Steve Kalafer, owner of the Flemington
Car & Truck Country Family of Dealerships
that donated a Ford F250 truck the PBA
will use to pull its new trailer, came to the
Mini Convention to say thank you and pay
his respects to law enforcement.
And he brought a couple of gifts with
him.
Kalafer has been running a special offer
for NJ State PBA members that includes
special pricing on the purchase of new vehicles. For each car he sells, he makes a doSteve Kalafer thanks PBA nation to the PBA Survivor & Welfare Fund.
members for supporting the
First, Kalafer expressed his thanks. Then
program Flemington Car & he added a note by asking the PBA how
Truck Country is running to
much had been raised for the daily 50-50
support the Survivor & Welfare
raffle.
Fund.
“What’s the number?” Kalafer asked.
When President Pat Colligan
TRUCK DONATION TO PBA
responded, Kalafer asked again.
SURVIVOR & WELFARE FUND
And again.
Steve Kalafer and Sparky Lyle
And then he made his own
Flemington Car and Truck
contribution to double the total.
Country Dealerships
Following that standing ovation, Kalafer introduced former
law enforcement officer Jerry Sheehan, who has been running the special
program for members at Flemington Car & Truck Country. Then Kalafer, who
also doubles as owner of the Somerset Patriots minor league baseball team,
introduced his longtime Patriots manager, former Yankees pitcher Sparky Lyle.
Lyle immediately went into his windup with some high-powered story
telling:
“I wanted a Ford F150, and I asked somebody if they knew a guy who has
a Ford dealership,” Sparky began. “These people in South Jersey thought I
was one of those modern-day ballplayers with millions of bucks. I’m scuffling
here. So they sent me up to see Steve Kalafer.
“I order the F150 and when it comes in, I see Steve and he had just bought
the franchise in Somerset. He said, ‘Have you ever managed? Do you want
to?’ I said might as well. I can give you 100 percent like I did when I was
pitching. I won’t throw any fastballs. I only threw one in the major leagues
and I never got that back.”
Sparky paused for a moment then added the punch line:
“So that day I signed a contract not only for the truck but to manage. Now,
18 years later, I’m still paying for the truck.”
AETNA PUBLIC & LABOR SEGMENT
Jennifer Moyer
Senior Account Manager
Aetna, the insurance
company that offers
the plans approved by
the PBA for members’
health benefits, sent Senior Account Manager
Jennifer Moyer to address the crowd.
Sparky Lyle (left) draws the winning ticket for the 50-50 raffle that Steve
Kalafer of Flemington Car & Truck Country made a special contribution to.
En route to the vendor hall in Caesar’s Palladium A ballroom, Mini
Convention attendees
passed by the only booth
that had members’
nighttime
enjoyment
pre-rolled and ready to
go.
When Steve Zengel,
owner of Beach House
Cigars in Manasquan,
went from his table to
the podium to give PBA members the lowdown on Los Caídos (Spanish
for “The Fallen”) – law enforcement officer memorial cigars – he wasn’t
just blowing
LOS CAÍDOS LEO MEMORIAL CIGARS
smoke…
“I have to
Steve Zengel
thank you for
Beach House Cigars
your support
because without it I can’t support my life mission: I just want to make
the world a safer place one cigar at a time,” he expressed.
Or really, one box of cigars at a time.
Packaged as 10 round-end cigars, one special shaped torpedo tip
and an empty slot to share one with a fallen officer, proceeds from
Los Caídos boxes will go to families of fallen law enforcement officers
around the country.
The former vice-principal has since taken Los Caídos from New Jersey to Illinois and Florida, with more states planned down the road….
Literally.
“I’m just a conduit. You buy the cigars and as soon as I get the money I’m hopping on my Harley and going around the country to give out
to the families of fallen victims.”
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■ APRIL 2016 41