COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Week of March 24

‘Copacabana’ at RHS
   Friday, March 25; Saturday, March 26; and Sunday, March 27 — The Robbinsville High School Raven Players will present the new musical comedy “Copacabana” at the high school, 155 Robbinsville-Edinburg Road.
   Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and senior citizens. For more information, visit www.robbinsville.k12.nj.us or call 609-632-0950.
Chicken salad and bake sale
   Sunday, March 27 — A chicken salad and bake sale will be held at the New Egypt firehouse, Main Street, New Egypt. Pickup time is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $12 a quart and $6 a pint.
   Pre-order sales by March 18. Call Debbie at 738-2241 or Sarah Jo at 758-3260. Proceeds will benefit the New Egypt Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary.
Rotary fundraiser
   Friday, April 1 — The Rotary Club of Robbinsville-Hamilton Sunrise will hold its annual Pasta Fest Family Dinner from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Nottingham Ballroom, 200 Mercer St., Hamilton Square.
   Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children 6-12; tickets are available at the door or by calling 609-737-1503. A Super 50/50 and door prizes are featured.
   The event funds college scholarships for high school seniors who are residents of Robbinsville Township and Hamilton Township. Students are asked to contact their guidance offices for applications and other information.
Stream cleanup
   Saturday, April 2 — Millstone Township will hold its fifth annual townwide stream cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon. The meeting location will be the parking lot behind the court building at 215 Millstone Road near the Rocky Brook Park and United Presbyterian Church.
   Come out and volunteer with your friends and neighbors to improve the environment and support your community while making Millstone Township a cleaner place to live. The cleanup is sponsored by the Millstone Township Environmental Commission and the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association. A free T-shirt and water will be available.
   The event will count toward volunteer hours for students; bring required forms.
   For more information, contact Doug Lischick, vice chairman, Millstone Township Environmental Commission, at 732-446-3553.
Run With Eagles 5K Run
   Saturday April 9 — Boy Scout Troop 180 will sponsor its fifth annual 5K run at 9 a.m. at Byron Johnson Park in Allentown. Pre-Registration is $20 with proceeds to benefit Troop 180. The troop has a very active outdoor program and performs several community service projects annually in Allentown and Upper Freehold Township.
   The event will include live music, refreshments and special fifth anniversary tie-dyed T-shirts guaranteed to all pre-registrants. There also is a one-mile fun run for all ages. All runners will be entered in a free door prize raffle for valuable gift certificates. A BMX bike also will be raffled. Awards will be given to overall male/female winners and various age groups male/female winners from under 13 to 60-plus.
   For more information, e-mail [email protected]. You can sign up by mail with the registration form available at various locations and online at www.RaceForum.com/Eagle.
Gift basket auction
   Saturday, April 9 — The Hope Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary will hold a gift basket auction at the firehouse, 82 Route 526, Allentown. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
   Prizes will range from $1 to more than $300. Admission is $6 and includes one sheet of tickets and dessert.
   For more information, call Norma at 609-758-4984.
Garden club meeting
   Thursday, April 14 — Ellen Silverman, Allentown Garden Club member, artist and Ocean County master gardener, will demonstrate how to construct a rain barrel at the club meeting. She also will provide a list of materials and sources for this very practical water-conserving idea for the home gardener.
   The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Allentown Methodist Church on Church Street (next to LaPiazza). All are invited to attend.
   For more details, go to www.AllentownGardenClub.org, or contact Presidents John and Susan Brandauer at 259-7640.
Horse Rescue United open house
   Sunday, April 17 — Horse Rescue United Inc. will host its first open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 199 E. Colliers Mills Road, New Egypt. The event is free and visitors will have a chance to meet the rescue’s horses.
   HRU will sell merchandise along with snacks and beverages. The event will feature a silent auction, bake sale, and arts and crafts table for children. Jewelry artist Laura Clark Curtis and children’s author Diana Tuorto will be selling their work with a percentage of proceeds going to HRU. Anyone interested in donating items to the silent auction or bake sale should e-mail [email protected].
   Horse Rescue United Inc. is a registered New Jersey not-for-profit and has applied for 501(c)(3) status, but donations are not currently tax-deductible. HRU horses are available to approved homes within the United States for $250 each on 30-day trials with a contract. The horses are kept up-to-date on veterinary, farrier and dentist care and are thoroughly evaluated prior to adoption.
