Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • February 20, 2013 and add joy to her mother’s life. You can help this struggling mother and daughter by donating new clothing for Diana in size 0, or new or gently-used clothing for Mom, who wears XS. Gift cards to Kohl’s, Target, or another retailer would also be useful. Our annual fundraiser will be held at The Brick House on Friday, March 1. Please call us if you would like to be involved. We could use help in marketing, selling tickets, finding sponsors, etc. This annual fundraiser is very important to us. The proceeds help support our families in northern New Jersey. Tickets are $75 per person or $700 for a table of 10. Please join us for an evening of cocktails and buffet dinner, dancing, and auctions. Leslie, one of our teenage clients, will be our guest speaker. Call (201) 612-8118 to help or if you would like to receive an invitation. We rely on the local community to help support our families. Many of them do not have the financial or emotional support to help them get through a major illness like cancer. We do not charge anything for our services. We rely on you! You can help us in a variety of ways. Turn your event into a fundraiser, and collect checks or gift cards for our families. Your efforts help us to help families in many ways, including sending a case worker to visit the families at their home or in the hospital. This support for the kids, their siblings, and parents is crucial. Get your kids involved, too. Some have held sales or events and donated the proceeds to ECF. Is your Cub Scout or Girl Scout Troop looking to earn badges? Call us for some ideas to get creative and have fun while learning about philanthropy! We are also available to speak about our programs at your next event. 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. Call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Please do not leave items at the center without checking with us first. Our storage space is limited. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue in Midland Park. Visit us on the web at www.emmanuelcancer.org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Our hat’s off to the Church of the Nativity Religious Education Office, which recently held a Food Drive. Special thanks also go to Glen Rock WICS for their Food Drive Several of our families were affected by Hurricane Sandy. They will continue to have many needs long after the repairs have been completed. Please call us to see how you can help. We are looking for new or gentlyused clothing for boys ages 10 and up, and new twin and queen-size sheets. We also need gift cards to TJ Maxx and Kohl’s to help our families purchase spring clothing. Do you have a few hours to spare? We need office volunteers on weekdays from 1 to 4 p.m. who can help fill in when one of our regular volunteers is unable to make it. Please call Laura at (201) 612-8118. Meet Diana: Diana is a lovely 10-year old girl who enjoys watching cartoons, listening to music, and being around her family and friends. Diana’s cancer diagnosis was confirmed in October, and mom was informed that nothing could be done for her daughter. Her mother felt helpless. She sought assistance from others to find treatment for her child. Diana was taken to a hospital in Texas, where she underwent several operations. She then relocated to New Jersey, where she and her mother had the support of a family member. Diana has undergone yet another operation to remove a kidney and half of her liver. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, which has taken a toll on her young body and mind. Despite all of this, she is a sweet child who enjoys watching cartoons and playing with other children, even though she is weak due to treatment. Mom has lost her job because she must be at the hospital by Diana’s side, causing much financial stress and mounting hospital bills. Diana, although in pain and weak, continues to smile Affordable housing (continued from page 5) session discussion. The council, however, took no action on Commorata’s request after that closed session. Commorata’s original proposal was to construct a 13,500 square foot, two-story office building on the lot, built 50 feet back from Franklin Avenue in a Dutch colonial residential style, with parking for 57 cars at the rear of the building. In January, the council voted 3-2 the defeat a motion to adopt the ordinance with one council member not voting because of a potential conflict of interest. The adoption of the ordinance would have required four affirmative votes because the planning board previously found the ordinance was not consistent with the borough’s master plan and voted not to recommend the rezoning. Bivona voiced support for the rezoning ordinance, but he does not have a vote on the council. Councilwoman Paulette Ramsey and Councilmen Thomas Lambrix and Frank Pedone voted against the ordinance, while Councilmen Charles Kahwaty and Joseph Kelly voted in favor of adoption. Councilwoman Nathalie Lota had recused herself from the discussion. Those who voted against the rezoning said it was premature to rezone the site when it is not clear what effect the new sewer project will have on the borough’s business district. In addition, they said the business district is designed to stop at Pulis Avenue and, if this rezoning proposal were approved, arguments could be made for every other house on Franklin Avenue to be rezoned. They also cited potential traffic problems the rezoning could cause in the area.