Ocean Senior Scoop: News and events for Ocean County seniors🐰

This week’s lineup is a good one. We’ve got Easter fun for the grandkids, dinners out, library events, travel ideas, TV picks, and enough local happenings to fill the calendar without filling the gas tank too much.

Whether you’re in the mood for pancakes, some potato artistry, a dog adoption event, or just something fun to do close to home, there’s something here for you. Let’s dive in!

📍 Out & About in Ocean County (food, music & local fun)
🐰 Take the Grandkids: Easter Roundup
💡 Keep the Lights On (energy help programs)
🧑‍🍳 In the Kitchen (Easter recipes)
✈️ Wanderlust Weekly (travel ideas & deals)
📚 Beyond the Books (library highlights)
📚 More Library Events This Week
📺 TV Time
🎂 Celebrity Birthdays

Up first…

This weekend? A little of everything — pets, pancakes, pasta, and even a little culture.

🐶 Spring Fling Adoption Event
📍 Northern Ocean County Animal Facility, Jackson
🕐 Saturday, March 28 | 1–4 p.m.
Doggy egg hunt, bunny photos, costumes, prizes — plus cats and dogs ready for adoption. Bring your pup or just come for the cuteness overload.

🎶 Saturday Night at Albert Music Hall
📍 Waretown
🕠 Doors 5:30 p.m. | Music 6:30–9 p.m.
Five bands, jam sessions, and a whole lot of bluegrass, country, and folk.
💲 $6 adults | $1 kids • Cash only • Food and 50/50 on site

🍝 Chef’s Night Out: Italian Dinner
📍 Mathis House, Toms River
🕖 Saturday, March 28 | 7 p.m.
A full Italian feast — think penne vodka with prosciutto, chicken marsala, chocolate cake, and more.
💲 $50 (10% off seniors) • BYOB + live music

🇩🇪 Chef’s Night Out: German Dinner
📍 Mathis House, Toms River
🕖 Friday, March 27 | 7 p.m.
Spaetzle, schnitzel, bratwurst, apple crisp — plus live piano music.
💲 $50 (10% off seniors)

💃 Atlantic City Ballet’s “Carmen”
📍 Strand Theater, Lakewood
🕖 Saturday, March 28 | 7 p.m.
A dramatic, passionate ballet set in Spain — romance, jealousy, and a little scandal on stage.

🥞 Pancake Breakfast (Worth the Early Alarm)
📍 Pleasant Plains Fire Dept., Toms River
🕖 Sunday, March 29 | 7 a.m.–12 p.m.
Pancakes, sausage, coffee, and a 50/50 + gift auction.
💲 $13 at the door

🏃 Cedar Bridge Tavern 5K & Family Walk
📍 Barnegat
🕣 Sunday, March 29 | 8:30 a.m. reg | 9:30 a.m. start
Run (or walk) through history at this Revolutionary War site, with family-friendly activities too.
💲 $35 run | $20 walk

For more information on any of these events, visit the Ocean County Tourism events page.

Ocean County is going full bunny mode this weekend — we’re talking thousands of eggs, brunches, farm fun, and more bunny sightings than you can count. Visit the Ocean County Tourism events website for additional details on the events listed below.

🍳 Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
📍 Stafford Fire Co. #1, Manahawkin
🕗 8:30–10 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Photos, egg hunt (weather permitting) + breakfast
💲 $15 adults | $8 kids (3–10) | Free under 2

🥚 Toms River Mega Egg Hunt
📍 Castle Park
🕘 9 a.m. sharp
20,000+ eggs, DJ, Easter Bunny & a fire truck delivery 🚒
Free • No registration • Bring a basket

🥞 Pancake Breakfast with the Bunny
📍 Manchester Vol. Fire Co., Toms River
🕘 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Games, prizes, 50/50
💲 $10 adults | $8 kids | Free under 3

🥂 Brunch with the Bunny
📍 The Grenville, Bay Head
🕙 Starting at 10 a.m.
Buffet, photos, gifts & candy

