Community Bulletin Board

Poricy Park, Oak Hill Road, Middletown, will present "Weedbusters 2006" for children age 12 and older April 1 and May 6 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Attendees will help Poricy staff remove the invasive weed garlic mustard from the park's woodlands. Individuals should bring gloves and wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

A spring scavenger hunt for all ages will be April 2 at 1 p.m. Following the hunt, hunters return to the nature center to collect a reward. Fee is $5 per person. A program on watercolor will be taught by Howard Godfrey April 9 from 1-3 p.m. Basic techniques will be taught to attendees of all ages. Fee is $10 per person. A family fossil hunt will be April 9 from 1-3 p.m. Fee is $5, and attendees should bring a container for finds, and dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear, as feet will get wet.

"Let's Go Fly a Kite!" will be April 23 at 1 p.m. Participants will construct a kite and launch it at the park. Fee is $5 per person. Reservations are being accepted for free trees to be planted during Arbor Day April 23. Individuals making a gift of $35 for a one-year Conservancy membership also receive a tree. The honoree will receive a personal dedication certificate, fact sheet and picture of the dedicated tree, and map with the location of the dedicated tree within the park. "Play the Penny Whistle" will be April 30 at 1 p.m. at Murray Farmhouse, and attendees will learn to play a colonial penny whistle. Suggested donation is $3.

All the above are at or begin at the nature center, unless otherwise noted. For more information, or to reserve a free tree, call Poricy at (732) 842-5966.

M'town neighborhood meetings begin March 21

The Middletown Township Committee will begin its regional neighborhood meetings March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Ocean Avenue Elementary School, 235 Ocean Ave., North Middletown.

The meetings are designed to give residents an opportunity to talk informally with Township Committee members and representatives from various township departments about township happenings and neighborhood issues. The meetings will cover each of the township's four quadrants. No formal action will be taken at these meetings.

Remaining meetings will be March 28 at Lincroft Elementary School, 729 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft section of Middletown; April 6 at Fairview Elementary School, 230 Cooper Road, Fairview section of Middletown; April 19 at Hillside Community Center, 144 Chestnut Ave., Atlantic Highlands.

For more information, call Cindy at (732) 615-2000, ext. 2287.

Local Part D workshops to begin March 29

Assemblyman Samuel D. Thompson (R-13) will sponsor one-on-one Medicare Part D workshops for seniors still needing to choose a Part D prescription drug plan, or have chosen or enrolled in a plan and want an expert to check to make sure the senior is in the best plan for that individual.

The workshops will be March 29 at Cullen Center, 1776 Union Ave., Hazlet, April 4 at Keyport Senior Center, 110 Second St., and April 18 and May 2 at Middletown Library, 55 New Monmouth Road. Appointments are necessary. Seniors will need to bring actual medications, or a list of medications including dosages and cost, and Medicare card to the appointment.

For an appointment or more information, call Assemblyman Thompson at (732) 583-5558 or e-mail: AsmThompsoin@njleg.org.

'Footloose' at M'town H.S. South March 16-18

Students from Middletown High School South will perform "Footloose" March 16-18 at 8 p.m. at the school at 501 Nutswamp Road.

The musical is based on the 1980s film, and is the story of a conservative midwestern town that prohibits dancing, and comes alive following the arrival of a teen wanting to loosen the moral code.For more information, call the school at (732) 706-6111.

Area residents to exhibit works at Keyport gallery

Mitchell Sanborn Gallery, 46 W. Front St., Keyport, will display black-and-white photos by Jay Hochheiser, Belford section of Middletown, March 25- April 15. An opening reception will be March 25 from 5-7 p.m.

Hochheiser's photos are of street scenes and shop windows in various large cities worldwide. Also featured will be graphite and gouache drawings of everyday scenes by Tom Minor, Port Monmouth section of Middletown, and paintings of various flowers by Phyllis Rosser.

For information, call the gallery at (732) 888-0048 or visit the Web site at www.mitchellsanborngallery.

Brush & Palette Art Guild to meet March 21

The Brush & Palette Art Guild of Keyport will hold a business meeting March 21 at 7 p.m. at Keyport Senior Center, 110 Second St. The public is welcome to attend. For more information, call (732) 264-3853.

Mat-Ab Ed. Foundation names grant recipients

The Matawan Aberdeen Educational Foundation will host a dinner to celebrate and recognize the dedication of its 2005-06 grant recipients April 27 from 6:30-9 p.m. at Piazzi Di Roma, Route 34, Aberdeen. The event will include dinner and a silent auction.

The foundation awarded 11 grants to faculty members throughout the district.

"Book Talk" went to Patricia Janover and Mary Ellen Doyle of Ravine Drive Elementary school for the purchase of books for an after-school book club for second and third grades.

"World Biomes" went to Linda Viel, Rod Stevens and Karen Jenkins of Matawan Aberdeen Middle School to purchase materials so students can create murals representing different biomes in the world.

"Flower Power" went to Joyce Singer and Mary Jane Friscia of Matawan Regional High School, Aberdeen, to purchase materials to augment the life sciences program.

"Digital Storytelling Across the Curriculum" went to JoAnn Nocera of Cliffwood Elementary School, Cliffwood section of Aberdeen, to purchase supplies for students to use computers to create and publish storybooks in English and Spanish on Harriet Tubman.

"A Husky Welcome" went to Mary Donnelly and guidance counselors at the high school to support a program to recruit and train student ambassadors to welcome and orient students coming to the school during the year.

