2018 Rahway River Parkway calendar helps protect a vital NJ greenbelt

When a calendar highlights the diverse beauty of the 1,100-acre greenbelt of riverside parks from Springfield to Rahway, it becomes more than an organizational tool that marks the passing of time.

Each year since 2015, the annual Friends of Rahway River Parkway calendar has drawn local photographers and nature lovers who capture the parkway in the vivid colors of various seasons. Additionally, the calendars, which follow the seasons with appropriate images of nature and wildlife, are a major fundraiser for the organization’s efforts to win historic designation and the associated protections for the entire Rahway River Parkway.

Friends of Rahway River Parkway works to raise awareness of the parkway while advocating for and working on its preservation, restoration and enhancement.

The 2019 calendar is a standout compilation of images, beginning with the cover’s “Winter Wonderland” shot taken at Lenape Park by Cranford photographer and artist Diane Frank Metz.

Calendars are $15, and proceeds support the organization’s preservation efforts. Buy online at RahwayRiverParkway.org, which has information about the parkway, the organization’s work and re- lated events. The site lists retailers carrying the calendar, including Golden Touch Jewelers, 27 N Union Ave., Cranford; The Computer Guys, 992 St. Georges Ave., Rahway; and Williams Nursery,524 Springfield Ave., Westfield.