& Ocean County
39th Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show Hurley Conklin Awards 30 Years of Decoy Show Art
Art Music Theatre Heritage Fall 2021 A Free News Guide to Arts & Heritage Events Check out the upcoming events that are happening in Ocean County! Visit OceanCountyTourism.com and click on “Upcoming Festivals and Events” for an overview, OR go to the Events tab at the top of our HOME page to search our full calendar. (Please be sure to “know before you go” and contact the venue to confirm that their event or attraction is open and what safety guidelines are in place.) Enjoy, Be Safe, and Explore the Fun in our own backyard!!!
Ocean County Dept of Business Development and Tourism 732-929-2000
Publisher: Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission Contributors: Tim Hart, Victoria Ford, Samantha Stokes, Lucas DiMartini, Donna M. Malfitano, Catherine McLearen, Carly Conticchio Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission: Kevin W. Pace, Chair, Jennifer Sancton, Vice-Chair, Bahiyyah Abdullah, Alison Amelchenko, Duane M. Grembowicz, Roberta Krantz, Lori Pepenella, Linda Starzman, Cynthia H. Smith Alternate Commissioners: Sara Seigler, Kelly Fliller Staff: Timothy G. Hart, Lucas DiMartini, Renee Kennedy, Carly Conticchio Donna M. Malfitano, Catherine McLearen, Samantha Stokes Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission A Division of the Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/ch/ 1198 Bandon Road Toms River, NJ 08753 Ph. (732) 929-4779 Fax (732) 288-7871 TTY: (732) 506-5062 Email: [email protected] SPECIAL ASSISTANCE/ACCOMMODATIONS available upon request. Please request services two weeks in advance. LARGE PRINT AVAILABLE. & Ocean County Art Music Theatre Heritage Special Events Features Greetings from Commissioner Virginia E. Haines ...... 1 39th Old Time Decoy and Gunning Show . . . . . 2 C Hurley Conklin Awards 2021 ...... 3 Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Barnegat ...... 7 Chess Comes to Ocean County Parks ...... 10 O Compassion Cafe ...... 11 30 Years of Decoy Show Art Work ...... 16 TRAC Mural Project ...... 22 Briefly N Golf Courses In Ocean County ...... 14 Pinelands Jamboree ...... 15 Shared Legacy ...... 23 T 239th Cedar Bridge Commemoration ...... 24 Lighting Up Nature ...... 24 Ocean County History Day ...... 32 Fall Event Listings E Grunin Center for the Arts @ OCC ...... 25 Ocean County Artists’ Guild ...... 26 Ocean County Historical Society ...... 29 N Surflight Music Theatre ...... 29 Other Organizations ...... 30 Ocean County Parks ...... 31
This publication is available in LARGE PRINT and T in audio format upon request. See event listings for full accessibility guide.
On the S cover... Buffleheads On Ice. By: Robert Leslie. Print 2021 Decoy and Gunning Show Greetings from Commissioner Virginia E. Haines
On behalf of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, I welcome you to the fall 2021 issue of Out & About Ocean County, A Free News Guide to Arts & Heritage Events.
Please check with the sponsoring organizations and check: http://www.oceancountytourism.com/frmEvents for updated event listings.
The first Ocean County history day will be held on Sunday, September 12 from 10AM to 3PM at the Ocean County Historical Society Museum.
The Ocean County Board of Commissioners is pleased to host the 39th annual Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show on September 25 and 26. All events will be in person at Tip Seaman Ocean County Park in Tuckerton.
The Ocean County virtual archives have an interactive link for all the Hurley Conklin Awardees, past stories of the Decoy Program and relevant videos online at: http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/OC/ch/frmBarnegatBayDocs.aspx.
The Ocean County Jamboree at Well’s Mills Park will be October 9.
Ocean County will kick off the 250th commemoration of the American Revolution in what is now Ocean County on November 10, 2021 at the Ocean County Courthouse at 11 AM.
Jake’s Branch Ocean County Park will host Lighting Up Nature on December 18 & 19 in Beachwood.
The Ocean County Parks and Recreation Department commemoration at Cedar Bridge Tavern is scheduled for 1 p.m., December12 (back-up date January 9, 2022).
I regret to share the passing of longtime Stafford Township historian Steven Brescia.
And to our residents and visitors, I encourage you to enjoy all the arts and history events in Ocean County this fall. It’s the perfect time of year to experience all the best Ocean County has to offer.
Commissioner Virginia E. Haines Chairwoman of Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission Division of Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation
Ocean County Fall 2021 39th Annual Barnegat Bay Decoy & Waterfowling Show By: Staff J oin us for the 39th Annual Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show on September 25th & 26th at Tip Seaman Park in Tuckerton hosted by the Ocean County Board of Commissioners and the Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation. Don’t miss both locations: Tip Seaman County Park and the Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen’s Museum. Find a parking place at the High School on Nugentown Road or Freedom Fields County Park on Route 539. Once you park, the free shuttle buses will drop you off at the show sites from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm both days.
We have something for everyone, including decoys, dogs, boats, wildlife art, wildlife carvings, gunning supplies, antique fishing and hunting paraphernalia, duck and goose calls, clothing, carving supplies, and decoy/boat lumber. For music lovers, Pine Barrens bands and soloists will grace us with their musical talents. More than 50 contests will be held at the show sites during two action-packed days.
Don’t miss the New Jersey Duck Calling Championship. The winner will represent New Jersey at the world championship in Stuttgart, Arkansas, in November.
Join us for lunch with our numerous non-profit food vendors. The show is a great family event, so bring the family and come on down to Tuckerton for the 39th Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show!
Virginia E. Haines, chair- woman of the Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation on behalf of the staff, volunteers, and partic- ipating organizations, enjoy Decoys at Sunrise. the show…and be sure to visit us again next year on September 24 & 25, 2022! 2021 Hurley Conklin Awards
Presented at the Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show September 25th and 26th, 2021 Presented to people who have lived in the Barnegat Bay tradition. This award has been named in honor of the last of the Great Old Time Barnegat Bay Carvers, Hurley Conklin (1913-1998). For a more in-depth look at the featured artists, please see their full profiles with the provided links at the end of the article. Kris Anderson
Kris Anderson’s father came to America from Norway after sailing the world as crewman on a three-masted Barkentine to work in the pound fishing industry at Lavallette. He came to L.B.I. in 1916 and started a pound fishing
Photo credit: Karl Anderson company called the Crest Fishery in Beach Haven Terrace which was one of the last Kris Anderson. operating pounds on the New Jersey coast after WWII. Kris and his family were the driving force in creating the replica of the Crest Fishery at the Tuckerton Seaport. He was born in 1933 and attended the Beach Haven Elementary School and Barnegat High School. Kris was able to start going to sea on the pound boats launching and landing from the surf at age 5 and as he grew up, he worked intermittently building the fish boxes, lifting the pounds, changing the nets, pumping the poles into the ocean bottom among all the other chores to operate the fishery daily. We believe he is the last person around that actually went to sea on the pounds boats from the surf. At 13 years old he began fishing on charter boats from the once famous Beach Haven Yacht Club, which had the largest charter fleet in the world in the 30’s leading up to WWII. As a mate he began working for Capt. Fred Nichterlein on the Sea Spray, Capt. Walter Voss on the Pompano, Capt. Bill Howe on the Augusta and several others during the summers through high school and college where he attended the East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. He had many days with great bluefin tuna catches from the Barnegat Ridge and then the bluefish came in and became the targeted catch were on one day while mating for Capt. Dick Johnson on the Four Sisters they caught and incredible 602 bluefish for the charter, making them the high catch boat for the day and the summer.
