Vets Group Gets $20K Donation From Firefighters

Angel Cadena, a Shelton veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan — 2 tours) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (1 tour) and a member of the Derby/Shelton AMVETS (American Veterans) Post 43, accepted a $20,000 donation on July 10 from the Fairfield Firefighters Local 1426 presented by Steve Lobdell and Steve Curry.

The Fairfield firefighters raised the money during the annual Stratton Faxon Fairfield Half Marathon and 5K hosted by the Fairfield firefighters local in June.

Steve Lobdell, the creator and President of the fairfieldhalf.org, and Steve Curry, Assistant Chief of the Fairfield Fire Department and an Air Force veteran, have both been among the 199 representatives (from 64 organizations) who have visited the wounded troops for Operation Gift Cards. The AMVETS and the Fairfiled Firefighters local 1426 have been the largest two supporters of Operation Gift Cards.

$10,000 of the donation is to be used directly for Operation Gift Cards for our wounded troops and $10,000 is to be used toward the purchase of a new large van with a wheelchair lift which will be used for the trips to visit wounded troops in the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Since October 2005, the Operation Gift Cards’ 83 monthly/bimonthly visits have presented 14,025 thank you kits which contained $280,500 in post exchange (military department store) gift certificates to our wounded troops.

An additional $234,996 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, Building 62, the Navy Lodge, the Red Cross, and the Casualty Affairs Office, along with over $50,000 worth items on the wish list” for both the wounded troops and their families (approx. $565,500 total).

The new van will also be used for the Disabled American Veterans’ Local Veterans Assistance Program which is assisted by the AMVETS (American Veterans), especially Derby/SheltonPost 43. The DAV Local Veterans Assistance Program takes veterans from hospitals and nursing homes and those who are shut-ins” in their home, on day trips. The members of Post 43 who are volunteer drivers also pick up donated electric wheelchairs and scooters and other medical equipment and deliver them to the Torrington AMVETS Post 24 where they are repaired if needed under Post 24’s CT Heroes on Wheels Program. The Derby/Shelton volunteers then deliver the donated medical equipment to needy veterans.

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