STARDUST – By TaraJean McDonald

STARDUST: Manny Cabo – Revolution of Peace, Love & Music

Manny Cabo – singer, songwriter and motivational speaker

The stars were all aligned when Manny Cabo stepped on stage at auditions for NBC’s The Voice in 2015. Now, over a year later, he is still inspiring both the young and the not-so-young to believe in themselves and to accomplish their dreams. I had a chance to catch this rising star, in between his busy schedule, and to sit in his home studio and chat about what it takes to maintain your motivation and achieve your success – one step at a time.

STARDUST: Host TaraJean McDonald

Photo Credits: Calvin Schwartz

Photo of TaraJean Credit: Manny Cabo

https://www.mannycabomusic.com

https://www.facebook.com/mannycabomusic

There are stars all around us in the universe – After stars were formed, the intensity of their energies caused them to explode – their stardust traveled through the universe eventually clumping together to give birth to planets.

The earth is formed from stardust. Our bodies are formed from the earth – so in essence we are all made up of stardust. Every one of us is made up of stardust – the famous and the not so famous; the people who we look up to and admire, and the people who are homeless on the streets. I write about people who shine. Maybe you know them, maybe you don’t. But you are going to learn something about their lives, their passions and what motivates them. And in the end, I hope you realize that we all have the ability to shine, because after all – we are StarDust.

StarDust: A Revolution Of Peace, Love & Music – hosted by TaraJean McDonald   Blog: YoursTrulyTJ.com

TaraJean is a versatile journalist who has produced numerous segments for NJDiscover. She is experienced in Production and Post Production of TV Commercials, Live News Coverage, TV Entertainment Segments and Live Theatrical Events. She runs the gamut from writing to shooting to scripting to editing to post-production. She studied Communications specializing in Advertising at Fordham University, New York City, but her passion for creativity and expression moved her beyond a Bachelor of Arts degree to where she also studied Theatre and Performance at both Fordham and Roundabout Theatre. Her incandescent spirit took her ultimately to the stage and television in Metropolitan New York as an aspiring actress. Along the way, with a few blinks of an eye, TaraJean was married and raising three young daughters. Next, TaraJean harnessed that spirited energy, becoming editor of Our Town, a Monmouth County newspaper and appearing as a TV host for local Channel 77. The next perfect fit for TaraJean was to channel her unlimited energy in central Jersey working with NJ Discover as TV Host, Reporter, Writer and Producer. She consistently brought a special warmth, caring, insight and humanity to her stories and her reputation flourished with on sight reporting about Hurricane Sandy, homelessness and Tent City, pervasive hunger in New Jersey, and Jersey’s iconic music and film scene. She is the epicenter of what’s happening around the county and state. Almost evolutionary, TaraJean went on to co-host NJ Discover LIVE radio and cable TV and still manages time (quintessential juggler) to be Reporter, SpokesModel, Copywriter, Producer, Journalist and now Sr. Editor for Fashion Haunts Magazine.

……..

Last night I had the privilege of honoring some of New Jersey’s BEST at Asbury Park’s magnificent Convention Hall Theater. My co-host Calvin Schwartz and I enjoyed greeting the honorees on the red carpet. The New Jersey Hall of Fame recognizes and celebrates Garden State Citizens for their outstanding accomplishments. I am always impressed with the diversity of over achievers that are chosen for each year’s ceremony. Year’s passed the Inductees have included Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Dizzy Gillespie, Martha Stewart, Joyce Carol Oates, Tony Bennet, Whitney Houston, John Travolta, Dionne Warwick, Michael Douglas and Bruce Willis. And this year’s honored were equally impressive:

Class of 2015

James Fenimore Cooper – America’s National Novelist – “Last of the Mohicans”

William Fox of 20th Century Fox – His first film studio was in Fort Lee New Jersey

Lewis Katz – Founder and Director of Katz Foundation

Kool & The Gang –  “Jungle Boogie”, “Funky Stuff”, “Ladies Night”, “Celebration”

Jack H. Jacobs – Medal of Honor, McDermott Chair of Humanities, On-Air Analyst for NBC

Derek Jeter – Five Time World Series Champion, Yankees All-Time Career Leader

Frank R. Lautenberg – Represented NJ in the United States Senate for five terms.

