To the Editor:
The Community Cancer Support Group would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came together to spread joy and hope to children with cancer and their families, as well as sick children in our own city. Everyone’s small acts of love, from dropping off a gift to wrapping and delivering packages, helped us complete our mission. To Donald Mindiak, Tom Coughlin and the entire staff of BCB Community Bank, we are humbled by your compassion and generosity. To the guys who are the foundation of this toy drive, Rocco Paolino, Tom Murphy, John McGovern, Ed Rutkowski, T.J. Johnston, Tom Berman, Edmund Nowicki and Buddy Klimkowski, thank you for all of your hard work. To Damion Andrisano, our Santa, and my elf Jonathan Ramos, thank you for your time and patience. To Mike Elia, Joe Lynch and Paul Newman for volunteering their time and driving skills, you are deeply appreciated. For their most generous donations, we thank Mrs. Pat Russo, Mrs. Patricia Radomski, Mrs. Maryellen Quinn, and Mrs. Penny Bardet. Thank you to Maryann Wollenski and Marybeth Grant for arranging a special night of toys and music at McFadden’s for us. To Linda Klimkowski, none of this is possible without you. To the ladies of the Caring Connections Knitting Group, your handmade blankets are admired in every hospital we visit. To Neil Nelson, Phil Higgins and the officers of the bank, thank you for all of your help. To Gerry Donovan and his entire work crew, you guys are the best.
To my wrappers, who take time from their busy schedules, thank you to Teresa and Lance Caposella; Linda, Jaclyn and Jennifer Lojewski; Louise Heaney; Jody Sclafane; Letizia Vinc; Maria Doria; Vanessa Redondo; Paula Ambrosio; Kim Zambrano; Cathy Adamkiewicz; Walter Lucsy; Chrissy Sololowski; Ioanna Rigos; and Jan Gorman.
A special thank you to the following bank managers and their staffs for all of their help with our gift drive: Carol Coe and Tamara Daniels from Bank of America; Annie Houser of Garden State Community Bank; Mary Caamano of Provident Bank; David Rodriguez of Wells-Fargo; and Robert Grova of Chase. We would like to thank the following groups and business for their support: City Hall, The Bayonne Public Library, Bayonne Medical Center, Dr. John McGee, George Delaney and the lads of the Bayonne Rugby Team, Ken Poesl and the Grace Lutheran Church Store, Barbara DeBenedictis and the PEER Group of School No. 14, Stanley Wojechowski of Chances, Debbie Smith of The Venice, and Patrick Cunningham of Karate for Kids.
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 city we thank you all for your little acts of love and kindness and wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
BARBARA HOJNOWSKI
Community Cancer Support Group