The South Brunswick Parent Academy workshop, The Social Media Symposium 4.0, will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 14 at Crossroads Middle School North, 635 Georges Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.
The workshop addresses children’s use of social media and technology, and how to keep them safe in the cyber world.
Complimentary breakfast and registration begins at 8:30 am.
Childcare will not be provided.
Register at bit.ly/SBPAreg
The South Brunswick Township Municipal Building, 540 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick, will serve as a collection site for Toys For Tots Donations.
To donate online via Amazon, visit www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1QCWAZAZFLLU3
The Township of North Brunswick has created an opportunity for ice skating across the street from the Municipal Building, 710 Hermann Road.
The ice skating rink will be open through March 1. Hours of operation will be weekdays from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1:30-8:30 p.m.
Skates may be rented for $3 if sizes are available. Call the Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services at 732-247-0922, ext. 475 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to ensure there are no changes in operational times.
The rink will also be open for birthday parties.
For more information and training videos, visit northbrunswicknj.gov.
The Jamaica Organization of New Jersey (JON-J) will hold its annual Pre-New Year’s Ball from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Dec. 28 at The Imperia, 1714 Easton Ave., Somerset.
Proceeds benefit the organization’s scholarship fund for awards to local high school graduates who are going on to college and for a donation to Hampton School in Jamaica towards infrastructure improvements.
Tickets are $110. Cash bar.
For tickets, visit brownpapertickets.com.
A Wreaths Across America ceremony will be held from 12-1:30 p.m. on Dec. 14 at Elmwood Cemetery, 425 Georges Road, North Brunswick.
Wreaths will be laid on the graves of all 650 veterans buried at Elmwood.
Fundraising partners are Boy Scout Troop 18, American Legion Post 459 and the North Brunswick Domestic Violence Response Team.
For every wreath donated at https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/162779/Overview/?relatedId=158874, Wreaths Across America will donate back $5 to Elmwood.
For more information, email Eleanor Molloy at emolloy@theelmwoodcemetery.com.
North Brunswick Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 will offer its first Santa Claus fundraiser.
Members of the fire company will arrive with Santa on a fire engine. Santa can deliver a special gift, provided by parents in advance.
Donations by cash or check only; minimum of $25 is requested. Proceeds benefit the firehouse. Make checks payable to North Brunswick Fire Company 1.
All presents must be delivered to the firehouse, located at 600 Cranbury Cross Road, North Brunswick, before the day/night of the reservation. Presents must be wrapped with the child’s name and address clearly displayed on each gift.
Santa will make his visits on Dec. 11, 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22. All dates and times are subject to change given any emergency calls firefighters must respond to.
Open to North Brunswick Fire Company 1 area residents only.
For a detailed itinerary of neighborhoods, visit www.northbrunswicknj.gov.
North Brunswick PBA Local 160 is holding its fourth annual toy drive.
Through Dec. 20, drop off new, unwrapped toys for local families in need to police headquarters, 710 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
For more information, contact Sgt. Ryan Uzunis at ruzuni@northbrunswicknj.gov.
North Brunswick Volunteer Fire Co. No. 3 will hold Breakfast with Santa from 8-11:30 a.m. on Dec. 15 at the firehouse, 1470 Cozens Lane, North Brunswick.
Full breakfast buffet.
Bring a camera. Every child will receive a gift from Santa.
The cost is $15 for adults, $5 for children under 10, and free for children under 2.
For more information, visit www.nbvfd3.net or Facebook.com/nbvfd3.
The South Brunswick Senior Center will hold a food drive during December at the center, 540 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.
Needed items include coffee, canned tomatoes, boxed milk, canned fruit, canned meat, prepared noodles, rice mix, macaroni and cheese, whole wheat pasta, peanut butter and jelly, hearty soups, canned tomatoes, canned vegetables, juice boxes, pancake mix and syrup, oatmeal, cereal and toiletries.
For more information, call 732-329-4000, ext. 7670.
Mobile Family Success Center of Middlesex County will hold a holiday party from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Dec. 18 at Parsons Elementary School, 899 Hollywood St., North Brunswick.