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Ocean County Fall 2021 At age 14 he began duck hunting on the Little Egg Bay from his sneakbox, getting towed out to the marsh and back in by friends as he did not have a boat of his own. He made his own black duck decoys from cork that came out of the old Beach Haven Freezer Co. which was the insulation for the large ice freezers. He used whatever he could find for his decoy heads using commercial heads and some of his own carved heads. Those decoys are still ready to go today. He has enjoyed water fowling on the Barnegat, Little Egg and Great Bays as well as goose hunting in the corn field blinds of west Jersey to this day when the opportunity arises. After college he served in the U.S. Army during the Cold War, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. He returned to Beach Haven and built his family home next to the bay providing the gateway to his lifetime of fishing, clamming, crabbing, scallop dredging, gunning and teaching his family about the importance of a healthy bay to be able to enjoy all these pursuits. He has held a commercial crab pot license since mandated by the state of New Jersey and continues to crab during the summers for family and friends and hosts regular crab feasts on the deck of his home in Beach Haven with his wife of 61 years Marjorie. He has taken a great pleasure to teach his children and grandchildren about the bay and how to put the pots out and retrieve them, shake them out, pick the pots clean then cook the crabs as well as how to correctly pick and eat the crabs. During the summers in the 1960’s and ’70’s he clammed the bay selling to various purveyors and also captained several private boats out of Beach Haven into the ’80’s. An avid big game fisherman, he has also had the opportunity to travel to many of the top fishing destinations in the world. In 1969 he traveled with his regular fishing crew to Lewisport, Newfoundland to fish for Giant Bluefin Tuna. In later years he fished for giants in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada. In 1979 he had the opportunity to fish the first Hemingway Invitational Marlin Tournament held in Havana, Cuba. He has fished the Atlantic from Beach Haven, Hatteras, Cape May, Ocean City, Maryland, Cape Cod, Florida, The Bahamas, Cuba, St. Thomas, Mexico and has also fished Panama in the Pacific Ocean. He was an integral part of the crew on the “Anthracite” with owner Dick Ryon that were featured in the Marlin Magazine story, “Canyon Pioneers”. In 1959 they were the first to reach the canyons off the New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia coasts fishing for tuna, White and Blue Marlin. During the 1970’s he was Chairman of the Southern Ocean County Ducks Unlimited Chapter committee where they raised the most dollars in the State of New Jersey for the ten years he was chapter chairman. These were sell out events to raise “bucks for ducks”. He has been a life member of the Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Company, life member of the Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club as well as having been a longtime member of the Barnegat Baymen’s Museum and the New Jersey Decoy Collectors Association. He has enjoyed collecting birds from many of the local Barnegat Bay style carvers. His collection is focused on the Brant as the local bays were the major wintering grounds for the once great flocks that arrived here. As the Tuckerton Seaport was expanding he was able to provide the seed money then organize and sponsor a fund raiser to contribute to the building of the replica of his father’s business, the “Crest Fishery” which is on display at the Seaport today. Pound fishing was the first major industry in the area and played a huge part in the development and growth of the local area. Fish from the nets were shipped via rail and truck to markets in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and beyond. Many of his private collection artifacts including photographs, movies, codfish gear and the like are on loan to the Seaport.
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Continued on page 5 Over the years his garage has served as a workshop of sorts where he has repaired and rebuilt his sneakboxes, built pond boxes, built two garveys – the last one which was built in 1974. Using Jersey cedar from Abbotts Saw Mill and glassing with epoxy which was a very “new” technology at the time proving to be a good process as he continues to crab, clam, harvest mussels and fish from that boat. Today epoxy is the preferred material for custom boatbuilders worldwide. Kris is upbeat about the future of the bays health having witnessed a degradation over the years in water quality and biomass abundance of many species. Now there is a rebirth with cleaner water and an uptick in eel grass growth. He believes this is due to the burgeoning oyster farms, clam leases and young baymen working these businesses and caring for the bays. He sees this as one of the great hopes for the health and sustainability of the entire watershed offering future generations the gratification and bounty that he and his family have enjoyed for his lifetime. http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/OC/ch/frmBarnegatBayDocs.aspx. Clarence Fennimore
Clarence Fennimore is a bird carver and long- time active member of the New Jersey Decoy Collectors Association. He is being awarded the 2021 Hurley Conklin Award at this year’s Old-Time Barnegat Bay Decoy and Gunning
Photo credit: Linda Hollins Show. Clarence Fennimore. He was born in 1935 in the Delaware River town of Bordentown and now lives in Wrightstown, in Burlington County. “Our thing was to work on the farm, when farm work was available, and as much as possible we would be on the river with a canoe, fishing,” he said. “That’s what we loved to do, all the guys, go down to the river and fish. And we hunted on the river when we got old enough. Those days, you could walk from my house, we could walk right through town with our shotguns – no cases. Nobody even would bat an eye.” Well-known decoy carver Harry Fennimore was Clarence’s bachelor uncle who lived at his house, too. “I learned a lot from just watching what he did,” Clarence said. Harry had a lease on the Rancocas River, and knew the proper way to trim out the duck boat, and had built a few himself. “We had a busy lifestyle at that time,” Clarence recalled. As soon as he got his driver’s license, he and his friends headed for the shore, where there were a lot more ducks and fish, especially in the ’50s. Later on, Fennimore started tonging for clams – for pleasure and to give them away, never to sell them. He had an 18-foot wooden Grant skiff, made in Forked River. “That was ideal for tonging, because I could stand right on the edge of it,” he said. Continued on next page
Ocean County Fall 2021 When he needed money, he would pick on the farms or harvest/bale hay – “neither of which I would recommend.” His dad at one point worked for the railroad at Whiting Station, origi- nally called Whiting’s Crossing; drove trucks for a living; and worked as a hunting guide for a time. In high school, Fennimore was a cloth cutter at a clothing factory in Bordentown. After he came home from the service, a neighbor got him a job at Verizon, so he embarked on a 36- year career. Fennimore’s renewed interest in carving took hold when he was in his 50s. At his office in Freehold was where he met Bill Doggart. The two men bonded over decoys and started hunting together, and then Doggart asked Fennimore to help him make decoys. “If I hadn’t ever run into Billy, I don’t know if I’d ever have gotten back into it. He made a big impact on my life.” Fennimore had dabbled in carving as a younger man, but the demands of his job, kids, and farm (complete with sheep, Christmas trees and 4-H) didn’t leave much time for hobbies. The successful carvers he knew either carved full-time, or were bachelors. When he started actively carving again, he made bay-style rigs because that’s what Doggart made, but when he started making his own he switched to Delaware River-style. He likes the raised wing tips. He uses white cedar, which he used to get from Maine but now gets out of New York. The key is to get it kiln-dried, he said – “It just weeps, otherwise.” For his own hunting, Fennimore at first had used his uncle’s decoys; he later preferred L.L. Bean’s cork models. He was an avid hunter up until the ’80s – mainly black ducks, maybe a pintail or a mallard – for which he used a Heinrichs sneak box. But as regulatory agencies kept cutting limits, he felt the recreational activity became less worthwhile. According to Fennimore, over the years he’s made a couple thousand individual birds. “I write down every one, so I know,” he said. Pre-COVID, he would do seven or eight shows a year. Last year he did one in New York before everything was shut down. His sales have suffered in the absence of live shows, so he’s adjusted his carving accordingly, taking commissions and branching out. Recent works include a three-foot-tall penguin, hawks, and other bird species such as crows and ravens. In the time he’s been collecting, carving and selling decoys, the market has changed, and he’s changed with it. “Could sell ’em faster 20 years ago,” he said. “One year at Easton I sold 96 decoys (at a three- day show). That’s a lot of birds.” Nowadays there’s a lot of competition and a lot of young carvers, contrary to the public perception. It’s not the “lost art” people think of it as, according to Fennimore. For about the last 15 summers he’s demonstrated decoy carving at Tuckerton Seaport, and he still does, “if they call me, like for a school or visiting group. It’s fun to do that.” He has a bench and a full display that shows every step from a block of wood to a finished bird. “It’s a pretty straightforward process,” he said. It involves a hatchet, a draw knife, and a spokeshave to get it nice and round; then split it, hollow it out, glue the edge and put it back together. Fennimore uses a bench – similar to what some refer to as a chair maker’s bench – with a horseshoe-shaped block at the end that he pushes against. While neither of Fennimore’s sons inherited the carving gene, his grandson has tried his hand at it – and took a first place in the first contest he entered. “He got a better trophy than I ever got,” Fennimore said with a laugh. Just as some older carvers taught Fennimore certain techniques, Fennimore has passed on his knowledge to other carvers, to an extent, but he believes some things an artist has to learn the hard way, by doing, by making mistakes and solving problems. http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/OC/ch/frmBarnegatBayDocs.aspx.
