Schools
Point Boro HS Student and Teacher Help Sandy-Displaced Families
Boro High School senior, teacher, and local business join forces to create T-shirt to raise funds for families
One of the many stories of neighbor helping neighbor after Superstorm Sandy comes from where a student and a teacher designed and sold T-shirts to help Borough residents.
Senior Raelynn Ridarick and Physical Education teacher Christopher Ferrone designed a T-shirt, sold more than 150 to Borough High School students and gave the proceeds to 12 local, displaced families.
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"We had a cost of $6 per T-shirt and we sold them for $15 so we made a $9 profit on each shirt," Ferrone said. "We sold over 150 shirts for a profit of a little over $1,400. That money was donated in the form of gift cards for Lowes, Home Depot, etc."
Ridarick said, “My main reason for creating the shirts was to be able to make a big impact on the community."
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She said that just after the storm she helped flooded residents clean out their houses. But she wanted to do a lot more so she asked Ferrone for help.
“He was a very important part of this whole thing and I certainly couldn't have done it without his help," she said.
Together the pair designed and created a T-shirt with the assistance of 3105 Bridge Ave., Point Borough. The store waived costs and offered the shirts at a discount to Ferrone and Ridarick to assist with the cause.
“They were amazing,” Ridarick said. “If they didn't do such an amazing job, this really wouldn't have come together as greatly as it did.”
The shirts exude local pride while also displaying New Jersey’s trademark sense of humor. The slogan “Sandy’s a Beach” adorns the front while the phrase “Point Strong” is on the back.
“I wanted the shirts to say something that would put a smile on people’s faces,” Ridarick explained. “The back logo was so people would know that while we may be Jersey Strong in our community, we will be Point Strong.”
Things won’t be slowing down for Ridarick and Ferrone as the duo plans to expand their charitable operation.
“We plan to extend the sales to the middle school and elementary schools. That way all the families in Point Pleasant are aware that their community is there to support them” said Ridarick.
For more information about the shirts, contact Ferrone at cferrone@pointpleasant.k12.nj.us.
