FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2024
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| The Aurora Borealis was seen over Pilesgrove and Woodstown just after dark, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. It was a sight to see! Reds, purples, greens, blues, all streaming across the night sky. This photo was taken in Pilesgrove. |
Hear ye, hear ye! O yez, o yez!
A hearty welcome to Little Oliver Lopez, born today! Mother Mariah, Father Alex, and Big Sister Colette will be beaming with joy as Salem County welcomes its newest resident!
Apologies for my long absence! I've had a busy few weeks.
Most importantly, the Woodstown Fall Festival was a phenomenal success, and I, for one, had a tremendous time browsing around the center of the greatest town in the U.S.A. The drizzle held off for most of the event, and from what I observed, the streets were full of friendly faces and great vendors. I enjoyed a bit of BBQ, spent much of my day at the Historical Society Museum, and visited friends over at the Blue Moon Theatre, First Baptist Church, and Asbury Methodist Church.
It was the 20th anniversary of the event and I am sure, if this year is any sign, it will be around for many more decades.
In addition, next Monday, I am honored to be inducted into the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society Board of Trustees. I've been spending a good deal of time over there rummaging through old books and admiring the beauty that is our local history museum.
At the museum, I discovered a possible long-unknown secret that I can't wait to dig deeper into — but, I can't reveal it just yet. If true, however, it's BIG NEWS (especially if you're into local photography).
Finally, I learned of exciting new additions to the Woodstown By Candlelight Tour for 2024. I am unsure if this is the first year — I believe it is — but, historic homes in Pilesgrove will now be added to the tour, including a very historic tavern/house that just got a new roof over on King's Highway!
Woodstown By Candlelight will be held Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $30 for the Woodstown AND Pilesgrove legs of the tour, or $20 for Woodstown only (I suggest paying the extra $10!!!). After Dec. 1st, ticket prices increase to $35 and $25, respectively.
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| The Woodstown High School Homecoming Court for 2024 |
HOMECOMING: Congrats to the 2024 Woodstown High School Homecoming Court: Joe Kurpis, Jake Ware, Cole Lucas, Bryce Belinfanti, Sebastian Smith, Hannah Hitchner, Megan Donelson, Shelby Foote, Ty'Onna Husser, Talia Battavio.
The winners were King Sebastian Smith and Queen Ty-Onna Husser!
PUMPKIN CARVE:: The annual South Jersey Pumpkin Carve will be held at the Salem County Fair Grounds, 735 Harding Highway, in Pilesgrove this weekend, Oct 11-13. Tickets are $20 per carload. Here are the details:
**Date**: October 11, 2024/October 12, October
**Time**: (Friday 5PM-9PM )--(Saturday 10AM-8PM )-- (Sunday 10 AM-5PM)
**Location**: South Jersey Pumpkin Show(Salem Fair Grounds), 735 Harding Highway, Woodstown, NJ, USA,
**Ravenwood Farms** presents an enchanting **Festival** experience at the SJ Pumpkin Show & Carve! 🍂 Dive into a world of magic and wonder with a lineup that will leave your little ones in awe.
**Magic Shows**: Delightful performance of a talented kid friendly magician
**Amusement Rides**: Thrills and laughter await on various attractions
**PG Haunted House**: For those seeking a spooky adventure
**Corn Maze**: Get lost in the twists and turns of fall fun
**Tricycle Hay Bale Races**: Exciting races for the young ones
**Kids Zone Bounce Houses** will keep the energy high, while **Carriage Rides** and **Pony Rides** offer a touch of elegance and charm. Don't miss the captivating **Headless Horseman Show** and groove to the rhythms of **Live Music** throughout the day.
Indulge in **Crafts** and tantalize your taste buds with an array of delicious **Foods** available for sale. Plus, discover unique items at the vendor booths!
**Tickets Available on All Events!**
**Special Offer**: For just $20, your whole family can enjoy unlimited fun in a carload per day! Most activities are free, except for pony rides, carriage rides, and food & gift purchases. Your $20 covers the carload parking pass for all. All proceeds are donated to the Ravenwood Farms 501c3, supporting horse therapy and community wellness initiatives.
FARMER'S MARKET: Farmer's Market held Memorial Lake on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Expect to see many wonderful fall goodies: Honey, wreaths, crocheted items, bows, quilted items, bracelets, rustic metal and wood decor, sea glass, candles, body lotion, jam, hot chocolate, apples, cider, and more!
SPOOKY SEASON: First Baptist Church of Woodstown is hosting Trunk or Treat, Saturday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. in the church parking lot. Don't forget to dress up!
ROAD SAFETY: Salem County Local Road Safety Plan Public Meeting on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Salem County Agricultural Building on 51 Cheney Rd in Woodstown. Here is the dispatch from the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization:
During the meeting, residents will have the opportunity to view several display boards to learn about the plan, including the proposed projects and behavioral strategies to help achieve a goal of 50 percent reduction of fatal and serious injury crashes by 2050. Comment cards will be available to provide input to the draft plan.
