A Green Wave Brings Toys for Children

Sunday Dec. 9, 2018, saw a Delbarton Green Wave come over the Catholic Charities Father English Community Center of Catholic Family & Community Services.  More than 70 students and 30 parents from the Delbarton School, Morristown, arrived for a day of joy and giving. For the 5th year, Delbarton provided toys and joy for children and their siblings who are registered in the CFCS programs. Delbarton requested the ages of all of the students in the Father English Center youth programs as well as in El Mundo del Nino and El Mundo de Colores. Joe Murphy, Michelle Zarife, Laura Zarife, Delia Rosario Directors of CFCS programs prepared the lists so that no child would be left out.

Delbarton then collected and donated two toys for each child and any siblings in their families. This is a mammoth undertaking for Delbarton extending over 3 months. Each year the Delbarton team refines it to be extra special.  The selection of gifts this year was extraordinary - no one could go without or be unhappy! 

You can tell the Delbarton coordinators of the program:  Dr. David Hajduk, Director of Campus Ministry and Dr. Jonathan Cote, Registrar, are used to working with the boys and they respond as a well-oiled team. Together with a team of mothers including: Gladden Falivene, Maureen Smart, Sharon Tompkins, and Rebecca Van Volkenburgh , they oversee the organization, planning, buying gifts, sorting and packing gifts, organizing the team, getting all that food from BJ's, the refreshments, decorations, Mass, transportation and so much more.

Then they stage it all together in 48 hours. An advance team from Delbarton came to FECC to meet with Carlos Roldan and Jason Hunter on Saturday to set the stage for the massive unpacking. This advance team made the organization and set up move like clockwork.  

Sunday started with Mass for all at Delbarton with Fr. Michael Tidd, Headmaster at Delbarton. The boys and families boarded busses to follow the huge truck which they packed the night before. It is like a well ordered machine of 100 elves dropping down in Paterson and taking over to transform the Center. 

On arrival, some began setting up the table covers and decorations. Others formed a human chain to unload the truck. In addition to all the toys and gifts, donations included several pallets of food which the Delbarton community received as a donation from BJ’s. By 11 am they were all set up and all stopped for a quick meal of pizza and bagels.

At noon, the line of excited children started coming from the check in area. Each family has a pre-registered form and is assigned two Delbarton boys who will help them select gifts from age appropriate tables. Santa Claus is roaming about with a treat for each good little boy and girl. The Delbarton families provided the toys, decorations, snacks for the children and big plastic bags to carry their gifts home. 

In addition to the toys provided by Delbarton students, the Albarelli family, alumni of Delbarton, had donated a truck load of toys from their Amloid Company each year. This year the toys were donated by the Albarelli family in memory of Michael who died in a tragic accident this summer. We were touched that Joe, and his sister in law with her two boys and her mom spent so much time with the children at FECC.  Michael is truly missed but very present to everyone thru their love and spirit.

The line of waiting children winds down about 3:30 and the cleanup begins with all hands pitching in. By 5 pm, the Green Wave is like Santa, it whisked  away leaving the center as clean as a whistle.

Sister Maureen Sullivan, SC, Director of Pastoral Services and the CFCS liaison with Delbarton said, “This year more than 681 children in 301 families were the beneficiaries of this wonderful show of Christmas love and caring for others. What a wonderful day everyone had. For many families, these would be the only Christmas gifts.   Not only were the children happy, but you could see the joy on the faces of the parents knowing that their children were getting the chance to select gifts for themselves.” Comments from the program directors on Monday included: “Thank you, Delbarton, for the hard work. Our families were so grateful and the children were thrilled.” “Thank you. Yesterday was a special day. This morning the children were talking about seeing Santa Claus. The generosity of all involved continues to amaze. So very many families left happy and grateful.”

The true Christmas spirit of love, sharing, caring for others and enjoying the moment filled the air at the Father English Center. God's love was truly embodied in each of those who gave and in the faces of those who received. Our friends at Delbarton, their students, families, faculty, administration and alumni are a blessing for our children and families at Catholic Family & Community Services.