Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • March 28, 2012 Area Last week, Community Meals, Inc. hosted Mayors for Meals Day as a part of its March for Meals campaign. Mayors John van Keuren of Glen Rock, Keith D. Killion of Ridgewood, and Thomas A. Giordano of Waldwick joined forces with Councilwomen Amy Wilczynski and Liz White of Allendale and Councilman Jack Considine of Midland Park in a show of support for the area’s homebound and hungry seniors. Community Meals invited elected officials to observe the meal packing process, which is conducted in the Christ Church kitchen at 105 Cottage Place in Ridgewood. Hot and cold meals are prepared by the food and nutrition department at The Valley Hospital. A Valley Hospital kitchen technician delivers the hot meal in bulk container and the CMI volunteers pack the food into individual, labeled tins. Sixty to 75 clients receive meals from CMI Monday through Friday. On Mayors for Meals Day, the mayors and council representatives accompanied dedicated CMI volunteers on routes through their respective towns to embrace the volunteer experience and connect with CMI’s clients. “We are excited about having the Mayors, council members aid Community Meals mayors and elected officials participate in our Mayors for Meals Day event,” said CMI Executive Director Stacey Gilmartin. “John van Keuren and his wife Ginny are regular Monday volunteers and have been for a number of years. We now hope to continue and strengthen our relationships with all of the elected officials.” March for Meals is a national campaign held during the month of March. The program was initiated by the Meals on Wheels Association of America, which seeks to raise awareness of senior hunger and to encourage action on the part of the local community. This year, Meals on Wheels programs across the country are also celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the inclusion of senior nutrition programs in the Older Americans Act. The OAA is the primary piece of federal legislation that authorizes and supports vital nutrition services, both congregate and Meals on Wheels, to Americans age 60 and older. “We thank these local leaders for stepping up to the plate and joining our mission to end senior hunger in America by the year 2020,” said MOWAA President and CEO Enid Borden. “Meals on Wheels programs are on the front lines of our battle and need support from elected leaders to continue providing the nutritious meals and human contact that our seniors so desperately depend on.” Senior nutrition programs across the United States, like CMI, promote March for Meals in their local communities through public events, partnerships with local businesses, volunteer recruitment, and fundraising initiatives. CMI is a private, non-profit service organization that delivers nutritional meals to the homebound weekdays, excluding six holidays. Volunteers deliver meals between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to clients in Allendale, Glen Rock, Ho-Ho-Kus, Midland Park, Ridgewood, Waldwick, and part of Saddle River. CMI depends on private donations to keep meals affordable, to sub- sidize those in financial need, and to assure continued service to homebound, elderly convalescent and handicapped clients who are in need. Donations may be made online at www.communitymealsonwheels. org or mailed to: Community Meals, Inc., c/o Christ Church, 105 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07452 Volunteers are always needed. One hour per week will ensure that homebound individuals will have nutritious meals and daily attention. Call (201) 447-8295 or e-mail communitymeals@verizon.net. The Meals on Wheels Association of America is the oldest and largest national organization in the United States representing those programs that provide meals to people in need. To obtain more information about MOWAA or to locate a local Meals on Wheels program, visit www.mowaa.org. The Ridgewood Historical Society’s new exhibit on Adam Badeau and the Civil War in New Jersey is now open. Badeau was a Ridgewood resident and Civil War general with a surprising connection to John Wilkes Booth. Prior to the Civil War, Badeau was a theater critic for a Sunday newspaper in New York. In this capacity, he met many of the famous actors of the day. When war broke out, Badeau became part of General Sherman’s staff. A serious injury en route to Vicksburg disrupted his military career, and he returned to New York City to recover. While in New York, he was reportedly cared for by two New York stage actors he had befriended as a theater critic: Edwin Booth and his younger brother, John Wilkes Booth. (continued on page 14) Historical society mounts exhibit Adam Badeau