In Town
West Windsor Recreation & Parks brings the fourth annual Halloween house decorating contest to town. Call 609-799-6141 to register your house. There is no cost. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the Halloween parade on Saturday, October 28. Categories include Big Scare/Low Budget, Best Dark Side, Family Fun, and Judges Favorite.
Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission presents “Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting, a three-part series beginning Saturday, October 14, 10 a.m. to noon, at Plainsboro Public Library. All arts materials provided. Register at 732-745-4489. $20.
ITN Greater Mercer, a new transportation service for seniors and visually impaired adults, seeks volunteer drivers. The 24/7 service provides affordable transportation in a 10-mile radius around Quakerbridge Mall. Rides begin with a $3 pick-up charge and $1 to $2 per mile. Volunteers earn credits to pay for their own rides, donate to a friend, or to the community. They also receive partial reimbursement for gas. Drivers must be 21 or older and have three years of driving experience. Call 609-452-1491 or E-mail info@itngreatermercer.org.
Pennington Players seek actors ages 16 and up, for “James and the Giant Peach.” Auditions are at Kelsey Theater, on Saturday and Sunday, October 21 and 22, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Musical talent with the violin is a major plus. Prepare an upbeat monologue and bring resume and photo. Production opens January 26. Visit www.mysignup.com/jamespeach for appointment.
Pennington Players has auditions for “The Baker’s Wife” at Kelsey Theater, on Saturday, October 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Tuesday, October 24, 7 to 10 p.m. The cast includes 18 actors, 11 male, and 7 female. Prepare one complete musical theater song showcasing comedic ability and be prepared to dance. Bring a resume, photo, and sheet music. Call 609-737-PLAY for an appointment.
For Young People
George Street Playhouse offers theater classes for ages five and up, beginning Saturday, October 7. Four different Saturday morning classes are for ages 5 to 12. “The Play is the Thing” for ages 8 to 12, is Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. “Back to Basics” for teens is also held Saturdays at 11 a.m. Adult classes are held Monday evenings and Saturday afternoons. www.georgestplayhouse.org or call 732-846-2895.
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts is accepting registration from high school seniors for its Arts Recognition and Talent Search program. Disciplines include dance, film/video, classical, pop and jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, and writing. www.nfaa.artsawards.org or call 800-970-2787.
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at UMDNJ seeks 200 young people for a sexually transmitted disease prevention training program. Participants should have a strong interest in learning safer sex messages to share. Call 973-972-5000.
Call for Art
New Jersey Historic Preservation Conference seeks images of New Jersey’s doors and doorways for the annual conference at Drew University on Wednesday, May 23. Images should be color and have portrait orientation. All submissions should include the location that the photo was taken, your name, and mailing address. Photos at least 3 by 5 inches may be submitted to NJ Doors, Historic Preservation Office, Box 404, Trenton 08505. Digital images at least 1,”300 by 900 pixels may be sent to Andrea.Tingey@dep.state.nj.us. Deadline is Friday, December 1. 609-292-4239.
New Hope Arts has exhibition opportunities for artists in the “Works in Wood” show scheduled for November. No geographic limitation and any artist using wood as a medium is encouraged to apply. Deadline is Friday, October 20. For application E-mail newhopearts@aol.com or call 215-862-9606.
Auditions
Bridge Players Theater Company has auditions for “The Good Doctor” on Sunday and Monday, October 29 and 30, at 7 p.m., at Broad Street Methodist Church, 36 East Broad Street, Burlington. Auditions will be cold readings from the script. Seeking men and women ages 20 to 60. www.bridgeplayerstheatre.com or call 856-303-7620.
Villagers Theater seeks actors to “Twas the Night Before Christmas” with auditions on Thursday and Friday, October 18 and 19, at 7 p.m. at 415 Demott Lane, Somerset. Age range is 7 to 60. Audition will include readings from the script and a short dance audition. www.villagerstheatre.com.
Philomusica, an auditioned community choir, seeks singers for December 2 and 3 concerts of Renaissance to 20th century music. Open auditions, 7:30 to 10 p.m. by appointment. The Unitarian Society, 176 Tices Lane, East Brunswick, 888-744-5668 or www.philomusica.org.
Writers Corner USA seeks additional members for an advanced novel writing group that meets in Doylestown, PA on the second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. E-mail Russ Allen at novelgroup@writersstudio.com and include a brief bio of your experience as a writer, a standard resume, the name of your agent (if any), and a brief description of your past and present novel-length fiction projects.
Health
One Yoga and Wellness Center offers a 500-hour yoga teacher training program for self-development beginning with a yoga and meditation retreat weekend on Friday to Sunday, November 3 to 5. $700. Deadline Saturday, October 14. Visit www.oneyogacenter.net or call 609-918-0963.
University of Pennsylvania is conducting a research study for breast cancer survivors to understand the relationship of weight training exercise with survivors. Participants receive a one-year membership to the Burlington County YMCA, a fitness trainer, a physical therapist, and financial compensation. E-mail arogerin@cceb.med.upenn.edu or call Amy at 215-898-5112.
UMDNJ is seeking people born in 1915 or earlier who survived the 1918 flu epidemic for a study that may be helpful in fighting a 21st century flu epidemic. A small blood sample is requested. Call Dr. Eric Altschuler at 973-972-5439 to participate.
Quaker Bridge Mall will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for every Simon Pink Ribbon Giftcard (a prepaid Visa product). www.komen.org.
Participate Please
Preservation New Jersey seeks nominations for an endangered historic resource for the 2007 list of “10 Most Endangered Historic Sites in New Jersey.” Deadline Thursday, November 30. www.pnj10most.org or call 609-392-6409.
NJShares is accepting applications from Trenton-are residents struggling to pay their energy bills in the wake of an unexpected financial crisis. Apply at PSE&G, 15 West State Street, Trenton. www.pseg.com/billpaymentassistance or call 856-630-9741.
New Jersey Department of Agriculture seeks nominees for the Outstanding Young Farmers Award. Farmers must be between the ages of 21 to 40, have a financial interest in the farm operation or be a salaried farm employee. Deadline is Monday, January 15. Website: www.nj.gov/agriculture/about/sba/cover.html or call Karen Kritz at 609-984-2506.
Women Helping Women is launching a new evening therapy group for women who were sexually abused as children. Register with Melissa Higgins 732-549-6000.
Howell Living History Farm is still accepting applications for parent and child enrollment in its Tuesday and Friday Hatcher Program. Children ages 3 to 5 may participate while parents volunteer their time helping the farm staff. Call 609-737-3299.
Volunteers Needed
CROP Walks are taking place in Hamilton, Princeton, and Trenton on Sunday, October 15; Ewing and Hamilton on Sunday, October 22; and Hightstown on Sunday, October 29. To participate visit www.cropwalk.org.
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve seeks volunteers for the naturalist training program beginning in October. The program includes Saturday morning programs through March on the natural and cultural history of the preserve, botany, ecology, plant identification, and interpretation. Call 215-862-2924.
Middlesex County Improvement Authority seeks volunteers to help with the Monroe Fall Harvest Food Drive. Individuals are needed on Saturday, October 7, from 9 am. to noon, to distribute bags and flyers to each of the residents in the Clearbrook and Concordia communities. Contact Jennifer Apostol at 609-409-5033.
