Community Bulletin Board
Hospice care volunteers being sought

Holisticare Hospice, a new hospice provider serving the Ocean County area, is looking for caring and dedicated individuals to volunteer their time working with patients and their families. Services can include providing companionship, reading, writing letters, or just providing an ear to listen. Volunteers to provide various holistic therapies including Reiki, pet therapy and music therapy are also in need.

The volunteer program begins with a comprehensive orientation to the program, as well as education on techniques needed to deal with the sensitive issues surrounding terminal illness. Volunteers will learn about the hospice philosophy, communication skills, the dying process, spirituality, and bereavement. Details: (732) 341-0662 or e-mail rangelo@holisticarehospice.com..

Ocean County Master Gardeners seek interns

The Ocean County Master Gardeners program is recruiting interns for its 2006 training session. Anyone who would like to know more about the program is invited to attend an information session Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Agriculture Building, 1623 Whitesville Road, Toms River. Those who have an interest in gardening and horticulture and have a desire to use their skills to help their community are welcome. Rutgers faculty members teach classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., February through May. Call (732) 833-4260 to reserve a place at the information session.

OCC’s fuel cell receives DEP’s Clean Air Award

Ocean County College (OCC), Toms River, recently received the 2005 Environmental Excellence Award Clean Air from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the college’s 250 kilowatt fuel cell installation. The award was presented during the League of Municipalities Conference held Nov. 15 at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City,.

OCC threw the switch on its 250 kilowatt Direct FuelCell (DFC) power plant at its main campus in Toms River in April 2004. According to the press release, fuel cells produce clean, cost-effective power with a high level of reliability. This environmentally friendly technology generates electricity through a chemical process, which produces significantly reduced pollution.

Writers group sponsors short story contest

The Garden State Horror Writers will begin accepting entries Feb. 1 for its 13th annual short story contest. Submissions will be accepted until March 15.

In recognition of its 13th year, the contest will follow the theme “superstitions.” Entries can fall into the categories of horror, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense or thriller, and must be no longer than 3,000 words. Entries may be submitted by e-mail or regular mail.

Entries must be unpublished, and not accepted by any publisher at the time of contest submission. First prize is $100 and the Graversen Award, second prize is $50, and third prize is $25. Each eligible entry will be critiqued by three published writers and/or editors.

For e-mail submissions, the story file should be sent as an attached RTF (rich text format) to contest06@gshw.net with “GSHW Contest Submission” in the subject line. The body of the e-mail should include the author’s name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, title of story, word count, file name for the attached story, and the genre. This information must also be on the first page of the story. Full formatting instructions are posted at the Internet Web site www.gshw.net/contests.html.

The entry fee is $10 per story, $7 for GSHW members, payable to GSHW, and must be received by March 15. Contestants must include their name or story title in the memo space on the check, and send their payment and the same information included in their e-mail to GSHW Short Story Contest, Mike Purfield, P.O. Box 305, Jersey City 07303-0305.

For postal submissions, contestants must send three copies of each story. Manuscripts and copies will not be returned. Writers should adhere to standard manuscript format, and otherwise follow the same instructions as for e-mail submissions. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped (two stamps) No. 10 envelope to receive score sheet and critique.

Score sheets and critiques will be e-mailed or mailed at the end of the contest. Winners will be announced at the GSHW October 2006 meeting. For more information, call (848) 992-2230 or visit the Web site www.gshw.net.

Lakewood Rotary Club aids Caregiver Volunteers

The Lakewood Rotary Club presented a check for $500 to the Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey at a recent meeting. Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey: A Faith in Action Program, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide supportive home care services for the elderly, including transportation for medical appointments.

With the help of Caregiver volunteers, many of Ocean County’s 2,400 homebound seniors can avoid being institutionalized and live independently.

Jackson H.S. cheerleader chosen for all-state team

Kimberly Zicha, a senior and cheerleader on the varsity co-ed squad at Jackson Memorial High School, was selected for the New Jersey Cheerleading Coaches Association (NJCCA) All-State Cheerleading and Dance Team.

The team, which is made up of 25 members chosen from a very competitive field of candidates from across the state, was recently honored at a brunch in Bordentown.

