Celebrating Spring and Helping Those in Need

Seeing a concert of great classical music can cost an arm and a leg, not to mention the fact that more times than not you’ll have to hop in a car or grab a train, and head out of town to see it.

But on Saturday, you can hear some great music played by local musicians at a local church and benefiting a local cause.

On Saturday, The East Brunswick Arts Commission and Aldersgate United Methodist Church will hold A Musical Celebration of Spring, with proceeds going to benefit the Mayor’s Charity Fund and the Crisis Room at Aldersgate Church.

On tap will be piano and flute solos, a flute quartet, a flute choir, a Marimba performance, and pieces on an organ and string quartet, and everything performed by East Brunswick residents, including fifth-grade pianist Bryan Tong.

While the concert is free, tax-deductible donations are being sought. 

“The people at Aldersgate approached us and said - having worked with them in the past and knowing of the Crisis Room they have there – ‘Hey, we’re low on supplies,’ and we said is there anything we can do to help,” said Recreation Supervisor Jeffrey Litt.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the Mayor’s Charity Fund, which is used throughout the year for a variety of causes, including helping those in need send their children to summer camp, and the Crisis Room.

The church’s Crisis Room started more than 30 years ago as a way to help those in need in the Middlesex County Area. The Crisis Room provides food, clothing and financial assistance with no questions asked.

The Room receives funding from Aldersgate, Trinity Presbyterian Church, from some of the proceeds of the CROP Walk, from private donations, and a few small grants.

Litt said he’s amazed at how many people the Crisis Room serves throughout the year.

“When I drive by there I’m always amazed at the number of cars there. People need basic necessities. But people usually say, ‘it’s East Brunswick, they’re well to do.’ But budgets are to the point where we’re realizing that there are a lot of people out there who need help.”

If you need assistance, you can all the Crisis Room hotline 24 hours a day at 732-257-9920. If you’d like to make a donation to the Crisis Room, call 732 257 9920 leave a message and someone will get back to you. The ministry also needs donations of food, including canned meats, tuna fish, canned pastas, cereal, spaghetti, peanut butter and jelly.

Sunday’s performance will be held at 7 p.m. at the church. Donations can be made at the door. For more information, call Jeffrey Litt at 732-390-6797.