PBA’ s got a brand new bag of toys
Members step up with contributions for annual toy drive to remind foster kids that they are not alone for the holidays
n BY AMBER RAMUNDO n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI, JR.
Around the beginning of September, Lynn Patmalnee calls Hank Werner to remind him the holidays are coming.
“ Hank, are we doing it again this year?” asks Patmalnee, the Director of Communications and Development for New Jersey Foster and Adoptive Family Services( FAFS), referring to the annual NJ State PBA toy drive that takes place each December.
The PBA’ s Second Vice-President responded with the organization’ s unquestionable agreement and commitment. Werner, who is also the Chair of the Sports and Special Events Committee, has run the toy drive six of the past 10 years the PBA has worked with FAFS to bring holiday cheer to hundreds of children who are separated from their families due to adoption or foster care. After confirming a date for the toy drive to take place at Pines Manor in Edison, Patmalnee began arranging volunteers and trucks for the event.
Meanwhile, Werner made sure that all PBA State Delegates were well informed so that law enforcement officers across the state could once again join efforts to make sure no child is neglected or forgotten during a season of giving that often brings feelings of loneliness to kids who don’ t have their birth mothers or fathers to look after them. Through the PBA toy drive, foster kids have the opportunity to fill that holiday void through receiving hand-picked gifts from officers and community residents.
“ Our members themselves go out and buy these gifts,” Werner said as he further explained the donation process of each PBA Local. For some of the Locals, the gift contributions come from a mix of community and officer donations. But as Werner clarified,“ In large part, it’ s the Locals cutting a check to the delegate and
President Pat Colligan, Executive Vice-President Marc Kovar and Chair Hank Werner join members of New Jersey Foster and Adoptive Family Services to display some of the amazing gifts collected at the annual NJ State PBA Toy Drive.
the delegate going shopping.”
Ryan Hurley is one of the many State Delegates who spread the word of the toy drive within his community.“ These are some of the best things that I do all year long. I look forward to all of the special events we do to help out our needy families,” emphasized Hurley, who was excited to participate in the FAFS event for his second year representing Howell Local 228. With the help of donations from residents and local businesses, and contributions from the Bradley Beach Local 50, Howell filled a 16-foot police trailer with gifts that were driven to Edison for the toy drive.
For Hurley, being involved in such a happiness-generating outreach to kids is a refreshing change from the usual duties of law enforcement.
“ These events change up the mood entirely because it goes from having the cop mode on and your shield up, to just dropping it all and getting down on a personal level with the people that you serve every day,” he revealed.
On Dec. 6, the PBA state meeting carried the sentiment of childhood as officers delivered colorful toys and games by the fistful. The room was adorned with gifts of all kinds, but a remote police car particularly stuck out from the mix of packages. Game boards, Barbies and Hot Wheels were stacked high in three long rows that extended the entire length of the room. Many FAFS volunteers worked diligently to organize the gifts in sections
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www. njcopsmagazine. com ■ DECEMBER 2016 31