By Amy RovineOn April 9th,

renowned meditation teacher, Will Duncan, will give a talk at Breathing Room Center, located at 21 Main St. in Blairstown. The presen-tation will be held from 7pm to 8:30pm and donations will be accepted.

I first met Will Duncan in college some time ago. It was a small liberal arts school in the mountains of the South-west. I knew he was a unique person right from the start; I was introduced to him through classes we took together, and also his music, specifically he

played drums called Tablas, common to the culture of India, Nepal, Bangladesh. Me, at 24 years young, I had never heard this type of instru-ment, let alone where it was from, but my eyes were beginning to see different cultures for the first time, so I was open to it.

Will was used to it. He was already a veteran of exploration, of travel, ofthinking from a differentperspective. When he was younger, one of his earliest teachers showed up at his parent’s house,a Reverend MurrayRogers, who influenced his formative years as anexplorer and a contem-plative thinker. He then hitch-hiked across theWestern US going to various Buddhist and Christian monasteries, eventually creating long

Belvidere Fox Trot for Parkinson’s Research Inc. of Belvidere will hold a 5K race and one-mile community walk on April 11th, to benefit The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.Hal Halvorsen of

Belvidere started the Fox Trot because he wanted to raise money for Team Fox. Family and friends look forward to the event each year and the opportunity to raise awareness of

Parkinson's Disease. The Belvidere Foxtrot is held in April to highlight Parkinson's awareness month. This year marks the 6th annual Fox Trot.“I chose to hold this

event as part of Team Fox because I wanted to do something personally to further the Foundation’s mission. They are funding cutting-edge research to bring meaningful advances in treatments and eventually a cure to

Attention Blairstown Seniors: The first Blairstown Seniors trip of 2015 is scheduled for April 22nd to Brown-stone to see “American Bandstand” staring Joe Zisa and featuring Eric Kearns. Any Blair-stown resident over 55 is welcome. Sign-up is Wendesday, March 25th at Town Hall at 1pm. For more information, call Mickey at 908-362-8919.Applications are now

available for two schol-arships that the Ches-ter Lioness Club annu-ally offers to students residing in Chester, Mendham or Washing-ton Township in Morris County. Each scholarship may be up to $1,000. Criteria for selection of candidates include academic record, classroom, extra-

curricular and commu-nity activities; individual interests and hobbies; and outstand-ing accomplishments in activities that demon-strate leadership and service. Financial need is also a consideration. These scholarships are available to public high school students and those attending private schools, as well. Appli-cations may be obtained in the College Resource Center at both West Morris Mendham and West Morris Central High Schools. The com-pleted form must be returned to the College Resource Center at the high school by March 27th. A letter requesting an application may be sent to the Chester Lion-ess Club in care of Anne MacMillan, 15 Cora Lane, Chester, NJ

07930. Completed applications must be forwarded to the Lion-ess Club by May 1st. Hackettstown High

School classmates of 1975 are requested to contact Cindy Mincev-ich at 908-637-6171 to update their contact information for their 40 year reunion planned for Memorial Day weekend. Artisan and antique

vendors are wanted for the Belvidere in Bloom Summer Festival on June 20th from 9am to 5pm in Belvidere. For more information, visit belvidereinbloom.com or call 908-386-8707 by April 30th. Blairstown Recre-

ation Department is offering a new program for teens and young adults with developmental disabili-ties. Social activities will be offered on a monthly basis that will promote friendship and fun. For more informa-tion, call the Recreation Office at 908-362-6663, ext. 232. Kindergarten regis-

tration for Blairstown Elementary School will be held on May 2nd and May 9th for all pupils entering kinder-garten in September. Kindergarten pupils must have reached their 5th birthday by October

1st, 2015. Registration documents required to be brought to the school office before your screening date are a completed registration form, which can be found on the school website under forms; child’s birth certificate with the raised seal; signed doctor’s certifi-cate of immunizations; and, if you do not have a student registered at Blairstown Elementary School, you must provide proof of residence. Please call Eileen at 908-362-6111, ext. 109 as soon as possible to schedule your kindergarten screening appointment. Attention parents of

future kindergarten students: Knowlton Twp. Elementary School is planning for the 2015-2016 school year. At this time, they would like to identify as many children as possible who will be eligible for Kindergar-ten in September. To be eligible for kindergar-ten, a child must be five years old by October 1st, 2015. If you have not already done so, and you have a child who will be eligible for next year’s kindergarten class, call the school at 908-475-5118, ext. 200 as soon as possible. Screening dates will be

released at a later date.Knowlton Twp.

