Howell Spaghetti Dinner Is Going To The K-9s

HOWELL, NJ — Do you like spaghetti? Then head over to the Howell First Aid and Rescue Squad on Saturday and chow down while you help raise funds to assist the Howell Police Department's K-9 Unit.

A flyer says the spaghetti dinner, which runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the squad building on Kent Road, next to the Wawa on Route 9, is hosted by the Ocean County Roughnecks MC.

This year's proceeds go to the police department's K-9 unit.

The unit has two K-9 members: K-9 Vito, whose handler is Patrolman Nicholas Bondarew, and K-9 Opus, whose handler is Patrolman Jesse Moore. Both dogs are new to the department; they were introduced at a recent ceremony where several Howell police officers were honored and new ones sworn in.

Bondarew and his former partner, K-9 Jago, had been the lone K-9 unit until recently. Jago was retired after 10 years of service to the Howell community, Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said.

Both officers and their new K-9 partners will be attending the K-9 academy for the next six months.

The spaghetti dinner costs $10 for adults, $7 for children, with kids under age 5 eating for free.

There also are shirts available for purchase to support the unit.

Photos courtesy Howell Township Police/Howell Township municipal Facebook pages