1 – Need to make a phone call but don’t have your cell phone? Believe it or not, you can still find working pay phones in our city. Go to the Trenton Transit Center (f/k/a the Trenton Train Station), turn left when you enter the lobby. The telephones are on the right (I saw them myself. They really are there).
2 – You’re in the middle of an important report for your committee at work or at church and your diehard laptop actually dies. You’re up against a deadline. What to do? Go to the New Jersey State Library (open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) downtown at 185 West State Street. Ask for a guest pass at the circulation desk that will allow you to use a computer for sixty minutes. When your time is up, you will be prompted to decide if you want a thirty minute extension. (Note: Bring picture ID to the library to show to the security guard inside.)
3 – Need transportation to a doctor’s appointment or to visit a patient at Capital Health’s Hopewell campus? Take the #601, 609, or 619 bus up Prospect Avenue to Bellevue Avenue. Walk up one block to The Family Health Center at 433 Bellevue Avenue and around the back of the building to catch the free shuttle to the hospital. No reservation or proof of appointment are required. Arrive early (you can wait inside) for the shuttle that runs from 5:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. seven days a week and takes you to the main entrance of the hospital in Hopewell. Return trips back to Trenton are on the half hour until 8:30 p.m.
4 – Do you or someone you know need help navigating NJ Transit (buses and trains) in a language other than English? Call the NJ Transit Information Center’s Language Line Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 973-275-5555, or go to their website at www.njtransit.com. Click on “Select Language” at the lower right hand corner of the home page. This will connect you to Google Translate.
5 – Do you know a senior who needs help preparing their taxes? Contact AARP at www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/ As tax time draws nearer, check your local library for tax forms and tax help from volunteers in Mercer County.
6 – Are you thinking of starting your own business but need help and advice? Contact the S.C.O.R.E. mentoring program at www.score.org to find a free workshop near you run by professional business volunteers.
7 – Learning is a lifelong journey. Mercer County residents age 65 and older may apply a twenty percent discount in selected noncredit courses at Mercer County Community College. Check their website at www.mccc.edu/mymercer to determine if your course meets at Trenton’s James Kerney campus or in West Windsor. Call 609-570-3311.
8 – Did you know that the City of Trenton has its own museum? The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie is tucked away Cadwalder Park at 299 Parkside Avenue. It’s a short walk into the park from the #608 bus. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday 12 to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Check their website at http://ellarslie.org.
9 – The Henry J. Austin Health center’s Senior Care Outreach and Education Program holds free workshops on a variety of health issue, including exercise and nutrition, diabetes, and vision and blood pressure screening. The Center is located across from the “monument” at 321 North Warren Street in Trenton. For workshop dates and times, call 609-278-5900.
10 – Vegans, don’t despair! Even after The Capital City Farmers’ Market closes up shop in Mill Hill Park for the winter, you can still pick up your fresh produce, organic food, and juices and specialty items at The Trenton Farmers Market at 960 Spruce Street, Wednesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may want to try some “plant-based comfort food” from Savory Leaf Café. Try their vegan Reuben sandwich: pastrami seitan topped with cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Islands dressing. Or try their BBQ “Vibs” sandwich: seitan and organic jackfruit. And, of course, they have Cheesecake!
These are just some of the little things that can make a big difference in your week. I’ll keep my eye out for more and pass them along to you.
