Community Bulletin Board

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County (BBBSOC) recently honored 400 Ocean County high school students who, through the BBBSOC High School Bigs mentoring program, have been positive role models to elementary and intermediate school children throughout Ocean County. Dr. Bruce Greenfield, Ocean County superintendent of schools, was the evening's keynote speaker.

BBBSOC is committed to making a difference in the lives of children by providing a trained and supported one-to-one mentoring program for youths throughout Ocean County. Researchers have found that "Little Brothers" and "Little Sisters" who meet regularly with their "Bigs" are 46 percent less likely to start using drugs, 27 percent less likely to start drinking, 52 percent less like to skip school, 37 percent less likely to skip a class, 33 percent less likely to hit someone, and more likely to get along with others at home and in school as their self-confidence grows.

School-based mentoring provides after-school mentors in the following school districts: Brick, Lakewood, Seaside Heights, Central Regional and Toms River.

"Lunch Buddies" are provided in the following school districts: Little Egg Harbor and Waretown.

High school "Bigs" mentor their "Littles" for approximately one hour one day a week during the school year.

May programs and events at Brick Library

The Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library, 301 Chambers Bridge Road, has announced it's schedule of free events and programs for the month of May. Registration is required unless otherwise noted. Call the library at (732) 477-4513 or visit www.oceancountylibrary.org for registration and details. E-mail for teen events: mdbc@oceancounty.lib.nj.us.

+ May 24, 2:30 p.m. - Westernaires of Leisure Village West will present "Sentimental Journey," a spring concert.

+ May 24, 7 p.m. - "Fun Time Love Anime Party for ages 12-18. Prizes.

+ May 29, 3:30 p.m. - "Happy 30th Anniversary Star Wars" celebration for families.

+ May 29, 7 p.m. - English Conversation Group.

+ May 30, 7 p.m. - "Manly Men" book club for ages 12-18.

+ May 31, 6:30 p.m. - "Dim Sum Days Craze" for children ages 4 and up. Traditional food, folk and fairy tales from Asia. Face painting.

Brick Marching Dragons enjoy trip to Texas

The Brick Township High School Marching Dragons Band recently spent five days in San Antonio, Texas.

The highlight of the trip was marching in the 60th annual Fiesta Flambeau parade, America's largest illuminated night parade. Nicknamed the "People's Parade", it is a 2.6-mile route through beautiful downtown San Antonio. It is enjoyed by more than 500,000 people along its route, as well as another 1.5 million watching its televised live broadcast. The Marching Dragons were awarded third place in the category "Out of State Band". Bands came from as far away as Hawaii, Oregon and North Dakota to participate.

Men will serve their favorite recipes at festival

Fifty men of distinction will serve samples of their favorite recipes at the 15th annual "Look Who's Cooking" benefit and food-tasting festival June 8, 6-8 p.m., at Christ Episcopal Church, Washington Street, Toms River. Hosted by the Family Planning Center of Ocean County, the event will benefit uninsured and underinsured women.

Tickets, available at the door, cost $50 per person and include complimentary wine and beer, and a booklet featuring the chefs' recipes and ads. For event information and advanced tickets sales, call Gale Yetman at (732) 929-0049. For ad information, call Penny Rone at (609) 242-6927.

The amateur chefs are in professions that include lawyers, accountants, doctors, CEOs and CFOs, bank presidents, and radio personalities. The men come from Ocean, Monmouth, Mercer and Middlesex counties and will contribute to women's health by sharing their love of cooking. For more than 30 years, the Family Planning Center of Ocean County has been providing medical, educational and informational services to the community. Thousands of women have received medical services, while others have received educational services through programs given at social service and health agencies, community groups and schools throughout the county.

