March 24 – Wood Window Repair, Instructor Gordon Bock - $20
April 21 – Porch Restoration & Maintenance, Instructor John Leeke - $20
April 28 – Exterior Wood Repairs, Instructor John Leeke - $20

Proud Neighbors of Collingswood presents three different day long, Saturday “Old House Workshops” taught by professional preservation instructors. Join us on all three Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a unique restoration awareness experience. Workshop fees are only $20 each and include lunch – similar programs cost more than $150. These workshops have been financed with a contribution from Proud Neighbors of Collingswood and are presented in cooperation with the Borough of Collingswood Historic Preservation Commission.

See the Historic Board link on the Website under Local Government for expanded descriptions of these workshops. For information call 856-854-0720 x125, 609-707-3684 (evenings) or e-mail Info@ProudNeighborsOfCollingswood.org    

The 63-acre Knight Park, enjoyed by residents and guests for over a century, needs hands-on care from volunteers to rejuvenate stately trees and landscaping. To complete the restoration, work must take place for decades. The next planting will take place in the spring. Volunteers and organizers will meet on March 1 at 7 p.m. in the community center living room to give details and information to all those who would like to join in the next planting and pruning effort. To participate with the volunteers email Commissioner Mike Hall at MHall@collingswood.com or call at 856-854-4528.

Call Commissioner Joan Leonard at 856-858-4545 or email JCLeonardOTR@yahoo.com for more information, volunteering or making a donation. Consider a tree or bench for the park as a gift to a loved one. The Knight Park Trustees welcome the assistance of civic groups and all residents to continue to preserve and enhance the historic treasure that is Knight Park. Contact the Knight Park Trustees for more information to make a tax deductible contribution at P.O. Box 8731, Collingswood, NJ 08108.

…present their first annual Chinese Auction on Saturday, March 3 at Collingswood High School (424 Collings Ave).

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the general public and at 6 p.m. for pre-ordered ticket holders only. Everyone will receive a goody bag! Advance ticket reservations will be available beginning January 15 through February 26. Tickets can be picked up at the door the night of the event.

Ticket pricing is as follows: pre-orders cost $15 for 5 sheets or purchase tickets at the door for $10 for 3 sheets or $5 each. Each sheet contains 25 tickets and one door prize ticket. There will be two levels of special prizes, including a one week stay in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, as well as 50/50 drawings and awesome door prizes.

For further information and/or ticket sales, please contact Sue McDermet, VP of Fundraising, at 856-240-1019. Join us for a fun-filled evening and help us make this a huge success!

The Collingswood Stray Animal Fund has two four-month-old mixed breed female puppies named Meadow and Lady who need your help. Both adorable little girls have been diagnosed with heart murmurs which require each to have an echocardiogram costing $385 each to determine if they need further medical treatment. Of course, these lovable bundles of fur need homes also. They have very sweet temperaments and will only grow to weigh about 25 pounds or so. They are perfect sized pups and they enjoy being with people and cats too. The puppies are currently being cared for at Almost Home Animal Shelter in Pennsauken.

The stray fund is arranging for the pups to have their test done, but this will deplete our resources and make it difficult for us to help the next stray dog or cat needing treatment. Spring is the busiest season for sick and injured stray animals. You can help in one of several ways. Donations to help with medical expenses can be sent to: Collingswood Stray Animal Fund c/o Collingswood Borough Hall, 678 Haddon Ave. Collingswood, NJ 08108.

The puppies still need permanent homes, either together or separately, with a family who is willing to return the unconditional love they have to give. You may also be able to provide temporary foster care until they can be adopted permanently. For further information contact Nancy Welsh at 856-854-4628 or 856-663-3058.

Starting Tuesday, Feb. 27 and Wednesday, Feb. 28, computer classes for Collingswood senior citizens will be conducted at the Collingswood Community Center (30 West Collings Ave). Each course will run for six weeks and will cost $55 for Collingswood residents (nonresident cost is $95). Participants must be 50 or over and residents of Collingswood or members of a Collingswood church.

“Computer 101” will be offered on Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. beginning Feb. 27. This beginner course will introduce basic computer terminology, functions, and simple word processing. Students do not need to own a computer to attend this class.

“Computer 102” will be taught on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. This is for those who have access to a computer and completed “101,” or have word processing experience. It will cover more complex word processing documents, as well as introduce how to create a table and clip art.

“Computer 103” will be taught on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 1 to 3 pm. This course is for someone who has completed our Computer 102 or is familiar with Windows and word processing. We will learn how to organize and manage our computer files and folders, use keyboard shortcuts and toolbars, and create mailings labels. In addition, we will work with Clip Art and Word Art to enhance our documents.

“Internet 301” will be taught on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon beginning Wednesday, Feb. 28. This course will introduce how to surf the Internet, send E-mail, and use search engines. Students need familiarity with Windows and word processing.

