Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • September 19, 2012 cultural activities. There is an additional reason not to set a plaque on The View. At this site, 11 years ago, a number of people -- some reportedly with friends or relatives in the Twin Towers - watched the World Trade Center collapse. Can there be any site in Ridgewood more likely to turn depression into desperation? Ridgewood Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli had a concept that works: Plant a tree in Campanello’s memory. Taking that one step beyond, perhaps every person who wishes to honor Campanello should plant a tree in his memory -- on public property with public permission, or on their own properties if they want to act immediately. The time for tree-planting -- when the leaves fall spontaneously -- is now drawing near. This idea is not just sentimental, but especially appropriate. This young man died as a result of an asthma attack. While I do not have the specific details, asthma and other respiratory diseases can be aggravated by poor air quality. Dr. Jill Stein, MD, a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, said she went “green” because of the drastic increase in infant mortality since she started practicing medicine in the 1970s. Dr. Stein has pointed out while running for president on the Green Party ticket that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have done much to control atmospheric pollution. Both major parties are in hock to Wall Street moneymen who make some of their best money from industries that pollute, and little or any from industries that promote “green” energy. Since Dr. Stein’s onslaught is bipartisan, I would call it objective, even though my own integrity compels to point out that Richard Nixon was the president who signed the Clean Air Act, while Ronald Reagan said the White House did not need solar panels. Both political parties seem to support fracking. I think that the Clean Air Act may have delayed the impending environmental catastrophe, but considering both major candidates running today, we are far from out of trouble. Senator Bernard Sanders from Maine shared some of the concerns. He said something has to be done about corporate pollution, but nothing will be, regardless of who is elected, unless the people take environmental responsibilities upon themselves. He pointed out that a number of small communities in Maine have already done so. Others in Bergen County have also taken action. Planting trees is one of the best ways to combat air pollution, global warming, and minimize the chronic autumn flooding of Ho-Ho-Kus Brook. This is a citizen-based effort if ever there was one. Ridgewood is said to be down to one full-time tree man, and he is the person who removes the dead and dying trees, not the person who replaces them. Yet the trees must be replaced judiciously. For example, towering oaks with limited root bases should not be planted near power lines. The towns obviously do not have the person-power to handle the whole job. They most certainly do not have the person-power to uproot the allergenic ragweed that is once again sprouting along various local and county rights of way, so planting saplings would obviously be too much to ask. Here is a tentative plan with absolutely no legislative power behind it. People close to Campanello’s family should find out if he had any particular favorite type of tree. Every time a spot opens that is not beneath a power line, they should plant a tree of that type, with or without a plaque. A living greener greater Ridgewood area, without reference to any particular party, would be a better and safer memorial to a fine young man. The other night, the friends of Nick Campanello spoke before the Ridgewood Village Council urging that a plaque be set in the stone wall at “The View,” that overlooks a large part of Ridgewood and the distant New York skyline. These people presented their concept with dignity and decorum. The sentiment was noble. The behavior was immensely touching and responsible. It’s the proposed location if the memorial plaque that is a cause for concern. Campanello aroused admiration in a large number of the people who knew him for his generous spirit, warmth, humor, and what was undoubtedly real courage in dealing with the asthma that claimed his life at 16. He was the sort of young man who should be remembered with respect and affection. However much he may have loved the vantage point at “The View,” this seems to be the worst place for a memorial to a premature death as it could inspire tragic emulation. The previous sad teen death that put Ridgewood on the map around the nation took place through a leap on a tragic impulse from another high place, specifically the George Washington Bridge. For the benefit of those youngsters who might make the same decision, we should not offer opportunities for responses by mourners to go beyond tears in expressing their sorrow. I once listened to a speaker talk about suicide and I can tell you she did not have the slightest idea what she was talking about. My niece by marriage has two degrees in psychology and has conducted professional suicide counseling, and I knew a number of people who flew that final mission under their own power. Where my niece, my wife, and my math tutor come from, killing yourself because the college exams did not go well is almost routine. Unhappy love affairs are also cited in farewell notes. Suicide by extreme courage in battle or political assassination is extolled. Westerners may comfort ourselves but most people do not kill themselves because of genetics. They kill themselves when social pressure -- sometimes self-induced, sometimes political -- convinces them their lives are worthless or an embarrassment. Voluntary death in