Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • June 19, 2013 The Ridgewood July 4th Celebration Committee has once again been diligently planning festivities for this year’s event. July 4 celebration to pay tribute to famed document This year’s theme is “Honoring our Declaration of Independence.” Thornton “Thorny” Lockwood, a descendent of a signer of Declaration of Independence signer Josiah Bartlett, and a first cousin, eight times removed, of Benjamin Franklin, will serve as the grand marshal for the parade. The all-volunteer committee does not receive direct funding from the Village of Ridgewood, but depends on the generous support from the community. The schedule for the day will include a flag raising ceremony at 9 a.m. at Wilsey Square. The parade will follow at 10 a.m., and the route will begin at North Monroe and Godwin avenues and proceed downtown. At 6 p.m., the gates at Veterans Field will open for the evening celebration and fireworks. Evening entertainment will include performances by The Connection, Take 4, the Orpheus Club, Dr. Dubious and the Agnostics, and the Fallin’ Angels Skydivers. Food and beverages will be available on the field. New this year will be a House Decorating Contest. Village residents are invited display their patriotic pride when decorating their homes and submit a photo to the committee. The home with the most “likes” on the event’s Facebook page will win a gift basket with an American flag, four Veterans Field tickets to the 2013 Ridgewood Fourth of July Fireworks, and a flower arrangement from The Little Flower Shoppe. The committee is using the contest to foster patriotic pride and raise excitement for the Fourth of July festivities. Facebook voting is under way and the contest will (continued on page 14) Ridgewood school and parent groups donated significant amounts of money to fund a wide range of programs. The ALPS Student Fundraising group donated $1,299 to pay chaperone expenses for the outdoor adventure group’s spring whitewater rafting trip. The ALPS group also donated $800 to pay the chaperone expenses for the spring Stony Creek Farm trip. Comprehensively, the two ALPS donations were the largest on the June 10 agenda. Bruce Hammon donated $1,500 to pay the stipends for two SAT advisors. This was the single largest donation. The Metropolitan Opera Guild gave the school system $1,080 to pay the expenses for 12 substitutes for the George Washington Middle School field trip to the Met on School board accepts donations March 1, where the students saw an opera in rehearsal and went back-stage. The Ridge Home and School Association donated $1,020 to be used for the Ridge School Book Gifting Program. The Ridgewood High School Student Activities Fund donated $884 to pay chaperone expenses for the Freshman SemiFormal. The Orchard Home and School Association donated $821 to pay chaperone expenses for the overnight encampment. The Somerville School Home and School Association gave $250 to be used for the teacher recognition program. Autism Awareness donated $101 toward field trip expenses for the Benjamin Franklin Middle School RISe Program. J. KOSTER