Around town

Bloomfield
Bloomfield Public Library is collecting packaged toiletries and non-perishable food for the needy and flood-impacted local families. Please drop off your items between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday at the administration office, located on the second floor of the library.
The library will be part of  Saturday’s Harvest Fest on Sept. 24. The library will give free tarot card readings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will raffle off an iPod Shuffle to library cardholders. Visit the library’s table to enter. At 2 p.m., a jazz concert by Broadway and cabaret veteran Rosemary Loar and critically acclaimed jazz pianist Frank Ponzio will be held in the library’s Little Theater.  For more information on this event or upcoming programs please call (973) 566-6200, ext. 502.
The next meeting of the library’s book club will be on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 6:45 until 8 p.m. in the conference room.  The topic of discussion will be “The Stranger” by Albert Camus.
While waiting to be executed, a convicted murderer reflects on his life. The library owns critical books that can help explain this unusual novel. Readers may ask one of the reference librarians for more information. For help locating a copy of the book club selection, call the reference desk at 973-566-6200, ext. 502, or email reference@bplnj.org. Admission is free and all are welcome to attend. To join the book club email notification list, please contact Linda Esler at lesler@bplnj.org.
A new installment of the Music at the Mansion concert series will be held at Sunday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. at Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center, 240 Belleville Ave., Bloomfield. Performers will include Bloomfield native Mark Szep, Abe Olman Award-winning songwriter Ilene Angel and New York Cabaret duo Rich Flanders and Celia Berk. Music at the Mansion, hosted by New York Cabaret singer Corinna Sowers-Adler, is a series highlighting talented performers from New York and New Jersey.  Tickets are $10 per person and are available at the door.  Seating begins at 2:30 p.m.  Light refreshments will be served.  For more information, please contact Corinna at info@corinnasings.com or call Oakeside at 973-429-0960.

Harrison
A Tricky Tray will be held at the Harrison/East Newark Elks Lodge, 406 Harrison Ave., on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m.
Harrison Health Department will be giving flu shots for all Harrison residents at the Harrison Senior Center on Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon. No appointments are necessary. For more information, call the Health Department at 973-268-2441.

Kearny
A “Blessing of the Animals” to mark the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi will be held Saturday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. on the lawn at Sacred Heart Church Chapel, 499 Belgrove Drive, Kearny.  For information, call:  201-998-0088, ext. 4154.
Kearny High School Class of ‘71 will have its 40th reunion on Oct. 8 from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. at the Ramada Inn, Newark Airport. The event will include a DJ and hot and cold buffet. The cost is $75 per person. Rooms are available for overnight stay at $69 per night.  For mailing information, contact Stephanie Barnard at 201-489-2863 or Deborah Iverson at 732-985-1691. Makes checks payable to: Kearny High School 1971 Reunion.
A Geek Flea, sponsored by Unwinnable.com, will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 663 Kearny Ave, on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Collectibles, comic books, video games, toys, arts, crafts – relevant to Geek culture – will be available as well as board game demos and Baby Castles independent video game arcade. Event is free and for all ages. Food and drink will be available.
First Presbyterian Church, 663 Kearny Ave., is hosting a wine and cheese tasting on Friday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance. Call 201-991-3513 to reserve your seat.

