Toy Run Brightens Holidays for Children’s Hospital Patients

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Long Branch police officers Sgt. Jeff Pilone (right) and Capt. Bob Wiener, along with Tony Zuzio, director of the Jersey Shore HOG, join Santa and his elf for a visit with 5-year-old Nylah Christian of Tinton Falls.

LONG BRANCH –­ Despite the devastation left across the region by Hurricane Sandy, more than 100 dedicated riders from the Jersey Shore Harley Owners Group (HOG) and the Long Branch Police Department recently came together for the Third Annual Toy Run to donate toys to patients of The Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center.
The bikers, joined by Santa and an elf helper, traveled a shortened route from their staging area at Harley-Davidson, Long Branch, to The Children’s Hospital to deliver hundreds of presents and cheer to children in the inpatient unit.
Rumson resident Tucker Briggs, 16, gets a visit and an Adam Levine model acoustic guitar from Santa, also known as Jersey Shore HOG member Geoff Metz, and one of his elves, Jersey Shore HOG’s secretary Kathi Bernadino-Owens, and an elf’s little helper.

Musician Glen Burtnik, formerly of the rock band Styx, was also on-hand and performed original and holiday songs for the children and hospital staff.