Cops and Gobblers
PBA joins State Troopers to lend a helping hand to Atlantic City with turkey giveaway n BY JASON COHEN AND MITCHELL KRUGEL n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI, JR.
The residents of Atlantic City needed a pick-me-up. The city’ s $ 240 million debt that contributed to the state taking over municipal operations in January has left so many of the longtime citizens in need of a helping hand.
So a multitude of NJ State PBA members combined with Atlantic City Local 24, Port Authority PBA Local 116 and members of the New Jersey State Troopers Non-Commissioned Officers Association to lend a hand. Both hands actually.
Pete Stilianessis, president of the State Troopers NCO, Port Authority PBA President Paul Nunziato, NJ State PBA President Pat Colligan and Executive Vice-President Marc Kovar joined the assembly line of law enforcement officers who handed out more than 500 turkeys to Atlantic City residents for Thanksgiving.
On Nov. 17, a line formed at the corner of Mediterranean and New York Avenues in front of the Police Athletic League building and then down and around the block. And that began a couple of hours of officers hauling turkeys from trucks, loading them into shopping carts and even carrying them to cars and homes.
“ That was awesome,” Colligan exclaimed.“ These are tough times, especially for those in Atlantic City. We are, first and foremost, a benevolent association; not just for members but for the citizens we serve. Those residents have been real solid supporters for the Atlantic City PBA, and with all the crap this governor is putting them through, this was a way to give back.”
The morning actually generated a goodwill that would have made those at the first Thanksgiving proud. Officers came from across the state to be part of what became a little village with the presence of the State PBA trailer and the Port Authority trailer.
When they all arrived to set up for the turkey giveaway, there were but a few residents on line. Within an hour, the line had stretched to more than 100 people.
“ I think it is very important that the State Troopers throughout New Jersey and the PBA send the right message that we are here to help people and protect and serve,” Stilianessis noted.“ Some of the politicians have lost the message of what the police are there for.”
Stilianessis added that law enforcement officers do charitable work often, but it is more important now than ever. So, through a
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mutual friend who works at Harold’ s New York Deli in Edison, he was introduced to Vinny Valentino, the owner of Holiday Meats in Little Silver.
Stilianessis agreed to purchase the turkeys, and Valentino delivered them free of charge.
Stilianessis recalled that when the event started at 10 a. m., there were only a few people, but in a blink of an eye the turkeys were gone by 11:30 a. m. In fact, the first person to get one was a Vietnam veteran and he was very thankful.
“ We wanted to help as many people as we could,” Stilianessis remarked.“ One lady said,‘ This is the first hot drink I’ ve had in days.’ That kind of stuff makes my day.”
The other law enforcement leader who played a big role in the planning the event was Nunziato. Like Stilianessis, he expressed that it was imperative to show people that law enforcement offiwww. njcopsmagazine. com ■ DECEMBER 2016 23