For Dancers
Princeton Youth Ballet, formerly known as DanceVision, presents upcoming events and performances featuring classical ballet. Auditions for area dancers, ages 6 to 21, will be held for roles in “The Snow Queen” on Saturday, September 27, at Princeton Dance and Theater Studio in Forrestal Village, 116 Rockingham Row, Plainsboro. The holiday show will be performed in December at Princeton High School.
“One of our missions at Princeton Youth Ballet is to give talented and well-trained young dancers the chance to perform principal roles in professional-quality performances,” says Risa Kaplowitz, artistic director and West Windsor resident. “Another is to encourage a love and appreciation for classical ballet through inspired storytelling, magical productions, and uncompromising artistry.”
A fall festival benefit will be held on Sunday, October 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. The event will include a silent auction, basket raffle, face painting, food, crafts, and games. Visit www.princetonyouthballet.org or E-mail info@princetonyouthballet.org for information.
West Windsor’s Cub Scout Pack 66 is forming new dens for boys in grades one to five. Visit www.westwindsor66.mypack.us
Auditions
McCarter Theater has auditions for the youth ensemble for “A Christmas Carol.” Parents are encouraged to attend the in person sign-ups, but in the event that you cannot make it to the in person date, you will have the opportunity to sign up online for any remaining audition slots. The sign-ups take place on Wednesday, September 17, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the theater. Online sign-ups begin on Thursday, September 18. Visit www.mccarter.org.
PinnWorth Productions has auditions for “A Man for All Seasons” on Monday and Tuesday, September 22 and 23, at Mercer College, West Windsor. E-mail Stalsworth@usa.net or call 609-259-2683.
Actors Net of Bucks County has auditions for children, teens, and adults for “Cheaper by the Dozen” on Saturday, September 13, 1 to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, September 14, 6 to 9 p.m. at the Heritage Center Theater, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, PA. The show opens Friday, December 5. Bring a resume and a list of all potential conflicts through Sunday, December 21. No appointment necessary. E-mail ActorsNETDozen@gmail.com.
Seeking Vendors
Mercer County seeks traditional artists and craft vendors for the fourth annual Cultural Festival on Saturday, October 11, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Mercer County Park in West Windsor. The rain date is Sunday, October 12. The festival showcases the region’s cultural diversity through the arts and crafts, dance demonstrations, music, and cuisine. Call 609-278-2712, E-mail culturalfestival@mercercounty.org, or visit www.mercercounty.org.
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 401 seeks vendors for a flea market on Saturday, September 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 148 Major Road, Monmouth Junction. Spaces are $12. Bring unwanted items you found during summer cleaning and sell them for cash. Call Barbara Buhl at 732-821-6673.
Homebuyer Program
Mercer County presents workshops for its First-Time Homebuyer Program. The seminar includes information about how the mortgage process works, and participating lenders will be on hand to guide applicants and provide answers. The program assists income-eligible applicants by contributing up to $7,000 toward down payment and closing costs.
Applicants must participate in a homebuyer training course, cannot have owned a home within the past three years — unless that person is a single parent or displaced homemaker — and cannot own other real estate at the time of closing. The workshops will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 24, at Lawrence Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville; and Thursday, October 23, at Hamilton Library, 1 Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Way, Hamilton. Visit www.mercercounty.org or call 609-989-3504.
Affordable Housing
HomeSharing offers shared affordable housing. Renters create living arrangements with a private bedroom and a share of all common living areas, including living room, dining room, bathroom, and kitchen. Each applicant is required to complete an intake, return an application with personal references, and then is interviewed by a social worker. Social workers inspect provider’s homes and conduct a background check on every individual before working to match clients based on income, personality, and other specifications. Call 908-526-4663 for information.
Grants Available
Washington Crossing Audubon Society announces its annual Holden Fund grant competition to assist individuals and organizations in advancing environmental education and conservation through initiatives emphasizing habitat protection and restoration, avian monitoring and conservation, and public awareness and education. Grants of up to $5,000 are available. Deadline is Saturday, November 1. E-mail contact.wcas@gmail.com for information.
For Singers
VOICES, a community chorus of 60 members, has two upcoming auditions for upcoming concert season. They are Saturday, September 13, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; and Monday, September 15, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Music Together, 225 Pennington-Hopewell Road in Hopewell. Contact Sandy Duffy at 609-799-2211 or E-mail sandy.duffy@comcast.net to set up an audition time. Visit www.VOICESChorale.org.
NJWOMENSONG, a nonprofit ensemble designed for women who share a passion for choral singing, has auditions for their second season. Wednesday, September 3; and Monday, September 8, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the music building’s choir room at 84 Route 31, Flemington. Call 908-720-0267 or E-mail njwomensong@gmail.com.
Capital Singers of Trenton, a 100 voice choir composed of amateur and semi professional singers of all ages, present a repertoire including an eclectic mix of musical genres and styles, both sacred and secular. Rehearsals are held twice a month on Sunday evening at Sacred Heart Church, 343 South Broad Street, Trenton. Singers of all voice parts are invited, but particularly tenors and basses. Visit www.capitalsingers.org or call 609-799-5939 for information.
Community Christian Choir, a multi-denominational group with members ages 6 to seniors, begins registration for its 40th season for new and returning singers on Friday, September 5, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Hamilton Square Presbyterian Church, 3550 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square.
The choir’s adult and children divisions sing a range of music. The choirs will present a series of benefit concerts from November to January. Children rehearse Sunday afternoons at Pond Road Middle School in Robbinsville. Adult choirs rehearse on Friday evenings. Visit www.ccchoir.com or call 609-587-7076 for information.
