A TASTE OF VINELAND VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION EVENT RETURNS ON OCTOBER 27

Enjoy an Evening Out as Restaurants Offer their Finest
Major Sponsors are First Choice Freezer & Cold Storage and M & O Freezer and Cold Storage
Kirk and Kathleen Maven as Main Street Vineland “Volunteers of the Year”
Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union as “Community Partner”
SNJ Today as “Media Partner
Sponsorship Opportunities and Spaces for Interested Restaurants Now Available

Main Street Vineland’s signature fundraising event, its A Taste of Vineland & Volunteer Recognition Event, will return on Wednesday, October 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Greenview Inn at Eastlyn Golf Course. 4049 Italia Ave., Vineland.

The major sponsors for this event, now in its 10th year, are First Choice Freezer & Cold Storage and M & O Freezer & Cold Storage.

Vineland’s finest restaurants will be offering a vast array of delicious foods—main courses, appetizers, and desserts—at this event, which will also include a fabulous silent auction and much more.

Main Street Vineland will also recognize those of its volunteers who have contributed greatly to the work of the organization, as well as a “Community Partner” and a “Media Partner” who have worked closely with Main Street Vineland on its projects and initiatives. Kirk and Kathleen Maven, who have been actively involved in all Main Street Vineland events, will receive the “Volunteers of the Year” Award. They are being honored for always being there to volunteer when help is needed from event conception to implementation. Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union is being recognized as the “Community Partner” for their close collaboration with Main Street Vineland on a number of projects and events including sponsorships and grant assistance. SNJ Today is being recognized as the “Media Partner” for the regular coverage, publicity, and support they have given Main Street Vineland in print, online, and radio.

Tickets are $40 and are on sale now, and proceeds will go toward downtown beautification, business recruitment and development, and events. Tables of 10 are available for $400. “The value of this great event will have a large, visible impact on our downtown and the important part our downtown plays in our city,” said Main Street Vineland Executive Director Russell Swanson.

Additional sponsorship opportunities are currently available and ad space is available in the event program book. A limited number of spaces are also available for restaurants that would like to be part of this event.

“This has been a wonderful opportunity over the years for sponsors and restaurants to be part of a popular event that has been a large draw each year,” Swanson said. “We also want to recognize our Main Street Vineland volunteers who have given so much of their time and talents this year—and in past years—to help us accomplish our goals.”

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available.

Tickets can be obtained online by going to the event link on the Main Street Vineland website—www.TheAve.biz. A limited number of tickets are available at the Main Street Vineland office. Please call their office at 856-794-8653 for more details.

All COVID-related safety regulations applicable at the time will be enforced.

For more information on this and other Main Street Vineland activities, please call their office, visit their website, or visit them on Facebook.

About “Volunteers of the Year”—Kirk and Kathleen Maven

Kirk and Kathleen Maven have been in the food industry since the early 1990s. They worked at Ye Olde Midway Inn in Buena under Jerry and Joanne Gormley. Kirk is a retired chef and Kathleen is semi-retired, having both worked in several establishments over the years.

The Mavens’ interest in Main Street Vineland started in February 2018 when they saw an advertisement for an event supporting the “Underdogs,” which they attended.

“Kirk started following Main Street Vineland on Facebook,” Kathleen said. “He began learning about events and found that he know a few people involved with The Ave.”

Kirk and Kathleen were invited in March 2019 to attend a gathering of potential Main Street Vineland and found a home there among those interested in joining.

“The rest, as they say, is history,” Kathleen said. “We go to every meeting we can, volunteer for every event, and enjoy every minute of it!”

About “Community Partner of the Year”—Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union

Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union was formed in 1938 as the Cumberland Teachers Federal Credit Union. The founders saw the need for a not-for-profit and democratically operated cooperative that would provide lower cost financial services, as well as represent the best financial interests of its members.

Over the years, the Credit Union continued to grow, adding the employees of the Cumberland County School Districts and the City of Vineland. Because, Cumberland County Credit Union, as it was then called, now served 45 other groups, as well as local school districts, the name was changed to CUMCO Federal Credit Union.

In 2009, a merger took place with Salem County School Employee’s FCU. They served the employees of the Salem County Boards of Education and several private schools. Once again, because of the expanded membership, CUMCO’s name was changed to Members 1st of New Jersey Federal Credit Union. Today, they serve over 9,000 members from 100 select employer groups, with assets exceeding $75,000,000.

Members 1st is dedicated to providing their members with the financial products and services those members need to achieve their financial goals, while maintaining the longstanding credit union principles of “People helping people.”

The goal of Members 1st is to deliver services at the lowest possible cost, while providing the outstanding service their members deserve. To remain a viable and sound financial institution, they are also committed to membership growth and introducing new products and services as they become available.

“Members 1st is committed to providing the community with the resources needed to enrich their financial well-being. We do this by providing financial education programs on such topics as budgeting, first-time home-buying, and financial reality fairs for students,” said Members 1st CEO/President Eileen Crean./

“Through our partnership with the Federal Home Loan of New York, we were able to award 51 grants for a total of $172,000 to small businesses and non-profits that were struggling due to the pandemic,” she said.

Just as Members 1st is committed to make a positive difference in the financial lives of their members, they are, through their involvement, participation, and support of the activities of Main Street Vineland, they are also committed to making a positive difference in downtown Vineland—The Ave.

About “Media Partner of the Year”—SNJ Today

SNJ Today Newspaper, POP FM 99.9, Our Town Magazines, Xspero, and LeadUp Solutions are all dedicated to the South Jersey community and proud of our continuous and growing partnership with the Vineland Downtown Improvement District/Main Street Vineland. Every member of our team is thrilled to see SNJ Today chosen as Media Partner of the Year for Main Street Vineland.

SNJ Today Newspaper is the Cumberland County source for positive news and local events. Free and available at many local stores and businesses, SNJ Today Newspaper’s regular feature “Main Street Vineland” shares news, events, and updates from Main Street Vineland each week. SNJ Today Newspaper also creates inserts for VDID/Main Street Vineland events like the Food Truck Festival on The Ave and the Cruise Down Memory Lane.

POP FM can be heard throughout South Jersey on 99.9 FM, 105.7 FM, 1240 AM, and streaming online at www.popfm999.com. POP FM plays a mix of music from the 80s through today and interviews positive people doing positive things in Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties. VDID/Main Street Vineland is featured every Wednesday on POP FM’s morning show, The Positive Perspective.

Our Town is a high gloss magazine that is mailed to 20,000 homes and businesses in three different zones covering Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties. Our Town focuses on helping locally owned businesses brand and market their businesses by creating high impact, result-driven advertisements. Our Town Magazine regularly includes information about VDID/Main Street Vineland.

The VDID is a featured partner charity on the Xspero app. Xspero provides sustainable fundraising for nonprofit organizations in partnership with local businesses and media companies. As part of SNJ Today, POP FM 99.9, and Xspero’s BIG GIVE promotion with local businesses, Xspero has given away thousands of dollars in free digital gift cards at VDID/Main Street Vineland events with 20 percent going right to the VDID! Anyone can use Xspero to give to the VDID at any time.

We are delighted to continue our work with VDID/Main Street Vineland into the future, as our partnership is a win-win for all our organizations.