Essex County Conference hosts
a cigar night to remember
The Essex County Conference put its name on the map in a big
way on Oct. 2 when NJ State PBA members from across the state
attended the County Conference’s First Annual Cigar Night held at
Nanina’s in the Park in Belleville.
Essex County Conference Chairman Joe Savittieri of Montclair
Local 53 and Co-Chair P.J. Sandomenico of Nutley Local 33 came
up with the idea for the fundraising event after attending the well-
known Bergen County Conference Cigar Night at The Seasons in
Washington Township. After seeing the success of the Bergen Coun-
ty Conference event, Savittieri and Sandomenico felt motivated to
put together a cigar night of their own to help raise money for the
Essex County Conference Scholarship Fund and various other char-
itable efforts.
NJ State PBA members from across the Essex County Conference
showed their support by attending the event, including Local 33,
Local 53, Verona Local 72, Belleville Local 28 and Bloomfield Local
32, in addition to members from Passaic County Sheriff’s Officers
Local 286, Passaic City Local 14, Upper Saddle River Local 218 and
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Beach Boro Local 106. NJSPBA President Pat Colligan and Executive
Vice President Marc Kovar were also in attendance.
A booming performance by the Essex County Emerald Society
kicked off the evening, followed by food, drinks, raffle prizes and, of
course, plenty of cigars supplied by the Fumé Cigar Shop in Mont-
clair. The Essex County Conference also used the occasion to pres-
ent a Silver Card award to Edmond Brady for his service to law en-
forcement through PFK O’Connor Davies, LLP.
Members of the Essex County Conference executive board were
so overwhelmed by the success of the event, which raised $8,000,
that they immediately booked the venue for the Second Annual Es-
sex County Conference Cigar Night in October 2019.
“I honestly think that this event brought [the Essex County Con-
ference] together,” noted Sandomenico, who has been the Nutley
Local 33 State Delegate for eight years. “It was very gratifying to hear
from other State Delegates throughout the state who said the event
was a huge success. I anticipate that next year it will be even better.”