   For more information, visit www.horserescueunited.org, call Ms. Busch at 609-481-8561, or e-mail Diana at [email protected].
Continuing events
   Benefit 5K run — Registration is now open for the fourth annual Hair of the Dog 5K race to be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 22, at Silver Decoy Winery, 610 Windsor-Perrineville Road, on the Robbinsville-East Windsor border. Pre-registration is $25; after May 1, the cost goes up to $30.
   The event is organized by Tri State Weimaraner Rescue and Res-Q-Pets Animal Rescue, and all proceeds will benefit homeless pets.
   Runners/walkers will receive complimentary goody bags (available on a first-come, first-served basis), snacks and water, automatic entry in a raffle and a free Silver Decoy Winery wineglass and free wine taste for those 21 and older. Pre-registrants are guaranteed a long-sleeved T-shirt.
   The race will be followed by a free Pet Expo with vendors and lots of activities, including lure coursing practice, set up by the Performance Canine Association. Beginners are welcome to participate. The cost is $7 per dog per run.
   Donations and sponsors are being sought for all the day’s events. For more information or to register for the run, visit www.hairofthedog5k.com or call 609-213-7132.
   Free tax services for seniors — Free tax return services for senior citizens are available at the Plumsted Branch of the Ocean County Library, 119 Evergreen Road, on Wednesdays through April 13, between 1 and 5 p.m. by appointment only.
   Contact the Plumsted library at 609-758-7888 for more information and to schedule appointments.
   Mid-day Toastmasters Club — The group meets the second and fourth Tuesdays each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Robbinsville Branch of the Mercer County Library System, 42 Allentown-Robbinsville Road. The April meetings are April 12 and 26.
   For more information, call Jim, 732-631-0114, or e-mail [email protected] or visit http://midday.freetoasthost.net/.
   Toastmasters International is the leading nonprofit dedicated to effective oral communication. Members meet to deliver and evaluate prepared and impromptu speeches in an effort to overcome their fear of public speaking, and to improve as speakers and as leaders. Visit www.toastmasters.org.
   Job Seekers Toastmasters — The group meets the first and third Mondays each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Robbinsville Branch of the Mercer County Library System, 42 Allentown-Robbinsville Road. The April meetings are April 4 and 18.
   Group members exchange leads, discuss job-seeking ideas and enhance their communication and leadership skills. For more information, call Jim, 732-631-0114, or e-mail [email protected] or visit http://midday.freetoasthost.net/.
   Good Neighbor Fund — The Allentown Good Neighbor Fund assists area residents with emergency needs such as utility, rent and medical bills.
   To make a donation, mail your check payable to the Good Neighbor Fund to Good Neighbor Fund, c/o Allentown Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 122, Allentown, NJ 08501.
   Plumsted TNR Committee — Join the Plumsted Trap, Neuter and Return Committee every Sunday from 7 to 10 a.m. at the New Egypt Flea Market, 933 Route 536, New Egypt.
   MOMS Club of Upper Freehold/Allentown — This club holds its monthly meetings the first Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Allentown Presbyterian Church, 20 High St.
   The club offers low- or no-cost monthly calendar events for all age groups that include day trips, play groups, clubs, community service projects and MOMS Night Out.
   The public is welcome to come meet the club members and learn about the international, nonprofit organization that offers local, stay-at-home and part-time working moms support and the opportunity to share activities and experiences with other local moms and their children.
   For more information, contact Barbara Nissinger or Jen Domen at [email protected].
   Millstone MOMS — The MOMS Club of Millstone Township holds its monthly meeting at 10 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month. For more information, contact Melanie Sullivan at 732-851-5559 or [email protected], or www.millstone.nj.us/Moms_Club.html.
   Discussing books — The Plumsted branch of the Ocean County Library has a book discussion group that meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Registration can be done in person, by phone at 609-758-7888 or online at www.theoceancountylibrary.org.
   Robbinsville networking — The Robbinsville Business Networking Group meets at 9:30 a.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. The group is intended for entrepreneurs and business owners who have school-age children, and holds family-oriented community events, sponsored by members, at local establishments.
   For more information, visit www.RobbinsvilleBNG.com. Call Deena at 609-945-7330 to be invited to an upcoming meeting.
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