We invite you to take part in the many activities that make our community special, many of them are included below.
As March appears to be ushering in mild temperatures, spend some time outside this month enjoying the fresh air, getting exercise, and experiencing spring!
On-going Events Now – April 14th
Get Your Taxes Done Close to Home! (By appointment only) Free
South Orange Public Library, 65 Scotland Road, South Orange
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:15 to 11:30 am
. To make an appointment in South Orange, call the library reference desk, 973-762-0230.
Burgdorff Center, 10 Durand Road, Maplewood
Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 am to 12 pm
To make an appointment in Maplewood, go to
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Locator, click on locations, change location to Maplewood, NJ.
AARP Foundation
Tax Aide Program offers free basic tax preparation for moderate income and older adult taxpayers with no residency restrictions. For additional locations and times go to
TaxAide.
Online Tax Preparation Service Free
United Way of Northern New Jersey and its partners launched a free and secure online tax preparation site for low- and moderate-income households. Their IRS-certified tax preparers are committed to safely delivering our signature top-notch preparation and filing service to maximize your tax refund. Visit
https://www.unitedwaynnj.org/file-your-taxes to access everything you need:
- Easy-to-use, secure online tax portal
- Checklist for documents to upload
- Answers to frequently asked questions
- Information about common tax credits
- Access to free self-filing software
For questions about the online filing portal or if you are experiencing difficulties getting started, email
UnitedWayTaxPrep@UnitedWayNNJ.org or call 973.993.1160, x 521.
Beginning Mid-March
Senior Technology Workshop, Monday to Friday, 3 pm to 4 pm Free
Location: To be announced next week
SOMA Two Towns for All Ages is pleased to work with Seton Hall University again to deliver technology assistance for our older adult SOMA community. Each class in this multi-session workshop will include a 10-minute presentation followed by 1:1 assistance with questions on any topic. You can attend as many or as few classes as you like. The classes are interactive so please bring your cell phone, tablet, or laptop with you! For class dates, a list of daily class topics, and
to register, go to our website,
somatwotownsforallages.org or call us, 973-558-0863. If you have questions, feel free to contact the SOMA Two Towns office by phone or email,
soma2towns@gmail.com.
March, April, May, and June
Spring 2022 Tech Teens Helping SeniorsEvery 1st & 3rd Saturday in March, April, May and June
South Orange Public Library, 65 Scotland Road
Have Tech Questions? Seniors can work one-on-one with a knowledgeable teen volunteer to provide technology assistance. You can learn to Set Up a Device, Configure Your Email, Print Files, Organize Photos, Download eBooks, Set Up Social Media(FaceTime, Zoom, etc.) and more! Sessions will be held indoors, or outside of the library as the weather permits.
Session dates:
March 5th & 19th
April 2nd & 16th
May 7th & 21st
June 4th & 18th
Session times:
1st session 10:00 - 10:45 am
2nd session 10:45 - 11:30 am
To sign up, call and speak with a Reference librarian, 973-762-0230, or send an email to librarian@sopl.org
March 16th to June 8th
Just Say YES to Fruits & Vegetables! Wednesdays, 1 pm, (virtual) Free
This limited series, presented by Victoria Galarza, Senior Nutrition Educator from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, will begin on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, span 13-weeks and feature one-hour weekly sessions on different nutrition topics. This series will be fun hours of learning, discussing and sharing how we can best select and enjoy all the nutritious foods our bodies need to be healthy. The dates and topics are:
March 16 Fruits and Vegetables
March 23 My Plate
March 30 Stretching Food Dollars
April 6 Food Safety
April 13 Fiber
April 20 Meal Planning
May 4 Beans
May 11 Nutrition Facts Label
May 18 Healthy Beverages
May 25 Farmer's Market
June 1 How to Store Fruits and Vegetable
June 8 Cooking Matters at the Store Tour
Save the dates now! Contact Kathleen Johnson at RWJ if you are interested (732.846.0131or kathleen.johnson@rwjbh.org). Register once and that’s all you need to do. Join for all the sessions, or just the sessions that interest you, but definitely participate!!!!
