Opening Notes

This warbler's weekly musings and feathered observations

Tweet tweet, neighbors!

This time of year our parent birds are especially busy helping their nestlings adjust to new school routines, fall sports schedules, and all the fluttering that comes with September! Taking time to rest your wings and enjoy life, even for just an hour, can truly help you soar again. I hope you can find some you time to recharge your feathers in this busy season.

Last week, after a very worky work-work couple of weeks that had this warbler feeling like her tail feathers were dragging, I took some time to roost with Patti, Doris, and Kathleen at Mi Cafecito Spot before heading into the office. I'm so glad I did! Even with what felt like the weight of all the world's deadlines perched on my shoulders, just that little bit of time I spent with my flock enjoying a relaxing couple of hours chirping over coffee and delicious food brought me right back to life.

I can't sing Mi Cafecito Spot's praises highly enough! I had an iced Dubai chocolate latte which was the first Dubai chocolate anything I've ever tried, and it was so good it made me want to fly out and track down a Labubu because I bet they're delicious too. After we'd been roosting for a while, they brought us out a plate of freshly baked cookies, still warm from the oven. Truly, you haven't lived until you've cast aside all your diet rules and eaten a cookie for breakfast, in this warbler's humble opinion!

We're absolutely spoiled with cute and delicious coffee shop choices here in Woodbury, but where does your flock go for Go Juice? Are there other perches I should check out? Who has better coffee on the wing: Wawa or Heritage's?

Hit reply and share your favorite or drop it in the comments on the website post – I'd love to hear from our caffeinated community!

Enough about coffee, let’s get into the good stuff happening in our nest!

This Week's Migration Pattern

Where the local flock is gathering

Wednesday, September 10

Senior Bingo

For Deptford residents ages 55 and up, ID required to win.

Thursday, September 11

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony

BINGO!

Food Pantry

Free emergency food offered by The Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries Food Pantry

In Stitches - A Fiber Arts Craft Club

A slice of time and space to work on your projects. BYO supplies encouraged.

Friday, September 12

BINGO!

Woodbury Fresh for All

Free produce for the community!

Fundraiser for GCIT Boys’ Soccer

Enjoy some ice cream and mention GCIT Soccer when you place your order. 10% will go back to the team!

Saturday, September 13

Woodbury Farmer’s Market

Who’s got the best farm market in New Jersey? WE DO! Who’s got the farm market that’s #2 in the entire country and #1 in the Northeast? WE DO. Between you and me, we’re The Best. Let’s not keep that a secret. Help the Woodbury Farmer’s Market win a Major Award by VOTING TODAY. I call dibs on the leg lamp, the lovely folks who run the farm market can keep the cash and enjoy the well-deserved accolades.

Food Pantry

Free emergency food offered by The Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries Food Pantry

Woodbury's Martin's Plaza Third Annual Car Show

Check out some awesome cars, poke around for some deals at Evergreen Antiques & More, and support Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center!

St. Anthony’s Italian Festival

St. Anthony’s Mutual Aid Society was founded in the early 1900’s by Italian immigrants settled in and around Glassboro as an organization dedicated to helping families with monetary support and providing a place to socialize where their traditions and customs were protected and revered. The festival will have entertainment for the entire family. There will be several musical acts, Italian food vendors, a beer garden, kids zone, and much more.

Free Concert with Michael Songs

Join the lovely folks at Woodstock Trading Company for an afternoon of music with Michael Songs and pick up some sweet tie-dyed shirts and nag champa while you're there!

Artists Reception at Perkins Center for the Arts

Join local artist Doris Nogueira-Rogers and Alan Willoughby for an artist's reception at the Collingswood Loft Gallery.

One Night of Song and Dance

29th Annual One Night of Song & Dance benefit concert featuring live music performed by local talent at the Wenonah Lake in Wenonah, New Jersey. All proceeds to benefit the Wenonah Lake Association. Domestic and craft beer selections will be available for purchase, as well as wine and food. The event is 21+ only and no glass or outside alcohol is permitted. Picnic baskets are welcome.

Sunday, September 14

BINGO

This game benefits Holy Angels Catholic School and the students who receive financial aid.

Monday, September 15

Busy birds need a break sometimes!