*For 2020 Decoy Information, please see Page 33 African American Church in Barnegat Marks 90 Years, Seeks Recognition on Natural Register of Historic Places By: Victoria Ford
M ount Zion Baptist Church in Barnegat is a landmark erect- ed in 1931, making it one of the oldest African American churches in Southern Ocean County, – although its congre- gation is made up of faithful people of all colors. “We don’t close our doors to
anyone,” Deacon Peter Bell Founder Honored. Church said. The church welcomes Ford Victoria Photo Credit: “anyone who wants to come in.” At the present time, COVID concerns have put in-person church services on hold, though they may resume in the fall. In the meantime, a recent visit to the church for a meeting and tour meant playing it safe and masking up, as three parishioners – Deaconess Laurie Worthy, Deacon Peter Bell and Deaconess Edna Bell – provided information and insights into the church’s preservation efforts. “We are looking to have our church recognized,” Worthy said, by applying to have the church listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation would also help them get grants for ongoing maintenance and improvements. As for what it would mean to the congregation, Peter Bell said, “it should mean more to the community of Barnegat.” The church, he explained, is “part and parcel of the community.” The late Rev. Richard I. Bell gave presentations at the Barnegat branch of the Ocean County Library each February for African American History Month, and the church organized soul food events there. The reverend has been gone eight years now, and those traditions await reinvigoration. While closed, the church is still “open,” Worthy explained, as members are “going about our Father’s business, making disciples of all nations, preaching the good news, and most of all sharing our personal testimony so that someone else can be saved and come to the throne of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We continue to share God’s Word, have meetings, and whatever else is needed to do via Zoom – Sunday morning Services and Wednesday evening discipleship classes as well. Because of technology today, we are able to go live and connect with others.” The building itself is 87 years old, but the church started three years before that; the cemetery associated with it is older, dating to 1924; and of course the traditions of African American culture and heritage in the area go back much further, though historical records are scarce. The late Rev. Richard Bell once told a reporter that all the information he could find about local African American history “would fit under a thumbnail.” Continued on page 8
Ocean County Fall 2021 Mt. Zion from page 7 Zion is a name that refers both to specific hill in the city of
Deaconess Laurie Worthy, Deacon Peter Bell and Jerusalem and to the city itself, and it’s also used as a general term for “holy place” Photo credit: Victoria Ford or “kingdom of heaven.” Deaconess Edna Bell The Barnegat Hill Cemetery, originally called Rosehill Cemetery, in a segregated world, was the final resting place “for anybody who was born African American,” Bell said. Less than an acre, the small cemetery contains about 100 graves, many of them with modest headstones that read “Unknown.” Some are hand-carved rock with illegible inscriptions. Over the years, groundskeepers and funding have not always been readily available. Rev. Bell was quoted in a news article in 2011: “It was the only place in Barnegat where a African American person could be buried. African American people were not allowed to be buried alongside white people at the time.” In the area of Gunning River Road, where the church is located, many African American families settled going back to the days of the Underground Railroad, Peter Bell said. “We’re not dealing with transient people,” he noted. “Generations of roots” run deep. The African American community has been thriving in Barnegat since the late 1800s. As of the 1930 census, 32 African American residents were counted in the township. That number increased tenfold over the next 70 years. After the 2000 census, the Ocean County Library reported its Barnegat branch served twice as many African American residents as other branches in the region. Between 2000 and 2010, the African American population doubled from 338 to 681. Forked River, Waretown, meanwhile, “those were Klan country,” Bell said. Taking the historical view of African-Americans in the area, he said, “it’s a struggle to maintain what you had.” Mount Zion Baptist Church was founded on March 21, 1931, by the late Rev. Edward Simmons. In 1930, he received a divine message in a dream to start a church. Later that year, a man named John Smith donated the land, and then neighbors got together and donated their time and efforts to see Simmons’ dream come true. While the building was being constructed, the church’s founding members held services in their homes. The congregation consisted of Rev. Simmons and his wife Lottie, Mother Addie Jackson, the Wests, the Kings, Whitfield Holloway, and Annie Miles. The foundation was completed on July 22, 1934, when the cornerstone was put in place. The first service was held in the basement on the fourth Sunday of that month. Ten years later Rev. Simmons passed away. Since then, 13-plus pastors have come and gone. One of the long-term leaders of the church was Rev. Richard I. Bell, who came to Mount Zion as a fill-in pastor in 1988 and took on the full-time role officially in 1991. Continued on page 9 Mt. Zion from page 8 Pastor Bell was instrumental in the church’s growth and prosperity, having received a divine vision of renovation. With help from Worthy’s late husband Deacon Terence Worthy, church members and neighbors from the community set out to remodel the humble 75-person- capacity sanctuary and bring it up to code. The work began in the fall of 2001 and was completed in the summer of 2003 and included a new balcony section, bathroom updates, new hymnals and bibles, pulpit furniture and communion table, a wooden informational sign, additional seating and office furniture. The basement, which serves as fellowship hall – “Mother Rose Smith Hall,” to be precise – got upgrades for cooking and eating with a new stove, refrigerator cabinetry, tables and chairs. Mount Zion also purchased the adjacent property for a parking lot; invested in digital recording and audio equipment; and addressed other building projects including a new roof, HVAC system, windows, outside water faucets, vinyl siding, ADA signage and an electronic sign out front. A parking lot paving project is on the to-do list. In ensuing years, the church established a scholarship program for high school graduates and a building fund with generous help from an outside family. Rev. Bell passed away in early 2013, and his wife, Ruth, who took over after his departure, passed away four and a half years later. After a formal search, Rev. Joshuwa Armstrong came onboard as pastor at the end of 2018 and brought many new institutional and social ideas to fruition, such as “Men on the Mount,” Mother of the Church, Sunday “Q&A with Pastor J,” Sunday Bible “Jeopardy!”, outings to the park or the beach, game day for the youth, “Sip and Paint” events, and discipleship classes. He also implemented TVs, a church logo and website, and the use of both the volunteer management app Vomo and the virtual meeting platform Zoom for bible study, which proved beneficial for transitioning to virtual worship services once the pandemic took hold. “When it happened, I didn’t know which way to go,” Worth said. She was grateful to have her church community for support and comfort. “This is the place that’s going to build me up,” she said. “It’s not just a church, it’s a hospital – to get healed by the Word of God.” Next to help lead, guide and preach God’s Word will be Rev. Agnes McClendon of Middletown, Del. who has served as interim pastor since March. Edna Bell explained deacons and deaconesses are helpers to lighten the pastor’s load by leading prayer meetings, bible study, Sunday school, communion, etc. Peter Bell pointed out references to the word diaconate, meaning office of deacon, appear in the biblical texts of Titus and Timothy. The Greek origin of the word is diakonos meaning “servant.” For Christians, part of serving God is also serving humankind. Mount Zion Baptist has always had a philosophy of extending fellowship to other churches in the area, Peter Bell explained. Local pastors of different congregations would get together for prayer meetings. Nowadays, though, a lot of churches are going through changes, he said. Currently the Spanish-speaking congregation of Bethel Viva is utilizing the Mount Zion facility as they are in the process of expanding south from Lakewood. As ever, the church puts its collective faith in a divine plan. As Worthy put it: “Wherever He takes us, we’re going.”
Ocean County Fall 2021 Chess Comes to Ocean County Parks By: Victoria Ford
C hess has arrived in Ocean County. With the recent rise of popularity of chess in the past few years, the rise of new chess players has followed suit. Ocean County Parks and Recreation offers chess classes for new players as well as savvy veterans. Photo Credit: Shane Foley Chess Comes To Ocean County Parks. Chess Comes To The first class being offered is Pushing Pawns in the Park. This class is offered to arrange a time and place for people of all skill levels, ages and backgrounds to come and play multiple games of chess against many different people. Staff is also there to teach and answer questions if needed. The second class will be Beginners Chess. This class is designed to teach all the basics of an intricate game. The class goes over how pieces move, basic strategies and more. The goal of these classes is to attract people to learn and play chess in the Ocean County Parks while hopefully making friends and mem- ories in the process. Chess may not be the first program that comes to mind when thinking about Parks and Recreation. Other unusual pro- grams are offered like the disc golf or foot golf programs. These pro- grams are not as well known, but offer great gratification and relax- ation. Both are similar to golf, but are played with a disc and soccer ball respectfully. Field hockey and lacrosse classes are provided for those wanting to learn the basics or even just to have some fun. The Ocean County Parks and Recreation Department offer classes of all types for all ages and aim to serve the public in the best ways possible. For more information, you can contact [email protected]. Compassion Cafe Fills Need In Job Market, Fills Bellies With Breakfast, Fills Hearts With Hope By: Victoria Ford
A new jewel has been added to the crown of the so-called Queen City. Compassion Café is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit founded by Sue Sharkey and Erin Sharkey that employs adolescents and adults with disabilities, thus providing them with meaning- ful, real-world work experience and the reward of earning a Ford Victoria Photo Credit: paycheck. The café officially Sharing a Moment at Compassion Cafe. opened May 10 and operates out of Barry’s Do Me a Flavor in Beach Haven, Monday through Thursday mornings, 7 to 11 a.m. Barry and Nicole Baxter, close friends of the Sharkeys’, were onboard right away. “When Sue Sharkey first mentioned the idea, Nicole and I were immediately in – more for who it was, than what it was,” Barry Baxter explained. “The Sharkeys are like family to us, since their oldest daughter Pam started working here at age 14. We have since had Paul and Sue’s other kids, Eric and Megan, along with several nieces, including Erin, and in fact still employ Anna and Kaitlyn whenever they can break away from their ‘real jobs.’” During the pandemic, Erin Sharkey of Manahawkin and her aunt Sue Sharkey, were brainstorming ways to “change the world.” In addition to their joie de vivre and love of country, the two women share in common their frustration with the lack of job/vocation opportunities for people with special needs who have aged out of school-based or other programs. As a behavioral analyst, Erin works with children with autism and behavioral issues, often in Ocean County schools, and has observed their struggle to find gainful employment after high school. Sue is a retired high school gym teacher; her husband is retired Ship Bottom Police Chief Paul Sharkey. So between them, they had the educational and public service background covered. Erin, having worked in restaurants and learned how to deal with all different kinds of people as well as money and time management skills, wanted to do something in foodservice. Thus, Compassion Café was born. Everyone warned them it would be difficult. “We needed to think outside the box and envision the perfect situation, the best experience for our prospective employees for years to come,” they said.