Lyndhurst
The Lyndhurst Library is in need of volunteer certified ESL tutors, especially for evening classes.  Please call Michele Kelly at 201-804-2478, ext. 2 or email lyndesl@bccls.org for more information.
Lyndhurst Historical Society presents local historian Rob Leith speaking on the Rutherford family history at the American Legion Post 139 Hall, 217 Webster Ave., Lyndhurst, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The Rutherford family’s estate encompassed Lyndhurst and 1/3 of Rutherford. Admission is free. For more information, please call 201-939-7972.
Lyndhurst VFW Post 3549, 524 Valley Brook Ave., will host a Karaoke night on Friday, Sept. 23, starting at 7:30 p.m.  The VFW hall is also available for rentals for all occasions. For more information, call the post at 201-939-3080.
The Lyndhurst Library is collecting coats and clothing for the First Cerebral Palsy Center’s Coat Drive to help the homeless of St. John’s Soup Kitchen through the fall.  The library will accept new and gently used coats for all seasons, fall/winter clothing, and shoes in all sizes from adult to infant. The drop off boxes will be located at the main entrance of the library beginning Monday, Sept. 26.  For more information, please call the library at 201-804-2478, ext. 7.
The Lyndhurst Library Book Club will meet on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 6:30 p.m. The book to be discussed will be “City of Falling Angels” by John Berendt. Please contact Diane Montefusco at 201-804-2478, ext. 2 for more information and to obtain a copy of the book. Space is limited and registration is necessary.
The Sons of the American Legion Squadron 139, Lyndhurst, will host its fifth annual Clam Lovers’ Barbecue on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 1 to 5 p.m. This year’s Octoberfest will be dedicated to Lyndhurst residents affected by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. The Sons of the American Legion will be inviting two family members from each home in the flooded neighborhood to this year’s annual clam lovers’ barbecue, free of charge. The event will include clams, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage and peppers, music and more. Tickets are $30 and you can save $5 if purchased in advance at the Legion Post, 217 Webster Ave., Lyndhurst. Proceeds will be donated to the Hurricane Irene Relief Fund for Lyndhurst residents.
The Lyndhurst High School Class of 1971 is planning a 40th class reunion Saturday, Oct. 15, at Michael’s Riverside, 525 Riverside Ave., Lyndhurst. All graduates and guests of the Class of  ’71 are invited to attend. For more details, contact the reunion committee at jhjazz@aol.com or check the class Facebook wall. If anyone knows of a class member’s location/email address, they are asked to forward it to the above email address.
The Lyndhurst Health Department holds child health clinics on the second Tuesday of every month to provide free immunizations for Lyndhurst children who do not have health insurance (or who are underinsured). Please call for an appointment. Dates: Oct. 11, Nov. 8, and Dec. 13 (9 to 11 a.m.).
Starting Friday, Sept. 30, a new six-part health lecture series will be held Fridays, from 10 to 11:15 a.m., at the Lyndhurst Health Department. A free breakfast will be served. Medical professionals from the community will address current health topics. Each session will conclude with questions and answers from the audience.  Afterwards, participants are invited to join the chair yoga classes, which start at 11:30 a.m. Residents of Lyndhurst and surrounding towns are invited to participate. Pre-registration is required. Call 201-804-2500 to reserve a spot. Following is a schedule of topics: Sept. 30 – Prevention of strokes, Oct. 7 – Safeguarding against falls in your home, Oct. 14 – Medication safety, Oct. 21 – First aide for seniors, Oct. 28 – Medicare and Nov. 4 – Medicare Part D.
Lyndhurst women (age 18 and over) can obtain a free breast and gynecological exam at a Women’s Health Clinic, scheduled for October (date pending). Participants will also be provided with the opportunity to meet with a health educator from Clara Maass Medical Center who will teach the correct method of breast self-examination. Please call 201-804-2500 to schedule an appointment.
A Women’s Breast Health Dinner Forum, held in conjunction with Clara Maass Medical Center, will be held on Wednesday, Oct 12, at 5:30 p.m. The evening begins with a free dinner, followed by a seminar on breast health, conducted by a panel of medical experts and a question and answer session with the audience. Reservations are required. Please call at 201-804-2500 to reserve your spot. Residents of surrounding communities are welcome to attend.
The Celiac Support Group’s monthly meetings begin on Oct. 19, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Lyndhurst Health Department, 253 Stuyvesant Ave. The group’s goal is to provide education, support and outreach to those living with issues related to Celiac Disease. Pre-registration is required. Please call 201-804-2500 to register. Residents from surrounding towns are welcome.
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church is sponsoring a fall Tricky Tray set for Friday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 p.m., at the Senior Citizen’s Building on Cleveland Avenue, Lyndhurst. Tickets are $10. Admission includes one sheet of chances plus tea, coffee and dessert. For more information, call 201-304-9172 or 201-438-5668.

