20 Years of Four Paws Walking for a Cause
LINCROFT – The Monmouth County SPCA (MSPCA) and corporate partner Red Bank Veterinary Hospital will celebrate the 20th Anniversary Dog Walk & Pet Fair at Brookdale Community College from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.
The MCSPCA will keep the energy high with entertainment and live music by The Wag, DJ DPN at the finish line, WoofStock-themed fun for the family, shopping, food and refreshment for people and pets with more than 75 vendors, doggie demos, contests, prizes and 50/50 drawing. Tickets for the 50/50 are available at all MCSPCA locations for $10 each; last year’s winner took home more than $15,000.
Register online at mcspcadogwalk.org and collect pledges from friends and family for a chance to win fundraising prizes: dog walk hats, pet portrait sessions, duffle bags, tie-dye T-shirts, hoodies and more. The person who collects the most pledges will have their dog featured as 2014 “honorary chairdog” on
T-shirts, brochures, flyers, banners and billboards throughout Monmouth County.
Those attending the event with a dog (walking or not) must collect or donate a minimum of $25 in pledges prior to the event, or pay a $30 admission fee at the door.
This year the walk will feature three contests for dogs: the canine costume contest, a new doggie pie-eating contest, and a heartwarming inner beauty contest, where contestants are given 1 minute or less to describe how their dog has brought beauty into their life or the lives of others.
Walkers can walk as little or as much as they’d like. It’s not about the miles logged, but the impact on the lives of thousands of homeless animals throughout Monmouth County.
“This year the MCSPCA’s Eatontown location will be open for cat-only adoptions with special adoption promotions, since all of our dogs will be hitting the runway in our adoptables parade,” said Jerry Rosenthal, MCSPCA president and CEO. “The annual event is our largest fundraiser every year; 2012 saw over 2,000 people and their pets in attendance and raised more than $130,000 for the animals in our care.”
According to Stephanie Attaway, MCSPCA development coordinator, “None of the success of this event would be possible without the generous support of our community and sponsors. Red Bank Veterinary Hospital signed on as our corporate partner over 10 years ago and always do a tremendous job helping us spread the word and raise excitement about the event.
Additional information about the event is available via email atstephanie@monmouth countyspca.org, by calling 732-440-1558 or visiting mcspcadogwalk.org.
Highlands Rolls Out the Barrels
HIGHLANDS – The feel-good spirit of Highlands’ annual Oktoberfest is modeled on the traditional Munich, Germany Oktoberfest with an emphasis on eating, drinking and being merry while providing something for everyone.
Authentic German food, children’s activities, crafters, live music, dancing and other great entertainment will be part of the Highlands Business Partnership’s 13th Annual Oktoberfest celebration taking place in Veterans Park on Bay and Shrewsbury avenues from 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Admission and parking is free. The rain date is 2 to 8 p.m. Oct. 6.
Authentic German food is a highlight of this famous festival. Executive Chef Butch Greenwaldt is preparing the menu with plenty of traditional German favorites hot off the grill such as bratwurst, knockwurst, kraut, potato pancakes, goulash, sauerbraten and Bavarian noodles, along with other tasty fare for those less adventurous.
Oktoberfest beers – both light and dark – and Coors Light will be provided by Shore Point Distributors, beer sponsor. Live authentic German music by the Ed Hendela Band and the Bayern Verien German Dancers will be sure to get the crowd moving. Festivities will include a “Best-Dressed” contest, and a “Beer Stein Holding” contest with special prizes and a Super 50/50 drawing.
The Highlands Business Partnership is a nonprofit commercial alliance dedicated to fostering economic growth as well as preserving the area’s historic past.
For directions or any additional information on Oktoberfest, please visit www.high landsnj.com or call 732-291-4713.
Vietnam-Era Museum Holds Events
HOLMDEL – The Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center, 1 Memorial Lane, is sponsoring several upcoming events.
The 15th Annual Interdisciplinary Forum on the Vietnam Era will be held 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at the museum.
The forum, “We Were There Too: The Evolution of Women’s Roles in Conflict,” will provide educators the important scholarly and experience-based educational tools for developing comparisons between the past and present. Each panel will include three individuals who will share their own experiences and knowledge. This will be an opportunity to delve deeper into each topic and allow time for questions and answers.
The Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center is a registered New Jersey Professional Development provider. Admission is $70.
