Liberty bar, patrons donate 50 bikes to Toys for Tots; Marines throwing thank-you party

LIBERTY

At the Masters Bar and Grille, tucked away on Trumbull Avenue just off Belmont Avenue, they used to make room for Jell-O only once a year.

It was a Christmas treat. Friends and Liberty residents Debbie Minniti and Joan Dalessandro used to bring out those trays full of Jell-O shots and charge a buck a piece to raise money at the bar’s Christmas party to buy bikes for the Marines’ Toys for Tots program.

In 2011, they raised money for three bikes. In 2012, they collected enough for six. Last year, they raised enough for eight.

“We bought eight bikes,” said John Grachanin, who owns the bar with his wife, Monica, and a partner, Dave Cordy.

“We were so, oh, that was exciting ...,” Grachanin continued.

“Just so you know,” Minniti added, we were shooting for 30 this year.”

They did not buy 30 bikes this year. They raised more than $3,000, spent $60 a bike and bought 50 of them at Walmart, which gave discounts and helped them put the bikes together.

The Marine Corps is sending four representatives to the bar Saturday evening for an appreciation party for everyone who donated to the cause.

Read more about the project in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.