Middlesex County mayors will meet with members of the business community to share economic development opportunities.
This year’s topics include arts and culture, travel and tourism, sustainability, and economic development.
Meet the mayors of Woodbridge, Sayreville, Metuchen and Perth Amboy at 8 a.m. Dec. 2 at the Pines Manor, 2085 Route 27, Edison.
Hosted by the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce.
For more information and to register, visit https://www.mcrcc.org/
The Old Bridge School District provides special education and related services to disabled children/students ages three to twenty-one that are in need of special education. If you reside within the district or have a child attending a non-public school in Old Bridge and suspect your child may be disabled due to physical, sensory, emotional, communication, cognitive or social difficulties, call the Office of Special Services.
For children 3-5, preschool disabled means an identified disabling condition and/or measurable developmental impairment that requires special education and related services.
For additional information, call the neighborhood school and ask for the Child Study Team, or call the Office of Special Services at 732-360-4461.
Public skating sessions are available at the John Piccolo Ice Arena in Old Bridge from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Saturdays, and from 1:30-4 p.m. Sundays.
Special sessions during Old Bridge school holidays will be Mondays from 12:30-3 p.m.
The Old Bridge Police Department’s Cops for Kids program will host its 25th annual holiday party for families in need on Dec. 3 at the Municipal Complex, 1 Old Bridge Plaza.
The party will be held indoors.
Approximately 90 children and their families will be treated to a full dinner, DJ music, games, a visit from Santa and gifts for every child.
Donations can be send to Cops for Kids, Old Bridge Police Department, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge 08857, Attn: Sgt. Jim Ford. New, unwrapped toys and games for children can be dropped off at police headquarters from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.
The Sayreville Police Auxiliary is seeking new applicants.
Must be age 18 or older, live within 5 miles of the Sayreville border and have a clean criminal/driving record.
For more information and to apply, visit www.sayrevillepoliceaux.org
Join centraljersey.com at Central Jersey Basketball in Marlboro for their Rockin’ Rudolph Kids Expo from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 5.
Expect fun, games, vendors and more to get children and their parents into the holiday spirit.
The event is free, but pre-registration is requested for all attendees at nmg.ticketleap.com/rockin
For vendor opportunities, email [email protected]
The event is hosted by Newspaper Media Group, which publishes this weekly chain of newspapers.
South Amboy’s Biz Fair will take place 4-8 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Sadie Pope Dowdell Library, located off John O’Leary Boulevard, adjacent to South Amboy Middle High School. Snow date is Dec. 13.
This will be an opportunity for local businesses, home-based businesses, online businesses, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations or corporates who would like to reach local markets.
Businesses who participate will be included in the event’s Business Directory.
To register, email [email protected] or call 732-721-6060 or visit www.dowdell.org.
A $25 donation is requested per table.
Hot cocoa will be served and holiday cookies may be purchased.
The Level Club of South River and Philo Lodge No. 243 will present Breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 5 at the Masonic Temple, 120 Old Bridge Turnpike, South River.
The country-style buffet will include ham, sausage, eggs, hash browns and more.
Photos with Santa will be available.
The cost is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for children ages 5-12, or free for children under 4.
Bring an unwrapped toy to support the USMC Toys for Tots program.
For tickets, call or text Jim at 732-701-7236.
Sayreville United Methodist Church will hold Breakfast with Santa from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 11 at the church, 406 Main St., Sayreville.
Brunch includes pancakes, sausages, eggs, macaroni and cheese, bread, cereal, coffee, tea and juice.
There will be crafts, story time and gifts.
Safety measures and social distancing will be observed.
Cost is $10.
For tickets and information, call Winsome at 732-432-9072.
Children can drop off their letters to Santa through Dec. 13 at Santa’s Mailbox, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge.
Receive a personalized letter back from Santa.
Letters should include the child’s name and a return mailing address written legibly.
The annual tree lighting in Old Bridge will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Civic Center in the municipal courtyard, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge.
This year’s event will feature crafts, face painting, pictures with Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides, an ice sculpture and carolers.
This year’s Friends of South Amboy fundraising event will be held on Dec. 18 at South Amboy Middle High School, 200 Gov. Harold G. Hoffman Plaza, South Amboy.
It will feature local high school basketball games, as follows:
2 p.m. South Amboy girls vs. Highland Park
4 p.m. South Amboy boys vs. Spotswood
6 p.m. Sayreville boys vs. Johnson high school
8 p.m. St. Thomas Aquinas boys vs. St. Joe’s Metuchen
Tickets can be purchased at the door.