Tuesday, September 16

Food Pantry

Free emergency food offered by The Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries Food Pantry

Jeanette's Closet

Free clothing and footwear for those in need.

Wednesday, September 17

Senior Luau Picnic

Enjoy festive music and dancing, a delicious lunch, and delightful company as we celebrate the end of summer together. Open to Gloucester County Residents 60 years and older.

Flock Stewardship

Keeping our nest tidy and our community thriving

September is library card sign-up month! Head on over to your local public library and snag a library card! Their funding is based in part on how many people have library cards, so even if you only plan to use it infrequently, it’s an easy way to support your library and the lovely people who make so much book and community magic happen.

Don't Let Money Fly Away: ANCHOR Property Tax Relief is Open! NOTE! If you need to change your deadline, September 15 is the deadline. New Jersey's ANCHOR property tax relief filing season is now open with some helpful changes this year – no more waiting for ID/PIN mailers, and the state may automatically file for residents under 65 using 2021 data. Don't miss the October 31st deadline to claim your property tax relief benefits! Read the full details here.

Is anyone missing a pet dove? In the most literal interpretation of Flock Stewardship ever, one of our West Deptford neighbors has been visited a couple of times by a dove and was wondering whether it was missing and trying to find its home again.

Crowing about our kids!

Supporting and celebrating our community's future leaders

Woodbury Drama Club will be hosting Light the Stage for the Cure – a talent showcase open to all -- on November 21. Auditions will be held on October 1 and 2 at 3:30 p.m. in the Woodbury High School Auditorium. Please see or email Mr. Lynch or Mrs. Lecy with questions.

The South Jersey Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will be hosting a parent orientation on October 9 from 6-7:30 p.m. Delta GEMS serves young ladies between ages 14-18, and Delta Academy serves young ladies between ages 11-14. These programs provide opportunities for young ladies to engage in meaningful, enriching, and educational activities throughout the school year. The application is available here.

The Woodbury Public Library hosts ‘Tweens and Teens Game Day on Mondays at 3 p.m. for students in grades 6-12. They offer board games, card games, video games, and snacks!

Good Eggs and New Neighbors

Highlighting the wonderful humans who make our community soar

Habitat for Humanity of Gloucester County just announced that they have three homes available and are taking applications through September 26. You can pick up an application at the ReStore in Pitman, or you can see more information and download an application from their website.

Got some good news? New in town? Just want to say hi to all your neighbors? Send a carrier pigeon to editor@woodburywarbler.com.

Our Animal Friends

Because every creature deserves a loving nest

FURever as Friends takes dogs, cats, and bunnies to schools, libraries, hospitals, and community events. At schools and libraries, kids read to their animals as a non-threatening way to practice reading. At hospitals and community events, people of all ages greet and pet their furry friends to bring a smile to their faces and peace in their hearts. They need more teams so if you have a pet with good manners, please get in touch with them! Volunteer and site request forms are on their website.

Phillies Karen has demanded that adoption fees at Homeward Bound Adoption Center be ONE DOLLAR for the rest of the week and Homeward Bound doesn't want that kind of drama so they agreed to do it! Stop by for a visit and come home with a new furry friend.

Both of these sweethearts are waiting for their forever families at the Gloucester County Animal Shelter - don’t let them fly away to someone else!

Got a furry, scaly, floofy, or feathery friend you’d like to show off? Send us your photos! We love celebrating all of our community critters!

Bulletin Bird

Community announcements that'll make you chirp

Sticker nerds! Submissions are open until October 1 for Characters Welcome, an international sticker art show. Mail your stickers to 614 S 4^th Street, #212, Philadelphia, PA 19147 or drop them off in person at Tattooed Mom, 530 South Street, Philly. ALL stickers are welcome.

Just a few more days to get your raffle tickets for the Woodbury Heights Fire Department 2nd Annual Truck Raffle! - This prize will make you fly off your perch! Your $25 raffle ticket enters you into a drawing to win a 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 (!!!) with second and third prizes of $3,000 and $2,000. The drawing will now take place on September 16. You can drop off cash at the Woodbury Heights Fire House, 534 Elm Avenue or send them a Venmo here (put truck raffle and your phone number in the comments):

West Deptford School District is hosting a food drive to support the Colonial Manner Food Pantry during West Deptford's Annual Family Fun Day on September 20. They’re looking for donations of soup, canned spaghetti sauce, canned pasta, tuna, peanut butter, and jelly. For more information, please get in touch with West Deptford Board of Education Member Nancy Barna at Nancy.barna@wdeptford.k12.nj.us​

Tickets are on sale now for the Happy Hour Fundraiser to benefit Woodbury Heart & Soul programs, which include things like Pride Fest at Lot 323 and our upcoming Porch Fest! Happy hour is on September 18 at 7 p.m. At Colonial Cafe. Tickets are $35 (save $5 by purchasing tickets in advance), includes three drinks and appetizers.

