• Modell’s Sporting Goods will celebrate Community Weekend, March 6-8. Shoppers will receive 10 percent off their total purchase and in addition Modell’s will donate 10 percent of the purchase to local youth sports programs from the community. Visit Modell’s locally at 7 Route 9 south, Manalapan. Details: 800-ASK-Modells.
• A blood drive will be conducted by the Central Jersey Blood Center at the Eisenhower Middle School, 279 Burlington Road, Freehold Township, from 3-9 p.m. March 3. Donors must present a signature ID and must be healthy, at least 16 years old and weigh at least 120 pounds. Call 732- 303-5069 or 732-845-9648 for appointments.
• A “Healthy Food, Happy Kids” tasting workshop for parents, presented by CentraState Healthcare, will be held from 7:30-8:30 p.m. March 3 at the Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center, Freehold Township. Participants will learn how to make healthier eating a happy experience for themselves and their kids, Cost is $8 per person or $12 per couple. To register, call 732-308-0570.
• The Alzheimer’s Association will offer the following caregiver support groups. For details, contact 800-883-1180 or visit www.alznj.org. March 3, 6 p.m., Brandywine Assisted Living at Howell, 100 Meridian Place, Howell; March 9, 6:30 p.m., Brandywine Senior Living, 3 Meridian Circle, Colts Neck; March 16, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 91 W. Main St., Freehold; March 18, 11 a.m., Sunrise of Marlboro, 3A S. Main St. (Route 79), Marlboro; March 23, noon, Colts Neck Reformed Church, 72 Route 537, Colts Neck.
• CentraState Medical Center Thrift Shop in the Rug Mill Plaza shopping center, 20 Jackson St., Freehold, is conducting a “50 percent off everything” sale through March 4. In addition, a bag of books may be purchased for $5 and VHS tapes are 75 cents each. A bag sale will be conducted March 5-6 ($8 for a bag of clothing, housewares, etc.) and March 8 ($5 per bag). The thrift shop is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Donations are accepted until 1 p.m. Call 732 462-3437 for details.
• A Zumba launch party will be held at Step By Step Dance Studio, 490 Route 33 west, Millstone Township, March 4 at 7 p.m. Those who attend the free demo will receive a discount for classes and free Zumba gifts for signing up at party. Classes are $12 each or six for $60. Details: 917- 626-3486.
• A fibromyalgia support group will meet at 11 a.m. March 4 at CentraState Wellness Center, 901 W. Main St., Freehold Township. Details: 732-462-6656.
• “Understanding Today’s Retirement Living Options” will be presented by Applewood Estates, CentraState’s active continuing care retirement community, on March 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Applewood Estates, 1 Applewood Drive, Freehold Township. The free informational seminar is for adult children of active senior parents. There is no fee to attend the seminar, but registration is required. Light refreshments will be served. Details and registration: 732- 303-7416.
• A roast beef dinner will be offered from 4-7 p.m. March 6 at the Reformed Church of Freehold, 67 W. Main St., Freehold. Tickets for the full-course dinner served family style are $15 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-12. Take-out dinners will be available. Call 732-462-1717 for advance tickets or pay at the door. Proceeds will help the church finance local church/charity programs and worldwide programs.
• A Purim costume party will be held at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth County, 22 School Road East, Marlboro, from 5-7 p.m. March 7. The dance, which is open to students in grades four through seven, will include musical entertainment and prizes for the best costumes. The cost of admission is $5, plus a kosher for Passover food item that will be donated to a food bank. A light dinner and snacks will be served. RSVP by calling 732- 431-5525.
• Manalapan Summer Recreation will host an open house at 7 p.m. March 8 in the courtroom at the municipal building, Route 522, Manalapan. Details: 732-446-8355 or www.mtnj.org.
• Manalapan Recreation will host a Nomad Lacrosse open house at 7 p.m. March 8 in the Manalapan High School “rubber” gymnasium. The school is on Church Lane. Details: 732-446-8355 or www.mtnj.org.
• A community fun night, “SAVE Green With Single Stream,” will be presented by Manalapan High School’s Students Against Violating the Environment (SAVE) from 7-10 p.m. March 8 at Manalapan High School, Church Lane. The event will feature music, light refreshments, games with prizes, table demonstrations and educational presentations. Topics to be covered include single-stream recycling in Manalapan, saving energy and money in the home, and saving energy and money in the car. For details, visit www.frhsd.com or contact [email protected] or 732-792- 7200, ext. 5219.
• Marlboro K-8 Board of Education will meet at 8 p.m. at 1980 Township Drive, Marlboro, on the following dates: March 9 (special meeting, tentative adoption of the 2010-11 school year budget), March 16 (regular meeting).
• A gift auction hosted by the Temple Shaari Emeth Early Learning Center, Manalapan, will be held March 11 at the American Hotel in Freehold. Admission is $40 per person and includes dinner and dancing. Attendees and donors are being sought. Details: 732-462-3264.
• A spaghetti dinner will be offered by Boy Scout Troop 180 March 13 at the building behind the Old Tennent Church, Tennent Road, Manalapan. Seatings will be available at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors. $5 children ages 4-10. A family package of 5 tickets for $30 is available. Children under 3 are free. Details and tickets: 732-364-7672.
• “The Jewish History of New Jersey” will be discussed by Rabbi Dr. Robert Feirstein, who is on the faculty of Richard Stockton College, on March 14 at 10:30 a.m., at Freehold Jewish Center, 59 Broad St., Freehold. Donation: $5, includes lecture and refreshments. RSVP to 732-462-0254 or email [email protected].
• A blood drive will be conducted by the Central Jersey Blood Center at the Conover Elementary School, Conover Road, Colts Neck, from 4-8 p.m. March 15. Donors must present a signature ID and must be healthy, at least 16 years old and weigh at least 120 pounds. Call 732-303-5069 or 732-845-9648 for appointments.
• Embroiderers’ Guild of America, Monmouth Chapter (day group) will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 18 at St. Mary’s Parish Hall, Route 34 and Phalanx Road, Colts Neck. Stitchers of all types of needlework and at all levels are welcome. Details: 732-679-6739.
• Creation Study Group NJBible- Science.org will meet at 7:30 p.m. March 19 at Sayre Woods Bible Church, 2290 Route 9, Old Bridge. Dr. Gerald Lenner will speak on “Fossils — the Hard Evidence.” Does the fossil record really show a history of evolution? Details: 732-679-5989.
• The American Association of University Women Freehold chapter is accepting book donations for its annual book sale. The proceeds of the book sale support scholarships for women who are returning to college and senior girls from the Freehold Regional High School District. Call 732- 431-2297 for drop-off instructions.
• “Veggie Kids,” a Junior Chef Cooking Club class for children 8 to 12 years of age, will be offered from 10:30-11:30 a.m. March 20 at CentraState’s Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center, 901 W. Main St., Freehold. Participants will have hands-on fun preparing and sampling vegetarian dishes, and will then take home the recipes to try in their own kitchen. The cost to attend is $12 per child and $10 per each additional sibling. Space is limited. Details and registration: 732-308-0570.
• A blood drive will be conducted by the Central Jersey Blood Center at Hope Lutheran Church, 211 Elton-Adelphia Road, Freehold Township, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 21. Donors must present a signature ID and must be healthy, at least 16 years old and weigh at least 120 pounds. Call 732-303-5069 or 732-845-9648 for appointments.
Items for the News Transcript Datebook may be sent via fax to 732-780-4192 or they may be submitted via email to arosen@gmnews. com. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.