Scholarship Honors History Lover; 'Understanding Social Security' at Bernardsville Library

History education scholarship commemorates longtime member of The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills:

The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills has established a new schoolarship in memory of 40-year member Lorraine Passmore, who died in 2009. Mrs. Passmore also was a founding member of the society's Historic Preservation Committee in 2003.

The purpose of the program is to encourage and facilitate participation by historical society members in academic programs that address historic preservation practice, policy, or theory, according to an announcement by the Historical Society. The scholarship is open to members of the society, or its active volunteers. The type of programs to be funded would be those such as Drew University's one-day workshops as well as a professional certificate program in historic preservation, according to the historical society.

Mrs. Passmore joined The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills shortly after she moved to Bernards Township with her husband in 1967. She was  involved in almost every historical society activity, the announcement said.

As a founding member of the Historic Preservation Committee, she helped conduct its mission of carrying out  advisory, educational and informational functions to promote historic preservation in the Somerset Hills, according to the society.

“Lorraine was a highly valued member of The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills and is sorely missed," said Daniel W. Lincoln, president of the historical society. "Her special commitment to historic preservation is commemorated through this scholarship program,” Lincoln said.

Complete details of the program and application forms are available online. Historical Society memberships are available in a range of options, including student/senior, individual, and family.

Bernardsville Public Library offers free workshop on understanding Social Security:

The Bernardsville Public Library is pleased to announce the inaugural event for CARES, Community Assistance Resource and Educational Services, with its free presentation “Introduction to Social Security” at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 24.

The event will be presented by Richard Desir of the Social Security Administration (SSA)  in the library’s Community Room. During his talk, Desir, who is Public Relations Liaison for the Social Security Administration, will log onto the SSA website and guide the audience through a variety of topics from projecting Social Security benefits to how to retire online. He’ll give a “snapshot” of Social Security, also covering disability, survivors, Medicare and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for people who are 65 and older, blind or disabled.

This program was rescheduled from January due to inclement weather.

CARES is a locally administered umbrella program that will deliver informational sessions pertaining to local, county, state and federal programs.  Its objective is to inform and educate local residents and support the goal of healthy, fulfilling and happy lifestyles. All CARES events will be presented by subject matter experts who will be able to answer all questions pertaining to their topics.

Other sessions in development are: Understanding The Affordable Care Act, Important Recordkeeping, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, and Medicare Open Enrollment (in the fall).

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested.  Register online and follow the link under Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.

Local artists invited to submit pieces to Bernardsville Library's 11th annual juried art show: 

Artists are invited to submit one painting to Bernardsville Public Library for the library's eleventh annual juried art exhibition. Paintings will be accepted at the library between 10 am and noon on Thursday, March 31, and artists of works selected for exhibition will be notified by email that evening.

The show will be on view from April 1 through April 28, and the opening reception for the public will be held on Sunday, April 3 from 2 to 4 pm.

The judge of this year’s show will be Thomas Valenti, President of Allied Artists of America, and an Honorary Member of The Salmagundi Club and of The American Artists Professional League. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he has garnered many awards and much recognition.

Upon graduating as a Fine Art major from the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts in 1974, Valenti found himself disenchanted with what he had learned through the 3-year program and set out on a mission of self-teaching. Though his subject matter varies, Valenti's main concentration of work is focused on New York City street scenes. His close relation to an urban environment stems from having grown up in the area of the South Bronx known as Fort Apache, then known as one of the most treacherous neighborhoods in all of New York, the library said in a press release. Nevertheless, his scenes of New York express a sense of serenity and calm in an otherwise chaotic world, according to information from the library.

Valenti, who lives in northern New Jersey, has served as a juror for local, state and national competitions from the start of his career and has developed a keen sense toward the decision-making process for judging a show and for the selection of awards, the library announced.

Two prizes will be awarded in the library’s show: "Best of Show" and "Community Favorite." "Best of Show" will be chosen by Valenti. Selection of the "Community Favorite" will be based on votes cast by visitors at the opening reception.

Kathleen Palmer of Bernardsville, the library’s Volunteer Exhibit Coordinator, will curate the show.  There is $10 fee to enter.  Only works not previously exhibited at the Bernardsville library will be accepted.  Detailed information and entry forms are available at the Library and online For further information, call the library at 908-766-0118.