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Save the date for the Rhythm & Roots Fall Festival on October 17-18 in downtown Woodbury! We'll be celebrating Best Bud's one year anniversary with music, contests, local artists, crafts, and vendors. Would you like to get involved? Reach out to them at amanda@bestbudsnj.com or call 856-371-7329.

You don’t have to be as old as a dinosaur to take care of your family before you become extinct! Save the date! On September 16 from 10 a.m.-noon, Misty Ralston of Ralston Law and Melissa Buckwheat of Sell with Mel are hosting an event at Edelman Fossil Park sharing their wisdom on wills and trusts, powers of attorney, health care documents, life insurance, and financial advising. Register to attend by scanning the QR code below:

Main Street Woodbury is hiring an Executive Director! Main Street Woodbury, Inc. is a nonprofit organization powered by dedicated volunteers and guided by professional leadership. Their mission is to promote the economic revitalization, cultural vibrancy, and historic preservation of downtown Woodbury. They do this by supporting small businesses, celebrating local identity, and strengthening community connections through strategic partnerships and the National Main Street Four-Point Approach®. Check out the full job posting here and get in touch with them at MainStreetWoodburyNJ@gmail.com with any questions. What an amazing opportunity to make a big difference in our community!

The Women’s Club of Mullica Hill is hosting a Fall Craft & Vendor Show on October 11. If you’d like to participate, you can pick up a registration form in the Narthex at Trinity United Methodist Church of Mullica Hill, 284 Cedar Road. If you have questions please get in touch at womensclubmullicahill@gmail.com or call Rebecca Brady at 856-912-7455. Here’s a signup form you can complete and email:

The 2025 America’s Farmers Market Celebration™ by American Farmland Trust started on August 1 and and runs through September 30! Help your favorite market [AHEM THE WOODBURY FARMER’S MARKET] take home a piece of the $15,000 prize pool! In addition to the prize money, the top markets also receive national and local press coverage, a complimentary American Farmland Trust membership, No Farms No Food® gear, and other swag! You can flutter over to the website to vote for our amazing farmer’s market right here! Woodbury is a popular city to host farmer’s markets, there are like three of them, so make sure you vote for ours!

Plans are being hatched for this year’s Woodbury Porchfest, brought to you by Woodbury Heart & Soul! You can sign up here to host a band! Vendor registration is also open! Save the date: October 5 from 12-5 p.m.

Woodbury Old City Restoration Committee is hosting an Oktoberfest Beef & Beer Fundraiser on October 19, when you can watch the best sportsball team on the planet, the Philadelphia Eagles, at Colonial Café while supporting the good work they do! Tickets are $30 or 2 for $50, and include a roast beef sandwich and 2 beers. Go birds!

Zillow Snoop and Swoop

Dream nests near and far

This is (once again!) a longer than average newsletter, so we’ll circle back to this feature next week and give your eyes a break!

One last warble...

Final chirps before I fly away until next week

Don't forget to keep those comments coming – whether it's about your favorite coffee spot or an event I missed, I love hearing from our flock! Your chirps help make this newsletter better for everyone.

Speaking of voices that matter, if you're running for school board or any local office in The W Towns, I'd love to give you a chance to connect with our community! Reach out to me at editor@woodburywarbler.com for a quick five-question interview – it's a great way to share your platform and priorities with neighbors who care about our local elections. Let's make sure our flock is informed when it comes time to vote!

Until next week, keep your wings spread and your community spirit soaring!

Have a great week, neighbors!

Singing the songs of our shared communities,

Jen Russell, your neighbor and Editor-in-Chief, The Woodbury Warbler​​

Thumbnail image: https://flickr.com/photos/43322816@N08/51436757363​

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