MIDDLETOWN
Middletown Township Public Library will present at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, “Far Away Places and Close to Home,” a program of music by Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Schoonenbeek, James Scott and others. In addition, the program will include holiday music and original pieces performed by pianist Julia Muench.
Munech, a composer, pianist and educator, is on the faculty of the Monmouth Conservatory of Music in Red Bank, where she gives solo and chamber music concerts and music workshops with an emphasis on world music influences, dance and the musical phenomena.
Muench is also a member of the New York Women Composers, the American Music Center, and ASCAP, where she was recently awarded a writer’s award in the Ascaplus classical division.
The free program will be held in the community room at the library, located at 55 New Monmouth Road.
RED BANK
Elks believe that sporting activities for youngsters provide spirited competition, develop character, and help make new friendships.
So the Red Bank Elks Lodge is inviting the local area youth to its free basketball HoopShoot® contest, a free-throw competition, at 1:30 p.m. Sunday Dec. 22, at the Salvation Army gym, 180 Newman Springs Road.
The competition is open to boys and girls in three age categories: 8 to 9, 10 to 11, and 12 to 13 (ages as of April 1, 2014). Scoring is based on each contestant shooting 25 free throws.
The top-scoring boy and girl will each win a trophy and the opportunity to represent the lodge on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the district level competition in Old Bridge.
Those top scorers then go onto the state and regional competitions, with a chance to make it all the way to the National HoopShoot® contest in April at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., as guests of the Elks organization. National champions will have their names permanently inscribed in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The HoopShoot® competition is in it’s 42nd year, and more than 2 million boys and girls will compete nationally.
More details can be found on their website, redbankelks.org, along with a link to the event registration page. Pre-registration is not required, but is suggested.
LONG BRANCH
St. James’ Episcopal Church is holding its first “Pipes of Christmas at the Jersey Shore” event beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the 300 Broadway church.
The event will include light fare and a cash bar at 6:30 p.m. and the bagpipers at 8 p.m. Dessert and coffee will follow the concert.
“Pipes of Christmas at the Jersey Shore is a benefit for the ongoing outreach and operating programs of Christ Church in Shrewsbury and St. James’ Episcopal Church in Long Branch.
Tickets are $50 in advance and $55 at the door and may be purchased by calling 732-742-1227.
The event is sponsored by Major League Financial Group.
SANDY HOOK
Sandy Hook Child Care Center (SHCCC), a parent-run nonprofit day care and state-licensed preschool, is holding a ceremony in honor of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victims at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, to dedicate the recently planted “New Beginnings” tree to the victims.
Each SHCCC child will be making a star ornament, adorned with one of the 26 victim’s names. The stars then will be hung on the tree by family and children of SHCCC.
SHCCC is located in the Sandy Hook National Recreation Area. Like most areas impacted by Super Storm Sandy, Sandy Hook was devastated which sadly forced the day care to close for more than six months.
SHCCC’s “New Beginning’s” tree was planted to represent the hard times the school faced while closed and continued effort to overcome any hardships they face.
For more information, visit SHCCC on the web at sandyhookchildcare.org.
