Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • January 26, 2011 Emmanuel asks... Can You Help? Our hat’s off to 10-year-old Jasmine Barash who made about 75 activity bags for our kids. Each bag included a craft and some treats. She did this on her own as part of her Mitzvah project. The Wyckoff Seniors recently helped us fill our food pantry. Thank you, everyone! Our recent fundraiser was so successful that we are now referring to it as The First Annual Hollywood Bash! The night was amazing. We must mention a few people who helped us along the way: Aldo Cascio from the Brick House donated delicious food; Gina Polverino of Polverino Designs helped with the invitations, ad book, and more; Meryl Shattuck, who chaired the event; and the many people and local businesses who so graciously donated their services. A very special thank you goes to former karen/janine 4-29-09 ECF kid Jonnine DeLoatch. Jonnine and her father, Jesse, both attended. Jonnine spoke about her EmmanuelHelp2x.75(4-29-09) experience and her story brought many to tears. Many 3 x .75 thanks to Caseworkers Addie Haler and Jennifer Heath, ECF Board Vice President Judith Vernon and her husband Ed, and to our amazing volunteers. Our guests included Kim G. from “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” her friends Tom Murro from celebritymagnet.com and his wife Kelly, Kim’s publicist Robyn Polay, and celebrity fitness trainer Michael Blauner. They were kind enough to contact their friend, New York Giants great and NFL Hall of Famer Harry Carson, who, with his wife Maribel, came to the bash, spoke to the crowd, and donated autographed items for our auction. We currently have 17 families receiving eight to 10 bags of groceries from our food pantry every month. Please help us keep the shelves of our pantry stocked! When you go grocery shopping and something nonperishable is on sale, please grab some extras and drop them off at our regional center. We use your donations of food, grocery store gift cards, and funds to help us provide free services to any New Jersey child who has cancer. Approximately 70 cents from every dollar goes towards direct care for our families. Ralph and his family need your help. Ralph is a 17year-old who is enjoying his senior year of high school. He hopes to attend college and become a nurse like him mother. Ralph lives with his parents and three siblings in Bergen County. His father is blind and unable to work, and Ralph’s mom supports the family the best she can working as an LPN. Ralph was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2004 and with leukemia in 2009. Ralph needed a bone marrow transplant, which was provided by his eight-year old sister. He recovered well from the treatments and multiple surgeries, including a leg amputation. Although he continued to have weekly blood transfusions and tests done following the bone marrow transplant, he was in remission. A few weeks ago, test results showed that Ralph’s leukemia has returned. He will likely need to undergo more chemotherapy. Because of his amputation and weakness from cancer treatments, the family decided to convert the back room behind the kitchen into a bedroom for Ralph. This allows him easier access to his bedroom, but he still needs to go up many steps to the second floor to access the shower. His family would love to be able to build a shower in the small half-bathroom on the first floor to make life easier for Ralph. The family hopes a contractor or handyman will help convert the bathroom to include some type of shower for Ralph. However, the family does not have the financial resources to pay for the supplies or the work this project will require. You can help in a variety of ways. Turn your next gathering or event into a fundraiser by asking guests to bring checks or gift cards for our families. Your efforts help us to help families like Ralph’s in many ways, including sending a caseworker to visit the families at home or in the hospital. Kids can involved, too. ECF representatives are available to speak at your fundraiser or event and talk about our programs. If you have a few hours a week to spare, consider becoming a volunteer. Volunteers are welcome to assist on Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. Call us at (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Please do not leave items at the center without checking with us first. Our storage space is limited. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue, Midland Park, NJ 07432. Visit us on the web at: www.emmanuelcancer. org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Mark Borst, founder and president of Borst Landscape & Design in Allendale, has been honored as a Trailblazer by PLANET: The Professional Landcare Network. This is the second time Borst or his company has been recognized by PLANET for excellence in the industry. Borst, who is also a PLANET landscape industry certified technician, is one of only three landscape professionals nationwide to earn the Trailblazer designation in the design/build/installation category. He recently received the Trailblazer award at PLANET’s Green Industry Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. “To be recognized by my colleagues in the landscape industry is truly an honor,” said Borst. “I look forward Businessman named ‘Trailblazer’ to helping other landscape professionals develop and deepen their knowledge and skills in the design/build sector of their businesses.” PLANET Trailblazers are dedicated industry professionals who were nominated by their peers for making significant and long-term contributions to the green industry in the areas of lawn care, design/build/installation, interior plantscaping, and landscape management. Borst was cited for his longevity and success in the landscape and hardscape arenas, and his commitment to giving back to the community through charitable endeavors. Just a Click Away! www.villadom.com Thousands r of Readers Ove se and Above Tho r u Who Receive O Paper in the Mail! Visit Our Website: Direct Links to Advertisers ’ Websites! Read Our Other Editions Too! Current & Past!