March 27, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 11 Area CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children of Bergen County will hold its eighth annual dinner event -Casino Night: Bet on the Children -- April 18 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Seasons, 644 Pascack Road in Washington Township. This event coincides with National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness month. During the benefit, Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan will be honored, and Phyllis and Ken Konner of Wyckoff will receive the Angel Award for their commitment to CASA. In the 300-year history of Bergen County, Donovan is the first, and only, woman to serve as county executive. She is also the first woman in the history of State of New Jersey to be elected to this position. She has worked diligently over the years to support many initiatives for children in her Donovan, Konners to be honored at CASA benefit service to Bergen County. “I am delighted to be honored by such an amazing organization, like CASA, and look forward to working together even more closely in the future,” Donovan said. The fundraiser will feature a bountiful buffet throughout the evening, including over-the-top hors d’oeuvres, carving stations, fish and pasta dishes, and desserts. There will be an open bar, casino-style play all night, and special auctions. Tickets are $125 each and may be obtained by calling Chrystal Henion at (201) 336-7520. Donations are also being accepted for the auctions. Ads for the journal and sponsorships are available beginning at $25. Call Henion for information. CASA is a private, nonprofit organization serving children in foster care throughout Bergen County. Although affiliated with National CASA and CASA programs throughout the USA, CASA for Children of Bergen County is solely responsible for raising all of the funds needed to run the program each year. In recent years, funding for the Bergen County chapter has been cut and donations are needed to keep the program going. CASA volunteers are the voice of the children; they speak and advocate on behalf of the county’s abused and neglected children in foster care, ensuring that they receive proper services while in foster care and that they are placed in safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible. Each CASA advocate has a one-on-one relationship with the child he or she serves, and each advocate works on behalf of only one child or one family of children at a time. Currently, CASA for Children of Bergen County assists about one third of the more than 600 children in foster care each year, Student laptop program (continued from page 7) Beverly Mackay, who advised that the initiative would help students learn in and out of the classroom. The program was scheduled to begin in the 2013-14 school year after the district’s board of education was informed that, for the past two years, representatives of the school district, including administrators, teachers, parents, and trustees, had researched the use of technology in the district. “During this time,” Superintendent Lauren Schoen said, “we gained valuable information about the direction we should take with respect to technology, and how that direction would improve our students’ educational program. “We gathered the information through committee meetings, discussion with local districts currently implementing the 1-to-1 learning initiative, educational seminars, and staff and student surveys, and a decision was reached by both the district and board’s Technology Committee to proceed with the 1-to-1 learning initiative beginning in the 2013-14 school year. This type of technology initiative will provide our students the opportunity for connected learning and will help them to develop the skills necessary for college and careers.” Schoen advised that, while the cost of the initiative is still being finalized, funding to support the initiative has been included in the school district’s 2013-14 budget. but its goal is to serve more. Additional funds would allow more volunteers to help more children. Casino Night is being organized by volunteers. The chairs are Karen Cedzidlo and Melissa Goetz. Committee members are Charlene Barbetta, James Boyan III, Suzanne Curry, Jeff Golden, Maxine Horvath, Gaurang Kalsaria, Kip Kramer, Debbie Levy, Mark Levy, Jerry Maroules, Nancy Nachman, Diane Pattin, Julie Pummer-Ohl, Bob Varettoni, April Wuestfhoff, and Caren Zisk. Sponsors to date include PSE&G, Inserra Supermarkets, The Varettoni Family, S&S Tile and Stone, and TechLink. For more information about CASA, email info@bergencasa.org or visit www. bergencasa.org. To make a monetary donation, become a CASA volunteer, or sponsor a child, call Jennifer Murrin at (201) 3367520, e-mail, or visit the website.