Community Bulletin Board
Meeting and trips on agenda for AARP

The next general meeting of AARP East Brunswick Chapter No. 4855 will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 10 at the East Brunswick Public Library, Jean Walling Civic Center.

A representative of the Social Security Administration will discuss Medicare Part D.

Members are reminded to bring food donations for the MCFOODS (Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services) Drive. Contributions will go to displaced Hurricane Katrina families who are being housed in Middlesex County.

An Oct. 18 trip to the Penn’s Peak-Jim Thorpe, Pa., Holiday Express is planned. A family-style lunch is scheduled. Cost is $58 per person. Names are being taken for a waiting list.

A Nov. 15 private holiday gathering is planned for Chapter No. 4855 members and guests at Colucci’s Restaurant and Cafe, Haledon. A family-style menu will be offered. Uncle Floyd will entertain. Cost is $55 per person.

All are welcome on the group’s trips. Buses depart from the back parking lot at Kmart, Route 18, East Brunswick. For more information, call (732) 238-5678.

County will offer composting workshop

Middlesex County residents are invited to free vermi-composting (using worms) seminars scheduled for 10 a.m. on Oct. 8 and 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 at the Middlesex County EARTH Center in Davidson’s Mill Pond Park, 42 Riva Ave., South Brunswick. Classes will run approximately two hours each.

The seminars will offer residents information on how to reduce waste and improve their soil by composting yard waste and kitchen scraps in their back yards.

For more information and to register, call the Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management at (732) 745-4170, or e-mail solidwaste@co.middlesex.nj.us.

Participants may pick up prepurchased compost bins at the workshops. Call the Solid Waste office for a list of available compost bins.

For more information on programs offered by the Middlesex County Office of Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension, call (732) 398-5260.

St. George’s to hold blood drive on Oct. 8

St. George’s Church, 56 Main St., Helmetta, will host a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 8 in the church’s Ericson Hall.

Blood donations will help support New Jersey Blood Services, the primary supplier of blood to the neonatal unit at St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, and to 60 area hospitals.

Medical screeners will be on hand in case potential donors are unsure of their donation status.

For more information, call Kristen at (732) 521-0169.

Tickets available for storytelling fest

Jay O’Callahan will be the featured performer at the East Brunswick Friends of the Library’s 13th annual James Hess Folklore and Storytelling Festival set for 8 p.m. on Nov. 19 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the library, Jean Walling Civic Center. Tickets are on sale at the library circulation desk.

The Nov. 19 evening performance, “Growing Up on Pill Hill,” is intended for adults and older teens. Tickets cost $15 and include a dessert buffet after the show.

The Nov. 20 matinee, “The Little Dragon and Other Tales,” is geared to families with children age 7 and up. Tickets cost $3 each, with a maximum charge of $7 per family.

Individuals who cannot get to the library to purchase tickets may do so through the mail. A $1 charge will be added for mailed tickets.

O’Callahan, who has appeared in some of the country’s most prestigious storytelling venues, is making his first East Brunswick Library appearance in 10 years. Known for his anecdotes of growing up in the Pill Hill section (so named for the many physicians living there) of Brookline, Mass., he recently was commissioned to chronicle the story of the steelworkers of Bethlehem, Pa. He has appeared at Lincoln Center, New York City; the Abbey Theatre, Dublin; and the National Fine Arts Complex, London. O’Callahan was inducted into the National Circle of Excellence, the highest honor in storytelling.

Major corporate sponsors for the storytelling festival are Comcast, Johnson and Johnson and The Karma Foundation. Individual/family sponsorships are available at $60, and small business sponsorships are offered at $100. Both sponsorships are partially tax-deductible and include two seats for the adult program, family seating for the matinee, and a listing in the souvenir program.

For more information on tickets and sponsorships, call (732) 390-6789 or (732) 390-6783.

St. Thomas HSA plans

craft show, bake sale

St. Thomas the Apostle HSA will hold its annual Fall Craft Show and Bake Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 15 in the school auditorium, Route 18 south, Old Bridge.

The event will feature holiday gifts, tricky trays, a 50/50 and handmade items.

Admission and parking are free of charge.

For more information, call (732) 866-0482.

The Drifters to appear

in concert in Monroe

The Greenbriar at Whittingham adult community, Monroe, will present The Drifters in concert at 8 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Richard P. Marasco Performing Arts Center, Monroe Township High School, Perrineville Road.

