American Cancer Society Study, Sparta Tax Payment Deadline

Here's what you need to know for Friday.

• Help make history starting Friday: The American Cancer Society is inviting men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 years who have never had cancer to join the third generation American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study. The goal, of course, is to help researchers find cures and reduce the occurrence of cancer. ACS says this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of the research that may change the course of cancer forever. Enroll from Friday through Nov. 8 for this historic happening being done in partnership with Somerset Medical Center, Somerset Hills YMCA, Newton Medical Center, Sparta Cancer Center, and Sussex County YMCA. Visit ACS online for the schedule of dates, times and locations.
• Sparta residents, it's Tax Day. The deadline for making your Nov. 1 tax payment is Friday, according to the municipal website. 
• The Sparta Township Public Library offers a fine reading opportunity for kids that has a crafty component. Bookmark a Story is open to young readers 12 months and older at 11 a.m. Friday. Bring your little one by for a short story, and create a nifty bookmark to go along with it. Registration is not required. The library is at 22 Woodport Road.
• Hopatcong High School seniors have another chance to make up for missed school-photo sessions. Photo Retakes will be offered at the school on Friday, so make sure the kids are looking their best. That goes for Hudson Maxim School and Durban Avenue School parents too: Elementary student photo retakes will be offered at Hudson Maxim.
• Friday is the kickoff day for Sparta Township Schools' Book Drive. The district's goal is to collect 1,000 new and gently used children's and young adult books by the time the effort ends Nov. 26. Books will be donated to the Tilly’s Kids/House of Mercy Mission, DASI, Birth Haven and the Auxiliary of Newton Medical Center-Sparta Branch. Donation boxes can be found at Helen Morgan School, Alpine School, Sparta Middle School, Sparta High School, Sparta Library and Sparta Books (which is offering a 10 percent discount on sales of new books expressly for donation to the drive). Adopt-A-Book is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing disadvantaged kids with books of their own. To learn more, visit www.adoptabookohio.org.
• Hopatcong Borough Schools is looking for veterans to attend its Nov. 5 Hopatcong Education Association Veteran’s Day Program and Luncheon. The event, which takes place at Tulsa Trail Elementary School, introduces area veterans to second and third graders so they can share some of their experiences, photos and memorabilia. If you know a veteran who would like to participate, contact Jennifer Neu at jneu@hopatcongschools.org or 973-398-8806 by Friday! The special Nov. 5 program starts at 10 a.m. with an assembly followed by classroom visitations and lunch at 11:30 a.m.
  
• College-bound seniors in Hopatcong and Sparta, don't forget: The SAT college entrance exam is being offered Saturday. The test is being given locally to those who have registered and paid the fee in advance at Hopatcong High School, 2A Windsor Ave. and at Sparta High School, 70 W. Mountain Road. Get a good night's sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast and be ready to go bright and early, scholars: The test starts at 7:45 a.m.
  
• Keeping It Clean: In Hopatcong, sanitation crews will follow Garbage Pickup Schedule D. No recycling pickup is listed on the borough calendar, but the Recycling Center will be open Saturday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. In Sparta, check with the online schedule.