Classic Car Cruise, silent auction and dinner to benefit Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter

The Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter, an all-volunteer organization that extends its help beyond assisting the county-run shelter in Manahawkin to care for the health and welfare of cats and dogs, will be the beneficiary of two upcoming events.

SBR Tire Exchange, located at 817 Route 9 North in Manahawkin, will host a Classic Cruise for the Critters on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A variety of classic cars, including Corvettes, trucks, Jeeps and 1960s muscle cars, will be on display throughout the day by local car clubs and car enthusiasts. The Stafford Township DARE car will make an appearance, too.

Photo via Google
Animal lovers can participate in two fundraisers to benefit
the Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter.

Registration for those interested in entering their car for display costs $10. Breakfast is included for all drivers.

A DJ as well as food and vendors will also be available to the public.

“We’re all animal lovers. It should be a fun event,” said Bernie Rothman, owner of SBR Tire, which donated funds earlier this year to help cover treatment costs for Boss, the pit bull that was taken to Stafford Veterinary Hospital in March after a Tuckerton couple found him wandering the streets with a bullet wound in his face.

“Everybody can come hang out and enjoy the sunshine while they’re looking at cars. Everybody likes cars,” he added.

The event will also be observed as customer appreciation day. Discounts on store products will be offered in honor of SBR Tire’s 26 years in business.

Admission to the event is free, but donations for FOSOCAS are welcome.

The fourth annual Flavor Unleashed Dinner and Silent Auction will be held at Uncle Will’s Grill, located at 3 South Bay Ave. in Beach Haven, on Wednesday, June 11, at 6 p.m. Entrees will include a choice of petite filet finished with balsamic glace, crab cakes, pan-seared salmon with habanero-bourbon barbecue glace, a vegetarian platter, and manchego-panko-encrusted grilled chicken served with mild chantrelle mustard sauce. Dinner includes two sides, a house salad and rolls, as well as coffee or tea and choice of dessert.

“It’s really, really wonderful. It raises awareness to adopt animals in shelters, and it also raises awareness for our Trap-Neuter-Release program,” said Connie Lohr, a FOSOCAS board member and the group’s liaison with the shelter. Participants “get to meet the volunteers because most of us go; we love it so much. It’s a really nice evening,” she added.

Tickets for the event cost $35. Tax and gratuity are included as well as 10 tickets for the chance auction with various items donated from local businesses such as Kapler’s Pharmacy, Regenerate and Surf City Five and 10. A 50/50 raffle and special, surprise giveaway will also be available.

For those unable to attend, another event will be held in September.

To purchase tickets or to donate auction items, contact Lohr at 609-618-0954 or deerwife55@comcast.net.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.