Woodbridge Fire Department Fire District #1 Junior Fire Academy
The Woodbridge Fire Department is proud
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Middlesex College Celebrates Community College Month With a Return to In-Person Events
Community colleges across the country will host
...READ MOREWoodbridge 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.
Dr. 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.
UPDATE THE HENRY INMAN LIBRARY
Hurricane Ida slammed into New Jersey, and Woodbridge, on September 1, 2021, leaving a trail of destruction and flood damage in the hard-hit Colonia section of the Township. In particular, the Henry Inman Branch Library, located at 607 Inman Avenue, suffered severe flood damage from the rising waters of the Pumpkin Patch Brook.
In the aftermath of the storm, the Township surveyed the damage and reported that the library incurred significant damage to all of the building floors, including water damage to at least four-feet of wallboard around the entire building, most of the furnishings and shelves, along with more than 3,000 books, were heavily damaged and lost.
The Inman Branch was closed to the public and the Branch Librarians and staff members were relocated to the Evergreen
Senior Center located at 400 Inman Avenue on October 8 offering limited services.
The Township Administration, along with the Library Board of Trustees, is committed to re-opening the Henry Inman Branch Library and has retained an independent architect – The Vaughn Collaborative – to survey the damage and provide an estimate to repair and replace the library building and interior furnishings. The review is underway and it is anticipated that work will begin as early as this Spring.
“We are grateful to the Township Department of Public Works for their quick response, the Evergreen Senior Center for allowing us a location to maintain some library services to Colonia and to all of the library patrons who have called to offer their time to help with the recovery efforts,” said Library Board President Isha Vyas.
The Library Board of Trustees invites Colonia residents and all regular Henry Inman library visitors to use other WPL branches during this time. The Main Library is located at 1 George Frederick Plaza in Woodbridge, the Iselin Branch, 1081 Green Street in Iselin, and the Fords Branch Library, 211 Ford Avenue. Woodbridge Township Library cards are valid in more than 50 area libraries in the MURAL system in Middlesex and Union County, as well.
Contact the Main Library, 732-634-4450 ext. 5, for more information or visit the Woodbridge Public Library website, woodbridgelibrary.org to “Ask-A-Librarian” by e-mail or chat.
November Salute to Veterans & Offering a National Thanksgiving
By Mayor John E. McCormac November is
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