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Ocean County Fall 2021 Compassion Cafe from page 11 They compiled a “what if” list: What if others shared their vision and were willing to donate? What if they could borrow space inside an exist- Photo credit: Victoria Ford ing restaurant to use during Staff Outside Cafe. off-hours? (They call this their “pop-up” plan, targeting a different location each sum- mer.) What if they had access to a commercial kitchen and workspace for training, skill work and socialization? What if they gave a job to every sin- gle person who wanted one? What if they gained the sup- port of a dedicated volunteers and gracious customers? These were long-shot dreams. But every single one has come true. The staff sells coffee, bagels, quiche, fruit, yogurt, muffins and cake. They also make and sell dog treats. Café apparel is also popular. But the customers are in it for more than the delicious breakfast products, Sue Sharkey said; they’re looking to get a little joy and compassion with their crumb cake. “They are coming for the service – and the service is extraordinary.” Meanwhile, the staff feels fulfilled by having a purpose and legitimized by getting paid, which they understand to be a normal part of life for their parents, siblings, and friends. Whether they know the difference in price between a cupcake and a car is beside the point, Sue said. For some of them, working at the café is the first time they have felt truly valued for their work. Furthermore, their interactions with the public foster tolerance and acceptance. And that learning experience, Sue said, is worth more than words can say. “There’s no lesson plan for that,” she said, emotion welling up. After MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhl’s story on Beach Haven’s Compassion Café reached TV and online audiences July 2, an anonymous viewer donated $10,000 to the project. Then Bloomberg Philanthropies donated $25,000. After delivering the money to the café, Ruhle said her heart was ready to burst. “I’ve had the opportunity to cover a lot of significant events, interview influential people, and tell amazing stories,” she said, “but Compassion Café is by far the most special.” The café’s mission isn’t simply to help those who have limited job opportunities, Ruhle explained. “It is an opportunity for us (as consumers) to examine who and what we value, and for employers to re-imagine our workforce.”
Erin Sharkey said she is “totally humbled and honored” by the generosity of the donors and supporters. Seeing that “people believe in what we have dreamt up” is both heartwarming and affirming. Of course, the Sharkeys owe a debt of gratitude to the Baxters for opening their doors to the project. “They are the most phenom- enal people,” Erin said. Continued on page 13 Compassion Cafe from page 12 “The joy Nicole and I get from watching what the girls have created with Compassion Cafe goes far beyond anything any of us had ever imagined,” Barry Baxter said. Erin is also energized by the success and positive exposure the café has had in such a short time. “This is just the beginning,” she said. Eventually she would like to see locations on the Island’s north end and in Manahawkin. The Sharkeys are committed to offering employment to all qualified job seekers. “Projections expect that to mean 50 to 60 people, filling approximately two shifts per week,” they explained. “Can the sale of coffee and bagels cover the wages of eight or more employees per hour? No. We’d need donations to supplement our wages. Donations began to flow – big and small, with messages affirming that (the community’s) hearts are alive for the mission of Compassion Cafe.” They have devised a sponsorship program with different levels of giving – Sea Glass, Sand Dollar and Starfish. Small, localized fundraisers in the form of garden parties are also in the works. “We are appreciative and honored to be trusted with smallest to largest donations,” Sue Sharkey said, adding gifts from $5 to $100 have been the foundation on which they have built their success. As Sue outlined, the scope of the operation is far greater than simply selling coffee, baked goods and dog treats. Compassion Café has a 61-person core of volunteers; 44 staff members; and a managerial team of six. In four hours’ time the café might employ 23 staffers, she said. The volunteers started helping with in-person trainings in April. The United Methodist Church in Beach Haven Terrace has been “invaluable to us,” she said, as a meeting place, training ground and storage/baking facility where the staff makes the dog treats (peanut butter Wheat Thins and icing-dipped Milkbones). The church is where a lot of the real skill-building happens, in terms of prep and side work before they go to Barry’s. Staff members are given a schedule; they clock their time setting up, selling their goods and interacting with customers, accounting for the money and cleaning up. Many more volunteers provide the “unnoticed supervision” during hours of operation – keeping an eye on people and things outside and monitoring the “time clock.” Those volunteers’ biggest contribution is peace of mind, Sue said. April brought a surprise in the form of a generous grant from the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, which is based in New York City but has trustees with connections to Long Beach Island. Since then, reports of the good work being done at Compassion Café have continued to spread through positive press and word of mouth. “We took a risk to start this,” Sue said. But as the influx of contributions and volunteer commitments quickly made apparent, “the community is so ready for it.” With the Baxters’ blessing, the café will continue to run through Sept. 16. “To see these kids in action and so happy, so early in the morning, is not something you can buy,” Barry Baxter said. “It’s priceless.” Ruhle sees the Compassion Café story as a beacon of hope for the economy. “Every day we hear about a labor shortage in America – scores of low-wage/low- skill jobs with no one to fill them. If we reconsider who can fill those jobs, we might not have such a big shortage,” she said. What’s more, according to Ruhle, over 80% of disabled Americans are not working, and many would like to be. “If we, as consumers and employers, could inject a bit more grace and patience in our daily lives, the amazing team at Compassion Café proves the American Dream is alive and love wins.”
Ocean County Fall 2021
Ocean County Fall 2021 Barnegat Bay Decoy Show Art Work
1990, Tom Hirata
1991, Tom Hirata
1992, Robert Leslie
1993, Tom Hirata 1994, Robert Leslie
1995, Kevin McBride 1996, Tom Hirata Barnegat Bay Decoy Show Art Work
1997, Robert Leslie 1998, Robert Leslie
1999, Tom Hirata 2000, Robert Leslie
2001, Herb Heinrichs 2002, Joyce Lawrence
2003, Cathleen Engelsen 2004, Jennifer Pierce
Ocean County Fall 2021 Barnegat Bay Decoy Show Art Work
2005, A.J. Rudisill 2006, Robert Sepanak
2007, Joyce Lawrence 2008, Kathy Johnsten
2009, Robert Leslie 2010, Robert Leslie
2011, Tom Hirata 2012, Robert Leslie Barnegat Bay Decoy Show Art Work
2013, Robert Leslie 2014, Robert Leslie
2015, Robert Leslie 2016, Robert Leslie
2017, Robert Leslie 2018, Robert Leslie
2019, Robert Leslie 2021, Robert Leslie
Ocean County Fall 2021 TRAC Mural Project A Symbol of Gratitude For First Responders, Essential Workers, Hometown Heroes By: Victoria Ford
The Toms River Artist Community has organized a community mural that will transform a concrete retaining wall in the Robbins Parkway parking lot downtown into a symbol of togetherness and gratitude for the whole town to enjoy.
