Folcarelli DAV brightens veterans’ holidays
“This is mighty delightful duty,” John “Jack” Hill, Commander of the Giovanni Folcarelli Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 1, said recently inside the Veterans Administration Hospital in Providence. “We are proud to make this annual donation.”
But the generous donation that the Folcarelli DAV Chapter makes to the VA, seemingly stunned and obviously thrilled Donna Russillo, who serves as Chief of Voluntary Services for the Providence VAMC.
Members of Chapter 1, you see, increased its annual giving by $1,000.
The Folcarelli DAV Chapter made a donation totaling $3,000 in gift cards that will be given to veterans and their families during the holiday season. As has been the tradition in recent years, the gift cards will find their way to the medical center’s annual giving tree.
“What’s so fantastic about this donation,” Russillo told Hill and company, “is that one hundred percent of all donations go directly to the veterans and their families.”
Hill explained that Chapter 1 donated $1,000 in Stop & Shop Gift Cards, $1,000 in Best Buy Gift Cards, and $1,000 in Walmart Gift Cards.
When asked about the huge increase in giving this year, Hill said, “We had a very active donation campaign which included fund-raising activities at the Johnston and Smithfield Stop and Shop stores, individual donations from local supporters and a very, very successful Oldies Dinner-Dance at our headquarters.”
The Oldies Dinner-Dance was such an overwhelming success that it was completely sold out and Hill said “we’ve scheduled one for next Aug. 4 (2018) and our members and other people are urged to purchase tickets well in advance; we’re going to sell it out again, we hope.”
The Folcarelli DAV Chapter 1 holds its meetings and is based at the famed Kelley-Gazzerro VFW Post 2812, located off Plainfield Pike on the Johnston Cranston line.
Russillo, meanwhile, explained that the Stop & Shop Gift Cards will be given to homeless veterans and those vets in distress to purchase food and gas for those veterans living in their vehicles.
“The WalMart cards are very cost effective and allow the veterans and their families to get food and clothing,” Russillo said. “The Best Guy cards are specially directed to the holiday needs of teenage children of veterans who are often forgotten during the holiday season. They’ll help our veterans purchase items like DVDs and mobile telephone accessories.”
The DAV is a leading non-profit veterans service organization with 1.3-million members located in 1300 chapters throughout the country that provide a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations and their families.
“Our chapter has over 450 members,” Raymond Denisewich, Adjutant-Treasurer for Chapter 1, explained. “We are planning more fund-raising activities and are committed to helping our veterans and their families; this is a very rewarding and noble enterprise.”
The Folcarelli Chapter meets at 3 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month inside the Kelly-Gazzerro VFW Post 2812 and all DAV brothers and sisters are invited to attend.
