December 4, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 23 Ridgewood Notes Robert the Guitar Guy to perform Ridgewood Parks and Recreation has invited singer Robert Markowitz to entertain the village’s youngest resi- dents at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26. This program, which is suitable for children ages two and up, will be held at the Anne Zusy Youth Center at Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue in Ridgewood. Markowitz is a guitarist, songwriter, educator, and recording artist. He will create a make-believe world in song for his audience. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at www.ridge- woodnj.net/communitypass or in person at the Stable, 259 North Maple Avenue. For information, or to arrange spe- cial accommodations, call (201) 670-5560. Wildscape hosts early winter walk Patrick Scheuer, director of New Jersey Audubon’s Lor- rimer Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes, will lead a winter walk to Gypsy and King’s ponds in Ridgewood on Sunday, Dec. 8. Scheuer is an expert on birds and plants. All ages are welcome; participants are encouraged to wear old clothes and comfortable shoes, and bring a small trash bag to collect any garbage found along the way. The walk will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. For details, including the meeting place, visit www.ridgewoodwild- scape.org. International camp available The Ridgewood YMCA has announced plans for its 2014 International Summer Camp Program, which will be held in the Dominican Republic. The program will take place from June 29 through July 8, 2014 and is open to teens in grades 10 through 12. Silver Jubilee (continued from page 17) Group tours are available. Call (973) 962-9534 or e-mail info@njbg.org to schedule a group tour. Evening “Champagne and Candlelight” receptions will be held on Friday and Saturday evenings, Dec. 6 and 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. During these special evening show- ings, the manor will be open for leisurely enjoyment with champagne, light refreshments, and valet parking. Tickets are $40. Reservations are required by Dec. 4. To reserve tickets, call (973) 962-9534 or visit atnjbg.org (a secure website). NJBG is located on Morris Road in Ringwood. The NJ Botanical Garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission to the garden is always free. Originally assembled from pioneer farmsteads of the 1890s, the New Jersey Botanical Garden has a venerable history. In 1922, Clarence McKenzie Lewis, an investment banker and trustee of the New York Botanical Garden pur- chased the property and original Victorian mansion from Francis Lynde Stetson. Over the next three decades, Lewis built the current 45-room Tudor manor house and trans- formed Skylands into a botanical showplace, engaging prominent landscape architects to design the grounds and collecting plants from all over the world. In 1966, the State of New Jersey purchased the 1,117 acres of Skylands as the state’s first acquisition under the Green Acres preservation program. Governor Thomas Kean des- ignated the central 96 acres surrounding the manor house as the state’s official botanical garden in 1984. The gar- dens contain many unique features, including an extensive collection of statuary, historic trees, formal annual garden, perennial beds, and an heirloom collection of lilacs. Since 1976, NJBG/Skylands Association, an incor- porated, member-supported non-profit organization, has worked with the state to preserve and protect Skylands and its historic structures. NJBG sponsors walks, hikes, programs, concerts, and special events throughout the year. Guided tours of the gardens are offered on Sundays at 2 p.m., May through October, weather permitting, and guided tours of Skylands Manor are available one Sunday per month. Guided group tours are also available. Call (973) 962-9534 or visitnjbg.org for more informa- tion on NJBG events, directions, membership, and volun- teer opportunities. Working alongside Dominican YMCA teen volunteers, program participants will help repair and build homes for families in need, and complete vital agricultural and refor- esting projects. Participants will also visit local landmarks and destinations and experience the rich culture and his- tory of the Dominican Republic. An informational meeting will be held on Thursday, Dec. 