Elementary Preschool is now accepting regis-trations for fall 2015. Children must be four years old by October 1st, 2015 and must be toilet trained. The program runs Monday through Friday from 9am to 11:30am when school is in session. Transportation is not provided. If interested, call the school office at 908-475-5118, ext. 200.Warren Co. Habitat

for Humanity is in need of donations for their Annual “Home Raising” Live and Silent Auction and Dinner on April 18th.Help is needed funding materials, specialized labor and equipment needed to construct the houses. Warren Co. Habitat for Humanity is asking for support by making a donation of new items, services or by providing corporate sponsorship for this fundraising event. Attendees will be informed that all partici-pating businesses are a sponsor and/or donor. For more information, call 908-399-8386.Public Notice: In

accordance with the “Adequate Notice” provision of the Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting sched-ule for the Warren County LACA/DA is as follows: April 14th, June 9th, August 11th, October 13th and December 8th at 5pm. Meetings will be held in Meeting Room A--located on the first floor--at Warren County Department of Human Services, located at 1 Shotwell Drive in Belvi-dere.Public Notice: In

accordance with the “Adequate Notice” provision of the Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting sched-ule for the Warren

County Mental Health Board is as follows: April 21st, May 19th,June 16th, July 21st, August 18th, September15th, October 20th,November 17th and December 15th at 5pm.Meetings will be held in rooms 123A and B atWarren County Com-munity College, locatedat 475 Rt. 57 in Wash-ington.Public Notice: In

accordance with the “Adequate Notice” provision of the OpenPublic Meetings Act,please be advised thatthe 2015 meeting sched-ule for the WarrenCounty Transportation Advisory Council is as follows: May 14th, July9th (location TBD),September 10th and November 12th at1:30pm. Meetings will be held in the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Meeting Room at the Wayne Dumont Jr. Adminisration Building,located at 165 Co. Rt.519 South in Belvidere. Public Notice: In

accordance with the “Adequate Notice” provision of the OpenPublic Meetings Act,please be advised thatthe 2015 meeting sched-ule for the WarrenCounty Human ServicesAdvisory Council is as follows: May 26th, July28th, September 22ndand November 24th(location TBD) at 1:30pm. Meetings will be held in the Freeholder Meeting Room at the Wayne Dumont Jr. Adminisration Building,located at 165 Co. Rt.519 South in Belvidere. We love hearing from

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March is National Nutrition Month and the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders has issued an official procla-mation in support of its designation, while high-lighting the recent Shap-ing NJ Healthy Commu-nity Grant awarded to the Warren County Community Health Improvement Coalition (WC CHIC).The proclamation

affirms Warren County leaders’ commitment to creating a safe and healthy environment for all residents and their support of “making the healthy choice the easy choice.”At their monthly meet-

ing, Freeholder Director Edward J. Smith and Freeholders Jason J. Sarnoski and Richard D. Gardner offered personal anecdotes about wanting to provide healthier options for their fami-lies, as well as hoping to see residents take advan-tage of the healthy resources the county has to offer. All three freeholders voiced support for the designa-tion of National Nutri-tion Month and the WC CHIC’s initiatives.The proclamation

“covers the gamut,” Freeholder Gardner said, “not just nutrition but physical activity, too.”Gardner added, “So

much of our lifestyle today tends to be a little bit more sedentary. We need to be very active, we need to take into

account our nutritional intake. In the long run, it’s better for every-body.”Sarah Shoemaker,

