A male in his 30s, a male in his 70s, and a female in her 80s were added today to the list of Haddonfield residents who have contracted the coronavirus.
The tally now stands at 47 cases and 5 fatalities.
Statistics for Haddonfield, Camden County, and New Jersey are updated on Haddonfield[dot]Today each week day, under the COVID-19 header.
In partnership with the Haddonfield Educational Trust, the High School Drama Club will present an evening of showtunes on Thursday, June 11 at 7pm. (This event was originally scheduled for June 4.)
Titled “Places! At Home,” the event will be livestreamed on the Drama Club’s YouTube channel, HERE.
Admission is free, but viewers are asked to donate to the HMHS Auditorium Improvement Fund, on the Trust’s website, HERE.
The Trust also is planning a golf tournament for August 17, 2020, at Tavistock Country Club. (Stay tuned.)
This Haddonfield Today news story sponsored by Lisa Wolschina & Associates (Keller Williams Realty).
The Camden County Department of Health reported today that a Haddonfield resident, a woman in her 90s, has died from complications related to the coronavirus.
This brings the total number of Haddonfield fatalities to five. A total of 44 residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
For Camden County’s 38 municipalities, the total is 313 deaths and 6,429 cases. For New Jersey: 11,339 deaths and 156,628 cases.
[The statistics above are updated on Haddonfield[dot]Today each week day, under the COVID-19 header.]
Three-quarters of the deaths in Camden County (232) have been reported from the county’s 56 long-term-care facilities. Resident cases (1,092) and staff cases (358) account for one-fifth of the 6,429 cases in the county.
Haddonfield’s 44 cases are made up of 26 males, 17 females, 1 unknown. The age distribution is:
The breakdown for Haddonfield fatalities is 3 male (50s, 80s, 90s) and 2 female (80s, 90s).
NOTE: This post was updated on May 28. “Unknown — 8” was added to the table.
A number of residents who are concerned about the Borough’s plans for an affordable housing project behind the Borough Hall will meet at the site on Thursday, May 28 at 7pm.
“Construction is slated to begin in July, so there is no time to waste,” they say. “Come see for yourself how oversized and poorly planned it is.
“Get informed and help us improve the project so new families are not warehoused in an undesirable space. Haddonfield can do better than this.”
Since the group will be “camped in the parking lot,” it is suggested that those who attend should “bring a chair.”
Photo: Dan Colombi (U.S. Air Force, Vietnam) and former mayor Tish Colombi at the Baptist Cemetery.
Memorial Day in Haddonfield typically is marked by a number of events:
Memorial Day this year was to have featured a display of 3,837 poppies, cascading from the wall of the school building behind the war memorial, in tribute to fallen New Jersey service members of World War I. That installation has been postponed to October. Details HERE.
At 3pm, members of the brass section of the Haddonfield Pick-Up Band will join with trumpeters and buglers across the country to play Taps on front porches, in a salute to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in America’s wars. Read details of Taps for Veterans HERE.
Pick-Up Band member Tom Reiter plans to play at the corner of West End Avenue and Euclid, in tribute to Tom Patton, founder and longtime director of the Pick-Up Band — and Legionnaire (U.S. Army WWII) — who died in June 2019.
This Haddonfield Today news story sponsored by Jack and Barbara Tarditi, and Conner Strong & Buckelew Insurance & Risk Management.
The Partnership for Haddonfield will meet via Zoom on Wednesday, May 27, at 8:30am.
During “normal” times, students at Haddonfield Memorial High School spend part of the Friday before Memorial Day participating in a variety of activities related to the holiday. On the day itself, members of the Honor Society read a portion of “In Flanders Fields” during the American Legion-sponsored observance at the High School.
Not this year.
To take the place of the regular Memorial Day activities, the Student Council has produced a ten-minute video, viewable HERE.
This Haddonfield Today news story sponsored by Professional Printing Services, 116 Haddon Avenue. 856-429-8644.
By Mary Liz Ivins, President, NJSIAA Executive Committee; Chair, NJSIAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Task Force
In my decades as an educator and school administrator, I’m hard pressed to find a situation as challenging as what we face related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last few months have been painful on many levels, from the heartbreaking loss of life to the millions who have suffered emotional and economic loss. It’s been a harrowing time for everyone. For our students, their lives will be forever changed, from the disruption of academics, to loss of physical contact, to missed social and community opportunities. For our spring sport athletes, both here and around the country, the missed season is understandably upsetting. While the loss of spring play is disappointing, there remains hope for many future opportunities to compete, and that should be our focus moving forward.
