Business Briefs

The Cream Ridge Winery, Route 539, Upper Freehold Township, will hold a fiesta benefit for the Foundation for the Assistance of Abandoned Children. Two of the winemakers’ grandchildren were adopted through the foundation.

The benefit will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 11. The cost is $10 for adults, and children can attend for free. Proceeds will go to the foundation to help children who have been left behind.

Participants will receive a glass with admission. There will be wine and barrel tasting as well as tours of the winery. Participants can also sample a variety of salsas and Spanish cuisine. Children can have a try at the piata and have their faces painted. The winery will also release its sangria, sweet Riesling and cranberry wine.

For more information, call (609) 259-9797.

Shelley Edelman announced the opening of her new specialty boutique, Knit 1 Purl 2, located on the second floor of the Plaza 9 shopping center at 133 Route 9 south in Marlboro. The opening will be held March 6.

Formerly Knit & Purl, the new venture will carry a full suite of yarn and accessories, ranging from basics to novelty items related to knitting and crocheting. In addition, the new boutique will provide customers with personalized services such as pattern design and custom measurements. Edelman will also offer a schedule of classes. For more information call (732) 536-6050.

Marty Moose Party Place, formerly known as Kidzone, is under new management. The business is located at 54 Thoreau Drive at Poets Square, Freehold Township.

The facility hosts children’s customized parties, and is open for “open play dates” weekdays from 10 a.m to 2:30 p.m. For more information, call (732) 431-8775.

The FirstEnergy Foundation has provided a $10,000 grant to the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts. The FirstEnergy Foundation is funded solely by FirstEnergy Corp., parent company of Jersey Central Power & Light.

The grant will support the training of adult volunteers in the council’s Activity Center.

Roberta Sheridan, area manager for JCP&L, is an active member of the Board of Directors for the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts and serves as the chairperson of the Corporate Division for the Capital Campaign.

Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts serves more than 12,000 girls throughout Monmouth and northern Ocean counties in conjunction with a group of nearly 4,000 adult volunteers.

“Roundtable Potpourri” will be the theme of the monthly general meeting of the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce at 11:30 a.m. March 23 at Clifton’s, 618 Park Ave., Freehold.

Each table will have a topic, and subjects may include cost-saving tips, advertising that works, building effective networks, employee/management issues, and operational work-flow control. Suggestions for other topics may be sent to the chamber office for consideration. Each participant will have the opportunity to choose three table-topics. The fee is $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers and includes luncheon and program. For reservations, call (732) 462-3030; fax (732) 462-2123, or e-mail info@wmchamber.com.

The Women in Business Committee, sponsored by the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, will meet at 8:30 a.m. March 28 at the Cornerstone Caffe, 2 E. Main St., Freehold. The program, “Managing and Maximizing Life’s Greatest Asset: Your Time!,” will be presented by Susan Koval, certified business coach for Action International.

The fee is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers and includes the program and breakfast. For reservations, call (732) 462-3030; fax (732) 462-2123, or e-mail info@wmchamber.com.

“Buying a Business Franchise: What Will It Take?” will be presented by Arthur M. Peslak, a partner in the Freehold law firm of Mandel & Peslak, and Joseph Wasilewski, a certified public accountant, of Lincroft, at 6:30 p.m. March 8 at the Wall Public Library, 2700 Allaire Road, Wall Township. The free seminar is sponsored by SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) Chapter 36 and will cover the legal and financial aspects of buying an existing business.

To register, call Arthur Peslak at (732) 761-1610.

National Pavers, of Manalapan, owned and operated by township resident Chris Viola, took first-place honors for residential paving stones in Anchor Concrete’s annual contest. Anchor is the largest manufacturer of concrete pavers and retaining wall systems in New Jersey, according to the press release. National Pavers also was honored with the award for design of residential retaining walls.