Public Health Planner at the Warren County Health Department, and Sherri Cirignano, Family and Community Health Sciences Educator/Agent with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Warren County, accepted the proclamation and expressed excitement about the upcoming programs.The recent grant,

awarded to a community partnership between the county Health Depart-ment and Rutgers Coop-erative Extension, will fund nutrition and physical activity programs throughout the county. Grant activities will also involve the collaboration and

support of the Warren County Planning Department, the Warren County Health and Recreation Partnership, NORWESCAP, the Hackettstown BID, and municipal leaders.The “Choose Healthy –

Warren County” program includes four main strategies aimed at promoting healthy nutri-tion habits and physical activity among residents: a healthy menu options program set to launch this spring in Hackettstown, expan-sion of municipal participation in Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, installation of bike racks

throughout the county,and promotion of USDA Farmers’ Market Nutri-tion Program vouchers.For more information

about these grant activi-ties or to become part ofthe WC CHIC, contactSarah Shoemaker at the Warren County HealthDepartment at 908-475-7960.To stay up to date with

grant activities andhealth initiatives in Warren County, Like “Warren County, NewJersey, Government” on Facebook, follow theHealth Department at twitter.com/wchealthand viti shapingnj.wordpress.com.

Free Health Care Careers Seminar: March 26th, 6:30pm-8pm. Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill St., Newton. Open to teens & adults Registra-tion req’d. Call 973-940-3500 to register.

FREE Community Breakfast: March 28th, 10am-noon.Knowlton UMC, 509 Rt. 94, Knowlton. Hosted by the Men's Ministry Group.

4-H Tack Swap & Sale: March 28th, 10am-2pm. Indepen-dence Fire House, 24 Cemetery Rd., Great Meadows. FMI & tables, call Jan: 908-459-5812.

Knowlton Easter Egg Hunt w/ Easter Bunny: March 28th, 11am. Raindate: March 29th. Tunnel Field, Rt. 94.

Freehot dogs, soda, coffee, hot chocolate & donuts. Sponsored by Knowlton Red. & Knowlton Lions Club.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt: March 28th, 11am sharp. Swayze Mill Park, Hope. Spon-sored by Moravian Grange #187. Open to children, toddlers through 8th grade. The Easter Bunny will be there, so bring a camera!

NW Democratic Club Meeting: March 28th, 1pm. Givens-Belet American Legion Hall, 23 Hope Rd. (Rt. 521), Blairstown, NJ. Guest speaker will be Michael Grace, Democratic candidate for State Assembly. Will also discuss this year’s elections for Freeholder, Surrogate, Twp. Com-mittee & Board of Ed. Refreshments provided.

FMI, call Fred at 908-362-6808 or email fpchistory@yahoo.com.

Christ Episcopal Church Presents Tene-brae Service: March 29th, 7:30pm. 62 Main St., Newton. FMI, call 973-383-2245 or visit christchurchnewton.org.

Chester Lioness Club Dinner Meeting: April 2nd, 6:30pm. 190 W. Main St., Chester. Program will be "Unique Flower Arrangements," a demo of live flower arranging. The arrangement will be a puppy in a basket w/ mixed flowers. Commu-nity residents welcome to attend by reservation only. FMI, call Holly Simmenroth at 908-879-5932.

Free NAMI Program, Coping with Depres-sion: April 2nd, 7pm. Bridgeway, 93 Stickles Pond Rd., Newton. Guest speaker Susan Scheel, MS, LAC, NCC, will cover symptoms of depression, common triggers & coping skills. FMI, call 973-214-0632.

Easter Services & Breakfast: Good Friday Service, April 3rd, 7pm; Easter Sunrise Service, April 5th, 7am; Easter Wor-ship Service, April 5th, 10:30am. Church break-fast immediately follow-ing sunrise service. Knowlton Presbyterian Church, 3 Knowlton Rd., Columbia. FMI, call 908-459-5170.

