• The Freehold Knights of Columbus Council No. 1672 will be selling Christmas wreaths, grave covers and Christmas trees on Dec. 4-5 at the Council Hall, 70 E. Main St., Freehold Borough, and at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. All proceeds from the sales will go to local charities.
• New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center, is conducting blood drives which are open to the public. The following drives are scheduled: Dec. 3, Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold Township, 12:30-6:30 p.m. To donate blood or for information about how to organize a blood drive, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org
• A Zoom program, “Hollywood Yiddishkeit: Jewish Images in American Film” with historian John Kenrick, will be presented by the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County at 2 p.m. Dec. 5. Admission: $12 for museum members and $15 for non-members. To RVSP, call the museum at 732-252-6990, email [email protected], or visit www.jhmomc.org
• The Monmouth County Retired Educators Association will hold its holiday meeting and luncheon on Dec. 14 at Knob Hill Country Club, 1 Shinnecock Drive, Manalapan, at 11 a.m. Members are encouraged to bring a non-perishable donation for the food bank. The association is also collecting unwrapped children’s toys, books or gift cards for Bridges At The Shore. For luncheon reservations, contact [email protected] or call 732 995-7754. Reservations must be received before Dec. 3. New members are welcome. Check the association’s website or Facebook page for additional information.
• The Colts Neck Historical Preservation Committee will present a Country Christmas at the historic Montrose School, corner of Montrose Road and Cedar Drive, from 1-4 p.m. Dec. 12. There will be seasonal refreshments and holiday music performed by the Mike Wells Trio. Santa Claus will be on hand to take photos. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.
• Monmouth County Park System will present a cookstove demonstration on Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. Discover how recipes, cooking techniques and kitchens have changed since the 1890s. Free. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• Monmouth County Park System will present No More Grist for the Mill on Nov. 27-28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Historic Walnford, Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Township.
Decorate a stocking, take a selfie in a sleigh, and sip on a cup of hot cocoa to celebrate the start of the holiday season. Take a tour of the historic house, built in 1773, and enjoy the rumbling of the gristmill during its last run of the year. Free. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• Morganville United Methodist Church, 215 Conover Road, Marlboro, will open its thrift shop on Saturdays in November from 9 a.m. to noon. The thrift shop has new and nearly new items of clothing, housewares, home decor, toys, CDs, DVDs, books and more; vintage and collectible items. All are welcome to visit the thrift shop.
• Embroiderers’ Guild of America – Monmouth Chapter is dedicated to teaching and sharing the joys of needlework. The organization welcomes stitchers of all levels. Evening stitchers will meet via Zoom on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. Day stitchers will meet via Zoom on the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. Details: Toni, 732-462-5540, or visit website:www.mcega.org
• CentraState Medical Center has launched a new online grief support group led by licensed clinical social workers certified in grief counseling to assist individuals who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The group is open for adult members of the community who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The private groups provide a safe, non-judgmental space for participants to share their emotions and struggles. The group meets via Zoom on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 3 p.m. To register, call 732-303-5170 or email [email protected] or [email protected]
• 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. 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 send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.