Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Derby, Shelton veterans among DAV honorees

Top photo, left side of vehicle: Vic Carrol, Burke Ross, Lauren Cust (twice), Senna Punancy, Joe Wargo; bottom photo, right side: Ed Michaud, Maj. Betsy Walsh, Buffert Brooks, Ashley Kenyon, Frank Dlugokinski, Steve Frank, and Josh Phillips. Inset, rear of van: Capt. Dean White. / Contributed photo

Ten area veterans were honored for their dedication in assisting other veterans by being selected to have their service picture displayed on a new Disabled American Veterans Local Veterans Assistance Program van. 
 
The honorees were Capt. Dean White, Derby; Vic Carroll, Stamford; Burke Ross, Shelton; Lauren Cust, Shelton; Senna Punancy, Bridgeport; Joe Wargo, Trumbull; Ed Michaud, Stratford; Maj. Betsy Walsh, Milford; Buffert Brooks, Stamford; Ashley Kenyon, Waterbury; Frank Dlugokinski, Torrington; Steve Frank, Naugatuck; and Josh Phillips, Derby. 
 
They were selected from the list of hundreds of dedicated Connecticut veterans being considered for the honor.
The DAV and the AMVETS have partnered in the effort to purchase vans for the DAV created LVAP, which provides day trips to veterans in homeless shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, and veterans who are “shut-ins.”
The LVAP vans also have been used for Operation Gift Cards. Operation Gift Cards has presented over $719,000 in post exchange (military department store) gift cards and other donated items to the wounded troops at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital in Bethesda, Md. during its 99 visits over the last eight years. 
Sixty-eight groups have co-sponsored the program.
 
CT Heroes on Wheels is another major program which benefits by the use of the LVAP vans. CT Heroes on Wheels provides free electric wheelchairs, electric scooters and other medical equipment to needy veterans and their families.
 
The DAV and AMVETS are collecting donations for the purchase of at least one additional LVAP van. 
Anyone interested in making a donation for the LVAP van may contact Al Church (DAV State Treasurer) (860) 529-1759 or church_al@yahoo.com
For information about the DAV or AMVETS programs contact Al Meadows (203) 929-3357 or al.meadows@snet.net.
 
 
This is a press release from Al Meadows of Shelton. 

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