If you’ve driven through Berkeley Township recently there’s a good chance you have seen a sign for the Team Trevor “Christmas in July” toy drive because they are sprinkled throughout the Bayville area.

Some might remember Trevor Kwatkoski, a 6-year old who two years ago was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that is most prevalent in teen agers and young adults. Trevor is a fighter and he’s had plenty to fight as last August he had a relapse in his right lung which required additional surgery from which he is still recovering.

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However he’s not much different than any other 6-year old and recently graduated from kindergarten at H&M Potter School. Next up is 1st grade.  The first half of his summer vacation will be somewhat occupied by a cause taken up by his family last year and that is the “Christmas in July” toy drive which is now underway.

Along with his parents Jill and Tom and his older brothers Kyle, Justin and Tyler, Trevor is busy collecting toys which will benefit the children’s hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, a place he is all-to-familiar with.

Children receiving treatment at RWJ pick a special gift in recognition of their strength and courage from what is called a Treasure Box.  During the summer months that box gets depleted so the goal of Christmas in July is to fill it with toys for boys and girls of all ages…infants to teenagers.

Gifts can include puzzles, dolls, action figures, board games, coloring books and crayons, Xbox games…just about everything except stuffed animals which they don’t accept.

These new toys can be dropped off at Bayville Auto Care and Oh What A Bagel (both on Route 9 in Bayville) and Sign Up Signs on Route 9 in Beachwood.  Also Tom Kwatkoski will be at the Berkeley Little League picnic at the Moorage Avenue field this Saturday and at Veteran’s Park on Saturday, June 24 collecting toys.

For those who would like you can make a monetary donation which will be used to purchase toys by sending a check to “Christmas in July”, PO Box 64, Bayville, NJ 08721.  You can also like them on Facebook at Team Trevor.

At the end of July all the toys collected will be brought to the hospital and it will clearly bring smiles to the faces of children who need them the most. The Kwatkoski Family has been appreciative of the support they have received and while they have their own mountains to climb they are clearly “paying it forward” and showing kindness to others.

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