The sun was shining brightly as hundreds came out to recognize and honor Randolph’s first responders at Pediatric Dental Associates of Randolph’s 7th annual Mission Gratitude on Sunday.
Young children took delight in climbing into fire trucks and rescue vehicles in between having their faces painted and getting their own balloon art made for them. The staff at Pediatric Dental Associates of Randolph was on hand serving bagels and coffee and greeting everyone with big smiles.
A new addition to the event this year was the Morris County Sheriff’s Office who provided a fascinating demonstration with their K-9 Unit. As if that wasn’t enough fun, a DJ from Bach to Rock in Denville played music and got the kids involved, allowing them to play instruments of their own.
Dr. Aaron Mannella served as master of ceremonies this year, welcoming everyone and thanking the first responders for their service. The Randolph Fire Department, Randolph Police Department, Randolph Rescue Squad and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit were each presented with certificates recognizing their service from the US Congress. Randolph Mayor Lou Nisivoccia, State Senator Anthony Bucco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn also attended and joined with the Pediatric Dental team greeting families. A citation from the state of New Jersey was presented to Pediatric Dental Associates of Randolph for their longstanding support of the community and its first responders through their sponsorship of Mission Gratitude.
Dr. Mannella joked that “although our patients do love coming to see us, their dental visits are not usually this fun.” He went on to say that this is the team’s favorite event to hold. “We love giving back to our community and we look forward to making next year’s Mission Gratitude even more memorable.”
Follow their social media pages to stay current on their latest event announcements!