The group will perform their musical hits from 1959-64, including “There Goes My Baby,” “Save the Last Dance for Me,” “Up on the Roof,” “Under the Boardwalk” and more.

Opening act will be comedian/juggler Jack Swersie.

Tickets cost $14 per person.

For more information and to reserve, call (609) 395-0404, ext. 220 or 221.

Office on Aging to host safe-driving program

An AARP-sponsored driving-safety course is planned for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 13 and 14 at the Old Bridge Office on Aging, George Bush Center, in the municipal complex, Route 516 and Cottrell Road.

Cost is $10. Membership in AARP is not required.

Interested individuals must register in advance and must attend both sessions.

Upon completion of the course, students will receive a certificate entitling them to a 5-percent discount on the major portion of their automobile insurance premium for three years and a 2-point reduction in their Motor Vehicle Commission record (if applicable).

For more information and to register, call (732) 721-5600, ext. 6615.

Painter to demonstrate skills at artists meeting

The Suburban Artists Guild will meet at 2 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the East Brunswick Library, Jean Walling Civic Center.

Oil painter Joseph Gyurcsak will be the guest demonstrator. Gyurcsak began drawing early and took his first formal lesson at age 12. Inspired by the great illustrators of the past and present, he began studies at the Parsons School of Design and the School of Visual Arts, both New York City. Soon his work was hanging in galleries up and down the East Coast. Most recently his paintings appeared in American Artist magazine and several of his works currently hang in several private collections.

For more information, call Paula Feifer at (732) 238-0800 or Selena Palmer at (732) 254-3113.

SAG is an active painting and learning group, covering Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset counties. Meetings are held on the second Friday of each month at the East Brunswick Library.

Environmental group

to sponsor nature walk

The Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership will offer a nature walk from 1-4 p.m. on Oct. 9 at Rutgers Gardens, North Brunswick.

Andy Besold, a local naturalist, will guide the 2- to 3-mile walk through the gardens and its adjacent forests and streams.

Participants will meet in the Holly House parking lot by entering from Ryders Lane and turning right to the parking lot. Walkers should dress with arms and legs covered and wear sturdy shoes or boots.

For more information, call Alan Godber at (732) 846-4476 or the panel headquarters at (732) 249-5297, or e-mail contact@lbwp.org.

The Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership is a nonprofit organization serving the environmental interests of East Brunswick, Milltown, South Brunswick, North Brunswick and New Brunswick.

Flea market, bazaar,

café on tap at church

The United Methodist Women of Simpson United Methodist Church will sponsor an Outdoor Flea Market and Indoor Bazaar and Café from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 8 at the church, Route 516 and Owens Road, Old Bridge. Rain date for the outdoor flea market is Oct. 15.

For more information, call (732) 679-5361.

Milltown seniors invited to open house

An open house is planned for 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 8 at the Milltown Senior Center, Violet Terrace.

The event will feature a band, catered food, door prizes and information tables offering details on programs offered at the center. Milltown seniors are encouraged to attend. Admission is free of charge. For more information, call Debbie at (732) 296-0681.

Civil Air Patrol seeking adult, youth members

The Civil Air Patrol, an organization that prepares youth morally, physically and mentally to be leaders of tomorrow, is looking for adult and cadet members who want to make a difference in their personal lives while contributing to a strong America.

The organization provides leadership training, technical education, powered and nonpowered flight orientation, scholarships and career education for young people ages 12-18.

For more information, call Walter Blonski at (732) 525-0279, e-mail walter@blonski.com, or log on to http://www.njwg.gov.

Car wash, bake sale to benefit Cub Scouts

Cub Scout Pack No. 3 will hold a car wash and bake sale fund-raiser from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Monroe Township Recreation Center, Monmouth Road. Donations also will be accepted. All proceeds will benefit the Scout troop.

Fire auxiliary schedules

Oct. 21 Vendor Night

The Jamesburg Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary will sponsor a Vendor Night beginning at 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 at the fire department, 82 W. Railroad Ave.

The event will feature a variety of merchandise, prizes and refreshments.

Bingo event to benefit

Spotswood H.S. Band

The Spotswood High School Band Parents Association will sponsor a Bingo Night beginning at 7:45 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Holy Trinity Parish Center, 100 Main St., Helmetta. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

Individuals under age 18 will not be admitted.

