A variety of upcoming programs will be offered at the Monroe Township Senior Center, 1 Municipal Plaza. For more information and to register for events, call the center at (732) 521-6111, unless otherwise indicated.

The Monroe Township Senior Center Green Thumbs, a group of houseplant enthusiasts, meets at 11 a.m. on the third Thursday of every month at the center to share a love of plants and discuss related issues.

Seniors are invited to play chess at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays.

A Parkinson's Support Group meets at 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month.

Free blood-pressure screenings are available, on a first-come basis, from 1-3 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month.

Mike Ferreira will continue "Victory at Sea," the documentary about the U.S. Navy in World War II, at 10:30 a.m. on the first and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Advance registration is requested.

Ed Schappe will present "Arts and Their Muses," a slide-illustrated talk, at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 1. Discussion will focus on the influences in the lives of artists such as Chagal, Rodin, Picasso and Kahlo. Participants will discover how the artists' relationships with friends and family affected their work. Advance registration is requested.

"The Best of Broadway Musicals," a DVD presentation planned for 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 5, will feature original-cast performances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Artists include Ethel Merman and Julie Andrews. Advance registration is requested.

AARP-trained volunteer tax counselors will be available, by appointment only, to provide assistance with tax returns on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning Feb. 5 at the center. Transportation services will be available on Tuesdays only. Call the center to make an appointment.

The second annual Soup for Pennies fundraiser is set for 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the center. Participants will taste samples of assorted soups (accompanied by bread and crackers, courtesy of Potomac Homes) as they help support the Pennies Fund for the Needy. Fiddleheads and Villa Laura, both Jamesburg, will donate their signature soups for the event. Dessert also will be served. Tickets cost $7 per person. Admission ticket should be obtained by Jan. 30. Space is limited. Call the center to reserve.

A free Bowling Party at Country Lanes, Route 33, Manalapan, is set for 1 p.m. on Feb. 7. Registration forms, which are available at the center, must be returned by Feb. 2. Light refreshments will be included in the event. Participants must provide their own transportation. To sign up, call Jennifer at the center.

Art gallery to join in Wounded Warrior effort

River Mill Art Gallery, 34 Main St., South River, in conjunction with the Spotswood High School History Club and club adviser Frank Yusko, will conduct a fund-raising sale beginning Jan. 26 at the gallery to support the Wounded Warrior Project.

The project provides returning amputee and wheelchair veterans with a backpack "recovery package" filled with personal and other needed items upon their arrival at a military hospital in the United States. The veterans have served in the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations around the world.

Each recovery package, which includes toiletries, clothing, books and entertainment to help the soldiers make the transition to living at home, costs approximately $100. Sale organizers aim to raise enough funds to purchase several packages.

Gallery items such as jewelry, prints, posters (framed and unframed) will be reduced by 50-80 percent during the sale. All proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior effort.

In addition, New York City-based, award-winning photojournalist Nina Berman will donate six prints from her Purple Hearts Project, a photographic documentary on soldiers wounded in the Iraq War. The prints will be matted, framed and sold for $99 each. For more information, log on to www.purpleheartsbook.com. For gallery hours and more information on the sale, call (732) 432-7000 or log on to www.rivermillart.com.

Bullock-Reeves film next up at library

"The Lake House," a 2006 film starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, will be shown at 1:30 and 8 p.m. on Jan. 30 at the East Brunswick Public Library, Jean Walling Civic Center. The romantic drama with fantasy and science-fiction overtones is rated PG. Running time is 105 minutes.

The film is one in an intermittent series of popular films to be shown at the library. "Hollywoodland" with Ben Affleck is set for 1:30 and 8 p.m. on Feb. 27.

Admission is free of charge. All are welcome.

For more information, call (732) 390-6767 or log on to www.ebpl.org and click on News and Events.

Pet-adoption event planned for Feb. 3

The Friends of the Old Bridge Animal Shelter will sponsor an Adoption Fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 3 at the Old Bridge Animal Shelter in the municipal complex, next to the recycling center, Route 516 and Cottrell Road.

The event will feature animals for adoption. Interested individuals should bring a cat carrier if they want to adopt a cat, a collar and leash if they are seeking a dog. Adoption fees will apply. Pet-related items will be available for purchase. There will be refreshments and free samples of items for dogs and cats.

For more information, e-mail sofoldbridgeanimalshelter@yahoo.com

Organizations sought for Community Day

The township of East Brunswick Division of Recreation and Community Services will sponsor the 18th annual East Brunswick Community Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 4 at Brunswick Square Mall, Route 18, East Brunswick.

Community-based, nonprofit volunteer groups are invited to participate in the event. Exhibitors will display materials, recruit members, distribute literature and demonstrate their talents.

Reserved exhibit space is free of charge to the first 60 nonprofit groups to register.

