March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 17 Wyckoff Wanderings Parents invited to ‘Eyes Wide Open’ The Wyckoff Family Y will host the first of two “Parent Connection” events on Wednesday, March 26. “Eyes Wide Open: Recognizing the Symptoms of Depression, Substance Abuse, and Addiction in Teens” will be held at 7 p.m. in the Y’s gym located at 691 Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff. The event’s panel of experts will include: Jen Saxton, Northern Highlands High School counselor; Danielle Heller, LCSW, clinical director at West Bergen Mental Healthcare; and Bart Mongiello, LCSW, director of the counseling center at Chris- tian Health Care Center. The program will include information on having realistic expectations, optimizing school resources, handling pressure, recog- nizing the symptoms of depression versus sadness, understanding risk factors, how to ask the right questions in cases of suspected depression, awareness of dangerous behav- iors, the availability of clinical care, dealing with school avoidance issues, and how to recognize signs of drug and alcohol abuse. The panel will be moderated by Bev- erly MacKay, director of curriculum and articulation for the Ramapo Indian Hills School District, and will feature a ques- tion and answer session. Questions may be confidentially e-mailed prior to the event to info@wyckoffymca.org. There will also be opportunity to present questions during the event. The program is free, but registration is required. Call (201) 891-2081. For further information, contact Parent Connection Coordinator Kathy Scarpelli at (201) 891- 1820. The next program in the series will be “Courage for College.” Register for fall soccer The Wyckoff Recreation Department will hold registration for the fall soccer season this month. Sign up in the cafeteria at Eisenhower Middle School on Calvin Court on Saturday, March 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. or Tuesday, March 18 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Registration may also be completed at the recreation office March 17 through 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children in kinder- garten through grade 12 may register. The kindergarten soccer program is an instructional program for players who will be entering kindergarten (not pre-K or Transitional K) in September 2014. Kin- dergarteners meet on Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. or 10 to 11 a.m. at Pulis Field on Wyckoff Avenue. The registration fee is $60. The first and second grade soccer pro- grams are instructional programs for play- ers who will be entering grades one and two in September 2014. First grade boys will meet from 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturdays, and first grade girls will meet from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Second grade boys and girls will play structured games on Saturdays at various times and fields in town. The fee for these programs is $60. Children in kindergarten through grade two may participate in both soccer and flag football. However, children in grades three through eight may not participate in both sports during the same season. Registration for football will be held in May. Players who will be entering grades three through eight in the fall will par- ticipate in organized soccer games against local towns. Girls’ games are played on Saturday mornings and boys’ games are held on Sunday afternoons. Both practice once a week on a day to be determined by the coach. A wallet size photo is required at registration. The fee to participate is $80. High school soccer players are also eli- gible to participate in the Northwest Bergen Soccer League, but the town is limited to two teams. The first 40 registrations will be accepted, and all others will be placed on a waiting list. The co-ed league practices once a week. Games are played on Sunday afternoons. The fee is $85 per participant. For more information, call (201) 891- 3350 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. YMCA launches Annual Campaign The Wyckoff Family YMCA, located at 691 Wyckoff Avenue, will launch its Annual Campaign on Thursday, March 13 to ensure that everyone in the community has access to vital programs and resources that support youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Wyckoff Y works to help individu- als and families by providing financial sup- port for those in need. The Y helps families provide quality child care, before- and after- school care, and a summer camp program for children. The Y also subsidizes costly programs for seniors, teens, and its special needs population. Families struggling with critical illness and loss are offered the pro- grams and services they need to maintain normalcy during a challenging time. This year, the Wyckoff Y hopes to raise $175,000. Funds raised will support schol- arships for child care, special needs, camp, and programs for seniors. The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature entertainment by the YArts Theatre Company and updates from mem- bers on how the Y has had a positive effect on the community. Contact Ellen Gifford at (201) 891-2081, elleng@wyckoffymca.org, or visit www.wyckoffymca.org for more information. Care Conversations Series continues Christian Health Care Center, Van Dyk Health Care, the Wyckoff Family YMCA, and the Wyckoff Board of Health have part- nered to present “Care Conversations: Our Aging Parents -- Paying for Care” on Tues- day, March 11. The program will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., in gym 1 on the upper level of the Wyckoff YMCA, 691 Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff. Program panelists will include Yale Hauptman, J.D. Esq., partner, Hauptman and Hauptman in Livingston, elder, estate, and special needs law; Cathy Arcamone, CPA, financial services director, Chris- tian Health Care Center in Wyckoff; Ellen Miller, Medicaid specialist, Eldercaid, LLC and former supervisor of Passaic County Board of Social Services; and Carol Hertenstein, RN, president, Wyckoff Board of Health. Mary Jo Kurtz, LNHA, administra- tor and COO of Van Dyk Health Care in Ridgewood; and Denise Dunlap Ratcliffe, LNHA, executive vice president and COO at the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff will serve as moderators. The panel of experts will answer ques- tions about when and how to apply for benefits; understanding Medicare, Med- icaid, and veterans’ benefits; power of attorney and guardianship; elder law and estate planning; and spousal asset protec- tion. Pre-registration is required. Visit http://www.wyckoffymca.org/newsroom/ special-events/ or call Cindy at (201) 891- 7000, extension 304. Attendees are asked to provide specific questions or topics at the time of registration to assure that the panel addresses the topics most pertinent to the audience. Foundation hosts Spring Fling The Wyckoff Education Foundation will host its annual “Spring Fling” fundraiser and dinner dance on March 28. The event will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. at Macaluso’s in Hawthorne. This year’s event will feature a “Swing into Spring: Roaring ‘20s Gala” theme, and will highlight a premiere Northern New Jersey band and DJ. The evening will also include a buffet dinner, open bar, a cash prize contest, and auction items. The foundation has partnered with Wyckoff School Administration on sup- porting the 1:1 Technology Initiative. The Wyckoff Education Foundation is a non-profit organization raises funds that benefit Wyckoff students in the four elementary schools and the Eisenhower Middle School. Since its inception, the foundation has raised $1.5 million and has awarded the funds through grants to the Wyckoff Board of Education. Spring Fling tickets are $95 per person. Registrations and donations can be made online at www.wyckoff.org or by contact- ing Brian Benedik at (201) 207-2378.