Bernard Marcus – Co-Founder of Home Depot

Christie Rampone – FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion & 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist

Jon Stewart – Television Host of The Daily Show – winning 18 EmmyAwards

Dick Vitale – American Basketball Sportscaster & Analyst, ABC, ESPN, NCAA, Olympic Games

Carla Harris – Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley and Gospel Singer

The evening began with the theater booming from the tremendous sound of the Glen Burtnik Band. Soon after we were treated to a wonderful rendition of Theme from New York, New York sung by Joe Piscopo, the Hall Of Fame’s Host. Among laughter and cheers Joe Piscopo sung about New Jersey’s greatest and most memorable places to love and avoid. Throughout the evening one by one the Honorees and their families accepted the prestigious awards. All who attended the ceremony that evening could sense the great privilege that each inductee felt who stood on the stage that night.

(Special thanks to photographer: Richard Elliott Hoynes)

After a great evening in Asbury, rubbing elbows with my long-lost cousin Dick Vitale, and serenading “Ladies Night” to Kool & the Gang, I am settling down with my better half to rent the “Last of the Mohicans” in honor of New Jersey’s Hall of Fame. Looking forward to next year’s Ceremony and finding out who will be chosen from the many supremely talented Jersey Citizens. Congrats to all New Jerseys Hall of Fame Inductees and Good Luck to all the Hopefuls!

TaraJean McDonald Vitale

Journalist & Radio Host & On-Air Personality, NJDiscover

yourstrulyTJ@wordpress.com

NIGHTMARE IN JERSEY
Although I love the idea of Halloween and dressing in outrageous outfits, I am not usually a big fan of being scared. Maybe it goes back to my childhood when my sister would race me up the stairs at bedtime and hide somewhere in my room or the bathroom waiting for the perfect opportunity to jump out and terrify me. But this year, with the help of my courageous 11 year old, I decided to see what the fright craze was all about in NJ.

Our first visit was to Asbury Park on the evening of the Zombie Walk. Some have called it the largest Zombie gathering in the world.

I decided I would dress in a CSI ball cap and sneakers, prepared and ready for a quick escape if necessary. Upon arrival I realized that I would be able to blend in with the hundreds of spectators mixed among the thousands of zombies, which relieved me. I was fully aware that zombies have a tendency to target fearful victims and I didn’t want to be their next meal. My sidekick and I stepped into the slow zombie crawl towards Cookman Avenue alongside an old decrepit man dragging his bloody leg. Looking in either direction I realized that I was surrounded by zombies with bloodied, half eaten faces, dragging their legs and arms and other body parts down the boardwalk.

The event was not just for the wild and outrageous lovers of gore, but it was also a fundraiser for brain cancer through the Gray Matters campaign and a blood drive with Central Jersey Blood Center.  I recently learned that over $3000 was raised for Brain Cancer Tumor Center and Camp Jinka – a free summer program offered by the David S. Zocchi Brain Tumor Center for kids and teens whose lives have been impacted by a loved one’s diagnosis of a brain tumor. The evening was a little surreal, and the experience I can take away from this event mostly was the unsettling feeling of what it could be like to actually live through a Zombie Apocalypse. As the sun set on the avenue at Asbury Park the zombies began to spread across the town and meander into some the stores. Bloody old women and half eaten children were standing on lines for cheese fries or a warm pretzel. The sidewalks could not hold all the zombies and they began spilling into the streets, slowly struggling to move in their tattered clothes and face prosthesis. Everywhere we looked decaying groups of people were sluggishly looking for their way home. An eerie night over all, both my little 11 year old and I decided next year we would dress as Zombie warriors and come back to join the crawl.

The following weekend I brought a small group of witches, cats and zombies with me to the Witches Ball in Mount Holly NJ. This event is referred to as wickedly cool and amazingly enchanted. Rather than experiencing the future omen of the apocalypse, we found ourselves propelled into the past within moments as we entered under the archway leading to the Historic Mill Race Village.

As we ambled through the darkly lit streets the atmosphere of magic and mysticism enveloped us. The town had transformed into an old witches haven, with fortunetellers, artists, musicians and vendors. My mood relaxed as I meandered amongst witches and goblins, and men and women of gothic, fantasy, medieval and horror. It almost seemed as though we were all out for an eerie moonlight stroll. After listening to the great sounds of Midnight Mosaic, a local NJ band, we gathered our broomsticks and headed for our next excursion.

The Casola Haunted Hay Ride in Marlboro, NJ on Rte 79 was our final stop for the evening.

