– Park System slates eco-friendly costume swap
LINCROFT — With Halloween approaching, it’s time to start thinking of obtaining costumes for oneself, family members and even pets.
This year, everyone can upcycle gently used adult, children’s and even pet costumes for a “new-to-you” ensemble during the Monmouth County Park System’s Eek-O-Fabulous Costume Swap from 12-2 p.m. on Oct. 11 at the Thompson Park Visitor Center, 805 Newman Springs Rd., Lincroft.
To participate, bring one or more costumes to the following drop-off locations: Dorbrook Recreation Area Visitor Center in Colts Neck, Fort Monmouth Recreation Center in Tinton Falls, Huber Woods Environmental Center in Middletown, Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center in Howell or the Thompson Park Visitor Center.
Drop-off hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Oct. 5-9 and 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Oct. 10. Participants will receive a token for each costume they bring, entitling them to a different costume at the Oct. 11 swap.
For more information, visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com or call the Park System at 732-842-4000, ext. 4312. For persons with hearing impairment, the Park System TTY/TDD number is 711.
– Theater to offer sensory-friendly show
RED BANK — Count Basie Theatre has announced that tickets for a special, sensory-friendly performance of “The Berenstain Bears — Live” will go on sale beginning Oct. 9.
Partial proceeds will benefit POAC Autism Services, which provides training, outreach and support services.
“This inaugural, sensory-friendly performance will create a judgment-free, comfortable environment for families who would otherwise be reluctant to attend a live theatre performance,” said Adam Philipson, Count Basie Theatre president and CEO, in a press release.
Patrons and their children will be permitted to bring in favorite snacks, iPads and other objects of affinity while house lights will remain bright enough for children to know where they are. Sudden or shrill sounds will be eliminated from the performance. A quiet room with “fidgets” and coloring pages and crayons will be available to families.
Two “Meet Your Seat” events will be held in the weeks prior to the show so children will have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the space.
Tickets range from $20-$25. For more information or tickets, call 732-842-9000 or visit www.thebasie.org.
– Mentoring agency slates gala for Oct. 9
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth & Middlesex Counties (BBBSMMC) will hold its 17th annual Matching Smiles Gala from 6:30-11 p.m. Oct. 9 at Buona Sera Palazzo, 1033 W. Park Ave., Ocean.
Honorees at the gala will include Investors Bank and its president, Kevin Cummings, and businesswoman and philanthropist Carol Stillwell.
“We are grateful to Investors Bank and Carol Stillwell for their commitment and generosity to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Their support has enabled our agency to expand our 1:1 mentoring program and to provide caring mentors to more children in Monmouth and Middlesex counties,” said William Salcedo, executive director of BBBSMMC, in a press release.
This year’s theme is “Mission Possible” to highlight the determination, dedication and special efforts of all who support BBBSMMC and its mission.
Gala tickets are $200 each and include a cocktail reception, dinner, dancing and silent and live auctions. Raffle tickets for a 50/50 are $20. Guests are encouraged to wear cocktail attire in black and red. To purchase tickets or learn about sponsorship opportunities, call 732-444-3538 or visit www.bbbsmmc.org.
– Art exhibit marks college’s reorganization
Brookdale Community College employees from nearly every division and discipline will be represented in a new mixed-media arts exhibition opening Oct. 9 in the college’s Center for the Visual Arts (CVA), 765 Newman Springs Road (Route 520), Lincroft.
The exhibit, titled “We/Re/E-Merge,” is a joint effort by Brookdale faculty, staff and administrators to celebrate the college’s new, more collaborative academic institutes, which were created this year as part of a college-wide reorganization, according to a press release.
Featured works include paintings, sculptures, photos, creative writing, live music and performance art created and performed by Brookdale employees. The gallery will host a talk by renowned sculptor and former faculty member Thomas Schomberg at 7 p.m. Oct. 12.
The exhibit is curated by members of Brookdale’s art and English divisions, which now function together as part of the college’s new Humanities Institute.
“Creativity has always been a hallmark of the Brookdale community,” said art professor and co-curator Marie Maber. “This exhibition, like Brookdale’s reorganization, is an opportunity to use our respective talents and come together to create something truly inspiring.”
The exhibition will kick off with a free opening reception on Oct. 9 from 5-8 p.m. in the CVA gallery. Parking is in lots 1 and 2. The show runs through Nov. 18. It is free and open to all. For more information call 732-224-2743 or email mmaber@brookdalecc.edu
– Step-sister of Anne Frank will speak in Marlboro
Jewish organizations, schools and Chabad centers in the greater Monmouth County area are set to host an evening with Eva Schloss of London.
Schloss will share her experiences as a childhood friend of Anne Frank, including accounts of the publishing of “The Diary of Anne Frank.” The presentation will be suitable for teenagers and families of all faiths, according to a press release.
Schloss will speak in the Marlboro Middle School, Route 520, Marlboro, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13. Doors will open at 7 p.m. VIP seats are $90 per person and include a “meet and greet” and front row seats. Adult admission is $18 per person and teens and students are $10.
According to the press release, in 1938, Germany invaded Austria, causing many Jewish families to flee Austria to avoid persecution. Among the emigrants was 8-year-old Eva Geiringer, who with her mother, brother and father moved first to Belgium and then to Holland, where one of her neighbors was a German Jewish girl of the same age.
The girls became friends and playmates. Ultimately, both girls and their families were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Later they would become step-sisters.
Strauss survived her concentration camp experience and made her way to England, where she married Zvi Schloss and raised three daughters. She worked as a studio photographer and ran an antique shop.
Her step-sister perished after she was shipped from Auschwitz to Bergen Belsen. Yet the diary she kept survived and has become one of the most widely read holocaust stories. Strauss’ step-sister’s name was Anne Frank.
Since 1985, Schloss has devoted herself to holocaust education and global peace, according to the press release. She has recounted her wartime experiences in more than 1,000 speaking engagements. She has written three books and has had a play written about her life.
In 1999, Strauss signed the Anne Frank Peace Declaration along with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and the niece of Raul Wallenberg, a legendary figure who rescued thousands of Jews in Budapest, according to the press release.
– Annual photo contest open to adults
The Freehold Soil Conservation District is sponsoring its annual photo contest of the beauty and uniqueness of the natural environment found within Middlesex and Monmouth counties.
Photos must be 8-by-10 inches or larger, be taken by adults age 18 and older and be accompanied by an entry form.
Photos can be submitted by mail or in person to Freehold SCD, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ 07728, or by email to hreynolds@freeholdscd.org.
Photos will not be returned, but the photographer does retain all rights.
Contest prizes are $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $75 for third place. Entry deadline is Oct. 16.