Autumn Years Summer 2023

publisher’s letter

I am excited to start my letter with the latest details about our upcoming Autumn Years Living Expo. With just weeks to go, we have over 30 exhibitors, including several sponsors, and the band Forever Young, which will be performing golden oldies, doo-wop and more from the ‘50s, ‘60 and ‘70s in the Red Barn at beautiful Crestwood Park in Allendale. Our volunteers are geared up and ready to roll as we get closer to

CELEBRATING LIFE OVER 55

READERS’ LETTERS

I really enjoyed your article about Bergen County supermarkets. I know my sons once loved to go to the Packard’s in Hackensack to redeem the S&H green stamp books that their grandmother gave them every few months. And I was brought up in Queens, and King Kullen was

May 24. Participant sign-ups have been coming in, and we are looking forward to another fun and informative event. If you haven’t registered to attend yet, consider doing so now so we have an accurate count for food. Remember to visit all of the exhibitors to collect information and hear about their services. In this issue we feature Waldwick resident Glenn Corbett, an extraordinary man who has dedicated his life to spreading the word about fire safety, both at the local and national level. An outspoken advocate for fire-safe building construction, he serves on the Fire Code Advisory Council for New Jersey and served on the federal advisory committee of the National Construction Safety Team. He also served on the national team that investi gated what happened at the World Trade Center on 9/11 and testified before Congressional committees. His goal: to keep all of us safe from fire. Forever Young is a fitting name for this six-man band that shares its love of music with performances across Bergen County and beyond. This very youthful group plays music that will make you want to get up and dance the night away. If you think I’m exaggerating, join us at the Expo for an opportunity to hear them play. You may find yourself not only wanting to dance but to sing as well. Our super knowledgeable Bergen County historian Tim Adriance shines his looking glass on Closter, a community that today covers just over three square miles but that was once a large undefined region between the Hudson and Hackensack rivers that extended as far south as Englewood and as far north as Tappan, New York. Closter’s history is rich, deep and reflective of its nickname, “Historic hub of the Northern Valley.” It’s not difficult to describe in a sentence how Bonnie O’Brien spends her days— she advocates for those who have served time in prison and are ready to transition back into their communities. However, what that means requires an understanding of what she does and how she has marshaled the resources to help make that goal a reality. It’s an inspiring story! Once again, we look forward to seeing you at our May 24th Autumn Years Living Expo at Crestwood Lake in Allendale. Remember to register in advance by visiting autumnyearsmag.com or calling 201-747-2874. See you then! Heidi

the local supermarket, which I hadn’t thought about it years. A lovely nostalgic piece. –Barbara Broudner

TO THE

By Tim Adriance

In 1992, President George H. Bush visited a su he was reported to have not understood the se checkout. The New York Times published this fr “Bush Encounters the Supermarket, Amazed.” Bergen County supermarkets is amazing. So gra and let’s go down the aisles of history to see how has changed over the years.

38 AUTUMN YEARS I FALL 2022 52 AUTUMN YEARS I SPRING 2023

My wife and I have plans to travel to Portugal in the fall so we were very happy to see your feature on the country. We have a number of travel guides about Portugal but nothing is more helpful than to learn about a location from people who have actually been there as tourists. Now we can leave some of those guides at home and bring along Autumn Years . –Rich Lenberg Thank you for another great issue. My family relocated a couple of years ago but we kept our magazine subscription because we still enjoy reading about the people and places of our former home. Plus, we always find helpful information, like your article about dealing with Wi-Fi issues, which thanks to your article we’re been able to resolve. –Norel Collins

SUMMER 2023 I AUTUMN YEARS 1