• The Shrewsbury Chorale will hold a giant indoor garage sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 17 at the First United Methodist Church, 103 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst. There will be hndreds of items, plus baked goods. Details: 732-747- 1362.
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Township, will present “Women of the Bible,” a talk by Rabbi Brooks Susman, at 2 p.m. March 18. Admission is $8 for museum members, $10 for non-members and free for students. Details: 732-252-6990 or visit www.jhmomc.org
• Pat and Steve Miller will provide recent examples of problems caused by climate change, steps that are being taken to counter these problems and why the future still looks hopeful in a talk at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft. All are welcome to attend. Upon entering the campus, follow the signs to the Warner Student Life Center (SLC) and parking lot 7. The meeting will be in the SLC Twin Lights rooms I and II.
• Designer Handbag Bingo will be held at 7 p.m. March 23 at the Southard firehouse, 4611 Route 9, Howell. The event will benefit CONTACT of Ocean and Monmouth Counties’ 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Sandwiches, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome. Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 at the door (cash only). No one under 18 admitted. Tickets can be purchased online at Designer Handbag Bingo – March 23, 2018. Details: 732-240-6104 or email [email protected]
• The Reformed Church of Freehold, 67 W. Main St., Freehold, will host a roast beef dinner on March 3. Tickets are $20 for adults and $6 for children (ages 6-12). A full course dinner will be served family style. All are welcome to attend. Take-out dinners will be available. The dinner is a fundraiser that supports local church/charity programs and worldwide programs. Tickets will be sold at the door or they may be purchased through the church office at 732-462-1717.
• The First Presbyterian Church, 50 Main St., Englishtown, will host its annual pancake breakfast from 9-11 a.m. March 24. All are welcome to attend. Breakfast features scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, juice, coffee/tea and all you can eat pancakes. Adults: $8. Children ages 5-12: $5. Details: 908-385-0203.
• Golden Years Design Benefits will present a free Medicare educational seminar at the Colts Neck Library at 6:30 p.m. March 22. Attendees will learn about the Medicare enrollment process and options. Details: 732-526-7659 or https://yourmedicaremarketplace.net/
• “Newspapers: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly” will be the topic of the 2 p.m. March 11 meeting of the Monmouth County Genealogy Society at the Community Center, 72 Broad St., Eatontown. Shamele Jordon will take her audience into the world of newspapers beyond obituaries to show what researchers can try when traditional records fall short. The public is invited to attend. Details: 732-747-0090.
• Embroiderers’ Guild of America-Monmouth Chapter welcomes stitchers of all levels. There are sit and stitch tables at each meeting, as well as special projects. Evening stitchers will meet March 5 from 7-9 p.m. at the Colts Neck Library, 1 Winthrop Drive, Colts Neck. Day stitchers will meet March 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Colts Neck Community Church, 25 Merchant Way, Colts Neck. There will be day stitch-ins at the Colts Neck Library from 10 a.m. 2 p.m. June 21, July 19 and Aug. 16. Details: Toni, 732-462-5540, or www.mcega.org
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Community Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse has launched its Project Zero website at projectzeromanalapan.com. Project Zero is the alliance’s initiative to reset the narrative in Englishtown and Manalapan regarding substance abuse. The website contains information about where residents can go for assistance.
• The Monmouth County Audubon Society will sponsor an evening field trip to Big Brook Park, Route 520, Marlboro, in search of American Woodcock at 5:30 p.m. March 10. Participation is free. The group will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the park. The field trip is open to members and non-members of the Audubon Society and participation is free. Advance registration is not required. Details: http://www.monmouthaudubon.org
• A talk about “Women of the Bible” will be presented by Rabbi Brooks Susman, the founding rabbi of Congregation Kol Am, Freehold, at 2 p.m. March 18 at the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, 310 Mount’s Corner Drive, Freehold Township. Admission is $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members. Students are admitted free. Details: 732-252-6990 or https://www.jhmomc.org/events
• Susan G. Komen Central and South Jersey will host its third annual Pink Power Party fundraiser at iPlay America, Freehold Township, on March 8. This “girls night out” will feature champagne and cocktails, shopping and vendors, and live entertainment. The event will benefit the organization’s mission to end breast cancer. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door, and may be purchased at tickets.iplayamerica.com
• “Navigating the Relationship Maze” will be presented by Gail Marie Poverman-Kave, a psychotherapist who has been in private practice for more than 25 years, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. The discussion series is sponsored by Kathy Lo Bue, managing director, Glen Eagle Advisors, LLC. Adults of all ages are invited. Refreshments provided. The series is free, non-sectarian and open to the community. RSVP to 732-866-6660.
