Sixth Graders do it: 50,000 Operation Goody Bags for the Armed Services

By: Mel Fabrikant

The Paramus Post

Published: February 18, 2007

Article Source: Click here

On Thursday, February 15th, Joey Rozzolo led his East Brook 6th grade class in a mass production rally to reach 50,000 bags of sweets packed for the Armed Forces. Under the tutelage of teacher Jane Cosco and joined by Principal Bill Bott, Superintendent of Schools, Janice Dime, Mayor James Tedesco, other teachers and parents, Joey managed to set up an assembly line to do the stuffings within an hour. He succeeded!

After a rally and slide show presentation in the auditorium, the group filed into the gym area and began marching through the area taking candies and gum, letters and poems from containers, putting them into paper bags and on to the next table. Parents took the completed bags, sealed them, put the goodies into corrugated cartons which were sealed, stacked and readied for shipment. All in all over 5,000 bags were done that day.

On hand were uniformed members of the US Navy from East Meadow, NY who not only intermingled with the students but helped pack the bags as well. Their web page, if you would like to look them up is: www.navyny.com .

Joey has conferred with Mayor Tedesco and arranged for a Freedom Walk on September 11th, 2007 .. the infamous 9-11 tragedy day that occurred several years ago. He plans a walk of approximately 2 miles and would have it end at Van Saun Park where there will be DJ music and refreshments. Looking for sponsors to cover the costs of Freedom Walk T-shirts, he has commitments from Ted’s Deli, Bella Roma Pizzeria, Anthony Francos and Applebees with many more pending, Commerce Bank among them.

Tune in to www.operationgoodybag.org for updates.