Norkus Foodtown will host its first Summer Kickoff Family Fun Days May 20-21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its Park Avenue, Freehold, location. The event will feature a fire truck from the Free-hold Fire Department, bicycle safety lessons from the Freehold Borough Police Department, information on alcohol awareness, prizes and giveaways, a radio broadcast, face painting, hot dogs and Italian sausage sandwiches, soda and water, and 25-foot inflatable slides for the children.
New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, Monmouth-Ocean chapter, will host a dinner networking meeting with the chapter’s officer installation May 18 at 6 p.m. at the Sheraton in Eatontown. All are welcome to attend. The cost is $35 for members and $40 for all others, and reservations are required by May 12. For reservations, call Jill Caren, (732) 264-8838.
SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) Chapter 36 of Monmouth County, an affiliate of the U.S. Small Business Administration, is offering a free workshop, “How to Buy a Business or a Franchise,” 6:30-8:30 p.m. May 17 at Monmouth County Library Headquar-ters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan. Registration is urged but not required.
Bill Belgard and Joseph Wasilewski, two experts in business development, will offer information on the legal and financial steps of buying a business or a franchise, including the formal business plan, start-up costs, and the not-always-obvious pitfalls.
To register, call (732) 219-9119. For further details, visit www.score36.org.
Vince Scanelli of Colts Neck, an exclusive agent with the Bridgewater-based Allstate New Jersey Insurance Co., recently presented a special-needs financial planning program during a seminar sponsored by the Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC). The seminar was held at the Branchburg Child’s Play Center in Branchburg Commons.
Scanelli, a longtime volunteer with the nonprofit COSAC and the parent of a child with autism, also presented a special-needs financial planning workshop recently at The Arc of Monmouth, Tinton Falls. He also serves on COSAC’s board of trustees.
Through Scanelli’s volunteer activities, the Allstate Foundation supports COSAC’s efforts to promote economic empowerment and special-needs financial planning, and in 2005 awarded a $4,800 grant to the Ewing-based nonprofit.
Central Jersey Business Profes-sionals is an independent, formal networking group that meets in Freehold every Tuesday at 8 a.m. The organization accepts one person per occupation and is currently looking to grow its membership. Details: Aaron Niederman, (732) 922-6300, ext. 35.
Shau-wai Lam, president and CEO of the DCH Auto Group, will be one of the recipients of the 2006 Ellis Island Medals of Honor to be presented May 13 at a gala in the historic Great Hall on Ellis Island. The award recognizes distinguished American citizens of diverse origins who have made important contributions to the U.S.
Under Lam’s leadership, the DCH Auto Group has won numerous awards from its franchisors, as well as being honored in 2006 with 30 J.D. Power and Associates Dealer of Excellence awards for outstanding sales experience.
DCH has 16 factory-franchised deal-erships across the state, including DCH Freehold Toyota, DCH Freehold Nissan, and Saturn of Freehold, all of Freehold Township; DCH Academy Honda, Old Bridge; DCH Kay Honda, Eatontown, and Saturn of Eatontown; and DCH Brunswick Toyota and Saturn of Bruns-wick, both of North Brunswick.
Babies “R” Us, Manalapan, will celebrate Mother’s Day with a “Baby Fest” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 13. The event will offer seminars, product displays and demonstrations, games and activities, including Avanti Spa with tips on relaxation, Stroller Strides demonstrating walking exercise techniques, a May Kay product demonstration, New York Sports Club, Health Her Way speaker Marion Marchese on yoga, and Logic Nutrition. The store is at 17 Route 9 south, at Craig Road. Details: www.babiesrus.com.
The Young Professionals Group (YPG) of the Western Monmouth Cham-ber of Commerce will host a “mix and mingle” with cocktails and karaoke, 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 16 at Clifton’s, 618 Park Ave., Freehold. The fee is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. To register, call the chamber at (732) 462-3030, fax (732) 462-2123, or send e-mail to [email protected].
AtHome America announced that two Howell residents recently started their own AtHome America business, a direct seller of home-decorating accents. They are: Barbara Ghaffari, bghaffari4
@yahoo.com, (732) 938-4922; and Jenna Minnuies, [email protected], (732) 458-0760.