Bridgewater Bulletin May 2025 by OCR Bridgewater

THE BRIDGEWATER BULLETIN

Mayhasarrived,bringingwithitlongerdays,warmerevenings,andafullcalendarof communityeventsthatshowcasethebestofBridgewater.

Iwanttobeginbycelebratingthesuccess of our “Can You Dig It?” Earth Day event, hosted by our outstanding Parks Division.Hundredsofresidentsjoinedus to enjoy nature, learn about sustainability, and connect with local organizations committed to keeping Bridgewater green and thriving. A big thank you to our Parks team, our incredible sponsors, and all who participated!

Looking ahead, May is packed with activitiesforourentirecommunity.

We’rekickingoffthemonthwithBridgewater’sfirst-everTown-WideYardSaleon Saturday,May3,followedbythealwayspopularJCCSpringCarnival,thenextday onMay4.SpringBulkyTrashDaysarescheduledtohelpyougetridofeverything youdon’tsellattheYardSale.Anddon’tsnoozeontheWellWaterTestingEventthisisagreatwaytomakesureyourwellwaterisbalanced.

April was also a month of important milestones for our Police Department We welcomed Officer Brandon Peralta and celebrated the promotions of Lieutenant DanielHennesseyandSergeantMichaelLeight congratulationstoallthreeonyour continuedcommitmenttopublicsafety.

There’s something for everyone this month Whether you ’ re cleaning out your garage, celebrating with neighbors,ortakingstepstoprotectyourwater,Ihope youenjoyallthatBridgewaterhastoofferthisMay.

Thankyouforbeignpartofit,

Township Calendar

The Bridgewater Police Department proudly celebrated the promotionoftwodedicatedofficersandwelcomedanewmemberto itsranksthispastmonth.Surroundedbyfamily,friends,andfellow officers,LieutenantDanielHennesseyandSergeantMichaelLeight wereofficiallyswornintotheirnewleadershiproles.Thedepartment alsowelcomedOfficerBrandonPeralta,whotooktheoathofoffice asthenewestadditiontoBridgewater’spoliceforce.

These men represent the very best of public service dedicated, professional, and committed to the safety and well-being of our residents.Wethankthemfortheircontinuedserviceandsacrifices andwishthemstrength,wisdom,andsafetyintheirduties.

Toallourofficers:mayyougohomesafelyeverynight.

InrecognitionofNationalChildAbusePreventionMonth,the BridgewaterWoman’sClubplantedavibrantpinwheelgardenat theMunicipalComplexthroughoutApril.Thedisplaywaspartof Prevent Child Abuse-NJ’s annual Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, which uses the pinwheel as a national symbol of childhoodhappinessandareminderthateverychilddeservesa safe,healthy,andnurturingenvironment.

Bycreatingthiseye-catchingdisplay,theBridgewaterWoman’s Clubhelpedraiseawarenessabouttheimportanceofpreventing child abuse and supporting families in our community. Their effortsreflectadeepcommitmenttomakingBridgewaterasafer andmorecompassionateplaceforallchildren.

Tolearnmoreabouttheclub’sinitiativesortogetinvolved,visit www.bridgewaterwomansclub.org or connect with them on FacebookatBridgewaterWoman’sClub.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month

RecentwildfiresacrossNewJersey likethe15,000-acreJonesRoadFireinOceanCounty havemadeitclear: wildfireriskisreal,evenhere.Withover660wildfiresreportedstatewidethisyear,BridgewaterTownshipurgesall residentstotakestepsnowtoprotecttheirhomesandfamilies.

�� ProtectYourHome

Wildfirescanspreadquickly,andairborneemberscanignitehomes evenmilesfromtheflames Here’showtoreduceyourrisk: Cleardryleaves,pineneedles,andflammabledebrisfromyourproperty

Movefirewoodandpropanetanksatleast30feetfrombuildings

Install1/8"(orsmaller)metalmeshscreensoverventstoblockembers.

��

BeReadytoEvacuate

You may only have minutes to act Make sure your household is prepared:

Packago-kitwithwater,medications,clothing,flashlights,andpet supplies.

Digitallystorekeydocumentsorkeeptheminafireproofsafe. Reviewyourhomeinsurancetoconfirmwildfirecoverage.

Createandpracticeanevacuationplanwithatleasttwoexitroutes.

�� StayInformed

StayuptodatebyfollowingtheNewJerseyForestFireServiceand BridgewaterTownshipalerts.Preparednesssaveslivesandproperty.

Preventing Stormwater Pollution

Didyouknowthatwhenitrains,waterrunningoffyourdriveway,lawn,orstreetcancarryharmful pollutantsdirectlyintoourcreeks,rivers,andoceans?Thisrunoff,knownasstormwater,doesn’tget treatedlikethewaterfromyoursinkortoilet itflowsstraightintoournaturalwaterways,picking upeverythingfrommotoroilandhouseholdchemicalstoyardclippingsandtrashalongtheway

ThistypeofpollutioncanhaveprofoundconsequencesItcanharmfishandwildlife,increaseunsafe bacterialevelsinourwaterways,anddegradetheoverallhealthofourlocalenvironmentButthe goodnewsisthatstormwaterpollutionispreventable andyoucanhelp!

Never dump waste like paint, motor oil, or chemicals into stormdrainsorontothestreet

Take your car to a commercial car wash where the water is properlytreated,ratherthanwashingitinyourdriveway

Sweep driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing them down, whichjustpushesdebrisintothestormwatersystem.

Dispose of household hazardous waste (paints, solvents, pesticides,etc.)throughadesignatedlocalprogram neverpour themintodrainsorgutters.

Keepyardclippings,leaves,anddebrisoutofthestreettoprevent cloggingstormdrains

Properly dispose of all litter, dog poop, doggie waste bags, and cigarettebutts Trashleftonthegroundcaneasilybesweptaway byrain

Fix car leaks promptly and use drip pans to catch fluids when workingonvehiclesathome.

Be water-wise: overwatering your lawn can carry fertilizers and otherchemicalsintothestormdrain.

Stormwaterpollutionmayseemlikeabigissue,butit’smadeupofmanysmallactionsthatwe eachhavethepowertocontrolByfollowingthesestepsandbeingmindfulofwhatgoesinto ourstormdrains,youarehelpingtoprotectlocalwaterways,wildlife,andpublichealthLet’s alldoourpart cleanwaterstartsathome!

OurBridgewaterUnitedSoccerClub(BUSC)willbeholdingtryouts for the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 Travel Soccer Seasons during the weekofMay5 .BridgewaterRecreationadministersBUSCalongwith ourtrainingpartners,DutchTotalSoccer(DTS).Thegoalofourclub is player development, we are proud that many of our players have moved on to academy teams such as NJ Premier. Players must be registered in advance at https://bridgewaterunited.leagueapps.com/ whereyouwillfindmoredetails.

Summerwillbeherebeforeyouknowit,sobesuretocheckoutallof our great opportunities for fun in the sun at https://brd.leagueapps.com/camps. Space is limited and on a first come,firstservedbasissodon’tdelay!