Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 4, 2012 three-year-old sister who has suffered emotional distress due to the absence of her mother. The family is having trouble purchasing groceries, paying utility bills, and obtaining a push walker for Andy, which would help him develop mobility. You can help us provide assistance to Andy’s family with your donations. ECF, which was named for a little boy named Emmanuel who lost his battle with cancer nearly 30 years ago, 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 toward direct care for our families. If your company has a charitable giving program, please let us know. 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 grab some extra items and drop them off at our outreach center. Our families appreciate your efforts. Staples such as sugar, flour, salt, cooking oil, detergent, pancake mix/syrup, and rice are always needed. 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 other events 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. On May 14, ECF will be the beneficiary of Blue Moon Mexican Restaurant’s Community Day. Come to Boulder Run Shopping Center in Wyckoff to eat any time from 11:30 a.m. through 9 p.m. that day, and Blue Moon will donate 20 percent of your bill to our Family Assistance Fund. It’s not too early to think about hosting a spring tea for us. Please call us for details. We are thinking about some creative ways to hold some enjoyable fundraisers. If you would like to help us, call our office at (201) 612-8118 and ask for Laura, or e-mail: laura@emmanuelcancer.org. ECF representatives are available to discuss our programs at your next fundraiser or event. 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 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. Visit us on the web at www.emmanuelcancer.org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Our hat’s off to: Grace Church Nursery School for the Peanut Butter & Jelly Food Drive and to the Midland Park Girl Scouts for the Food Drive. We are giving a big shout out to Hannah and Grace Velarde, fifth graders at Most Blessed Sacrament and members of Girl Scout Troop 1202. When the Velardes’ grandparents were celebrating their 50th Anniversary, the girls had a great idea. They decided to ask guests at the anniversary celebration to make a donation to ECF in honor of their grandparents. We are so proud of the girls. They are amazing and thoughtful young ladies. See ECF’s Facebook page for pictures. Meet Andy: Andy is a vivacious 23-month-old toddler who was diagnosed in January with nasopharyangyl rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare malignant tumor that invades the nasal cavity. His mother realized something was wrong when Andy continued to collide with furniture and walls when he was learning to walk. She suspected Andy might be blind. After numerous exams and biopsies in the hospital, doctors concluded that Andy had a malignant tumor. Since he was born with hydrocephalus, his mother was accustomed to numerous hospital and doctor visits, but she never anticipated that a detrimental and aggressive cancer would affect her son. “When I heard the word cancer, my world absolutely fell apart,” said Mom, who has stayed by Andy’s side throughout his treatment. Andy is currently receiving chemotherapy and a specialized radiation. The family is currently in financial distress since they can no longer rely on two incomes. Andy also has a Library programs (continued from page 7) courage and determination. Novel display items and photos will be exhibited. Travel enthusiasts are invited to a special April 17 appearance by Janice Davis, author of the “Travel Bug Series.” The 7 p.m. program will include a book signing. Davis is the author of “A Kid, A Grown-up, and a Travel Bug,” and “Friends, A Villa, and a Travel Bug.” Her third book is scheduled for publication this fall. She also writes for in-flight magazines, and teaches seminars about traveling solo.