Letters

Letters to the Editor:East Rockaway, Lynbrook

Sept. 17-23, 2015

Posted

Helping wounded warriors locally

To the Editor:
      I would like to extend our thanks to the Herald for its coverage of the Lynbrook Fire Department’s fundraising efforts for our wounded warriors, and report that our Concert for Wounded Warriors is this Saturday, Sept. 19 at 5 p.m. in front of the Earle Avenue firehouse off Sunrise Highway in Lynbrook.
Last week, a mailing was sent to Lynbrook homes from the 2015 Lynbrook Campaign for Wounded Warrior Project Fund Drive. The mailing resulted in calls to us, asking if it came from Lynbrook firefighters. It did not. The mailing came from a separate organization headquartered in Kansas, and has nothing to do with the Lynbrook Fire Department’s fundraising efforts for our wounded warriors.

A similar mailing from that organization was sent out last year just before Lynbrook’s annual event, and many residents thought it came from the local fire department. Some residents sent money, thinking it was coming to us.

Here is the difference: We in the Lynbrook Fire Department belong to Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior, a 501 (c) (3) charity right here in Nassau County. We are all volunteer firefighters who help the injured in military hospitals and living here on Long Island. We are presently helping a wounded U.S. Army sergeant from Lakeview.

Although the other organization, the Wounded Warrior Project, does some great things nationally, there is no one in our Nassau fire departments getting paid to raise money for these warriors — every penny raised by the firefighters gets spent to make life a little better for them. And, because we control the money, we know where every penny is spent.

Residents who are unable to attend Lynbrook’s fundraiser on Saturday, and want to contribute to our efforts, can mail a check to Wounded Warriors, C/O Lynbrook Fire Department, One Columbus Drive, Lynbrook, NY 11563.  Make sure to put “Wounded Warrior” in the memo section of the check. 
 
Steve Grogan
Lynbrook Fire Department
Wounded Warrior Committee