The mural bears the signatures Artists Celebrate Mural. of 216 contributors who helped Photo Credit: Lisa Ciferetto bring it to life, ranging in age from five months to 97 years old. (The baby’s painted thumb- print appears on the signature panel, courtesy of Mom; and the oldest painter participated in memory of her veteran husband.) Among the painters were students, parents, artists, scouts, teachers, disabled children and adults, local businesspeople and their staff. TRAC artists helped along the way and took on the final detail work to tie it all together. Toms River’s public works staff cleared away trees and debris and power washed the wall in preparation for the install and big reveal party in the parking lot. The whole process of making the mural “was really a very humbling experience,” TRAC President Lisa Cifaretto explained. She had no previous experience with mural painting or executing such a large-scale public art project, she said. Cifaretto’s art identity is LMCArtNJ. She does photography, resin art, acrylic painting, mixed media. She’s a retired chef who moved back to Jersey from Florida to help her parents after Superstorm Sandy. TRAC formed in 2013. When Cifaretto got involved, the organization had 11 members; now it has 58, with a mission strongly rooted in community. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month, hangs new artwork in the gallery monthly, and is dedicated to putting art in the public’s eyes and hands. TRAC’s two-fold mission is to strengthen the artist community by creating an affordable, active and vibrant environment where local artists can work, teach, and exhibit their art – thus enriching the culture and the arts in our local community – and, by doing so, to serve as part of the catalyst for revitalization in Downtown Toms River. While the mural project, the first of its kind, was already underway in 2019, the inspiration for the design grew out of the pandemic. Approvals had already been obtained, but before the artists got too far in the planning process, the pandemic stopped them in their creative tracks. When the Washington Street gallery closed in March of 2020, TRAC members had plenty of time to think about what they wanted to do, Cifaretto explained. As the weeks and months passed, the answer became clear: “We decided we had to do something to help pull the Toms River community together.” Continued on page 21 TRAC from page 20 The original theme was hands, she explained, but in the end, the wall art would be dedicat- ed to the first responders, the essential workers, and the Photo credit: Lisa Ciferetto hometown heroes that stepped Mural In Progress. up during the pandemic to help their neighbors. During the shutdown, the gallery moved from the back of the Washington Street shops to the front, where it was more visible from the street. Pass- ersby would walk in off the sidewalk and ask questions – often about the Halloween parade, which was cancelled in 2020. Toms River’s Halloween parade is touted as one of the largest in the world, and a keystone of the community. Inspiration struck. Organizers concluded: “Toms River needed its parade, so why not paint it on a wall?” Cifaretto and VP Kat Tobin “basically do everything together,” so together, along with Karen Knight, they figured out the design and the logistics. The mural would embody the spirit of courage and selflessness shown daily by the first responders and hometown heroes, from one emergency to another and from one crisis to the next. Karen Knight created the drawing they presented to the township’s Community Art Project, Business Improvement District, parking authority and planning board. The design includes an American flag and many vehicles that appear to pull it along, as in a parade, followed by a sunset. A sea plane carries a “thank you” banner. “The mural isn’t about the recent pandemic and devastating impact of COVID,” according to Cifaretto. “It is about all of the dedication and commitment that existed in our community long before and that we know will be present long after the current crisis subsides.” To their own great surprise, the artists were awarded the 5-by-120-foot wall at 27 Iron Street, in the free parking lot. With the design approved, the work really began. First the 5-foot panels of mural paper were cut and primed; then each section of the drawing was projected onto a panel and traced, which proved more difficult than they had expected. While the three women were sketching out the mural image, other TRAC members were soliciting donations and support for the mural project and recruiting painters. “My phone was blowing up after we put the first post out (seeking painters),” she said. “We were blown away by the response.” Over 200 townspeople, mostly children, wanted to be involved. “In our hearts we were thrilled; in our minds we were overwhelmed,” she confessed. Continued on page 22
Ocean County Fall 2021 TRAC from page 21 Scheduling painters to come into the gallery in socially distanced shifts was tricky, but the nice thing was family units could stay together, Cifaretto said. Thankfully the BID provided its community room and three other empty stores at The Downtown Shops on Main. Cifaretto worked out a COVID-safe schedule to accommodate every painter. The paint they used was an outdoor acrylic by Sherwin-Williams. They mixed all their own colors from the primaries. The painted mural paper then got adhered to the thrice-primed wall with gel medium and then got a layer of sealer. The original install/unveil date of Memorial Day Weekend was pushed back to allow extra time for the kids to finish painting. At the very heart of the whole process was the experience of seeing the young ones work together, according to Cifaretto. “We have met so many talented young artists,” she said. “We witnessed children laughing, helping each other, and talking about their heroes. About a third of the children who participated had parents in the health care field. They shared stories with us about how COVID affected their families, and about how they were scared for their parents and for themselves. “I believe the painting of this mural was like therapy for these children. When they shared their stories with each other, they realized they were not alone. To me that was the greatest outcome of this mural. It has brought peace to so many and given them a chance to say thank you to all their heroes.” Follow the project from the very beginning in photos and videos at facebook.com/appreciationmural. A memorial book chronicling the project from start to finish will be published after the install. Funding for the project came from local donors, private individuals and businesses, and from a crowdfunding campaign on social media. “TRAC is profoundly grateful for this experience,” Cifaretto said. “We have met so many great people in town – so many talented children.” Two outgrowths of the Appreciation Mural project were a partnership with the Filipino-American Community Development Center (where art teacher Christina Lua is a TRAC member), and the TRAC Kids Korner, a new dedicated section of the gallery that showcases young artists each month. Children from the FACDC hung 13 pieces of art in the TRAC gallery for the month of May and were featured in an opening reception. Four of the young artists sold their artwork the night of the opening. Hence the TRAC Kids Korner was established, for artists ages 13 and younger to showcase their artworks. And junior memberships to TRAC are now available for high school students ages 14 to 18. Also in the works are kids’ classes and live pet portrait paintings during downtown nights out. In addition to its own gallery, TRAC hangs work at Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea at the Ocean County Mall; TRAC artists set up tents on Wednesdays at the Mathis House and sell art there; and the group is working with the Seaport Museum to hold weekend art shows at their facility. Ocean County Fall 2021
Grunin Center for the Arts @ Ocean County College Ocean County College, College Drive Toms River 732-255-0500 https://www.grunincenter.org/ Mike Veny Trio Solace Monday, September 20, 12:30 PM Friday, October 22, 2:00 PM Mike Veny joins us for a virtual speaking Trio Solace was formed at the height of the engagement titled Transforming Stigma® in COVID-19 pandemic by long-time school friends College. 1 virtual ticket per viewing device. Visit Yukiko Kuhara (violin), Mark Serkin (cello), and our Virtual Event Support page to learn about Jacob Savransky (piano) as a way to spread a our recommendations for casting to a TV and modicum of comfort by way of music. The trio how to access this Virtual Event. consists of three alumni from Mannes School of Virtual Tickets are Free, Pre-Registration Music, The New School. The trio made its debut Required at the Mozaika Concert Series at Raritan Valley Community College in early 2021. John Pizzarelli & Catherine Russell present: Free, Advanced Registration Required Billie & Blue Eyes Sunday, September 26, 7:00 PM The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra Grammy Award-winning vocalist Catherine Saturday, October 23, 5:00 PM Russell teams up with jazz guitarist, vocalist, The first Glenn Miller Orchestra did not make it and bandleader John Pizzarelli in a stunning trib- at all. It was a total and absolute economic fail- ute to Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra in Billie & ure. But Glenn knew what he wanted, held to Blue Eyes. Dubbed “the essential duo,” Russell that dedication, and relentlessly worked to suc- and Pizzarelli transport audiences to the glory ceed. He launched his second band – the one days of jazz with masterful ease, capturing that lives on today – in March of 1938. The Holiday’s effortless grace and Sinatra’s cool Glenn Miller Orchestra has been a “hit” ever swagger. since. $55-$35 Tickets $35 Doris Kearns Goodwin The Weeklings Beatles Bash Wednesday, October 6, 6:30 PM November 5, 2021 at 8pm Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned The Weeklings with the 10 piece Horns & presidential historian, public speaker, and Strings Orchestra present The Music of The Pulitzer Prizewinning, New York Times #1 best- Beatles and more! selling author. Tickets $45 – $35 Tickets $35-$25 A Conversation with Eric O’Neill Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock & Roll Tuesday, November 9, 11:00 AM Friday, October 15, 8:00 PM Join Eric O’Neill for a virtual engagement that With a cast consisting of both stars from provides practical insights into real work situa- Broadway’s greatest rock musicals, as well as tions relevant to many industries. 