Community Bulletin Board: the Suburban (for April 22)

Editor’s note: In light of recent events related to coronavirus, some organizations have decided to cancel their upcoming programs. Please check the status of any event before attending. An ongoing, updated list is available at www.centraljersey.com.

The United Way of Central Jersey’s COVID-19 Recovery Fund will assist individuals and families affected by the novel coronavirus with crucial basic expenses including rent, utilities, prescription medication/medical supplies, child care and food.
United Way will work with trusted community partners to identify individuals and families most in need of this temporary support.
Donations to the UWCJ COVID-19 Support Fund may be made online at www.uwcj.org. Checks made payable to United Way may be mailed to United Way of Central Jersey, 32 Ford Ave., Milltown 08850.

 

Sacred Heart Church rescheduled its third annual tricky tray for May 29 at Sacred Heart Memorial Hall, 531 Washington Ave., South Amboy, across the street from the church.

Doors open at 6 p.m. The first ticket will be drawn at 7:30 p.m.

Cost is $20 per person, which includes admission, coffee, tea, dessert and six small prize tickets with additional prize tickets being sold separately at event. Cash only.

Or, purchase a pre-sale bundle package at $55 which includes admission, one sheet of small, medium and large prize tickets, and one grand prize ticket.

BYO food and refreshments.

Must be 18 years or older to attend.

Reservations are mandatory. To reserve a seat, call the parish office at 732-721-0040 or email [email protected]. Order forms are also available at the parish office.

 

 

The Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Ohr will present New Jersey author Michelle Cameron, discussing her soon-to-be released book “Beyond the Ghetto Gates,” at 1 p.m. on May 31.

The novel is set in 1796, when Napoleon marched into Italy and opened the ghetto gates, freeing the Jews who had long been trapped behind them. The novel raises issues including the conflict between assimilation and religious tradition, intermarriage, and the struggle between love and familial duty.

Cost is $25.

For more information, contact Liz at 908-256-0276 or at [email protected]

Congregation Beth Ohr is located at 70 Route 516, Old Bridge.

 

Join CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Middlesex County as an ambassador for children in foster care.
Activities of the CASA ambassador include: connecting with community groups and local businesses, representing CASA at community events, distributing brochures or posters, or organizing a fundraising activity. Ambassadors commit to three activities per year.
Online training will be held from 6-8 p.m. on May 12. For more information and registration, email [email protected].
The Sayreville War Memorial High School 2020 Hall of Fame Annual Awards Banquet is rescheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the VFW Hall on Jernee Mill Road.

The honorees are:

  • Chris Beagan, Class of 1990, three-time state championship coach, GMC Coach of the Year
  • Steven Casano, Class of 1985, founding executive director of NeuroSearch; Sayreville Little League coach, sponsorship coordinator and board member
  • William D’Amico, Class of 1973, distinguished military career; three special operations commanding officer tours of duty; post-military career in corporate medical device, consumer goods and industrial manufacturing industries
  • The late Matthew Lynch, Class of 1985, president of Friends Of Children’s Hospital in Warsaw, Poland; honored by U.S. ambassador to Poland for 20 years of service
  • Farrah Reilly, Class of 1994, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author under the pen name Emma Chase; books translated into more than 20 languagesTickets are $50 for adults or $30 for children, with a choice of meals. For more information, call Elaine Kubacz at 732-727-0192.All previous ad book and ticket requests will be honored for the September date.For problems or questions, contact Elaine Kubacz at 732-727-0192 or [email protected].

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 74th annual Bernie Cohn Golf Classic will be held on May 14 at Forsgate Country Club, 375 Forsgate Dr., Monroe, by the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Tee off is 9 a.m.

Sign up at mcrcc.org.

 

Monroe Township Jewish War Veterans Post 609 is collecting United States and foreign stamps, both on and off envelopes.

Stamps are used by veterans as hobbies and as therapy to support medical staff at VA Medical Centers nationwide.

Stamps are not traded or sold; they are forwarded to veteran patients at no charge.

Also requested are DVDs suitable for veterans at those locations.

Send all items to JWV Post 609, c/o Charles Koppelman, 6 Yarmouth Dr., Monroe 08831-4742.

 

 

 

 

Music at Saint Mary’s presents an encore performance with Irish folk singer Sara McCabe and harpist Merynda Adams for a special concert event at 7 p.m. on May 16 at Saint Mary Church, 256 Augusta St., South Amboy.
Suggested donation is $15. A wine and cheese reception will follow the recital.

 

For more information, call 732-857-0202.

 

The New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning and PNC Bank are inviting New Jersey students in grades 2-12 to take part in the 17th annual PNC Bank “American Patriot Essay Contest” by writing a short essay on the topic “What the American Flag Means to Me.”

The Grand Prize winner will receive the opportunity to take a ride in a 75-foot-tall hot air balloon in front of their classmates at their school in June and then fly in one of the 100 hot air balloons at this year’s 38th annual balloon fest, scheduled for July 24-26 at Solberg Airport in Readington.

The Festival VIP Grand Prize package includes a hot air balloon ride for two, four Blue Sky Club VIP tickets, and the opportunity to meet one of this year’s concert headliners.

This year’s winning student’s immediate classmates will each receive one complimentary general admission ticket to the Festival. Second-place and third-place prizes consisting of festival admission and merchandise will be also awarded. The winning student’s teacher and school principal will each receive two Blue Sky Club VIP tickets.

