Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • March 14, 2012 Area The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club recently completed its annual distribution of free dictionaries to third grade students throughout its service area. The club started this program six years ago, and has since distributed dictionaries annually to Betsy Ross, Lenape Meadows, and George Washington elementary schools in Mahwah. The club also provides dictionaries to the third grade students in the elementary schools in Ramsey, Upper Saddle River, and Allendale, distributing over 700 dictionaries each year. This year, club members visited 26 classes in seven elementary schools. The idea for this project started in Savannah, Georgia in 1992. A non-profit organization was formed in South Carolina to manage the project and, since 1995, the group has distributed 14,000,000 dictionaries throughout the United States. After The Wall Street Journal published a story about the project in March 2002, the Dictionary Project took on a national purpose and expanded to include students in all 50 states. The program is typically implemented in the third grade each year, since this is the age at which diction- Rotary Club gives dictionaries to local students ary skills are usually taught. Educators describe third grade as the time when a student transitions from learning-to-read to reading-to-learn. Literacy is one of six areas of service that are very important to Rotary International and many clubs around the country have adopted this program. Since the club adopted this program, Rotary members have distributed close to 4,000 dictionaries. Dictionaries are paid for by the club through its fundraising efforts. The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club has been supporting educational and charitable needs in Allendale, Mahwah, Ramsey, Saddle River, and Upper Saddle River since 1952. The club provides college scholarships for local students and funding for local causes such as The Center for Food Action. Members run the children’s rides at Ramsey Day and Mahwah Day, with proceeds going toward the club’s charitable activities. As part of Rotary International, the club also raises funds to support educational, medical and sanitary facilities in Nicaragua and Haiti. Rotary International is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million busi- Dictionary Project Chairman and BHR Past President Tim Shaffer distributing dictionaries to Ramsey students. ness, professional, and community leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club holds its weekly meetings on Mondays at 12:15 p.m. at Houlihan’s in Ramsey. For more information, call Membership Chairman Bob Baron at (201) 934-1222, e-mail bob@baronpoolservice.com, or visit www. bergenhighlandsrotary.org.