General Events

Ski Fest!, High Point Cross Country Ski Center, 1480 State Route 23, Sussex, (973)702-1222, www.xcskihighpoint.com/events. A winter wonderland awaits when this day-long event offers free learn-to-ski lessons, music with comedian/singer JoJo Russel, a karaoke mixer, yummy foods and guided Cross Country Ski Center tours by High Point State Park staff members. 2/5.

Dancing for DASI, The Village Hall at Olde Lafayette Village, Route 94 and Route 15, Sussex, (570)618-1929, www.dancingchampagnegirls.com. The Champagne Girls Non-Profit Dance Studio host this mini show to raise money for victims of domestic violence through DASI. 2/12, 3-5pm.

B.I.G Ladies Networking, Homer’s Restaurant, 18 Sparta Ave., Sparta, (973)729-5252, www.eatathomers.com. Believe, Inspire, Grow (B.I.G.) is a growing business support, education and networking organization for women. Intelligent, creative and entrepreneurial women who want to share business ideas and build upon their dreams are invited to be a part of these upcoming special get-togethers. 2/14, 7pm, and 2/21, 10am.

Try Hockey for Free Day, Skylands Ice World, 2765 State Highway 23, Stockholm, (973)922-0759, www.skylandsnj.com. This nationwide event encourages families to stop in and take a hands-on look at one of the “coolest” sports around. 2/18.

TUSK - The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute, The Newton Theatre, 234 Spring St., Newton, (973)383~3700, www.thenewtontheatre.com. All the great hits of Fleetwood Mac are covered in this special evening music show that pays tribute to the legendary band that has been making music together for nearly three decades. 2/18, 8-11pm.  

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Ongoing: Support Groups, Workshops & More

