"Original 'Monkee' Peter Tork, Peter Karp, Sue Foley Highlight 1st Annual Centenary Mini-Blues Festival" Star Ledger Article

BLUES FEST MARCH 12th and 13th!
March 12 & 13: The Mini-Blues Festival, presented by PNC Bank, is a full weekend of events for the Hackettstown area, with Centenary Stage hosting music both nights, preceded by "matinee shows" at Marley's Gotham Grill in the late afternoon from 4-6 p.m. and "post-show parties" both nights at Charlie Brown's, from 10:30 p.m. to midnight. The Centenary shows begin at 6:30 each night and runs until 10 p.m.
Headlining the Friday night performance are Peter Karp and Sue Foley, who will play together as part of their "He Said, She Said Tour", as well as taking the lead on their own tunes. The legendary Peter Tork and his band, Shoe Suede Blues, will headline the Saturday night show.
BLUES FEST INFO

The Blues Return to the Skylands!
Centenary Mini-Blues Festival Schedule

FRIDAY MARCH 12
6:30 Mike Lawlor Band
7:30 Lori V with Can't Stop Now
8:45 Peter Karp and Sue Foley ("He Said - She Said")

SATURDAY MARCH 13
6:30 Anne Mironchik Trio
7:30 Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgs
8:45 Peter Tork and Suede Shoe Blues
click here for more info

Enjoy Dinner Before Or After A Show
Mama's Cafe Baci
Mattar's Bistro Lounge
Pandan Room
Prickly Pear Restaurant
Smokehouse BBQ & Tavern
The Pump House

Click here for CSC reccomended restaurant info

Take part in the St. Patrick's Day extravaganza at Stella G's, March 10th to the 21st, open Sunday all day until 6:00pm for dinner and Wednesday the 17th for St Patrick's Day all day until 8:00pm with lots of Irish breakfast specials and the best corned beef and cabbage in town.

Bring your favorite stout or wine and have some fun at Stella G's. Irish dancers will be performing between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm Sunday the 14th right after the parade.

Brians Market is launching some really great ways for you to earn a free lunch.  Simply txt "brians1066" to 917-324-0252, or go to mysurveyat.com/brians/market 

Check out some of these great coupons:

You can click here to order your Parade Buttons online or you can visit the following businesses to buy them today: Harpers Bagel, Skylands Bank (Mtn Ave & Crossroads), Second Time Around, Hackettstown BID Office, Main Street Ice Cream, and Kaffe Kaprys (Washington).  Buttons cost $2. 

St. Mary's Annual Tricky Tray. February 16th 2010. 5:00 PM Doors Open. 6:00 PM Raffle begins.

Admission is $10 and includes two sheets of tickets.

Buy in advance at stmarystrickytray@comcast.net or at the door.
Don't miss this annual fundraiser event!
GREAT PRIZES !!!!!!!!!
Disney World passes, Ipods, sports memorabilia,
50/50 raffle and much, much more!

Celebrate the feast of St. Patrick by enjoying a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner at the Knights of Columbus, 142 Liberty St. Hackettstown on March 17th at either of two seatings, 5pm or 6:30pm.

If you would like to attend, the cost will be $14.  For tickets please call (908) 852-9758.  

On March 14th immediately following the Hackettstown St. Patrick's Day Parade, the Knights of Columbus will be open, offering food, and Irish beers.  The Knights of Columbus would also like to congratulate their fellow member and 2010 Grand Marshal, Michael Halpin.

Even though snow is still piled high in places, this is just a reminder to...

THINK SUMMER!

Book Guitar Bob TODAY to secure a select summer date for great music and fun for kids! Call (973) 713-3064.

Guitar Bob performs at many types of venues.

School Programs
• preschools and child care centers
• elementary schools and after-school programs
• special education schools

Public Events
• libraries
• recreation programs and summer camps
• music-in-the-parks series

Educational Events
• teacher conferences
• stores featuring educational materials
• intergenerational programs

Family Events
• festivals and concert venues
• corporate picnics and family activities
• organizations benefiting children and families

LISTEN
Would you like to hear Guitar Bob's music? Click on this link to a radio interview where Bob describes his background, cites his musical influences, and plays two complete songs on the air.

