Author: Web Site Administrator

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 will be available for purchase beginning Tuesday, September 4 at 8:30 a.m.

This year, tickets will again be sold online in addition to 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 take place on Friday, October 5 at the Warinanco Sports Center. That evening has also been designated as 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. Hayrides and Campfires will be held on Sunday, October 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday, October 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday, October 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Friday, October 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

“The Hayrides and Campfires 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 Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Tickets are priced at $6.00 for Union County residents and $12.00 for non-residents. Group sales are limited to 15 tickets. To order tickets online, visit ucnj.org/tickets.

Tickets will be on sale at the following locations and times, beginning September 4:

• 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 and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.

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

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

Presented in collaboration with Union County’s Office of LGBTQ Services, GLAAD Media Institute will bring two of their signature courses to Union County. GLAAD’s Engagement 101 Telling Your Story: Messaging and Media Tools For Today’s Activists will be held at Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth on Friday, September 28 from 9:30AM until 4PM. GLAAD’s Engagement 202: Telling Your Story Through Social Media course will be held at Warinanco Sports Center in Roselle on Friday, October 19 from 10AM until 2PM. Registration is free and required online at https://www.glaad.org/institute. Register for one or both of the workshops.

“The Freeholder Board is honored to partner with GLAAD to bring their free training courses to empower LGBTQ individuals and allies in our community to champion inclusion and acceptance,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “In today’s climate, we have to be progressive and aggressive in our efforts to support inclusion, understanding and acceptance.”

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 make change.

Join us on September 28th for Engagement 101. In this free course, participants will learn how to get a message of inclusion and acceptance across effectively in the mainstream media narrative about the LGBTQ community. Equipped with GLAAD’s Accelerating Acceptance data, the GLAAD Media Institute will work with you to reach and teach all about the LGBTQ community through a personal lens, yours. Topics include LGBTQ acceptance, understanding media mentality, speaking to your audience, messaging and framing the issue, social media basics, and interview techniques.

Join us on Friday, October 19 for Engagement 202. 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 GLAAD courses are an important opportunity for LGBTQ individuals and allies to increase the impact of their voice to celebrate diversity, 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 Freeholder’s 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.”

GLAAD is a U.S. non-governmental media monitoring organization founded by LGBT people in the media. Before March 2013, the name “GLAAD” had been an acronym for “Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation”, but became the primary name due to its inclusiveness of bisexual and transgender issues.

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.

Please note update Friday, September 14: this event is moved indoors due to inclement weather. It will be held at 11:15 a.m. today, Friday September 14, at the County Administration Building, located behind the County Courthouse at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, in the Freeholder Meeting Room on the 6th Floor.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites all residents and visitors to attend the commemoration of POW/MIA Remembrance Day in front of the Union County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth on Friday, September 14. The ceremony will start promptly at 11:15 a.m.

“This annual public ceremony pays tribute and respect to our service men and women in all wars, who were prisoners of war, as well as those who are missing in action,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Please join us as we pause and honor the sacrifices of our military and their families.”

In the event of rain, the ceremony will take place [inside the County Administration Building]. For more information, call the Freeholder Board at 908-527-4219.

Please join the County of Union online at ucnj.org, on Facebook at ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites the community to join the county’s first Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Sunday, September 23rd, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street in Rahway. The County is partnering with  the City of Rahway for the event, which is free and open to the general public.

Attendees are invited to explore the richness of the Hispanic culture through music, art and entertainment, featuring a performance by the Mike Ramirez Salsa Band. Local leaders will be honored for their community achievements. An upcoming press release will contain more information on the honorees and the event.

“Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate the diversity and cultural ties that builds a strong, inclusive community,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, who is of Salvadoran-American descent. “Hispanics continue to make major contributions in all aspects of our culture, and continue to be progressive trailblazers.” Freeholder Angel Estrada, who is also Hispanic, was the first Cuban-American elected to the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The event is being coordinated through the County’s Office of Community Engagement and Diversity, which is part of Freeholder Chairman Granados’s 2018 “Moving Union County Forward” initiatives. For more information please contact the Office’s coordinator Nathalie Hernandez,  email: nahernandez@ucnj.org, or call 908-527-4880.

Family Fun & Flix, a free summer entertainment and film series presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, moves to Hillside this Wednesday with the presentation of The Lego Batman Movie.  The event will take place at Rutgers Ave. Park.

As part of the evening’s events, children in attendance will be able to climb aboard horses from the Watchung Stables for a free ride before the movie begins. Rides will take place beginning at 6:00 p.m.

“We are happy to have Hillside join in the summer of movie entertainment in our parks and have the opportunity close out the summer season with family and friends outside under the stars,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

The Lego Batman Movie features the caped crusader as he deals with the Joker, Catwoman and others who try to take over Gotham City.  

The movie will begin at dusk with everyone encouraged to bring a blanket or beach chair to claim your spot on the lawn. Bleacher seating will also be available. Free popcorn will be given out and Danny’s Soft Serve Ice Cream will be available for purchase.

Movies will be shown, weather permitting. For more information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or visit the Union County website; www.ucnj.org. In case of weather related matters, you can call 908-558-4079 after 3:30 p.m. on the day of the show.

The Union County Freeholder Board and the Office of Veteran Services will present the “Know Your Benefits Expo,” a comprehensive presentation of benefits and services on Tuesday, August 28 from 2:00 pm to Veterans 7:00 pm at the STEM Center at Kean University, at 1075 Morris Avenue in Union Township.

“We are all honored and grateful for the many military personnel and their families who live in Union County, and we have developed this program to assist in their health and well-being,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “We certainly encourage our Veterans to attend and learn more about what benefits they may have.”

The program is being offered as part of the County’s UC HERO initiative, which was launched by the Freeholder Board in 2016. The program builds on Union County’s longstanding services for veterans by working to enhance opportunities for education, employment and well-being for eligible veterans, active duty service members and their families.

UC-HERO continues to develop this year as part of Chairman Granados’s 2018 “Moving Union County Forward” UC HEART (Helping, Empower, Advocating, Reaching and Teaching) initiatives fostering personal growth and community service.

For more information about Office of Veteran Services programs, visit online at ucnj.org/uc-hero or contact Janna Williams, Coordinator, at 908-527-4918 or jwilliams@ucnj.org.

ELIZABETH, NJ–Family Fun & Flix, a free summer entertainment and film series presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, continues on Tuesday, August 28 with the presentation of “Wonder” at Warinanco Park, on the border of Elizabeth and Roselle.

As part of the evening’s events, UC Get Fit, a health initiative of the Union County Freeholder Board, will offer fitness fun for kids before the movie, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Yoga with Gisela Teixeira-Santos will conduct the pre-movie activities.

Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy born with Treacher Collins syndrome, which affects the facial Skelton, ears and eyes. Pullman is entering 5th grade and attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.

“This will be the final opportunity to enjoy a summer movie under the stars in Warinanco Park and participate in activities that promote healthy habits for our children,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

The movie will begin at dusk with everyone encouraged to bring a blanket or beach chair to claim your spot on the lawn. Bleacher seating will also be available. Ice cream may also be purchased from Danny’s Soft Serve.

There will be one more opportunity to catch a movie in the park as Family Fun and Flix will present The Lego Batman Movie on Wednesday, August 29 at Rutgers Ave. Park in Hillside, also beginning at dusk.

Movies will be shown, weather permitting. For more information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or visit the Union County website; www.ucnj.org. In case of weather related matters, you can call 908-558-4079 after 3:30 p.m. on the day of the show.