Old Bridge Local 127 just cannot stop giving back.
The Local donated to three local corporations throughout August.
The beneficiaries of these charitable acts received a total of $1,700 in donations — that’s one way, Local 127 President Vinny Galgano expressed, that his Local likes to give back to its community.
“We just wanted to do a little extra for our community,” Galgano said. “With COVID restrictions, it has been difficult to host donations and give back to the community to the same degree as we have in years past. So we decided to just pick a few businesses and show them our support. The community needs to know that we have their back and we want to help out any way we can.”
The first beneficiary of Local 127’s donations was the Old Bridge Food Bank, which received a $500 check on Aug. 11.
“We have a very strong partnership with our township’s food bank and have worked with them for many years. Every Thanksgiving we try and donate turkeys,” Galgano explained. “Unfortunately, we know, especially in this day and age, that many people struggle to provide food for their families and that starvation is a real problem. We feel like any assistance provided to the food bank can really save lives.”
Happy Homes Animal Rescue, based in Old Bridge, was a first-time recipient of Local 127s donations when it received a $200 check on Aug. 12. The check was designed for the animal rescue corporation to purchase pet supplies and medicine for those animals currently under its care. Galgano professes that he hopes that this small donation sets an example for local residents that animals are a part of the community, too, and that they should be cared for.
“It’s always give back to people and human beings, basically,” Galgano clarified. “But what about animals? They matter, too, and everyone should care for them because they are living creatures just like us.”
On Aug. 14, Galgano met with Old Bridge Township Councilman Dave Merwin to present him with a $1,000 donation check to Laurence Harbor First Aid Squad, which used the funds for this year’s Salt Water Day event.
The event, which has become a staple of the community, did not disappoint. Numerous family activities were held, with many games geared toward entertaining children. One of the most popular games was attempting to get Officer Steve McCauley drenched in the dunk tank.
“Overall, we’re happy with our contributions to the neighborhood,” explained Galgano. “These are just three donations we’ve made, but over the course of a normal calendar year we make at least a dozen donations, and we really feel like we provide joy and happiness to our residents. We care about them, and when they’re happy, we’re happy”.
