Morris County Corrections Local 298 raises Community Hope
Members of Morris County Corrections Local 298 participated in No-Shave November in an effort to raise money for a good cause while putting their facial razors on hiatus. The monthlong fundraiser raised $ 2,140, which the Local decided to donate to Community Hope New Jersey, a non-profit organization that helps individuals and families overcome mental illness, addiction, homelessness and poverty by providing housing and support services.
Pictured here from left are Alan Robinson, Local 298 Warden Christopher Klein, Peter Lenahan, William Schwarick, Julia Butler from Community of Hope, U. S. Army Captain Michael Robinson, James Gannon, Robert Doriety, Jeannette Vanderhoof from Community of Hope, Jason Babbitt, John Granato, John Baena, James Janzen, Sean Lomax and Rodney Furby. d
Bellmawr Local 375 members work Santa shifts
For more than five years, Bellmawr Local 375 has brought the community together during the holiday season to contribute to the town’ s annual toy drive. The chain of command to organize such an impactful event begins with Bellmawr Police Secretary Frani Wright, who is Local 375’ s only Honorary Silver Life Cardholder.
Each year, Wright contacts local schools and churches in the community to identify the children and individuals most in need during the holiday season. Once Wright’ s community wish list is created, Local 375 members help to check off all the holiday needs by gathering toy and money donations from businesses throughout the town, which are always interested in working with the police department to give back.
“ We try to get as much as we can,” shared Local 375 State Delegate Ron Miller II.“ New bikes, money, clothing, we even deliver Christmas trees to the homes if they ask us to.”
On Christmas Eve, Local 375 members work Santa shifts to deliver gifts to children’ s homes. Families, friends and townspeople volunteer their time to wrap the hundreds of donated gifts, while officers set up delivery times with parents of the gift recipients so that the children are not home for the gift drop-off.
“ The way Frani originally wanted it was to make it seem like Santa delivers the gifts,” Miller explained.
By the time children return to their homes on Christmas Eve, the surprise gifts found under the tree add to the magic of the holiday and boost the spirit for the kids and families who need it most this time of year. d
www. njcopsmagazine. com ■ JANUARY 2018 67