• The Township Committee in Freehold Township will hold its 2017 reorganization meeting at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at the municipal building, Stillwells Corner Road. The meeting is open to the public. Committee members will elect a mayor for the new year, hire professionals and appoint residents to municipal boards and commissions.
• The Borough Council in Freehold Borough will hold its 2017 reorganization meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 7 at Borough Hall. The meeting is open to the public. Council members will hire professionals and appoint residents to municipal boards and commissions.
• The Italian American Association of Monmouth County will sponsor a membership drive from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Fireside Bar and Grill Sports Bar, 133 S. Main St. (Route 79), Marlboro. Light refreshments, cash bar. Information provided about activities, bus trips, Bocce league, Italian lessons, children’s Italian summer enrichment camp, youth group, etc. Details: Cheryl Scuorzo, 732-536-5832.
• The Freehold Memorial Day Parade in conjunction with The Cabin, Route 33, Howell, is having a donation night. On Jan. 17 from 5-10 p.m., The Cabin will give 20 percent of a guest’s check to the Freehold Memorial Day Parade, not including tax or alcohol. Download the flier at www.
• The Executive Board of the Samaritan Center food pantry will hold its reorganization meeting at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 18 at St. Thomas More Church, 186 Gordons Corner Road, Manalapan.
• The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey invites members of the public to its January dinner meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at L’Antica Trattoria, 184 Route 9 North, Marlboro. The guest speaker will be Robert DiBiase, chairman of the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission. The cost is $35 per person for members and $45 for non-members (BYOB). Cash is preferred, no credit cards. To reserve seating, call Anthony Grassi at 917-743-3311 or Richard Favara at 732-861-9465.
• The Ashley Lauren Foundation will host its sixth annual Butterfly Ball on Feb. 25 at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch. The theme will be “Dancing For Our Stars.” The goal of the Ashley Lauren Foundation is to ease the journey when pediatric cancer is diagnosed by providing direct financial assistance, material assistance, emotional support and more. Details: www.ashleylaurenfoundation.org or 732-414-1625.
• New Jersey Blood Services is in need of volunteers to work blood drives in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Tasks include assisting donors with registration, watching donors for post-donation reactions and responding to their needs. Details: Jan Zepka, 732-616-8741.
• The Shrewsbury Chorale, directed by Neil Brown, will host open rehearsals on Jan. 17 and Jan. 24 from 7:45-10 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County, 1475 West Front St., Lincroft. Former and new singers are invited to learn about the chorale as its members prepare for two 60th anniversary concerts this spring. Scores provided. Events are free. Details: 732-747-1362 or www.shrewsburychorale.org. To audition, call 732-216-3907.
• Temple Rodeph Torah, Marlboro, will host a “Throwback Dance Night” from 7:30-11 p.m. Jan. 21. There will be music and dancing with hits from Motown to Madonna, Jackson 5 to Journey, plus trivia games and prizes. Guests are asked to bring a nonperishable food item to be donated to the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The cost is $20 per person before Jan. 14; $25 after that date and at the door. To sign up, visit www.eighties.trt.org. Details: 732-308-0055.
• “Habits of Happy People” will begin the 2017 Discussion Series, “How to Become Financially, Physically and Spiritually Fit in All Areas of Your Life,” from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 11 at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish Center, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. Presenter Carol Palmer has worked as a program instructor for the Community Health Education department at Monmouth Medical Center for 25 years, offering programs in stress management and smoking cessation to the community. Adults of all ages are invited. Refreshments provided. Hosted by Kathy Lo Bue, managing director, Glen Eagle Advisors, LLC. The series is free, non-sectarian and open to the community. RSVP to 732 866-6660.
• The Colts Neck Reformed Church, 139 Route 537, Colts Neck, will host a blood drive for the Central Jersey Blood Center from 3-8 p.m. Jan. 25 in the church’s Fellowship Hall, upstairs in the brick community center. Call the church, 732-462-4555, during the week to select a time to donate blood.
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education will hold a regular action meeting at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Milford Brook School, 20 Globar Terrace, Manalapan. The meeting is open to the public.
• Embroiderers’ Guild of America-Monmouth Chapter is dedicated to teaching and sharing the joys of needlework. Stitchers of all levels are welcome. There are sit and stitch tables at each meeting, as well as special projects. Evening stitchers will meet from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Colts Neck Library, 1 Winthrop Drive. Day stitchers will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Colts Neck Community Church, 25 Merchants Way. Details: 732-462-5540 or www.mcega.org
• The Marlboro Jewish Center will sponsor an Israel Adventure for Women from June 25 through July 6, 2017. The tour will visit traditional and off-the-beaten-path sites, and include Shabbat in Jerusalem and a stop in Tel Aviv. The itinerary includes talks with Israeli women who will bring their experiences and passions to life. Details: bethbankscohn@gmail.com
• A new cancer support group will meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at Monmouth Worship Center, 37 Vanderburg Road, Marlboro. A prayer group will meet at 8:30 p.m. Details: 732-332-9600.
• Abraham Lincoln High School, Brooklyn, N.Y., Class of 1967 will reunite at 6 p.m. April 23, 2017 at Gargiulo’s Restaurant, Coney Island. Details: dlouie@davidjlouiec.com or 917-363-2500 or David Coleman at 732-547-2340.
• The Essential Tremor Support Group meets from 7-9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month (Jan. 5) at the Jack Aaronson Conference Center at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Details: 732-462-8304, after 10 a.m.
• 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.
Items for the Datebook may be sent via email to gmntnews@gmnews.com. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.
