November 2, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 13 Glen Rock Roundup Club expands offerings The Activities Club, an organization of retired and semi-retired men, is forming three new group activities: coin collection, Apple device users, and chess. These are in addition to the 22 other activities enjoyed by the club. Retired men who are interested in learning more about these activities or joining the club may visit theactivitiesclub.org for information or contact Charlie Flynn, membership chairman, at (201) -652-2585. Green Film Festival finale set The Glen Rock Environmental Commission’s Green Film Festival finale will be held Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Glen Rock Library, 315 Rock Road. The featured film will be “Bag it: Is Your Life Too Plastic?” This film, which started as a documentary about plastic bags, evolved into a wholesale investigation into plastics and their effect on waterways, oceans, and people. A discussion will follow the screening. The Glen Rock Environmental Commission consists of seven volunteer residents who seek to educate residents, advocate for a cleaner and healthier community, and advise the municipal government about the environmental impacts of proposed actions. Glen Rock is a registered community under the Sustainable Jersey program. Grad Ball fundraiser under way The Glen Rock High School Grad Ball 2012 Committee is selling tickets to its cash prize contest at $50 each. The grand prize is $15,000, or 37.5 percent of ticket sales. There will also be 10 additional prizes of $500 each or 1.25 percent of ticket sales each. The Grad Ball, now in its 54th year, provides a safe, alcohol-free, celebratory event on high school graduation night. The event, which is staged in the high school gymnasium, is catered and includes entertainment. Proceeds from the cash prize fundraiser will ben- efit the Grad Ball. Contest tickets may be purchased by contacting Jan at janleerad@aol.com or Karen at karenjmedia@optonline.net. Group plans Day of Recollection The Saint Catharine Association of Mature Parishioners will hold a Day of Recollection on Nov. 1, in the Community Hall at 11 a.m. For reservations call Jackie at (201) 4649699 or Rita at (201) 447-4523. Day of the Dead Ball benefit set The Glen Rock Poverty Awareness Project will host a Day of the Dead Ball on Nov. 5 from 6 to 11:30 p.m. The event will be held in a tent at 426 Ackerman Avenue and will feature dancing, music, food, sangria, a costume contest, and activities to raise money for From Houses to Homes. “Deadly attire” is suggested. Proceeds from the event will benefit a new school in Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala. The school will provide a free education for the poorest of the poor. Guatemala’s boys now average only five years of school, while girls average only three years. The GRPAP believes that education is the key to rising from poverty. A minimum donation of $25 to From Houses to Homes is requested. Checks may be mailed to 416 Ackerman Avenue, Glen Rock, NJ 07452 or pay by credit card at www. fromhousestohomes.org. Tickets will be $35 at the door on the night of the event. For more information, e-mail beth@bethfernandez.com or call (973) 420-0079. Theater company holds fundraiser The Glen Rock Inn, 222 Rock Road, is offering a dining fundraiser to benefit The Glen Rock High School Theatre Company through Nov. 11. Supporters of the theatre company may purchase gift certificates to the restaurant in $25, $50 and $100 denominations. Net proceeds from the sale will be donated to the organization. To order a certificate, contact Doretta Miller at damiller418@gmail.com. The GRHS Theatre Company offers opportunities in acting, directing, playwriting, stage management, and technical theatre. In addition to its annual fall production, the company presents a festival of original plays written and produced by students, every spring. This fall the company will present Bertolt Brecht’s “Caucasian Chalk Circle.” Holiday help offered to the recently bereaved The Stepping Stone group at Saint Catharine’s Church, 905 South Maple Avenue in Glen Rock, will offer “Getting through the Holidays” on Sunday, Nov. 13 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Hope Room at the church. The session will offer suggestions for those who have recently lost a loved one and have concerns about facing the upcoming holidays. For details, call Annette Gallagher at (201) 612-4660. Local shopping (continued from page 7) bags have many negative impacts on the environment. They require large amounts of petroleum to produce, are not biodegradable, cause litter, clog recycling machinery, and can be fatal to wildlife, specifically marine life such as turtles, large mammals, and sea birds. Paper bags use vast amounts of water to manufacture, result in waste water that contains toxic chemicals such as bleach, require logging of millions of trees annually to provide paper pulp, and are heavy to transport using considerable fossil fuel. Recycling of paper bags uses large amounts of water and toxic chemicals. Using durable, reusable shopping bags eliminates the waste and expense of single-use plastic and paper bags. Using durable bags helps the economy and environment by reducing the use of water and tree fiber required to manufacture paper bags, reducing the use of petroleum and natural gas required to manufacture plastic bags, and reducing litter from discarded single-use bags. The benefits of shopping locally include convenience, support for businesses that provide jobs for neighbors and family members, and fewer toxic emissions from vehicles. Shopping locally also creates a sense of community and strengthens the economic vitality of the community. Glen Rock and Ridgewood were among the first communities in the state to organize recycling centers around the time of the first Earth Day in 1971.