• The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Freehold Township municipal building, Stillwells Corner Road, from 2-7 p.m. May 9. Donors of all blood types are needed. Make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
• Freehold Township Early Childhood Learning Center vendor fair sponsored by “Our Place to Play” will be held from 6-9 p.m. May 3 at the Barkalow Middle School, 498 Stillwells Corner Road, Freehold Township. All proceeds will benefit “Our Place to Play,” a district-based organization raising money to build accessible playgrounds for children of all abilities, and Autism NJ. Vendors include jewelry, health and wellness, makeup and skincare, local crafters, food items, clothing, candles, photography and more. Food trucks will be on-site. All are welcome to attend.
• A summer camp fair will be held at the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, 470 East Freehold Road, Freehold Township, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 19. Visitors will be entered into a raffle to win a free week of camp and membership fee will be waived for enrollments at the fair. Games, snacks, giveaways, meet the staff, tours. Details: Jodi Pelano, 732-462-0464.
• The National Council of Jewish Women, Central Jersey section, will hold its annual luncheon and fashion show from noon to 4 p.m. May 23 at the Radisson, 50 Gibson Place, Freehold Township. A hot luncheon will be served and then guests will be treated to a fashion show from Chico’s of Freehold. Admission is $36 per person. To make reservations, contact Barbara Michaels, 732-308-3431.
• The Rutgers Master Gardeners will hold their Spring Garden Days Plant Sale from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 18 and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 19 at 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold Township. Rain or shine; cash or checks accepted. All welcome to attend. Master Gardeners will provide tips for planting. Free gardening talks will be offered each day. Colorful annuals, hardy perennials, hardy vegetable plants, trees and shrubs will be available. Details: 732-303-7614 or www.visitmonmouth.com
• The Social Community Activities Network (SCAN) will host a Brain Health Fair at the YMCA Community Center, 41 Center St., Freehold Borough, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 4. People of all ages will experience fun and creative interactive activities designed especially to promote brain health. The event is free and open to the public; advance registration is requested. Marilyn Abrahamson, certified brain health educator CentraState Medical Center, will be the keynote speaker. Activities will include interactive brain teaser stations and feature juggling, puzzles, word games, computer games, and more. To register, call 732-542-1326.
• “Using Catholic Sources” will be the topic of the 1:30 p.m. May 20 meeting of the Monmouth County Genealogy Society at the Community Center, 72 Broad St., Eatontown. The meeting is free and open to the public. Kathleen Feighery, director of archives at the Archdiocese of New York, will discuss expanding access to Roman Catholic records in the New York area and elsewhere. Details: 732-747-0090.
• The Freehold Memorial Day Parade Committee in conjunction with the Court Jester and Federici’s Family Restaurant in Freehold Borough will host a fundraiser. From May 14-16, the Court Jester and Federici’s will donate 20 percent of a guest’s pre-tax check to the parade committee. Bring the flier and present it to the server upon check-out. Visit www.freeholdmemorialdayparade.com to download the flier. The flier can be used all day, any or all of the three days, in either or both restaurants.
• Jewish War Veterans of the USA Post 536, serving Marlboro and Manalapan, holds a breakfast meeting on the third Sunday of every month at the Covered Bridge clubhouse at 10:30 a.m. The post will pay a new member’s first year dues. All veterans who served during the Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraqi Freedom and Iraq/Afghanistan wars are welcome. Details: Email Leo Rosenzweig at leoflemkt@aol.com or call 917-848-2146.
• No Stigma Network, a local nonprofit organization serving the needs of young adults living with mental illness, will begin Mental Health Awareness Month with a free program for the community, “Effective Communication for Mental Health and Wellness,” from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 5 at CentraState Healthcare System, Jack Aaronson Conference Center, Room C, 901 W. Main St., Freehold Township. There will be speakers and a panel discussion including survivors of mental illness, caregivers and mental health therapists. All members of the community are invited. Contact NSN to reserve a seat. Email nostigmanetwork@gmail.com or call Linda, 732-939-2092, or Shrabanee, 732-533-7632.
• Disabled American Veterans Chapter 74, Freehold, will meet at 7 p.m. May xx 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.
