Bulletin Board

– Tickets on sale for Special Strides raffle

The board of trustees at Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center, Monroe, is sponsoring a raffle to benefit Special Strides and the Steven Werthan Memorial Fund. Raffle winner will receive a $5,000 Amazon gift card. Special Strides is a nonprofit organiza-tion devoted to improving the lives of children with physical and developmental challenges. Donations will help provide financial assistance to those families whose children would not otherwise be able to receive therapy at the center. Cost is $50 per ticket. Drawing will take place Oct. 10 at the annual Special Strides Barn Dance at Congress Hill Farm, 118 Federal Road, Monroe. For more information or to purchase raffle tickets, email kgold-berg@specialstrides.com.

– Rock concert proceeds will aid cancer panel

The Starland Ballroom, 570 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville, will present “Shep-stock 2015,” a classic-rock concert to benefit the Best Answer for Cancer Foun-dation 7 p.m. Sept. 12. The foundation supports integrative oncology research and assists cancer patients. Featured guest performer will be gui-tarist John “The Cat” Gatto of the Good Rats. A buffet dinner will be provided by A Sterling Affair of New York City. Sam Ash Music has donated a Fender Strato-caster guitar, valued at $600 and signed by the four surviving members of The Good Rats, to be raffled off at the event. Tickets cost $15-$75 and are available for purchase at www.shepstock.com. For more information on the foundation, log on to www.bestanswerforcancer.org.

– Armchair Art Tour coming to library

Dr. Michael Norris, formerly of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, will offer an Armchair Art Tours presentation titled “French Impression-ism” 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Jamesburg Public Library, 229 Gatzmer Ave. The event will be hosted by the Friends of the Jamesburg Library. Armchair Art Tours is an outgrowth of slide lectures Norris gave on the Metro-politan’s cruises. The library program will feature artwork from various museums. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 735-521-0440.

– Healing mission coming to St. George’s

Jack and Anna Marie Sheffield will lead a healing mission Sept. 11-13 at St. George’s Church, 56 Main St., Helmetta. Registration will begin at 6 p.m. Sept. 11; soup and sandwiches will be served. The healing service will follow at 7 p.m. The weekend will feature worship, praise, teaching and prayer groups. Ad-mission is free of charge. For the full event schedule, log on to www.stgeorgeshelmetta.org, call the par-ish office at 732-521-0169, or email stgeorgechurch@verizon.net.

– Environmental bike tour set for Sept. 13

The Lawrence Brook Watershed Part-nership (LBWP) will sponsor its 15th an-nual Water Wheels Bicycle Tour begin-ning 9 a.m. Sept. 13 at the Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership Headquar-ters, 85 Washington Ave., Milltown. Reg-istration is set for 8:30 a.m. The event will take place rain or shine. The informative 26-mile ride to view the natural and historic features of the area will include optional add-on loops to the Plainsboro Preserve. Riders may follow a leader or go at their own pace with a cue sheet and map. Helmets are required. Snacks will be provided. Registration fee is $10; a $2 discount is available for students, seniors and LBWP members. For more information, call Michael at 732-828-3275, email mshakar@aol.com, or log on to www.lbwp.org.

– AARP offers trip to Boston, Salem

Old Bridge AARP Chapter No. 4854 will offer a five-day, four-night bus trip to Boston, Salem and the North Shore, all Massachusetts, Oct. 1-5. Cost is $485 per person. The trip will include motor-coach transportation; hotel accommodations; eight meals; a guided tour of the historical city of Boston with visits to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum, Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market-place and Cambridge; a guided tour of Salem; and more. Seats are limited. To reserve, call Hank McKee at 732-679-7937 or email hankmckee@yahoo.com.

– Volunteers needed to advocate for children

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Middlesex County has current openings for volunteers to advocate for children in Middlesex County who have experienced abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers, who are appointed by a judge, provide an independent voice for a child and speak for the child’s best interests. They research the child welfare case, meet with the child and the people involved in the child’s life and provide reports to the court to help secure a safe, stable and permanent home for the child as quickly as possible. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and pass background checks. No spe-cial background is needed. Training and ongoing supervision for volunteers is pro-vided. For an application, call 732-246-4449, email info@casaofmiddlesexcounty.org or visit www.casaofmiddlesexcounty.org.

