BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS: PMA update and calling all Kid CEOs

Bradley Koltz
   The Spirit of Princeton Memorial Day Parade will start at 10 a.m. on May 26 from the corner of Princeton Avenue and Nassau Street and it will conclude at a short ceremony in front of Princeton Borough Hall. For more information, visit spiritofprinceton.org.
   PMA update
   The Princeton Merchants Association’s May meeting featured a presentation by Tyler Vernon, co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Biltmore Capital Advisors on the challenges and opportunities of local business ownership, as well as ideas and observations about marketing and key employee retention.
   Elizabeth Casparian, executive director of HiTOPS announced that the Princeton-based nonprofit will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with a half marathon on Nov. 4.
   Lori Rabon, general manager of the Nassau Inn, shared that HiTOPS will also be the beneficiary of this summer’s Waiters’ Race on July 12.
   Jack Morrison provided an update on the association’s work with the state Department of Transportation to minimize the impact of the test planned for this coming August, September and October to assess restricting access to Princeton from Route 1.
   For more information, visit www.princetonmerchants.org.
Calling kid CEOs
   The five-time Atlantic League Champion Somerset Patriots and Lorelei Staffing have teamed up to hire a Kid CEO for the 2012 season. Interviews were conducted during the Patriots Fan Fest event on April 14 and six finalists have been selected.
   The six finalists are Hayley Klein, a sixth grader from Hillsborough; Jonathan Deneka, a sixth grader from Stewartsville; Brandon Schmitt, a third grader from Woodbridge; Evan Blake, a sixth grader from East Brunswick; James Killeen, a sixth grader from South Bound Brook; and James Roberts, a fourth grader from Somerville.
   All six finalists will be attending the Patriots game against the Camden Riversharks on Saturday, May 26, to address the crowd on why they believe they should be selected as the Kid CEO.
   As the Kid CEO, a young fan will follow front office staff members during the games to learn about ticketing, merchandising, promotions, media, marketing and ballpark operations.
   The Kid CEO will sit in on Patriots staff meetings and write about the experiences he/she has in the position. The Kid CEO will also receive a personalized Somerset Patriots jersey, tickets to five games, a ceremonial first pitch for a game, and a meet and greet with manager Sparky Lyle and the players.
   This is the fifth year that the team will name a Kid CEO.
   For more information or for tickets, call (908) 252-0700 or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
Same mission, new name
   The Crisis Ministry recently announced its new name: The Crisis Ministry of Mercer County Inc. It had been called The Crisis Ministry of Princeton and Trenton since its founding in 1980 by Princeton’s Nassau Presbyterian Church and Trinity Church.
   The organization is assuming the 501 (c) 3 charitable organization designation previously held by Princeton Outreach Projects Inc. (POPI). POPI incorporated as an umbrella organization in 1992 to streamline some of the administrative operations of the Crisis Ministry and three sister programs, all of which previously spun off.
   The former sister programs were Trenton Children’s Chorus, Trenton After School Program, and Housing Initiatives of Princeton.
   The Crisis Ministry of Mercer County Inc. partners with the community to achieve stability for neighbors in need. It serves some 1,300 households each month through far-reaching programs in hunger prevention, homelessness prevention, and work force development. The Crisis Ministry partners with the community nursing program of Capital Health System to hold free, bi-monthly health screenings hosted by First Presbyterian Church of Trenton. It also provides bi-lingual nutrition education classes led by a certified nutritionist through the Rutgers Extension Service.
   The Crisis Ministry’s active partners include 60 congregations of different faiths, businesses, private foundations, schools and colleges, civic groups, hundreds of volunteers and individual donors, and the public sector. Visit thecrisisministry.org or call 609-396-9355.
Dance off
   Pennington’s CaRu Entertainment will be hosting the first of two open call auditions on June 9 for its 2013 Competitive Company. Dancers of all levels from the ages of 7 to 18 are encouraged to attend to be considered for spots on the highly selective CaRu Crew competition team.
