News in Brief: Restoration of Frazee House Continues, Assemblyman Announces Photo Contest and Campers Learn About Water Conservation

Volunteers Work to Restore Frazee House

Members of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Club continued their work on the Aunt Betty Frazee Project last Saturday, according to a press release distributed Monday. Joined by other supporters of the project, which seeks to restore the Revolutionary-era farmstead at 1451 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains, an emptied a storage shed in preparation for its removal from the site.

"It's a long road to build a plan and raise funds to restore the Frazee house to something both historically valid and useful for the people of Union County," Frazee board president Andy Calamaras said in the press release.

Check out the photo above to see the Rotarians and Frazee House supporters working to empty the shed last week.

The Aunt Betty Frazee Project now enables its supporters to make tax-deductible donations in any amount via a PayPal "donate" button, which can be found at www.frazeehouse.org. The house is designated on the historic registers of both New Jersey Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service.

Assemblyman Announces Third Annual Photo Contest

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (D-Westfield) announced a photography competition in a press release distributed Monday.

There will be three categories for this year's competition, according to the release: New Jersey Shore, State Parks and Wildlife. The contest is open to all ages and entries will be accepted until the Sept. 5 deadline. Contestants should submit their work via email to asmbramnick@njleg.org.

The photographs will be judged for their quality and creativity. The winners and prizes will be announced in September. For more information on the contest call 908-232-2073.

Rain, Rain Go Away – Or Into This Barrel

The Scotch Plains Environmental Commission and the Rutgers Water Resource Program visited the Scotch Plains Day Camp on Monday and Tuesday. There, Sal Trifiro, of the commission, and Michele Bakacs, of the Rutgers program, led classes on "Tree Appreciation" and "Rain Barrel Building."

In the tree appreciation class, campers learned how to promote tree growth in their yards and communities. In the rain barrel class, campers learned how to construct and position a barrel to collect rainwater, which could later be used for irrigation, and the importance of water conservation.

Click the images above to see photos from the camp.

New Jersey Blood Services Recognizes Scotch Plains Businesses, and Calls for More Donation Drive Sponsors

The employees of three local businesses have given blood more than 500 times, according to a press release distributed Monday by the Scotch Plains collection site of New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS), a division of the New York Blood Center. Workers at Charlie Brown's Restaurant, Tom the Green Grocer and Coldwell Banker have donated whole blood, platelets and double red cells, the release said. 

Since the Scotch Plains site opened its doors last fall, its administrators have urged local businesses to support NJBS.

"We are looking for businesses to pledge 25 blood donations over a one year period of time," NJBS director of recruitment and retention Marie Forrestal said in the release. " It could be 25 employees donating once, or a few employees donating more frequently."

The blood supply tends to become more limited during the summer, Forrestal said.

"During the months when schools are closed we can no longer depend on our high school and college students to fill the need for blood," she said in the release. "Also, so many regular donors take vacations and don't take time to donate."

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host a blood drive. And there are incentives: New Jersey Blood Services offers special community service scholarships for students who organize community blood drives during the winter holiday and summer periods. Blood donors also receive free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level. 

Eligible donors include people at least 16-years-old (with parental permission or consent), who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in good health and meet all Food and Drug Administration and New Jersey State Department of Health donor criteria.  People 76-years-old and older may donate with a doctor's note.

Local businesses interested in becoming a sponsor at the NJBS donor site in Scotch Plains should contact NJBS Manager of Community Relations, Jan Zepka at 732-616-8741.

Persons with questions of donor eligibility, or to make an appointment to donate call 1-800-933-BLOOD (2566), or visit: www.nybloodcenter.org.