– Moms club plans yoga, ice cream social

The nonprofit MOMS Club of the East Brunswick Area, New Jersey Chapter of the International Moms Club, will hold two upcoming events. A program titled “Yoga with Toddlers” is set for 11 a.m.-noon Sept. 10 in meeting room 3 at the East Brunswick Public Li-brary, Jean Walling Civic Center. A back-to-school ice cream social for members and prospective members is planned for 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 24. For location and to RSVP, email eb-momsclub@gmail.com or log on to https://www.facebook.com/ebmomsclub.

– Master Gardener Program announces new classes for 2015-2016

A new season of Master Gardener classes will be starting soon at the Mid-dlesex County EARTH Center in David-son Mill Pond Park, located at 42 Riva Ave., South Brunswick. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County is offering both day-time and evening sessions for this pro-gram. Orientation (attendance is optional) will be on Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. for the evening class and Friday, Sept. 11 at 9:30 a.m. for the Friday morning class. The program officially starts on Sept. 17 and 18. The class is open to all New Jersey residents. The Master Gardeners are community volunteers trained in Earth-friendly gar-dening and environmental principles. Lec-ture classes meet once per week for 3 hours from mid-September through mid-April. These classes will incorporate some outdoor time in a County park. The hands-on garden classes meet weekly from April through mid-September (every other week in summer). During these sessions, new students will create and care for demonstration vegeta-ble and herb gardens. Topics covered in the program include: sound gardening techniques; composting; creative methods of conserving resources, and horticulture therapy. The program also requires participants to volunteer some hours of service toward extension projects, activities and events throughout the year. “This looks to be another productive season for the Master Gardeners pro-gram,” says Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios. “The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County’s Agriculture Department who supervise these classes deserve thanks for planning and teaching such a popular pro-gram.” “I hope that all county residents inter-ested in gardening and the environment will consider taking this course,” says Freeholder Kenneth Armwood, chair of the County’s Business Development and Education Committee. “It’s a great way to learn more about our local environment, and to collaborate with other residents in making our county greener, cleaner and more beautiful.” Those interested in joining the pro-gram can call the EARTH Center at 732-398-5262 for more information or visit www.co.middlesex.nj.us and search Mas-ter Gardeners.

– EBHS class of ’70 to celebrate at reunion

The East Brunswick High School (EBHS) class of 1970 will hold its 45th reunion Oct. 2-4 at the Crowne Plaza Princeton Hotel and Conference Center, Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro. The main event, featuring a cocktail hour, dinner and dancing, is set for Satur-day night, Oct. 3. There will be a Friday-evening get-together Oct. 2 and a Sunday-morning breakfast Oct. 4. Tickets cost $75 per person. For more information or to register, email Yvonne De Carolis at ebhs70reunion@gmail.com.

– Knights to host model train show Sept. 12, 13

Our Lady of Peace Knights of Colum-bus Council 11378 of North Brunswick will host the Raritan Valley HiRailers model train show 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 12 and 13 at the Our Lady of Peace Parish Center, 1740 Route 130 north, North Brunswick. Admission is $3 per person. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. All proceeds will benefit Wounded War-riors. Vendors are welcome. For more information, call Nicholas Arico at 732-322-0765 or email treas-urer@nbfars.org.

– Dinner program to fo-cus on businesses

The Central Jersey Business Alliance and Business Resource Center at the East Brunswick Library will present a free din-ner program, “How To Successfully Pro-mote Your Business” 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 10 at the library, 2 Jean Walling Civic Center Drive, East Brunswick. Keynote speaker Mike Agugliaro of Gold Medal Service and panel members Darr Kartychak of Intermedia Print Solu-tions and Michael Tesalona of Bradford & Crabtree will discuss the secret weapons to solving business roadblocks, how to help employees go from ordinary to amaz-ing, how to grow 30 percent or more each year with ease, how to dominate Internet search engines and the latest available promotional items. A buffet dinner will be provided by the Colonial Diner of East Brunswick. Reservations are required by emailing wanttoattend@gmail.com. For more information, call 732-690-5496.

