New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center, will hold blood drives during American Heart Month.
Blood donations are needed for many types of patients including heart patients, cancer patients, trauma victims and many others.
The Spotswood VFW 4589 will hold blood drives from 1-7 p.m. Feb. 3, 10 and 16 at the post hall, 33 Daniel Road, Spotswood.
Appointments are strongly suggested. Walk-ins will be accepted if space allows.
For an appointment, visit nybc.org/newjerseydrive using sponsor code 13807; or call 800-933-2566.
Remember to eat, drink and bring a donor ID card or ID with name and photo. Donors 76 and over need a doctor’s note unless one is already on file.
COVID antibody testing is available for blood donors at these drives.
A Family Night Out program will be offered to parents, caregivers and youths ages 10-14 who live in Middlesex County starting Feb. 8.
The program will take place on Monday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m.
Families will spend their time doing interactive activities and games while building communication skills. The adults learn and discuss parenting techniques to help them deal with their children during adolescence. They review subjects that include parental love and limits, making rules, encouraging good behavior, using consequences, protecting against substance abuse and getting help through community resources. Youth learn about subjects such as having goals and dreams, appreciating parents, dealing with stress, following rules, dealing with peer pressure and reaching out to others are discussed.
On the Tuesday after the lesson is attended, families will receive a gift card for a grocery store. They will be able to purchase whatever food they would like and have dinner while completing homework assignments for the program.
Subsequent sessions will follow on Mondays Feb. 22, and March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.
Register at https://wellspringprevention.org/events/icalrepeat.detail/2021/02/08/764/-/family-nights-out-2-8-2021
Contact Heather Ward at 732-254-3344, ext. 120 or email at heather.ward@wellspringprevention.org for more information.
This program is made available through a grant from the NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
The East Brunswick Public Library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental will partner to host the event “Sustainable Agriculture Projects in Zimbabwe” at 7 p.m. Feb. 9, led by Tait Chirenje, professor of Environmental Science & Sustainability at Stockton University.
Climate change is wreaking havoc in rural farmers’ lives in Zimbabwe, often leading to poor or no harvests in back-to-back seasons. This talk will focus on results from a four-year effort to help rural farmers transition from vulnerable large-scale field-based agricultural practices like corn/soybean growing to small-scale controlled environment system like shed-grown mushroom and hydroponics. The talk covers how a demonstration center’s development helped provide incentives for local farmers and international experiences for Chirenje’s university students.
The free event is presented online, and closed captioning will be provided.
Tickets are required for this event; to reserve, visit www.ebpl.org/optiongreen.
Black History Month will be honored in East Brunswick through a series of programs.
The East Brunswick Arts Commission, East Brunswick Department of Aging, East Brunswick Department of Recreation, East Brunswick Human Relations Council, East Brunswick Public Library, East Brunswick Youth Council, EBTV and the Lost Souls Public Memorial Project are partnering for the events.
Co-hosted with the New Brunswick-Area NAACP and the Rutgers African-American Alumni Alliance, an online showcase will present Black history through music, fine arts and more at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9.
The East Brunswick Public Library will host a lecture about the Harlem Renaissance with Randall Westbrook at 7 p.m. Feb. 24.
EBTV, the East Brunswick Arts Commission and the East Brunswick Youth Council are recording several special Black History Month programs to be shared on the television network.
EBTV also broadcasts a 45-minute concert of jazz standards and soul classics performed by singer Rhonda Denet. This program is sponsored by the East Brunswick Arts Commission and the library.
The Lost Souls Public Memorial Project released several presentations about their work to memorialize over 177 African Americans kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1818.
All of these programs can be viewed online, either live or prerecorded.
A complete guide to the Black History Month programming can be found online at www.ebpl.org/blackhistorymonth.
Take Control of Your Health: Chronic Disease and Self-Management Workshops will be presented by the East Brunswick Library from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 9, 16 and 23; and March 2, 9 and 16.
Learn techniques to manage symptoms like stress and depression, get started with healthy eating and exercise, communicate effectively with your doctor, manage fear and frustration, and make daily tasks easier.
Suitable for those with chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, osteoporosis or diabetes.
Participants will receive a free book mailed to their address, incentives and a completion certificate.
Register by calling 732-390-6767 or visiting http://www.ebpl.org/calendar
No new attendees will be accepted after Session 2 on Feb. 16.
The East Brunswick Woman’s Club will hold its next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10.
Members are encouraged to wear red in support of Heart Health Month and Valentine’s Day. Current club projects and virtual activities will be discussed.
The EBWC brings together women of East Brunswick and neighboring towns in service and friendship while promoting civic, educational and social activities. During the current club year, members have worked together while maintaining social distancing to provide donations to various local organizations. Donations included the Aldersgate food bank, coats for Catholic Charities, filled holiday stockings for Operation Yellow Ribbon to support military men and women, sweatshirts for Operation Chill Out, and serving homeless veterans, in conjunction with the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJFWC).