HURRICANE RELIEF: The Woodstown Central Railroad is partnering with local businesses and schools to send supplies to those in need in Haywood County, North Carolina. They wrote:
Together, we’re launching a community-wide initiative to gather supplies and offer support to the families and individuals who need it most. From now until Thursday 10/17, you can donate the following items to the donation centers listed below:
Donation List:
• (Cups, plates, utensils, paper towels & toilet paper)
PLEASE NO CLOTHING ITEMS, TOYS, or CHILDREN’S ITEMS
• Saturday 10/12 & Sunday 10/13 • 9am - 3pm
Woodstown Central Railroad
650 Alloway Woodstown Rd, Woodstown NJ 08098
• Tuesday 10/15 • 8am - 2pm
Mannington Township School
495 Route 45 Mannington, Salem, NJ 08079
• Wednesday 10/16 • 8am - 2pm
235 Pine Tavern Rd. Monroeville, NJ 08343
• Thursday 10/17 • 8am - 2pm
140 East Ave, Woodstown, NJ 08098
VOTE:
Elections will be Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Many local offices are on the ballot. Here are some important deadlines:
The deadline to register to vote in New Jersey for this election is OCT. 15.
3 ways to vote:
VOTE-BY-MAIL
Everyone can vote by mail in New Jersey for any reason! If you have not received a mail-in ballot.
Oct. 26: Deadline to request a ballot online
Nov. 4: Deadline to request a ballot in person
Nov. 5: Deadline to postmark your ballot - your ballot must be in the mail by this date
EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING
Saturday, Oct. 26 - Sunday, Nov. 3
10am - 8pm Monday-Saturday | 10am - 6pm on Sundays
Note: Your Early Voting polling place may be different from your Election Day polling place.
INTERGENERATIONAL: Woodstown Friends Meeting will host Intergenerational Family activities throughout the fall. See the list below:
- September 29, 2024 – 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.. -Let’s celebrate the coming of fall with the game “As the Wind Blows” and decorate and bake cookies to take home.
- October 27, 2024 – 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Join Teacher Kate, the popular music teacher at Friends School Mullica Hill, for an interactive hour of music making and dance. We will sing both new and familiar songs, enjoy some interactive folk dancing and play percussion instruments as a group.
- December 8, 2024 – 9:15 AM to 10:30 AM—We will celebrate the holidays with holiday-themed story and craft time. You won’t walk away empty-handed
FLU CLINIC: The Salem County Department of Health and Human Services will host the following Flu Clinics for residents ages 3 and older. No appointment necessary.
- Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Salem County Fair Grounds, Rt. 40, Pilesgrove. Drive-Thru.
- Tuesday, Oct. 1, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Salem County Dept. of Health. 110 5th St., Salem. Walk-in.
- Wednesday, Oct. 9, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Lower Alloway's Creek Fire & Rescue. 15 New St, Hancock's Bridge. Drive Thru.
- Thursday, Oct. 17, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Salem Community College, Davidow Hall. 460 Hollywood Ave, Carneys Point. Walk-in.
- Tuesday, Oct. 22, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Shalick High School, 718 Centerton Rd., Pittsgrove. Walk-in.
- Wednesday, Oct. 30, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Oldmans Municipal Building, 40 Freed Rd., Pedricktown. Walk-in.
- Wednesday, Nov. 13, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Carney's Point Municipal Building, 303 Harding Hwy, Carneys Point. Walk-in.
Kudos to the cast and crew of "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Blue Moon Theatre! I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. It was a fantastic night of theatre and a perfect musical for the Blue Moon!
OPEN MIC: The Blue Moon Theatre is hosting a Comedy Open Mic Night on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. General admission is $5. Click here for more details.
CONCERT: The Blue Moon Theatre is hosting Laura Cheadle on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. Click here for tickets.
ACTORS NEEDED: A dispatch from Salem Main Street and the Blue Moon Theatre:
The 37th Annual historic Yuletide tour of Salem County is looking for reenactors to participate in their event on December 7th from 1-6 rain or shine. This is a Paid position (with donations from those involved in the event). Currently they are looking for:
Fredrick Douglas (1st lawyer) and Fredrick's daughter a teacher, Hetty Reckless a slave who went on to help free other slaves. Her owner was the governor in Salem and his wife was very hateful to Hetty., Harriet Tubman, and a Father Christmas who could also be like a town crier, Decreeing the day dedicated to the many people celebrating the upcoming holiday season.
If you are unfamiliar with any of the characters, please research them. You will find them to be amazing individuals.
If you are interested, please contact Cheryl Stark at Cherstark@hotmail.com or call at 856-905-5840.
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| The Woodstown High School Cross County Team brough great honors back home as the champions of Salem County, N.J. Great job, fellas! |
MEN'S CROSS COUNTY: Woodstown's athletes scored as the Salem County Boys Cross County Champions for the 2024 season! Pictured above, the Salem County champions from Woodstown are:
Karson Chew — County Champion
Jake Marino — 2nd Place Champion
Cole Lucas — 3rd Place Champion
David Farrell — 5th Place Champion
Jonathan Farrell — 6th Place Champion
Michael Turner, Brody Williams — 7th Place Champions.