Two upcoming golf outings will be held to raise funds for Operation Huey Restoration. The first golf outing will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at Ramsey Country Club, 105 Lakeside Drive, Ramsey. The second golf outing at Hopewell Valley Country Club, 114 Pennington Hopewell Road, Hopewell, will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Additional information about the golf outings is available by contacting Kelsey Wasilewski at 973-248- 5648 or emailing her at kwasilewski@civicdutypartners.org
The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation’s annual event, “A Night at the Museum-15th Anniversary Gala,” will be 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25. The business-attire event will be held at the museum. Tickets are $175 per person; $350 per couple.
This year’s gala will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center. Three New Jersey governors who, during their terms in office, made significant and historical decisions which led to the creation of the New Jersey Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and Vietnam Era Museum and Educational Center will be honored. For more information, visit: www.njvvmf.org/assets/ pdfs/vietnam%20vets.pdf.
A Veterans Day ceremony and lecture, “The War Power and American Foreign Policy: Vietnam to the War on Terrorism,” will be held 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at the museum.
Phillip J. Briggs, a distinguished professor emeritus at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, will lecture.
The decision to go to war has remained of great importance in the making of U.S. foreign policy. During the Vietnam War Era, this decision became especially conflict-ridden between the president and Congress, prompting Congress to pass the War Powers Resolution in an effort to curtail presidential power. However, new commitments of the armed forces to combat kept this issue in the forefront and the terror attack of 9/11 brought war itself to American shores. Briggs’ talk will illuminate these developments.
Regular museum admission applies to this program: $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students.
Additional information about museum programs is available by calling 732-335-0033.
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS
The Board of Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church will be holding its first Fall Festival Vendor Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the church at Third and East Highland avenues.
On sale will be gift baskets, baked goods and other food, jewelry, cosmetics, housewares, artwork, photographs, handbags, gourmet food mixes and kitchen gadgets.
Extra parking is available in the new municipal lot next to the church office on East Highland Avenue.
LINCROFT
Thompson Park Day celebrates the season with traditional autumn activities from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at Thompson Park, Newman Springs Road.
The event is the quintessential fall festival. Free activities include a mini-maze, canoeing on Marlu Lake (weather permitting), pottery demonstrations, kids’ races, kids’ zone, entertainment and Zany Zombies. Activities requiring one ticket ($2 per ticket) include pumpkin painting, grab-and-go ceramics, a climbing wall, wagon rides, mini-golf, rides, archery, rock ‘n’ roll racing and a video game trailer. Fired Up Ceramics in the Creative Arts Center will require five tickets.
A scarecrow contest will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entries are $10 in advance or $15 the day of event.
The Friends of the Parks will hold its annual “Strut Your Mutt” doggie costume contest as well. Applications and details for both the scarecrow and “Strut Your Mutt” contests are available online at www.monmouthcounty parks.com.
MIDDLETOWN
Rebecca Ryann, 9, will host a musical variety show to benefit the Middletown Arts Center (MAC) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. The concert will be held in the MAC’s theater, located at 36 Church St.
Rebecca has been singing on the MAC stage since age 4. She calls the Middletown Arts Center her second home. Her passion for the arts has inspired her to make a difference and host her first benefit concert for the MAC.
Rebecca has performed at concerts and venues across Monmouth County including the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Festival and Red Bank Riverfest. She has performed in off-Broadway shows, Sesame Place, Hershey Park, Disney World, and most recently at Miss New Jersey in Ocean City.
Tickets are $45 per person. The cost includes admission, a CD and dessert bar by Piece O’ Cake.
Tickets are available at the Middletown Arts Center or by calling Denise Roskowski at 732-787-6323.
The MAC offers enrichment programs and entertainment for all ages and abilities.
For more information, visit www.middletownarts.org.
RED BANK
“Fifty Shades of Tea,” a unique free event presenting both the work of five leading local artists and a tasting of fine teas, will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Gallery 135, 135 Monmouth St.
The special exhibit will feature works in multiple media on the theme of “tea” by Debbie Jencsik, Ellen Martin, Linnea Tober, Wesley Sumrall and gallery owner Gerda Liebmann. Viewing of their work will be complemented by a tasting of teas from Tea 4 U of The White House in Oakhurst.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
“The concept of this exhibit is to have the visual reality of art and the multisensory reality of tea complement each other to create a truly immersive esthetic experience,” Liebmann said.
Additional exhibit hours:
3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 and 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13.
RUMSON
The annual Blessing of the Animals will take place at St. George’s-by-the-River Church, Waterman Avenue, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6.
Each year an increasing number of animal lovers and their pets attend this event. Last year, more than 70 participated to be individually blessed by the clergy of St. George’s.
People are invited to bring their leashed dogs or cats, parrots, fish, turtles, hamsters or whichever pet they choose to this happy and fun day.
The blessing will be held rain or shine. All are welcome to attend, especially friends and neighbors.
