Welcome to Lawrence Together, your community podcast for Lawrence Township, New Jersey. Today’s episode covers news and updates from Latest in Lawrence, dated October eighth, twenty twenty six, News from the Nest, dated October twelfth, twenty twenty six, and Lawrence Quick News, dated October fifteenth, twenty twenty six. Let’s get started.
We begin with Latest in Lawrence, the Township’s weekly newsletter. First, an important address change. The Township of Lawrence is discontinuing the use of P.O. Box six oh oh six as a mailing address. All correspondence, including payments, should now be mailed to the Township of Lawrence, two two oh seven Lawrence Road, Lawrence Township, New Jersey, zero eight six four eight. If you have scheduled payments, please update them to reflect this change.
Township Council has also created a new Arts Commission, which will advise Council on matters related to arts and culture. If you’re interested in serving, you’re asked to complete an application.
A reminder from the Tax Collector. Second half sewer amounts for twenty twenty six are payable on the Township website. Payment is due to the Tax Collector’s office by close of business on Monday, October twenty sixth, to avoid a penalty. You can reach the Tax Collector at six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh four one.
The Health Department will hold a free drive-through rabies vaccination clinic for dogs and cats over seven months old. It takes place Saturday, October twenty fourth, from noon to three in the afternoon, at the Lawrence Township Municipal Building, two two oh seven Lawrence Road. Pre-registration is required, no walk-ins will be accepted, and each pet must be registered separately. Registration closes Monday, October nineteenth, at four thirty in the afternoon. The Health Department also has free at-home test kits for coronavirus disease nineteen, provided by Mercer County, available at the Municipal Building’s north entrance while supplies last. And its nursing services, including vaccinations, blood pressure monitoring, and community resource assistance, are available to homebound residents in the Township’s rural area. Call six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh nine four.
Now for some fun. The Lawrence Township Police Department, Recreation, and Lawrence Township Public Schools invite you to Trunk or Treat on Thursday, October twenty second, from six to eight in the evening in the Lawrence High School parking lot. Come dressed in your Halloween best and enjoy food, music, and lots of fun. If you’d like to set up a trunk, reach out to Patrolman Campbell to register, and bring lots of treats for our visitors.
The Recreation Department’s Halloween House Decorating Contest is open to Lawrence Township residents, with registration closing October fifteenth at noon. Judging runs October sixteenth through twenty ninth, and winners will be announced October thirtieth. Youth basketball is also coming. There are clinics for first and second graders, plus girls and boys divisions for older grades and a high school league. Evaluations are November ninth and twelfth, Saturday games begin December fifth, and the high school league begins December twelfth. Volunteer coaches are needed.
The Senior Center is planning a trip to Christmas at the Playhouse at Hunterdon Hills Playhouse on Friday, December fourth, twenty twenty six. The cost for Lawrence Township seniors is seventy dollars, which includes transportation, a meal, and the show. Payment is due by November sixth. Arrive by nine fifteen in the morning at the Slackwood Fire House, twenty one Slack Avenue, Lawrenceville, and the bus leaves at nine thirty. Call the Senior Center at six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh four eight to register.
Arm In Arm’s Mobile Food Pantry visits the Lawrence Headquarters Branch library on Mondays from two to four in the afternoon, including October nineteenth and twenty sixth. For information, call six oh nine, eight eight two, nine two four six.
On Thursday, October fifteenth, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee meets at six thirty in the evening. Also that evening, the Lawrence Historical Society presents the twenty first annual Mary Tanner Lecture, Jersey Women During the Revolution, with historian Roger S. Williams. It begins at seven in the evening in the Lawrence High School Auditorium, and admission is free. On Friday, October sixteenth, the Lawrence Township Environmental Education Foundation offers a Sound Bath for Relaxation.
On Sunday, October twenty fifth, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail hosts its Trail and Treat Bike Ride for families with children ages twelve and under, from three to five in the afternoon at Village Park’s Yeger Pavilion. There’s face painting, Halloween games, and music, plus a half mile loop for riders six and under and a one mile ride for ages six to twelve. Costumes and bike decorating are encouraged, and walkers are welcome.
The Mercer County Board of Elections is looking for Election Board Workers for the General Election on November third. Workers must be registered Mercer County voters, or students ages sixteen to seventeen, and must complete an application and attend a training class. A full Election Day shift pays three hundred dollars, and bilingual workers are especially needed.
Finally, Lawrence Township residents can drop off old electronics on Wednesdays, from seven thirty to eleven forty five in the morning and twelve thirty to two thirty in the afternoon, at the Joseph H. Mayer Junior Ecological Center, thirty seven oh one Princeton Pike. Proof of residency is required.
Next, let’s turn to News from the Nest, the newsletter from Lawrence High School.
During the Week of Respect, the Hope Squad hosted a school-wide activity called Clip Someone with Kindness. Students wrote positive, uplifting messages on clothespins and clipped them onto classmates’ backpacks to spread positivity and strengthen connections.
