Community Bulletin Board
Metuchen Citizen Police Academy seeks new recruits

The Metuchen Police Department will be holding their 10-week "Citizen Police Academy" starting on March 7. The department is looking for borough residents to serve as recruits for the 10-week academy to be held at borough hall from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

The interactive program is designed to educate borough residents about department procedures, guidelines, responsibilities, and demands of personnel that guide police decision-making. Topics that will be covered include: overview of the department's organization and structure, recruitment and training and the roles and responsibilities of the various divisions and sections. In addition, participants will be given an opportunity to "ride along" with a patrol officer and experience firearms training simulation.

The Citizen Police Academy is open to borough residents, business owners and school faculty within the Borough of Metuchen who are over 18 years of age and who successfully complete a background investigation.

Anyone interested may contact Captain Robin Rentenberg at (732) 632-8548 or Patrolman David Liantonio at (732) 632-8547.

Libraries slate children's Valentine's Day programs

The Edison Public Library has lined up several Valentine's Day programs. Children of all ages are welcome to attend a family craft workshop from 10 a.m. to noon on Feb. 10 at the North Edison Branch, 777 Grove Ave., or from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Clara Barton Branch, 141 Hoover Ave. No registration is required, but children should dress appropriately, as crafts can get messy. For more information, call North Edison at (732) 548-0845, ext. 3, or Clara Barton at (732) 738-0748, ext. 28, or visit either circulation desk.

Beginning Feb. 2, the Edison Main Library will hold registration in person or by phone for "Lollipop, Lollipop," which will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 14.

Kindergartners to fourth-graders will be able to design and name their very own lollipops.

There will also be "sweet" stories and tasty treats in honor of Valentine's Day. Registration is limited and open to Edison residents only.

Call the main library at (732) 287-2351, ext. 3, or sign up at the circulation desk.

Woodbridge AARP 3869 announces meeting, trips

The Woodbridge AARP Chapter 3869 will hold its next meeting at 1 p.m. Feb. 7 in the hall of St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, 244 Avenel St., Avenel section of Woodbridge. Topic of discussion will be Medicare fraud. Membership is open to paid-up members of the national AARP chapter. Trips to Trump Plaza Casino in Atlantic City have also been scheduled for Jan. 22 and Feb. 26. Cost is $20, which includes coin compensation and food voucher. Bus will depart from St. Andrew's parking lot at 10:15 a.m.

In addition, the chapter has planned a trip to the N.J. Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark on March 22 to see "The Rat Pack." Showtime is 1:30 p.m. Bus will leave St. Andrew's parking lot at 12:15 p.m. Dinner will be at 4 p.m. at Tony D's. Cost is $65. All trips are open to the public. For Atlantic City trip, call Dorothy at (732) 283-1793; for theater trip, call Mary Alice at (732) 855-1514.

Funeral home providing free bereavement support

The Costello-Runyon Funeral Home, 568 Middlesex Ave., Metuchen, continues to offer a bereavement support group. Ongoing sessions are held every Wednesday and Thursday morning from 10:30 a.m. to noon, as well as Wednesday evening from 7-8:30 p.m. The program, which is free of charge, takes place at the funeral home.

Carol Burner, a certified grief recovery specialist, facilitates the program. A professional with a master's degree in counseling from Seton Hall University, South Orange, she has spent the past eight years offering individual and group counseling to clients suffering from significant and tragic losses. For more information, call the funeral home at (732) 548-0149 or Carol Burner at (732) 562-8565.

Metuchen Branch YMCA holding open registration

The Metuchen Branch YMCA, 65 High St., is offering a wide variety of events and activities during its new session, which began on Jan. 22. To register or for more information, call the Y at (732) 548-2044.

Middlesex County Knitting Group - meets on the first Thursday of each month from 7-9 p.m. on the second floor. No fee to join.

Knitting at the Y - Learn the how to knit, purl and all the basics with Pat McDermott on Monday evenings from 7:30-9 p.m. beginning March 6 and ending March 25. Instructor will provide the necessary materials. Call or register at the front desk.

Adult Scrabble Club - meets every Saturday afternoon from 2-4 p.m. No fee to participate.

Book Club - meets the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m.

Hunterdon Hills Playhouse - A trip has been scheduled to the playhouse in Hampton, Hunterdon County, on Feb. 13. Cost per person is $70, which includes transportation and choice of lunch (specify selection when registering). Call Jean Vick at (732) 548-2044, ext. 217.

St. Patrick's Day trip - A trip is planned on March 16 to Doolan's in Spring Lake in honor of St. Patrick's Day. There will be live entertainment by Irish tenor Mike Byrne and the Green Derby Show Band. Cost is $65 per person, which includes food and transportation.

Water Media Workshop with Mickey Waring - Class began Jan. 11 and meets every Thursday from 12-1:30 p.m. through Feb. 8. Workshop will explore how water color is used. Fee is $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers. Register at the front desk.

PoetsWednesday to host poets on Valentine's Day

PoetsWednesday will welcome poets Bob Rosenbloom and Linda Radice at 8 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Barron Arts Center, 582 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge.

Co-directed by Edie Eustice and Deborah La Veglia, PoetsWednesday schedules readings at 8 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month at the arts center, with support from the Woodbridge Township Cultural Arts Commission and contributions from the audience. For additional information, call Edie Eustice at (732) 381-7691.

St. Andrew's church

to host trip to Italy

The Rev. David Kosmoski of St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church in Avenel is hosting an 11-day pilgrimage to Italy - visiting Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome - from March 19 -29.

The trip is arranged by NAWAS Travel, Darien, Conn.

The $2,099 trip, which will leave from New York, includes breakfast, seven dinners, professionally escorted, daily Mass and audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

For more information and a reservation form, call (732) 634-4355.

Quilt exhibit opening

at Arts Guild in January

The Arts Guild of Rahway will present "The Naked Truth: Quilted and sewn figurative works and nudes," an art exhibit of sewn/quilted works by nearly a dozen local artists from Jan. 14-Feb. 9.

There will be a reception with the artists, open to the public on Sunday, Jan. 14 from 1-4 p.m. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact the Arts Guild at (732) 381-7511 or by e-mail at artsguild1670@verizon.net.

Senior citizens club lines up A.C. and other trips

The Colonia Senior Citizens Club has scheduled a trip to Atlantic City on Feb. 12 (the second rather than the third Monday of the month due to Presidents' Day). Bus will leave from the St. John Vianney Church parking lot on Inman Avenue. Spring trips include an "American Sweetheart" dinner and show on March 29 at the Grand Chalet in Wayne; a Renault Winery dinner and show ("South Pacific") on April 23 in Atlantic City, followed by four hours at the Atlantic City Hilton; and a "Country Jubilee" dinner and show at the Excelsior of Saddle Brook. The club holds meetings at 11:30 a.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at the Colonia firehouse on Inman Avenue.

St. Andrew's slates trip to Italy March 19-29

St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, Avenel section of Woodbridge, has scheduled an 11-day pilgrimage to Italy March 19-29, with visits to Venice, Pisa, Florence, Assisi and Rome. Cost includes airfare, most meals and professional sightseeing guides. For additional information and a brochure, call the Rev. David Kosmoski at (732) 634-4355.