OLD BRIDGE – Businesses in Old Bridge once again demonstrated their commitment to the community during the annual Old Bridge Business Alliance Holiday gathering.
Sponsored by the Mayor’s Economic Development Office (EDO), the alliance partnered with member All American Ford, who participated in the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive.
Businesses throughout Old Bridge and the surrounding areas were invited to attend an event on Dec. 12, which was hosted by Ruby Falls Café n the Deep Run Shopping Center.
Mayor Owen Henry attended, along with Township Council President Mary Sohor; Vice President Anita Greenberg-Belli; members Edina Brown, John Murphy and Tony Pasketti; and Steve Mamakas and Rosemarie Rivoli from the EDO.
For the first time, the EDO dropped off collection boxes to businesses for toy donations that were brought the event. A Toys for Tots collection bin was also set up in the Thomas J. English Administration Building lobby for township employees to donate.
Included in the collection were 30 new Hess toy trucks from recent years donated by resident Joan Polucki, from her late husband’s collection. Polucki was informed of the toy drive by Alliance member Jeff Kagan of KP Edgestone Realty.
At the end of the night, a record-breaking 400 toys were loaded into the All American Ford cargo van for delivery.
“The Old Bridge business community knocked the ball out of the park with their overwhelming support of this worthy cause,” Henry said in a prepared statement. “We were all proud of the support shown and grateful that so many children will have a Merry Christmas this year.”
For more information on the toy drive, visit www.toysfortots.org. For more information about the Business Alliance, call 732-721-5600, ext. 2060 or visit www.oldbridge.com.