Business

Unity Bank employees recently donated $1,300 to the Franklin Food Bank and also learned that they will receive a one-time bonus thanks to federal legislation. The township food bank was one of 17 food pantries in New Jersey and Easton, Pa. to receive the donation, according to a press release from the bank.

The grand opening of the WaWa convenience store and gas station on Somerset Street on Dec. 15 was part party, part fundraiser. The celebration included music, an “historical” parade and a sub sandwich-making contest, which is where the fundraising came in.

A two-week matching donation program run by a township jeweler resulted in a $1,500 contribution to the Franklin Food Bank. Peter Stavrianidis, owner of Venus Jewelers in the Rutgers Plaza on Easton Avenue, presented the check to Frank Hasner, the food bank’s executive director, at a short ceremony in the store on Dec. 12.

There’s still time to play Santa Claus for local families in need. Somerset Family Physical Therapy, 14M Worlds Fair Drive, is a drop-off point for the Marine Corps Reserves Toys For Tots program, and they’ll be taking donations through Dec. 11.

The fact that his business is one of the more established in the township doesn’t stop Damiano Orsillo from trying new things. That was evidenced in November, when Orsillo, owner of Piazza Orsillo Pizzeria and Restaurant on Cedar Grove Lane, introduced a new line of desserts to his menu.

Submitted by Flemington Car & Truck Country.

More than 40 pounds of candy will soon be on its way to United States’ troops serving overseas, thanks to the efforts of a township dentist. For the fifth consecutive year, Dr. Joseph Haddad of Advanced Dental Arts, 738 Easton Ave., conducted a Halloween candy buy-back. His offer was $2 for each pound of candy brought to his office on …

A township resident is the newest member of The Saint Peter’s Breast Center in New Brunswick. Dr. Rose Mustafa, a Franklin Park resident, joins Drs. Susan McManus, director of the Saint Peter’s Breast Center, and Lisa Hopkins.

The Fall festival at Snyder’s Farm, South Middlebush Road, runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends through Oct. 30. The Franklin Reporter & Advocate paid a visit on Oct. 7 with our live streaming camera in tow. Here’s what we saw:

Unity Bank is encouraging the public to “Pay It Forward” by sharing stories about their personal heroes with the incentive of $20,000 given to participants and their heroes in random drawings. “We wanted to give people a chance to honor their personal heroes and tell their story,”  Unity Bank president and CEO James A. Hughes said in a press release …