‘HERO OF THE DAY’
Zuber Realty delivers busload of donations for Berks veterans in need
Zuber Realty delivered a busload of donations for veterans in need thanks to a month-long food drive.
Throughout the month of June, Richard A. Zuber Realty called on the community to fill the Zuber bus with nonperishable food and toiletry items for Veterans Making a Difference, a Berks County-based non-profit organization that helps veterans in need, Zuber Realty said in a press release.
“The Zuber bus was stuffed,” said real estate agent Betsy Bellantoni in the release. “It was really, really full! People came with entire bags of canned products.”
Items were collected at Zuber Realty’s Boyertown and Royersford offices and at Boyertown Redner’s Market all month, as well as a special collection day held at the Boyertown office on
June 11 and at Boyertown’s Redner’s Market on June 18. Donations of cash, checks, or gift cards were also accepted and encouraged.
While the Zuber bus was parked at Redner’s, not all donations came from Redner’s shoppers.
“Random folks stopped by the bus to donate,” she said. “Sadly, we weren’t initially aware of the donations from outside shoppers — one gentleman in particular — or we would have thanked him more profusely. So, whoever you are, consider yourself our hero of the day!”
JoCarol Zuber of Zuber Insurance said the agency was also inspired by the donation of a $500 gift card to Veterans Making a Difference from the Ladies Auxiliary of Liberty Fire Company, New Berlinville.
Zuber Realty agent Vanessa Deskie, who coordinated the project and is a member of Zuber Realty’s
Community Outreach Committee, said the agency collected 19% more this year than last year.
“It’s heartwarming to realize the generosity and caring our community demonstrates to our veterans,” said Deskie.
She credits the increase in community participation to Boyertown State Theatre’s donation of free screen advertising of the collection, encouraging people to donate to the food drive throughout June, as well as social media.
“The help that folks provided by sharing information about the food drive has been appreciated and has made this drive even more successful,” said Deskie. “Social media has been a valuable tool to generate support for our effort.”
Giving back to veterans is an honor and a privilege for Deskie.
“Generations of my family have served our country,” Deskie explained. “My family’s service includes my grandfather’s and father-inlaw’s service in WWII, my dad’s tenure in the army between wars, my uncle’s tour in Vietnam, my cousins’ service in Iraq, and many more past relatives dating back to the Civil War.”