At a time when many of us feel isolated or alone, when fear and uncertainty have come to sit with us for a while, our trusted companions are working overtime to show us what matters most and how easy it is to love unconditionally. As part of our much-loved Pet Celebrities feature we run monthly, we ran a pet contest from January through April to find Monmouth County’s cutest pet. With hundreds of submissions to choose from, there is a special bond between Lori Leonard and Owen that needed to be honored. Here is Owen Leonard of Little Silver, the CM Pet Celebrity winner for 2020, as described by his mom, Lori Leonard.

The second edition of the Two River Ramble music festival will take place on Sunday, May 19 at 3:00 pm.  The Ramble will be held on the lawn of the historic Parker Homestead – 1665, located at 235 Rumson Road in Little Silver.  The featured artists are Emily Grove, Jonathan Tea, and Joseph Alton Miller along with local favorites the Honey Badgers as the house band.

The Two River Ramble is inspired by the Midnight Rambles hosted by legendary drummer Levon Helm of The Band.  Helm was the core of an all-star house band that backed some of the most legendary singer/songwriters of our time, making the Rambles a highly sought after event for both fans and performers alike.  Helm passed away in 2012, but the Midnight Rambles continue to this day at his studio in Woodstock, New York.

The Two River Ramble is produced by Little Silver resident, David Ballard.  “We are fortunate to have such a wealth of talented musicians in our area, especially Asbury Park,” said Ballard.  “Combining that talent with a beautiful venue like the Parker Homestead creates a unique and wonderful experience. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the summer music season.”

The inaugural event was held last October and was a huge success, receiving rave reviews from the crowd and the musicians themselves.   Jonathan Tea, who performed in the fall and will make a repeat appearance at the spring session, said “It was honestly one of the coolest gigs I’ve ever done.  The crowd was great, and the venue was just beautiful.”

Ballard plans to hold the Two River Ramble twice a year, once in the spring once in the fall.  Following Helm’s format, each show will feature premier singer/songwriters from the Asbury Park area and pair them with a house band made-up of Ballard and other local musicians.  “The format is great- it allows for and encourages collaboration between all the artists,” explained Ballard.  “Anyone who is a fan of live music knows that when you put the right folks on stage in the right setting, magic happens.”

Admission to event is free.  Attendees should bring a cooler and a blanket or lawn chair.

FEATURED PHOTO: Twin Lights Lighthouse | CREDIT: Twin Lights Lighthouse Instagram

46 historic sites will open for visits May 5 & 6

The annual “Weekend in Old Monmouth” event returns this weekend with 46 historic sites throughout Monmouth County opening their doors to visitors at the same time.

“A Weekend in Old Monmouth showcases our county’s incredibly rich history and is a great way for residents or visitors to spend the weekend,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the County’s Historical Commission, which is the sponsor of the weekend event.

The historic sites can be viewed on a smart phone or computer via the downloadable tour book with map and links to the virtual tour, using a Geographic Information System (GIS) technology that precisely locate sites. Interested tour takers can view and learn about each site online and view the four suggested self-guided tours on the map to plan visits.

The sites on the tour are generally operated independently. In addition to the waived fees, the hours of operation are all the same for the two days. Hours for most sites are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 6. Tour visitors can see the places in any order and pick up the tour book and map at their first stop.

Highlights of the tour include Victorian homes, churches, lighthouses, museums, agriculture, industry, education and science. Each site contributes to the importance of preservation and history throughout Monmouth County and represent several historic themes:

Shore: The tour includes sites on the northern, (Twin Lights and Seabrook Wilson House), central (Ocean Grove) and southern shores, (National Guard Militia Museum).

Faith: Architectural gems of each of the last three centuries include 18thcentury Christ Church in Shrewsbury, 19th century All Saints Memorial in Middletown and 20thcentury St. Catharine’s in Spring Lake.

The Revolutionary War: Major sites include the Monmouth Battlefield area and lesser known places such as the Burrowes Mansion in Matawan, Marlpit Hall and the Joseph Murray Farmhouse, both in Middletown.

Military: The tour includes the Craig House at the National Historic Landmark Monmouth Battlefield, a witness to the famous battle and one of the more fascinating, but lesser known museums, and the New Jersey National Guard Militia Museum in Sea Girt with museum exhibits including fighter aircraft and tanks.

Many of the historic tour locations have received monies from County awards grants.

The annual Weekend in Old Monmouth tour is coordinated by the Monmouth County Historical Commission, which is dedicated to the preservation of the County’s rich historic heritage. As advocates for the preservation of historic properties, sites and projects, the Commission encourages citizen involvement.

2018 Weekend in Old Monmouth Tour Sites

All Saints Memorial Church, Middletown

Allaire Historic Village, Wall

Allen House, Shrewsbury Boro

Ardena School Museum, Howell

Baird House, Millstone Twp.

Burrowes Mansion Museum, Matawan

Christ Church, Shrewsbury Borough

Covenhoven House, Freehold Borough

Craig House, Freehold Twp.

Crawford House, Tinton Falls

Dr. Robert Cooke’s Medical Office, Holmdel

Eatontown Museum, Eatontown

First Presbyterian Church, Rumson

Friends Meeting House, Shrewsbury Borough

Great Auditorium, Ocean Grove, Neptune Twp.

Holmes-Hendrickson House, Holmdel

InfoAge Science Center (Camp Evans), Wall

Jewish Heritage Museum of Mon. Co., Freehold Twp. (open on Sunday only)

Keyport Historical Society

Keyport Fire Museum, Keyport

Longstreet Farm (Historic), Holmdel

Marlpit Hall, Middletown

Monmouth County Historical Assn. Museum, Freehold Borough

Montrose Schoolhouse, Colts Neck

Joseph Murray Farmhouse, Middletown

National Guard Militia Museum, Sea Girt

Oakley Farm House, Freehold

Ocean Grove Historical Museum, Ocean Grove, Neptune Twp.

