Bloomfield
Job Haines, 250 Bloomfield Ave., hosts an AARP safety driving program on Oct. 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This course will cover defensive driving techniques, proven safety strategies, new traffic laws and rules of the road. Registration begins at 9:15 a.m. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers. Checks, payable to AARP, will be accepted. Participants should bring their AARP card.
Light refreshments will be served. For more information and to RSVP, contact Donna Plotnick at 973-743-0792, ext. 133, or visit www.job-haines.org.
Belleville
Belleville Public Library and Information Center, 221 Washington Ave., announces the following Storytimes, beginning Oct. 7: For babies up to 12 months, every Wednesday at 11 a.m.; and toddlers, ages 1 to 3, every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Preschooler Storytimes, for ages 3 to 5, will be every Thursday at 2 p.m., beginning Oct. 8.
Registration is required. Call the library at 973-450-3434 to register.
Woman’s Club of Belleville sponsors a garage sale on Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 184 Cedar Hill Ave.
Bethany Lutheran Church, Joralemon and New Sts, conducts a flea market and craft show on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain or shine). Vendors are wanted. The cost is $25 per table. For more information, call 862- 270-7744.
East Newark
West Hudson Brave Women Fighting Breast Cancer meets the last Friday of every month, 7 to 9 p.m., at the East Newark Senior Center, 37 President St. For more information, call Emma at 201-998-6828, Rosa at 201-246-7750, Fatima at 973- 485-4236 or email emidura2@ yahoo.com.
Kearny
The Hudson County Coalition for a Drug Free Community and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration will partner with the Kearny Police Department to accept from the public any unwanted prescription drugs on “Take Back Day” on Sept. 26. Pills may be brought to the Kearny Police Department, 237 Laurel Ave., between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Only pills or patches will be accepted. The service is free and anonymous.
Pathways to Independence, 60 Kingsland Ave., holds its annual 2-mile Walk-a-Thon on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m., at West Hudson Park. To participate, fill out a registration form and recruit friends, relatives or co-workers as sponsors to pledge a specific dollar amount, anywhere from $1 to $100. Register yourself or your team in advance by obtaining forms at the Pathways office or call 201-997-6155 to have forms mailed to you. Or, register on the day of the walk at the Schuyler Ave. entrance of the park, starting at 9 a.m. Silva Construction sponsors a free event T-shirt for each participant that turns in $100 or more in pledges.
Presbyterian Boys and Girls Club, 663 Kearny Ave., hosts its annual Tricky Tray on Saturday, Oct. 17. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person (no children). Admission includes a sheet of small prizes, coffee, soda, water and dessert. Big prizes include a flat screen TV, iPad, PS4 and Giants tickets. There will be a 50/50 and packets will be sold. Purchase tickets in advance. Guests may book a table of eight or 10. For ticket information, email pbgckearny@gmail. com or call 201-334-8336.
Kearny Public Library, 318 Kearny Ave., hosts a fall fiesta in the Main Library Reading Garden on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A dance instructor will teach a Salsa-style square dance, there will be live Salsa music and more. Admission is free. Rain date is Saturday, Oct. 3, at 1 p.m.
Community members are invited to have “Coffee with a Cop” on Sept. 25, Oct. 2 and Oct. 8. Meet with Kearny police officers in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships and drink coffee.
The schedule is as follows: Sept. 25 at 8 a.m. at Dina’s Café, 734 Kearny Ave.; Oct. 2 at 8 a.m. at Arcos Pastry, 401 Kearny Ave.; and Oct. 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Applebee’s on Passaic Ave. Check www.facebook.com/kearnypba for updated information. Contact Officer John Fabula for more information at jfabula@kearnynjpd.org.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1302, Belgrove Drive, hosts its second annual Octoberfest (to welcome home returning troops) on Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 6 p.m. There will be live music, craft beer, food, family fun and much more. Bring lawn chairs.
A Blessing of the Animals ceremony is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m., at the Retreat Center (formerly Boystown) on Belgrove Drive, on the front lawn by the St. Francis Statue.
The Salvation Army of Kearny, 443 Chestnut St., is accepting applications for Christmas kettle workers on Oct. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. Anyone ages 14 and older may apply (working permit required from your school for ages 14-17). Pay rate is $8.25 per hour. Kettle workers will also be needed to work Mondays through Saturdays, from Nov. 20 to Dec. 24. Contact Lt. Hwang Lim or Rebeca Escobar at 201-991-1115.
Lyndhurst
View the total lunar eclipse at the William D. McDowell Observatory, DeKorte Park, on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 7:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The peak of the eclipse will take place at approximately 10:45 p.m. You must be able to climb 25 steps to reach the telescope. No registration is required. For more information, call 201-460-4623.
Children in grades pre-k to 3 are invited to Lyndhurst Public Library, 355 Valley Brook Ave., to make an autumn squirrel wreath craft on Monday, Sept. 28, from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Registration is required. Call the library at 201-804- 2478.
