Lakewood Man Makes History at Lakewood’s Strand Center for the Arts
The Strand Theater for the Arts opened its doors in 1922 and has stood the test of time for decades from vaudeville acts, silent films and pre-performance Broadway shows to full-length movies and now, back to full-productions stage shows.
History will once again be made at the iconic theater because for the first time, a Lakewood resident is presenting an original musical he has written.
Lenny Gatto, owner and executive producer of Music Jar Productions, grew up in Lakewood, attended St. Mary Academy and graduated from Lakewood High School. His father owned and operated John’s Barber Shop for 40 years one block away from the Strand, and his mother worked in the office at St. Mary of the Lake Church.
Lenny will present his original musical, “They Call It Gravy; WE Call It Sauce,” at the Strand on January 30, 2016, a sold-out show, for a one-night Backstage Pass mini-performance. The audience will be seated on stage with the 15-member cast, and the original music will be performed live. Two cast members, Skip Pulcrano and Jimmy Givens, are also life-long Lakewoodians.
“They Call It Gravy; WE Call It Sauce” tells the story of a traditional Sicilian father who disowns his daughter for getting pregnant out of wedlock. Twenty years later, his granddaughter joins with a detective and her fiancé to locate and meet her grandparents. She hatches a plot to reunite the family; however, another wrinkle exists. Her fiancé is Neapolitan! The traditions of Sicilians and Neapolitans undoubtedly clash.
The musical explores the subject of the on-going “Gravy versus Sauce” conundrum along with missing vowels in certain Italian words, and the cringe that is felt by most Italians when they hear the word “Bruschetta.”
The show follows a family as it struggles to stay together and keep its heritage alive amid laughs and tears, forgiveness and family cohesion . . .all in the city they love.
For more information, contact Gatto, who currently resides in Monroe Township, at Music Jar Productions, 609-709-7180, or at musicjarproductions@comcast.net.
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OHI Gives Kids and Their Parents Something to Smile About
Children will have a reason to smile on Friday, February 5! In recognition of National Children’s Dental Health Month, OHI (Ocean Health Initiatives), a federally qualified health center, will be participating in Give Kids a Smile Day, a one-day program, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. as part of the American Dental Association’s drive to bring attention to the number one childhood disease – tooth decay.
On Give Kids a Smile Day many dentists donate their time to provide the underserved children of Ocean County, NJ with free oral health services. They will be helping those children who are not getting the oral care they need by providing free dental screenings to children 12 and under if they do not have insurance. If the family does have insurance, however, the insurance company will be billed.
The free screening includes a dental exam, X-rays as needed, oral healthcare instruction, fluoride treatments, and free dental hygiene materials, such as toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste.
Parents must call to schedule an appointment. Dentists can see children at either OHI’s Lakewood office, 101 Second Street or OHI’s Toms River office, 301 Lakehurst Road. Call the OHI Call Center at 732-363-6655 to schedule an appointment in either English or Spanish.
Throughout the year, OHI offers dental cleanings and full checkups, including X-rays and other screening procedures for children and adults. Dentists are available at the Lakewood and Toms River sites Monday through Friday, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
American Dental Association’s Give Kids a Smile program, now celebrating its 13th year, is designed to raise awareness about the importance of dental care and provides oral health education to all children despite their economic status. In New Jersey, more than 2,500 children were seen at 166 locations statewide on Give Kids a Smile day.
For more information, visit www.ohinj.org. For questions, contact Monika Kwiatkowska, dental manager, at 732-363-6655 or mkwiatkowska@ohinj.org.
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center (FQHC) with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood; 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin; Lakehurst Circle Center II, 686 Route 70 Lakehurst; a health center within the Clifton Avenue Elementary School, 625 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood; and a Mobile Medical Unit.
OHI provides comprehensive preventative and primary health and dental care to Ocean County’s insured, uninsured and underinsured populations. A sliding-fee scale is available, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, behavioral health, dental, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, podiatry and social services.
OHI has a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call 732-363-6655.
Transgender Issues in the Workplace – Employer and Employee Perspectives
Robyn Gigl, a practicing attorney and a transgender woman who transitioned while she was the managing partner of her former law firm, will give an overview and present a practical guide to developing trans friendly workplace policies and practices Thursday, February 11, 2016, from 7:45 to 10:30 a.m. during the monthly meeting of JSAHR (The Jersey Shore Association for Human Resources), open to the public, at Jumping Brook Country Club, 210 Jumping Brook Road, Neptune, N.J.
Attendees will learn the basic cultural competency on what it means to be a transgender person, get an overview of current laws involving gender identity or expression, and receive practical advice about creating and implementing transgender friendly policies in the workplace.
An unrestricted question and answer period will follow, including politically considered incorrect and personal questions.
