As Their Beards Grow, So Do Donations From Sea Isle's Police Officers

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Police Chief Tom McQuillen is ready to break out the razor and finally shave off the beard that has been sprouting on his face for the last two months. “I can’t wait to shave,” he said. “Every day in my life, I’ve shaved.” Not quite every day. Since Nov. 1, McQuillen and other members of the Sea Isle City Police Department have been taking part in the “No Shave November” and “Don’t Shave December” fundraising drives for worthy causes. For No Shave November, they raised $2,000 to help three local families coping with cancer. Each year the police department participates in the fundraiser to assist families battling the disease. Then on Saturday, Sgt. Steve Jankowski and Sgt. Rob Scarano donated $1,200 – money raised from the Don’t Shave December campaign – to Mayor Leonard Desiderio’s annual Holiday Toy & Food Drive. “This is going to go a long way to help a lot of people. I really have to say thank you,” Desiderio told Jankowski and Scarano during a check presentation ceremony. The toy and food drive is a communitywide effort involving local charities, civic groups, businesses and Sea Isle residents. Also Saturday, members of Sea Isle’s volunteer Fire Department donated food and toys filling four large plastic bins to the mayor’s toy and food drive. Members of the Sea Isle Fire Department donate toys and food for the mayor's holiday drive. Desiderio said the donations were examples of the generosity and community spirit displayed each year by the police and fire departments. During the No Shave November campaign, Desiderio matched the amount of money that police officers were able to raise to help the three local families battling cancer. In turn, the police department is lending a hand with the 28th Annual Mayor’s Holiday Toy & Food Drive through the Don’t Shave December fundraising campaign. “After we did No Shave November, we figured out another way to give back to the community,” McQuillen said of the Don’t Shave December campaign. “There was tremendous support from the public.” Fundraising efforts by the police department have helped to spread some holiday cheer in Sea Isle despite the nationwide health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “I think people are grasping for positive news,” McQuillen said. Don’t Shave December was held for the first time this year and will likely become an annual event based on its initial success, McQuillen noted. “For the first time doing it, it was a tremendous success,” he said. “We’re really excited to do our part.” Although Sea Isle’s police officers are sporting shaggy beards now as part of their charitable efforts, the razors will be coming out once the Don’t Shave December campaign is over. “The first shift in January, they’ll have to be clean-shaven,” McQuillen said. Santa joins Police Chief Tom McQuillen and his daughters, Adyson, 13, and Alyssa, 10, for a photo outside the fire station.