By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
To assist a family dealing with rising medical and rehabilitation bills, Auten Road Intermediate School will host a clothing drive fundraiser May 22 to raise as much money as possible.
The money raised will be given to Hillsborough residents Steve and Betsy Hollenbach to help pay for medical bills the family has taken on since Mr. Hollenbach suffered from hemorrhaging in his brain in June 2009.
”The ultimate goal is simply to help the family pay for some of Steve’s medical and rehabilitation bills,” said Susan Edwards, a friend of the family organizing the fundraiser. “The Hollenbach family has been very involved in the Hillsborough community.”
The fundraiser, Ms. Edwards said, is asking people to bring clothing, stuffed animals, sheets, towels, comforters, pillows, backpacks, shoes and handbags to the school between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 22. From there, the items will be picked up by a clothing drive fundraising company that will pay by the pound for the items collected.
”It is best to bring the items in a tied garbage bag,” she said. “This will make it easier to transfer the items at the end of the day.”
Ms. Edwards said she is just hoping to raise as much money as possible.
”Since the company pays by the pound, the more items we collect, the more money we can raise,” she said. “We are hoping families will gather items to donate while they are spring cleaning. It’s easy and anyone can participate.”
The purpose of the fundraiser, Ms. Edwards said, is basically to help the family. She said Mr. Hollenbach has coached sports teams, and Ms. Hollenbach has coached cheerleading, while their three children Kevin, Brian and Dana have been in the Hillsborough school system.
”Steve and Betsy Hollenbach would be first in line to help someone else,” Ms. Edwards said. “We want to support and help them, and felt this fundraiser was a great way to do that.”
The money, Ms. Edwards said, will go toward rehabilitation and medical costs while Mr. Hollenbach is treated.
”He has been recovering in the hospital and in rehabilitation facilities,” Ms. Edwards said. “The family is enormously grateful for all the support the community has given them.”