The registration fee, including a full buffet breakfast, is $30.00 for JSAHR members; $40.00 for nonmembers; $25.00 for guests and those in-transition, and $10.00 for full-time students.
Register online at jsahr.shrm.org/events or email jsahr.shrm@gmail.com or call Christine Higgins, JSAHR chapter administrator, at 732-701-7155.
JSAHR, a SHRM affiliated chapter, is a Gold Excel award winner of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management.) This program is pending 1.5 SHRM and HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute) credits. www.hrci.org
About Robyn B. Gigl, Esq.: Robyn Gigl, who has been practicing law for more than 35 years, handles complex litigation, including employment law and commercial litigation. She routinely advises corporations on all aspects of their employment practices. Robyn Gigl is a transgender woman who transitioned while she was the managing partner of her former law firm.
She is the Immediate past chairwoman of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s LGBT Rights Section and was recently appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to the Court’s Committee on Minority Concerns. She also serves on the board of directors of Garden State Equality and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Gigl lectures frequently about LGBT issues; and, in particular, on transgender issues in the workplace and schools. Her goal is to assist and educate employers and organizations about the challenges faced by their LGBT employees, staff, and students.
100.1 WJRZ’s 14th Annual Women’s Expo – Fashion, Food, Fitness, Fun and Giveaways
Enjoy fashion, food, fitness, prizes and more at the 14th Annual Women’s Expo, a free 100.1 WJRZ Greater Media radio event, Saturday, February 6, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Pine Belt Arena at Toms River North High School, 1245 Old Freehold Road, Toms River, N.J.
The Women’s Expo, sponsored by Inflamax Research Inc., will feature many exhibits; food sampling from Mulberry Street, Passasnte’s Home Food Services, and cheese and butter from Finlandia; a cooking demonstration from Executive Chef Joe Raiola, the Season 5 Food Network show “Chopped” champion, and vice president of food and beverage at iPlay, America’s Game Time Bar and Grill, Freehold; a cake decorating demonstration from Jenni Cakes; and free haircuts, first come first served, courtesy of Sniptease Hair Studio
Attendees can enter to win a $1,000 certificates from Michael’s Furniture in Brick. Those who stop by the Apple Vacations’ booth can enter to win a winner’s choice of either a round trip airfare for two to Punta Cana or Cancun.
Medium Marisa Liza Pell, internationally known as one of the youngest mediums in media entertainment today; and considered a gifted spiritual channel, medical intuitive, inspirational speaker, writer, TV personality and radio talk show host, will give an interactive performance. During this interactive performance, attendees will experience messages from beyond and live readings, but admission into this event does not guarantee an individual reading.
Pell appears as a regular expert on CBS3 Philadelphia. Her work was nationally featured on FOX News, NBC, live international webcasts, and many major market morning drive radio shows.
For more information, contact Marie Senkeleski, promotions director for 100.1 WJRZ, at 609-597-1100 Ext. 204 or visit www.WJRZ.com.
100.1 WJRZ is a radio station of Greater Media, Inc. Greater Media, Inc. is the parent company of twenty-one AM and FM radio stations in the Boston, Detroit, Charlotte, New Jersey, and Philadelphia markets. Greater Media also owns a group of weekly newspapers in central New Jersey and several telecommunications towers, located throughout the United States.
Eight-week Course Starting to Prepare for HR Exams
Expand your human resource knowledge and skills by taking an eight-week course and study group from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, beginning February 9 to March 29, 2016, at the Monmouth County Library, Shrewsbury branch, 1001 Route 35, Shrewsbury, N.J., to prepare for the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) exam.
The cost of $600 for members and $750 for non-members includes books with the usual retail price of $695 for SHRM members and $870 for non-members, access to the SHRM resource center for self- testing and support, and paper power point documents that illustrate the framework for each module.
Also included with the books are the online learning system that provides an assessment to test knowledge, tests with more than 1000 questions, a post test that mimics the certification exam, and a resource center with study aids, such as flash cards.
For more information or to register, contact Carolyn Broderick, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, HRIP, the director of certification for Jersey Shore Association of Human Resources (JSAHR), Neptune, at carolynbrod@gmail.com.
The course is designed to provide HR professionals with a roadmap for developing capabilities to advance their careers and to improve their effectiveness in the workplace.
The SHRM competency model is fundamental to the two new certifications: the SHRM CP and the SHRM SCP, which have been launched to reaffirm the importance of acquiring the competencies and knowledge, not just the knowledge; and to provide relatable indicators of proficiency in the practice of HR.
Home Health Care Company Opens Its Ninth Branch in Robbinsville
Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), with headquarters in Eatontown, N.J., is opening a home health care office in Robbinsville, New Jersey, at 1 Washington Boulevard. The public is invited to enjoy light refreshments, meet local dignitaries, and tour the facility on Thursday, February 11, 2016, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
PHHC, which has nine locations in New Jersey and three in Pennsylvania, provides a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care. PHHC, accredited by CHAP* (Community Health Accreditation Program), works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home.
