Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • July 14, 2010 Business Devon Fine Jewelry, which snared the attention of the entire New York region last year by giving away $30,000 in jewelry in small shopping bags left all over northern Bergen County last year, has won a national award for its nonprofit work. Devon was among the first jewelers ever to win the prestigious “Jewelers That Care” award, which recognized the scope and breadth of Devon’s activities. Nancy Schuring, Devon’s founder and president, received the award at the JCK Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2008, Schuring was so inspired by a “gem tourism” trip to Madagascar that she established The Devon Foundation, which is dedicated to help training residents of developing countries in the lapidary arts and educating jewelers in the United States about ways that working with local non-profits can improve their communities and bottom lines at the same time. “Devon Fine Jewelry has done a remarkable job in creating The Devon Foundation, a nonprofit that wonderfully captures the romance and energy of the jewelry world, while helping people in need at the same time,” said Alethe Clementson, executive director of Jewelers That Care. Tuition for lapidary training costs about $500, but that amount can be twice the annual income of someone who lives in the developing world. Successful completion of training can dramatically increase a person’s income. The difference between the value of rough gems taken straight out of the ground and cut stones can vary by a factor of 10 or more. Devon is working with the Institute of Gemology of Madagascar, and students have already graduated from its programs. “Our goal is to help people in nations with mineral Devon Fine Jewelry earns ‘Jewelers That Care’ award resources take greater advantage of the gems they find,” said Schuring. A 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organization, The Devon Foundation is also dedicated to helping jewelers in the United States become more effective resources for their communities. Devon has long been very generous with the communities that it works with, and this has resulted in better business for the store, Schuring said. “They say doing good is the best way to do well, and we’ve certainly found that to be the case,” Schuring added. In just the last two years, Devon has worked with 15 com- munity non-profit community clubs from the Woman’s Club to Scouts to the PBA. She has also worked with 27 schools and a variety of national non-profits from March of Dimes to the Red Cross. Local non-profits she works closely with include the Ramapo Animal Refuge and Shelter Our Sisters. Schuring said she plans to stage the Finders Keepers jewelry giveaway program again in 2010, giving people all over the area a chance to get some marvelous gems. Devon Fine Jewelry is located at 303 Franklin Avenue, Wyckoff. For information, phone (201) 848-8489. Family wins TV The Tsairis Family of Wyckoff won the 42” flat screen TV given away by Horizon Landscape Company at Wyckoff Family Fun Day. One of the events at Horizon’s booth was to guess the number of stones in a loader bucket and whoever was closest hourly, without going over, would receive a beautiful hanging flower basket. At the end of the day, Horizon took all the names and chose one as the winner of the television. Horizon Landscape also had an excavator at its booth and children who wanted to get up and sit in the cab were given a T-shirt celebrating the Wyckoff Family Fun Day. Break the Highway Trend! ...not your community’s back. Local businesses are the backbone of your community and the trend to shop the big guys on the highway hurts us all.Your local businesses have what you want... at the right price... and close to home. So, why hassle with the highways? Save Time! Save Gas! Save Money! SAVE YOUR COMMUNITY! We Need You SHOP LOCALLY. IT’S SMART. ...and besides, it’s so convenient!