Community Bulletin Board
Boro Improvement League slates Jan., Feb. meetings

The Borough Improvement League Inc. (BIL) will meet at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 19 at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse, 491 Middlesex Ave., Metuchen. Bunco will be played, with prizes awarded, and refreshments will be served.

Also, a BIL meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 16. Colleen Snow of Wild Bird Country in Edison will present “How to Attract Wild Birds.” For more information, call Kay McCormack at (732) 548-1976.

Habitat for Humanity to hold Casino Night Feb. 4

Middlesex County Habitat for Humanity will sponsor its second annual Casino Night on Feb. 4 at the Don Bosco Knights of Columbus, 290 Old Road, Port Reading section of Woodbridge. The event will feature casino games, a hot and cold buffet courtesy of Mulberry Street restaurant in Woodbridge, and many prizes provided by local businesses and other Habitat supporters. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the casino open from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Cost is $30 for tickets purchased before Feb. 4; and $40 at the door. Tickets are available through the Habitat office at 631 E. Woodbridge Ave., Avenel 07001, or online at www.middlesexhabitat.org. Call the organization at (732) 251-7200, ext. 5.

Middlesex Habitat for Humanity, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, helps very low-income families in Middlesex County living in poverty-level housing become owners of safe, decent housing build or renovated by Habitat. The organization has completed two houses in New Brunswick and is expected to begin building two additional houses in Old Bridge in the near future. Funds raised will be used for materials for these upcoming construction projects.

Local animal shelter

in need of donations

The Franklin Township Animal Shelter, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, is in need of wood pellets (for use in cat litter boxes), bleach, baby wipes, sponges, Pine-Sol cleaner, kitten chow and cat toys in order to care for its homeless animals. Donations may be dropped off at the shelter Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Monetary donations are also welcome, with checks made payable to the shelter. Call the shelter at (732) 873-2500, ext. 255.

Cats, kittens available

for immediate adoption

Friends of Homeless Animals, an organization based in Metuchen that is dedicated to finding loving families for homeless cats and kittens, has healthy felines available for immediate adoption throughout Monmouth and Middlesex counties.

The animals — all of which have visited a veterinarian and received their initial vaccinations — are available through the adoption center located in PetSmart on Route 9 in Manalapan.

A reference check and a nominal adoption fee are required. For more information, call the organization at (732) 549-1270.

Arts Society announces Jan. submission deadline

The Edison Arts Society (EAS) has announced Jan. 31 as the deadline for two of its annual events, the “Gardens of the Garden State” art and photography exhibit, and the middle and high school poetry competition. The date is also the deadline for literate and artwork/photography submissions for the society’s newly formed high school literate magazine, the Incandescent Donut, which welcomes poetry, short short stories and one-act plays along with black and white artwork and photography.

The society’s fifth annual “Gardens of the Garden State” is a three-day-weekend, juried exhibit presented in late April in the center court of the Menlo Park Mall, Edison. Photographs of artists’ work are due along with a $15 fee ($10 for EAS members) and a completed prospectus. Checks should be made out to EAS. Up to three photographs can be submitted for consideration. The society’s fourth annual middle and high school poetry competition welcomes poetry from all area schools. Submissions must be clearly typed and marked with the student’s name, grade, school and contact number. Winners will be invited to read at Menlo’s Barnes & Noble and will receive booklets containing their published poem.

For details or submission guidelines, call the arts society at (908) 753-ARTS (2787); e-mail edisonarts@aol.com; or visit www.edisonarts.org. All materials should be sent to the society’s new address at 340 Raritan Center Parkway, Edison 08837.