Spectra pipe line to close Fifth Street
Moving ahead with work in Bayonne, the Spectra Energy natural gas pipe line will be doing work on Fifth Street connector between Route 440 and Ingham Avenue, closing that section for up to six weeks between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Traffic will be detoured onto Avenue A.
Although opposed elsewhere in Hudson County, the City of Bayonne won important concessions from the company, including lucrative tax payments as well as changes of route.
City officials said the U-turn at Route 440 and Fifth Street will remain open during construction.
Red Kettle volunteers needed
If you ever wanted to wear a uniform, stand on the sidewalk ringing a bell and really get into the holiday spirit, Salvation Army wants you.
The Salvation Army’s iconic red kettles will soon begin appearing at retailers, malls and grocery stores. Volunteer kettle workers are needed to fill four-hour shifts throughout New Jersey. Individuals, service organizations, churches, school and corporate groups are all welcome to participate and ring bells this holiday season. Volunteers are encouraged to have fun during their shifts and bring the warm spirit of Christmas to donors. Last year, two bell ringers in New York City made national news with their entertaining dance routines.
Donations collected from red kettles are used for food, warm clothing and gifts for families in need at Christmas. Kettle donations are also a major part of The Salvation Army’s operating budget for programs and services throughout the year. Youth and senior programs, prescription assistance, emergency disaster services, shelters, food pantries and after-school programs are just some examples of how red kettle donations impact communities.
Last year, The Salvation Army served over 29 million individuals, provided 57 million meals for the hungry, and sheltered nine million people nationwide through the Red Kettle campaign. In the words of a seasoned kettle volunteer, “To me, the bell symbolizes the joy and cheer of being able to help people not only at Christmas but throughout the year.”
Another way to help others this season is to visit www.onlineredkettle.org to create your own Online Red Kettle. Friends and family members can visit your customized kettle page to donate and contribute to your fundraising goal.
Join the ranks of over 900 volunteers helping those less fortunate New Jersey. To volunteer to help with red kettles, angel trees, food drives and other holiday programs, call Judith Anderson of the Salvation Army’s Volunteer Coordinator at NJ Divisional Headquarters at (908) 851-8236 or reach her via email: judith.anderson@use.salvationarmy.org. Visit www.salvationarmynj.org/volunteer to sign up and view an updated list of opportunities.
Prescription drugs abuse awareness campaign
Former Hudson County Sheriff Juan M. Perez will lead a national event to raise awareness of prescription drug abuse in Hudson County.
On Nov. 10, the American Medicine Chest Challenge (AMCC), a public health initiative to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, will be held in communities throughout New Jersey, including Hudson County.
The New Jersey event is being coordinated by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ), Sheriffs’ Association of New Jersey (SANJ), and Drug Enforcement Administration of New Jersey.
This initiative will challenge Hudson County residents to take the “Five-Step American Medicine Chest Challenge,” which includes taking inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medicines; securing medicine chests; disposing of unused, unwanted or expired medicines in the home at an American Medicine Chest Challenge disposal site; taking medicine exactly as prescribed; and talking to children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has labeled prescription drug abuse an epidemic, reporting that the death toll from overdoses of prescription painkillers has more than tripled in the past decade and more than 40 people die every day from overdoses involving narcotic pain relievers. According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, 70 percent of people who abuse prescription pain relievers obtained them from friends or relatives, and, there has been a 400 percent increase in substance abuse treatment admissions for people abusing prescription drugs.
The AMCC website, www.americanmedicinechest.com, is a comprehensive repository of information on the Nov. 10 event as well as prescription drug abuse.
Gov. Christie announces “Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week”
Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has officially declared Oct. 21 to the 27 “Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week” to help get the word out that breast cancer isn’t only a woman’s disease—men get breast cancer, too. Male breast cancer is rare, accounting for less than 1 percent of all breast cancers. But because men with the disease are often undiagnosed and their cancer isn’t detected until a much later stage, 27 percent of men die of the disease compared with 19 percent of women. An estimated 1,900 men in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer, and an estimated 400 men die of the disease each year.
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure campaign was instrumental in bringing breast cancer “out of the darkness” and illuminating the path to breast health and breast cancer awareness for millions of women. This past year, two courageous women—one of whom lost her husband to breast cancer when he was just 43—took up the crusade to do the same for men. Alexis Ritter Gubbay of Maplewood and Cheri Ambrose of East Hanover, the creators of The Blue Wave, have partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure North Jersey Chapter on a male breast cancer awareness campaign that is working to get the message out to New Jersey men to “inspect their pecs.”
The North Jersey Affiliate is the first Komen affiliate in the country to launch an awareness education program devoted to male breast cancer; the two organizations debuted their collaboration at the Komen North Jersey 2012 Race for the Cure in West Orange last May.
“Men need to know that breast cancer is not just a woman’s disease, that they are also at risk for breast cancer,” says Jennifer Griola, executive director of Komen North Jersey. “It is important to get the message out to everyone in New Jersey that early detection saves lives, but reaching men is especially critical because men often tend to ignore the early signs of breast cancer.”
In setting aside a week during October National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, New Jersey’s governor joins those in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts in recognizing the importance of bringing information about male breast cancer to the forefront. Alexis and Cheri have sworn to continue their state-by-state mission until all 50 states are on board.