OLDB
ALL AROUND
VOL 1, NO 7
OB RIDGE OLD BRIDGE
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Pursuing Progress
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Mayor's office of Economic Development
A Publication for the community of Old Bridge
OLD BRIDGE/ OB BUSINESS ALLIANCE MAKING SAYREVILLE/ ECONOMIC IMPACT SOUTH AMBOY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INSTALLS OFFICERS Old Bridge, NJ-- The Chamber of Commerce of Old Bridge, Sayreville and South Amboy (OBSSA) announced its 2017-2018 newly installed officers and board of trustees at its annual dinner and installation meeting recently. Board members emanate from all three towns and represent local businesses and community agencies including banking and finance, education, health care and personal care and retail industries. “We’re pleased that we’ve been able to grow both general and board membership”, stated Chamber President Vincent Blasi. “I look forward to working with our new members on our signature events like the annual golf outing and business leaders’ dinner as well as new endeavors to help promote our towns’ business communities.” For more than 30 years the OBSSA chamber has served the three towns hosting business forums and networking events in area venues providing local businesses the opportunity to promote their services. The chamber has also provided scholarships to local high school students and supportContinued on page 17
By: Michael Grandi March was a busy month for the Old Bridge Business Alliance. Having held two very successful meetings. Things started off with an invitation only round table discussion including business, civic and government leaders in attendance. The concept of the OB Business Alliance roundtable is to inspire those leaders in our community to become active with their businesses to create a diverse economic landscape within the township. The meeting was hosted by Sammy Denari, local restaurant owner of Café Luna on Route 9, “It was my pleasure to host the first Old Bridge Business Alliance round table at Café Luna, having been a part of the group, I have seen firsthand how important it can be to have this kind of dialogue. It provides great confidence
to continue to invest in the town”. Mr. Denari is a perfect example, he recently was granted approvals to expand his restaurant to an adjoining space, that will accommodate a larger bar area, lounge, private dining rooms, bathrooms and most importantly, jobs. Many leaders within the community spoke, one being Michael D’Agnes, President of Raritan Bay Medical Centers in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge. Raritan Bay recently joined the Meridian hospital family and subsequently the Hackensack Health system to form Hackensack Meridian Health. The combined organization operates 13 hospitals and more than 200 ambulatory care centers, fitness and wellness centers, home health services, rehab Continued on page 19
OB HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS DISABILITY FAIR
By: Jared Aisenberg, Editor-in-Chief Project Unify Club hosted its fifth annual Disabilities Awareness Fair in the Old Bridge High School Main Campus library in order to create an understanding of the difficulties presented with a range of disabilities. The fair also served to change the mindset of students’ understandings of individuals with disabilities, who previously had little knowledge of how people with disabilities function every day. “Club members explained and simulated certain disabilities, and helped get the word out to younger people about the different types of disabilities,” said Karen Lewicki, Project Unify adviser. Students participated in activ-
ities at stations mimicking blindness and other vision problems, deafness, muscular dysfunctions, and communication inabilities. One station had a mirror set up where students attempted to draw a line through a maze by only looking through the mirror, imitating a vision disability. “It’s very challenging, but a fun and simple way to teach people about the severity of certain vision disabilities,” said Heather Braunstein, senior. Next to that station, students put on pairs of glasses that were covered in saran wrap or tinfoil, and attempted to catch a flying object thrown by a club member. This activity helped to represent being
partially or completely blind by adding a challenging and entertaining outlook to the seriousness of the vision disability. Club member Sarah Rescinti favored this challenge, and said explaining the task was half of the fun. “I personally love the challenge with the glasses,” said Rescinti. “Understanding the purpose of the challenge can be a challenge itself, so creating a fun exercise that everyone can understand definitely helps bring some sense to the situation.” One station had students put on headphones that simulated white noise and the teens tried to repeat what they heard spoken by club members Continued on page 26
OB TWP SHADE TREE SCHOLARSHIP see page 13 APRIL 2017
@a GLANCE INSIDE
SHADE TREE COMMISSION SCHOLARSHIP SEE PAGE 13 EASTER EGGSTRVAGANZA SEE PAGE 17 ST.AMBROSE CARNIVAL SEE PAGE 18 WANTED! JOB OPENINGS SEE PAGE 21 TURN YOUR HOBBIE INTO A BUSINESS SEE PAGE 23
MORE!
Mayors Message pg3 Think Old Bridge pg4 Old Bridge Library pg6 Senior Scene pg10 Living Stones pg12 In Memoriam pg14 School Knights pg26 Coupons pg27