Crafters sought for rosary society bazaar

Crafters are sought for the annual St. Bartholomew Altar Rosary Society Craft Bazaar set for 6-10 p.m. on Nov. 11 in the church hall and gym, Ryders Lane, East Brunswick.

The event will feature handcrafted items, a bake sale, food and a 50/50 drawing. Table rental cost is $25.

For more information and to reserve, call Lucy at (732) 846-4771.

SRHS class of 1965 to celebrate at reunion

South River High School (SRHS) class of 1965 will hold a 40th reunion dinner-dance from 7 p.m. to midnight on Oct. 22 at the Belarussian-American Hall, Whitehead Avenue, South River.

Cost is $65 per person.

For more information on all reunion-weekend activities, call Evelyn Bowman Larson at (732) 238-1880, Rosemary Marvuglio Eckert at (732) 254-0283, or Beverly Milyo at (732) 458-2791.

Limited slots open for defensive-driving course

Some slots remain open for the East Brunswick Friends of the Library defensive-driving course set for 6:30-10 p.m. on Oct. 10 and 11 at the East Brunswick Public Library, Jean Walling Civic Center.

Eligible motorists may erase two points from their driver’s license and/or get a 5 percent discount on a portion of their auto insurance.

Fees range from $55-$65, depending on one’s goals. To receive credit for the course, participants must attend both sessions.

Registration forms and details are available at the library circulation desk. The form also may be downloaded by logging on to www.ebpl.org, and then clicking on Friends of the Library and Download Registration Form.

Approved by the state of New Jersey, the course is taught by an experienced police detective and accident investigator.

A vehicle is not needed, as the course is conducted entirely in a classroom setting with multimedia aids.

Registration forms should be completed and mailed to the name and address indicated on the form, or may be handed in at the first class.

For more information on the course, call (732) 485-9714 or e-mail pointreduction@aol.com.

Jazzercise event to raise funds for Little House

The Little House Association of South River will sponsor a Friendship, Fitness and Fun event at a Jazzercise fund-raiser set for 7-8:15 p.m. on Oct. 15 in the gym at South River Middle School, Montgomery Street.

Cost is $5.

All proceeds will go directly to the Little House Association, which provides a safe place for South River Girl Scouts to meet.

Participants should bring a mat or towel and wear comfortable clothing and sneakers.

For more information, call Ellen Tschopp at (732) 390-4290.

Casino Night to benefit Memorial School, E.B.

The PTA of Memorial School, East Brunswick, will sponsor a Casino Night fund-raiser from 7:30-11 p.m. on Oct. 8 at the East Brunswick Elks Club, Hardenburg Lane.

The event will include hors d’oeuvres, desserts and beverages. Tickets cost $35 per person and are available in advance only.

For more information and tickets, call Michelle Motolla at (732) 254-2770 or Traci Randzio at (732) 651-7946.

Milltown store to host Oct. 8 Fire Safety Day

Home Depot, 401 S. Main St., Milltown, will present a Fire Safety Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 8.

The event will feature participation by the Milltown Police Department, a children’s workshop with craft projects for youngsters, games, prizes and refreshments. Emergency response vehicles will be on site. For more information, call (732) 432-0500.

Tricky tray on tap for Oct. 21 at South River church

Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 90 Leonardine Ave., South River, will hold a tricky tray beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 in the church’s education building. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Admission is $5 per person. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call (732) 254-1734.

Candlelit walking tours set at cemetery

The East Brunswick Museum will present candlelit, self-guided walking tours of historical Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Old Bridge Turnpike, East Brunswick, from 5-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 15 and 16.

Living history re-enactors dressed in period costumes will portray historical individuals buried in the cemetery. More than 500 candles in bags will light the cemetery paths.

Cost is $7 for the general public, $5 for museum members, $1 for children under age 12. Proceeds will benefit the East Brunswick Museum. For more information, call (732) 257-1508.

Holiday Tricky Tray slated at Corpus Christi

A Winter Wonderland Holiday Tricky Tray will be held on Nov. 12 at Corpus Christi School, 80 David St., South River. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $7. Coffee and refreshments will be offered. Individuals under age 18 will not be permitted to play. Call Anne Romano at (732) 698-1225.

