Upper Saddle River October 14, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 17 Harvest of fun Upper Saddle River recently held a Harvest Fair, which was sponsored by the Historical Society. Activities included fortune-telling and other family fun. Just 12 months after Gilda’s Club Northern New Jersey was nearly shuttered for good due to lack of funding, the cancer-support organization dedicated its newly renovated clubhouse Sept. 24, amid fanfare and a visit from celebrity and “green” guru Deirdre Imus. Members availing themselves of essential psychosocial support services have been streaming through the Hackensack clubhouse’s signature red doors consistently since it opened in 1996, but now, those doors open to reveal a structure furnished entirely with environmentally friendly materials. “Many people battling cancer often undergo chemotherapy and radiation which impacts the immune system and makes the body vulnerable to environmental toxins,” said Imus, who served as a consultant on the project. “We’re delighted that Gilda’s Club has taken a huge step towards a healthier environment for their members and the community by implementing our Greening the Cleaning [cleaning product] and Building Green programs.” Imus is the founder and president of The Deirdre Imus Environ- Gilda’s Club building gets renovation mental Center for Pediatric Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center and the best-selling author of the “Green This!” series. The $500,000 renovation was financed through a capital improvements grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, bolstered by donations of materials and labor from a host of local organizations. Chief among these were project manager Lou Weiss of Hackensack-based WFM Project and Construction, and interior designer Barbara Ostrom of Upper Saddle River. Weiss, Ostrom and the entire greening team chose formaldehyde-free cabinetry; kitchen, floor and ceiling tiles; Energy Star-certified appliances and a bevy of other environmentally efficient products. “We’re just so thrilled this we were able to make this happen,” said Saddle River’s Ruth Dugan, president since earlier this year of the Gilda’s Club NNJ board. “This reconstruction makes the clubhouse and its programs that much more attractive, and healthful, to the people who partake of our essential services.” ���������� ����������� ������������������������������ �������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������ ������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������� ������������������� �������������������������������������������� EMMANUEL CANCER FOUNDATION Charity Headquarters Located in Midland Park ��������������������������� ������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ���������������������� All proceeds go to