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NEW JERSEY COPS n JANUARY 2014
Gifts by the busload
11th Annual
PBA Toy Drive
n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI JR.
Beginning in October, or thereabouts,
Bernards Township Local 357 State Delegate
Hank Werner stood on the podium at NJ State
PBA meetings and reminded Locals about the
11th annual PBA Toy Drive for NJ Foster and
Adoptive Family Services.
“We’re their No. 1 donor,” Werner would submit and hope the membership would respond.
“You never know if anybody is really listening,” Werner continued. “But then you see they
are listening, they come with the toys and it’s
pretty cool.”
Like the cavalry riding in, and despite a snowstorm, PBA Locals responded on Dec. 10 by
again filling one of the banquet rooms at Pines
Manor in Edison with gifts for New Jersey kids
in foster care. The response was so immense
that several members from Lakewood Local 71
filled a bus with toys and drove it to Edison.
“We believe that children in foster care are
the community’s children, and once again you
have made all the dreams come true,” Lynn Patmalnee, Director of Development and Communications for Foster and Adoptive Family
Services told the delegates at the Dec. 10 meeting. “I
want to thank you for your commitment to making
the holidays brighter for kids in foster care in New
Jersey.”
As Werner looked over the bikes, equipment for
outdoor sports and other gifts donated he realized
that there was no need to worry about whether the
members would come through.
“I think we all look forward to this,” he said. “Cops
are very giving individuals of their time and of the
funds they raise for good causes like this.” d