Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • September 21, 2011 Area In an effort to address the growing problem of the uninsured and to recognize physician volunteerism, the American Medical Association Foundation has awarded a $10,000 Healthy Communities/Healthy America grant to the Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative. BVMI is one of only eight free healthcare centers in the nation to have received a Healthy Communities/Healthy America grant. The BVMI grant project will focus on a comprehensive approach to managing diabetes, including initial counseling, follow up visits, and group sessions that include cooking demonstrations, shopping tips, and a support group. Many services will be provided in both English and Spanish. AMA Foundation funding will support a certified diabetes nurse educator, a key component of this program. “Diabetes management practices are the key to pre- AMA Foundation awards $10,000 grant to BVMI venting further serious health complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and blindness,” said AMA Foundation President Owen Garrick, MD. “We are pleased to support the Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative in its efforts to provide high quality health care and education to uninsured patients, who face even greater challenges in controlling their disease.” The AMA Foundation’s Healthy Communities/Healthy America program is one of the few national funding opportunities devoted solely to free healthcare centers. These non-profit, volunteer-based organizations provide a range of free or low-cost medical services to the approximately 46 million Americans without health insurance. The funding of these centers is generally raised on the local level with little, if any, government support. “Most of our patients have not seen a doctor in many years and have multiple medical problems,” said BVMI Medical Director Arthur R. De Simone. “Diabetes is a predominant chronic disease. The grant awarded by the AMA Foundation will help enormously in our effort to help patients to manage the disease and, thus, improve the quality of their life.” BVMI is completely dependent on contributions from individuals, community groups, and foundation grants. BVMI provides free primary and preventive medical care to working, low-income Bergen County residents who have no insurance of any kind. The BVMI Healthcare Center, a state-licensed ambulatory care facility, is located at 241 Moore Street, in Hackensack. For more information, contact BVMI at (201) 342-2478 or visit bvmi.org. The AMA Foundation offers a broad range of programs in public health and medical education. This year’s Healthy Communities/Healthy America program is supported by an educational grant from Lilly USA, LLC; additional funding is provided by Don Mitchell, MD, Mary Sue Mitchell, and other generous donors. To learn more, visit amafoundation.org. Wyckoff Grass, garbage collection schedule to change Wyckoff officials remind residents that the curbside grass collection program and the garbage collection schedules will change as of Oct. 1. The curbside grass collection program will end Sept. 30 and will not begin again until May 1, 2012. Residents are advised to either bring grass clippings to Wyckoff’s recycling center on West Main Street or to use the preferred “Cut It and Leave It” technique of evenly dispersing grass clippings over the surface of the lawn. Grass clippings feed the lawn and help maintain a sturdier turf. On Oct. 1, Wyckoff will return to once-a-week garbage collection, which will remain in effect until May 1. A maximum of eight items will be collected at any given pickup, and large oversized barrels are not permitted. Recycling will continue through the autumn and winter with single stream pickup as scheduled on the municipal calendar. Building materials, or oversized or overweight materials, may not be left at the curb. These items must be removed by a private contractor hired by the property owner. Garbage and trash containers and recycling containers must be placed on the curb prior to 6 a.m. on the day of collection and must be removed by 7 p.m. of the collection day. Wyckoff encourages residents to think in terms of “Nifty Fifty” -- the concept that recycling 50 percent of all local waste materials instead of putting them out with the garbage could save the taxpayers a considerable amount of money and would benefit the environment. Techniques can include reusing or recycling containers, composting fruit and vegetable waste as natural fertilizer, and bringing most metal or plastic containers to the recycling area at 475 West Main Street, which is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. except on holidays. Curbside leaf pickups will begin Oct. 17. J. KOSTER