County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to host GLAAD Media Institute’s LGBTQ accelerating acceptance social media training courses free for anyone who wants to build the core skills and techniques that influence positive cultural change through social media.

Presented in collaboration with Union County’s Office of LGBTQ Services, GLAAD Media Institute will present their signature Engagement 202: Telling Your Story Through Social Media course at Warinanco Sports Center in Roselle on Friday, October 19 from 10AM until 2PM. Registration is free and required online at glaad.org/institute.

“Social Media has grown rapidly over the past decade as an effective tool for social activism and raising awareness on important issues. A recent Pew Research Center report noted that roughly half of Americans have been civically active on social media in the past year,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “We are thrilled to partner with GLAAD’s Media Institute to make this course available to individuals who want to learn social media strategies to have social impact.”

Using the best practices, tools, and techniques they have perfected over the past 30 years, the GLAAD Media Institute works to transform individuals into compelling storytellers, media-savvy navigators, and mighty ambassadors whose voices break through the noise and influence positive change.

Designed for those who are starting to incorporate social media into their advocacy strategy, participants in this specialized course will receive a comprehensive overview of social media platforms, as well as leveraging social media for reaching expanded audiences, deeper storytelling, and accelerating acceptance. This free course will teach participants the best practices to make the most of the potential for a variety of social media platforms, while also carefully avoiding pitfalls that exist in the social media sphere.

“Sometimes the most effective way to influence change is by sharing stories of personal experiences,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, liaison to the Union County LGBTQ Ad Hoc Committee. “The social media GLAAD courses is an important opportunity for LGBTQ individuals and allies to increase the impact to generate inclusion, foster acceptance and advance equality.”

“The GLAAD Media Institute has trained over 5000 advocates, activists, and allies, and we are excited to support the Chosen Freeholders’ work to accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQ community of Union County,” said Ross Murray, Senior Director for Education & Training at the GLAAD Media Institute. “We are looking forward to exciting training opportunities that can empower the local community to speak up for the values of acceptance and inclusion.”

Established as part of Chairman Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives, the Office of LGBTQ Services, under the Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Department of Human Services, is the first County government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey. It offers a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, and serves as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action on current and emerging issues that impact the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, Coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org or visit ucnj.org/lgbtq.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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ELIZABETH, NJ—Tickets for the 2018 Hayrides and Campfires event presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks & Recreation are now available for purchase on line and in person at three locations throughout the county. 

All tickets must be purchased in advance; there will be no tickets sold on site. All ticket sales will be final, with no refunds or exchanges.

The event includes the hayride, entertainment, and hot chocolate and marshmallows to toast over a campfire.

The first Hayride and Campfire will be on Friday, October 5^th at the Warinanco Park Sports Center. That evening has also been designated Military Appreciation Night. Rides will run from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside will host the remaining events, beginning on Sunday, October 7, from 3:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.; Friday, October 12 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, October 14 from 3:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.; and the final scheduled event is on Friday, October 10 from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m.

“The hayrides and campfire events are always among the most popular events in our parks, so those interested in participating should get their tickets early, either online or in person, and plan for a fun filled evening to begin the fall,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Tickets are priced at $6.00 for Union County Resident, $12.00 for Non-Residents. Group sales are limited to 15 tickets. To order tickets online visit www.ucnj/tickets.

Tickets will be on sale at the following locations and times:

• The Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Elizabeth Office, Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Trailside Nature & Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.

For further information you can call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900; or Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670; or visit the Union County website at www.ucnj.org.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents and visitors to engage with Across the Centuries, an online guide to historic sites throughout Union County. The online format is designed for easy viewing on mobile phones.

“The rich history of Union County draws adventure seekers from near and far, and the new phone friendly format provides convenient access to enriching information about our heritage,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Across the Centuries includes information about dozens of historic sites featured in Union County’s annual Four Centuries in a Weekend celebration. The two-day event includes special tours, presentations and activities. This year, Four Centuries in a Weekend takes place on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21.

For the first time, Four Centuries in a Weekend will also include special tours of the Bell Labs Technology Showcase and Union County College’s William Miller Sperry Observatory, an astronomical observatory that houses two of the largest telescopes on the East Coast.

To view the new phone friendly version of Across the Centuries, and to get more information about this year’s Four Centuries in a Weekend celebration, visit the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs online at ucnj.org/parks, call 908-558-2550, or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is happy to announce that tickets for this year’s Great Pumpkin Sail at Echo lake Park, Lower Lake, are now on sale both on line and in person.

The Great Pumpkin Sail will take place on Thursday, November 1 with three sessions scheduled. The first session will run from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.; session two from 6:45-8:00 p.m.; and session three from 8:15-9:30 p.m. In case of rain, the event will take place Friday, November 2^nd at the same times.

“The Great Pumpkin Sail, year in and year out, is one of our most popular events,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Please purchase your tickets early and be part of this wonderful family event.”

Each family ticket is for one Jack-O-Lantern weighing no more than 8 pounds after carving, and must be purchased in advance.  The Great Pumpkin Sail is one our most popular events, so you are advised to register early since space is limited. Each ticket admits up to 6 people. There is a limit of 2 tickets per person. There will be no refunds, exchanges or group sales. The cost is $12 per family up to six people for in county residents. Out of county residents pay $16 per family up to six persons.

