• The Heart of New Jersey Chorus is holding open auditions in all voice parts. The chorus rehearses every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Millstone Township Primary School, 18 Schoolhouse Road, Millstone Township. Individuals who are interested in auditioning may call 732-446-9782.
• Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary, Upper Freehold Township, will host a Bingo and Basket Raffle for Barking Seniors, an evening of bingo, prizes and a basket raffle, on April 18 from 5-10 p.m. at the New Egypt Elks Lodge, 105 Lakewood Road, Plumsted. Doors open at 5 p.m., bingo begins at 6:30 p.m. Admission (adults 18 and over) is $25. Tickets must be purchased in advance by April 15. Tickets may be purchased online at https://martysplace.org/event/prize-basket-bingo/ or by mail with cash or check to 118 Route 526, Upper Freehold, NJ 08501. The event will raise funds for the care of senior dogs who live at Marty’s Place. Details: 609-259-1278.
• A meeting of the Monmouth County Retired Educators Association will be held on April 7 at Branches, West Long Branch. A members benefit fair will begin at 10 a.m. Installation of new officers will take place and the annual philanthropic awards will be presented. Members are asked to bring a nonperishable donation for the food bank. The association is collecting travel or full-sized toiletry items for a local center that houses abused women and children. For luncheon reservations, contact Sue at 732-995-7754 or email [email protected] before March 27. The association will celebrate its 60th anniversary on June 9 at Jumping Brook Country Club. New members are always welcome.
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Township, will present “Growing Up Jewish in Rural New Jersey,” a talk by William Agress on April 19 at 2 p.m. Admission is $10 for museum members and $12 for non-members. Agress will tell the story of his parents and grandparents, who lived in the Perrineville section of Millstone Township. He will discuss the founding of the Perrineville Jewish Center, farming in the Monmouth County area including Roosevelt, and how Perrineville was at one time considered a “mini Catskills.” To make a paid reservation (non-refundable), call 732-252-6990 or visit www.jhmomc.org
• Monmouth County will hold backyard composting workshops for county residents. The free 45-minute workshop will teach residents how to reduce household waste, improve the soil for plants and reduce landfill waste. The workshops to be held at the Agriculture Building, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold Township, on March 21 at 9 a.m., May 2 at 9 a.m., Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. and Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. Participants may purchase the Earth Machine backyard composting bin at the session for $35. Advance registration is required. Call 732-683-8686, ext. 8967.
• Millstone Township Environmental Commission will hold its annual stream cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon April 18. Meet at municipal court building, 215 Millstone Road. Event is held rain or shine. Gloves and bags provided. Walk-ins are welcome. Pre-registration is not required. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Large groups are asked to email Erin Landis at [email protected] to ensure there are enough supplies. Details: thewatershed.org/stream-cleanups
• DeBows United Methodist Church, corner of Route 571 and Route 537, Jackson, will host a concert by the local bluegrass band “ProGrasstination” at 3 p.m. March 28. The concert is free to the public and hot soup will be provided during the event. Details: www.debowsumc.org
• Knights of Columbus No. 5903, LaSatta Avenue, Englishtown, will host a food collection drive each Saturday during Lent (through April 11). The food drive will benefit the Samaritan Center, which provides food assistance to residents of Manalapan, Englishtown, Marlboro and Millstone Township. Residents of all communities may drop off canned goods and non-perishable foods at the Knights hall between 9 a.m. and noon. Details: 732-614-6050.