Although there were many times I have taken afternoon hayrides through the cornfields, it could not have prepared me for the terrifying darkness that awaited us through the torch lit woods. As the rickety wagon with very little protection slowly waddled down the winding dirt road zombies, ghouls, and axe murderers threw their bodies against the sides of the wagon and clamored on board. They were moaning or screaming or laughing uncontrollably as they moved slowly through the horrified wagon looking for huddling passenger to petrify. Although my little sidekick was shaking in her boots, I felt that I could maintain my composure amongst all these horror film villains. After all, I knew that there was only one figure that could cause my skin to crawl and shatter my bravery. Specifically it was the little demon girl who wore the decaying antique nightgown and used her long dark stringy hair to hide her decomposing face, she was the character from the movie “The Ring”. Luckily, the ride seemed close to the end. Strangely, I sensed a quietness. As I lifted my head from the safety of my daughter’s hooded shoulders, I peeked a look around to see if the eerie villains had abandoned the ride. As I turned to my left I spotted something white and small that seemed to be slowly floating a few feet behind the wagon in the darkness.

As I looked closer my eyes focused on the silhouette of a little girl with long hair wearing a long white night gown following the wagon in her bare feet. My heart stopped. From her pace I was sure she could never catch up to our rickety old wagon. That’s when the wagon came to a halt. I looked at my brave little 11 year old and said, “They have got to be kidding.” Sure enough the little faceless child with the bloody nightgown and dirty feet climbed on board. Not sure how she knew, but she went directly over to me and sat beside me and began to creepily hum a twisted nursery rhyme.

Well…that was all she wrote! I was done and ready to go home.

That experience was, after all, my last Halloween adventure for this year. On my list of places I was to visit are some of the scariest and most terrifying in NJ:

Six Flags Fright Fest in Jackson

Brookdale’s Haunted Theatre in Lincroft

Asbury Park’s Haunted Hall

Brighton Asylum in Passaic

Field of Terror in East Windsor

Camp Evans Base of Terror in Wall

Ghost Tour of the John Fell House in Allendale

Corn Field of Terror in Egg Harbor City

Fear in the Forest in Browns Mills

Hollowgraves Haunted Manor in Keansburg

Evil Spirits Woods at Emerald Acres in Monrow

Nightmare at Gravity Hill in Jackson.

I hope you can choose a place to visit off this year’s October “To Do” list that will help you reach you scare limits this Halloween. Thanks to the creepy little faceless girl in the long bloody nightgown I will be holding off until next year, spending the next hundred sleepless nights regaining my courage.

So, maybe next year I will start with a ghost tour or and haunted asylum (or maybe not).

Happy Halloween!

And post your favorite spine chilling Halloween experiences.

TaraJean McD., NJDiscover.com

I met Natalie Grace at a recent Poker Run Fundraiser that her parents had arranged called Strength and Honor Fundraiser for Cancer Research for Kids at Bar Anticipation in Lake Como, (formerlySouth Belmar) N.J. Two years ago their beautiful daughter Natalie Grace Gorsegner was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Natalie Grace is expected to be finished with her chemo treatments in November of this year.  

Every, SINGLE day approximately 46 families are told that their child has cancer in the United States alone and 7 of those children die every single day!

I had the honor of meeting this sweet little girl, who was wearing a very special Disney princess dress that day. By her side were her big sister, her mom and her dad. Her mother Andrea is one of the most passionate and motivated women I have ever met. She has transformed what could be a horrendously debilitating experience into a triumphant war against the absence of sufficient research to prevent and fight Childhood Cancer.

In addition, the day I spent at Bar Anticipation during the Strength and Honor Fundraiser gave me the privilege of meeting numerous NJ Motorcycle Bikers who traveled to support a cause they believed in.

It never ceases to inspire me how much goodness there is in this world. I asked Andrea to tell me about the people she has met through her journey these past 2 years. She shared with me some of the stories of how so many people have given a part of themselves, whether it be their time, their money, or simply their kindness.

Andrea and Dan Gorsegner moved to Middletown from Rutherford, N.J. in July of 2013, but they are no strangers to the area.  Dan was born and raised in Middletown, where his parents Louise and John Gorsegner have lived for the past 50 years. Andrea was raised in Haddon Heights N.J., where her parents Linda and Bill Verdone still reside. As newlyweds Andrea and Dan moved to N.Y.C. for a few short years, before heading back to Rutherford, N.J. after Andrea gave birth to their oldest daughter Hannah.  Soon they had another beautiful addition to their family, Natalie Grace. When Natalie was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia

 on August 16, 2012 she was just shy of her 3rd birthday. Andrea immediately left her position as Photography Editor at Women’s Health magazine to care for Natalie, and soon after she and Dan thought it best that they sell their Rutherford home and move back to Middletown where they could be closer to family.

