• Freehold Elks Lodge No. 1454 will host its annual charity gala on Feb. 12 from 2-6 p.m. at the lodge at Elks Point, 73 E. Main St. Freehold. Proceeds will benefit special needs children in the greater Freehold area to attend Elks Camp Moore this
summer. All are welcome to attend. Donation is $30 per person. Details: 732-431-8707.
• Freehold Elks Lodge No. 1454 will host an “All You Can Eat, Cooked to Order Breakfast” on Feb. 19 at the lodge, 73 E. Main St., Freehold, from 9 a.m. to noon. Last seating is 11:30 a.m. Admission: $8 for adults, $5 for children under 12. All are welcome to attend. Details: 732-431-8707.
• The Monmouth Community Climate Coalition will host a free viewing of the movie “Before the Flood” by Leonardo DeCaprio on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Holmdel Community Church, 40 Main St. (Route 520), Holmdel. Following the film, climate scientist Jan Dash will speak and take questions. Refreshments will be served. Details: www.monmouthclimate.org
• The Knights of Columbus will hold their breakfast buffet on Feb. 12 from 8-11:30 a.m. at their Council Hall, 70 E. Main St., Freehold. All are welcome to attend the all you can eat breakfast. The price is $7 per adult; $4 per child under age 12; and $20 for a family of four. The special of the month is stuffed strawberry French toast. Details: 732-780-5472.
• A Freehold Memorial Day Parade fundraiser night will be held at the Fireside Grill and Bar, 133 S. Main St. (Route 79), Marlboro, from 4-9 p.m. Feb. 21. The business will donate 15 percent of a guest’s pre-tax food bill to the parade. Visit www.freeholdmemorialdayparade.com for a flier.
• A gift basket auction to benefit the Manalapan High School Music Department will be held at the high school on Feb. 24. Doors open at 6 p.m. Drawing starts at 7 p.m. Tickets: $15 per person, includes one sheet of bronze level tickets, and coffee, tea, water and dessert (bring your own food; no alcohol). There will be multiple tiers with more than 200 baskets. Register in advance. Find form at http://bit.ly/2i50UsB or email mhsbandgiftauction@gmail.
• The Sunrise Optimist Club of Freehold will host its annual Kylie Pinheiro Memorial Hot Shot Basketball Tournament on Feb. 26 at the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, 470 East Freehold Road, Freehold Township. The event, open to girls and boys from grades 4-9, will start at noon for girls of all grade levels, at 1 p.m. for boys grades 4 and 5, at 1:45 p.m. for boys grades 6 and 7, and at 2:45 p.m. for boys grades 8 and 9. The fee is $5 per entrant. The deadline to register is Feb. 24. Details: Scott, 732-754-8865.
• The American Association of University Women Freehold Branch is accepting book donations for its 2017 used book sale. With the exception of Reader’s Digest condensed books and textbooks, all books in good condition are appreciated. Books may be dropped off only between 10 a.m. and noon on Tuesdays at the Freehold Savings Bank, 65 W. Main St., Freehold, or call Joan at 732-431-2297 for drop-off instructions.
• The Reformed Church of Freehold, 67 W. Main St., Freehold, will host a roast beef dinner that is open to the community from 4-7 p.m. March 4. Full course dinner served family style. Tickets are $18 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-12. Take-out dinners will be available. Tickets will be available at the door or by calling the church office at 732-462-1717.
• The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey invites members of the public to its dinner meeting on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. at La Cashina Ristorante, Marlboro. BYOB. The cost is $35 per person for members and $45 for non-members. Cash is preferred, no credit cards. To reserve seating, call Anthony Grassi at 917-743-3311 or Richard Favara at 732-861-9465.
• On Feb. 11, Knights of Columbus Council 1672 will open its Council Hall at 70 E. Main St., Freehold Borough, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the 11th annual Kids Day event. Home Depot associates will be on hand with a children’s building project and there will be fun activities, including a magic show featuring “The Amazing Randy” at 12:30 p.m. Admission is free. Food and beverages will be available. Details: Mike Argen, 732-673-8224.
• Center Players will hold open auditions for its “Signature Series” presentation of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Nile” from 7-10 p.m. Feb. 12 and 7-10 p.m. Feb. 13 at Center Playhouse, Freehold. Performance dates are April 21 through May 21 (15 performances). Needed are eight males (20’s to 60’s) and five females (20’s to 60’s). Bring a headshot and resume. Non-union, no pay. Details: Zach Berman, 732-216-3374.
• Is There Morality Only When There Are Witnesses? a talk by Rabbi Brooks Susman will be presented at 2 p.m. March 19 at the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, 310 Mount’s Corner Drive, Freehold Township. Admission: $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members. Reservations (non-refundable) are recommended. Details: 732-252-6990.
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education will hold a regular action meeting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at 54 Main St., Englishtown. The meeting is open to the public.
• Freehold Community Garden will host a ‘Planning Your Garden” workshop on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. Rutgers Master Gardeners will be available to make suggestions about what to plant when and where in a garden plot. Bring a pencil to draw a plan. On March 9 at 7 p.m., Master Gardener Patrice McCoy will present “Pollinators are Not Just Bees.” Both programs will be held at the Monmouth County Agriculture Building, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold Township. The programs are free. Register at Freeholdcommunitygarden@gmail.com
• The Essential Tremor Support Group meets from 7-9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month (March 2) at the Jack Aaronson Conference Center at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Details: 732-462-8304, after 10 a.m.
• The Monmouth County Audubon Society will host a bird walk on Sandy Hook in northern Monmouth County on Feb. 11. The trip will be led by accomplished birders who are familiar with Sandy Hook and its birds. All are welcome; no cost to participate. Meet at 10 a.m. in parking lot near the Visitor Center (which is closed). Dress appropriately for cold temperatures and windy conditions. Details: http://www.monmouthaudubon.org
• 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.
• Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth County, Marlboro, will host a free PJ Library Character Breakfast and Pajama Party for children of all ages on Feb. 26 from 10-11:15 a.m. This program is free and open to the public. The children will play games with the Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Lego Batman and more. Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas. RSVP required to Linda@schechtergmc.com or 732-431-5525.
• The Adelphia Fire Company of Howell will hold a Valentine’s Day rose fundraiser sale from noon to 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at the firehouse, 925 Adelphia Road (Route 524), Howell.
• Emile De Vito of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation will present “Restoring Ecological Relationships Within New Jersey’s Forested Ecosystems” at the Monmouth County Audubon Society meeting at 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Knights of Columbus hall, 200 Fair Haven Road, Fair Haven. The public is welcome; admission is free. Details: http://www.monmouthaudubon.org
• 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 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 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.
