County of UnionUnion County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholder Andrea Staten present a resolution to Union County Vocational-Technical Schools Superintendent Gwendolyn Ryan congratulating her on being named the permanent Superintendent of the schools in Scotch Plains. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County, NJ– The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce the dates for the upcoming Summer Arts Concert series and highly anticipated Family Fun & Flix film series.
“Our free summer events are sure to have something for every member of the family to enjoy”, said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “I look forward to a summer full of outdoor entertainment and activities to bring our county residents even closer together.”
The fun begins with Family, Fun, and Flix on July 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Wheeler Park in Linden. 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. Immediately after at dusk the movie A Dogs Way Home will begin.
The following is a list of Family, Fun, and Flix movies throughout the summer at Union County Parks:
• July 9 – A Dogs Way Home at Wheeler Park, Linden
• July 16 – Hotel Transylvania 3 at Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
• July 23 – Lego Movie 2 at Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
• July 29 – Hotel Transylvania 3 at Rutgers Ave. Park, Hillside
• July 30 –Spiderman-Into the Spider-Verse at Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
• August 6 – Ralph Breaks the Internet at Meisel Park, Springfield (with NNO)
• August 12 – Incredibles 2 at Tamaques Park, Westfield
• August 13 –Incredibles 2 at Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
On July 10th the Summer Arts Concert Series continues with Radio Petty (The Best of Tom Perry) at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or towel for UC Fit Yoga at 6:30. The concert will begin promptly at 7:30.
The Board of Chosen Freeholders in conjunction with Foodstock NJ and the Community Food Bank of NJ are requesting that residents donate non-perishable food items to assist those in need at the July 10th Summer Arts Concert Series at Echo Lake Park. Summer is a particularly difficult time of year for our nation’s food banks. Families with children who had been receiving free or reduced cost breakfast and/or lunch at school must find ways to replace those meals during summer break.
The following is a list of the Summer Arts Concert Series dates and locations throughout the summer at Union County Parks:
Echo Lake Park, Mountainside – Wednesdays
July 10 – Radio Petty (The Best of Tom Petty)
July 17 – Verdict
July 24 – Black Dog (The Led Zeppelin Tribute)
July 31 – Marc Muller’s Grateful Jamband (Grateful Dead)
Oak Ridge Park, Clark – Wednesdays
Aug 7 – American Rapture
Aug 14 – Rob Paparozzi Juke Joint
Aug 21 – Hey Bulldog (Tribute to the Beatles)
Aug 28 – We May Be Right (The Billy Joel Experience)
For more details on the Summer Arts series, the Family Flix free outdoor movie series, and more summer activities in Union County Parks visit ucnj.org/calendar or call the Parks Department at 908-527-4900.
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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 — Today marks 50 years since the start of the uprising at the Stonewall Inn that sparked the modern gay rights movement.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders honors the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, recognizing that the milestones achieved in the LGBTQ rights and equality movement today were made possible by trailblazers who first fought back against brutality and oppression and stood up for their rights then.
“The rebellion at the Stonewall Inn is one of the most important events that led to the rise of LGBTQ rights in this country,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “As elected officials, we are responsible for supporting the rights of all people. This Freeholder Board will continue to stand with the LGBTQ community to support inclusion and equality.”
This year’s Union County Pride events honored the early transgender, gay rights and AIDS activist, Marsha P. Johnson, a 1963 graduate of Elizabeth High School and a central figure in the gay liberation movement at Stonewall on the evening of June 28, 1969, highlighting her insistence on the urgency of resistance to advance civil rights protections for LGBTQ people.
As we mark the 50th anniversary of this significant moment in history, the Freeholder Board commends Union County elected officials and community leaders who hosted Pride flag raising ceremonies or community events to support visibility, dignity and equality for LGBTQ people in society.
“The unity found through Pride events is essential to increasing awareness and advancing civil rights protections for LGBTQ individuals,” said Freeholder Rebecca Williams, liaison to the Freeholder’s LGBTQ Ad Hoc Committee. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, we commend all of our municipal officials and community leaders who stand for inclusion and equality.”
This year, more than half of Union County’s municipalities joined the Freeholder Board to observe June as LGBTQ Pride Month with official Pride Month proclamations, community events or flying the rainbow flag in their community (supported by the Freeholder Board with a ‘Pride In A Box’ kit) including Cranford, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Summit, Union and Westfield.
In recognition of June as LGBTQ Pride month, the Freeholder Board also offered a series of events to foster inclusion and accelerate acceptance in the Union County community, including the 2nd annual Union County LGBTQ Pride Flag Raising honoring transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson (June7), TEEN PRIDE, an affirming celebration that promotes equality amongst young people (June 14), UC PRIDE in the Park (June 15), Union County SAGE Table intergenerational community lunch (June 23) and PRIDE Night with the Red Bulls (June 28).
Union County’s Pride month events were organized by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, and presented in partnership with WellCare Health Plans, Xfinity and Atlantic Health System.
Union County’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, under the Department of Economic Development, was established by the Freeholder Board in 2018 and is the first and only county government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey.
The Office of LGBTQ Affairs provides 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 Affairs, contact Danni Newbury, Coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org or visit ucnj.org/LGBTQ.
