of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the June Barbecue in June 2022.

Our Head of Fundraising reported that the fund drive is going well. We are actually ahead in fundraising so far and many departments have been very generous. There are still some departments that have never given to the organization in the past but we will try to reach out to them.

We have to update our Bylaws and we gave our organizations accounts so far. The members were throwing ideas around for the Christmas Party but we tabled the discussion for now but nine months will go very fast.

We discussed upcoming events and we will be having two Summer barbecues since it was such a success last year. We will also be celebrating the birthday of one of our members who is turning 100. His department, The Maywood NJ Fire Department will be planning his party along with us and the NJ State Firemen’s Home. We are looking for a good crowd for this event.

After the meeting was over, we joined the residents in the Recreation Room for this month’s entertainer, singer Janice, who entertained the residents for the afternoon.

Singer “Janice” entertained the residents of the NJ State Firemen’s Home that afternoon.

Singer “Janice” singing away show tunes

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association starts its Annual Fundraiser January 29th, 2023

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association met at the Harrington Park Fire House to start the stuffing of the envelopes to start the fundraising efforts of the organization. Over coffee and doughnuts, we stuffed envelopes for all the fire companies in Bergen County, NJ.

Monies raised by the fundraiser help pay for entertainment, refreshments, the food for the barbecue, gifts to the residents and for items that residents might need.

The Summer Barbecue at the NJ Firemen’s Home in August 2022

To all our fellow firefighters, please be on the lookout for our mailers. Your department’s donation to the organization goes a long way.

The members at the Annual Christmas Party in December 2022

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association, please attend one of our meetings at the Boonton Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ. Our meetings are February 19th, April 16th, June 10th, August 5th, October 15th and December 3rd of 2023.

The Naylis Family entertaining the residents at Christmas time

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: December Meeting and Christmas Party December 4th, 2022

It has been a long time since we had a Christmas Party at the NJ State Firemen’s Home and it was nice to be back. We had to follow all COVID protocols and wore masks during our visit to the home.

Let the party begin!

The entertainment room was set for Christmas

We started our day with a get together of the members before the entertainment began. It was nice to just sit back and talk to the other members before the entertainment began. It gave the Executive Board a chance to talk and we took our first group shot since I joined the Board last year. We make a very impressive bunch.

The Executive Board of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association

I even got a chance to bond with the resident dog of the NJ State Firemen’s Home, Wells, who was a former seeing eye dog that has now found a home here keeping our retired firefighters comforted and engaged. He walks around having everyone spoil him with petting and treats. Even he has to watch his weight at the holidays. All I know is that he loves being loved by everyone and likes to spread that love.

Vice-President Justin Watrel with Wells

At 1:30pm, the DJ started the entertainment and the Christmas festivities began. Our DJ really got the group engaged. He performed a variety of popular Christmas songs while the residents joined in on the fun of the event. They were being wheeled in from all corners of the NJ Firemen’s Home for this Annual popular party.

Our DJ, John McLoughlin, performing at the beginning of the show

The DJ for the afternoon was Chief John McLoughlin of the Demarest Fire Department. He spun many happy holiday tunes for the guests and put the residents into the holiday spirit.

Stephanie Quirk with her daughters, Regan (left) and Riley (right)

Member Jerry Naylis had his daughter and grandchildren perform again this year. Daughter Stephanie Naylis-Quirk and her daughters, Regan and Riley Quirk , played the piano and sang to the residents of the home. The children sang lively Christmas songs and led the room in a sing a long.

The Naylis/Quirk family singing

The ladies putting everyone in the holiday spirit

Riley Quirk performing a solo of “Jingle Bells”

After the ladies took their bows, it was time to hand out the Christmas presents from the Bergen County Firemen’s Home to the residents. This year the gift to the residents of the home was a beautiful ‘firemen’ red fleece jacket that had each resident’s name on it. It was a very personal and touching gift to our fellow retired firemen who we wanted to remember at the holidays. COVID had really affected them and their families as well and the residents really needed some cheering up. They were very touched by this.

The wool fleece jacket was a great gift

After the day of entertainment was over, the members got together and took our annual member group shot. We had to follow all home protocols and had to wear masks so the shot was not as personal as it should have been but we kept everyone safe.

We make a great bunch!

It was a fun afternoon for everyone involved. After the afternoon of entertainment was over, several of the members went to the Columbia Inn in Montvale to continue the celebration by having an early dinner together and toasting the success of 2022 which was still under the constraints of COVID. We still managed to provide the residents with all sorts of entertainment, barbecues and special events while never losing the spirit of helping our fellow fire fighters.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our firefighters, retired and still active from the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association!

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: The Annual Breakfast Meeting at the Wyckoff Fire Department November 20th, 2022

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at their Annual Breakfast Meeting at the Wyckoff Fire House in Wyckoff, NJ.

