The Hermitage
335 North Franklin Turnpike Ho-Ho-Kus NJ 07423-1035
Telephone 201-445-8311
Fax 201-445-0437
www.thehermitage.org
info@thehermitage.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Richard A. Sgritta, Executive Director, 201-445-8311, ext. 22,
rsgritta@thehermitage.org
Don Your Masks and Dance!
Masked Ball to Benefit the Hermitage
Woodcliff Lake Hilton Hotel, June 14, 2013
Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ: The Friends of the Hermitage, Inc., is very proud to announce our Honorees
for the 2013 Hermitage Gala: A Masked Ball, to be held at the Woodcliff Lake Hilton Hotel on
Friday, June 14:
Humanitarian Award to a Local Business Owner: Mark Rohsler, Robyn Rohsler Ortiz,
and Bruce Rohsler are fourth-generation operators of Rohsler’s Allendale Nursery &
Florist. The business started in 1913 and is celebrating its 100th Anniversary. The
Rohslers have demonstrated their humanitarian efforts not by supporting not only The
Hermitage but also many other organizations in the area, including the Fell House in
Allendale. They actively support several other business organizations, such as the
Allendale Chamber of Commerce, the Waldwick Chamber of Commerce, and the
Mahwah Chamber of Commerce, to name just a few. They have also been named the
“Best of Bergen” nursery for seven years in a row by (201) Magazine. They are known
for putting their customers first. The Hermitage is proud to honor the Rohslers with this
special award and wish them a very happy 100th Anniversary.
Volunteers of the Year: Catherine and Herb Cooke of Saddle River have been
dedicated volunteers at The Hermitage for the past twelve years. Herb is a former
member of the Board of Trustees; he and Cathy also have been very instrumental in
developing displays used in several exhibits in the galleries of the Hermitage Education
& Conference Center. They have served as docents, providing tours for visitors. Cathy
has been involved in the Annual Gala, the major fundraiser for The Hermitage, for the
past several years and has co-chaired the event on several occasions. Cathy has also
donated dollhouses that she has built for us in displays and to raise funds in our the Silent
Auction. Herb and Cathy's efforts as volunteers are commended by the Friends of the
Hermitage.
In addition to celebrating the honorees’ outstanding achievements, the 2013 Gala will feature
cocktails, dinner, and dancing, as well as a fundraising Silent Auction and a Souvenir Journal.
Proceeds from the Masked Ball support the programs of the Hermitage Museum, which attracts
thousands of individuals—children and adults—each year to tour the historic house or take part
in the various educational activities provided by the professional staff.
To purchase tickets to the 2013 Hermitage Gala: A Masked Ball; to purchase an advertisement in
the Souvenir Journal; or to donate to the Silent Auction, contact the Museum Office at (201)
445-8311, ext. 36, email info@thehermitage.org, or visit the museum’s website at
www.thehermitage.org.
The Hermitage, a National Historic Landmark, is one of the nation’s outstanding examples of
domestic Gothic Revival architecture. The historic house incorporates a stone structure that was
visited during the Revolutionary War by George Washington and was the site where Aaron Burr
met and married Theodosia Prevost. The house’s architectural appearance dates to the 1847
remodeling and enlargement designed by the architect William H. Ranlett. Today, the historic
house’s furnishings reflect the late Victorian lifestyle of the Rosencrantz family. The museum
collection is notable for its historic clothing as well as for personal items and papers related to
the Rosencrantz family who owned and lived in the home from 1807 to 1970.
The Friends of the Hermitage, Inc., a nonprofit membership organization, manages The
Hermitage, a New Jersey State Park. The Friends offer tours of the historic house, exhibitions
based on the collections, and diverse educational programming. For information about The
Hermitage, contact Friends of the Hermitage by mail at 335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-HoKus, NJ 07423; by phone at (201) 445-8311 between (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday); or visit our website at www.thehermitage.org.
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Photographs are available on request by calling or emailing Assistant Director Susan Deeks at
(201) 445-8311, ext. 36, or sdeeks@thehermitage.org.