School Boards

Bellmore meetings. The Bellmore Board of Education meets every third Tuesday of the month in the library of the Charles A. Reinhard Early Childhood Center at 8 p.m. North Bellmore Board of Education meets at 8 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Meetings are held at the North Bellmore district administration office.

Merrick meetings. Every second and fourth Tuesday, the Merrick Board of Education meets at 8 p.m. at the Norman J. Levy Lakeside School. The North Merrick School District meets every second Tuesday of the month at 8 p.m. at the Harold D. Fayette School.

High schools. The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School Board of Education meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 8 p.m.at Brookside High School. Call 623-8900 for more information.

Religious news

Sacred Heart Church, on Merrick Avenue in North Merrick, celebrates Masses Monday-Friday at 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.; Saturday's at 8:30 a.m. Sunday Masses are offered on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m. 12:30 a.m., and 5 p.m.

Rosary Altar Society meetings are held at Sacred Heart on the first Monday after the first Sunday of the month at 8 p.m. in the school meeting room. All are welcome to attend.

Holy Name Society meetings are held the second Monday, after the second Sunday of the month. All are welcome to attend.

Cure' of Ars, located at 2323 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, celebrates masses on Monday at 6:30 a.m., 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday at 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.; Saturday at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. 11 a.m. 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The Religious Education Office is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 223-3878.

Parish Outreach is available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 223-5580.

The fall Adult Faith Formation Program, "Jews and Christians Share the Psalms" is set for Sunday, Oct. 21 from 2-5 p.m. Call 623-1400.

For information on the Catholic Youth Organization call 867-6668.

St. Barnabas. The Parish of Saint Barnabas the Apostle, 2320 Bedford Ave., Bellmore, celebrates Masses Monday-Friday at 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.,Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and Sunday at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., Noon, and 5 p.m. Vigil Masses are Saturday at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. A Family Mass is celebrated at 10 a.m. in the Holy Family Chapel.Call 785-0054.

Christian Joy. Christian Joy Fellowship, located at 36 Broadway in Bellmore, offers services on Sunday at 10 A.M. for adults and children and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. for adults. Office hours are available Monday through Friday from 10:15 a.m.-6:15 p.m. The Word Shoppe at Christian Joy Fellowship is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call 781-4JOY.

senior Spotlight

The Vinney 50 Plus Club of Cure of Ars Church meets the first Wednesday of the month. Educational/entertainment programs and trips are offered. For more information, call Sister Miriam Michael Joos, O.P., at 623-1400.

Friendly Seniors. St. Barnabas Apostle Church in Bellmore holds its Friendly Seniors meetings the first and third Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m. in the school cafeteria. For information, call 785-0054.

Bellmore Center. The Bellmore Senior Center offers a variety of special services and activities including Bingo, crafts, billiards, group discussions, line dancing and card games Lunch is also available on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for only $1.50. Weekday events include current events on Tuesdays and a humanities discussion on Thursday. Call 221-9696 for more information.

AARP. The Bellmore-Merrick Chapter of AARP meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the Mepham High School cafeteria, located on Camp Avenue one block west of Newbridge Road, Bellmore. The public is invited to attend and new members are welcome. Call 785-3337 for information.

Library Seniors meet every Monday from 1-4 p.m. in the community room of the Bellmore Memorial Public Library. The club offers arts and crafts sessions, programs on health and safety as well as general coffee and fellowship, films and parties. All activities are open to any adult in the community over the age of 50. For information, contact Patti Paris at 785-2990.

GLO Program. The Town of Hempstead's Golden Learning Opportunities Program will now meet at the Merrick Senior Center, 2550 Clubhouse Road. For more information, call the Department of Senior Enrichment at 485-8100 or the Merrick Senior Center at 868-4777.

Merrick Seniors. The Merrick Senior Center meets at CLubhouse Road every Monday through Friday. The Center offers lunch daily. Upcoming events include bowling, dance class, ping pong, cards and games, nutrition set-up and current events. For information, call the 431-6930.

Support Groups

Substance help. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held every Thursday evening and Alanon meetings are held every Sunday evening in the school cafeteria of St. Barnabas Church in Bellmore. All meetings start at 7:30 p.m.