Anyone interested in learning more about the club’s activities, or to participate in the Zoom meeting, should contact Laura in advance of the meeting by calling 732-254- 5742 or Joyce by calling 732-822-8989.
The Middlesex County Youth Conservation Corps is dedicated to protecting and preserving the more than 8,000 acres of open space owned and maintained by Middlesex County.
Conservation Corps crew members must be 16 years of age or older. They work from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays from April 10 through June 5. Salary is $12.50 per hour.
Responsibilities include:
- Litter clean-up, recycling and brush removal
- Trail marking, building and maintenance
- Mapping/survey of existing trail system
- Plantings and reforestation management projects
- Wildlife habitat enhancement projects
- Invasive species management and removal
To apply, send a cover letter and resume to julia.derosso@co.middlesex.nj.us or mail to Middlesex County Office of Parks and Recreation, Attn: Julia DeRosso, P.O. Box 661, New Brunswick 08903.
Applications are due by Feb. 19.
***
Volunteer vaccinators may be needed in Middlesex County and at other vaccination sites.
Licensed nurses, doctors and medical professionals who are willing to volunteer should email their name, address, phone number and license information to Lt. Jangols of the Monroe Township Police Department at sjangols@monroetwppolice.org
Middlesex College is developing apprenticeship opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing through Career Advance USA, a U.S. Department of Labor-funded grant.
Apprenticeships, developed and implemented in collaboration with employers, are earn-and-learn programs that combine formal classroom learning with on-the-job training.
Those interested in the program should register for a virtual information session at middlesexcc.edu/manufacturing-apprenticeships. They will be held over Zoom at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 9, March 9, April 13 and May 11.
The college is also looking for employers interested in developing workers.
For more information about the grant and how to participate, visit middlesexcc.edu/manufacturing-apprenticeships or contact Yarelis Figueroa at yfigueroa@middelsexcc.edu or John Miller at jsmiller@middlesexcc.edu.
Metuchen Music and the Metuchen High School Music Program will present an online prize auction for Designer Bag Bingo Blues on Feb. 12.
Details to be announced.
Accepting donations of purses, home goods, accessories, gift certificates, dining, etc.
For more information, email treasurer@mmedo.org
The East Brunswick Public Library and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) welcomes the East Brunswick community to a SNAP virtual information session at noon Feb. 10.
This program explains the SNAP food assistance benefit, its guidelines and services that CFBNJ offers around food assistance. Brittany Thomas, Resources Access coordinator at CFBNJ, leads this presentation.
The program is presented online using Zoom.
Registration is requested for this free program. Register at www.ebpl.org/calendar or by calling 732-390-6767.
Nominations for the 25th annual Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award are being accepted through Feb. 12.
Members of the community can nominate a fellow New Jerseyan and give him or her the chance to be recognized for their service. They are people who help others in need, give their time and energy to solve community problems, and put others above themselves.
Each year, the Making a Difference Award presents $50,000 to one winner, $25,000 to two runners-up, and up to $7,500 to several others at a ceremony hosted by Ramapo College of New Jersey, which manages the awards program on behalf of the Russell Berrie Foundation.
Awards will be presented at a virtual ceremony in May.
The nomination form is available online at berrieawards.ramapo.edu.
The Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey will hold its 2021 annual conference virtually on Feb. 19 and 20.
Find meaning across Latinx identities and adapt to changing times affecting racism, colorist and invisibility.
To register, visit www.latinomentalhealthnj.org
Co-sponsored by Horizon NJ Health and Rutgers School of Social Work.
Assemblyman Joe Danielsen’s “Head to Toe” clothing drive is seeking donations of hats, scarves, mittens/gloves and socks for children ages 3-16.
Any donations must be clean and washed, and placed in a Ziploc bag and left in the designated box outside his office at 334 Elizabeth Ave., Somerset, on the second floor.
The drive will last until Feb. 15.
For more information, call 732-247-3999 or email asmdanielsen@njleg.org.
Films focusing on climate change and its impact will be featured in the East Brunswick Public Library’s first-ever virtual film festival.
The Option Green Virtual Film Festival is part of the ongoing partnership between the library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission. Each year, the two organizations host free events on environmental topics led by experts in the field. The film series is funded by the American Library Association’s “Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change” pilot program.
The films will be available for online viewing. Participants can sign up for these free screenings online at www.ebpl.org/optiongreen. Links to view the films will be sent to ticket holders at the start time of this event, and will expire 48 hours later.
Following each screening, there will be an ongoing, discussion on the EBPL Discord server. Attendees will receive the link in their ticket.
