Little Falls Local 346 runs Oktober Festival
n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI, JR.
Fun houses and food trucks lined Union Avenue in Little Falls on Sept. 30 for a family festival that brought the community and law enforcement together. The Second Annual Oktober Family Festival originated in 2016, when Little Falls Local 346 President Alfonso Pinnola decided that the Local could benefit from hosting a community event.
“ With everything that’ s been going on the last few years in the media, I felt like it was a good idea for us to try to get out into the public a little bit more,” Pinnola shared.“ This way, the residents in our town could kind of put faces to names when they see us on the streets.”
In an effort to bond with the community, Little Falls residents and Local 346 officers enjoyed a day of music, activities and plenty of food. All the hard work to promote and plan the festival paid off on the day of the event, as thousands of residents passed through for some food and activities alongside their local first responders.
“ When people show up and you see a bunch of kids in the bounce houses and people hanging out in the beer garden and at the food trucks, it makes it all worth it,” Pinnola confirmed, adding that the event wouldn’ t be possible without the united efforts of Local 346 members.
In addition to benefitting from the community connections formed at the event, Local 346 donated a portion of the festival’ s proceeds to the NJ State PBA Survivor & Welfare Fund. d
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