Businessman donates, challenges peers

Bob Jesberger will never forget the story his wife, Tina, told him after recently visiting St. Christopher’s Home in Sea Cliff, which serves 73 children and adolescents with developmental disabilities.

“Tina asked this 9-year-old girl what toy she wanted for Christmas,” Jesberger said Wednesday. “She said that she didn’t need them to get her a toy; she just wanted a comforter to keep her warm at night.”

The need some have for just the basics has driven Jesberger into service during his 23 years of owning Mid-Island Collision in Rockville Centre. Wednesday was no different, as representatives of local charities were on hand at Mid-Island for a donation of $10,000 in new toys and $10,000 in new winter coats for infants and children. Beneficiaries included AHRC Nassau, MercyFirst, Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York, The Lighthouse Mission and Woodward Children’s Center.

Jesberger has been working on the donation for the past two months. Writing the check was the easy part, he said, because his wife and her friends put together a caravan of SUVs to visit one local store that stayed open just for them.

He’s planning to do even more next year. In the meantime, he minced no words for fellow business owners.

“Businesses need to be doing more, if they’re doing anything at all,” Jesberger said. “People working jobs are struggling these days and just have enough for themselves. The businesses have to step up if you’re doing well ...  This island is the haves and have-nots. All this girl wanted was a comforter. It’s -- [nonsense].”