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home met for their Annual Breakfast Meeting at the Wyckoff Fire Department in Wyckoff, NJ on November 2oth, 2022. After our flag salute and Fireman’s Prayer, we sat down to true tradition in the fire service, a fireman’s breakfast.

A Fire Department breakfast is the best way to start the day

The members of the Wyckoff Fire Department very generously cooked a wonderful breakfast for our members that included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, steak, hash browns and rolls.

Members digging in for breakfast at the Wyckoff Fire House

Members of the BCFHA wives took time to bake for us as well. We had a selection of cakes and muffins to enjoy during and after the meeting. Our host’s wife always makes the best baked items including her Lemon Bundt Cake with icing.

Our Hosts, The Wyckoff Fire Department Company One does such a great job at breakfast

Over breakfast, the members discussed the upcoming Holiday Party at the Firemen’s Home in December and the dinner to follow by the party for members and their spouses, gifts being given to the residents of the home for the holidays, financial matters, the upcoming fund drive, NJ State happenings in the fire service and a possible membership drive for the organization.

We set the dates for our next two barbecues up the NJ Firemen’s Home for next summer (that is coming quicker than we all think) with the success of the two this year and for the upcoming fundraiser stuffing at the Harrington Park Fire House in January.

We have been getting new members joining the organization so it was the perfect time to introduce them to the organization. We have the upcoming Christmas Party for the residents which is always a good time for everyone. We will be following all COVID rules for the event to make it as entertaining as possible for the residents.

The organization looks forward to the upcoming holiday party and bringing some Christmas cheer to our fellow firefighters.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone from the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association!

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: October Meeting and Entertainment October 16th, 2022

We were welcomed back at the NJ State Firemen’s Home after almost a two-and-a-half-year absence. The last time we had had a meeting at the home it was the February meeting of 2020, right before the pandemic shut everything down.

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the August 2022 Barbecue

It was nice to be back at the NJ State Firemen’s Home again but we still had to follow protocol and everyone wore masks. We discussed organization business including the upcoming Christmas party. This party is especially popular with the residents because of the good cheer, a visit from Santa, wonderful entertainment and food and our annual gift to the residents which are extremely popular.

Because of COVID protocols are still in place, we were not allowed to interact with the guests as we had at the two summer barbecues. The home provided the entertainment that the Association paid for and refreshments to the residents were given to them by the staff.

We hope for interaction when we come back the first weekend in December for the Annual Christmas Party.

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the Firemen’s Home in 2019

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: August Meeting & Barbecue August 21st. 2022

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association sponsors two barbecues at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in July and August

It was a spectacular day for a barbecue!

After having to cancel our June Barbecue because of bad weather (there was a rain storm all day on our date in June), we lucked out on our first barbecue on July 10^th, when we had the most spectacular sunny and warm day with no humidity. It was the same for our second barbecue on August 21^st. Clear sunny skies and low 80-degree weather had the residents of the NJ State Firemen’s Home coming out in droves to enjoy good music and delicious food.

The August barbecue was especially special.  The crowd included a large contingent from the Maywood Fire Department to help celebrate the 99^th birthday of Maywood’s own George Steger, a guest at the firemen’s home and member of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association.  Maywood delighted the crowd with their 1938 Ahrens Fox pumper and their Truck 17 aerial.

The Maywood Fire Department with member George Steger celebrating his 99th birthday at the barbecue.

The menu included hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue ribs and chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans and chili, macaroni and potato salads and fresh watermelon prepared by the home’s chef. Baked goods were prepared by a member’s wife for dessert and residents and members had a wonderful lunch under the shade trees and tents that were set up on the lawn outside the home.

Members assisting the staff at the grill

We followed all COVID protocols to keep the residents and their family members safe (there were not too many of them due to COVID rules) by wearing masks and gloves when cooking and serving food.

Members assisted the residents and their guests with their choices for lunch

We were entertained by the Bloomingdale Jazz Big Band during lunch and the Bergen County Pipe and Drum during the break making it a festive and engaging afternoon for everyone. It was an afternoon of good food and conversation and a real uplifting afternoon for everyone who after long lockdowns and wearing masks needed an afternoon outside to enjoy fresh air and sunshine.

Thank you to all the members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association for making this possible and to all the firehouses who contribute each year with donations to make these wonderful events happen.

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association in front of the Maywood Fire Department’s antique truck at the NJ State Firemen’s Home for the barbecue.

Have a good rest of the summer everyone!

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: June Meeting at the Harrington Park Fire House June 26th, 2022

This was the first time since January that the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association was able to meet. Between the weather and especially COVID restrictions that we have had to follow, it has been difficult to hold a meeting up at the NJ Firemen’s Home. Our Secretary was able to help us secure the location at his firehouse in Harrington Park. We started our meeting with a Firemen’s Prayer.

