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 will meet 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,located on Merrick Avenue in North Merrick, holds MassesMonday-Friday at 6:30 A.M. and 8:30 A.M; Saturday's at 8:30 A.M.Sunday services 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.
Eucharistic Celebrations. The Parish of Saint Barnabas the Apostle, 2320 Bedford Avenue, Bellmore, offers masses Monday-Friday at 6:30 A.M. and 9:00 A.M.,Saturday at 8:00 A.M. and Sunday at 7 A.M., 9A.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 10:00 A.M. in the Holy Family Chapel
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. to 6:15 P.M. The Word Shoppe at Christian Joy Fellowship is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 A.M. to 6 P.M. For more information call 781-4JOY.

Senior Spotlight

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 more 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. Call Eileen at 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 next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 14. Refreshments will be served. The public is invited to attend and new members are welcome. Call 794-8924 for information.
Library Seniors meet every Monday from 1 P.M. to 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 more information contact Patti Paris at 785-2990.
Merrick seniors.The Merrick Senior Center will meet at Lido Beach Monday through Friday beginning September 11. the Center offers lunch daily. Upcoming events include bowling, dance class, ping pong, cards and games, nutrition set-up and current events. FAn executive board meeting will take place on Monday, September 25 at 10:30 A.M. For more information, call the Town of Hempstead Department of Senior Enrichment at 485-8100

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.
Mothers 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 located at, 6900 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset. For more information or to register, please 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 located at 1309 Wantagh Avenue in Wantagh. For more 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.
Vehicle donations. The American Red Cross in Nassau County is seeking the donation of cars, trucks, sports utilities vehicles, recreational vehicles, motorcycles and boats. For more information please call 1-877-RED-CROSS.
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. to 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 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 please 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. Upcoming meetings are set for October 17 and November 21. A special post meeting 3will be held on Tuesday, November 7. The Post is also planning to construct a veterans monument on Merrick Avenue and Little Whaleneck Road and a trip to Gettysburg and Baltimore on October 21 and 22. For more information, please contact Tom Riordan,commander, at 546-8765.
Sons of Italy. Giovanni Caboto Lodge No. 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 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 please call Herb Friedman at 781-2043.

Bellmore libraries

Defensive driving. Participate in the North Bellmore Public Library's defensive driving course and reduce up to four points on your driver's license or receiver a 10 percent discount on your liability and collision insurance. Course 1 will be held on Monday and Tuesday September 25 and 26 from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M.; Course 2 will be held on Monday, October 23 and Monday, 30 from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. Attendance at both nights is required. Please make checks payable to '3D Insurance Services." A photocopy of your driver's license is required the first night of class. Call 785-6260 for information.
55 Alive. The North Bellmore Public Library is currently holding registration for its next AARP driving classes. The course will be held on Thursday, October 19 from 10 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. North Bellmore Library patrons ages 50 and older are eligible to attend. To register, participants must bring their library card or a driver's license with a North Bellmore Library district address. The fee is $10, payable by check to 'AARP.' Name, address and telephone number must be written on check. Call 785-6260 for more information.
Bus trip. The North Bellmore Public Library will sponsor a bus trip to Mohonk Mountain House, a Victoria resort near New Paltz on Tuesday, September 26. Mohonk House is perched on a mountain beside a lake, overlooking 24,000 acres of national parklands. The cost of the trip is $50.75, and includes use of the resort and grounds for the afternoon, buffet lunch, transportation and all gratuities. An optional horse-drawn carriage tour of the resort, with a stop at a panoramic overlook, is also available for an additional $8 (totaling ($58.75). The trip is open to both North Bellmore Library patrons and non-patrons. The buses will leave from the Library at 8 A.M. and return at approximately 7 P.M. For more information, call 785-6260.
Sat Review. The North Bellmore Public Library will offer an SAT review class to help students brush up on their math and verbal skills in preparation for the November SAT. Classes will be held Thursdays September 21, 28, October 5, 19, 26 and November 2 from 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. The fee is $45 and includes materials. Space is limited. Call 785-6260 for information.
Chess club. Students in grades four through 12 can join the North Bellmore Library's Chess Club. The Club will meet on Tuesdays, September 26, October 10 and 24, November 7 and 21 and December 5 and 19 from 7 P.M. to 8 P.M. in the Children's Room. Chess Master Joel Salman, one of Long Island's top 10 players, will discuss new techniques and how to refine present skills. The Club is open to those just learning to play chess and well as those who already have knowledge of the game. Call the North Bellmore Library at 785-6260.
Essay writing. The North Bellmore Public Library will hold a two-hour "how to" workshop for high school seniors preparing to write a college application essay. All participants will examine the essay writing process, discuss the common essay questions, and begin the essay process through self-reflection and critique sample essays. Sessions will be held on Tuesday, October 17 from 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. Registration is limited and there is a $3.50 materials fee. Call 785-6260.

Merrick Libraries

Library Hours. The Merrick Library's is open Monday through Friday 9:30 A.M to 9 P.M.,Saturday 9:30 A.M. to 1 P.M. and Sunday, 1P.M. to 5 P.M.
Christmas Spectacular. Tickets are currently on sale at the North Merrick Public Library for the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. Orchestra seat tickets are available for the 11 A.M. show on Wednesday, December 13. The cost is $66 per ticket, payable by check only to Halpin McCarney Tours, and includes bus transportation to Radio City Music Hall. Buses will leave the Library at 8:30 A.M. and return at 6:30 P.M. Participants will have the opportunity to have lunch, stroll the streets of Manhattan and do some last minute shopping. For more information, contact the North Merrick Library at 378-7474.
Hidden treasures. Two professional appraisers, Tom Wirth and Philip Weiss of Philip Weiss Auctions, will present "Appraisal: Treasures in Your Home" on Saturday, September 23 from 10:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. at the North Merrick Library. Items that will be appraised include Civil War artifacts, early photgraphs, rare books, autographs, toys, trains, dolls, stamps, postcards, posters and sports memorabilia. No furniture, dishes, glassware, jewerly or bric a brac please. Call 378-7474 for information.
Book Discussion. The North Merrick Library will hold a book to film discussion of John Krakauer's novel "Into Thin Air" on Friday, September 22 at 1:30 P.M. Jean Cohen will present the program using both book and film to discuss Krakauer's novel about nine climbers who perished on Mount Everest in May, 1996. Refreshments will be served. For more infromation, call 378-7474.

Special events

Antiques Fair.. The Bellmore Lions CLub will sponsor an Antiques and Hand-Crafts Flea Market on Sunday, October 1 and Sunday, October 15 from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. at the Bellmore Long Island Railroad Station at Bedford Avenue and Sunrise Highway. The money raised will go to local charities. For more information call 785-0222 or 826-9839.
Lupus support. The Long Island/Queens Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc., a not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to public education, research and fund-raising for the fight against Lupus, will hold its 3rd Annual Taking Charge and Living Better Symposium at Hofstra University on Sunday, September 24 from 9:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. Reservations are required. Call 783-3370 for more information.
Garden club. The Merrick Garden Club will meet on Monday, September 18 at the Merrick Library. Wing. The meeting, which will take place at 12 P.M., will include a program on "Putting the Garden to Bed." Triangular arrangements of fresh materials will be the design. All are welcome and refreshments will be served. Call Lucille Swack at 781-3305 for information.