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for parents and teens inter- ested in applying for ICP 2014. To register for the Open House, contact Gary Imhoff at gimhoff@ridgewoodymca. org or call (201) 444-5600, extension 313. Prospective participants may also learn more about the program and download applications by visiting www.ridgewoodymca. org/icp. The Ridgewood YMCA is located at 112 Oak Street in Ridgewood. Exhibit to benefit Nigerian outreach The Stable Art Gallery will feature the work of Tean- eck resident Dena Florczyk during December. Florczyk, a Thomas Jefferson Middle School teacher and photogra- pher, is the founder of the Nigerian School Project, a non- profit educational organization that assists teachers and school children in Nigeria. Since 2004, the organization has provided textbooks, school uniforms, classroom fur- niture, libraries, university scholarships, and has built the first junior and secondary school on Tomaro Island. Florczyka uses her photography to create an awareness of, and to celebrate, the remarkable students she has met. To learn more, visit www.nigerianschoolproject.org. Proceeds from the exhibit will benefit the Nigerian School Project. Located at 259 North Maple Avenue, the Stable Art Gal- lery is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. An Artist Reception is slated for Thursday, Dec. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. All are invited. Call (201) 670-5560 for information. HILT hosts Holiday Party Highlights in Leisure Time members are invited to a Dec. 12 Holiday Party that will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Tides in North Haledon. The event will include lunch, a one-hour open bar, and entertainment pro- vided by Ian Gallagher and a keyboard accompanist. The cost for HILT members is $35. Reservations are required by Monday, Dec. 9. The bus will depart from Graydon Pool at 11:15 a.m. To reserve a place, call (201) 670-5560 or visit 259 North Maple Avenue in Ridgewood. Village residents age 55 or older are invited to join HILT, which is sponsored by the Ridgewood Department of Parks and Recreation. Monthly meetings include entertainment and informational presentations followed by refreshments. Annual membership dues are $15. Register for the Y’s winter session Registration for the Ridgewood YMCA’s winter 2013-14 session will begin Monday, Dec. 9 at 8:30 a.m. The eight- week session will run from Dec. 30 through Feb. 23. The Y offers a wide selection of programs for all ages, including “You and Me Baby,” “After School Art,” and “We Build it Together,” in addition to swim lessons, youth sports classes, and a full schedule of adult fitness and well- ness classes. A complete listing of programs is available at www. ridgewoodymca.org. Registration is available online at www.ridgewoodymca.org, in person at the Y, or by phone at (201) 444-5600. The Ridgewood YMCA is located at 112 Oak Street. T’ai Chi Chih course begins A new eight-week session of T’ai Chi Chih has begun at Old Paramus Reformed Church. The class is held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and will run through Feb. 3. The program will not meet on Dec. 23 or 30. T’ai Chi Chih is a series of 19 gentle movements that may enhance balance and general strength, redistribute energy, and may help lower blood pressure. The class is led by certified instruc- tor Bill Moore. The cost is $40, which is payable on or before the first session. Members of the community are welcome. To regis- ter, call (201) 444-5933 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The class meets in the church’s Education Building at 660 East Glen Avenue in Ridgewood. Bethlehem hosts Christmas Concert Bethlehem Lutheran Church will host its Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. This concert will be held in the sanctuary of the church at 155 Linwood Avenue in Ridgewood. “Christmas: The Joy and Spirit 2013” will be performed by Greg Caldarone and the New Jersey Brass Quintet, Bethlehem’s organist and pianist Elena Crudge, and accom- panist Rich Fusilli. The repertoire will feature classic and contemporary Christmas favorites. An award-winning singer and recording artist, Calda- rone was a recipient of the Universal Jazz Coalition’s “Dakota Staton Award.” He has been sharing his vocal tal- ents in local churches and establishments for many years. Specializing in popular standards and Italian favorites, Caldarone will feature Christmas classics such as “O Holy Night” and “Gesu Bambino” and more recent songs, such as Mark Lowry’s “Mary Did You Know?” and Michael Card’s “Joseph’s Song.’’ Caldarone has been a song leader in music ministries in the community for over 20 years. The audience will be invited to participate in a sing- along that will include “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Joy to the World,” and “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Refreshments will be served after the performance. There is no charge, but a free-will offering will be wel- come. Please note: Deadline is Wednesday at noon the week prior to publication.