FIRE RETIREMENT – North Hudson Fire Captain Glen Michelin is pictured (third from right) on his last tour of duty as member of Squad Seven on the waterfront, North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue. Left to right are other members he has worked with in his 29-year career: Retired Capt. Pat Cardinali, Ret. Firefighter Jim Hodge, Michelin, and Ret. Firefighters Tommy Steinel and Bill Renner. Michelin spent his first 15 years with the Union City Fire Department and was the first North Hudson Firefighters Association President, from 1999 to 2007.

Union City is hosting its Sixth Annual NoHu International Short Film Festival, Oct. 15 to 19, and is seeking entries from the public. This year's five-day festival will include two days of screening feature films, two evenings of screening the finalists of the short film category, and a red carpet awards ceremony on the final day.

Submissions are being accepted in all categories (no pornography), including foreign language films. Entries should be no longer than 15 minutes and should be submitted in DVD format. The contact name, email, and genre should be written on the DVD cover. Since this is a juried festival, entrants should include if this is a "World Premiere," "USA Premiere," "New Jersey Premiere," or "Union City Premiere."

Along with the film and contact information, a cover letter, synopsis, film credits, and awards, if any, should be submitted to: Commissioner Lucio P. Fernandez, Department of Public Affairs, 3715 Palisade Ave., Union City, NJ 07087, Attn: Film Entry. The deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013 (no exceptions). There is no fee, and no application form is required.

Include in the cover letter that the entry is being submitted by the property owner or licensee, and is giving Union City the right to publicly screen the film as part of the NoHu International Film Festival. Finalists will be notified via e-mail. DVDs will not be returned.

The red carpet awards presentation will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the William Musto Cultural Center, 420 15th Street in Union City. Admission is free.

Training program will help you make a difference in the lives of the terminally ill

Would you like to make a difference in the lives of the terminally ill and their families? If so, you can register for the volunteer training class beginning Sept. 10 at the Hudson Hospice Office, 93 Clerk St., Jersey City.

The program consists of eight classes on eight consecutive Tuesdays. Participants must attend all eight. They can be taken mornings from 10 to noon or evenings from 7 to 9. The classes end on Oct. 29.

Volunteer roles offered include companionship for the patients, emotional support for patients and families, errands help, and telephone reassurance.

To get a jump start on curbing seasonal flu, locally owned and operated Park Avenue Pharmacy in Weehawken is providing a free, one-year supply of multiple vitamins for all children and senior citizens in the community.

“Introducing a wellness approach for our community is exciting,” said Rene Rodriguez, chief pharmacist at Park Avenue. “Laying in bed sick and taking medication isn’t something most of us look forward to, so an ounce of prevention can really be worth a pound of cure.”

The vitamins included in this offer are limited to select lines. To ensure patient safety, the pharmacy will confirm with patients’ doctors that there is no problem adding a particular supplement to their regimens. Patients will initially receive a one-month supply, which will be refilled monthly for free.

If one does experience flu-like symptoms, Park Avenue Pharmacy carries a line of wellness products and homeopathic remedies that, when taken early enough, can often lessen the severity of symptoms and shorten the duration of illness, Rodriguez said. The pharmacists at Park Avenue Pharmacy are available to counsel patients seeking advice.

For more information, visit www.parkaverxnj.com.

Artists, crafters and vendors wanted for Union City Art & Crafts and Music Festival

The city of Union City is seeking artists, crafters and vendors to participate in the Annual Union City Arts & Crafts and Music Festival to be held at Ellsworth Park, New York Avenue and 23rd Street, on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The day long festival will include various performances and activities for children. Artists and crafters interested in participating may reserve a space or obtain information from the Union City Department of Public Affairs, 3715 Palisade Ave., 3rd floor, Union City, NJ 07087 or by calling (201) 348-5746. The spaces are 10 x10 feet and participation is free.