Donate Please
The NJ Sharing Network is an organization that works to connect organ donors with recipients. Mollie Rubinstein of Plainsboro, team captain of Linda’s Home Team, seeks funding for her team in conjunction with the upcoming annual 5K run. Rubinstein founded the team in conjunction with her younger sister’s kidney transplant in 2011. Her new kidney came from the NJ Sharing Network.
The walk and run begin on Sunday, June 8, at 10 a.m., at NJ Sharing Network Headquarters, 691 Central Avenue, New Providence. The family oriented day includes music, awards, prizes, and activities. E-mail 5K@NJSharingNetwork.org, call 908-514-1761, or visit 5k.njsharingnetwork.org.
Audition
Yardley Players has auditions for “Meet Me in St. Louis” at Kelsey Theater on Sunday, May 4, 1 to 5 p.m. Needed are adults ages 18 to 60 plus and young people ages 6 to 17. Download an audition form at www.yardleyplayers.com. Bring a recent photo of yourself, a resume, and a prepared song. Wear comfortable shoes for a dance/stage movement audition. E-mail directorkristydavis@gmail.com or call at 215-913-6391 to schedule an appointment.
Blood Needed
Community Blood Council of New Jersey seeks O negative blood as its stock is limited. It is the primary blood and blood products supplier to Robert Wood Johnson University hospitals, Capital Health System, and University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. CBCNJ is encouraging individual donors, especially O negative donors, to donate. Call 609-883-9750 or visit www.GiveBloodNJ.com to schedule an appointment.
Good Causes
Bag of Bones Barkery allows customers to round up their transactions to the nearest dollar to benefit local animal rescue organizations. May donations benefit Pet Rescue of Mercer. The store is located at 364 Route 33, Hamilton. Call 609-528-0101, E-mail info@bagofbonesbarkery.com, or visit www.bagofbonesbarkery.com for information.
Imagine a Better World’s new label, Stone Soup Records, is releasing “American Made,” a new 20 song CD to benefit groups that support American troops. (It will sell for $19.99). “I am very fortunate to have been around the Beatles and with Stone Soup we all contribute what we can for the benefit of everyone involved,” says Lon Van Eaton, a writer, producer, and recording artist. “It’s an on-going way of giving back.”
His album, “Brother,” was produced by George Harrison. “When I first met George it was the day before the Concert for Bangladesh, say Van Eaton. “I was honored and inspired to follow in his footsteps and founded Imagine a Better World Productions in 1985.” Van Eaton is also looking for original songs and investors in the project. E-mail lonvaneaton@gmail.com.
For Young Singers
Princeton Festival offers a youth chorus workshop on Thursday, June 19, to Saturday, June 28. The 10-day choral training program for students in grades 6 to 12 is directed by Steven M. Fisher of the Keystone State Boychoir. Audition date is Saturday, May 3. Visit princetonfestival.org/youthchorus or E-mail youthchorus@princetonfestival.org for information.
Volunteer Please
CONTACT of Mercer County provides compassionate, confidential, telephone listening, and referral services to people in crisis. The next crisis hotline volunteer training begins Tuesday, May 20, and running on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Wednesday, June 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pennington United Methodist Church, 60 South Main Street, Pennington.
Classes are open to anyone age 18 or older who is motivated to help others. References are required before actual volunteer work begins. The course is free with the understanding that the trainee must volunteer 100 hours within one year of completing the course. Deposit for crisis line training is $150, reimbursable after 100 hours of service within the first year. For those who wish to take the training for personal growth, without the obligation to volunteer, the fee for the course is $150. Visit www.contactofmercer.org for information.
Summer Programs
South Brunswick Community Education offers summer program for residents of surrounding areas. Day camps offer 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. care with activities, entertainment, and trips from Monday, June 30, to Friday, August 15. There are enrichment camps with engineering, woodworking, cooking, reading, writing, math, cheerleading, drawing, music, dance, theater, and more. Sports camps include wrestling, baseball, volleyball, lacrosse, basketball, soccer, gymnastics, tennis, softball, cross country, and field hockey. Visit www.sbschools.org for information or to register online.
Hope Loves Company Camp, a sleepover retreat for children and young adults who have parents battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), is scheduled for Friday to Sunday, June 6 to 8, at Fairview Lake YMCA Camp in Stillwater. The program is free for children and grandchildren of ALS patients in the tri-state area and beyond.
Jodi O’Donnell-Ames, president and founder of Hope Loves Company, began planning the camp in 2011 after realizing the lack of resources available for children of ALS patients. Her own three children — now all young adults — lost a parent to ALS before turning 12, so she knows from personal experience how ALS affects a family, especially children. Visit www.hopelovescompany.com or E-mail hopelovescompany@gmail.com.
For Artists
Old York Cellars offers a weekend of plein air painting on the vineyard at 80 Old York Road, Ringoes, on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, noon to 5 p.m. Works may be submitted into the viewer juried exhibition. The artist voted best in show receives a solo exhibition in the Art and Wine series. Artists are required to supply all of their own materials, including paint, painting surfaces, easels, and chairs.
Artists who do not wish to submit work into the exhibition are welcome to paint at their leisure. Artists who wish to submit work into the exhibition are required to attend both days of the paint-off, have their painting surface(s) stamped upon arrival, may complete multiple pieces but can only submit one painting into the exhibition. Call 908-284-9463 or E-mail Narendra at narendra@oldyorkcellars.com.
Sell Your Stuff
Princeton Elks Lodge annual spring flea market will be held at 354 Route 518, Skillman, on Sunday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fee for an eight foot space is $10. There is no restriction on the number spaces that may be reserved. Call Clare at 609-921-8972 to register. Rain date is Sunday, June 1.
Memories
Villagers Theater is offering to memorialize people who have died of HIV/AIDS during the run of “Falsettos,” a story about a blended dysfunctional Jewish family in 1979, a humorous play with an HIV/AIDS theme. E-mail darren@villagerstheatre.com.