Free Touch-A-Truck Program: April 7th, 11am-1pm. Warren Co.

Library, 2 Shotwell Dr., Belvidere. Trucks, emergency & commu-nity service vehicles will be on display in the library parking lot.

Ladies Aid Annual Spring Rummage Sale: April 10th, 9am-4pm. Yellow Frame Church, Rt. 94 & 1 Yellow Frame Rd., Fredon. Admission is free. Refreshments available for purchase. FMI, call 973-5364 or 610-588-9166.

Walpack Spring Hike: April 12th. Leaving Walpack Center at 11am. Join the Walpack Historical Society for a 2.5 mile hike w/ histori-cal commentary to the John P. House farm. FMI, call 973-948-4903

Panther Valley Ecumenical Church Rummage Sale: April 17th, 9am-3pm; April 18th, 9am-1pm. Panther Valley Ecumenical Church, 1490 Rt. 517, Hackett-stown. Donations may be brought to the church April 13th thru 15th; clothing, HH items, glassware, baskets, small appliances, sport-ing goods, jewelry & seasonal items. Saturday will be “Bag Day” for $5/bag. Bake Sale: April 17th. FMI, call Cylvia at 908-852-1482.

Camp Auxilium Open House: April 18th 10am-1pm; April 26th, 1pm-3pm. FMI, call 973-383-2621, ext. 3, or visit www.camp auxilium.org.

Warren Co. Habitat for Humanity “Home Raising” Live & Silent Auction & Dinner: April 18th, 6pm. See next week for details.

Hello, fellow readers! One of the plants my

colleague Marty and I touted in our recent talk at the Springfest Garden Show on Deer Resistant Plants was ornamental rhubarb. Artie stumped us when he asked for the botanical name. Rheum, pronounced “ree'um,” is the genus of rhubarb, but what species is the ornamental kind? Good question! After researching further, I don’t have a definitive answer. Rheum palmatum is

commonly known as Chinese rhubarb (maybe also ornamental rhubarb?) and is not edible. Rheum rhabar-barum is considered the edible kind (also known as R. rhaponticum) and is commonly referred to as wild rhubarb in the U.S. and garden rhubarb elsewhere. You can see why common names for plants are confusing. Rheum rhabarbarum’s

leaf stalks are edible, but the leaf blades contain oxalic acid, which is toxic to both deer and humans. The leaves “impart cathartic and laxative properties,” according to Wikipedia. In “Mary words,” the

leaves trigger an over-dose of Ex-Lax effect.Edible rhubarb can be

attractive in a garden,but it’s the ornamental,not-edible kind thatmakes a dramatic,almost prehistoric-looking focal point inyour garden. One of thefavored and most color-ful is Rheum palmatumvar tanguticum. Grow-ing almost six-feet highand three-feet wide,their huge, pointy edgedleaves unfurl bronzy-red, then turn green ontop and dark burgundyunderneath. They bloomfunky spikes of reddishpink flowers on tallmaroon stalks insummer. Come fall, theleaves shift to red for adramatic ending untilnext year. Just as theedible kind, ornamentalrhubarb are perennial,returning every year.Rheum “Ace of Hearts”is a popular smallerornamental rhubarb,about three-feet tall andwide. Rhubarb is generally

purchased as crowns or divisions and are bestplanted in early springwhen still dormant.They can be tough tofind locally, but areavailable mail-order oronline. They thrive inhumus-rich, moist soiland like partial shade tofull sun, but appreciateif their roots are keptcool with mulch as theydetest extreme heat. CAUTION: Ornamen-

tal rhubarb is harmful ifeaten! And that goes foryou, too, deer; thoughsome deer seem toignore the warning labelfrom time to time.Maybe they’re using itfor medicinal purposes? Garden dilemmas? askmarystone.com

(NAPSI)—Children are naturally curious, move quickly and explore the world with their mouths. And we all know: they have a tendency of getting into things they shouldn’t. In observance of National Poison Prevention Week, take the neces-sary steps to ensure your home is a safe place for your little ones.Install Child Safety