• The Freehold Borough Human Relations Committee invites the public to participate in a
town-wide beautification contest this spring. Projects may include property repairs, painting, landscaping or cleaning up of a property. Prizes will be awarded (at least 15 entries must be submitted). Individuals, business owners and organizations should submit
“before” and “after” photos of a project, relating to their respective residential or
commercial property. Send entries to Borough Hall, attn. Pat Ruegger, or email entries to pruegger@freeholdboro.org by May 31. Winners to be announced June 4. For an entry form and complete rules, visit www.freeholdboroughnj.gov
• Embroiderers’ Guild of America-Monmouth Chapter is dedicated to teaching and sharing the joys of needlework. Stitchers of all levels are welcome at meetings. There are sit-and-stitch tables at each meeting, as well as special projects. Evening stitchers will meet May 7 from 7-9 p.m. at the Colts Neck Library, 1 Winthrop Drive. Day stitchers will meet May 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Colts Neck Community Church, 25 Merchant Way. There will be day stitch-ins at the Colts Neck Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 21, July 19 and Aug. 16. Details: Toni, 732-462-5540, or www.mcega.org
• The historic Montrose Schoolhouse, 13 Cedar Drive, Colts Neck, will be one of the sites on the Monmouth County Historical Commission’s “Weekend in Old Monmouth” tour. Visitors may tour the school from the early 19th century. The schoolhouse will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 5 and from noon to 5 p.m. May 6. Park on Holland Lane, off Montrose Road. “Weekend in Old Monmouth” will feature 46 historic sites throughout the county. Details: VisitMonmouth.com
• The Heart of New Jersey Chorus will hold its “Friends and Family” performance at 8 p.m. May 9 at the Millstone Township Primary School, 18 Schoolhouse Road, Millstone Township. The members of the chorus are preparing for their annual competition in Albany, N.Y., in May. Refreshments will be served. Details: 732-446-9782.
• On May 21, the Freehold Municipal Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse, a partnership between Freehold Borough and Freehold Township, will hold the 20th anniversary of the Ray Kershaw Memorial Golf Tournament at Battleground Country Club, Manalapan. Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden will be the guest speaker at the awards dinner. The tournament is a major source of funding for the alliance’s programming efforts. Sponsors, golfers and dinner attendees are welcome. Details: Email Antoinette Ceciarelli at at ACeciarelli@twp.freehold.nj.us or call 732-294-5103.
• Center Players Dessert Theater will host an evening with Medium/Intuitive Leslie Lagani at 7:30 p.m. May 10 at Center Playhouse, Freehold. Seating is extremely limited, tickets are $40, and reservations are required. Checks should be made payable to Center Players and mailed to Center Players, 35 South St., Freehold, NJ 07728, Attention: Roberta. Include name, phone number and email address. No walk-ins. Not everyone present will receive a reading during the event. Details: Roberta, 732-757-6590.
• The Monmouth County Board of Elections is seeking poll workers. To qualify, an individual must be a registered voter in Monmouth County and attend a poll worker training class. Individuals will be paid $200 for working a primary election or a general election. Call 732-431-7802, ext. 7150 to register for a training class.
• The American Association of University Women Freehold Branch is accepting book donations for its 2018 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 at the Freehold Savings Bank, 68 W. Main St., Freehold, on Tuesdays between 10 a.m. and noon, or contact Joan at 732-431-2297 for drop-off instructions. Proceeds from the AAUW book sale support scholarships for women returning to college and monetary awards for graduating female seniors from the six schools in the Freehold Regional High School District.
• American Legion Molly Pitcher Post 434, Manalapan, is seeking individuals to join the organization’s regular membership, Sons of the American Legion, Ladies Auxiliary and Legion Riders. Membership is open to residents of any town. The cost of a new member’s first year of membership will be covered by the post. Details: 732-446-9872 (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) or Facebook @al434
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Community Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse has launched its Project Zero website at projectzeromanalapan.com. Project Zero is the alliance’s initiative to reset the narrative in Englishtown and Manalapan regarding substance abuse. The website contains information about where residents can go for assistance.
• The Noontime Optimist Club of Freehold is beginning its 29th year of community service to the area, with the focus on youth (scholarships, spelling bees, essay contests, fishing derbies, holiday gifts, helping out at the local soup kitchen and supporting Camp Quality, a camp for children with cancer). New members are invited to join the club. Details: 732-431-3989 or email cdrprr@aol.com
• The Fresh Air Fund is seeking area residents who would like to host a child this summer through the fund’s Friendly Towns Program. The children participate in activities with their host family during their stay. The Fresh Air Fund has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Children are boys and girls, ages 7 to 18. Details: Karen Medlin, 732-740-0449, or visit www.freshair.org
• The Deep Cut Orchid Society meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at the Monmouth Reform Temple, 332 Hance Ave., Tinton Falls. There is a speaker, refreshments and a discussion of plants on the show table. There is no cost to attend and everyone is welcome.
• 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 news@thenewstranscript.com. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.
