BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—On Nov. 19, Englewood kicked off its annual PBA Toy Drive with a robust start. A large group of Englewood police officers and firefighters and Englewood Health staff members met in the bergenPAC Theater on Van Brunt Street, one of the city’s main toy drop-off locations.
Heading the toy drive contingency were Englewood Fire Capt. Jeff Kaplan, Englewood Police Department Lt. Matthew De La Rosa, Lt. Tom Greeley and Officers George Coleman and Jerel Hammond. They were joined by bergenPAC Public Relations Director Sam Passow, and staff of Englewood Health, which is a new sponsor of the toy drive this year.
Other sponsors that have made major contributions to this year’s Englewood Toy Drive are the Englewood Field Club and Modiani Kitchens.
The effort is part of the PBA Toy Drive sponsored by Englewood Fire Fighters Local 3260 and Englewood Police PBA Local 216. The toy drive provides less fortunate families with toys for children from 3 to 15 years of age.
Englewood families that are eligible to receive toys are selected based on need, and that number increases every year. The toy drive started small 14 years ago, and it has grown into a major event. Four years ago, it became a joint effort of the police and fire departments, and they now share the collective haul of toys with other towns in Bergen County.
Between Nov. 19 and Dec. 17 unwrapped toys and gift certificates are collected at multiple locations throughout Bergen County (see list of Englewood locations below).
The Closter firehouse is the headquarters for storing all the toys collected. By the third week in December, the firehouse is overflowing with superhero action figures, giant stuffed animals, dolls, games, Disney books, art supplies, trucks, electronics and much more.
The mountains of toys are then sorted to be age appropriate and on Dec. 19, each town receives enough toys for its families that have registered for the giveaway.
On Dec. 20, members of the Englewood PBA and fire department will distribute close to 500 toys at the Englewood Field Club during a festive Christmas party, complete with a visit from Santa Claus and plenty of holiday refreshments. Police Lt. De La Rosa, who has participated in the toy drive for several years, said, “It’s so rewarding to see how this brings smiles to children as they feel the joy of the season. I can’t imagine being a kid and coming downstairs on Christmas Day and not seeing any gifts. We try to make sure that that doesn’t happen to any child.”
Capt. Kaplan added, “The Englewood Fire Department is pleased that the toy drive gives us the opportunity to give back to our community. When we give parents the large bags stuffed with toys for their children, some of them have tears of joy in their eyes. It’s a wonderful thing to see.”
Many families have said that these gifts bring untold joy to their families. At last year’s Christmas party, one mother said, “The money I earn barely covers the rent and food, so I do not have anything left to buy Christmas gifts for my kids. The toy drive brings them such wonderful smiles and it takes the stress off of me. The holidays wouldn’t be the same without it!”
New unwrapped toys and gift certificates may be dropped off at the following locations until Dec. 17:
• Englewood Police Department, 75 South Van Brunt St.
• Englewood Fire Department, 81 South Van Brunt St.
• The Gym, 20 Nordhoff Place
• Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, 10 Sterling Blvd.
• Evergreen Fine Fresh Food, 260 Grand Ave.
• Blue Moon Mexican Cafe, 23 East Palisade Ave.
• Englewood City Hall, 2-10 North Van Brunt St.
• Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), 30 North Van Brunt St.
For more information visit www.englewoodnjchamber.com or call (201) 567-2381.
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