All teachers in the state who submit a group of 15 essays or more on behalf of their students will receive two free general admission tickets to the festival regardless of whether one of their students submits the winning essay.

The essays must be 100 words or less. They will be judged by a panel of representatives from PNC Bank and the balloon festival. Winning essays will be selected based on creativity, poignancy and clarity with consideration given to the grade level of the contestant.

Entries should be mailed to Essay Judges, New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning, 363 Route 46 West, Suite 200, Fairfield 07004; or emailed to [email protected]. Entries should include the student’s name, grade and age; the school name, address and telephone number; and the name of their teacher and the teacher’s school email address.

The deadline to enter is May 1.

Additional information may be found at www.balloonfestival.com/pncessay.

 

One in 8 Middlesex County residents are food insecure – meaning they don’t have reliable, affordable access to nutritious foods and necessities.

The holidays are over but the need for food donations has not ended. MCFOODS (Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services) is running low on items such as macaroni and cheese, rice, spaghetti, peanut butter, tuna fish, canned fruits and vegetables.

Consider hosting a food drive with your business, school, civic group or athletic team. MCFOODS can provide containers and transportation of items back to the warehouse. A flyer is attached that can be used or personalized to promote a collection.

Individual donations can be dropped off at the libraries in East Brunswick, Edison, Metuchen, Monroe, Piscataway, Plainsboro and Woodbridge.

MCFOODS is also in need of volunteers to help at the warehouse, offer professional expertise, assist at local events and host a food drive.

For more information, contact Jennifer Apostol, MCFOODS director, by calling 609-409-5033, emailing [email protected] or visiting www.mciauth.com

 

Old Bridge High School is seeking active duty or reservist military personnel who are alumni for the Military Wall of Honor expected to be established this year.

The wall is meant to commemorate graduates who have given their lives to honor their country and shine a light on the importance of veterans within the Old Bridge community.

Residents are urged to assist with the project by spreading the word of the proposed military wall. The high school is looking for graduates from 1995 through the present.

To submit information, visit docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSev1sK7AIQ6KvNb2iqUz6l7UgFmPBJXBpMbkAR2IuRwkUeVQQ/viewform or contact Guy Lassen at [email protected].

 

 

Carnaby Street will present a free show sponsored by the Sayreville Cultural Arts Council at 7:30 p.m. on June 3 at the Sayreville Senior Center, 423 Main St.

Carnaby Street plays music from the 1960s featuring the British Invasion of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.

For more information, call Edna at 908-208-2358.

 

The First Presbyterian Church of Sayreville is seeking vendors for its annual flea market, set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 6 at the church, 172 Main St., Sayreville.

Spaces are available for $15 for one space or $25 for two. There are a limited number of tables to rent for an additional $5. No food vendors.

For more information, leave a message on the church answering machine at 732-257-6353 or email [email protected].

 

POAC Autism Services and the Sayreville School District will hold their annual walk-a-thon and resource fair at 11 a.m. on May 30 at Sayreville War Memorial High School, 820 Washington Road, Sayreville.
Walk For A Difference will include free rides, entertainment and activities for the whole family.
Start a walk team by visiting www.poacwalk.org/sayreville. All funds raised from the event will stay in New Jersey to provide free autism education for parents and teachers, free recreational events for children and adults with autism, and free training for law enforcement and other first responders throughout the state.
For more information, call 732-785-1099.

Camp Invention, a nonprofit summer enrichment camp program,will visit Carl Sandburg Middle School, 3439 Route 516, Old Bridge, the week of June 22-26.

A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Camp Invention challenges children in grades K-6 to find their “inner inventor” by learning the process of innovation. Using hands-on activities, Camp Invention promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning; builds confidence, leadership, perseverance, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills; and encourages entrepreneurship.

At the end of the program, each camper will bring home a robot.

For more information, visit invent.org/camp.

The Redhawk Native American Arts Council will hold its annual Raritan Pow Wow from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., rain or shine, on June 20 and 21 at the Middlesex County Fairgrounds, 655 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.

There will be Native American dancers, singers, artists, vendors, crafts, performing groups and food.

Grand entry of dancers is at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. both days.

The cost is $12 for adults and teens, $8 for children ages 6-12, $10 for seniors age 65 and older, $10 for students, and $35 online only for family four-packs.

Parking is free.

Bring lawn chairs. Leashed pets welcome.

For more information, visit www.redhawkcouncil.org. For tickets, visit raritanpw2020.eventbrite.com.

 

 

Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County will hold its One Community Gala for 2020 at 5 p.m. on June 14 at Classical Caterers at Congregation B’Nai Tikvah, 1001 Finnegans Lane, North Brunswick.

Dinner, dancing and auction.

Honorees include community leaders David and Ellen Rabinowitz, BCB Bank and Vincent Davis, and Bill Neary.

Sponsorship opportunities and journal ads are available.

For more information, email [email protected] or [email protected], or call 732-777-1940.

 

The fourth annual Celebrate Middlesex County event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 13 at Roosevelt Park, Parsonage Road, Edison.

Enjoy roller skating, a fishing derby, live music, entertainment, food trucks and hands-on activities.

For more information, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/celebrate.