Summer: Good To The Last Drop

It is really hard to believe that this is the first weekend of August, which in some ways marks the home stretch for summer. Signs that summer may be winding down are evident as back-to-school shopping is well underway and just two weeks from today we’ll be taking our daughter back to Penn State to begin her sophomore year. However it’s not time to moan and groan yet about the end of the best time of year but rather take advantage of what’s left and squeeze every drop of summer while we can.

My wife and I are planning to take part Sunday in the 8th Annual Lavallette Breast Cancer Walk which we first discovered last year while having breakfast at The Crabs Claw Inn. We watched hundreds of people walk by us and late learned it’s an annual two-mile walk held the first Sunday in August to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Making Strikes Against Breast Cancer and local cancer organizations. Registration takes place at The Music Man Singing Ice Cream Shoppe on Route 35 North which is also the starting point for the walk at 8:30am.
The cost to walk is $25 and you get a free tee shirt, water bottle and scoop of ice cream when you cross the finish line which is perfect when you consider the theme of the event is “Together, We Can Lick This.” You can register before Sunday at The Music Man between 7am and midnight or on walk day from 8-8:20am and for information you can call (732) 854-2779.

Jim Dowd’s hockey-playing days are over, at least professionally but the former NHL player continues to host a summer game to benefit local organizations and individuals. Dowd’s “Shoot for the Stars Foundation” will hold its 14th Annual Shore High School All Star game Sunday night at the Red Bank Armory starting at 5:30. The game features many of the shore’s top players, including recent graduates Patrick Kearns of Brick and Jay Malone of Toms River South. They will lace up the skates for the Ocean County squad that has lost 8 of the last 9 meetings against Monmouth County’s best. Regardless of who prevails Sunday the big winner will be the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties as all proceeds will go to that organization. Dowd is a former Brick High School star who played for 10 NHL teams during a 17-year career which was highlighted by his game-winning goal during the 1995 Stanley Cup finals which helped the Devils win their first-ever cup. He now lives in Point Pleasant with his wife and children and has been very active on behalf of charitable causes.