Ocean Township Historical Museum

Old First Church, Middletown

Old Tennent Church, Manalapan

Old Wall Historical Society, Wall

Parker Homestead, Little Silver

Red Bank Woman’s Club, Red Bank

Roosevelt Borough (Jersey Homestead) Historic District

St. Catharine Church, Spring Lake

Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, Rumson

Seabrook-Wilson House, Middletown

Shrewsbury Historical Museum, Shrewsbury

Spring Lake Historical Society Museum, Spring Lake

Stephen Crane House, Asbury Park

Strauss Mansion Museum, Atlantic Highlands

Taylor-Butler House, Middletown

Twin Lights, Highlands

Village Inn, Englishtown

Wainford (Historic), Upper Freehold

The Education Foundation of Little Silver (EFLS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the education of students in the Little Silver Public Schools, is busy preparing for its annual fundraising event, which will be held on Friday, March 2, 2018, at The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park. Sponsorship opportunities and tickets to the “Inspire & Shine” themed party are still available.

Through the generous donations of Little Silver residents and local area businesses, the annual EFLS event – now in its 23rd year – helps ensure that Little Silver teachers and students can access innovative educational tools and current technology without raising the school district’s cost structure and local tax burden. In 2017, the EFLS raised more than $100,000 to fund grants for items such as Chromebooks, Smart TVs, and Surface Pros that were placed directly in the hands of the Little Silver community’s children and teachers. The EFLS is a nonprofit organization that relies entirely on local business and family sponsors, the Little Silver teachers and Board of Education, as well as the countless individuals who volunteer, attend and donate to its fundraising event each year.

“Our annual fundraiser is a great night out, but it’s also a critically important opportunity for our community to support the education of our children,” said Tracey Wetmore, EFLS President. “I’d like to encourage everyone to consider their own contribution to our mission, whether it’s by sponsoring, attending or otherwise supporting our fundraiser this year.”

Visit efls.org to learn more about the EFLS, buy event tickets and explore sponsorship opportunities and other ways to donate money.

Mrs. Claus is coming to Little Silver! The Woman’s Exchange Gift Shop is pleased to welcome Mrs. Claus on Saturday, December 2, and Saturday, December 9, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Mrs. Claus will be at the Woman’s Exchange to help young ones and their adult companions choose holiday gifts for family and friends. The Woman’s Exchange, a unique gift shop, has set aside a variety of specially priced items for youngsters to choose from. Volunteers will be on hand to help with selection, and all purchases may be wrapped and include personalized gift tags. Adults can enjoy complimentary light refreshments while the children shop.

The Woman’s Exchange is a non-profit organization established in 1934, which represents over 250 artisans from over 25 states and is staffed by volunteers. Items featured in the shop include unique gifts for the Jersey shore lover, hand-made hats, blankets, and sweaters for babies and children, distinctive jewelry, accessories, and gifts for the home. All profits are donated to Monmouth County charities.  The Woman’s Exchange Gift Shop is located at 32 Church Street in Little Silver.

For more details, call 732.741.1164, email womansexchange@aol.com, or visit TheWomansExchange.com.

The Education Foundation of Little Silver (EFLS) will host its annual fundraising gala on Friday March 24th at The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park, to raise money for technology in Little Silver Schools. The EFLS partners with the Little Silver school district to ensure that technology investments complement the curriculum strategy for the schools. The primary goal is to fund more than $160,000 in grants requested by Little Silver teachers as possible.

Last year, the event raised more than $100,000, pushing total EFLS fundraising over the $1,000,000 mark since its inception 22 years ago. Monies raised were used to purchase technology for Little Silver Schools, including Chromebooks, Smart TVs, tablets, digital cameras and other important initiatives requested by the teachers and administration. The EFLS was also able to furnish the Little Silver Public Library with 5 new Chromebooks, for use by all members of the Little Silver community.

“The students today do not see technology as something “extra” that they get to use on special occasions; they have grown up with access to technology and are accustomed to using it. Technology is their vehicle to explore the world, to gather information, to manipulate data, to collaborate, to play and to invent,” explains Dr. Pamela Albert-Devine, Principal to Point Road School. “As a result of the Education Foundation of Little Silver’s fundraising efforts last year, we have been able to provide access to interactive surface tablets, Chromebooks, 3D printing and our students are learning how to code to program our robots. Our students are capable of making a difference in this ever-changing world we live in; it is our responsibility to help prepare them for their future. The work the EFLS does is absolutely essential to support these efforts with our students.”

The dinner and dancing event, being held for the first time in Asbury Park, is always an entertaining evening for Little Silver parents looking for innovative ways to bridge the gap for classroom needs.

“The consistent generosity of our supporters has empowered the EFLS to impact the entire Little Silver community, transcending classrooms to reach places used by all Little Silver residents such as the Little Silver Public Library,” said Kris Kennedy Scuorzo, EFLS President. “We anticipate another successful year of fundraising in order to give our students the tools they need to be successful both in the classroom and beyond and to continue this wide range community impact. On behalf of the EFLS, I want to thank our generous sponsors, the Little Silver teachers and the Board of Education, as well as everyone who will attend this important event.”

As the technology in Little Silver schools is not consistent from classroom to classroom, or grade to grade, funding is continually necessary to establish greater parity and replace aging equipment. Most of the technology in Little Silver classrooms today is funded by the EFLS, and the annual fundraising gala furnishes a lion’s share of the EFLS budget.

The event will be generously supported by local businesses and family sponsors who believe in the important mission and impact of the EFLS. To more about the EFLS, visit http://efls.org.