FARRAH MAFFAI Megan Boyle, 6, was one of the children invited to go on stage and perform with M’zume Rhythm Academy before the fireworks display in Marine Park, Red Bank, July 3.
During the week of July 16, the New Era anchor, which rests in the yard of Long Branch firefighter Joseph Hornick in West Long Branch, will be transported to its final resting ground in Allenhurst at St. Andrew’s Church By the Sea. The anchor was recovered off the shore of Asbury Park from an 1854 shipwreck. Over 300 German immigrants died when the ship went down. That shipwreck inspired the formation of the U.S. Coast Guard. Abner Allen was a lighthouse keeper at the time and was the first on the scene. The town of Allenhurst was named after him and members of the Allenhurst Historic Preservation Society, along with the Nova Ceasaria Maritime Preservation society and trustees of the church, decided to give the anchor its final resting ground at the church. A short ceremony will be held on July 21 at 11 a.m. on the church lawn.
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Mayor Adam Schneider, on behalf of the city of Long Branch, is inviting residents to participate in Two Books, One City.
For the event, residents are encouraged to read the same book at the same time. The two books that have been chosen are To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Holes by Louis Sachar. The event was kicked off at Oceanfest on July Fourth. A hundred copies of each book will be distributed by the mayor, council, library and sponsors.
FARRAH MAFFAI Outgoing commander Lt. Col. Stephen N. Wood says goodbye to incoming commander Lt. Col. Anthony D. Reyes after the change of command at Fort Monmouth on June 27.
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The Long Branch Elks fish fry, scheduled for July 5, has been rescheduled for Aug. 2 to be held at the Elks Lodge, 150 Garfield Ave., from 6-8 p.m. The meal is $6.50 per person for a choice of fish or chicken. The money will go toward the Elks parade in Wildwood in which the Long Branch High School marching band will perform.
For more information, call George Hussey, parade chairman, at 222-9742.
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The Long Branch Youth Soccer Club is seeking players for an U10 boys’ team. For further information, call Coach Dominick at (732) 728-0169, or the recreation department at (732) 571-6534.
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The Trinity Rosary Altar Society, Long Branch, will be taking a break for the summer but will resume its meetings on Sept. 16 in St. Joseph’s church hall at 7:30 p.m. under the guidance of President Mary Stout.
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Holy Trinity parish in Long Branch will celebrate its feast day on July 16 with a special dinner to be held in the school auditorium at 408 Prospect St. beginning at 6 p.m. The drawing for the "Super 50/50" will be held at 7:30 p.m. (First prize is $12,500, and there are 10 more prizes of $1,000 each.)
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A bus pilgrimage to Mount St. Mary’s seminary and the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Md., is being sponsored by the Trinity Rosary Altar Society, Long Branch, and Father Dan Swift. The trip will leave at 8 a.m. Oct. 17 and return at approximately 9 p.m. The cost is $40. Pilgrims will enjoy a buffet lunch and have time to visit the basilica of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity as well as the Grotto of Lourdes. Call Blondie for more information, (732) 935-0992.
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The Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf outing will be held on Thursday, Aug. 15 at the Colts Neck Golf Club. The fee is $145 which includes greens fees, a golf cart, locker room facilities, a golf shirt, a continental breakfast, a barbecue lunch and awards. There is a limit of 100 golfers. To attend the luncheon only costs $20. For more information, call (732) 222-0400.
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In memory of firefighter Robert "Bullet Bob" Feeney, who died on Jan. 16 and left behind a wife and four kids, members of the Long Branch Fire Department have created a fund which will assist the Feeney children in paying their college tuition. If you wish to donate to the fund, send a check to: Children of Bob Feeney Educational Fund, P.O. Box 563, Long Branch, NJ 07740.
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Ocean Township will hold its 26th annual Italian Festival Aug. 7-11 at Joe Pailia Park, off of Deal and Whalepond roads. Hours vary: Aug. 7-8 from 5-11 p.m., Aug. 9 from 5-11:30 p.m., Aug. 10 from 4 p.m. to midnight, and Aug. 11 from 4-11 p.m. The festival is expected to attract more than 100,000 people and offers amusements, fireworks, games, raffles, food eating contests, and an Italian street band. Admission is free. For more information, contact Carlo Gallello at (732) 517-1040.
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The Oakhurst Methodist Church will hold a garage sale on Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Look for bargains on bicycles, toys, books, games and household appliances. Don’t forget to stop at the bake sale table. For more information, call (732) 531-1150.
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In Ocean Township, volunteer drivers are need for Meals on Wheels. The program assists homebound seniors living in the township. For more information, call Bob at human services at (732) 222-7737.
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The Ocean Township Historical Museum is selling memorial bricks to raise money. The bricks will be used to construct new pathways on the grounds of the museum and the money raised will support preservation of the 200-year-old Woolley Homestead as a museum. The bricks are priced at $100 each. For information, call the museum at (732) 531-2136, or the bricks committee chairman at (732) 531-9187.
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West Long Branch voters appear destined to have a school bond issue put before them. Councilman Joseph C. Woolley said at the July 3 Borough Council caucus that he understood a $4 million proposal for renovations to the Frank Antonides School, which serves fourth through eighth grade, was in the works and suggested the council invite someone from the Board of Education to come to a council meeting to explain what is planned.
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Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Monmouth County, headquartered in Eatontown, will hold its 13th annual Golf Classic on Sept. 26 at Spring Lake Golf Club. One of only six charitable events hosted at Spring Lake, this is a great opportunity for the general public to support a very worthwhile cause while playing on a "members only" course that has a tradition of excellence in golf. The donation for this event is $300 per individual golfer and $1,650 for a corporate foursome, and includes a full day of golf, club service, lunch and cocktail hour. The money raised will help further the work of BBBS, which matches at-risk children with adult volunteers who act as friends, confidants and mentors.
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The Old First United Methodist Church in West Long Branch will be hosting "Godzwerkus Circus," vacation Bible school, Aug. 12-23. Classes will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information or to preregister, contact the church office at (732) 222-4232, or call Karen Hagerman at (732) 229-4691.
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Monmouth University, West Long Branch, will host an information session 7:30 p.m. July 29 for prospective students interested in its graduate and adult undergraduate programs offered by the five academic schools. The session will take place in the Samuel H. Magill Commons. The programs are being offered by the School of Education, the School of Science, Technology and Engineering, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the School of Business Administration.
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The Monmouth Beach Cultural Center, 128 Ocean Ave., will host an exhibition of needlework by Joan Brearley July 31-Aug. 18.
Admission is free to the center, which is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information, call the cultural center at (732) 229-4527.
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Eatontown Chief of Police William Barnshaw recently joined more than 40 law enforcement executives and completed a five-day police executive institute in-residence law enforcement program. The program was held at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), Madison.
The program was designed for chiefs of police and command level personnel. Barnshaw, an Eatontown resident, participated in workshops on topics such as crisis management theory, tactical planning, media relations, and the combined counter-terrorism response.
It was sponsored by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police in conjunction with FDU’s New College of General and Continuing Studies, Public Administration Institute.
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Congregation Brothers of Israel, 250 Park Ave., Long Branch, will hold a tribute to John and Linda Brockriede Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. at the Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank. The event will take place at an original cast performance of Catskills on Broadway at the theater.
For more information or reservations, call (732) 222-6666.