We had another very successful S4V Sorting & Wrapping Party yesterday at the VFW Post 1177. Approximately 60 volunteers sorted, wrapped and packaged approximately 1,300 S4V outfits along with over 2,000 pairs of socks for distribution in January to several Veterans facilities in WV, VA and DC. In addition, we have collected financial contributions in excess of $4,000 and they continue to trickle in from our local community. These funds will be dispersed to those less fortunate among the Veteran community. The volunteers were represented from the following organizations:
– VFW Post 1177
– VFW Post 3150
– Knights of Columbus
– Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), Col Cunningham Division
– Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians – Daughters of Erin
– American Legion
– Cub Scouts Pack 311
– Boy Scouts Troop 1159
– Vistas of Lansdowne
– Lansdowne Woods
– And others that I have inadvertently omitted.
Please accept my sincere and most heartfelt “Thank You” to everyone for their participation and support. I have attached some photos of yesterday and more can be found on the AOH Division website at http://www.aohloudoun.org.
But we are not finished until we distribute sweat-outfits to our Veterans at a ceremony on January 24 at VA Medical Center (VAMC), 510 Butler Ave., Martinsburg, WV 25405. To accomplish this, we need your help again. We intend to distribute sets on the 24th with the remaining sets being distributed to the DC VA Medical Center, Walter Reed National Medical Center, and other Veterans centers.
On January 24th we will need volunteers to load and transport the S4Vs to the VAMC. Transportation is critical as we will need trucks and SUVs; if you have a covered truck or SUV that would be preferred as weather is always uncertain. Additionally, we will need the help of the 20-30 volunteers to set-up S4Vs for distribution to our Veterans once we arrive at the VAMC.
The following is the January 24 timeline:
– 0900: Volunteers meet at the VFW Post 1177, 401 Old Waterford Rd NE, Leesburg, VA 20176 and load approximately S4Vs into numerous vehicles.
– 0930: The S4Fs Caravan departs VFW Post 1177 Leesburg traveling as a group to the VAMC.
– 1030: S4F Group arrives at the Martinsburg VAMC; sweats will be offloaded along the curb in front of the main medical center building. VAMC will have approximately volunteers to assist.
– 1030 -1130: Sweats are offloaded and set up in the Shenandoah Room for distribution.
– 1130: Ceremony begins with Presentation of Colors by the Knights of Columbus Color Guard with opening remarks by the Director of VAMC Martinsburg, Mr. Ken Allensworth.
– 11:45: S4Vs will be distributed in the Shenandoah Room; ambulatory-veterans will come down from their rooms and select their sweats in the conference room; volunteers will deliver S4Vs to the units for veterans unable to come to the conference room.
– 1400: Ceremony and distribution concluded and extra sweats are boxed.
Please don’t hesitate to call, text, or email me if you have any questions and please forward to all that I have omitted.
Dan Gillespie
Captain USN (ret)
