BarkDrop 2025 is officially in the books and what a day it was.
On Wednesday, December 17, police officers and their families, members of the West Windsor PBA #271, volunteers from across the region, friends, family, residents, business owners, and West Windsor Township staff all came together with one mission. Deliver joy. And pet food. And toys. And blankets. And basically everything a furry friend could dream of.
Truckloads upon truckloads of donations were delivered to our primary shelters this year. Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary, SAVE, A Friend to Homeless Animals, and EASEL Animal Rescue League. Additional drops were made before and after BarkDrop to the Hamilton Animal Shelter and The Wildlife Center. The goal was simple. Overwhelm every shelter based on their individual wish lists and needs. Keep donating until tears of joy happened. Mission accomplished.
Enter Elf Team Six. The delivery branch of BarkDrop that prepares all year for one glorious day. This team of professionals and volunteers executed with holiday precision. The world famous Barkbrigade sprang into action, forming massive human chains from the trucks and yes, I mean TRUCKS, straight into the shelters. Wave after wave of boxes and bags flowed in while holiday music played loud and spirits ran even louder.
After deliveries were complete, Elf Team Six spent time visiting with the pups and cats. A few volunteers may or may not have been eyeing new family members in time for Christmas. When the final box was unloaded and the BarkDrop blizzard settled, two Bohren’s Moving & Storage trucks, one Mangone dump truck and dump trailer, one Penske moving truck, and one PBA trailer were completely emptied. The shelters were full. The hearts were fuller. And yes, there were tears of joy. Except maybe from those who moved all the donations.
None of this happens without extraordinary people.
At the very top is Gloria Garofalo, five star General of Elf Team Six. Gloria starts this mission in July. Coordinating wish lists, communicating with shelters, organizing donations, sorting, lifting, moving, and making sure that when delivery day arrives, everything is ready down to the final box. BarkDrop does not happen without her. Period.
Our sponsors were absolutely priceless.
Thank you to Ted & Louise from Bohren’s Moving & Storage for showing us how to move a mountain of donations the right way. Mark, Don, and your entire team are simply incredible. Thank you to Buxton’s Boxes for multiple mobile storage pods that kept everything safe and organized. Thank you to Pawsitively Purrfect for working with Gloria and making literal tons of food and litter happen. Thank you to Wegmans for food, supplies, and keeping Elf Team Six fueled and smiling. Thank you to Nylabone for massive donations. Thank you to Tony Mangone, possibly the most caring human on the planet, for trucks, forklifts, and pure generosity. Thank you to Amazon for the mountains of donations. Brad, you never let us down. Thank you to West Windsor PBA #271, StartNet Solutions, Kulak Arms, and Qualitas / IT Serve for record breaking support.
Hundreds of residents and families donated through the PBA site, our Amazon wish lists, and the Pawsitively Purrfect wish list. Your generosity took us over the top.
Special thanks as well to Mercer County Chiefs of Police, Penske Truck Rentals, Boston Properties, Barkley Tree Farm, Sue Thompson, VCS Software, VEG ER for Pets, Yale Electric Supply, HCT Control Technologies, AMBD Photography, Princeton Rotary, Turtle & Hughes, Princeton Air, Mango Mango, Crown Trophy, McCaffrey’s, Crumbl Cookie, Heather and Julie Palumbo, and Public Safety Unlimited.
Because of you, shelters were stocked, tails were wagging, and this holiday season will be a little warmer and a lot happier for our furry friends.
From all of us involved in Operation BarkDrop, thank you for making this year unforgettable. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to every two legged and four legged friends out there.
Stay Safe & Warm!
