Hawk Pride

We are proud of our school's history.

The straight line that runs through it is

top quality education,

traditions built by the student body,

and affinity for 'Hudson' that lasts a lifetime

For the Glory of God and Service to Man

50 Years on,

'74 Hawks Reunite at The Nest

-- Scenes From a Reunion

50 Hawks made the trek back to McGinley Square, ten from out of state -- NY, PA, MA, NC, SC, FL, and Steve Switaj being furthest travelled - -all the way from the 5-0 State of Hawaii!

Class President and professional storyteller Brian Altano welcomed everyone to the reunion and regaled the gathering with a story about the Pix Theatre, within view of classrooms across Bergen Avenue, and how he serendipitously became the Archdiocese's 'Catholic Boy of the Year' and the role it played in his acceptance to Columbia University -- nothing was as it seemed.

A Legacy Gift to Hudson Catholic

-- always a Good Choice!

-- This is neither financial or tax advice --

There is never a best or even convenient time for formulating or revising your estate plan, but chances are that, like me (our Chief Advancement Officer), you have done so or are planning to do so because there is a 6 or a 7 on the front end of your age, perhaps even a smaller number. 

To remind you of how easy it is to leave a legacy at Hudson Catholic while not impairing the objectives of your estate plan to provide for family members and loved ones who survive us, let me share with you what I have done.

I accessed my IRA account and in the beneficiary section, changed the % distribution to my heirs, from 100%, to 90%, and designated Hudson Catholic Regional High School to receive 10% of distribution. Clicked on submit, and I was done.

Financial accounts having designated beneficiaries fall outside of probate. Conversely, roll the dice with no benny, go back, lose a turn, and do not pass probate. With a benny, there is no waiting time for an estate to settle. It is just a matter for a beneficiary to file a claim with the account custodian, and, in order to do that, the beneficiary needs to be made known of their status. So, let us know, please, if Hudson Catholic is a beneficiary in your estate plan, at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org.

"Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world." -- Nelson Mandela

Investing in education and ensuring that every child has access

is among the worthiest of causes,

and one that we lead with in our fundraising outreach.

Show us what is important to you by voting with your gifts.



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please open this newsletter on your computer

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Hurricane Aftermath

We continue to pray for our alumni and friends residing in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene. With specific intentions for Amaury Perez '89 who dropped a line to say he wished he could attend the Florida Hawks event but that he "lost everything and is currently rebuilding in Punta Gorda (FL)." We are so sorry to hear of Amaury's misfortune. Please include wishes for his recovery in your prayerful intentions.

Darren Scarpa '80, from Parrish, FL reported that his family was in the NW eye wall of Milton with 100mph+ winds spread out over 3 hours and 80+ for 2 hours. They were left without power for 24 hours, and were lucky to be spared from roof and fence damage. At October 12th, "most folks still don't have power. Parrish, Bradenton, Sarasota, and parts of Tampa are a war zone. I've never seen anything like it. The stores have barren shelves, and there are 2-3 cop cars at any gas station that has gas. Severe shortages right now." 

And yet, the 2nd Florida Hawks Reunion Event went on, October 26th, in St. Petersburg, with Darren hosting!

A Note to

 Our Hawks in Financial Advisory

(and all Hawks)

We have a favor to ask.

Those of you who make your living in this profession deal with a good number of wealthy clients. And, sometimes, they may be open to considering where to make charitable gifts when tax-planning for the end of the calendar year.

We don’t mean to be forward, and we certainly would not suggest you do anything not in the best interests of your clients, but on the odd occasion, should you be asked for ‘good causes’ to which to direct a charitable gift, why not let “Hudson Catholic Regional High School” roll off your lips and see what happens?

We all know that a 30-second ‘elevator pitch’ about “our 500 inner-city young Hawks seeking a life changing college-prep education in a 60-year Lasallian school run by professional lay educators” has sufficient strength to pique someone’s interest to know more.

In fact, this ‘pitch’ is meant for every Hawk. You are living, breathing emissaries and ambassadors of goodwill for our school -- the school you love, and the school that gave you the boost you needed toward the life path that you chose for yourself.

Spread The Word!

Calling Our Veterans of the Armed Services

You know who you are. But we don't always.

We are attempting to complete our records of Hawk service veterans as much as possible. If you have not received a communication about our planned Veterans Day Special Edition of Building The Legacy, chances are that we do not have a record of your service. In that case, please send an email to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org to tell us your branch of service, rank, and years of service, and we'll include you in our planned tribute to Hawk military veterans on Veterans Day this year.