The Class of twenty twenty seven and Project Graduation thank everyone who supported their Cardinal Thrift Shop fundraiser. The community’s generosity raised over two thousand five hundred dollars. Over thirteen hundred pounds of clothing went to the Lawrence Middle School and Lawrence High School Parent Teacher Organization, winter jackets and blankets went to HomeFront, books went to Book Smiles dot org, towels went to Easel Animal Shelter, and additional items went to Goodwill. A special thank you goes to the brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity for their donations and help with setup.
Now, some things to look forward to. On Friday, October sixteenth, Tri M invites you to a Halloween Coffee House at six in the evening in the cafeteria. Admission is five dollars, all are welcome, and there will be a costume contest. That same day, The Dog Spot will donate fifteen percent of your purchase to the Parent Teacher Organization if you visit between eleven in the morning and seven in the evening and mention the fundraiser.
On Tuesday, October twentieth, it’s Preliminary S A T Day. Sophomores and juniors will take the test, while freshmen and seniors take part in activities during the morning. The school will follow a modified schedule, and student dismissal is at two twenty five. That evening at seven, families are invited to a virtual financial aid webinar sponsored by Princeton Day School and The Hun School, presented by the Director of Financial Aid at Dickinson College. It covers the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the College Scholarship Service Profile. Families must pre-register to receive the link.
On Wednesday, October twenty first, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Society hosts a pumpkin carving and costume contest after school in room one oh five. The best costume represents a scientific figure or concept.
Saturday, October twenty fourth is a busy day. Student Council’s Laps for a Cause takes place at the track from eleven in the morning to two in the afternoon, with all proceeds supporting breast cancer research. At six in the evening, the International Alliance hosts its annual Garba Night in the Lawrence High School gymnasium, with dancing, fun, and snacks. Entry is ten dollars, and free for children under ten.
On Sunday, October twenty fifth, HomeFront hosts its annual Halloween five kilometer run, one mile walk, and Preschooler Pumpkin Dash at five oh two Carnegie Center in Princeton, supporting local kids affected by poverty, housing instability, and homelessness. Registration is forty dollars for the run, twenty five dollars for the walk, and ten dollars for the dash, and prices go up after October seventeenth.
A few more dates. Picture re-takes for the yearbook are Tuesday, October twenty seventh, in the auditorium. The powderpuff football game is Wednesday, November fourth, at six in the evening on the stadium turf field. There’s no school Thursday, November fifth, and Friday, November sixth, for the New Jersey Education Association Convention. And the fall craft fair, supporting the Parent Teacher Organization, is Saturday, November twenty first, from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon in the cafeteria.
Fall teacher conferences are by request only and take place November twenty third and twenty fourth. Scheduling is done in the Genesis Parent Portal, which opens Tuesday, October twenty seventh, at about ten in the morning and closes Tuesday, November tenth, at three in the afternoon.
The Lawrence High School Theater Company presents The Great Gatsby on November twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth at seven in the evening in the auditorium. Tickets are ten dollars at the door.
Some ways to give. The Sunshine Club is collecting unopened, individually wrapped Halloween candy for troops serving overseas, and Students Helping Honduras is collecting candy for its Trunk-or-Treat event. Both can be dropped off in the Main Office, and the troop collection runs through November sixth. The Athletic Booster Club’s online fall spiritwear store is open until October thirtieth. Orders for Terhune Orchards baked goods, supporting the student publications Tangents and Lawrencian, are cash only and due to Mr. Foster in room one thirty two by Friday, October thirtieth. On Friday, October twenty third, the Advocates for Innocence Club hosts a cookie-decorating fundraiser from five to seven in the evening, at six dollars for one cookie or ten dollars for two, and the National History Day Club sells chocolate chip cookies for one dollar.
In alumni news, Siara Mason, from the Class of twenty twenty four, graduated from Full Sail University with a Bachelor of Science in Film. She received two Course Director awards and one Advanced Achiever award, and was named Valedictorian of her degree program. The school also welcomed back the Class of nineteen seventy six for their fiftieth reunion and the Class of nineteen eighty six for their fortieth.
Finally, we turn to Lawrence Quick News.
The Healthy Kids Running Series meets Sundays at Lawrence Middle School for running, fitness, and community. You can sign up for just one race or for multiple races.
Girls on the Run is back this fall, offering girls a welcoming environment led by trained volunteer coaches. The Lawrence team meets Mondays and Thursdays from four thirty to five forty five in the afternoon, with the season running September twenty fourth through November sixteenth. Registration is open at girls on the run N J dot org.
And on Friday, October twenty third, starting at six in the evening, Artworks Trenton hosts Brew a Potion Day, a free family chemistry event celebrating National Chemistry Week, with hands-on potion making and real chemistry fun.
That’s all for this edition of Lawrence Together. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an update from our community. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time.