Home Care In Fair Haven, NJ

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FAIR HAVEN - After Harvey Shooman lost his job with an airline back in 1973, his father told him he should work at his hardware store, Fair Haven Hardware, while he looked for another job.

"You could find a job wherever you like, but you're going to come to the store and work there until you find a job," Shooman said, recalling the conversation with his dad, Eli. "That was 50 years ago. I never left."

Fair Haven Hardware, a fixture on River Road in downtown Fair Haven, gets ready to celebrate its 70th year in business on Saturday. Now Shooman is in the middle of transitioning his store to a new owner, Stephen Hague, an employee for about 16 years. "We've been on the same page forever, since he started here," he said.

In 1953, Eli Shooman, a salesman for Union Paper Co. in Red Bank, found out a troubled hardware store in Fair Haven was for sale and bought it. His son Harvey, now of West Long Branch, started working at the store at age 23 and performed tasks such as waiting on customers and stocking the shelves. Over time, he started to build up the business.

Keeping small business going:Luigi's Deli in South Toms River going to third generation and getting bigger

"I just kept doing it and I liked it," Shooman said. "And I ended up being pretty good at it."

By the mid 1980s, Shooman had purchased the business from his dad through a procedure where he bought it over time. In 1989, the store expanded, taking over a space next door formerly home to Fair Haven Pharmacy.

The store has been successful by emphasizing customer service and fulfilling the needs of the local community, Shooman said.

"We gave a terrific home base," he said. "We have … what the customer wants, what they need."

He has never worried about the influx of big box competitors like Home Depot or Lowe's. "I'm just going to run my store the way I always do," Shooman said.

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Now he leaves much of the store's operations to Stephan Hague, 35, of Atlantic Highlands, who is in the process of buying Fair Haven Hardware. With no family interested in carrying on the business, Shooman has worked out an arrangement to sell Hague the store over 10 years.

Hague, who now owns 40%, started at Fair Haven Hardware in 2007, two years after he graduated Middletown High School North. He joined his mother, who has worked at the store for years.

He has done it all: Mixing paint, building grills, filling shelves and helping customers. For the past 10 years or so, Hague has handled the store's ordering, Shooman said.

Shooman said Hague always was interested in all aspects of the store. "He took an interest in paint. He took an interest in hardware. He took an interest in garden supplies," Shooman said. "He wanted to learn. He wanted to learn about the business."

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Hague said he enjoys the whole business, buying and selling merchandise and helping customers. Now he'll keep Fair Haven Hardware going for future anniversaries.

"I've just over the years found joy in helping people and helping customers figure out what they want to do," he said. "There's always a different challenge throughout the day."

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for nearly 25 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There column and can be reached at [email protected]. Join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

SANDY HOOK, NJ — A "lifelong lover" of Sandy Hook is now the executive director of the Sandy Hook Foundation.

Laurie Bratone of Fair Haven, who had been the foundation's development director, has been named executive director, the foundation's leadership announced.

The foundation is the official nonprofit partner to the National Park Service at Sandy Hook, charged to preserve and protect Sandy Hook’s natural and cultural resources, and enhance the visitor experience.

Established in 1989, the foundation has funded cultural, educational, environmental, and conservation programs and has helped restore and preserve historic structures of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Fort Hancock — both National Historic Landmarks, the foundation' s website says.

Bratone has served as the director of development at the foundation since 2021 and has over 25 years of nonprofit experience in New York City and Monmouth County, the foundation said.

Find out what's happening in Rumson-Fair Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Laurie continues to be a wonderful asset to the foundation,” said Pete Izzo, chairman of the Board of Directors. “She has extensive nonprofit experience and has been leading and growing all facets of the organization since joining us in 2021. She has demonstrated a passion for the mission and Sandy Hook, and has strong community relations that will take the foundation to the next level.”

Recently the Sandy Hook Foundation has focused on strategic board recruitment, and identifying core areas of priority work inside the park together with the National Park Service.

As executive director, Bratone will be responsible for "creating and sustaining beneficial partnerships and relationships with the community, management of staff and operations, strategic planning, fundraising and development, and together with the Chair of the Board, supporting the relationship with the park, its vast assets, and needs," the organization said.

“I am a lifelong lover of Sandy Hook. I love the mission of the organization, and, as the nonprofit partner, look forward to continuing to greet visitors and connect with more of the community who come to learn, recreate, and celebrate our beautiful national park," said Bratone.

