Welcome to the Midtown Urban Renaissance Corporation’s 4rd Annual Harvest Moon Ball Fundraiser. This year you will be “Dancing to the Oldies” with our host Dr. Bob Lee from WBLS Radio. The proceeds from this event will go toward the administration of programs, events and workshops provided to the Community by MURC.
Congratulations to this year’s honoree Mrs. Debbie Holmes, owner of Vets Cab in Neptune, whose business has been an intricate part of the community for many years. It is a viable establishment that is woven into the daily lives of many local residents. We are also giving memory to Mrs. Clara Bowens, owner of “Clara’s Place” a community restaurant located on West Lake Avenue. She will be missed by all that knew her and had the opportunity to patron her eatery.
I am glad to report that the redevelopment of West Lake Avenue has begun with the Midtown Commons office building going up on the corner of West Lake and Highway 35. We look forward to the completion of this building sometime in next year and welcome Meridian’s Family Health Center and the New Jersey Department of Taxation into the Midtown Community.
Work has also in progress at School House Square, a proposed 58-home residential development located on the former Ridge Avenue School site. TRF out of Philadelphia, Interfaith Neighbors from Asbury Park and CityWorks from Trenton are partnering on this project which will include affordable and market rate townhouses and twin homes. I would like to extend my Thanks to Mr. Tom Clark, the Executive Director for CityWorks, Mr. Mike Bascom, Neptune’s CFO and the township officials both past and present for making these projects possible.
MURC began 2009 with a Board Development Workshop in January to set priorities for the year. We had the pleasure of having Mr. David Grey of Financial Arts, Inc. to facilitate this half day meeting. He left us with the sense of purpose and direction that was needed to fulfill our goals. It was our plan to focus on building our financial resources, develop partnerships and communicate the needs of the Midtown Community to the proper agencies.
This year our fund raising committee met regularly and did a fine job in conducting activities such as a Flower Sale , “Dining to Donate” with Applebee’s, “Shopping for a Cause” with Macy’s and our Annual Harvest Moon Ball. I would like to say Thank You to MURC Vice President Gail Oliver, Fundraising Chairperson Claudette Samuels, Trustees Nate Cave, Bridget James and “Friends of MURC” Velda Harris and Mary S. Scott for all their hard work.
In May, we again reached out to the City of Asbury Park to partner with MURC on the “United Community Clean Up”. Their cooperation was overwhelming. I would like to thank former councilman and present AP Mayor Ed Johnson, Director of Community Development, Hazel Samuels and administrator Denise Brown for their involvement in coordinating this event. A special thanks to Mr. Sylvester Griffin for being “totally” involved with this event on behalf of Neptune’s Public Works. The continued support of Pastor Paul Brown and his members of First Pentecostal Church is greatly appreciated on this clean up day at Liberty Park. Please know that MURC will keep posing to our township officials the much needed improvements for this park that you have adopted. I would also like to Thank Neptune residents, students, teachers and parents from Neptune High School and Middle School for again being involved and exhibiting the spirit of volunteerism. To Interfaith Neighbors, Hunter Roberts Construction Group, CityWorks, and Jameson’s Restaurant, Thank You for their generous donations that were needed to make this day happen. And to Home Depot and Lowes Home Improvement, Thank You for your support. With the assistance of Code Enforcement, Public Works and the Fire departments from both the Township of Neptune and the City of Asbury Park, the “United Community Clean Up” was again a huge success.
MURC must stay aware of the needs of our residents it is our obligation to hold community meetings. In June our topic of discussion was “Gang Awareness”, presented by the County Prosecutor’s Office with updates on both redevelopment projects. Thank you to Sergeant Eugene Stewart and the retired Community Liaison, Lt. Drew LaFrance from Neptune’s Police Department for helping MURC with this very important meeting. In August, Paul McEvily from Interfaith Neighbors presented the qualifying process for School House Square and we would like to thank him for being there when we need him the most. Our third and final community meeting for the year will be on November 19th with representatives from Jersey Shore Medical Center giving a presentation on the Family Health Center at Midtown Commons.
With the help of PNC Bank MURC was able to sponsor Home Buyers Classes again this year to prepare residents for the process of purchasing a home, hopefully in the Midtown community.
Health Care Alley during Neptune Day was again a success for the 8th year. I would like to say Thank You to our trustee Mrs. June West for chairing this event since the beginning and to Neptune Recreation for giving us the space. During Neptune Day, Gail Oliver and I were awarded the Richard Bormann Volunteer Service Award and were given a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Frank Pallone.
This year MURC became involved with Partners in Health, from Jersey Shore Medical Center and the Criminal Justice Advisory Board of Neptune. We continue to partner with the Municipal Drug Alliance on “Family Talking” workshops and this summer we sponsored five children to the Art Camp at the Midtown Community School. MURC continues to participate in National Night Out and the Black History Celebration for Neptune and will always reach out to others agencies that will help us to service the needs of the Midtown Community.
As MURC looks to the future and the revitalization of West Lake Avenue, we will keep our mission in focus. We will persist in asking for jobs for local residents on the redevelopment projects; an improved Liberty Park on Munroe Avenue; gang solution programs; developing community watch groups; security cameras in areas with high incidents of crime; re-entry programs for those that have been incarcerated and a youth recreation center with alternative programs for our young people.
The entire board of MURC would like to say THANK YOU to Mayor Dr. Michael Brantley for awarding our nonprofit with half of the proceeds from this year’s Mayor Ball. Your confidence in us encourages and enlightens our efforts to work even more for the betterment of Midtown.
With all being said about what MURC has done it could not happen without the volunteer board members and friends of MURC that give unselfishly of their time to give back to the Midtown Community. Thank You so much for all that you do. Together I know we can make a difference.
On behave of the Fundraising Committee and all of the MURC Trustees I would like to say THANK YOU to all of you for attending our 2009 Harvest Moon Ball Fundraiser and to the sponsors of our ad journal, Thank You Too! Please support these businesses and agencies whenever you have the opportunity.
Sincerely,
Dianna A. Harris
President of MURC