Click here to Listen to Guitar Bob!

For more information, visit:  www.guitarbob.com

RESTAURANT WEEK EXTENDED ALL WEEK LONG!!!

The Hackettstown Business Improvement District (BID) along with sponsorship from WRNJ Radio are coordinating a Restaurant Week to benefit the Hackettstown Area Family Relief Fund all week long till this Friday.

Restaurant Week in Hackettstown will run till Friday, March 5th, 2010. During that week, food establishments will donate a percentage of their proceeds from either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For example, if a bakery chooses to participate for breakfast, they will donate a percentage of what they made on breakfasts during that week.

"We have one of the most caring and charitable communities," explained Norm Worth, President of WRNJ Radio. "So we're asking our listeners to support a great cause. We're all in this together."

All the money will go into the Hackettstown Area Family Relief Fund. The fund is a 501(c)3 charity and was established after the September 11th tragedy to help our local families who lost loved ones. Since that time, the account has remained active and monies have gone out to local families who were in need. Money from this account has gone to a family who was burnt out of their home and a family whose children lost their parents, just to name a few recent examples.

"This fund is a resource for families in our community that are in desperate need," stated Maria DiGiovanni, Hackettstown Councilwoman. "We have great businesses, especially our restaurants, and we have an equally great community. By teaming the two together, I'm confident we can help raise funds for a truly worthwhile charity."

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE HACKETTSTOWN AREA FAMILY RELEIF FUND WEBSITE

As a bonus... If customers visit all the participating businesses during Restaurant Week, they can simply bring their receipts to the BID Office (207 Main St.) and they'll receive $25 in BID Bucks automatically. BID Bucks are like gift certificates that can be spent, just like cash, in over 70 businesses in Hackettstown.

"This event will be a great way to show your support and give back to the community" said David Rucki, Executive Director of the Hackettstown BID. "In addition, it's a great way to check out all the wonderful food establi shments our town has to offer."

PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES

BREAKFAST
STELLA G'S
HARPERS BAGEL
BRIAN'S MARKET
GREENE'S BEANS

LUNCH
KATHY'S KOVE
MAMAS RESTAURANT
WILLOW CAFFE
PRICKLY PEAR
FRANKS TRATTORIA
SANDWICH SHOPPE

DINNER
MARLEYS
PANDAN ROOM
CARA MIA
CARLENAS RESTAURANT

DESSERTS
MAIN ST. ICE CREAM
VINTNER'S CIRCLE

BECOME A FAN OF THE "HACKETTSTOWN AREA FAMILY RELIEF FUND"

HACKETTSTOWN--What in the World is a fair trade store located on Main Street, Hackettstown which unites the customer with many extraordinary master artists from all over the world, adding a new dimension to the town's business community.

Once inside, the customer gets to explore the fascinating handcrafted works of a variety of global products such as; wall hangings, pottery, jewelry, organic coffee, teas, organic chocolate, stationary, soap and skincare products from local artisans, from countries like Ghana, Kenya, Afghanistan, India, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Thailand and other remote parts of the planet. "Each piece being unique with it's own story and a storyteller makes a visit to What in the World more upbeat, vibrant and enchanting," said spokesperson Vibha Rana.

History Of Fair Trade
Edna Ruth Byler, a volunteer for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), visited a sewing class in Puerto Rico where she noticed a talented woman who had a natural flair for creating lace. Edna brought pieces back to the United States to sell and returned the money directly. Edna's trips and her gratitude and respect for the artisans, grew into Ten Thousand Villages which opened in 1946 and is now the largest fair trade retailer in North America.

Humanitarian Journey Made One Couple's Dream Come True
In 2004, Al and Vicky Kopacka visited a Ten Thousand Villages store in New Haven, Conn. and decided that they would like to do something similar in the near future.

