Earlier this week, over 125 community stakeholders, dignitaries, and employees of The Horizon Foundation of NJ, along with Newark Celebration 350 programming committee members and staff gathered at the lobby of the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield building.
Newark political leaders including Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield-Jenkins, Newark Deputy Mayor, Jacqueline Quiles, Essex County Executive, Joe DiVincenzo, Jr., Newark City Council President, Mildred Crump, Councilman Augusto Amador and more were on hand as the Horizon Foundation announced a donation of $200,000 to NC 350.
The event was held by NC 350 Chair Junius Williams and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Chairman & CEO and Foundation Chairman and President Robert A. Marino who spoke about what Newark’s 350th birthday means to him as a Newarker and the Horizon Foundation’s support and commitment to the year-long celebration. He then unveiled two enormous NC 350 banners now hanging in the lobby that will remain on display for 2016.
NC 350 Chair Junius Williams welcomed the audience and discussed some of the newly added programs to NC 350 including NewarkPoems, an online poetry year-long web project dedicated to the 350th anniversary of the founding of Newark (new poems about Newark found HERE), Newark Book Fair at Forest Hill Literary Society, a retrospective of literature relating to Newark with a focus on books published in these categories, Church Choir Gospel Festival at Newark Symphony Hall, an all-day presentation of gospel music featuring the choirs at Newark churches, Brick City Bicycle Collective, a cycling tour of Newark to bring together Newark residents and cyclists from our neighboring cities and take them through all wards and the various neighborhoods of our city to highlight the history, landmarks, culture, and parks of Newark. In addition, Junius Williams unveiled two examples of Horizon Foundation’s upcoming exhibition of the Newark Celebration 350 birthday cards (an NC 350 initiative with the Newark Public Schools and teachers to create curriculum and projects for Newark grade school students to learn about Newark’s history) in their building’s glass front display.
Additionally, NC 350 programming chair/NJPAC President & CEO, John Schreiber announced the NC 350 Founders Week Festival, a two and a half day event (May 13-15) of arts and entertainment, culture and community that celebrates our 350th anniversary of our founding.
