hand to volunteer unit
First-aiders
seeking local
assistance in annual drive
Schoolchildren also lend
hand to volunteer unit
By dick metzgar
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — This is the time of the year when the Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad is seeking a major transfusion to keep it alive and well — in money.
The all-volunteer squad, which covers Freehold Borough and Freehold Township, depends almost entirely on donations to finance its everyday operations and to purchase needed equipment.
The squad is budgeting $200,000 this year, the same as last year, for its operations, according to William M. Madden, a past captain and president, and now a member of the nonprofit organization’s board of trustees.
"We began our fund-raising drive on June 2," Madden said. "We sent out 14,300 letters to borough and township residents asking for donations. Our goal is to raise $200,000."
Last year’s fund-raising drive brought in $145,000, according to Madden. He said the Township Committee in Freehold Township gave the squad another $35,000, while the Borough Council in Freehold Borough chipped in with $17,000.
"Donations this year will be especially important because we are going to have to buy a new ambulance in 2004, which will cost $90,000," said Madden, who has been a squad member fore more than 50 years.
In past years, from its birth in the old A&M Karagheusian rug mill in 1941 until about five years ago, squad members annually went door to door in the borough soliciting donations throughout the month of June.
"Times have changed," said Madden’s wife, Marilyn, who helps count the money as it comes in. "There are just too many people in the area and not enough squad members to go door-to-door anymore. It is much easier and productive to send out letters to the residents in both towns."
Marilyn Madden said donations this year are lagging behind last year’s figures.
"As of yesterday (June 18), we were behind $17,000 from what we had at the same time last year," she said. "Last year’s $145,000 was the highest total we raised in donations from our letter campaign in a single year. Last year, the people were still in a 9/11 mode as far as giving went."
Various local nonprofit organizations have always been financially supportive of the local first-aiders.
However, Madden said he is greatly encouraged by a new source of donations that has emerged within the last few years.
Children at several elementary schools in Freehold Township collected pennies and donated them to the first aid squad.
The latest is the Marshall W. Errickson School, Elton-Adelphia Road, whose students and PTO recently donated $200 to the squad.
At the beginning of the 2002-03 school year, the school’s PTO established the "Freehold Township Fund." Families were encouraged to participate in the project, whose slogan was "Errickson Kids Care — find a penny, pick it up, donate it to the fund and help the community."
The Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad was the community organization the PTO decided was most in need of support at this time.
Earlier this year students at the Joseph J. Catena School, Burlington Road, went on a penny collecting spree for charity. The children collected 75,000 pennies, which amounted to $750.
The PTO added another $750 and decided to give the entire $1,500 to the first aid squad.
Madden said the benefit of the donations from school children is twofold.
"We need all the funds we can get and it is wonderful that children of this age are aware that we need the funds," he said. "Hopefully, when these children are old enough, they will become cadets in the squad and later become senior members. That could be an indirect benefit of these school projects — someday the children may become some of our volunteers."