Saturday, May 11, 2013
Mark McGrath saved Officer Bob Franco's life after a tree fell on his vehicle during superstorm Sandy.
Police Capt. Mark McGrath, who helped save Officer Bob Franco’s life the night of superstorm Sandy, will be honored for his heroic act at the White House on Saturday. McGrath will be one of more than 40 officers from nine states, and the only one from New Jersey, that President Obama will honor as a National Association of Police Organizations Top Cop. McGrath crawled under live wires and wedged himself into a small space in Franco’s vehicle after an oak tree fell on top of it, pinning Franco inside. The tree also pinned Assistant Company 5 Fire Chief John Neukem inside his vehicle. Franco was out responding to a ruptured gas line. “I felt him, I heard him go to work,” Franco said in a news release issued by the White House. “The whole …
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Kevin Hughes and others for one of this year's Relay for Life teams will sell bracelets at Wayne Valley High School. Relay for Life is a annual event that raises money for the American Cancer Society.
Kevin Hughes is at it again. Hughes, a Wayne Valley High School student, and members of his Relay for Life team will sell bracelets to help raise money for the American Cancer Society. Hughes’ Keep Calm and Cure On 2013 team will attempt to sell 300 red bracelets at Wayne Valley March 25 to 29 as part of their Relay for Life work. Courtney and Kelly Ross and Carly Struyk are the team captains. “It’s in my blood. Volunteering, being a leader, and saving lives is who I am and now that I have finished one project, I’m expecting a great turnout for this one,” Hughes said. “There’s no greater satisfaction in life than helping someone or knowing that you are contributing to saving lives.” Hughes’ team has already raised more than $2,300. Relay …
40.930752
-74.227971
Wayne Valley High School
551 Valley Rd, Wayne, NJ
/articles/students-selling-bracelets-to-help-find-a-cure-for-cancer
735156
/locations/8962530
Friday, February 22, 2013
Kevin Hughes partners with car wash to help Officer Bob Franco.
Kevin Hughes’ mission is complete. Hughes, a student at Wayne Valley High School, recently gave $1,400 to Officer Bob Franco as part of his Help a Hero campaign. Franco suffered a severe spinal cord injury when a tree fell on the vehicle he was in during superstorm Sandy. He nearly died in the vehicle but police officers and firefighters extricated him. He rehabilitated and recovered quickly. Franco has received donations from several residents, community organizations and businesses, including $25,000 from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police. Franco is expected to return to duty. Hughes’ family is friends with Franco. Hughes sold hundreds of candy canes last winter to raise $900. He also partnered with Lincoln Wayne Car …
40.930752
-74.227971
Wayne Valley High School
551 Valley Rd, Wayne, NJ
/articles/student-donates-another-500-to-injured-officer
735156
/locations/8864951
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Group sold Poinsettias to raise money for Officer Bob Franco.
The Wayne UNICO chapter recently presented Officer Bob Franco with $1,600. The Italian-American service organization sold Poinsettia plants last year to raise money for Franco. Franco was severely injured when a tree fell on the vehicle he was in while on patrol during Superstorm Sandy. He was immobilized for several weeks following the accident, but has steadily recovered. He has regained a lot of motion in his arms, legs, and hands. UNICO is the largest Italian-American service organization in the United States. The Wayne chapter was founded in 2011. The fundraiser is one of many such events held for Franco since the accident. Farms View donated a portion of sales one day last year near Christmas to Franco. A few residents organized a …
Monday, January 21, 2013
Lincoln-Wayne Car Wash donating a portion of sales of gift cards to Officer Bob Franco and his family.
A Wayne business owner and his family are running a fundraising drive this month to help Officer Bob Franco and his family. Lincoln-Wayne Car Wash will donate 20 percent of the sale from gift cards worth $25 or more to Franco and his family. Franco, a Wayne police officer, was severely injured when a tree fell on the car he was in while on patrol during Superstorm Sandy. Franco needed a lot of assistance to get around and needed someone to hold a telephone for him to talk at first but has been steadily recovering since. Jack Sadlon and Sherrie Bradley, the husband and wife who own the car wash, will give the money they collect to Kevin Hughes. Hughes, a student at Wayne Valley High School, will then give the money to the Franco family. …
40.91456
-74.269629
Lincoln-Wayne Car Wash
200 Mountainview Blvd, Wayne, NJ
/articles/car-wash-holding-fundraiser-for-injured-officer
734960
/locations/8641891
Friday, December 7, 2012
Proceeds from UNICO's charity drive will be given to injured police officer Bob Franco and his family.