   Candidates will be required to attend an assigned time slot on June 9, and will be expected to perform basic dance skills and choreography taught by CaRu instructors for a panel of judges. Appropriate dance attire and dance shoes are required.
   Members chosen for the team will perform at local, regional and national events and competitions. The season will begin Sept. 6.
   In its first year as a studio, CaRu Entertainment is already making a name for itself in the tri-state area. At one of the 2012 CaRu Crew’s recent regional competitions, 14 out of 16 dances were overall winners. They were pitted against teams from all over the East Coast.
   For more information on the CaRu Entertainment Competition Company or to register for the June 9 auditions, email [email protected].
Job fair
   Part of “Hamilton Business Month” – a collaborative effort between Hamilton Township, the Hamilton Economic Development Advisory Commission, the Hamilton Partnership and the Hamilton Chapter of the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce – Hamilton’s Job Fair will take place on Tuesday, June 19, at Cedar Gardens Banquet & Conference Center, located at 661 State Highway 33 in Hamilton, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Admission to the job fair is free for all Hamilton residents.
Pave and save
   Hicks Paving will honor all competitors’ coupons and discount prices. They’ve been paving parking lots, tennis courts, streets, roads and driveways since 1960. Call 973-543-6500 or 800- 834-7741, or visit them online at www.hickspaving.com for more information.
ETS and Toastmasters
   Educational Testing Service volunteered as the host site for over 150 students participating in a free, nine week public speaking and leadership program designed to help children gain confidence and skills in both areas. Studies indicate that the number one fear most people suffer is the fear of public speaking.
   The children participating in the ETS Toastmasters program have been able to turn public speaking from a fear to a lifelong lasting skill. The ETS Office of the Social Investment Fund (OSIF) has supported the Youth Leadership Program for almost 8 straight years.
   The children, ages 6 to 16, voluntarily participated in a 9-week program hosted at the Educational Testing Service facilities in Princeton where they were mentored by several local Toastmasters Clubs and Club members.
   Among the participating clubs were: The ETS Toastmasters; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Bull Masters (from Bank of America, formerly Meryl Lynch, in Ewing Township); and the Princeton Toastmasters.
   Members from each club volunteered to lead the Youth Leadership Program every Saturday morning.
   ”After nine weeks, the graduation program is a tremendous celebration,” says program founder Jean Shipos from the ETS Toastmasters Club. “We have some of the youngest kids up on stage side-by-side with high school age kids. All equally delivering effective, imaginative speeches.”
   The Youth Leadership program is operational because of the generosity of ETS and it is the largest program of its kind in the United States. The program is modeled after the principles of Toastmasters, a worldwide Communication and Leadership organization for adults, ages 18 and up.
   ”The only way we have been able to even be operational,” says Shipos, “is because ETS virtually gives us its entire facility at no cost to the children or parents for the entire program.”
Congratulations
   Prudential Fox & Roach, Realtors, congratulated Dale Parello, a Hamilton-Robbinsville Home Marketing Center Sales Associate named by Five Star Professional as one of the New Jersey area recipients of the 2012 Five Star Real Estate Agent award.
Great eats east of Route 1
   Fiddleheads Restaurant of Jamesburg is celebrating its “Festival of Fiddleheads” with a special menu. Check it out on their website at www.fiddleheadsjamesburg.com. They are located at 27 East Railroad Avenue in Jamesburg. For reservations and more information, call 732-521-0878.
   If you’re looking for a great dinner deal in the Monroe area, check out Garvey’s Pub and Restaurant. They are offering a coupon on their website at www.garveyspub.com and are located at 405 Spotswood-Gravel Hill Road in Monroe Township. Give them a call at 732-521-3311 for more information.
   If you’re looking for a great deal on Chinese cuisine, check out Ming Feng Chinese Restaurant. They have a lunch special menu as well as a coupon on their website at www.mingfengrestaurant.com. They are located at 337 Applegarth Road in Monroe. Call them at 609-395-9288.
   If you’re a local business doing something new, interesting, good for the community, or just want to let our readers know about a new product or service, please contact General Manager Brad Koltz at [email protected].