We discussed the upcoming barbecue at the Firemen’s Home that had been rescheduled because of rain and the additional barbecue that we would be having in August. We discussed the menu for the lunches and who would be cooking, if guests would be allowed (a limited number of people can come to the home because of COVID exposure) and the entertainment (we decided on DJ’s for both events).

We discussed our fund drive which has been going by very well and the donations will help fund the picnics, the Christmas Party, entertainment and gifts at the holidays. We are also looking to fund a project for the home and the manager said that he would get back to us on that.

The report from the home is that we are still following NJ State protocol and have to follow the COVID rules even outside. This comes from the State and not from the home and these need to be followed until the State lessens the rules. They also have a house dog now that was a former seeing/eye dog and he has been very helpful with the guests. They really seem to like him.

It was good seeing everyone again and we got a lot of information covered. We closed the meeting with we will see the membership at the picnic on July 1th.

The Members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: December Meeting and Christmas Party Cancelled December 5th, 2021

It really hurt us as members that we had to cancel our Annual Christmas Party and Meeting for the men at the NJ Firemen’s Home but with COVID and current rules set by the State of New Jersey, it made it impossible to hold the party that we have held every year.

Instead, we had a Jersey Mike’s lunch for the residents that was very popular last month. We paid for the sandwiches to come in as a treat to the residents and we were told at our breakfast meeting last month that it was very popular. We plan on holding another one in the Spring.

The Staff at Jersey Mike’s delivering lunch to the residents

Last week, we dropped off the residents Christmas presents which were a monogrammed shirt, which were very popular with the residents and most could not help showing of their shirts the next day.

BCFHA Member George Steger giving the thumbs up at the Jersey Mike’s lunch

On the day of what would have been the party, President George Heflich and Vice-President Justin Watrel, showed up during the Christmas Bingo, to spread some Christmas cheer to the residents. President Heflich walked around the home and wished the residents a good holiday and Vice-President Watrel made a short speech at the beginning of the Christmas Bingo wishing our fellow Brothers a safe and Merry Christmas and hoped the everyone enjoyed their presents. All the residents who attended seemed touched by the gesture.

Both President Heflich and Vice-President Watrel did not stay too long as the rules of the home gave us only about one to two hours to visit but still, we were able to spread some Christmas good cheer to the residents.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the Members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association!

The Membership of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association in 2018

Santa spreading good cheer at the 2019 Christmas Party

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association: The August Barbecue August 15th, 2021

Members of the NJ Firemen’s Home at the Bergen County Firemen’s Home August Picnic

August brought beautiful weather and an great opportunity for another barbecue sponsored by the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association. Since the COVID pandemic brought a shut down of all activities in 2020, the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association decided to cancel our annual August meeting and with the success with the June barbecue (minus the drizzle of rain) decided it was a perfect opportunity to host another barbecue for the residents NJ Firemen’s Home and their guests.

Chef Prince and Chef Bob manning the barbecue buffet

Chef Bob Ordway manning the grill

The delicious meal was enjoyed by everyone

The weather was beautiful that afternoon, warm and sunny going up to 82 degrees. The perfect day for an outdoor event. Many residents were brought out into the lawn in front of the home to enjoy their meal and a little comradery with their fellow fire fighters. Family members are always invited to this event making it even more special on this gorgeous day. The tents we provided and the gazebo that was a previous gift to the home was used for residents to provide shade.

The members of the kitchen staff cooked a wonderful barbecue lunch that included chili, hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, potato and cole slaw salads, corn on the cob, baked beans and fresh watermelon for dessert. Member and Wyckoff Fire Fighter Nick Ciampo’s wife, Lois, baked special cakes for an extra treat for dessert.

The entertainment that afternoon which was also provided by the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association was the Bloomingdale Coronet Band, who entertained us with Big Band and Swing music along with traditional American classics like the Star Spangled Banner. It was an engaging afternoon for everyone.

Longtime member of the BCFHA, George Steger, who now resides at the home, was joined by twelve members of the Maywood Fire Department for his 98^th birthday. It was a really nice afternoon for him with balloons, well-wishes and a visit by the Maywood FD Ladder in his honor.

BCFHA Member George Steger on his birthday with members of the Maywood Fire Department

Our Brother, George Steger in front of the Maywood FD Truck

This afternoon was enjoyed by the residents of the Firemen’s Home, who always relish an afternoon out. Everyone had a great time. This wonderful event could not happen without the help of the staff of the Firemen’s Home of Boonton, NJ especially the Activities and Kitchen staff, which does such a great job cooking the food and providing the set up and getting the residents outside.

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association, a group of dedicated firefighters and retired fire firefighters from the various firehouses in Bergen County, NJ, did a great job serving all the residents and their families.

The barbecue is paid for from donations made to the Bergen Country Firemen’s Association Fund that is generously funded by fire company donations from all over Bergen County, NJ.

The Bloomingdale Coronet Band entertained everyone with big band sounds

BCFHA Member Nick Ciampo serving dessert to our guests and their families

Members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association and their guests enjoying lunch