Girl Scouts Work with Monmouth County Library to Donate Books to Hazlet Salvation Army Center

Thanks to the efforts of three Girl Scout Cadettes from Morris County, the Monmouth County Library delivered more than 400 brand new children’s and young adult books to the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Center in Hazlet Township.

Girl Scout Cadettes Gabby Kontos, Robyn Sciancalepore and Valerie McDermott from Girl Scout Troop 561 of Long Valley collected the books as part of their Silver Award project. They wanted the books to go to an area affected by Superstorm Sandy, and reached out to Monmouth County Library’s Children's Coordinator Pat Findra at Library Headquarters in Manalapan.

Having been a Scout while growing up, Findra embraced the Girl Scouts’ project, took delivery of the books and arranged for the Salvation Army donation.

“The Library had delivered book donations earlier this year to the Salvation Army for Superstorm Sandy victims, and we were delighted to once again be able to fill the bookshelves at the Hazlet resource center,” said Renee B. Swartz, Monmouth County Library Commission Chair. “We thank the Girl Scout Cadettes for a job well done!”

“Cadette Scouts Gabby Kontos, Robyn Sciancalepore and Valerie McDermott are to be commended for their compassion and humanitarian effort in collecting books for those affected by Superstorm Sandy,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the Library. “We are deeply touched here in Monmouth County that residents of this state have not forgotten the victims of the storm.”

Holly Gallagher, a Salvation Army volunteer, said the Hazlet center’s book supply for children was running low when the Girl Scout delivery arrived. “People are in here every week asking what we have for their kids to read, so this donation was very timely and very much needed,” Gallagher said. 

The Salvation Army center in Hazlet has provided services for more than 2,000 families affected by Superstorm Sandy since it opened at the end of December, according to Salvation Army Major Betty Israel. The center provides brooms, tools and other materials for cleanup, along with clothes, blankets, food, water, toys and other resources, as well as counseling and information services.

Maj. Israel said the Hazlet center still sees a large number of people every week, even though it’s seven months past the storm. “The need is still here,” Israel said. “There were so many people in this area who were displaced by the storm, who still do not have a permanent place to live.” Another Salvation Army center is located in Ortley Beach in Ocean County.

The books were delivered to the center on May 29. The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Center is located at 745 Poole Avenue (in the Liberty Tax shopping center) and can be reached at 732-888-8144. The center usually opens at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Call ahead for exact hours.