Area February 8, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 21 Church group raising funds for labyrinth peace garden The parishioners of Presentation Roman Catholic Church in Upper Saddle River are seeking support from the interfaith and business communities to help create a labyrinth peace garden. This oasis for meditation, prayer, and healing would be constructed on the grounds of the church behind the tomb located to the right of the building’s main entrance. Father Bob Stagg, church pastor, explained that the labyrinth is an outgrowth of the parish’s Share the Dream program, a five-year planning process. “We’ve been looking for ways to make (Presentation) a spiritual center,” Father Stagg said. “The labyrinth is a very good way to advance that, and it’s ecumenical. We’re excited about it, and the fact that it will allow us to be even more of a spiritual center.” Stagg noted that the active parish already attracts people for a variety of activities. “We have so many adult education programs, kids’ forums, and faith forums. It’s part of our mission as a church,” he noted. In a letter to the community, Presentation Labyrinth Committee member Elizabeth Lawrence explained, “Our intent is to create a full-size replica of the renowned medieval labyrinth found within the center of Our Lady of Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartres, France, using decorative pavers on a parcel of land outside our church, which will be surrounded by a landscaped garden.” She pointed out that a labyrinth is an ancient, sacred tool found in many cultures and in 27 countries. Walking the labyrinth helps quiet the mind, she noted. Lawrence told Villadom TIMES that the twists and turns of the labyrinth are a metaphor for life. She added that labyrinths have had resurgences in popularity during the 1200s, during the Industrial Revolution, and in recent years. “It comes forward when we need it,” she said. Labyrinths have appeared in the manuscripts of monks The labyrinth at Our Lady of Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartres, France. from the 600s and 900s, Lawrence noted. “It’s thought that a labyrinth replicates the pilgrimage to Jerusalem,” she said, acknowledging that some history is unclear because key records were destroyed by fire. In addition to symbolic pilgrimages, labyrinths are used for healing and reflection, and may be walked by peoples of all ages and stages of life. Committee member Ruth Harrison noted that the Chartres replica labyrinth at Presentation would be 42.5 feet in diameter and would be registered on the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator, an international registry. The 11-circuit labyrinth, which would be the only Chartres replica labyrinth in Bergen County, would be barrier-free. “This is not a maze with dead ends or false starts,” Harrison noted. “There is one path in and one path out.” She noted that Presentation will be hosting an indoor labyrinth walk in the community room at the church on March 24 and 25. The indoor labyrinth is a pattern printed on canvas that will be placed on the floor and walked without shoes. These walks will be held Saturday, March 24 through the early evening, and after the Sunday Masses on March 25. “A Chartres model labyrinth was built recently at Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland to offer a healing place to returning troops,” Lawrence added. “We would offer the labyrinth peace garden to our area military and their families before or after their mission(s). We have a therapist in our parish certified by the Defense Department to work with returning troops.” Harrison and Lawrence also noted that a parish Boy Scout has made the labyrinth peace garden his service project. He will be eligible for the rank of Eagle Scout when the project is completed. The cost of the labyrinth peace garden is estimated at $60,000 to $80,000. Project organizers note that donors will have the opportunity to memorialize a loved one, or name a business or house of worship in an appropriate manner. A fund for this purpose has already been established. Church of the Presentation is located at 271 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. Call (201) 327-1313 for additional information. When Susan Zabransky Hughes of Saddle River lost her battle with cervical cancer in July 2011 at age 46, her survivors wanted to find a way to remember this avid marathoner, hiker, and cook. Those who knew Zabransky Hughes decided to raise money to build “Susan’s Suite,” a dedicated treatment center for cancer patients at the Emergency Trauma Department at Hackensack University Medical Center. Bob Hughes explained that his wife had been treated at HUMC’s John Theurer Cancer Center. While he waited with her in the emergency room on several occasions, he saw the need for an emergency treatment area that would be dedicated to the needs of cancer patients. The goal, he said, is to have a 10-bed, cancer-only emergency room with its own staff and private rooms to streamline the treatment effort. “It’s a wonderful tribute to my wife, but this will benefit April Memorial Run to help fund ‘Susan’s Suite’ at HUMC anyone with cancer,” Hughes said. A sum of $1 million has been pledged to the hospital, he added, noting that fundraising efforts are now under way to help cover the cost. Friends of the family, headed by Cindy King, are now organizing the Susan Zabransky Hughes Memorial Run, a 5K Family Run/Walk set for April 28. The event will be held at the Saddle River Firehouse, 100 East Allendale Road in Saddle River, at 8:30 a.m. The course will be USATF certified. The day will begin with the 5K Family Run/Walk, which is being sponsored by The Friends of Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation, the Borough of Saddle River, and the Hughes and Zabransky families. Post-race activities for children and families will include an awards ceremony and refreshments at the finish located at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. Online registration is encouraged. Fees will be $25 per entry, and the cost will rise to $30 day of race. Raised in Upper Saddle River, Zabransky Hughes was an avid runner. In 2006, she completed her second New York City Marathon. Friends said she smiled her way through the race, which she ran to raise money for cancer patients. A friend remembered Zabransky Hughes as a beautiful, bright, and devoted wife and mother of two who embraced life and saw every day as an adventure. Zabransky Hughes enjoyed hiking, and she and her dog often explored Ramapo Reservation. She was active with the Wandell School Education Foundation, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Saddle River, and Pony Power in Mahwah. She spent many hours volunteering to help children and members of her community. For details, visit www.humcfoundation.com.