1 virtual ticket incredible Rock & Roll singers, Neil Berg shares per viewing device. Visit our Virtual Event the often unknown stories from the fifty-year his- Support page to learn about our recommenda- tory of the music that changed the world forever! tions for casting to a TV and how to access this Tickets $49-$39 Virtual Event. Virtual Tickets are Free, Pre- Registration Required Assisted Living: The Musical® Saturday, October 16, 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM The Jazz Lobsters Two actors play eighteen different characters Sunday, November 21, 3:00 PM who sing and dance, revel and kvetch, celebrate The Jazz Lobsters Big Band swings hard, featur- and bloviate their way through later life. You’ll ing the timeless music of Count Basie, Frank laugh out loud to songs like “Help! I’ve Fallen Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Quincy Jones, as well (For You) And I Can’t Get Up” and “Golf Cart as hip new arrangements–everything from 40’s Seduction.” Assisted Living: The Musical® is for swing to hot Latin and Salsa. Led by keyboardist everyone who is ag ing or hopes to age. You’ll and arranger James “King Salmon” Lafferty, the see your parents, your friends and maybe some full tilt big band is comprised of five saxes, four of yourself. Don’t miss the show where the trumpets, four trombones, and the kickin’ Associated Press says, “Audiences are laughing Lobster rhythm section. so hard, they cry!” Adults $24, Seniors $20, Virtual $13 Tickets $27 – $22
Ocean County Fall 2021 Ocean County Artists’ Guild Please call and check out the detailed information. 22 Chestnut Avenue, Island Heights 732-270-3111 http://www.ocartistsguild.org Gallery viewing, Every Sunday 1-4 PM Linda Coulter - Pastels Sundays, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Tuesday & Wednesday, September 28-29, Every month there are new members exhibiting 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM in our Studio Gallery, as well as exhibits of solo Enrollment is confirmed ONLY AFTER payment artists in our smaller galleries. Currently we are is received by OCAG, on a first come basis (By only open on Sundays, 1-4 PM. Watch our web- date received). Join this popular teacher in dis- site and social media for new information. covering the jewel-like qualities of pastel. In this Free informative and engaging workshop students will Children's Art - Alison3A learn to organize shapes and elements that Tuesdays, September 7-21, 4:00 - 5:30 PM make for a good composition. All levels are wel- ALISON AMELCHENKO (908-616-7258) come. Students will be encouraged to grow and Children will learn the basic drawing techniques, develop in their own style of painting. Maximum: color mixing, composition and perspective with 10-12. acrylic to create fun paintings and drawings. https://www.ocartistsguild.org/covid-19regu- Subjects may include: Carousel Animals, lationsatocag Colorful Coral, Summer Fruit and Ducks in a Pond $72 members/$80 non-members $170 members / $185 non-members http://www.ocartistsguild.org/classes Eve's Creations Paint Party - Adults Knitting/Crocheting - Fall Thursday, September 30, 7:00 - 9:00 PM September 23 - October 28, 1:00 - 3 :00 PM By Eve's Creations Paint Party (Kristin Woolley) Helen Webster - 732-730-3688 MINIMUM OF 2 Cost: $35/person (Members & non-members) to hold class (6 weeks) Challenge yourself; open Come join the fun! Paint a Fall scene presented up your creativity. Learn basic stitches, make for by Eve's Creations Paint Party All supplies gifts or yourself. included. Painting is on a 16 x 20 canvas with $90 members/$110 non-members acrylic paint. Alcohol Ink Tiles - September $35/person Friday, September 24, 6:30 - 8:30 PM Artful Dodgers Open Studio with This is a single date event. Come and create Kim Cesaretti something beautiful for yourself or as a gift. Each student makes four (4) tiles. All supplies Mondays, October 4 - November 22, included. Adults and 13+ 6:30 - 8:30 PM $45/person Bring that unfinished project, new idea along Artisans' Market with any materials you need, and gather with us Saturday, September 25, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM in the studio at the Ocean County Artists' Guild. A variety of Artisans will be at the Guild selling The Guild is your creative, safe, soft space to their creations both inside and outside. Social land and feel nurtured in your art journey! All distancing & masks are encouraged outside and levels are welcome and assistance is available if MANDATORY inside the building. Vendors will you need it. These are sessions where you can be socially distant and hand sanitizer will be get connected and creative in a welcoming, available at the building entrance points. Come casual, relaxed atmosphere. We are here to inside to see our latest gallery exhibit. support you and help you live your best art life! Free $70 members and non-members Children's Art - Alison4A Adult Oils - Painting Clouds Tuesdays, September 28 - October 19, 4:00 - 5:30 PM Sundays, October 5 - 26, 9:30 - 11:30 AM ALISON AMELCHENKO (908-616-7258) Students will learn the methods and techniques Children will learn the basic drawing techniques, used by master artists to make a beautiful oil color mixing, composition and perspective with painting with a focus on clouds. Learn how to acrylic to create fun paintings and drawings. choose references, sketch/plan composition, Class details to follow when available. 4 weeks tone canvas, underpainting, basic color theory $72 members/$80 non-members and color mixing, how to block-in and glaze Children's Art - Alison4B color, add textures, and refine/finish the painting. Wednesdays, September 29 - October 20, Live in person with option to join the class 4:00 - 5:30 PM remotely. Materials and supplies provided by the Same as above – additional dates instructor/Guild $72 members/$80 non-members $60 members/$75 non-members Watercolor - Understanding the Basics - 9 college. Bring in your independent projects to October 6, 20, & 27, 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM work on to get help and feedback. Receive (4 weeks) No class on: 10/13 & 11/3 Painting assistance with portfolio development. Bring with Watercolors Does Not Have to Be Compli- your own projects and materials. Teacher will cated! Learn the basic aspects of working with supplement on individual basis depending on watercolors, such as transparency levels, water student needs and goals. control, gradients, and paint saturation. This $60 members/$75 non-members class will cover the essential skills for watercolor FREE - Monthly Art Book Club/Media painting and provides some exercises to prac- tice before moving onto more complex illustra- Friday, October 8, 5:00 - 6:15 PM tions. All classes will have projects for There is creativity in all of us but it can easily be Beginners and Experienced painters Supply List buried beneath our everyday concerns. Are you on website looking for a spark to bring out your creative $60 members/$75 non-members ideas? Whether you've lost your mojo or just need fresh ideas. We can have a glass of wine Paper Mache Autumn Gnome/Holiday Santa and discuss the book and share our thoughts. Wednesdays, October 6 - 27, 6:00 - 9:00 PM (Live in person with option to join the group Minimum 4 / Maximum 15; Children 13+ are wel- remotely) come. Takes place in our Upstairs Studio. Take FREE advantage of this New Teacher Introduction Rate! Kids Paint Along with Eve's Creations Paint Do you remember working with paper mache as Party a kid? This is not that paper mache, but a pulp that can be sculpted. It’s time to give this medi- Sunday, October 10, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM um a try. Working with paper mache we will cre- SINGLE DAY EVENT for KIDS!! Come join the ate an Autumn Gnome and a Holiday Santa/ fun! Paint a Fall theme presented by Eve's Gnome. You need no prior experience as this Creations Paint Party (Kristin Woolley) All sup- class is for all levels. Complete details on web- plies included. Painting is on a 16 x 20 canvas site. $80 member/non-member (new teacher with acrylic paint. intro rate) $35/person (Member or non-member) Adult Portrait Drawing Leona Lavone - Mixed Media - 7 Wednesdays, October 6, 20, & 27 & November Mondays, October 11 - November 1, 10, 17, & 24, 1:00 - 3:00 PM 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM Learn the basic techniques for drawing a portrait Recycled Playing Cards - Mixed Media (4 in black and white. Learn proportions, sighting weeks) Inspiration Card Deck, Learn to make techniques, light and shadow, and how to cap- your own Inspiration Cards. Making the cards is ture the gesture, character and likeness of a per- all about playing with art supplies and leftover son. Students choose subjects for the portraits bits and pieces of paper and phrases. These are and bring their own references. Teacher will pro- vide guidance on choices of references. Bring very easy to do and are quite addictive! For who: sketchbook and pencil. Use of all other materi- Everyone, No experience necessary. Mixed als/supplies provided by the instructor. Live in Media - Supply List - Regular - Classic Playing person with remote option Cards - Inspirational Quotes - Professional Glue $90 member/$110 non-member Stick - Scissors Complete list on web Cost $60 members/$75 non-members Painting the Artist Within - Connections Wednesdays, October 6 - Live at the Jersey Shore! Bold Colors November 24, 6:30 - 8:30 PM Wednesday & Thursday, October 13 - 14, Think about the deep connections you feel in 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM your life. For this session, students will draw “Cityscape” will be the theme for this 2-day inspiration from the people, places, things, or Dorrie Rifkin workshop. This workshop will cover ideas that make them feel connected. Learn how to create beautiful, loose, expressive acrylic equally the steps of design, drawing, and paint- paintings. Ideas for creative use of references ing. Participants will learn to make strong com- will be discussed and practiced. Students will positions, make a solid underlying sketch, and first be engaged in intuitive exercises and then draw and paint buildings, effectively. Expect to proceed to the design of the final project using learn while having fun through demonstration, techniques that will help visually communicate to exercises, and individual instruction and encour- a viewer agement. Expertise Level: Beginner to Advanced. $90 members/$110 non-members Artists will supply their own materials. Materials Teen Open Studio and Portfolio Development/ list available with Kim Cesaretti $225 members, $240 non-members Thursdays, October 7 - 28, 6:30 - 8:30 PM These open sessions are designed for teen arts students interested in pursuing majoring in art in
