• Municipal leaders from Allentown and Upper Freehold Township will join members of the community to read the Declaration of Independence at 9 a.m. July 4 in Heritage Park in Allentown (accessible from Main and Church streets). All attending are asked to wear a face mask. The event will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/AllentownBoroughNJ/. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was held in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, and other readings were held later that same day in Trenton and Easton, Pa. The Allentown reading is free and sponsored by The Allentown Village Initiative. Details: 609-208-9991.
• The Cream Ridge Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. July 7 at the New Egypt Firehouse, 59 Main St., New Egypt. All lot owners are invited to attend. Details: 609-758-8663.
• New Jersey Blood Services, which provides blood for local patients, is looking for volunteers whose tasks will include assisting donors with registration and/or at the refreshment area. No medical background necessary. Must have transportation. All training is provided. Details: Call or text Sharon Zetts at 732-850-8906, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The following Millstone Township parks are open for passive recreation: Abate Park, Brandywine Park, Rocky Brook Park and Wagner Farm Park. Passive recreational areas and horse trails are also open. Social distancing restrictions are still to be maintained. Bathroom facilities and playgrounds will remain closed. Anyone walking a dog is required to pick up after their dog and to keep the dog leashed at all times.
• Residents struggling with substance use issues may call 1-844-ReachNJ to speak with counselors ready to offer assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. ReachNJ is a free, confidential hotline that provides individuals with concerns about their own or a family member’s substance use immediate help and treatment referrals. The help line is always answered by a live specialist.
• CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, offers a Movement Disorder Program that provides specialized treatment to patients with Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, tics, tremors, ataxia, dystonia and other similar syndromes. The program is held in the Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus. To request a consultation to help manage Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders, call 732-637-6316 or email [email protected]
• 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 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.
• 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. 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.
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.