#b#In Town#/b#
West Windsor Community Farmers Market seeks teen or adult volunteers to help with Saturday morning set-up from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and/or afternoon breakdown from 1 to 2 p.m. The market runs every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Community service certificates are available at the end of the season for teens in need of hours. E-mail Chris Cirkus at manager@westwindsorfarmersmarket.org.
West Windsor Arts Council invites all artists and photographers to submit work for “Photo-Transformations,” an exhibit showcasing artwork that uses original photographs as the inspiration for manipulation, including those that have been hand painted, collaged, altered, or transformed in the creation of the work.
The finished artwork should have a dynamism, infused with subtleties, giving the viewer an insight into the artist’s vision. If accepted, the original photograph will also be hung next to the finished Photo-Transformation artwork. The exhibit will be on view from Monday, September 14, to Saturday, November 7; with an opening reception and artist talk on Sunday, September 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.westwindsorartscenter.org for information.
Mercer County Park Commission offers kayak tours of Mercer Lake in West Windsor to explore the nooks and crannies of the 365-acre lake that are only accessible via kayak. Led by County Naturalist Jenn Rogers, participants of all experience levels will have the opportunity to paddle along the lake’s edge for views of the native wildflowers in bloom, float alongside a beaver dam, and maybe even see a bald eagle swoop down to grab a snack from the water.
Tours are Fridays, July 10, August 14 and 28; and Wednesday, September 9, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Tours are open to people 16 years of age and older. Kayaks, paddles, binoculars, life jackets, and instruction are provided. Bring water and shoes that can get wet. $20 to $22. Register. Visit www.mercercountyparks.org, E-mail natureprograms@mercercounty.org, or call 609-303-0706.
PinnWorth Production has auditions for “The Fantasticks” at Kelsey Theater in West Windsor. Monday, July 13, 7 to 8:30 p.m. and 8:30 to 10 p.m. Prepare 16 to 32 bars of music that best suits your voice and a two to three minute monologue (not from the show) that reflects the character for which you are auditioning. E-mail thefantasticks_kelseytheatre@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment.
Windsor Chapel invites children ages 5 to 12 for Kids 5-Day Club, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday, July 20 to 24, at 401 Village Road East, West Windsor. Music, games, stories, snacks and outdoor play. Free. Register www.windsorchapel.org, E-mail chapel@windsorchapel.org, or call 609-799-2559.
#b#Call for Volunteers#/b#
Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Mercer County is currently seeking new volunteers. CASA is a non-profit organization that recruits, trains, and supervises community volunteers who speak up in family court for the best interests of children that have been removed from their families due to abuse and/or neglect. Upcoming information sessions are scheduled for Monday, July 13, at 10 a.m., and Wednesday, July 29 at 5:30 p.m. One hour sessions are at 1450 Parkside Avenue, Suite 22, Ewing. Visit www.casamercer.org, E-mail jduffy@casamercer.org, or call 609-434-0050 for information.
CONTACT offers free training courses for prospective volunteers. A one hour, no obligation, orientation session will be held on Wednesday, September 15, at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Pennington United Methodist Church, 60 South Main Street, Pennington. The courses teach compassionate listening skills, telephone crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and more. Representatives from community programs are speakers on a variety of topics.
Classes are open to anyone age 18 or older who is motivated to help others. References are required before actual volunteer work begins. Each trainee is expected to volunteer at least 100 hours in the first year to qualify for free training.
Deposit for crisis line training is $150. 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.
Princeton United Methodist Church seeks volunteers to serve free meals to more than 100 guests at Princeton Cornerstone Community Kitchen on Wednesday evenings. In partnership with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, volunteers from the church and the community serve a free meal every Wednesday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. A free clothing closet is also available.
Meals are served on an unconditional, no-questions asked basis. The church is located on the corner of Nassau Street and Vandeventer Avenue. Call 609-924-2613 or visit princetonumc.org/cornerstonekitchen for information.
#b#Good Cause#/b#
Sales from “Louis H. Draper: Selected Photographs,” a new book by the late Lou Draper, a professor at Mercer Community College, benefits the Lou Draper Memorial Scholarship Fund at MCCC. A co-worker, Mel Leipzig, also a former professor at the college, donated a painting, “Fashion Design, MCCC Campus,” to the school. Contact Toral Patel at 609-570-3616 or E-mail patelt@mccc.edu to purchase the book.
#b#For Kids#/b#
Princeton Summer Theater presents an interactive musical children’s show, “The Legendary True Story of Sparrow Jones and the Jersey Devil,” a new play for young audiences by Brad Wilson and Maeli Goren. $10. Shows are at 11 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, through August 8. The actors come out to meet with children, sign their programs, and talk about the characters and the play. Performances are in the Hamilton Murray Theater on Princeton University’s campus. Call 732-997-0205 or E-mail contact@princetonsummertheater.org.
#b#For Teens#/b#
Princeton Public Library and Nature Conservancy have teamed up to give college and high-school student filmmakers aged 15 to 25 an opportunity to raise awareness of New Jersey’s natural riches — and the chance to win $1,000. The co-sponsors of Reel Impact, a juried competition for local budding filmmakers and naturalists, are asking participants to consider the theme “From Turnpikes to Terns and Pikes: The Real Nature of New Jersey,” and to focus in on the natural treasures of New Jersey in short movies of five minutes or less.
Film entries should use the beauty of New Jersey’s coast, forests, rivers, and open spaces — and their importance to people and wildlife — to dispel negative stereotypes of the state. Films may be in any genre or mix of genres.
A cash prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the first-place winner, and the film will be shown at the 2016 Princeton Environmental Film Festival and other events hosted by the co-sponsors. There is no fee to enter.
The deadline to enter the competition is Tuesday, September 1. All entries must be submitted by providing a link to view the film online on Vimeo or YouTube. Entrants must live in and/or attend high school or college in New Jersey, New York, or Pennsylvania, and be between the age of 15 to 25.
Visit princetonlibrary.org/peff/reelimpact, or E-mail Susan Conlon at sconlon@princetonlibrary.org.
#b#Call for Art#/b#
Main Street Highland Park seeks artists, crafters, performers, and vendors for the 11th annual Arts in the Park street festival, juried art show, and arts and crafts sale in downtown Highland Park, on Sunday September 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Participants in the juried art show display sell their work under tents along Raritan Avenue. The art show features cash awards for first, second, and third places in seven categories: Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Fine Crafts, “Green” (recycled/found), Graphics/Drawing/Printmaking, and Mixed Media. Visit www.mainstreethp.org or call 732-828-8444 for information.
Drug Enforcement Administration-New Jersey Division and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area in conjunction with the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey and the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse seek entries in a statewide Heroin Addiction art contest and exhibition.
The art contest is open to all residents of New Jersey. The winner will receive $500 and statewide recognition. The deadline for submission of the artwork is Tuesday, July 28. Visit www.drugfreenj.org for information.
#b#Donate Please#/b#
Tepper Family Charitable Foundation has made a $1 million challenge gift to the HomeFront Family Campus and will match every dollar received with two. Your gift, no matter the size, becomes a building block toward creating a new village. Send a check to HomeFront at 1880 Princeton Avenue, Lawrenceville 08648, donate at www.homefrontnj.org, or call Judy Long, director of development, at 609-989-9417, ext. 107.
