November 2, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 15 Our hat’s off to: Thanks to the Religious Education Department of the Nativity Church for their candy bags; to Brownie Troop 300 from Woodcliff Lake for putting together an adorable birthday party in a box; and to the Mary Cooke Circle at Fair Lawn Baptist Church for the food donations. Join us at our next big event. On Sunday, Nov. 20, the Ridgewood Art Institute will host a Wine & Cheese Reception and Annual Art Show & Sale. Proceeds will benefit ECF. Hours will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Keep in mind that our Second Annual Hollywood Bash will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. Please call us if you would like to get involved in these or other events. We are looking for donations for our auction and ad placements. Meet Gulia: Gulia is a single mother who is raising two children and struggling financially. Her child, Evie, was diagnosed last September with chronic myloid leukemia. Evie is in second grade. She loves to read and will soon participate in a spelling bee with other schools. This family is faced with major financial challenges. Gulia recently received a warrant of eviction and was scheduled to appear in court. Her hope is that the judge will be lenient and will give her time to find a new location to live with her sick child. Gulia works part-time at a psychiatric hospital. She has been looking for additional work and has the added stress of the possibility that the hospital will be closing soon. Gulia is actively seeking full-time employment, and already has an interview scheduled for this week. Gulia’s family is an example of the families we serve who can use your help. Each month, we distribute about 140 bags of food to our families. You can help us fill our pantry. When you go grocery shopping and something non-perishable is on sale, please pick up some extra items and drop them off at ECF. Our families will be appreciative. Staples such as sugar, flour, salt, cooking oil, detergent, pancake mix/syrup, and rice are always needed. We rely on our local community to help support our families. Many of them do not have the financial or emotional support to help them get through a major illness like cancer. Please remember: We do not charge anything for our services. We rely on you! ECF uses monetary contributions to cover the costs associated with providing free services to any New Jersey child who has cancer. Approximately 70 cents from every dollar goes towards direct care for our families. If your company has a charitable giving program, please let us know. The holidays will soon be here. Please consider making a special contribution so we can help our families enjoy the season. You can help in a variety of ways. Consider turning your next event into a fundraiser for ECF, and ask guests to bring checks or gift cards to be used by our families. Your efforts help us to help our families in many ways, including sending a caseworker to visit the families at home or in the hospital. This support for the kids, their siblings, and parents is crucial. Kids are welcome to help, too. Many have held sales or lemonade stands and contributed the proceeds to ECF. If your Boy Scout or Girl Scout Troop needs to earn badges, visit us in Midland Park. Scouts can get creative and have fun helping our families as they learn about philanthropy. ECF representatives are available to discuss our programs at your next fundraiser or event. Just give us a call for more information. If you have a few hours a week to spare, consider becoming a volunteer, or just stop by and meet with us, take a look at our John Osborne, senior instructor of the Ridgewood Art Institute; Laura Savage, LSW, Northern Regional Director Emmanuel Cancer Foundation; Arthur Gilmore, chairman of the Ridgewood Art Holiday Show; and Robert Lampert of Hillsdale, president of the Ridgewood Art Institute. pantry, and see what ECF is all about. Call (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. We are currently looking for a Friday volunteer who can help out from 1 to 4 p.m. We are also looking for a few food drivers who are willing to go to Bergen and Essex counties. A background check with an $18 fee is required. Visit us at www.emmanuelcancer.org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Township election (continued from page 5) in volunteer environmental activities. Scanlan has served on the Wyckoff Board of Health and as a member of the Community Emergency Response Team, and he and his family have taken part in humanitarian construction projects in Latin America. Scanlan is deputy chairman of the Finance Committee, and served on the Library Director Search Committee. He serves as liaison to the ambulance corps, the department of public works, the Wyckoff Family YMCA, and the Zabriskie House trustees. He is a Wyckoff Parks and Recreation Board member and coach. He introduced the Nifty Fifty recycling program, and supported the township’s participation on the Sustainable Jersey program and the outdoor dining ordinance. Scanlan said he is working toward maintaining low municipal tax rates, the protection of Wyckoff’s character, preservation of open space, and achieving a positive nonpartisan balance. The candidate said he is working to limit average increases in township expenses to 1.2 percent annually, despite large increases in mandated payments to Trenton for health and pension benefits. He assisted in securing the $1.9 million grant for the Russell Farms property and a recommendation for a $1.3 million grant for the proposed Maple Lake preserve.