"Safety Crash Test Simulators" went to Linda Viel and eighth-grade math and science teachers at the middle school to purchase supplies for students to design, analyze and test cars to transport a raw egg.

"We're Cliffwood Proud" went to Isabel Spaur and Dawn Lasko of Cliffwood Elementary to support production by students of a video in English and Spanish on individuals, facilities, procedures and special activities at the school.

"7th Grade Physics Challenges" went to Patricia Hillyer, JoAnn DeVito and Katherine Sakin of Matawan Aberdeen Middle School to purchase kits to enhance the physics curriculum.

"Lloyd Road Earth Savers" went to Kim Grigoli and fourth-grade teachers at Lloyd Road Elementary to fund guest speaker and materials for study of decomposition, recycling and gardening.

"Respect, Acceptance & Cultural Education" went to Barbara Danback at Lloyd Road to purchase materials to create a mural, augmenting other grant funds available to the district.

"Environmental Sculpture Garden" went to Denise LePre and Maryann Spafford of Ravine Drive to purchase books and materials to learn about and create a garden.

Tickets to the dinner are $30 each. For information, call (732) 705-4003.

'Ghost Hunting' slated at M'wan Library March 20

Matawan Aberdeen Public Library, 165 Main St., Matawan, will present "Ghost Hunting in New Jersey" March 20. "How to Manage Your Retirement Distribution" will be March 22, and "Organize and Clear the Clutter" March 27. All the above are at 7 p.m. "Estate Planning" will be March 24 from 10-11:30 a.m.

The above programs are free, but registration is required. To register, call the library at (732) 583-9100.

Registration under way for brunch, fishing derby

Middletown Township Parks and Recreation is accepting registration for its fifth annual "Mother/Son Brunch" for Middletown Township residents. The brunch will be held May 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jacques Reception Center, 500 Palmer Ave., Middletown.

The event is for boys in grades K-5 and their mothers, and will feature a buffet-style brunch, DJ, photo of each mother and son, and a keepsake. The price is $29 per person, and the registration code is 131332-04.

Registration is under way for the "Kids' Fishing Derby" for township residents ages 7-14, to be held May 21 at Shadow Lake at Stevenson Park, West Front Street. Check-in is 9 a.m. followed by fishing 9:30-11 a.m.; awards will be presented at 11:15 a.m. Participants must bring bait and a pole. The cost is $8 per person, and prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories and age groups. Preregistration is required; the registration code is 111303-03.

Residents may register in person at the recreation office at Croydon Hall, 900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo section of Middletown, or online at www.middletownnj.org. For information, call recreation at (732) 615-2260.

'Screaming Eagles in Vietnam' March 25

The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Foundation, Holmdel, will welcome Peter Engelhardt presenting "Screaming Eagles in Vietnam: The 101st Airborne Division During the War" March 25 at 1 p.m.

Summit resident Engelhardt served in Vietnam from October 1968 through August 1969 with the Division's 2nd Brigade, dealing with operations planning and coordination, intelligence assessment, and psychological warfare exercises.

A $5 per person donation is suggested, and attendees are asked to R.S.V.P. to (732) 335-0033.

Boating, watercraft class slated for March 20, 21

Coast Boating School, Toms River, will conduct a personal watercraft and safe boating course under New Jersey State law March 20 and 21 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Brookdale Community College, Newman Springs Road, Lincroft section of Middletown. For fee or to register, call (732) 224-2315.

Applications now taken for NJSBA scholarships

New Jersey Shore Builders Association (NJSBA), Lakewood, is accepting applications for its scholarship program consisting of four awards up to $1,000 each given to students pursuing a course of study related to the real estate, or development and construction fields. Scholarships will be awarded in spring for to the 2006-07 school year.

Students must live in Monmouth or Ocean County, and attend Monmouth University, Georgian Court University, Brookdale Community College or Ocean County College. The student must also be full- or part-time matriculating students, have completed a minimum of 15 credits, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The awards will be tuition payments made directly to the students' institutions of higher learning.

For more information regarding the program or an application, contact the financial aid office of the appropriate college or university.

Brookdale to welcome Harlem Globetrotters

Brookdale Community College, Newman Springs Road, Lincroft section of Middletown, will welcome the Harlem Globetrotters vs. the New York Nationals in the "Unstoppable North American Tour" March 20-22 at 7 p.m. at Collins Arena. The games will end with a "meet and greet" during which fans may get autographs and meet the players. Tickets begin at $24 and are available at the box office, by phone at (732) 224-2823, or online at Ticketweb.com.

The performing arts center will present "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" at 8 p.m. March 31 and April 1, 7 and 8; and at 2 p.m. April 2 and 9. The April 9 show will feature a sign language interpreter. Local residents in the play are Bryan Bucco, Hazlet, as Cheswick; Emma Senerchia, Lincroft, as Nurse Ratched; Stan Marszalek, Middletown, as Dr. Spivey; and Matt Walker, West Keansburg section of Hazlet, as Randle McMurphy. Tickets are $20-$16. For tickets, call the box office, (732) 224-2411.

The career services office will offer rsum writing workshops April 4, 20, May 16 and June 8. Interview skills workshops will be offered April 13, 25, May 25 and June 20. The free workshops are open to the community and require advance registration. To register, call (732) 224-2792. Locations will be provided at registration.

The Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution will present "Key to America's Victory: Small Unit Leadership" presented by Col. Cole Kingseed April 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Warner Student Life Center. Kingseed is the former chief of military history at the U.S Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The event code is XWWTS 131. There is a fee. For details or to register, call (732) 224-2315.