AROUND CRANBURY by Lorraine Sedor: Winter is fun, despite mild weather

AROUND CRANBURY by Lorraine Sedor: Groups take advantage of unseasonable weather

By:Lorraine Sedor
   Unquestionably mild weather has not stopped the Cranbury Girl Scouts from enjoying wintry fun.
   Last weekend, girls from the sixth through ninth-grade troops, leaders and parents traveled to Blue Mountain in the Poconos for snowboarding, tubing and skiing. Snowmaking at the slopes made it all possible.
   The girls, used to roughing it on most of their trips, enjoyed luxurious accommodations that included a welcoming reception and movie at the pool.
   Not to be outdone, the Cranbury Boy Scouts are headed out next weekend to the Mercer Area District Klondike Derby, which is held at Jack Frost Mountain.
   The boys will rough it, camping and cooking outdoors and competing in a sled race, whatever the weather.
   On Sunday, the Scouts will enjoy a day at the slopes before heading home, no doubt with many a story to tell.

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   Melissa Levine, daughter of Marian and Ken Levine of Washington Drive, celebrated her 23rd birthday in spectacular fashion — by climbing to the top of Masada in Israel.
   Masada, Hebrew for fortress, is situated atop an isolated rock cliff at the western end of the Judean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. Ms. Levine describes it is a place of gaunt and majestic beauty.
   A graduate of Cranbury School and a member of the Princeton High School class of 2000, Ms. Levine earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in photography at the Rhode Island School of Design in June 2004.
   Following graduation, she decided to travel and volunteer at several kibbutzim in Israel. She is currently at Ma’Barot near Netanya, not far from Tel Aviv.
   At the kibbutz, she is assigned to tend to a world-renowned koi fish farm. She is working in the ponds feeding and caring for the fish.
   She says the work is back-breaking at times, but she loves it and is having a good time. Ms. Levine says the fish are very beautiful and she views each one as a work of art.
   After working at Ma’Barot, she will do some more traveling and move to another kibbutz, probably in southern Israel. She is planning to return to Cranbury in the spring.

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   The Cranbury Golden Age Neighbors will hold their monthly meeting on Sunday, Jan.16, at noon in the Cranbury School cafeteria. The meeting will start with a covered dish meal.
   Following lunch, the club will enjoy the vocal music of a double quartet from the Men of Harmony, who have made three recent appearances in town. Cranbury’s own Monty Hagerty will accompany the group on the piano.
   All seniors in Cranbury and the surrounding area are invited to enjoy the music, food and fellowship and consider joining the club.
   Please bring your own place setting and a covered dish, vegetable or salad. The Lioness Club, which is sponsoring the January meeting, will provide rolls, dessert and coffee.

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   Young Cranbury artists are reminded that next Friday, Jan. 21, is the final date to submit artwork for consideration in the upcoming exhibit "Young at Art III."
   The Cranbury Arts Review Committee (ARC) hosts this annual exhibit of artwork by Cranbury students in the Gourgaud Gallery.
   All students in grades 2 through 12 are invited to submit up to two entries. All works will be subject to a jurying process.
   Application forms are available on-line at [email protected].
   Please note that all pieces must be framed to the Arts Review Committee’s specifications prior to submission. Please refer to the application for additional details.

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   More than 180 middle school students had a great time at Jamfest last week, raising $966 for Save the Children and tsunami relief.
Residents can reach Ms. Sedor by phone at (609) 655-3386, by fax at (609) 655-1613, by e-mail at [email protected] or by mail at 32 Evans Drive, Cranbury, N.J. 08512.