This Week

Thursday



   Book club: Join fellow book lovers for a discussion of James Baldwin’s "Go Tell It To The Mountain," at 7 p.m. at the Lawrence Library Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System.
   The library is located at 2751 Brunswick Pike.
   The protagonist, John Grimes, wants to be a man standing on his own; at the same time, he wants his father, Gabriel, to love him. He feels oppressed by his father and by his circumstances as a black youth in New York during the Great Depression.
   To register for this free program, stop by the circulation desk, call (609) 882-9246, or e-mail [email protected]. Seating is limited to 30.
   Breast cancer awareness awards: The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Central & South Jersey Affiliate, based in Lawrence, will hold the annual Spirit of Jane Rodney Award and reception, including an auction and entertainment, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Drumthwacket in Princeton Township.
   Proceeds from the event will fund free mammograms for uninsured and underserved women in the community.
   Tourette’s support group: Tourette’s Syndrome Association of New Jersey offers a support group for Mercer County. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in classroom 3 at the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital Hamilton Center for Health and Wellness, 3100 Quakerbridge Road.
   For more information, go to the TSANJ Web site at www.tsanj.org.
Friday



   Widows and widowers meeting: The Mercer County chapter of Widows and Widowers will hold its monthly dance social at 7:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 1451 Klockner Road, Hamilton.
   For more information, call Marilyn at (609) 587-8959 or Regina at (609) 585-3453.
Saturday





   Renaissance Faire: The eighth annual Renaissance Faire Festival weekend will be held at Mercer County Park in West Windsor today, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
   Sponsored by the West Windsor Lions Club, the cost is $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under 5.
Sunday



   Main Street ‘Jubilee’: Lawrenceville Main Street’s 10th Anniversary Jubilee kicks off at noon and offers family-friendly activities.
   The free event includes musical performances starting at 1:45 p.m., an outdoor food court, games, and a pie-eating contest at 4 p.m.
   Jubilee will be held in the historic village of Lawrenceville, on Gordon, James and Phillips avenues.
   For more information about Jubilee, go to Lawrenceville Main Street’s Web site at www.LawrencevileMainStreet.com.
   Lawrenceville Main Street is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit civic improvement organization.
   Introduction to Islam: The Islamic Circle of Mercer County invites the public to an open forum to help foster a better understanding between the area’s Muslim and non-Muslim comminutes.
   The program will be held at the center, 336 Lawrence Station Road and will start at 2 p.m.
   The free event includes a discussion on the prophet Muhammad and the prophet’s role in Islam and in the daily lives of millions of Muslims.
   Participants are encouraged to dress modestly and not wear revealing clothing or shorts.
   For more information, call the Islamic Circle of Mercer County at (609) 586-3165.
   Health screenings: The Lawrence Township First Aid and Rescue Squad, in honor of national EMS Week, May 14-20, will offer free blood pressure screenings from 1 to 4 p.m.
   The squad is located 165 Pilla Ave., behind the Lawrence Road Fire Company.
   Also, the squad’s ambulances will be on display as well as an exhibit on the squad’s history.
   Light refreshments will be available. For more information, call (609) 883-6299.
   Canals and railroads: The relationship of two historic means of transportation — canals and railroads — will be the topic at the annual meeting of the Delaware & Raritan Canal Watch. Bill McKelvey, one of the premier authorities on canals and railroads in New Jersey, will give an illustrated talk on "Rails Along the D&R Canal," 2 p.m. at the Lawrence Township Municipal Building, 2207 Route 206.
   The free talk will cover the historic and modern railroads and trolley lines that crossed and paralleled the canal as well as the bridges that carried them over the canal. This is the second part of his series of talks on the relationship of railroads and the canal, which began at last year’s annual meeting.
   An author of two noteworthy books on canals, including "The Delaware & Raritan Canal: A Pictorial History," Mr. McKelvey has been working nearly 15 years with other enthusiasts to establish a transportation heritage center for New Jersey. A member of the Canal Society of New Jersey since 1970, he has led numerous society tours to Europe and is an expert on historic vessels of the East Coast and inland waterways.
   For more information call (609) 924-2683.
   Yoga inspiration: Join the YWCA Princeton for a morning of gentle yoga and fresh air from 9 a.m. to noon, on the athletic field of the YWCA Princeton, 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton Borough. Participants may relax, renew and strengthen their bodies while enjoying yoga, entertainment, refreshments and a mini wellness expo. Many local businesses and organizations are supporting this event, including FastSigns of Lawrenceville.
   The cost is $25 for adults, and $10 for children age 15 and under. All proceeds benefit the information, support and community outreach services provided by the YWCA’s Breast Cancer Resource Center. To register, call (609) 497-2100, ext. 349.
Monday



   Underage drinking forum: The Lawrence Alcohol and Drug Alliance will host a town hall meeting on underage drinking at 7 p.m. in the Lawrence Middle School auditorium.
   This meeting is one of hundreds of similar meetings being held nationwide as part of a national campaign urging parents to speak to their children about drinking.
   New data shows that approximately 29 percent of youths ages 12 to 20 have used alcohol illegally. By the time they have reached eighth grade, 41 percent of adolescents have had at least one drink, and almost 20 percent report having been drunk.
   A discussion with panel members from the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Addiction, MADD, DARE and school officials will present facts and information on how parents can open a dialog with their children regarding this epidemic.
   There will also be a question and answer session for audience members to ask and discuss strategies on how to deal with underage drinking.
   Free babysitting is available. Refreshments will be served and all attendees can enter drawings to win "family-fun packs."
   For more information, call Michele Hlewicki, LADA coordinator at (609) 777-9650.