By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
Children who are spending time in the Pediatric Child Life Unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, will get some holiday cheer when singer Veronica Kole pays a visit to the hospital on Dec. 23.
Kole will arrive at the medical center bearing gifts that have been provided by community members who are participating in a giving tree sponsored for the second year in a row by Kole and the Donations for Daddy Foundation, which supports cancer patients and their families, and Darden Restaurants’ Olive Garden of Freehold Township and General Manager Angelo Lilla, according to a press release.
The giving tree had 50 tags on it and each tag requested a specific gift that Olive Garden patrons and volunteers could select to give a gift to a child this year, Kole said.
On Dec. 23, Kole, who is the foundation’s president, and her volunteers will suit up in “Santa gear” and bring the donated presents to children in the hospital. They will sing Christmas carols to each youngster to help brighten their stay in the medical center.
Donations for Daddy is a New Jersey 501(c)(3) organization that was created by Kole, who said that since the foundation’s creation in 2014 it has grown nationally and helped hundreds of families throughout the United States during a time of need when cancer strikes, according to the press release.
Through a BeYOUtiful tour, the foundation has put together musical performances with support from celebrities, media and local rising stars to bring people together to have a night to remember and most importantly, to support the families and hospitals where the events take place, Kole said.
For more information about Donations for Daddy, visit www.donationsfordaddy.org
