I'm reminded when I lived with my mother at Fort Dix, when my father was in Vietnam. I was 5 years old and desperately missed him. Every day all day long, "When is daddy coming home? When is daddy coming home?" My mother, who missed my father too, obviously, got frustrated and finally said to me, "When you see American flags waving everywhere, daddy is coming home." Her presumption, of course, that he would return just as soon as we won the war.

I would wake up every day very early, before her, and watch cartoons. Back when cartoons were really cartoons and you had one choice: the real, original Looney Tunes cartoons.

One day, I burst into her room at 6 am screaming in delight that daddy was coming home.

So she came to the tv. We hadn't won the Vietnam War. Bobby Kennedy had been assassinated.

Why the story? Well, I suppose the answer is that when you see a turbine installed at the car wash, you'll know there's a turbine at the car wash. In the meantime, my father eventually returned from Vietnam, with a Bronze Star that I now keep in my night table drawer. He also returned to eventually die from cancer from exposure to Agent Orange.

OASIS HAVEN FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN, INC.

Site: 59 Mill Street, Paterson, NJ 07501
Phone: 973-881-8307
Fax: 973-881-1755
Email: jimwalsh@oasisnj.org
Website: www.oasisnj.org
Hours: Office - Mon-Fri: 9am-3pm
Lunch - Mon-Fri: 12-12:45pm
Clothing - Mon: 12:30-1:15pm; with a referral: 9:30-11am
Pantry - Mon-Fri: 9-11:15am & 1:15-2:30pm ( referral needed)
Baby items - Mon-Fri: 9-11:15 (referral needed)
Contact: Jim Walsh, Director of Social Services and Children’s Programs, 973-881-8307 x123
This site provides the following services for women and children only: a food pantry; hot lunches; clothing; educational programs which include GED, ESL, and computer classes; an after school program, Monday to Friday 3-6pm, for children aged 6 to 12 years; a summer camp for six weeks, for children aged 6 to 12 years.
Food Needs: non-perishables
Volunteer Needs: Please call Christine Enrico, Human Resources Communications Coordinator at 973-881-8307 x121
Special Needs: funding, baby supplies including wipes and diapers, craft supplies and new games for all children’s programs and nurturing

SALVATION ARMY

Site: 550 Main Avenue, Passaic, NJ 07055
Phone: 973-779-1155 Fax 973-779-1545
Email: Angela_Pierce@use.salvationarmy.org
Hours: Office - Mon-Fri: 8:30am-4pm
Pantry – Fri (with appointment & referral): 8:30-10:30am
Soup Kitchen – Mon-Fri: 11am-12:30pm
Contact: Captain Perez
This site provides a food pantry, a soup kitchen, clothing, and utility & rental assistance when available.
Food Needs: all perishable and non-perishables
Volunteer Needs: Call for more information.
Volunteer Requirements: age 18 or older, some older children with adult supervision
Special Needs: funding, household goods, clothing (especially winter outdoor clothing)

Thanks for your post, Scondo.

FYI, I own 2.07 acres here on Hamburg Tpk. Thinking about a chicken coop on the back corner of my property, where I replaced blacktop with topsoil & grass, around a great big willow tree. I even have names picked out for the chickens...

Victor is designing the coop for me. I may model it after another building, have to see the basic plans first.

I plan on just giving the eggs away to my employees, customers and friends. And eating them myself, too, of course.

Rob, Your within the zoning Ord. Get Rhode Island Red chickens. There good layers. Let Victor put his coup there also.

@Lean: Indeed, I am within my rights to put chickens here, and I credit Victor for educating me about raising chickens and farming their eggs. Its a terrific idea for me to do here, as it continues the theme of sustainability that we're modeled on in the first place. And I have offered Victor to relocate his hens here if he is forced to remove them from his property -- that will be entirely up to him. But he is designing my coop, we will build it, populate it and name all the birds and so on. It will be a lot of fun and there will be a lot of learning and a lot of eggs! I can't wait to get started.

I do hope the town changes their mind and approves your windmill. It's sad that people can't remember the past when windmills where a common sight to the landscape of our town. 

