Mayor’s Message: Bernie Platt
It’s hard to imagine, but the year is approaching its end, and that means — as we begin the month of November — that the holiday season is nearly upon us. The next few weeks will no doubt be filled with joy, festive music, plenty of food, and lots of time spent with loved ones.
Here in the township, we have an array of seasonal festivities coming up in November and December, beginning next weekend.
First up, Cherry Hill’s senior residents are invited to help celebrate the holidays with a special luncheon and holiday party, sponsored by the Cherry Hill Senior Advisory Board. Scheduled this year from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13, this annual event is a festive afternoon filled with music, dinner, dancing, prizes and great conversation for all.
For Cherry Hill residents with a gold card, tickets are $15 per person; without a gold card, admission is $20 each. If you don’t have a gold card, don’t worry — they’re available free of charge in the Recreation Department. Lunch will be served, and attendees will have a choice of a grilled chicken or grilled salmon, with cheesecake for dessert. Pasta primavera is available as a meatless option.
Seating for this always-popular event is limited, but tickets are still available for purchase Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Recreation Department, Room 102 of Town Hall.
Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 7.
Another popular holiday attraction is our annual Holiday House display, sponsored again this year by the Friends of Barclay Farmstead. From Friday, Nov. 18, to Sunday, Nov. 20, the Barclay Farmstead will be outfitted for the “Holidays in Blue & Gray” — a tribute to the Civil War era. This historic homestead will be brimming with artifacts, uniforms and decorations of the era, many of them on loan from private collections and museums. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information on the Holiday House, call 795–6225, or e-mail farmsteadprograms@yahoo.com.
One of our biggest events will take place on Dec. 1: the annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony. Scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Carman Tilelli Community Center, Town Council and I will join hundreds of area residents to officially welcome the holidays by lighting the township’s Hanukkah Menorah and Christmas Tree as symbols of this special time of year. As in years past, area youth choirs and musicians will fill the air with the sounds of the season to accompany our ceremony.
Finally, I would encourage all our residents to try to get into the spirit of the holidays by enjoying the “Sounds of the Season” as part of the 2011–12 Croft Farm Ensemble Series. This special event, sponsored by the Arts Advisory Board, features a Philadelphia Orchestra string quartet that will perform an assortment of classical seasonal selections and audience favorites. Held in the Croft Farm Arts Center, this event promises to give visitors a unique, close-up experience with the music and performers. The performance begins at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4. Tickets are $20 per person, or $15 for seniors with a gold card.
This is just a sampling of what Cherry Hill has to offer throughout this holiday season. For information on any of these events, please call our recreation department staff Monday through Friday at 488–7868, or e-mail Events@chtownship.com.
On behalf of everyone at Town Hall, have a safe and happy 2011 holiday season.