The N.J. community has been everything to Andrea and Dan.  While they were living in Rutherford friends and strangers in the community stepped up to help the couple stay afloat with their bills when, at one point, they had been down an entire paycheck.  Friends helped chauffeur Hannah to and from school, even prepared meals for the Gorsegner family when they needed them.  Even in the Haddon Heights area, friends and neighbors alike found ways to help the Verdone family.

And when they moved to Middletown, Andrea and Dan were welcomed with the same kind of love.  Only now the Gorsegner’s no longer needed fundraising for their own family, they had started their own fundraiser, Will You Send Us A Dollar, in an effort to raise much needed funds for childhood cancer research.  In communities throughout N.J., and eventually throughout the entire country, people sent little Natalie their dollars to support her birthday wish of raising $50K for childhood cancer research.  They received mail from every state, and people from all over held bake sales, yard sales, and car washes all to help this family get closer to their goal.

In the end they ended up raising $110K for The Truth 365 where every penny raised went towards helping to fund six different childhood cancer trials.

This year Andrea, Dan, Hannah and Natalie are at it again as they are trying to raise $150K by Natalie’s 5th birthday (September 28th).

NATALIE GRACE’S WISH: A FUNDRAISER SUPPORTING NATALIE’S BIRTHDAY WISH TO RAISE $150K FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH.  

SEPTEMBER IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH…GO GOLD TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!!

On Thursday September 4th, from 6pm – 10pm please kick off childhood cancer awareness month by joining Andrea + Dan Gorsegner for a beautiful evening at McLoone’s restaurant in Long Branch where their goal is to raise funds and awareness for children battling. The funds raised will go to The Truth 365 (via Will You Send Us a Dollar campaign), where EVERY SINGLE penny will go directly to research with the hope of discovering less toxic means for treating our kids, followed by our ultimate dream for a cure!

Tickets are $100/person in advance and $120 at the door. Included with your investment are an OPEN BAR, hors d’oeuvres, food stations and dessert. Additionally you’ll be enjoying the beautiful ocean view, LIVE music from recently signed singer-songwriter Mikey Wax (featured on the hit show Pretty Little Liars, and named “Artist on the Verge”), raffles/prizes and a valet service will also be provided.

To purchase tickets:

Simply click on the following link (which brings you to the Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer donation page), fill in your payment, and click in the circle where it says “Natalie Grace’s Wish Event.” It does NOT generate a printable ticket for you to bring, but it will automatically add you to our guest list where we’ll check you in at the door!                    http://www.awoccf.org/donate/

Natalie’s FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Infinite-Love-for-Natalie-Grace/190964064381897

You can donate to Natalie Grace’s Wish:  P.O. Box 4064, Middletown, NJ 07748

For more information please visit her website: InfiniteLoveForNatalieGrace.com

Visit her Facebook Page at: Infinite Love for Natalie Grace

Written by – TaraJean Vitale, NJ Discover

NJ DISCOVER LIVE RADIO SHOW – 8pm Monday Dec. 2. OUR FIRST HOLIDAY SHOW ON LOCATION AT THE JERSEY SHORE  With RICHARD HOYNES – Photographer & Author of Great Jersey Musicians AND His Special Guests:ZARA PHILLIPS & TOMMY PIPES MC DONNELL & GEORGE MEYER & PAMELA MOORE with hosts Tara-Jean Vitale & Calvin Schwartz

FOR MONDAY’S LIVE RADIO SHOW TUNE IN HERE:     http://www.spreaker.com/show/the_nj_discover_radio_show

Great Jersey Musicians – go to link

Join Cal & TaraJean at Listen Right Here to all your favorite podcasts of NJDiscover RADIO

AND NOW ALSO LIVE  STREAM AT: http://hamiltonradio.net/     HAMILTON RADIO GROUP!!!!

ALSO ALWAYS available on Podcast at same link

Great Jersey Musicians: By Richard Elliott Hoynes: A Few Thoughts on a Cold November Sunday Afternoon.  By Calvin Schwartz

For the past two years, I’ve been exploring the haunts, venues and stages of central Jersey music. Often there was a common denominator present; an affable, energetic, enthusiastic man with a camera; Richard Elliott Hoynes. It was a given presumption to bump into Rich while he’s absorbing the essence of great Jersey musicians. Always quiet, smiling and purposeful but he was on a mission. If you gently flipped the calendar pages of musical time, all of a sudden, a wondrous book of his photographs and words and musician’s quotes appeared one fine day; Great Jersey Musicians.