• The MOMS Club of Hampton, Frankford, and Lafayette is a support network for stay-at-home moms. It provides daily activities including playdates, park days, seasonal crafts, storytimes, coffee-chats, birthday celebrations, seasonal parties, walking groups, day trips, service projects, Moms Night Out, and much more. Come meet new friends! Call Tricia at (862)268-0146 for more information.
• Spanish Story & Song Time/Chinese Story & Song Time: At The Language Workshop for Children- 596 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, 45-M Story & Song Time for ages 2-6 kids hear stories in a new language, watch felt board play, and build a repertoire of foreign words and phrases. Youngsters also get to sing a few of the LWFC’s multi-award winning, vocabulary-building songs. Open to the public. $10 for Non-LWFC Students, FREE for LWFC students. For details visit www.languageworkshopforchildren.com. Call (800)731-0830 to reserve. Spanish: Tuesday at 2:45. Chinese: Fridays at 2:45pm.
• Caregivers Support Group Meetings, Sussex County Homestead Auditorium, 129 Morris Turnpike, Newton,. Meeting are held on the last Tuesday of every month from 5:30-6:30pm.
• SWIMSMART, Sussex County Adult Swim Team (SCAST), Sussex County YMCA, Hardyston. This is a group of swimmers over the age of 18 who enjoy swimming for exercise and competition, Saturdays, 7am-8:30am.
• Mommy & Me: Fitness & Fun, Imagine Health & Fitness, 4 Vernon Crossing Road, Vernon, (973)459-9772, www.imaginefitnessnj.com. This program introduces the concepts of physical fitness, socialization, positive play behaviors, self-esteem and sensory awareness, along with fine and gross motor skills. For ages 6 months through 5 years old, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:15am.
• Adult Public Health Clinic, Sussex County Health Center (Homestead Nursing Home), 129 Morris Turnpike, County Rt. 655, Frankford Township, (973)579-0570. Clinics will be held from 11am to noon on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Children’s clinics are held the third Tuesday of the month, 2-6pm.
• Mothers Of Only Children of Northern NJ- Are you a Mother of an Only Child?? Join together with other families of Onlies!! Our group has 80+ families from all over Northern NJ. We have activities such as getting together with the other Moms or fun outings with the kids!! We have also been featured in the New York Times. For more information please contact Joanne at jkowalski_makeovers @yahoo.com.
• Writer’s Meeting, New Jersey Writer’s Society Meeting, Sussex County Library, Main Library, Frankford, (973)948-3660. This new nonprofit organization helps writers connect and encourage one another. The first Monday of every month, 6-8pm.
• Divorce Mediation for Parents, Authentic Empowerment, LLC, Rt. 23, Hamburg, (201)921-5649. Have you decided to get a divorce? Resolve your conflict in a cost effective timely manner that protects your children from unnecessary distress. Free Consultation when you mention you read PARENTGUIDE.
• Coping with Loss, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton. Free support group for dealing with the loss of a loved one. The second Monday of every month, 7-8pm.
• Mental Health Support Group, First Baptist Church of Sussex Fellowship House, Main Street and Route 23, Sussex. Those attending may enjoy refreshments, socialize, obtain educational materials on mental illness and community resource listings and participate in a rap session. Meets on Mondays, 3-6pm.
• Natural Childbirth Education, Tri-State Yoga, LLC, 74 George Hill Road, Branchville, (973)702-4063, A natural childbirth method in which the birthing mother uses her own natural birthing instinct to deliver her baby. Eliminate the Fear-Tension-Pain syndrome throughout your birth experience. Classes run every five weeks for two-and-a-half hours, Sunday-Friday.
• Support Group for Loss of Child, Our Lady of the Lake Church, Sparta, (973)729-6107, A support group for any one who has lost a child. Meets on the third Tuesday of each month, 7:30pm.
• Fiction Writers Workshop, The Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council, 9B Moran St., Newton, (973)383-0027, Fiction Writers Workshop is a monthly fiction writer’s critique workshop. Meets on the second Wednesday of each month.
• Nicotine Anonymous Meetings, St. Francis de Sales Church, Vernon, (973)702-2497, Every Wednesday, 7-9pm.
• Poetry, Common Ground, Franklin, (973)383-0027, Poetry Night is held monthly on the third Wednesday of the month. Call for more information.
• Pregnancy Yoga, Tri-State Yoga, LLC, Sparta Health & Wellness Center, Suite 205, (973)702-4063, info@tristateyoga.net, Women can enjoy yoga through all stages of pregnancy. Learn breathing techniques and yoga postures that can help with delivery. Classes are every Tuesday, 6:30pm.
• Franchise Opportunity, Thinkertots, (877)TOTS-444, www.thinkertots.com, Who says work can’t be fun? Thinkertots provides age-appropriate education and creative stimulation for children from birth to 5 years of age. Founded by a mom who’s a child development professional, Thinkertots classes are fun and enlightening for children and their parents alike. A Thinkertots franchise is easy to open and operate. If you love helping kids learn and would enjoy spending time with your own children while working in your own challenging, flexible and close to home business, Thinkertots will teach you everything you need to know.
• Depression and Bipolar Support Group, Redeemer Lutheran Church, 37 Newton-Sparta Road, Newton, (973)948-6999, A weekly meeting is held for those suffering or know someone who is suffering from depression. Weekly meeting on Wednesday, 7:30-8:30pm.
• Lady’s Day, Expresso Yourself, 21 Main St., Sparta, (973)729-0055, Ladies are welcome every Thursday at a discounted rate to sip on some gourmet specialty drinks and partake in pottery painting— and yes you can keep them too, 8am-9pm.
