• The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey will host a dinner meeting on Nov. 9 at Christie’s Italian Seafood Grill, Howell. The restaurant is BYOB. The cost is $35 per person for society members and $45 for non-members. Cash is preferred, no credit cards. To reserve seating, call Allan Deseno at 732-780-8461 or Richard Favara at 732-861-9465. For more information, visit www.italianamericansnj.com
• Freehold Borough will host a public workshop during which a transit village in the downtown area will be discussed. The workshop will be held from 3-8 p.m. Oct. 27 at the fire department annex, 49 W. Main St. (rear). Interested individuals may attend at any time to share their ideas and discuss transportation, parking and future development in the borough. Details: FreeholdTransitVillage.org
• The Marlboro Recreation Community Center, Wyncrest Road, will host pumpkin painting, “Trunk or Treat” and a Halloween parade on Oct. 29. Pumpkin painting at 2 p.m. ($10 per pumpkin for residents; $15 per pumpkin for non-residents). Online preregistration is required at Marlboro-nj.gov/signup. “Trunk or Treat” will take place from 3-4:45 p.m. Children will go from car to car and receive a treat from each vehicle. Halloween parade at 5 p.m. Register for the parade during “Trunk or Treat.” Details: 732-617-0100 or email [email protected]
• The Colts Neck Lions Club will host a Halloween pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 28 at the Colts Neck Reformed Church, 72 Route 537 West. All are welcome to attend; $5 for adults; $3 for seniors and children under 12. There will be a raffle and face painting. A portion of the proceeds will go to a new “Sensory Den” playground at Dorbrook Park to accommodate individuals who are blind and visually impaired.
• CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, will offer “Sweet Success: Preventing and Managing Diabetes” from 5-8 p.m. Nov. 2. Participants will learn how to take a more active role in preventing and managing their diabetes. The event is free and registration is required. Details: 732-308-0570.
• The Manalapan Seniors will host a “Senior Celebration” from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Battleground Country Club, Manalapan. The cost is $40 per person and includes lunch and entertainment by the Uptown Getdowns. All seniors are invited. Details: 732-446-8401.
• The Monmouth Ski Club will meet at 8 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Wild Rover, 153 Shrewsbury Ave, Red Bank. New members are welcome. Trips and activities are planned throughout the year. Details: www.monmouthskiclub.com
• The Friends of the Monmouth County Library will hold a book sale at library headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan, on Oct. 25, noon to 7 p.m.; Oct. 26, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Oct. 27, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 28, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 29, 1-4:30 p.m.; and Oct. 30, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Details: [email protected]
• Spooky rides on the Pine Creek Railroad Haunted Halloween Express are offered every half hour between 7:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 27-28 at Allaire State Park, 4265 Atlantic Ave., Wall Township. Tickets are $7.50 and are available the night of the event. Train rides are weather-dependent. Call 732-938-5524 to confirm the train schedule, or for more information.
• Brookdale Community College will hold its annual fall open house on Nov. 5 at noon in the Collins Arena, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft. High school students, career-changers and residents of all ages are invited to meet with Brookdale staff, ask questions and explore more than 50 degree and career training programs offered through the college. Details: www.brookdalecc.edu/openhouse
• Pumpkin painting and crafts will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Manalapan Community Center, 114 Route 33, Manalapan. All are welcome to attend. The $5 entry includes a pumpkin and painting supplies, and Halloween crafts.
• From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 28, Marlboro residents may drop off expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs at the Marlboro Police Department, 1979 Township Drive. Residents who are unable to travel to police headquarters may arrange for medications to be picked up. Details: Detective Sgt. Jay Fox, 732-536-0100, ext. 1640.
• A clothing drive will be organized by the Marlboro Youth Exchange program on Nov. 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Drop off donations at Marlboro High School, 95 N. Main St., at the truck in the front parking lot. The following items will be accepted: clothing, shoes, purses, belts, bed and bath linens, stuffed animals, bicycles and baby strollers. Pick-ups may be possible for residents who cannot get to the high school. Details: Ilana Kats, 732-674-4989.
• The Italian American Association of Monmouth County is sponsoring a comedy night from 7-11 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Robertsville Banquet Center (Robertsville firehouse), 94 Route 520, Marlboro, featuring Uncle Floyd Vivino. Cost of $45 includes show, buffet dinner, coffee and dessert. Cash bar will be available. Proceeds will support the association’s scholarship and cultural fund. All are welcome. Details: Cheryl Scuorzo, 732-536-5832, or www.iaaofmc.com
• From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 11, the Monmouth County Park System will host its fall craft show at the Fort Monmouth Recreation Center, Tinton Falls. This seasonal craft show will feature more than 50 local artists and crafters and their work. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• Sportika Sports, 150 Woodward Road, Manalapan, and strategic partner Peter Grandich and Company, in association with Shore Sports Network, will host a viewing party at 4:25 p.m. Nov. 12 for the New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers football game. Keith Elias, a former running back with the Giants and Colts, will be on hand to greet fans. Admission is free; those who wish to attend are asked to email [email protected]
• St. Thomas More Parish, 186 Gordons Corner Road, Manalapan, is offering a women’s bible study this fall. 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 First Baptist Church of Freehold, corner of West Main Street and Manalapan Avenue, Freehold Borough, will hold its first Trunk or Treat at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 in the church parking lot. This community event, which includes a costume contest for children 12 and under, will follow Freehold Borough’s Halloween Spooktacular parade. All children and their families are invited at no cost. Details: Nina Rizzo, 201-838-8318 or nrizzo@ gmail.com
• The Reformed Church of Freehold, 67 W. Main St., Freehold, will host a roast beef dinner that is open to the community from 4-7 p.m. Nov. 4. Tickets are $18 for adults and $6 for children (ages 6-12). Full-course dinner served family style. Take-out dinners available. Tickets available at the door or by calling 732-462-1717.