Locks: Your kitchen and cabinets can often be a playground for your children. As they create musical instruments out

of your pots and pans, they could also be exposing themselves to danger. Be sure to keep all household cleaning products and sharp kitchen utensils in cabinets and drawers with proper child safety locks.Ensure Liquid Laundry

Packets are HANDS OFF for children: Liquid laundry packets are harmful if swal-lowed or if they get in the eyes. Children should never handle them. Like any house-hold cleaning product,

laundry packets should be stored up and out of reach. You can help prevent accidents by always storing laundry packets in their original container before, during and after each use. The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI) is inspiring action among parents to take charge, handle and properly store laundry packets. Visit www.cleaning institute.org/hands-off/ for more must-have, critical information on laundry safety.Check Everyday Items

for Potential Hazards: Children act fast and are naturally curious. How many times have you caught your child going through your purse? Remember that all purses and bags could be home to potential hazards including medi-cines, devices that contain button batteries, pen caps, safety pins or hard candy. Always be aware of where you keep these items ensur-ing they are out of reach of young children.Keep the Poison Help

Number Readily Avail-able: Be prepared. Acci-dents can happen in an instant. Take the time to ensure the Poison Help number is readily avail-able by adding it to your home and cell phone (1-800-222-1222). Keep this number in a visible place in your home, such as on your refrig-erator where family members, babysitters and caregivers can see it. It is just as important to be prepared for an accident involving poisons, as it is to take the necessary steps to prevent them.

In addition to screen-ings for blood pressure, anxiety, depression and body/mass index, area residents are invited to get up-to-date informa-tion about nutrition, diabetes, and vaccines, and receive counseling about cervical and breast cancer at Project Self- Sufficiency’s annual Community Health Fair on March 26th, from noon to 4pm. Free mammograms will be available to eligible women, by appoint-ment. Interactive educa-tional exhibits from local health care organi-zations will also be offered. The free Com-munity Health Fair will take place at Project Self-Sufficiency’s Com-munity Education Center, located at 127 Mill Street in Newton. The Health Fair will be

staffed by representa-tives from the 5Pminus Society (Cri Du Chat), American Cancer Soci-ety, Bridgeway Reha-bilitation Services, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Interven-tion (DASI), Lupus Foundation, March of Dimes, Mom’s Quit Connection, National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), Neigh-borhood Health Services, Newton Medi-cal Center Behavioral Health and Community Health Departments, New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS), NJ Sharing Network, Partnership for Maternal and Child Health, Passaic County College/Sussex Campus

This year marks the 27th year for the Warren County Farmers’ Fair talent show for youth and adults residing in New Jersey and Penn-sylvania. Call 908-859-6563 or visit warren countyfarmersfair.org for registration. Dead-line for registration is July 10th. The show is scheduled

for Tuesday night, July 28th at 7pm on the dance floor. Age catego-ries are 12 and under, 13 through 17, and 18 and over. There is also a family/group division with no age restrictions. No bands, professionals or walk-ins are allowed to participate. Once you have won the

title of Grand Prize Winner, you may no longer compete in the show. Entrants may compete as an individual or in the group division, not both. A maximum of 20 acts will be accepted. Performances are

limited to three minutes for individuals and five minutes maximum for family/group acts. Points are deducted by the judges if you exceed these maximum times.

Monetary awards, trophies and ribbons are given to the winners in each age category as follows: grand prize winner, $200 and a trophy; first place winners, $100 and trophy; second place winners, $75; and third place winners, $50. Family/Group division

winners receive trophies, ribbons and

$100. A panel of distin-

guished volunteerjudges determine thewinners based on yourpresentation, originality,costume (age appropri-ate) and talent. Bringyour family and friends to cheer you on. For more information,

call 908-859-6563 orvisit warrencountyfarmersfair.org.