"I am fortunate to be able to build upon the past successes that SHF has celebrated since its founding in 1989, and am excited to be a voice in the nonprofit friends-of-national-parks community,” Bratone said.

Laurie grew up locally in Rumson and, after years living in New York, returned to Fair Haven where she lives today with her husband to raise their three children.

Sandy Hook provides many resources for all park visitors, including history, with Fort Hancock, the Sandy Hook Proving Ground, and the NIKE Missile Radar sites.

Sandy Hook offers sports and recreation; naturalists can explore a variety of flora and fauna; and there are bayside beaches and beaches along the Atlantic Ocean.

The Sandy Hook Foundation supports initiatives, programs, and projects that make visitors’ experiences better, it says.

For more information about The Sandy Hook Foundation,visit https://www.sandyhooknj.org, or email [email protected], or call 732-291-7733.

PISCATAWAY — Football is a game of inches.

Rumson-Fair Haven was closer than even that to beating an undefeated team and winning the NJSIAA Group 2 state championship Monday night.

Rumson fell to Westwood, 21-20 in overtime, in a game that the Bulldogs led through four quarters and scored the first touchdown of the extra period at SHI Stadium on the campus of Rutgers University.

But Westwood’s Aidan Dugan blocked the OT extra-point kick, opening the door for the Cardinals to answer with a matching touchdown and the game-ending PAT kick by Sean Morrison.

More:Another football state title! Toms River North makes its case for No. 1 public school in NJ

The Bulldogs had been on the winning end of one-score games in the last two rounds of the playoffs.

Not this time.

“Last two games, we’re on the other end of it,” said Rumson-Fair Haven head coach Jeremy Schulte. “Sometimes the magic runs out a little bit. It’s a shame, that’s life.”

More:Why Toms River North’s football state title is a win for the ages: ‘No one else has done it’

Westwood rallies in crunch time

With less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter, and up by a touchdown, the Bulldogs opted to go for it on 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line. However, the ballcarrier was stopped short with 5:50 left.

Westwood responded in a championship fashion by driving down the field 99 yards, capped off by a 6-yard Robbie Carcich touchdown throw to Tommy Bussanich. Morrison's point after tied it up with 5 seconds left.

“We thought we were going to score,” Schulte said of the decision to not kick a field goal. “It’s the little plays, they made more of those plays than we did. They deserve it.”

Bussanich and Carcich connected again in overtime to lead up to the winning extra point on a 14-yard slant touchdown pass down the middle to tie the game, 20-20. Westwood, the team that fumbled the ball on the opening kickoff and never led in the game for a single second, finished on top and undefeated (13-0).

“Tommy’s been awesome,” Carcich said. “This is a great way to send him off not only him but the rest of the seniors. You can’t beat this, an overtime win against a loaded Group 2 Rumson-Fair Haven, this is just a storybook ending to a really great career by the seniors.”

Despite the gut-wrenching loss for Rumson-Fair Haven, their season was no cakewalk to their reappearance on the big stage. And even when the game leaked into overtime, the Bulldogs still responded each time.

“Our guys played their assess off the entire game,” said Schulte, whose team finished 8-5. “I’m so proud of them, they left everything out there. We were 2-4 at one point this year, and to be here now, I’m not just happy to be here, we weren’t happy to be here last year, it just [stinks] man. It’s a tough loss.”

More:Rutgers football bowl projections narrowed down: Will it be one of these two?

What it means

This is just the second year that the state of New Jersey has held state championships. Last year, Rumson Fair-Haven played in the final game but lost to Caldwell 18-14. The Bulldogs have won eight sectional titles since 2010. Westwood has won seven sectional titles.

Key plays

On third-and-10 with the ball on their own 1-yard line and down seven points under six minutes in the fourth quarter, Bussanich connected to Joe Klein down the sideline for 31-yards for a first down to keep Westwood’s hopes alive.

“They did a great job, going 99 yards at the end of the game to put it in to overtime,” Schulte said. “It’s tough.”

After Rumson-Fair Haven’s Jackson Gallagher finished a 2-yard touchdown run in overtime, it was Aidan Dugan who made the key PAT block for his team.

Unsung heroes

Right guard and defensive end Jack Harris finished with 4.5 total tackles for Rumson Fair-Haven. The 6-foot-3 sophomore was a clear impact in halting Westwood’s offense for most of the game.

