Community Dinner @ the Lakewood library branch

The Kiwanis Club of Jackson sponsored the fourth annual community dinner at the Lakewood branch of the Ocean County Library Thursday Nov 17.  Doors opened at 6 p.m.  When we finished we served about 110 people from the community.  We brought the extra food to Tent City and fed about 25 more people.

We had a lot of KCOJ members, their family members and friends help out by donating food, cooking the food and serving the food.  We also had help (and a donated turkey and two-gallons of soup) from Jo  & George of the Jackson Helping Hands club, members of our Key Club, and members of the library's Teen Advisory Board (TAB.)  Library staff also donated food.

The menu included several turkeys, 50 pounds of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, dessert and a sheet cake, mixed vegetables, corn, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs (12 dozen!), stuffing, soda, joice, coffee & tea.  And I know I've forgotten some items.

Thanks to all who helped us with the food and supported the community.

Thanks, too, to my photographers Dan, Pearl and Samantha.  A slideshow of their photos can be found on my Flickr account: http://bit.ly/uA86i7

Funnel cakes & wine? You bet!

So how did you spend last weekend?  A few of us sold about 500 funnel cakes as a fundraiser at the Laurita Winery's 2011 Harvest Festival.  Saturday was clear and cool, Sunday was on eof the best weather days one could ever hope for!

So who helped out?  Lou & Clair, Dan, Fran & Diane & Pearl & Sam, Laura, Donna and me.

Great jazz.  Great wine. Great funnel cakes.  And I'm so glad for Randy & Ray: great crowd!  And everyone had a great time.

A slideshow of photos taken by Pearl, Sam and I can be found on by Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22036136@N07/sets/72157627875696847/show/

A Busy Day of Service

We had a split squad out there today, attending at least two service projects.

We had representation at the Susan Komen walk at Great Adventure for breast cancer awareness.

And we had people cooking at Celtic Charms horse ride-a-thon in Howell.  Members Stan, Fran, Donna & Larry, along with Stan's friend Joe and six Key Club members served hot dogs and hamburgers to about 300 people.  The rain stayed away but we were under a heavy cloud all afternoon.

To view a slideshow of our team at work click on this link: http://bit.ly/qnRnpT 

Jazz fest at Laurita Winery

Laurita Winery invited us to participate in their new Jazz Fest by selling funnel cakes.  Great fundraiser for us.  We raised over $600 for Children's Specialized Hospital over the weekend.  Onlly thing is it was hot! hot!! hot!!!  But you know what?  We enjoyed each other's company despite the heat.  Thanks to Danny for helping me rediscover watermelon.  And for bringing in his shop fans.  They were a godsend.

A slideshow of photos from the weekend can be found here

And just like we usually have happen, we struggled with the fryer.  But we improvised.  Lessons learned.

National Night out Against Crime

We were cooking!  We were out there cooking hot dogs for the annual event.  We cooked up 600 in the first hour and ended up serving a total of about 900 throughout the night.

To view a slideshow of photos from the night click here  And just in case that doesn't work here is the Web address: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22036136@N07/sets/72157627219500277/show/

Kiwanis One Day, part 1

The Kiwanis Club of Jackson will help clean up a brand new park in Jackson during Kiwanis One Day, Apr. 2.  Here is an article in the Tri-Town News: http://tritown.gmnews.com/news/2011-03-24/Front_Page/Kiwanis_members_will_clean_Jacksons_Silver_Stream_.html

Whitesville Firehouse cleanup

Hey all,

Eight of us showed up for the Whitesville Firehouse cleanup yesterday.Many hands make short work.  We did windows, bathrooms, kitchen and the meeting room.  A slideshow of 7 photos taken can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/22036136@N07/sets/72157625762660109/show/ 

Larry

KCOJ helps with Lakewood library's 3rd annual community dinner

I am so proud of our club!  We helped the Lakewood branch of the Ocean County Library with their third annual community dinner Nov. 18, the Thursday before Thanksgiving.

Our club donated $100 towards supplies at our meeting Nov. 11th, provided a dozen and a half people to help serve the food (8 club members and 10 family members), and cooked food (3 turkeys, a  ham, 50 pounds of mashed potatoes, 30 pounds of sweet potatoes, several types of vegetables, cranberry sauce, cole slaw, stuffed eggs, and dessert.)

In 2008 the library had about 80 people attend.  Last year it had about 170, and this year we served well over 200 people!  This is the second year KCOJ participated.

Here is a link to about 3 dozen photos I took at the dinner.  Enjoy.  And Kiwanis, thanks!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22036136@N07/sets/72157625320283329/show/

East Veterans Highway sparkles thanks to Kiwanis

Oh, East Veterans Highway, you look mah-vah-lous!   Thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Jackson's efforts, we collected a bunch of transh from alongside the roadway.  Abd doesn't it look great?
Thanks to (left to right) Vivian, Donna, Ralph, Fran and Stan.  And me, I'm the photographer in the front row (see my shadow?) Larry!
Our next highway cleanup is scheduled for the first Sunday in December (Dec. 5) at 9 a.m.  But be sure to contact our community services chair Ralph or Secretary Donna to let them you know you'll be helping.  We only have a limited number we can let help.  If you're too late, sorry, but you'll have to wait till next time. 

Dune grass planting

The service clubs in Toms River will host a dune grass planting Saturday Nov. 13 (rain or shinne) from 10 a.m. till Noon in Ortley Beach.  Meet at 4th Ave & Ocean, by the Ortley Beach Lifeguard Headquarters/Beach House.  There's plenty of parking.

The service clubs include both Toms River Kiwanis Clubs, the Central Ocean Rotary, the Toms River Rotary club, Monseignor Donovan Key Club and OCC Circle K.

Bring your adventurous spirit, a willingness to help, and gloves.

Contact Marshall Kern (KCoTR-Daybreak) at (732) 503-9559 so he knows how many people to he'll have helping.