Cut to right now, a week before Thanksgiving. Remembering I rushed to get a copy of his book which embraces our music here in Jersey, I opened it to a visual extravaganza, of sometimes surreal, sentimental, beautiful and historic photos. His words and the musician’s quotes take the reader on a special journey, seemingly to wonderland and that party with Alice. The book transcends the traditional coffee table and becomes part of our history now.

I’ve been intent these months to examine New Jersey and its place in the world. No longer are we that exit between New York and Philadelphia. We’ve got our culture and unique sociology. Examine the plethora of television shows with Jersey themes or the long running Broadway play ‘Jersey Boys.’ Or note that President Obama, Prince Harry came running here; same with the Super Bowl. Great Jersey Musicians captures this energy and spirit; perfect timing.  And yes, especially if you live in Jersey and like its music, the book is a wonderland for you.

Calvin Schwartz    11/24/13    4:44PM   32 degrees

Spotlight Interview with Richard Hoynes and special guests musicians Tommy “Pipes” Mcdonell of the Blues Brothers and singer, playwright  Zara Phillips and George Meyer and Pamela Moore  of the Blackberry Blues band and  the band “One Came Down”.

Buy on Amazon: Great Jersey Musicians

Dr. Sketchy is a world-wide franchise of LIVE model art events, mostly themed, like vampires, roller derby or ‘Big Lebowski.’ Often held at Asbury Lanes, these events are artistic, fun, cultural and even part pay it forward.
TUNE IN for a fascinating glimpse into the world of art meets modeling:

(Monday Nov 11th) 8 PM NJ DISCOVER LIVE RADIO SHOW: with hosts Tara-Jean Vitale and Calvin Schwartz with SPECIAL GUESTS: Dr. Sketchy (Tim) Asbury Park and “friends.” (Stephanie Wolter and model/actress Missy Heather)

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Join Calvin and Tara-Jean on a radio journey through New Jersey with their stylistic stream of consciousness. They’ll be talking about great towns, people, resident talent and almost anything else blowing in the Garden State wind. Their unique brand of Talk Show is part of NJ Discover, a New Jersey based production company which proudly serves the entire state with positive informative programming.

I.  Premiere – July 2013 NJ Discover Radio Talk Show with Cal & TaraJean   Episode I

II.  August 5th, 2013 Radio Show:

III.  NJ DISCOVER RADIO SHOW:  LIVE Monday Aug 19th 8 pm.  Hosts:Tara-Jean Vitale & Calvin Schwartz  SPECIAL GUEST: MIKE MARINO ‘NJ’s Bad Boy of Comedy’  

 IV.  NJ DISCOVER LIVE RADIO SHOW: MONDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH from 8 TO 9 PM FEATURING Hosts TARA-JEAN VITALE AND CALVIN SCHWARTZ with Special Guest DANNY COLEMAN (Rock on Radio)

IV. NJ DISCOVER LIVE RADIO SHOW: Monday September 23rd from 8 to 9 PM featuring PSYCHIC JANE DOHERTY.

V.  MONDAY OCT 7 NJ DISCOVER RADIO SHOW LIVE 8 to 9 pm with special guests Michele Frantzeskos and Nancy Vazquez, writers, producers and directors of the riveting movie ‘The Right to Live’ (a film about ABUSE). tune in with Tara-Jean Vitale & Calvin at:

VI. MONDAY NOVEMBER 11 NJ DISCOVER RADIO SHOW LIVE 8PM TO PM with special guests Dr. Sketchy and model Missy Heather.

VII. MONDAY DECEMBER 2ND FIRST ANNUAL HOLIDAY RADIO SHOW LIVE 8PM TO 9PM with Richard Hoynes, Zara Phillips, Tommy Pipes McDonnell, George Meyer, Pamela Moore and Jobonanno. LIVE at the JERSEY SHORE!

