Community Bulletin Board
Congregation to hold open family house Friday

Congregation Beth-El of Edison will host an open house family service at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at the synagogue, 91 Jefferson Boulevard.

Bar/bat mitzvah graduates and students will conduct the service.

The Conservative Egalitarian synagogue aims to provide an affordable home for Jewish families and will budget to meet each family’s needs.

Free high holiday tickets for the family are available. For more information, call the synagogue at 732-985-7272, or Iris Katz, the membership chairperson, at 732-572-5738. The Web site is www.betheledison.org.

Find out what it’s like to be a local police officer

The Metuchen Civilian Police Academy’s fall semester class will begin in the first week of September. The free evening class teaches residents what it is like to be a Metuchen police officer through role-playing scenarios, officer ride-alongs, and regular classroom lectures. To find out more about the academy or for information on how to register, contact Capt. Robin Rentenberg at Rrentenberg@metuchenpd.org or (732) 632-8548. The class meets Wednesday evenings and is open to Metuchen residents only.

Edison library branches plan ‘A Visit to Camelot’

The children’s department of the Edison Public Library will hold registration in person or by phone beginning Aug. 1 for kindergartners through third-graders for “A Visit to Camelot.” Youngsters can listen to stories of knights and King Arthur and his queen, as well as tales of medieval times. Programs will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 11 at the North Edison Branch, 777 Grove Ave., and at 10 a.m. Aug. 12 at the Clara Barton Branch, 141 Hoover Ave. Call North Edison at (732) 548-0845, ext. 3, or Clara Barton at (732) 738-0748, ext. 28, or sign up at the circulation desk.

Special Strides seeks donations for fund-raiser

Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center for children with special needs, Monroe, will hold its annual fund-raiser at 7 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Congress Hill Farm, 118 Federal Road, Monroe.

The community-based event is usually attended by more than 300 supporters. Special Strides is looking for individuals and businesses who are interested in donating items to be raffled off at the fund-raiser. Many of the donated items that have been raffled off in previous years were bundled in theme baskets that were packaged by one of the nonprofit organization’s volunteers.

“Our thought was that as people entertain during the summer months, they can suggest that their guests bring ‘theme’ items (kitchenware, sporting goods, health and beauty products, etc.) in lieu of a cake or dessert,” said Laurie Landy, founding partner of Special Strides. “Our volunteers would then assemble the baskets for the event.”

The money raised at the annual fund-raiser subsidizes every child who participates in the Special Strides program, which aids youngsters who have a wide range of disabilities from cerebral palsy to spinal-cord injuries to autism, experience improvement in their flexibility, balance and muscle strength. Special Strides provides specialized therapy using horses as a strategy to achieve neuro-developmental goals. Occupational, physical and speech therapists provide the assistance.

For more information, to donate, or to volunteer for the fund-raiser, log on to www.specialstrides.com or call (732) 446-0945.