• The Monmouth County Audubon Society will sponsor a free field trip at Big Brook County Park, 521 Route 520, Marlboro, on March 13. Meet at 6 p.m. in the parking lot. Participants will be in search of the American woodcock. The trip is open to members and nonmembers of the Audubon Society. Participants should dress in weather-appropriate clothing, keeping in mind that temperatures drop quickly in the evening. Binoculars are recommended, and a field guide may be helpful. Details: www.monmouthaudubon.org
• Colts Neck High School Project Graduation will host its first mattress sale fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 9. There will be 22 mattress sets to choose from, available in all sizes, including twin, full, queen, king, California-king and special sizes. The mattresses are new and name brand with full factory warranties, and all will be priced up to 50 percent below retail prices. Bed frames, pillows and mattress protectors will also be available. Delivery is available. All forms of payment will be accepted, and proceeds will go to Colts Neck High School Project Graduation 2016. Details: dcox@customfundraisingsolutions.com
• The Monmouth County Park System will host a seasonal job fair from noon to 4 p.m. March 13 at the Fort Monmouth Recreation Center, 2566 Guam Lane, Tinton Falls. Learn about seasonal (3-9 months) job opportunities in the parks, including positions for camp counselors, lifeguards, golf course workers, retail clerks and more. Prospective employees must be at least 16 years of age and a Monmouth County resident. Applicants should bring their resume. A full listing of seasonal job openings can be found online at www.monmouthcountyparks.com. Details: 732-842-4000, ext. 4339. For persons with hearing impairment, the park system TTY/TDD number is 711.
• Ross Burach, who is a graduate of Manalapan High School, will read and sign copies of his children’s book, “There’s a Giraffe in My Soup,” at Barnes and Noble, Route 9, Freehold, at 6 p.m. March 10. Burach wrote and illustrated the book. All are welcome to attend the event.
• SonRise at the Pond, an ecumenical Easter sunrise service sponsored by the First United Methodist Church, Freehold, will take place at 6:30 a.m. March 27 at the Lake Topanemus Park pavilion, Freehold Township. This year’s message will be delivered by Bishop Fred Rubin of Community Refuge Church of Christ, Manalapan. Music led by Joyful Noise Praise Band with other local musicians. The service is planned by people representing various faith traditions including African Methodist Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran, United Methodist, Reformed Church of America, independent/non-denominational, and more. Enter and park at the Pond Road entrance. Bring a lawn chair. Service is held rain or shine. Offering collected to benefit Open Door of Freehold. Details: 732-642-1779 or kathymommy@aol.com
• Temple Shaari Emeth, 400 Craig Road, Manalapan, will host a Purim Carnival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 20. A carnival preview for families with children with special needs will take place from 10-11 a.m. The carnival is open to the public and will feature a bounce house, games, prizes, crafts, tattoos, face painting, spin art and sand art. Details: 732-462-7744.
• The Freehold Memorial Day Parade Committee, in conjunction with The Cabin, Route 33, Howell, will host a benefit night for this year’s parade from 5-10 p.m. March 15. The parade committee will receive 20 percent of the pre-tax, pre-liquor bill as a donation. Details: www.freeholdmemorialdayparade.com
• The Marlboro Memorial Middle School Drama Club will present “Seussical Jr.” at 7 p.m. March 11 and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. March 12 at the school, 71 Nolan Road. Tickets are $10. Details: 732-972-7115.
• Manalapan Seniors Chapter 4 will sponsor a bus trip on April 21 to the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, to see “Pump Boys & Dinettes.” Lunch prior to the show will be at McLoone’s Boathouse, West Orange. The cost of the trip is $66, which includes lunch. Coach bus will leave the Manalapan municipal complex at 9:45 a.m. and return at approximately 6:30 p.m. Details: 732-446-8401.
• The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey will host a dinner meeting at 7 p.m. March 10 at Christie’s Italian Seafood Grille, 2420 Route 9, Howell. BYOB. The cost is $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Details: 917-743-3311 or 732-861-9465 or www.italianamericansnj.com
• A Relay For Life kickoff celebration will take place at 7 p.m. March 9 at the American Hotel, Freehold. The event will include music and light refreshments. Details: 732-292-4262 or tara.novak@cancer.org
• The Marlboro Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts will host an open house from 2-4 p.m. March 13 at Old Brick Reformed Church, 490 Route 520, Marlboro. Details: www.bsatroop86.org
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County will commemorate its 10th anniversary with a brunch at 11 a.m. April 10 at the Battleground Country Club, Manalapan. Tickets to the event are $72, which includes a dairy meal, a silent auction featuring more than 20 baskets, musical performance by Cantor Gabrielle Clissold of Monmouth Reform Temple, Tinton Falls, and entertainment by Vic Schioppo. Details: 732-252-6990 or www.jhmomc.org
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County will offer Seder plate painting at 6:30 p.m. March 30 at the Around the Corner Art Center, 290 Mount’s Corner Drive, Freehold Township. Participants will paint and decorate a ceramic Seder plate (or a plate of choice) during the party and leave it for firing at the art studio. The finished plate will be ready during the week of April 11. Admission is $45 and includes the ceramic plate, paint and instruction, and a wine and cheese reception. Details: 732-252-6990 or www.jhmomc.org
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education will hold its regular board meeting at 7:30 p.m. March 15 at the district’s administrative offices, 54 Main St., Englishtown. The meeting is open to the public. Details: 732-786-2500.
