The Terra Nova Flower Club of Edison will hold its annual flower sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 22 at the Thomas Edison Tower, 37 Christie St., Edison. Rain date is May 23.
There will be an assortment of annuals, perennials, house plants, herbs and honey from a local beekeeper for sale.
Current COVID-19 guidelines will be observed.
Purchases will be cash only.
New Jersey State Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) COVID Crisis Fund is supporting the rising demand for medical oxygen for hospitals in India.
Make a check payable to AAPI and mail to Dr. Binod Sinha, 4 Progress St., Suite A9, Edison 08820.
Or, visit https://njstateaapi.org/donation-for-medical-oxygen-to-india/ to donate online.
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Papillon & Company will host a Kamoinge Workshop exhibition, “From Harlem to Metuchen: Lens on Black Life.” The members of this African American photographers collective will be sharing their experiences, conducting a photography workshop and exhibiting their work June 30 in Papillon’s Metuchen store, located at 418 Main St.
Kamoinge means “working together” in the language of the Kikuyu people of Kenya.
The artists participating in the “Harlem to Metuchen” exhibition include Adger Cowans, Collette Fournier, Eli Reed, Gerald Cyrus, Jamel Shabazz, John Pinderhughes, Jules Allen, June Truesdale, Laylah Barrayan, Lola Flash, Mark Blackshear, Ron Herrard and Salimah Ali.
The exhibition has three components:
- May 13: A free/virtual panel discussion with the photographers about their careers and experiences.
- May 22: A ticketed photography workshop.
To register for the opening, the free, virtual panel discussion, or to buy a ticket for the workshop, visit https://papillongifts.com/from-harlem-to-metuchen-kamoinge-workshop/
For more information, email [email protected] or call 732-762-5224.
MCFOODS (Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services) has planned several food drives to benefit the food insecure in Middlesex County over the next few months:
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 15 at East Jersey Old Town Village, Johnson Park, 1050 River Road, Piscataway
- East Brunswick High School’s second annual Battle of the Classes Food Drive: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 16 at Brunswick Square Mall, 755 Route 18, East Brunswick
In addition, Dine Below the Line will be held at 6 p.m. June 6 via YouTube. Tune in live to watch local chefs showcase recipes prepared on a budget with items typically found in a food pantry. Chefs will be judged on creativity, budget and nutrition. There will be a “People’s Choice” vote as well by those watching.
Furthermore donations can be dropped off at the MCFOODS facility at 28 Kennedy Blvd., East Brunswick, around the back of the building under the tent. Staff members are there weekdays from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. to receive donations.
If an organization would like to conduct a food drive, arrangements can be made for staff to deliver containers and pick up donations.
Or, direct monetary donations can be made at www.feedingmiddlesexcounty.org/ or checks payable to Feeding Middlesex County can be mailed to P.O. Box 781, Edison 08818.
United Way of Central Jersey is continuing to provide VITA services to prepare taxes this season for individuals and families making $65,000 or less.
All taxes will be prepared remotely via video conferencing and/or phone.
To schedule an appointment, visit https://uwcjtaxprep.as.me/schedule.php
For VITA Lockbox locations, visit https://tinyurl.com/VITALockbox
To prepare your own taxes for free, visit www.myfreetaxes
Woodbridge Township will hold a summer job fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 15 at the Woodbridge Community Center, 600 Main St., for anyone from high school to senior citizens who is interested in year-round or summer seasonal jobs at different locations.
The Raritan Valley Road Runners will hold a blood drive from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 15 at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, 19 S. Second Avenue, Highland Park.
All donors will be entitled to $10 off an initial Road Runners membership fee of $25.
For medical eligibility questions, call 732-235-8100, ext. 248.
Appointments are available at rwjuhdonorclub.org or by contacting Marc Alterman at [email protected] or 917-596-7048.
Bring a photo ID and be sure to eat and drink before donating.
Held by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and RWJBarnabas Health.
The Metuchen Farmers Market will begin its season on May 22 at the Metuchen Town Plaza, at the corner of New and Pearl streets.
The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, May 22 through November.
Walk up only; no curbside or drive-through.
For updates, visit www.metuchenfarmersmarket.com
Metuchen Dance Centre will hold auditions for Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker” on May 23.
Auditions are 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for ages 8-10, 1-2:30 p.m. for ages 11-12, and 3-5 p.m. for ages 13-18.
For more information, visit http://metuchendance.com/index.html
Women Aware invites the Middlesex County community to join a virtual conversation with Rachel Snyder, author of “No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us” at 7 p.m. May 25.
An award-winning journalist, Snyder explores the real roots of private violence, its far-reaching consequences and what it will take to truly address it.
This is a fundraiser with proceeds benefitting Women Aware’s comprehensive services for individuals and families affected by domestic violence in Middlesex County.
To register, visit https://givebutter.com/WomenAwarePresents
The Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce announced Cruise Night Season for 2021.