• Kid’s Day, Expresso Yourself, 21 Main St., Sparta, (973)729-0055, Kids under 18 are welcome every Friday to have fun a great time while decorating pottery. Every Friday, 9am-9pm.
• Attention Andover, Byram, Green, Fredon & Sparta Residents!, Hello Neighbor, Our Community’s Greeting Service, (973)726-0865, pineapple_lady@tellurian.net, Have you recently added a new child to your family? Have you just moved into your town? This service is designed to visit you with gifts from local merchants & civic information to make your move a happy one! Call to schedule a visit or to find out more.
• Baby Songbirds, Fitness Connections of Hopatcong, (973)601-0022, Parents of children ages newborn-12 months old are invited to strengthen their parent/child bond and expand their social circle by enjoying a morning play-date filled with traditional children’s songs, gentle and stimulating routines and more! Fridays at 9:30am.
• Belly Dancing Classes, The Champagne Girls Dance Studio, 4 Vernon Crossing Road (inside Pace Karate), Vernon, (201)247-0897, www.dancingchampagnegirls.com, Belly dancing classes are held weekly on Tuesdays at 7pm.
• Circle of Yarns, Sparta Township Woman’s Club, Sparta, (973)726-0394, The Circles of Yarns of the Sparta Woman’s Club meets to create piece that will be donated to various charities and hospital in the area, Yarn, needs and instructions are free; no experience needed. Weekly on Thursday, noon-5pm.
• Mom & Me Yoga, Tri-State Yoga, LLC, (973)702-4063, A yoga class from moms or caretakers of babies 6 weeks to crawling. Bond with your baby and learn songs and exercises you can do together. Weekly on Wednesday, 11am-noon.
• Parents of School-Aged Children, Project Self-Sufficiency Career Center, Newton, (973)383-5129. This project offers parenting workshops between parents and children, while emphasizing positive discipline and improved communication. Weekly on Tuesday, until 4/15, 6:30-8:30pm.
• Computer Classes, Brookside Business & Technical Institute, Sussex, (973)875-4445, www.bbti.edu, Formerly known as The Training Experts at CNC, Brookside Business & Technical Institute is a progressive computer training company for both individuals and businesses. Classes are available either at the school or at your own facility and include Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels of applications such as Word, Excel or Photoshop. Career courses range from Medical Administrative Assistant to MCSE. Call for course schedules and registration info.
• Feel The Difference!, Garden of Life Therapeutic Massage & Yoga Center, 7-11 Main St., Hamburg, (973)827-1799, www.1gardenoflife.com, Leave the rest of the world behind and step inside this comfortable, relaxing center to feel the difference that massage and yoga can make. Caring, professional massage therapists and yoga teachers are committed to providing the best treatments to help you attain and maintain harmony and balance in body and mind. A full range of massage therapy, yoga, and skin services for all ages and stages of life are available, including First Baby Massage, Pre & Post Natal Yoga and Custom Moms Club Relaxation Parties. Open seven days a week, with evening hours available for your convenience.
• For Parents: Tips That Work, (973)726-6218, Moms and dads of children in pre-k through grade 5 are encouraged to take part in these helpful workshops that provide tips and suggestions, so that they can help their children with organization, homework, reading & comprehension, writing, math & problem solving, writing, test taking, focusing and more. Workshops are presented by Faye Simon Harac, a certified, experienced teacher who has worked as a parent coordinator and has lead parent workshops both for large PTA groups and small groups. Space is limited, so advance registration is important! Private sessions are also available. Call to find out more.
• The Moms Club of the Stanhope Area, (973)601-0656, A non-profit national organization with over 1,500 chapters, The Moms Club of Stanhope is looking for new members. Monthly meetings with speakers and discussions, park play dates, field trip-like outings for mothers and children and Mom’s Nights Out are just a few of the ongoing activities. Activities are held during the day and children are always welcome. Call for more info.
• The MOMS Club of Hampton/Frankford/Lafayette is a support group for Mom’s who choose to stay at home to raise their children. Friendships, support and fun activities for children and Mom’s are all offered. For more information please call Lisa at (862)534-3819 or send an e-mail to lisamvo@embarqmail.com.
• “Working Moms Secrets to Success” Coaching Group. Are you a professional Mom with young children? Don’t just survive – learn to THRIVE at work and home!!! Come join our telephone coaching group, run by two experienced personal and professional coaches. Through guided discussions and information sharing, you will learn strategies to find quality time with your children, reduce stress and guilt, find more time for yourself, maintain friendships, better manage household chores, and more. You will also have the opportunity to work on a personally meaningful goal during course of this group. Through specific exercises, structure, and support, our group will help you stay focused and on track towards achieving your goals! For more information, e-mail newyorkaddcoach@rcn.com or call Catrina at (800)929-7176.
• Donate Like a Rockstar, Cancer Patients Team Up at www.imermanangels.org, a free one-on-one cancer support group that connects a cancer fighter with a cancer survivor— providing opportunity to ask personal questions and receive encouragement from someone uniquely familiar with the situation. To sign up or to donate, log on now.

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