Sports skills class

for young children

The Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation will be conducting a Sports Skills class for children ages 4-6 May 24 at 10:30-11:15 a.m.. Children will learn skills and coordination for throwing, catching and kicking. Safe equipment will be used, such as foam and plastic bats, balls, etc. Refer to program 133332-1A when registering. An additional session will run from noon to 12:45. Refer to program 133332-1B. Participants must meet at the Beach Complex in Ocean County Park, Lakewood. The fee is $5 per child.

To register, send a check made payable to the County of Ocean to: Ocean County Parks and Recreation, 1198 Bandon Road, Toms River 08753. Details: (877) OCPARKS or www.oceancountyparks.org.

Senior volunteers sought to aid special-needs kids

Family Friends is seeking senior volunteers in Ocean and Monmouth counties to provide support and assistance to children with special needs ages 12 and under and their families. Family Friends provides a unique opportunity for volunteers ages 55 and older to utilize their skills and personality to assist children with special needs and their families. These families often do not have the time to relax or perform daily tasks. Family Friends seeks to alleviate the strain felt by these individuals by providing them with nurturing, direct care. This program provides two opportunities for seniors to volunteer. Once they are recruited and trained, volunteers are assigned to the family of a child with a disability and offer their time, skills and attention to the family during a weekly visit. As an alternative to directly working with the disabled children, volunteers also have the option to perform research on health, education, social services and more from resources of the Family Support Center of New Jersey located in Manasquan. All Family Friends volunteers will receive a monetary stipend of $12 per family or office visit. Details: (732) 263-8020.

Strand to host summer theater youth camp

The Strand Theater, 400 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood, will, for its fourth year, host a Summer Theater Youth Camp July 16-27, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for ages 7-18. The fee is $395 for the two week instructional period and includes a third bonus week July 30 through Aug. 3., concluding with two performances of "Jack and the Beanstalk" produced and instructed by Missoula Children's Theater Company Aug. 4 at 2 and 7 p.m.

The bonus week of the camp will be free of charge due to a Grant from the 21st Century Community Learning Grant. The Lakewood Public School summer program will also be involved that week. All students enrolled in the program will have a role/involvement in the "Jack and the Beanstalk" production.

Missoula Children's Theater (MCT), the nation's largest touring children's theater group has been touring extensively for more than 30 years. Details: www.missoula.org.

The Strand Youth Camp will be instructed by professional/accredited teachers, experienced actors/directors and professional theater staff. Students will get acquainted with a professional theater and study essential musical theater skills including acting, singing, movement, auditioning, improvisation, and dance.

A trip to see "Hairspray" on Broadway with a Meet and Greet/Talk Back session where campers will meet one or more of the professional Broadway actors who are appearing in the show is included with the registration fee.

Additional registration forms for the camp can be downloaded from www.strand.org.

Computers fulfill wishes of disadvantaged kids

Kevin Burger, the creator of Kevin's Kids, a program that grants the wishes of disadvantaged children, had a wish of his own this holiday season. Since he began Kevin's Kids 24 years ago, Burger was never able to grant a child's wish for a computer. This year five children received Dell computers complete with software, monitors, printers, speakers and even a power strip, all donated by Contributech, a newly organized nonprofit.

Contributech, created by Paul V. Orecchia, an attorney at the Toms River law firm of Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle & Sachs, and Nate Brown, a computer consultant and owner of Comconico Inc., Jackson is designed to help low-income or disadvantaged children and their families keep up with the use of computers through donations of computer equipment, education, and training. Not even one year in existence, Contributech donated five completely restored and licensed computers to Kevin's Kids.

"In the past years the wish lists that I received always included a computer," says Burger. "Unfortunately we were never able to grant such a wish. That is until you [Orecchia and Brown] came along with your generous offer. So not only are you giving them a Christmas gift, you are also giving each child a future."

Contributech is actively looking for donations of Windows XP operating systems, productivity suite software, used or new computer equipment manufactured from 2004 to the present, and functioning deskjet printers. Contributech will refurbish the donated computer equipment, give it to needy children and then oversee future educational activities, such as seminars and programs, that will give needy families the same advantages in using computers that other families have.

