Community Bulletin Board: the North and South Brunswick Sentinel (for Dec. 8)

 

 

North Brunswick Volunteer Fire Co. No. 3 will hold its Santa Run beginning at 10 a.m. Dec. 11.

Listen for sirens, then come outside to see Santa.

The area will be Route 27 and Finnegans Lane to Route 1 and How Lane.

Then, on Dec. 14 starting at 6 p.m., firefighters will lead Santa on a gift delivery run. A socially distanced Santa will drop off presents. Send a request to [email protected]. Minimum $10 donation per gift. The gift must be wrapped, labeled and dropped off at the firehouse, 1470 Cozzens Lane, from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 7.

 

 

The South Brunswick Education Foundation is participating in a Printer Cartridge and Electronics Recycling Fundraiser to help benefit the South Brunswick School District.

Drop off used Canon and HP Inkjet cartridges; new unused Canon, Dell, HP and Lexmark printer cartridges; and laptops.

Look for a collection box at each of the district schools; the South Brunswick Library, 110 Kingston Lane; and Better Homes and Gardens Maturo Realty, 1 New Road.

For more information, email [email protected]

 

 

North Brunswick PBA Local 160 is holding its sixth annual holiday toy drive.

Donate new, unwrapped toys for local families in need.

Items may be dropped off at the front entrance of the North Brunswick Police Department, 710 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.

The building is currently closed due to flooding damage caused by Tropical Storm Ida on Sept. 1. As such, a large supply of toys that were in storage at police headquarters were destroyed.

For more information, contact Officer Fedor Salvador-Romero at [email protected] or Officer Rene Gordon at [email protected]

 

 

 

South Brunswick Parks & Recreation is holding its second annual gingerbread contest.

Create a gingerbread house and submit a photo to [email protected] by Dec. 15. Include your family name and children’s ages who created the masterpiece.

It can be made from a kit or from scratch.

There are several age categories: 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-15, and 16-18. If there is more than one child creating the house, the average age of the children will be the age category for the competition.

Each category’s winner will receive a $25 credit in their Parks & Rec Community Pass account.

The winner will be announced on Facebook on Dec. 22.

For more information, call 732-329-4000, ext. 7671.

 

 

North Brunswick will hold its Santa Trail at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 17 at North Brunswick Community Park, 2053 Route 130 south.

There will be special characters along the way.

Free hot cocoa or cookies when making a donation to the North Brunswick Food Bank.

Bring letters for Santa.

The cost is $5 per child.

Register online at https://register.communitypass.net/northbrunswicktownship or call 732-247-0922, ext. 485.

The ice skating rink across from the municipal building will also be open to the public. Details to be announced.

 

 

 

The North Brunswick Municipal Alliance Committee will hold the Warm the Sole Sock Drive to benefit the North Brunswick Domestic Violence Team.

Men’s, women’s and children’s socks are needed.

Donations can be dropped off at the North Brunswick Senior Center, 15 Linwood Pl., from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

Call 732-902-1590 for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

Now on display at the South Brunswick Public Library is a set of posters sent from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History about World War I, “World War I: Lessons and Legacies.”

The centennial anniversary was 2019, but the COVID-19 quarantine delayed the display.  

The exhibition is designed around the College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies core curriculum.   

The poster display can be found next to the Borrower Services Desk inside the library, 110 Kingston Lane, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.

The public can view the display on Veterans Day and through the end of the year.

For more information, visit https://historyexplorer.si.edu/sites/default/files/World_War_I_Lessons_and_Legacies_Educators_Guide.pdf 

 

 

 

The South Brunswick Public Library Foundation is more than halfway to its $500,000 financial goal to cover the cost of repairs and an addition at the public library. 

There are a variety of naming opportunities and sponsorship levels available to give support.

View a display of the planned addition and improvements now in the lobby of the library, 110 Kingston Lane, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.

Changes and improvements include interior renovations, such as HVAC repairs and ADA upgrades, plus a 10,400-square-foot wing and enlarged parking area to be built using the municipally-owned lots next door. The wing will include a large meeting room and a 128-seat auditorium with stage.

The authorized cost of the plan is $7,198,704. Funding will come from several sources, including a state grant of $3,586,852, a township bond of $3,011,852, a SBPL Trustee contribution of $250,000 with the balance to be fundraised by the foundation.

Township residents will only pay 42 cents on the dollar. 

For details on how to help the campaign, visit www.sbplfoundation.org or contact Library Director Chris Carbone at 732-329-4000, ext. 7287, or [email protected].  

Construction is expected to begin in 2022 and completed by late 2023.

 

 

 

The South Brunswick Public Library is seeking volunteers to help share their skills, enthusiasm and professional experience with adult English language learners.

 

The library offers ESL/ELL and English Conversation Group classes on an ongoing basis and needs volunteers to help the program grow.

 

All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.

The library will provide resources, curriculum guides and training opportunities.

To apply, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf1mJCRHm4TW63onm3UvDhWA4UkLijWymbl07qNqxycwoHZMQ/viewform?usp=send_form

 

For more information, contact Jill D’Amico, head of Information Services, at 732-329-4000, ext. 7638, or [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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 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 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 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 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 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

 

 

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 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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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]

 

 

Amaranth at North Brunswick is the township’s first age-restricted community, currently under construction on Route 130.

Low- and moderate-income residents who would like to be part of the community can add an email address to be part of the marketing for the development.

To register, visit amaranthnj.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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].