Green Ribbons Popping Up in Morris County

April is National Donate Life Month and many towns are participating by tying green ribbons around trees and issuing proclamations. Green ribbons, symbolizing the generous act of giving hope and sharing life through organ, eye and tissue donation are visible in parks, downtowns, municipal buildings, schools, libraries, firehouses, private homes and many other spots in Morris County this month. This project is coordinated by the Morris County Organ Transplant/Donate Life Group and the NJ Sharing Network with the support of local scouting groups.

Locally, Boonton Township, Denville, East Hanover, Lincoln Park, Little Falls, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, Mount Olive, Parsippany and Wharton are all participating in this year's Donate Life programs.

Morris County Freeholders proclaimed April as Donate Life Month and educational brochures are available in county buildings. New Jersey Legislative Districts 25 and 26, representing Morris County and the surrounding area, also presented a proclamation.

There are NJ Sharing Network displays in Boonton Township, East Hanover, Lincoln Park and Parsippany as well as at the Morris County Library.

Longtime scouting partners in Parsippany are Venture Crew 890 and Boy Scout Troop 72. Boonton Township Girl Scouts 9th Grade Troop 94235, 7th Grade Troop 95617 and Cub Scouts Pac 69 Girl Bear Den participated this year along with Lincoln Park Brownie Troop 96817, Cadettes Troop 95437 and Daisies Troop 97297. Mendham Girl Scouts Troop #82100 partnered this year as well.

Nick Corrente, longtime volunteer and Venture Crew 890 member, remarked, “Parsippany Boy Scouts and Venturers are happy to celebrate 22 years of turning Parsippany green. This is such a great event for our youth, and presents a wonderful opportunity to spread awareness for organ donation efforts among the young people in Parsippany. We are happy to see how much this program has grown over the years, and we are delighted to see just how many surrounding town have started their own Green Ribbon efforts to raise awareness for these lifesaving efforts.”

One organ donor can save eight lives and one tissue donor can restore health to over 75 people. According to the NJ Sharing Network, approximately 3 people are added to the waitlist daily and approximately 100 people die while waiting for transplant. Approximately 115,000 men and women across the country are on the organ donor wait list according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. NJ Sharing Network also shares that over 4,000 of those live in New Jersey and 188 in Morris County. The number of people wait listed by town is available at www.savenjlives.com.

Registering is simple through the iPhone Health App, at your local MVC or online at registerme.org

NJ Sharing Network is the non-profit, federally designated organ procurement organization responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue in New Jersey. A list of their Donate Life Month activities and the upcoming 5k Run/walk is available at NJSharingNetwork.org. The Morris Group meets monthly with their next meeting on Wednesday, May 1st, in Parsippany. Sign-up online through the NJ Sharing Network or call Cathy at 973-984-6966 for more information on the group.