Notes

The Saint Barnabas Hospice and Palliative Care Center at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch will host a free bereavement lecture titled, "What Grief Does and How to Deal With it," on Dec. 19 from 7- 8:30 p.m. The program, which will be led by Bereavement Counselor Henry de Mena, will be held at the hospital on Second Avenue.

Registration is required. For more information, or to register, call Spiro Ballas at (973) 322-4866 or e-mail at sballas@ sbhcs.com.

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Volunteers from corporate groups, senior communities and local schools in the area have volunteered to help the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties raise funds at the gift-wrapping booth at Monmouth Mall in Eatontown during December. Volunteers will wrap, and local groups or individuals are encouraged to participate. Hours range from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and volunteers are asked to wrap for a minimum of two hours. Interested individuals or groups may call Lori at the FoodBank at (732) 918-2600 or visit www.foodbankmoc.org.

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Jersey rocker Jody Joseph and her band, The Average Joes, will join Joseph's music students to present the "Sammy Rotman Pediatric Cancer Research Holiday Concert," Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. to benefit pediatric cancer research. The concert will be at the Stone Pony, Asbury Park. Joseph has held several benefits at the Stone Pony, one of which was for the Long Branch Schools' Wave of Hope Benefit for Katrina victims in Biloxi, Miss. The Dec.15 concert is for Sammy Rotman, the 10-year-old niece of one of her band members who has cancer. For more information, call Jody Joseph at (732) 544-8513.

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Barbara Horter, Wanamassa section of Ocean Township, was named "Volunteer of the Year - Chapter Level" by Special Olympics New Jersey at its annual awards dinner at the Westin Princeton in mid-November. The organization honored individuals and groups for dedication and commitment to the mission of Special Olympics.

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Italian American Memorial Association (IAMA), 195 West End Ave., Long Branch, will hold "Breakfast With Santa," Dec. 16 from 9-11:30 a.m. The "all you can eat" event will also feature a gift from Santa for children age 12 and younger. Cost is $6, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children age 3-11, and free for children younger than age 3. For more information, call the IAMA at (732) 222-9750.