Mail:WOBM Community Calendar, PO Box 927, Toms River, NJ 08754
Make sure you send us information on your upcoming event as far in advance as possible. All announcements are subject to review and editing.
Please note that some of the events may change an admission fee, and are subject to last minute cancellation and/or postponement without notice.
Hometown Heroes - The Red Cross Jersey Coast Chapter is looking for ordinary people who have accomplished something extraordinary to be considered as one of their Hometown Heroes. Nominate a teacher, police officer, nurse or anyone from Monmouth or Ocean County for a chance to be honored as a Hometown Hero in one of several categories. Deadline to enter is Friday, January 15. Click jerseycoast-redcross.org. or call or (732) 493-9100 Ext. 1233 for more information.
Snowman Photo Contest- The Ocean County Parks & Recreation is holding its annual Snowman Photo contest. Awards will be given for the most original and best traditional snowman and “Just for Kids under five” All snowmen must be built this winter season. Mail your photo to: Ocean County Parks and Recreation, 1198 Bandon Road, Toms River, NJ 08753 Attn: Active Recreation. Click oceancountyparks.org for more information.
Tax Help - AARP holds their Volunteer Tax-Aide Program once again beginning February 2nd and running thru April 15th. Various tax programs will be held in Manahawkin, Lanoka Harbor, Little Egg Harbor, Barnegat, Long Beach Island and Bayville. Call (609) 693 – 2928.
Easter Food Drive
The Manasquan Food Pantry seeks donations as they provide Easter dinner for 150 families. They are in need of hams (canned or fresh) and frozen turkeys and the staple groceries that make up a holiday meal. The Food Pantry is a non-denominational ministry of the Manasquan Ministerium, 12 churches in the communities of Manasquan, Brielle, Sea Girt, Spring Lake and Spring Lake Heights, and is supported by other local organizations. The Pantry is located at the First Presbyterian Church, 16 Virginia Avenue, Manasquan, and is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 am to 2 pm, and Thursday and Friday from 1 pm to 5 pm. Those needing assistance may call the Pantry at (732) 223-0898 during these hours to arrange to pick up food.
BlueClaws National Anthem Tryouts
The BlueClaws hold their 2010 National Anthem tryouts on Wednesday, March 24th at Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, from 6 pm - 9 pm. All interested performers must fill out an application in advance of the auditions. Applications are only available in the BlueClaws Executive Offices at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood and they must be returned by Friday, March 19th at 5 pm.
All National Anthem auditions will be performed a capella. Instruments will be permitted, but only those that do not require electricity. Singers can apply individually or as a group. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come-first-served basis and performance times are subject to availability. All applicants will be notified by phone regarding a prospective audition, but applicants are not guaranteed an audition.
Friday, March 12
Fish ‘n Chips Dinner The Rotary Clubs of Beachwood-Berkeley and Lakehurst-Manchester host their 6th Annual Fish and Chips Dinner at the Beachwood Fire Hall in Beachwood from 5 PM- 9 PM in support of scholarships and other local efforts of community service. For tickets and information call 732-557-9934.
Family Fun Friday The Sea Bright Recreation Committee kicks off its new Family Fun Friday program with a St. Patrick's Day celebration from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Sea Bright Gym (Borough Hall), Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright. Families are invited to enjoy traditional Irish food and drink, create special crafts projects, play games, and dance to Irish music. Admission is free if you wear green. Call 732-842-0099 x27 for more information.
Pasta DInner Fundraiser
The Berkeley Central Regional Co-Ed Cheerleading Squad holds a Pasta Dinner Fundraiser from 5PM - 7PM in Central Regional High School's Cafeteria to help the Squad go to Nationals. Tickets can be bought at Central Regional High School by calling 732-778-0212.
Saturday, March 13
Ocean County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Look for Shawn & Sue in the the 26th Annual Ocean County St. Patrick's Day Parade starts at noon on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights. Rain date is Sunday, March 14.
