Ridgewood February 18, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 7 Scholarship fund closes with $4,000 donation by John Koster The Ridgewood Scholarship Fund, organized after Tropical Storm Floyd to help employees and volunteers who assisted with flood damage relief, has provided a final $4,000 donation to the College Club of Ridgewood. “Over the past few years, the fundraising effort has had difficulty in finding new members to continue the cause, so former members felt it best to donate the remaining funds to a worthy cause such as the College Club,” said former Ridgewood Village Council Member Tom Riche. College Club President Jennifer Brito accepted the donation on behalf of her organization during a presentation at Ridgewood Village Hall. The Ridgewood Scholarship Fund was organized after the 1999 storm devastated large parts of Ridgewood. The storm flooded the police station on the ground floor of the old municipal building, which later had a major renovation and reconstruction. Village facilities were housed at the bank office opposite the Duck Pond near the border with Paramus for about two years during the construction. In the years that followed, the committee in charge of the scholarship fund held several fundraising golf outings and awarded 62 scholarships to deserving students. A subcommittee of the fund, chaired by the principal of Ridgewood High School, helped with the award process. The fund ultimately raised more than $35,000 in scholarships during its decade of operation in Ridgewood. At Willard School, Mrs. Nicolas’ third graders teamed up with the first grade students in Mrs. Chanod’s class. First grader Jessica (left) shares her first ‘published’ story with her third grade buddy, Gabby. Reading buddies