Wayne UNICO's charity poinsettia sale to benefit the family of injured police officer Bob Franco ends on Friday. Franco suffered a severe spinal cord injury when a tree fell on his patrol car during Hurricane Sandy. He is slowly regaining his range of motion and walking again. The decorative holiday flowers will be sold in 6-inch and 7-inch size pots and average 15 inches in height. The 6-inch plants cost $9, the 7-inch plants cost $18 when pre-ordered. Seven-inch plants have twice the number of flowers as the 6-inch plants do. Plants can be picked up at the municipal building on Sunday, Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. A limited number of extra plants will be available to pick up on a first-come basis for $10 and $20. An order form has been …
40.927636
-74.230512
Wayne Township Municipal Building
475 Valley Rd, Wayne, NJ
/articles/group-selling-poinsettia-to-raise-money-for-injured-officer
736883
/locations/8327192
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Farm stand donates a portion of sales to Bob Franco and his family. Franco suffered a severe spinal cord injury during Tropical Storm Sandy.
Residents went to Farms View on Wednesday to show their support for police Officer Bob Franco and his family. The owners of the longtime farm stand will donate 25 percent of the sales to help Franco recover from the severe spinal cord injury he suffered during Tropical Storm Sandy in late October. “We always come here and were planning on coming here later on this week but decided to come a few days earlier because of the fundraiser,” said Carolyn Mugavero, who was at Farms View with her husband Richard buying Christmas decorations. “It’s important to give back to the community, especially to someone who risked his life to help others. Those people in uniform go out there everyday to help protect us. It is the least we can do.” The …
40.971866
-74.272242
Farms View
945 Black Oak Ridge Rd, Wayne, NJ
/articles/residents-purchase-decorations-trees-to-support-injured-officer
735569
/locations/8247757
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Twenty-five percent of all sales Nov. 28 will be given to help police officer Bob Franco and his family. Franco suffered a severe spinal cord injury during Hurricane Sandy.
Farms View will donate 25 percent of all sales on Wednesday, Nov. 28 to officer Bob Franco and his family. The farm will be open extended hours, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., that day. Customers can choose from a variety of seasonal items, including Christmas trees and wreaths. The farm stand is the latest business to assist Franco and his family since he suffered a severe spinal cord injury during Hurricane Sandy. A tree fell on the vehicle he was in at Fire Company 5, pinning him inside. It took emergency workers an hour to extract him from the vehicle. Franco was in surgery for six hours after the accident and kept immobilized for sometime thereafter. Franco is now walking a little bit and has regained some motion in his shoulders and arms. Local …
40.971866
-74.272242
Farms View
945 Black Oak Ridge Rd, Wayne, NJ
/articles/farms-view-donating-portion-of-sales-to-injured-officer
735569
/locations/8171137
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Twenty-five percent of sales from 4 to 10 p.m. will be donated to Bob Franco and his family to aid in his recovery.
Fairway Market in Woodland Park will be donating 25 percent of sales on Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. to help support Officer Bob Franco and his family. Franco suffered a severe spinal cord injury when a tree fell on the patrol car in was in two weeks ago during Hurricane Sandy. He is slowly learning to walk again and gradually regaining movement in his arms and neck. Attendees are asked to register when they go to the market and present the registration form to the cashier when they check out. For more information or to send Franco and his family a message of support, click here. — Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign …
Monday, November 12, 2012
Bob Franco suffered a severe spinal cord injury during Hurricane Sandy.
Fairway Market in Woodland Park will be donating 25 percent of sales on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 4 to 10 p.m. to help support Officer Bob Franco and his family. Franco suffered a severe spinal cord injury when a tree fell on the patrol car in was in two weeks ago during Hurricane Sandy. Attendees are asked to register when they go to the market and present the registration form to the cashier when they check out. For more information, e-mail Tyler Franco at tylerfranco@optonline.net. Danielle Hassenbein and Hara O’Dowd ran a marathon in the Packanack Lake section of town recently to raise money for Franco and his family. — Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and …
KrisTee
1:48 pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
In every department there are great officers and poor ones, you can't argue that. I've known Mark since he was a Passaic Park police officer, he was great there and he is great for Wayne. As for making comments about the home burglaries in Wayne ?? WPD needed a little kick to get them going and start being a bit proactive. The burglaries are not sole to Wayne, all our surrounding towns are going … more ›