Off Shore Marine averts stormy weather, delivers boatload of toys

Just as the boat load of toys from Off Shore Marine arrived at Project Self-Sufficiency last Wednesday, alerts went off on peoples' cell phones that unexpected,strong snow squalls were headed to the area. Thanks to fantastic coordination and organization by Sherri and Lou Cecchini and Project Self-Sufficiency's Youth Corp, all of the toys made it in to the Toy Shop before the storms hit.

“Our first collection was in 2013 when we decided we really wanted to give back to the community,” Sherri Cecchini said. “That year we collected about 20 toys. In our third year, a very wise lady named Deb Berry-Toon (Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency) asked us if we'd seen their toy room. From then on, we donated our collected toys here.”

The boat pulled in and its cover was pulled back to reveal hundreds of brand new toys to donate to the Toy Shop which affords those less fortunate to come in and pick out toys and gifts for their children.

“This is the best,” said Berry-Toon. “The coordination that the Cecchinis do to make this happen is amazing.”

Fire departments in Branchville, Frankford, Pochuck Valley and Sussex, along with the Blue Ridge Rescue Squad, the Sussex Fire Department Emergency Medical Service, the Ladies’ Auxiliaries from the Sussex Fire Department and Sussex County, the Wanderers Car Club, and the Sussex Kiwanis Club contributed toys and monetary donations during a festive community drop-off event earlier in the month.

“This year, we had a lot more community involvement and received a number of 'stranger gifts' which were just anonymously dropped off,” Cecchini said. “Our goal was 800 toys and we collected 795.”