To the Editor:
The Community Cancer Support Group would like to extend a huge “thank you” to everyone who donated a wonderful assortment of toys and gifts this holiday season.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to Donald Mindiak and Tom Coughlin at BCB Community Bank for continuing to give us a home and especially for Tommy’s compassion and generosity for the children. Without Rocco Paulino, Tom Murphy, John McGovern, T.J. Johnston, and Eddie and Craig Rutkowski, this drive would not have happened; these men are the foundation of this toy drive. To Damion Andrisano, our Santa, and our elves, Jonathan Ramos, Denia Munoz, thank you for all of your talent, patience, and time. To Bobby Tellman, Mike Elia, and Joe Lynch for their driving skills, we thank you. For their most generous donations, we thank Mrs. Pat Russo, Mrs. Marianne Harrigan, Mrs. Gail Scarfone, the Bayonne school nurses, and Holy Family’s Mission collection for December, loyal supporters every year. To Jennie Riccio, thank you for holding a special night of music at the Venice for us. To Linda and Buddy Klimkowski, none of this would be possible without you both.
To my wrappers and gift givers, who took time from their busy schedules, thank you to Teresa and Lance Caposella, Linda, Jaclyn and Jennifer Lojewski, Marybeth and Michael Grant, Mary Ellen Quinn, Camille Squallante, Vanessa Redondo, Karla Pagan, Paula Ambrosio, Pam Sclafane, Cathy Adamkiewicz, Penny Bardet and countless others who stopped by with a gift or to wrap a toy or two. To Phil Higgins and Gerry Donovan and his A-Team crew, thank you for the bags and bumpers. Thank you to the Caring Connections and Trinity Parish knitting groups for the handmade infant items. A special thank you to the following bank managers and their staffs for all of their help with our gift drive: Donna Walsh, Bertha Glover, Ernesta Leahey, Rose Palmisano, Yolanda Jaco, and Lilly Villamar of Bayonne Community Bank; Mary Caamano and Daphne Higgins of Provident Bank; Carol Coe and William Flores from Bank of America; Danny Lee from Chase; Audrey Zuckerman, Keith Christensen, Amira Barsum, and Ann Hauser from Garden State Community Bank; and David Rodriguez from Wachovia. We would like to thank the following business and groups for their support: George Delaney and the lads from the Bayonne Rugby Team; Lynn Franklin and women of the Northern N.J. Ovarian Cancer Coalition; Patrick Cunningham of Karate for Kids; Michelle Fera and Lisa from Curves; The Gary La Pelusa Association and his helpers, Tony and Russ; Dr. John McGee and his patients and staff; City Hall; The Bayonne Public Library; and, of course, Bayonne Medical Center.
So from the children that are being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Robert-Wood Johnson University Hospital, Overlook Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children Hospital and St. Peter’s University Hospital as well as the children in our own community, we thank you all for your little acts of love and kindness and wish you a wonderful, healthy and happy New Year.
BARBARA HOJNOWSKI
Community Cancer Support Group