A Big Thank You to Donors for Making Blood Drive a Success
To the Editor:
It is with great pleasure I announce the collection results for the 4th Annual Ava Pellicone/Brookdale Community College Blood Drive held Dec. 5 at the Lincroft main campus.
This year’s drive presented an outstanding 84 donors – resulting in 66 collected units of blood! Thank you to all friends, family and students for participating in this very special and heartfelt drive.
Over the past four years, these same friends, family, students and faculty have been generous in the giving of their time when donating blood … while being proud of their personal contributions.
For most people, when helping others who are less fortunate, we traditionally give money, toys or food; most often to complete strangers. However, these generous folks seem to have added to the tradition by giving blood. These donors know that their blood donation is the gift of life for any one of the many hospitalized patients. Their blood donations are a perfect gift for a perfect stranger.
Giving blood is a vital part of both inpatient and outpatient medical treatment. Blood is not something the medical establishment can just manufacture, for it requires the individual commitment and personal time and effort of people who believe in helping people and saving lives.
On that note, I must give great appreciation and thanks to some praiseworthy people who are responsible for this continued success: Gail and Bob Pellicone, parents of little Ava; Shannon Ventre and Katelyn Miller of the Student Athlete Committee; and Bob Dubina and his great team of volunteers! All of the wonderful things that have been accomplished thus far are due to their generous hearts, their hard work and steadfast belief that blood donations save lives! Thank you for believing in our cause and in having us back each and every year.
If you are able to donate any time, we can schedule a convenient appointment by calling 732-842-5750, Ext. 240 – and consider donating with a friend – make it your new holiday tradition. Your gift will enable us to work together to save lives.
Thank you blood donors!
Holly Thompson
Central Jersey Blood Center
http://www.cjbcblood.org/
Locations in Shrewsbury, Howell and Toms River
Help Those Assisting with Emotional Recovery in Monmouth County
To the Editor:
Our heartfelt thoughts are with those who are affected by Hurricane Sandy and hope that you and your loved ones are safe and recovering.
In the days leading up to, during and after the storm, the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County (MHA) continues to provide critical programs that include family support services, crisis intervention, and in-home counseling.
Now we face the reality that thousands of individuals in Monmouth County have experienced levels of stress in their lives that some could have never imagined. Understandably, during trying times of crisis, levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress increase.
The needs of our residents are now greater than ever and MHA will be here to help for the long term.
For those in need of supportive counseling services, MHA, in cooperation with the Monmouth County Division of Mental Health & Addictions Services, has developed a team of 70 therapists and counselors who are willing to provide free services for individuals and families struggling to cope.
MHA is coordinating these efforts as to ensure that people can readily access these support services that are so vital to the recovery process. Funding is needed to assure that MHA will be able to assist all individuals whether that is in their own homes or at convenient locations throughout the community.
At this time please consider an end of the year gift to help assist our efforts. Please donate here or visit www.mentalhealthmonmouth.org to make an online donation. Your help is needed locally so we can be there today and in the days ahead for the thousands of family, friends, and neighbors affected by this disaster.
Wendy DePedro
Executive Director
Mental Health Association of Monmouth County
Sandy Recovery Workshop Slated for Jan. 10 for Residents
To the Editor:
Monmouth County residents are invited to a Super Storm Sandy Recovery Workshop on Thursday, Jan. 10, at the Monmouth County Connection, 3544 State Highway 66, Neptune. The informational workshop will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and repeated again from 6 to 8 p.m.
With the Super Storm Sandy cleanup under way, homeowners need concrete additional information about how to proceed with the repair and rebuilding of their homes. These identical sessions will provide homeowners with how-tos related to their current situation and projects.
The workshops are free and open to all Monmouth County residents, but registration is required. To register, please call 732-303-2828.
The two-hour workshops will provide information about FEMA grants, the National Flood Insurance Program, how to avoid falling prey to contractor fraud and what to look for when signing a contract for home repair.
“There are several elements that should be included in a home repair contract to make it legal,” said Annmarie Howley, director of the county’s Division of Consumer Affairs. “A homeowner should ask for certain conditions in a contract including making payments by check and who is responsible for applying for any permits.”
Howley, representatives from FEMA and the Insurance Council of New Jersey will speak at both sessions.
Residents with emergent needs who believe they may have been defrauded by a contractor, should not wait for the workshop to get help. You can call the Division of Consumer Affairs immediately at 732-431-7900 to get information and protect your rights.
The Monmouth County Division of Consumer Affairs is holding these workshops at the Monmouth County Connection, a new office of Monmouth County government that also offers a variety of services including passports, passport photos, free notary public, veterans’ IDs, election/voter information, senior and veterans’ services, public access computers and more.
The County Connection office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The County Connection is under the direction of County Clerk M. Claire French and is supported by the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Lillian G. Burry
Monmouth County Freeholder
Liaison to the Division of Consumer Affairs
Story Captures Unexpected Journey of Red Bank Boy and His Family
To the Editor:
Thank you John Burton and The Two River Times™ for the poignant and important story on Duwayne Powell and the story of his new heart.
You perfectly captured the angst of a young boy from Red Bank getting sick, needing a heart, dying on the table, back again, waiting and waiting.
Their saga has been fortified by their faith. This is a longtime Red Bank family that are on a journey they never saw coming.
Thank you for sharing at this holiday season,
David Prown
Red Bank
Two River Moment
Broad Street in Red Bank, St. James Roman Catholic Church and Red Bank Catholic High School are featured in the very snowy scene from 1949.
