OLD BRIDGE — The Old Bridge High School boys’ lacrosse team raised more than $15,000 for two township families whose houses were destroyed in separate fires last month.
Almost 3,000 students, staff and members of the community attended “Play for a Purpose” on May 10 at Lombardi Field during the quarterfinal round of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament to help the Pabon and Wiener families recover from fires on April 17 and 21, respectively, according to information provided by the Old Bridge School District.
Both families’ houses were burned to the ground, leaving them with only the clothes on the backs, according to the statement.
The team raised the money through sale of tickets, t-shirts and bracelets. All proceeds from the concession stand were donated by the Old Bridge Parent Teacher Student Association.
Two years ago, the boys’ lacrosse team sponsored a fundraiser to offset costs for one of its own, an athlete battling cancer.
Last September, Old Bridge Superintendent of Schools David Cittadino emphasized the importance of “paying it forward” in his opening remarks to district administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries and staff at the annual welcome back to school meeting. He also issued a challenge to teachers and staff to complete random acts of kindness matching their ages in number, then document them, and submit their stories to him to explain what they did. He encouraged the students to do the same.