To the Editor:
The Community Cancer Support Group would like to thank all of the people who helped to make our toy drive a success this year. Thanks to your kindness, our drive was a tremendous success and the children were delighted. It helps so much to promote feelings of “normality” at a time when there is so much uncertainty in their lives.
So for keeping the holiday spirit alive and growing each year, we thank Pamrapo Savings Bank for allowing us to use their third floor and turning it into one of Santa’s workshops. To Rocco Paolino, who coordinates the drop off points and arranges the pick-ups each year, we could never do this without you. To your helpers, Tom Murphy and John McGovern, thank you. To our great drivers Tony Campano and Willie Pacas, and Tyrone Sims, who carried countless bags of toys for Santa, you guys never let me or the kids down. To everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to help us wrap and make up the beautiful packages for each child, we thank you for your time and talent, especially Joanne Baran, Dottie Riscart, Cathy Adamkiewicz, Rue and Olivia Guardino, Linda Klimkowski, Linda Kocha, Diane and Tracy Nelson, Teresa and Lance Caposello, Jennifer and Jacklyn Lojewski, Maegan, Allie and Anthony Duran and numerous others who stopped by for an hour or two to help.
A special thank you to the bank managers and their staffs for their help with our drive, Alicia Miselis and Carol Coe from Bank of America; Silvana Buccianti, Yolanda Jaco and Vincete Fernandez from Bayonne Community Bank; Audrey Zuckerman, Annie Houser, Alfonse Bonadonna and Jennifer Scotto from Garden State Community Bank; Grace Krukowski, Rosie Petrie, Bill Young, Diane Lynch, Ernesta Leahey, and Lilly Villamar from Pamrapo Bank; Mary Caamano and Gail Godesky from Provident Bank; Denise Gasbarro from Wachovia; and Christie Colletti from Chase. Thanks also goes out to Mayor Smith for the use of City Hall, Sneh Baines for the use of the Main Public Library, and Allison Miller of Bayonne Medical Center.
We would like to thank the following businesses and organizations and their members and customers for their support: Patrick Cunningham of Karate for Kids, Michelle Ferra and Fran Bracciodieta of Curves for Women, and Gary LaPelusa and the members of his association. A special thank you goes out to Mrs. Pat Russo, you are a loyal supporter of our drive each year.
Much gratitude and appreciation to our wonderful “Santas,” Mr. Damian Andrisano and Mr. Edward Rutkowski. Their love, patience and compassion made this truly a wonderful Christmas for all of the children.
So, from the children being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center, Robert Wood-Johnson University Hospital, St. Peter’s University Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children Hospital, Overlook Hospital, Morristown Memorial Hospital and Newark Beth Israel Hospital as well as the children in our community of Bayonne Medical Center, we wish you a New Year filled with health and happiness.
BARBARA HOJNOWSKI
Community Cancer Support Group