FBEA Launches Have a Heart Pride Campaign With Blood Drive

The Freehold Borough Education Association (FBEA) launched its “Have a Heart Pride Campaign” with a blood drive at Park Avenue Elementary School the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 15.

“It’s a great start to giving back to the community, and it’s for a great cause,” said Tricia Cundari, chairperson of the campaign.

Cundari, who has taught at Park Avenue Elementary School for 26 years, said the New Jersey Education Association is asking local teachers' unions to get more involved with projects and outreach in their towns. For example, teachers will be at the school play this year giving out water bottles, Cundari noted.

“We’re trying to think of things to do within the community,” Cundari said. “We want to show we’re supporting each other.”

With the “Have a Heart Pride Campaign” beginning in February, the FBEA thought a blood drive around Valentine’s Day made sense as their first event, according to Cundari. The Central Jersey Blood Center processed donors and drew blood in the school gymnasium. Halfway through the drive, 22 people had given blood. If the event met a certain donor quota (a number that wasn’t publicly disclosed), the Central Jersey Blood Center would give a donation to the FBEA.  Cundari said the donation would go toward a scholarship fund the FBEA recently started as part of the “Have a Heart Pride Campaign.” The scholarship will be given to an eighth grader who has shown the most “heart,” according to Cundari

District teachers and staff members turned out to donate blood at the event, including preschool teachers Lauren Filipek.

“I came because I wanted to reflect the good things the FBEA is doing in the community and to help someone by giving my blood,” Filipek said. “I want people in the borough to recognize that FBEA is more than a teacher’s union and is a viable part of the community.”