4th Annual Stafford Children's Services Fair
The Stafford Township Arts Center hosts the 4th Annual Stafford Children's Services Fair from 10AM-1PM at the Arts Center located at 1000 McKinley Avenue in Manahawkin. More than 40 child-service vendors will be represented. Activities include demonstrations and hands-on activities, door prizes, giveaways, and children's activities. Register to become a vendor by February 19, 2010. Call 609-978-5700 X137 for more information.
Sunday, March 14
Belmar Restaurant Tour
St. Rose Grammar School holds Belmar Restaurant Tour fundraiser from 11AM-4PM. Visit restaurants throughout Belmar and enjoy a delicious sampling of menu selections at each. Click belmarrestauranttour.com for more information.
New Beginnings Bus Trip
New Beginnings Cancer Support Group hosts its 6th Annual Bus Trip to Atlantic City’s Showboat Casino Fundraiser with the bus will be departing from Crystal Point in Point Pleasant at 8:45am and arriving back at Crystal Point at 6:00pm. For more information call 732-892-2783.
Wednesday, March 17
Corned Beef & Cabbage
The Bayville Elks Lodge #2394, 247 Route 9 in Bayville serves corn beef to benefit children with cancer. Call 732-269-2954 for more information.
Friday, March 19
Ocean Of Love Gift Auction
The Jackson Women of Today hosts its 19th annual charity gift auction at the Reception Center of the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel to benefit Ocean of Love. Guests will enjoy a three course dinner, complimentary wine and live music. For more information call 917-710-2139. or click jacksonwomen.tripod.com.
Saturday, March 20
BlueClaws Fan Fest & Consignment Sale The BlueClaws celebrate their 10th season with FanFest from 12noon-5PM at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood as individual game tickets go on sale. Enjoy free food and drinks, behind-the-scenes tours of the ballpark, and photos with the two BlueClaws championship trophies. BlueClaws Kids Club members can participate in a scavenger hunt and listen to The Story of Clawd, about the crab on the new BlueClaws logo. Plus, there will be a sale in the ClawsCove and basketball fans can watch second round NCAA Tournament games on the video board. Fans that bring in non-perishable food items (donated to Ocean County Hunger Relief) or gently used cell phones (donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers) will receive a voucher good for two tickets to an April home game. Click BlueClaws.com for more information.
The BlueClaws will also host the Jersey Shore Kids Consignment Sale in the batting cage. Parents can, in advance, bring in youth clothing, toys, games and more through JSKC and receive a portion of the proceeds. Visit NJShoreKids.com for more information.
St. Partick’s Dinner
The Bayville Volunteer Fire Company holds its annual St Patrick’s Day Party at their firehouse located at 645 Route 9 in Bayville starting at 7PM. Enjoy a traditional dinner plus entertainment from Bullzeye. Call 732 904 8874 for more information.
Saturday, March 27
Breakfast With The Bunny
The Herbertsville Fire Company the Ladies Auxiliary hosts a pancake breakfast with the Easter Bunny from 9AM-11AM. Call 732-840-6669 for more information.
Sunday, March 28
Pancake Breakfast
Harmony Lodge No. 18 Free & Accepted Masons hosts a Pancake Breakfast from 8am-12pm at their lodge located at 110 Rt. 37 West in Toms River. Call 732-240-4835 for more information.
Saturday, April 3
8th Annual Ship Bottom Sprint for Life
The Sprint for Life is a 5K Run/Fitness Walk benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Registration starts at 10:00 am at the Ship Bottom Boat Ramp W. 10th St. and Shore Ave Ship Bottom. Race starts at 12:30pm. For more information click shipbottomsprint.com.
Saturday, April 17
Believe In Yourself Foundation Fundraiser The Believe In Yourself Foundation holds a fundraiser for Robbie Drescher at the Brick VFW from 3PM-7PM with food, live music and more. Rob is a 14 years old with family in New Jersey who has recently been paralyzed due to complications during a spinal cord surgery. For more information call (732) 477-8730.
180 Turning Lives Around Annual Spring Gala
180 Turning Lives Around holds their annual Spring Gala at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Call (732) 264-4360 ext. 4233 or click 180nj.org for more information.