The upcoming series includes:
“How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change,” Feb. 16-17 is directed by Academy Award-nominee Josh Fox. The film shows the consequences of climate change across 12 countries on every continent. It runs 127 minutes and is rated TV-14.
“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” March 16-17, is Is based on the = true story of 13-year-old William Kamkwamba, who finds inspiration from a science book. He builds a wind turbine to save his famine-ravaged village in Malawi. This film is rated TV-PG and runs 113 minutes.
“Fire and Flood: Queer Resilience in the Era of Climate Change,” April 20-21, examines how the LGBTQ communities of Puerto Rico and Santa Rosa survived Hurricane Maria and wildfires, in late 2017. The film explores the vulnerability of LGBTQ communities to climate disasters. This film is not yet rated but runs 102 minutes. Trailer not available.
The Option Green Virtual Film Festival is sponsored by the East Brunswick Public Library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission.
Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society and People for Animals will hold their quarterly Snip & Chip for Community Cats event on Feb. 19, where locals can bring in feral cats to be spayed/neutered and microchipped free of charge.
Do not bring any socialized cats, they will be turned away.
The event will be held at the People for Animals Clinic located at 1 Sharon Road in Robbinsville. All feral cats from Central New Jersey are welcome, with a limit of five cats per participant. All cats must be dropped off between 7 and 7:30 a.m. to receive treatment.
Snip & Chip will provide free spay/neuter surgeries (valued up to $55) which will include rabies & distemper vaccines, ear tip, injectable pain control, tattoo, and medical waste disposal for feral cats. Microchip insertion/registration will be available free of charge as well.
Additional services will be available for an additional charge, including post-op boarding.
All additional services must be pre-paid at the time of drop off.
Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society will accept cash or credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover). No American Express or checks accepted.
Registrations must be made by Feb. 8. To register, participants must fill out the form at https://karmacatzendog.org/snipchiprequest. If participants cannot fill out the form, email SnipAndChip@karmacatzendog.org with “Snip & Chip Reservations” in the subject line. Within the body of the email, participants must provide: full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, number of cats, what town the cats reside in, and a description of the colony.
The pickup date is Feb. 19 or 22; $15 boarding fee per cat to be paid to the rescue.
East Brunswick Public Library’s Take A Business Break Series continues in 2021 with two virtual programs presented by Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, Emeritus partner at WithumSmith+Brown, PC.
The other program, “How to Read, Analyze and Understand Financial Statements,” is on Feb. 25 at noon. It is based on Mendlowitz’s MBA course, and attendees will receive a free PDF of his 160-page book. Mendlowitz explains the seven elements of a financial statement, their purpose and how to use each to better understand your business.
The free programs are held online using the Zoom platform. For more information or to register for either program, visit the library’s virtual program calendar at www.ebpl.org.
Recognizing the bravery and commitment of volunteer firefighters and first responders, New Jersey American Water announces its 2021 grant program for volunteer fire departments, ambulance squads and first aid squads located within the company’s service areas.
Grants may be used to cover the costs of personal protective equipment, communications gear, first aid equipment, firefighting tools, vehicle maintenance and other materials that will be used to support volunteer firefighter and emergency responder operations. Reimbursement for specific training courses, including the cost of training manuals, student workbooks, and instructors is also eligible.
To apply, organizations must complete the application available at www.newjerseyamwater.com under News & Community, Community Involvement.
The maximum grant amount awarded to any organization is $2,000.
The deadline to apply is March 12. Interested applicants can find more information and apply online at www.newjerseyamwater.com/community.
Grant recipients will be notified at the end of March.
Teens across the state can begin submitting entries for the 26th Annual New Jersey Teen Media Contest, which highlights the New Jersey Human Services’ mission to support families, especially during these challenging times.
The contest, run by the Division of Family Development, is open to all New Jersey middle and high school-aged children.
The 2021 contest challenges teens to illustrate – through art or the written word – how they and their loved ones have supported each other through all of the changes that have happened this year, from remote schooling to finding new ways to stay connected to friends and family.
All entries must be postmarked no later than March 31.
Staff from the Division of Family Development and its Office of Child Support Services will judge the contest. Winners will be selected in first, second, and third places in both the middle and high school groups, for each of the two entry categories. Typically, winning students are recognized at an awards ceremony in mid-May, but a final decision on an awards ceremony will be made at a later date based on the status of the public health emergency and related health and safety guidelines.
Winning entries from the contest will be included in the 2022 Office of Child Support Calendar, as well as potentially being included as part of the office’s marketing materials. A number of honorable mention entries will also be selected for possible inclusion in both areas.