“Yeah, he’s an animal,” said Schulte. “Absolute animal. Only a sophomore, he’s a great kid, he just does everything we ask him to do, he never comes off the field, he epitomizes our program.”

Westwood kicker Sean Morrison went was a perfect three for three in extra kicks and made the winning point for the Cardinals to win a state championship.

Westwood’s Steve Klein finished the game with 13 total tackles.

Rumson’s Wesley Kennedy led the Bulldogs in total tackles with eight.

They said it

Schulte on the words he gave his guys before and after the game: “We tell these guys, it’s what you do in the face of adversity that matters. These guys showing up for school tomorrow, getting back into lifting next week and make another run at it next year.”

Schulte on Westwood being a deserving champion: “There’s a reason they’re in this game, there’s a reason they’re undefeated, they’re a hell of a football team.”

Westwood 21, Rumson-Fair Haven 20, OT

Rumson-Fair Haven 7 0 7 0 6 – 20

Westwood 0 7 0 7 7 – 21

First Quarter

RFH: Alastair Orr 2 run (Ryan Child kick).

Second Quarter

W: Aidan Dugan 3 run (Sean Morrison kick).

Third Quarter

RFH: Jack Gyimesi 8 pass from Owen O’Toole (Child kick).

Fourth Quarter

W: Tom Bussanich 6 pass from Robbie Carcich (Morrison kick).

Overtime

RFH: Jackson Gallagher 2 run (kick blocked).

W: Bussanich 14 pass from Carcich (Morrison kick).

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: RFH: Alastair Orr 28-96, Kellen Murray 12-74, Jackson Gallagher 3-24, Owen O’Toole 2-5, Team 1-(-2). W: Robbie Carcich 22-77, Aidan Dugan 14-40, Steve Klein 3-13, Aidan Carrazana 3-(-1).

Passing: RFH: O’Toole 12-22-1-128. W: Carcich 16-20-0-145.

Receiving: RFH: Gallagher 5-62, Nick Rigby 2-32, Nick Thomas 1-12, Jack Gyimesi 1-8, Orr 1-7, Matteo Gangemi 1-4, Griffin Kolb 1-3. W: Tom Bussanich 7-72, Joe Klein 5-55, Aidan Carrazana 3-5, Sean Morrison 1-13.

Interceptions: W: Michael Rinaldi.

Santa Claus is coming to Rumson and Fair Haven for Christmas: Check out these stops on his journey.

|Updated Wed, Dec 6, 2023 at 6:42 pm ET

RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN, NJ — Visits and pictures with Santa are treasured traditions for many Rumson and Fair Haven families. For them, there’s nothing quite like seeing jolly old St. Nick live and in person.

In Rumson and Fair Haven, kids can catch up with Santa at these events:

Fair Haven

Dec. 8: Fair Haven's Holiday Stroll and Santa in the Park. Horse and carriage rides, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., departing from Mosaic Animal Health Center at 823 River Road. Holiday Stroll, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Christmas tree lighting at 6 p.m., and Santa arrives to the park by firetruck at 6 p.m. Visits and photos with Santa follow from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. East-side businesses will be open late, and welcoming visitors with refreshments, activities, and shopping. The Tower Hill Elf Band will be performing holiday tunes on the porch of our member business Forefront at 800 River Road.

Holmdel

Find out what's happening in Rumson-Fair Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dec. 17, 18: Noon to 3 p.m. Come to Historic Longstreet Farm, 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, and enjoy an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas. Children can visit with Santa, then take a walk to the farmhouse and have a cup of cider. Be sure to bring your camera. Free event.

Wall

Dec. 2, 3 weekends through Dec. 16, 17: New Jersey Museum of Transportation presents the Christmas Express with Santa, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Fare is $7 for all. is Located at Allaire State Park on Route 524, Wall. Click the museum's Facebook site for details.

Dec. 10, 17: Historic Allaire Village - Christmas at Allaire from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays, Dec. 10 and 17. See the Village transformed into an enchanting showcase of holiday cheer. Visit includes a surprise visit by Santa Claus. Tickets can be purchased in advance for just $8 per person (children 2 and under admitted for free) or at the door (if available) for $10 (children 2 and under admitted for free). Advanced purchase is highly recommended. See the Village event website for more details.

And you can find other chances to meet with Santa:

Freehold Raceway Mall, 3710 Route 9, Freehold Township offers "Experience the Magic of Santa." Children can visit Santa’s winter wonderland at the Lower Level, Zara Court. A visit with Santa is always free and photo packages are available for purchase.

