Runnells Volunteers Honored for Service

Members of the Union County Board of Freeholders praised longtime volunteers for the work they do.

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L) and Vernell Wright (R) congratulate Linda Byrd (seated) on being honored for her 10 years of volunteer service at Runnells Specialized Hospital during the 50th Annual Volunteer Awards Luncheon in Berkeley Heights. Linda is a resident at Runnells Specialized Hospital. They are joined by Patricia Scott, Director of Activities Therapy/Volunteer Services.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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'Someone Special Needs You' Needs Your Help

The group that helps disabled children and their parents is holding a walk-a-thon in June.

Dog of the Week: Help Wilson Find a Forever Home

Two-year-old Wilson was saved from a South Carolina kill shelter. Can you give him the love he needs?

This Inspiring Story Brought to You by Grape-Nuts

'Oh Sandy' Anthology Uses Humor to Examine Seriousness of Historic Storm

A Matawan man with close ties to Union Beach was one of several Sandy survivors to be published in the collection titled "Oh Sandy: An Anthology of Humorous Stories for a Serious Cause."

Hurricane Sandy was no laughing matter for those people displaced from their flooded homes, for those throwing out hundreds of dollars worth of food after losing power or for those who lost their homes entirely.   However, they say laughter is the best medicine. "When you are gutting people's houses, you either start laughing or start crying and don't stop," said James Butler, a former Union Beach resident who continues to coach youth soccer there. "When you are dealing with tragedy there is at first shock and then you kind of move on to the gallows of humor." Each day after the storm, Butler, now a Matawan resident, visited Union Beach to help his parents, his childhood friends and his soccer players' families clean up and rebuild.  He …

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Help Salute NJ's Veterans on Remembrance Day

The NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation will honor veterans on May 7.

Get Your History On! Driveable Historical Events Today

Don't listen to the "I'm bored" cries from your kids. Here's a raft of fun historical events today the whole family can enjoy.

Looking for fun stuff to do on a cold March day? Take the family out for some palatable history events today - all driveable and all either free or available for a reasonable charge: Sunday, March 3 - Morris County Macculloch Hall Historical Museum 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown 973-538-2404   In honor of Women's History Month, the "Moonlight Duo" present "Herstory - Classical music by female composers from Europe and the US" at 4:30 pm on Sunday March 3rd. While treasure hunting for lost and forgotten music, the Moonlight Duo has found beautiful pieces by female composers from Germany, England and the U.S. including a manuscript by Katharine Lucke from Baltimore. Other composers featured are Clara Faisst from Germany, May Mukle and …

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Former Councilman and Longtime NP Resident Honored at Council Meeting

Jim Cucco, who served on the borough council for 34 years, was formerly honored with a proclamation and plaque at the Feb. 25 New Providence council meeting.

  Jim Cucco, who served on the borough council for 34 years, was formerly honored with a proclamation and plaque at the Feb. 25 New Providence council meeting for his dedication and years of service to the Borough. Cucco served as a member of council from 1976 to 2005 and then again from 2008 to 2012. “He left for a little while but we needed you back and you came,” Hern said. “And made a very substantial contribution to the Borough of New Providence.” During his years of service, Cucco worked on a variety of projects to better New Providence, only so many of which could fit on the plaque, Hern joked. Cucco worked on the reduction of flooding along the Salt Brook, the retrofitting of the former borough hall to a rental property, upgrading …

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Stop & Shop Donates Millions to Local Food Banks

Customers of the Berkeley Heights supermarket helped feed the hungry through Stop & Shop's donation outreach

The hungry in New Jersey got more food to eat, in part because of Stop & Shop and their customers. The supermarket chain announced that they donated more than $29 million nationwide in 2012 through the goodwill of customers, vendors, and store employees. The recipients of the donations included local hunger-fighting organizations. In New Jersey, the Community Food Bank of NJ (CFBNJ), located in Hillside, received a grant from Stop and Shop. They used the money to expand their Pediatric Pantry Program, a partnership with hospitals in low-income neighborhoods to “prescribe” healthy produce for young children in need.  CFBNJ also increased their Alternative Meals Kids Café Program, which provides healthy meals at after-school sites without …

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Union County Volunteers Tackle Tough Trail-Clearing Job

Berkeley Heights residents among the expert volunteers.

Specially trained, chainsaw-equipped volunteers have been hard at work in the Union County parks system, clearing fallen trees from Superstorm Sandy away from popular walking trails. To join the Union County Adopt-a-Trail/Adopt-a-Park programs contact the Department of Parks and Community Renewal, 908-789-3683 or visit ucnj.org.

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SAGE's Sweethearts of the Year in Time for Valentine's Day

Married couple Carmen and Edwin Hernandez were chosen by the eldercare facility for their volunteer spirit and work with Meals on Wheels. Edwin, a vice president for Banco Popular, has also helped SAGE secure grant funding over the years.

SAGE Eldercare has named Carmen and Edwin Hernandez of New Providence as their "Sweethearts of the Year" for 2012. For the New Providence residents, volunteering at SAGE has always been a family affair. In 2002, Carmen and Edwin's youngest son, Paul, was fourteen and wanted to do community service by volunteering at Meals on Wheels. So he brought his mom Carmen to SAGE and they spent the summer together delivering meals. When school started that September, Carmen kept coming in on her own, with Paul joining her when school was out. The relationship between the Hernandez family and SAGE went one step further when Edwin also became interested in the eldercare agency and the countless ways the community is served. As Vice President and NJ …

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