Clothing Drive Benefits Fund of Fallen Fair Lawn Officer

A used clothing drive will be held Saturday to benefit fallen Fair Lawn police officer Mary Ann Collura's Scholarship Foundation.

Collura, an 18-year Fair Lawn Police Department veteran and its first female officer, was killed in the line of duty on April 17, 2003.

The Scholarship Foundation was started in Collura's honor soon thereafter, and provides 3 to 6 scholarships to Fair Lawn high school seniors annually, said Fair Lawn Police Det. Karen Censullo, the foundation's president.

Since 2003, the foundation has raised more than $100,000 for college scholarships and charities like the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The benefit drive will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fair Lawn Fire Company No. 1's Firehouse, located at 12-34 George St.

Clothing donated will be sold to A&E Clothing Corporation, a company that pays 15 cents per pound for unwanted clothing and resellls it in the U.S. and in developing countries. 

They'll be collecting:

- Men's, women's and children's clothing

- Shoes, boots, belts, handbags, backpacks

- Linens (bedding, curtains, towels)

- Stuffed animals

- Hard and soft toys (no larger than 24' by 24')

Note: This article contains a photo slideshow of Mary Ann accompanied by a song titled, "The Ultimate Sacrifice," written in her honor by Fair Lawn resident Peter Prince.