Taking Care of Our Own Long Branch Kicks Off With Auction at Brush Salon

Ray Ambrosino and his wife Nancie Ann used to be check writers. You know, the ones you go to when your baseball team needs a sponsor or your church charity is looking for donors.

But at some point, the couple and their children who resided in for the last 13 years, decided it was time to take a more active role in helping the community. Recently they relocated to where they have a second home at the beachfront Harbor Mansion condo complex. Heavy into a remodel and relocating their two children in new schools, they planned on kicking of a charity of their own this summer.

"When the fire happened, we knew we had to do something right now," Ambrosio told Patch this week.

And so Taking Care of Our Own Long Branch, TCLB for short, was born a little early. "We love Long Branch," Ambrosio said. "My wife grew up here. Her first job was at the movie theater."

Now instead of writing checks, Ambrosio is knocking on doors of business and residents asking them to donate gift cards for a silent auction this Wednesday, March 21 at , a hair salon on Brighton, just about a block from .

Brush, which offers cuts and coloring to men and women in a chic, but not snooty, soho environment, will donate all its proceeds to TCLB. The silent auction will include gift certificates to , and restaurants like Tre Amici and , plus sports memorabilia and salon goodies. You can see a sampling of the auction items here.

Proceeds from the event will be given directly to those that lost their homes and businesses in the fire.

But Ambrosio wants people to know that TCLB is not just about the fire. In the future he hopes it will be a connecting point for the community. He's looking to motivate residents to volunteer in soup kitchens, stock food pantries, visit the elderly, and just, well, take care of their own in Long Branch.

For more information about the event, email Ray Ambrosino.