Author Topic: 2nd Annual Hackensack River Day Celebration  (Read 4393 times)

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2nd Annual Hackensack River Day Celebration
« on: August 02, 2004, 11:54:25 AM »
2nd Annual Hackensack River Day Celebration

Hackensack - Hackensack Riverkeeper, the citizen-steward of the Hackensack River, announces that its second annual Hackensack RiverDay will take place on Sept. 18, 2004 from noon to 6 PM at Foschini Park in Hackensack.  Begun last year, this festival is a celebration of the Hackensack River and the communities that have grown up around it.

Admission is free and will feature activities of interest to people of all ages:

·       Canoeing, kayaking and fishing on the river
·       Musical entertainment by a variety of artists
·       Dunk tank and carnival games
·       Live animal presentations including flying hawks and falcons
·       Environmental speakers and displays
·       A special presentation by the Center for Modern Dance Education & dance workshops
·       Puppeteers and puppetry workshops
·       Special children’s activities
·       Food vendors

“The City of Hackensack is both the county seat and the capital of our watershed,” says Capt. Bill Sheehan. “It’s the perfect place to celebrate RiverDay.” Co-sponsored by the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program, Hackensack RiverDay is one of many events taking place throughout the region in commemoration of National Estuaries Day.

The Rain Date is Sunday, September 19.

As part of  the 2nd Annual Hackensack River Day Celebration,  the Center for Modern Dance Education will present free dance performances and free dance classes, in  Foschini Park, September 18, between the hours of noon and 5pm. There also will be boat rides, refreshments, and live music.  Call (201) 342-2989 for further information.

“Dunk the Riverkeeper” at Hackensack RiverDay
A chance for people to say that Captain Bill Sheehan is “all wet” on September 18

Hackensack, NJ - On Saturday, September 18, members of the public will have a unique opportunity to support the ongoing work of Hackensack Riverkeeper and have a lot of fun at the expense of its founder. For one hour between 2 and 3 PM, Captain Bill Sheehan will take his place on the hottest seat in town - in the dunk tank at Hackensack RiverDay. For a very small investment, folks can try their skill at sending the captain tumbling off that seat into a tank of cold Hackensack River water.

“The tank was our most successful activity last year,” said RiverDay coordinator Lisa Kelly. “Plus, it was just lots of fun seeing folks line up to dunk my boss - something most other employees can only dream about.”

RiverDay 2004 will take place at Foschini Park in Hackensack on Saturday, September 18 (Rain date: September 19) from noon until 6 PM and admission is free. On that day, the park will be transformed into a hotbed of activities celebrating the heritage of the river. In addition to the dunk tank, there will be canoe and kayak rides, fishing, music, live animal displays, environmental speakers and displays, food, games, crafts, special children’s activities and a special dance performance created especially for RiverDay.

The dance presentation, entitled River of Many Bends, is a collaborative project created through the Hackensack-based Center for Modern Dance Education. It is designed to explore the relationship between people, arts and nature.

In addition to Captain Sheehan, Ms. Kelly and other members of the Hackensack Riverkeeper staff will take their turns in the tank at various times throughout the day when they aren’t working other venues. The dunk tank, however, has become the focal point for their boss.

“I understand that Hackensack and many of the surrounding communities have successful Little League and Recreation League baseball and softball programs,” said Captain Sheehan. “I hope some of these kids show up at Foschini Park on September 18 so I can see just how good they really are!”

When asked if he was putting out a challenge to local ballplayers, the Captain simply smiled and said, “Yeah, I guess I am.” It remains to be seen if he will truly be “all wet” on RiverDay.

Hackensack Riverkeeper is the leading environmental organization working on Hackensack River issues. Founded in 1997 by Captain Bill Sheehan, the organization’s mission is threefold: the protection, preservation and restoration of the Hackensack River watershed. Hackensack RiverDay was begun last year as a celebration of the river, its history and culture.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2004, 09:44:15 PM by Editor »



 

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