January 2010
(Pictured above on the left is Peter with two of the orphans who are awaiting their move into their new home and the right is of a critical patient with a spinal injury being taken on a private plane through a donor in CA to the hospital in Milot, Haiti where she was able to receive the proper care.)
In January the small island nation of Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. The epicenter was only 20 miles SW of Port au Prince. It struck just before 5:00 pm in the afternoon a time where millions of Haitians are on their way home, shopping for dinner and tens of thousands are in school. “When the quake struck I knew that thousands were dead, I just did not know how bad it was going to be.” Those were the words of Peter Kikot of NJLCS when he was interviewed for The Bergen Record and NBC News as he left for Haiti, specifically Les Cayes in the south, where he has supported two orphanages for over six years.
Peter brought donated medical supplies and some that he had purchased himself to help the thousands who had fled the epicenter near P au P to find relief in the south in Cayes. Peter stayed for seven weeks of total time in three week intervals and then made a return trip a third time to bring more donated money and supplies to help buy food and to deliver more critical medical equipment.
Peter made good friends with a new group called the Haiti Trauma Relief Fund based in CA. I would encourage anyone interested in making a donation to please consider visiting their website to do so. All of you money, dollar for dollar, goes directly to those in need. Peter has chosen the south of Haiti because of his existing contacts there and his ability to get things done more effectively. The United Nations has stated that over 80,000 people from the north of the country have sought refuge in the southern tier, many returning home to family and friends and still others looking for a safe place to live and to find food and water. This has taken a toll on an already stressed infrastructure in the south and their needs are just as great as those in the north.
Thousands sought not only food and shelter but also medical care. Peter spent weeks gathering supplies and equipment for both Brenda Strafford Hospital and Immaculate Conception Hospital both of which are located in Les Cayes, Haiti. Peter has also dedicated much of his time to completing a new orphanage for girls that is going to be renamed very soon. Peter himself is traveling back for an additional week to help transfer patients to other hospitals in the north where they can receive more thorough care and to complete work on the orphanage enough to hopefully finally move the 14 new orphans and rescued Restavek’s into their new home.
April - May 2009
NJLCS is proud to once again support the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey's Annual Online Fundraising Gala. President of NJLCS Peter Kikot, has been an active Board Member for over two years, serving the communities of Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex and Morris County during times of great need. Peter has responded to families in need after devastating fires have taken their homes and belongings and has responded to communities in need such as the flood victims following Hurricane Katrina and the Nor-Easter. Please go to www.touchofred.org to support the training and disaster services that the American Red Cross provides to every American at absolutely no cost.
June 2009
NJLCS President Peter J. Kikot will be Installed as the 22nd President of the Ridgewood AM Rotary Club Ridgewood, NJ. Visit the Ridgewood AM Rotary Club website to see how you can help those who need help the most. Peter has been a member of the club since 2003 and has served as a Director for all five years of his membership as well as the Sergeant at Arms, Vice President and President Elect. He also serves Rotary District 7490 in the capacity of Assistant Governor and is a Foundation Board member of District 7490's Gift of Life Program. You can also visit the Gift of Life Program website for more information on how you can make a small donation to save the life of a child.
NJLCS and the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association are actively advocating on behalf of all landscape contractors in New Jersey regarding multiple issues that directly affect the professional landscape contractor in the state of New Jersey. An independent task force has proposed legislation that has been introduced to the New Jersey State Legislature.
The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association believes that the current proposed language, and the current forum, fail to accurately represent the perspectives of the professional landscape contractor, therefore the official position of the NJLCA at this point in time is one of neutrality. They believe that the enormity of this issue requires unprecedented input from the professional landscape contractors of New Jersey. As a state association, they are bound to represent the views of our constituency.
As a member of the largest, and only, statewide trade organization representing the professional landscape contractors in New Jersey, the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association is obliged to solicit valuable input regarding this monumental issue.
For more information regarding the new proposed legislation please visit the NJ Landscape Contractors Association .
NJLCS has teamed up with Karla Cino of Karla Cino Realty to make sure that abandoned homes are properly taken care of while they are found new owners. Peter J. Kikot, has teamed up with Karla to maintain these properties to ensure that they do not become eye sores in your communities. As the economy continues to worsen and homeowners find themselves in difficult situations, NJLCS is committed to ensuring that the communities it serves, do not suffer any more in this poor economy. Please visit Karla Cino Realty for more information.
Peter J. Kikot, President of NJLCS and the principal designer and supervisor behind the Healing Garden of Ridgewood, NJ returned once again to help beautify the garden with the help of UPS by installing over 600 white and purple pansies. The joint effort is the second the two companies have teamed up on to benefit Children’s Aid & Family Services of Paramus whose Ridgewood office is located at the 148 Prospect Street property that overlooks the Healing Garden. They first worked together last fall when they installed over 2000 tulips and crocuses throughout the lush garden landscape.
The garden grew by the efforts of Peter and his team of over 2000 volunteers over a two year period. The project began with the initial conceptual design in December of 2003 and was finally completed in August of 2005. The garden was officially named and dedicated on September 11, that same year. The estimated value of the project was well over half a million dollars with 90% of the project funded through a variety of donors.
The two groups will be back out in June to install over 100 yards of mulch and thousands of annuals to add even more summer color to the already spectacular garden.
