Gov. Murphy Due In Holmdel As Town Sends 1 Ton Of Supplies To Ukraine

HOLMDEL, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy will be stopping by the Holmdel Township building at 11:30 Thursday morning, where he will thank the town's residents for their generosity to the people of Ukraine.

The people of Holmdel have indeed been generous: Two weeks ago, Mayor Greg Buontempo launched a medical supply drive. He said his goal was to collect 600 pounds of medical items.

Instead, Holmdel residents donated more than one ton.

The governor will be touring a room in town hall filled with medical supplies. The supplies will be boxed up and driven Thursday night to the Port of Newark. They will be loaded onto a cargo ship and sent to Ukraine Friday. Unlike other drives, these supplies will go directly to the citizens and soldiers that remain in Ukraine, experiencing bombing, artillery shelling and fighting for their country.

Many have been wounded or killed.

Ralph Zucker, the owner of Bell Works in Holmdel, called Buontempo last night and said he wanted to help. Buontempo said the town has enough supplies, so Zucker donated $2,000 cash to pay the shipping costs to send the items to Ukraine.

"Our DPW guys have been shocked. I thought people would drop off little boxes of Band Aids. Instead, Holmdel residents have been going to Costco and dropping off industrial-sized cases of Band Aids, medicine and supplies," said Buontempo. "And it's everyone, from Holmdel teenagers to little old ladies using canes coming by town hall to drop off the supplies."

Buontempo said the town is working with an organization in the Ukraine that specifically asked for medical supplies — not clothing or money.

"If we send money, they just use it to buy medical supplies over there," said Buontempo. "And they can't find medical supplies right now."

Included among the 2,185 pounds of supplies were:

• 38,000 bandages
• 9,000 gloves
• 150 pounds of petroleum jelly
• 1000 bottles of over the counter pain reliever (acetaminophen/ibuprofen)
• 200 back packs
• Dozens of handmade card from Holmdel public school students, including many translated into Ukrainian

What the organization specifically asked for are Band Aids, medical gauze, Tylenol, Advil, antibiotic creams for cuts and scrapes, such as Neosporin, Ace bandages and gloves. Holmdel launched its collection drive March 9 and residents donated more than one ton of supplies.

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