By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR The chill in the air didn't dampen the spirits of diners under the big top set up along Monmouth Avenue Sunday afternoon. The city held its second annual Mangia, Mangia community dinner outside The Red Room Café. Residents, summer visitors and offshore beach lovers gathered to break bread and create community, Italian style.
The Red Room provided a mélange of olives, trays of Italian cheeses and meats, and long hots to whet the appetite, before serving everyone's favorite Sunday dinner, macaroni and meatballs. Sasser's Bakery two blocks away provided tiramisu for dessert.
City Administrator Maria Mento said she modeled the event after dinners she attended in Haddon Township. She even hired the same entertainer, Vic Rubino, who sings the Great American Songbook.
Mayor Beth Holtzman and Commissioner Tim Kriebel welcomed everyone to the dinner, which was designed to create community, they said.
We have been in office six years and when we campaigned our motto was, Imagine Ventnor. We asked people what they wanted to see in Ventnor, she said. I think over the last six years we turned Ventnor into a whole new city. It's becoming more of a seashore town. It's very unique, because it's still a family community.
The Red Room brought us into their family, and that's what a community is, Kriebel said. This event is an opportunity to bring people into Ventnor and show them what a great community it is.
Attendees capped off the afternoon with some singing and line dancing on the sunny sidewalk.
The event was postponed from its original date due to inclement weather resulting from Hurricane Ian.
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