CHRIS KELLY Julia Ruth, 18 months, of Shrewsbury plays on a slide at Thompson Park in Middletown on Nov. 21.
"Fort Hancock Christmas in the 1940s" is the theme of the annual Christmas open house being presented this weekend and next weekend at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. For the occasion, History House, a restored home on Officers Row overlooking Sandy Hook Bay, will be decorated with the sights and sounds of Christmas in the 1940s.
The decorated History House will be open from 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7-8 and Dec. 14-15. There will be a special evening open house from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, when period music will be played and refreshments will be served.
Photographs by members of the Monmouth Camera Club will be on exhibit at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library, Route 35, Shrewsbury, Dec. 5-30. There will be a reception for the artists from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. There is no charge.
A free community workshop on stress will be held at the Sea Bright Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10. Dr. Tyler M. Richards, of Long Branch, will instruct the participants on how stress affects the body and offer suggestions on simple things they can do at home to reduce the negative effects of stress.
The Central Jersey Club of the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women’s Clubs Inc., of Asbury Park, is accepting applications for its 2003 annual scholarship awards program for high school seniors in Monmouth and Ocean counties. To receive an application, students must contact the guidance director of their respective high schools. The club’s goal is to assist students who will be matriculating full time at an accredited college or university beginning in September 2003. The deadline for filing applications is Jan. 15. The community-based nonprofit organization has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships. For additional information, contact Melicent Scott, public relations chairperson, at (732) 922-1624.
The Woman’s Club of Little Silver will hold its monthly meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Little Silver Woman’s Club at Church Street and Rumson Road. The program will consist of holiday songs presented by Nancy Schaarf, singer/guitarist. New members are welcome. For more information, call Rita Ulan at (732) 747-3339.
"Food for Thought," a poetry reading to benefit the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, will be held at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library, Route 35, Shrewsbury, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9. People who attend are asked to bring a donation of canned food items for the food bank. For more information, call (732) 842-5995.
The Victoria’s Smile Foundation is presenting "Breakfast with Santa" at the Little Silver Firehouse on Sunday, Dec. 22. Two seatings are available — 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. The charge for the pancake breakfast is $5 for children (kids under 2 are free) and $10 for adults. Checks should be made payable to Victoria’s Smile Foundation and must be received at P.O. Box 155, Rumson 07760, by Dec. 15. The foundation was named for Victoria Seide Mazzucca, who lost her battle with leukemia on April 27, 2002. Proceeds from the breakfast will fund future leukemia research and an interactive Web site where patients diagnosed with leukemia can research treatment options, centers and general information concerning leukemia.
A Christmas bazaar, "Angels of Peace," will be held at the Presbyterian Church at Shrewsbury, Sycamore Avenue, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Items for sale will include toys, other gifts and handmade crafts. There also will be beautiful greens arrangements, poinsettias and home-baked goods. All proceeds are dedicated to local, national and international mission projects. For more information, call (732) 747-3557.
A free program on "Managing Your Retirement Income" will be presented by American Express financial advisors at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library, Route 35, Shrewsbury. The library also will host a free program, "How to Start and Manage Your Own Business," presented by SCORE (Service Corps Of Retired Executives) at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. For more information, call (732) 842-5995.
Fans of The Sopranos may have spotted actor James Gandolfini, who portrays moody mobster Tony Soprano, among the throng of people at Red Bank’s Holiday Express concert and tree lighting Friday on Broad Street. Gandolfini was spotted standing a few rows back from the stage with his daughter sitting on her dad’s shoulders. Several Broad Street sightings were reported, including Gandolfini’s stops at Ashes Cigar Club, Funk & Standard Variety Store and A Time to Kiln.
The Tower Hill Choir of First Presbyterian Church in Red Bank will present its annual Christmas concert, Light Eternal, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. Under the direction of Charles Harris, director of music, the choir will present two works, "An Early American Service of Lessons and Carols" by Tim Sharp and the traditional "Service of Lessons and Carols" which has become a tradition for the choir during the advent and Christmas season. The second half of the concert will be "Light Eternal" by John Michael Talbot. The choir will be accompanied by a small orchestra for the piece, which will feature Robert Morris, tenor, with additional accompaniment by Rick Lawler on guitar.
