Gloucester County Times - July 3, 2011

Riversharks fundraiser will honor mother, unborn son, victims of distracted driving head-on crash

 

WASHINGTON TWP. — The Camden Riversharks will host a fundraiser in honor of Washington Township resident, Toni Bolis and her family.
Bolis, 29, and her unborn son were killed in a motor vehicle crash on June 1 in Washington Township. She left behind a three year-old daughter, Mia Rose Bolis.
Bolis was just days away from giving birth to her son Ryan Jeffrey Bolis. Toni was happily married.
According to police reports, Bolis was heading east on Pitman Downer road when she was hit head on by a car driven by an alleged distracted driver.
Dawn Marie Jardel met Bolis’ sister Angela Donato at her son’s school where Donato was a student teacher.
“I was shocked to hear about her sister’s accident,” said Jardel. “I felt so bad for her, her family and for her little niece who lost her mother at such a young age. No child should have to grow up without a parent.”
Jardel is organizing A Night at the Riversharks in memory of Bolis and baby Ryan Jeffrey Bolis. The goal of the event is to raise awareness of distracted driving and to raise money for the Mia Rose Bolis College Education Fund.
“I just wanted to do something to help,” she said.
Mia Bolis and her father, along with several other family members will be at the game, Jardel said. Mia will also be throwing out one of the first pitches in memory of her mother and baby brother.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving is defined as, “any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing.”
In 2009, nearly 5,500 people were killed in the U.S. in motorvehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving. The under-20 age group had the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes.
Jardel hopes that the fundraiser will promote awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.
“There will be a table set up with information about distracted driving to raise awareness. There will also be green ribbon pins for sale to raise additional money,” said said. Green was Bolis’s favorite color.
A Night at the Riversharks in Memory of Toni Bolis and Ryan Jeffrey Bolis will take place on Aug. 6 at 5:35 pm at Campbells field. Tickets are $11 and can be purchased at www.riversharks.com, with discount code “Bolis.” Of every ticket purchase, $5 will be donated to the Mia Rose Bolis College Fund.
“We hope that people who come to the event will hear her story and stop and think before they pick up their cell phone, text, or do anything else that will take their eyes off the road and become a distracted driver,” said Jardel.

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