Call for Art
New Hope Arts invites applications for “Works in Wood,” an annual exhibition of a nationally juried show honoring the rich cultural heritage of Bucks County woodworking while celebrating the new visions of contemporary artists who reside in the region and beyond. Visit newhopearts.org or call 215-862-9606 for a full prospectus and application. The deadline is Wednesday, October 1.
Monroe Township Cultural Arts Commission will present a juried art show at the Monroe Township Library in October. The exhibit of original art is open to living artists of all ages. Artists should present their work in the library’s conference room on Tuesday, October 14, from 3 to 7 p.m. Artwork not accepted must be picked up on Thursday, October 16, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit www.MonroeTownshipCulturalArts.com or call 609-395-0934.
The Bite Club
South Brunswick Library announces the “Bite Club,” a new book club for people who like to talk about cooking and eating. Discuss a new food theme and the related cookbooks each month at the cafe. Visit the library to choose a selected cookbook. Tastes or photographs of something that you made are invited. The first meeting to discuss the cookbooks of Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in California, is Tuesday, September 16, at 7 p.m.
For Youth Volunteers
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards begins its search for New Jersey’s top youth volunteers of 2015 through Tuesday, November 4. Students in grades 5 to 12 are invited to apply if they have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service within the past 12 months. Visit spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit or call 877-525-8491 for information.
Wellness
Princeton Ballet School now offers “Conditioning for the Mind and Body” in addition to CardioBallet on the roster of exercise and movement classes for adult students. CoMBo is an extension of Pilates. It is offered on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. in Princeton Shopping Center at 601 North Harrison Street for $20 per class. Call 609-921-7758.
For Young Actors
Acting Naturally offers musical theater workshops for ages 8 to 18. Stage presence, improvisation, acting, characterization, and more. $295. Saturdays, September 6 to November 15, noon to 2 p.m. at Morrisville United Methodist Church, 501 West Maple Avenue, Morrisville, PA. Visit www.ActingNaturally.com or E-mail Wendy@ActingNaturally.com.
Downtown Performing Arts Center offers classes in acting and dance for all ages and skill levels. Jazz, tap, lyrical, and theater ballet, as well as classes in triple threat acting and Broadway singing. Creative movement and Broadway Kids is for ages 3 to 6. Theater games and improv for ages 7 to 10. Costuming 101 on Thursday evenings focuses on core costume skills, sewing machine use and maintenance, as well as hand sewing techniques. Two new classes include Write a Play and Zumba. Location is Mt. Airy Village Shopping Center, 54 Mt. Airy Road, in Lambertville. Visit www.downtownpac.com or call 609-397-3337.
Health
NAMI Mercer NJ offers a 12-week class for family members of adults with mental illness begins Thursday, September 11, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at 3371 Route 1, Suite 124, in Lawrenceville. The class is free, but registration is required. Visit www.namimercer.org, E-mail home@namimercer.org, or call 609-799-8994.
For Singles
Professional and Business Singles Network has a 12 day cruise to the Caribbean, from Monday, December 1, to Friday, December 12. The maiden voyage of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas leaves from Cape Liberty. Ports of call include San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Fort De France, Martinique; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Basseterre, St. Kitts. Call 610-328-4181, E-mail PBSN@comcast.net, or visit www.PBSNinfo.com for information.
For Gardeners
Middlesex County EARTH Center offers master gardener classes in Davidson Mill Pond Park, 42 Riva Avenue, South Brunswick. Master Gardeners are community volunteers trained in earth-friendly gardening and environmental principles. Classes meet once a week for three hours from mid-September through mid-April. The 60 to 70 hours of classroom instruction include practical field experience.
An orientation session takes place Friday, September 12, at 9:30 a.m. Classes, open to all New Jersey residents, begin September 18 or 19. Visit www.co.middlesex.nj.us/extensionservices or call 732-398-5278 for information.
CPR Classes
American Red Cross offers classes in conjunction with a new rule that all graduating high school seniors are now required to pass a CPR course. Visit redcross.org.
Hebrew Classes
The Jewish Center offers conversational Hebrew classes taught by Edna Bryn-Noiman, lecturer in the department of Jewish studies at Rutgers University, beginning Sunday, September 17, at 435 Nassau Street, Princeton. Fifty minute classes include Beginners: Level 1 at noon; Level 2 at 9 a.m.; Level 3 at 11 a.m.; and Intermediate at 10 a.m. $180 per semester. Contact Bryn-Noiman at 609-716-1164 or E-mail edna.bryn@gmail.com.
For Military
Caregivers
Elizabeth Dole Foundation is accepting applications through October 1 for its 2015 class of Elizabeth Dole Fellows, a cornerstone initiative of the foundation’s work supporting military and veteran caregivers. Senator Dole established the foundation to uplift military caregivers by strengthening the services afforded to them through innovation, evidence-based research, and collaboration. The fellowship offers individuals actively caring for a service member or veteran the opportunity to share their concerns, counsel, and perspective as part of a nationwide effort dedicated to these hidden heroes. Caregivers may apply at elizabethdolefoundation.org.
Time to Prepare
Mercer County reminds families to prepare your home, business, and school for the next emergency that may affect your area. The first step is to make a plan to get family together and to a safe place. Create a contact card for each family member that includes important information and phone numbers and have them keep it handy in a purse, wallet, or backpack. Discuss how you will contact each other, where you will meet, and what you will do in different situations.
Create an emergency preparedness kit with a three-day supply of bottled water, non-perishable foods, and essential medications for each member of your family and your pets. Stay informed through websites, newspapers, radio, TV, and mobile and land phones for global, national, and local information. Visit www.ready.gov.
