westfield events Archives - Luxury Homes/Top Towns

Westfield Virtual Pizza Run 2020

June 26, 2020 by Scott Gleason

Every July for the past 19 years, the Downtown Westfield Corporation has hosted a pizza run. It has become a summertime ritual enjoyed by thousands of people every year. But how do you host an event like this amid COVID-19 concerns? You go virtual. How do you participate in a Westfield Virtual Pizza Run 2020? It’s pretty easy, actually.

This year, the Downtown Westfield Corp changes up their annual pizza run due to COVID-19 concerns. This year, it's the Westfield Virtual Pizza Run.

What: Westfield Virtual Pizza Run 2020
Where: Anywhere in Westfield
When: Sunday, July 19th
Cost: $35 per person
Contact: Downtown Westfield Corp (908) 789-9444 or via email

Westfield Virtual Pizza Run 2020

Instead of crowding together at a starting line in the downtown area, this year’s pizza run lets you start from wherever you decide. And unlike weekday pizza runs of the past, this year’s virtual run takes place on a Sunday. Why? To get more people involved.

How the Virtual Run Works

First step, register. Do so before July 2nd and receive an official Virtual Race T-shirt. Wear it with pride while running on July 19th. When you register, you receive instructions for what to do on race day. Download the Trackster app to track your progress and race time. You’ll need to upload that information by the end of race day to determine race winners.

Instead of grabbing yourself a slice of pizza at the finish line, everyone who registers receives a $3 coupon to use at any Downtown Westfield pizzeria. You have until the end of July to use it. In addition, 50 lucky people receive “golden tickets” with their registration. That entitles you to one free pizza pie in the future. All race winners receive a free pizza, too.

Fundraising

All proceeds raised from the Pizza Run go towards beautification and recovery efforts in the Downtown Westfield area. If you’d like, you can either create a fundraising group of your own or join one already in progress. Coach Sam Tooley with the Alpha Fit Club hosts a special Virtual 5K workout station on Quimby Street at 9 am this Sunday, June 28th. It’s free to join. Plus, he also has his own Alpha Squad fundraising group for the virtual run on July 19th. Find out how to join his squad at the workout.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Westfield Area Y Clothing Drive 2020

May 28, 2020 by Scott Gleason

How have you been spending your quarantine hours? Tackling your spring cleaning, perhaps? Now’s the time to do it, that’s for sure. Did you find clothes that don’t fit you or your family anymore? Want to update your wardrobe but need to make room first? Take all of your gently used items to the Westfield Area Y Clothing Drive 2020. Then, they’ll take it from there.

Have you spent part of your time in quarantine cleaning out your closets and cupboards? Get rid of your excess at the Westfield Area Y Clothing Drive 2020.

What: Clothing Drive
Where: Westfield Area Y (422 E Broad St)
When: Wednesday, June 3rd, 7:30 am to 2:30 pm

Westfield Area Y Clothing Drive 2020

Don’t throw out items you no longer have a use for. Give them a new purpose by donating them to the Y’s clothing drive on June 3rd. Our local YMCA accepts clothing, shoes, accessories (belts, bags, hats, etc.), bedding, towels, and even stuffed animals and small plastic toys for their clothing drive. All items received will be sold at a later date. Proceeds from the sale directly benefit their financial assistance program. So, if you’ve gained a “quarantine 15” and no longer fit into some of your clothes or your children no longer play with certain toys and they just seem to take up space in your home, bring them to the YMCA so that another family can get some use out of them.

Westfield Area Y’s Financial Assistance Program

The Y believes that no one should be turned away from utilizing their services, especially if they experience a financial hardship of any kind. Therefore, they award scholarships for community members in need to offset membership fees. These scholarships are used for day care, child care after school, day camps in the summertime, sports, and aquatic classes as well as membership fees. To find out more about the scholarship and to download an application, visit the Y’s website here.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Westfield Virtual 5k to Feed Frontline Workers

May 15, 2020 by Scott Gleason

Do you remember the Freshman 15 in college? Well, some of us seem to be reliving our college days. They call it the “quarantine 15”. How have you spent your “stay at home” order? Streaming movies and binging on comfort food? Those pounds sneak up fast. Out Run Your Fork wants to motivate you to get some exercise while helping feel our frontline workers. They organized a Westfield Virtual 5k set over Memorial Day weekend. Are you up for the challenge?

Get off the couch and help Out Run Your Fork raise money to feed our local healthcare workers by participating in their first Westfield Virtual 5k.

What: Westfield Virtual 5k
Where: You Set Your Own Course
When: Sunday, May 24th, anytime
Cost: Free registration, $15 donation per person preferred
Contact: Out Run Your Fork (973) 348-9898

Westfield Virtual 5k

Like any other physical 5k, you can run or walk your way through the virtual 5k course. You still must actually physically complete the entire 5k. However, you decide when and where to do it in Westfield on May 24th. Remember to continue practicing social distancing from others as well.

