Category: Public Info

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RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital Activity Professionals Honored During National Activity Professionals’ Week

The Activity Professionals of RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital of Union County were recognized for their outstanding services as part of National Activity Professional’s Week, January 16th-21st by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital has 300 skilled nursing beds and 44 adult behavioral health beds. The Activity’s staff works hard to enhance the quality of life of the residents and patients through creative programs. These programs are designed to promote multiple purposes daily including socialization, physical activity, self-esteem as well as independence and intellectual functioning.

“Activities run by these professionals help individuals maintain a healthier, more active mental outlook,” noted Freeholder Mohamed S. Jalloh. “They oversee events and programs from picnics to the Annual Prom. As part of the observance of National Activity Professional’s Week, the Activities Therapy staff ran a very special event, Bingo Bonanza for residents, patients, employees and visitors. RUNNELLS in-house TV system enabled the event to be enjoyed facility-wide. The freeholders were proud to declare January 16th-21st National Activity Professionals’ Week in Union County, recognizing our exceptional staff.”

Anyone who would like more information about the programs and services offered at RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital should call 908-771-5901.

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In Photo: During National Activity Professionals’ Week, the RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital’s Activities Therapy staff posed in front of the board for their facility-wide “fun-raiser” Bingo Bonanza to receive a resolution from the Union County Freeholders. The resolution was presented by Acting Administrator, Joan I. Wheeler, MSN, RN, LNHA, (seated, right). Wheeler and Patricia Scott, AD, BA, CRS (Certified Recreation Supervisor), Director of Activities Therapy and Volunteer Services, Union (seated, left) displayed the resolution. Staff includes (standing L-R) Keri Burns-Woessner, BA, Recreation Therapist, New Providence; Daniela DeFronzo, BA, MT-BC (Music Therapist, Board-Certified), Springfield; Bridgette Jordan, Recreation Therapy Aide, Scotch Plains; Kara Nistorenko, Recreation Therapist, Watchung; Julie O’Connell, Principle Clerk/Typist, North Plainfield; Alice Jackson, Recreation Therapy Aide, Plainfield; Carla, MA, MT-BC, Music Therapist; Albert Hendricks, Recreation Therapy Aide, Plainfield and Zalak, BS, Recreation Therapist.

Not in photo: Jaimee Hawkins, MS, Assistant Director of Activities Therapy; Vincenzia Beaty, Senior Recreation Therapist, Cliffwood; Susan, MA, ATR, Recreation Therapist; Ana Gonzalez, Recreation Therapy Aide, Elizabeth; Jamie B. Granato, BA, Recreation Therapy Aide, Scotch Plains; Carol Michalowski, Recreation Therapy Aide; Gina Greeson, MT-BC, Music Therapist, Raritan and Salomi Massaras, M.Ed., MT-BC, Music Therapist, Rockaway.

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Public Info

Union County 4-H Variety Club Donates Pet Food

Union County, NJ – Members of the Union County 4-H Third Grade Variety Club collected pet food for homeless pets and presented their donations to the Best Friends Thrift Shop last week. The store, located at 1750 East Second Street in Scotch Plains, helps support the Best Friends pet rescue and adoption organization, www.bestfriend.petfinder.org. Pictured (front, l-r) are 4-H club members Pauline Tardif, Griffin Cederquist of Rahway, Nathan Lam of Westfield, Mikaeli Gomez of Plainfield, Talia Remba of Westfield, and club leader Martha Garcia of Union, with Best Friends volunteer Lorraine Jakubowski of Clark (rear). Union County 4-H is supported in part by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. To join a Union County 4-H club contact 4-H agent James Nichnadowicz by phone, 908-654-9854 or email jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.

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4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades k-13, on an age appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, or disability. For additional information about 4-H clubs in Union County, contact 908-654-9854, or jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.

For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

Public Info

Modified Exercise Program for the Physically Challenged Offered at Runnells Specialized Hospital

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Department of Parks and Community Renewal is pleased to announce the availability of an exercise program at Runnells Specialized Hospital in Berkeley Heights for people who have had strokes or those who have other physical limitations.

“These special classes, which are instructed by a recreation therapist, a music therapist, and recreation therapy aides, address general fitness needs,” said Freeholder Angel G. Estrada, liaison to the Union County Advisory Board on the Disabled. “This non-stressful exercise program focuses on strength and range of motion, body awareness, overall health and exercises that can be performed in a participant’s home.”

