The Press of Atlantic City
BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Sixteen township first- and second-graders were treated to a party, a fire engine ride and a ride on the Starlight Express train Tuesday night by Richland Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1.
“I’ve been a fireman almost 52 years,” said one of the organizers, Anthony Monfredo Sr. His son, Anthony Jr., is Richland’s fire chief. “I’ve seen so many bad things. This is something we can do to make it a little bit better for kids.”
In previous years during the holidays, the fire company donated about $500 to a food pantry in Newtonville, and later the same amount to a family in the township that ran into difficult times during the year, Monfredo said. But this year, the group decided to provide a fun experience for children chosen by their school.
“We bought two tickets for each, one for the child and one for a parent or guardian,” Monfredo said. “We try to do something different every year. This year the chief came up with the idea to put kids on a train.”
Children ride the Starlight Express in their pajamas and get to meet Santa and give him their wish list during the ride.
The fire company also gave the children refreshments at the firehouse, and a ride on a firetruck to the Cape May Seashore Lines train in Richland.
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