July 31, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 9 Mahwah Hike raises funds for future headquarters This month, Mellonie Sanborn successfully completed a hike of over 22 miles to benefit the restoration of the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference’s future headquarters at the Darlington Schoolhouse in Mahwah. Sanborn was joined by three other NY/NJ Trail Confer- ence members and volunteers: Ed DiSalvo from West Mil- ford and Irene and Gary Auleta from Franklin Lakes. Chris Above: Irene and Gary Auleta, Chris Norris, Ed DiSalvo, and Mellonie Sanborn at the start of the hike at the Darlington Schoolhouse in Mahwah. Right: The hikers at the end of their journey in New York. Norris from Norwood and Trail Conference Development Director Don Weise supplied water, snacks, and words of encouragement for two-thirds of the group’s hike. On July 20, the hikers started out at 7:15 a.m. from Dar- lington Schoolhouse on Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202) in Mahwah. Despite temperatures that reached into the 90s, Sanborn and crew hiked to the Senator Frank Lautenberg Visitor Center in Sterling Forest State Park in New York in 10.25 hours to complete their through-hike, ending at the visitor center at 5:30 p.m. This hike to benefit Darlington Schoolhouse has raised $1,680 so far. The NY/NJ Trail Conference is still collect- ing donations toward the benefit hike. To donate to this cause, visit www.nynjtc.org/donatedarlington. Be sure to type “Go Mellonie!” in the special instructions box. The NY/NJ Trail Conference is planning to restore and expand the schoolhouse, and is currently working to raise $1 million by Nov. 1 as part of a challenge from Ridgewood philanthropist David Bolger. If the NY/NJ TC raises the funds by the November deadline, Bolger has pledged a $500,000 grant from the Bolger Foundation toward the res- toration project. The total cost of the renovation work has been estimated at $2.5 million. As of June, $1.2 million of that total had been raised. The conference engages thousands of trained volunteers to maintain trails in 20 counties in New Jersey and New York. Each year, those volunteers donate 70,000 hours working with public agency land managers to protect public open space and make it accessible.