Edward A. Thomas

Bergen County

Caren Lissner

New York City Metropolitan Area

Ridgewood-Glen Rock

New Jersey

Paramus

Fair Lawn-Saddle Brook

Westwood-Hillsdale

Wyckoff

River Dell

New Milford

Ramsey

Passaic County

 Jack Slocum

Wayne

Oakland

Rockland County

Pearl River

New York

Woman's Club of Paramus

Join in a night of fun and fashion while raising funds for a worthy cause! On June 4th, Dress for Success is hosting Designer Pocketbook Bingo in Paramus to support its career readiness/development services to unemployed women - all provided at no-cost to them. DFSNNJ continues to expand services in Bergen County and well beyond. Grab some friends and click link to register or use QR code! <a href="https://onecau.se/_k975y1?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZFZjU1JTcFhaREpNM0VFOXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4NC-MlMnz51nSAZoLdcDdMf0GUQZKoCUIqCW2x3ePmG2sxYELVYYUNQ8N2yg_aem_SDazSqqBePd7iW0_ImBUlA" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">https://onecau.se/_k975y1</a>

Local Event: Dress for Success Northern NJ Designer Pocketbook Bingo

Dress for Success Northern NJ Designer...

Join in a night of fun and fashion while raising funds for a worthy cause! On June 4th, Dress for Success is hosting Designer...

Dress for Success Northern NJ Designer Pocketbook Bingo

Register now for the webinar: <a href="https://unemploymentgrants.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Webinar Registration Link</a>
Please add BTIIInstitute.sn@gmail.com and Info@btiiinstitute.com to your contacts list to ensure that you receive confirmation and reminder emails.
Please email us with any questions: Info@btiiinstitute.com
To learn more visit: <a href="https://unemploymenttraininggrants.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">https://unemploymenttraininggr...</a>
Are you or someone you know unemployed? Attend this career-changing webinar to learn about free training for more than 20 high-demand certifications, including PMP, PMI Certified Professional&nbsp; in Managing AI, SAFe Scrum Master, SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager, Responsible Artificial Intelligence, Agile Product Management, Lean Portfolio Management, RTE, Microsoft AI Business Professional, Microsoft AI Transformation Leader, Microsoft Power BI, and Microsoft Excel. The training and certifications are free and covered by a New Jersey state grant for approved unemployed professionals. Most clients report earning 6 figures after training and/or significant salary increases. The training is for professionals, including current or aspiring:
• Technology, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Accounting, HR, Operations, Manufacturing, and Other Professionals
• Project, Program, Portfolio, and Product Managers
• Management Consultants, General Managers, and Team Leaders
• Senior Managers and Leadership
• PMO Directors, Center of Excellence Professionals, and PMO Directors
• Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Agile Product Managers, and Agilists
• Agile Coaches and Consultants
• Business and Agile Transformation Professionals
• Data Analytics and Business Intelligence Professionals

Local Event: Unemployed? Obtain a Free Training Grant for Top Certifications

Essex County

West Orange

Unemployed? Obtain a Free Training Grant for...

Register now for the webinar: Webinar Registration Link
Please add BTIIInstitute.sn@gmail.com and Info@btiiinstitute.com to...

Unemployed? Obtain a Free Training Grant for Top Certifications

Come and See! St. Bartholomew's is offering a time of prayers for peace at our Labyrinth. We will share different ways to use the labyrinth for spiritual reflection. Music and refreshments will be available. This is a free event, and all are welcome.

Local Event: Walking the Labyrinth

Ho-Ho-Kus

Walking the Labyrinth

Come and See!  St. Bartholomew's is offering a time of prayers for peace at our Labyrinth.  We will share different ways to use...

West Side Presbyterian Church

The New Jersey Choral Society’s Masterworks concert, Reflections: Harmony and Hope, explores the beauty and preciousness of life and the importance of embracing all people and our many differences. Selections from Craig Hella Johnson’s deeply moving piece Considering Matthew Shepard are thoughtfully paired with movements from Handel’s beloved Messiah on Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 pm at West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 South Monroe St., Ridgewood. This stirring concert, conducted by Artistic Director Dr. Patrick Chiu and Assistant Conductor Christopher Vehmas, will also feature such contemporary songs as “1000 Beautiful Things” by Annie Lennox, “Let the River Run” by Carly Simon and “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by Dolly Parton, all arranged by Craig Hella Johnson. The premiere of a new composition titled “Insights” by NJCS member and Ridgewood resident Rita Blacker will also be featured. Artist in Residence Linda Sweetman Waters will accompany NJCS on the piano along with an instrumental ensemble comprised of ten musicians. Several NJCS members will also sing solos and some vocal ensembles will perform as well.Come one hour before the concert to hear the complimentary Inside Line lecture presented by Dr. Patrick Finley, award-winning composer, author, and music educator. He will lead an informative discussion about the music being performed as well as the composers. This lecture will be sign-language interpreted. Tickets are $40 for general admission and $35 for students and seniors. An additional $5 discount is offered for individuals with disabilities and up to three companions. Group discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets, visit the NJCS website at <a href="https://www.njcs.org" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.njcs.org</a>. For more information, call NJCS at 201-273-9027.

Local Event: New Jersey Choral Society presents "Reflections: Harmony and Hope"

New Jersey Choral Society presents...

The New Jersey Choral Society’s Masterworks concert, Reflections: Harmony and Hope, explores the beauty and preciousness of...