Nursing Students, Planned Parenthood, Project Self-Suff i c i ency /Coun ty Council for Young Chil-dren, Ronetco Super-markets, Inc., St. Clare’s Intensive Family Support Services, Sunrise House, Sussex County Office of Public Health Nursing, NJCEED and Sussex County Department of Environmental and Public Health Services, Sussex County YMCA, Sussex Warren Chronic Disease Coalition, Walgreens, and others. A mobile mammogra-

phy van will be on site

from 10am to 4pm to offer free mammograms to eligible uninsured or underinsured women over the age of 40. Participants will also receive instructions for performing self-examinations, as well as free educational materi-als on breast health and breast cancer. The Community

Health Fair is free and open to the public. For more information about the Community Health Fair, contact Project Self-Sufficiency at 973-940-3500, or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org.

The American Cancer Society is recruiting volunteers from businesses, schools, families, places of worship, and more to participate in the Relay For Life of North Warren event, a 12-hour fundraiser which will be held from June 6th to 7th at North Warren Regional High School (NWRHS). Relay For Life volun-

teers are committed to finishing the fight against cancer and raise funds to support the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission. Teams and individuals can sign up or learn more about the Relay For Life event by visiting www.relayfor life.org/northwarrennj, by calling 1-800-227-2345, or by attending a Relay Committee meet-

On March 29th, the 7th and 8th grade class, with teacher Elaine Fogerty, will discuss the Jewish holiday of Passover and hold a Seder. All Yellow Frame Sunday School classes will be attend-ing, along with any interested adults.Passover celebrates the

Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt more than 3000 years ago to freedom. It is the retelling of the story of Abraham and Moses, the ten plagues of Egypt and the sacrifice of the lamb so God would “pass over” the

The First Presbyterian Church of Blairstown invites the Blairstown community to attend and participate in its 2015 Holy Week worship services, all of which will be family-friendly and family involved. Holy Week begins on

Palm Sunday, March 29th, with a service of celebration at 10am in the church Sanctuary, 1 Main St. First Presbyte-rian Church will also host two Easter services on Sunday, April 5th,

ing.The Relay For Life

program is a community-based event where teams and individuals set up camp-sites at a school, park or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Cancer survi-vors and caregivers take a celebratory first lap to start each event. Four million people partici-pated in more than 6,000 events worldwide in 2014. “The Relay For Life

movement unites com-

munities across theglobe to celebratepeople who have battled cancer, remember lovedones lost, and takeaction to finish the fight once and for all,” said Megan Bartow fromHope, Committeevolunteer for Relay For Life and Captain ofTeam Bartow. “Many participants are

our family, friends, coworkers and neigh-bors who have facedcancer. Each new teamthat registers brings us one step closer to savingmore lives.”

Hebrews’ homes and not kill the firstborn child or animal. At Yellow Frame

Church, a Seder table will be set with matzah, grape juice, Elijah’s cup, Miriam’s cup and the Seder plate with lamb, bitter herbs, haroset, fresh greens and a hard-boiled egg.Passover begins at

sundown the day before the first full moon after the first day of spring. This year Passover is the evening of April 3rd. Easter is the first Sunday after the first day of Passover.

Why would a Presbyte-rian church be interested in Passover? “Because Jesus was a Jew,” says Elaine Fogerty. “Jesus was celebrating Pass-over with his disciples and later was crucified. This is why Easter and Passover are so closely tied to one another.” Yellow Frame Church

is at the intersection of Route 94 and Yellow Frame Road, half-way between Blairstown and Newton. Church services begin at 10am. Sunday school runs concurrent to the church service.

including sunrise worship at 7am, outdoors at Blair Lake (weather permitting), as

well as a 10am service in the church Sanctuary. The First Presbyterian

Church is distinguished by its tall white steeple. The church has a history of ministering to those within the community and abroad. Worship and Sunday School are held on Sundays at 10am. Its food pantry, located in the church Outreach Center, is open every third Saturday.For more information,

call the church office at 908-362-5254 or visit www.fpcbnj.org.

