Mike Morsch, Regional Editor
Princeton’s Festival Gala, schedule for Saturday, This year’s Princeton Festival Gala will go beyond its usual helping of fun, good food, dancing, and auctions to include a demonstration of the new Steinway Spirio piano, a breakthrough in technology that accurately recreates live performances in the listener’s own living room., The gala takes place at 6 p..m. Saturday, April 22, at Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville. Cocktails-only and full dinner reservations can be made at http://princetonfestival.org/event/2017-gala/., Jacobs Music, the area’s exclusive Steinway dealer and a long-time supporter of the Festival and its piano competition will demonstrate the Steinway Spirio during the cocktail hour. This will be the first local public demonstration of the new instrument., The Princeton Festival’s 13th season of performances across the genres of opera, Broadway musicals, jazz, dance, choral music and more runs from June 3 to June 25. Complete information and a link to ticket sales are atwww.princetonfestival.org., March for Science,
Kendrick and Dan Rowe; science activities will be led by the Princeton Family YMCA, enrichment program scienceSeeds, C.H.A.O.S. Lab of Princeton University’s School of Architecture and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, and more., Speakers will include Robert Goldston, professor of astrophysical sciences, and Samuel Wang, professor of molecular biology and neuroscience – both of Princeton University; plus local architect and activist Kevin Wilkes as master of ceremonies. Drea from Princeton Face & Body Art will paint customized designs on attendees., Participants are encouraged to bring signs that highlight — in clever and creative ways — the primacy of science in protecting health, safety, and the environment, and that call for preserving funding for research and enacting evidence-based policies in the public interest. Children are invited to submit their signs in a contest for prizes., While the event is free, the organizers ask that participants register in advance via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/march-for-science-princeton-tickets-32891526441. (Or search “March for Science – Princeton” at Eventbrite.com.) The March may also be followed on social media: @princeton4science on Facebook and Instagram, and @pton4science on Twitter., The event is being planned by the Science & Environment Committee of Princeton Marching Forward, a local activist group formed to continue the momentum of the Women’s Marches that took place all over the world on Jan. 21 of this year., Dates set for Princeton Dines Out, to benefit Parkinson’s Research, The 8th Annual Princeton Dines Out for Parkinson’s Research begins on Saturday, April 22, and will run through Friday, April 28, 2017., Supporters can contribute by dining at any of the participating restaurants located in Princeton, NJ. A percentage of the proceeds
from this annual fundraiser will be donated to The Parkinson Alliance., Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, degenerative neurological disorder that affects more than one million people in the U.S. where approximately 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s are diagnosed each year. April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month and
participating in the Princeton Dines Out for Parkinson’s Disease. Research is a way to support the Parkinson’s community in the fight against Parkinson’s disease., Participating is as easy as dining at any of the participating restaurants during the week-long fundraiser. You can raise money for Parkinson’s research as you enjoy a meal with friends. The length of this event allows everyone to enjoy dining at several participating restaurants that week and raise funds for research in the process., The participating restaurants will donate a percentage of their proceeds from this year’s event to The Parkinson Alliance., Restaurants that are participating include: Blue Point Grill, Despana, Eno Terra, Gennaro’s, Mediterra, PJ’s Pancake House, Teresa Caffe, The Peacock Inn, Trattoria Procaccini, and Witherspoon Grill., For more information about this event, visit www.parkinsonalliance.org or call 800-579-8440., Funeral alliance conference set, Josh Slocum, nationally known expert on funeral issues and activist on behalf of consumers, will speak at the Annual Conference of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Princeton (FCAP). His talk, entitled “Bringing the Funeral Industry into the 21st Century,” will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 23., Free and open to the public, the conference will be held at the Princeton Abbey and Cemetery, 75 Mapleton Road in Princeton (behind Windrows, off Route 1, near Forrestal Village). The Abbey, part of the old St. Joseph’s Seminary, is an architectural gem newly opened to the public. An hour before Slocum’s talk, Katherine Walden, manager of the Abbey, will give a free tour of the Abbey., The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Princeton, sponsor of the event, is a not-for-profit, all-volunteer, educational organization promoting informed advance planning of funerals and other end-of-life issues. For more information, call 609-924-3320, email [email protected] or visit www.fcaprinceton.org., Princeton Girlchoir audition, appointments available, Princeton Girlchoir (PGC) is now accepting audition appointments for the 2017-2018 season. Any girl who will be entering grades 3-12 next fall is welcome., The 2017-2018 season promises to be an exciting one, with concerts planned throughout the East Coast. The Performing Division choirs will also embark on a summer concert tour, with the location soon to be announced. Recent tours have taken the choirs to Hawaii, Colorado, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Trinidad in addition to last year’s trip to Ireland., A strong desire to learn, a musical ear, and an eagerness to share music with others are key to a successful audition. Despite the many musical opportunities PGC offers during the year, the auditions remain low-key and enjoyable and no advance preparation is required. This year, girls will be asked to sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” along with some exercises that demonstrate their vocal range, and to complete a few musical challenges to help our music directors understand their current level of musical ability., Auditions for new choristers are scheduled throughout June at Princeton