Out Run Your Fork plans on using the money raised from this 5k and other fundraisers they have planned to purchase food from local restaurants to feed our healthcare workers. They sit on the frontline in this battle against COVID-19. Long hours giving aid to the sick usually mean a quick lunch on the go for many. With Out Run’s initiative, they help feed the frontline workers and keep local restaurants in business at the same time.

How to Register

It costs nothing to register for the virtual 5K. But they prefer a $15 donation per person. The goal is to raise at least $10,000 to feed our healthcare workers. So, please be as generous as you can. Visit the Westfield Virtual 5K event website to sign up. Get your entire family off the couch for this fun 5k. Out Run Your Fork plans on giving away a free 28-day personal training program to one lucky person who participates. That could be you. Good luck and thank you.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Westfield Clothing Drive for AGAPE Community Kitchen

May 8, 2020 by Scott Gleason

Expect to see cold, wet weather this weekend. It might not be the best time for yard work or projects to boost your curb appeal. But, forget the binge-watching for a moment. Instead, tackle some spring cleaning chores by clearing out your closet. Then, bag up your stuff for our local Presbyterian Church’s Westfield Clothing Drive. Money raised from the sale of donated items benefits the church’s AGAPE Community Kitchen program.

Do some spring cleaning at your house this weekend and help those less fortunate by donating your gently used clothing, linens, stuffed animals, and accessories to the Westfield Clothing Drive for AGAPE Community Kitchen on May 17th-20th, 2020.

What: Westfield Clothing Drive
Where: Presbyterian Church in Westfield (140 Mountain Ave)
When: May 17th to 21st
Contact: Janet Smith, Event Coordinator via email

Westfield Clothing Drive

Towards the end of March, the Presbyterian Church in Westfield followed the same protocols put in place for restaurants. They suspended their weekly Wednesday dinner program due to public health concerns from COVID-19. As of the writing of this post, the kitchen remains closed. However, when officials OK their reopening, they plan on firing up the grill and serving hot meals again.

To get ready for their reopening, they are hosting a clothing drive. What do clothes have to do with feeding hungry people? The money raised from the sale of your donated items helps the kitchen purchase food to feed these hungry people. All you have to do is bag up your gently used clothing, bedding, pillows, towels, shoes, curtains, ties, belts, and even stuffed animals that your children outgrew or don’t use anymore. Bring these bags down to the church between March 17th and 21st. Toss them into the white van with the church’s name on the side located in the parking lot. Volunteers handle the rest. Practice safe social distancing while helping your less fortunate neighbors.

AGAPE Community Kitchen

The Presbyterian Church in Westfield’s AGAPE program actually takes place in nearby Elizabeth. Volunteers meet every Wednesday afternoon in the Westfield church’s parking at 3:15 pm. The church’s van shuttles these wonderful volunteers to the kitchen in Elizabeth where they prepare a delicious hot meal for dinner guests. They end up back in Westfield around 7:30 pm every week. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact the church. Students in grades 6-12 may also sign up to volunteer.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Westfield Farmers Market Opens With Curbside Pickup

May 1, 2020 by Scott Gleason

Millions of New Jersey residents continue to follow Governor Murphy’s Stay at Home order. Currently, only essential businesses remain open, with restrictions. Usually, June marks the start of our local farmer’s market season. However, beginning tomorrow (May 2nd), the Westfield Farmers Market opens with curbside pickup available.

Westfield Farmers Market

Earlier this week, the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce announced that the Westfield Farmers Market would open up early this year. In keeping with social distancing and the CDC’s guidelines on responsible practices, patrons of the market can now place an order from vendors online. Pay for it when you order. Choose a time for pickup (between 10 am and 12 pm). Then, show up to the Westfield Train Station at your designated time.

When you pick up your order, the market staff places your purchased items in the trunk and you go back home with fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, baked goods, and more for your family’s dinner table. Basically, no contact shopping. It’s just like shopping on Amazon. But, instead of a huge corporation getting your money, you support local farmers and merchants directly.

Westfield Farmers Market Hours

Right now, orders must be placed online by Thursday evening for the following Saturday’s pickup. They plan on continuing the virtual market/curbside pickup schedule every Saturday until the regular market starts up. Organizers ask that you be patient as they work out the kinks that may arise from this new arrangement.

As long as Westfield residents continue to obey the governor’s stay at home orders, hopefully, the market starts up with business as usual in June. For the latest local COVID-19 information, please visit the City of Westfield’s Coronavirus Information Center.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes