Giving Back
By MATT KADOSH
September 20, 2018
WESTFIELD, NJ – Bell-bottoms, skinny jeans, baby jeans and everything in between comprise the denim collected by local high school students with the help of an elementary school PTO in Bergen County. The Westfield High School Green Team, Kids on Block clubs and Park Ridge’s Westridge School PTO ...
WESTFIELD, NJ – Glistening with sweat, Scotch Plains resident Sharon Artz finished the area YMCA’s 5K run satisfied on Sunday morning, but not because of her placement in the contest. Artz finished 308, but the knowledge that her efforts will benefit the Westfield Area YMCA’s programming for ...
WESTFIELD, NJ – It's not every day that young athletes and young adults and teens with special needs get the opportunity to sport designers such as Gucci and Armani, but that's just what they'll do Saturday night. Members of the Westfield Area YMCA Flyers youth track team and participants in the ...
MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Who doesn’t like a free lunch? The offer to participate in the “BBQ for Badges” at Arbor Terrace Mountainside went out to first responders throughout the area a few weeks ago and, as expected, police officers, firefighters and EMTs dropped in from 11 a.m.to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Mayor Shelley Brindle read a proclamation recognizing the Westfield United Fund’s 80th anniversary and expressing gratefulness to the to the organization at last week’s town council meeting. Brindle called the Westfield United Fund “one of our most treasured charitable ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Shovlin Mattress Factory, a Westfeld family-owned business located in Fanwood, is buying coffee for everyone who visits Manhattan Bagel in Westfield Saturday, Sept. 8. “The community has been supporting us forever, so we wanted to give back to them,” said Ron Shovlin, who owns ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — In just its third year, the Westfield YMCA’s Run for Everyone 5K has become a staple on the area September running calendar, while continuing to grow the organization’s dedication to assisting young adults with special needs. This year’s race will kick off on Sunday, Sept. 16, at ...
WESTFIELD, NJ – Westfield resident Cara Condodina recently spearheaded a book drive at the Westfield Area YMCA to support the African Library Project, then traveled to Kenya to personally bring books to students there. An organization that aims to make an impact on the lives of African children, ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Police Benevolent Association is organizing its second annual car show, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22. at the south side of the Westfield train station parking lot* from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Last year we had a lot of cars, we had a big turn out,” said Westfeld ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Outta Hand Pizza in Downtown Westfield is offering to feed veterans for free, and they’ve set up a way for others to help. The restaurant is teaming up with the Martin Wallberg American Legion Post 3 to hold a get-together for veterans, according to Burim Regjaj, one of the ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Conservation efforts of the historical burial ground across from the Presbyterian Church of Westfield on Mountain Avenue are in the final stages. Multi-phased fundraising efforts by the church made it possible to perform maintenance on one of Westfield’s most historically ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Green Team, the Westfield High School Green Team and the Tamaques Learning Team have teamed up this year to collect clean, undamaged used backpacks and lunch bags for kids in need, according to Councilman David Contract. There will be large collection boxes by the ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — A brief, drenching rain early in the evening didn’t wash out National Night Out in Westfield Tuesday night, though jazz night was scaled back at the last minute to just one band on Elm Street. As the sun came back out, so did the families, who mingled and took photos with police, ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — “On every ultrasound we had throughout the pregnancy, my son’s face was always hidden by his hands,” Francine Magrone wrote on her website, WalkinSunshineCharity.org. “The technicians would tease me and say he was camera shy.” Francine was 30 weeks pregnant when she noticed that ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Families will have the opportunity to mingle with police, firefighters, EMTs and public works employees the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 7, at Westfield’s third annual National Night Out, to be held in the north side parking lot of the train station from 6 p.m. until 9 ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield resident Tony Bianchino had planned to visit Orlando, Florida with his family. But after meeting pediatric therapist Megan Sheehy of the Mini Socialites Foundation based out of Warren, the family trip turned into a dream come true for Bianchino’s 16-year-old daughter, ...
ELIZABETH, NJ — The Healthcare Foundation of NJ honored Dr. John D'Angelo, DO, and chairman of emergency medicine at Trinitas Regional Medical Center at the annual Lester Z. Lieberman Humanism in Healthcare Awards event at the Crystal Plaza in Livingston on July 16. Dr. D'Angelo, a Westfield ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Alexis Devre of Clark and Olivia London of Scotch Plains have been named the Westfield Area YMCA’s “Youth of the Year,” a recognition given annually to two high-achieving youth who participate at the Y. “These two talented young women give so much of their time and talent to the ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The children’s area at Westfield Memorial Library has colorful new furniture courtesy of the Friends of Westfield Memorial Library and a new interactive play wall for toddlers thanks to a donation by David and Sheryl Machlowitz. (David Machlowitz is a former president of the ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — When Westfield resident Jen Andretta spotted what she thought might be a sick wolf or fox while driving down her street on Sunday, she immediately took to Facebook to see if anyone had seen the animal before and to see if anyone might be able to identify the creature. “Westfield ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Rotary Club of Westfield is collecting lunches to bring to people in need this summer, the club announced recently. Members of the community are invited to get involved by packing a lunch made from non-perishable items for the club to deliver to people in need. In ...
WESTFIELD, NJ - The Westfield Food Pantry Drive, which began Monday, July 16, will continue through Aug. 10. The drive is especially in need, during the summer months, of canned ravioli, Spaghettio's, beef stew, Spam and chili. Other needed food items include pasta, peanut butter, canned fruits ...
SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The annual Play for P.I.N.K. golf fundraiser and luncheon took place at Shackamaxon Country Club last week. More than 210 women – including Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr and Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle – along with Scotch Plains Mayor Al Smith and boxing legend Gerry ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Police Benevolent Association Local 90/90A Golf Outing is set for Monday, Aug. 27 at Echo Lake Country Club. The annual event is the organization’s largest and longest-running fundraiser, according to Paul M. Ferry, the organization’s president. “Everyone works ...
WESTFIELD, NJ – Residents of Westfield and neighboring communities continue to rally behind a local family coping with a loss. Matt Calder, a Westfield resident, passed away on July 2 leaving behind a loving wife, three boys and a community of people touched by his generosity and years of ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield mom and teacher Sara Liptack is continuing her family’s “Summer of Kindess” with an infant clothing for Furniture Assist, an organization in Springfield that helps formerly homeless people, veterans, the elderly, fire victims, refugees and people fleeing domestic ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Area YMCA is bringing back free Wellness Wednesdays this summer at its main facility, 220 Clark Street in Westfield. Members of the community are invited to enjoy the Y’s land and water group exercise classes, swim assessments, open gym and open swim times as well ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The main fountain in Mindowaskin Pond has a new feature — colorful changing lights. “This was part of last year's dredging process of the pond, at which time we were able to install a fountain with LED light capabilities,” said Westfield Public Information Officer Kim ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Liptack family’s Little Free Library at 710 East Broad St. is collecting supplies for the Purse Project to help homeless women in New York City. “Please feel free to fill your own purse or donate individual items from the list that we will then pack up,” homeowner Sara ...
NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ — Maggie Heteji Grabko, a mom of two who worked this year at Westfield’s Lincoln School as a special education preschool teacher, underwent a successful liver transplant on June 13, according to an update on the family’s GoFundMe page by her husband, Shawn Grabko. The ...