Community Building

COLLECTING FOR THE TROOPS – Alexa D’Souza, Allison D’Souza, Samara Raposo, and Maya Bhakta pose with the cards they made for inclusion in the Treats For Troops candy package. Deployed U.S. troops will receive some special treats soon, thanks to the efforts of some Franklin Township children. The children participated in the monthly “All Together Now: A Community of Kindness” …

HABITAT HELPERS – Left to right, SCVTHS Supervisor of CTE Robert Carrig, Alexander Arguello of Hillsborough, SCVTHS Carpentry Instructor Dan LaRue, Logan Russomanno of Bound Brook, Nick DeSan of Bound Brook, SCVTHS Cooperative Education Coordinator Gerald Mazzetta, Addison Ziegler of Branchburg and Christian Herzog Amantea of Somerset pitched in recently to help restore a flood-damaged Manville home. (Photo: SCVT.) A township resident was …

IN YOUR FACE – It was all fun and games and whipped creme October 31 at the annual Franklin High School Safe Halloween event. There were ghouls, goblins and games galore October 31 at the annual Safe Halloween event at Franklin High School. The event, sponsored by the Franklin High School Student Government, is designed to give kids a “safe …

SCHOOL DONATIONS – Makeda Fryson and Kwame Breedy of the Tripe B Foundation, and Claremont Elementary School vice-principal Angela Pape (left to right) talk about the supply donation made by the Foundation to the school. A township-based foundation made the wishes of a number of Claremont Elementary School teachers come true October 28 with the donation of $7,100 worth of …

RECOUNTING FAMILY HORRORS – Board of Education member Sami Shaban speaks to the crowd about the many members of his family who were killed in Gaza since the 1940s. Colonial Park’s Knob Hill Pavilion was the scene October 27 of a gathering showcasing Palestinian culture. Called “Connect with Palestine,” organizers designed the event to highlight the art, culture and heritage …

AFFORDABLE HOUSING NUMBERS EXPLAINED – Township attorney Lou Rainone discusses the state Department of Community Affairs report giving guidance on towns’ affordable housing obligations for the next decade. Township planning officials are studying a state Department of Community Affairs report, released last week, designed to provide guidance on state towns’ affordable housing obligation over the next decade. The report, described …

Singers and dancers ruled the night October 18 at the inaugural Franklin’s Got Talent: Youth Edition variety show held at Franklin Middle School’s Sampson G. Smith campus. The stars of the show were Franklin students from all schools in the township: the traditional township schools, plus Central Jersey College Prep Charter School, Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School and Cedar Hill …

Balmy weather on October 13 served as a backdrop for a number of events in the township. Franklin High School Project Graduation held the first of what will be three clothing drives. The organization get paid by the pound for the clothes, which are sent to needy people overseas. We stopped in at the event, held at Franklin Middle School …

The 100th anniversary celebration for the Kingston Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 continued on October 5 with a short program and a barbecue. The celebrations began with a dinner on February 29, the actual day in 1924 on which the fire company was started. There was also a parade in July, said George Luck Jr., chairman of the 100th Anniversary …

More than 1,000 high school students ventured out to the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens on Somerset Street October 5 to meet with representatives of colleges and trades in the church’s second annual College Fair. The goal of the event, said the Rev. Danté Quick, the church’s pastor, is to “expose young people to future opportunities around higher education …