AROUND CRANBURY by Lorraine Sedor: First Friday and a potluck dinner

Fall brings out Cranbury traditions

By: Lorraine Sedor
   The Gourgaud Gallery’s First Friday Reception will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight. The exhibit is entitled "Diversity," featuring mixed media from Ruth Bruh and Stefanie Mandelbaum, and will run through Nov.26.
   The Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society’s fall potluck supper is tonight at in the Fellowship Hall of the 1st Presbyterian Church. The evening’s speaker will be Mark Else, who will discuss restoration of historical properties.
   Please bring a salad, main dish or dessert that will serve eight to 10 people, andyour own place setting. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 8 p.m.

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   The 1st Presbyterian Church of Cranbury’s Board of Deacons announces the annual holiday food basket drive to benefit those less fortunate.
   Among the items needed are frozen turkeys, canned vegetables, fruits, soups, cranberry sauce, cereal, pasta, sauce, crackers, rice, boxed potatoes, stuffing, cookies, pancake and muffin mixes, syrup and jam.
   Leave donations in the collection boxes just inside the door of Fellowship Hall. Questions may be directed to Chris Welch, 395-1011, Deanna Anderson, 395-6769 or Ann Riemann, 799-8526.

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   The Cranbury Municipal Alliance on Drug Abuse and Alcoholism, together with the Senior Fellowship of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Cranbury will host "Prescription Drugs, Alcohol, and Older Adults," on Thursday, Nov. 16 from noon to 2 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Jennifer Smith from The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Middlesex County, Inc., will be the guest speaker.
   NCADD reports that almost one in five older adults misuses alcohol and prescription drugs. Older adults often take up to ten prescriptions at a time, making the misuse of alcohol and medications a potentially confusing and toxic mix.
   This program is free and open to the public.

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   Tomorrow, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Human Services Board will sponsor a medical equipment drive in the First Presbyterian Church parking lot. This is a great opportunity to donate used medical equipment.
   The items to be collected are manual wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, shower chairs, commodes, tray tables, grab bars and other small pieces of equipment.
   Collected items will be donated to Your ReSource, a non-profit human service and environmental organization in Ewing. YR’s Community Access to Rehabilitation Equipment program refurbishes and makes this equipment available to anyone, especially those with limited resources.
   If you miss the drop-off time this week, please leave items on your doorstep for the Boy Scouts to pick up on Saturday, Nov. 11.
   If anyone has any questions, call Anne Gordon at 409-7885.

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   The Cranbury Public Library is offering beginner classes in word processing. The first class will cover the basics of using MS Office and creating a new docuMent, and the second class will cover editing and formatting.
   The classes are offered on Wednesday Nov. 8 and 15 at 4 p.m. in the library media room. Attendees should be familiar with computer basics and using a mouse.
   Call the library at (609) 655-0555 to register.

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   Congratulations to Beth Anne Kafasis, who was honored as Library Employee of the Year at the Libraries of Middlesex Awards banquet.
   Many friends, family and co-workers attended the dinner, including representatives from the Library Board of Trustees, the Friends of the Library and staff members. Also in attendance were Beth Anne’s husband, Nick; her son, Steve and his family; Beth Anne’s mother, Shirley and sister Linda, who came all the way from Buffalo and Cleveland respecTively.
   Beth Anne received a plaque that will be on permanent display in the library. A duplicate will be made for her to have. She also received proclamations from the State legislature.
   Beth Anne acknowledged her colleagues who make it a pleasure to come to work and recalled the librarian in her first library in Buffalo, N.Y., who made her feel welcome and set an example for treating library users and providing library service.
   All of us who have had the pleasure of working with Beth Anne know that she’s not only employee of this year, but every year. Here’s to a job well done!

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   On Saturday, Nov. 18 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., author Susan Danoff will hold a benefit book signing and talk on reaching children through stories at the Princeton Ballet School, Main Street.
   Ms. Danoff has recently published "The Golden Thread: Storytelling in Teaching and Learning," which explains the value of storytelling as a way for parents, teachers and therapists to reach children.
   Ms. Danoff heads Storytelling Arts, a non-profit organization that serves special-needs groups through story.
   Anyone interested in attending may contact Daniel Goldberg at [email protected] or Marjorie Gutman at [email protected].

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   Special thanks go out to the spinach farmers of Cranbury, who reminded residents of just how good fresh spinach is.
   Robert Barnes, Harvey Davison and Don Patterson donated a truckload of spinach to Cranbury residents on Wednesday in the school parking lot.
   Thanks to Angie Cook for coOrdinating, and especially to our farmers for hanging on through a very rough patch this growing season.
Residents can reach Ms. Sedor by phone at (609) 655-3386, by e-mail at [email protected], and by mail at 32 Evans Dr., Cranbury, NJ, 08512.