Once a Month, March through September
Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, and Cholesterol Health Screening, Monthly on Mondays, 2 – 3:30 pm (dates provided below) Free
Maplewood Senior Center, 106 Burnett Avenue, Maplewood
The Maplewood Health Department and Braven Health have collaborated to offer free wellness blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screenings once a month. Open to all Maplewood and South Orange residents, 18 and up. The service will be provided on Mondays from 2 to 3:30 pm on
March 28th
April 25th
May 23rd
June 27th
July 25th
August 29th
September 26th
No registration needed.
March Events Various Dates in March
Makers Madness SustainAbility: Reuse, Repurpose, and ReimageSouth Orange Public Library, 65 Scotland Road
Join the library for an exciting month of creativity, science exploration, technology innovation and literary pursuits. A calendar of activities will be available in the library and on their website,
sopl.org.
Tuesday, March 1st
G(r)ay Matter Book Group, 7 pm (virtual) Free
Maplewood Library
Our Women’s History Month title is
Bad Feminist: Essays by Roxanne Gay
In these funny and insightful essays, Gay takes us through her evolution as a woman of color while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years and commenting on the state of feminism today.
Register here. Thursday, March 3rd
Find Your Purpose, Find Your Power with Dr. Michelle, 6:00 pm, Virtual Free
Seton Hall University Celebrates Women’s History
Dr. Michelle is a developmental psychologist, motivational speaker, relationship expert, and life coach seen on Wedlock or Deadlock, Good Morning America, Oprah, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray, The Talk, Today Show, Queen Bees, and REMIXED! She is the author of Ms. Typed: Stop Sabotaging Your Relationships and Find Dating Success. Dr. Michelle also serves as an internal and external consultant to Fortune 100 and 500 companies. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan and her B.A. in Sociology from Boston College and was a National Institute of Mental Health Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Yale University. To register, go to
https://events.shu.edu/view/event/event_id/18835.
Friday, March 4th
Special Conversations with Michael Schein, 1 pm, (virtual) Free
Join the South Orange Public Library for a virtual discussion on Zoom with distinguished guest speaker, Ron Watson, Associate Professor of Health & Society and Political Science at Beloit College (Wisconsin). Topic: Radical Common Sense: Taking the Steps to Transformational Social Change. Click
here to join.
Monday, March 7th
Remember the (First) Ladies, 7 pm (virtual) Free
Maplewood Library & The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts
This program will touch on all the first ladies of the United States, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump. Each dealt in her own way with the inherent tension between the public nature of the role and the discomfort of society with women in public positions.
Register here.Turning Kitchen Trash into Garden Treasure”, 7:30 pm Free
Maplewood Garden Club, MGC Speaker’s Program
There are so many reasons that you
should compost, and probably just as many excuses why you do not. Composting turns what might become landfill into a supercharged, nutrient-rich soil additive. Have you tried composting unsuccessfully, think you don't have time or space, or don't want to attract critters? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, Java's Compost will explain why composting is the ultimate in recycling, share tips to help you avoid the pitfalls of composting, and answer questions to help you master the art of composting. The presentation will follow a brief business meeting. For meeting details, please go to MGC’s website,
www.maplewoodgardenclub.org.
Tuesday, March 8th
Professionals in Transition, 10 am (virtual) Free
Maplewood Library
Leaving a Job, Whether it was Their Choice or Yours
Sometimes you make the choice to leave; other times it’s out of your hands. This session will touch on the thoughts and strategies to keep in mind as you transition to a new company or industry. With Career Coach Tony Calabrese. Register
here.
Wednesday, March 9th
Creative Writing, 1 pm (virtual) Free
Join the South Orange Public Library every other Wednesday for this virtual creative writing session on Zoom. Each week we’ll introduce a prompt, write for a few minutes, and then share what we’ve come up with! Click
here to join.
Thursday, March 10th
All School Musical Dress Rehearsal Returns, Newsies, March 10
th, 5:30 pm Free
Columbia High School Auditorium, 17 Parker Avenue, Maplewood
Older adults are invited to enjoy the dress rehearsal for this year’s musical. If history prevails, this will be another awesome performance. Masks are required. Social distancing can be easily accomplished given the size of the auditorium.
