City of Bayonne Receives “A Gift of Safety” By Evelyn Bonilla
In a time when the economy around the United States is trying to regain its balance and funding is almost obsolete, it’s good to know that there are still people who are willing to lend a helping hand. In a press event held at the Municipal Council Chamber on Tuesday, January 27th the City of Bayonne was presented with a check towards the purchase of a very vital fire apparatus.
The check presented to Mayor Mark Smith for the City of Bayonne, by John Atkins, Chief Operating Officer of GCT (Global Container Terminal) USA was the first of 3 annual installments issued to the city to help pay for a $332,000 fire apparatus. The first check in the amount of $110,000 is just one of GCT-USA contributions to the City of Bayonne.
The fire apparatus called a “pumper” is a very important piece of fire equipment and was greatly needed by the fire department of the City of Bayonne. Since, Bayonne is surrounded and close too many industrial and petro-chemical facilitates the “pumper” will help to target any and all fires at a greater speed. Firefighters are indeed brave individuals but it is also very vital that they have equipment they can depend on when facing the largest of fires.
The new “pumper” is equipped with an around-the-pump foam porportioner and is capable of delivering up to 1500 gpm of water or fire foam. The foam is used to coat burning surfaces and absorbs heat significantly better than water. This is essential when controlling industrial tank and spill fires. The new pumper will be assigned to the frontline and will replace an aging pumper which will be left on reserve as a backup.
Fire Chief Greg Rogers who was present at the press event expressed his gratitude, “I’m grateful that the city has found the means to satisfy the debt associated with the new pumper, and especially extend my gratitude to Global Terminals for their considerate contribution.”
Mayor Smith also expressed his gratitude by thanking GCT-USA, and referred to them "as a great corporate neighbor."
As we look towards the future, citizens of Bayonne can rest assure that the Mayor and the Fire Department are striving to keep the residents of Bayonne safe and now with this generous contribution they can continue to do so.
Feb 27- March 14th, 2009
Bayonne Business Owners "Give from the Heart" By Evelyn Bonilla
There's no greater reward then giving to those less fortunate then ourselves, so in lieu of these economic times it's good to know that some people are still willing to lend a helping hand. Bayonne business owners Bruce Dillin of Dillin Tires and Michael Hamra-Mike's Automotive Repair along with their organization M.A.R.E.S (Charity Fishing Tournament) came together to make a donation to the Bayonne Rotary Club 7490-Gift of Life Program.
The Rotary Club-Gift of Life Program is a program that has helped children with advanced congenital heart disease from around the world inclusive of the Philippines, South America, Honduras, China, Russia, the Ukraine and Iraq. Their mission is to help by facilitating free medical services to children suffering from heart disease and other similar or allied diseases, regardless of race, gender, creed or national origin. This program has helped to save thousands of young children's lives, and they do this by kind and generous donations.
There are about 47 Rotary Clubs within New Jersey including Hudson, Bergen and the Passaic area, which have helped about 645 children to date. Harold Kawalek, a member of the board with the Rotary Club-Gift of Life explains, "The Gift of Life program is an amazing program. It is extremely rewarding to help children in need and to be able to offer a great gift like "a gift of life." Cont’d on page 2
The kind contribution of business owners Dillian and Hamra and the M.A.R.E.S. organization was a great start to the Gift of Life donation process, an added on to that was another donation from two additional Bayonne business owners from "The Computer Guy-Alvin Motos and Jude Tiner. Both were also on hand to present their donation to board member Kawalek for the "Gift of Life" program.
Jude Tiner is well acquainted with the foundation and its ability to help children in need. In 2006, while on a visit to the Teknotropheo Mission in the Philippines, he discovered a young five year old girl desperately in need of corrective heart surgery. Through the Bayonne Rotary Club 7490-Gift of Life program he was able to bring the small girl to the United States. She was diagnosed with having two holes in her heart; and her only hope for survival was to have it repaired. In 2007, after a successful operation the child called Meraly is alive and well.
When asked what the Gift of Life program represents Tiner explained, "The rewards are so big." "Seeing this program and how it helps others, touches you right in the heart".
Thanks to these four Bayonne business owners and to the help and support from Harold Kawalek and the Bayonne Rotary Club 7490-Gift of Life Program, more lives will be saved and more children will smile happily at another chance at life.
If you would like to make a donation and help to save more lives, you can make a check payable to Rotary Club 7490-Gift of Life. All donations can be dropped off at 764 Avenue C in Bayonne N.J.
Bayonne Business Owners "Give from the Heart"