Mahwah March 2, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 9 Nominations for the 2011 Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference will be accepted by The Russell Berrie Foundation through March 11. New Jerseyans who have made a significant difference in their communities through a heroic effort or a lifetime of service are eligible for cash awards of up to $50,000. Members of the community are invited to nominate New Jersey residents whose deeds carried out in the state make them worthy of recognition. Nominations sought for ‘Making a Difference’ awards Established in 1996 by the late Russell Berrie, founder of Russ Berrie and Company, Inc. and Ramapo College of New Jersey, the awards honor “unsung heroes” who reside throughout the state. Up to 11 individuals will be recognized for making a significant difference to the wellbeing of their communities during the annual spring award ceremony at Ramapo College in Mahwah. The Russell Berrie Foundation will provide monetary awards of up to Excellent musicians Ten students from the Mahwah High School Band program were selected and awarded positions in the 2011 North Jersey Region I Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Bands. Over 650 students from seven North Jersey counties auditioned for these two prestigious ensembles and 166 total students were accepted between the two groups. The concert was held at Randolph High School. Top row: April Lohmann, Brandon Schwartz, Stefan Vlahovic, David Choi, and Nicholas Bachmann. Bottom row: Mr. Tim Rausenberger, Emily Galow, Laura Rann, Bianca D’Agostaro, Bret Magliola, Matthew Brauner, and Mr. Jeff Bittner. $50,000, $35,000, and $25,000 and runner-up grants of $5,000 each. “Through this award, we honor the contributions of people who don’t seek recognition for what they do, yet generously give of themselves to make the world a better place,” said Angelica Berrie of Englewood, president of The Russell Berrie Foundation. Nominees will be reviewed by an advisory board that is co-chaired by Josh S. Weston of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. and Ramapo College of New Jersey President Dr. Peter P. Mercer. The board, which is comprised of eminent New Jersey business leaders and professionals, will evaluate nominations submitted by community groups, houses of worship, educators, media representatives, and others. Following this evaluation, based on criteria refined by the board, the group will present the awards at a ceremony on May 3. Last year, the top honorees included the founder of an organization that grows fresh produce to feed the hungry, a woman who started a non-profit organization to conduct clothing, food, and furniture drives to help less fortunate members of her community and a girls’ sports advocate who began a girls’ sports league in 1959 in Bergen County. For more information on The Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference, or to make a nomination, contact The Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference, c/o Office of the President Ramapo College of New Jersey, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, New Jersey 07430 or call (201) 684-6259. Nomination forms are also available on the Internet at www. russellberriefoundation.org or http://www.ramapo.edu/news/ events/berrieawards/. The deadline for entries is March 11. Angelica Berrie, wife of the late Russ Berrie, heads the Russell Berrie Foundation in its work to foster continuity and enrichment of Jewish communal life, support issues of health with an emphasis on diabetes and humanism in medicine and recognize individuals who have made a significant difference in the lives of others. Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s public liberal arts college, serving almost 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The college, which offers more than 700 courses and 40 academic programs, was ranked by “U.S. News & World Report” among the top public universities-master’s in the region. The campus center for performing and visual arts, the site of the Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference ceremony, is named in honor of Russ and Angelica Berrie. Break the Highway Trend! ...not your community’s back. Local businesses are the backbone of your community and the trend to shop the big guys on the highway hurts us all.Your local businesses have what you want... at the right price... and close to home. So, why hassle with the highways? Save Time! Save Gas! Save Money! SAVE YOUR COMMUNITY! We Need You SHOP LOCALLY. IT’S SMART. ...and besides, it’s so convenient!