VIII. Special Edition Tuesday! LIVE RADIO SHOW: TUESDAY DECEMBER 10TH 8 PM: With Special Guests and Live Music including Nick Clemons, JT Bowen, Jo Bonanno: Highlighting upcoming January 11th “Big Man’s West Reunion Show” in Point Pleasant Beach. It’s ALL about CLARENCE CLEMONS!! Don’t miss this LIVE SHOW with hosts TaraJean Vitale and Cal Schwartz

IX. NJ DISCOVER LIVE RADIO: TUES JAN 14TH 8PM: VERY SPECIAL GUEST: CARL ‘TINKER’ WEST: UCLA, Engineer, Surfboard shaper designer, Ancient surfer, Musician, Promoter, Audio Engineer, Bruce Springsteen’s first manager, Food connoisseur, Award winning (Newport Boat Show) wooden boat restoration, Sailor, Global warming assessor, Incandescent spirit and Quintessential conversationalist. SO THERE IS A LOT TO TALK ABOUT with hosts Tara-Jean Vitale and Calvin Schwartz.

www.spreaker.com

STAY TUNED FOR MORE!

AND NOW ALSO LIVE AT: Hamilton Radio website!

MONDAY OCT 7 NJ DISCOVER RADIO SHOW LIVE 8 to 9 pm with special guests Michele Frantzeskos and Nancy Vazquez, writers, producers and directors of the riveting movie ‘The Right to Live’ (a film about ABUSE). tune in with Tara-Jean Vitale & Calvin at:

Listen Right HERE:

Dan Marino, Hall of Fame Quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, attended the First Annual Charity Golf Event to benefitThe Dan Marino Foundation at the Bella Vista Country Club in Marlboro, NJ.

Corporate Resource Services, Inc., a diversified technology, staffing, recruiting, and consulting services firm, hosted the event that helped raise over $40,000 to support services for people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Over 200 people attended the event at Bella Vista Country Club in Marlboro, NJ.

For more information on Corporate Resource Services, Inc visit their website at www.crsco.com.

John P. Messina, PRESIDENT, CEO

Mark S. Levine, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Michael J. Golde, CFO

Frank Vaccaro, PRESIDENT OF SALES

The Dan Marino Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization was established in 1992 by Dan and Claire Marino, motivated by their experiences in raising their son, Michael, who is diagnosed with autism. The Foundation’s mission is “empowering individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities through therapies, research, education, and employment in pursuit of a greater quality of life.”

For over 20 years, the Foundation has served individuals with disabilities in South Florida and raised more than $45 million to create unique and impactful initiatives in the community. Among these “first-of-their-kind” initiatives were the Miami Children’s Hospital Dan Marino Center, Childnett.tv, the Marino Autism Research Institute, Marino Adapted Aquatics, Summer STEPS Employment Programs, and now, opening in 2014, Marino Campus. For more information, please visit www.danmarinofoundation.org.

CRS is a leading recruiting and staffing provider that specializes in placing administrative, clerical, customer service, information technology and light industrial candidates.

For more information on Corporate Resource Services, Inc visit their website at www.crsco.com.

First Lady of New Jersey Mary Pat Christie visited Jersey Mike’s and Rite Aid in Point Pleasant, NJ to thank these local businesses for their support in the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief efforts.

Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund partnered with Jersey Mike’s Subs in Monmouth and Ocean Counties for the 3rd annual March Month of Giving. Anyone can make a donation to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund at any Jersey Mike’s restaurant.

On March 27, 100% of all donations at Jersey Mike’s franchises in Monmouth and Ocean Counties will be donated to the Fund.

Since 2010, Jersey Mike’s franchisees and team members throughout the country, supported by its generous customers, have raised more than $5 million for worthy local charities and distributed more than 500,000 free sub sandwiches to help numerous causes.

At Rite Aid, company officials and employees presented First Lady of New Jersey MaryPat Christie with a $50,000 donation from the Rite Aid Foundation as well as $299,622.47 donated by Rite Aid customers and associates during its in-store fundraising campaign done nationwide last year.

Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund is still deciding where to allocate the money. Part of the funds will go to nonprofits that can help homeowners fill in “the gaps” between money they receive from their own insurance companies, as well as any state or federal loans or grants.

“We’re going to be doing additional rounds of disbursements,” she said. “We have a long term view on this and we’re hoping to donate $1 million to groups working on long-term recovery.”

Donations are accepted at the website.   www.sandynjrelieffund.org

Donations are being donated at Jersey Mike’s.  www.jerseymikes.com.  The fund has joined forces with Jersey Mike’s Subs “Month of Giving” Campaign. It’s a chance to give back during the month of March.

Article by TaraJean Vitale, Video Produced by Noelle Ciumei, Photographs by Calvin Schwartz