Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • August 22, 2012 Area The Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs will host a workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 5, for new applicants to the 2013 Bergen County Arts Grant Program. The workshop will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Fourth Floor Learning Center at the Bergen County Administration Building, One Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack. All Bergen County non-profit arts organizations and other non-profits that present Bergen County-based arts programs are invited to attend. Information concerning eligibility, the guidelines, and the application process will be provided, along with the new application forms. Prospective first-time applicants are required to send a representative to the seminar. If any currently-funded organizations are changing grant coordinators, the new coordinator should attend. The application will be mailed out after the seminar to organizations in the current and last year’s funding cycle. The 2013 grant cycle is for arts projects or programs that will take place Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2013. The grant timeline is as follows: Letters of intent (required to submit an application) are due Sept. 21. Completed grant applications are Applicants sought for Bergen County Arts Grants due on or before Monday, Oct. 15. An applicant organization must have its official base and mailing address in Bergen County and must have been presenting arts programs in Bergen for two years or more. Applicants should be tax exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations with up-to-date state reports. The Division actively seeks the participation of all communities in its programs and services and encourages organizations serving ethnic or culturally diverse communities or special constituencies to call for application information. The grant program is competitive and emphasizes artistic excellence in programming, outreach to the community, arts education, ADA accessibility, good management, and institutional development. The seminar is free. Those interested in attending must pre-register by mail or telephone to reserve a packet of seminar materials. For a registration brochure with more information, e-mail glucente@co.bergen. nj.us or call (201) 336-7292. The seminar site is accessible with large-print materials and assistive listening devices available. Call the Division at least a week in advance of the event if any additional accommodations are needed. The Arts Grant Program is administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs, and is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Lakeland Bank relocates operations, training center Jefferson Mayor Russell Felter, and Landlord John Azarian, center, get ready to cut the Lakeland Bank teal ribbon with members of the bank’s senior management team Lou Luddecke, chief operations officer; Mary Ann Deacon, chairman of the board; and Thomas Shara, president and chief executive officer. Thomas J. Shara, president and CEO of Lakeland Bank, has announced the relocation of Lakeland Bank’s operations and training departments to a site in Jefferson. “The opportunity to relocate our staff to a facility near our headquarters was a win for our colleagues and the bank as well as the Jefferson community,” said Shara. “The bank’s executive team was pleased the relocation would have minimal impact on our colleagues while helping to improve the appearance and business activity in this commercial zone.” Lakeland Bank colleagues and the board of directors joined Jefferson Mayor Russell Felter, local dignitaries, and landlord John Azarian at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 8. Guests were invited to tour the new office space and enjoy refreshments. Lakeland Bank purchased rights under the A&P lease to occupy the space at 5716 Berkshire Valley Road, which had been vacant since the A&P moved about 10 years ago. The bank finished extensive renovations in June, and completed the relocation of staff to the new center in July. The renovation of the former supermarket space included the installation of environmentally friendly day lighting. The use of day lighting will direct natural lighting to the center of the building. Studies show that natural light makes workers feel and work better, prevents eye strain, and boosts productivity. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program reports that day lighting can cut energy use for lighting building interiors, sometimes by up to 75 or 80 percent.