May 30, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 21 Saddle River Valley Notes Book groups to meet The Novels at Night book discussion group will meet June 6 at the Upper Saddle River Library to discuss Nikolai Gogol’s “Dead Souls.” The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. The group meets on the first Wednesday of the month. On June 14, Coffee Talk will discuss “A Visit from the Goon Squad” by Jennifer Egan. Coffee Talk meets the second Thursday of the month at 10:30 a.m. Both novels are available to download from BeAT or may be borrowed on a library eReader. This service is available to Upper Saddle River patrons only. Copies of the books are available at the library’s circulation desk. The library is located at 245 Lake Street in Upper Saddle River. Call (201) 327-2583 for details. Lions hold Annual Carnival The Saddle River Valley Lions Club Carnival is under way and will run through June 2 at Lions Park on Lake Street in Upper Saddle River. Rides and games will be available for all age groups. Hours of operation are 6 to 10 p.m. At 10 p.m. on the last night of the carnival, the winner of 2012 Ford Mustang will be announced. All proceeds from the event will benefit charities that support the visually impaired and other local organizations. For more information, visit www.srvlions.org or email srvlioins@yahoo.com. Annual Strawberry Festival set The Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church will host its 55th Annual Straw- berry Festival on Saturday, June 9 from 1 to 7 p.m. at the church at 318 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. The community is invited to help celebrate and enjoy performances by the Applause Performing Arts Center and the Bergen Highlands Youth Theatre. The festival will include handpicked strawberries served over homemade ice cream and pound cake. The day’s activities will include face painting and crafts for children, food, music, retail vendors offering a variety of goods, and fundraising contests featuring prizes. Proceeds from the event benefit the missions and ministries of the church. Advance tickets may be purchased at a discount; call Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church at (201) 327-3960. Tickets will also be available at the door. Vacation Bible School goes under water Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church will bring an underwater adventure to Upper Saddle River with Operation Overboard: Dare to Go Deep with God. This interdenominational Christian Vacation Bible School program is open to all children age three years old through elementary school. The program will be held Aug. 13 through 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. Children will start each day singing along at the Choral Reef. Then they will enjoy crafts at Aquatic Arts, games at High Tide Hangout, Underwater Passage Bible stories, and an Exploration Station. Snacks will be provided at Diver’s Diner. A special age-appropriate program will be provided for preschoolers. The cost of the program is $30 for Bergen Highlands families, and $40 for all others through July 22, when the price will increase to $50. Space is limited and early registration is encouraged. Registration forms are available in the church entryway or at www.gbgm-umc.org/bergenhighlandsumc. Call (201) 327-3960 for details. Zen meditation offered The Upper Saddle River Public Library will offer Zen meditation on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Instructor Brian Loughnane will lead the group. Loughnane studied Zen at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in California and continues to practice and study. Attendees should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and bring two firm blankets to sit on. The library is located at 245 Lake Street. World Trade Center I-beam Ex-Chief Terry Ferber, Chief Shawn Sweeney and President Erik Vierheilig secure the I-beam for the trip back to Upper Saddle River. (continued from page 7) Assistant Chief Larry Rauch, a longtime USR Fire Department member, said the beam was to be a feature in the Memorial Day Parade. He explained that the process to claim a beam for the borough began eight months ago. “It was time-consuming, but the Port Authority was very helpful,” he said. “While we were there, police department members from Philadelphia and fire department members from Longview, Texas were there picking up at the same time.” Rausch noted that two borough families lost loved ones on Sept. 11, and said he believes the I-beam will become part of a fitting tribute to those who died. “All who pass by will remember that terrible day,” Rauch said. Residents will be invited to attend a formal dedication ceremony that will be held in September.