Written by BY BOB VOSSELLER • STAFF WRITER • NOVEMBER 21, 2009
TOMS RIVER — A fundraiser for Ocean’s Harbor House hit a home run on Saturday with help from a former professional baseball player.
“We were very fortunate to get a tremendous amount of support from the community,” Laura Snyder, director of development at Ocean’s Harbor House, said of the event held at HD Sports Training Center on Route 9.
The day began with a Zumba-thon from 9:30 until noon led by Kat Souto and guest instructors. That program involved an aerobic dance workout choreographed to Latin and Eastern rhythms.
The dynamic changed at noon when Jake Daubert, the director and owner of HD Sports and a former professional baseball player, along with his staff of coaches, conducted baseball skills demonstrations and mini-clinics.
“Our professional trainers were available to exhibit their proven speed and agility, strength and conditioning programs,” Daubert said. “The event went very well. We had been putting it together for the last two months, and a lot of people came and donated items of clothing, sports equipment and toiletries.”
HD Sports Training Center’s celebrated its first anniversary open house during the day. Half of the proceeds on Saturday went to support Ocean’s Harbor House. The funds will provide emergency shelter, counseling and crisis intervention for Ocean County’s homeless and runaway youth.
“On any given day, a dozen or so kids come through HD Sports Training carrying their equipment bags ready for their baseball or softball lesson (or perhaps lacrosse or speed and agility-training session). They are great kids who are blessed not just with parents but parents who are able to be involved in their lives, their goals and their happiness,” Daubert said.
“That isn’t always so for the kids at Harbor House, Ocean County’s safe haven for youth. As we celebrate our first anniversary at the new HD Sports Training Center, we want to recognize the great work of Ocean’s Harbor House,” Daubert added.
Daubert said that in the weeks leading up to Saturday’s event, the store called for residents to donate nonperishable food and gently used clothing and sports equipment. Residents were asked to “check out the organization’s wish list at oceansharborhouse.org.
“We got $200 in movie tickets and gift cards and two Rangers game tickets,” Daubert said.
“This is the only facility of its kind in Ocean and Monmouth counties, and we are a voluntary organization with a 24-hour hot line,” Snyder said. “We are very fortunate that Jake and his business chose to support us.”
Founded in 1985 by concerned citizens and community leaders, Ocean’s Harbor House is a safe haven for homeless and runaway children and youth ages 10 to 21 who have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
The group started as a small emergency shelter and became a diverse, multi-service organization where annually more than 8,000 area children, youth and families receive housing, counseling, outreach, prevention, crisis intervention and transitional living services.
