philanthropy
gabe stefania was a co-organizer of “The NYC Goodwill Valentines Day Caravan” to visit our injured troops at the walter reade army hospital
WHAT: “The NYC Goodwill Valentines Day Caravan” to our injured troops at the Walter Reed Army Hospital.
WHERE: Press conference at the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, 20 West 44th Street, 4th floor. New York City, NY
WHEN: 12noon, Friday, February 13th. Be there to lend your support and greetings at the press conference, and then cheer the caravan on immediately afterwards.
SPEAKERS:
Don Buzney – MC
Alan Gerson, City Councilman of the 1st District – where 911 took place – friend to the Veterans community
Gabriel Stefania – Corporate leader and Board of Directors of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 126, NYC, “Never Again will one generation of veterans abandon another” theme.
Luigi Masu, President of Vietnam veterans of Brooklyn, with a gift to the Fisher House
Alyse Zwick, Miss New York whose platform is support for our veterans,
WHY: Veterans from all eras and boroughs, non-veterans, and corporations alike, all coming together to show support and love for our proud military men and women injured in combat, and the equally brave family members, on Valentines Day, Saturday February 14th, at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, the major recovery hospital for our military, in Washington DC.
Our Goodwill Valentines Day Caravan” , departing on Friday, February 13th, will consist of U-Haul trucks with their patriotic graphics on the sides, loaded with thousands of Valentines Day cards from their employees and the general public of all ages, and heartfelt gifts for both men and women. As an added treat, we will be premiering the 2009 Thank You For Serving video, filled with warm greetings and messages from Broadway casts, TV personalities, and grateful New Yorkers such as you. Thousands have also written, on giant Thank You For Serving boards, their own special messages and warm wishes to our troops.
Also slated on Valentines Day, befitting Valentines Heart wreathes will be placed at each military monument (WW I, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam Veterans Wall, Women’s Memorial etc.) with a special message to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Proud contributors: U-Haul, HBO, Estee Lauder, MTA Veterans Association, Modell’s, Never Forget Foundation, Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapters of Manhattan and Brooklyn, Samaritan Village Veterans Program, Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, H-Hour Productions, Fountain House, Atco Construction Company, the incredible volunteers of the United War Veterans Council, and the many, many New Yorkers of all ages who send their love by way of a Valentines Day greeting.
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gabe stefania one of leaders to pay respect to wounded troops
This past Valentine’s Day, Gabe Stefania was one of the leaders of a mixed group of volunteer citizens and veterans traveling to Walter Reade Army Hospital to pay respects to our wounded troops.
Gabe worked with Pat Gualtieri, the Executive Director of the United War Veterans Council NYC (”UWVC”) (producers of the annual NYC Veterans Day Parade) and the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Vietnan Veterans of America, Angel Alemeda Chapter 126 Manhattan
MTA Transit Veterans Association, with their own stellar NYC MTA Pipe & Drum Corps Samaritan Village Veteran Programs of Manhattan
Ed Thompson Facility of Queens
Nam Knights Brooklyn Chapter
Vietnam Veterans of America – Brooklyn Chapter 72,
Never Forget Foundation
UHaul International
HBO
Estee Lauder
Coach USA
Greater NY Chamber of Commerce; City Council, 1st District.
__________________________________________________________________________
The following article is by Pat Gualtieri. It was reprinted in several Veteran’s publilications.
2/15/09
A packed room of civic and corporate leaders, elected officials and caravan participants attended this noon time press conference and luncheon at the Greater New York Chamber of
Commerce – ‘Blue Room’ and hosted by Mark S. Jaffe, President & CEO.
Speakers included Miss USA, Long Island, Alyse Zwick; Silver Star Vietnam veteran Gabe Stefania, B of D of VVA 126 and VP, Atco Properties and Management, carrying the Vietnam Veterans of America motto of “Never Again Will One Generation Of Veterans Abandon Another”; Master of Ceremonies, Don Buzney, and a former Captain USMC Vietnam, Dwight Webster, MTA; City Council Member Alan G. Gerson, 1st District (included the World Trade Center) – himself a veteran, all spoke from the heart with NYC best wishes and the true meaning of the “Serving the men and women of the US Armed Forces in the NYC metro area” Manhattan Views. caravan. Councilman Gerson intends to have NYC make this an annual event with the city’s full support. Our numerous ‘Thank You for Serving’ giant poster boards with well wishes to our troops were proudly displayed – Atco’s artwork and creativity were particularly prominent – before loading these on our bus and trucks for transport to DC. Immediately following the spirited Press conference, our volunteers boarded the 50+ seater Coach USA bus as our driver began our 5 hour journey to DC. Many thanks go to Tom Lewis, President of Coach USA and fellow Vietnam veteran, who generously donated this spectacular bus, and super competent and courteous bus driver, Joe Kim. We were to find out that the NYC Coach USA dispatcher was born and raised in Vietnam, and told of his respect and thanks to all Vietnam veterans. Our caravan also included U-Haul trucks, graciously donated by Joanne Fried, Director of Media and PR of U-Haul International, and U-Haul President NYC Jeff Sonberg (also a veteran). U-Haul trucks displaying their wonderful patriotic graphics on their sides helped us transport materials and corporate gifts from various sponsors for our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Hospital.