There will be a free will offering during the concert and child care for kindergarten ages and younger will be provided for requests made prior to Dec. 9. For more information, or to make a child care reservation, call (732) 747-1329.
Six students from the Red Bank Primary School met Bill Cosby on Nov. 23 at the Count Basie Theater and presented him with a school sweatshirt and banner. The students, Vincent Sapienzo, Ricardo Hernandez, Jordan Clifton, Briana Walton, Violet Preston and Jazmiera Smothers, were chosen by teachers based on written and oral assignments. Cosby encouraged them to work hard in school. The students were accompanied by Karen Leoncavallo, principal of the school.
"A Program of Light Operatic Songs from the Victorian Era" will be the program at the monthly musical coffee hour hosted by The Monmouth Arts Foundation Music Association. The free program by soprano Amy Fredericks, Colts Neck, will take place Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. in the community room of the Eastern branch of the Monmouth County Library, Route 35, Shrewsbury. For more information, call (732) 741-7237,
The Student Chapter of Amnesty International at Brookdale Community College will sponsor a Human Rights Concert on International Human Rights Day, Dec. 10. The free program will begin at 11:45 a.m. in the new Student Life Center and continue until 5:30 p.m.
Guest speakers, local bands, musicians, and poetry readings are scheduled. Information about local human rights groups will be available. Proceeds from various sales will benefit human rights groups.
Colleen Kelly, New York Area Coordinator for September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, will be the opening speaker. Her organization is an advocacy group, founded by family members of 9/11 victims, that seeks peaceful responses to terrorism. David Cline, a Vietnam combat veteran and president of the national organization Veterans for Peace, will also speak. The event is free, but a voluntary donation at the door will benefit human rights groups. For information, call (732) 224-2623.
The Monmouth Conservatory of Music will present its Children’s Opera Chorus Holiday Celebration Concert Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Michael’s Church, 800 Ocean Ave., Long Branch. The program will include excerpts from Handel’s Messiah, settings of popular carols and other holiday-season works. Admission is $10, and $5 for children and seniors. For information, call (732) 741-8880.
Just in time for the holiday season, the nonprofit Woman’s Exchange of Monmouth County has a complete stock of handmade items such as Christmas stockings and ornaments, knitted children’s wear, toys, and home decorating items. The exchange also carries Vera Bradley handbags, and Byers Choice carolers. The 68-year-old exchange donates proceeds to several local charities.
Store hours are Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Woman’s Exchange is at 32 Church St., Little Silver. For more information, call the Woman’s Exchange at (732) 741-1164.
On Dec. 10, the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Tower Singers and third-graders from Dean Porter School in Rumson will take part in the Christmas tree lighting at Victory Park at 7 p.m. Students from the two schools will be singing holiday tunes separately and together.
On Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rumson Fair Haven High School auditorium, the Tower Singers, symphonic band, orchestra, jazz ensemble and the Band of the Two Rivers will perform in the annual holiday concert.
There is no charge for admission to either event. All are invited to attend.
Betty Buckley will perform at the Count Basie Theatre at 99 Monmouth St. on New Year’s Eve 8-10 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $100 to attend.
The Monmouth Civic Chorus will perform Handel’s Messiah and Christmas "Pops" concert Dec. 22 at 4 p.m. at Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank. Tickets range from $15-$40 for the concert, which will be directed by the chorus’ Mark Shapiro.
For more information or tickets, call (732) 933-9333.
SCAN Learning Center, Monmouth Mall, Eatontown, will welcome economist Joel L. Naroff Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. Naroff will discuss the state of the economy and how it directly affects individuals.
Naroff is chief economist for Commerce Bancorp. He has been quoted in national business publications and has appeared on the television shows The World News Tonight and The News Hour With Jim Lehrer.
Admission is free to SCAN members. Membership is open to seniors age 50 and older, and is free. For more information, call the Learning Center at (732) 542-1326.