Message From The Prez

The Fall is one of my favorite seasons because it’s about change. The weather changes, the leaves on the trees change, even Time changes as we fall back into Standard Time. It also reminds me of just how much change our students experience during their 4-year journey at the Hawks Nest. Change is an amazing thing, and there is no place where young people will go through more changes in a condensed period of time than high school. There are social changes marked by new friends (especially via social media); physical changes as bodies and faces transform; changes in views and beliefs; and changes in moods. High school may get glorified in movies like High School Musical, but it is a time of uncertainty. As our young Hawks navigate the world of high school, it makes me happy and proud that they have role models to whom they can turn in the persons of our alumni and our stakeholders. Thank you for continuing to make a difference in the lives of our young people. 

Saturday, November 9

Click on the logo to register and pay

Reunion Reminders

1975 Planning Underway

Contact Frank Martineau at 201-238-7753

This is looking like an October 2025 date at The Nest

1985 / 1995 / 2000 / 2005 / 2015

It is time to start thinking about your milestone.

Contact Jill Cypher at jcypher@hudsoncatholic.org

to express interest in having / helping with your class reunion

For the nearly 800 Hawks who have joined our mailing list

over the past year, we invite you to have a look at our

'Stay Educated' video.

Created three years ago,

it still resonates on what it feels like to be a Hawk.

Hawk Happenings

Football Continues its Comeback Season at 5-3

and earns a State Playoff Berth!

Since our last issue, the Hawks ran into undefeated Immaculata, who stayed that way on the long end of a 49-14 result, sinking the Hawks below the .500 mark at 2-3. But in the face of adversity and a three-game losing streak, the Hawks rebounded and streaked to the finish line with three consecutive wins -- over Newark East Side, 20-16, Paterson Kennedy, 34-6, and, under the Friday Night Lights in Denville, the Morris Catholic Crusaders, 14-6. That means we have come all the way from a suspended season of a year ago to earning a spot in the State Playoffs! Unimaginable a few short months ago. This was a most successful season, one to be savored, in Hudson being brought back to competition by first-year Coach Lamar McKnight, who deserves all of our thanks along with a good amount of praise. And congrats to our Hawk footballers, who have earned the right to display their Hawk Pride!

Our Honorees at the Black & Gold Golf Event

Brother Patrick King Lasallian Star Award, Mark Kahrer '79, Hudson Catholic Golden Service Award Dr. Andrea Blake-Garrett, John P. Higgins Award, Eduardo Pena '90.



What's This?!

Hashtag Horrors --No Tech Tuesday is here again

In a sign of the times, and how they've changed, 2024 Hudson Catholic will revert to the pre-90s on November 12th by declaring a technology-free day for both students and faculty. For the entire day, inclusive of lunch-time, there will be no permitted use of phones, laptops, projectors, Apple TV, etc. Instead, the Hawk campus will go old school, with students taking hand-written notes in class, and actually talking to each other during lunch! The underlying theme is to encourage independent thought and communication skills. This is the second year in a row that Hudson Catholic has instituted No-Tech Tuesday once a month. Can you see the squirming now?

We Thank Our Hawk Mentors

For the Role They Play in the Lives of Students,

and the Student/Partner Alliance

for making it possible

HAWKS ARE…….. 

…….proud to be Hawks

…….loyal to their school

…….achievers

…….ambitious

…….caring

…….civic-minded

…….empathetic

…….faithful servants

…….generous

…….good examples

…….moral

…….problem solvers

…….productive citizens

......scholars

…….successful

…….tenacious

…….unselfish

…….of service to others

Alumni Spotlight

Leadership, Service, Achievements

(and occasional whimsy)

Hawks Contributing to Space Exploration. Naomi Fernandez '21 and her team recently wrapped up its aerospace design project for NASA's RockSAT-C Program at the Wallops Flight Facility, with the launch of a payload on a NASA Terrier-Improved Orion Sounding rocket from Wallops Island, VA, reaching an altitude of 70 miles. The payload experiment collecte atmospheric gas samples to investigate noble gas fractionization, contributing to NASA's Cupid's Arrow mission and enhancing the understanding of Venus' atmospheric geochemical signatures. Naomi wishes to acknowledge and thank the technical expertise and unwavering support numerous industry professionals, including her Stevens Tech faculty & technical advisor, Professor Joseph Miles, HC'70, Astronaut Richard Arnold, who shared insights from his 200+ days aboard the International Space Station, and the New Jersey Space Grant Consortium for its financial support. Additionally, Naomi has just landed a position as a Pharmacy Technician at eMED Pharmacy Corp.