The scheduled dates are June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, Sept. 1 and Oct. 6 from 6-8:30 p.m.
Rain dates will be the following Wednesday.
There will be prizes for first, second and third place at each event.
Sponsorships are available.
For more information, call 732-548-2964 or email [email protected]
First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen will hold an outdoor rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 5 at the church, 270 Woodbridge Ave., Metuchen. Rain date is June 12.
Donations of apparel, shoes, accessories, bed/bath/kitchen linens/curtains, toys/puzzles/games, frames, baskets, household items, electronics and rain-proof outdoor items will be collected. Drop off is June 1-3.
For more information, email Cindy O’Neill at [email protected]
NAMI New Jersey will hold its virtual annual meeting and conference from 6-8 p.m. June 18 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 19. Meeting times are tentative.
The meeting will recognize the efforts of mental health advocates to improve the lives of those affected by mental illness. These awards are presented to affiliate leaders, individuals and families affected by mental illness, community leaders, mental health service providers, law enforcement officers, educators, legislators and media.
The theme is “Growing Through Adversity, Embracing Resilience.”
Registration information will be released.
For more information, visit naminj.org
Camp Middlesex, a summer enrichment program for children age 7-15, will return for the summer.
Camp runs from June 28 to Aug. 20 at the college’s Edison campus.
While most programs will be in person, there is also a virtual component for those who prefer that option.
Each week, children choose a program that combines two classes, which have been paired together to create an all-day experience in areas such as sports, crafts, STEM, Super Science for Kids, computers and theater.
There is also an option to take classes in a “virtual Live” setting, in which campers sign up and participate at a set time from their home computers. These include cupcake making, drawing, genealogy, poetry and painting.
The new theater camp will run both morning and afternoon, and is centered on musical theater.
For those students interested in science, math and technology, Camp Middlesex offers Black Rocket courses, which run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. They include Minecraft Designers, eSports, Creating Video Games, Virtual Reality, Robotics, and many others. These classes are run on-site, but there is also a virtual option, in which campers can participate from home.
For more information, visit middlesexcc.edu/Camp-Middlesex or call 732-906-2556.
The Edison Police Department is seeking applicants to serve as auxiliary police officers.
Auxiliary police officers are unpaid volunteer positions open to U.S. citizen, age 18 or older, with a high school diploma or a G.E.D, and a valid N.J. driver’s license.
Applicants must be in good physical condition and able to pass a criminal background check and interview.
The applicants should be Edison residents, or live in towns near Edison that do not have auxiliary police officers of their own.
The auxiliary police officers augment the Edison Police Department by assisting with traffic control functions, crowd control and security, road closures, extra patrols in parks and public properties, and may be dispatched to emergency or disaster situations.
All applicants, if selected, will be required to attend the Middlesex County Auxiliary Police Academy which will tentatively start in May or June and extend for six weeks. The training will occur on most Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and a few Saturdays during that period of time.
Applicants for auxiliary police officer should contact Lt. Robert J. Dudash Jr. at 732-248-6442 or [email protected].
Applications can be downloaded from www.edisonnj.org or www.edisonpoliceaux.com
Completed applications must be mailed or dropped off to the Edison Police Department, Patrol Bureau, 100 Municipal Blvd., Edison 08817, Attention: Lt. Robert J. Dudash Jr.
Applications must be submitted by no later than 4 p.m. to be considered for the 2021 appointment process.
North Brunswick PBA Local 160 announced the return of its annual Cops & Rodders Car Show for Sept. 19. Rain date will be Sept. 26.
More details will be announced.
For more information, email [email protected]
The YMCA of MEWSA (Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge and South Amboy) will host its annual Richard Hale Memorial Golf Classic on Oct. 7 at the Metuchen Golf and Country Club in Edison.
This fundraiser supports the Y’s Send a Kid to Camp Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to children from underserved families in the community.
In 2020, the Y provided more than $12,000 in camp scholarship funds which provided peace of mind for families facing economic challenges. With these scholarships, campers are less likely to experience summer learning loss and become inactive.
Camp provides access to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) programming, swimming, sports, arts and crafts and more.
The fundraiser starts with lunch and a Bloody Mary bar, a shotgun start at 12:25 p.m., followed by an open bar and dinner, along with several events including a wine pull, raffles and a 50/50 raffle.
Sponsorship opportunities are available which are tax deductible and include recognition in all promotional materials, press releases and in the event program.
For more information, visit www.ymcaofmewsa.org/golf-classic; or contact Catherine Haugh at 732-516-9200, ext. 2083 or [email protected].
The National Alliance on Mental Illness will hold its 2021 walk, NAMIWalks NJ Your Way: A United Day of Hope, virtually on Oct. 9
For more information, visit namiwalks.org/newjersey
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Ongoing
Sign up at https://forms.gle/nxuZUi5AMJe1RcyJ8
Keep Middlesex Moving has developed a transportation finder to help seniors find a ride to their COVID-19 vaccination appointments.