🐰 Build-a-Bunny Farm Tour
📍 Daffodil Valley Homestead, Manahawkin
🕚 11 a.m.
Stuff your own bunny + farm tour + animals
💲 $39 per child (parents free)

🎉 Spring in the Park Egg Hunt
📍 Veterans Park, Bayville
🕛 12–4 p.m. (hunt starts at 12)
Inflatables, food trucks, crafts, bunny photos & more
Ages grouped • Bring a basket

🐑 Allaire Village Easter Celebration
📍 Wall Township
🕚 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Egg collecting, crafts, animals, scavenger hunt & more
Bring your basket

🐰 Jenkinson’s Bunny Lunch
📍 Point Pleasant Beach
🕛 12–3 p.m.
No reservations • Bunny visits + photos during lunch

🥚 Pine Beach Egg Hunt
📍 Vista Park
🕐 1 p.m.
Music, petting zoo, treats & coffee

👶 Manchester Easter Event
📍 Manchester Town Hall
🕙 10 a.m.
Ages 2–10 • Pre-registration required

🎉 Stafford Egg-Stravaganza
📍 Stafford Municipal Complex
🕚 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Food, games, eggs & bunny fun

🏖️ Jenkinson’s Boardwalk Egg Hunt
📍 Point Pleasant Beach
🕐 1 p.m.
Beach egg hunt with prizes (ages 0–10 + special needs area)

🌊 Seaside Heights Egg Hunt
📍 Boardwalk & Beach
🕐 1–2 p.m.
Thousands of eggs, prizes & bunny appearances

If your electric bill made you do a double take this winter… you’re not alone.

With the NJ Winter Termination Program now over, JCP&L is reminding residents — especially seniors — that help is available to manage rising energy costs.

👉 One of the biggest programs: the Universal Service Fund (USF), which can provide monthly bill credits and even help wipe out past-due balances through the Fresh Start Program for eligible households.

To qualify, you generally need to meet income guidelines and spend a certain percentage of your income on electricity — but the good news? There’s help figuring all that out.

📍 Local help is coming to Ocean County:
A free Energy Assistance Event will be held on April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Charles A. Smith Community Center, 15 E. Lacey Rd., Forked River. You can get in-person help applying for USF and learn about other programs.

Bottom line: if your bill is stressing you out, it’s worth checking — there may be more help out there than you think. Get more info here.

Easter brunch just got a little more spud-tacular. Potatoes USA is serving up five festive recipes for the holiday: Mashed Potato Bunny Tail Meatloaf Cupcakes, Potato Roses, Bunny Mashed Potato Board, Hash Brown Egg Nests, and Deviled Potatoes. The group says the fun, photo-friendly dishes are designed to wow guests and brighten the brunch table, while still delivering plenty of comfort-food appeal. As Chef RJ Harvey of Potatoes USA put it, Easter brunch is the perfect excuse to “go all out.” For more spring recipe ideas, visit PotatoGoodness.com.

Here’s what’s new in travel this week, whether you’re planning a trip for yourself or with the grandkids.

Book now, cruise later: American Cruise Lines’ new American Encore is heading for the Pacific Northwest, where it will start sailing the Columbia and Snake Rivers on May 5. Even better for long-range planners, the company says its 50-plus itineraries are open for booking through 2028, including 9- to 16-day river cruises and National Parks itineraries with guided adventures in Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton. Info

A sweeter spring break: Hershey’s Chocolate World has a new Spring Savings Bundle that’s available now for visits March 30-April 26. For $49.95 per person, guests get Create Your Own Candy Bar, Hershey’s Great Candy Expedition, Hershey’s Unwrapped, plus a bakery treat voucher — a savings of more than 30%. Also back for the season: Breakfast with the Reester Bunny on weekends through April 4, with a buffet, photos, a Bunny Hop dance, egg scavenger hunt, and 20% off retail shopping. Info

A new Disney ship is on the horizon: Disney Cruise Line says its next vessel will be the Disney Believe, a new Wish-class ship expected to launch in late 2027. The ship’s theme centers on promise and possibility, with inspiration from “Encanto,” “Frozen,” “Snow White,” “Moana,” and “The Little Mermaid.” It’s part of Disney’s major cruise push, with the fleet set to grow to 13 ships by 2031. Info

Ready to plan ahead? Disney Cruise Line has opened bookings for its fall 2026 and spring 2027 sailings, with itineraries now available to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Pacific Coast and Mexico. That means travelers can start locking in cruises that include stops at Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point — plus all the port adventures and excursions that come with them.

