Baseball
West Windsor-Plainsboro Wood Bat and Senior Babe Ruth League are accepting applications for West Windsor and Plainsboro players, ages 16 to 18 as of April 30. Games are on Sundays from April to June, with home games at West Windsor Community Park. There will also be post season play. Register at www.leaguelineup.com/wwpbaberuth by Friday, March 9.
For Young Writers
Cotsen Children’s Museum is accepting entries in the “350 for 50” annual writing competition for ages 8 to 16. Write a 350-word story that includes the sentence “The noise was unmistakable.” Winning stories will be published online, in the Picture Book Press, and the authors will receive a $50 shopping spree at Labyrinth Books. No poems, illustrations, or comics. One winner will be selected from age categories of 8 to 10, 11 to 13, and 14 to 16. Stories including your name, age, and mailing address must be submitted via E-mail to danas@princeton.edu. Deadline is Monday, March 12, at 5 p.m.
PNC Bank and the Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning invite New Jersey students in grades 2 through 12 to write a short essay on “What the American Flag Means to Me” for the American Patriot essay contest. This year’s grand prize winner will receive a visit to his or her school by a gigantic, 75-foot-tall hot air balloon in June and a special VIP package at this year’s festival including a hot air balloon ride for two, four Blue Sky Club VIP tickets, and the opportunity to meet one of this year’s concert headliners. Second and third place prizes consisting of festival admission and merchandise will be also awarded.
The winning student’s classmates will receive an admission ticket to the festival and the winning student’s teacher and school principal will each receive two Blue Sky Club VIP tickets. Every teacher who submits a group of 15 essays or more will receive two free general admission tickets to the festival.
The essays should be 100 words or fewer. Deadline is Tuesday, May 1. Send to Essay Judges, Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, 363 Route 46 West, Suite 200, Fairfield 07004. Entries may also be submitted at www.balloonfestival.com or by E-mail to information@balloonfestival.com.
Call for Poets
D&R Greenway invites poets to submit entries for a juried poetry reading based on the theme of “Babbling Brooks and Silent Springs” to be held at Johnson Education Center on Thursday, April 12. Submissions must be received by Thursday, March 22. Visit www.drgreenway.org, call 609-924-4646, or E-mail info@drgreenway.org.
Volunteer Please
CASA for Children of Mercer County seeks volunteers to advocate for children. Court Appointed Special Advocates is seeking volunteers who have a few hours a month to help make a difference in the life of a foster child. The non-profit organization is committed to speaking up in court for the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect.
Volunteers should be at least 21 years of age, able to communicate effectively, and pass background checks, as well as sex offender and child abuse registry checks, and available to complete about 30 hours of training. Register to attend an information session at 1450 Parkside Avenue, Suite 22, Ewing, on March 8 or 20, and April 3. Visit www.casamercer.org, call 609-434-0050, or E-mail lklionsky@casamercer.org.
Jewish Community Center seeks adult and teen volunteers to assist at Special Olympics of New Jersey’s basketball sectionals. Positions are open for timers, scorekeepers, court assistants, award presenters, and fans in the stands. Lawrenceville School, 2500 Main Street, Lawrenceville, Sunday, March 11, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Jerry Schwartz at 609-219-9550 or jschwartz@jcctoday.org for information.
Nominations
Invited
Kidsbridge seeks nominations for the youth and adult humanitarian awards to recognize extraordinary acts of kindness, citizenship, or community service. Principals, guidance counselors, teachers, and others are invited to nominate a child, a group of children, or a colleague that has demonstrated an extraordinary act of kindheartedness, service to the community, peaceful resolution of conflict, or compassion for the less fortunate.
Awards will be made to individuals, to small groups of students, and a teacher, a guidance counselor, or a principal who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in character education or leading community service. Download a nomination form at www.kidsbridgemuseum.org or call 609-581-0239 for information. Deadline is Tuesday, March 20.
Donate Please
Dress for Success Mercer County is participating in Send One Suit weekend through Sunday, March 4, by asking women to donate one new or nearly new interview suit to help another woman enter the workforce and take charge of her life. Dressbarn will accept donations during the four-day event. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org/mercercounty for information.
Cultural Adventure
YWCA Princeton offers “India: Culture, Etiquette, and Traditions,” a four-week program on Fridays, March 9, 16, 23, and 30, at 7 p.m., at Bramwell House, 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton. Highlights include “Introduction to India,” “Travel and Business Etiquette,” “Food and Clothing,” and “Traditions and Customs.” Register at www.ywcaprinceton.org/register or call 609-497-2100. $75.
Tennis, Anyone?
Mercer County Park Commission offers junior and adult tennis lesson programs for all levels and ages, tournaments for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles; a tennis league; and more. Register for programs at the Mercer County Tennis Center at https://register.communitypass.net/mercer or call 609-448-8007.
Breakfast in Bed
Princeton Senior Center offers “Brunch at Home” for delivery on Sunday, March 25, by 9 a.m. The basket includes bagels, a quiche, smoked salmon, sparkling cider, fruit, and more. Register at www.brunchathome.org, E-mail aklein@princetonsenior.org, or call 609-924-7108. $37.50.
Audition
Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society has open auditions for principal roles and chorus positions for “The Pirates of Penzance” on Sundays, March 4 and 11, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, Route 413 and 202, Buckingham, Pennsylvania. Prepare one to two minutes of any G&S number with a piece from Pirates preferred. Provide your own music. If auditioning for the chorus prepare any song that demonstrates your ability to sing. Register at 215-534-1932 or E-mail bucksgands@gmail.com. Provide your name, address, phone, E-mail address, roles you are interested in, your voice part, and on which date you prefer to audition. Production is Friday to Sunday, June 8 to 10.
Creative Drama
Paper Mill Playhouse teams up with VSA-NJ to offer a creative drama class for students ages 9 to 12 with developmental disabilities. The class will meet Fridays, April 13 to May 25, from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. $170. Register. www.papermill.org.
Fitness
Snap Fitness at 2025 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, offers a free week of classes for new people. Visit www.snapfitness.com/westwindsor or call 609-371-7627.
