Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • August 19, 2009 Business Lakeland Bank is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. Formed in 1969 in Newfoundland, the bank has grown and prospered as it has continued to provide customer focused financial services to the communities of northern New Jersey. The directors and officers of Lakeland Bank have provided strong and effective leadership from the bank’s inception. Throughout the distinguished history of Lakeland Bank, the management and staff have provided customers and neighbors with a solid capital base, stable market share, dedication to service and innovative products, and potential for excellent long-term growth and return on shareholder investments. Today, Lakeland Bank, still primarily owned by local people, is providing financial service to 49 markets throughout six counties in northern New Jersey and is one of the largest employers in the area. The bank was started by three local businessmen: John Fredericks of Fredericks Fuel & Heating Service, Robert Nicholson of Eastern Propane, and Bruce Bohuny of Brooks LTD, who saw the great public need for a bank to service the Milton section of Jefferson and the Newfoundland, Oak Ridge section of West Milford. Over the past 40 years, Lakeland Bank has grown to $2.6 billion in assets, has over 600 employees and still operates under the same basic community banking principles and philosophies that have made the past four decades profitable and safe for depositors and investors. “Did you know Lakeland Bank is credited for introducing Saturday banking and drive-in banking to northern New Jersey?” said John Fredericks, chairman of the board of Lakeland Bank. “Within a few years, other area banks began offering these innovations pioneered by Lakeland.” Today Lakeland Bank prides itself on its differentiating factors, outstanding customer service, innovative products, and local decision-making. “Having grown with our customers and communities, Lakeland offers comprehensive products and services which develop and evolve based on our primary goal – to meet the customers’ needs. It is the focus and teamwork towards that goal that allows Lakeland Bank to make a difference for every customer we serve,” said Thomas J. Shara, the bank’s president and CEO. “At Lakeland Bank, our mission is simply stated: We will remain a community focused financial institution committed to providing shareholders with returns that consistently exceed those of our peers. We will provide a challenging, yet rewarding environment for our employees who will foster the delivery of superior customer service that exceeds customer expectations by understanding and anticipating their financial needs each Lakeland Bank celebrates 40th Anniversary and every time we interact with them. We will continue to carry out this mission with the vision of Lakeland’s founders, current directors, officers and employees and continue to focus on our customers and communities who make it all possible for a bright future.” Lakeland Bancorp, the holding company for Lakeland Bank, has a current asset base of $2.6 billion and 48 offices spanning six northwestern New Jersey counties: Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren. Lakeland Bank, headquartered at 250 Oak Ridge Road, Oak Ridge, offers an extensive array of consumer and commercial products and services, including online banking, localized commercial lending teams, equipment leasing, and 24-hour or less turnaround time on consumer loan applications. For more information about their full line of products and services, visit www.lakelandbank.com. Parents who are now preparing their children for a successful 2009-10 school year, will be interested to hear that fun, inspiring, and educational experiences that positively impact academics can be found in quality after school activities. According to “Arts and Afterschool: A Powerful Combination,” a report from the AfterSchool Alliance, the most engaging and successful after school programs have welldesigned art and music components. The report states that a great deal of research on the mental stimulation and life lessons provided by art education can help youth succeed in school and beyond. It further states that the arts provide excitement and vibrancy that students need in general, but particularly in the after school and summer hours. “The integration of arts into after school activities helps kids develop skills that can have a positive impact on their academics,” said Nyree Shishmanian, executive director of KidzArt in Midland Park, an art education franchise that offers after school art classes to children of all ages. “It’s exciting to see how KidzArt’ s creative arts program can give kids the self-assurance to improve their artistic abilities and also the courage and desire to explore their potential in other academic areas.” The arts enhance educational experience for a variety of reasons, according to the AfterSchool Alliance report. Art programs bolster creativity There is intrinsic value in having the opportunity to express oneself creatively. In addition, the engaging nature of the arts can provide opportunities for “stealth learning” with drawing as an exercise in geometry, mixing paints as chemistry, dance and music as counting, and drama as reading comprehension and public speaking. KidzArt’s unique curriculum provides drawing instruction for students from preschoolers to teens. The program offers a constructive, creative outlet that encourages self-expression and communication. No prior experience is necessary. Classes are small, up to 15 enrollees, to maximize the amount of attention paid to each student. KidzArt classes allow children to explore, express, and be motivated by their artwork in a noncompetitive environment, which promotes skills that children can transfer to any subject they study. KidzArt can also provide core art classes during the school day that meet the National Standards for the Visual Arts. “We’re really able to spark the kids’ creative process and encourage expression which strengthens their presentation skills, confidence and concentration,” said Shishmanian. For more information about KidzArt after school classes in the Midland Park area, visit http://www.northjerseykidzart.com or call (201) 739-3649. New construction official (continued from page 3) subcode official, a New Jersey Construction Code Official, and a New Jersey Home Inspector. He also has New Jersey home improvement, radon measurement technician, and New York home inspector licenses. He is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors and served on that organization’s board of directors from 2000 to 2003. He is also a member of the American Indoor Air Quality Council, the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, and the International Construction Code Council. 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