Also, great races were had by athletes Torsten Duva, Pacey Hutton, Nicholas Law, Wade Hubschmitt, and John Hearst.
Congrats, Wolverines!!
MEN'S SOCCER: Woodstown defeated Penns Grove with a final score of 3-1. Dispatch from Woodstown Athletics:
The game kicked off with intense energy, as Penns Grove’s Juan Ortiz put his team on the board first, scoring in the 1st half. Woodstown responded quickly when Ben Lippincott netted a goal, assisted by Nicholas DiTeodoro, tying the game 1-1 going into halftime. In the 2nd half, Woodstown took control. Blake Bialecki broke the tie with a goal, assisted by Ayden Ellis, giving Woodstown the lead. Later, Bryce Ayars added an insurance goal, with Adrian Ibarra setting him up for the assist, sealing the 3-1 victory for Woodstown. The win was a key boost for the Woodstown squad as they continued their strong season.
WOMEN'S SOCCER: Woodstown defeated Penns Grove in a 4-0 shutout! Dispatch from Wolverine Athletics:
From the opening whistle, Woodstown controlled the tempo, applying relentless offensive pressure with 19 shots on goal, compared to Penns Grove’s 4.Talia Battavio opened the scoring in the 1st half, contributing a goal and an assist. Blair Baldi and Emma Perry each added a goal in the first half, pushing Woodstown to a 2-0 lead at halftime. Gina Murray joined the scoring in the 2nd half, securing the fourth and final goal of the game. Casey Gannon and Lia Covely added assists, further showcasing Woodstown’s teamwork. Goalies Ellie Wygand and Arianna Hyman kept a clean sheet, combining for 4 saves. Penns Grove’s Roselyn Texcucano fought hard with an impressive 15 saves, but the relentless attack from Woodstown proved too much to handle. With this victory, Woodstown strengthens their season, showcasing their offensive firepower and defensive stability.
VARSITY WOMEN'S TENNIS: The Wolverines secured wins at the first doubles of Julianna Lindenmuth and Alyssa Berry and the second doubles team of Nathalie Neron and Noelle Neron on Oct. 8. And, in the Oct. 10 report, the women's tennis team picked up a 10th win of their season, topping Millville 4-1. Dispatch from Wolverine Athletics:
The girls tennis team picked up their 10th win of the season with a 4-1 win over Millville. Getting the scoring started was 2nd singles player Camille Osborn who was quickly followed of the court by the 1st doubles team of Julianna Lindenmuth and Alyssa Berry. The victory was clinched by 3rd singles player Aubrie Rennie. Rounding out the scoring was the 2nd doubles team of Nathalie and Noelle Neron who won in straight sets. The team returns to action Thursday when they travel to Penns Grove.
Oct. 11: The girls tennis team improved to 11-4 with a 5-0 win over county rival Penns Grove. The team was led by 1st singles player Gabby Kurpis and the 1st doubles team of Missy Hassler and Noelle Neron. Congratulations to Nathalie Neron and Alyssa Berry who won their first career singles matches. Further congratulations go to Madison LaPalomento and Emilee Kehr who earned their first career varsity win. The team will host Vineland on Friday in their annual pink match to bring recognition to Breast Cancer Awareness.
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| Woodstown High School Soccer Alumni were honored on the new WHS Soccer Wall of Fame, thanks to the Athletics Department and the tireless effort of Coach Huck who gathered the statistics and players for the special event! |
SOCCER WALL OF FAME: Woodstown High School is rich with history, especially in our Athletics department. Honoring that history has become a great priority for the Wolverines. Here is a dispatch from the Athletics Department's efforts to honor the legacy of our soccer athletes:
Last weekend, the Woodstown Boys & Girls Soccer Programs welcomed back alumni for the unveiling of the new Wall of Fame recognizing the top players since the inception of each program. Friends and families of those being recognized as well as of the WHS Soccer Program joined in the celebration of these distinguished alumni. The Wall of Fame is on display at the Ron Udy Soccer Complex and will be for years to come. A special thanks to Coach Huck who has spent countless hours gathering all of the statistics and working to identify the top players who earned the distinction of being on the Wall of Fame as well as making all of the arrangements for Saturday's celebration.
The Woodstown Athletic Department website, a hub for all things Woodstown High School sports, can be found here. SCHEDULE
WATCH LIVE EVENTS HERE
Woodstown Borough Council and Pilesgrove Twp Committee meet the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
FRIDAY: Sunny. High of 70F, low of 50F.
SATURDAY: Sunny. High of 77F. Low of 53F.
SUNDAY: Sunny. High of 78F. Low of 43F.
Forecast: Despite warm temps this weekend, expect a chill in the air next week. Temps in the low 60s and high 50s, with lows in the low 40s and upper 30s. Clouds earlier in the week.
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Woodstown Crier: Where we're proud of our Wolverine Athletes, whether they're winning this year's Cross County Championship, or showing their child Mom or Dad's name on the Soccer Wall of Fame, they're still scoring for Woodstown!
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Want to share your Woodstown-Pilesgrove news in the Crier Column? Email Jim Cook at WoodstownCrier@gmail.com
