Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • January 12, 2011 Area The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism recently announced its 2010 grant recipients, including West Bergen Mental Healthcare, which will receive $15,000 for a vocational summer program for Counselors in Training with Asperger’s. Over- West Bergen receives $15K from Flutie Foundation all, the foundation will distribute a total of $369,000 to 30 non-profit organizations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, California, and Canada. The $15,000 grant will be used for continued support for a vocational program at West Bergen Mental Healthcare giving young adults with Asperger’s Syndrome an opportunity to be camp counselors - The Counselor-in-Training/Junior Counselor (CIT/JC) Program. CITs participate in 30 hours of vocational training. Some of the training focuses on general skills needed to acquire and maintain a job and some of the training is specific to working with children and young teens who are affected with Asperger’s. The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. was established in 1998 by former Patriots and Boston College Quarterback Doug Flutie and his wife, Laurie, in honor of their 19-year-old son, Doug Jr. who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Autism is a neurological disorder that impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Autism now affects one in 110 children in the United States, and the numbers diagnosed continue to dramatically climb. According to the U.S. Department of Education, autism is growing at a rate between 10 and 17 percent each year. The goals of the Flutie Foundation are to support families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. The foundation is also committed to increasing awareness of the challenges of living with autism and helping families find resources to help address those challenges. It provides individuals with autism and their families an opportunity to improve their quality of life by funding educational, therapeutic, recreational and advocacy programs. Money raised comes from foundation sponsored fundraisers such as the Flutie Bowl to Strike Out Autism, taking place Jan. 20 this year in Dedham, or the summertime Golf Tournament in June. For more information on the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, call 1-866-3AUTISM, or visit www.flutiefoundation.org. Scholarship applicants sought Hackensack Riverkeeper is currently accepting applications for the 2011 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship. Now in its eleventh year, the program was created in 2001 to support college-bound high school seniors who excel academically and demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental conservation and protection. The guidance departments of 66 high schools located in Bergen, Hudson, and Rockland counties were contacted and invited to nominate one of their students for the award. Eligible students must reside and/or attend school within the Hackensack River Watershed. “Our watershed takes up about 210 (continued on page 19)