10,000 Lakewood Orthodox Jewish children will likely not receive their free toys at the Chol Homoed carnival on Sunday due to a miscommunication at the UPS facility on Airport Road in Lakewood, Dr. Rich Roberts tells TLS.
Dr. Roberts says UPS has been helpful in holding deliveries to Orthodox Jewish businesses and schools during the Succos holiday by storing these packages in six large trailers. But since the KNA Succos carnival in being held at the Cheder for this holiday, the 10,000 toys were also put into storage and UPS does not have enough people to find these prizes before the carnival on Sunday.
Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein, and the LPD, met with the local UPS branch today and offered the assistance of 20 Township employees or Chaverim to find these toys, but the local UPS management says that company policy does not permit this outside help.
Dr. Rich Roberts, whose shul Kollel Ner Avrohom, Inc. pays for these carnivals, said “This is very unfortunate. There will be 10,000 children who will not receive their toys at the carnival unless UPS is able to somehow get this done in time. I understand why this happened but I’m very disappointed for the children. UPS had notified the company who runs the carnival, yesterday, that the toys were going to be delivered but then ‘rescheduled’ the delivery, putting the toys into storage, as part of their broader-range help for our community. I hope that UPS can somehow find the staff to get these toys out of storage before the carnival or accept outside help to get it done.”
The Succos carnival is scheduled for this Sunday, from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM at The Cheder, including three motorcycle shows, three acrobat shows, three Jump Rope Troupe shows, a petting zoo, 10,000 packaged candies, cotton candy, and popcorn, but no gift unless UPS can solve this problem soon. Everything is provided for free for this religious celebration.
UPDATE: 4:35 PM: UPS Finds 5100 Prizes for the Chol Homoed Carnival
UPS has found 5,100 of the 10,000 prizes for the Chol Homoed carnival, Dr. Roberts says.
Dr. Roberts said, “Once again, UPS has come through for the community. UPS both holds truckloads of deliveries for frum businesses and schools during Succos and Pesach and has made a special effort today to find the Chol Homoed carnival prizes within those trucks. I also want to express my gratitude to The Lakewood Scoop for bringing attention to this challenge which seems to have mobilized UPS corporate support to find these toys for our children. I hope that UPS will be able to find the additional boxes by Sunday.”
When asked if UPS is still searching for the remaining 4,900 children’s prizes, Dr. Roberts replied “I don’t know. I guess we’ll see by Sunday. But I’m grateful for what UPS has been able to do thus far.”
UPDATE Motzei Shabbos: Dr. Roberts says all packages were located just before Shabbos.
Kudos to Dr Robert’s for always going beyond for the children of Lakewood … you really help lots of Families keep their kids busy during Chol Hamoed … just wondering why we would use township tax dollars to help find these toys … maybe we can get Chaveririm or another group of volunteers to help find them .
It’s also kind of awkward that they are lost in a trailer at a time when everything gets scanned
Thank you Dr Roberts for all your efforts on our behalf! Gam zu ltova and is a learning experience for us. Good shabbos
Oy nebach these kids need the toys
Wheh!!
UPS doesn’t have enough personnel to find a large order like that?
We must call in the Chaveirim, LSCW, and Misaskim units to help locate them!
Maybe we should call the UPS ware house. The more that call maybe they will do something.
Thank you UPS for going the extra mile and finding the toys!
Why can’t dr Robert’s just buy ups and make them find everything
Sure, Hashem knows what a big Zaddik Dr Roberts is, so He came to his help.
Thank you Hashem, thank you Dr Roberts and UPS.
Thank you UPS for your dedication to your customers.
will there be free food also? how about hotdogs, hamburgers and drinks
Way to go UPS!!! they should be delivering on Sundays anyway.!! I need to ship FBA. There is 12 pallets sitting in my garage rite now! Shalom