‘Perfect timing' for Sparta vet to win new car

SPARTA - Life had literally been turned upside down for Daniel Colfax and his family. On two days notice, the father of three children had to close down his upstart law office to go to Iraq. The Marine reservist, a Lt. Colonel, became the commanding officer with H&S Company, 6th Motor Transport Battalion, during “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” A year later he returned and has been working hard to get his life back to normal, at work and at home. But it’s never easy to pick up the pieces right away. One of those pieces was a banged up car in need of major repairs. Yet Colfax has always had a soft heart for others in need. He bought a couple of raffle tickets for a cause that would benefit Stephanie Stassi, whose family died in a car crash last Christmas Eve. Stephanie, now 12, was the only survivor. The raffle, coordinated by North Jersey Cycle in Sparta, in conjunction with Our Lady of the Lake Church, was to raise funds for a college fund for the youngster. “When we bought the tickets we never thought we’d win anything,” said Colfax, who lives in Sparta with his wife, Corynne, and children, Morgan, 14, Matthew, 12, and Madison, 7. “We just wanted to support this great cause.” Several prizes were available, including a two-year lease on a Chevrolet SSR pick-up truck offered by Rossi of Washington of Washington Borough, Warren County. Rossi put us over the top,” said organizer George Sensale of North Jersey Cycle. “That got people talking.” “As soon as we heard about the fundraiser, we wanted to get involved,” said Ed Rossi, Jr., owner of the dealership. “We were determined to do whatever we could to help this young lady look to the future.” The raffle raised thousands of dollars, and on Oct. 1, Colfax’s name was picked to win the truck. “A more deserving guy couldn’t have won,” said Sensale. “It’s the happiest thing in the world for me that this guy won the truck.” “Nothing like this has ever happened to us before,” noted Colfax, who is just now getting his law practice back in order as a counsel with the law office of Debra L. Nicholson. “It’s really outstanding that a dealer like Rossi would step up to help out.”