"Nate has always had an interest in charities and situations in which he could contribute his knowledge of computers, said Orecchia. "Since I am involved in a nonprofit that benefits children, the Monmouth County Board of Trustees for Child Care Services, we decided that Contributech might be a wonderful opportunity to help disadvantaged children keep up with their peers."

Other members of the board of trustees of Contributech are Anne Ettore, Ocean; Joseph Craparotta, Hightstown; Lawrence Sargent, Wall; and Lisa Poletti, Morganville. Nate Brown is the executive director of Contributech.

To donate computer equipment or make a monetary contribution,

call (732) 691-4328. Details; www.contributech.org.

Ocean County Vo-Tech to host summer camps

Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS) will be offering career-related summer camps. Register now for summer fun.

The Culinary Arts Camp will be held July 9-13, 8 a.m.-noon, at the OCVTS Brick Center. The program will focus on methods and techniques of meal planning, food preparation, cooking and safe knife handling. Topics will include breakfast foods, pasta and sauces, pizza, fruits and much more. Ocean County students entering grades 6, 7, 8 and 9 may attend

The Aviation Aerospace Camp will be held July 16-20, 8 .m. to noon at the OCVTS Navy Lakehurst Center. The program will feature model aircraft and rocket building, concepts of flight and use of flight simulators, tours of the on-site Naval Air Engineering Station Control Tower, the Hindenburg Memorial and Museum, and a Coast Guard CH56 helicopter. Ocean County students entering grades 6, 7, 8 and 9 may attend.

The Performing Arts Workshop is a two week session to be held July 9-13 and July 16-20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the OCVTS Navy Lakehurst Center. The workshop provides an opportunity for aspiring young artists to strengthen their skills in dance, voice or acting. Students will be exposed to all disciplines with time allotted for more intensive training in one specialty area. This competitive program offers Level 1 (for 6-8 grades) and Level 2 (for 9-12 grades) and is limited to 12 students per discipline per level.

The Marine Science Summer Experience, held at the Maine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES) facility, Manahawkin, 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., is offered July 16-20, July 23-27, July 30-Aug. 3 or Aug. 6-10. Students will be exposed to laboratory and research techniques, ecology, marine and environmental science. Daily field visits will focus on hands-on research, collection and identification of local species, water sampling and monitoring. This competitive program is limited to 25 students per week. Ocean County students entering grades 7, 8 and 9 may attend.

Details and registration: www.ocvts.org or (732) 473-3100, ext. 3121.

ReClam Barnegat Bay effort seeks volunteers

Those who want to play a role in keeping Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor Bays enjoyable play lands for people and healthy environments for the creatures that live within them, may join Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County's ReClam the Bay effort.

An Open House will be held at the Ocean County Extension Center April 17 to explain how people can volunteer to play a role in helping to keep the bays healthy through the Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program.

The program, now in its third year, is held in conjunction with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish And Wildlife Bureau of Shellfisheries.

Volunteers are trained to help educate the public about the ecology of Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor Bays and the watersheds that feed them.

Volunteers also are needed to help grow millions of baby clams and oysters that are restocked into the bays as part of a process of environmental involvement and stewardship.

The project, which helps to explain the benefits of shellfish filtering, feeding and cleaning the estuary, makes it possible for anyone to become a steward of the estuary.

For information contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension at (732) 349-1152 or e-mail kengle@co.ocean.nj.us.

Car show at Brick Township High School

The Brick Morning Rotary will host a car show at Brick Township High School, 346 Chambers Bridge Road, May 28, noon to 4 p.m. There will also be a DJ, 50/50 raffle, food vendors and a silent auction. Trophy presentation will start at 3 p.m. Details: (732) 477-2266.

New mobile County Connection unveiled

With almost 640 square miles to cover, the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders now has a second mobile unit to deliver services and programs right into the community.

