Thank You – Christmas “Toy Drive” and “Tree Lighting”
Posted by Webmaster on 01/23/07

To the Editor:
Thank You – Christmas “Toy Drive” and “Tree Lighting”
Midtown Community Comes Together!

The Midtown Urban Renaissance Corporation (MURC) sponsored its first annual Christmas “Toy Drive” for children in the Midtown area of Neptune on December 21, 2006. The outcome was a huge success!! We were truly overwhelmed by the generosity from the public who gave so freely. Nothing could top the excitement and smiles of all the children, and the joy and emotion on the faces of the parents receiving donated bicycles, dolls, games, books, CDs, puzzles, and much, much more.

We’d like to “recognize and thank” everyone who participated in any way through toy donations and gift wrapping at our Information Center on West Lake Avenue. The following businesses, organizations, and schools consented to be drop-off locations, along with individuals who gave and volunteered towards this drive: PNC Bank – Ocean Grove (Estelle Cadet & Sec.-MURC), McDonalds – Rt. 33 & 66 (Marty Gillis), Dunkin Donuts – Rt. 66, 33, and Asbury Avenue (Jayne Flynn & Managers), AIM Mail Center (Eric Ford), Monmouth County Run Club (Tammy Wetzel), Neptune High School, Neptune Middle School, Midtown Community Elementary School (Jerard Terrell-Principal & MURC), Jersey Central Power & Light (Gwen Priester & employees-Red Bank), Neptune Township Municipal Complex, Jameson’s-The Ultimate in Southern Cooking (Bob Jameson), Sigma Pi Fraternity (Joe Palazzolo), CityWorks (Tom Clark, Exec. Dir.), Second Baptist Church-Asbury Park, (Edythe Douglass & Mary S. Scott), Dianna Harris (VP-MURC), Yvonne Early-Proute (MURC), Brenda and James Terrell (MURC), Stephanie Brunson (Admin.-MURC), Bridget James (MURC), Beatrice Taylor, Deborah Myer, Lela Fields, Nate Cave (MURC), Claudette Samuels (MURC), Irvin Webb (MURC), Mal Woolfolk (MURC), and other well wishers !

And lastly, MURC and CityWorks co-sponsored a “Christmas Tree Lightning” on December 15, 2006. We thank Tom Clark of CityWorks for donations, Eric Acevedo (as Santa Claus), the Greater Emanuel Temple Church Youth Choir (for caroling), the former elected Township officials: Mayor Catley (and daughter, Catlin), Deputy Mayor Golub, Committeewoman Kortenhaus, former Mayors McMillan (MURC), and Monroe (MURC), and the public for attending.

Dianna Harris, VP MURC, Stephanie Brunson, Admin., Gail Oliver, Pres. MURC