The latest news on aging from trusted media sources.

Top Senior Scams and How to Avoid Them: Protect yourself: the most common senior scams and how to dodge them. Savvy Senior, March 16.

How to Stay Steady on Your Feet: Do you worry about falling? These safety moves and medication smarts can better your balance. Consumer Reports, March 21.

Medicare Costs Could Double If Your Income Crosses This Line: Retirees who continue working or take large withdrawals from their retirement accounts face a significant Medicare stealth surcharge. The Street, March 19.

How to Keep Your Work Friends After You Retire: Work friends can make the toughest days better. While retiring changes your daily rhythm, it’s also a good time to curate a community built on shared passions. Here’s how. Kiplinger, March 16.

Retiring Near the Coast? What Waterfront Living Really Costs After 60: Want to retire in a beach town in the U.S. or abroad? Get to know these lifestyle and financial factors first. Kiplinger, March 21.

Ocean County Library is mixing things up this week with gardening help, hometown heroes, and a remarkable true story from World War II.

🌱 Got a garden question? Bring it. The Waretown Branch will host Ask a Master Gardener on Friday, March 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rutgers Master Gardeners of Ocean County will be on hand to help with everything from plant problems to soil questions to mystery bugs. You can even bring photos or samples of insects, plants, shrubs, or trees for identification. It’s free, no registration is required, and the branch is at 112 Main St., Waretown.

🚑 Women’s History Month, local hero edition. The Lacey Branch is hosting “Hometown Heroes: Women First Responders” on Friday, March 27 at 10:30 a.m. Visitors can learn about the women of Lacey Township EMS and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, hear how the departments work together, check out the emergency vehicles, and even meet the patrol dogs. It’s an all-ages event, free, and registration is required. The branch is at 10 E. Lacey Rd., Forked River.

📖 Looking ahead: a powerful WWII story is coming to three branches in April. Author Ronald Edward Negra will discuss his book Waves of Hope, which tells the story of his mother, Agnes Joan Negra, a New Jersey woman who listened to Radio Berlin during World War II and mailed information to families of captured American service members — often giving them their first word about loved ones. The talks are set for Wednesday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Toms River Branch, Thursday, April 16 at 2 p.m. at the Manchester Branch, and Wednesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. at the Upper Shores Branch in Lavallette. Registration is required, and signed books will be available for purchase after the program.

📱 A smart pick for older adults with vision changes: the LEAP beginner class is set for Thursday, March 26 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Toms River Branch. It’s designed for adults 55 and older and offers free training on iPad and iPhone accessibility features like Zoom and VoiceOver. Registration is required.

🀄 Game on: Mahjong takes over the Berkeley Branch on Thursday, March 26 from 1 to 4 p.m., and Stafford Branch follows with Mah Jongg on Friday, March 27 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Then on Monday, March 30 from noon to 3 p.m., it’s Mahjongg Mondays at the Upper Shores Branch.

🚶 Move a little, feel a little better: Walk 4 Memory heads to the Toms River Branch on Thursday, March 26 from 1 to 2 p.m. with a music-filled indoor walking program designed for adults experiencing mild memory loss or cognitive decline. Over at the Berkeley Branch, Chair Yoga is on Friday, March 27 from 2 to 3 p.m. for a gentler kind of stretch-and-breathe afternoon.

🧶 Calling all crafters: EWE Knit and Crochet drops in at the Barnegat Branch on Thursday, March 26 from 1 to 3 p.m., while Hooked on Yarn meets at the Manchester Branch on Thursday, March 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. And if you’re looking for more fiber fun, Fiber Arts Crafters lands at the Plumsted Branch on Friday, March 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring your own supplies and settle in.