The event will feature continuous entertainment, featuring a talent showcase, face-painting and more, from noon to 3:30 p.m.

For more information, to reserve space or to volunteer for the talent showcase, call (732) 390-6797 or log on to www.eastbrunswick.org.

Shipwreck, lighthouse exhibit to open

The East Brunswick Historical Society, 78 Milltown Road, East Brunswick, will launch a new exhibit titled "Shipwrecks and Lighthouses Along the New Jersey Coastline" from 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 11.

Guest speaker will be Bill Volpi, former director of the Lighthouse Society.

Over the course of the past 300 years, the New Jersey coastline has witnessed the destruction of more than 4,000 ships and the loss of countless lives. Local governments and the federal government recognized the value of placing lighthouses at strategic locations along the coast. Modern technology has rendered the lighthouses obsolete, but their significance in the state's history is considerable.

Admission to the event is free of charge.

For more information, call (732) 249-3522.

Dining at Applebee's

to aid EBHS Basketball

The East Brunswick High School (EBHS) Basketball Booster Club Association will sponsor a Dining to Donate fundraiser from noon to closing on Feb. 1 at Applebee's of Milltown, Milltown Road and Ryders Lane.

Diners who eat in or take out should present a Dining to Donate flier at the restaurant. Applebee's will then donate 10 percent of supporters' bills to the booster club. The flier must be presented for the donation to count.

For more information and to obtain a flier, call Arlene McLaughlin at (732) 238-6148 or e-mail MackOne11aol.com

Nativity of Our Lord

to host blood drive

New Jersey Blood Services will conduct a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 28 at Nativity of Our Lord Church, 185 Applegarth Road, Monroe.

Donors must be at least 17 years of age (17-year-olds need a parent's permission letter), weigh at least 110 pounds and may not have donated blood within the last 56 days. Individuals above age 76 may donate if they meet the criteria and present a letter from their physician.

The procedure is done by a specially trained technician and takes approximately 10-12 minutes. Donors, who will have a brief medical exam prior to donating, will rest afterward and will be given refreshments. Participants should bring official identification. Platelets will also be collected at the drive.

For more information regarding the donation process, call N.J. Blood Services at (800) 933-2566. For directions to the church, call (609) 371-0499.

Free nonfiction DVD borrowing launched

The East Brunswick Public Library, Jean Walling Civic Center, now offers free borrowing of most nonfiction DVDs.

Effective immediately, cardholders may bring home, at no charge, DVDs relating to the arts, including fine arts and opera, nature documentaries, parenting, exercise and health, sports, biographies, hobbies, "how-to" guides and home improvement.

Nonfiction DVDs are found on the library bookshelves alongside similarly themed books.

For more information, call the library information services desk at (732) 390-6767.

Postcards will offer glimpse into past

The Jamesburg Historical Association will unveil its latest temporary exhibit, "Jamesburg of Yesteryear: Postcards of the Past" during an open house set for 2-4 p.m. on Jan. 28 at Lakeview, the historic Buckelew Mansion, 203 Buckelew Ave. (Route 522), Jamesburg.

The exhibit, which will run through May 28, will feature postcards of Jamesburg dating from 1900-30. A brief history of postcards in the United States will be discussed, and examples of each postcard style will be on display.

Lakeview is open for tours from 2-4 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays of every month, January-November.

For more information about the Jamesburg Historical Association, log on to www.jamesburghistory.com or call (732) 521-2040 and leave a message.

Program on backpacking Jan. 28 in Cheesequake

A program titled "Basic Backpacking" is planned for 1 p.m. on Jan. 28 at Cheesequake State Park, Route 34, Old Bridge.

All ages are welcome. The program is free of charge.

For more information, call (732) 566-3208.

S.R. Elementary School to stage 'Peter Pan'

The South River Elementary School Drama Club will present its production of "Peter Pan" at 7 p.m. on Jan. 26 and 27 in the cafetorium at the school, Johnson Place. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $3 for children and senior citizens, $5 for adults. Refreshments will be sold prior to the show and during intermission.

For more information, call (732) 613-4073, ext. 7255.

Curtain to rise on

'Once Upon a Wolf'

The Villagers Theatre, a nonprofit center for the performing and cultural arts, will present its Kidsvill production of "Once Upon a Wolf" by Steph DeFerie at noon and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and noon on Sundays, Feb. 3-11, in the Black Box at Villagers Theatre, 415 DeMott Lane, Somerset section of Franklin.

The play is a farcical comedy incorporating characters from several classic fairytales.

General-admission tickets cost $7 each.

For reservations and directions to the theater, call the box office at (732) 873-2710. For more information, log on to www.villagerstheatre.com.

The program is made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council of the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and is administered by the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program.

Kits available for

school board hopefuls

The deadline for filing nominating petitions to appear on the ballot for positions on the Milltown Board of Education is 4 p.m. on Feb. 24. The school board election will take place on April 17.