New Jersey Choral Society presents "Reflections: Harmony and Hope"

Veteran's Memorial Park

The annual Crafts in the Park Show will be held on Sunday, June 7, from 10 to 5 at Veterans Park, Broadway and 3rd
Ave in Westwood, NJ. Make sure you mark your calendar for this much awaited craft show. One hundred and twenty-five talented exhibitors from four states will be displaying a large variety of arts and crafts all set up on the grounds of this picturesque park. This promises to be a fun shopping day for all. The show is sponsored by Westwood Heritage Society and organized by P.J.’s Promotions.
This is the perfect opportunity to browse the booths filled with a wonderful selection of pottery, jewelry, garden décor, chain saw animals, wood flags, apparel, fiber, stained glass, bonsai, ceramics, charcuterie boards, and birdhouses. Also, outdoor wood decor, paintings, prints, photography, soaps, candles, fiber, tie dye, totes, children’s items, florals, turned wood bowls, resin art, and so much more. There is something for everyone at this fun shopping event. 
Delicious festival foods, Italian ice, homemade pretzels, pickles, kettle korn, and desserts will be available. Admission is free. The show is held rain or shine. For more information go <a href="https://www.pjspromotions.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.pjspromotions.com</a>
or call 201-410-5416.

Local Event: Crafts in the Park Show, Sun. June 7, 125 Exhibitors, Veterans Pk, Westwood, NJ

Crafts in the Park Show, Sun. June 7, 125...

The annual Crafts in the Park Show will be held on Sunday, June 7, from 10 to 5 at Veterans Park, Broadway and 3rd
Ave in...

Crafts in the Park Show, Sun. June 7, 125 Exhibitors, Veterans Pk, Westwood, NJ

NEW MILFORD, NJ &mdash; June 2, 2026 &mdash; Ray Cottiers, named 2025 New Milford District Teacher of the Year and 2025 Bergen County Wrestling Coach of the Year, announced today that he is leaving public education to lead Varsity Prep USA full-time, the youth enrichment organization he founded in 2018.&nbsp;
The decision marks the end of a decade-plus career in education and coaching and the beginning of a new chapter focused on expanding Varsity Prep USA across northern New Jersey.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Teaching and coaching shaped everything I know about working with kids. Walking away from both wasn&rsquo;t easy. But every summer I&rsquo;d see a kid show up to camp on day one barely talking to anyone, and by Friday they were leading their group. After eight summers of that, I knew I wanted to do this work year-round,&rdquo; said Cottiers.&nbsp;
A Program Built by Educators&nbsp;
Operating in partnership with New Milford Public Schools, Varsity Prep USA serves children from pre-K through middle school through summer camps, enrichment programs, sports clinics, leadership opportunities, and experiential travel programming.&nbsp;
Since launching in 2018, the organization has grown from a single summer program into a year-round platform serving hundreds of Bergen County families annually.&nbsp;
Varsity Prep combines traditional camp experiences with original programming developed in-house, including sports curriculum, STEM activities, arts programming, leadership development, and hands-on enrichment designed around the same instructional principles Cottiers used in the classroom.&nbsp;
The organization&rsquo;s staffing model is built around local teachers, coaches, college students, and high school student leaders &mdash; creating a program deeply connected to the communities it serves.&nbsp;
Reinvesting in the Community&nbsp;
In 2026 alone, Varsity Prep USA will reinvest more than $160,000 into the New Milford community &mdash; through wages paid to local teachers, coaches, college students, and high school staff, and through a new formal partnership with New Milford Public Schools that directly supports district programs and facilities.&nbsp;
Expansion Across Bergen County&nbsp;
With Cottiers now leading the organization full-time, Varsity Prep USA is preparing to expand beyond its flagship New Milford location. Conversations are currently underway with multiple Bergen County school districts regarding partnerships for Summer 2027.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The model works because it&rsquo;s built by educators, run by educators, and rooted in the school communities it serves,&rdquo; said Cottiers. &ldquo;Districts receive a turn-key summer and enrichment program, employment opportunities for their teachers, coaches and students, and meaningful financial support for their facilities and programs. Families receive programming they can trust. It&rsquo;s a win-win across the board. That&rsquo;s the formula we&rsquo;re bringing to new communities.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Gratitude to New Milford&nbsp;
Cottiers, NMHS Alumni (Class of 2004), emphasized the role New Milford played in shaping both his career and the foundation of Varsity Prep USA.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Everything I know about working with kids, I learned from the teachers, administrators, coaches, and families of New Milford,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll always be a New Milford guy.. The fact that this community has been Varsity Prep&rsquo;s home and launchpad for the last eight summers means everything to me.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Summer 2026 enrollment is currently open at Varsity Prep USA, with programming running June 22 through August 28.&nbsp;
About Varsity Prep USA&nbsp;
Founded in 2018 by educator and coach Ray Cottiers, Varsity Prep USA is a North Jersey-based youth enrichment organization operating in partnership with local school districts. Varsity Prep provides summer camps, sports clinics, after-school enrichment programs, experiential learning opportunities, and leadership development programming for children and teens through educator-led experiences designed to build confidence, creativity, and community.&nbsp;

Award-Winning Educator and Coach Ray Cottiers...

NEW MILFORD, NJ — June 2, 2026 — Ray Cottiers, named 2025 New Milford District Teacher of the Year and 2025 Bergen County Wrestling Coach of the...

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

Edward A. Thomas, Neighbor

Posting Activity

Dress for Success Northern NJ Designer Pocketbook Bingo

Unemployed? Obtain a Free Training Grant for Top Certifications

Walking the Labyrinth

New Jersey Choral Society presents "Reflections: Harmony and Hope"

Crafts in the Park Show, Sun. June 7, 125 Exhibitors, Veterans Pk, Westwood, NJ

Award-Winning Educator and Coach Ray Cottiers Leaves Classroom to Lead Varsity Prep USA Full-Time