Seven Mile 2/8/2006

Valentine was a priest in Rome at the time Christianity was a new religion.
The Emperor at that time, Claudius II, ordered the Roman soldiers not to marry or become engaged.
Claudius believed that as married men, his soldiers would want to stay home with their families rather than fight his wars.
Valentine defied the Emperor’s decree and secretly married the young couples.
He was eventually arrested, imprisoned, and put to death.
Valentine was beheaded on Feb 14, the eve of a Roman holiday in honor of Lupercus.
The festival was celebrated as a spring festival.
Their calendar was different at that time, with February falling in early springtime.
A custom on the eve of the festival of Lupercalia was to place the names of Roman girls written on slips of paper and placed into jars.
Young men drew a slip. The girl whose name was chosen was to be his sweetheart for the year.
After his death, Valentine was named a saint.
As Rome became more Christian, the priests moved the spring holiday from Feb. 15 to Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day.
Now the holiday honored Saint Valentine instead of Lupercus.
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Grace Sheeran of Stone Harbor became a great-grandmother again on Dec. 8. Nicholas was born to Christine and Jeffrey Stavash of Lumberton, NJ and on Jan. 16, Connor John was born to Tami and John McCollum and big sister, Madison of Moscow, Pa.
Grace is now a great-grandmother for the 23rd time. Congratulations Grace!
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The Men’s Ecumenical Breakfast, an outreach program of Maris Stella Roman Catholic Church and First United Methodist Church of Avalon, will meet at 7 a.m. Thursday morning at First United Methodist Church of Avalon at 34th Street and Dune Drive.
All men of Seven Mile Beach are welcome.
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The speaker at the Avalon Home and Land Owners meeting on Feb. 11 will be Margot Lock, Director of the Avalon Free Public Library.
Her topic will include information on library operations and programs.
The meeting will be held in the Avalon Senior Center at 10 a.m. All are welcome.
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“Movies on the Marsh” is the Wetlands Institute’s own film festival, complete with critters.
After a documentary or animated film, meet some of the animals from the county zoo or the Wetlands’ own aquarium on Saturdays in February. Movie time is 1 to 3 p.m.
On Feb. 11, Blue Planet 3 and 4, Open Ocean and The Deep.
Feb. 18, Madagascar; and on Feb. 25, Blue Planet 5 and 6, Tidal Seas and Coasts.
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This year the 2006 Philadelphia Flower Show theme will be titled “Enchanted Spring; A Tribute to Mother Nature.”
The Garden Club of Stone Harbor will enter a flower display at the Flower Show when it opens at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on March 5-12.
Please note the change in location for the Feb. 13 meeting.
The meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Third Avenue and 93rd Street.
At this meeting a video will be viewed showing the behind-the-scene arrangements necessary to put on the flower show.
Becky Rich Cheatham will present details on the Stone Harbor display.
The Garden Club of Stone Harbor welcomes new members who are residents or homeowners in Stone Harbor.
They will be traveling to the flower show on March 9.
Please call Joan Kramar at 368-5916 for information.
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Please note the Lunch and Learn series at the Wetlands Institute is on Tuesdays from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For the last few weeks I have erroneously reported that the series was on Wednesdays.
Sorry for the confusion.
Bring your lunch; coffee and dessert will be provided along with a different speaker each week.
Here is the schedule for the rest of this month: Feb. 14 “Wine Tasting” with Darren Hessington of Cape May Winery; Feb. 21 “Totem Poles,” Douglas Jewell, Timber Lane Totem Poles; Feb. 28 “A Greener Home,” Green Street Market.
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Stone Harbor Book Club meets on the third Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in the library of the Stone Harbor Elementary School to review a book.
Club members will be reviewing “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” on Feb. 16. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Niffeneger, will be read for March.
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“Marsh Music” brings the best in live eclectic music by some of America’s top musicians to the Wetlands Institute.
Laura Cortese performs on Feb. 17 with a driving fiddle, vocals, and step dance that feature an original blend of Celtic music and contemporary influence.
All shows begin at 8 p.m. and consist of two 45-minute sets with intermission. BYOB.
Tickets are $8 members, $10 non-members and are available in advance or at the door.
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The Health Ministry program at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 93rd Street and Third Avenue, will hold its fourth annual Women’s Breakfast and Program on Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
“Dreaming of a Good Night’s Sleep,” a program on the common causes of sleep disorders and strategies to enhance a restful nighttime sleep and reduce “sleep deprived” days will be presented by Dianne Moore, RN, MSN.
All women are invited to this free event.
Please call 368-3031 for more information.
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The Avalon Walking Club, formerly known as “Sandy Sneakers,” will be walking to the Sea Isle boardwalk to observe the Plunge In The Ocean on Feb. 18.
They will begin at the Sea Isle Acme parking lot at 1 p.m.
New members from all area communities are welcome.
Activities are not limited to Avalon.
Please call 967-8399 for more information.
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Stone Harbor Seniors’ “Fun Days” takes place each Wednesday at the Women’s Civic Club, 96th Street and the beach.
Bridge and bingo begin at 1:30 p.m.
Come out and join the fun.
Their monthly luncheon is on March 1 at the Sand Barrens, Royal Oaks Room.
The cost is just $15 and the entrée choices are Crab Cake or Chicken Parmesan.
Send your choice and check to P.O. Box 44, Stone Harbor.
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Join Barbara Solem-Stull, author of “Ghost Towns and Other Quirky Places in the New Jersey Pine Barrens,” when she talks about the towns that rose up and vanished around the glass factories, paper mills and cranberry bogs of the Pinelands during a covered dish dinner at the Wetlands Institute, Feb. 24, 6 p.m.
Cost is $5 for members, $10.
Bring a main course, dessert or salad to share with at least eight people.
Reservations are needed by Feb. 23. Please call 609-368-1211. 
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Tracking the progress of our regularly scheduled boards and councils: Tonight, Avalon Council work and regular sessions at 7:30 p.m.; Feb.10, Stone Harbor Zoning Board of Adjustment at 8 p.m.