There will be a visit by Santa, music, presents and refreshments.
The North Brunswick Police Department will tow Santa on his sleigh to the event.
Invitation only due to limited space; register by calling 732-646-4055.
North Brunswick Humane Association President Vincent Sheehan will discuss the complexities of pet nutrition from 2-3 p.m. on Dec. 21 at the North Brunswick Library, 880 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
Topics will include what you should feed your pet, what ingredients go into pet treats, and the growing problem of pet obesity.
No registration is necessary. Human snacks will be served.
A Community Blood Drive has been scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 21 at the South Brunswick Community Center, 124 New Road, South Brunswick.
The North Brunswick Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services will hold its annual menorah lighting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 23 at the municipal building, 710 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
Bring a donation of food items or gift cards to local food stores for the North Brunswick Food Bank.
For more information, call 732-247-0922, ext. 475.
“Jazz & Django” will include traditional, swing, blue, new and gypsy jazz by Frank Ruck on guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals; Ellen Ruck on guitar and vocals; and Ian Young on bass and trombone.
South Brunswick has scheduled the following blood drives:
Dec. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Community Center, Woodlot Park, New Road
Dec. 30 from 1-7 p.m. at the library, 110 Kingston Lane
For more information, visit southbrunswicknj.gov
Any mothers with children up to age five are invited to join MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, who meet from 9-11:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the month from October through June at the North Brunswick Library, 880 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
Childcare will be provided.
For more information, visit www.meetup.com/middlesex-county/mops
The MOMS Club of North Brunswick is a group of stay-at-home or part-time working mothers of children of all ages who are interested in support, cultivating friendships and fun for the children.
For more information, visit momsclubofnorthbrunswick.blogspot.com.
Central Jersey SCORE, a non-profit resource partner of the Small Business Administration, is seeking volunteers to assist people looking to start a business or grow an existing small business.
The organization is recruiting retired or current business owners and executives who want to share their experience and knowledge with today’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs. The Central Jersey Chapter of SCORE serves Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties.
Central Jersey SCORE provides in-person mentoring at a wide variety of locations and also presents seminars at local venues. In addition, the SCORE website offers tools and templates on a wide variety of topics related to organizing and managing a business and numerous online courses and webinars to assist small business owners through every aspect of business development. Services are offered free of charge.
For more information, visit www.centraljersey.score.org.
T A Sprinkler, Inc. will hold its annual Winter Wonderlights Spectacular from Nov. 30 to Jan. 5, 2020, at the Middlesex County Fairgrounds, 655 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.
There will be Christmas lights, food, hot chocolate and photo opps with Santa.
The United States Census Bureau is seeking applicants for jobs for the 2020 Census.
For information on how to apply, visit 2020census.gov/jobs or call 1-855-JOB-2020.
The 10th annual Hugs for Brady Foundation Winter Gala will be themed “Oh What a Night!,” featuring entertainment from the stars of Broadway’s “Jersey Boys,” on Jan. 25 at The Palace at Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Ave., Somerset.
The gala honors individuals who have made significant contributions to help those affected by childhood cancer. This year’s honorees are The 2020 Gala Committee as the Ellen Gambatese Pediatric Cancer Volunteer of the Year; Roy G. Svenson as the Brady Buggy Wagon Volunteer of the Year; Steven K. Libutti, director of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, as the Dr. Randy Siegel Pediatric Cancer Medical Humanitarian of the Year; and Kevin Cummings, chairman and CEO of Investors Bank, as the Hugs for Brady Founation Pediatric Cancer Humanitarian of the Year.
Sherrie and Michael Wells of South Brunswick started the Hugs for Brady Foundation in 2009, shortly after their 13-month-old son, Brady Michael, was diagnosed with non-differentiated acute leukemia. In 2010, Brady passed away at 23 months old, after he had battled the disease for 10 months.
For more information, tickets, sponsorship information, to donate or to take part in the silent auction, visit www.hugsforbrady.org.
