Community Corner

Letter to the Editor: Freehold First Aid Squad Recieves 5K Matching Donation

The Freehold First Aid Squad is looking to collect funds after receiving a 5K matching grant.

Dear residents of Freehold, 

Where are you on a Friday night? I imagine many of you are at home with your families, thankful that you have a bed to rest on after a long day at work. I also imagine that many of you are just getting into your cars to work the night shift at a job you have devoted your entire life to.  

I’m one of those thankful to rest after a long week at work. But that rest rarely goes uninterrupted. You see, I am a volunteer emergency medical technician (EMT) on the , and when my pager goes off in the middle of the night, I, along with the members of my crew, rush to an ambulance to answer our neighbors’ calls for help.  

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It’s not as glamorous as it seems. We don’t get paid, and don’t always get thanked. We’ve been punched and cursed at. And sometimes, no matter how hard we try, nature has a cruel way of reminding us how fleeting life can be. 

We can’t do this by ourselves though. We are a volunteer-run, non-profit first aid squad that is reliant on your generous donations. We know budgets are tight, and that families can find it hard to make ends meet. But we also know how important it is to have a fully stocked ambulance and how important it is for people to know, that when your world is crashing down, you won’t need to figure out how to pay for an ambulance. We volunteer to make sure you and your family can get the care they need. 

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So how can you help us help you? We are fortunate to announce that a $5,000 matching donation has been offered by Freehold Township Committeeman and local businessman Robert C. McGirr That means, for every dollar you donate, he will donate an additional dollar. This is a great opportunity to see your gift have twice the effect it normally has. This means that even if you can only afford to give $10 or $25, your willingness to step up to the plate and help your community will be magnified.  That opportunity cannot be missed.  

When Friday night rolls around this week, please take a moment to think about the EMTs that serve your town every day and every night. We are asking your help to get the financial support we need to serve you. Answering 911 calls can mean that a young girl has a chance to dance in a recital again, or that a grandfather will live to see his grandson get married this fall.  

Please donate however much you can give and encourage your neighbors and loved ones to do the same. This generous matching grant gives us the opportunity to raise $10,000. It is people like you, who can help us get there. 

Maryanne Tomazic

Freehold Township Liaison

Freehold First Aid & Emergency Squad 

To donate to the Freehold First Aid Squad, please send a check made payable to “Freehold First Aid & Emergency Squad”. Donations can be mailed to: Freehold First Aid Squad, 18 Spring Street, Freehold, NJ 07728. Only donations marked “Matching Fund” will be matched up to $5,000. Donations to the squad are tax-deductible. 


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