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Township, presents Irving Berlin: A Talk by Marty Schneit at 2 p.m. Nov. 19. Tickets are $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members. Schneit is a New York City tour guide and historian. He will shed light on the life and career of one of the symbols American popular music. To make a paid reservation, call 732-252-6990.
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Township, presents Marc Chagall, Part 2: A talk and film led by Professor Maurice Mahler at 1 p.m. Nov. 15. Tickets are $10 for museum members and $12 for non-members. The film “Chagall’s Journey” was created for NBC in 1985 and has not been seen since. To make a paid reservation, call 732-252-6990.
• Vendors are being sought for a craft fair (crafts and holiday items) that will be held at the Freehold Township Senior Center, 116 Jackson Mills Road, Freehold Township, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 4. A table is $15. Details: 732-294-2029.
• The 2017 Discussion Series at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township, will present “Medicare and You” and information about Social Security benefits on Oct. 26. Times are 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. The series is sponsored by Kathy Lo Bue of Glen Eagle Advisors LLC. This is a free community event. RSVP to 732-866-6660.
• CentraState’s Gloria Saker Women’s Heart Program is inviting community members to “Eat to Your Heart’s Content,” an evening of social activities and tips on how to stay healthy during the holiday season, from 5-9 p.m. Oct. 27 in Freehold Township. The event fee is $45 per person and optional glucose and cholesterol screenings will be available for an additional, nominal fee. To register, call 732-308-0570.
• Janet Urbanowicz will discuss the ways different generations work with each other during the 2017 Discussion Series from 7-9 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. The series is sponsored by Kathy Lo Bue of Glen Eagle Advisors LLC. This is a free community event. RSVP to 732-866-6660.
• The Heart of New Jersey Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, will present “Fall Into Harmony” at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Millstone Township Primary School, 18 Schoolhouse Road, Millstone Township. Special guest Just 4 (Kicks) quartet will also perform. General admission, $15; seniors (over 62) and students, $12; Children under 12, free. Children are welcome to attend and may come in costume. The 501st Legion Storm Troopers will be in the house. For tickets, call 732-527-3343.
• Rick Radis will present “Return of the Raven” at the 8 p.m. Nov. 8 meeting of the Monmouth County Audubon Society at the Knights of Columbus hall, 200 Fair Haven Road, Fair Haven. The public is welcome; admission is free. Radis will cover the historic status of the common raven in eastern North America from the late 1880s, its return in the 1990s, and its present status as a nesting species in many areas of New Jersey and the eastern states. Details: http://www.monmouthaudubon.org
• Monmouth County has a backyard composting session scheduled at Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown, on Nov. 18. The free 45-minute sessions begin at 10 a.m. and will explain the how to’s of reducing yard and household waste and improving soil. Advance registration is required. To reserve a seat, call 732-683-8686, ext. 6721.
• The Friends of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center will host a 5K race and family fun run/walk, “Stomp Out Child Abuse,” at 9 a.m. Oct. 29 at Thompson Park, Preston Grove Pavilion, Route 520 (Newman Springs Road), Lincroft. Registration begins at 8 a.m. All ages, children included, are invited to participate. All proceeds will help the Friends support the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center. To register, visit www.friendsofmccac.org
• Genealogist James Beidler will present “Contrasting German Migrations” at the 1:30 p.m. Nov. 12 meeting of the Monmouth County Genealogy Society at the Community Center, 72 Broad St., Eatontown. Beidler will discuss the two major waves of German migration to the United States. The program is free and the public is welcome. Details: 732-747-0090.
• The Autism MVP Walk, a day of family fun with activities for children, a 2-mile walk along a boardwalk and a post-event celebration, will be hosted by the Autism MVP Foundation on Nov. 5. Register at Leggett’s Sand Bar, 217 1st Avenue, Manasquan, at 9:30 a.m. Walk begins at 11 a.m. The post-event celebration starts at noon. Purchase tickets in advance at http://www.autismmvp.org/news-and-events.html or on-site. Cost is $30 for adults; $20 for students; and $10 for children 12 and under. Details: www.autismmvp.org
• Disabled American Veterans Chapter 74, Freehold, will meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 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 Deep Cut Orchid Society meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month (Nov. 14) 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.
• Vendors are being sought for a holiday boutique that will be held at the Old Tennent Presbyterian Church, Tennent Road, Manalapan, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 11. Crafts, jewelry, food and more. Vendors are asked to respond by Oct. 28. Details: 732-446-6299 or email [email protected]
• Old Tennent Presbyterian Church, 448 Tennent Road, Manalapan, will host “Journey to Bethlehem,” a free Christmas drive-through, on its grounds from 6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 2-3. Live scenes will begin with Isaiah telling of Jesus’ birth and ending with the Nativity scene. To sponsor or participate, call 732-446-6299.
• The Manalapan Board of Health will sponsor a free rabies immunization clinic for dogs and cats on Nov. 4 from 9-11:30 a.m. in the Manalapan Recreation Center, Route 522, at the new expansion building by Field K and the spray park (best entrance is the west entrance, not the main entrance). Dogs must be on a leash; cats must be in a carrier. Details: 732-446-8345.
• Single Active Seniors (SAS) is a discussion and activity group for men and women over 55. SAS meets every Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in the Colts Neck Reformed Church, Route 537 West, Colts Neck (in the white building to the right of the church). Social activities are introduced and group participation is encouraged. There are no fees and all are welcome to attend. Details: Email [email protected], subject line, SAS.
• 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.