The BRICK Times Vol. 24 - No. 12
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Student Earns Scholarship For Transplant Advocacy
In This Week’s Edition
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 7
Photo by Judy Smestad-Nunn
Community News
Kimmy Kenny was awarded a scholarship by the NJ Sharing Network for her advocacy.
Page 8-13
By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - A Brick Township High School graduate was one of seven in New Jersey to win scholarships from the Sharing Network Foundation for raising awareness of organ and tissue donation and transportation.
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Inside The Law Page 16
The Sharing Network Foundation’s scholarships are made possible through several of the organization’s family and partner funds. Brick resident Kimmy Kenny, 17, received a scholarship from the Jim Rhatican Scholarship Fund, created in memory of Jim Rhatican, a
NJ Sharing Network Volunteer, liver transplant recipient and retired teacher and coach of 35 years. “I want to go into the medical field, and when I saw this scholarship I thought ‘oh my gosh, this is perfect,’” she said from her home off Old Hooper Avenue.
“There were a lot of steps to getting the scholarship, but I decided to do it and I’m so happy I did,” she said. Kimmy’s understanding and advocacy for organ and tissue donation stem from her firsthand experiences and aspirations, including a small skin graft surgery resulting from an accident when she was three years old. “It’s so selfless of the donors,” she said. “In all the other fields, doctors can perform surgery and prescribe medicine and all that, but this in particular, requires two different people - more than just a doctor - it also requires a great human being.” Oftentimes those in need of a donor can wait months for a donor with the proper blood type, age, condition of the organ and more, Kimmy said. “It’s based on so many (Donor - See Page 4)
$7.5M Awarded For Homeless Housing Programs
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - This is the third installment in our series on Ocean County’s appropriation of $12.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to prevent homelessness
and assist the unhoused. Part One provided a general overview of the awards and painted a broad picture of homelessness in Ocean County. Part Two delved into the $5 million awarded to Bright Harbor Healthcare for establishing a
Young Adult Bridge Housing program. So, what about the remaining $7.5 million? The Ocean County Commissioners earmarked those funds to award a competitive contract to HABcore, Inc. in collaboration with Fam-
ily Promise of the Jersey Shore and Bright Harbor Healthcare. Each organization will leverage their expertise for the “Acquisition for Innovations to Address Homelessness” program for the Ocean County Department of Human Services. This
t wo -year cont ract runs from July 2, 2024 through June 30, 2026. “In our first two rounds of ARPA requests, we dedicated funding to prevention, addressing unique (Housing See Page 4)
July 27, 2024
Town’s Recreation Director Charged With Theft, Forgery By Alyssa Riccardi BR ICK – Br ick Tow nship’s recre ation director has been ar rested and charged with allegedly ke e pi ng f u nd s from private organizations and issuing fake permits, officials said. Daniel Santaniello, 46, of Brick, was charged with Theft and Uttering a Forged Instrument relative to his position as Director of Recreation for the Township of Brick. As Director of Recreation, Santaniello was responsible for issuing per mits to private organizations for using the township’s recreational facilities, including softball fields. Those organizations who wish to use these facilities were charged fees for their usage. According to authorities, Santaniello allegedly required certain organizations to pay him directly in cash, rather than issuing checks to the township. Santaniello would then keep the monies for himself instead of depositing the cash into the township’s account. He allegedly concealed these thefts by giving the private
organizations who paid him in cash with fraudulent permits, authorities said. On July 17, Santaniello was taken into custody at his residence w it hout incident by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Off ice Economic Cr i me Squ a d a nd Brick Township Police Depar t ment. He was processed and served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court. “This is truly a sad day for Brick Township. I trust that the Police Depar tment and Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office are thoroughly investigating these charges and will uncover all the facts related to these charges,” Mayor Lisa Crate said. “The Township takes ver y seriously any allegations involvi ng t he m isu se of township funds and will work in close partnership with law enforcement to ensure taxpayer dollars are safeguarded from abuse.” Santaniello began his career in the Br ick Recreat ion (Director - See Page 4)
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