For the Young
District 12 Little League seeks boys and girls ages 13 and up as well as parents who want to officiate at baseball and softball games. Umpire training is a four week course beginning Wednesday, February 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at West Windsor Senior Center. The cost of $40 includes a shirt, rule book, manual, a hat, tools, and instruction. Visit njdistrict12.org and click on the umpire tab for information.
Sharim v-Sharot has its sixth annual young people’s Jewish song writing contest for ages 8 to 17 and young amateur adults ages 18 to 24. The first prize winner in each age category receives $72. Songs are judged by Jewish music educators, musicians, rabbis, cantors, and teachers of Jewish education. Winning songs may be performed by the choir. This year’s theme is “Jerusalem.” Visit sharimvsharot.com for details, guidelines, and information. All submissions must be postmarked by Friday, March 23
Sarah Mook Memorial Poetry Contest calls for poems of any length, any subject, any style. Poems should be typed; the student’s name, address, grade level, and school should appear on a separate cover sheet. Each entry should be sent with an optional donation of $5 payable to Sarah Mook Outreach Fund. Donations benefit Smile Train, an organization providing free surgery for children who have cleft palates in developing countries. Send to Sarah Mook Poetry Prize, Box 20, Lahaska, PA 18931.
One Yoga & Wellness Center offers yoga classes for ages 11 to 15 on Thursdays, 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. 405 Route 130 North, East Windsor. Call 609-918-0963. $16 per class or $100 for eight class session.
Auditions
Kelsey Theater has auditions for “Hairspray” on Wednesday and Thursday, January 25 and 29, 6 to 11 p.m. with callbacks on Sunday, January 29, from 1 to 5 p.m. Be prepared to perform 16 bars of an up tempo contemporary Broadway song. Bring an instrumental CD or sheet music. Do not sing a song from “Hairspray.” Be prepared to dance since every character in the show dances. Rehearsals will be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 7:30 to 11 p.m., beginning January 30. There will also be additional Friday and weekend rehearsals. The show opens Friday, April 13. Call 609-570-3582 for information.
Somerset Valley Players has auditions for “Clue: The Musical” on Sunday and Monday, January 29 and January 30, at 7 p.m., at 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough. The show opens Friday, April 20. Needed are four to five men and three to four females, all ages late 20s and up. Be prepared to sing 16 bars of a song of your own choosing. Accompanist will be provided. There will also be light dancing. Readings will be from the script with some improv exercises. Visit www.svptheatre.org or call 908-369-7469 for information.
Call for Art
Art Way Gallery seeks digital entries for “Series Only,” a photographic juried show. Submit five to 10 images per series for $25. Deadline is Friday, January 6. Exhibition opens Sunday, February 5. Submit a CD to Art Way Gallery, Sheila Geisler, 1 Hunters Run, Princeton 08540. For information call 732-422-3676 or visit www.artwaygallery.org.
Artists of Yardley seeks original media created within the last two years (excluding free standing sculpture, video, film, jewelry, crafts, and giclees prints) for its inaugural juried show, opening Friday, March 9. Accepted work must be hand delivered. Entry fee for two images is $30. The juror is Tricia Fagan, an arts administrator with NJ State Council on the Arts, New Jersey Network, and Artworks; exhibitions director, arts consultant, independent curator and freelance writer. She is currently the director of the Gallery at Mercer County Community College and grant-writer and historic outreach specialist for Mercer County’s Culture & Heritage Commission. Visit www.artistsofyardley.org for submission details.
Tennis, Anyone?
South Brunswick Community Education offers indoor tennis lessons focusing on stroke work, drills, and game strategy on Sunday evenings at Winning Touch courts behind the Marriott on College Road East, Plainsboro. Next session begins Sunday, January 8. Visit www.sbschools.org/community_ed, E-mail Deana.myers@sbschools.org, or call 732-297-7800, ext. 3159.
Wellness Retreat
One Yoga and Wellness Center offers a summer solstice retreat from Sundays, June 17 to 24, in Costa Rica. $1,199 to $1,650 includes some meals. Air and transportation to hotel are not included. Call 609-918-0963 or visit www.oneyogacenter.net for information.
Italian Classes
Dorothea’s House begins Italian classes for adults and children in beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels; weekdays and Saturdays; at 120 John Street, Princeton. For information contact Gild McCauley at 908-359-1564 or E-mail james_mccauley@comcast.net.