Ocean County Fall 2021 Live at the Jersey Shore! Bold Colors learning experience from mistakes. A still life is Wednesday, October 13, 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM different for each class, always encouragingly “Cityscape” will be the theme for this workshop. working from life, and the challenges still life This workshop will cover equally the steps of brings. (8 weeks) Complete details on website design, drawing, and painting. Participants will $120 members; $144 non-members learn to make strong compositions, a solid underlying sketch, and draw and paint buildings, Leona Lavone - Mixed Media - 8 effectively. Expect to learn while having fun Mondays, November 8 - December 13, through demonstration, exercises, and individual 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM instruction and encouragement. Expertise Level: Recycled Playing Cards - Mixed Media (6 Beginners – Advanced Dorrie Rifkin (instructor) weeks) Inspiration Card Deck, Learn to make $225 members/$240 non-members your own Inspiration Cards. Making the cards is all about playing with art supplies and leftover FREE - Monthly Art Chat - October 14 bits and pieces of paper and phrases. These are Thursday, October 14, 5:00 - 6:15 PM very easy to do and are quite addictive! For who: Kim Cesaretti is hosting Art Chats! Let’s get Everyone, No experience necessary. Mixed together to share and talk about our art! Have a Media - Supply List - Regular - Classic Playing glass of wine and get connected to your local art Cards - Inspirational Quotes - Professional Glue community! Get feedback from your fellow Stick - Scissors Complete list on web artists and make new art friends! Let’s talk Cost $90 members/$110 non-members about what inspires us, the trials and tribulations Adult Color Theory and Practice 2 of being creatives, and other topics related to art making, art business, and art marketing too! Tuesdays, November 9 - 30, 9:30 - 11:30 AM Interested, email [email protected] For this class we will start with a review of what Free was covered in the first class. Learn the basics of color theory and the nature of pigments. Learn Watercolor for the Absolute Beginner 2 how to mix any color you need from a limited Mondays, October 18 - November 29, palette. Students will mix colors and create their 1:00 - 3:00 PM own basic color charts and learn how to do a Learn how to master the basics of watercolor color study of a simple subject using templates painting. Students will learn how to create the provided by the instructor. Students will also be different types of washes along with masking able to download the digital files for future use. and resist techniques, how to make textures, Live in person with option to join the class color theory/color mixing, and basic drawing. remotely. Students will complete exercises focused on $60 members/$75 non-members technique and work on small painting projects of Watercolor - Understanding the Basics - 10 simple subjects - fruit, flowers, landscapes, etc. Wednesdays, November 10-24 & Bring a pencil. All other materials and supplies December 1-15, 9:30 - 12:00 PM provided by the instructor. Live in person with Painting With Watercolors Does Not Have to Be option to join the class Complicated! (6 weeks) Learn the basic aspects $90.00 Members/$110 non-members of working with watercolors, such as transparen- Children's Art - Alison5A cy levels, water control, gradients, and paint Tuesday, October 26 - November 16, saturation. This class will cover the essential 4:00 - 5:30 PM skills for watercolor painting and provides some ALISON AMELCHENKO (908-616-7258) exercises to practice before moving onto more Children will learn the basic drawing techniques, complex illustrations. Supply List on website color mixing, composition and perspective with $90 members/$110 non-members acrylic to create fun paintings and drawings. FREE - Monthly Art Chat Class details to follow when available Thursday, November 11, 5:00 - 6:15 PM $72 members/$80 non-members Kim Cesaretti is hosting Art Chats! Let’s get 22 Chestnut Avenue together to share and talk about our art! Have a Children's Art - Alison5B glass of wine and get connected to your local art Wednesday, October 27 - November 17, community! Get feedback from your fellow 4:00 - 5:30 PM artists and make new art friends! Let’s talk Same as above – additional days about what inspires us, the trials and tribulations $72 members/$80 non-members of being creatives, and other topics related to art making, art business, and art marketing too! Do Your Own Thing w/Instruction 4 Interested, email [email protected] Wednesdays, October 27 - December 15, Free 3:30 - 5:30 PM This class is not for beginners but will address the many issues that plague all artists. Since each student is working from their own abilities with their own materials, and their own reference material, the class enjoys a vitality that comes with sharing their achievements and a joint FREE - Monthly Art Book Club/Media FREE - Monthly Art Book Club/Media Friday, November 12, 5:00 - 6:15 PM Friday, December 10, 5:00 - 6:15 PM Meets the 2nd Friday of the Monthly Let’s get Ocean County Artists' Guild together and share our favorite art books, media, Meets the 2nd Friday of the Monthly Let’s get and other resources related to art making, art together and share our favorite art books, media, history, artists, art marketing, etc. This first and other resources related to art making, art meeting we will draft a list of books that we history, artists, art marketing, etc. This first would like to discuss for the rest of the year. meeting we will draft a list of books that we (Live in person with option to join the group would like to discuss for the rest of the year. remotely). Half way through we will take a break (Live in person with option to join the group for a glass of wine and snack. remotely). Half way through we will take a break FREE for a glass of wine and snack. FREE Ocean County Historical Society 26 Hadley Avenue, Toms River 732-341-1880 http://www.oceancountyhistory.org
Ocean County History Day Adjunct Professor at Ocean County College with Sunday, September 12, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM a BS in Economics & an MA in Social Sciences, OCHS & Ocean County Cultural and Heritage who is currently heading up a project called the are pleased to announce that we will be jointly New Jersey Slave Records Index under the aus- sponsoring the first annual "Ocean County pices of Monmouth University. You will want to History Day." There will be fun for the entire family. hear this popular speaker, writer, & historian No charge reveal stories from New Jersey's dark history of slavery. To register for this program, send your The History of Slavery in NJ name, zip code, & email address to: Sunday, September 19, 2:00 PM [email protected]. Join OCHS in welcoming Rick Geffken, a former No charge Surflight Theatre Please call and check out the detailed information. 201 Engleside Ave., Beach Haven 609-492-9477 http://www.surflight.org
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change heart. Relationships end, begin, or change September 16, 19, 21, & 26 at 2 PM beyond recognition, as strangers become September 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, & friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn 25 at 7:30 PM into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy This celebration of the mating game takes on the of the aurora borealis and populated with truths and myths behind that contemporary characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, conundrum known as ‘the relationship.’ This thoughtful, and sincere. hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have $41 adults & seniors; $31 children 12 and under loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their War of the Worlds-Live Onstage Radio Play face at the portal of romance, to those who have dared to ask, ‘Say, what are you doing Saturday October 24 & 31 at 2:00 PM; night? I Love You... ran on off-Broadway for October 23, 29, & 30 at 7:30 PM 5,003 performances. An alien invasion throws humanity into chaos in $41 for adults & seniors; $31 for children 12 and the classic sci-fi novel The War of the Worlds- under but all it took to cause real-life panic in the streets was Orson Welles's 1938 radio adapta- Almost, Maine tion, which listeners took for news. Now, ten September 29 - 30 & October 3 at 2:00 PM; years later, the WBFR radio ensemble recreates September 29 - 30, October 1 - 2 at 7:30 PM the colorful events surrounding the infamous On one deeply cold and magical Midwinter evening, including the full original broadcast. Night, the citizens of Almost - not organized Complete with vintage commercials & live sound enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness effects. - experience the life-altering power of the human $35 pp
