Veterans give $8,000 to a worthy cause

In keeping with its continued commitment to supporting local law enforcement and first responders, members of American Legion Post 303 in Rockville Centre gathered June 19 to present two checks for $4,000 each to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund.

“This all started with Law-and-Order Night, which our post does annually … to honor our local police department, our local fire department and our EMTs,” Paul Casazza, vice commander of American Legion Post 303, said.

Every year, in October, members of the veteran’s organization recognize one member from each department by presenting them with a special custom-made gift for their service to the Rockville Centre community.

This past year, members of the Legion also recognized former Rockville Centre Police Commissioner James Vafaedes, who was presented with a custom-engraved Derringer pistol, generously donated by Bond Arms. Joey Hedberg, the owner of Bond Arms in Texas, has continued to support the Legion’s Law and Order night for the past three years.

Casazza said that Hedberg greatly appreciated the Legion’s commitment to honoring local law enforcement so much that he flew up to New York to attend the presentation last year and even threw in a second pistol as an extra gift for their support.

“When we saw we had two,” Casazza said, “the PBA and the post said let’s try and do a raffle to generate some money.”

Raffle tickets were sold during a gun show hosted by the American Legion in Seaford earlier this year, where together the PBA and American Legion Post 303 were able to raise $8,000 in entries.

“It was a lot of hard work, but it really paid off and for a good cause,” Casazza said.

The proceeds of the raffle were donated to both Tunnel To Towers Foundation and the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund.

Tunnel to Towers is a charitable organization founded in tribute to FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who died during the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Through the years, the organization helped raise more than $500 million in support of our nation’s heroes and their families, which have helped provide more than 1,200 mortgage-free smart homes to veterans, gold-star families and first responders.

It also provides funding for programs to help educate children about September 11, 2001, and the heroic sacrifices made by first responders.

Tunnel to Towers also hosts an annual 5K run each September from the Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center in homage to the 343 FDNY firefighters, law enforcement officers and the thousands of civilians who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

The American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship Fund provides funding for college educations for the children of post-Sept. 11 veterans who died in active duty or those who have a combined Veteran Affairs disability rating of 50 percent or greater. Each needs-based scholarship provides up to $20,000 for children of the fallen, and up to $5,000 for children of the disabled for undergraduate or post-graduate programs.

The scholarship is designed to fill any remaining financial gaps after all federal and state educational grants and scholarships available to an eligible applicant have been utilized. In 2023, there were 321 scholarships awarded totaling more than $1.4 million.

Representatives from Tunnel To Towers and the Nassau County American Legion were on hand during the presentation on June 19, where they were each presented with a check for $4,000.

For more information about the Tunnel To Towers Foundation and its various programs visit T2T.org, and to find out more about the American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship Fund, visit Legion.org/Scholarships.

In keeping with its continued commitment to supporting local law enforcement and first responders, members of American Legion Post 303 in Rockville Centre gathered June 19 to present two checks for $4,000 each to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund.

“This all started with Law-and-Order Night, which our post does annually … to honor our local police department, our local fire department and our EMTs,” Paul Casazza, vice commander of American Legion Post 303, said.

Every year, in October, members of the veteran’s organization recognize one member from each department by presenting them with a special custom-made gift for their service to the Rockville Centre community.

This past year, members of the Legion also recognized former Rockville Centre Police Commissioner James Vafaedes, who was presented with a custom-engraved Derringer pistol, generously donated by Bond Arms. Joey Hedberg, the owner of Bond Arms in Texas, has continued to support the Legion’s Law and Order night for the past three years.

Casazza said that Hedberg greatly appreciated the Legion’s commitment to honoring local law enforcement so much that he flew up to New York to attend the presentation last year and even threw in a second pistol as an extra gift for their support.

“When we saw we had two,” Casazza said, “the PBA and the post said let’s try and do a raffle to generate some money.”

Raffle tickets were sold during a gun show hosted by the American Legion in Seaford earlier this year, where together the PBA and American Legion Post 303 were able to raise $8,000 in entries.

“It was a lot of hard work, but it really paid off and for a good cause,” Casazza said.

The proceeds of the raffle were donated to both Tunnel To Towers Foundation and the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund.

Tunnel to Towers is a charitable organization founded in tribute to FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who died during the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Through the years, the organization helped raise more than $500 million in support of our nation’s heroes and their families, which have helped provide more than 1,200 mortgage-free smart homes to veterans, gold-star families and first responders.

It also provides funding for programs to help educate children about September 11, 2001, and the heroic sacrifices made by first responders.

Tunnel to Towers also hosts an annual 5K run each September from the Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center in homage to the 343 FDNY firefighters, law enforcement officers and the thousands of civilians who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

The American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship Fund provides funding for college educations for the children of post-Sept. 11 veterans who died in active duty or those who have a combined Veteran Affairs disability rating of 50 percent or greater. Each needs-based scholarship provides up to $20,000 for children of the fallen, and up to $5,000 for children of the disabled for undergraduate or post-graduate programs.

The scholarship is designed to fill any remaining financial gaps after all federal and state educational grants and scholarships available to an eligible applicant have been utilized. In 2023, there were 321 scholarships awarded totaling more than $1.4 million.

Representatives from Tunnel To Towers and the Nassau County American Legion were on hand during the presentation on June 19, where they were each presented with a check for $4,000.

For more information about the Tunnel To Towers Foundation and its various programs visit T2T.org, and to find out more about the American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship Fund, visit Legion.org/Scholarships.