The people of Woodbridge have once again showed their true spirit of community in the days and weeks after the tragic apartment fire at the Woodbridge Village-Colonial Gardens apartment complex in the Avenel section of town that left 49 families with nothing but the clothes they were wearing at 3 p.m. on July 10.
By the weekend, after a single automated phone call and a few postings on the township web page, township residents, businesses and corporations, charitable groups and associations, emergency service organizations, and even citizens throughout Middlesex County, the state of New Jersey, and the nation, opened their hearts and pocketbooks contributing thousands of dollars in donations, gift cards, clothing and toiletries, food, school supplies and other necessary items — all of which has been provided directly to each and every family and apartment resident.
The owners of the property, Middlesex Management, worked diligently to relocate and house the tenants and help them recover valuables and important paperwork prior to demolition of the structures. Avenel Presbyterian Church, under the direction of Pastor Jason Tucker, served as the donation center where the fire victims went to receive assistance and necessities. Many township religious, cultural, and social organizations held events for the victims and the Woodbridge School District converted the Avenel Middle School gym into a community center where the residents gathered daily to obtain information and receive assistance.
Gov. Chris Christie’s office reached out within an hour of the fire, asking how they and the state could help. Representatives of the Department of Community Affairs were on site within 24 hours offering assistance. The Motor Vehicle Commission set up a special room within a week to help the residents replace drivers’ licenses, registrations, and vehicle titles. In short, any request that was made for help was answered immediately by the state.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Congressman Leonard Lance arranged for representatives from Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) to be on site the next day to help people replace passports, work visas, green cards, and other important papers. One individual who lost everything was scheduled to become a citizen on July 26 and had assumed he would be delayed by months; amazingly INS was able to get him through the system and he is now a proud U.S.citizen.
Firefighters from the eight other Woodbridge fire districts responded to help the Avenel Fire Company fight the blaze in an amazing effort of teamwork and professionalism. Companies from Edison, Metuchen, North Plainfield, Piscataway, Cranbury, and other neighboring communities, either chipped in at the scene or watched our firehouses while our crews were in Avenel. The Avenel-Colonia First Aid Squad and other FASs from Woodbridge and surrounding towns gave tirelessly of their time. The Township’s Emergency Management team, the all-volunteer Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and the Woodbridge Police Department, in concert with the American Red Cross, helped keep the residents safe and our firefighters hydrated and fed.
While the events of July 10 at the Woodbridge Village-Colonial Gardens apartment complex have faded from the headlines, we — the township, community and charitable associations and organizations, and representatives of Middlesex Management — continue to meet with each and every family and to offer assistance and support. We kick off every public ceremony, meeting, concert, or township-sponsored event by saying “Welcome to Woodbridge — The Best Town Around” and we mean it. And then the 100,000 residents of the 10 sections of Woodbridge Township go out and prove it every day.
On behalf of the Woodbridge Village-Colonial Gardens community, thank you to each and every resident and business that contributed or donated — your immediate and generous outpouring of support “saved-the-day” and allowed the residents to begin to reestablish their lives.
