Benefactor Writes A Blank Check to Send Care Packages to Soldiers Overseas

Ray Raya's first reaction, when seeing the boxes of cookies on the floor at the Clerk's Office was to playfully tease Township Clerk Maureen Doloughty with his plea, "Hey, can I have some?" 

She explained the boxes were going to be sent overseas to the soldiers serving in Iraq, once she figured out a way to pay for the postage. So Raya said, "How can I help?"

Doloughty told him, "You can pay for the shipping." And like that, Raya arranged for a blank check to be sent over from his office. 

The story was told on Wednesday in the Clerk's Office, after Patch learned about the act of generosity through a third party. 

Raya, who defends traffic and criminal offenses in Holmdel Township, and is famously serving at Snooki's defense attorney, is not exactly timid about publicity. But he quietly arranged for the goods, donated by township residents, to get overseas because of his experience dealing with war veterans, some with mental issues, who have returned from the violence of war and gotten in trouble with the law.

He called it "an honor." 

"I don't know what they've gone through, but it must be very difficult," he said. 

The boxes included Girl Scout cookies, water guns, suntan lotion, crossword puzzles, a squeeze ball, and movie DVDs. 

The last shipment Doloughty sent overseas was packed in 8 separate USPS Postal Large Flat Rate Boxes and cost over $100, she said. 

The township has paid the cost, but it is an awkward transaction for the volunteers from Town Hall who send the goods because it all must be packed up, assessed a price, paid on a personal credit card and then a check must be cut for reimbursement. 

Raya's gift will make it all go a lot smoother.