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Pictured from left, back row: Ross James of J-Cuts; Jennifer DeLeon, Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley; Suzanne Reilly, TEAM, Inc. and Nicole Polifka, Bright Horizons.
Front row: Jennifer Sneider, owner, J-Cuts; Bonita Robinson, Milford Department of Children and Families./Contributed photo
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Jennifer Sneider, owner of J-Cuts barber shop, 505 Howe Ave., said she is amazed by the outpouring of kindness from the community.
"Every year more and more people join in,” Sneider said. "Now that this collection is well established, monkeys find their way to J-Cuts throughout the year. When people see monkeys for sale, they think of children in need."
Once again, members of Keith Urban's Ville members and Facebook fans from all over the world mailed stuffed monkeys to Connecticut.
They collected a total of 1,356 stuffed monkeys, 300 of which were donated directly to the CT Children’s Medical Center.
J-Cuts became the main drop off location after taking the drive over from the owners of Luther’s Garage, which is now closed.
“This is my fifth year being involved,” Sneider said. “We have so much fun. My customers, co-workers and family all love to get involved!
"We decorate the barber shop in anticipation of a whole bunch of monkeys moving in for a little while. It is an amazing feeling to know each and every one of these monkeys will find comfort in the arms of a child in need and children will find comfort in these monkeys.”
Additional collection locations included Minuteman Press, 427 Howe Ave., Suite 2 and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce offices, 10 Progress Drive, 2nd floor.
Minuteman Press also donated posters.
5th annual Monkey Love Sunday
Mary Finnegan and Lenny Marconi held their 5th Annual Monkey Love Sunday Jan. 18 at Off the Hook Bar & Grill in Stratford.
As a member of the online meetup group, Party Express, Marconi decided to invite everyone to Off the Hook each year for a monkey drop-off party. Between donations from this group and many loyal customers of Off the Hook, more than 100 stuffed monkeys were collected again. Off the Hook holds a Monkey Love Sunday celebration each year on the Sunday before Super Bowl. Next year, they hope to have other area pubs in Stratford join in the fun.
For the second year in a row, members of the Milford Fire Department dropped off donations along with Bright Horizons child care center, 3 Corporate Drive, and United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin St., Ansonia.
The United Methodist Women, led by Barbara Tchakirides, crocheted 18 adorable and colorful stuffed monkeys.
“We enjoyed crocheting these monkeys knowing they would warm the hearts of children in need on Valentine’s Day,” Tchakirides said.
This annual community event benefits abused and neglected children, impoverished, adopted and sick children, and frightened children involved in police calls, as well as children who may feel a little left out when a younger sibling is born, and children treated for cancer or other illnesses at local hospitals.
Children benefited by the drive this year are served by the Milford and Lower Naugatuck Valley (Shelton) Boys & Girls Clubs; Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital in New Haven; TEAM, Inc. in Derby and Ansonia; BHcare’s Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia; Griffin Hospital in Derby; the Department of Children and Families in Milford; International Institute of CT, Refugee Services division of Bridgeport and the Shelton Lions Club.
Coordinators also shared 26 of the stuffed monkeys as “26 Random Acts of Kindness.”
According to Laura Jones, Manager, Refugee Services at the International Institute of CT, “We serve recently-arrived refugee families, as well as asylees, asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking," she said.
"We serve a number of children who come to us through these programs, either on their own or with their parents, who would really appreciate receiving one of these special monkeys.”
In celebration of the 10th Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive next year, coordinators are hoping to mark this milestone by launching a “monkey love challenge” and have it go viral.
They would like to have people participate by buying some monkeys, making a cute video, posting it on social media calling out others to do the same and then mailing their donations to J-Cuts.
For information on holding a collection of your own next year, beginning Jan. 1, 2016, call J-Cuts, 203-924-4107.
J-Cuts also holds an Annual Back-To-School Book Bag and School Supply Drive which begins July 1.
For information on holding a collection of your own next year, beginning Jan. 1, 2016, call J-Cuts, 203-924-4107.
J-Cuts also holds an Annual Back-To-School Book Bag and School Supply Drive which begins July 1.
This post is taken from a press release from Monkey Love Drive organizers.
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