The proceeds from this year’s event will benefit families in need.
Middle school students and their parents can find out about opportunities in career and technical education at upcoming open houses on the five campuses of the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools.
MCVTS offers 36 career majors, as well as a traditional academic curriculum, to Middlesex County students, along with interscholastic sports and extracurricular clubs and activities.
The East Brunswick Campus will hold in-person open houses on Dec. 11 and Jan. 22, 2022, both from 10 a.m. to noon.
The Perth Amboy Campus open houses will be Dec. 18 and Jan. 29, 2022, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The Piscataway Campus schedule is Oct. 23, Dec. 4 and Jan. 29, all from 10 a.m. to noon.
The Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies in Edison and the Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge will hold virtual open houses on Zoom. The Woodbridge Academy open house will be Oct. 23 at 9 a.m.
Students are offered admission to the MCVTS based on academic achievement, vocational technical evaluation, interviews, and the recommendation of the guidance counselor from the local school district. The application, and a video explaining how to apply, are available at www.mcvts.net.
There is an admission test in reading, math and writing for the Edison and Woodbridge academies. The deadline for applications is Nov. 24, with the admission test scheduled for Dec. 11. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview.
No tuition is charged to residents of Middlesex County.
The Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS) will mark the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Princeton – fought on Jan. 3, 1777 – with “Experience the Battle of Princeton” on Jan. 2.
The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Princeton Battlefield State Park, 500 Mercer Road, Princeton, with a presentation by Larry Kidder, historian and author of “Ten Crucial Days: Washington’s Vision for Victory Unfolds” and several other books on Revolutionary War New Jersey.
Following this presentation, attendees can watch the narrated re-enactment, with British and American reenactors, including artillery.
Following the reenactment, the New Jersey Sons of the American Revolution will hold a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial Grove behind the colonnade on the battlefield.
Tours of the historic Thomas Clarke House will be offered.
Pre-registration is required at www.pbs1777.org
Jurassic Quest heads to the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison from Dec. 29 to Jan. 2, 2022.
Jurassic Quest includes more than 100 life-like dinosaurs, dinosaur-themed rides, live dinosaur shows, interactive science and art activities, a Triceratots soft play area, bounce houses and inflatable attractions (socks required) and photo opportunities.
Come face-to-face with a moving, life-size, 50-foot-long megalodon.
Meet the babies, hatched only at Jurassic Quest: Cammie the Camarasaurus, Tyson the T-Rex and Trixie the Triceratops – and catch one of the dino trainers: Safari Sarah, Dino Dustin, Captain Caleb, Prehistoric Nick or Park Ranger Marty.
Tickets start at $19 at www.jurassicquest.com or on site, and include a 100% ticket guarantee that in the event of a show cancellation or postponement for any reason, ticket purchases will be automatically refunded for the full purchase amount.
Tickets are for a timed arrival window. Guests can walk through the dinosaur experience at their own pace, and strollers are permitted.
General admission tickets include access to the dinosaur and marine exhibits, arts and crafts activities, and dinosaur shows. There are rides and activities that require activity tickets available on site, or guests can upgrade to the Kids Unlimited Rides ticket. Green screen photography and animal art tattoos are available at a separate cost.
Entry is free for children under age 2.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 29 and 30; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 31; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 1; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 2.
The expo center is located at 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison.
New Jersey Youth Soccer (NJYS) announced the Frank Bollaci Memorial Scholarship.
A long-time president of the South Brunswick Soccer Club, Bollaci was also a coach and seasoned referee with the NJ State Referee Committee.
Beginning this fall, the Frank Bollaci Memorial Scholarship will award $1,000 to a deserving college-bound senior.
All applications, along with a short essay and high school transcript, must be received by Dec. 18. The essay should give an explanation of what soccer means to the applicant and how soccer has impacted his/her life. Also describe community service.
Scholarship winners will be notified by NJYS by Jan. 4, 2022. Winners will receive an award and also have the opportunity to be recognized via a press release and online interview promoted by NJYS.
The recipient of the scholarship will also receive recognition of the accomplishment through the NJYS Annual Awards presented by RWJBaranbas Health, which will take place in early 2022.
Applications are being accepted at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GQSLK9L
The New Jersey School Boards Association is encouraging students to submit entries to the Garden State Film Festival’s student submission category, “New Jersey Hometown Documentary Short” by the Jan. 8 deadline.
