ATLANTIC CITY — The 33rd annual Stockton College Foundation Benefit Gala was held Saturday night, April 27, at Revel’s Ovation Hall — an event that has helped raise more than $20 million for Stockton student scholarships since its inception. Saturday night’s event alone saw about 720 guests help raise more than $440,000.

This year's honorary chairman Dirk Schavemaker

For a photo slideshow of this year’s event, click here.

The evening began with a cocktail reception of passed hors d’oeuvres, buffet spreads and entertainment by the Stockton Faculty Band. Following dinner the event’s surprise special guest — who was kept under wraps from the early planning stages of this year’s gala — was singer/rock star Eddie Money, who had a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums during the 1970s and ‘80s. Guests were also encouraged to bid on dozens of items that were part of a premium silent auction.

The event concluded with dancing and entertainment by popular high-energy dance band Don’t Call Me Francis.

John Schultz

The Stockton Gala’s honorary chairman this year was Dirk Schavemaker, Revel’s senior vice president of operations.

Gary Hill

The co-chairmen were local philanthropists John Schultz and Gary Hill, co-founders of the non-profit Schultz-Hill Foundation that supports arts, history and education in southern New Jersey.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — According to a release from the school, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey president Herman Saatkamp, with support from the president of the Student Senate, announced on Tuesday, Jan. 29, that the college will permit the Chick-fil-A restaurant to remain in the Campus Center’s food court.

Saatkamp

Back on November 20, 2012, the Student Senate passed a resolution to remove Chick-fil-A from campus. The requests followed revelations that Chick-fil-A had contributed funds to groups opposed to same-sex marriage, hate crime laws, and anti-bullying programs. One of these groups was identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Dr. Saatkamp noted that the Student Senate resolution prompted serious dialogue about the issue, including a series of conversations and teleconferences between Saatkamp, leaders of the Student Senate, the president of the Faculty Senate, and leaders of both Chick-fil-A and Campus Pride — a national non-profit organization representing student leaders and advocate groups for safer college environments for GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) students.

Initially Campus Pride — led by co-founder and executive director Shane Windmeyer — spearheaded a national campaign against Chick-fil-A. Campus Pride later suspended its campaign against Chick-fil-A, and the teleconference calls enabled the leaders of the Stockton Student Senate and Dr. Saatkamp to understand the reasons for this change.

Windmeyer

“Stockton has a well-earned record in support of diversity, inclusion and minority populations,” said Saatkamp in the release. “At the same time we take quite seriously our role as an institution of higher education that promotes the exchange of ideas. Only through recognition and understanding of our similarities and differences can we foster appreciation for others. I’m proud of the way in which our student and faculty leaders handled the process of analyzing complex information and points of view. It has been a pleasure working with them through the process.

“After weighing all the factors, I believe it is in the best interests of the College to allow Chick-fil-A to remain on campus,” added Saatkamp.

Windmeyer said his organization has worked with Chick-fil-A to find common ground and is planning on releasing an official statement on their Web site (CampusPride.org) detailing some of that relationship.

Former Congressman and Ambassador William Hughes (left center) and Dr. Herman Saatkamp, president of Stockton College, cut the ribbon on the new collection of memoriablia donated by Hughes on May 2.

State Senator James Whelan (left) with William and his wife Nancy Hughes.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Former U.S. Rep. and U.S. Ambassador William J. Hughes has donated 11 crates of political papers and memorabilia to the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey branch that bears his name — the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy.

The collection was dedicated at the college on Wednesday, May 2, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included friends, colleagues, dignitaries and invited guests. The collection includes photos, letters, plaques, declassified political documents, and several presidential pens used to sign bills sponsored by Hughes. Among the plaques is one commemorating the 1978 groundbreaking of what is now called the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township.

Saatkamp and Hughes

Hughes was named Ambassador to Panama by President Bill Clinton in 1995 after serving two decades as a Democratic congressman under five different presidents. The letters and documents in the collection will eventually be digitized and made available for public viewing and research.

Seamus the dog, Ireland and Old Lace's mascot, asks "Won't you please bring a new, unwrapped toy and help make a child happy? And bring me a biscuit too."

SMITHVILLE, N.J. — Ireland and Old Lace, located on the Village Greene in Historic Smithville Village, will be collecting Toys for Tots this holiday season for the 10th straight year.

The Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program distributes the collected new toys to needy children in the community. Anyone that drops off a new, unwrapped toy at Ireland and Old Lace by Sunday, Nov. 27,  will be entered to win a family four pack of tickets to An Irish Christmas performance at the PAC at Richard Stockton College of N.J. in Pomona on Saturday, Dec. 3.

For more information, call (609) 404-4777, go here, or visit them on their Facebook page here.