By Jude Toohey
Orange Republican Town Committee
Jude Toohey
March has truly lived up to its reputation, coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb. It is hard to believe how quickly the weeks fly by. While I often comment on how quickly time fpasses, I am especially glad to say that winter is behind us and spring has officially arrived. Now if only the weather would catch up with the calendar. I hope everyone enjoys a beautiful spring season filled with joy, sunshine, family time and new beginnings.
March also brought an important milestone for our Orange Republican Town Committee. At our recent meeting, members gathered to elect our executive board for the 2026–2028 term. I want to thank everyone who came out to support our town, our committee and the candidates on the slate. Congratulations to our newly elected officers: Chairman Chad Lombardi, Vice Chairman Jude Toohey, Secretary Annie Gloria and Treasurer Phyllis Kraut.
I also extend my deepest gratitude to Debbie Esposito for her outstanding leadership and dedication over the past two years as treasurer. Her hard work has made a real difference, and we are grateful she will continue to support our efforts in the months ahead.
Many residents may not be familiar with the role of the committee. We are continually active and look forward to volunteering in the coming months. While our primary mission is to help elect Republican candidates who share our values, we are so much more than that. We are moms, dads, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, friends and neighbors who deeply care about Orange.
We are committed to responsible growth, strong schools, a thriving business community and good government that serves all our residents. We respect our town leaders and work collaboratively to keep Orange moving forward while honoring its proud heritage.
We encourage everyone to get involved. We strongly believe in moving forward; however, we believe our strength is in our history along with our concern for our neighbors and their families.
Our members stay active in the community year-round. You will find us volunteering at local festivals and fairs, supporting the Senior Center, helping with the Fireman’s Carnival, and cooking and serving meals for our veterans, just to name a few of the many ways we give back. We have planned several fun community events for the coming months:
– A pickleball tournament on Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 401 Boston Post Rd. in Orange.
– A Cinco de Mayo Celebration on Tuesday, May 5.
– A Freedom Family Picnic with a date to be announced soon.
More activities and events will be added as the season progresses. If you have any questions about the ORTC, please reach out. Anyone wishing to get involved in any way, you can contact us at ORTC.Secretary@gmail.com. We would love to welcome new members and hear from our neighbors.
Here’s to a productive and enjoyable 2026–2028 term – getting to know more of our wonderful community and working together to keep Orange a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Jude Toohey is the vice chair of the Orange Republican Town Committee.