For our journey, John Cinosky from Atco, arranged delicious boxed breakfasts and lunches graciously provided by Sodexo. Mologne House (on the grounds of the Walter Reed Army Hospital and the next step after intensive hospital care of those injured and their family members before leaving to go home). Our tally of 40+ New Yorkers all converged on the Mologne House in the morning and were warmly greeted and accommodated by the great staff of Peter Anderson, General Manager of the *Mologne House. Our UWVC Mologne House Team Captain, Marleen (”Molly”) Levi and Deputy’s Susan DeVito of the Samaritan Village ‘Ed Thompson’ Veterans Program, and Army veteran Ericka Gallego, presently attending Columbia University, deployed their band of volunteers into various stations and activities including decoration set up in Valentine Day theme. Throughout the day, they met with wounded warriors and their family members – giving love and gifts from grateful NYers of all ages The proud members of the MTA Transit Veterans Association and those veterans and patriotic people who support the veterans’ community, brought hundreds of Valentines Day cards from NY 5-10 year olds. Their ‘Kids to Kids’ Valentines Day cards (many with same-age children with their mom or dad during recovery), and Kids to Wounded Warriors Valentines Cards brought joy and smiles from everyone. Gift items from the Chairman & CEO of HBO, Bill Nelson, a Vietnam veteran, and dear friend at HBO, Ellen Burgos; HBO provided us with many HBO products (DVD sets of HBO series shows, Sex and the City T-shirts, Soprano baseball caps, etc.). As imagined, this was very well received with requests for more! Lovely and plentiful baskets (with red, white, blue decor) contained individually gift wrapped candy, from the great team of at U-Haul International in Phoenix.
In addition, U-Haul goodies such as patriotic wristlets, dog tags, and Valentines Day cards were embraced times over by soldier and family alike who couldn’t get enough of these! Thank You For Serving giant poster boards of warm messages from grateful New Yorkers filled the lobby and accompanying rooms in the Mologne House.
Boxes upon boxes of men and women’s toiletries from Estee Lauder (many thanks to Joe Loperfido, MTA) and items from History (formerly the History Channel) were also a smash hit! The 2009 ‘Thank You for Serving’ video with warm wishes from TV and Broadway cast personalities, veterans and the general public, was introduced by its Director, Ryan Hegg, and then premiered. The 25 minute video was run continually
throughout the day and engaged all to the huge monitor – hearing and seeing the likes of jazz icon BB King, world class magician David Blaine, Sopranos cast, beauty pageant contestants and others, all giving their warm wishes and support. Wounded warriors requested copies, giving us their units serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere; asking us to also send copies to them.
(The Thank You for Serving video and accompanying booklet will be released to them in the next few weeks.).
The Director of Communication for the Veterans Administration in DC wanted a ‘for TV version copy’ of the video to show for their own TV station with promises to circulate nationally, throughout the VA system. (This special copy will be released within 1-2 weeks.)
U-Haul staffs from DC and Maryland under the direction of their respective presidents; DC President U-Haul, DC, Pat Goodwin and MD President U-Haul Mike Lowe, brought their token of love of thousands of Valentine Cards written from UHaul employees throughout the USA. The gung ho and super helpful U-Haul staff gave these cards to those injured and their family members, with a batch of cards delivered to the active duty serving on the Walter Reed Army Base. The U-Haul Presidents attending then dispatched their drivers to take Veterans
Valentines Day cards to each VA hospital in their respective locations. All gifts and cards were given to all in the way they were received – with respect, love and patriotism. This was received in such total and complete apreciation for our efforts, knowing full well by us – and relayed to them, that THEY gave, and continue to give us – the gift of freedom. Prt of our NYC team was Luigi Masu, the President of VVA 72 Brooklyn, who presented a $2,000.00 check to the Fisher House. This was in honor of one of their members (now deceased) who was treated from injuries in Vietnam and never forgot the care he received at Walter Reed Army Hospital years ago.
A team of 10 led by VVA member, Gabe Stefania and Miss New York vsited with those severely injured and hospitalized. The Walter Reed Hospital Team was terrific and deserves recognition. Miss USA Long Island was a smash hit with all injured, asking for a pix with her (not for distribution per rules and regs of Walter Reed which we abide by). All gifts and cards were very well received. Many thanks to Walter Reed Hospital ‘Ambassador” Howard Drake for facilitating this visit with warm greetings and thanking our team.
At day’s closing (we didn’t want it to end)… all converged back to the Mologne House where we wound down our day… all gifts had by then been distributed – with special reserve saved and given to the night manager for those wounded warriors unable to make it to our hosting room. We left many of our Thank You for Serving poster boards and I recall seeing wounded warriors and family members sign with their special greeting.
Returning home, everyone had a heart filled with special memories and love… the steadfast theme of the day. From our wonderful bus driver Joe Kim, himself raised in South Korea, who thanked us for saving his country, to those many proud wounded warriors, men and women both, who trusted us in the telling of their stories, and hopes for tomorrow, to their children who saluted us, and parents who hugged us… we’re proud to have had the chance to honor our wounded soldiers on this most special day, and every day in our way(s).
We wish all our soldiers a speedy recovery and extend a resounding THANK YOU for all you’ve done and for who you are – a proud American! With love, honor, respect, pride and patriotism from a grateful New York,
we salute you!
God Bless America!
Patrick Gualtieri
Executive Director
United War Veterans Council, NYC 346 Broadway, Suite
807
NYC, NY 10013, T) 212-693-1476, F) 212-693-1475
Email: Patuwvc@aol.com
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