Fair Haven Resident Earns Girl Scout Gold Award
FAIR HAVEN – Ginger Wardell, a senior at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, recently completed the esteemed Gold Award.
Wardell, who has been a Girl Scout since first grade, credits her troop with “giving her the opportunity to learn new things,” ranging from camping to touring New York City.
Her troop leader, Nancy Peters, M.D., of Fair Haven, said the Gold Award “is the highest award in girl scouting, available to girls in grades 8-12. To achieve this award, each girl must identify an issue affecting her community, come up with a plan to help resolve it or educate people about it, and lead a team to complete the project (usually involving about 80 hours of work.)”
Wardell’s Gold Award project involved refurbishing the youth group room for her congregation, The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County in Lincroft. She painted the hallway, installed lighting and created a mural depicting a chalice, the Unitarian Universalist symbol, which means sacrifice and love.
According to The Unitarian Universalist Association webpage, the flaming chalice represents “the light of reason, the warmth of community, and the flame of hope.”
Wardell’s project also involved acquiring more comfortable and age-appropriate furniture from various donors as well as redecorating and cleaning the space to generate a warm, youth-friendly environment.
She led children in making fabric flags that represent the congregations’ values, including environmental awareness and respect for the web of life, respecting the inherent worth of all, and the goal of peace, liberty and justice for all.
Highlands Arts Council Presents Feast for Eyes, Soul
HIGHLANDS – Highlands Borough Arts Council (HBAC) is hosting a unique collaboration from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, between international artist and curator Gerda Liebmann and Fresh owner William Nassar.
The artist’s reception will be held in Nassar’s dining salon at the artist’s reception, 114 Bay Ave.
Feast Your Eyes…Feed Your Soul is a sensory journey through a series of multi-dimensional paintings. Some works feature the ancient encaustic technique where pigments are added to melted beeswax to create a surface that is both sculpted as well as painted; other works use acrylic layering to create rich palettes while others are enhanced through pastels.
Liebmann was trained in graphic design at the Kunstgewerbechule in St. Gallen, Switzerland. She apprenticed in several top Swiss design studios before moving to the United States. In the U.S. she founded International Print and Design.
Over time, Liebmann transitioned from graphic arts to fine arts. Her interests and her mediums expanded; in addition to canvas painting and signature installations, Liebmann also expresses her art through digital, photographic, and video means. Her artwork has been exhibited in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. She currently lives in Highlands with her husband.
The AHAC is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The mission of the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council is to strengthen community through the arts. For further information on the Arts Council, visit aharts.org.
This program is made possible in part by Monmouth Arts through funding from the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Chorale Group to Perform Holiday Favorites
RUMSON – The Shrewsbury Chorale, a mixed chorus of about 50 voices, will present a concert of Holiday Favorites at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. The performance, directed by Maestro Anthony LaGruth, will take place at St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church, 7 Lincoln Ave.
The Shrewsbury Chorale, one of Monmouth County’s premier choruses, performs a varied repertoire in a series of subscription concerts in addition to performances for various community organizations. Currently in its 58th season, the chorale has performed in a number of noted venues including Carnegie Hall and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Since Anthony LaGruth became the music director, the chorale has performed each year with the Garden State Philharmonic and Chorus.
Tickets for Holiday Favorites are available at the door: $25 for adults; $20 for seniors and students; $10 for children under 12. Advance ticket sales will be discounted. For more information, call 732-513-8413 or visit www.shrewsburychorale.org.
Sickles to Host Holiday Open House
LITTLE SILVER – Sickles Market will host an Annual Holiday Open House featuring a real live reindeer with Santa and Mrs. Claus, from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14.
In addition to the visitors from the North Pole, the popular annual holiday open house will feature many tasting demos, sales with deep savings throughout the market and exciting surprises.
On display will be Sickles Market’s new line of artificial Christmas trees from 4 to 12 feet high, complete with lights. Artificial trees are the perfect holiday decorating solution for families who travel during the holidays, or members who may have allergies or those families looking for sustainable solutions when celebrating the holidays, or simply for those busy households.