Classes are accessible to those in wheelchairs and the program contains activities that can be adapted to everyone. The schedule of classes is every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. from April 5 through November 10.

Pre-registration is required by April 1, along with a current doctor’s release. There is a one-time enrollment fee of $20 per person for the modified exercise program.

Runnells Specialized Hospital is located at 40 Watchung Way in Berkeley Heights, and it is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. For further information, please contact the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal, Programs for the Disabled, at (908) 527-4806 or email: mheisey@ucnj.org

Public Info

Union County Increases Accessibility to Document on County Clerk’s Property Website

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announced today a 30 percent increase in the number of property documents now accessible on the Clerk’s Property Website, bringing to 22 the total number of document types available.

“The addition of eight new document types is a major and substantial addition,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “It provides greater accessibility and information to our clients so they don’t have to leave the familiarity of their computer screens. All of the new document type additions are related to Construction Liens.”

These liens, Ms. Rajoppi explained, were legislated into creation in 1994 and are placed upon real property because a person’s labor, supplies or other goods were used to improve the property without full compensation of their services.

The Clerk’s Property Website at http://clerk.ucnj.org was initiated in 2001 and was the first in the state to pioneer on-line access. The site provides customers with the ability to search documents by name, date range, book/page or instrument number from 1977 to the present in different property categories. More than two million documents are indexed and available for viewing on the site with a total of more than eight million imaged pages.

Documents can now be downloaded free of charge. Customers also can use credit cards to gain certified copies of documents.

Last year, Ms. Rajoppi replaced the website’s server with a newer, more reliable and secure server. In order to protect against identity theft, personal identifiers are redacted before documents are placed on the site.

“My primary priorities,” Ms. Rajoppi added, “are the protection and integrity of residents’ property recordings and the security of their identities. We do everything possible to guard these concerns.”

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Public Info

Recycle Unwanted Electronic Equipment in New Providence, March 26

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The County of Union will sponsor a recycling event for electronic equipment on Saturday, March 26, so Union County residents can get rid of unwanted computers, televisions and other electronic equipment in an environmentally proper manner.

The special recycling event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alcatel-Lucent Technologies facility located at 600 Mountain Avenue in New Providence 07974.

All residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. There is a limit of six electronic items per car.

“Computer monitors and old televisions are the source of a considerable amount of lead – about five pounds per screen – and it is unlawful to dispose of them in with the regular garbage,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Board. “Up to 95 percent of most electronic appliances can be recycled. This is a responsible way to keep hazardous heavy metals out of our environment.”

Electronic equipment that will be accepted on March 26 includes computer monitors, hard drives, modems, keyboards, CPU’s, mice, printers, scanners, speakers, televisions, VCR’s, fax machines, telephones, and circuit boards.

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their unwanted electronic equipment. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles.

Pre-registration is not required for this special Saturday collection.

Refrigerators, washers and dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners will not be accepted.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on March 26 is available at the Union County Bureau of Environmental Conservation website: www.ucnj.org/recycle.

The electronics collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. There is a limit of six electronic items per vehicle. Proof of Union County residency is required.

In addition to the special March 26 recycling event sponsored by the County of Union, there are other local opportunities for residents to recycle electronic equipment. Visit https://ucnj.org/recycle for more computer and electronics recycling options.

Goodwill and Dell have teamed up to recycle computers. Goodwill in Union County is located at 126 Route 22 West, Springfield 07081, next to Macy’s Furniture. Call Goodwill at 973-912-0156 for more details or visit their web site: http://www.reconnectpartnership.com.

Best Buy stores now offer electronics recycling, including TVs, computer monitors, DVD players and other consumer electronics. Visit their website (http://www.bestbuy.com) for store locations, or call toll-free for information about electronics recycling: 1-888-237-8289.

Staples also offers a computer recycling program seven days a week. For more information, visit the Staples web site for store locations: http://www.staples.com.

An alternative drop-off program for recycling electronics equipment is available Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at Newtech Recycling, located at 600-A Apgar Drive, Somerset NJ 08873; (732) 469-9774.

For more information about recycling events, please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at (908) 654-9889.

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