To register, call Computer Generations at 609-261-0246. A registration form will be mailed to you with the instructions to send your check for $55 (payable to Computer Generations) to: Computer Generations, 381 Landing St, Lumberton, NJ 08048. Include your name, address, telephone number, course name and time of class. Registrations are due no Later than Feb. 19, 2007. These computer courses are very popular so don’t delay in signing up! In April, we will be adding a new program called “Digital Camera and Photo Editing!” For more information call 609-261-0246 or visit www.computergenerations.org.

We’ll all feel safer in Collingswood thanks to a $645,000 grant the Fire Department has secured that will go toward replacing the department’s current 1976, 100-foot aerial ladder truck. Fire Chief John Amet gives credit to firefighter Stephen Reustle for preparing the grant and narrative that won the funding. At the time the grant was awarded on December 15, 2006, it was the second highest amount for a single vehicle acquisition in the nation. The Collingswood FD is currently in the process of getting specifications ready for the new ladder truck and received word from the Federal Government that they could expect delivery of the new vehicle in late October or early November of 2007. Congratulations!

It’s a happy new year for Collingswood Library patrons. The Library Board of Trustees has announced expanded services and hours to increase accessibility for residents and visitors.

Since Jan. 1, the library added Sunday hours from noon to 4 p.m. to its schedule, allowing the branch to remain open seven days a week. The expanded hours are in addition to the library’s regular hours of Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m._
In addition, the library will also now be open over Thanksgiving weekend and other holidays such as Veterans Day and Columbus Day, allowing full accessibility over three day weekends.

Currently the library offers a host of programs such as kids’ events, historical meetings and a library of historical items, book groups and dozens of clubs and programs. The library also organizes the annual Collingswood Book Festival which draws nationally recognized authors such as Michael Smerconish and Camille Paglia for a weeklong event that encourages reading.

As required by the State of New Jersey, the Borough of Collingswood has contracted with Professional Property Appraisers, Inc. of Delran, New Jersey to complete a revaluation of all property in the Borough. The new assessments will be effective for the 2008 tax year.

The first phase of the revaluation will consist of inspectors taking digital images of all properties within the Borough and the inspection of commercial properties. This phase will start in the next month. The residential inspections will start in the spring. The field inspectors will have identification provided by the Borough and only those who have this identification should be admitted entrance into your property. In an effort to collect the most accurate data possible, homeowners are encouraged to make appointments to allow appraisers into homes.

In the next issue of the Town Crier look for updates on the progress of the revaluation as well as what neighborhoods field inspectors will be visiting. For more information about the revaluation please see our Borough web site or call Borough Hall at 856-854-0720 x135.

Shaving cream will fly to provide a little support – emotionally and financially – for children with cancer when the Collingswood Fire Department celebrates their 2nd annual St. Baldrick’s Day event on Sunday, March 18.

St. Baldrick’s, a play on St. Patrick’s, collects money for pediatric cancer research through sponsorship of groups that shave their heads in the name of the event. Collingswood firefighters joined the effort three years ago, and started their own event last year.

The group is inspired to help fund cancer research by the loss of Andy Staszewski, a Collingswood career firefighter, last April at the age of 23. The son of Fire Chief John Amet is a survivor of childhood cancer, diagnosed at nine months old. Amet’s son, John, is now 10 years old.

“With St. Baldrick’s we want to help come up with a cure and maybe give enough resources to come up with some answers,” said Amet.

The Collingswood FD hopes to raise $50,000 this year to help fund that research. Last year their efforts raised $45,000. This year’s “Collingswood Firefighters for a Kids Cure” will also host a Chinese auction featuring items from Vera Bradley, Gucci, Tiffany and much more from Collingswood merchants. Donations are being accepted. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the auction, please contact Pamela Capato at 856-854-4585.

St. Baldrick’s will take place this year at the Collingswood Grand Ballroom (315 White Horse Pike) from 12 to 5 p.m. Admission to the event includes wine, beer and food and a front row seat for the “mane” event.

If you are interested in becoming a participant, additional information and registration can be obtained at www.stbaldricks.org. Registration and fundraising is recommended in advance. All are welcome to socialize, get a cut and support local firefighters, neighbors and friends taking part in the charity event. Contact John Samas at 856-854-1043 x355 or John Amet at 856-854-1043 x100 with questions

St Baldrick’s, the world's biggest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer, has taken place in 10 countries and 42 states, raised over $20 million and shaved more than 26,000 heads.

Spring is on its way, and so are the many projects you’ve been putting off for better weather. Jobs like yard clean-ups, garage organizing, planting, weeding and basic painting are among the many jobs that students from the Collingswood Student Job Pool are eager to do. Rates are reasonable, starting at $8 per hour, per student for most tasks. If snow falls in the next few weeks, students are available for snow shoveling at $15 per hour. As members of the job pool, these students are coached on good job-keeping attitudes and practices, with reliability and excellent service foremost on the list. Whatever your needs – a Collingswood student can help! Please call the Student Job Pool at 856-869-3431.