Clicking it with those who attended the NJSPBA golf outing
Year after year, members, friends, labor leaders from other professions and backers of the blue from the business community flock to Trump National for the PBA golf outing. The way they keep coming compelled NJSPBA President Pat Colligan to drop some of his unparalleled wit before this year’s event teed off on May 1.
“Many of you are back every year and get to hear the spiel,” Colligan quipped.
The spiel is how this outing supports the PBA’s Survivor and Welfare Fund and all it does for families of fallen officers. And how it supports the PBA Cop Shot program that instantly puts out a $20,000 reward for any information that helps catch a perp who shoots or injures a New Jersey law enforcement, no matter what union affiliation.
Colligan also proudly made reference to the PBA’s Special Services trailer parked nearby and how it had just returned from supporting officers attending the two funerals for the Wisconsin officers ambushed and killed on April 8. He emphasized how that trailer makes similar trips to line-of-duty-death funerals throughout the country, which is made possible in part by the funds raised at the golf outing.
But while Colligan dished out the spiel, those participating dished it right back with words of praise for the PBA and Survivor & Welfare, as well as how much they love backing the blue. These are words worthy of filling any blog or social media post.
Like these from Sean Clark, vice president of Advisor’s Mortgage, which sponsored one of the 44 foursomes participating this year:
“The fact that we can be here and help support everybody’s lost loved ones, it’s incredible,” Clark commented. “I got to imagine for anybody who’s lost somebody that having this many people having their back is pretty incredible.”
Or these from Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Local 221 President Bill Schweizer, who was one of the 176 players this year:
“The support shows you how far this brotherhood goes,” Schweizer declared. “And to do it here on such a beautiful course, it’s just a great day all around. It means everything.”
Or this comment from New Milford Local 83 past State Delegate Vinny Civitello, who came to the outing for the fifth consecutive year:
“It’s priceless. In a time where everybody hates the cops, it’s pretty nice to see,” he said. “Pat and [Executive Vice President] Pete [Andreyev] and the whole PBA, these guys are priceless. Everything that they do for the Locals and the state is second to none.”
Sean Perry
President of Vernon Township Local 285
I think it’s great. It’s an awesome course. It’s beautiful out here. There are a lot of guys we know here. So it’s good to get together on a course we really can’t play any other time and be able to enjoy this experience.
It’s definitely important to have this type of support from the PBA and the business community. You come out here and you get to see some of our supporters. We don’t always get to do things like this, so it’s nice to meet people and network out here. But we couldn’t be here without the support.
And we know that. And then you come here and everybody’s so great to us, no matter who you are. So I think a lot of the people here, they just know you’re a cop and they respect you.
Bob Obsuth
Advisor’s Mortgage
Retired Member Point Pleasant Beach Local 106
I have three particular outings that I like to play in and make sure that we give some sponsorship. This one, Concerns of Police Survivors and Port Authority Police puts on one for Special Olympics. This is by far the nicest.
It’s all about brotherhood and sisterhood and it works very well. And to get a crowd like this here today, it’s just phenomenal. And the money they’re going to raise and it’s just a great feeling. I know people that have lost their spouses and they appreciate everything we do for this, too.
And listen, you know what? Look at all the rain we had. There’s a reason why it’s not raining here today.
Jack Kemler
Mercer County Sheriff
You can see with Pat and Pete making sure everybody’s taken care of in the sense of, if tragedy or if someone needs help within their families, it’s something that we want to continue and hope it continues forever. That’s why we all need to be out here today.
With what’s going on in the world today, it’s tough being in law enforcement. But everybody works together in the sense and we’re trying to give that to the community. There’s a lot of hatred out there and we’re hoping that changes.
So you see how we come together. And Pat and Pete and everybody from the PBA, they’re always here to help not only police officers but everybody in the community, just anybody who needs assistance.
Sal Simonetti
Assistant Business Manager of Plumbers Local 24
Well the importance of it is that it helps survivors’ families. Somebody gets hurt, injured or killed on duty, we should be able to pay back and help those families out. That’s what it’s all about.