Taste Of Spring
The Brick Rotary Foundation holds their Taste of Spring food, beverage & gift auction at Woodlake Country Club located at 25 New Hampshire Avenue in Lakewood from 6PM-9PM to benefit several Ocean County charities. Tickets can be purchased at OceanFirst Bank’s Brick Branches located at; 385 Adamston Rd., 321 Chambers Bridge Rd., or 70 Brick Blvd or by calling (732) 785-0015.
Sunday, April 18
BlueClaws 5K
The BlueClaws will partner with the Ocean Running Club, Jersey Shore Running Club, and the Jersey Shore Council of Boy Scouts of America for their 2010 5K Race and One Mile Fun Run at FirstEnergy Park. The Fun Run begins at 10 am and the 5K will follow at 10:30. Both races will end right on the field. Further, all participants will receive a ticket to that day’s BlueClaws game (1:05 pm) and a BlueClaws 5K t-shirt. Click BlueClaws.com or call 732-901-7000 option 3 for more information.
Saturday, April 24
MCCAC Gala
The Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center holds its black tie Gala at Trump National Golf Club in Tinton Falls starting at 7pm. Call 732-580-8327 for tickets.
Sunday, April 25 - Sunday, May 1
Act! Speak! Build! Week
Coastal Habitat for Humanity in Spring Lake Heights holds Act! Speak! Build! Week with a variety of events including a run, poverty dinner, paper house campaign, sleep out and toy building block build. For more information call 732-974-2422 ext. 111.
Friday, May 7
Golf Outing
The St. Joseph/Monsignor Donovan High School Annual Alumni holds its Golf Outing, hosted by the Griffin Football Association at Cream Ridge Golf Club in Cream Ridge. Proceeds will fund scholarship and tuition assistance programs for MDHS students and will provide the opportunity to endow students who are in need of financial assistance.
For more information call (732)349-8801, x 2434.
Saturday, May 15
Walk For Life & Breath
The Goddard School on Lacey Road in Forked River host the American Lung Association’s Walk For Life & Breath starting at 9AM. Help make a big difference in the fight to cure lung diseases such as asthma and to promote lung health. Register online at mrsnv.com/evt/home.jsp?id=2380 or call (609)971-0051.
Benefit Car Show The Monsignor Donovan High School PTA hosts a Benefit Car & Craft Show on the St. Joseph’s Parish Fields at the corner of Whitty and Old Freehold Roads in Toms River from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. There will be a variety of awards presented; classic motorcycles are also welcome. For more information call 732-929-9748 or click mondonhs.com.
Hometown Happenings
The Hope Center at the House of Hope of Oceans County, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides help and hope for those who are in need. Their mission is to provide resources, referrals, food and targeted financial assistance to clients as they work to overcome life crisis. Clients come to them with a variety of needs, including shelter for the homeless or to help with other urgent needs, which are paid through their Human Needs Fund.
What if it was your friend or family member who needed life saving blood? Would you be there? The Community Blood Council of New Jersey is there, a not-for-profit blood center helping save lives. Help save lives by donating blood or setting up a blood drive in your area. Right now, New Jersey is in desperate need of o negative donors, but all types are still needed. For more information call the Community Blood Council at 877-244-8365.
Each year, there are over 2 million poison exposures reported to Poison Control Centers across the US. The New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES) has been the state’s regional drug and poison information system for the past 25 years. NJPIES is a non-profit organization that offers poison emergency and drug information services to NJ residents via its hotline (1-800-222-1222). Trained health professionals (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to assist callers with poison emergencies, poison prevention information, drug information, food poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning, treatment advice following bites/stings, medication side effects and interactions, etc. All calls are free and confidential. Services are available for the hearing impaired (973-926-8008) and for those who speak languages other than English.
