Topics in Brief
A Community Bulletin

Princeton Public Library will be closed Saturday, October 9 in preparation for a celebratory weekend marking its 100th birthday. Although Saturday’s Centennial Gala featuring Terry Gross is sold out, Sunday, October 10, will begin with a 5-K Fun Run at 9 a.m. From 1 to 5 p.m., the Princeton High School Studio Band, children’s entertainer Joel Frankel, singer-songwriter Chris Harford and His Band of Changes, the Princeton Pro Musica Chamber Ensemble, members of the American Boychoir, Princeton Girlchoir, and Princeton High School a cappella groups will appear at locations inside the library and outside on Hinds Plaza. Costumed characters, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Pat the Bunny, will also be on hand. A “Princeton By the Decade” Walking Tour organized by Princeton Tour Company will feature ten local businesses representing the ten decades in Princeton Public Library’s history.

As the ninth anniversary of the Afghanistan war approaches, the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) will hold a vigil on Palmer Square on Thursday, October 7, from 5 to 6 p.m. CFPA will provide banners; participants are encouraged to bring additional signs. For further information call the CFPA at (609) 924-5022 or visit www.peacecoalition.org.

Corner House will sponsor a screening of the movie Up on Friday, October 8, from 7 to 10 p.m. on the lawn adjacent to Thomas Sweet on Nassau Street. A portion of the proceeds earned at Thomas Sweet that night will be donated to Corner House, which continues to help young people in need. For more information call (609) 924-0818.

Sustainable Princeton and the Princeton Environmental Commission are seeking 50 households in the Township and Borough to volunteer for a demonstration leaf corral project this fall. To sign up to be part of this project go to SustainablePrinceton.org. or stop by the Princeton Farmer’s Market in Hinds Plaza on October 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each household will receive free materials and instructions for installing a backyard leaf corral; volunteers will be surveyed on their use of the corral and must be willing to allow photos of the corral to be used for publicity and educational purposes. The corral is a simple enclosure made from plastic fencing that is used to contain and compost leaves. The sides of the corral are typically five to eight feet in length and leaves are piled to a height of three feet within the enclosure. Leaf compost from the corral can be used as mulch or as a soil supplement in your yard or garden. Keeping leaves off the street improves safety and drainage along roads, saves public money spent on collecting and disposing of leaves, and saves time and effort in bagging leaves and hauling them to the street.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton at 50 Cherry Hill Road will hold a 350 action event at its 11:15 service on Sunday, October 10, joining the 10/10/10 global event by celebrating the installation of new solar panels. Three-hundred-fifty “parts per million” is the safe limit of carbon dioxide in the world.

The New Jersey Farm to School Network is organizing a series of regional, on-site school garden training programs to take place in several cities across New Jersey this fall. Registration for the Princeton training on October 9 is now open online at http://njfarm2school.pbworks.com. Each three-hour training session will provide participants with an overview of planning for a school garden, equipment, funding, curriculum tie-ins, and providing education on nutrition.