Of Body and Mind. Taj White '21 is a 6'3" 300lb Junior Tackle/Guard for Rutgers Scarlet Knights football competing in the Big Ten Conference and an Academic All Big Ten selection. He played in 11 games as a sophomore, and has been thrust into a starting role for the past four games after an injury to the man ahead of him on the depth chart.

Helping Hand. Alexandra Ruiz ‘14 has started a new position as Faculty Advisor for the Association of Latino Professionals for America Chapter at St. Peter's University.



Start the bidding. Anthony Luna '89, who recently joined the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania as Director of Philanthropy, is happy to serve as a live auctioneer at charity galas. Recently, he facilitated a live auction at the Salvation Army East Stroudsburg Corps 2024 Harvest Festival to raise critical funds in support of emergency food and shelter programs serving the Poconos, in readiness for the winter ahead. Tony possesses the personal attributes of a five-star auctioneer -- he is articulate, personable, and fun-loving, stresses the cause, and connects with the guests.

Still in Game Shape. Tolan Washington '79 was perhaps the most prolific Hawk gridiron star to that point in the school's history. As an All County running back, he was the first Hawk to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, in the process scoring 10 TDs and leading the Hawks to back-to-back American Division County Championships under Coach Ed Agresta. Tolan distinguished himself with the first 1,000 yard season in all of Hudson County in ten years, which earned him First Team All County recognition. He later distinguished himself further, as a father, of Tolan Washington Jr. '08, who made the Washingtons a Hawk Legacy Family! Tolan, Sr. spent most of his career in the financial sector in Manhattan on the tech side. He is presently a Senior Project Portfolio Manager with Fiserv and has a growing personal training business named Peakfitnessplus. He resides in West Orange; Tolan Jr., in Union.

And The Analyst Shall Be The Judge. Jack Curry '82. We thought we'd slip this photo in of Jack at work interviewing Home Run King Aaron Judge on the YES Network preceding the start of the American League Playoffs.

All-Around Outstanding Hawk, Eric Schaefer '79 (dec.) passed away last month. Eric was a retired Bayonne Police Officer who, in his Hudson Catholic days, starred on the football field for some of the best Hawk teams in history - the '76 and '77 Division County Champs. In his senior season, he was named First Team All County at Offensive Tackle, became the first Hawk ever named First Team All State Parochial by the Star Ledger, and played in the inaugural New Jersey East-West Game. Eric played alongside his older brother, Terence Schaefer '78, on those great Hawk squads that captured back-to-back Division County Titles. Eric also kicked, being among the last of the 'straight on' kickers, and held Hudson kicking records for about 20 years. For his gridiron exploits, Eric was among the original induction class to the Hudson Catholic Football Wall of Fame in 1998, and Terence followed in 2002.

Tell Us

Just one of many things that unites us as Hawks is that Hudson Catholic alumni spread around the nation and the world are making incredible contributions to their communities, professions, and to Hudson Catholic.

If you know of an exceptional Hawk deserving recognition, we invite you to share why, by writing to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org with examples of Hawk alumni and alumnae leadership, service, and achievement...........and occasional whimsy.

Hawk Get-Togethers

This one is 80s-retro. Pat Taylor '78 and Tony Monte '78 met up during their younger working days when Pat worked at Studio 54, yes THAT! Studio 54, and Tony was a climbing music industry exec. This photo was taken at a Sirius XM-sponsored party for Studio 54. The following day, Pat was a guest on the Sirius XM /Studio 54 channel. Today, Pat is happily retired in Southern California, and Tony is performing his version of 'The School of Rock' as Hudson Catholic's Art and Music Instructor. We are lucky to have him.

What hurricane! Florida Hawks Jim Gannon, FAC '66-'78, Darren Scarpa '80, and Steve Bulwicz '70 huddled in the aftermath of Milton and Helene at the Hollander Hotel in St. Petersburg for some Hawk camaraderie, stories, and libations.



The Fox Legacy

John Fox '69 and son Matthew Fox '01 are one of five Legacy Hawk Families stemming from the Class of '69. The first such Hudson Catholic pairing was Harry & Shawn Morris. Other legacy pairs are the Tom Benders, the Frank Infantes, and the John Floras. John Fox lives in Bayonne; Matthew in Branchburg.

Blasts From The Past

Chris Heger '93 Jersey Retirement in 1998 at the Bayonne Ice Rink. L. to R., Terry Matthews, Coach Cory Robinson, Chris Heger, Principal Brother Charles Barbush, FSC, senior Erik Heger '98 C, Mrs. Marie & Mr. Charlie Heger, parents of Chris and Erik. Back then, jersey retirement was the honor; the Wall of Honor came later.

