Community Building

More than 200 bicyclists and walkers signed up for the 15th annual RCDCU Bike-a-Thon for Prostate Cancer Awareness, held September 21. The event started and ended at the township Senior/Community Center Cyclists chose from routes of 10, 30 and 50 miles, while walkers had a 3-mile walk along DeMott Lane and New Brunswick Road. Final numbers on the amount raised …

EXPLAINING THE PLAN – Sohum Gupta, a local Boy Scout, explains his Eagle Scout project to the Open Space Advisory Committee. A township Boy Scout recently received support from the Open Space Advisory Committee for his Eagle Scout project. The committee on September 17 unanimously voted to provide $928 to the Scout, Sohum Gupta,to subsidize the costs of the project, …

RIDING FOR CHARITY – The annual RCDCU fundraising ride for prostate cancer awareness is set to kick off on September 21 at the Township Community/Senior Center. (File photo.) The annual RCDCU Bike-A-Thon to fight prostate cancer is set for 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. September 21. The bike-a-thon’s start and finish is at the Franklin Township Community/Senior Center, 505 DeMott …

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – The Somerset County Office on Aging is looking for centenarians to celebrate. Submitted by the Somerset County Office on Aging. The Somerset County Office on Aging and Disabilities Services is seeking nominations for residents who are 100 years and older in recognition of National Centenarian’s Day. Centenarians will be honored at a special luncheon on September 23 …

A clinic designed to help people with expunging criminal convictions from their record is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. October 1 at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, 771 Somerset Street. The clinic, entitled “Clean Slate,” is sponsored by the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender, FBCLG, state Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-17) and Somerset County. During the …

READY, SET, SCHOOL! – Students in Grades 6-12 were given a back-to-school celebration September 7 at the Franklin Youth Center. Members of the Franklin Township Youth Center were treated to a special event on September 7: A Back-To-School festival. The students, in grades 6 through 12, were offered activities such as laser tag in the gym and computer games, and …

GETTING SET FOR SCHOOL – Nearly 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed August 18 at the Community Day Festival at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens. More than 1,200 people showed up to the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens on Route 27 Agust 18 for what has become an end-of-summer tradition. The Zakee Bowser Enrichment Foundation and …

HUSAIN DAY MESSAGE – Amir Ahmed Atozai, representative of the Pakistani Consulate, delivers his message during the Husain Day commemoration at Masjid-e-Ali mosque. Muslims from around the region gathered at Masjid-e-Ali on Cedar Grove lane August 10 for their annual commemoration of Husain Day. The day memorializes Imam Husain, the grandson of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, who was killed along …

More than 30 ICNA Relief USA volunteers have packed 1,200 backpacks full of school supplies. The backpacks were filled during the organization’s 2024 Back2School Mega event with pencils, notebooks, and folders at the organization’s Somerset office. The backpacks will be distributed to underserved school children at various locations across New Jersey, including Somerset, Edison, Atlantic City, Jersey City, Elizabeth, and …

VOLUNTEERS AT WORK – Volunteers at the Food Bank’s warehouse on Churchill Avenue. (Photo: Franklin Food Bank.) The Franklin Food Bank recently received a $15,000 grant from Bank of America. The grant will help the Franklin Food Bank further its mission of serving neighbors in need, while improving economic mobility in greater Somerset County. Between 2022 and 2023, the Franklin …