🌱 For the gardeners and green thumbs: Composting 101 is set for the Brick Branch on Thursday, March 26 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., with tips on turning kitchen scraps and yard waste into garden gold. Then on Friday, March 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Waretown Branch hosts Ask a Master Gardener, where Rutgers Master Gardeners will help with plant problems, mystery bugs, and all your spring growing questions.

🎨 Need something low-stress and creative? Mindful Art Club meets at the Stafford Branch on Thursday, March 26 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Materials are provided, but registration is required.

🎤 For the fun crowd: Game Show Night at the Library brings TV-style trivia and challenges to the Manchester Branch on Thursday, March 26 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Then on Monday, March 30 from 6 to 8 p.m., the Waretown Branch turns up the volume with Golden Grooves Karaoke, a monthly senior social with songs, laughs, and light refreshments.

🥭 Foodies, don’t miss this: The Waretown Branch hosts Food for Thought: The Mango on Saturday, March 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with tastings and a chance to make your own mango lassi. Later that day, Upper Shores Branch serves up Chaat: Indian Street Food on Saturday, March 28 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. for a hands-on culinary program packed with flavor.

💻 A few more worth circling: Tech Help Tuesday is at the Waretown Branch on Tuesday, March 31 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for one-on-one help with phones, email, and digital basics. Looking ahead, Dine Your Way to a Healthier Heart is set for the Brick Branch on Monday, March 30 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., and Stress, Success, and Your Heart follows at the Lacey Branch on Wednesday, April 1 from 2 to 3 p.m. And yes, if your grandkids drag you in for it, Magic: The Gathering Open Play is happening at the Lacey Branch on Wednesday, April 1 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Your couch has a busy week ahead.

On the movie side, “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” lands Friday, March 27 on Disney+, with James Marsden as a hitman hired by a time traveler played by Vince Vaughn — which already sounds gloriously unhinged.

“Sentimental Value” arrives Monday on Hulu, fresh off its Oscar win for best international film, while Daniel Day-Lewis returns from retirement in “Anemone,” premiering Saturday, March 28 on Netflix.

Over in series land, Disney+ is throwing it back with the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” on Tuesday — a fun one to watch with the grandkids, with music, nostalgic clips, and a Miley interview.

Netflix is also stepping up to the plate with its first MLB broadcast on Wednesday, when the Giants host the Yankees.

And for those who like their streaming a little creepy, “Something Very Bad is Going to Happen” debuts Thursday on Netflix, serving wedding jitters with a side of dread.

First, a very happy 72th birthday to Barnegat’s own Lisa Thompson, celebrating on March 25. Wishing you a day filled with love, laughter, and all the little moments that make a year well lived — here’s to many more happy, healthy birthdays ahead. 🎉

Also blowing out candles on March 25: Gene Shalit turns 100, which frankly deserves a standing ovation. Paul Michael Glaser is 83, Elton John hits 79, and Bonnie Bedelia is 78. Also celebrating: Mary Gross, 73; James McDaniel, 68; Steve Norman of Spandau Ballet, 66; Brenda Strong, 66; Marcia Cross, 64; Lisa Gay Hamilton, 62; and Sarah Jessica Parker, 61.

On March 26, the birthday lineup keeps rolling with Diana Ross, 82; Steven Tyler, 78; Vicki Lawrence, 77; Ernest Thomas, 77; Ronnie McDowell, 76; and Martin Short, 76.

⁉️Questions, comments or news to share? We’d love to hear from you! Just hit reply to this email.

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See you next week!

😎The Ocean Senior Scoop team

🐰Disclaimer: Just a quick heads-up before you hop out the door. We do our best to keep everything accurate and up to date, but times, details, and even egg locations can change — so it’s always smart to double-check before heading out. Any health, financial, tax, or service info here is general and not professional advice — for anything specific, it’s best to check with an expert.