The 2021 calendar can be viewed or downloaded from the contest homepage, www.NJTeenMedia.org, to serve as inspiration for the teens. The website also provides the official rules, frequently asked questions, entry forms, a look at the winners and honorable mentions from previous contests and other important contest information.
Teachers and administrators can register their school by visiting www.NJTeenMedia.org or by contacting Matthew Cossel at 937-207-7627 or matthew.cossel@efkgroup.com. School registration is not required for direct student entry.
For complete submission guidelines, visit www.NJTeenMedia.org.
For more information about child support services, call 1-877-NJKIDS1 or visit www.NJChildSupport.org.
East Brunswick residents can turn the page on a winter spent mostly indoors by renting a plot at the township’s Community Garden, located adjacent to the municipal complex off Rues Lane.
A limited number of 10-foot by 10-foot plots are now available for new gardeners on a first-come, first-served basis for $45 for the first season. The garden is open to township residents and people who work in East Brunswick.
All gardeners are required to put in four hours of community garden service each year by working with a committee and participating in work days, or paying $40 in lieu of service. Gardeners can select from a list of committees found on the registration form.
For more information and to register for a plot, visit registration form.
The garden’s website offers timely articles, tips and tricks for gardeners, a calendar of events and information on donating surplus produce. Gardeners have donated more than a ton of surplus produce in the last few years. Meetings and events during the year also give gardeners a chance to share ideas outside the garden.
To keep gardeners safe, several rules, including mandatory mask wearing and social distancing while in the garden were instituted last year.
For more information, email to ebcgarden@gmail.com.
The East Brunswick Community Garden is a project of the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.
Nominations are being accepted for the South River High School Wall of Fame.
Nominees should serve as a role model for current and future South River High School students. This award is not limited to athletic achievement.
A Wall of Fame is erected in the main corridor of the high school with the names of the recipients on plaques of recognition.
Nominees will be considered based on the following criteria:
-
Attended and graduated from South River High School.
-
Exhibits a high level of achievement in his/her field.
-
Possesses the qualities of a positive role model for South River youth.
The committee will consider all nominees based on the strengths of the candidates in the above areas. A maximum of two individuals may be inducted this year.
The deadline for nominations is April 1.
To make a nomination, visit www.srivernj.org for the nomination form.
Ongoing
To document the experiences of the community while living through the COVID-19 pandemic, the East Brunswick Public Library has been collecting submissions to a COVID-19 Community Time Capsule.
The time capsule can be viewed online at www.ebpl.org/history
The library is still taking submissions at this time.
The Community Pet Food Bank by New Beginnings Animal Rescue is open from 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, with varying hours on Saturdays, on the grounds of Nativity Lutheran Church, 552 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick.
For more information, visit nbarnj.org
The Jamesburg Public Library will hold its board meetings on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m.
These meetings are open to the public, and will take place on Zoom for the remainder of the year.
Visit jamesburglibrary.org or www.facebook.com/JamesburgLibrary/ for further information.
Each meeting will have a different Zoom link and passcode
The East Brunswick Recreation, Parks & Community Services Department is collecting non-perishable food, cash and gift cards for distribution to Aldersgate Community Outreach Center.
Drop off food in the back of the box truck parked in the parking lot, 334 Dunhams Corner Road; the door is kept down so lift it to put donations inside.
Or, drop cash/check/gift cards in an envelope and put in the drop box next to the front door to the Recreation Department.
Raritan Valley YMCA is encouraging residents to #StayWithUs during this time, in particular by visiting the Y’s Facebook page for virtual events, programs and classes.
Adult programs include group fitness classes provided by Y360, Les Mills and from Y instructors. Programs and classes will be updated on a week-to-week basis. The ZOOM app is required; email lramos@raritanvalleyymca.org for log-in details.
The Facebook page also features live story time and creative arts with Ms. Preeti and Ms. Brenda.
Details Camp Yomeca day camp are available on the website. Online registration is open.
For more information, visit raritanvalleyymca.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.
The East Brunswick Domestic Response Team is seeking volunteers.
Citizens are trained to respond to local police departments on an on-call basis to provide support and information to victims of domestic abuse.
For more information, email domesticviolence@ebpd.net.
The Korean War/Defense Veterans Association Central Jersey Chapter No. 148 extends an invitation to any veterans, regardless of branch of service, who served during the war from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953, in any location, including Europe, or who have served in Korea from July 27, 1953, through the present.
The group meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of every month —except January through April — at the Monroe Township Municipal Building, 1 Municipal Plaza.
Membership dues are $25 to the Korean War Veterans Association and $10 chapter fee per year.
The chapter is involved in various functions during the year, including parades, flag raisings, visiting the Korean War Memorial in Atlantic City, etc.
For more information, contact Charles Koppelman at 609-655-3111 or kwvanj@yahoo.com.
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 deborah@dovehs.com.
