Chaverim of Rockland Holds Evening of Appreciation for Volunteers, Celebrates Partnerships with local Officials

By: Yitzy Fried 

It was an evening of recognition of incredible sacrifice, and of shared purpose as Chaverim of Rockland held their annual evening of appreciation on Sunday night at Vilchovitz Hall in Monsey. 

Askonim, community leaders, and elected officials came out in celebration of the more than 150 selfless volunteers of Chaverim of Rockland who stand at the ready twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to assist anyone in need in the entire Rockland County. 

Unlike Chaverim organizations in many other communities, Rockland’s Chaverim absorbs many other emergencies typically handled by different organizations, and are truly the go-to for more than twenty thousand callers annually, in every area of Rockland Country. 

Among the elected officials present were: Town Of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht; Town Of Ramapo Chief Of Staff Mona Montal; Village Of Spring Valley Police Chief Rich Oleszczuk; Village Of Spring Valley Police Deputy Chief Jack Boswars; Rockland County Sheriff

Louis Falco; Rockland County Sheriff Chief William Barbera; Rockland County Legislator Philip Soskin; Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder; Assemblyman Mike Lawler, and Town Of Ramapo Police Chief Martin Reilly, who noted the shared goals between his department and Chaverim, and how the division of labor redounds to the benefit of the community. 

“Partnerships are complex vehicles for delivering practical solutions to the community’s needs. The Ramapo Police department is committed to its partnership with Chaverim,” he said. 

As the dozens of members and their spouses filed out of the hall into the chilly evening, it was with renewed commitment to serving the Rockland County community for yet another year.