KATHY CHANG Paul Zelanko, second from left, president of the South River Board of Health, and Diane Rondesko (from left), Carolyn Baptista and Pat Barnhart sort donations that were collected for Operation Reaching America’s Military on Dec. 20. SOUTH RIVER — Despite the icy and snowy weather conditions on Dec. 20, many residents like Pat Barnhart came out to participate in the triple play at the Human Services building on Reid Street.
“It makes you feel good,” she said.
Barnhart donated a bag of miscellaneous items including food for the borough’s food bank and shavers and shampoo for Operation Reaching America’s Military (RAM). Barnhart also donated blood and received a free Gund teddy bear.
“I also donated my teddy bear back [to a family in need],” she said.
The borough’s Board of Health (BOH) sponsored the triple play, where residents could donate blood, give food to the food bank, provide items for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq through Operation RAM (Reaching America’s Military), or donate to all three events. A collection of photographs of soldiers overseas was displayed during the event.
A bake sale was also held to raise funds for postage for the mailings.
Items that were collected for the troops consisted of shampoo, conditioner, soap bars, ChapStick, lotion, eye drops, antibiotic cream, body and foot powder, Q-tips, baby wipes, presweetened drink mixes, beef jerky, tuna pouches, tea and hot chocolate bags, and more.
Paul Zelanko, president of the BOH committee that started Operation RAM, said the organizers have sent two mailings, or six boxes, of donations out to soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq since they kicked off Operation RAM during Heritage Day in September.
“We were at a meeting and asking each other what we should be working on,” he said. “A woman had come to our meeting telling us that her son was overseas and asked if we could do anything … we said yes.”
Doreen Hamlin, vice president of the BOH committee, said the operation hits home for her.
“It’s a very important cause,” she said. “My father, Amadio Virgili, who passed away in August, was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne of the U.S. Army and came home with five Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. … This is important to my family.”
The members of the BOH committee — Zelanko, Hamlin, Carolyn Baptista, Jacinta Duignan, Diane Rondesko and Debbie Jones, who is an honorary member as secretary — said they are looking for South River residents, South River High School graduates or relatives of borough residents, who are currently serving in Afghanistan or Iraq.
“We are looking for a point person we can send the items to,” said Zelanko.
The committee plans to send packages to the soldiers around the holidays and on birthdays, and for them to share with other soldiers.
Zelanko said the South River Middle School students have already sent 300 to 400 letters to the soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq for their English classes.
For more information, call the Board of Health at 732-257-1999, ext. 118 or 125.