BEACHWOOD – It’ll be the third annual Beachwood Community Day, but this one is a little more special for Councilman Gerald LaCrosse.
The community came out to rally for him, while he went in and out of intensive care. A fundraiser held by two local PBAs, Berkeley Local 237 and Beachwood-Pine Beach Local 253, set up a hot dog stand for a weekend, bringing in quite a bit of money for him. This check will be presented at Beachwood Community Day.
“It was a tremendous effort,” LaCrosse said. “I don’t know how to thank them.”
The hot dog cart was his livelihood, and it’s been taken away. Between that and the mounting medical bills, the fundraiser was extremely welcome.
Additionally, a GoFundMe had been set up by his niece, Charissa Fromm and LaCrosse’s son, Jerry. It can be found at gofundme.com/gerald-lacrosse039s-huge-losshelp. As of press time, it had raised more than $11,500.
He said that he never imagined in his wildest dreams that so many people would come out to help him.
Just two months after the crash, LaCrosse is home now. Doctors won’t let him walk without a cane, but the fact that he is walking at this time is amazing. There are still more medical treatments to undergo, and therapy to undertake.
“Quite honestly, I’m still supposed to be in the hospital,” he said.
The third annual Beachwood Community Day will be held on Aug. 25, from noon to 4 p.m., at Birch & Surf Park.
It’s a family event that offers activities for kids and parents.
For kids, there will be inflatable rides, a petting zoo, and face painting. There will also be demonstrations by Tong Dragon Martial Arts and a bicycle stunt show. Kids and parents can take part in various games and activities. And everyone likes live music and food vendors.
Local service organizations will have booths at the event. The Central Jersey Blood Center will have a blood drive throughout the event, and will be joined by other wellness providers and health organizations such as Pollack Health & Wellness, Ocean Ride, The DART Prevention Coalition, New York Life Insurance, Community Medical Center, and the Catastrophic Illnesses Organization.
The rain date for the event is Sunday, Aug. 26. For more information, visit BeachwoodUSA.com.
