50°
Pascack Hills freshman Leighanne Virosco of Woodcliff Lake helped to sort the donations. Among the donated blankets and household items was a babydoll in a carriage. PHOTO here, above and next by Lisa Volpe Yakomin
A representative from Eisai Pharmaceuticals, a major contributor to the drive, donated $1,000 and sent an executive to the event, at the Tice Senior Center (pictured, above, walking with bags toward the camera).
Volunteers of all ages helped collect and sort the items. The Kissler family donated the boxes, the Woodcliff Lake Hilton the food, Steve Margulis the gloves, and Nate Blou of Burger King the cups.
Demarest Farms sent donuts for the workers.
Bogg Bag is providing more than 800 bags that Ridgewood business owner Kimberlee A. Vaccarellaintends to fill with basic essentials once Jersey Shore residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy return home (SEE: Facebook/Bogg Bag for the beaches).
These include bleach, garbage bags, rubber gloves, cleaning supplies, batteries, bandaids, wipes and hand sanitizer, among other items.
Woodcliff Lake Councilwoman Jean Bae, far left, celebrated her birthday by participating.
The bogg bags themselves are sturdy, washable, waterproof — and tip-proof (SEE: About the bogg bag).
The Woodcliff Lake drive, along with one in Ridgewood, produced more than 1,000 items to go into the bags.
“The idea was originated on and for a love of the Jersey Shore,” Vaccarella told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. “We felt a strong responsibility to help those in the Ortley Beach (where my family has a home) and surrounding areas.”
The “Power to the People” collective “reached out to me when they heard about my drive and offered to donate the cleaning supplies they collected,” she said.
A sampling of the items collected from yesterday’s drive and one Vaccarella has operated from her home (Bogg bag bottom right). PHOTO: Courtesy Kim Vaccarella
Others attending yesterday’s drive in Woodcliff Lake included Mayor Jeffrey Goldsmith, as well as JoAnne Siegel, Donna Sirlin and Councilwoman Donna Abene, who helped organize the event.
“It was such a great day,” Abene told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. “More than 400 people contributed goods, and we also raised over $6000 for NJ Hurricane Relief.”Donna Sirlin and Jo Anne Siegel were the powerhouses behind this, arranging the whole thing in three days,” the councilwoman added. “Hopefully it will spur more people to do the same.”
Click here to follow Daily Voice Pascack Valley and receive free news updates.
