NOTES AROUND TOWN

Middletown's adopted soldiers in Iraq received some much-deserved holiday cheer. The township adopted the soldiers ofCharlieCompany, 1stBrigade Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, last December before they shipped out for a 15-month tour of duty in Iraq. Middletown found Charlie Company throughAmerica SupportingAmericans, a national nonprofit that pairs towns withmilitary units across the nation. To date,Middletown has shipped a ton and half of supplies to support Charlie Company. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the donations have been sufficient to support all four units of the battalion, according to Charlie Company CommanderMichaelDonahue. The first shipment of one ton also helped facilitate a humanitarian mission to a local Iraqi village. For a complete list of items to donate, visit www.middletownnj.org

Twenty-eight Monmouth County residents became certifiedmaster gardeners at a graduation ceremony held Nov. 9 at Hominy Hill. Graduates included Paul Crescente, Middletown, shown receiving his certificate from Freeholder Lillian Burry. Other local graduates are: Sharay Bartow, Highlands; Clare Skeen, Keyport; Marina Kerber, Elberon; John Eaves, and Michele Mancino, Middletown; Sue Malmi and Leslie Tuthill, Red Bank; Bruce Siegell, Shrewsbury; Bea Gardella, Tinton Falls.

MasterGardeners complete training in plant biology, propagation, soil science and disease and pest control. They share their knowledge by conducting garden lectures, demonstrations, school and community gardening projects, and answering calls on the county's helpline. The program is accepting applications for 2008. There is a $200 fee to covermaterial and programcosts.Applications can be downloaded from www.visit monmouth.com/07050coopext or by calling (732) 431-7260. The deadline to apply is Jan. 2.

Lincroft chapter of UNICO was officially formed in September. The celebration was held at Ninette's Italian restaurant in Tinton Falls. The Lincroft chapter is part of UNICO National, a nationwide service organization whose members are Americans of Italian heritage, ormarried to those of Italian heritage. UNICO is the largest Italian American service organization in the U.S. Charter officers are Mark Mastroberti, president; Daniel Petrocelli, vice president; Vincent Pollitto, treasurer Bernadette Grabowski, secretary Rocky Aragon, sergeant at arms.

Currently there are 37 chapter members who meet monthly to discuss various ways to raise money to help local communities. UNICO National'smotto is "Service Above Self."

For information about Lincroft Chapter of UNICO e-mail Sandra Amato at sanparm@aol.com.

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The Association of New Jersey Chiropractors is sponsoring "Baby It's Cold Outside" through Jan. 15. The event is a coat, hat, glove and scarf drive for individuals in need. The items will be donated to Jersey Cares, The Salvation Army, Goodwill and other local charities statewide. The local drop-off office is Makin Family Chiropractic Center, 252 Broad St., Red Bank. For more information, call (732) 530-7229.

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The Holmdel Half Century Club will hold its reorganization meeting Jan. 1 at noon. Regular meetings will be Jan. 3 and 15 at noon. Lunch will be served, and Deb Johnson will present "Heart Health Program" at the Jan. 15 meeting. Amovie will be shown Jan. 7 at 1 p.m. at Hazlet Multiplex Cinema, priced at $1 for the film, popcorn and soda. Line dancing is set for Jan. 8 at 2 p.m.Antonietta's cooking class, "Italian Surprise," will be Jan. 9 at 11 a.m.; cost is $7. Drop-in day is Jan. 10, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. All are at Holmdel Senior Center, Crawfords Corner Road. For details, call Agnes, (732) 264-4131.

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ShopRite of Aberdeen, Michael's Feat and Kelly Leather, a freshman at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Conn., organized a fundraiser Dec. 21 where volunteers bagged groceries in return for donations for Michael's Feat. The nonprofit,created by Dana and Adam Puharic, assists seriously ill newborns inMonmouth County. Leather has known the Puharics since she was a little girl, and is a close family friend. To donate to the Michael Gerard Puharic Memorial Fund (Michael's Feat), mail contributions to P.O. Box 787, Matawan, NJ 07747. For more information, call Dana at (732) 239-7887 or dana@michaelsfeat.org.

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Marie Cottrell, Rumson, her daughter, Christiane, and granddaughters, Christina and Brooke, and the VNACJ Hospice Team joined with hospice families and members of the community to memorialize a loved one through the traditional Holiday Tree of Lights Nov. 27. The tree is located on the grounds of the VNACJ headquarters in Red Bank. Cottrell's husband, Jim, received hospice care from VNACJ in 2006. The tree will remain illuminated throughout the holidays as a testament to lives lived and a tribute to the hospice philosophy of care.

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New Jersey award-winning composer and pianist Paul Zeigler will perform his newly composed "Peace: An Antiwar Song Cycle on Five Poems by LangstonHughes," with mezzo-soprano Patricia Ruggles Jan. 20 at 4 p.m. Also on the program will be "Sonata for Violin and Piano" with Renee Jolles, violin. The concert will be at Unitarian UniversalistMeetinghouse, 1475W. Front St., Lincroft section of Middletown. Tickets are $25, $15 for students and seniors, and $5 for children younger than age 12. For information, call the meetinghouse at (732) 747-0707, or visit www.uucmc.org.

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Matawan's Washington Engine Fire Company donated the Holiday Giving Tree that stands in the lobby at Synergy Bank, 168 Main St. With donations from the Matawan-Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, the Matawan Alliance and the public, it is hoped that the tree will soon be fully decorated with unused mittens, gloves, socks, scarves and hats of all sizes. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 26, then forwarded to the Community YMCA.