Tickets are available on line at ucnj.org/ticket and at three locations around the county: Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Union County Administration Building, Department of Parks and Recreation, 2^nd Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth; at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, Westfield,  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m.to  4:00 pm and on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and at Trailside Nature and Science Center, 425 New Providence Road, Mountainside every day from Noon to 4:45 p.m.

For further information you can call the Union county Department of parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900; or Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908- 789-3670; or visit the Union County website at www.ucnj.org.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that works of art by 14 Union County senior artists are included in the 52^nd annual New Jersey Senior Citizens Art Exhibit, now on display in the main building at Meadow Lakes Senior Living, 300 Meadow Lakes, in East Windsor. Five of the Union County artists also received state-level awards for their work.

The exhibit features 302 works of art created by New Jersey artists over the age of 60 and is on display through Thursday, October 25.

The show is open to members of the public, Mondays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Groups of six or more are asked to contact Meadow Lakes in advance by calling 609-448-4100.

“This statewide exhibit is a wonderful way for seniors to reach out and connect with artists and communities throughout the New Jersey,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “We are very proud of our five state-level award winners and all of the Union County artists who participated.”

The Meadow Lakes exhibit includes artwork by both professional and non-professional artists from across New Jersey. All of the artists qualified for the show by winning first place awards at their respective county-level shows. The Union County Senior Citizens Art Exhibit was held at Liberty Hall Center in Union Township earlier this year.

The state-level awardees were selected by a panel of professionals. The five winning Union County artists are:

• Barbara Uhr of Westfield, for “Wave II” (3rd Place for pastel work by a professional).
• Priscilla Young of Cranford for “Haunted Piano” (3rd Place for oil painting by a non-professional).
• Angelito David of Linden for “Resting Banca” (Honorable Mention for watercolor by a professional).
• Lorenzo Ferreiro of Fanwood for “San Francesco Cloister, Sorrento, Italy” by (Honorable Mention for watercolor by a non-professional).
• Karen Kelly of Scotch Plains for “Cumberland River Pedestrian Bridge” by Karen Kelly (Honorable Mention for a work on paper by a non-professional).

The annual Union County Senior Citizens Art Exhibit is coordinated through the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. It is supported with funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

 Registration for the next Union County Senior Citizens Art Exhibit will begin in 2019.

 

For information about all Cultural and Heritage Affairs programs visit ucnj.org/parks, call 908-558-2550 or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

 

The New Jersey Senior Art Show is a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage. It is generously hosted by Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, a Springpoint Senior Living Community.

 

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Union County, NJ – A big group of volunteers from the organization MIRA USA helped to restore the treescape at Union County’s Mattano Park in Elizabeth last month, by planting 14 new black pine, white pine and red oak trees. The new trees replace older trees that have reached their prime.

“This is a significant project that helps to conserve our natural environment and helps to benefit the whole community with a healthy treescape, too,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank our MIRA USA volunteers and Liliana Cifuentes, who coordinated the effort, for a job well done.”

Trees are replaced regularly in County parks as they age out. The new trees were installed around the perimeter of the park.

The volunteers removed the wire baskets and burlap from the root balls of the trees and rolled them into holes that were dug by staff from the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. The volunteer group also removed litter and recyclables from the park. 

The volunteer project was coordinated through Union County’s Adopt-a-Park program. Any individual or group may participate in Adopt-a-Park, including corporate groups.

For more information about Adopt-a-Park and its sister program, Adopt-a-Trail, visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation or call 908-789-3683.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities visit ucnj.org/green-connection.

For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce the offering of a new grant program aimed at promoting STEM-based education for county students. The STEM Scholars Grant, which was developed by Freeholder Christopher Hudak, is part of Chairman Sergio Granados’ “Moving Union County Forward-Plant A Seed” initiative.

“The Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to offer county schools the opportunity to apply for STEM Scholars Grant for the first time,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “This program aims to foster understanding, deepen students’ knowledge, and provide educational opportunities to expand awareness of STEM programming at all levels.”

Funding for the STEM Scholars Grant is intended to assist in developing in-class and extra-curricular programs that improve student learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Only applications submitted by educators within Union County schools at the Pre-K through 12^th grade levels will be considered. The STEM Scholarship Grant requires no match.

“We encourage participation from all school districts in the county,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak. “The STEM Scholars Grant was created to promote more grassroots approaches to learning in our county schools.”

The inspiration for the grant program comes from the Freeholder Hudak’s mother, Susan L. Hudak. Ms. Hudak was a dedicated member of the educational community of Union County. For 19 years she was a member of the Linden Board of Education. She also volunteered regularly and was president of several PTA associations.

Ms. Hudak’s dedicated work involved the establishment of a Monthly Friday Family Science Night. This program ran for 25 years at School No. 6 in Linden and exposed students and their families to STEM topics through a series of visiting guest speakers in STEM-related fields and hands-on experiments.

The Freeholder Board requests that grant applications focus on STEM education in the following areas of concentration:

1. Project Based Learning: Creative, STEM-integrated, educational programming;

 

2. Afterschool STEM: Projects and programming that focus on extra-curricular learning, including science fairs, STEM clubs, monthly labs and workshop;

 

3. Out-of-School STEM: Creative STEM experiences out of the classroom, to better prepare students for STEM work in the classroom, and in the workforce.

 

Application deadline is October 15, 2018. For more information or to obtain an application, please contact Victoria Durbin Drake, Open Space Trust Fund Administrator, via email at vdurbin@ucnj.org or call 908-558-2277.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.