With Easter right around the corner, it seems appropriate to discuss our friend the Easter Bunny. Well, maybe not that specific character, but some of his smaller kin.Although they may

look like rodents, rabbits are actually lagamorphs. Unlike rodents, which have two upper and two lower incisors, or front teeth, rabbits have a double set with a smaller pair tucked behind the larger ones. Like rodents, those teeth continue to grow throughout their lives. This can lead to prob-lems because if the teeth do not meet perfectly, they will not wear down and can even grow to the point where the rabbit can no longer eat. In these cases, the teeth need to be trimmed periodically.Taking care of rabbits

properly can greatly decrease their chances of getting sick. Rabbits can be kept indoors or outdoors. If they are kept outside, care must be taken to keep them safe from predators, especially bears in this area, and also from flies.

A sturdy hutch in a protected area and fly netting in the summer will help. There should be an area that the rabbit can hide in and be sheltered from the wind and rain. Straw or shav-ings make good bedding. Rabbits require a high level of fiber in their diet. It is important to feed a good-quality grass hay free-choice. A bale of hay will keep for months if shielded from the elements. Many people feed pellets, which are fine but not as the only source of nutri-tion. Pellets can make rabbits overweight if fed too much. Feeding fresh greens

such as leafy lettuce, carrots, kale, etc are also an important part of the diet. Rabbits are prone to digestive problems and diarrhea can be very serious in them. Unlike dogs and cats which can handle some of those disturbances better, rabbits can quickly deteriorate. However, rabbits do

normally pass a looser stool overnight (called night feces) which they usually ingest (disgusting, but physi-

ologically normal- it is thought to contain vitamins and other nutri-ents the rabbit needs). Rabbits also cannot vomit and can have problems with hair and other material, like carpet fibers, getting stuck in the stomach. Rabbits with an obstruc-tion in the stomach will not eat and have very scant amounts of stool. It can be life-threatening and the sooner they start treatment, the better the chance they will improve.Rabbits also can get a

disease called “snuffles” that basically is a respi-ratory infection. It causes runny eyes and nose and they are congested (hence the “snuffling”). It can worsen if not treated and become pneumonia, so rabbits with these signs should be seen right away.Rabbits have a large

number of mucus glands in the urinary system and their urine can sometimes look very cloudy and may be confused with urinary tract infection. They can also pass a reddish pigment. However, if a

rabbit seems uncomfort-able while urinating or the urine is very red, that could indicate a prob-lem. Rabbits can get bladder stones which will cause those signs. Feeding large amounts of alfalfa hay or spinach, both of which are high in calcium, can cause in increased risk of stones.Female rabbits are

prone to getting cancer in the uterus. Any bloody discharge in a rabbit is abnormal and may indicate a problem. Spaying will prevent this from happening. Male rabbits can become aggressive and will spray urine like cats. Neutering can manage these behaviors.We do not give rabbits

routine vaccinations, but it still is important that they get check-ups. It is particularly important to have your new rabbit examined to make sure he is healthy and to discuss his care. Over-all, rabbits make usually make good pets and if handled frequently, become quite docile and friendly. They can even be litter-trained! They are generally clean and quiet and can be kept in small homes or apart-ments. If you have any further questions about rabbits or are consider-ing acquiring one, feel free to give us a call.

Eleventh Hour Rescue announced their plans to host The Taste of Morris County for Food, Wine, Fine Spirits and Beer Lovers on April 27th from 6:30pm until 10pm at the Skylands of Randolph. This event will benefit the rescue’s Phase 1 Building Hope Project that is currently underway. The Building Hope

project aims to raise funds to construct a new, permanent kennel to house some of the over 2,800 animals Eleventh Hour Rescue saves from death row every year. In addition this event will also celebrate the success and support of local restaurants and vendors. As proven in the past 2 years, this event is a true form of the local community pulling together for a great cause. In addition to

samplings of Morris County there will be a 15 pc band, dance floor, games, and a spectacular array of items in the Silent Auction. A few highlighted EHR dogs will be making their way

into the event too. Tickets for Eleventh

Hour’s Taste of Morris County are available for purchase at ehrdogs.org or email tasteofmorris@ehrdogs.org with any questions. Tickets will be avail-

able at the door whilespace is permitted. The rescue is still seek-

ing sponsorship and donations for the SilentAuction for this event.This event is 21 and over please. All attend-ees will need to provide proper identification. Eleventh Hour Rescue

is a 501(c)3 that saves dogs and cats from deathrow. All proceeds go to the care of the animals. Please visit www. ehrdogs.org for moreinformation, email mainoffice@ehrdogs.org or call 973-664-0865.

