Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • April 17, 2013 Waldwick Proceeds from the 2013 Waldwick 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk will benefit two local heart charities: The Sean Fisher Foundation and the Hope with Heart Camp, in addition to other community organizations. The popular event, now in its sixth year, will be held on Sunday, April 28 at Waldwick High School and is open to participants of all ages. “There is a tremendous amount of effort that goes into creating an event such as this. It starts with the planning and cannot be a success without our community, our sponsors, the volunteers and our participants. All are equally important and make it work!” said Race Director Stan Kowalski. Sean Fisher Memorial Foundation was established by Waldwick residents Jim and Sheila Fisher in 2008 when their son, Sean, passed away on his 13th birthday of an undetected heart condition. The foundation was created to help prevent the unnecessary loss of a seemingly healthy and vibrant child. The Sean Fisher Memorial Foundation’s goal is to have underlying heart conditions such as Sudden Cardiac Arrest diagnosed in a timely manner. Funding raised by the foun- Heart charities to benefit from Chamber’s 5K Run dation provides children with a complete Free Heart Health Screening – including blood pressure readings, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, oxygen saturation testing as well as height, weight and body mass index. Over the past few years, the heart screenings have detected several children with undiagnosed issues who needed additional testing. The Foundation also provides scholarships to high school seniors who personify the type of individual Sean was. Hope with Heart Camp was created by Waldwick residents June Griffin and her husband, John (who perished in 9/11) after their new born son, Jonathan, passed away with a heart defect in 1989. Hope with Heart is a camp designed specifically for children and young adults with moderate to severe heart disorders and disease. The camp is staffed by medical personnel and trained counselors to create a safe and normal camp environment with activities such as swimming, nature walks, horseback riding, and arts and crafts. Planned evening activities such as campfires, karaoke and animal shows are also included. At no cost to the family, Hope with Heart offers campers the opportunity to Waldwick Mayor Tom Giordano has a personal stake in the recent suicide bombing in Afghanistan and at the onset of last week’s council meeting called for a moment of silence for the six people who lost their lives and asked that they be kept in everyone’s prayers. Giordano reported that his son, TJ, had worked to rescue his fellow soldiers following the tragedy in Zabul, Afghanistan. “On Saturday, April 6, a convoy was traveling in Zabul to deliver books to a school,” the mayor said. As the convoy approached an intersection, a truck with a bomb on it hit one of the trucks in the convoy, killing six: three American soldiers, two civilians serving with NATO-led forces, and Mayor Giordano asks for prayers an Afghan doctor. TJ Giordano, a Waldwick High School and West Point graduate, was in the vehicle behind the one that was blown up. “He jumped out to bring his men to safety, but could not do anything for the six people. It took us 24 hours to find out that TJ was all right,” the mayor said. He added, “When I spoke to him, he said to tell everyone that he is all right, but to pray for his men and their families…Let us pray for all soldiers who are serving that they will be safe and be home soon. They are the reason we can meet as a community like we are tonight and remain free.” be with peers with similar health issues and gives them the opportunity to be like other kids. A portion of the proceeds will also be donated to the Valley Hospital�s Butterflies program , which provides comprehensive special care needs for infants and children who have been diagnosed with life threatening illnesses. Additional proceeds will be given to college scholarships, as well as sports and volunteer organizations in Waldwick. Past beneficiaries have included Kisses4Kelly, Waldwick�s Ambulance Corps, Community Emergency Response Team, Volunteer Fire Department, Golden Club, Boosters Club and more. They were chosen, Kowalski said, because each serves the community in some way. “As the Chamber of Commerce, we are representative of the business community, and we have a responsibility to serve the greater community. Our members work together to support each other as well as the people of Waldwick and the surrounding area. In return, the community gives back to us by shopping in our stores and doing business with our members,” said Chamber President Christine Figliuolo. In addition, each of those who benefit from the funds raised by the 5K/1 Mile Walk have representatives who play an integral part on �Race Day� by volunteering for everything from cheering on the runners to giving out water; offering medical assistance; route guidance; and post race clean up. Kowalski, the race director, said it best, “We help others, and they help us!” Registration forms may also be picked up and dropped off at Kallman Travel, 20 Harrison Ave., Waldwick. Preregistration and pre-race pickup of race bibs, goody bags, and shirts will take place at the Waldwick Ambulance Corps building on Saturday, April 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. Additional details and a list of this year’s sponsors may be found on the Waldwick Chamber of Commerce’s website, waldwickchamber.com or by calling 201-693-6734. Contributions are always welcome. Send to: Waldwick Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 323, Waldwick, NJ 07463.