By Mary Ann Bourbeau
RED BANK – It may have been almost two years ago but the impact of Super Storm Sandy remains with many area residents in significant ways.
The Navesink Business Group (NBG) has assisted with recovery efforts by hosting its Waves of Support fundraising campaign. The group will be holding its final gala Monday, Sept. 22, at the Molly Pitcher Inn. The event will help nearby communities still recovering from damage inflicted by the massive storm while honoring several individuals and organizations who have made a difference.
“A Taste of Broadway on the Promenade” will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Headlining the entertainment will be The Broadway Dolls, featuring women who have appeared in some of the biggest musicals on The Great White Way. Guests also will be treated to a five-course dinner, created by some of the Jersey Shore’s most renowned chefs.
“The amount of talent we have here is amazing,” said Ken Scaggs of the NBG. “It’s beyond what we ever could have imagined.”
The chefs from Ama Ristorante, Antoinette Boulangerie, The Bistro, Zoe, Teak, The Cheese Cave, Danny’s Steak House, Dino’s on Main, Dish, Fromagerie, Langosta Lounge and The Molly Pitcher Inn have all offered to prepare dishes for the event.
Among the offerings will be an artisan cheese table display, edamame dumplings, Mediterranean tuna tataki, butternut squash tortellini with shaved Tuscan black truffles, lobster and shrimp curry over forbidden rice and pressed chicken confit. The finishing touch will be a dark chocolate mousse with raspberry compote, chocolate glaze, raspberry French macaron, and fromage blanc crème.
“Our friends, neighbors and customers were all affected by Sandy,” said Stephen Catania, owner of The Cheese Cave in Red Bank. “It’s all about being a part of the community and supporting each other in difficult times. I’m excited. It’s going to be a terrific event.”
If the menu alone doesn’t sell tickets, the entertainment should. Broadway veteran Hollie Howard of Colts Neck, along with two other Broadway Dolls, will be singing songs from the musicals they have appeared in, as well as pop favorites and girl band standards. Howard, who developed The Broadway Dolls group, has been seen in “Hairspray,” “Mamma Mia” and “A Chorus Line.” Chelsea Packard has appeared in “Wicked,” “Promises, Promises” and “Hands on a Hardbody.” Coleen Sexton performed in “Jekyll and Hyde,” “Legally Blonde” and starred as the witch in “Wicked.”
“I love giving back to the community,” said Howard, who will also emcee the event. “It’s rewarding knowing I’ve helped raise money for a good cause. This is going to be a really fun night of singing, dancing and partying.”
Howard intends to stage the event as a Tony Award ceremony. Guests will walk past the velvet ropes onto the red carpet to the Molly Pitcher’s veranda, and the honorees will each receive a Tony-like statuette as they give their acceptance speeches. Those being honored are The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Clean Ocean Action, Hometown Heroes, the Buhler Family, Red Bank Flavour and George Lyristis of Bistro Boys Management.
The evening begins with cocktails at 6 p.m., a silent auction and entertainment by the Sherri Pie Duo. The Broadway Dolls will perform 15-minute vignettes between the five courses of the meal.
“All of the honorees did amazing things during Sandy,” said Donna N. Beriont of DNB Events, which is producing the event. “It was hard to narrow it down. We wanted to encompass people from Union Beach all the way down the coast.”
Each year, the NBG selects a charitable organization or cause to support. This year, it partnered with Jersey Promise for the event, in order to boost tourism and raise funds for communities still affected by Sandy’s aftermath.
The proceeds will benefit the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Sea Bright Rising, Keyport Ministerium Food Pantry, Churches of the Manasquan Area Ministerium, Habitat for Humanity, Visitation Relief Center and Jersey Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Tickets for “A Taste of Broadway” are $195 a person or $1,750 for a table of 10. They can be purchased in advance by visiting HYPERLINK “http://www.NavesinkBusinessGroup.com” www.NavesinkBusinessGroup.com.
The Molly Pitcher Inn is offering guests a room rate of $159 per night, with 25 percent being donated to Waves of Support.
“We’re all here to support a great cause,” said Kevin Barry, operations manager for the Molly Pitcher Inn and Oyster Point Hotel. “A lot of people are still struggling to get out of the hole Sandy created. We’re happy to be able to help raise money and awareness for the towns and people affected. Plus it will be exciting to have all of these chefs in our kitchen at once.”
Vibe writer Mary Ann Bourbeau can be reached at mbourbeau@tworivertimes.com” mbourbeau@tworivertimes.com.
