Random Notes

Random notes and items on the first Monday of May:

One of the highlights of the annual cocktail reception to support the Toms River Student Loan Fund is when a student representative from each of the three high schools is asked to talk about their education and experiences.

The trio of gentlemen who spoke Friday night were not only great ambassadors for their schools and families but three who will no doubt go on to great success. Keith Marschner of Toms River East is headed to Cornell University, Andriy Kuzmov of High School North will be attending the School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University and Patrick Park of High School South is Princeton-bound. By the way Patrick is the third of three Park’s who have done quite well at South. Two of the brothers were Valedictorians and one had to settle for being Salutatorian.

Former first assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Terry Farley and Toms River Elks Lodge #1875 were honored during the event as were the 2007 Teachers of the Year from the school district.

Jim Dowd is one of the oldest current players in the NHL and on Christmas Day he’ll celebrate his 40th birthday. However if the Philadelphia Flyers keep winning Christmas will come early for the Brick Township native and current Point Pleasant resident who is seeking his second Stanley Cup. Dowd’s Flyers will play the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals beginning this week and are two steps away from capturing the Cup for the first time since 1975. Dowd helped the New Jersey Devils win their first Cup in 1995.

Today is Cinco de Mayo which many in the United States think is Mexico’s Independence Day, which is in fact September 16th. Cinco de Mayo is a regional holiday in Mexico which commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces over French forces in 1862 and it seems the day is celebrated more in the United States where like with St. Patrick’s Day it’s become a big one for food, music and of course beverages.

Today also would have been Manny Viggiano’s 80th birthday which would have been a great reason for his family to celebrate. Unfortunately cancer took my father-in-law before this milestone birthday but today when many are toasting Cinco de Mayo they are also hoisting one for you Manny…one of the all-time greats.