CARING COMMUNITIES

8th annual Bowl for Hunger raises $31K

The Bowl for Hunger Committee

Bowlers visited Majestic Lanes in the Hopelawn section of Woodbridge on Thursday for the eighth annual Bowl for Hunger.

WOODBRIDGE - Assemblyman Craig J. Coughlin (D-19th District), in partnership with Middlesex Water Company, the Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation and the Woodbridge Metro Chamber of Commerce, held the eighth annual Bowl for Hunger on Thursday night at Majestic Lanes in the Hopelawn section of the township.

Since the event’s inception in 2010, more than $155,000 has been raised to feed the hungry. While all pledges and donations are still coming in, this year's event has raised about $31,000. The grand total will be announced in coming weeks.

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This year’s event again featured a double session, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m. About 550 bowlers took part on 80 lanes.

Middlesex County Freeholder Charles Kenny (left), Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac (center) and Assemblyman Craig Coughlin were among those who attended the eighth annual Bowl for Hunger.

Coughlin; Michael D’Agnes, president and CEO of Raritan Bay Medical Center; Dennis Doll, president and CEO of Middlesex Water Company; and Karen Barnes, president of the Woodbridge Metro Chamber of Commerce, thanked participants and sponsors for supporting the event and the area’s 32 food banks, which help nourish the underserved.

In total, 74 corporate, community and individual sponsors donated at least $100 to support the cause. Of the 74 sponsors, 29 individuals and organizations donated at the $500 level: Allegiance, Amerigroup, Bank of Woodbridge, BAYSHORE Recycling, Carpenter Contractor Trust, CME Associates, Elizabethtown Gas, Foundation Title, GEICO, GERDAU, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, James P. Nolan & Associates, JFK Medical Center, JJ Elek Realty Co., Metro Park A.G. Church, New Jersey Credit Union League, New Jersey Hospital Association, New Jersey Bankers Association, NJM Insurance Group, New Jersey Shares, Realty Advisory Group, Reliance Insurance Group, Middlesex County Surrogate Kevin J. Hoagland, Verizon, Wakefern Food Corp. and WellCare.

The eighth annual Bowl for Hunger so far has raised about $31,000.

Coughlin, Barnes, D’Agnes and Doll thanked the combined 74 corporate and individual sponsors, including 45 sponsors who donated $100 or more: Almasi Companies, American Irish Association of Woodbridge, Berkeley College, Columbia Bank Woodbridge, U.S. Rep. Pallone Jr., Cultural Arts Commission of Woodbridge, D.B. Kelly Division No. 1 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Daniel Harris, First Presbyterian Church of South Amboy, Garden State Dispensary, Hatch Mott MacDonald LLC, Insurance Council of NJ, Investors Bank, James P. Durek Esq., Katz Government Affairs, Kaufman Zita Group, Knot Just Bagels, Larry & Peggy Mayerowitz, MCDO LBGTQ Caucus, Metuchen Democratic Organization, Michael V. Testa, Architect, Michelson Family Foundation, Middlesex County Young Democrats, MMC Contractors, Middlesex & Somerset County AFL-CIO Labor Council, Middlesex County Building & Construction Trades Council, Middlesex County Democratic Organization, Middlesex County Federation of Democratic Women, Middlesex County Freeholder Charles Tomaro, Middlesex County Freeholder Leslie Koppel, Middlesex County Freeholder Shanti Narra, Middlesex County Surrogate Kevin Hoagland, Middlesex County Young Democrats, New Jersey Food Council, Our Lady of Fatima, Penna Consulting, Princeton Public Affairs Group, Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LPP, Sen. Joseph Vitale, Shell Oil, The Club at Woodbridge, Trinity Episcopal Church of Woodbridge and Woodbridge Center LLC.

Interested community members or businesses still wishing to make a donation to the Bowl for Hunger should contact the Woodbridge Metro Chamber of Commerce at 732-636-4040.

Staff Writer Susan Loyer: 732-565-7243; sloyer@gannettnj.com