around town

Belleville

Belleville Public Library and Information Center, 221 Washington Ave., announces:

  • A screening of the animated action adventure film “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (PG) is slated for Saturday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m.
  • Pajama Storytime, open to all ages, will be held Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m.
  • Saturday craft, open to all ages, is offered Dec. 13 at 3 p.m.

The Woman’s Club of Belleville meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at its clubhouse, 51 Rossmore Place. Prospective members are welcome. For more information, contact Terry Landon at 973-751-6529.

Belleville High School’s Music Department presents its 2014 winter concert series, starting with the instrumental music program, featuring the BHS Wind Ensemble and Orchestra, on Thursday, Dec. 11, and the vocal music program, with the BHS Concert Choir and Acapella Chorus, on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Both concerts start at 7 p.m. in the Connie Francis Theatre at the high school. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Admission is free but donations are accepted at the door.

For more information, email band director Anthony Gotto at Anthony.gotto@belleville. k12.nj.us or vocal music director Carol Lombardi at carol.lombardi@belleville.k12. nj.us.

Kearny 

A cat food drive is being conducted through Dec. 12 for Kearny’s TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return) program. Drop off cat food donations at K-9 Corner, 169 Midland Ave., at Elm St.

A motorcycle run/toy drive for St. Claire’s Homes for Children kicks off at the Kearny Elks Lodge, 601 Elm St., Sunday, Nov. 30, at 1 p.m. Registration is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants are asked to bring a $20 registration fee and a new, unwrapped toy. No stuffed animals are accepted. The lodge hosts an after-run party for riders.

Those who don’t wish to participate in the run can still drop off donations at the lodge or at Arlington Lawn Mower, 483 Schuyler Ave., between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

For more information, call Paul at 201-991-1076 or 201- 726-2315. Visit www.aidsresource.org.

Kearny PTA Council will hold a Tricky Tray Nov. 29, from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Irish American Club, 95 Kearny Ave. Tickets are $20. Proceeds go towards a scholarship for Kearny High School’s Class of 2015. For tickets, call Judy Hyde at 201-998-5812 or email JH519@aol.com. People wishing to simply make a donation are asked to contact Judy Hyde and/or the PTA.

Presbyterian Boys-Girls Club, 663 Kearny Ave., hosts its annual carnival on Friday, Dec. 5. and Saturday, Dec. 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. Try your hand at more than 30 games of skill, including the goldfish toss, spin the wheel, go fish and more. There will also be a table of arts and crafts, homemade toys and baked goods. The entire community is welcome.

Kearny UNICO meets on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. For more information about the meeting or Kearny UNICO, contact Chapter President Lou Pandolfi at 201- 368-2409. Kearny UNICO is a member chapter of UNICO National, the largest Italian American service organization in the U.S.

Lyndhurst 

Lyndhurst Health Department, 601 Riverside Ave., Suite 1, holds a blood screening Friday, Dec. 5, at the Community Center on Riverside Ave. Appointments begin at 8 a.m. This service is available to Lyndhurst residents ages 18 and older for a $20 fee. Preregistration is required. For appointments, call 201-804- 2500. Payments are accepted in cash or checks, payable to Medical Laboratory Diagnostics.

The Humane Society, 221- 223 Stuyvesant Ave., invites members of the community to bring children and pets for photos with Santa on Sunday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are available, but walk-ins are also welcome. All pictures will be taken by a professional photographer. Proceeds benefit the animals at the Humane Society. Photos with an attractive holiday folder cost $10. A CD of all pictures taken is available for $20. For more information, call 201-896-9300.

Visit the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission’s DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst for a free “Green Friday” guided nature walk on Friday, Nov. 28, beginning at noon inside the Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza. The event, sponsored by the NJMC and the Bergen County Audubon Society, features a walk, from noon to 1:45 p.m., on DeKorte Park’s Marsh Discovery Trail and Lyndhurst Nature Reserve. A brownbag lunch is recommended. For more information, contact Jim Wright at jim.wright@njmeadowlands. gov or 201-460-2002, or go the NJMC nature blog, www.meadowblog.net. Inclement weather cancels.

Knights of Columbus Council 2396 sponsors a Tricky Tray Friday, Jan. 16, at the Senior Center, 250 Cleveland Ave. The $15 admission includes coffee plus one prize sheet of tickets. No alcohol is permitted. No tickets will be sold at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, call Steve Cortese at 201-657-0800 or Sal Russo at 201-446-7244.

North Arlington 

Santa Claus will visit North Arlington neighborhoods on Saturday, Nov. 29, from 9 a.m. to noon. The borough’s volunteer firefighters will transport St. Nick atop a fire truck. Santa’s journey concludes at the firehouse behind Borough Hall, where children can mingle with Santa.

Santa and the Fire Department will also collect food for Queen of Peace Church food bank. Families wishing to donate non-perishable food items are asked to have their donations ready for Santa as he passes their homes. Residents are asked not to bring food to any of the borough’s firehouses.

The borough will conduct its annual holiday tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 2 in front of Borough Hall. Check the borough website, www.northarlington.org., for the time.

The ceremony will include carolers and music provided by local school children.

American Legion Alexander Stover Post 37 meets Monday, Dec. 1, at 8 p.m., at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, 222 River Road. All veterans are invited. For more information, call 201-214-8253.

North Arlington Senior Activity Center, 11 York Road, hosts a holiday celebration Friday, Dec. 12. Bingo starts at 10:30 a.m., lunch is served at noon and dancing begins at 1:30 p.m. For more information and reservations, call 201-998- 5636.

North Arlington Woman’s Club sponsors a trip to the Sands Casino, Bethlehem, Pa., on Dec. 6. The bus leaves from Borough Hall at 9 a.m. Cost is $30 with $20 slot return and $5 food voucher. For information, call 201-889-2553.

North Arlington Public Library, 210 Ridge Road, hosts a talk by food historian Judith Krall-Russo on Colonial and Victorian Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 11 a.m. Registration is recommended but not required. Call 201-955-5640, ext. 126.

Nutley 

Nutley Abundant Life Worship Center, 390 Washington Ave., sponsors a blood drive on Sunday, Nov. 30, from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sign up at the center or to schedule an appointment, visit nybloodcenter. org and use group code 68275. Walk-ins are welcome. For questions about eligibility, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit the website. Donors must be at least age 17 or 16 with parental consent and remember to bring ID.

Children can send letters to Santa Claus by placing them in the “Santa Express Mailbox.” starting Friday, Nov. 28, at the Park Oval entrance on Chestnut St., in conjunction with Santa’s arrival at the Oval. The last day of collection will be Wednesday, Dec. 17. Children must include their age and return address on each letter. Santa doesn’t always have the luxury of time to look up addresses during the busy holiday season. For more information, contact the Department of Public Affairs at 973-284- 4976.

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