"Well, the time came and our shop What in the World opened the same year! Our hope and purpose is to provide and educate our customers with unique and quality products from around the world rather than focusing on massive profits, as most chain stores do," said Vicky. Al and Vicky have a tremendous passion for craftsmanship and being professional musicians themselves, they value, admire and respect the labor and time that is put into some of the items that are made across the globe and the United States.

They believe that exploitation of labor can never produce a genuine product. It can only be made with passion and care. The product must be sold with the same attitude and only fair trade can make this possible.

Since the year 2000, fair trade sales and consumer awareness have been increased, and so has the range of fair trade products. From its initial focus on coffee, fair trade product certification has expanded to tea, chocolate, sugar, vanilla, fruit, wine, and much more. In that year, the first World Fair Trade Day was celebrated to heighten awareness and to strengthen connections among fair traders and interested citizens around the globe. In 2006, the International Fair Trade Association reported that total fair trade sales topped $2.6 billion. Although recent economic recession has lowered the sales figures of What in the World, Al and Vicky have decided to continue their mission, and carry items imported by non-profit fair-trade organizations such as Ten Thousand Villages, Bridge for African Women's Bean Project, Slovak Folk Crafts, and Lucuma Designs of Peru.

Incense sticks (made by those who cannot speak, hear, or go anywhere except in their imagination ),are a part of the self-help movement called Silence which is based in Kolkata, India. It is dedicated to help individuals become self sufficient and become contributing members of society.

Unique metal drums made by the artists of Haiti are one example of today's ongoing unrest and a quest for honorable living through their hammer and chisel.

"We don't carry any item that is the result of exploitation, child labor, and massive profits. Our customers can be sure that their purchase fairly compensates individuals and families who produce these products, both here in the United States and all over the world. In many instances some of these communities are helped with infrastructure, marketing, health and child care, and other basic need services which are not readily available," said Vicky.

Al and Vicky continue to broadcast their views and values about local business and fair trade on WRNJ radio. In her recent Talk of the Town show broadcast on Feb.05, with David Rucki, Executive Director of the Hackettstown Business Improvement District, Vicky expressed her concerns about the overall economy, but also insisted that the Main Street and local economy can only be boosted when people begin to shop in their local communities. What in the World, being a fair trade shop, not only supports their local area, but also many economies and
communities around the globe.

"During my own visits to What in the World , I gathered some broken pieces of the puzzle that sometimes get caught in the reasoning wheel, such as What is Fair Trade? It became clear that it's not about charity or sympathy for the under privileged laborer or artist, it is rather a healthy approach that aims to change the ways in which commerce is conducted, and the consumer's way of thinking about spending for a unique gift at an affordable and fair price," said spokesperson Vibha Rana.

Fair Trade Organizations help create sustainable and positive economic change in developing as well as developed countries. The end turns out to be a happy and purposeful transaction for every hand that created, sold and purchased the item.

10 Solid Reasons to Support Fair Trade:
1. Fair Trade means high quality goods that people can use.
2. Fair Trade empowers women to bring their talent out as a means of living.
3. Fair Trade provides educational opportunity for underprivileged children especially girls.
4. Fair Trade means fair pay and safe working conditions.
5. Fair Trade connects with other cultures, thus promotes trade as a positive change.
6. Fair Trade builds sustainable local economies.
7. Fair Trade supports capacity building.
8. Fair Trade supports community development.
9. Fair Trade protects the environment.
10.Fair Trade gives you a choice and a voice.

What in the World is located on 229 Main Street Hackettstown, NJ 07840 (908) 850-8942

In this year's Parade we have an entire section devoted to Irish Families from the Hackettstown Area. We would love to invite you to participate and represent your Irish Heritage.

Please fill out this form if your family would like to march.

If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact the BID Office at (908) 850-5004.

LOOKING FOR A FAMILY BANNER:
Minuteman Press can make your banner for the Hackettstown St. Patrick's Day Parade..2ft x 4ft for $40.00. Contact Joel at (908) 813-0063 for ordering information. In addition, you can also call Hollie Studios if you'd like a larger banner. Contact John at (908) 813-0707 to oder.