CHERRY HILL & VOORHEES CARE
Collaborative Work to Reach Families
Devastated by Hurricane Katrina
Updated December 27, 2005

 

 

Maximizing Our Impact, Together:

 

Cherry Hill Township

Bernie Platt, Mayor

 

Voorhees Township

Michael Mignogna, Mayor

 

Cherry Hill Public Schools

Dr. Timothy Brennan, Interim Supt.

 

Eastern Regional High Schools

Dr. Harold Melleby, Jr., Supt.

 

Voorhees Public Schools

Raymond Brosel, Jr., Supt.

 

United Way of Camden County

 

Cherry Hill Regional Chamber of Commerce

Art Campbell, President

 

Voorhees Police Dept.

 

Cherry Hill Police Dept.

 

Voorhees Fire District

 

Cherry Hill Fire District

 

Cherry Hill Zone PTA

 

Cherry Hill Youth Athletic Association

 

Cherry Hill Public Library

 

 

"Follow the Sun" Title Sponsors:

 

Cherry Hill Mall

 

Wegmans Food Markets

 

 

Read "Thank You" Letters:

 

Lamar County School District
Purvis, Mississippi


Tangipahoa Parish Schools

Amite, Louisiana

 

Checks Presented to Families and Schools

 

Shirley Davis (second from left) receives a check from (left to right) Dr. Mort Sherman, Mayor Bernie Platt, and President Michael Moynihan and Darry Oliver of the United Way.

 

Janice and Richard Mann receive a check on behalf of their daughter, Kristin.

 

 

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DRAMATIC PRESENTATION:

An American Tragedy
This event raised more than $1,000!

 

Director Bob Nation (far right) and Mayor Bernie Platt (center-right, top) join Lab Theater students from Cherry Hill High School West, congratulating them on excellent performances for a good cause

 

This presentation recreated the days following Hurricane Katrina to honor those who suffered in her wake.

 

 

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"Follow the Sun" Walk Raised $30,000!

(Read More...)

 

Walkers depart East High School on Kresson Road

 

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Sponsorships and cash donations made payable to:

Cherry Hill and Voorhees Care/United Way of Camden County

Cherry Hill Municipal Building

820 Mercer St. Rm. 105

Cherry Hill, NJ 08002-2638

OR

Voorhees Municipal Building

620 Berlin Rd.

Voorhees, NJ 08043-1493

 

  • Food donations benefit the Food Bank of South Jersey
     

  • New clothing, school and household supplies accepted at Cherry Hill and Voorhees municipal buildings, the Cherry Hill Library, and public schools
     

  • Used clothing not accepted; please send to the Salvation Army, the Purple Heart, or a similar charity

Contact Cherry Hill and Voorhees Care:

Dr. Mort Sherman, Cherry Hill Public Schools: 856-429-5600

Mayor Bernie Platt, Cherry Hill Township: 856-488-7878

Mayor Michael Mignogna, Voorhees Township: 856-429-7757

 

 

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Mayor Bernie Platt, Mayor Michael Mignogna, and Dr. Mort Sherman

Hold Joint Press Conference to Announce

"Follow the Sun" Community Walk and Other Efforts

 

 

Left to right: Dr. Sherman, Mayor Platt and Council President Fleisher announce their collaboration and the Sept. 18 Community Walk

 

 

CHERRY HILL, NJ - Mayors Bernie Platt (Cherry Hill) and Michael Mignogna (Voorhees) and Cherry Hill School Superintendent Dr. Mort Sherman announced this morning that the Cherry Hill and Voorhees communities' Hurricane Katrina relief efforts will be an unprecedented collaboration between countless local groups, named "Cherry Hill and Voorhees Care."  A community walk/run, "Follow the Sun," is planned for Sunday, September 18 at 11 a.m. from East High School to West High School in Cherry Hill.  Joined by eight Cherry Hill high school student leaders from both schools, as well as Township Council members, the mayors and Dr. Sherman shared their vision for efficient, targeted aid for communities near the Gulf Coast.

 

"We want to focus our efforts to maximize the benefit to affected families," said Mayor Platt.  "One community we're looking to partner with is Belle Chasse, Louisiana, which sent a team to the recent World Series of softball in Cherry Hill.  Belle Chasse's team members are now evacuees living in six different states, but they are safe."

 

CHYAA President Rob Connor, the World Series coordinator, was also on hand.  He and Township Council President David Fleisher will co-chair the Community Walk.

 

The collaboration of "Cherry Hill and Voorhees Care" was designed by Dr. Sherman and Mayor Platt on September 1, 2005.  Countless community leaders, clergy, faith-oriented, law enforcement, and civic groups joined the effort in a matter of days.  Please return to this site for updates and to contact "Cherry Hill and Voorhees Care" to donate or volunteer.

 

 

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Courier-Post Article: Volunteers Take a Walk for Evacuees

 

By LUIS PUGA
Courier-Post Staff

Monday, September 19, 2005

 

CHERRY HILL, NJ - Vanessa Torres and Roselyn Colon could have spent Sunday watching their husbands watch the Eagles.  Instead, they took advantage of a beautiful sunny day to take a walk -- a 6 1/2-mile walk, to be exact.  The sisters-in-law were among the estimated 1,200 people who participated in Sunday's Follow the Sun Walk/Run to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina.  The event raised an estimated $30,000.


"Everybody (along the Gulf Coast) lost everything," said Colon, 26, of Collingswood. "If I can contribute, it's the least I can do to help."


Participants walked from Cherry Hill High School East on Kresson Road to Cherry Hill High School West on Chapel Avenue.  A coalition of officials in Cherry Hill and Voorhees organized the event.

 

By participating, Torres said she felt she was able to help some of the displaced residents she has seen on the news.


"It's been overwhelming," said Torres, 28, of Philadelphia. "It reminded me of 9/11."


Participating families were asked to contribute $25. Food donations also were collected for the Food Bank of South Jersey.


T.J. Ciocca and Kathy Sexauer, both of Cherry Hill ran the first part of the course. As they took a break at James Johnson Elementary School, they contemplated walking the rest.


"I really wanted to go down (to the gulf states), but it's not something everybody can do," Sexauer said.


She called Ciocca on Sunday morning to get her to join her for the walk.


"Our lives are so beautiful right here, right now," Ciocca said. "It's hard to contemplate how traumatic" the hurricane was for those who live along the Gulf Coast, she added.


Jason Warren, 12, walked with his father, Scott, and 10-year-old brother Josh.  Jason recently raised $57,000 through a bowling event he staged to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, but he said he also wanted to do something for the hurricane victims.


"So many families lost everything they had," he said.


Scott Warren said he's proud of both of his sons' -- and his neighbors' -- concern for others.


"It should never stop," he said of the willingness to give. "It's good to be involved, and Cherry Hill always is."


That involvement will continue, said Mayor Bernie Platt, who noted other events to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims will be planned throughout this year.


"The most beautiful thing of today was that, less than a week ago, this was a dream of something we could do," Platt said. "That dream came true today."


Reach Luis Puga at (856) 541-3994 or lpuga@courierpostonline.com

 

 

 

 

 

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820 Mercer St. Room 105

Cherry Hill, NJ 08002-2638