Ocean County Fall 2021 La Traviata by Center Stage Opera Island Singers Saturday, November 20, 7:30 PM https://www.islandsingersnj.com This is one of Verdi's most popular and most Together for the Holidays performed operas...so many contrasts: joy/grief, Saturday, December 4, 7:00 PM vitality/illness, love/betrayal, hope/despair…so The Island Singers are so happy to be sharing many beautiful arias, duets, trios, and ensem- the holidays with you again! Please join us for bles. Our very talented cast looks forward to an evening of joyful tunes, such as Jingle Bells bringing it all to life! Ciao! and Calypso Noel, sprinkled with cozy classics, $29.50 pp including Eight Bright Candles and The Holly and the Ivy. We hope to see you there! Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story Free Admission. Donations greatly appreciated, November 23, 27, & 28 at 2:00 PM; 219 Pine Oak Blvd., Barnegat November 23, 24, 26, & 27 at 7:30 PM 609-879-9340 Tells the true story of Buddy’s meteoric rise to fame, from the moment in 1957 when “That’ll Be Together for the Holidays The Day” hit the airwaves until his tragic death Same as above – additional date and location less than two years later on “The Day the Music Free Admission. Donations greatly appreciated, Died”. The show features over 20 of Buddy 130 Cable Ave., Beachwood Holly’s greatest hits “Peggy Sue”, “Everyday”, 732-859-4197 “Rave On” and “Raining In My Heart” plus Jersey Shore Comic Book Show Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” and the Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace”. The incredible legacy Sunday, September 26, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Jersey Shore Comic Book Show of the young man with glasses, whose musical career spanned an all-too-brief period. Comic book festival featuring vendors, artists, $41 adults & seniors/$31 children 12 & under writers, costume groups, crafts. Old and new comics, sport and non-sport trading cards, toys, Ebenezer, A Musical Christmas Carol action figures, Funkos, anime, Pokémon, December 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19 manga, steampunk. Guests include artist at 2:00 PM & December 4, 10, 11, 17, & 18 Christian Espiritusanto, writer Eric Cooper at 7:30 PM (Knight Seeker) and the Star Wars 501st Legion. Charles Dickens’ classic holiday ghost story Costume contest for all ages. Fun for the whole comes to life on the stage with music and danc- family. Fee $3.00 ing and a little bit of magic. Bring the whole fam- 600 Washington Street,Toms River ily to see this holiday favorite. 609-242-7756 $41 for adults & seniors; $31 for children 12 and http://www.jerseyshorecomicbookshow under Lighthouse International Film Festival New Year's Eve with David Clark's Billy Joel Darkhouse: A New Festival for Genre Horror Tribute and Fantastic Films Friday, December 31, 5:00 PM & 8:00 PM November 11 - 14 Since the release of “Piano Man” in 1973, Billy The Lighthouse International Film Society is Joel has had 33 Top 40 hits spanning 3 proud to announce the launch of Darkhouse, a decades, all written by the man himself. “Songs new genre festival that will serve as a doppel- In The Attic” is a musical tribute conceived and ganger to the long-running Lighthouse Inter- presented with a tremendous amount of detail national Film Festival that takes place in June and affection for the material by Long Island each year. Darkhouse will specialize in horror, veteran singer/piano player David Clark. sci-fi, action, fantasy, comedy and otherwise All tickets: $41.50 fantastic and outrageous films from around the world. The first edition of the film festival will take place from November 11 - 14, 2021. Long Beach Island Historical Museum Other Organizations 129 Engleside Ave, Beach Haven The Arc, Ocean County Chapter 571-212-3292 http://www.lighthousefilmfestival.org 732-978-1414 ext. 202 https://www.arcocean.org/get-involved/ events/mini-golf.html TRAC Toms River Artist Community Mini Golf Tournament "Fore" Arc Ocean 53 Main St, The Downtown Shops, Toms River Saturday, September 25, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM 954-614-1378 https://trac732.com/ Join us for The Arc, Ocean County Chapter’s Inaugural Mini Golf Tournament on Saturday, TRAC Open Studio Night September 25th at Barnacle Bill's Miniature Golf Tuesdays, September 28, October 26, in Ortley Beach. The event will feature an 18- November 30, & December 28, 5:30 - 8:30 PM round miniature golf game (two sessions @ Open Studio Night. Bring your own supplies, 10 AM and 12 PM) with a shotgun start, partici- bring your own snacks and drinks Get together pation prizes, gift auction and 50/50 raffle. for a fun night of artin' with other artists a chill, Supervision will not be provided. easy fun night once a month - Lets have some $30 per golfer or $150 for a team of 6 fun with our art! Members are free 1968 NJ-35, Seaside Heights, NJ 08751 Vintage Automobile Club of Ocean County, JAKES BRANCH OCEAN COUNTY PARK Inc. Please call and check out the detailed 1000 Bay Blvd., Seaside Heights information. 732-244-4984 1100 Double Trouble Road, Beachwood http://www.vintageautoclubnj.com 732-281-2750 41st Annual Vintage Auto Club of Ocean http://www.oceancountyparks.org County Classic Car Show Sunday, September 12, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Lighting Up Nature The car show is open to all cars and trucks 25 Saturday, December 18 & 19, 2021 years old or older (sorry, no motorcycles). 100+ 6:00 – 8:00 PM trophies, awards, music, food (breakfast and Drive through Holiday Light Show lunch), door prizes, paved parking, and dash plaques for first 200 vehicles. Proceeds benefit WELLS MILLS COUNTY PARK Ocean of Love, NJ Veterans Home and more. Please call and check out the detailed This is a rain or shine event. information. $15 car registration / spectators free 905 Wells Mills Rd, Waretown 609-971-3085 http://www.oceancountyparks.org Ocean County Parks 27th Annual Pine Barrens Jamboree Cedar Bridge Tavern Ocean County Historic Saturday, October 19, 2021 Site 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM Please call and check out the detailed Take part in celebrating the people, traditions information. and rich history of the NJ Pine Barrens. 200 Old halfway Road, Barnegat FREE 732-929-4779 http://www.oceancountyparks.org
December 12, 2021 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM If cancelled, will be rescheduled for January 9, 2022 Commemorate the last Skirmish of the American Revolution
Ocean County Fall 2021
History of Decoy & Gunning Show
1973 Decoy Show at end of Green Street in Tuckerton 1983 First Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show - One day - 35 exhibiters - Less than 10 Contests - Bob Rutter won with Black Duck 1984 Harvest Festival added 1985 Hurricane Gloria. Postponed, show moved to the next weekend 1986 Sam Hunt is first Hurley Conklin awardee First 2 day event 3 Locations – Tip Seaman, Pinelands High School, First Aide Bldg. 1990 First Show Print 1993 3 locations (Tip Seaman County Park, Pinelands Regional High School, Pinelands Regional Middle School) 1995 Over 400 Vendors 1996 Over 500 Vendors 1997 First Show Pin 1998 Name Changed to Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show 2001 Tuckerton Seaport opens, becomes 3rd Location 2005 3 locations (Tip Seaman County Park, Pinelands Regional High School & Tuckerton Seaport) 2007 25th Anniversary Michael T. Mangum honored for contributions 2009 2 locations (Tip Seaman County Park and Tuckerton Seaport) Over 300 vendors 2011 First Year for Delmarva Dock Dogs 2017 Delmarva Dock Dogs move to Tuckerton Seaport 2019 Name changed to Ocean County Decoy and Waterfowling Show 2020 Back to original name – Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy and Gunning Show -Virtual Decoy Show 2021 Back to in-person show on September 25 & 26
Ocean County Fall 2021 2020 Virtual Old Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show Check the Ocean County Parks & Recreation Website http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/OC/ch/frmBarnegatBayDocs.aspx for complete links
Virtual Program Introduction by Commissioner Virginia E. Haines 2020
Jim Allen interview by German G (29:17) 2020 Interview of decoy collector Jim Allen of Decoy Heritage in Tuckerton, NJ by Chief Park Naturalist German Georgieff. 1984 Decoy Show Video (28:45) 1984 Freeholder John C. Bartlett highlights the importance of the folk tra- ditions honored by the Decoy Show for the second annual event. Mike Mangum & Jim Allen on OC Library TV (26:07) 1983 Interview of decoy collector Jim Allen and current Director of Ocean County Parks & recreation Mike Mangum on founding the Decoy Show. From the Marsh: Decoy Carvers (31:45) 2019 Interviews with 11 master decoy makers and 2 collectors, from New Jersey to North Carolina Tradition Come Alive (3:40) 2015 Interviews with Tuckerton Seaport tradition bearers. Decoy Show Pinelands HS TV (29:58) 1995 Students from Pinelands Regional High School interview decoy carvers, folk artists, and other vendors during the 1995 Decoy Show. In the Barnegat Bay Tradition (32:01) NJN 1982 Decoy carving and sneak box building featuring National Heritage Award winning decoy carver Harry V. Shourds and boat builder Sam Hunt Spirit of the Bay Tuckerton (31:11) 2003 New Jersey's coastal culture is explored with a visit to Tuckerton Seaport in Spirit of the Bay 2020 Decoy Awards Virtual Program Concluding remarks by Commissioner Virginia E. Haines 2020 Family Friendly Virtual Crafts from the Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen’s Museum
Tour of Parker’s Decoy Shop with Andrew Tonnesen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjOmvde5-Vs&t=8s
Decoy Carving with Andrew Tonnesen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLXYrV2MJT0&t=31s
Seaport Blacksmith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6-RO7Hs3bs
Narrated Creek Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFi_sBWlx2Q&t=23s
Explore the Tuckerton Seaport From Home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuc_a0vkcNI
Junior Duck Stamp Traveling Exhibit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iGCSR06_2o
Other Crafts https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ibELjOze- RPguE1rESLzw/videos
Ocean County Fall 2021
Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission 1198 Bandon Road Toms River, NJ 08753 (732) 929 - 4779 TTY: (732) 506-5062 http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/ch/
Ocean County Board of Commissioners
to list and view cultural events. Virginia E. Haines
Visit www.oceancountytourism.com Visit John P. Kelly Gerry P. Little Gary Quinn Joseph H. Vicari
This News Guide is sponsored by the County of Ocean Board of Commissioners and is in conjunction with funds from the NJ State Council on the Arts and the NJ Historical Commission through the Ocean County Culture & Heritage Commission, Virginia E. Haines, Chairwoman.