In Town
American Legion Post 76 invites high school juniors or seniors, or college freshmen to apply for a four-year scholarship. Available to a resident of Princeton Borough or Township, or West Windsor, who is a child, stepchild, grandchild, or great grandchild of a United States war veteran or a person who served in the Armed Forces during wartime. Contact the Princeton Area Community Foundation, 15 Princess Road, Lawrenceville 08648 or call Henry Frank at 609-924-3829.
Westminster Conservatory, the community music school of Rider University’s Westminster College of the Arts, will offer its early childhood music program in West Windsor for the first time. Classes will meet weekly for 10 weeks on Tuesdays, beginning on March 20, at Princeton Presbyterian Church, 545 Meadow Road, in West Windsor. Parents and children are invited open houses on Tuesday, February 21, from 4 to 6 p.m., and Saturday, February 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. See the new facilities, meet the faculty, and participate in demonstration classes. The programs for children from four months to nine years of age. For more information visit www.rider.edu/conservatorykids, call 609-921-7104, or E-mail LuAnn Longenecker, the program director, at Llongenecker@rider.edu.
Congregation Beth Chaim is offering a four week Bible class beginning on Wednesday, March 14 at 10 am. Rabbi Cari Bricklin explores the Biblical Text and Rabbinic Midrash (non-legal) interpretations of these texts and apply these lessons to our lives today. No previous knowledge is needed. Congregation Beth Chaim, 329 Village Road East, West Windsor, 609-799-9401.
Snap Fitness at 2025 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, offers a free week of classes for new people. Call 609-371-7627 or visit www.snapfitness.com/westwindsor.
Call for Art
Mercer College Art Gallery calls for entries for “Mercer County Artists 2012” from artists ages 8 and older who live, work, or attend school in Mercer County. Artists may enter up to two original works of art in any media except photography. Jurying by Jeffrey Wechsler takes place on Saturday, February 18 at the Gallery. More than $1,000 in prizes will be awarded. Artwork that receives Purchase awards from the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission will become part of the county’s permanent art collection. For more information visit www.mccc.edu/gallery or E-mail gallery@mccc.edu. The exhibit will be on view from Tuesday, March 6 through Thursday, April 5. An awards ceremony will take place Wednesday, March 14, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Auditions
Maurer Productions OnStage will hold open auditions for its upcoming production of “The Drowsy Chaperone” on Saturday, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, February 26, from noon to 5 p.m., at Kelsey Theater. The show includes 17 speaking and singing roles and will be directed by John M. Maurer, with musical direction by Laurie Gougher and choreography by Jane Coult. Auditions are open to actors 17 years and older. Register for an audition slot at www.mponstage.com/registration, E-mail Audition@mponstage.com, or call 609-882-2292.
The Mercer County College student theater company is looking for a performer for its production of “Hairspray,” which will be produced April 13 through 22. The available role is that of Seaweed J. Stubbs, a hip “Negro Day” dancer. The performer must be a good dancer, read as if between the ages of 16 and 21, and be a tenor. Contact Tracy Antozzeski at jtmf@verizon.net
Auditions for “Gypsy” at Playhouse 22 will be held on Monday and Tuesday, February 20 and 21, starting at 7 p.m. Auditions will be held at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.
Bimah Players Community Theater seeks adult actors and singers of all ages for “Ever Since Adam,” a readers’ theater production featuring dramatizations of literature by Mark Twain and other classic writers as well as songs about relationships between men and women. Auditions are Sunday, March 11, 1 to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, March 13, 6 to 9 p.m.; and Wednesday, March 14, 7 to 9 p.m., at Monroe Township Jewish Center, 11 Cornell Avenue, Monroe. Performance dates are Sundays, June 3 and 10, 3 and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, June 7, 7:30 p.m. E-mail: dirbimahplayers@aol.com or visit www.bimahplayers.org to set up an audition appointment.
Auditions are Sunday, February 26, and Saturday, March 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the benefit performance of Eve Ensler’s award-winning play “The Vagina Monologues.” Auditions will be held at SAFE in Hunterdon’s Outreach Office at 47 East Main Street, Flemington. No prior acting experience is necessary. Performances are Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, at Hunterdon Central Regional High School. For more information E-mail vdayflemingtonvm@gmail.com, call 908-788-7666, or visit www.facebook.com/vdayflemington.
The Villagers Theater will hold auditions for “The Music Man” at DeMott Lane in Somerset. Youth performer auditions will be held on Monday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. Adult auditions will be Tuesday and Wednesday, March 6 and 7, at 7 p.m. Be prepared with 16 bars of a song similar in type to this production’s music (not a song from the show). Be prepared to dance. E-mail donna@villagerstheatre.com for more information
Actors are needed for staged reading of original play for Theater/Dance Workshop Inc. Need four couples in their 40s and 50s. E-mail to theaterdanceworkshop@gmail.com for an interview.
Picnic Spots
Mercer County Park Commission is accepting automated picnic reservations via the Internet beginning on Tuesday, February 21, at noon. Residents may make a reservation, pay, and receive a permit for any of the county’s picnicking areas. Visit www.mercercounty.org to search areas and available dates.
