Community Events

Board of Ed meet. The Merrick School Board will meet on Tuesday, March 23 at Levy-Lakeside Elementary at 8 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.

Chatterton Sports Night. First graders will enjoy sports night on Monday, March 22 at 6:45 p.m. and fourth graders will continue in the fun at 8;00 p.m.

N. Merrick Schools closed. All North Merrick elementary schools will be closed on Thursday, March 18 for parent/teacher conferences, which will be held from 1-8 p.m.

PTA meet. Camp Ave. Elementary will have their PTA meeting on Wednesday, March 24 at 8 p.m.

A play at The Stage. The musical "Fiorello" will be presented at The Stage on Hewlett Avenue from March 13 to April 10 at 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday performances are at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 25 will be at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16. Senior and student tickets are $12 for Friday and Sunday shows. For reservations, call (516) 868-6400.

Parent workshops. The Community Parent Center will hold four parent workshops as a follow-up to the Parent Education Conference on "Raising Resilient Children and Adolescents." Topics will include: overcoming rejection, empowering children to do the right thing, fitting in and discipline that works. Mental-health professionals will facilitate the workshops, and parents will be grouped by the ages of their children. The workshops will be on March 15, and 22 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Merrick Avenue Middle School. To register, call (516) 771-9346.

Defensive-driving workshop. On March 28, Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) and the Empire Safety Council will hold an Accident Prevention Workshop for residents in the 19th Legislative District. The workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Suburban Temple, 2900 Jerusalem Ave. in Wantagh. Fee: $39. Call Linda Rudick at 221-3793 by 5 p.m. on March 19 to register.

American Association of University Women meet. The Long Island branches of the American Association of University Women will hold their annual Inter-Branch Spring Dinner at the Westbury Manor on March 31 at 6:30 p.m. College graduates and other interested women are invited to attend. Tickets are $35, available by calling Norma at 9516) 627-5590.

Chamber meets. The Merrick Chamber of Commerce will meet on Tuesday, April 13 at the Merrick Mall Restaurant on Smith Street at 8 p.m. For further information call (516) 771-1171.

Jewell Quinn Senior Center. Senior Community Service Center Brookside School, (516) 571-8675. Activities and classes include sewing, computers, crafts, dancing and movies.

Cancer Society programs. Reach to Recovery, a peer support program for people with a personal concern about breast cancer, provides cancer information, emotional support and hope to those who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Road to Recovery offers drivers to transport ambulatory cancer patients in need of a ride to and from their treatments. For info call 800-ACS-2345.

AARP. The Bellmore-Merrick Chapter of AARP, the only Nassau County chapter that meets at night, holds its meetings on the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Mepham High School cafeteria located on Camp Avenue one block west of Newbridge Road, Bellmore. Entertainment and refreshments available. Seniors from all over Nassau County are welcome. For further information, call (516) 785-3337 or 826-7410.

N. Merrick Library

AARP tax aid for seniors. Tax consultants will be available to assist seniors free of charge from the AARP Tax Aid program from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and continuing every Monday through April 12. Bring last year's tax return and all pertinent information such as receipts, statements, etc.

Gardening tips. Claire Reisert, of the Cornell Cooperative Extension, will help you to jump-start a beautiful garden on Wednesday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m.

March book discussion group meet. Atonement, by Ian McEwan will be discussed on Friday, March 26 at 1:30 p.m. John Walsh will moderate. Copies of the book are available at the circulation desk. Complimentary refreshments.

Merrick Library

AARP Defensive Driving. On April 15 an AARP Defensive Driving course will be offered for Merrick residents age 50 and over. Registration begins Thursday, March 25 at the Merrick Library Wing, 2369 Merrick Ave. The fee is $10, payable by check and is non-refundable.

Long Island reads events. On Sunday, April 18 at 2 p.m. "Jazz Goes to Broadway," will feature Gabriele Tranchina, singing Gershwin and Rogers and Hammerstein songs. On Saturday, April 24 at 2 p.m. dramatic readings from "Snow In August" will be performed by Matt Stashin and David Houston portraying the men and boys of 1947 Brooklyn. Tickets are free for Merrick residents, two per family as of April 1 at the Merrick Library Wing Reference desk, 2369 Merrick Ave. Both programs will be held at the Bellmore Library, 2288 Bedford Ave.

Discussion series. The 'Great Decisions' discussion series will begin on April 22 and run through June 11, from 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and will be held at the North Merrick Library. 'Great Decisions' will look at eight of the most significant and farreaching challenges facing the world today including discussion on weapons of mass destruction, diversity in Islam, the media and foreign policy, and reform in the Midle East. A booklet from the Foreign Policy Association will be provided on each topic. Sign up begins on April 1 for Merrick residents and April 15 for non-Merrick residents. Sign up at the Merick Library Wing, 2369 Merrick Ave. A $5 deposit is required and space is limited. For more information call the reference desk at 379-3476, Ext. 111.

Homebound services. Books, audio-visual materials, research packages and needed information resources will be delivered upon request for those who are unable to access the library. For more information call Bob Ludemann at (516) 379-3476, ext. 105.

AARP tax help. One-hour appointments scheduled between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are available from March 2 until April 13 for Merrick seniors wishing help with their taxes. The free service takes place at the Merrick Library Railroad Station location. Sign-up, which is available now, is held at the Merrick Library Wing reference desk. For more information, call (516) 379-3476, ext. 111 for an appointment.

Storytime. Storytime for 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds will be held at Mar Thoma Church across the street from the library wing. The first session runs to March 26.

Registration begins on Feb. 10 at the library wing. Session II is from April 20 to May 21. Registration begins April 1. Classes for 2-year-olds meet Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., 3-year-olds on Thursday at 10:30 and Fridays at 1:30. 4- and 5-year-olds meet Tuesdays at 10:30 or Thursdays at 1:30. For more information, call (516) 379-3476, ext. 108.