lasting relationships with many important spiritual guides. After, he went to Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, also creating connections with teach-ers and studying Tibetan Buddhism. Eventually he met another spiritual teacher and chose to spend seven years rigor-ously studying yoga and scriptures of Vajrayana in the Tibetan Buddhist Gelugpa tradition.Currently, Will is

teaching what he knows all over the world. Prior to coming to Blairstown, he will be arriving from Taiwan, China where he will have re-told his story of taking part in a three year, three month and three day meditation retreat in the southern desert of Arizona. I have been Will’s

friend for over 20 years, and I’ve been following his journey, mostly in amazement and even with a little envy. While most of us are going to work, paying bills, and dealing with life’s issues-as a result of going to work and paying the bills, Will has been on a journey, of both self-exploration, and endeavoring to find out what it means to be a human in modern times. He has become a true teacher for showing how

we as modern people can change our lives for the better.I know he’ll be bring-

ing his wisdom to share, and it will be a wonder-fully unique experience for our small commu-nity. In my classes and workshops I try to actualize the words of the great yogi, Dharma Mitra, "no fun, no yoga."For more on Will, visit

willduncan.org or visit breathingroomcenter. com for more on BRC.

people affected by this disease,” Hal said.Over five million

people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease, a chronic, degenerative neurologi-

cal disorder whose symptoms typically progress from mild tremors to complete physical incapacitation. In the United States, an estimated 60,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year alone. There is no known cure for Parkinson’s disease.

Current treatments mask symptoms but do not alter or slow diseaseprogression.For more information,

visit teamfox.org orfacebook.com/teamfox.Belvidere Fox Trot for

Parkinson’s, ResearchInc., is a public charity with 501(c)(3) status.

United Way of North-ern New Jersey is proud to announce that United Way Caregivers Coali-tion Coordinator Robin Ennis was recently chosen to serve as chair of the Warren County Senior Services Advi-sory Council.Ennis was first

appointed to the Council in 2013 by the county freeholders, serving alongside its 14 mem-bers to advise the county’s Division of Aging and Disability

Services on matters related to the special needs of local senior citizens.Ennis was nominated

by her fellow Council members in December to serve as chairperson for a term of one year. In that role, Ennis will preside over Council meetings, appoint com-mittee chairs and will represent the Council at public hearings and meetings. The Council meets the fourth Thurs-day of every month at

9:30am at The Wayne Dumont Administration Building, 165 County Route 519, Belvidere.“It is a great honor to

serve alongside equally as passionate advocates, all of whom are commit-ted to seeing that Warren County’s senior citizens receive high quality care and attention,” Ennis said. “My appointment is also a reflection of United Way’s commit-ment to removing the barriers that keep local residents from maintain-ing good health through-out all the stages of their lives.”Ennis was chosen to

participate on the Coun-

cil due to her work in building the United Way Caregivers Coalition in Warren County. Since its inception in 2012, Ennis has overseen the growth of the Coalition, which today boasts a total of 400 members, including 175 caregivers as well as medical professionals, social service agencies, businesses, and other community groups. The Coalition works to provide a community of support to unpaid caregivers caring for loved ones across the lifespan, including seniors.The Coalition holds

monthly meetings on the

third Monday of the month from 10am to 11:30am at the Wayne Dumont Jr. Administra-tion Building, 165 County Route 519 in

Belvidere. Meetings areopen to the public andoffer education,resources, support, and ideas for unpaid caregiv-ers.