Record attendance at American Legion Post 105 annual picnic

opportunity to gather outdoors to celebrate this picnic and the American Legion … bless this meal, and our time together. Teach us to accept all of your gifts with a grateful heart.”

The day included sunny skies with temperatures in the 70’s. The Auxiliary had everyone playing some sort of hoop-jumping game, while cornhole was set up on the other side of the parking lot. A birthday was even celebrated … as a testament to the commitment to our veterans that the Post 105 Family has, 14-year old American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) member Abigail Myers asked to spend her birthday selling tickets, helping to raise money for those who served.

All of the attendees surprised her by singing “Happy Birthday” to her and giving her a cake and card, in which was a very sizeable gift that many beforehand donated to.

Members of the SAL also held a separate fundraiser to benefit Belleville-based Gail’s Angels, which helps breast cancer moms with special needs children. This was the third year it was held at the picnic. At the end of the day, the Sons raised an additional $2,000 for that charity, according to a press release from the Post.

All three organizations – veterans, Sons, and Auxiliary – are constantly seeking new members who want to work on behalf of our hometown heroes. Contact the Post, Squadron, or Unit on Facebook to inquire about membership.

NJ Transit celebrates 40th anniversary with scenic trip, historic locomotives

NJ Transit is planning a historic rail weekend that will include classic locomotives and a scenic trip to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

To kick off events on Sept. 30, NJ Transit and The United Railroad Historical Society of NJ are partnering to operate a special excursion train titled the “40th Anniversary Express.”

Riders can purchase a ticket to travel down memory lane on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Lines in a special train with historic and conventional equipment, recreate the “South Amboy engine change” and ride the Bay Head loop track in a unique railroad experience.

Tickets are on sale at URHS.org.

Then, on Oct. 1, all members of the public are invited to historic Hoboken Terminal for a special display of NJ Transit’s heritage decorated locomotives. This event is free.

“This special weekend is an amazing and fun way to honor NJ Transit’s rich history and gives the public an exclusive look at our railroad’s heritage,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.

“This historic rail weekend invites passengers, families, and enthusiasts to join NJ Transit in a unique experience that transcends time,” said NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett.

The special excursion train on Saturday, Sept. 30 will travel between New York, Bay Head and Hoboken, over sections of all three of NJ Transit’s major legacy commuter systems: the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Erie Lackawanna Railroad.

It will be hauled first by NJ Transit’s Pennsylvania Railroad heritage locomotive, wrapped in a historic livery to represent the many GG1 locomotives that hauled commuters in New Jersey from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Participants will get to witness a recreation of the famous “South Amboy engine change,” which is a ritual that occurred at South Amboy station for decades until 1988.

The second portion of the trip will be hauled by F40 diesels, the F40 being the first model locomotive purchased by NJ Transit as part of its major renewal in the agency’s early years.

Participants will also have a unique opportunity to travel around the Bay Head loop track and take a break for a catered lunch at the station. The trip will then resume the journey back through Newark Penn Station and then depart for historic Hoboken Terminal to end the day.

The following day, Sunday Oct. 1, NJ Transit will display all of its heritage decorated locomotives celebrating 40 years of NJT Rail Operations.