The Edison Greenways Group and the Edison Wetlands Association (EWA) have again organized a series of ECO-TOURS of Edison this spring. The tours, which are open to the public, last approximately two hours and cover some of the natural areas of Edison, allowing residents and others to learn about local history and the environment. Participants are asked to bring a drink, a camera, binoculars, a compass, a notepad and a bird book. They are also advised to dress appropriately and wear waterproof footwear. Because a tour may be postponed in the event of bad weather or other causes, participants should call Walter Stochel Jr. at (732) 906-0529 prior to the tour for cancellation information. There is no access to rest rooms on the outdoor tours. Tour schedule is as follows:
+ March 26, at noon – Mill Brook Park hike (32-acre parcel); meet at the end of Mill Road off Old Post Road.
+ April 2, 10 a.m. – Tingley Lane Park Area; meet in the John Adams Middle School parking lot.
+ April 22, 9 a.m. cleanup and noon tour of a 300-year-old cemetery – Piscatawaytown Burial Ground Cleanup & Tour; meet behind St. James Church, Woodbridge Avenue, Edison.
+ April 23, at noon – Earth Day in the Dismal Swamp at the Triple C Ranch, 206 Tyler Road (off Talmadge Road), Edison. Hike trails in the swamp plus other activities. Contact EWA for more information.
+ April 30, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. – Middlesex Greenway Cleanup; meet at Pierson Avenue and the Greenway.
+ May 13, 9 a.m. – Roosevelt Park (and beyond); meet at parking lot on Lafayette Avenue behind Plays-in-the-Parks.
+ May 21, 8 a.m. registration and 9 a.m. ride – Bicycle Tour of Edison, a 26-mile, 3 1/2-hour bicycle ride around Edison. There is a $5 registration fee. All riders must wear helmets.
+ June 6, 11 a.m. – National Trails Day Middlesex Greenway (location to be determined).
+ June 25, 10 a.m. – Short Hills Battlefield Area; meet at Oak Tree Pond Historic Park, Oak Tree and New Dover roads, Edison.
For information or directions, call Stochel or e-mail him at [email protected]. For Edison Wetlands information, call (732) 287-5111 or e-mail [email protected].
Internet safety program on tap for March 29
The Metuchen school district invites parents and interested community members to attend a program on “Internet Safety: The Dangers to Our Children and the Tools Every Parent Should Know to Prevent Them,” at 7 p.m. on March 29 in the Edgar Middle School gymnasium.
The program will be presented by an investigator from the outreach unit of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Representatives of the Metuchen Police Department will also attend.
The program is hosted by the EMS Parent Teacher Organization and the Edgar Middle School. Anyone with questions may call to Brenda Redshaw, EMS PTO president at (732) 549-2227 or Principal Kathryn Glutz at (732) 321-8770.
Series to address ‘Nuts
& Bolts of Volunteerism’
The Center for Community Renewal, Metuchen, will present “The Nuts & Bolts of Volunteerism” from 7-8:45 p.m. March 23 at the North Edison Library, 777 Grove Ave., Edison. It will be the first in a series of discussions for nonprofit leaders. Guest speaker will be Lisanne Finston, who is the executive director of Elijah’s Promise, an agency that assists homeless and low-income individuals and families with food, social and health services along with job training, and provides other kinds of support as well. Finston is also active in groups such as the New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition, Englewood. She has been active in anti-poverty efforts in the New Brunswick community for the past 16 years. To register, call (732) 602-0002.
St. Francis School slates open house March 26
St. Francis Cathedral School, Metuchen, has scheduled an open house from 1-2:30 p.m. on March 26 at the parish center, 45 Library Place (across from the Metuchen library). Located at 528 Main St., the school offers a full-day kindergarten program, as well as full- and part-time preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds. Before and after care are also available. St. Francis School is fully accredited by The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in Philadelphia. For additional information, call the school at (732) 548-3107 or visit www.stfranciscathedralschool.org.
Funeral home providing free bereavement support
The Costello-Runyon Funeral Home, 568 Middlesex Ave., Metuchen, continues to offer a bereavement support group. Ongoing sessions are held every Wednesday and Thursday morning from 10:30 a.m. to noon, as well as Wednesday evening from 7-8:30 p.m. The program, which is free of charge, takes place at the funeral home.
Carol Burner, a certified grief recovery specialist, facilitates the program. A professional with a master’s degree in counseling from Seton Hall University, South Orange, she has spent the past eight years offering individual and group counseling to clients suffering from significant and tragic losses. For more information, call the funeral home at (732) 548-0149 or Carol Burner at (732) 562-8565.