As president of the NJSIAA, my primary goal is the safe return to interscholastic play as quickly as possible. We remain optimistic that school activities, including sports, will return in the fall – for students’ physical and mental well-being. With every positive step, we get closer to this goal. As I write, recommendations from the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) Sports Advisory Committee are being circulated and studied and teams of education and medical professionals from around the country — including experts in public health, sports medicine, pediatrics, and others – are developing return-to-school and return-to-play protocols that will ensure everyone a safe return both to school and play. We’re optimistic that these steps will help our kids get back to school and back on the playing field in the fall.
To help ensure that we achieve our objective of a safe return, the NJSIAA has formed, and I will chair, an NJSIAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Task Force. This task force will work with NJSIAA’s member schools, the NJ Departments of Health and Education, the NFHS Sports Medical Advisory Committee and other leading authorities, to provide the association with the best, most up to date guidance to allow New Jersey high school student-athletes to return to athletics as soon as safely possible.
The goal of the task force is to identify and implement both general and sports-specific modifications that will be required by NJSIAA member schools. In the short-term, our efforts will be focused on returning the fall athletes to their sports for the 2020 season. The committee will include Kathy Whalen, NJ Department of Education, Dr. Lakota Kruse, medical director, NJ Department of Health, Division of Family Health Services, and members of our medical advisory committee, including Dr. Jack Kripsak, chair of the NJSIAA Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Damion Martins, team physician and director of Internal Medicine to the New York Jets and a member of the NFL COVID Taskforce, and Dr. Rob Franks, a team physician for USA wrestling and team consultant to the Philadelphia Phillies. NJSIAA assistant director Tony Maselli will serve as the NJSIAA liaison.
In the near-term, NJSIAA strongly believes that students – both as individuals and a team — are well served by appropriate, virtual interaction with their coaches and we will continue to facilitate these important connections.
For all those with a passion to return to play, we ask that you continue your efforts and follow all relevant guidelines, including social distancing and wearing of masks. The fewer cases there are today, the greater the likelihood we will play in the fall. And as we navigate the next few months, it is important that we prepare to be flexible with a new normal. Of course, the timing of our return to school will ultimately be determined by the State of New Jersey. And, it’s important to keep in mind that going back to our school buildings won’t necessarily guarantee an immediate return of athletics. It’s possible that some sports will follow different schedules than others.
During times of uncertainty, it’s not uncommon for rumors to circulate. Often, even well-intended suggestions can trigger an “infodemic” of mis-information. When it comes to high school sports in New Jersey, please reference only reputable information sources, including New Jersey state agencies, the NJSIAA, or the official channels of your school district.
Many obstacles remain. Hard work, patience and flexibility will be required, and at times some may feel deflated. But I’m confident that together, we will help get our kids safely back in the game.
This Haddonfield Today news story sponsored by Haddonfield Financial Planning, 205 Haddon Avenue. 856-795-0471.
The Board of Commissioners will hold their scheduled May 26, 2020 meeting via video, beginning at 7:30pm.
Members of the public who register HERE may watch, and participate at appropriate times. Those who register will receive instructions and a personal link by email. Instructions also will be provided for those who prefer to listen by phone.
Those intending to ask questions or make comments are asked to email Sharon McCullough, the borough administrator, in advance, at [email protected]. Include name and street name for the record.
The executive board of Haddonfield Plays & Players today notified its patrons, actors, crew, staff and extended theatre community that it had “made the difficult decision to suspend theatre operations through summer.”
“Unfortunately, this means that all summer programming including our productions of Picnic, Night at the Oscars, Night of 1000 Plays and 24-Hour Play Festival, as well as our OnStage summer camp program, will not go on as planned.”
The board said it will re-evaluate the remainder of the season during its meeting in September.
“We recognize that, now more than ever, we need to stay connected — with our craft and with each other,” the board said. “We are working on creative new ways to bring you performance opportunities and entertainment experiences and we welcome your suggestions!”
The announcement concluded: “This is only intermission. We are appreciative of your continued support as we plan our next act. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.”
Connect with Haddonfield Plays & Players HERE.