Celebrate the autumnal equinox this Wednesday, Sept. 21,  at  7 p.m. with a screening of the documentary “A Sidewalk Astronomer: John Dobson” at the Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst. The viewing will be followed by a talk with filmmaker Jeffrey Fox Jacobs and a chance to view the stars at the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission’s William D. McDowell Observatory, weather permitting. $5; MEC members $4.
“The Music of Star Wars, The Planets and the Rest of the Universe” is scheduled  at the MEC Saturday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m.
The North Jersey Concert Band will perform selections from John Williams (“Star Wars,” “E.T.”), Gustav Holt’s “The Planets” and other pop and classical pieces inspired by the stars. $5; MEC members $4.
On Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. Karen Slote Olsen from the Thomas Edison Historic Site in West Orange will discuss the site’s recent restoration and the role Edison played in New Jersey history. This event, co-sponsored by the Meadowlands Museum, is free.
For more information on any of the NJMC programs, call 201-460-8300 or visit www.njmeadowlands.gov/ec.

North Arlington
The Friends of the North Arlington Library will hold its annual Attic Treasures Sale on Saturday, Oct. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the Senior Center (behind the library). Proceeds from this event will benefit the library. For more details, visit: http://northarlington.bccls.org/AtticTreasures2[1].pdf.
An author visit and book signing is scheduled at the library for Saturday, Oct. 22, at 11 a.m. C. Marina Marchese will sign copies of “Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper.”  Copies of the book are currently available to check-out at the library. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the event. For more information about C. Marina Marchese, visit: http://www.redbee.com. Registration is not necessary, but suggested. Please call 201-955-5640.
The Knights of Columbus Council #3428 of Queen of Peace will kick off its 60th anniversary with its annual picnic on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 1 to 5 p.m., at the council hall, 194 River Road, North Arlington.  The cost is $10 for adults, $6 for kids from ages 6 to 14 (children under 6 are free), and $25 for a family of four. A 20% discount on all tickets bought before Sept. 25!  For tickets, call 201-988-0183. The picnic is open to non-members.

Nutley
“Movie Under the Stars” is coming to Nutley thanks to Spencer Savings Bank and Mayor Joanne Cocchiola and the Board of Commissioners. On Friday, Sept. 23 (rain date Sept. 24), grab your blankets and head over to the Nutley Oval for a relaxing family night with Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest of the toys, who find themselves mistakenly donated to a daycare center. There will be raffle prizes, refreshments and freshly popped popcorn. The movie will begin at dusk, which will be around 7 p.m.
Nutley Public Library offers Saturday Story Time and crafts for children of all ages every Saturday at 10 a.m. Registration is not required.
A jewelry workshop with Deborah Ambrosio will be held at the library on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Create a beaded necklace to take home. Since materials will be included, registration is required and is limited to 15 people.
The library’s Manga and Anime Club will meet on Monday, Oct. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m. The group will watch anime, read Manga and advise the library on its Manga collection.
Pajama Story time for children of all ages will be held at the library on Mondays, Oct. 3, 17 and 24, at 7 p.m.  Registration is not required.
Experienced and non-experienced players are welcome to play bridge at the library every Tuesday at 1 p.m. No registration is required.
The Tuesday Evening Knitting Club will meet at the library on Oct. 4 from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Please bring your own supplies. This group meets every the first Tuesday of every month.
The Wednesday Afternoon Knitting Club meets every week at the library from 1 to 3 p.m. Please bring your own supplies.
Adult Scrabble Night is set for Thursday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. at the library. Prizes will be awarded for first and second place scores.
The library shows films on Fridays at 2 p.m. The dates this month are: Oct. 7, 14 and 28. Please check the monthly calendar flier or Facebook for the titles of the films.

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