~ Notes Around Town ~

Rumson meets Bermuda as Holy Cross hosts its annual dinner-dance. Overseeing the event are vice chairwomen Julie Gunther and Mary Fitzgerald, the Rev. Joseph Hughes, and chairwomen Regina McLean and Carolyn Geiger.

Holy Cross Parish, Rumson, is hosting its annual black-tie dinner-dance, "An Evening in Bermuda," Sept. 28. The festivities will take place on the parish grounds beginning at 7 p.m. LaBamba and The Hubcaps will entertain the guests as they dine on cuisine from Mumford’s Culinary Center. There will be a live auction, a 50/50 raffle, dancing and gambling by Tumbling Dice. Carolyn Geiger and Regina McLean are this year’s chairwomen; Mary Fitzgerald and Julie Gunther are vice chairwomen.

Tickets are $275 per couple, and can be purchased by contacting Karen Geiltzeiler at (732) 224-0724. All profits from the event will benefit Holy Cross School, CYO and CCD programs.

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The Monmouth Branch of the Lupus Foundation of America will hold its monthly meeting Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Joyce Stillwagon Community Room of the Eatontown Library, 22 Broad St., Eatontown. Ranit Shriky will be the guest speaker.

RYAN BENNETT Robert Tyler of Keansburg enjoys a children’s ride at the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair last week.

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease which afflicts an estimated 2 million Americans. It can affect the skin, joints, heart, lungs, kidneys, brain and other parts of the body. Although the disease is controllable, in many cases it can be fatal, and there is no known cause or cure.

The Lupus Foundation of America, N.J. Chapter provides patient and family support services, information, referrals, research funding and public education.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Members, families, friends and other interested parties are invited to attend. For further information, call (201) 791-7868.

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Tickets are still available for a rousing "Evening of Music," featuring gospel, contemporary Christian and modern music to benefit the West Side Christian Academy at the Count Basie Theatre, Monmouth St., Red Bank, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. The headline performers include the West Side Christian Academy Children’s Choir, Red Bank’s own Sheldon Edmond, and the first-time reunion in 25 years of the Shakes.

The Shakes replaced the Jukes as the house band at the Stone Pony in 1976. They played the Jersey Shore for many years, and their hit, "Pour It Out" was released by Philadelphia radio station WMMR. Band members Bobby Campanell and Danny Galasso will reunite with the other Shakes to benefit the children.

To purchase tickets, call (732) 219-9443 or e-mail requests to WSCA4The Children@aol.com.

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The Newcomers Club of Rumson, Fair Haven, Little Silver and Shrewsbury will hold a Welcoming Night Cocktail Party for new and prospective members Sept. 21 from 7:30-9:30 p.m.

The purpose of the club is to make the transition to the area easier and more fun for new residents. The club accepts new members throughout the year, and offers a variety of activities including playgroups, family outings, gardening, cooking, crafts, tennis, book clubs, and parties.

For those interested in attending the Welcome Night Party or would like more information about membership, call (732) 933-7737 or send a letter to P.O. Box 6413, Fair Haven, NJ 07704.

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Barbara Meyer of Manasquan is hoping that someone found the black onyx and gold bracelet she lost at the Riverview Medical Center Emergency area on the night of June 24-25, where she was awaiting the birth of her grandchild. Meyer said the bracelet was given to her by her children for her 50th birthday and has sentimental value. Anyone with any information is asked to call (732) 223-3702.

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Buy a book and make it count — Fair Haven Books, 759 River Road, Fair Haven, will donate a portion of the profits from all sales Sept. 28 to the Historic Association to benefit the renovation of Bicentennial Hall. Make your holiday gift list and get a head start while doing your part for a historic cause.

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The Red Bank Chapter of Deborah Hospital Foundation is sponsoring a bus trip to Bally’s Resort-Casino in Atlantic City Sept. 19. Departure time is 9 a.m. from the Shrewsbury Firehouse on Route 35 north, with a return time of 6:30 p.m. The cost per person is $16 with a casino give-back of $13 For reservations, call (732) 542-3247.

