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Lady Luck On The Side Of Upcoming Casino Night Fundraiser
By Keith Hagarty
Place your bets!
Some of the excitement and entertainment of Atlantic City - only without the long, tedious drive - will be coming to Our House Restaurant & Tavern on February 1 as the Howell Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Howell Township Education Foundation (HTEF), invites residents to come out and try their luck for a good cause at the town's first ever Casino Night.
With 10 tables for blackjack, roulette and poker, to name just a few, attendees will get a chance to gamble their "funny money" with all funds donated to the Education Foundation. The purpose of the all-volunteer foundation is to promote, sponsor and expand some of the programs designed to enhance and enrich Howell's public school curriculum.
The foundation looks to fund supplemental programs in the schools which may have previously been funded by the district, or to help assist those programs that are funded by other entities, such as school PTAs.
The partnership between the chamber and HTEF has been a great experience for George Krebs, who is co-chair of the event with HTEF President Anthony Novembre.
"This is really our first all-out joint effort and, hopefully, the first of many," said Krebs. "Given that this fundraiser benefits scholarship funds for Howell and Farmingdale students, this partnership is a natural."
Krebs, a longtime Howell resident, serves on the chamber board of directors and is also president of Shore Business Solutions of Farmingdale.
"We have never done a casino night before," he said, "so we thought it would be a fun alternative, and something that could be done in the winter months when fundraisers are not so prominent."
While the chamber traditionally gets involved with fundraisers all year long, the idea of a casino night caught the interest of everyone involved, said Krebs.
"We have lots of worthwhile fundraisers in Howell, lots of golf outings, dances, bowl-a-thons and such," he said. "They are all great; this is just different."
As soon as they heard about the casino night, the Lakewood BlueClaws were immediately onboard.
"It's really a no-brainer," said Mike Van Hise, team director of new client development. "Howell is such a large chunk of our fan base, and also is the driving force behind one of our biggest theme nights (Howell Night), that it's always good to give back to community, especially to causes that directly influence the kids and the schools."
The attractive lure and excitement of a casino night sets it apart from typical fundraising events.
"A casino night is something different, something unique, especially for the schools," said Van Hise. "Anytime you can energize people with an infusion of new ideas, new ways of generating funds, it's always going to be a fun experience."
Describing the relationship between the chamber and the BlueClaws as "rock solid," Van Hise said he'll be front and center at Casino Night.
But admits he's no card shark.
"I'm an atrocious blackjack player," he joked. "I've always been a fan of roulette and Texas Hold'em Poker. So if anyone is looking for me that night, I'll be hovering around those two tables."
The chamber asks vendors and businesses to act quickly, as table sponsorships are being offered for a $375 fee on a first-come, first-paid basis.
Some of the sponsors already signed up to contribute to the big night include Affiliated Foot and Ankle Center, Bureau of Accounts Control, Commerce Bank, Howell Glass, Howell PBA 228, Sweet Indulgence, Young's Appliance Sales and Service, Chick-Fil-A, Chapter House Restaurant, Carino's Italian Grill, Emilio's Pizza, Applebee's Restaurant and the Lakewood BlueClaws.
"The worthwhile objective of raising scholarship funds for deserving students is the overriding reason folks should attend, but also we are having a fun event in a great venue at the Our House Restaurant & Tavern," said Krebs. "There are great prizes, good food and lots of tables to try your luck at various casino games. It's a little taste of Atlantic City without leaving the area."
Our House Restaurant & Tavern is located at 420 Adelphia Road in Farmingdale, with the February 1 festivities being held from 7 to 11 p.m.
Door admission is $50, which includes $50 worth of "funny money." Additional "funny money" can also be purchased with $20 buying $50 thereafter.
Tickets can be purchased at the Howell Chamber of Commerce office, the Howell Township Board of Education Administrative Office on Squankum-Yellowbrook Road, Manasquan Savings Bank on Newton's Corner Road and Ramtown-Greenville Road and Young's Appliance Sales & Service on Highway 9 South.
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