BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer
SAYREVILLE — A local Boy Scout troop whose camping gear was stolen last year will be able to buy new equipment thanks to a recent grant award.
The money will come from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which donated a combined $5,000 to the troop and to the borough’s elementary school libraries.
State Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski (D-19) and Port Authority claims representative Kenneth Lucianin announced the funding at a recent Board of Education meeting. Members of the public and board members applauded the donation.
“I am just the messenger tonight,” Wisniewski said, explaining that he helped to arrange the funding after hearing about Port Authority’s donations to special projects.
In November, a trailer was stolen from Boy Scout Troop 96, along with all of the camping gear inside of it, according to Scoutmaster Ken Murray. He estimated that the trailer itself was valued at approximately $3,000, while the tents and miscellaneous gear were also worth thousands of dollars.
Some of the gear was later recovered in a large trash bin, but the trailer itself and much of the equipment were never found. No suspects have been arrested in the theft.
“The Scouts were devastated last year when the trailer containing all of our gear was stolen,” Murray said in a press release. “Thanks to the efforts of our community, we were able to replace much of what was missing. Now that we have this grant, we can fully restore all that we lost. This is a wonderful gift that the assemblyman has helped give the boys.”
“I thought it was a good idea to use Port Authority money to buy back the equipment,” Wisniewski said. He added that he hoped the donation from the Port Authority would help the boys continue to become productive members of society.
“Use this in good health,” he said.
Murray thanked the Port Authority and Wisniewski for the donation.
The Port Authority turned over $2,000 to the school board, which will use it for the purchase of library materials at the elementary schools.
“This money will help make sure our libraries are as good as they can be and that our children become lifelong learners,” Wisniewski said.
Lucianin echoed that sentiment in his address and thanked the assemblyman.
“Through the Port Authority’s civic and community support payment program,” Lucianin said, “we look to strengthen the agency’s good neighbor policy by supporting organizations that operate within the port district. The Port Authority is glad to help support these two groups who provide so much to the youth in the community.”
After the presentations, board President Kevin Ciak thanked Wisniewski and the Port Authority for their efforts.
“On behalf of the school board, thank you for the donation,” Ciak said. “I know that the funds will go to good use in our libraries.”