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Union County Freeholders Sergio Granados and Angela Garretson joined New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) Foundation Executive Director John Donnadio, Investors Banks Vice President of Business Banking Carmen Rivera, PSE&G Regional Public Affairs Manager Michael Coyle and Union County Vocational-Technical Schools Superintendent Gwendolyn Ryan in presenting NJAC Foundation scholarship checks and certificates to Union County Vocational Technical Schools graduates Lucas Jacomes of Rahway and Starrla Armwood of Summit. Lucas is the recipients of a Investors Bank Scholarship and Starrla is the recipient of the PSEG Scholarship.
The scholarships are funded by Investors Bank and PSE&G.
The NJAC Foundation is a non-profit organization affiliated with the New Jersey Association of Counties, and is committed to providing innovative educational opportunities for county vocational-technical school and county college students. Visit www.njac.org for additional details about NJAC and the NJAC Foundation. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
On Sunday, the Freeholder Board and the City of Plainfield partnered with Hyacinth AIDS Foundation and Garden State Equality to host the first Union County SAGE Table community lunch at the new Plainfield Cultural Center (formerly FUSP). The intergenerational event brought together LGBTQ family members, friends and allies
Organized by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs and the Division on Aging (ADRC), the event is a program of the national SAGE organization and is designed to draw the community closer together, to alleviate the loneliness common to many LGBT seniors and to share stories and ideas, and engage in meaningful conversation about how we relate to people across age boundaries in the community, and how we can take action together.
Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholder Rebecca L. Williams attended the event.
Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella present a resolution to Ben Adams and Paul Brunda of Son’s Prestige Collision in Garwood recognizing them for their outstanding contributions to veterans in need, and thanking and acknowledging them for their acts of charity and patriotism in the community. They were joined by Mike Boll of the New Jersey Veterans Network.
The auto shop, through a partnership with GEICO Insurance and the New Jersey Veterans Network, have been able to restore and donate vehicles to local veterans with a goal of ensuring transportation is no longer a worry in their lives. Son’s Prestige Collision received 4 cars from the GEICO recycle rides program and worked tirelessly to repair the cars and then donate them to disabled veterans in need throughout the area. Prestige is currently working on an additional two cars for disabled veterans. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
County’s Division on Aging to hold public meeting on July 17th, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Rahway Senior Center to get public input on services for seniors
The Union County Division on Aging (in the County’s Department of Human Services) will host a public meeting on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Rahway Senior Center, 1306 Esterbrook Avenue, Rahway, to hear opinions from Union County’s senior adults about services needed that should be included in the state’s 2020 Area Plan.
“This meeting is an opportunity for seniors to tell us what services they think need to be increased, addressed or added to what county government currently provides,” said Bette Jane Kowalski, Chair of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. “The states must submit service plans to the federal Administration on Aging every four years that list service needs, establish priorities, and explain how the federal Older Americans Act and state funding will be used to reach plan goals.”
According to Freeholder Kowalski, Union County government is committed to maintaining its many services to senior adults and their care givers in areas such as home delivered and group meals; transportation, especially wheel chair accessible van transportation for medical care; and help applying for assistance available from state and federal programs.
“Each month staff in the Division on Aging hold information and assistance sessions in libraries and senior centers throughout the county in an effort to bring information and help to residents closer to their homes,” Freeholder Kowalski said.
The division provides services to promote wellness, independence, dignity and choice for seniors and their families. The division’s services include Information and Assistance; the State Respite Program (SRP); and Nutrition programs, including home-delivered and congregate meals, and the Farmers Market food voucher program.
The Union County Division on Aging is one of 670 “Area Agencies on Aging” nationwide established under the federal Older Americans Act. As of 2012, the division became the Division on Aging and Disability Resource (ADRC) in compliance with a state initiative to better serve the elderly and disabled populations. The division has information printed in both English and Spanish.
For further information about the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, call 908-527-4870 or the division’s toll-free number: 1-888-280-8226, or visit the Union County government website at www.ucnj.org.
Union County Freeholders Angel G. Estrada and Sergio Granados joined Union County Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner, Clerk of the Freeholder Board Jim Pellettiere, United Way of Greater Union County (UWGUC) President and CEO James W. Horne, UWGUC VP of Programs and Operations Juanita Ayala-Vargas and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano in congratulating Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Angela R. Garretson, Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, Andrea Staten and Rebecca Williams on receiving the Community Impact-Trailblazer Award at the UWGUC Annual Celebration in Springfield. They also congratulated Union County Department of Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson on receiving the Champion for the Common Good Award and Union County Division of Community Services Director Brandon Givens on receiving a Rising Star Award. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County held its third annual UC PRIDE In The Park in Rahway Park on Saturday. The County’s PRIDE event was a celebration of family, equality, diversity & acceptance with music, family activities, PRIDE art, and more.
Freeholders Andrea Staten, Rebecca Williams, Alexander Mirabella, Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded and Angela Garretson and Assembly Members Jamel Holley, Linda Carter and Jon Bramnick joined local residents, friends, families, local elected officials, county employees and allies of our local community in the celebration of pride.
Union County Freeholders Sergio Granados and Angel G. Estrada joined Union County Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner, Elizabeth Councilwoman Patricia Perkins-Auguste, Simon Youth Academy Principal Syreeta McClain and Simon Youth Foundation President and CEO J. Michael Durnil in congratulating the first graduating class of the Simon Youth Academy at the Mills at the Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth. The Simon Youth Academy, the first in the state of New Jersey, provides at-risk youth an opportunity to earn a high school diploma. The academy is a partnership between the Simon Youth Foundation, the Freeholder Board and the Union County Vocational-Technical School District. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
