December 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 23 Saddle River Valley Notes Kindergarten orientation set The Upper Saddle River School District will hold kinder- garten orientation/registration for its fall 2014 class on Jan. 9 in the Travers Multi-purpose Room at Reynolds School, 391 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. The program will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Parents of kinder- garten age children (having attained the age of five on or before Oct. 1, 2014) are invited. The program will cover a typical day in kindergarten and the curriculum. RSVP by Jan. 3 to (201) 961-6300 or cfinn@usrschoolsk8.com. Church hosts Blue Christmas service Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church will con- duct a Blue Christmas Service on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The meditative worship service is designed for those who have suffered loss and for anyone who struggles with sadness, depression, or anxiety during the holidays. The service will emphasize prayer and reflection. There will be musical selections to assist in remembering and deal- ing with losses of various types. There will be no sermon or Communion, and no offering will be taken. The worship is designed to be ecumenical and is open to anyone. Carols appropriate to the Advent season will be sung. The church is located at 314 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. Board of education to meet The Upper Saddle River Board of Education will meet on Monday, Dec. 16. The 8 p.m. session will be held in the media center at Cavallini Middle School, 392 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. Christmas Carol Sing slated The Saddle River Reformed Church will present its Second Annual Community Christmas Carol Sing at the Old Stone Church, 481 East Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. The program will be held on Sunday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. Experience the joyful music of Christmas as sung by the choir of the Old Stone Church, led by Music Director Rozanne Sullivan, and featuring renowned soprano Justyna Giermola and singer/guitarist Rebecca Abma. Audience members will be invited to participate. Children of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. On Dec. 24, the church will offer two Christmas Eve services. The Family Christmas worship, held at 5 p.m. will feature carols and the Christmas story. Attendees will hear about the real Saint Nicholas and about the gifts he brought to the children in the Netherlands and New Amsterdam. He will have left some gifts for the children and grandchildren in attendance. The Candlelight Communion worship will be held at 11 p.m. The choir directed by Rozanne Sullivan and featuring Justyna Giermola, will provide carols and music. The mes- sage “Welcome Him,” will be delivered by Pastor Robert W. Fretz. Communion is open to those of all Christian tra- ditions. Visit www.oldstonechurchonline.org or call (201) 327-5242. Pet food & toy collection under way During December, the Center for Food Action and Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, Inc. will receive food to help needy families feed their pets, and for homeless dogs and cats. The community is asked to remember the animals this holiday season and bring donations of pet food and pet toys to one the following drop off locations: Animal Hospi- tal of Saddle River, 171 East Saddle River Road in Saddle River; The Spotted Dog, 347 Ramapo Valley Road in Oak- land; and Woof Gang Bakery, 57 West Allendale Avenue in Allendale. The pet toys will be distributed to RBARI and Teterboro shelters. Theatrical tour features ‘A Christmas Carol’ The Saddle River Youth Theater will present a Christ- mas themed house tour at the John Fell House, 475 Frank- lin Turnpike in Allendale, on Dec. 13 and 14. The theater group will perform “A Christmas Carol” within the house beginning at approximately 5 p.m. Attendees will travel with Charles Dickens’ Ebenezer Scrooge by lantern-light as he visits with ghosts of the past, present, and future on his road to redemption. Guests should park at the Archer United Methodist Church parking lot at 37 East Allendale Avenue in Allen- dale and travel on foot to 475 Franklin Turnpike (approxi- mately five minutes). Tickets are $20 for adults and $16 for seniors age 65 and up and for children ages eight and younger. To purchase tickets, visit www.sryt.com for tickets or call (201) 825- 8805. The event will be held rain, snow, or shine. The John Fell House is owned, operated, and maintained by the Concerned Citizens of Allendale, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to the preservation of the John Fell House as a self-sustaining community center through grants, fund- raisers, and private donations. Press releases for this column may be e-mailed to editorial@villadom.com. Deadline is Wednesday at noon. Shopping (continued from page 11) their doors very early, so shoppers looking to save time can make an effort to be the first person at the door when the store opens. Split up the shopping. Spouses, family members, and even friends can pool their shopping time and help others by tackling some of their purchases. Dividing the work shortens the time spent in stores, and a third party may have a keen eye for a deal or a unique gift when he or she is emotionally removed from the purchase. The average person finds time is of the essence come the holiday season. Prioritizing and organizing shopping can make the season less hectic. Holiday bulge (continued from page 15) are loaded with empty calories. Many people would rather reserve bonus calories for a piece of pie or a brownie. Those who drink can cut calories by sticking to a one drink per day limit. Exercise every day. When people are busy with holiday tasks, it can be easy to push exercise aside, but a more sed- entary lifestyle can trigger a slowing of the metabolism. That slow down can lead to weight gain. Aim for some sort of daily exercise, and try to park farther away from the stores or take the stairs instead of the escalator. Don’t relegate exercise to a New Year’s resolution. Inactivity now will only bring harder work in the future to shed those unwanted holiday pounds. Weight gain may be just another part of the holiday season for many men and women. However, individuals who are concerned about adding extra pounds can stop the pattern of gaining weight during the holiday season by making smart choices throughout the season.