Last December, Hackensack Riverkeeper received a holiday gift in the form of a $500 donation from Harry Turer of Allendale, NJ. The donation, a gift to his wife, Valerie, was earmarked to sponsor an Eco-Cruise for a group of children who could not otherwise afford the program. “Just use it to help any needy or inner-city school,” Turer said.

Well, Spring came and went without any schools taking advantage of Turer’s generosity. It looked as though it would be Fall before we set up a trip for a needy school. Then I got a call in early July from Gerald Lyons, who runs a summer program at the Hudson County Schools of Technology for at-risk youth. Turns out, it was a perfect match all around.

By the end of July, we had taken three groups - a total of 45 HCST students - out on Eco-Cruises and would have taken another group had we not been rained out. As it turned out, those kids were some of the best I’ve ever had aboard the Boyle and I hope to work with them again.

You don’t have to wait for the holidays to help the school of your choice. Just contact our office at 201-968-0808 and we’ll be happy to arrange it for you. Friends of Hackensack Riverkeeper helping other friends: it doesn’t get much better than that!