Community Corner

Strawberry Festival Tonight

Oceanport goes back to the roots of the Strawberry Festival when Maple Place hosts the celebration Friday evening.

The Oceanport Lions Club is throwing a party celebrating community spirit and strawberries from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight, and you're all invited.

The Strawberry Festival, which was originally held at when the Lions Club began the annual tradition about 50 years ago, returns to Maple Place after 15 plus years in the Monmouth Park Parking Lot.

The Lions are happy the festival is returning to its roots, as one of their goals in putting on the event is to remind residents of the work of longtime residents who have freely given their time and talents to make Oceanport a special place to live.

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"Our past forms the roots for our children's future," reads the flyer from the Lions Club, a statement Lion .

"Many of the residents of Oceanport go back three and four generations and have gone through the Oceanport school system," said the release, continuing, "many of our school age children may not be aware of the numerous people that have come before them to make Oceanport the town that they now enjoy."

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Of course there will be strawberries, lots of them, and shortcake on sale for three dollars, or four dollars if you add on ice cream.

Superintendent Andrew Orefice will sit in a dunk tank, as will Wolf Hill's Principal Shelley and Maple Place's Principal Radisch. One buck gets you one throw at the target to sink them, or six throws for five bucks.

A moon walk/bounce house will be inside the school, so it won't blow away.

Various raffles will take place during the night, including an iPad 2 and a 50/50.

Clowns and face painting will be taking place free of charge, and Oceanport students will provide musical entertainment.

The Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority will have an educational booth, and be on hand to talk about how they are working to give Oceanport's school system "more for less" by giving students a practical example of material they're learning in their science classes, and offering field trips to their sewage treatment plant in Monmouth Beach.

The winner of the Lions Club scholarship will be awarded during the evening, and proceeds from the event will be donated directly to Oceanport's school budget.

The Lions would like to remind you they are also holding an eyeglasses drive, which will award the family that donates the most pairs with a special prize!


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