Prospective board candidates must obtain a School Board Candidate Kit from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, at the Milltown Board of Education Office, Parkview School, 80 Violet Terrace. The kit, which is published by the New Jersey School Boards Association, contains a nominating petition and information on legal qualifications for candidacy and the role of the school board member. Facts about the New Jersey School Ethics Act, the requirements for school board candidacy, a calendar of important dates in the election process and dates for candidate briefing sessions also are included in the kit.

For more information, call (732) 214-2365.

Movie, roller skating next up in Helmetta

The Helmetta Recreation Department and the Helmetta Police Department will sponsor two upcoming youth events.

A trip to a roller rink is planned for Jan. 26. The bus will depart at 6:30 p.m. from Helmetta Borough Hall, Main Street. Return is set for approximately 10:30 p.m.

The next Movie and Pizza Night is set for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 at Borough Hall. The film "How To Eat Fried Worms" will be shown.

For more information, call (732) 521-4946, ext. 100.

Curtain to rise on 'Adam Pascal Live!'

The Forum Theatre Company will present "Adam Pascal Live!" at 8 p.m. on Feb. 9 at the Forum Theatre, 314 Main St., Metuchen.

Pascal, the award-winning original star of Broadway's "Rent" and "Aida" and the recent feature-film version of "Rent," will perform his solo concert for one performance only. The event will feature original modern-rock songs from the artist's two solo albums, as well as his own take on musical-theater songs.

A rock singer who has fronted bands since the age of 12, Pascal has released two albums of original rock music, "Model Prisoner" and "Civilian."

Tickets cost $45 per person, $30 for students with identification.

For more information and to purchase tickets, (732) 548-4670 or log on to www.forumtheatrecompany.com

Antique Bottle Show coming to South River

The New Jersey Antique Bottle Club will hold an Antique Bottle Show and Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 4 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 88 Jackson St., South River.

The event will feature more than 70 vendors offering a variety of bottles and glassware dating from the 1700s to the 1900s.

Admission is $3. For more information, call Joe Butewicz at (732) 238-3238.

Candy Bar Bingo planned at temple

The Congregation Etz Chaim Monroe Township Jewish Center Parents Association will hold its annual Candy Bar Bingo event from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 at the temple, 11 Cornell Ave., between Monmouth Road and Route 613, Monroe. Snow date is Feb. 11.

Tickets cost $3 in advance, $4 at the door. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. Guests are welcome.

For more information, call (732) 251-1119.

Main Street Theatre will stage 'Plaza Suite'

The Sayreville Main Street Theatre Company will present its production of Neil Simon's "Plaza Suite" at 8 p.m. on Feb. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Main Street Theatre, 3018 Bordentown Road, Parlin section of Sayreville.

Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and students. Group rates are available. A dessert and beverage are included in the ticket price.

For more information and to reserve, call (732) 553-1153 or log on to www.smstc.org

Library sets story hours in English, Spanish

The Jamesburg Public Library, Gatzmer Avenue, will offer story hours in English and Spanish for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds from 2-3 p.m. on Jan. 28, Feb. 11 and 25.

All are welcome.

For more information, call (732) 521-0440.

Jamesburg Elks to host Tricky Tray

Jamesburg Elks Lodge No. 2180 will sponsor a Tricky Tray on Feb. 3 at the lodge, 74 W. Railroad Ave. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

Tickets cost $5 each. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Carriages and strollers will not be permitted. Prizes will include a Tickle Me Elmo.

For more information, call the lodge at (732) 521-2180.

Student services to be focus at SEPTA meeting

The East Brunswick Special Education PTA (SEPTA) will hold its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 29 in the meeting room at the East Brunswick Public Library, Jean Walling Civic Center.

Dr. Frank LoPresti, supervisor of student services, East Brunswick Public Schools, will present information on services that are provided to students. All parents/guardians of classified and nonclassified students are welcome to attend.

For more information, e-mail Edward or Audrey Weiner at eddieweinersepta@hotmail.com or call (732) 254-7526.

American Legion sets Super Bowl Breakfast

American Legion Post No. 214 will hold its annual Super Bowl Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 at the post home, 264 Whitehead Ave., South River.

The menu will include eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, home fries, coffee, tea, juice and cake.

Cost is $8 per adult, $3 for children under age 10.

For more information and to reserve, call (732) 254-9712.

Dance will benefit ovarian cancer fund

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows will sponsor an Oldies Dance from 7-11 p.m. on Feb. 3 at East Brunswick Veterans of Foreign Wars, 485 Cranbury Road. Proceeds will benefit the Ovarian and Gynecological Cancer Coalition/Rhonda's Club.

The event will feature a cash bar, a hot buffet and a 50/50.

Donation is $20 per person.

For more information, call Dan at (732) 266-4831 or Mike at (732) 766-9192 or log on to www.ioofnj.org.