Day School, however, PGC will work with families who are unable to attend auditions on that date, to find an alternative. Interested choristers may also wish to attend Princeton Girlchoir’s Spring Concert Series on Friday, May 5, at 7 p.m. at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton and on Saturday, May 6, at 7 p.m. at Princeton University Chapel, to hear the music showcased by all six ensembles of the Princeton Girlchoir. For concert and ticketing information, visit www.princetongirlchoir.org., To schedule an audition and download an application, visit www.princetongirlchoir.org/join. For more information, please contact the Princeton Girlchoir office at 609-688-1888 or [email protected]. You can also visit the website at www.princetongirlchoir.org., Chamber announces Plainsboro, Business Award winners, Two local business leaders will be recognized this month at the Plainsboro Mayor’s Annual Address for their contributions to the Princeton-Plainsboro Region business world., The Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce Annual Plainsboro Business Awards and Mayor’s Breakfast will take place from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, at Tre Piani., The event is part of the Chamber’s Plainsboro Business Partnership program and will feature Mayor Peter Cantu of Plainsboro Township and his annual township address., The event will also feature the Plainsboro Business Awards,
recognizing two companies who have made significant contributions to the communities of the Princeton-Plainsboro region., The 2017 winners below will be honored at the breakfast include:
Large Business of the Year: 1st Constitution Bank, Robert Mangano, President. Award accepted by Andrea Pagiazitis, SVP, retail banking;
Small Business of the Year: Tre Piani, Jim Weaver, owner., The event will feature a full breakfast buffet and is sponsored by Saul Ewing, LLP., PHS to host roundtable event, for staff, students, community, Princeton High School students and members of the district’s support staff association will be hosting a unique, first-time event on Saturday, April 29, 2017, to allow students, staff and community members to exchange views on some of the most pressing educational issues facing students in our diverse educational community., “See, Me, Hear Me: Open, Honest Dialogue with Today’s Youth” will be open to the community and will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Princeton High School cafeteria, 151 Moore Street, Princeton, N.J.
Lunch and dessert will be courtesy of PRESSA through a grant received from the NJ Education Association (NJEA) PRIDE Program (https://www.njea.org/)., The event will include guest speaker Jonice Arthur, founder of Regna Services, an organization whose mission is to narrow the ever-widening gap between the adult population and the youth population., Through small-group discussions and a student-led panel discussion, attendees will be treated to a conversation about students’ perspective on school, community and personal issues and concerns that
affect their educational experiences., Students from two PHS leadership groups, MSAN (Minority Student Achievement Network) and PULSE (Pride, Unity, Leadership, Sisterhood, Esteem), will partner with the Princeton Regional
Education Support Staff Association (PRESSA) for this conference/roundtable event., For more information, contact Lenora Keel, PHS social worker and the coordinator and advisor of this event, and the NJEA Minority Achievement Award Winner 2015. She is available by email at
[email protected], or by phone at 609-806-4280 ext. 3553., Local group to participate, in ‘Acappella for Autism’ event, The Edgertones from the Hun School of Princeton will be one of nine groups to participate in Acappella for Autism, a program sponsored by the Moorestown High School Interact Club, on Saturday, April 29, in the Moorsetown High School auditorium, The event is an interscholastic acappella competition held annually to raise money and awareness for Autism New Jersey. All proceeds from the event are donated to the nonprofit organization. Last year, the event raised more than $5,000 for Autism New Jersey., The event involves nine high school acappella groups, including the Edgertones from the Hun School of Princeton. Tickets are available at showtix4u.com., Summer jobs for youth available, through Princeton Human Services, Princeton Human Services is opening up the application process for their its Summer Youth Employment Program. This year, the program received a $20,000 grant from the Princeton Area Community Foundation’s Greater Mercer Grants program that will greatly help the continuous growth of this program that has existed for 18 years., The program has been a gateway for youth into the adult world of work and has provided numerous working opportunities to youth in Princeton. In the summer of 2016, SYEP provided jobs to close to 40 students in municipal departments and local non-profit organizations which included job readiness training, financial coaching and career development., The award of the grant from the Princeton Community Area Foundation’s Greater Mercer Grants program strengthens the town’s commitment to our youth and the importance of programs like SYEP that are providing meaningful employment opportunities where participants can gain experience and develop skills., Participants must live in Princeton or attend Princeton High School, must be between the ages of 14-18 and their family income must not exceed 400 percent of the 2016 US federal poverty level. Participants work 25 hours a week and earn minimum wage for 8 weeks during the summer., Applications will be available in April at the Princeton High School Guidance Office and at the Princeton Human Services Office in Monument Hall. You will also be able to download the application forms online at www.princetonn.gov/humanservices.html. The application deadline is Friday, May 5, 2017., If you are interested in participating in this program and have questions, please call Princeton Human Services at (609) 688-2055 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm or send an e-mail to [email protected].,