• The Noontime Optimist Club of Freehold is beginning its 29th year of community service to the area, with the focus on youth (scholarships, spelling bees, essay contests, fishing derbies, holiday gifts, helping out at the local soup kitchen and supporting Camp Quality, a camp for children with cancer). New members are invited to join the club. Details: 732-431-3989 or email [email protected]
• The Gloria Saker Women’s Heart Program at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, will host its second annual “Paint to Your Heart’s Content” event, an evening of relaxation and creativity for women and their friends, at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23. Participants can paint and personalize their own tote bag, and learn how small changes can make a big impact for a heart-healthy lifestyle. The cost is $35 per person. To register, call 732-308-0570 or visit livelifewellnj.com/events
• The Fresh Air Fund is seeking area residents who would like to host a child this summer through the fund’s Friendly Towns Program. The children participate in activities with their host family during their stay. The Fresh Air Fund has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Children are boys and girls, ages 7 to 18. Details: Karen Medlin, 732-740-0449, or visit www.freshair.org
• “Hate, Bias, Prejudice and Stereotypes, How Do They Affect Us?” will be presented by Dave D’Amico, chief investigator of internal affairs for the Middlesex County Department of Corrections, at 2 p.m. March 4 at the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, 310 Mount’s Corner Drive, Freehold Township. The cost is $10 for museum members and $12 for non-members. Details: 732-252-6990.
• iPlay America, Freehold Township, will host Sonny the Bunny for a “Colossal Carrot Adventure!” from 10 a.m. to noon March 24. This event is free, but registration is required. Participants will collect Easter eggs filled with treats and prizes. There will be a VIB! (Very Important Bunny!) breakfast with Sonny the Bunny, $14.95 for children ages 2-12, and $24.95 for adults. Details: https://www.iplayamerica.com/event/colossal-carrot-adventure/
• Disabled American Veterans Chapter 74, Freehold, will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 at the American Legion, 62 W. Main St. Freehold. Chapter members, DAV members-at-large who are seeking a chapter and veterans with disabilities who are seeking assistance and advice are welcome to attend the meeting. Dinner of pizza and subs is provided.
• The American Association of University Women Freehold Branch is accepting book donations for its 2018 book sale. With the exception of Reader’s Digest condensed books and textbooks, all books in good condition are appreciated. Books may be dropped off at the Freehold Savings Bank, 68 W. Main St., Freehold, on Tuesdays between 10 a.m. and noon, or contact Joan at 732-431-2297 for drop-off instructions. Proceeds from the AAUW book sale support scholarships for women returning to college and monetary awards for graduating female seniors from the six schools in the Freehold Regional High School District.
• The First Baptist Church of Freehold, 81 W. Main St., holds a prayer and meditation program from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. every Wednesday. The church will be open for quiet contemplation and soft music. There will be a 15-minute prayer service starting at 12:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend the free service. Details: 732-462-1105.
• St. Thomas More Parish, 186 Gordons Corner Road, Manalapan, is offering a women’s bible study program. Registration in ongoing. The program aims to bring women to a closer relationship with Christ. Details: Email Christine Melilli at [email protected] or call 732-778-4933.
• The Ms. New Jersey Senior America Pageant 2018 is seeking contestants age 60 and over. Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City will host the pageant on June 6. There are four judging categories: Evening Gown; Philosophy of Life; Talent; and Judges Interview. The winner will participate in the Ms. Senior America Pageant 2018. Individuals interested in becoming a contestant may contact Terry Meade at 609-443-3039, 908-216-8534 or via email at [email protected]
• The Deep Cut Orchid Society meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at the Monmouth Reform Temple, 332 Hance Ave., Tinton Falls. There is a speaker, refreshments and a discussion of plants on the show table. There is no cost to attend and everyone is welcome.
• The Old Bridge Toastmasters Club meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 7:15-9 p.m. at the Sayre Woods Bible Church, 2290 Route 9 South, Old Bridge. The club seeks to help individuals become better speakers and better leaders. There is no cost to attend a meeting and residents of all towns are welcome to attend. Details: 908-906-4926 or http://oldbridge.toastmastersclubs.org/
• A free yoga class is offered every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Morganville United Methodist Church, 215 Conover Road, Marlboro. All are welcome. Bring a mat or a large towel. Details: 732-946-4247 or 732-536-2031.
• New Jersey Blood Services is in need of volunteers to work blood drives in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Tasks include assisting donors with registration, watching donors for post-donation reactions and responding to their needs. Details: Jan Zepka, 732-616-8741.
• The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance will meet in the spiritual center of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 1 Phalanx Road, Colts Neck, from 7:30-9 p.m. every Thursday. Details: 732-536-5826 or 732-320-0029.
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.