Near Monroe: 9th Annual 'Monkey Love' Valentine Collection is Underway

Press release:

Jennifer Sneider, owner of J-Cuts located at 505 Howe Avenue, downtown Shelton, has again begun to collect stuffed monkeys for Valentine’s Day. Donations may be dropped off or mailed to J-Cuts from now throughFebruary 6, 2015.

This year, organizers announce they are putting a twist on the annual collection. They are going to challenge celebrities to a “monkey love challenge” through Twitter and Facebook. The hope is that celebrities will join in by encouraging their fans to mail new stuffed monkeys to J-Cuts. J-Cuts will be keeping track so at the end of the collection; they can announce the winning celebrity who had the most fans participate. Fans should write the celebrities name on the bottom left corner of the package.

Aside from collecting at J Cuts, additional drop off locations will include Minuteman Press, 427 Howe Avenue, Suite 2 and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, 10 Progress Drive, 2nd Floor, both of Shelton.
Each year, Minuteman Press of Shelton donates posters.

This annual community event benefits abused and neglected children, impoverished, adopted and sick children, frightened children involved in police calls, as well as children treated for emergencies, cancer or other illnesses at local hospitals.

The Shelton Lion’s Club participates each year by holding their own collection and dropping stuffed monkeys off at J-Cuts. This year, Mary Finnegan and Lenny Marconi, will be holding their 4th Annual Monkey Love Sunday on January 18, 2015 from 12 pm to 3 pm. They have moved the event to Off the Hook Bar & Grill, located at 170 Ferry Boulevard, Stratford. Last year, they collected over one-hundred stuffed monkeys. They reserve the Sundaybefore Superbowl each year for this celebration. Stuffed monkey donations can be dropped off this day or at any other day through February 6th. The public is free to stop by for food and fun. They hope to have other pubs in the area join in this annual event by promoting a Monkey Love Sunday of their own to benefit area children in need.

According to Finnegan, “Any extra monkey we can collect is an extra smile and one more warm heart within a child who needs it the most.”

The 8th Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive, held in 2014, collected and distributed over 2,000 stuffed monkeys to the Milford and Lower Naugatuck Valley (Shelton) Boys & Girls Clubs, Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in New Haven, TEAM, Inc. in Derby and Ansonia, BHcare’s Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia, the Shelton Police Department, the ACT-Spooner House in Shelton, Griffin Hospital of Derby, the Department of Children & Families in Milford and the Lower Naugatuck Valley-Parent Child Resource Center.

As a result of greatly surpassing the previous year’s final numbers, coordinators were able to reach out to additional agencies who service children. With the assistance of Jack Walsh, from the Valley United Way, some monkey love was spread even further. The VNA of South Central Connecticut, the International Institute of CT, Refugee Services division of Bridgeport and Julia Day Nursery & Kindergarten of Ansonia were also recipients of some new friends to present to children in need.

Coordinators also dropped off 26 stuffed monkeys in Newtown to be given to children affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

Sneider uses her business as the main collection and drop off location. She wanted to help out by taking this drive over from the former owners of Luther’s Garage automotive repair business, which was previously located around the corner from her business.

“This is my fifth year doing it,” says Sneider. “It is an amazing feeling to know each and every one of these monkeys will find comfort in the arms of a child in need and the children will find comfort in these monkeys. Each year, we hope to have an even more successful drive to create miles of smiles on the faces of precious children in great need.”

Stuffed monkeys have already been dropped off by the Milford Fire Department. This is their third year being involved. Last year, they collected over fifty stuffed monkeys.

Some newcomers to the annual collection last year included Bright Horizons child care center of 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton and United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin Street, Ansonia.
In addition last year, the United Methodist Women, led by Barbara Tchakirides, crocheted 25 adorable and colorful stuffed monkeys. “We enjoyed crocheting these monkeys for a good cause – children,” said Tchakirides in 2014. “I asked coordinators if they’ll be collecting again next year [2015.] When I learned the drive will continue, I became very excited because we can get a head start on crocheting!”

Area individuals, corporations and groups are also encouraged to become involved by holding collections of their own.

For health and safety reasons, stuffed monkeys must be new with tags.

J Cuts also holds an annual Back to School Book Bag & School Supply Drive beginning July 1st each year.
For more information, call J-Cuts at 203-924-4107.<end>Attached you will find the pictures from the 2014 collection:

Photo: L to R (Back Row): Anthony Vellucci, ACT-Spooner House; Barbara Tchakirides, United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church; Nicole Polifka, Bright Horizons; Jennifer DeLeon, LNV Boys & Girls Club; Arlene Bellotti, Milford Boys & Girls Club; Suzanne Reilly, TEAM, Inc. L to R (Front Row): Tylice MacDonald, LNV-PCRC; Marcia Jones, BHcare; Jennifer Sneider and Ross James of J-Cuts.