DVDs 4 Vets
DVDs4Vets is a Non-Profit Charity that arranges for the collection and donation of new and used DVDs for the benefit of veterans, many who are unable to obtain these on their own. All donated DVDs are sent to Vet hospitals, Vet centers, clinics and State Vet homes. For more information visit dvds4vets.org
New Jersey’s statewide 2-1-1 Help Line is a 24/7 one-stop, non-emergency call center operated by the United Way for people seeking help & information. Easily accessible by landline, cell phone and the internet at nj211.org, calls are free & confidential with multi-lingual specialists always available. Specialists can provide information & referral services to callers about a variety of issues including basic human needs resources, support for seniors & persons with disabilities, support for children & families, employment support.
You hoped it wouldn’t happen but it has. You’ve lost your job. You’ve got a family to support. Your skills may be out of date. What do you do now? You need the personal support and services of a unique organization. Professional Services Group is ready to help. They can help you with everything from resume writing to interviewing and everything else you need to showcase your valuable skills. If the unthinkable has happened, don’t hesitate. PSG is a no-cost New Jersey Department of Labor supported volunteer organization for professionals in transition. Click click here for more information.
The County Connection, located near JC Penney’s at the Ocean County Mall, is a service of the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders. County residents can learn about programs, services and activities available to them in Ocean County. The County Connection is open regular mall hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays. For more information, call (732)288-7777 or visit the County Connection web site at co.ocean.nj.us.
Einstein’s Alley Vet Career Connect - Einstein’s Alley Vet Career Connect is designed to match members of the New Jersey National Guard, a New Jersey veteran or the spouse of a veteran the veteran, to the career that is perfectly suited to them. This initiative focuses on the individual soldier’s strengths and motivations by using a proven Personality Assessment Profile that has been used by over 25K companies to assess over 2.5 million people. This Profile objectively quantifies an individual’s competencies as well as their strengths and potential and matches those core strengths to the requirements of a job. The expected outcome is a career and not just a job – with the employer needs matched to the employee’s career desires. For more information call (609)524-1200.
Dell’Omo Realtors in Plaza II on Route 35 in Ocean Township is teaming with the Monmouth County SPCA to find homes for people and pets. With every home sold Dell’Omo Realtors will sponsor a pet at the shelter. The office will also act as a drop-off location for blankets, towels other items for the MSPCA’s pets. For more information call (732)531-5008 or click ajdellomo.com.
Ocean County Hunger Relief is collecting children's clothes, coats, & shoes (sizes infant to teen), book bags, and lunch boxes for needy children in Ocean County. There is a desperate need because the organization almost never has these items. Especially needed are baby items such as diapers, wipes, shampoo, baby wash, etc. The children receiving the donations are either very poor or homeless. Donations may be dropped off at the Hunger Relief office on North Main Street in Toms River or by calling (732) 505-HELP or by clicking ochungerrelief.org.
Jersey Shore Partnership -Did you know that bathing water quality at New Jersey’s ocean and bay beaches is checked at least once a week? Testing is done more frequently here than in any other state to make sure that our water is safe for swimming. New Jersey has set the standard for nationwide water quality testing. The Jersey Shore Partnership is New Jersey’s leading champion for beach protection and replenishment. To learn more, visit jerseyshorepartnership.com.
The Ashley Lauren Foundation, a non profit, charitable organization dedicated to bringing hope and help to children in New Jersey who have been diagnosed with cancer seeks volunteers throughout the state to help them achieve this goal. Volunteer opportunities include providing material & emotional support, helping with parties & other fun activities for the children, helping with grant writing, public relations and media support, legal assistance, office help and printing services. Please call 732-458-4200 or click onto ashleylaurenfoundation.org for more information.
Did you know nearly twenty percent of adults living in New Jersey cannot read a newspaper, fill out a job application, decipher a train or bus schedule, or understand verbal instructions in the workplace? Literacy Volunteers of Monmouth County is seeking volunteer tutors to teach basic literacy and English as a Second Language to local residents in Monmouth County. There are presently students waiting for tutors. They need your help. Training classes are being conducted now and throughout the coming months. Contact Literacy Volunteers of Monmouth County at 732-571-0209 or click www.lvmonmouthnj.org.