, Combatting the uncertainty, The Princeton Adult School recognizes that community residents, like many across the country, face uncertainties in 2017., Believing with Thomas Jefferson that: “An informed citizenry is at the heart of a dynamic democracy and … is the only true repository of the public will,” the Princeton Adult School has created an important series of lectures and discussions for spring 2017 that will provide information and awareness of key issues and, hopefully, reduce that uncertainty., What’s Next (Course 001) — Distinguished speakers analyzing critical topics including: Immigration, Education, Art and Artists, Healthcare, Trade Policy and Politics, National Security, and Social Justice. The course is sponsored jointly by the Princeton Adult School and the Community Auditing Program of Princeton University., Lives and Careers of Important Supreme Court Justices (Course 002) — A focus on six justices incorporating personal biographies, route to the Supreme Court, why they are important, and most significant opinions., Children of Abraham: How Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Shaped the Middle East (Course 003) — An analysis of how monotheistic religions and cultures have impacted the modern Middle East, including culture, internal divisions and tensions, and inter-religious conflicts in Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Israel., What Ifs (Course 004) — A look at the past, present, and future of public education (K-12) and education policy in the United States., In addition to these courses, The Adult School is offering its full range of classes: languages (including English as a Second Language or ESL), exercise and dance, workplace skills, music, hobbies and crafts, and many more., To register or get more information, visit www.princetonadultachool.org, see the PAS brochure, or call (609) 683-1101., Summer job applications, Applications for all Princeton Recreation Department 2017 seasonal and summer employment opportunities are now available on the Recreation Department’s website, www.princetonrecreation.com., Seasonal employment opportunities are available for the following positions: day camp director, day camp counselor, day camp counselor in-training, Community Park Pool lifeguard/swim instructor, Community Park Pool customer service, part-time secretary and seasonal maintenance., Instructions on how to apply can be found online at www.princetonrecreation.com under “Seasonal Employment.” All interested job seekers are encouraged to apply., Blood donations needed , Following several rounds of severe winter weather in many parts of the country, the American Red Cross urges eligible blood and platelet donors to help restock its shelves to overcome a shortage., Since Dec. 1, about 300 blood drives across 27 states have been forced to cancel due to inclement winter weather, resulting in more than 10,500 blood and platelet donations going uncollected., To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass to save time when donating., Or visit Central New Jersey Donor Center, 707 Alexander Rd., Suite 701, Princeton. Hours are: Mondays: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (platelet pheresis); Tuesdays: 12:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis); Fridays: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis); Saturdays: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (whole blood)., Communiversity applications available, Applications are now available for Communiversity ArtsFest 2017, the town-gown event that attracts more than 40,000 people to the heart of Princeton every spring., Communiversity ArtsFest is presented by the Arts Council of Princeton in collaboration with Princeton University and the town of Princeton., This year’s festivities will take place on Sunday, April 30, from 1 to 6 p.m. rain or shine. Over 200 booths showcasing original art and contemporary crafts, merchandise and tempting food, plus six stages of continuous entertainment draw attendees of all ages to downtown Princeton on Nassau and Witherspoon streets, in Palmer Square and throughout the University campus., All interested participants — including artists/crafters, performers, food vendors, merchants, non-profit organizations and sponsors — should visit artscouncilofprinceton.org to download and print an application. Deadline to submit an application is Friday, Feb. 28., Applicants can expect notifications of decision by early/mid March 2017, according the the Arts Council., The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP), founded in 1967, is a non-profit organization with a mission of Building Community through the Arts. Housed in the landmark Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, the ACP fulfills its mission by presenting a wide range of programs including exhibitions, performances, free community cultural events, and studio-based classes and workshops in the visual, performing and literary arts. Arts Council of Princeton programs are designed to be high-quality, engaging, affordable and accessible for the diverse population in the greater Princeton region., For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org or call (609 ) 924-8777., Princeton WIC Clinic Continues through 2017, The Princeton Health and Human Services Departments have announced that the Mercer County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Clinic will continue through 2017., WIC is administered by the Children’s Home Society of New Jersey and offers health and nutritional services to pregnant women and children up to the age of 5. WIC provides families with nutrition assessments and education, breastfeeding education and support, and checks for the purchase of nutritious food. Bilingual support is available for Spanish-speaking families., In Mercer County, WIC clinics are offered in Trenton, Princeton, Hamilton, and Hightstown. The Princeton WIC clinic is located at Witherspoon Hall Princeton Municipal Building, Community Room, 400 Witherspoon St. and is held the third Friday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents can find out if they are eligible for WIC and apply for benefits by calling (609) 498-7755., Women may qualify for WIC benefits if they are pregnant or recently pregnant, a breast feeding mother (up to 1 year), or a mother with an infant or a child under five years old. WIC participants must live in New Jersey and meet income criteria. If you are currently receiving assistance from Disability, Social Security, Food stamps, Medicaid, and TANF, you are eligible. For more information on WIC and for the 2017 clinic schedule, visit our website at www.princetonnj.gov/health., Children’s Home Society of New Jersey also offers a wide range of services for parents and children. For more information about these services, please visit the following website https://www.chsofnj.org/.