In a brief ceremony outside the Ocean County Administration Building, Hooper Avenue, members of the Board of Freeholders gathered with the county staff and the public in unveiling the new mobile County Connection.

"This mobile unit behind me is equipped with workstations, computers, a host of brochures and information on county programs and services," said Freeholder Director John P. Kelly, who serves as liaison to the County Connection. "A knowledgeable staff travels with the mobile unit and is often assisted by representatives of the various county government departments including senior services, veterans and consumer affairs."

The mobile County Connection allows residents to access such services as applying for a passport and getting a county ID card right on board the vehicle.

"They can register to use the county off-leash dog parks, find out information on Ocean County College and at times get their blood pressure checked by the county Health Department," Kelly said. "It's a full service county government outlet on wheels."

The mobile unit travels to municipalities, senior communities, shopping centers, senior nutrition sites, library branches, health fairs, festivals and a variety of other locations bringing county government right to the residents.

"This new mobile outreach center complements our ongoing efforts to make Ocean County government and services accessible to all of Ocean County's residents," said Freeholder Deputy Director James F. Lacey. "This is our second mobile unit and the mobile outreach that we began in 2004 has been very successful."

The new mobile unit is a "low-rider" bus that is fitted to best serve the residents. Access will be easier as the new bus can actually be lowered to the curb and a ramp will lead into the new unit. There is also a defined entrance and exit.

The interior space, about 240-square-feet - was designed by members of the county staff and constructed by PL Customs of Wall Township.

"We launched the first mobile County Connection in June 2004. It was based on the overwhelming success of the County Connection, a service outlet store operated by the Board of Chosen Freeholders at the Ocean County Mall, Toms River. That store opened in September 2001," Kelly said.

The first mobile County Connection had once served as the Ocean County Library's bookmobile. And, it will continue to serve the residents in its current capacity.

"We know that through this program we are reaching thousands of residents and that it helps to make a difference everyday," Kelly said. "That is what government is all about."

The Mobile County Connection keeps a year-round calendar of regular monthly visits to high-traffic shopping areas and libraries to serve residents all across the county - from Plumsted Township to Long Beach Township, Little Egg Harbor Township to Jackson Township.

For example, on a visit to the Point Pleasant library, more than 40 people were assisted with obtaining county photo IDs, processing passports and getting information on county government programs and services.

The Mobile County Connection also draws large crowds of residents on visits to senior communities and is a popular participant in health fairs and Senior Expos.

"We welcomed 104 residents at the Sunrise Bay Health Fair in Little Egg Harbor Township and 75 at the Lakewood Senior Health Fair," Kelly said.

Visits to schools at back-to-school nights and field day events enable busy parents and teachers to pick up information on county parks and tourism-related activities, plus obtain county IDs for their children.

"The County Connections, whether it is the store at the mall or our mobile units, meet the needs of all our residents," Kelly said.

2007 N.J. Citizens Guide to Government available

Gail Marsh Saxer, president of the League of Women Voters of Ocean County, announced that the 2007 New Jersey Citizens Guide to Government is now available for purchase.

For more than 50 years, the League of Women Voters has produced the New Jersey Citizens Guide to Government, a pocket publication that is a comprehensive resource on state-elected officials, state departments and divisions, voting districts and election information.

The guide is a resource used by political leaders, schools, libraries, business and grassroots organizations as a reference about New Jersey government and elections as well as private citizens with a strong civic interest.

The 2007 guide is supported by the Community Foundation of New Jersey, a philanthropic alliance of families, businesses and foundations in the state that work together to foster community leadership and to achieve impact in their charitable giving.

Copies of the 2007 New Jersey Citizens Guide to Government may be purchased for $4 ($5 if mailed) from the League of Women Voters of Ocean County by contacting Chris Tryon at (732) 265-4790 or Gail Marsh Saxer at (732) 914-0154.