GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge Kiwanis Club held its signature event, the fifth annual OctoberFeast, on Monday, Oct. 15, at the Glen Ridge Women’s Club. The food and drink get-together attracted more than 200 paying guests to sample foods from 13 local restaurants, desserts from four bakeries, and beverages from three wine and alcohol merchants.
“This is the best food we’ve ever had,” said feast organizer Jeff Monacelli, sampling a spicy shrimp dish.
The event was held for good causes.
According to Monacelli, the nearly $20,000 raised at the OctoberFeast this year, from ticket sales and 54 tricky tray baskets, will help to eradicate potentially fatal neonatal tetanus in Third World countries. That would require immunizing expectant mothers and women of childbearing age. The cost for this prevention, per woman, is $8.
“Kiwanis made a deal with UNICEF,” Monacelli said. “We provide the shots which are administered by them in each country where there is a problem.”
UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund.
OctoberFeast proceeds will also provide scholarships for Glen Ridge High School seniors.
“The scholarships are for kids who perform a service for people,” Monacelli said. “What normally happens is that students with a high grade-point average get scholarships. But there’s a lot of kids out there that do wonderful things for people. Kiwanis scholarships focus on them.”
The club also supports borough projects suggested by the mayor and council. In the past, beneficiaries have been the GR Public Library and borough playing fields.
“We’ll go three to five years raising money for a project,” Monacelli said. “Right now we’re working on providing new student lockers.”
The Glen Ridge Kiwanis Club also contributes funds for elementary school music programs. Monacelli said there will be a Kiwanis-sponsored “Pastry Performance Night” for this purpose, in January.
“All the money goes to them,” he said before moving to another serving table, fork and plate in hand.
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