AROUND CRANBURY by Lorraine Sedor: Gourgaud to feature new exhibit

Art is one of many new things in town

By: Lorraine Sedor
   Tonight, the Gourgaud Gallery opens the doors to its newest exhibit, "Three Stories with a View," from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The show features Cranbury artists Colleen Cahill and Amy Amico and Princeton artist Jennifer Cadoff. Refreshments and two Princeton High School a cappella groups will round out the evening.
   The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, Oct. 29.

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   The Cranbury School’s annual eighth-grade car wash will be tomorrow, from 10 a.m. to noon. While the eighth-graders do all the work, you can buy a cup of coffee and a baked treat. Cars are $5 each and vans, trucks and SUVs are $7.
   The car wash will be rescheduled for the spring if it rains.

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   Tuck in your checkerboard napkin and sit down to a delicious spaghetti and meatball dinner on Sunday, Oct. 8 at the Cranbury School cafeteria from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children and seniors.

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   Cranbury is invited to a program presented by the Plainsboro Historical Society on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Plainsboro’s municipal building.
   "The Farmers & Traders Telephone Company," will describe how the company provided Cranbury and other towns with their first telephone services in 1899. Come hear about the party-line days and see the antique telephones.

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   Beginning Oct. 11, Computer Basics for Adults, a series of three classes, will be offered by the Cranbury Public Library on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call the library at 655-0555 to register.

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   The Cranbury Lions Club is holding a design contest for the club’s 75th anniversary.
   All Cranbury residents 18 or older may submit original designs for a wine bottle label. The wine will be the favor at the Lions’ gala next year. Labels may be in any medium, and any color. The label must depict the Lions logo and mention the Cranbury Lions’ 75th anniversary.
   Prizes will be awarded for the best three, and the winner, in addition to receiving dinner for two at Hannah and Mason’s, will have his or her art used as a wine label.
   Entry forms are available from Lions Club President Rick Burke, at 655-8757. Entries can be dropped off to Rick at 35 Washington Rd., to Lion Andre Mento at 1 Chamberlin Ct., or Lion Bob Virgadamo at 1 Holmes Rd. All entries must be received by Sunday, Oct. 15.
   The 75th Anniversary celebration gala will be at Forsgate Country Club on June 23, 2007. Tickets are available from any of the above Lions or from Lions Walt Caldwell, Don Herr or Mahlon Thompson.

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   Alex Charwin, Cranbury School student, will be Sid Sawyer in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer – The Musical," at the Main Street Theatre in Parlin, NJ. Performances are scheduled for Oct. 6,7,13,14,20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. and Oct. 7 and 15 at 2 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling (732) 553-1153, or by visiting the theatre’s Web site at www.smstc.org. The Main Street Theatre is a dessert theatre so bring your sweet tooth along and enjoy!

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   Rob Smithers, CEO of MIERCOM and Cranbury resident, will offer the free seminar "Cranbury Homefront Security" on Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Cranbury Inn. The program will cover home intrusion and burglary, identity theft and fraud, domestic terrorism and violence, internet predators, and computer hackers. Rob’s business specializes in technological solutions to keep businesses and individuals safe. He focuses on IT security, thwarting identity theft and other forms of electronic theft including cyber stalkers and malicious code.
   After Sept. 11, 2001, Rob volunteered for an active duty tour for the global war on terrorism, focusing on antiterrorism training and threat reduction. He spent two years working in domestic security and antiterrorism training and was deployed to Iraq for one year with the Army.
   Seating for the program is limited. To reserve a seat, contact Rob via email at [email protected] or call (609)929-7432.

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   Ten weeks and 14,000 miles later, Joan and Dale Smith are home from their Alaskan adventure. The Smiths drove to Alaska in a small camper seeing much of the lower 48 states, along with spots in Canada.
   Joan and Dale always thought "it would be an amazing thing to do." Since Dale is now retired from his architectural job, they were able to live their dream. Their mode of transportation was so compact that Joan said she had everything within hands’ reach, along with the added benefit of not having to negotiate cities and winding roads in a huge RV. The Smiths preceded their Alaskan drive with a three week visit to China in April and continue to intersperse time in Cranbury with other shorter trips.
   The Alaskan road trip also allowed Joan and Dale to catch up with their sons, Gavin and Quentin, who lived in Colorado and Seattle at the time. Gavin has since moved to New Hampshire, where he is a VISTA volunteer working with high school students and plans to pursue his master’s degree in social work. Quentin’s band, Vaux, continues to soar. The song "Are You With Me?" from the band’s album, "Beyond Virtue Beyond Vice" was recently iTunes’ pick of the week. The band will be touring the East Coast with a show at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park on Nov. 3. Visit the band’s website at www.vauxrock.com.
Residents can reach Ms. Sedor by phone at (609) 655-3386, by e-mail at [email protected], and by mail at 32 Evans Drive, Cranbury, N.J. 08512.