• Holocaust survivor Jeannie Parnes Wechsler will tell her and her family’s story about escaping the Nazis, which is documented in the book “One Step Ahead: A Mother of Seven Escaping Hitler’s Claws,” at Temple Rodeph Torah, Marlboro, from 7-9 p.m. April 11. The event is open to the entire community. The cost is $25 per adult (includes signed copy of the book). Children under 18 are free (book not included).
• The Freehold Public Library, East Main Street, Freehold, will host a free birthday celebration to mark the 113th anniversary of the day the library was voted into existence by the citizens of Freehold on March 10, 1903. The event will take place from 3-4:30 p.m. March 10. Refreshments will be served
• The Monmouth County Genealogy Society will meet at 1:30 p.m. March 13 at the Eatontown Community Center, 72 Broad Street, Eatontown. Henry McNally of Manasquan will present “Emigrants and Exiles: The Ireland They Left Behind.” Details: 732-747-0090 or slfugateobrien@aol.com.
• Siloam United Methodist Church, 67 Siloam Road, Freehold Township, will host a buffet-style corned beef and cabbage dinner from 4-6 p.m. March 19. The cost is $12 for adults and $6 for children. Details: 732-928-0193. On the day of the event, call 848-525-5883.
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Township, will present Tsu Fil Duvids, a musical group performing songs of Eastern Europe, Yiddish theater and Yiddish folk melodies in the Klezmer style, at 2 p.m. March 20. The cost is $18 for museum members and $20 for nonmembers. Details: 732-252-6990 or jhmomcpr@optonline.net.
• Center Players, 35 South St., Freehold, will present Neil Simon’s “Chapter Two” at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays now through March 13. Tickets are at $23 to $25 and are available by calling 732-462-9093 or visiting www.centerplayers.org
• The CentraState Healthcare Foundation will host Comedy for a Cause at 8:30 p.m. March 11 at the American Hotel, Freehold. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Must be 21 and over. There will be a cash bar. Proceeds will benefit women’s health services at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Details: centrastatecomedy.eventbrite.com or contact 732-294-7135 or spurpuro@centrastate.com
• The Monmouth County chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 17 at the Colts Neck Library, 1 Winthrop Drive, Colts Neck. Details: 732-462-5540 or www.mcega.org
• The Freehold Borough High School Class of 1996 will hold a 20-year reunion at 7 p.m. June 4 at Paul’s Tavern, Belmar. The cost is $65. The event will include an open bar from 7:30-10:30 p.m., a buffet and live music. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Details: http://stellikris.wix.com/classof1996
• The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance will meet in the spiritual center of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 1 Phalanx Road, Colts Neck, from 7:30-9 p.m. every Thursday. Details: 732-536-5826 or 732-320-0029.
• The Monmouth County Historical Association, 70 Court St., Freehold, will exhibit “Of the Best Materials and Good Workmanship: 19th Century New Jersey Chair Making” now through July 9. Details: 732-462-1466.
• The American Association of University Women Freehold branch is accepting book donations for its 2016 book sale. With the exception of Reader’s Digest condensed books and textbooks, all book donations in good condition are appreciated. Contact Joan at 732-431-2297 for drop-off instructions. Proceeds from the book sale support scholarships for women who are returning to college and monetary awards for graduating female seniors from the Freehold Regional High School District.
• Two $2,000 college scholarships from the Freehold AAUW are available for local women 25 years old and older for the 2016-17 school year. The Freehold AAUW is seeking applicants for the Lew Williams and Leila Sulkes scholarships. Request an application with criteria from freeholdaauwscholarships@gmail.com. Criteria include: women 25 or older; must be a resident of Colts Neck, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan, Marlboro or Morganville; must be enrolled in an accredited bachelor’s program (minimum 60 completed credits) or master’s program (minimum 6 completed credits); and have a grade point average of “B” or above. Submission must be postmarked by July 31.
• The Essential Tremor Support Group meets from 7-9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month (April 7) at the Jack Aaronson Conference Center at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Details: 732-462-8304, after 10 a.m.
• The Novo Nordisk Diabetes Center at CentraState Medical Center is offering a support group for people with diabetes and their families. The group will meet on the third Wednesday of every month (March 16) from 1-2 p.m. in the Jack Aaronson Conference Center in the Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus, 901 W. Main St., Freehold Township. Details: 732-308-0570.
Items for the Datebook may be sent via email to cbarcia@gmnews.com. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.