In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
R.S.V.P. to Lisa Gallicchio, director of community relations, at lisa@preferredcares.com or call 732-547-9886 for more information about Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services. Visit PreferredCares.com for more information.
*an accrediting organization for the home health care industry
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services: Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry.
Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit Preferred at PreferredCares.com for more information.
OHI Is Hosting Its Annual Valentine’s Day Fundraiser to Support Healthcare Services
OHI (Ocean Health Initiatives), a Ocean County federally qualified health center and 501 (c)(3), is hosting a Masquerade Casino Night, its annual Valentines’ Day fundraiser with dinner, dancing, and a casino night Friday, February 12 from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. at The Mill at Spring Lake Heights, 101 Old Mill Road, Spring Lake Heights, N.J. Wearing a mask is encouraged!
Tickets are $150 each. All proceeds will benefit the efforts of OHI to ultimately improve the quality of life in the community with enhanced medical care services to children, adults, and seniors of Ocean County, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. This includes, but is not limited to, better medical equipment, community outreach, educational materials, vaccinations, health awareness, and more.
OHI has been providing comprehensive primary and preventative care services to Ocean County’s uninsured and underinsured populations for the past 12 years. The increasing number of Ocean County families needing access to health care has resulted in OHI’s growth from one community health center in Lakewood to health centers in Toms River, Manahawkin, Manchester, two school-based centers in Lakewood, one at the Clifton Avenue Grade School and another at Lakewood High School; onsite pharmacies in Lakewood and Manchester, and a Mobile Medical Unit.
Sponsorships, donations, journal ads, and premium ticket packages are available, and are 100 percent tax deductible, excluding the cost of the dinner. Download the 2016 Tickets and Sponsorship packet at http://www.ohinj.org/2016fundraiser.
For further information, tickets or sponsorships, contact Kimberly Tozzi, community relations liaison, at 732-719-9016. The deadline for ad journal proofs is Friday, February 5, 2016. Send ad files to fundraiser@ohinj.org.
Sponsorship Information: (*New additions for this year’s event)
Premium Package Hearts Level: $3000 includes a reserved table with 10 tickets to the event; $200* of play money casino chips per seat; premium casino table sponsorship; a full color ad in the digital ad journal; company logo highlighted in event program; and sponsorship highlighted on OHI website
Premium Package Spade Level: $2500 includes a reserved table with 10 tickets to the event; $150* of play money casino chips per seat; premium casino table sponsorship; a black and white ad in the digital ad journal; company logo included in event program; and sponsorship included on OHI website
Diamond Level: $1550 includes 4 tickets to the event*; $100 of play money casino chips per seat*; full color ad in the digital ad journal; casino table sponsorship; company logo highlighted in event program; and sponsorship highlighted on OHI website
Club Level: $750 includes 2 tickets to the event*; $50 of play money casino chips per seat*; a black and white ad in the digital ad journal; company logo included in event program; and sponsorship included on OHI website
Event Sponsor: $300 includes company logo included in event program; and sponsorship included on OHI website
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center (FQHC) with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood; 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin; Lakehurst Circle Center II, 686 Route 70 Lakehurst; a health center within the Clifton Avenue Elementary School, 625 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood; and a Mobile Medical Unit. The Lakewood and Manchester sites have pharmacies.
OHI provides comprehensive preventative and primary health and dental care to Ocean County’s insured, uninsured and underinsured populations. A sliding-fee scale is available, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, behavioral health, dental, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, podiatry and social services.
OHI has a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call 732-363-6655. Visit www.ohinj.org for further information.
Markel and Levy Are Hosting New WOBM AM Radio Show
Starting this January, “Preferred Company with Joel Markel and Marianne Levy” has aired in a new 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. time slot on WOBM AM (1160 and 1310) during the Morning Drive, Monday through Friday.
Several years ago Joel Markel, the president and owner of Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services, Eatontown, began hosting his own radio show Preferred Company, discussing topics of interest to families, the senior community, and caregivers. In 2014, Townsquare Media, Toms River, even renamed its fourth floor WOBM-AM studio in the Bob Levy Broadcast Center, “The Preferred Home Health Care Studio.”
Because of Bob Levy’s retirement from Bob & Marianne in the Morning, Levy’s wife and co-host Marianne Levy transitioned to Preferred Company with Joel Markel, a show she had already been co-hosting for the past three years. Preferred Company, however, has now expanded from one hour to two and will air five days a week instead of three.
