Notes


CHRIS KELLY staff Brian Rice, Fair Haven, and Buzz Chace, Red Bank, steer an iceboat over the frozen Navesink River on Jan. 24CHRIS KELLY staff Brian Rice, Fair Haven, and Buzz Chace, Red Bank, steer an iceboat over the frozen Navesink River on Jan. 24

Red Bank resident Beverly Hertler recently tied for third place in the "creative" category at the 17th annual quilt competition at Peddler’s Village, Lahaska, Pa. Tying with Hertler was Pat Bochey, Mount Laurel. The competition featured more than 40 handmade quilts, which will be displayed at the Peddler’s Village gazebo through April 4. Quilters competed for more than $1,400 in cash prizes in categories such as "traditional," "creative," and "Amish."

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The Little Silver Garden Club will hold its next meeting Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. at the former Little Silver Women’s Club, Church Street. Guest speaker will be Leslie Dempsey, Middletown, owner of Leslie Dempsey Home Plant Care, who will discuss "Houseplants Beautiful." The design for the club’s competition this month will be "small but sweet." For more information, call Maria at (732) 842-7169.

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CHRIS KELLY staff Fair Haven’s Consuello Lopez pushes a bundled-up Lesley Burke over the Navesink River Jan. 24.CHRIS KELLY staff Fair Haven’s Consuello Lopez pushes a bundled-up Lesley Burke over the Navesink River Jan. 24.

The Monmouth Players, Red Bank, will present "Bus Stop" Jan. 30 and 31 and Feb. 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 8:15 p.m.; and Feb. 8 and 15 at 2:30 p.m. Performances will be held at the Navesink Library Theater, Sears and Monmouth Roads, Navesink section of Middletown. Tickets are $12, and $10 for students and seniors. From the local area, Karen Root, Middletown, is in the role of Grace, with Sarah Tomek of Holmdel as Elma Duckworth. Reservations are required. For reservations or more information, call the theater at (732) 291-9211.

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Red Bank Public Library, 84 W. Front St., will offer the "AARP Tax Aide" program Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m., and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 5-April 15. IRS-trained and certified volunteers will offer free income tax assistance for middle- and low-income residents, with special attention to residents age 60 and older. Residents should bring (if available) this year’s federal and state tax packages; all forms showing income, such as W-2s and 1099s; information for other income, deductions and credits; and copies of last year’s tax forms. For more information, call the library at (732) 842-0690.

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Phoenix Productions, Lincroft section of Middletown, will present "Burlesque!" Feb. 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m.; and Feb. 8 and 15 at 3 p.m. at the Phoenix Studio Theatre, Monmouth and Pearl streets, Red Bank. Tickets are $15 each. The comedy was conceived by Phoenix veteran Todd Aikens, and contains routines such as Abbott and Costello’s "Who’s On First?" For more information, call (732) 747-0014.

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Christ Church United Methodist of Fair Haven, 300 Ridge Road, will begin a 10-week "Alpha Course" Feb. 4 at 6:45 p.m. The free course is an introduction to the Christian faith, and each session includes an informal dinner, group learning time, and small-group discussion and interaction. For reservations or more information, call the church at (732) 741-0234.

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The Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross, Tinton Falls and Toms River, will hold its 2004 Charity Ball kick-off party Feb. 4 from 7-9 p.m. at Merri Maker’s at Water’s Edge, Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright. This year’s ball will honor the Stavola family, which will be presented with the Clara Barton Humanitarian Award. Proceeds assist the Red Cross in immediate emergency service to victims of disasters in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. For more information, call the Red Cross at (732) 493-9100, ext. 230.

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The deadline to file as a candidate for election to a school board is 4 p.m. March 1. Petitions should be picked up and returned to the office of the local school board on which the candidate would like to serve.

The school election, at which board members are selected and school budgets are voted on, is April 20. The deadline to register to vote in the election is March 22 and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is April 13.

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Samples of foods from 20 of the area’s finest restaurants will be served up at a party in Monmouth University’s historic Woodrow Wilson Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, to kick off the 21st annual Monmouth University Scholarship Ball, which will be held May 1. The kick-off event will feature samplings of the restaurants’ specialties, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. There also will be wine and beer samplings from eight top wineries and distributors, plus specialty martinis, frozen margaritas and assorted cocktails and soft drinks.

Tickets to the kick-off party on the West Long Branch campus are $82.50 each, or $165 per couple, and may be obtained by calling Monmouth University’s Office of Special Events at (732) 571-3505. A full night of entertainment is planned, including 50/50 and super gift raffles. There also will be a preview and early bird sale of $1,000 High Rollers raffle tickets for a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which will be on display in Wilson Hall. Only 30 tickets will be sold for this raffle and the winner will be announced at the Scholarship Ball, the theme of which is "Carats and Caviar."

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A program on "The Underground Railroad in New Jersey" will be presented by the Northern Monmouth County Branch of the American Association of University Women at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Eatontown Community Center, 58 Broad St., Eatontown. The presenter will be Sidney Taylor, a descendent of Harriet Tubman. Taylor will bring to life the heroic efforts of Tubman and the active cadre of New Jersey abolitionists who helped lead the slaves to freedom. Tubman is often considered the "conductor" of the Underground Railroad, who risked her own life and limb to smuggle slaves to freedom during the period leading up to the Civil War. During and after the war, she continued her activism as a nurse, a scout, a spy for the North and a tireless advocate for African Americans’ and women’s rights. The program is free and open to the public. For further information, call (732) 747-3635.

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Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Monmouth County will hold its 22nd annual Bowl-For-Kids’-Sake from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Fort Monmouth Bowling Center in Eatontown. BBBS is looking for participants and sponsors to again make the event a success. It hopes to have more than 500 bowlers to heat up the lanes and raise money for BBBS’s mentoring program. All bowlers will receive rewards for their generosity.

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The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is sponsoring a limited $100-a-ticket 50-50 raffle that could net the winner as much as $20,000. A maximum of 600 tickets will sold, and the drawing will be held on Sunday, Feb., 15, at the annual SPCA Valentine Brunch at the Navesink County Club, starting at 11 a.m. The winner need not be present. The first prize is 67 percent of the winning share up to $20,000. The second prize is 17 percent of the winning share up to $5,000. The third prize is 8 percent of the winning share up to $2,500. The fourth prize is 5 percent of the winning share up to $1,500, and the fifth prize is 3 percent of the winning share up to $1,000. All proceeds from the raffle will go directly to benefit shelter animals, many of whom have been neglected, abused or abandoned. For details, call the shelter at (732) 542-3030.

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The American Red Cross 2004 Charity Ball will be held at 7 p.m. March 13 at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. The black-tie event will honor the Stavola Family — all the brothers involved with operation of the Stavola companies, and their spouses — with the Clara Barton Humanitarian Award. Tickets to the gathering are $200 per person with the proceeds helping the Red Cross provide immediate emergency service to victims of disasters in Monmouth and Ocean counties. To make reservations, call the Red Cross’ Tinton Falls office at (732) 493-9100.