COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Week of April 28

‘Petz Gone Wild’
   Sunday, May 1 — “Petz Gone Wild,” a free event sponsored by the Allentown Business Community Association, will be held from noon to 4 p.m. behind 28 S. Main St and in Heritage Park.
   Lots of free give-aways, agility demos, luring demos, pet parade (registration at noon).
   For more information, contact Sabrina of the ABCA at 609-223-2290 or visit PetzGoneWild.net.
Elks fish fry
   Friday, May 6 — The New Egypt Elks will hold a fish fry from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Elks lodge, 105 Lakewood Road, New Egypt.
   Three-piece fish dinner, $10; two-piece fish dinner, $9; three-piece chicken dinner, $9; two-piece chicken dinner, $8; all children’s dinners, $5. All dinners include all-you-can-eat salad, coleslaw, rolls, dessert and beverages. Takeout available.
   For more information, call 609-304-8469.
Garden club meeting
   Thursday, May 12 — The topic will be “house plants” when the Allentown Garden Club meets at 7 p.m. at the Allentown Methodist Church on Church Street (next to LaPiazza).
   Presenter Leslie Dempsey will be the guide through the general principles and practices of the indoor garden. Attendees may bring in house plants so that problems can be identified and addressed. All are welcome to attend.
   For further details, visit www.AllentownGardenClub.org or call presidents John and Susan Brandauer at 259-7640.
Kayak and canoe race
   Saturday, May 14 — The Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed Association is sponsoring the third annual Kenneth H. Francis Kayak and Canoe Race and Tour on the Crosswicks Creek at 9 a.m. The start of both events is at Oakford Lake in New Egypt.
   Experienced and non-competitive paddlers are urged to participate. The race course covers a 9.1-mile, downstream, Class-I section of the Crosswicks Creek. Varied widths, depths, twists and turns make this a challenging event. Touring paddlers will be guided upstream from the lake and back on a wide and slow-moving section of the creek (great for kids and first-timers). Life vests are required for both events.
   Registration is $40 for the race and $30 for the tour. Discounts are available for groups, youths and seniors. Boat rentals are available for $25 (includes life vest and paddles). All participants receive a long-sleeve T-shirt and post-event refreshments. Shuttle will be provided for racers back to the start.
   All proceeds will benefit the Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed Association (a 501(c)(3) organization) and the Kenneth H. Francis Environmental Scholarship Fund.
   For more information and online registration, visit www.ccdcgreenway.org or call Marc Covitz at 609-752-1832 or Bill Lewis at 609-775-7134.
New Egypt Day
   Saturday, May 14 — New Egypt Day, sponsored by Main Street New Egypt and Plumsted Township, will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
   Festivities will be split between Oakford Lake Park and the Presbyterian Church grounds on Front Street. A scenic pedestrian bridge over the lake links the two sites.
   There will be face painting, pony rides, inflatable rides and a giant swing. There also will be paddle boat rides available that day, along with food, music and lots of vendors.
   For more information or to request a vendor application, contact Peter Ylvisaker at Main Street New Egypt at 609-758-7539, ext. 132, or by e-mail at [email protected].
Senior Center open house
   Saturday, May 14 — The Robbinsville Senior Center’s fifth annual open house will be held from 1 to 4 p.m.
   The day will include: tours, refreshments, food, music, bocce and give-a-ways. Bring a friend or neighbor and experience what the Senior Center has to offer.
   The Senior Center is located at 1117 Route 130 (at the Municipal Complex next to the Robbinsville Branch of the Mercer County Library). For more information, call 609-259-1567.
Brothers in Harmony spring show
   Saturday, May 14 — Brothers in Harmony, the Hamilton Square Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, will present its annual spring show, “Musical Masterpiece XVII,” at 7:30 p.m. at the Robbinsville High School, 155 Robbinsville-Edinburg Road.
   The chorus also will feature the 2010 International silver medalist quartet Old School.
   Tickets are $20 ($15 for seniors and $10 for students). Call 732-940-0224 or e-mail [email protected]. Visit the website www.brothersinharmony.org for credit card orders. There is a $5 discount for all tickets purchased before April 16.
Continuing events
   College scholarships — The Robbinsville-Hamilton Sunrise Rotary Foundation is accepting applications for various college scholarships for high school seniors who are residents of Robbinsville and Hamilton townships. The deadline is May 1.
   Students are asked to contact their guidance offices or visit www.hwrotary.org/application for applications and other information.
   Flamingo fashion-ation — The Allentown Public Library is kicking off a flamingo-decorating contest. Adopt one of the library’s used flamingos for $35 and give it a makeover. Paint it, dress it, decorate it … have fun and use your imagination.
   Then enter your newly fabulous flamingo by June 23 for a best makeover contest. Your flamingo will be on display for public voting at the Freedom Fest State Fair on July 15, 16 and 17.
   Details are available at the Allentown Public Library, 16 S. Main St., Allentown.
   Benefit 5K run — Registration continues 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.
   Wanted: used books — The Friends of the Plumsted Township Library will be collecting used books for its book sale in November. Fiction, nonfiction, large print, children’s, CDs, DVDs, audio books and jigsaw puzzles.
   Do not donate soiled, mildewed items. No videotapes, Readers Digest Condensed books, magazines or encyclopedias.
   Drop off books behind the Plumsted Township Library on Evergreen Road the first Saturday of each month: May 7, June 4, Aug. 6, Sept. 3 and Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Do not leave items if no one is present.
   For more information, call 609-758-0009 or 732-580-5600or e-mail [email protected].
   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 May meetings are May 10 and May 24.
   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 May meetings are May 2 and May 16.
   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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