The tool allows users to see what transportation options are available at almost all of the 40-plus vaccination sites in Middlesex County.
For more information, visit https://kmm.org/
The Middlesex County Regional COVID-19 Vaccine Mega-site, operated by RWJBarnabas Health, is seeking volunteers to assist in the efficiency of the registration and vaccination process and help visitors feel comfortable.
Volunteers of the mega-site, located at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison, will greet patients and visitors; perform temperature screenings; direct patients through various steps of the vaccination process; provide education materials; and assist with maintaining the registration area and supplying vaccination stations.
Volunteers do not administer vaccines.
Those who apply to volunteer must be a minimum of 18 years old and will be subject to a background check and a drug screen, and will need to sign a confidentiality statement.
College students requiring community service hours are also eligible to volunteer. RWJBarnabas Health will track hours and provide written verification for those who need it.
Volunteers must commit through June to at least two shifts per week from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.; or one full day from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an hour break for lunch. Shifts are available seven days a week.
Send your name, phone number, email address, desired start date and your availability to [email protected].
Middlesex County’s Parks and Recreation Department will accept reservations for picnic groves at nine county parks via a new online reservation system.
The parks included in this new reservation system include Alvin Williams Park in Woodbridge; Donaldson Park in Highland Park; Fords Park in Woodbridge; Johnson Park in Piscataway; Joseph Medwick Park in Carteret; Merrill Park in Woodbridge; Roosevelt Park in Edison; Thompson Park in Monroe; Warren Park in Woodbridge.
These picnic groves offer visitors a socially distanced way to host picnics and small gatherings in an outdoor setting.
Fees vary for each location and are contingent on the Executive Order in place at the time of event.
To reserve a picnic grove online and view a list of accommodations provided at each grove such as electrical outlets, charcoal grills, shelter, etc., visit www.middlesexcountynj.gov/About/ParksRecreation/Pages/PR/Reservations.aspx.
A list of rules and regulations for the use of picnic areas will be listed on that page.
Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick has launched the Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group for families who are coping with loss due to addiction.
The free and confidential support group meets virtually on the second Thursday of every month from 7-8:30 p.m.
Inspired by Saint Peter’s Opioid Task Force, the Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group is for families and close loved ones of people who have passed away from addiction.
The support group is open to everyone in New Jersey and serves as a safe space for families to discuss their grief.
To join the Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group, call Jeanne Delacruz, a social worker at Saint Peter’s who facilitates the support group, at 732-745-8522 or email [email protected]
Free mobile COVID-19 testing is offered at The Family Learning Center, 30 Hillside Ave., Metuchen, every Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Nasal PCR, saliva PCR and rapid antibody testing are available.
No appointment necessary. Walk ins accepted.
Bring ID and insurance card. No out-of-pocket costs for insured or uninsured people.
Gain stability from an in-demand occupation; apply for a Women’s Center career training grant from Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County.
Qualified persons who are active members of the JFS Women’s Center must submit an application and attend an interview. Grants are available for short-term training programs for in-demand jobs.
Eligible candidates must qualify as a “displaced homemaker,” a woman who is a single mother, divorced, separated, widowed, or living with a disabled spouse/partner.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, email [email protected]
Free mobile COVID-19 testing is offered at The Family Learning Center, 30 Hillside Ave., Metuchen, every Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Nasal PCR, saliva PCR and rapid antibody testing are available.
No appointment necessary. Walk ins accepted.
Bring ID and insurance card. No out-of-pocket costs for insured or uninsured people.
Central Jersey SCORE, a non-profit resource partner of the Small Business Administration, is looking for volunteers to assist people looking to start a business or grow an existing small business.
The organization is recruiting business owners and executives, both current and retired, who want to share their experience and knowledge with today’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
The Central Jersey Chapter of SCORE serves Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties.
Central Jersey SCORE provides in-person mentoring and webinars, both offered virtually in line with current pandemic restrictions. In addition, the SCORE website offers tools and templates on a wide variety of topics and numerous online courses and webinars to assist small business owners through every aspect of business development and management. Services are offered free of charge.
Anyone interested in volunteering with SCORE or seeking additional information should email [email protected]
Dove Hospice Services of New Jersey seeks compassionate volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families.
Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes, which can also be nursing facilities or assisted living facilities, at least once a week. They read to the patient, reminisce about their lives, play cards, help with letter writing and provide respite for caregivers.
Visits can be virtual, and are either during the day or early evening.
Volunteers may also assist with administrative work within the hospice office.
Patient care volunteers complete an application and attend a virtual volunteer training program that covers the role of a hospice volunteer. Day and evening virtual training programs are offered.
To sign up for the next virtual training class, contact Volunteer Coordinator Deborah Adams at 732-405-3035 or email [email protected].