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The life of Sojourner Truth will be portrayed by Lorraine Stone, an actress familiar to many Monmouth County residents. Sojourner Truth was a slave who escaped and became a noted speaker and activist in the 1800s.

Stone’s performance begins at 2 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Quaker Meeting House, corner of Route 35 and Sycamore Avenue, Shrewsbury.

A question-and-answer period will follow. All are welcome and admission is free.

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In their quest to find a home for their organization, members of the Navesink River Rowing Club recently sat down with Assemblyman Steve Corodemus.

"We are looking for a new site to launch and store our boats," explained club president Kay Vilardi. "We have a number of requirements for the new site. It must provide river access, space to store rowing shells, a dock for boat launching, electricity and access to fresh water for washing the boats."

Navesink River Rowing currently offers a community youth rowing program, adult beginner rowing lessons, continuing rowing for intermediate and advanced rowers, state competition and out-of-state regattas.

"Monmouth County is lucky to have so many natural resources. Our rivers are truly a treasure," Corodemus stated. "The rowing programs that we have discussed are nothing but beneficial to the surrounding communities. I look forward to working with the Navesink River Rowing Club and area leaders to ensure that we do not lose this wonderful sport." For more information, call (732) 708-0900.

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Chess prodigies will have a chance to test their skills at a chess exhibition on the Asbury Park Boardwalk (next to the Paramount Theater), Sept. 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sponsored by Prevention First, a private, nonprofit health education agency, the fourth annual Chess Exhibition is open to children in kindergarten through 12th grade, who will play simultaneous chess games with local chess masters and experts.

The first 50 registrants will receive free chess sets, T-shirts and backpacks. For more information or to register a child for the Chess Exhibition, call Denise Stevens at (732) 663-1800, ext. 16 or e-mail dstevens@preventionfirst.net.

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The Woman’s Club of Red Bank is hosting a Sunset Reception Sept. 14, 4-7 p.m., in the Marine Garden of the Navesink House, 40 Riverside Ave., to raise funds for the restoration of its century-old clubhouse, the Anthony Reckless Estate.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served, and music will be provided by Mainstream. Proceeds from a 50/50 raffle will fund community programs including the club’s scholarship and reading programs.

The clubhouse at 164 Broad St. is on the National Historic Register and has been home to the Woman’s Club for more than 100 years. Tickets are $75 per person and can be reserved by calling (732) 219-6963

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A program on endangered and threatened species in New Jersey will be presented at the Sept. 23 meeting of the Sierra Club, Jersey Shore Group. A slide show will be presented by Pat McCoy, a volunteer for the Wildlife Conservation Corps of the state Division of Fish & Wildlife.

The meeting will begin at 8 p.m. at the Old Wharf House, Old Wharf Park, Main Street and Oceanport Avenue, in Oceanport. For more information, call (732) 462-2199, or visit www.njsierra.enviroweb.org/

njshore/.

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Rumson residents Diney and Barry Goldsmith will be honored Oct. 19 at Family & Children’s Service’s Evening to Remember annual ball. The event will take place at the Ocean Place Resort and Conference Center, Long Branch.

Theme of the event will be "Family Portraits," and the customary ad journal will be replaced with "The Scrapbook," which will feature black-and-white photos of loved ones and tributes. For more information, call Annette Bartolomeo at (732) 531-9111.

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For those of you need one more event to participate in before the summer is officially over, Oceanport would be the place to go.

The borough of Oceanport’s Summer’s End Festival will be held Sept. 21 (with a rain date of Sept. 22) at Blackberry Bay Park.

The day’s activities include the Moonwalk and Castle slide air rides for the kids; an art show featuring works by local artists; music in the park; the mayor’s trophy softball tournament; the Jersey Shore Running Club Children’s Races; food by Enzo’s Deli and fireworks at dusk.