FOR MELINDA CHENG, music and dance have always sparked joy and provided an outlet to distract from reality. This was true when she was 11, and her family fell on hard times after her father suffered a catastrophic stroke that left him disabled. Cheng found herself drawn to Latin music, particularly that of Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, even forming a fan club for the group to keep herself busy and focused on something positive despite her life being upended. And as an adult,

THERE ARE, hobbyists, and then there are Hobbyists. They have much in common but are not the same. All are engaged in an activity they enjoy and that brings them fulfillment, whether it’s a craft, a sport, or a more cultural pursuit like travel, music, or fine wines. For Hobbyists with a capital H, though, there’s an essential added element of social engagement, fellowship, and opportunities to engage in local humanitarian work with other retired gentlemen in Ridgewood and s

AFTER DECADES OF supporting and championing the Ridgewood Public Library independently, the Friends of the Ridgewood Public Library and the Ridgewood Public Library Foundation have come together as one unified organization: The Friends Foundation of the Ridgewood Public Library. This merger empowers the 501(c)(3) to have a stronger focus on fundraising and support activities. Thanks to donors’ generosity, the Friends Foundation contributed more than $500,000 to the library o

FOR JOANNE AND  Jim Charles, life’s story is written in both science and harmony. Their marriage—rooted in medicine, music, and mutual respect—has shaped a life of service, both to their patients and to the Ridgewood community they’ve called home for more than three decades. A SERENDIPITOUS BEGINNING Their story began in 1978 at Saint Mary Hospital in Hoboken, New Jersey. Joanne, one of the first nurses in New Jersey to earn a Master of Science in Nursing from Hunter College,

WHEN RIDGEWOOD  resident Stacey Antine, MS, RDN, founder and director of the HealthBarn Foundation, learned she had been named the Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund (TCF) Ambassador of Hope, her thoughts immediately turned to the journey that started it all. “This honor brings back so many wonderful memories—it feels like no time has passed at all,” Antine says. “10 years ago, TCF said ‘yes’ to offering Healing Meals to families in need, and that powerful partnership continues today

ON A BEAUTIFUL LATE  October homecoming weekend, the Ridgewood High School Alumni Association inducted three new members into their Distinguished Alumni family, the highest honor bestowed upon RHS alumni. This year’s inductees included: renowned dog-rescue advocate and pioneer, Peter Rork (class of 1971); visionary education leader and LearnerStudio founder, Kim Smith (class of 1985); and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist and TV host, Willie Geist (class of 1993). Eac

IN THE HEART of downtown Ridgewood, Cenia New York quietly redefines elegance, empowerment, and entrepreneurial grit. Founded by designer Cenia Paredes, it is more than a retail space—it’s the culmination of a dream that began in a small home in the Dominican Republic and now thrives on Franklin Avenue. A CHILDHOOD STITCHED WITH INSPIRATION Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Paredes’ earliest memories hum with the sounds of her mother’s sewing machine. “My first true spar

THIS YEAR MARKS the 60th anniversary season of Ridgewood’s Ars Musica Chorale. From Baroque to Bernstein, folksongs to opera, Ridgewood’s community chorale was founded by Joyce Keshner on the belief that choral music should be both excellent and accessible. Originally established as the Paramus Chorale, the ensemble was subsidized by the Paramus Recreation Commission and performed its first concert on Dec. 18, 1966, featuring Baroque works by Bach, Vivaldi, and Haydn. Keshne

GARY AND HIS WIFE  have called Ridgewood home since 1993, raising their son through the entire Ridgewood school system, from Willard Elementary to Ridgewood High. He’s been active in the Ridgewood Baseball and Softball Association (where he and fellow board members created the Opening Day Fair), he currently serves on the Board of Rockland Center for the Arts, and he’s a partner at the Bergen County-based law firm Kantrowitz Goldhamer and Graifman, P.C. When he’s not reading

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