MASSIVE DONATION MADE BY FREE COUNTRY TO THE NJ COUNCIL

In mid-December, Council Chaplain Spero Kalambakas, was discussing NJ’s outreach and support to military personnel with his friend Ted Kaidas. Ted is the Chief Financial Officer for Free Country Outdoor Gear, a California based high end outdoors clothing supplier. Their initial discussion would continue and soon involved Council President Daniel Dermer. In the final weeks of the year Free Country decided to donate heavy duty outerwear, including coats, Gator facemasks and thermals to the Council with specific requests that the donations go to NJ based US Coast Guard, US Navy and military personnel. With each discussion, the size of the donation increased as did the width and breadth or the intended recipients. By the date of delivery, the donation included all of the military units the Council sponsors, their families and also Veterans who had definitive needs.

On Monday, January 19, 2026, a tractor trailer containing 16 double stacked pallets of Free Country goods arrived at the US Coast Guard Station in Bayonne. Many thanks go out to the Aids to Navigation Teams Officer in Charge, Master Chief Quinn and his personnel for unloading and storing the 16 pallets in their facility. Due to space limitations four pallets needed to remain outside until distributed, which is a true indication as to the volume of this donation. Over the next five days, the personnel in Bayonne, together with members of the NJ Council, sorted, separated, repacked and distributed all of the contents from the 16 double stacked pallets. Pallets stacked double high and then box after box, package after package was distributed to the units listed below. The New Jersey Council is incredibly grateful to the Schwartz family and to Ted Kaidas for this donation. Their kindness and generosity represent the largest single donation ever made to the New Jersey Council and numbers into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. BRAVO ZULU to all of those involved in this unique and premier opportunity of service.

‍ ‍US Coast Guard Units:

The Aids to Navigation Team in Bayonne, the US Coast Guard Cutter Katherine Walker, the US Coast Guard Cutter Hawser, the US Coast Guard Cutter Sturgeon Bay, the US Coast Guard Cutter Penobscot Bay, US Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook, US Coast Guard Detachment Sandy Hook other US Coast Guard units stationed in Sector NY and serving NJ.

US Navy

Naval Weapons Station Earle, its tenant Commands including the US Marine Corps Recruiting District. Naval Air Station Lakehurst

Veterans Groups

American Legion Post 25 in Milltown, NJ- VFW Posts in Bayonne, East Brunswick and New Brunswick NJ - NAAM House’s Veteran Services Catholic Charities- Multiple Marine Corps League Veterans Outreach Programs New Jersey Veterans Network