– Shredding events open to county residents

Middlesex County will offer a paper-shred program for residents throughout the year. The dates are: Sept. 11, Thompson Park, Monroe; Sept. 12, Babbage Park Laurel Place, North Brunswick; and Oct. 10, American Legion, 4 JFK Drive, Milltown. All events are 9 a.m.-noon or until the truck is filled, rain or shine. Residential paper only will be ac-cepted; no businesses may participate. There is a limit of five file boxes or 100 pounds per car. Paper must be in a man-ageable container that is not a plastic bag. Newspapers, magazines, hardcover books, junk mail, photos, X-rays, CDs and garbage will not be accepted.

– Army’s 2nd Infantry Division reunion set

The Second (Indianhead) Division As-sociation is searching for anyone who served in the Army’s 2nd Infantry Divi-sion at any time for its 94th annual reun-ion. This year’s reunion is scheduled for Sept. 22-26 in San Antonio, Texas. For more information about the reun-ion, contact Bob Haynes, secre-tary/treasurer, at 224-225-1202 or 2idahq@comcast.net. For more information about the asso-ciation, visit www.2ida.org.

– Orientation scheduled for gardening classes

A new season of Master Gardener classes will start soon at the Middlesex County EARTH Center in Davidson Mill Pond Park, located at 42 Riva Ave., South Brunswick. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County is offering daytime and evening sessions for this program, begin-ning Sept. 17 and 18, respectively. Lecture classes meet once per week for three hours from mid-September through mid-April. The classes will incorporate some outdoor time in a county park. The hands-on garden classes meet weekly from April through mid-September (every other week in summer). During these sessions, new students will create and care for demonstration vegeta-ble and herb gardens. Topics covered in the program include gardening techniques, composting, crea-tive methods of conserving resources and horticulture therapy. The program also requires participants to volunteer some hours of service to-wards Extension projects, activities and events throughout the year. Orientation will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10 for the evening class and 9:30 a.m. Sept. 11 for the Friday morning class. Attendance is optional. Any resident of New Jersey interested in joining the program should call 732-398-5262. For more information, visit www.co.middlesex.nj.us and search Mas-ter Gardeners.

– Preschool classes begin in September

The North Brunswick Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services will begin its fall preschool classes next month at Sabella Park Preschool, 1453 Cozzens Lane, North Brunswick. Partners at Play is a one-hour play group for 2-year-olds that provides in-structor-guided time for songs, art, ex-pression and free play. Parents must be present during class. Partners at Play is offered 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursdays, Sept. 17-Nov.19. The cost is $120 for residents or $130 for non-residents. Terrific Threes is for staff and 3-year-olds who will move from parallel play to socializing with others. Children must be fully toilet trained. Terrific Threes is offered from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, Sept. 16-Nov. 20. The cost is $235 for residents or $245 for non-residents. A.M. Adventures is for 4- and 5-year-olds who are fully toilet trained. There will be outdoor play, arts, crafts and trips. A.M. Adventures is offered 9-11:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, Sept. 16-Nov. 20. The cost is $260 for residents or $270 for non-residents. Medical forms completed by a physi-cian are due on the first day of class. To register, call 732-247-0922, ext. 475.

– Indo American fair coming to Marlboro

All residents in the community are in-vited to enjoy cultural programs and other activities that will be part of the Indo American Community Fair-2015 that will take place on Sept. 12-13. The fair will be held at the Hindu American Temple and Cultural Center, Sri Guruvaayoorappan Temple, 31 Wooley-town Road, Marlboro, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Admission is free. The 2015 fair will be the third annual event held at the house of worship. People of all ages are welcome to en-joy art and painting competitions, a fancy dress competition, a dance competition, the sale of jewelry, clothes and religious items, Indian fresh food, face painting, inflatables, a play area, karaoke, shows, and information relating to real estate, finances, education, legal services, deco-rating and home contractors. For more information, call 732-794-0475, 732-996-9986, 908-670-7898 or 908-216-6501 or email iacf@krishnatemple.org