Tractor Trailer Challenge In Moorestown To Help Victims Of Hurricane Irma

MOORESTOWN, NJ — When Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey in 2012, the DiPasquale family leapt into action. The family — which lived in Cream Ridge, Monmouth County at the time — collected donations for families in need using an SUV. The unexpected and overwhelming success lead a tractor trailer company to donate their truck to the family for a two-week collection drive.

Now, the DiPasquales live in Moorestown, and they’re reviving their Tractor Trailer Challenge for the victims of Hurricane Irma down in Florida. A 53-foot tractor trailer, donated by McCollister's Transportation Group, Inc., of Burlington Township, will be parked at the Wesley Bishop Fields on North Church Street on Saturday, Sept. 30, and Sunday, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

A volunteer staff of 10 children, ages 12-13, will accept donations, Nancy DiPasquale told Patch this week. It will be made up of her 12-year-old son Colin and his friends. Her husband, Henry, will also be involved in the event. The truck will then take the donations down to Florida. Donations will be made directly to the American Red Cross for distribution.

“People are in need of supplies,” DiPasquale said. “We’ve done this before. We know what to do and how to do it, and we can’t just sit on knowledge like that.”

She said the drive builds a sense of community. Wesley Bishop Fields is a prime location due to the youth sporting events that take place on the weekends. She added that it’s important to know what people need before starting the drive, and that a list of accepted donations will be posted at www.TractorTrailerChallenge.info in the near future.

“We want to find out what is needed first,” DiPasquale said. “We don’t want to send things down that are useless.”

She complimented McCollister’s Senior Vice President Tom Yoos, who was eager to donate a trailer for this special cause.

“They are already helping (Hurricane Harvey victims) down in Texas,” DiPasquale said. “I sent them a general Facebook message and they responded saying they could provide whatever we want. I spoke with their senior vice president and he was very nice.”

Moorestown residents, organizations, schools, and businesses are all invited to make donations. Below are photos from her family’s efforts in the previous drive, after Superstorm Sandy, provided by Nancy DiPasquale.