Eliminate the parking challenges at Columbia and use our free bus transportation. To reserve your ride, please contact your respective town contacts at least 3 days in advance. Maplewood residents contact Michelle Wesley, 973-763-0750 to get a ride from the DeHart Center. South Orange residents call the Parking Authority, 973-378-7715, x 2035 to get a ride from the SOPAC parking lot. Limited accessible parking is available on site. For more information, contact SOMA Two Towns at
soma2towns@gmail.com or 973-558-0863.
Books Now and Then Book Group, 7 pm (virtual) Free
Maplewood Library
Our Women’s History Month title is
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. This gem of a historical features an indomitable heroine navigating a community steeped in racial intolerance.
Register here. Saturday, March 12th
Yarn & Fiber Arts Group, 10 am to noon Free
Maplewood Library
For people who knit, crochet, quilt, sew, embroider or do other creative things with yarn or fabric. Work on your projects and get feedback and advice from fellow crafters. All skill levels are welcome! For meeting location, go to
https://www.maplewoodlibrary.org/ Sunday, March 13th
"Sojourner Truth: Suffragist and Abolitionist," with historical interpreter Dr. Daisy Century, 2 pm (doors open at 1 pm) Free
Durand Hedden House and Garden, The Woodland, 60 Woodland Ave, Maplewood; followed by a reception at Durand-Hedden House & Garden. Join historical interpreter Dr. Daisy Century for a live interpretation of the life of Sojourner Truth. More information at
durandhedden.org and on Facebook at Facebook.com/DurandHedden.
Tuesday, March 15th and March 22nd
The ABC’s of ASL, 7 pm
Join the South Orange Public Library for an introduction to American Sign Language. Please register in advance by calling the reference desk, 973-762-0230. For more information, go to the website,
sopl.org Wednesdays, March 16th to June 8th
Just Say YES to Fruits & Vegetables! 1 pm, weekly (virtual) Free
This limited series, presented by Victoria Galarza, Senior Nutrition Educator from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, will begin on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, span 13-weeks and feature one-hour weekly sessions on different nutrition topics. This series will be fun hours of learning, discussing and sharing how we can best select and enjoy all the nutritious foods our bodies need to be healthy. The dates and topics will be:
Register once and that’s all you need to do. Join for all the sessions, or just the sessions that interest you, but definitely participate!!!!
by Leila Aboulela. An evocative story of an affluent Sudanese family shaken by the shifting powers in their country and the near-tragedy that threatens the legacy they've built for decades. Register at maplewoodlibrary.org.
Join the South Orange Public Library for a virtual discussion on Zoom with distinguished guest speaker, Anne Fernald, Professor of English and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Issues at Fordham University. Topic: Virginia Woolf and
. Click
Distribution location is the Maplewood Community Pool, 187 Boyden Avenue, Maplewood.
Successful women show how they reclaimed and rebuilt their personal power and careers after being fired from a job and being rendered powerless by their employers. The book offers lessons women can apply to their own job loss experience, as well as practical takeaways and suggestions. Julia Erickson is a career coach who helps people find their "right fit" work. Suzanne Vosburg has a PhD in the psychology of creativity and is a scientific research consultant and writer. Register at
The most important part of your job search process starts after the job interview. Your goal is to convert the interview into an offer. This session will provide some strategic thoughts on how to do so. With Career Coach Tony Calabrese. Go to Maplewood Library’s events calendar to register,
Join the South Orange Public Library every other Wednesday for this virtual creative writing session on Zoom. Each week we’ll introduce a prompt, write for a few minutes, and then share what we’ve come up with! Click
Join the South Orange Public Library for an invigorating spring hike. Timing and location details will be available soon on the March library calendar and on their website,
The group will discuss “The Martian,” by Andy Weir. Click
to join Zoom meeting. Copies are available at the circulation desk. Any questions? Contact the book group moderator, Nancy Janow at
Join the South Orange Public Library for a virtual discussion on Zoom with distinguished guest speaker, Lynn Melnick, Poet, Author of
and two previous poetry books.
Topic: Across Time: Writing Personal and Generational Trauma. Click
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