Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • December 25, 2013 Be a part of our Fourth Annual Bash, which will be held March 7, 2014. Contact us for information about how to get involved. We need help getting corporate sponsor- ships and donations of sports tickets and memorabilia. We also need help selling ads for our journal. Thank you to all who brought in holiday baskets and gifts. We particularly want to thank Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ramsey, Western World Insurance Group, and Abundant Life Reformed Church in Wyckoff for their generosity in providing over 250 holiday gifts for our families. Special thanks to all the kids who made food baskets and brought in gifts. We love it when kids come and visit us. Thanks to the RealSource group in Waldwick for inviting us to their breakfast. It was great to meet all of you. Thanks to the students from Eastwick College, who brought us beautiful food baskets. We wish all of our readers a happy, healthy holiday season! Have a fantastic 2014, and thank you for your continued support. Thank you to all who generously purchased gifts for Margarita. She was SO happy to receive all the good- ies! Eileen, one of our case workers, writes: At this festive time of year, I think about what Emmanuel Cancer Foun- dation has been able to do for our families who have a child with cancer. I think about Abbie, who we were able to help financially after her house burned down this past year. It brings me joy when I get a call from a mom with six children, including one who is in remission, because she knows that each of them will have some Christmas presents because of Emmanuel Cancer Foundation. Then I think of Evan, who at the age of five-and- a-half, has relapsed with cancer. He, his parents, and three sisters have been forced to move from their rental home because of a leaky roof. Christmas won’t be the same for them with Evan relapsing and going through treatment. Now they have had to move out of their famil- iar surroundings into a smaller rental apartment with- out their dogs. When talking with his mom, she asked if we could locate a smaller kitchen table than the one they currently have for their hopefully temporary home. Then Evan and his siblings would be able to enjoy doing things at the table together. She frequently expresses appreciation for the home visits and holiday gifts her children have received from Emmanuel Cancer Foundation. This helps me see how important ECF is, and how worthwhile the work that I do for them is. ECF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a variety of specialized services, at no charge, to any New Jersey family facing the challenges of caring for a child with cancer. We do not raise money for cancer research. We provide direct in-home care to our fami- lies. Many of families do not have the financial or emo- tional support to help them get through a major illness like cancer, so our primary focus is providing families with counseling by a professional case worker, mate- rial goods (such as household items, toys, and monthly grocery deliveries), and emergency financial assistance. These individually tailored services are critical in help- ing families get through the crisis of pediatric cancer. ECF does not receive government funding. We rely on donations from the community, including financial support, in-kind donations, and volunteer time. Call the ECF Northern Regional Center at (201) 612-8118 or e- mail Laura at laura@emmanuelcancer.org to see how you can help. • We need volunteers who can deliver groceries to families in Bergen and Essex counties. Spanish-speak- ing drivers are in particularly high demand. • Is your office looking for a community service proj- ect? Holding a drive for our food pantry would be a tre- mendous help. • Does your company have a charitable giving pro- gram? If so, let us know! • Kids can help too! Is your Scout troop looking to earn badges? Ask us for creative ways kids can have fun while learning about philanthropy. • Emmanuel Cancer Foundation is celebrating 30 years of providing services. If you would care to make a contribution to honor this milestone, imagine how much good we could do with $30 from every reader! If you have a few hours a week to spare, consider becoming a volunteer or just stop by and see what ECF is all about. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue in Midland Park. Please call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Please do not leave items at the center without checking with us first. Our stor- age space is limited. For more information, visit www. emmanuelcancer.org or “like” us on Facebook: Emman- uelCancerFoundation. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Is a pet right for your home? (continued from page 6) and may scatter and hide. They may also act out and bite or scratch if they feel overwhelmed by a lot of people. As for the space in the home, decide if there is enough to fit a pet comfortably. Will the adopted pet be a young animal or an older one? Many people flock to puppies, kittens, and young rabbits. While there are advantages to raising a young animal, an older pet has advantages as well. These include an animal that may have had prior training and housebreaking. Also, their personalities are developed and the full size of the animal is obvious. Older animals are likely past the mischief stage and may be less likely to chew furniture or cause other damage around the house. Taking care of a pet is not a decision to make lightly. Asking important questions will help prospective pet owners to make informed choices.