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. Details: (609) 259-9797.
National Pavers, of Manalapan, owned and operated by Manalapan 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. The local company was urged to enter the contest by employees at Reed & Perrine, also of Manalapan, the local distributor for the paving stones.
The award was announced at Anchor Concrete’s banquet held Feb. 23 in Parsippany. Employees of Anchor Concrete reviewed more than 1,000 photos from several hundred projects completed in 2005 in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. The banquet is held to acknowledge the top three contractors in each category.
Babies “R” Us will host an “Early Learning Expo,” March 11 at its Manal-apan store, 17 Route 9 south. There will be demonstrations and seminars on choosing age-appropriate toys for baby’s development, plus the following community organizations and professionals: Goddard School, Baby Signs (call to sign up for mini class), My Gym Children’s Fitness Center (call to sign up for mini class), Music University, and the YMCA. To sign up for a mini class, call (732) 845-2861.
LeTip of Manalapan will host a mixer for prospective members March 9, 5:30-9 p.m., at The Cabin, Route 33, Howell. For details, call (732) 972-8290.
Business After Hours, sponsored by the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, will be hosted by Young Chefs Academy, 712 Ginesi Drive, Marlboro, a cooking school for children. The event will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. March 20. The fee is $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers and includes refreshments. For reservations, call (732) 462-3030.
Applebee’s of Howell, Manalapan, Ocean and Tinton Falls raised more than $10,000 in 2005 by participating in several fundraising events for local organizations and schools.
Applebee’s has donated food and time to many programs, including the National Down Syndrome Society and Miles of Smiles Talent and Fashion Show; Manalapan Day; Marlboro High School and Manalapan High School cookouts; Howell First Aid’s “A Cowboy’s Adventure”; wings for the Howell High School Wing-Eating Contest; lunch for cyclists participating in the Tour to Cure bike race; the Howell High School Car Show; a luncheon at Camp Moore, providing food and face painting; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth County’s Bowl-a-thon; Diabetes Bike-a-thon at Brookdale Community College; a 1970s dance to benefit Claudia Thomas; and Tinton Falls Community Day.
Applebee’s also provided lunch for a number of golf outings, including the Lakewood Black Hawks, the Howell Policemen’s Benevolent Association, and Rail Men for Children to raise money for local charities.
Applebee’s also helped raise money through its “Tip-a-Team” program for the Ocean Fire Department, where the firefighters helped seat, greet and serve guests while the guests had a chance to tip the men. A similar program was also run for gymnasts in Manalapan.
In addition, there are currently 46 schools in Howell, Manalapan, Ocean and Tinton Falls participating in A Is for Applebee’s, a program where participating schools and libraries receive cards, at no cost, which they use as incentives for rewarding their hard-working students with a complimentary dessert.
The Howell, Manalapan, Ocean and Tinton Falls Applebee’s, led by general managers Bill Ross, Bob Schuttinger, Rob Mintzer and David Huey, respectively, along with their team members, are owned by Doherty Enterprises Inc. Doherty Enterprises currently owns 46 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants throughout northern and central New Jersey and in Long Island, N.Y. Anyone who is interested in having an organization be a part of Applebee’s may send a written request via fax to (201) 818-0807, Attention: Marketing.