Elks will send students

to peer leadership event

The Elks Peer Leadership Conference will be held in New Brunswick, Feb. 3-5. The conference is geared toward students who are proud to be alcohol-, nicotine- and drug-free. The Elks of Howell No. 2515 with the assistance of the Alliance of Howell will be sponsoring six students and two adults, making the “Elks and Youth: A Coalition for Leadership” a reality. The advisers and students who will be attending will be: advisers Camille Mussari, Howell High School, Student Assistance Counselor, Juan A. Flores, Elks No. 2515, Drug Awareness Chairman; students: Kristi McGovern, Craig Held, Lauren Tyndorf, Michael Krol, Katie Tedesco and David Derasmo. Keynote presentations and workshops will be part of the conference and the attendees will be able to come back and tell other students about what they have learned.

Howell Rec. will host

New Year’s Eve event

The Howell Township Recreation Department invites adults 21 and over to attend a New Year’s Eve celebration on Dec. 31 at Our House Tavern, 420 Adel-phia Road, Howell, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The evening will consist of a cocktail hour, a prime rib buffet, open bar, champagne toast and entertainment by Kindred. Payment of $75 per person is due with reservations. Call (732) 938-4500, ext. 2501.

St. Aloysius students win

honors in poster contest

JACKSON — Fire Official Frank McDonnell and Firefighter Mim Stacy of the Jackson Bureau of Fire Safety District 3 presented awards to the fifth-graders at St. Aloysius School who participated in the fire safety poster contest sponsored by the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and New Jersey Fire Pre-vention and Protection Association. The theme was “Use Candles With Care.”

The fire bureau awarded first-place winner Katarina Tornich a $75 gift card from Toys R Us; second-place winner, Frankie Biase, received a $50 gift card from Toys R Us; and the third-place winner, Brian Peterson, received a $25 gift card from Toys R Us. In addition to the gift cards, they all received a fire safety certificate from the fire bureau.

The first-place poster will be submitted to the Ocean County Fire Prevention and Protection Association for judging on the county level. The winner of the county level will go on to the New Jersey Fire Prevention and Protection Association for judging on the state level. The winner on the state level will receive a computer system.

The local level contest deadline is April 1, 2006. For information on school participation in the next local contest, call Mim Stacy at (732) 928-1666, ext. 14.

Diocese commissions lay

ecclesial ministers

The Diocese of Trenton recently commissioned 17 lay ecclesial ministers at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trenton.

The candidates completed the requirements of a three-year program of the Institute for Lay Ecclesial Ministry. The program consists of education, spiritual formation, pastoral skills development and practical experience. The candidates are now qualified for professional positions of leadership in the Roman Catholic Church.

The newly commissioned lay ecclesial ministers from the local area are: Eugenia Kelly of Long Branch, a communicant of Holy Cross Church, Rumson; Susan Flaherty of Little Silver, St. Anselm’s Church, Wayside section of Ocean Township; Dennis Heffernan and Brenda Heffernan, both of Howell, members of St. Veronica’s Church, Howell; and Paula M. Stedman of Jackson, St. Aloysius Church, Jackson.

HTEA Web site seeks

support for school budget

The Howell Township Education Association (HTEA) has announced the debut of a new Internet Web site, Passthebudget.info. This is being done as part of an effort to educate the public and to encourage residents to vote in the annual school election.

According to a press release, Passthebudget.info provides information, answers questions about the budget, and encourages citizens to vote yes for the Howell school budget in April 2006. The site features articles, editorials, informational charts, graphs and statistics, as well as answers to frequently asked questions. Other features provide access to voter registration forms and absentee ballot requests. Links to related sites allow visitors a wider array of information.

Passthebudget.info is paid for by a PRIDE grant from the New Jersey Education Association. PRIDE money is used to build relations with the community, get out the message about Howell’s public schools, and to sponsor programs to pass the school budget.

Passthebudget.info is sponsored by the HTEA and maintained by Howellcomputers.com.

Special ed. parents group

will host ‘Night Out’

The Howell Township Special Educa-tion Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) will sponsor its second annual Parents Night Out, Jan. 27 from 7:30 p.m. until midnight at the Woodlake Country Club, 25 New Hampshire Ave., Lakewood. The cost of $25 per person will include a sit-down dinner of chicken francaise, dancing, a gift basket auction, and live music. Details: (732) 901-1440. The deadline to register is Jan. 17.