Mark Your Calendars: Carnivals, Fundraisers, Reunions

Despite the fact that the weather is giving us no hint of spring, there are a lot of events coming up that suggest warmer days are on their way. Get out your pencils and mark your calendars for these upcoming Fort Lee events:

Madonna’s Annual Carnival is coming back to the school field and church parking lot off Main St. on Tuesday, May 10 and will run through Sunday, May 15. There will be games, rides for kids of all ages, prizes, food and the famous “moneymoneymoneymoneymoney” 50/50 raffle. (If you remember who said that phrase every Carnival throughout the ‘70’s then you survived the ‘80’s with your brain intact!) The Carnival’s hours are: Tuesday thru Friday 6 p.m.-11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m.-closing. Volunteers are needed, so if you have any time to donate to the Carnival, please contact the Madonna Rectory at 201-944-2727. Grab a friend and volunteer—it’s a lot of fun!

The Fort Lee Rotary Club Food Fest 2011Fundraiser is Monday, May 2 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Double Tree Hotel on Route 4 East in Fort Lee. Approximately 30 restaurants, will participate in the event, offering tastings of their house specialties. 100 percent of the funds raised from the Food Fest 2011 will be invested in the Fort Lee Rotary’s charities. For more, visit Fort Lee Rotary Club online.

23^rd Annual George Washington Bridge Challenge is June 12. Walk, run or bike across the busiest bridge in the world, free from traffic, high above the Hudson River, to raise funds and support the American Cancer Society. The GWB Challenge is the only event that shuts down the George Washington Bridge; for 23 years, participants have crossed from New Jersey to New York in an uplifting salute to cancer survivors and their families. After crossing the bridge there are several different scenic courses of varying distances that participants may follow before meeting up at Allison Park for the GWB Challenge Picnic. This has always been a great event hosted in Fort Lee. Please come out and support it! To learn more about this event and to register, click here.

Thomas Paine Sunset History Sail Statue Fundraiser on Hudson River July 8th The Fort Lee Common Sense Society is sponsoring a fundraising sunset sail on the Hudson River July 8, 2011. Tickets are $65. To reserve a spot call 201-693-2763. Seating is limited to 45. Checks should be made out to Thomas Paine Statue / VFW Account - all contributions are tax deductible. The sail takes place on the official tall ship of New Jersey, the 1920s era schooner AJ Meerwald. The sail departs the Alpine Boat Basin (Exit 2 Palisade Interstate Parkway) at 5:30 p.m. and returns at 8:30 p.m. The sail will include music by historic troubadour Thaddeus MacGregor and a history discussion by PIP Historical Interpreter Eric Nelsen and Common Sense Society's Tom Meyers.

Thomas Paine once lived in Fort Lee's Monument Park with the American Army and documented his experience in one of his most important works "The Crisis."

"He started to work on that in 1776 in Fort Lee, when he saw the fall of Fort Washington across the river, and most people know those words, 'These are the times that tried men's souls,'" explained Tom Meyers, vice chair of the Common Sense Society. "In that document pamphlet, the first few paragraphs mention Fort Lee extensively."

The Common Sense Society has been raising money through fundraisers.  The seven-foot tall monument will depict Paine working on "The Crisis" and will face the statue of the two Revolutionary War soldiers in Monument Park.

For more information on this sail, please click here.

Holy Trinity Reunion for all years is still accepting checks. If you would still like to attend, but did not send your check in it’s not too late. Just about every class will be represented; people are even flying in—so come on!

Tickets are $50 per person and include a buffet dinner and DJ. BYOB. Checks should be made out to “Holy Trinity Church—Reunion” and mailed to JoAnn Francolino, 1054 Fairview Lane, Fort Lee, NJ 07024. Please include your name (maiden), which years you attended HT and your e-mail address along with your check. Direct any questions to JoAnn at francojo@hotmail.com or call her at 201-873-6332.