Mayor Tony Vauss stands with some happy recipients of a turkey and groceries.
IRVINGTON, NJ — Irvington transitioned into the holiday season with several Thanksgiving turkey giveaways throughout the week, including one at Irvington High School on Monday, Nov. 25.
“I think the turkey giveaway event at Irvington High School was a tremendous event,” Mayor Tony Vauss, who attended the giveaway, told the Irvington Herald in a phone interview on Friday, Nov. 29. “Our school resource officers get together and serve some of the students and people of our community.”
Superfresh was also a sponsor of the giveaway, donating groceries that included holiday staples, such as cranberry sauce, stuffing, and macaroni and cheese.
The school’s resource officers volunteered at the giveaway, which they called a major success, as approximately 100 students and their families each received a turkey. For the fifth consecutive year, Irvington High School’s turkey giveaway gave away all its turkeys and Thanksgiving goods.
“I believe it is better to give than it is to receive,” Irvington Municipal Council Vice President October Hudley said in a quote sent to the Irvington Herald on Wednesday, Nov. 27. “I felt honored when I received the call inviting me to attend. It gave me the opportunity to participate and donate towards the Thanksgiving giveaway, sponsored by the school resource officers at the Irvington High School. I commend our school resource officers for going above and beyond the call of duty.”
“They truly care for the community, where they protect and serve by displaying acts of kindness,” she continued. “Today is one example of what they do: donate an entire Thanksgiving feast for those in need.”
Spearheading the event was police officer Pamela Bryant, who also participated in the event.
“We, the school resource officer unit, feel the need to give back to our community and we felt like Thanksgiving is one of the seasons to do it because, unfortunately, students do go hungry and go without having a meal for Thanksgiving,” Bryant told the Irvington Herald via phone interview on Wednesday, Nov. 27. “So, this would be a good season to give. In our unit, we’re just blessed to give back to our community. The community sees us in a different light because of it. It’s not just a job for us and we do a lot for the kids. We’re happy to serve the community.”
The annual Thanksgiving free turkey giveaway at the Christian Pentecostal Church, spearheaded by Vauss, Pastor Jerry Smith of Christian Pentecostal Church, Pastor Steffie Bartley of New Hope Memorial Church of Christ in Irvington and Rabbi Abe Friedman, also took place on Monday, Nov. 25, with 200 turkeys given away to Irvington residents.
Pastor Steffie Bartley and the congregation of the Christian Pentecostal Church volunteered to see the giveaway was smoothly run.
“Thanksgiving reminds us that, no matter what befalls us in life, we can take the charred remnants and we can reconstruct a life unimaginably richer than that from which the shards and pieces fell,” Vauss said in a quote sent to the Irvington Herald after the event. “The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest. Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life.”
Together with The Shauger Group contractors, Vauss and his team continued on Tuesday, Nov. 26, in their crusade to make sure everyone had a turkey for the Thanksgiving holiday by going door to door to hand deliver turkeys and groceries to Irvington residents.
Although this is the fourth time the mayor has gone into Irvington to deliver free groceries, he usually does so during the Christmas holiday. This was the first time it had been done for Thanksgiving.
Team Irvington Strong was praised for its efforts after delivering 1,200 bags of groceries, each bag with a turkey for each household. In addition to the turkey, Irvington residents also received cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, boxed stuffing, gravy and other Thanksgiving meal essentials.
“It is always a good thing to share holiday cheer with all of our residents,” Vauss told the Irvington Herald on Saturday, Nov. 30. “I would like to thank all the council members who participated, as well as the township employees who saw it’s not robbery to give back to the community that has been gracious to them. This is the fourth year we have gone door to door at random to spread holiday cheer.”
“The first two times were during the Christmas holiday, where we gave out gifts to unsuspecting children in our community,” he continued. “This year, we did it during Thanksgiving, and you never know when we’ll be knocking on your door bearing gifts and/or holiday cheer. As mayor, it’s my job to bring our community together in one voice and share the holiday cheer.”
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