Press Release
Classic Cars
SOUTH AMBOY/SAYREVILLE – The City of South Amboy & South Amboy/Sayreville Rotary Club will be hosting a Classic Car Parade and Food Drive to benefit local food pantries at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and First Presbyterian Church in South Amboy. Both churches have been supporting the needs of food insecure during the pandemic and need constant replenishing to continue to serve the community.
The event will be held on Sunday, September 20th, weather pending. The parade will begin at 1:00pm starting at the South Amboy High School parking lot. The parade will continue through the following streets: John T. O’Leary Boulevard, Broadway to Main Street, Feltus Street crossing over Bordentown Avenue, traveling to Portia Street, then South Pine Avenue, and travel to the intersection of Pine and John, finishing at the end of John Street. A rain date of Sunday, September 27th has been planned for the Classic Car Parade and Food Drive in case of inclement weather.
A map of the parade route can be found on the Rotary of SASY Facebook page. All participating vehicles will be numbered, and photos of each numbered car will be posted on the social media page. Voting for best car will be held via the Facebook page by “liking” your favorite car(s). The winner will be announced on that page following the event.
Community members are invited to listen for the DJ float coming down the street and enjoy the South Amboy Police-escorted parade. Everyone should plan to follow social distancing guidelines if placing chairs along the route.
The South Amboy High School InterAct Club, sponsored by the Rotary Club, will be collecting food at the end of the parade with a goal to “fill the float”. Community members along the parade route are encouraged to donate non-perishable goods to replenish the local food pantries as the need continues to rise during this critical time. The most critical non-perishable needs to keep the pantries stocked include: peanut butter, canned fish and meats, beans, and other high-protein goods.
Anthony Conrad, South Amboy Board of Education President and Rotary Club member stated, “We are proud of our high school students’ engagement in the Interact Club sponsored by the SASY Rotary Club and celebrate their involvement in service to their community. I encourage all families to donate any canned goods during the parade to support their efforts to serve others.”
Those with classic cars interested in participating in the parade event should contact SASYRotary@gmail.com for registration information. The streets will be swept prior to the event to ensure clean roads for delicate vehicles. The South Amboy Police Department will escort the parade through the route. The Rotary would like to extend special thanks to the South Amboy Police Department and Patrolman Steve Clark for helping to plan the event route and providing traffic control.
“Many local families are still unemployed, causing a rise in food insecurity,” said Mark Herdman, Office of Emergency Management Coordinator. “The community of South Amboy has been tremendously impacted by the ongoing pandemic and the need for non-perishable donations is greater than ever. Over 12,000 lbs of food was distributed through the month of July and we expect this need to rise in the next few months. We are so grateful for the Rotary’s event to ensure our emergency food pantries are stocked as we grant hope in the midst of this pandemic. Those need of any support should contact the South Amboy Office of Emergency Management at saoem@southamboynj.gov or 732.588.5830 for assistance.”
Mayor Henry supported this event from the time of concept and said “Despite the hardships our community has faced during these difficult times, our community has banded together to support those who are in need. We are proud to partner with the club to raise our community spirit and collect food for the emergency food bank that has risen due to the pandemic.”
The Rotary Club also recently hosted a successful blood drive honoring our local heroes. Upcoming events will be shared on the club’s social media Facebook page, called Rotary Club of SASY. Community members can follow the club’s page to stay informed of event details and be prepared to vote for their favorite classic car(s) during the event.
The South Amboy/Sayreville Rotary Club sponsors several outreach programs including a high school student member Interact Club, Dictionary Project for all third-graders in both school districts, Daddy-Daughter Dates, Polka Dances, and scholarships for South Amboy and Sayreville college-bound students with a focus on community service. Sponsors are needed for these programs as fundraisers have been cancelled due to the pandemic. Please contact Rocco Cuoco, Club President at SASYRotary@gmail.com with any sponsorship or club membership inquiries.
