Al Meadows, a Shelton man who created and chairs Operation Gift Cards, was awarded the 55th Americanism award by the Connecticut American Legion this year in recognition of the program.
Since October 2005, Operation Gift Cards has made 63 visits and presented 9,530 Thank You kits, which contained $190,600 in military department store gift certificates, to wounded troops.
An additional $113,100 in other gift certificates and special group product donations (Girl Scout cookies, corporate gift certificates etc.) have been delivered to the Soldier Family Assistance Center, the Fisher Houses, the Mologne House, the Navy Lodge, the Red Cross, and the Bethesda Casualty Affairs Office, along with over $50,000 worth items on the “wish list” for both the wounded troops and their families.
Meadows said the award came thanks to the dedication of 29 Naugatuck Valley veterans and their families, who traveled to Washington D.C. and Bethesda, Maryland military hospitals to personally present Thank You kits to wounded troops.
Those residents include:
Shelton
- Chris Ackley
- Mary Ellen Cortillini
- Tom Evans
- Dennis Guerricci
- Ken Hagen
- Hank Kormornik
- Nancy Meadows
- Richard Norko
- April Pascos
- Dennis Salzer
- Mark and Bernice Scott
Ansonia
- Jim, Josh, Matt and Nick Frovarp
Derby
- Kaz Brejwo
- Clarence Douglas
- Mary Porter
- Roberto Santos
- Bernie Williamson
Oxford
- John Coffindaffer
- Partric Freeman
Seymour
- Col. Jim Garman (Ret.)
- Capt. Dean White
Naugauck
- Al Comeau
- Steve Frank
- Bob Froelick
- Bob Genovese
Previous recipients of the award have been Senators William Purtell (1957) and Thomas Dodd (1963); Governors John Dempsy (1965), Ella Grasso (1975), and William O’Neill (1985); and Congressmen Robert Steele (1973), John Rowland (1989) and Rob Simmons (2003).
A few other recipients have been Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (2004), Connecticut Huskies Mens Basketball Coach James Calhoun (1996), professional football player Andy Robustelli (1971), and the founder of Give2TheTroops Andi Grant (2009).
Forty-nine units and individuals have co-sponsored Operation Gift Cards. The program goal is to have a different group of co-sponsors collectively purchase, each month, between $3,000 and $4,500 in gift certificates in order to present all visited wounded patients in Walter Reed and Bethesda hospitals with at least three “Thank You” kits containing between $60-$120 in gift certificates.
To participate in Operation Gift Cards or to make a corporate or personal donation, contact Al Meadows (203) 929‑3357 (e‑mail: al.meadows@snet.net