• Downtown Freehold has announced the lineup for the 2020 Thursdays Rock concert series. Bands perform from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Monmouth County Hall of Records, Main Street, Freehold Borough. The lineup is: June 4, Rock of Ages Band; June 11, Mission Dance; June 18, The Ruckus; June 25, Rockit Fish; July 2, Turnstyles; July 9, Moroccan Sheepherders; July 16, Pat Guadagno and Friends; July 23, Joe Baracata Band; July 30, Eddie Testa Band; Aug. 6, NRG; Aug. 13, Stephen Martines; Aug. 20, Predator Dub Assassins; and Aug. 27, the Wired Band. Details: DowntownFreehold.com
• 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 Thursday and Friday. Beginner/Intermediate class starts at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $15 per person for the one-hour class. Pre-registration is required by calling 732-995-4284 or email [email protected]
• Monmouth County Park System will host a Splendid Spring Stroll from 10-11:30 a.m. March 25 at Clayton Park, Upper Freehold Township. Join a park system naturalist on a peaceful trail walk. Sturdy footwear is recommended as trails used may have inclines or tree roots to step over. This is a free program. Details: 732-842-4000.
• A class reunion for all Lakewood High School graduates will be held on Aug. 22-23. All proceeds from the event will benefit students with financial difficulties so they may attend college. On the afternoon of Aug. 22, there will be guided tours at the Sheldon Wolpin Historical Museum, Lakewood. From 7-11 p.m. Aug. 22, there will be a casual get-together at the Lakewood Country Club. Cost is $50 per person. From 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 23, there will be a continental breakfast at the historical museum. Cost is $10 per person. Details: Judie Bloom Singer, 732-364-7854 or [email protected] or June Passadin D’Elia, 732-363-4695 or [email protected]
• Sue Kozel will delve into the murder of Wench Betty, a New Jersey slave, and her murderer’s subsequent court proceeding during a program at the Allentown Public Library, 16 S. Main St., at 7 p.m. March 19. The program will discuss the disregarded lives of slaves while exploring the Revolutionary War ideas of freedom and liberty. Space is limited and registration is required. Kozel will be a residential fellow with the International Center for Jefferson Studies this year. Details: 609-259-7565.
• The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is accepting applications for its 2020 scholarship
program. Potential candidates must be New Jersey residents currently enrolled in (and in good standing at) an accredited college or university, with at least 15 credits completed and an academic average equivalent to a 3.0 or higher. The scholarships are for residents who are pursuing degrees in environmental science, natural resource management, conservation, park administration and related fields. Deadline to apply is April 1. Applications can be downloaded from www.tlc-nj.org or obtained by calling 973-541-1010, ext. 14.
• The fifth annual Home Garden Symposium presented by the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Monmouth County will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28 at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Monmouth County Agriculture Building, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold Township. There will be lectures, demonstrations, exhibits about invasive species and more. Pre-registration ($10) is required. Vist tinyurl.com/HomeGarden2020. Details: Email [email protected] or 732-303-7614.
• The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns Program is seeking local families to host children from New York City this summer. 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. First time Fresh Air children are boys and girls, ages 7 to 13, who live in New York City. Details: Karen Medlin, 732-740-0449, or visit www.FreshAir.org
• Forsgate Country Club, Monroe Township, will host Camp Forsgate in weekly sessions from June 29 through Aug. 14 for children ages 5-10. Camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Before-care and after-care will be available. Camp activities include golf, fitness, swimming, arts and crafts, STEM and more. Weekly tuition: Members, $330; Non-members, $370. Details: www.kecamps.com
• The New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, is presenting “Preserving the Pinelands: Albert Horner’s Portraits of a National Treasure.” The exhibition features images by photographer Albert Horner which capture the quiet beauty and intimate landscapes of New Jersey’s Pinelands National Reserve. A number of artifacts and scientific specimens from the museum’s collections help tell some of the stories of the land, animals, people and industries that make this unique area a state and national treasure. “Preserving the Pinelands” will be on view through June 28. Details: www.statemuseum.nj.gov
• 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.
• “Fine Feathered Friends: Birds as Mainstay and Muse” is open at the New Jersey State Museum, Trenton. The exhibition brings the fun of bird watching indoors through nearly 200 rarely seen artifacts and specimens exploring birds as an ecological mainstay and their role as a design-inspiring force, or muse, for New Jersey artisans. The exhibition will be on view through Sept. 13. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday; closed on Mondays and state holidays. Details: www.statemuseum.nj.gov
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.