Have a Drink and Help Montclair Raise Funds For the Fourth

For the second year in a row, Montclair Celebrates, a community-based organization formed to preserve the township’s July 4th celebrations, will hold its really fun Egan and Sons fundraiser on Tuesday, June 12. Between 5 pm – 10 pm, local community members will take over the bar and serve up cold brews and cocktails in an effort to raise money to help make this year’s 62nd 4th of July parade and festivities better than ever.

In 2010, the township’s budget shortfall resulted in the de-funding of the annual festivities. Residents started organizing, with groups such as Save The Celebration and then Montclair Celebrates. Then we got lucky winning $10,000 in the Liberty Mutual Bring Back the 4th contest.

Pat Brechka, Montclair’s Director of Recreation and Cultural Affairs, tells Baristanet that between some money left over from last year’s event, and the recent Beefsteak Dinner fundraiser, the parade, picnic and fireworks will go on. Just how great the picnic ends up, depends on how much money can be raised. Years ago, the picnic featured an electric train, bounce house, tons of food and more. But the past several years, it’s been scaled down because of lack of funds.

Last year’s Egan’s event raised $4,000 and Brechka says, “It was so much fun, that the party went on well past the 10 pm end time! People from all over the community and families came out to support the effort.” The goal is to do the same and more this year and Montclair Celebrates is doing its best to make this year’s even better.

Four bartenders at a time will be serving at the main bar, and be switching out throughout the night. Who can you order your pint of Guinness from? Pat said they weren’t giving out all the names yet, but I did manage to get her to spill the beans on a few:

Peter Zorich and Tim Barr, who each recently ran for Township Councilor-At-Large, Rich McMahon, the At-Large Council winner, Eileen Sheehan, former senior activities director at Montclair’s Depart of Rec sand Pat Brechka herself will be pouring drinks. Donnie DiGeronimo, retired battalion chief of the Montclair Fire Department, will also be there.

Pat says there will be many more familiar faces and lots of surprises that you don’t want to miss.

All tips at the bar and 10% of the proceeds from the food menu will be donated to Montclair Celebrates’ Fourth of July efforts. Go early and bring your family for dinner, or get a bunch of friends together and go for drinks (that’s what I’m doing). But whatever you do—tip well! That’s what’s going to help make Montclair’s 4th celebration awesome.

Can’t make it to Egan and Sons on June 12? Just send your contribution check, made payable to “Montclair Celebrates” to:

Montclair Celebrates
c/o Montclair Recreation
205 Claremont Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042

Brechka stressed that ANY amount of donation helps. She was especially touched by donations of $5 or $10 sent by senior citizens who were life-long residents with notes saying that they wanted to help “keep the tradition” alive.