“Lakewood is Love”: Attorney Inzelbuch Buys Pies For Bus Drivers Who Work Thanksgiving

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michael-inzelbuchLakewood, NJ – The Asbury Park Press reports: Bus drivers who work Thanksgiving transporting Orthodox Jewish children to school were treated to a pumpkin pie Wednesday as a token of appreciation from the school board attorney.

Michael Inzelbuch, attorney for the township Board of Education, purchased 325 pies and distributed them to the drivers and aids who will work on the holiday. The pies were delivered to the school board office on Route 9 and were picked up by drivers Wednesday morning.

The distribution of pies comes after public outcry over school district officials requiring bus drivers to work Thanksgiving. Inzelbuch said he offered the pies in an attempt to smooth relations.

“Lakewood is love,” Inzelbuch said, when he announced he would buy each driver a pie.

A majority of the 18,000 private school children entitled to transportation on the national holiday have waived the need for busing in the afternoon, Inzelbuch said Wednesday. The township school district is required to provide transportation to private school students as well as for the public school students.

The pie containers each had a sticker that read: “Happy Thanksgiving. We appreciate all that you do.”

Inzelbuch said he will celebrate Thanksgiving with his wife.

The majority of private school students, about 15,000, will receive morning transportation only, according to Gus Kakavas, transportation consultant to the township Board of Education. About 1,000 students will require no bus service Thanksgiving and the remainder will get morning and afternoon busing.

About 400 private school bus routes are used on a regular school day to transport the 18,000 Orthodox students attending Lakewood’s 76 private schools, officials said. The state requires transportation for private schools be provided Monday through Friday from September to June. The requirement for transportation has been in place for decades but has not been enforced in Lakewood every year. The last time drivers worked Thanksgiving in Lakewood was 2003.

Jay Ellinson, 29, of Lakewood is the owner of Jay’s Bus service. He said about 50 drivers will work Thanksgiving. Many schools staggered their 4 p.m. dismissal time so less workers are needed, Ellinson said. Jay’s did not have difficulty staffing the bus routes, he said.

The compromise on Thanksgiving bus service is appreciated, said Dawn Ace, 53, of Lakewood, who drives for Central Bus Service. Her dinner plan includes 22 guests, a turkey, lasagna, ham, potatoes and salads, after she completes her morning bus run, she said.

Ace was with Georgeann Esposito, 45, of Jackson, and Christina Donohue, 40, of Toms River, also Central Bus drivers, at the board office Wednesday picking up 25 pies for their coworkers.

{Absury Park Press/Matzav.com Newscenter}


12 COMMENTS

  1. I’m surprised they didn’t throw the pies right back at his face! And where did he ever get that silly phrase, “Lakewood is Love”. Now who falls for such superficiality?

  2. Pies or not, this type of selfishness will make it difficult for places that don’t have bussing for private schools to argue that they are deserving. If I was a bus driver who belongs to a union in another jurisdiction and saw this, I would certainly resist any political lobbying by frum groups to get free bussing.

  3. where is all the love when it comes to accepting children into schools? there seems to be more love to the busdrivers than to the precious children.

  4. I really do feel bad that they have to work, but getting 18,000 (11) kids to school via carpool is unsafe and unreasonable. McDonalds is open, Walmart is open, Starbucks is open, NY Metrois open, pilots and stewardesses are flying … city bus drivers are working!!! people are working today, and no one screams and shouts. if these reporters cut themselves they’d go to the emergency room and find dr.s nurses and cleaning crews. there are people working today! is it on the news?????????

  5. ESGZ: on thanksgiving the traffic is very light on lakewood roads. It wouldnt be such a big deal. its not unsafe on a day like today

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