Proud Neighbors of Collingswood welcomes new and current members to a Wine and Cheese gathering at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, at In the Knick of Time, 571 Haddon Avenue. Owner Patti Curran will speak about the importance of supporting local businesses that bring life to the historic buildings in our downtown. Come and share ideas, and consider volunteering to help with the next house tour. Volunteers are always needed to help plan, cook for, and run the event.

Proud Neighbors of Collingswood, an all-volunteer civic organization, works to raise awareness of historic preservation in the Borough. Through activities such the annual Porch Brunch and House Tour, held the Sunday after Mother’s Day, the group helps inspire residents to appreciate and preserve the historic character of their homes and their town. Proceeds from Proud Neighbors activities are donated back to the community. The organization recently donated $1,800 to restore wood shutters for the Collings-Knight House. Last year, Proud Neighbors also donated $5,250 to the bike share, farmers’ market, community garden and Knight Park.

The 2010  house tour welcomed more than 400 visitors from in and outside Collingswood. The theme, “Preservation and Sustainability: Old is the New Green,” emphasized that often the greenest home is the one already built. Tour properties included a Victorian Park Avenue home that was renovated with modern green sensibilities, and a 1919 Georgian Revival that was later featured in an August 8, 2010, Philadelphia Inquirer article. Houses are being considered for the 2011 tour, and suggestions are welcome for additional homes, gardens, and adaptive re-use businesses.

Speaking of adaptive re-use, what better way to re-use materials than to have a yard sale? Proud Neighbors did just that, coordinating 185 locations town-wide and raising over $1,300 in funds for its programs. The organization also held a July 4 House Decorating Contest, with the grand prize going to a resident on Merrick Avenue.

Proud Neighbors recently revived its program of welcoming new residents to the Borough.  Tell us if you know a neighbor who is new to our town.  Proud Neighbors will deliver a welcome bag to greet these new neighbors.  Phone Gerry at 856-858-7707  or send an e-mail to info@proudneighborsofcollingwood.org    Meet new and current neighbors at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21 at In the Knick of Time for Proud Neighbors of Collingswood wine and cheese gathering. 

"Eat the Director's Brain": The Second Annual Collingswood Book Festival 5K Race to Raise Money for the Collingswood Public Library's Teen Area

Last year's first 5K, "Beat the Director," helped create an area for teens at the Collingswood Public Library. So we're doing it again, the Second Annual Collingswood Book Festival 5K: Eat the Director's Brain! This year's proceeds will help our teens get more furniture and books, and they're hoping for computers as well.

The Collingswood Friends of the Library are once again sponsoring this year's race, which will be held on Saturday, September 25 at 8:30 a.m. in  Knight Park. Please register today at http://collingswoodlib.org/5k/ -- and while you're visiting the Library website, be sure to check out our new video: Collingswood's teens have turned into zombies! What can save us?

Registration is $20 in advance, and $25 on the day of the race (just $15 for anyone under 18). The race is again being hosted by the Collingswood Book Festival and the Borough of Collingswood, and TNT Event Management is once again handling the timing, scoring, and course setup.

Want more information? Visit the Collingswood Public Library website at http://collingswoodlib.org/

Residents and business owners are welcome to attend an open forum on the Borough. Do you have questions for the Mayor and Commissioners? Come out and share your ideas for Collingswood!

The forum begins at 7 p.m. at the Community Center (30 W. Collings Ave). All are welcome! For more information call 856-854-0720 x125.

In the ‘burbs, events in make us feel closer to our community, and as you might expect, nothing brings out more people than a music festival.

The Before the Bridge Music Festival, scheduled for September 18, 2010, combines some of South Jersey’s hottest local musicians with independent musicians from Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and as far away as Virginia, to bring the ‘burbs a full day of independent, grass-roots music. Following the success of the Collingswood Jazz Festivals in 2004 and 2005 as well as the Collingswood Music Festivals in 2007 and 2008, Before the Bridge continues the long time tradition of Collingswood’s support of local and independent music. BTB will present a gamut of genres that bridge the musical gaps between punk, reggae, folk, rock and electronica. BTB promises to deliver a blistering diversity that everyone can enjoy without ever having to cross the bridge.

Grooveground Coffeebar and local events production company, PlantLife Events, sought out create a festival that was literally all about the music. The two entities have had more than their fair share of experience in the recording industry and the world of “do-it-yourself” band promotions. This time around they’ve come together to produce an event that not only exposes up-and-coming musicians, but brings renowned regional artists practically to your doorstep–and it’s all free!

BTB will be hosting vendor tables for businesses and non-profit causes in and around the Philadelphia/South Jersey area, for the moments when you actually tear yourself away from the live performances. In addition, Grooveground Coffeebar will be serving a tent-full of food and beverage all day, night, and well into the after party (see full schedule below).

BTB is set in downtown Collingswood at the corners of Haddon and Woodlawn Avenues between Grooveground Coffeebar and Sun National Bank. Woodlawn Avenue will be closed for the event. Come celebrate an afternoon/evening of music, art, food and your fellow man!

Artist lineup:
1 PM – Kimberly Townsend
1:45 PM – Monko
2:30 PM – Red Orange Morning
3:15 PM – If’n
4 PM – Sounds From Atlantis
5 PM – Pink Skull
6 PM – McRad
7 PM – Lowry
8 PM – Gang
9 PM – ROLEX (afterparty at Grooveground)

The Collingswood Panthers, as "host band" perform last, time TBD by the final number of bands competing. Band Bash boasts a 50/50, baked goods sale, prize baskets, concessions, hot dogs, hot & cold drinks. Send an AIR GRAM to your favorite band member: for $1, write a message to be read over the loud speaker as that band takes the field.

Root on Collingswood Marching Band and have a great evening out!

GOOOOO PHILLIES! Enjoy the last of the summer series when the Phillies take on the Houston Astros at 7:05 this Wednesday, August 25. Pack your beach chairs and enjoy the evening - the event is free!

The screen is on the Browning Road side of the Park. The screening will be cancelled in the event of rain. For more information call 856-854-0720 x110.

Senator James Beach, Assemblyman Louis Greenwald and Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (all D-Camden) announced today that members of their constituent services staff will be at the Collingswood Library on Thursday, August 19th from 2 to 5 p.m. to help local residents navigate a variety of State issues and services.  This event is the second in a series of “mobile office” constituent service events designed to provide direct assistance with State issues to residents throughout the Sixth District.

The Collingswood “mobile office” event hosted by Beach, Greenwald and Lampitt follows a prior successful event at the South County Regional Library in Atco, which served the communities of Winslow, Waterford and Chesilhurst.  Constituent services staff from the offices of Beach, Greenwald and Lampitt will continue to travel throughout the Sixth Legislative District in the upcoming months to further assist area residents.

This convenient outreach event will be staffed by experienced constituent service representatives who will assist residents with questions or concerns on a variety of State issues including, but not limited to, unemployment, taxation, utility assistance, financial aid and veterans’ affairs.  Informational materials, covering a broad range of topics, will also be available for distribution. The Collingswood Library is located at 771 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, 08108.

Tax bills should be mailed out within the next week.  Because of the delay, the due date has been extended to Friday, August 27.