the destruction of tyranny is a form of suicide -- and an act of great nobility where the assassination target is genuinely evil. John Wilkes Booth gave assassination a bad name in America because he killed a good president. Killing Stalin a century later would have made the doomed assassin a Russian hero. Some kids who commit suicide do it because of intense personal grief or because they set their sights impossibly high and should have been told to be more realistic. Some others do it because their friends did it. “Cults” that form to assuage personal grief or guilt in the aftermath do not help other kids avoid the same tragic decision. Campanello, however, did not plan his death. He was a brave young man with a health problem who tried to live the most normal and helpful life possible. He did a great job with the time he had, and a lot of people obviously loved and admired him. He sounds like the sort of person who would have preferred to be remembered through social and An idea for a greener, safer monument to a fine young man Ridgewood Notes Annual Stickball Tournament set The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Council #1736 will host its Annual Stickball Tournament on Sept. 29. The event will be held on Passaic Street in Ridgewood at 11 a.m. The entrance fee is $100 for a team of four. Trophies will be awarded to the first, second, and third place teams. Refreshments, hotdogs, and hamburgers will be available, and a special cash prize contest will be held. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Social Service Association of Ridgewood. Registration is open to all. For an application or additional information, e-mail richpal@optonline.net or jmhernandezjr@gmail.com. Progressive Dinner planned The 2012 Ridgewood Newcomers Progressive Dinner will be held Oct. 13 from 7 p.m. to midnight. Attendees will begin the evening at one member’s home for cocktails and appetizers, progress to another home for dinner, and conclude the night at a third member’s home for dessert. This event is open to members of the Newcomers Club. To join the club, or for more details about the dinner, contact Allison Brown at beanallison@hotmail.com or visit http:// www.ywcabergencounty.org/programs/Newcomers/newcomers_Join.html. Charity softball game scheduled On Sept. 23, members of Ridgewood’s police and fire departments will play the Charity Police/Fire Softball Game on Veterans Field. The game, which will be played from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will benefit the Kelly Creegan Foundation. (Rain date: Sept. 30.) The event is free for the public. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, and there will be music, prizes, a cash contest, and a Touch-a-Truck opportunity for children. Contact Paul Brennan at the Ridgewood Fire Department at (201) 444-4225 for more information. College Club seeks books for annual fair The College Club of Ridgewood is collecting used books on Wednesdays from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for its annual fundraiser. The books may be dropped off from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Somerville School, located at 45 South Pleasant Avenue in Ridgewood. No collections will be held on Nov. 21 or Dec. 26. Books should be in good condition. Please note that encyclopedias and reference books will not be accepted. Donated items will be sold at an upcoming club fair. NHN to celebrate anniversary The Ridgewood Chapter of Neighbors Helping Neighbors USA, Inc. will celebrate its first anniversary on Sept. 27. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Ridgewood Library located at 125 North Maple Avenue. Attendees will learn about this group of neighbors in career transition. This is a cost free, peer-led volunteer job search networking and support group for individuals who are actively looking for work and interested in reinvigorating their job search. Membership is open to anyone in career transition, including unemployed or underemployed individuals and recent college graduates in the fields of business, nonprofit, and education. The group also welcomes those who are re-entering the job market, struggling small business owners, and those seeking part-time or volunteer work. Founded in 2011 at the in River Edge Library, NHN has fostered a “pay it forward” model and the accountability of weekly meetings. Members offer help with personal and professional networking. NHN is seeking volunteers to assist with weekly meetings and help establish new chapters in the area. For more information, contact John R. Fugazzie at john@nhnusa. org or visit www.nhnusa.org. YMCA Golf Outing scheduled The Ridgewood YMCA’s 39th Annual Golf Outing will be held Monday, Sept. 24 at the Knickerbocker Country Club in Tenafly. Proceeds from the event will support the YMCA’s Good Works Programs. The event, which begins at 9:30 a.m., will feature a day of golf, cocktails, and dinner. The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. with registration and breakfast. The shotgun start will be at 11 a.m. The dinner, scheduled for 6 p.m., will include awards, prize announcements, and an auction. The Ridgewood YMCA Good Works Programs address the needs of the community, striving to turn no one away, regardless of their ability to pay. Good Works Programs include Living Strong, Living Well, a strength and conditioning program for cancer patients and survivors; Delay the Disease, a program designed to introduce the benefits of exercise to people with Parkinson’s disease; and Rainbows, which provides peer support for children who have suffered a painful family loss. To register, or for details about donation and sponsorship opportunities, call Jen Batelli at (201) 444-5600, extension 320, or visit www.ridgewoodymca.org/golf-outing.