Your Friends & Neighbors

SUPPORT OUR GIRLS

“Being in Girl Scouts can improve every part of a girl’s life,” says Pattie O’Connell of Clifton— and she should know. She’s the mom of 14-year-old Girl Scout Josephine and leader of troop #96357 for girls in kindergarten through ninth grade.

Whether or not you have a Girl Scout in your family, you’ve undoubtedly seen the organization’s trademark green vests—and the ubiquitous Thin Mints and Savannah Smiles that tempt us to break our diets. To hear O’Connell tell it, though, today’s Girl Scout is a pretty smart cookie herself.

“A Girl Scout will learn life skills, business ethics, how to set goals and to face fears and challenges, the importance of honesty and responsibility,” she says. “She will also learn about diversity and how to believe in herself and to build trust in others—and, of course, she’ll learn about friendship.” March is Women’s History Month, and before long today’s young girls will be making history themselves. Paramus-based

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey (gsnnj.org) has plenty of ways to get involved if you’d like to help out: • Volunteer. Become a troop leader like O’Connell, or take on other volunteer roles that require less of a commitment— chaperoning on overnights, managing recruitment events or overseeing cookie sales, for example. (Says O’Connell: “I love being here to watch as girls come out of their shell and find their true selves and grow and flourish.”) • Donate. Your monetary donation of any amount will go toward helping these young girls succeed—for instance, by helping to pay for staff-led community programs, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, outdoor adventures or scholarships and financial aid. • Host. “Allowing troops to meet in our schools, recreation centers, business offices, libraries and houses of worship means that more troops can form and meet,” says O’Connell, “which means [we’ll have] more strong, independent women in our future.” She adds that the girls love hearing from guest speakers with a particular skillset—chefs, teachers, gardeners, artists, healthcare workers, etc. Dog: Roxie, almost 2-year-old dachshund Owners: Lauren and Stu Davis of Cresskill Even before they got married, this young couple knew they wanted a dog to join their family, and the early days of the pandemic—when Lauren was working from home—seemed the perfect time to get one. The couple opted for a dachshund because most of Stu’s family has them as pets, and they matched with a red-and-brown brindle doxie through a breeder in Virginia. Now this 20-pound doggy is the perfect addition to the household.

Roxie the doxie loves barking at birds in the backyard, letting her humans know what she’s thinking with a multitude of expressions and going for walks at Westwood’s Westvale Park and Van Saun Park in Paramus. Perhaps she’s a feminist, because one of her favorite walks is The Women’s Federation Monument hike at Palisades Interstate Park. “Roxie is a great snuggler and always ready to cheer you up with kisses,” says Lauren. Her humans run a Facebook group called Dachshunds of New Jersey, and they’d love to meet more Bergen-based doxies. You can follow Roxie’s adventures @doxie.roxie on Instagram too!

Want your pet featured in an upcoming issue of BERGEN? Send a photo and description to rita.guarna@wainscotmedia.com or DM us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.

Photo courtesy of Flint & Flower Photography

HOMESAPOPPIN’ The housing market is still booming, and in order for supply to meet demand, NEW new housing complexes are popping up left and right in our county. Here are three: • The Enclave, Old Tappan. Realtor Attilio

Adamo and his team at The Adamo Group are talking up 79 boutique townhouses at The Enclave, a community of new-construction homes on Old Tappan Road. Says Adamo: “I’m honored to have been chosen by K. Hovanian Homes to represent this wonderful new community in the heart of Old Tappan.” Buyers may choose from four different style townhomes, which range in price from $899,900 up to around $1,079,990 and have between 2,500 and 3,041 square feet of space, respectively. More info: theadamogroupnj.com • 66 Kinderkamack Rd., Oradell. This still-unnamed complex is in its very early stages, but we do know it’s approved for construction. The mixed-use property will contain 33 apartments (1–3 bedrooms), parking for residents and communal space on the main level with a community room, a game room, a gym and bike storage. More info: Contact the Oradell zoning officer at sdepken@oradell.org. • Thrive, Montvale. Across from the Wegmans shopping center at

DePiero’s Farm on Grand Avenue is a luxury assisted-living community that’s wrapping up construction. Unlike the senior centers of yesteryear,

Thrive features an enormous “social court” greenspace in which guests can mingle, a playground for residents’ grandkids, a beauty/barber shop and modern “farmhouse chic” interior décor. It’s slated to open this spring, and is currently scheduling tours for prospective residents and their families. More info: thrivesl.com/Montvale.

READY TO START SEEDING?

March weather in Bergen County is unpredictable, but one thing is certain: It’s a perfect time to plant the seeds for your backyard garden. Some get started at this time of year like clockwork, but others lack a green thumb. Not to worry. Sean Duffy, a plant identification specialist and landscape designer at Stone Mill Gardens in Washington Township, offers BERGEN readers tips: • Though temps are supposed to warm up, plants that can withstand varying temperatures are ideal. “There are a lot of fruits and vegetables that a first-time gardener can grow and have plenty of success with,” Duffy says. Tomatoes and cucumbers typically hold up well and are perfect for rookie growers this time of year. • If landscapers recently spread fertilizer around your yard, consider digging up and replacing the top four to six inches of topsoil, Duffy advises. “That way you can still plant in the affected area,” he says. If you’re still concerned, vegetables can thrive in pots and other planters. • Raised beds or boxes—gardens with solid wood or plaster borders—add a level of convenience, as gardeners won’t have the chore of digging and turning compacted soil. In other words, you’ll always have the perfect mix when you add topsoil to the box. • Keep in mind that plants like tomatoes require at least eight hours of direct sunlight, preferably warm afternoon daylight. Whether you’re using pots, boxes or an open bed of dirt, seeds should have ample space to grow and absorb water and nutrients. “Each plant needs about 2 to 3 feet; the more room the better,” says Duffy.