Helping mothers. The Sunrise Mother's Center, a non-profit, nonsectarian, member-run organization of mothers helping mother. The center is a place for mothers to meet, share experiences and develop new or existing skills. Discussion groups, committee work and special events, as well as a Time for Two program for children ages 12 months to three years old and their caregivers are also available. Quality, affordable childcare is also available for mothers attending discussion groups. For more information, call Jodi at 781-4740.

Interfaith support. FEGS Long Island Division is offering a free five-week group for family members of interfaith couples. FEGS is at 6900 Jericho Tpke., Syosset. For information or to register, call 496-7550.

Self-Help. Recovery, Inc., a self-help mental-health community organization helping people deal with fear, depression and anxiety, meets every Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in Room 11 of the St. Francis DeChantel School at 1309 Wantagh Avenue. in Wantagh. For information, call Recovery, Inc.'s 24-hour hotline at 733-5622.

Community support

Cars for kids. Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Long Island is looking for unwanted cars. They will accept almost any car, and the title must be handed over at the time of pickup. For more information, call 1-800-859-6526.

Catholic Charities. Does your food budget stretch as far as you would like? Are you having problems making ends meet? If you are pregnant , up to one year post partum or have children under six, Catholic Charities Food and Nutrition (FAN) Program may be able to help. Free nutritious supplemental food is available monthly for those who meet financial eligibility requirements. Infants on the program receive a free monthly supply of formula each month. For more information, call 623-4568.

Volunteers needed. The Long Island Crisis Center in Bellmore, which serves all Nassau County youth and their families, is looking for people to help with the center's 7-day/24-hour confidential hotline, help in the office and help counselors. For more information, call 826-0244or visit the Long Island Crisis Center's Web site at www.licrisiscenter.org.

AHRC volunteers. The Nassau Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC) is seeking volunteers to help adults with developmental disabilities fill grocery lists, teach knitting and crocheting, and to help an adult with developmental disabilities improve their reading skills. The program is held in Plainview, Farmingdale, Massapequa and Glen Cove, Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Call Susan Brody-Wood at 626-1000, ext. 1313 for more information.

Community Groups

Merrick Kiwanis. The Kiwanis Club of Merrick, serving the community for more than 50 years, is looking for motivated people to serve Merrick and its citizens. The public is invited to attend the club's weekly Thursday evening dinner meeting at 6:45 p.m. at the Merrick Mall Restaurant. For more information, contact membership Chairman Robert Rivere at 623-7092.

Legion 1282. Merrick Post 1282 of the American Legion meets every third Tuesday of the month at 8 p.m. For more information, contact Tom Riordan, commander, at 546-8765.

Sons of Italy. Giovanni Caboto Lodge 2372, "The Family Lodge" in Bellmore, meets every third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Bellmore Exempt Hall on Petit Avenue in Bellmore. New members are always welcome. Call Tommasa Dato, president, at 735-9875 for more information.

Legion 1749. The Executive Committee of the North Bellmore American Legion, Post 1749, Inc. meets on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Herb Friedman at 781-2043.

Bellmore libraries

Chess clubs. The North Bellmore Library's chess club will met on Tuesdays, from 8-8:55 p.m. for adults and from 7-8 p.m. for children in third through sixth-grade. Upcoming sessions include Nov. 20, and Dec. 4 and 18. Both sessions will be led by Joel Salman, a lifelong player and winner of the National Master, Life Master and Fide Master titles. Call 785-6260 for information..

Christmas spectacular. The North Bellmore Library's will hold two trips to New York City for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The trips will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 27 and Thursday, Nov. 29. The cost of the trip, which includes transportation, lunch at the Ristorante Brunelli on the Upper East Side, shopping along Fifth Avenue, is $72.25. Registration for both trips is under way. There is a two-ticket limit per library cardholder (both members of a couple must be present to buy a total of four tickets.) The bus will leave the library at 10 a.m. and return at about 8:30 p.m. Call 785-6260 for information.

Children's programs.The Spectrum Players of Hofstra University will present Snow White and Rose Red, two sisters who live in the woods and share various adventures, at the North Bellmore Library on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets for the show will be available beginning Monday, Nov. 26. Tickets are limited to three per North Bellmore Public Library card. To accommodate working parents, 70 tickets will be available at 9 a.m. and 50 tickets will be available at 7 p.m. Out-of-district patrons are invited to put their names on a waiting list provided space is available. Call 785-6260.

