Surprise! Fair Lawn Residents Celebrate 80th and 90th Birthdays

Long time Borough of Fair Lawn residents Flora and Louis Benvenuto celebrated a combination Surprise 80th and 90th Birthday Party with 75 of their closest friends and relatives from around the world.

The task of planning the surprise party fell to the three children Assunta, Domenick and Vincent. The event was held Saturday night at the Fair Lawn Athletic Club and was skillfully catered by Caputo's Catering. The food was great as was the live music.

But the night belonged to the Flora and Louis who will also celebrate 60 years of marriage in December of 2013.

The Borough of Fair Lawn Towne Crier, Tim "Oy Yea" Yuskaitis delivered a Pronouncement of Congratulations...in Italian, to the crowd of well wishers and the guests of honor. A rousing "Three Cheers" was given for Flora and Louis.

Along with this were Letters of Congratulations from the Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, Congressman Scott Garrett and a notification from the President of the United States, Barack Obama that a letter from the highest office in the land will be forthcoming.

There were also congratulatory letters from the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Kathleen Donovan the Bergen County Executive.

However, the most moving presentation was given by Deputy Mayor Jeanne Baratta on behalf of the Borough of Fair Lawn and Mayor John Cosgrove. Flora and Louis were born in Italy and found a life for themselves and a place to raise a family in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. As the Proclamation was read the tears were streaming as emotions began to overtake all those in attendance.

And so let it be known that in the Borough of Fair Lawn in the County of Bergen in these United States of America that now and forever June 15, 2013 will be known as "Louis and Flora Benvenuto Day". Congratulations.