Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • September 26, 2012 Sewer connection Our hat’s off to: Midland Park Girl Scout Troop 433 for the food collections. Meet Josh: Josh’s family was devastated when, one year ago, after a valiant fight of endless chemotherapy treatments, spinal taps, bone marrow transplants, and hospital stays lasting up to nine months, he succumbed to pediatric cancer. His parents and four siblings were beyond heartbroken. Mom was unable to leave the house, return to her part-time job, or even drive her car for months. Several of the children broke down in school and required counseling. Just as Mom was beginning to venture out of the house and return to work, the family was struck again. Almost a year to the day of losing Josh, their apartment caught fire while they were asleep. One of the children awoke to smoke, and fortunately they were able to escape -- with only the clothes on their back. Unfortunately, their beloved dog did not make it. It took several months before they were to get into another apartment. They are now settling in, but it has been a challenge to replace their former possessions. They are now sleeping on air mattresses, but are grateful to be in their own space rather than the motel they first moved into following the fire. The children have some clothing, but could use more. Any donations of furniture, clothing, towels, sheets, bedding, and especially gift cards would be most appreciated by this family that has endured so much. Some of our families could use prepaid phone cards for Cricket Mobile, and gift cards for TJ Maxx, Marshalls, IKEA, and gas stations. We also need new sheets for twin and queen size beds, Good Night Pampers Stage 4, new pillows, dish towels, and bath towels, and an air purifier. You can help in a variety of ways. ECF 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. Staples such as sugar, flour, salt, cooking oil, detergent, pancake mix/syrup, and rice are always needed. 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 case worker to visit the families at home or in the hospital. Kids can 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. ECF representatives are available to discuss our programs at your next fundraiser or event. Give us a call. 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. This September, we will need a volunteer on Fridays. Call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Please do not leave items at the center without checking with us. Our storage space is limited. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue, Midland Park, NJ 07432. Visit us at www.emmanuelcancer.org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! (continued from page 3) “After weeks of pursuing the replacement of the septic system, we were told we were too close to our own well and our neighbor’s well.” She added, “We need to do everything we can to expedite the process.” Mrs. Boyd told the Ho-Ho-Kus Council that she and her husband are under a lot of pressure to meet the closing dates on their present home and the home they plan to purchase, and that they had already had to change their initial closing dates. Ho-Ho-Kus Mayor Thomas Randall advised the Boyds that the borough does allow hookups from other proximate towns for a fee. Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Attorney David Bole told the Boyds that the council is already working on a similar request that would allow the owners of a property on Twin Brook Road in Saddle River to connect to the Ho-Ho-Kus sewer system. The related ordinance on that request will be heard at the Sept. 25 council session. The borough’s standard connection agreement is in the form of an ordinance, and the approval process would involve an introduction at an upcoming council session, and a public hearing and vote for potential approval at the subsequent month’s public council meeting. If the ordinance were introduced at the Sept. 25 council session, final passage could be considered in October. Mr. Boyd said he would ask his lawyer to contact the borough attorney regarding the situation in general and the subject of escrow in particular. “We’re prepared. We’re ready,” he told the council. Bole told the citizens that, as long as the engineers from Saddle River and Ho-HoKus approved of the plans, the connection would likely proceed. However, he did not promise that the ordinance would be introduced this week. As the Boyds prepared to leave the meeting, they were advised to drive with care due to the severe thunderstorm that was in progress that evening. “You’d have to be desperate to come out on a night like this,” Mrs. Boyd said. “…or elected,” Mayor Randall quipped. Randall previously explained that, when property owners from other municipalities connect to the system in Ho-Ho-Kus, the individuals pay for the service. Ho-Ho-Kus does not fund the connections, and connections from outside the borough do not constitute a large operation. Ho-Ho-Kus currently has 36 connections from Washington Township, eight from Waldwick, and three from Saddle River. The connection at Twin Brook Road would be the fourth from Saddle River, and the Boyds’ connection would be the fifth. According to Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Administrator Don Cirulli, the initial hookup cost is approximately $2,500 to $3,000, and the property owners then receive an annual bill for use.