Community Corner

Bloomingdale's Favorite 'Neighbor' Plans to Stay Busy

100-year-old Budd Bennett said he will just continue to do what he is doing.

Lawrence "Budd" Bennett does not have any intricate New Year's resolutions.

"I just keep busy, that's all," he said.

The said he does have plans, however, to stay active with his volunteer work for the

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We asked readers which Know Your Neighbor they would most like to read an update on, and Bennett overwhelmingly, in our poll.

In October, with a special party at the Bloomingdale Firemen's Hall. Bennett said after his local party, he was thrown a few more, including a party by the Passaic County Assessor's Association.

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"The waitress came out with a great big cake!" he said.

Now that the hype from his birthday has somewhat died down, Bennett said he plans to "keep on doing what I'm doing" in 2012. This includes waking up each morning, taking a peek outside and seeing what the sun is up to, he said.

On a daily basis, Bennett said he has many chores to do around the house, but at least once a month he volunteers his time to assist with the Bloomingdale Fire Department's ziti dinner.

"I devote all my spare time to the fire department," he said.

In preparation for the dinner, Bennett and his neighbor and long-time friend Ray Fetherman go to the store to purchase vegetables so that Bennett can make a salad to feed about 200 people. Once he's at the dinner, Bennett has what was once described to him as a rather "dangerous job."

He is responsible for dessert, he said, and when he walks out of the kitchen with a tray full of chocolate puddings, he can barely set the tray down before the women approach him and take the puddings off the tray.

Bennett said he will also be preparing for the fire department's annual anniversary dinner in March.


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