Volunteer Please
Friendship Circle of Greater Mercer County offers teen girls the chance to volunteer for group providing social and Judaic activities for adults with special needs. As part of the mini chef program the girls will prepare food and snacks for activities as well as prepare meals for homebound adults with special needs. Visit www.mercerfriends.com or call 609-683-7240 for information.
Walking Events
Cross-Jersey Challenge, a long distance walking network, is partnering with the East Coast Greenway Alliance in a program that utilizes the New Jersey segment of a 3,000 mile trail. Individuals have to walk the entire distance within the next 12 months and record efforts at crossjerseywalk.org. Walking events scheduled include the Great Canal Walk on Saturday, April 7, 40 mile walk from Trenton to New Brunswick; the Tween Walk, Saturday, April 14, 10 miles from New Brunswick to MetroPark; Saturday, May 19, 50 mile walk from Metropark to New York Penn Station; and Saturday, June 9, 30 mile walk from Jersey City to New York City over the George Washington Bridge. All are free. Visit crossjerseywalk.org for more information.
Competitions
Fairleigh Dickinson University is sponsoring a statewide competition for all New Jersey high school students with bright commercially feasible business ideas. The “2012 New Jersey Business Idea Competition,” is open to all high school students. The deadline for applications is Sunday, February 19, and the winners will be announced and honored on the evening of Friday, March 30, in Madison. For more information visit www.fdu.edu/businessidea or call 973-443-8842.
Mercer County high school students are invited to enter a talent competition hosted by the Delta Upsilon Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, in affiliation with the Youth College program of Mercer County Community College. The annual competition is open to 9th through 12th graders, and the deadline to enter is Sunday, February 19. The competition will be held on Saturday, March 3, at 12 p.m. in Kerney Hall at Mercer College’s James Kerney Campus, 102 North Broad Street, Trenton. The event is free and open to the public.
The categories in which students can enter are: classical instrumental, classical vocal, contemporary instrumental, contemporary vocal, dance (ballet, tap or modern), dramatic interpretation, and visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture or photography). The winner of the competition will receive $100, and an expense-paid trip to Baltimore, Maryland, to participate in a multi-state competition where the winner will receive additional prizes. Registration forms are available at https://trentonques.org and can be E-mailed to talenthunt@trentonques.org. Contact Stephone Mickler at 803-479-0844.
Politics
The Republican Women of Mercer County seeks applications for the Kabis Memorial Internship Program for young women. The application deadline is Saturday, February 18. The program offers three young women the opportunity to spend six weeks in Washington, D.C. working in the headquarters of the women’s partisan political organization. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens in their junior year of college or college students age 21 and over, having completed high school but not yet graduated from college. Housing, airfare, and a small monetary allowance is provided. Visit www.rwomc.org for an application.
Scholarships
Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks offers Israel program scholarships for teen and college students. Contact Lara Wellerstein at 609-987-8100, ext. 104, or by E-mail at laraw@jfcsonline.org.
Volunteer Please
The Friendship Circle, a Jewish organization that matches children with special needs with teen volunteers, seeks volunteers for various programs. Adult volunteers are also needed for the adult programs. Call 609-683-7240 or visit mercerfriends.com for more information.
Donate Please
Har Sinai Temple is collecting all kinds of bikes for Boys & Girls Club of Trenton’s Bike Exchange. All of the donated bikes will be repaired and sold at reasonable prices by the Boys & Girls Club. Bring to 2421 Pennington Road, Hopewell, on Monday to Friday, February 20 to 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Sunday, February 26, from 9 a.m. to noon. Call 609-730-8100 for information.
Military
Princeton Battlefield invites American and British units to practice drill, field maneuvers, and fieldcraft on Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Call 973-271-8333 or E-mail rebelworx@yahoo.com for information.
Passport Day
Mercer County will participate in Passport Day in the USA, a nationwide event held in conjunction with the U.S. State Department. The event takes place on Saturday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Mercer County Connection, Route 33, Hamilton. There will be additional staff to assist residents with passport applications and photos. Register at 609-989-6473.
Family Retreat
Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders offers a family retreat weekend Friday to Sunday, June 8 to 10 at YMCA Camp Bernie. Call 908-575-7350 or visit www.njcts.org for information and registration.
Nominate
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association is seeking nominations for the 7th annual Richard Rotter Award for Excellence in Environmental Education. The honor will be awarded to an area teacher who demonstrates a high level of enthusiasm and commitment to environmental education in their classroom. Nominees should include any classroom teacher, grades K through 12, who explores environmental topics and/or shares the wonders of nature in a unique, memorable, and/or engaging manner. This could include hands-on lessons in the schoolyard or community, multi-disciplinary lessons or projects exploring nature and the environment, in-class or neighborhood investigations and much more. Presentation of the award will occur at the Association’s annual meeting on their Reserve in Pennington on Monday, April 23.
To nominate a teacher, contact Maryann Polefka by E-mail to mpolefka@thewatershed.org. Letters should include the teacher’s name, their grade and school, as well as the name and contact information of the nominator. Please include a narrative or description of the activities they employ and/or the impact these lessons had on students. Deadline for nominations is Friday, March 2. Call 609-737-7592 for more information.