Orchestra concert. The Senior 'Pops' Orchestra of Long Island will perform a free concert of holiday music at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16 at the Brookside School, Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick. Under the direction of 'Pops' conductor Joseph Manso, this 70-member orchestra will perform a program of holiday favorites, light classics, Broadway show tunes and popular music. Funding for the concert is provided by the Office of Economic Development, Suffolk County; the New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program administered in Suffolk by the Huntington Arts Council, Inc., and donations from the community. No tickets are required, but space is limited. Call (631) 751-5425.

Piano Concert. Pianist, composer, arranger and conductor Ted Simons will present "ords About Musci" at the Bellmore Library on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Call 785-2990.

Book discussion. Isabel Katzin will discuss the Jhumpa Lahri novel "Interpreter of Maladies:" at the Bellmore Library on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 12:30 p.m. and the J.M. Coetzee novel "Disgrace" on Wednesday, Dec. 19.

AARP course. Registration for the next AARP driving courses is now under way at the North Bellmore Library. THe course will take place on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Classes are open to North Bellmore Library district patrons ages 50 and older. To register, bring your library card or a driver's license with a North Bellmore district address and a check for $10, made payable to AARP. Out-of-district patrons will be put on a waiting list. Call 785-6260.

Merrick Libraries

Library hours. The Merrick Library is now operating on winter hours; Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. These hours will be in effect until July, 2002.

Computer workshops.The Merrick Library will present the following slow-paced, hands-on and user-friendly computer workshops: Introduction to the Internet: Monday, Nov. 26 or Monday, Dec. 3.; and Introduction to E-mail: Monday, Dec. 17. All course will take place from 10:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. at the library. The class fee is $5 and registration is required. Space is limited. Call 379-3476 for information.

Sunday concert. Primrose Productions will present a selection of hilarious songs - from rousing to riotous - about the classics and set to Gilbert & Sullivan melodies at the North Merrick Library on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Seating is limited, with preference given to North Merrick cardholders until 1:45 p.m. Call 378-7474.

Film festival. The North Merrick Library will present the film "Along Came a Spider" on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. In the film, which is based on the James Patterson novel, Washington, D.C. homicide detective and psychologist Alex Cross (played by Morgan Freeman) is called out of semi-retirement to help investigate an extremely sensitive case. His knowledge and skill are put to the test in solving the kidnapping of a U.S. Senator's daughter, snatched from her elite private school by a schizophrenic psychopath. The film is rated R and has a running time of 105 minutes. Call 378-7474.

special events

Thrift shop. The St. Mark's Thrift Shop in Stowell Hall, 1692 Bellmore Ave., North Bellmore has reopened. The store is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4p.m. For more information, call 572-0232.

The Stage, Long Island Live Theatre, Inc., holds performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. and once-a-month Thursdays at 8 p.m. Upcoming productions include: "Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians" - through Nov. 25; and "Annie" - Dec. 1-31 plus Thursday, Dec. 13. The Stage is at 2222 Hewlett Ave., Merrick. Call 868-6400 for information.

African Safari.Merrick resident Ivan Rothman, MD, Ph.D., Medical Director, South Nassau Communities Hospital's Comprehensive Oncology Program, will present a slide show entitled Photosafari to Africa on Wednesday, November 28 at 7 p.m.in the Hospital's Albert Conference Room.The slide show, which will be synchronized to music, takes us to the African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. A raffle for a framed 13 x 19" color photograph of a lion will be held. Other photographs taken by Dr. Rothman and matted by Jomark's of Hicksville will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to South Nassau's cancer program. To reserve a seat, call South Nassau's Development Office at (516) 632-3914.

Trustee needed. Due to the impending resignation of a trustee, the Merrick Library Board of Trustees is looking to fill the vacancy on an interim basis. The appointed board member would serve through June 2002 and could be a candidate in the next board election. Interested residents should send a resume as soon as possible to Walter Mintz - president, The Merrick Library Board of Trustees, 2279 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566.