In Town
West Windsor Township Police Department PBA #271 and American Legion seek new toys and clothing for a holiday drive for local children and families. Along with the gifts for the holiday season, the families will receive turkeys and side dishes to make a holiday dinner. Collection bins are in the lobby of the West Windsor Township Police Department until Sunday, December 18. For information contact Patrolman Justin Insalaco at 609-799-1222 or by E-mail to insalaco@westwindsorpolice.com.
Plainsboro Food Pantry needs donations of grocery and personal care items including coffee, cookies, condiments, macaroni and cheese, juice, meal starters, microwavable meals, boxed meals, canned meat, oatmeal, pancake mix, maple syrup, peanut butter, jelly, instant and canned potatoes, rice, stuffing, sugar, honey, sugar substitutes, canned vegetable, diapers, body lotion, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Bring to Plainsboro Municipal Building. Call 609-799-0909, ext. 1706 for information.
Princeton Academy of Martial Arts is collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Toys until Friday, December 16 at 14 Farber Road, West Windsor. Donors receive a free private martial arts lesson. Call 609-452-2208 or E-mail info@pamausa.com for information.
West Windsor Arts Center has a call for singers, comics, poets, and more for its new open mic, at 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, on Friday, December 9, 7 p.m. Register at openmicsignup.weebly.com. Space permitting, a sign-up list will also be available at the door. Each performer is permitted to perform three pieces with a limit of 10 minutes per performer or group. For more information, E-mail info@westwindsorarts.org or call 609-716-1931.
Auditions
Pennington Players have auditions for “Xanadu” on Saturday, December 3, 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Kelsey Theater. E-mail xanaduatkelsey@gmail.com for an appointment. Must be 16 or older to audition. Visit xanaduatkelsey.weebly.com for requirements.
Yardley Players Theater Company has auditions for “The Wizard of Oz” Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, noon to 5 p.m. at Kelsey Theater. Call Amy Zalot at 215-945-3075 for an appointment. Visit www.yardleyplayers.com to download and print an audition form to bring with you.
Pierrot Productions has auditions for “Death of a Salesman” on Sunday and Monday, December 4 and 5, at 7 p.m. at Kelsey Theater. E-mail auditions@pierrotproductions.org to schedule an appointment. Prepare a one to three minute dramatic monologue from any stage work and be prepared for readings as assigned by the director. Must be 18 or older to audition
Somerset Valley Players has auditions for “Sly Fox” on Saturdays, December 3 and 10, from noon to 3 p.m. at 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough. Needed are 10 adult males, ages 25 to 70; and four adult females, ages 20 to 50. Readings will be from the script. Two and three-minute monologues are also welcome. Visit www.svptheatre.org or call 908-369-7469.
Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing has auditions for “Kaleidoscope Heart: A Song Cycle about Love,” on Friday, December 9, from 7 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, December 10, from 3 to 6 p.m. Prepare two contrasting musical theater selections to sing. E-mail wendyfeavermusic@yahoo.com for information.
Call for Art
Art Way Gallery in Plainsboro has a call for entries for a photographic juried show. Submit 5 to 10 images per series, $25. Deadline is Friday, January 6. Submit a CD to: Art Way Gallery, Sheila Geisler, One Hunters Run, Princeton 08540-8646. Contact Geisler at 732-422-3676 or geisler@rci.rutgers.edu for information. www.artwaygallery.org
Voices for the Marsh, a juried photography exhibit, invites photographers with photographs taken at the Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh. Youth and adult entries will be judged separately. Entries submitted on a CD are due Thursday, January 5. Visit www.marsh-friends.org for details.
Education
Enrollment is open for Mercer County Community College’s winter session which provides students with an opportunity to earn college credits online or on-campus during winter break. The courses are open to students from other colleges, and to high school students. Online courses begin Monday, December 19 and run for six weeks. On-site classes begin Thursday, January 3 and run for three weeks at both the West Windsor and James Kerney Campuses. The classes meet three to four days per week, and are offered both days and evenings. Courses include business, chemistry, economics, literature, history, mathematics, fitness, culinary arts, photography, and more. Visit www.mccc.edu for information.
Holiday
Trolley Tours
Princeton Tour Company offers 45 to 50 minute trolley rides on Saturdays beginning at 11 a.m. through Historical Society of Princeton. See the homes and hangouts of Woodrow Wilson, Grover Cleveland, T.S. Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Albert Einstein, and more. Tickets are $10 per person. Visit www.princetontourcompany.com for information and reservations.
Donate Please
Mercer County Veteran Services is conducting its annual donation drive to help veterans and their families enjoy the comforts of a hot meal on each holiday. Rather than collecting donations of food, Mercer County’s Division of Veteran Services accepts monetary donations that go toward the purchase of grocery gift cards veterans can use to purchase holiday meals. Veterans will receive those gift cards in time for holiday meal preparations. Every dollar collected during the drive is used to purchase and distribute the gift cards for food products. Checks payable to Mercer County Trust Fund may be sent to Mercer County Division of Veteran Services, 2280 Hamilton Avenue, Hamilton 08619. For information call 609-989-6120.
Morven Museum is accepting new unwrapped gifts for Toys for Tots. Please deliver to 55 Stockton Street, Princeton by Friday, December 16. Call 609-924-8144 for information.
Blue Ridge Mountain Sports is holding a coat drive to benefit the Rescue Mission in Trenton. Bring gently used coats for men, women, and children to 301 North Harrison Street, in the Princeton Shopping Center. For information call 609-921-6078.
American Red Cross launched a holiday fundraising campaign to help those in need. Donations can help provide food and shelter to a victim of disaster, help purchase things like phone cards and supplies for a member of the armed forces, or help supply basic necessities to families in desperate need in countries across the world. For more information visit www.redcross.org
Call for Films
New Hope Film Festival is accepting entries for U.S. and international films in Art House (full-length feature), short, documentary, Mid-Atlantic, and student categories. Visit www.newhopefilmfestival.com, click on submissions, and proceed to Withoutabox to submit your film. The deadline is Friday, December 30, and the late deadline is Friday, January 27.
Volunteer
Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness seeks volunteers to staff free tax preparation sites throughout Mercer County. Training sessions are held at the United Way, 3150 Brunswick Pike, Suite 230, Lawrenceville on Fridays, December 2 and 9, and Saturdays, December 3 and 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. E-mail jrosado@merceralliance.org or call 609-844-1008 to register.
Gift Wrap
Friends of the Twin Rivers Library offers supplies of gift wrap, tape, scissors, gift tags, ribbon, boxes, and gift bags — everything needed to wrap up your holiday gifts. Call 609-443-1880 for information. Location is 276 Abbington Drive, East Windsor. Open Mondays, December 12 and 19, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Students & Arts
State Theater launched “Students Meet The Arts” for students to attend many classical music and dance programs, including both live performances and HD broadcasts, for only $8 per ticket. For tickets or information, call 732-246-7469, or visit www.StateTheatreNJ.org.