Here's how to go about making an appointment: Pre-Booking your visit is recommended to help reduce wait time and it's easy.

There are also special holiday events:

Santa Cares: In partnership with Autism Speaks, the mall has reserved a time for special sensory-friendly Santa experiences. Sunday, Dec. 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Pet Night: Bring your favorite pets to see Santa and support the Humane Society with any photo experience on Mondays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Dec. 4. Please enter and exit via the lower level entrance by Old Navy just prior to, and immediately after, your Santa visit.

Check the mall website for other shopping tips and to learn about partnership of the mall and the United Way of Monmouth & Ocean Counties for winter coat donations.

Monmouth Mall: Eatontown, Routes 35 and 36; Santa is now located in the common area opposite Macy's. You can make reservations here for this holiday tradition and see the full schedule. There is also an opportunity for photos for your pet. See the "Santa Paws" site to book a reservation.

Magic of Lights, PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, through Dec. 30. Sundays to Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Fridays to Saturdays, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Enjoy visits with Santa at Toyota Holiday Village.

Santa at American Dream: Here are the hours: https://www.americandream.com/photos-with-santa# They also offer pet photos with Santa Sundays: Dec. 3, 10 and 17 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

POINT PLEASANT - The Point Pleasant Borough High School football program has gone 24-3 since the start of the 2021 season.

However, Saturday at Al Saner Field, the Panthers let every Group 2 school in the state know how explosive on offense they can be with an impressive and emphatic 42-28 win over 2022 Group 2 runner-up Rumson-Fair Haven in a nondivisional game at Al Saner Field.

"The key word we were thinking all week was just to finish the game,'' Point Boro senior running back Jake Croce said. "They're (Rumson-Fair Haven) the type of team that can come back and win the game. The fact we were able to keep the pedal going and finish the game. I'm so proud of my team.''

Point Boro's flexbone, triple option offense, led by its 1-2 punch of Croce and senior quarterback Matt Oliphant, was firing on all cylinders against a Rumson-Fair Haven program that has always prided itself on its defense and its ability to shut down high-powered offenses.

"It's the ultimate program win,'' Point Boro head coach Brian Staub said. "I'm getting a little emotional because 3-4 years ago", if you had told me, this was going to happen, I wouldn't have believed you. It's been a relentless pursuitijust putting this football team together.''

More:Shore Conference football schedule, scoreboard, highlights: Week 5

Croce ran for two second half TDs. Oliphant ran for a TD and threw three TD passes to three different receivers.

"In the four years I've played (in high school), this might be the biggest win so far,'' Croce said. "The bigger one would be if we win that state title this year.''

What it means

Point Boro, ranked No. 6 in the Asbury Park Press Top 20, gave itself a major chance of being the No. 1 overall seed in the power points in the South Group 2 super section when the NJSIAA Tournament is seeded on Oct. 22.

That would mean the Panthers would be the top seed in South Group 2 section, when the super section is broken into the South 2 and Central 2 sections.

Point Boro would also be able to jump over Rumson-Fair Haven in the super section should it be directly behind the Bulldogs in the power points in the super section.

If Rumson-Fair Haven (2-3), ranked No. 4 in the APP Shore Conference Top 20 and No. 12 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Public School Top 25, winds up as either the No. 2 or 3 seed in the super section, it would be placed in the opposite section from Point Boro, if Point Boro is the No. 1 seed.

The teams could meet again in the playoffs. If they are in opposite sections, they would be on course to meet in the Group 2 semifinal.

"They're a really good team. I have a feeling we're going to see them again,'' Croce said. "I feel like it's going to be a really good game.''

Key plays

Two sequences turned the game in Point Boro's favor for good after Rumson-Fair Haven tied the game 14-14 on a 27-yard TD run by Kellen Murray with 3:13 left in the first half.

The first came when the Panther drove 80 yards in eight plays and took the lead on an Oliphant 8-yard TD pass to senior receiver Brayden Forfar with eight seconds left in the half.

The TD was set up by a 32-yard Oilphant completion to senior wingback Brian Simoes.

"We fully believe our offense can score at any point from anywhere on the field,'' Staub said. "We were being smart with that three-minute offense (Point Boro ran for 30 yards in five plays to the 50 before the Oliphant to Simoes pass). But, once we got to midfield, it was on. We're scoring. Matt's so comfortable with our offense he just calls it at the line.

