Steven Correia FREEHOLD — Members of the Freehold Fire Department will gather on April 4 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 70 E. Main St., Freehold Borough, to help one of their own.
In the spirit of camaraderie, the town’s volunteer firefighters are sponsoring a fundraising spaghetti dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. April 4 to help the family of a junior firefighterwhowas critically injured in a Feb. 25 motor vehicle accident.
According to Freehold Township police Lt. Dean Smith, the accident occurred on Hunt Road, Freehold Township, at about 7 a.m. Smith said Steven Correia, 17, of Freehold Township, was driving a 1993 Nissan 240 when he swerved at a bend in the road and spun out, hitting a tree broadside on the driver’s side of the car.
The accident occurred while Steven was driving to Freehold High School in Freehold Borough, where he is a student. He remains hospitalized.
Steven is a junior firefighter with the Freehold Fire Department.
Firefighter Mitch Shatz, who is helping to plan the April 4 fundraiser, said the idea for the special event came from firefighter Robert Taylor.
Taylor is a volunteer firefighter with the Freehold Fire Department and is a career firefighter and serves the Asbury Park Fire Department as battalion chief.
“It’s something firefighters do,” Shatz said. “We use our network to help one another.”
Steven was among the first group of young men and young women who joined the junior firefighters program after it was reinstituted in the Freehold Fire Department in 2007.
Shatz said Steven is “a dedicated kid and a credit to the department.” He said the young man has been working hard and studying diligently in the program.
“He’s even taken his break time from his job at the CVS Pharmacy to answer fire calls,” Shatz said.
Steven has qualified to ride on a fire truck to answer calls under supervision.
Shatz added that Steven was a member of the Freehold Borough Police Department’s Youth Police Academy held last summer.
Freehold Borough Patrolman Ronnie Steppat, one of the instructors with that program, said of Steven, “He was a joy to have in our program. He was an excellent participant and was always there to help out the younger kids,”
He expressed sadness at the accident that has injured the young man and said Freehold Borough’s police officers are “hoping and praying that Steve makes a full recovery soon.”
The Freehold Borough PBA No. 159 and the Freehold Township PBA No. 209 are supporting the fire department’s efforts with monetary donations.
ShopRite of Freehold, Party Fair and Chili’s have made donations. The Knights are donating the use of their hall.
Steppat said some Freehold Borough PBA members are planning to attend the April 4 spaghetti dinner.
Steven was quoted in a previous News Transcript article about the junior firefighters program. He joined the program in 2008 and said he was looking for a way to help the community. He said the junior firefighters program would be good preparation for attendance at the Monmouth County Fire Academy.
Funds raised from the spaghetti dinner will help to pay medical bills associated with Steven’s care.
Fire Chief Jack Reichman and firefighter John Gierlowski, along with the wives, girlfriends and mothers of the firefighters, will be preparing the meal for the event. Local supermarkets have donated food and beverages.
The cost to attend the spaghetti dinner is $7 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. Shatz asked anyone who may attend with a large group to call ahead and inform organizers. Those who cannot attend the dinner but who may wish to make a donation may call the Freehold Fire Department at 732-462-0164.