RAINE: Tis the Season for Wrapping!

We're still feeling the buzz! Thursday night's RAINE (Reaching All In Need Everyday) cocktail party fundraiser was such a success!  And while I was a bit late, I still had a blast. 

I was able to catch up with friends and neighbors, grab a photo and chat with Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola to please my daughter, and bid on some fantastic prizes. 

At one point, I found myself in a photo booth wearing oversized sunglasses, that I might I add, I pulled off as HOT! 

As the Holmdel Patch Editor Christina Johnson wrote on Friday, it really was a great event and a success that was accomplished by all the "heroes" in the room that night. 

But like any exciting organization, once you complete one event, you're already planning another event. Beginning Monday, Dec. 12, hundreds of people will begin sorting and wrapping of all the toys donated from Hazlet School families and St Benedict of Holmdel families. The work begins at 7p.m.- 9 p.m. at Beers St School in Hazlet. 

We need as many enthusiastic volunteers to help us with such a huge undertaking.  We encourage Boy and Girl Scout troops, families, friends, business owners, and just about anybody else who would like to come out and help.  While admittedly it's a controlled chaos, we get it done every year.  We will be there every night this week as obviously, sorting and wrapping for 300 families (estimated 1,500 kids) cannot be completed in just one night. 

Gifts can still be dropped off at the Hazlet Schools, but I would recommend dropping off the donations at Beers St School, as it will be the home base this week.  There is a POD storage in the courtyard where everything is stored, making several RAINE volunteers' lives easier as they have usually housed donations in their own homes in past years.  Donations may also be left at St. Benedict's in Holmdel. Our family is still collecting PJ's in Hazlet. 

Thanks to the kindness of Patch.com followers who have contacted us to get involved! It's exciting to bring new people into the organization.  And our Twitter @RAINEHazlet is blowing up thanks to the help of Sammi Giancola aka "Sammi Sweetheart" and RAINE's newly elected President Michael Fabozzi

While we understand that this is crunch time for people during the holidays, even just an hour a night of volunteer time is appreciated.  Kids who need community service hours are gladly welcomed to come every night!  We love seeing families come to help, as it teaches children the value of caring and giving during this time of year and hopefully throughout the entire year. (Remember, we also do Food 4 Families all year round).  Looking forward to seeing everyone this week at Beers St School!!

If you have questions or concerns about this week's activities, you can contact me at ljb_walsh@yahoo.com or at our Facebook page __facebook.com/RAINE and remember to follow us on Twitter @RAINEHazlet