This Week's Planner for Special Events in Livingston

This week's places to be and things to do:

Monday, Feb. 14 @ noon - 5 p.m., Arts Council of Livingston (ACL) presents a Special Valentine's Day event @ the Art Gallery, 1170 Town Center Way. 
   *Note also ACL has extended "Elegance and Enlightenment" through March 15.

Monday, Feb. 14 @ 1 p.m. & 7 p.m., the Livingston Library Endowment Fund continues its Classic Film Festival with "It Happened One Night."   In 1934, it was the winner of   five Academy Awards and stars Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable.

Tuesday, Feb. 15 Deadline: Livingston National Little League on-line registration for girls softball – kindergarten through Grade 10. Visit www.lnlls.com to register today.

Tuesday, Feb. 15 Deadline: The Essex County Bar Association’s Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities presents its Second Annual Essay Contest open to all Essex County Public School students in Grades 3-12. More information is available from Nina Peckman (973) 643-3876, npeckman@acnj.org and Ruth Lowenkron (973) 624-1815, ext. 21, RLowenkron@edlawcenter.org. Entries must be delivered by hand, regular mail or email to: Essex County Bar Association -- Essay Contest. Essex County Historic Court House, 470 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, Room B01, Newark, New Jersey 07102. Info@essexbar.com

Tuesday, Feb. 15 @ 7 p.m. at Livingston High School: " The Dark Side of America's Achievement Culture." The award-winning documentary examines the effects of a high-stakes, high-pressure culture on today's children. The movie is presented by Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, LMAC and Livingston Public Schools. A dialogue with educational experts will follow the screening.  For more information, call Pam Chirls @  (973) 422-0349 or Sylvia Heller @  (973) 765-9050. The presentation of this film is free and open to the entire community.

Tuesday, Feb. 15 @ 8-8:45 p.m., Friendship Circle orientation seminar for new volunteers.  The seminar is required before beginning to volunteer, because it will prepare and train the volunteer to work with a child with special needs. Training also helps the volunteer choose the program that is the best fit.  To register, call FC @  (973) 251-0200.

Friday, Feb. 18 Shoe Collection Drive Ends: The Riker Hill Elementary School Student Council is holding a shoe drive. Donations of or gently used shoes for men, women and/or children – as well as new socks -- may be dropped off at one of four locations: Riker Hill Elementary School, the Livingston Public Library, Monmouth Court Community Center, and the Senior/Community Community Center.  The shoes and socks collected will be donated to more than 400 local shelters and orphanages by the John Wesley Methodist Church, East Rutherford. 

Saturday, Feb. 19 @ 3 p.m., Livingston Public Library celebrates the Year of the Rabbit.  Students and teachers of the Livingston Chinese School will perform a Chinese New Year presentation, with singing, dancing, and lots of wonderful music.  Bring your entire family for an enjoyable musical afternoon.  Register for the event by calling (973) 992-4600,  x270.

Sunday, Feb. 20 Midnight Deadline:  The Livingston Baseball Parents Association is having an apparel sale to raise funds for the LHS baseball team. Funds raised will subsidize the budget cuts that affected the baseball program and hopefully provide the teams with new uniforms and pay for other expenses incurred during the season. Apparel is offered to ALL students and parents. Apparel Orders can be placed online here. The web site will close on Sunday, Feb. 20 at midnight.  Players who sell 10 items to friends and families will receive a T-shirt or credit towards another piece of apparel.  Check out the web site today and support the LHS Baseball team!

Save these dates: 

Monday, March 7 begins the next 10-week session of Rainbows Peer Support Groups.  Rainbows is a support group for children who have suffered significant loss in their lives, either through death, divorce, or other painful transitions. Rainbows’ aim is to implant in these children a belief in their own goodness, in a safe and secure environment.  Rainbows is not counseling or therapy for children. It is strictly peer support groups for children grades K – 6, guided by caring, trained adults, in a confidential setting. This program is free of charge, interracial, and non-sectarian.  For information, or to sign up for the program, please call the National Council of Jewish Women Center for Women @ (973) 994-4994 or email centerforwomen@ncjwessex.org.

Monday, March 7 @ 7 p.m. Community and Schools Working Together for Parents of Residents with Special Needs presented @ the Livingston High School media center by the Parents and Professionals for Exceptional Children (PPEC), the Livingston Advisory Committee for Disabilities (LACD), the West Essex YMCA, the recently-launched MOM2MOM Helpline, the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ, and Livingston Public Schools. Participants include Bob Gebroe of the LACD,  Cheryl Francione of the West Essex YMCA, Madeleine Goldfarb of the MOM2MOM Helpline, Rebecca Wanatick of the United Jewish Communities and Larry Russell, the new Assistant Superintendent for Student Services for Livingston Public Schools.  This event is free and open to the public.  For further information, questions, and to RSVP to the event, please email PPECLIVINGSTON@aol.com.

Tuesday, March 15. The “Livingston Shop & Eat Around” sponsored by the Livingston Business Improvement District (BID).  This event gives local area residents the chance to save at a variety of Livingston’s shops, eateries, fitness centers, beauty salons and other service providers.