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Woodbridge Public Library Announces Online Library Card Registration Portal
Get a Woodbridge Library Card Instantly
WOODBRIDGE – Woodbridge Public Library has enabled online library card registration to improve resident access to library services. Residents fill out a simple form on the WPL website or from the app, “WPL on the Go,” and immediately receive a temporary digital library card in their email. The digital card can be used to access a wide range of digital content from books, audiobooks, magazines, online classes, video based tutors and more.
Library Director, Monica Eppinger, explained, “We are doing what we can to make it convenient for residents to get a library card so they can use all of our terrific resources.”
The temporary card will be valid for nintey days so any digital items that were checked out will continue to be available. Once library staff process the online application a permanent card will be mailed to the resident’s address with a welcome packet. Residents can use their permanent card at three Woodbridge Township locations, the Main Library, 1 George Frederick Plaza, Woodbridge, the Iselin Branch, 1081 Green Street, Iselin and the Fords Branch, 211 Ford Avenue, Fords, and 50 area libraries in the MURAL system in Middlesex and Union Counties.
Contact the Main Library, 732-634-4450, x5, for more information or visit the Woodbridge Public Library website, woodbridgelibrary.org to “Ask-A-Librarian” by e-mail or chat.
VOTE BY MAIL REMOVAL REQUEST FORM
By John M. Mitch, Municipal Clerk
Some voters have come to learn that they are on a list to receive a Mail in Ballot for all future elections. If a voter no longer wants to receive his / her ballot this way and prefers to either vote in person or, only obtain a Mail in Ballot on an as needed basis, a form (Vote By Mail Removal Request Form) will need to be completed. To obtain this form, a registered voter can call the Municipal Clerk’s Office at 732 602-6007 and ask that a staff member either mail it or email it to them. Once the form is completed, it will need to be mailed or emailed to the County Clerk’s Office which details are available on the form.
DVRT – DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESPONSE TEAM LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS
Woodbridge Township Domestic Violence Response Team is in need of volunteers to assist and advocate for victims of DV (domestic violence). Due to the additional stresses associated with the COVID pandemic, the incidence of DV has increased over the past 2 years. The team is comprised of ordinary citizens such as yourself, people who are interested in volunteering within the community for the betterment of the township as an advocate against DV.
The advocate’s role is to support victims with DV information and resources for themselves and for their families as well, especially when there are children involved. With limited exceptions information shared by the individuals is confidential between the advocate and the individual.
A new advocate upon successful completion of a 40-hour course and after shadowing a trained advocate, is assigned multiple 12-hour shifts each month to be on call and respond to the Woodbridge Police Department when someone requires assistance as a victim or is seeking information about domestic violence.
In addition, during the year there are community events such as parades, street fairs and music events, at which the advocates play an active role in providing information and supporting advocacy against domestic violence.
Considering the statistics of, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men in their lifetime will be a victim of domestic violence, virtually everyone knows of someone that is or has been a victim/survivor of domestic violence. Family members especially parents of preteens and teenagers, should be aware of the signs of and the incidence of DV in teenage years and young adulthood.
Information about Domestic Violence, resources and how you can help a friend or family member is readily available at the DVRT website. Feel free to reach out to us to volunteer or for further information at: www.woodbridgedvrt.org we can also be reached by email at dvteam@woodbridgedvrt.org or by phone at 732 636-4500 ext.2802.
We are also family friendly on Instagram and Facebook.
HAVE A HEART FOOD DRIVE COLLECTS OVER 40K AND OVER 27,000LBS OF FOOD
By Mayor John McCormac One of the
...READ MOREMiddlesex College Earns 2022-2023 Military Friendly Designation
Middlesex College has earned the Military Friendly® School designation for 2022-2023.
The list was developed by Viqtory Media, which annually highlights colleges, universities and employers that are military friendly. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey with 665 earning the designation.
The 2022-2023 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of its ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
Joel Adams, coordinator for Military and Veterans Services at the College, said he was proud of the designation, which the College has earned numerous times, and he was grateful for the generous support of the Willard T.C. Johnson Foundation, which has funded the Center since its inception in 2012.
“The Foundation has allowed us to make a huge difference in the lives of these men and women,” he said. “I’m so proud of them and their success.”
Adams highlighted several center initiatives.
“First is the formal training we give to faculty and staff that allows them to understand what our military-affiliated students have been through,” he said. “We also offer academic advising and tutoring. All this helps our students succeed, and it also alleviates stress as they map out their future.”
Another plus is the Veterans and Servicemembers Association, a student organization that develops extracurricular activities for veterans and promotes community service opportunities. In the past the group has visited veterans in local nursing homes and participated in Operation Shoebox, in which they packed food and hygiene items that were delivered to troops overseas.
Kayla Lopez, national director of military partnerships for the Military Friendly program, said schools that achieve this designation have much of which to be proud.
“Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” she said. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools that achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.”
WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP HOCKEY TEAM – GMC CHAMPS!
The Woodbridge Township Varsity Ice Hockey
...READ MOREDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay DISTRICT WINNER 2022
By Montserrat Batista School #11
Not many people in my life have been inspiring enough to be compared to Martin Luther King Jr. If I had to pick one person that lives their life exactly like how I’d want to be one day, I’d choose my mother Heiry Quezada. To me, being like Dr. King implies you are fair, brave, nice, and strong. Most importantly, my mom shows the same amount of respect to everybody no matter their color, race, or religion. My mom thinks everyone is the same. She also thinks that we will get nowhere in life if we don’t care for everyone the same way we do for family. I would never change the way my mom sees the world.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a loving person and never used violence, no matter the cause. When I was younger my mom used to tell me stories about how when she was at work people didn’t treat her very well because she is Spanish. My mom told me instead of getting nasty and being rude, she just decided to kill them with kindness. I recommend this because it made them so mad to see her friendly reaction. When my classmates try to make me super mad by calling me names like “Monster rat” instead of my real name, I laugh with them instead of getting mad. That’s how Dr. King, my mom, and I don’t use violence or unkind words. I would never hit anyone because I know I couldn’t live with myself knowing that I hurt someone and my mom’s feelings.
When I was 9 years old I got a chance to tutor people that speak Spanish and English. I wasn’t going to take it because I thought I would mess up. Nervous, I was going to say no to helping people. My mom watched me type my response that I was not going to accept this offer. She gave me a long talk about how the only thing she wants most is for me to be a helper and be a kid again. That made me laugh but I went and said yes to the offer. Now, I’ve made so many friends from all around the world. My mom inspired me to be a helper just like how Martin Luther King helped Rosa Parks when she was thrown in jail.
Martin Luther King Jr. accepted people from all different kinds of backgrounds. My mom and I do this as well. I know so many people from India, Cuba, Turkey, Japan, China, Nigeria, Morocco and countless other places! This is all because of my mother. She is the most accepting person in my family. It’s because of her I have so many friends that I can talk to. I would never want to live my life thinking that I can only talk to people that are my race. My mom has a saying: “If we don’t see people the way we see our close friends or our family, it’s like you’re not evolving.” Who doesn’t want to evolve to be a better you?
Sometimes, I think that people won’t be like my mom because of their family situation or their backgrounds. None of that means you have to treat people differently. There’s so many other examples that say that my mom’s not racist, nonviolent, and a helper. I would say that in every situation, my mom is still like Dr. King. All that matters to me is that my mom continues to be the amazing, loving, and inspiring woman that she is. I am so grateful to have her as my mom and my role model.
POISED PATRIOTS SEEK ANOTHER POSTSEASON RUN
By Tommy Mitch, Staff Writer Colonia basketball
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