To the Editor:
The Community Cancer Support Group would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who came together to make our toy and gift drive a success. For bringing the true spirit of the holidays to these children and their families we thank Tom Coughlin and the entire staff of BCB Community Bank. We are grateful for you continued support. To the guys who are the foundation of this drive Rocco Paolino, John McGovern, Buddy Klimkowski and Phil Higgins, thank you for all of your hard work. To Damion Andrisano my Santa and our elf Barbara Andrisano and Chris Fanguy thank you for your time and compassion. To George Ponik, Joe Lynch your help and driving skills are deeply appreciated. To my knitter, Mickey Orlandini thank you for the beautiful blankets and scarves for our infants and toddlers.
For their most generous donations we thank Pat Russo, Ernie and Ken Poesl, Diane Turetsky, Barbara Kubert, Teresa Caposella, Penny Bardet and Ed Rutkowski. Thank you to Arnold Valentino and friends for planning a night of music and toys at the Big Apple for us and to owners Vinnie and Toni Bottino. To Linda Klimkowski, President of the Community Cancer Support Group, none of this is possible without you and the hundreds of things that you do to ensure this is a success year after year.
To the countless people who at a day’s notice came and wrapped and made packages as we received the lists and took time from their busy schedules we especially thank , Camille Squillante, Linda Lojewski, Hanna Wilson and Meaegan & Alexandra Duran,
Special thanks go out to all of the financial institutions and their staffs that year after year support and help us get what we need to the hospitals: Bank of America, Garden State Community Bank, Provident Bank, Wells-Fargo, and Chase, a huge Thank you! Thanks go out to Barbara DeBenedictis and the Peer Group of School #14, Linda Klimkowski and Midtown Community School, Stanley Wojciechowski of Chances, and the members of the Robbins Reef Yacht Club for the wonderful collection of beautiful gifts for us. To our anonymous donor from Garden State Community Bank who lives on Avenue E, we were truly humbled by your generous donation of gifts. Thanks to TJ Johnston and Tyrone Simms who coordinate the adult party and helpers Caleigh Higgins, Lauren Scardelus, Johnathan Ramos, Jennifer and Ashley Cuipa. Thank you to City Hall and The Public Library for their collection also. To Maria Doria for collecting gifts for our adult party thank you. To Nancy Aleman and the staff at Bayonne Medical Center thank you. To everyone who saw our need and made a donation, thank you!
From the families and staffs at Hackensack University Medical Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Robert-Wood Johnson University Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children Hospital, Morristown Memorial Hospital and St. Peter’s University Hospital as well as the children who needed to use the Neighborhood Clinic, Emergency Room or take part of the special preschool programs in our own city we thank you all for your kindness and generosity and wish you a happy and healthy New Year!
BARBARA HOJNOWSKI