• The Colts Neck Shade Tree Commission will hold public meetings at 7:30 p.m. on the following dates in the meeting room at Town Hall, 124 Cedar Drive, Colts Neck: Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. Details: 732-462-5470.
• Companion Animal Rescue and Education (CARE) will hold a puppy adoption event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 10 at PetValu in the Epicentre, 55 Route 9 South, Manalapan (between Wegmans and Target). To see photos of pets available for adoption, visit www.carenj.com
• Embroiderers’ Guild of America-Monmouth Chapter is dedicated to teaching and sharing the joys of needlework. Stitchers of all levels are welcome to attend a meeting. There are sit-and-stitch tables and special projects. Evening stitchers will meet from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Colts Neck Library, 1 Winthrop Drive, Colts Neck. Day stitchers will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Colts Neck Community Church, 25 Merchant Way, Colts Neck. Details: Toni, 732-462-5540, or www.mcega.org
• The inaugural Labor Day charity Wiffle Ball Classic to benefit Autism Speaks and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will be held on Aug. 31 (rain date, Sept. 1) at the Marlboro Little League baseball fields, Tennent Road, Marlboro. Individual or team registration (five to seven players), multiple divisions (pre-teen, women’s, men’s and co-ed) and a three-game guarantee. There will be a live band, a DJ, concession stands and family activities. For sponsorship and registration information, visit www.wiffleballclassic.com
• Freehold Community Blood Drive will be held from 2:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. Walk-ins welcome. To make an appointment, visit tinyurl.com/GiveBloodNJBS. Sponsor code 66994. Remember to eat, drink and bring donor ID card. Details: 800-933-2566.
• Golden Years Design Benefits will host workshops for individuals who are becoming eligible for Social Security and Medicare. The free program provides assistance in developing income-in-retirement strategies for those nearing retirement. Residents of all communities are welcome to attend. The following workshops are scheduled: Park Nine Diner, Route 9, Freehold Township; Aug. 22, 6:30-8 p.m., Park Nine Diner, Route 9, Freehold Township. Details: 732-526-7659.
• The 2019 Discussion Series will continue from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 19 with “Be Prepared! Final Wishes” presented by Rosemarie Reilly, a licensed funeral director and bereavement specialist, at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. Adults of all ages are invited; refreshments provided. Sponsored by Kathy Lo Bue, managing director, Glen Eagle Advisors, LLC. The series is free, non-sectarian and open to the community. RSVP to 732-866-6660.
• WWE Superstars The New Day, a wrestling stable consisting of Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods, will visit the Event Center at iPlay America, Freehold Township, on Sept. 29. They will provide fans with a Pancake Lovers VIP Experience, meet and greet, and photo opportunity. Doors open at 8 a.m. VIP package and photo opportunity tickets are available for purchase at https://www.iplayamerica.com/event/the-new-day/
• DowntownFreehold.com has announced its 2019 Thursdays Rock concert lineup. The free concerts take place at the Monmouth County Hall of Records Plaza from 7:30-9:30 p.m. All ages welcome. The bands are: Aug. 8, Joe Baracata Band; Aug. 15, Stephen Martines; and Aug. 22, Full Throttle. Details: DowntownFreehold.com
• Freehold Art Gallery, 7 W. Main St. (second floor), Freehold Borough, will open a new exhibit on Aug. 3, running through Sept. 15, featuring Kortez and Easton Davy in conjunction with the African Diaspora Arts Festival. The theme, “Sankofa,” celebrates the past and the ancestors and elders of the African culture in America. Gallery hours: Thursday and Friday evenings prior to Downtown Freehold’s music events; noon to 2 p.m. during the Friday Farmers’ Market; Sundays, noon to 2 p.m.; and by appointment. Details: https://freeholdartgallery.com
• A PJ Library Family Summer Snow Ball will take place at the Hebrew Academy, Marlboro, from 10-11:30 a.m. Aug. 25. The “beat the heat” carnival will feature inflatable water activities, snowball making, hands-on cooking and fun “winter” activities. An RSVP is required. Admission is free. Details: Linda Glickstein, 732-431-5525. The PJ Library sends free Jewish children’s books to children and is funded by the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey. Details: www.jewishheartnj.org
• The Casual Birder, sponsored by the Monmouth County Park System, will be held at 9 a.m. Aug. 29 at the Dorbrook Recreation Area, Route 537, Colts Neck (meet in parking area across from main entrance). Join a park system naturalist for a laid-back morning bird walk. Open to ages 11 and up; under 16 with adult. This is a free event. Details: 732-842-4000.
• Roving Golfzilla will be at Big Brook Park, 521 Route 520, Marlboro, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 24, sponsored by the Monmouth County Park System. Participants will try to hit golf balls through the hands, feet or mouth of Golfzilla. All are welcome. This is a non-instructional offering. All equipment is provided. This is a free event. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education will hold the following meeting: Aug. 20, 7:30 p.m., regular action meeting, district administration building, 54 Main St., Englishtown. The meetings are open to the public. Details: 732-786-2500.
