Group aims to help Kittatinny’s ‘No. 1 fan’

A local figure and his father are seeking help from the community.

Their trailer-park home in Carriage Mobile Homes in Lafayette no longer is habitable so a local initiative called Brandon’s House is holding fundraisers to help find Brandon Bordt and his dad, Jim, a new home.

Bordt, who graduated from Kittatinny Regional High School in 2011, calls himself “Kittatinny’s No. 1 fan.” He attends every football game he can and also makes it to as many home soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, field hockey, wrestling and lacrosse games as possible. He travels to away games when feasible.

He also can be found at Skylands Stadium watching the Sussex County Miners play baseball during the minor league team’s season.

Bordt doesn’t just attend the games, he dresses in the team colors and even brings homemade signs.

Leaders of the Hampton Township Educational Foundation (HTEF) are hoping that his passion for all things Kittatinny will come full circle. Several residents and business owners have teamed up to lend Bordt and his dad a hand.

“Brandon’s House got started as an initiative to help Brandon and his dad improve their living situation as their residence fell into serious disrepair,” said Dan Holdt of Hampton.

“A number of us in the community who have provided transportation and help to Brandon over the years saw that there was a need, especially after Michelle, Brandon’s mom, passed. We banded together and created a community of people who all want to help.”

Tony Cerbo, Joe Fitzpatrick, Lou Sylvester, John DeSordi, Steve Pisauro, John Wohlleber and Holdt have been instrumental in getting the project going.

As head of the HTEF, Mike Biron has been custodian of money raised. John Wolleber created a Facebook page to promote the project.

’Did some digging’

Jim Bordt works as a bus driver and Brandon works at Stop & Shop in Sparta.

Cerbo, a Newton resident, said Michelle Bordt died in March. “His (Brandon’s) dad was doing his best, but when we did some digging, we learned that the old trailer had bad plumbing. A lot of other things were wrong too.“

One of the goals was to raise enough money to purchase a new trailer, but Cerbo wasn’t sure that could be done.

“The outpouring from the community has been tremendous,” he said. “But Jim certainly did his part as well. On the heels of having to bury his wife, Jim contributed his entire savings toward getting a new home. One of our goals is to reimburse that money to him so that he and Brandon have a nest egg for the future.”

The new trailer is due to arrive in January. Until then, Clarke Moynihan, a local contractor who knew Bordt, happened to have a property for rent. Bordt and his dad are living there rent free until the new trailer is ready, thanks to Moynihan’s generosity.

“Deacons from the Baleville Church and members of SCARC have also been working with Bordt and his father,” Cerbo said. “You don’t really see what community services do day in and day out until you see it firsthand. These organizations are truly amazing.”

Businesses, including Wilson Services and Wantage Excavating, are working alongside local tradesmen, such as electricians DeSordi and Mike Brucker and plumber Pisauro to disconnect and remove the old home and re-establish services to a new home from Champion Homes.

“One of the most amazing aspects of this project is that all us come from different backgrounds and have been able to leverage our individual gifts and strengths to make this happen,” Holdt said. “Everyone knows Brandon, so spreading the word has been easy. Kittatinny has also been very supportive in getting the word out.”

Fitzpatrick said, “I have always said that your life is as important as the impact it has on others, and Brandon has made such an impact on our community that it was easy, yet still overwhelming to see the volunteers who came out to help and also the outpouring of donations from young alumni as well as the older alumni.”

He calls Bordt a “fixture in our community.”

“I always say he is like Shaq or Madonna ... he simply goes by one name, Brandon, ... no matter where you are around town,” he added.

“He has an unbelievable knack to remember names, and no matter what the sport and what the Kittatinny record is of that team, he comes out to support them. This is something more fans and students should take note of: how well he supports the teams no matter how many wins they have.”

Holdt said, “One of the most amazing aspects of this project is that all us come from different backgrounds and have been able to leverage our individuals gifts and strengths to make this happen. Everyone knows Brandon, so spreading the word has been easy. Kittatinny has also been very supportive in getting the word out.”

Brandon’s House is a fundraising effort in coordination with HTEF, a nonprofit organization. Checks or money orders may be made payable to HTEF with “Brandon’s House” in the memo line and mailed to Brandon’s House, c/o HTEF, P.O. Box 478, Augusta, NJ 07822.

For information, send email to brandonshouse84@yahoo.com