7 months ago
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WAYNE — Two champions for abused and neglected children will be recognized Friday at a fundraiser for youth living in foster care.
Richard Freid, a retired judge from North Haledon, and Jimmy Veale, a senior at Wayne Hills High School, will be honored at the annual “Voices of Children” gala hosted by Child Focus at Preakness Hills Country Club, at 1050 Ratzer Road.
The event starts at 7 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by dancing, dinner and a live auction.
Child Focus, a nonprofit with offices in Elizabeth and on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne, is best known as the spearhead of this area’s team of court-appointed special advocates, who are recruited and trained to speak on behalf of foster youth. As of last fiscal year, the organization had 203 active volunteers who assisted 379 children.
Retired Judge Richard Freid, of North Haledon, and Wayne Hills High School senior Jimmy Veale.
Freid was appointed as a judge in the family division of state Superior Court in Paterson in July 2004. He retired a decade later, but he continued to serve on recall for eight more years. Child Focus said in a statement that he swore in its new volunteers, a “task he relished.”
The retired judge, who is married to state Sen. Nellie Pou, D-Paterson, also “navigated complex and emotional cases with a deep commitment to every child’s best interests,” the organization said.
Veale is among the most reliable Child Focus volunteers, especially when it comes to finding elusive wish list items for youth during the holidays. “Jimmy has been known to pound the pavement, and scour the internet, to secure those coveted gifts,” the organization said.
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The left-handed golfer was honored by The Record and NorthJersey.com as “Athlete of the Week” in the spring after he won an individual title at the Passaic County tournament at Preakness Valley Golf Course on Totowa Road. He has committed to play for Manhattan University.
Erica Fischer-Kaslander, the executive director of Child Focus, said of the honorees that their “dedication and compassion exemplify the mission and vision” of the organization. “We’re thrilled to highlight the contributions of these exceptional individuals,” she said.
To buy tickets for the gala, or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit the Child Focus website at childfocusnj.org.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
Volunteer for Child Focus
More than 500 children need to be removed from their homes in Passaic and Union counties due to abuse or neglect each year. There is an urgent need for volunteers to step up.
Find out more at one of the following information sessions at the Child Focus office, at 415 Hamburg Turnpike, Suite D2: 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 25, noon on Sept. 30, 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 7, noon on Oct. 10, or 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 17.
Training will start on Oct. 23.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Wayne nonprofit plans 'Voices of Children' gala. Here are the honorees