Volunteer Please
Womanspace seeks volunteers for its Domestic Violence Victim Response Team (DVVRT) and Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) Advocate Team. Team members respond to area police stations or hospitals and meet with victims to provide them with support, information, and referrals.
Qualifications include the ability to communicate well with others, being a good listener, and maintaining confidentiality. Interested persons must be 18 years of age or older, as well as a resident or employee in the Mercer County area with a valid driver’s license, available transportation, and the ability to attend trainings and meetings. Volunteers may not have either a criminal history or prior history as a defendant in a domestic violence or sexual assault-related matter. Interested persons must submit to a background investigation, including fingerprinting.
Bilingual individuals (especially those fluent in Spanish, Polish, and American Sign Language) are encouraged to apply. Volunteers are also required to be fluent in English.
Volunteers will receive more than 80 hours of training on topics including the law, sensitivity to the needs of victims and their children, and how to provide appropriate responses at a very critical time. Trained volunteers must be available to respond to calls two to four shifts per month. The next training begins in March. Visit www.womanspace.org for an application. Deadline is Monday, January 30.
For more information contact Heidi Mueller at dvvrt@womanspace.org or Alison Daks at sass@womanspace.org, or call 609-394-0136.
CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties seeks volunteers to advocate for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. Informational sessions will be held at 1450 Parkside Office, Suite 22, Ewing, on Tuesday, January 10, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Also from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 18; Thursday, February 9; and Wednesday, February 15.
More than 30 hours of training are required to be a child advocate for one child or a sibling group. Spring training will be held in April. For more information or to register visit www.casamercer.org or call 609-434-0050.
Duke Farms offers a certification program to become a Rutgers environmental steward. The 60 hours of classes include land and water stewardship practices, environmental public advocacy and leadership. An additional 60 hours of volunteer work is needed to receive certification. Weekly classes begin Tuesday, January 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Visit www.dukefarms.org or call 908-243-3602 for information and registration.
Brunch for Cause
Princeton Community Works presents Brunch at Home on Sunday, March 25, to benefit the Princeton Senior Resource Center. The brunch basket includes bagels, quiche, smoked salmon, fruit, cider, and more for $37.50. The basket is delivered to the recipient’s home by 9 a.m. Visit www.brunchathome.org, call 609-924-7108, ext. 20, or E-mail aklein@princetonsenior.org for information or orders.
For Dancers
Roxey Ballet has auditions for “Cinderella” on Saturday, January 14, Canal Studios, Lambertville. Ages 4 to 6, 3 to 3:30 p.m.; ages 7 to 10, 3:30 to 4 p.m.; ages 11 to 13, 4 to 4:30 p.m.; and ages 14 to 18, 4:30 to 5 p.m. Audition fee is $30. Participation fee (if chosen) is $175. Performances will be held May 12 and 13 in Flemington. Dancers must register 30 minutes before the scheduled audition. Dancers who dance on pointe should be prepared. Male dancers should prepare to partner. Dancers who do not have a driver’s license must have one parent present. For information E-mail info@roxeyballet.org or call 609-397-7616.
Montgomery Recreation offers ballroom dance lessons on Wednesdays, February 8, 15, 22, and 29, at Otto Kaufman Gym, 356 Skillman Road, Skillman. Candace Woodward-Clough presents the basics of partner dancing a fox trot, waltz, and swing for beginners at 7:30 p.m. Advanced dancers study rumba, meringue, cha-cha, mambo, samba, and tango at 8:30 p.m. $95 per couple. Call 609-466-3023 to register.
College Credits
Mercer College presents credit courses at Hightstown High School beginning Monday, January 23. Courses are for all ages and high school juniors and seniors are eligible to begin earning college credits. Visit www.mccc.edu or call 609-570-3623 for information.
Donate Please
Crisis Ministry of Trenton and Princeton suffered a fire at its Trenton site in December and its entire food pantry was burned and the offices were deemed uninhabitable. Donations of non-perishable food and personal care items may be delivered to the McDade Building, 640 South Broad Street, Trenton; Mercer County Connection, Route 33 at Paxson Avenue, Hamilton; and the Mercer County Park Commission, 197 Blackwell Road, Pennington. Visit www.thecrisisministry.org or call 609-989-6518 for information.