This category is reserved for works that are written, directed and shot by New Jersey high school students. Films must focus on some aspect of their hometown, including topics like profiles of interesting persons, places, time periods or subjects related to the arts.
This film submission category has been created to encourage young filmmakers’ creativity while instilling a sense of pride in their hometowns and state, according to information provided by the NJSBA.
Students are encouraged to submit entries on their own or through their school by the Jan. 8 deadline. The Garden State Film Festival’s professional jury will select winning films in various categories. The festival will take place from March 23-27 in Asbury Park. For more information, visit GSFF.org
The Kosher Meals on Wheels program through Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County is in need of substitute drivers to deliver meals, sometimes with limited notice.
Currently, there are openings on Mondays along the Highland Park route and along the Edison/Metuchen route. Areas include Woodbridge, Edison, Metuchen, Highland Park, East Brunswick and Old Bridge.
Call 732-777-1940 for information on how to apply.
The Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health, announced the launch of the 10th annual Protect Me With 3+ poster and video contest.
The contest challenges New Jersey youth in middle and high school to raise awareness about the importance of adolescent immunizations including tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) and flu vaccines. Additionally, the contest has expanded to include entries for COVID-19 vaccination awareness.
Middle school and high school students can participate in the contest by submitting a hand-drawn poster or an original computer-generated poster that integrates key facts about one of the adolescent vaccines listed above. High school students also have the option to submit a video up to 30 seconds long instead of a poster.
In addition to accepting posters via mail, the contest is also accepting poster and video submissions electronically at www.protectmewith3.com/submit.
If a student is selected as a finalist, the agency will provide them with a pre-stamped envelope to mail their original poster.
Judges will then select the top three winners in each category.
The submission deadline is Jan. 23, 2022. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries in the video and poster categories, and the winning entries will be showcased during various statewide immunization awareness activities.
Additionally, students who submit entries by Jan. 1, 2022, will be entered into random drawings to win prizes courtesy of Protect Me With 3+ event sponsors.
For more information about Protect Me With 3+ sponsorship opportunities, visit www.protectmewith3.com/sponsors.
The top five finalists in each of the three categories will be posted on www.protectmewith3.com for public voting in March. The winners will then be announced and honored at an awards ceremony in May.
New Jersey teachers are encouraged to make the Protect Me With 3+ contest a class project. As an added incentive, prizes will be awarded to the classrooms with the most eligible submissions in each of the three categories. For more information on lesson plans and interactive materials for schools, visit http://www.protectmewith3.com/schools.
Information regarding eligibility, video and poster submission guidelines, and contest rules can be found at www.protectmewith3.com.
The Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office will hold an 8-week-long Sheriff’s Civilian Academy for residents of Middlesex County in Spring 2022.
The academy is designed to educate residents on the various functions and duties of the Sheriff’s Office.
Applications are being accepted for the program, which will be held at the Middlesex County Fire Academy located in Sayreville.
The first session is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. April 5, 2022. Classes will continue weekly on Tuesdays. One Saturday class will be held. The program culminates with a graduation ceremony scheduled for May 24.
Each session will highlight functions of the Sheriff’s Office including defensive tactics, K-9, transportation, fingerprinting, DARE, courts, civil process and foreclosures, among others.
Participants will tour the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office and the Main Courthouse in New Brunswick.
Applications are due no later than Feb. 15, 2022. The application will be used to determine suitability for the program. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, reside within the County of Middlesex, have no felony convictions, not be wanted for any crime, and submit to a limited background check.
For more information on the Sheriff’s Civilian Academy, contact Sgt. Frank Sautner at 732-745-5909 or email [email protected].
For more information, call 732-745-3382.
The Pinelands Preservation Alliance’s Annual Juried Photo Exhibition has a scheduled opening for March 26, 2022.
All photographs must be made within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. The reserve is found in portions of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties. All wildlife, flora and fauna must be photographed in their natural environment.
Submission date is Jan. 30, 2022.
More than $2,000 in cash prizes will be awarded: $1,000 for First Place Best in Show; $350 each for First Place Landscape, Flora & Fauna, and Other (People, Towns, Architecture, Culture, History, Recreation, etc).
Photographs submitted for exhibition will be selected by a credentialed jury with final selections chosen by Michael Yamashita, an acclaimed National Geographic photographer.
Acceptance notification is planned from Feb. 14-18. Awards, including cash prizes, will be announced at the reception on March 26.