E.B. Woman’s Club will meet on Oct. 11

The East Brunswick Woman’s Club will hold a meeting at 8 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

Guest speaker Peter Broski will offer a presentation titled “Visiting Angels.”

Guests are welcome. For more information, call Sue at (732) 238-6361.

Temple sisterhood has ‘Entertainment’ books

The Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Ohr, Old Bridge, is selling “Entertainment 2006” books.

Middlesex County and Monmouth County editions are available at $25 each. For more information and to order, call Sharen at (732) 679-8955 or the temple office at (732) 257-1523.

Seasonal crafts event next up at Cheesequake

A fall seasonal crafts program will begin at 1 p.m. on Oct. 9 at the Cheesequake State Park Interpretive Center, 300 Gordon Road, Old Bridge.

The event is open to ages 8 and up. Admission is free of charge.

For more information, call (732) 566-3208.

Course to offer religious perspective on sexuality

CrossCurrent, an introductory-level course exploring a religious perspective on sexuality and relationships, will be offered at 7 p.m. on eight Thursdays beginning Oct. 16 at St. George’s Church, 56 Main St., Helmetta. The Rev. William Guerard will lead the discussions.

The course aims to offer confidentiality and understanding for men and women in a safe environment, free of rejection and condemnation. Topics will include the unfailing love of God, becoming secure in God’s love and living beyond brokenness. Gender identity, sexual addiction, promiscuity and abuse will be discussed.

Each meeting will be structured with worship, teaching and small-group discussion. Prayer for healing also will be offered, if requested.

For more information and to register, call the church at (732) 521-0169.

CrossCurrent is a program of Desert Stream Ministries, a nationwide nondenominational evangelical Christian ministry. The ministry was founded by Andrew Comiskey, author of “Pursuing Sexual Wholeness.

Vendors sought for Monroe Octoberfest

Vendors offering food, crafts and toys are sought for the 12th annual Monroe Township Octoberfest set for noon to 4 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the Monroe Township Community Center, 120 Monmouth Road. Highlights will include entertainment; a petting zoo; pony rides; games; music by a DJ; a beach party obstacle course; a sea bounce and slide funhouse; Seaweed the Seahorse; dunk-pit basketball; a magician; a rock wall; a giant slide; cheerleaders; twirlers; face-painting; temporary tattoos; and more. Admission is free of charge. For more information and to reserve, call Jeanne Crawley at (732) 723-5000.

Seeing Eye Puppy Pals sets Oct. 10 info night

The 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Pals Club will hold an open meeting and information night at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 at the 4-H Center Log Cabin Building, Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. Club members raise puppies for the Seeing Eye program. Participants will meet several puppies and learn about the program. Richie, a full-fledged guide dog from the Seeing Eye, will be on hand. Interested individuals who are unable to attend the meeting but would like more information on the program should log on to www.seeingeye.org.

Columbiettes to sponsor trip to Lancaster outlets

The St. Bartholomew Columbiettes will sponsor a Nov. 12 bus trip to the Lancaster, Pa., shopping outlets.

The bus will depart at 7:30 a.m. from St. Bartholomew’s Church, Ryders Lane, East Brunswick. Return will be at approximately 8 p.m. Cost is $25 per person. A continental breakfast will be served from 7-8 a.m. For more information and to reserve, call (732) 583-3595.

Donations sought for church bidding auction

Community members and local businesses are asked to donate merchandise and gift certificates for a bidding auction planned for 4 p.m. on Nov. 12 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 70 Manalapan Road, Spotswood. Many theme baskets, collectibles and gift certificates will be auctioned off at the church fund-raiser.

For more information or to donate, call the church at (732) 251-0815.

Ladies auxiliary offers ‘Entertainment’ books

The Ladies Auxiliary of Old Bridge Elks Lodge No. 2229 is selling “Entertainment 2006” books.

Cost is $25 per book.

For more information and to order, call Enola Barlik at (732) 251-0049.

EBHS cheerleading boosters plan car wash

The East Brunswick High School (EBHS) Cheerleading Booster Club will hold a car wash from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Central School, 371 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, across from EBHS.

Cost is $5 for cars, $7 for vans and sport utility vehicles.

Advance tickets may be purchased for $4.

For more information, call (732) 718-9181.