The Woman’s Club of Lyndhurst sponsors a children’s Tricky Tray, open to grades pre-k through 5, on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Senior Citizen Building on Cleveland Ave. Doors open at noon and the raffle begins at 1 p.m. Lunch items will be sold. No outside food will be permitted. For tickets or more information, call Janet at 201-935-1208.
Lyndhurst Health Department, 601 Riverside Ave., announces the following programs. Registration is required. To register, call 201- 804-2500.
- Free Women’s Health Clinic on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 9 a.m., includes education on breast self-examination, PAP test and pelvic exam. This program is open to all female Lyndhurst residents age 18 and over.
- Breakfast seminar on Back Pain is set for Friday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. Immediately following the breakfast in the recreation room, there will be a free chiropractic screening.
American Legion Post 139 Rehabilitation Committee holds a ward party for veterans at Chestnut Hill Extended Care Facility, Passaic, Sept. 29, at 2:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the late Tony Valvano and his wife Sandra in memory of Lt. John Czarnecki, a U.S. Army veteran of a tour in Alaska. He was also known as “Captain John.”
Post members play games of chance with hospitalized veterans and distribute treats to them. Anyone interested in sponsoring a ward party is invited to call John Deveney at 201-438-2255.
First Baptist Church of Arlington, 650 Kearny Ave., announces its worship services held every Sunday at 11:10 a.m. For more information, call 201- 991-7669.
St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Lyndhurst, holds its third annual parish picnic on Sunday, Sept. 27, from noon to 4 p.m. in the parish parking lot behind the church. The picnic will feature food, music, and fun for the kids — face painting tattoos, and balloon animals.
North Arlington
The Queen of Peace Knights of Columbus Council 3428, 194 River Road, hosts its annual barbecue on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. This event includes a door prize and a 50-50. Cost is $12 for adults, $30 for a family of four (two adults, two kids), and $6 for children ages 6 to 12. Tickets can be bought at the rectory office, the Columbian Club Hall, or by calling 201-463-2151. Attendees are asked to consider donating a non-expired, non-perishable food item for the Knights’ “Food for Families Project.”
Queen of Peace Rosary Society hosts a dinner and Tricky Tray on Friday, Oct. 16, from 6 to 11 p.m. at San Carlo Fine Caterers in Lyndhurst. Price is $40 per person. For details, call Betsy 201-997-3914.
North Arlington Health Department, 10 Beaver Ave., announces the following programs. Registration is required. To register, call 201- 955-5695.
- Multiphasic blood screening is set for Wednesday, Sept. 30, beginning at 7 a.m. Registration deadline is Monday, Sept. 28. Fasting is required. There is a $25 fee.
- “Healthy Eating on a Budget,” presented by Shop- Rite of Lyndhurst’s Registered Dietician Julie Harrington, is offered on Thursday, Oct. 8, at noon, at the Senior Center, rear of the Health Department building.
Both programs are open to surrounding communities.
North Arlington Woman’s Club holds an indoor yard sale Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Senior Center.
Nutley
Operation Take-Back will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at Police Headquarters, 228 Chestnut St. The program allows residents to turn in unused or expired prescription medications without providing personal information. Unused or expired prescriptions, controlled substances and over-the-counter medications will be accepted for safe disposal.
The Women’s Auxiliary of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church sponsors a Flapjack Fundraiser, Saturday, Sept. 26, 8 to 10 a.m., at Applebee’s, 375 Rt. 3 E., Clifton. Tickets are $10. To purchase tickets, contact Linda at 973 661-0090. Proceeds will be used for church renovations. Guests may also chose to participate in a Tricky Tray.
Celebrate Italian American Heritage Month with Nutley UNICO with a screening of “Human Capital,” at Nutley Public Library, 93 Booth Drive, on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. This Italian language film with English subtitles is a 2014 award-winning thriller about two families whose lives are linked together after a cycling accident. Doors open at 6:30 for refreshments provided by Nutley UNICO.
Nutley Health Department and Nutley Board of Education co-sponsor a free family health fair on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the John H. Walker Middle School, 325 Franklin Ave. There will be exhibits and workshops on concussion awareness and other topics, Senior Wellness Mobile and more. For more information, contact the Department of Public Affairs at 973-284-4976.
Greenutley and the Nutley Public Works Department encourage members of the community to participate in the town’s first annual Poetry Slam on Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Nutley Farmer’s Market. Participants can write and perform an original poem or perform work by a favorite author. This is not a contest or a scored event. The market opens at 9 a.m. Participants may register for a time slot at the Greenutley tent. Sign-ups will be ongoing throughout the day. The poetry slam begins at 11 a.m. and the market closes at 2 p.m.
For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 973-284-4959.
Rutherford
Rutherford Congregational Church, 251 Union Ave., encourages vendors and those with other special holiday gift items to sell to register for a space for its annual holiday bazaar. The event is set for Saturday, Nov. 14. To register for a space, call 201-321-2756.
St. John’s Lutheran Church (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), 145 Mortimer Ave., (corner of Fairview Ave.) hosts an open house on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tour the church’s historic stained-glass sanctuary and learn about worship and music activities and all-family Sunday school. For more information, call 201-438-0840 or visit www.stjohnsnj.org.
