The New York Fire Alarm Association announced that it had its most successful holiday toy drive in all the years that its “devoted industry team” has done this. The group was able to “deliver bountifully to four burn centers and one pediatric unit.”
Ken Gould & company’s “sleigh” first delivered to Jerome L. Finkelstein, MD Regional Burn Center and pediatric unit at the Staten Island University Hospital, and also gave a $1,000 contribution from the industry. Toys were given to the children and they were visited in their rooms.
The next burn center visited was the NYU Langone Medical Center, Tisch Hospital Pediatric Acute Care Unit, where Ken Gould, Miles Fisher and Donna Soloway participated in a party with the children.
The highlight of the day at NYU was the performance by guitarist, Alex Brodsky, who sang and played for the children. The alarm industry team said this was very moving, as the children seemed very connected with her. Ken Gould and Donna Soloway afterwards visited the children in their rooms. A $500 donation from the industry was also given.
The sleigh next stopped and delivered toys to the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center at the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Toys also were delivered to Stony Brook Hospital Burn Center by Ron Petrarca and Bill Williams along with Denise Rueda.
The “stars” of this charitable effort include: Fred Leonardo, Electronix Systems Central Station Alarms; Kevin Hecker, Slomins Inc.; Miles Fisher, Fire and Building Code Services Inc.; Alan Glasser, MBFAA; Elizabeth Gee, American Security Systems Inc.; and Denise Rueda, Briscoe Protective Systems Inc.
For information about getting involved with the group next year, contact the NYFAA at 516-328-6932.