– Bright Horizons Family Solutions, an early-education and preschool facility, located at 635 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, will hold its Fall Open House Sept. 29-Oct. 3.
For more information, log on to www.brighthorizons.com/eastbrunswick.
– Raffle to benefit N.J. children in foster care
Foster and Adoptive Family Services (FAFS), in conjunction with the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, is conducting its annual raffle to contribute to programs that directly benefit New Jersey children in foster care.
Courtesy of the Lenox Corp., the first prize, valued at $3,219, is Lenox dinnerware, flatware and goblets. The second prize, valued at $1,500, includes a 32-inch LCD TV, Dell computer, collectible Lenox plate, autographed baseball, Lexus products basket, laptop backpack case, framed collectible cartoon and gift cards. The third prize, valued at $1,200, is a radio show sit-in, mastering studio tour, acoustic guitar, theater tickets, dinner cooked at home and an overnight hotel stay with breakfast.
Each ticket sells for $5 and is available in books of five.
The winning raffle tickets will be selected at 1 p.m. Sept. 30 in the FAFS office, 4301 Route 1 South, Monmouth Junction.
For ticket purchase instructions, visit fafsonline.org/win_lenox_china.html.
– Seniors to sponsor visit to Finger Lakes
Our Lady of Victories (OLV) Seniors will offer an Oct. 7-9 trip to the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York.
The excursion will feature two nights’ lodging, two breakfasts, two dinners (including a dinner at Belhurst Castle) and tastings at nine wineries. Bus transportation, driver’s gratuity, baggage handling, taxes, meal gratuities and a souvenir gift also are included.
The bus will leave at 7 a.m. Oct. 7 from the OLV lower parking lot, Main Street, Sayreville, and return at approximately 6 p.m. Oct. 9.
Cost is $399. To reserve or for more information, call Teri at 732-727-7639.
– Multiple myeloma 5K scheduled for Sept. 27
The second annual Miracles for Myeloma 5K Run/Walk will take place Sept. 27 at Oak Ridge Park, Clark. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. The run/walk is set for 9:30 a.m.
There will be refreshments, prizes and T-shirts. Register online at http://myeloma.donordrive.com/event/miraclesformyeloma. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow that attacks and destroys bone.
– Tickets available for Elks Tricky Tray
The Jamesburg Elks Lodge No. 2180 Special Needs Children’s Committee, in conjunction with Zinna’s Bistro, will sponsor its benefit Tricky Tray Sept. 29 at Zinna’s, 1275 South River Road, Cranbury. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The event will begin at 7 p.m.
Admission cost is $30 per person and includes a dinner buffet and one sheet of tier-1 tickets. Tickets may be purchased for three prize tier levels: tier 1, 20 tickets for $20; tier 2, three tickets for $5; tier 3, $5 per ticket. Prizes will feature an iPad, a flat-screen television, Trenton Thunder tickets, a lottery tree, spa gift certificates, a bowling certificate, a Crack-A-Smile Photo Booth gift card, and more.
For general information, call Della Fitch at 732-672-4230. For ticket information, call Kathy Martin at 732-521-3922.
– Vendors, crafters welcome at Apple Fest
The Madison Township Historical Society will sponsor its 49th annual Apple Festival noon-4 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Old Bridge Municipal Civic Center, Route 516 and Cottrell Road.
The event, which is designed to celebrate the area’s agricultural and historic heritage, will feature homemade apple pies, vendor booths, handmade crafts, exhibits and refreshments. Posters created by local schoolchildren will be on display; guests are invited to vote for their favorite poster. Admission is free of charge.
A few crafter/vendor spaces are still available. For more information or a vendor application, call Pat at 732-566-5029.
– Spaces available at Community Yard Sale
The Friends of the East Brunswick Public Library is seeking participants for its Community Yard Sale, scheduled for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 11 at East Brunswick High School, Cranbury Road.
Fee for double parking spaces is $20. Additional parking spaces are available for $10 each on a first-come basis. Food vendors are welcome.
Registration forms are available at the library, Jean Walling Civic Center, and online at www.ebpl.org. Questions may be emailed to ebfriends@ebpl.org.
For more information, call 732-390-6767 or log on to www.ebpl.org and click on News and Events.