All selected photographs will be exhibited at the historic Bishop Farmstead in Southampton from March 28 through April 30, and all submitted photos will be on display in the online gallery opening by April 15.
Open submissions are $30 for up to three images and $5 per image for each additional image. A total of six images can be submitted per photographer.
All participants must use the Smarter Entry system to register. Photos must be JPEG format, and files cannot exceed 8MB in size.
Learn more at www.PinelandsPhotoExhibit.org or email [email protected].
Ongoing
The Central Jersey Chapter 148 of the Korean War Veterans extend an invitation to any veterans, regardless of the branch of service, who served during the Korean War from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953, in any location; or who served in Korea from July 27, 1953, to the current date.
The group meets at 10 a.m. for a breakfast meeting the second Wednesday of every month from May to December at the Monroe Township Municipal Building, downstairs on the first floor.
Requirements for membership include paying dues of $25 to the Korean War Veterans Association and $10 to the chapter each year.
Korean War Veterans National Life membership if one is over age 80 is $75.
The chapter is involved in various functions during the year, including fundraising to help veterans at the New Jersey State Veterans Memorial Home in Menlo Park, the Lyons Veterans Hospital Lyons, and the Vineland Veterans Hospital in Vineland.
For more information, contact membership chair Charlie Koppelman at 609-655-3111 or [email protected]
Middlesex County residents looking for local farmers, grocery stores or food pantries – as well as public transportation routes to get there – can download the interactive map-based Accessing Healthy Foods app.
Visit http://middlesexcountynj.gov/healthyfoodsmap
The Center for Therapy & Counseling Services is offering a Teen Girls Support Group.
This free group offers girls ages 13-17 a safe place to connect, share stories and be encouraging. The goal is to enhance self esteem, self confidence and communication skills.
Each group is led by trained facilitators.
Girls meet weekly at 7 p.m. Thursdays, virtually.
Registration is required by calling 732-254-0600.
Or, email [email protected] for more information.
The Center for Therapy & Counseling Services is located at 15 W. Prospect St., East Brunswick.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey (BBBSCNNJ) is inviting Middlesex County residents to become a volunteer Big Brother or Big Sister to a local child.
BBBSCNNJ currently has 20 children on its Middlesex County waiting list, mostly boys.
BBBSCNNJ provides one-to-one mentoring for youth ages 6-18. Volunteer Big Brothers and Sisters spend quality time with their Littles each month, enjoying free or low-cost activities during which the child may learn new skills, explore new interests, or expand their experience beyond their family and neighborhood.
There are no special skills required, and BBBSCNNJ’s experienced staff provides continual support.
To be matched with a Middlesex County child, apply at mentornj.org.
Dove Hospice Services of New Jersey is seeking compassionate volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families.
Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their home, which can also be nursing facilities or assisted living facilities, at least once a week. Visits can be virtual and are during the day or early evening. Volunteers may also assist with administrative work in the hospice office.
To sign up for a virtual training class, contact Deborah Adams at 732-405-3035 or email [email protected]
The Madison-Old Bridge Township Historical Society is looking for middle school and high school yearbooks from Madison Township and Old Bridge Township to add to its collection.
Contact Jeff Kagan at 646-246-5598.
The yearbook collection is readily available for the general public to review at the Thomas Warne Museum located just across the street from the Old Bridge High School.
Right at Home of Central New Jersey can organize a Senior Citizen Prom for local facilities.
They will provide music and entertainment.
A prom king and queen will be crowned.
For more information on how to schedule a prom, call 732-967-0900.
Serving northern Middlesex, Mercer and Monmouth counties.
Sign up at https://forms.gle/nxuZUi5AMJe1RcyJ8
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]
NAMI In Our Own Voice (NAMI En Nuestra Propia Voz) is a program by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Jersey chapter geared toward community education and reducing the stigma of mental health, as trained volunteers share their lived experience of mental health recovery.
To schedule a presentation at a school, PTA meeting, congregation, town hall, support group or professional training, email [email protected]
Presentations are available in English and Spanish.
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]
French American School Princeton (FASP) is accepting enrollment.
At FASP, students in preschool (3 years old) through grade 8 benefit from a rigorous bilingual curriculum accredited by the Middle State Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools and the French Ministry of Education; personalized attention thanks to small class sizes; and a multicultural community with more than 30 nationalities represented.
FAPS is located at 75 Mapleton Road, Princeton.
Visit ecoleprinceton.org, call 609-430-3001 or email [email protected].
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]