Special savings will be available throughout the market including the meat, cheese, produce, deli, gourmet foods, bakery, floral, gift departments, Christmas Shoppe, garden center. Attendees will also be able to sample many of the dishes offered on the Thanksgiving menu. Many other demos will be held throughout the market. Seasonal floral arrangements will also be on display to inspire a holiday table theme.
Also on hand will be members of the Monmouth Civic Chorus who will be singing familiar Christmas carols.
Sickles is located at One Harrison Ave.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/Sickles-Market
http://www.twitter.com/SicklesMarket.
SPCA Opens Adoption Center at Petco
MIDDLETOWN – The Monmouth County SPCA will hold a grand opening of the new Middletown Adoption Center inside the Petco store at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15. Starting with an official ribbon cutting ceremony, a 50/50 raffle, giveaways and other celebratory festivities will be held throughout the weekend at the store located at 1391 Highway 35.
Dogs, puppies, cats, kittens and rabbits will be available for adoption at the new center, which can house up to 40 animals. The new facility will help the Monmouth County SPCA save more homeless animals in the community, starting with the organization’s goal of 25 adoptions per day during grand opening weekend.
The new center joins existing MCSPCA Homeward Bound Adoption centers in Eatontown and at the Freehold Raceway Mall.
“We are proud to partner with Petco to open our newest adoption center, which will be more convenient for potential adopters in Northern Monmouth County and significantly expand our adoption outreach efforts,” said Jerry Rosenthal, president and CEO of the Monmouth County SPCA. “Our goal is to do approximately 75 adoptions per month at the new Middletown Adoption Center, which will help us expand our ability to find even more forever homes for the animals in need in our community.”
“Petco and the Petco Foundation are thrilled to support the important work that the Monmouth Country SPCA does on behalf of animal welfare,” said Susanne Kogut, executive director, Petco Foundation. “We know this facility will be transformative for the pets and the community of Middletown, and we look forward to seeing many deserving animals find homes through the new center.”
The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is dedicated to enforcing animal cruelty laws; providing a safe haven for homeless, abused and abandoned pets while they await adoption; reducing pet over-population through spay/neutering; and cultivating their humane treatment through education and service . In 2013 the society cared for more than 4,000 animals. The Monmouth County SPCA relies solely on private donations to fund those initiatives.
Organist Gordon Turk Leads Off Tower Hill Concert
RED BANK – Gordon Turk, one of the nation’s premier organists, will appear in concert at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at The First Presbyterian Church at Red Bank (Tower Hill), 255 Harding Road. The performance leads off the church’s 2014-2015 Tower Hill Concert Series.
Turk is a critically acclaimed concert organist who has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He has performed in Carnegie Hall and was selected in 2006 as one of the leading organists in the nation to play for the inauguration of the new pipe organ at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center. Recognized for his versatility and eclectic programming, Turk later appeared at Kimmel in concert with American folk singers Peter, Paul and Mary and has played live concert broadcasts for National Public Radio. He has been a prizewinner in the national improvisation competition of the American Guild of Organists.
He is well known to Monmouth County audiences as organist and artist in residence of the historic Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, where during the summer season he plays weekly recitals on a famous instrument with more than 11,000 pipes. At Tower Hill he will play a varied program on the church’s 3-manual, 52-rank Reuter pipe organ.
Upcoming concert series programs include A Concert for Christmas with the Tower Hill Choir and chamber orchestra on Dec. 20; Kinnara, a professional, 32-voice ensemble on May 17; An Evening of Handbells, featuring the church’s English handbell ringers on June 7; and A Liberty Extravaganza with the Liberty Choir and a brass band on July 5.
There is no charge for admission to the concert. An offering will be taken to offset concert series expenses. The church is handicapped-accessible. For additional information on Tower Hill Concert Series events, call 732-747-1348 or see www.towerhillchurch.org.
