OLD BRIDGE – Due to the growing concerns about coronavirus, a 16-year-old student at Old Bridge High School decided to use her birthday gift money to buy 800 face masks and 50 sanitizers and distribute them free of charge to people in need in Old Bridge and Sayreville.
Complimentary Starbucks coffee and chips were also offered by Chetna Goel.
She also donated boxes of 50 masks each to the Old Bridge Police Department and the U.S. Post Office in Old Bridge.
“We were searching for face masks for us, but found out that we were too late and the masks were sold out in all the stores and pharmacies. The masks that were available online were very expensive and were taking a long time to arrive. Luckily, we found a distributor who had some masks available that were made in the USA. That time, I decided that instead of having a birthday party and getting an expensive birthday gift, I want to use that money to help people in need with face masks. I decided to first give them to our police department and post office because we can stay at home, but they have to be out every day to protect us and to deliver our mails,” Chetna said.
Chetna formed a non-profit charitable organization, Shape A Life, last year in March. Since then she is actively participating in different activities to help our community. Shape a Life’s primary goal is food and goods distribution to homeless shelters. The organization also works with the senior citizen nursing homes to provide support and entertainment with vocal performances, volunteers from schools playing board games and celebrating their birthdays.
Chetna said she loves helping people and is interested in expanding her charitable organization with the help of other volunteers so that the selfless gift of love and support can be spread on a large scale.
She said she wants to start free yoga and Reiki classes on a regular basis for seniors at the Old Bridge Public Library after the virus dies down.
Chetna is currently taking vocal lessons at Studio to Stage Productions in Marlboro and songwriting classes at Lakehouse Music Academy in Asbury Park. Chetna has taken dance classes at Actor Prepares, acting institute established by international actor Anupam Kher. Chetna has also worked in many American TV shows, commercials and movies as a background artist and in two student films as a lead actress. She also participated in two state pageants and visited more than 40 countries, according to information provided by her father.
Volunteers can contact Chetna at [email protected] or by visiting her Facebook page shapealifeusa.