• New Jersey Blood Services will host blood drives on the following dates: Sept. 17, Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township, 12:30-6:30 p.m.; Sept. 24, 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
• The Monmouth County Retired Educators Association will meet at 11 a.m. Oct. 12 at Jumping Brook Golf Club, Neptune. The guest speaker will be Mary Beth Beichert from
NJEA Government Relations. At 10:30 a.m., PAC-endorsed candidates will be available for members to meet and voice their concerns. Members are encouraged to bring a non-perishable donation for the food bank. For luncheon reservations, contact Sue at 732-995-7754 or email [email protected]. Checks payable to MCREA for $34 may be mailed to Sue Shrott, 162 Harbor Circle Drive, Freehold, NJ 07728, received before Oct. 1. Check the association’s Facebook page or website, monmouthcrea.org, for updates. New
members are always welcome.
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County presents an informal Yiddish class (via Zoom), “Kibbitz and Schmooze: Exploring The Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten.” This program is for individuals interested in sharing their knowledge and love for the Yiddish language. The program is scheduled for Sept. 26 from 7-8 p.m. facilitated by JHMOMC Board President Larry Gurman. Admission is free (donations welcome). To make a reservation, call 732-252-6990 or visit http://www.jhmomc.org. A Zoom link will be sent on the day of the program.
• The Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education will meet at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Park Avenue Complex, 280 Park Ave. Freehold, and remotely. Action will take place at this meeting. The board will meet as a committee of the whole on Sept. 27 at
6 p.m. at the Park Avenue Complex, 280 Park Ave. Freehold. The purpose of the meeting as a committee of the whole will be to formulate and establish goals for the board for the 2021–22 school year. No action will take place during this portion of the meeting. The regular board agenda meeting will resume as scheduled and be open to the public at 7:30 p.m. on that date as previously advertised. Action will take place at that meeting.
• The 2021 Discussion Series will continue with “Self-Care – Filling Up Your Cup – Building Your Emotional Toolbox,” presented by Diane Lang, therapist, educator and life coach. The series is sponsored by Kathy Lo Bue, managing director, Glen Eagle Advisors, LLC. The discussion will take place as a Zoom webinar at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28. The series is free, non-sectarian and open to the community. Call 732-866-6660 for the registration link.
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education will hold the following meetings: Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m., Committee of the Whole meeting, Pine Brook School, 155 Pease Road, Manalapan; and Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m., regular action meeting, Pine Brook School, 155 Pease Road, Manalapan. Meetings are open to the public.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present “Peter and the Starcatcher” at the Thompson Park Theater Barn, Lincroft. A prequel to “Peter Pan,” the show tells the story of how the boy who wouldn’t grow up came to Neverland with heart, humor and music. The schedule is as follows: Sept. 16, 7-9:30 p.m.; Sept. 17, 7-9:30 p.m.; and Sept. 18, 2-4:30 p.m. Open to ages 10 and up, under 18 with adult. The cost is $15 per person per show; pre-registration is required. To register, visit www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or call 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a Cookstove Demonstration, Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. See what is cooking on the wood stove and discover how recipes, cooking techniques and kitchens have changed since the 1890s. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Historic Battery Lewis Tours, Sept. 11, 18 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sept. 12, 19 and 26 from 1-3 p.m., Hartshorne Woods Park – Rocky Point section, Highlands. Tour the restored Historic Battery Lewis and learn about this important former coastal defense site. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a mill demonstration, Sept. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26 from 1-4 p.m. at Historic Walnford, Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Township. See the 19th century gristmill in action. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present the Casual Birder, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m. at the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell, meet in the Visitor Center parking area; and Sept. 28 at 9 a.m. at the Dorbrook Recreation Area, Route 537, Colts Neck, meet in the soccer field parking area. Join a park system naturalist for a laid-back morning bird walk. Open to ages 10 and up; under 18 with adult. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a Butterfly and Pollinator Garden Tour on Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. and Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. at the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, Howell. This garden is designed to provide habitat for wildlife, especially pollinators and butterflies. Tours are about 30 minutes and may be cancelled due to rain. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Bonsai Day on Sept. 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown. The park system presents this event with the Deep Cut Bonsai Society. Experience this intricate and ancient art through demonstrations and displays, with experts on hand to answer questions. Admission and parking are free. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Climb Time on Sept. 12 from 1-4 p.m.
at Freneau Woods Park, Aberdeen Township. Try the park system’s 25-foot-tall portable climbing wall. Climbers must be 42 inches tall or taller to climb. Open to ages 8 and up; under 18 with adult. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present the Wind and Sea Festival on Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth section of Middletown.
Celebrate all things water-related; kayaking, fishing, kite flying, sand castle building and more. Admission and parking are free. Some activities may have a fee. Parking at the Belford Ferry Terminal. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a Fall Plant Swap on Sept. 18. Plant intake from 8:30-10 a.m. Plant selection from 10-11:30 a.m. Tatum Park, Middletown, use Red Hill Road entrance. Bring perennials in one-quart, one-gallon or two-gallon containers (maximum of 15 plants) and take home the same size and number of plants. Label all plants. Houseplants may also be exchanged, but no annuals. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present From Fleece to Skein on Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at Historic Walnford, Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Township. Watch as staff spins fleece into yarn using centuries-old techniques. Free event. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will host its annual cornbread contest on Sept. 19 from 12:30-3 p.m. at Historic Walnford, Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Township. Bring your favorite homemade cornbread in a 9 x 13 pan and a typed copy of the recipe between 12:30-1 p.m. Peer tasting and voting will take place from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Ribbons will be awarded at 3 p.m. by a panel of judges and a popular vote. All ages are welcome. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will host a Harvest Home Festival on Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. This old-fashioned fair is reminiscent of the 1890s. Visitors can enjoy games, competitions and live entertainment. Admission and parking are free. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present boat tours of the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell. Each 45-minute tour is narrated by a park system naturalist and includes opportunities to view local wildlife. The cost is $6 per adult and $4 per child, age 12 and under. Call to confirm schedule as tours are weather dependent and water level dependent. All boat tours leave from the Visitor Center. Life jackets are supplied. Tickets can be purchased on day of tour only. Details: www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or 732-842-4000.
• Dove Hospice Services of New Jersey is seeking compassionate volunteers to provide
support to local hospice patients and their families. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their home, which can also be nursing facilities or assisted living facilities, at least once a week. Visits can be virtual and are during the day or early evening. Volunteers may also assist with administrative work in the hospice office. To sign up for a virtual training class, contact Deborah Adams at 732-405-3035 or email [email protected]
• 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.