Markel and Levy will continue to discuss the latest issues, trends and challenges in the home health care industry in a “relaxed, advice-oriented, informational and fully interactive” format. Markel is known to use his passion for radio to promote many charitable and nonprofit causes, and to discuss various health and wellness topics. Besides Preferred clients and staff, Markel likes to feature local talent on the show as well.
Listeners are invited to call in or send emails to interact with the hosts. For more information, visit Preferredradio.com
Lakewood Township Recreation Department Announces Its Winter Recreation Programs
The Lakewood Recreation Department has released the 2016 schedule of its winter recreation programs. Registration will take place on site, the first day of the program.
Indoor Soccer Instructional League, a program for boys and girls, with no try-outs, is designed for everyone to play and learn the basics of soccer. The soccer program, in the Ella G. Clarke School gymnasium, 455 Manetta Avenue, Lakewood, is Mondays and Wednesdays, January 25 to March 18. (School is closed February 15). Registration is $10.00 for all participants, and players are asked to bring a personal soccer ball to practice.
Co-ed soccer instruction for children ages 4-6 is from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.; ages 7-8 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.; and ages 9-11 from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Friday only sessions are scheduled for children in grades 6-8 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.; and Grades 9-12 from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Free Instructional Baseball is open to all boys and girls ages 6 to 13, Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Ella G. Clarke School gymnasium, 455 Manetta Avenue, Lakewood, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 26 to March 17, 2016. Little League coaches will teach the fundamentals of baseball and the proper techniques of batting, catching, throwing and pitching.
Learn basic gymnastic skills and coordination movement in free, co-ed gymnastic classes in the Ella G. Clarke School gymnasium, 455 Manetta Avenue, Lakewood, Tuesday, January 26 to March 17, 2016. Instruction for children, ages 4-9 are on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; and children ages 10 and up on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Lakewood residents over age 18 and out of high school are invited to participate in Adult Open Gym, including basketball, volleyball, and indoor walking track, and weight room in the Lakewood High School gymnasium, 855 Somerset Avenue, Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., beginning Monday, January 25 to March 16, 2016. The sign-in fee is $2:00 per session.
Only the instruction is free for adult arts & crafts, jewelry making, and crocheting programs that will begin Monday, January 25 at the Lakewood Community Center, Fourth Street. Instruction includes Jewelry Making, Mondays, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Art Drawing and Painting, Mondays, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Crochet, Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; and Crafts, Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Programs may be cancelled because of inclement weather, holidays, school building use or school construction. Listen to WOBM for cancelations.
For more information, call the Lakewood Recreation office at 732-905-3405 or visit www.lakewoodtwpnj.org.
Asbury Park Beer Festival This January – Some Proceeds to Benefit Nonprofits
Sample beers of every kind, enjoy beer-themed sports, and even give back to the community at the Asbury Park Beer Festival presented by Greater Media radio station 95.9 FM The WRAT and the Asbury Park Boardwalk on January 30 and 31, 2016, in Convention Hall on the Asbury Park boardwalk.
The Asbury Park Beer Festival features craft beers from all over the world, ciders, and iconic retro beers. Participants can also enter beer-themed sports, such as “Masskrugstemmen,” a beer-stein holding contest. On-air talent from 95.9 FM WRAT Radio will be present and broadcasting live.
Doug Sjonvall, marketing director for the WRAT, says, “With on-air talent present broadcasting live we expect to have an exceptionally good time with great beer, great food, and so much more.”
Two sessions are scheduled for those aged 21 and over on Saturday, January 30 from noon to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. A third session will take place on Sunday, January 31 from noon to 4:00 p.m. Tickets for each session are $37.00 in advance and $45.00 at the door, plus applicable service charges. Designated Driver tickets, only available on the day of the event, are $10.00. Designated drivers must be 21 or older.
Partial proceeds from the Asbury Park Beer Festival will benefit nonprofit organizations doing great work at the Jersey Shore: Sandy Hook; New Jersey-based environmental group Clean Ocean Action; the children’s organization the Best Day Foundation; and Officer Down, a group that raises money throughout the year to assist deceased or permanently disable N.J. law Enforcement Officers and their families.
Tickets to the Asbury Park Beer Festival are available through Ticketmaster.com (surcharges apply) and The Stone Pony box office. For more information, Visit https://www.facebook.com/
AsburyParkBeerfest, www.asburyparkbeerfest.com, www.wrat.com or call 732-897-6500.
For more information contact Doug Sjonvall, marketing director Greater Media New Jersey, WRAT/WJRZ, 732-681-3800 Ext. 306 or visit promorat@greatermedianj.com.
WRAT-FM is a radio station of Greater Media, Inc. Greater Media, Inc. is the parent company of twenty-one AM and FM radio stations in the Boston, Detroit, Charlotte, New Jersey, and Philadelphia markets. Greater Media also owns a group of weekly newspapers in central New Jersey and several telecommunications towers, located throughout the United States.