Growing up in North Jersey, Joanne Gebhardt never expected she would play such an important role in one of South Jersey’s most historic towns.
Growing up in North Jersey, Joanne Gebhardt never expected she would play such an important role in one of South Jersey’s most historic towns.
“I feel like I am making a contribution to the community, and also enhancing my knowledge of the history of this area of Southern New Jersey,” she said.
Gebhardt, the first female town crier in Haddonfield, became a crier in February 2017, after the other criers thought she would be an asset to the team and persuaded her to join their organization.
“They were hoping that by me joining up as a crier, other women in the area might also be interested and we could add some more girl power to our ranks,” Gebhardt said. “They were emphatic about wanting a female to join because it had never been done before.”
Coming into her new position Gebhardt was nervous she may not fit in or be readily accepted. She thought historians with a strict interpretation of the colonial period would not consider her role as a town crier to be “authentic enough,” because those roles were always filled by men, according to Gebhardt. However, looking back at the past year, she feels the opposite has occurred.
“The male criers welcomed me with open arms, and the reaction of the public has been very supportive,” Gebhardt said. “Most people I meet when dressed as a crier compliment me on the costume and say they love it that a female is doing this job.”
Her favorite part of being a town crier is wearing her costume proudly. When she isn’t a town crier, Gebhardt is a professional massage therapist, so she acknowledges she never gets the opportunity to “ring the bell and shout” in other aspects of her day-to-day life.
Although it takes an hour or more to get dressed for an event, it provides residents with a complete experience. Town criers, including Gebhardt, can be seen at many of the events in and around town, including the annual Mayor’s Breakfast, Lions Pancake Breakfast, borough commission meetings, the Skirmish battle in June on Kings Highway, the 4th of July parade, the beer tasting at the Indian King Tavern and others. The criers also play a role behind the scenes by going around town and distributing fliers for upcoming events, according to Gebhardt.
‘’I feel good that I am doing a service to the community by spreading the word about the Indian King Tavern and its many events throughout the year,’’ Gebhardt said.
When Gebhardt isn’t spending time with her three grandchildren, she can be found volunteering her time as a town crier, a position she plans to share one day with her grandchildren.
“We are all volunteers who give up our free time and weekends to support the Indian King Tavern and its events, as well as being available upon request to any (municipal) organization that sponsors an event,” Gebhardt said. “It has been wonderful discovering all of the cultural events and things that Haddonfield and the surrounding towns offer, and I am happy to be an active part of the community.’’