Then, at the start of the second half, Staub and his coaching staff called for an onsides kick. Forfar, who is also the Panthers' placekicker, perfectly executed the onsides kick and dove on the ball at the Bulldogs' 49 after it had gone 11 yards.

"We're aggressive on kickoff. I think we're more aggressive than some teams,'' Staub said. "We're not just going to kick it off to you. We fully believe our special teams is going to get the ball. Brayden can put the ball almost anywhere he wants with a variety of kicks. That's a credit to him and our special teams coordinator Dave Johnson.''

Eight plays later, Croce powered in from the 4 to extend the Panthers' lead to 28-14.

By the numbers

516: The total offense Point Boro compiled on 52 plays from scrimmage for an average of 9.9 yards a play.

360: How many yards Point Boro rushed for on 45 attempts for an average of 8 yards an attempt.

Croce ran for 202 yards on 21 carries. One hundred and 41 of those yards came in the second half. He added a 65-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

Oliphant ran for 144 yards on 18 carries. One hundred of those yards came on six carries in the first quarter, including a 40-yard TD run that capped a 69-yard, six-play drive on the game's first possession.

156: The yardage Oliphant, who is more known as a running quarterback, threw for.

He was 7-for-7 for an average of 22.3 yards a completion. He had TD passes of 26 to Colin Obser, the one to Forfar and a 61-yarder to Simoes in which he beat a blitz on a third-and-6 in the third quarter.

"I felt very comfortable back there,'' Oliphant said. "Our line blocked it up great. The receivers ran all the right routes.

The way Oliphant threw the ball and the way his receivers were able to get open will makes opposing defenses think about stacking the box against the triple option.

"We are a running team, but we can definitely throw a lot, too,'' Oliphant said.

"He is a dual-threat quarterback and he's a better passer than some of the quarterbacks we've had in the past,'' said Staub, who was himself an excellent triple option quarterback during his scholastic career at Brick Memorial. "We've been working on it because we know at some point, we're going to have to throw the ball. Our O-line (offensive line) gave him great protection. Matt threw a great ball and our playmakers went to work.''

9: The number of possessions Point Boro had. It scored on six of them. The ones they did not score on were a lost fumble in the second quarter, a failed fourth-and-3 in the fourth quarter and one that ended with kneel downs inside the Bulldogs' 10 at the end of the game.

Up Next

Point Boro will play at Manalapan (2-4, 1-2) on Friday night in a Shore Conference Colonial Division game. A win would enable the Panthers to clinch a tie for the divisional championship.

Rumson-Fair Haven will play at Donovan Catholic (4-1, 2-1) Friday night in a Shore Conference American Division game.

Point Pleasant Boro 42, Rumson-Fair Haven 28

Rumson-Fair Haven 0 14 6 8 - 28

Point Pleasant Boro 14 7 14 7 - 42

First Quarter

PBo: Matt Oliphant 40 run (Brayden Forfar kick).

PBo: Colin Obser 26 pass from Oliphant (Forfar kick).

Second Quarter

RFH: Nick Thomas 5 pass from Owen O'Toole (Ryan Child kick).

RFH: Kellen Murray 27 run (Child kick).

PBo: Forfar 8 pass from Oliphant (Forfar kick).

Third Quarter

PBo: Jake Croce 4 run (Forfar kick).

RFH: Nick Rigby 39 pass from O'Toole (kick failed).

PBo: Brian Simoes 61 pass from Oliphant (Forfar kick).

Fourth Quarter

PBo: Croce 65 run (Forfar kick).

RFH: O'Toole 7 run (Matteo Gangemi pass from O'Toole).

Individual Statistics

Rushing: RFH: Kellen Murray 14-83, Alastair Orr 7-27, Owen O'Toole 4-16, Cooper Bunnell 2-4. PBo: Jake Croce 21-202, Matt Oliphant 18-144, Jake Clayton 4-13, Brian Simoes 2-1.

Passing: RFH: O'Toole 15-22-1-162. PBo: Oliphant 7-7-0-156.

Receiving: RFH: Nick Rigby 5-65, Nick Thomas 4-36, Jordan Angstreich 3-22, Orr 1-30, Jackson Gallagher 1-6, Matteo Gangemi 1-3. PBo: Simoes 2-93, Colin Obser 2-36, Jayson Bennett 2-19, Brayden Forfar 1-8

Interceptions: PBo: Simoes.