– Donations sought for church yard sale
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Milltown, will hold its Indoor Yard Sale 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 26 and 27 at the parish school building, 44 Cleveland Ave.
A variety of household items, books and toys will be offered for purchase. Donations of clean, gently used or new items are sought for the sale.
For drop-off information, call Ann Marie at 732-745-4694.
– Interfaith Network plans Oct. 19 gala
The Interfaith Network of Care (INC) Shining Lights Brunch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Pines Manor, 2085 Lincoln Highway, Edison.
The event will celebrate 18 years of INC. Honorees are Junetta Bunce; Helen Burd; St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge; and the Toolan Family Foundation. Highlights at the brunch will include door prizes, basket raffles, a 50/50 and a cash bar.
Tickets cost $50 each and may be purchased online at www.interfaithnetworkofcare.org or by calling 732-247-1655. Deadline for purchase is Oct. 1. Sponsorship opportunities are available.
– County to collect unused medication
Middlesex County, the Sheriff’s Department and Rutgers University will again participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, allowing attendees to dispose of unused medicines 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 27.
This initiative will provide the opportunity to prevent prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted drugs.
Middlesex County residents are urged to clean out their medicine cabinets and bring their medications for disposal to the sites available in their municipality. A link to locate collection sites is now posted on the Drug Enforcement Administration website at www.dea.gov.
The service is free and anonymous — no questions asked.
The Coalition for Healthy Communities, an initiative of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Middlesex County Inc., is the lead organization assisting in the implementation of this event.
Statewide, the take-back is sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Jersey Division, Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey, Office of the New Jersey Attorney General, Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, New Jersey Prevention Network and New Jersey Chiefs of Police Association.
Prescriptions collected during this time will be taken to a central location to be incinerated. Anyone seeking additional information or volunteer opportunities for the take-back in Middlesex County should contact Linda Surks at 732-254-3344.
– Men’s club sets fish fry at South River church
Sts. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church Men’s Club will hold a fish fry dinner 5-7 p.m. Oct. 3 at the school hall, 9 Jeffrie Ave., South River.
The donation is $12 per person. The event is BYOB.
For tickets, call Paul at 732-254-6991 or see any men’s club member.
– Nature hike next up at Cheesequake Park
A guided nature hike is set for 1 p.m. Sept. 27 at Cheesequake Park, Old Bridge.
Participants should meet at the Nature Center. The event is open to individuals ages 7 and up.
For more information, call 732-566-3208.
– Workshops offered for children with autism
VSA New Jersey has announced fall program offerings for children with autism ages 3-21 and their family members.
The Parent/Child Workshops in the Arts for Children with Autism offers weekly workshops in the visual and performing arts so that young people can enhance their understanding and appreciation of the arts.
The workshops will be offered in 1-hour sessions between the hours of 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. 4 to Dec. 6, at VSA New Jersey, 703 Jersey Ave., New Brunswick.
For more information, call 732-745-3885 or 732-745-3913 (TTY), or email info@vsanj.org.
– Community invited to bias-awareness event
The Sayreville Human Relations Commission, in conjunction with the Sayreville Police Department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, will sponsor a program titled “Bias-Awareness Training” 2-4 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Sayreville Public Library, 1050 Washington Road.
The event is designed to provide information on how words can hurt and how to think before one speaks in order to stop hate. Presenters will be Agent Reginald Johnson and retired sergeant John Rodriguez of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
For more information, call Detective Juan A. Rodriguez, liaison officer, Bias Unit, at 732-727-4444.
– Rosarian to be feted at Oct. 5 breakfast
The St. Stanislaus Kostka Rosary Altar Society will honor present its Rosarian of the Year Breakfast Oct. 5 after the 9 a.m. Mass at the church, 225 MacArthur Ave., Sayreville. Honoree will be Rose Wolski.
Tickets cost $8 for adults, $4 for children under 8. To reserve, call Yvonne Burdynski at 732-257-4634, Meg Zadlock at 732-257-8888 or the church office at 732-254-0212. Tickets also will be sold after all Masses Sept. 20, 21, 27 and 28.
Deadline for purchase is Sept. 28. Tickets will not be sold at the door.