Advocates For Homeless Set For Walk In Toms River: Monday Manual

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Welcome to the March 28 edition of Monday Manual, where we highlight important events coming up during the week in Toms River.

There are no municipal meetings in Toms River this week, but there are some events on tap of interest.

On Saturday morning, community members who want to see Ocean County address its homelessness situation will be walking in Toms River to shine a spotlight on the issue and urge the Ocean County Board of Commissioners to act.

The walk, titled "Restoring HOPE for Humanity," will start at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church on Hooper Avenue, and will travel from the church to the Ocean County Administration building at 101 Hooper Ave.

"This walk is meant to peacefully signal to the Ocean County Commissioners that the time is now to establish a year-round transitional housing facility for Ocean County’s homeless," said Terrance Turnbach, the former Toms River councilman, who has been working to raise the visibility of the issue and to push for solutions.

The walk comes as the Code Blue program, which provides temporary shelter for the homeless when temperatures are 35 degrees or colder at night, ends for the 2021-22 winter season.

Ocean County is the only county in New Jersey without a year-round transitional housing facility to help the homeless.

"The County Commissioners have the power to bring a year round transitional housing facility to Ocean County," Turnbach said in announcing the walk.

Turnbach said Rev. Scott Shaffer of St. Joseph's Church, Rev. Robbie Ytterberg of the Presbyterian Church of Toms River and Jeanette Gunnell-Schlapfer, one of the organizers and lead volunteeers of the Pop the Trunk food distribution, have assisted in organizing the event. The Toms River South marching band is anticipated to be participating, he said.

St. Patrick's Day Parade — At Last

The pandemic disrupted it and heavy rain delayed it, but the Ocean County St. Patrick's Day Parade is anticipated to step off at last for 2022 at noon on Saturday. The parade is scheduled to cover the route from I Street to Hiering Avenue on Broadway.

There will be a parade Mass at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 100 Grant Ave. before the parade, and the Massed Band will gather at the Hershey Motel at the end of the parade.

Take In A Concert

The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College will host The TEN Tenors singing "some of the most popular feel-good love songs and wedding first dance songs of all time. They’ll cover many of your favorite romantic tunes, from pop songs with a twist to classic love songs, and even a few of the most famous and touching love arias in existence," according to the event description. Tickets are $55.

Find more information here.

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