William J. Lewis

TOMS RIVER – Join the Ocean County Historical Society on February 5th at 2 p.m. for “New Jersey’s Lost Piney Culture,” by William J. Lewis.

Deep within the heart of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the Piney people have built a vibrant culture and industry from working the natural landscape around them. Foraging skills learned from the local Lenapes were passed down through generations of Piney families who gathered many of the same wild floral products that became staples of the Philadelphia and New York dried flower markets. Important figures such as John Richardson have sought to lift the Pineys from rural poverty by recording and marketing their craftsmanship. As the state government sought to preserve the Pine Barrens and develop the region, Piney culture was frequently threatened and stigmatized. Author and advocate William J. Lewis charts the history of the Pineys, what being a Piney means today and their legacy among the beauty of the Pine Barrens.

William J. Lewis is a lifetime resident of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, as were multiple generations of his family before him. He shares his Piney adventures on social media networks under “Piney Tribe.” He preaches exploration without exploitation and to teach our children to be tomorrow’s environmental stewards. After proudly serving as a U.S. Marine, William went on to graduate from Rider University; he founded an environmental nonprofit to get kids outdoors and has served in leadership roles for both governmental and New Jersey nonprofit organizations. His travel mileage stretches across the globe from many locations in the United States to the Horn of Africa, which has helped in enriching his perspective of our New Jersey Pine Barrens.

To register for this free program, send your name, zip code, email address, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory. zoom@gmail.com.

Vo-Tech Open House

OCEAN COUNTY – The Ocean County Vocational Technical School would like to invite you to their Open House Event on February 2. Take advantage of this opportunity to explore the diverse programs and career paths offered by OCVTS. The school is committed to their mission of preparing students for job placement or continuing education, including college.

Who Should Attend? High school students/ parents, graduating seniors and adult learners. Choose from over 30 Career Training Programs for High School Students & Adults.

Tour our State-of-the-Art Facilities

Meet & Talk with Program Instructors

Observe Student Demonstrations & More

Locations: Toms River Center, Brick Center, Jackson Center, Waretown Center, Grunin Performing Arts Center, Little Egg Harbor (Cuisine on the Green).

Graduating seniors & adults come to a special info session just prior to open house from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Toms River Location.

Have Questions? Email: admissions@ mail.ocvts.org.

Sports Staff Needed For Ocean County Parks

OCEAN COUNTY – Are you looking for a fun summer Job? Do you like being outside and being active? The Ocean County Parks & Recreation Department has the perfect job for you! We are looking for friendly, motivated, sports-minded individuals to help instruct our sports programs to both children and adults throughout our Ocean

County Parks System. This is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys working with the public and might be looking for some experience teaching or coaching.

Competitive salary, starting at $17.50 an hour. If you are interested or have any questions, contact Victoria at 732-506-9090 ext. 5951 or email vwagner@co.ocean.nj.us.