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A garden for Barbara Sapienza
(by Karen F. Mrnarevic - April 23, 2008)
The untimely death of long-time
Pascack
Valley
High School principal Barbara Sapienza in March cast a pall over the entire community. Although little time has passed, and many are still mourning the loss of the beloved educator, an effort is already underway to remember Sapienza in a meaningful and beautiful way.
Officials from Hillsdale and River Vale, the two sending towns in the school district, have begun to plan for two memorial gardens to be installed on two adjacent properties; one is a 2.7 acre piece of land recently acquired by the borough of Hillsdale with the aid of open space funds, and the other is a small piece of land on the PVHS property.
The first of the two gardens will be a children’s learning garden, where children will be taught by a qualified adult how to plant and care for different types of flora. The second will be a reading garden, where area residents and students can come to reconnect with nature and relax in a soothing environment.
The Borough of Hillsdale, which has taken the helm on the project, has pledged that it will not use municipal funds to support the gardens. Most of the work to clear the land and prepare it for the gardens, as well as planting and maintaining the sites, will be done by volunteers. The fees associated with disposing of debris on the sites will be paid with open space funds. And the materials for the site, including trees, bushes, flowers and benches, will all be donated or paid for with donations from friends, associates and students of Sapienza. The borough is in the process of establishing committees to solicit donations and organize volunteers.
Various members of the community have already come forward to offer their support for the project. River Edge resident Virginia Korteweg, a personal friend of Sapienza’s and a master gardener, has enlisted the help of a professional garden planner to prepare a draft for the site plan. The plan will later serve as guide for the Environmental Commission and the Garden Club, who will be the main entities in charge of the project. Local tree contractor and Hillsdale Environmental Commission member Ken Barber will donate his equipment to be used in clearing large logs and an abandoned vehicle from the site. Local landscaper Terry Beutel will use his Bobcat to remove other large debris, like metal beams and discarded machinery, from the site.
The actual beautification of the site should commence in May, with the planting of 12 to 20 donated Dogwood trees. Following the planting of the Dogwoods, Hillsdale Mayor John Sapanara will hold the first official meeting for those who wish to participate in the project. The meeting will be held on May 8, at 7 p.m. in the Hillsdale council chambers. On May 17, there will be a massive cleanup effort at the site, and volunteers will be organized to remove refuse from the site. Everyone attending is encouraged to wear long sleeves and pants, since the site may have poison ivy and there may be ticks present. The event will include refreshments for all volunteers.
The entire
Pascack
Valley community is invited to take part in the creation of the Sapienza memorial gardens. The community is reminded that the project cannot proceed without the help of many people. Anybody wishing to join in the effort, whether by donating money, materials or man-hours, may contact Hillsdale Administrator Harold Karns at 201-666-4800, ext. 1504.
Karen F. Mrnarevic's e-mail address is Mrnarevic@northjersey.com.
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