• The pastoral care team at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, is offering two eight-week bereavement support group sessions beginning Sept. 12. Every Tuesday through Oct. 31, support groups will be offered during a day session from 3-4:30 p.m. or an evening session from 7-8:30 p.m. Anyone interested in attending the day or evening series may call 732-294-2744 or email Chaplain Sharon Douglas at Sdouglas@centrastate.com
• The Heart of New Jersey Chorus will perform at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan, from 7-8 p.m. Sept. 11. All are welcome to attend. Details: 732-446-9782.
• The Villagers of Allentown will begin their new year at 10 a.m. Sept. 27 with a salad and ice cream social and silent auction. Guests are welcome to join the Villagers as they celebrate 50 years. The Villagers is a social, civic and charitable organization for women of all ages in the community and surrounding areas. The Villagers meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the first aid building on Waker Avenue Allentown. Details: 609-758-3711.
• The fall sessions of “Dancing by the Peddie Lake with Candace Woodward-Clough,” offering instruction in swing, foxtrot, waltz and Latin dancing, will be held at 112 Etra Road, Hightstown. Classes will begin Sept.7 and Sept. 8 for four weeks. Classes start at 7:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required by calling 732-995-4284 or by sending an email to candaceclough1987@yahoo.com. The cost is $60 per person for the four-week session.
• Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz will be filming episodes of “American Pickers” in New Jersey in September. Individuals who have a large private collection or an accumulation of antiques that Wolfe and Fritz can spend the better part of a day looking through may send their name, telephone number, location and a description of the collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855-OLD-RUST.
• The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey invites members of the public to its dinner meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 at Lemon Restaurant, 3475 Route 9, Freehold Township. The restaurant is BYOB. The guest speaker will be Christopher Kelly, one of the authors of “Italy Invades.” The cost is $35 per person for society 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.
• Stacy Curry will speak about the benefits of straw bale gardening at the Sept. 14 meeting of the Allentown Garden Club. Straw bales are a cost-effective alternative to raised beds. The straw bales serve as a bed and a growing medium. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Allentown Methodist Church, Church Street. All are welcome to attend. Details: AllentownGardenClub.net
• A Harvest Fest will be held at the Baird Homestead, 24 Baird Road, Millstone Township, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 14. There will be face art, a pumpkin patch, arts and crafts, hay rides, a petting zoo and musical entertainment by students from Cornerstone Music Studios. Pumpkin and house tour with $5 admission. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Millstone Historic Registered Properties, the Millstone Township Historic Commission and the Millstone Township Agricultural Council. Details: www.mtfriendsofhistory.org
• Disabled American Veterans Chapter 74, Freehold, will meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at the American Legion, 62 W. Main St. Freehold. Chapter members, DAV members-at-large who are seeking a chapter and veterans with disabilities who are seeking assistance and advice are welcome to attend the meeting. Dinner of pizza and subs is provided.
• Basket and Bag Bingo will be presented by the Cookstown Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 Ladies Auxiliary on Sept. 23 at the New Egypt Elks, 105 Lakewood Road (Route 528), New Egypt. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., Bingo starts at 7 p.m. Tickets: $30 per person. For tickets, call Karen Ivins at 609-668-2030.
• The Ladies of St. Joseph Church, Millstone Township, will sponsor a trip to the World Trade Center, One World Observatory Freedom Tower, New York City, on Oct. 12. Bus leaves at 9:15 a.m. Lunch at Katz’s Deli. Visit to Freedom Tower follows lunch. This is mostly a walking tour. Bus returns to Millstone Township at 6 p.m. Cost: $110 per person. Details: Rosalie Fortunato, 732-490-5302.
• The 16th annual “An Evening in the Vineyards” wine tasting event to benefit the Linda E. Cardinale Multiple Sclerosis Center at CentraState will be held from 7-10 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus, Freehold Towsnhip. More than 70 wines will be featured along with spirits (coordinated by Max’s Beer Wine and Liquor) and food provided by the Metropolitan Café and Great Restaurants catering. The Gordon Stillwell Tasting Room upgrade is a special tasting experience featuring several exclusive Napa Valley wines and food pairings for the most discerning wine enthusiasts. Tickets are $150 per person and sponsorships are available. Details: 732-294-7099.
• The Freehold Regional High School Class of 1962 will host a 55-year reunion on Oct. 14 at the American Hotel, Freehold, from 7 p.m. to midnight. The cost of $62 per person includes hors d’oeuvres, buffet, DJ, valet parking and other special activities. On Oct. 13 from 7-10 p.m., a pizza get together will be held at the Freehold Elks Club. The cost is $10 per person. The weekend’s activities will conclude on Oct. 15 with a brunch beginning at 11 a.m. at the American Hotel. The cost of the brunch is $15 per person. Invitations for all events have been mailed to class members. If you have not received one, contact Don Ollwerther at 732-462-2732 or email ollieplace@optonline.net. Up-to-date reunion information can be found at www.frhs62.com or on Facebook at Freehold Regional High School Class of 1962.
• The Friends of Millstone Township Historic Registered Properties are asking residents to submit their favorite recipes to be included in a community cookbook. The cookbook is a fundraiser for the organization. A recipe submission form may be found at mtfriendsofhistory.org and click on the cookbook tab. Forms may be emailed to millstonefriends@aol.com. Following its publication, the cookbook will be sold for $12.95.
• 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.
Items for the Datebook may be sent to gmntnews@newspapermediagroup.com. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.
