November 22, 2022
LONG BRANCH, NJ (MONMOUTH)–Nearly 100 motorcycle riders from the Blue Knights NJ XV and Jersey Shore HOGs braved the cold and wind on November 20th to travel to Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, to deliver hundreds of toys to brighten the holiday season for Unterberg Children’s Hospital patients.
The Sunday morning ride began at the Shore Casino in Atlantic Highlands. When the motorcyclists arrived at the hospital, they gathered in the parking lot and unloaded a trailer full of toys that had been collected over the last months at locations that include Simply Southern restaurant in Belmar, Sissy’s at the Harbor restaurant in Atlantic Highlands, Shoreline Harley-Davidson, West Long Branch, and Creative Performance motorcycle repair shop in Wall. Additionally, the Freehold Regional High School Football and Cheer Club worked with the two groups on a toy drive, and members of the club were on hand for the event.
“It’s always tough to be sick in the hospital when you’re a child,” said Jonathan Teitelbaum, Chair of Pediatrics at The Unterberg Children’s Hospital. “This type of event means the world to them – they get extra toys, and they know that the community really cares about them and wants them to get better.”
Each rider’s $10 donation benefits The Comprehensive Cystic Fibrosis Center at The Unterberg Children’s Hospital, the oldest and largest of the centers in New Jersey, offering patient care, teaching and research. Members of area police and fire departments, as well as the Freehold Regional High School Football and Cheer Club, also contributed to the cash donation. The Cystic Fibrosis Center — which includes both pediatric and adult programs — is accredited by the National Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is designated by the State of New Jersey as a referral center for Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening and has been designated as a Therapeutic Development Center by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Therapeutic Development Network.
From left, Robert Zanni, M.D., Chief of Pediatric Pulmonology, and Jonathan Teitelbaum, Chair of Pediatrics, help unload toys with the assistance of the Freehold Regional High School Football and Cheer Club.
Dr. Zanni and Dr. Teitelbaum gather with riders from the Blue Knights NJ XV and Jersey Shore HOGs and local police departments.