We recently unearthed this great photo of a year-end Faculty trip to Peter Luger’s in Williamsburg circa 2013. Our teaching luminaries are, L. to R., Frank McGady, Angela DeBellis, Darlene Fischer, Dan Kelleher, Don Schlachter, Frank Becht, Mrs. Bernice Lenczuk, Paul Lenczuk, the late Joseph Pace, and Rob Astudillo ’06.

The 1990-91 Hawk Varsity Basketball Team

(If you can name them, tell it to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

The Hawk Varsity Football Team of 1969

Did You Know?

In New York City's St. Patrick's Cathedral, on the left side of the cathedral walking toward the altar, there is a side chapel dedicated to St. John Baptist De La Salle. We suppose that should not be a surprise, what with the cathedral bearing the chosen saint name of our beloved Brother Patrick King, FSC. Information courtesy of Ed Trainor '70, our man on the beat.

Korrections Korner

Unsportsmanlike. Last issue, we goofed on our Football update, misreporting an opponent as Snder, rather than Snyder, and stating our record was 2-1 after reporting it at 2-3.

Tranpsositional Snafu. In our interview wiht Mr. Jim Gannon, we mirseported that he left Hudson Catholic in 1987 -- we wish he had --rather than 1978, which is accurate. We promise to be more exacting with such rerors.

Seeing Things. We were so thrilled to include a snap of a Hudson Catholic class ring on the hand of David Fugel '78's daughter Janan, in Paris, that we mistook the Hotel de Ville, a/k/a Paris City Hall, for Notre Dame, without even a hunch that we might be wrong. The photo was taken during the closing ceremonies for the Paralympic Games this year.

You can help Hudson Catholic

with 'likes' & 'shares' of our posts to your networks, from

No Hawk Left Behind

We lose touch with some of our graduates who move around, go off to college, start careers, get married, etc. In some cases, they retire, having used their work email to receive ' BTL', and forget to notify us of a personal email address. Help us find them again and make it harder for us to lose touch. Many on this list have siblings who are Hawk alumni, so turn them in at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org or send them to hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected to update their contact info.

Reminders

If you receive our email at your workplace

We may not be getting through to you if our email is being intercepted by your spam filter. Only you can correct that by placing us on your safe list, which would allow communications from our Constant Contact email platform to reach you.

For Hawks at or nearing retirement age

and receive this newsletter at your workplace email address

Please send us your personal email address at hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected, or we will lose touch with you! This happens often.

advancement@hudsoncatholic.org to:

Plan a visit back to the Hawks Nest

Obtain or donate a yearbook through The Yearbook Exchange

Convey an obituary notice

Advertise your business card here for $30 per issue

Do you have a newsworthy item or something from the present or past to share with the Hawk community?

·    Landed your first job? Taken a new one?

·    Received a promotion or honor?

·    Gotten engaged or married?

·    Celebrated a milestone anniversary?

·    Welcomed a child or grandchild?

·    Reminisced with fellow Hawks recently?

·    Relocated?

·    Retired from your last job?

Hudson Catholic welcomes any and all news about your career, education, family life, and reconnecting with other alumni.

Submit a note and share photos with the Hudson Catholic community at

advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

Words of Wisdom

“Most people would sooner die than think. In fact, they do so.”

-- Bertrand Russell, British philosopher

"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result."

-- Winston Churchill, heroic British Prime Minister

"Humor is the most powerful, survival-essential quality you will ever have or need to navigate through the human experience."

-- Jerry Seinfeld, American authority on 'nothing'

Requiescant in Pace

Vita Mutatur Non Tollitur

(Life is changed, not ended)

_____________________________

John Madden '82,

brother of Michael Madden '80

Walter Buchwald,

father-in-law of Jack Ryan '69

Linda Cusmano,

wife of Salvatore Cusmano '70

Elaine Ann Donnelly,

mother of Patrick Donnelly '86 & Sean Donnelly '98

________________________________________

Were remembered in the annual

Alumni Mass of Remembrance

on November 3rd, 2024

Thoughts for All Souls' Day

and Our Mass of Remembrance

from Margaret Mead, American anthropologist

To the living, I am gone.

To the sorrowful, I will never return

To the angry, I was cheated

But to the happy, I am at peace

And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen

I cannot be seen, but I can be heard

So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea,

As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,

Remember me.

Remember me in your heart

Your thoughts, and your memories

Of the times we loved

The times we cried

The times we fought

The times we laughed

For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.

The Office of Advancement ~ Gary, Jill & Jenine

201-332-5970 x118

Advancement@hudsoncatholic.org ~ OR ~ gary.ferrari@hudsoncatholic.org

We Thank

Our Alumni Sponsors