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Community Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse will host its annual Project Zero car show from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 12 at Manalapan High School, Church Lane. The event will offer a free ice cream sundae to the first 500 participants and attendees. There is no cost for car show participants or spectators. Registration forms for car show participants are available at www.projectzeromanalapan.org or www.mtnj.org. On-site registration will be accepted (pending space) starting at 5 p.m.
• New Jersey Blood Services will conduct a blood drive from 2:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. To donate blood or for information about how to organize a blood drive, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org
• Brandeis University Harmony Chapter of Four Seasons Metedeconk Lakes, Jackson, will sponsor a Holiday Vendor Faire and Brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Radisson Hotel, Freehold Township. Vendors are needed, tables/space is $50. Brunch is $35 per person. All proceeds will be designated to the Brandeis National Committee’s “Sustaining the Mind Fund” to support faculty research into neurodegenerative diseases. Details: Marie Santoro, 732-276-5393, or Vickie Vitale, 732-299-9745.
• Ongoing sessions of “Dancing by the Peddie Lake with Candace-Woodward-Clough,” offering instruction in swing, foxtrot, waltz and Latin dancing, will be held at 112 Etra Road, Hightstown. Classes will run continuously on Thursdays and Fridays. Beginner/Intermediate classes start at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $60 per person for the four-week session. Woodward-Clough is a choreographer, teacher and exercise consultant who has been teaching ballroom, Latin and swing dance for more than 30 years. Pre-register by calling 732-995-4284 or email [email protected]
• The Jewish Home for Rehabilitation and Nursing, 1151 W. Main St. (in the Pond View Professional Park), Freehold Township, hosts a free monthly support group called the Jewish Caregiver’s Experience. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month. Caregivers of all ages seeking support, resources and a Jewish perspective on managing their responsibilities are welcome to attend. Kosher refreshments served. Details: Jolie, 732-202-1000 or email [email protected]
• WWE superstars Peyton Royce and Billie Kay, also known as The IIconics, will appear at iPlay America, Freehold Township, on Aug. 16. The IIconics are the WWE women’s tag team champions. The two Aussies will pose for professional photos and sign personal items for those in attendance. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event will begin at 7 p.m. Details: https://www.iplayamerica.com/event/wwe-superstars-the-iiconics/
• Join the Rutgers Master Gardeners at a free festival for children of all ages from noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Monmouth County Agricultural Building, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold Township. There will be nature inspired activities, crafts and educational exhibits, live butterflies, ladybugs, rabbits, snakes, bees and more. Food, ice cream, fresh produce and other vendors will be on hand. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Details: 732-303-7614.
• See a 19th century gristmill in action at Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold, from 1-4 p.m. Aug. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31, and Sept. 1. Sponsored by the Monmouth County Park System. This is a free event. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The New Jersey State Museum, 205 W. State St., Trenton, is presenting “Many Inspired Steps” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing that took place on July 21, 1969. Currently on view through Nov. 10, the exhibition uses a variety of objects and images to examine the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, the pioneers of space travel and other state connections to the landing and the space program. Admission is free; donations requested. Details: 609-292-5420 or visit statemuseumnj.gov
• “New Jersey Baseball: From the Cradle to the Major Leagues” is on exhibit at the Morven Museum and Garden, Princeton, until Oct. 27. The exhibition tells the story of New Jersey’s role in the history of early organized baseball through artifacts, text, images and other visuals. There are interactives that offer educational opportunities, as well as demonstrations with hands-on experiences. Details: morven.org
• Fishing 101 – A Beginner’s Guide to Fishing will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 14, 21 and 28 at the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell (meet at the visitor center’s bait shop). Learn how to rig, bait, cast and, hopefully, catch a fish at the reservoir. Come and go at any time. Bait and tackle provided. Open to all ages; under 14 with adult. Fishing license required for ages 16-69. No groups. This is a free event. Details: 732-842-4000.
• Monmouth Worship Center, 37 Vanderburg Road, Marlboro, will host Vacation Bible School for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 19-23. With this year’s theme, “To Mars and Beyond,” children will explore “where God’s power can take you.” Registration fee is $25 per child by July 31 ($35 after). Details: 732-332-9600.
• The Heart of New Jersey Chorus is looking for members in all voice parts. Open rehearsals are being held during the summer. The chorus rehearses Wednesday from 7:30-10 p.m. at the Millstone Township Primary School, 18 Schoolhouse Road, Millstone Township. Details: Visit honj.org or call 732-446-9782.
• Samaritan Center, a joint ministry of St. Thomas More and Old Tennent Presbyterian churches, operates a food pantry to provide supplementary food for those in need in Manalapan, Marlboro, Englishtown and Millstone Township. For information, call 732-446-1142 and make an appointment. Pickup dates are Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-11:15 a.m. and Saturday from 9-11 a.m. Volunteers will gladly carry food to a client’s vehicle. Donations of funds and food are gratefully accepted to support the operation of the center. Volunteers are always welcome.
• Monmouth County will hold a paper shredding event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 12 at Colts Neck Town Hall, 124 Cedar Drive, Colts Neck. County residents may bring up to 100 pounds of documents to be shredded. Details: See the recycling section of the county website at www.VisitMonmouth.com or call 732-683-8686, ext. 6721.
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.