Thanks for you words of support, Sandy. As always, I appreciate all you've done for me. By the way, my friends at Castrol were receptive to financing a fundraiser at my business to benefit flood victims. We're working out the details now. Is there an organization that already exists that focuses on flood relief in your neighborhood?

@Sandy I helped Paul one weekend putting that windmill up. I left when he ran out of beer.LOL

Rob, I only know of some kids who stared a food bank for the neighborhood.

Leanbean that's when it got dangerous. Half baked men climbing to the top of the windmill. If only we could go back to those simpler times, when neighbors helped each other and where more concerned about their quality of life, not quantity of things.

Maybe we can help fund the food bank. And perhaps also create a fund to provide temporary shelter for flood victims from the neighborhood, so they have someplace to go if neither the Red Cross nor the Township are able to provide for them.

Rob, that sounds like a great idea. Will talk to some folks in the neighborhood and see who would be willing to spearhead.

Ok sandy, let me know. I would be interested also in donating eggs from my chickens for the food bank. Maybe we can work a deal with a farmers market where they take my eggs and give credits to the food bank to use when they need to buy food back from the farmers market in the future. Wanna guess the names I picked out for the birds?

I just sent you an email about selling eggs. I will take my best shot at the names. I assume you will not have any Cocks.
Christina, Alina, Alley, Francesca, Josephine, Josefa, Jayme, Laney,Scotia, Nadia, Christie

Got the email -- thanks Sandy. If we're really generating a couple dozen eggs a day, I bet we can accumulate a tremendous amount of value by trading the eggs for credits at a farmer's market for the food bank to redeem as needed. I bet we accumulate so much that we'll end up having enough to feed people on a regular basis, even without any flooding.

Your names for the chickens were interesting. I may actually just lease out the space for $1 a year and let someone else own & name the chickens....

Thanks, Justice.

Joe - I appreciate your support. Right now I am studying the different breeds of hens that are good layers and also tolerant of cold weather, in case we see a legitimate winter again sometime. I'm sure victor will have great advice. Looks like the larger coops house around 15 birds, and that will produce a heck of a lot of eggs. Breakfast at the car wash...

Thanks, Stewart. He never would talk about it and to this day I don't know why he was awarded the Bronze Star. He once had my mother convinced that he single-handedly captured a tank. it was a running joke for decades, made funny by the fact that she believed him. The records that would have explained the award were destroyed in a fire.

Oops - I posted too fast. Meant to also convey my thanks to your father for his service. The least that should be expected is a simple thank you for those who served for our benefit.

@Lizod: Thank you so much for your post. I will again repeat my mantra -- if you feel comfortable, please sign your real name to your post. I realize this is not a trivial thing to do, but unless you sign your name, the powers that be may not believe you are a resident. They may think you are nothing but a shill for me. That said, if you choose to remain anonymous, I understand completely. No judgment from me, believe me! If you do choose to sign your name, you're among friends who will no doubt rally to support you if you should be criticized, just as you have rallied to support me.

As to your questions: YES!!! I would like my chicken coop to be the product of a community based effort. The more people involved, the better. I certainly don't need a monopoly on the local organic egg market!! Definitely not related to my core business. (-:

Anyone reading this who wants to get involved can drop by the car wash. We have a coop building project to start with, asap.

Again, lizod, thanks for your post. Please think about what I wrote.

Hi my name is Liz Montanaro...aka Lizod -I own my words, never reluctant to post my name - i have principles that I am proud to share, and hope to raise my children with the same ...Life is a balance- as a society if we understand the connection between consumption and conservation, giving to others as a means to giving to ourselves, we can grow and evolve away from the need to try to find life and connection in the intangibles - I am not perfect, might upset people by what I share - it his not a soap box - just my own thinking that I try to articulate into actions when I can.... I live in town, pay $21,000 in taxes (lucky me:) )....

Liz -- That's awesome! The sound you hear is me giving you a standing ovation. The other sound is that we are slowly gaining momentum and critical mass, as more folks like you stand up and speak out and sign their names. You all really can make a difference, and you already have. Now the challenge is to see if you can convince one more person to jump into the fray.

Your comment reminded me of a Native American proverb that I learned after I began my own personal journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle:

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children."

Couldn't say it better...