The support from the business community means the world. I mean, when people are down and out and they need some help, it’s nice to know that they got hundreds, if not thousands of people behind them to get them through these hard times. Not only financially, but somebody to talk to and somebody to guide you through it.
We always say we stick together, and we don’t do it in public. We do it amongst each other.
Roger Alves
Elizabeth Local 4 State Delegate
It’s nice to see people that still care about the cops in today’s age of anti-cop, defund the police. There’s still some people out there that actually support the police and we appreciate that.
The survivors are the ones that are important. We go out there every day and do the job, but it’s the families that have to suffer in those events. And this comes through at a crucial time in their lives.
Mike Hemberger
Delta Capital Management
We have a history of police in our families with the partners at Delta Capital, and we support everything they do. It’s like the call to service. It’s not respected enough in today’s society, and we do whatever we can because it’s an honorable thing that they do. It’s not about money, it’s about something far greater.
With some of the support is helping families of officers who have been injured or lost, you can’t say enough about that really. When you lose a loved one, especially in the line of duty, or if your life is affected by being injured and psychologically not the same because of trauma, the things you have to go through just to clear your name at times, it’s not fair. The laws aren’t on their side and more needs to be done to show what these guys actually do.
Jeff Rosen
Lending To Heroes
The most fulfilling part is really just being out here, seeing the camaraderie and just telling the guys that we’re here to support them and for all the hard work that they do.
In this day and age, people think it’s kind of cool to kind of bash police officers anytime you can. But we just want the women and men out here to know that we’re here to help and support them and love what they do. We love being here and we love supporting them.
We’re involved with a lot of PBAs in different states and the New Jersey PBA kind of sets itself apart. It truly is a family. I know the PBA supports the members in so many ways that I really don’t see in other places.
And the events that the New Jersey PBA has, and even the Locals have, are just a lot of camaraderie, a lot of family, a lot of brotherhood and togetherness. I think New Jersey’s really special, and it really excites us to be here. We feel the love, we love the hugs and it’s just very special.
Cesar Morales
Port Authority Local 116 State Delegate
The PBA does an awesome job over here. We have a good time. We have great company. So many Locals, and also people from different departments like the state troopers. And to have people come down here and then just support us and be out there and cheering us on and everything, it’s great.
It’s always good to have the Survivor & Welfare Fund, especially when we have line-of-duty deaths and people in need. It’s always something to have there. You know you have your brothers and sisters in blue supporting you.
Dennis Conway
Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Local 221 State Delegate
Listen, I know we support ourselves. It’s nice to see we have support on the outside. Some of the businesses and vendors that are here that support us, it really means a lot to us. I think the greatest value of being out here is the support you get from the PBA, whether it be mentally, spiritually, financially. Any compromise you find yourself in or one of your coworkers, they’re always there to support you.
Thomas Scuderi
Co-owner, Sanzari’s New Bridge Inn, New Milford
We’re here just to support the police. I mean, it’s always fun to come to Trump, but just to support the members. They take care of us.
To me, that’s what keeps society level. Without that, you have chaos like you see in Manhattan these days. We don’t want it to creep into Jersey. They put their life on the line, so we’re here to support.
Captain Drew Walsh
Member, East Brunswick Local 145A
It is great to have support from people like this. The fact that this fund, you never want to have to use it, but knowing that it’s there, it gives you a sense of relief that is something happens, your family will be taken care of.
I think everybody appreciates that, particularly in the department to keep it going. We’ve got three foursomes out here so we’re having fun today.
Joe Ablahani
Capital Benefits
Anything we can do to support the PBA, we’re always going to be there for them. I know they’re there for us. I know whatever we can do, whatever support we can give is just going right to the families. And it’s heartbreaking for some of the things that you hear about, what these police officers go through. But knowing that their husbands or wives that are going out there every day risking their lives and, unfortunately, things do happen, and making sure that they’re supported by giving back to them, I think is very, very important.
