The American Legion presented $500 checks to four Aroostook County disabled veterans who were injured while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Aroostook Republican photo/Debra Walsh
Four Aroostook County veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were each awarded $500 grants during a ceremony last week at the American Legion Post 15 in Caribou. Pictured in back from left are Legion Commanders Stanley Pelletier of St. Francis, Bill Sewall of Presque Isle and Jack Parisi of Caribou. In front are recipients Terry Gilmer of Presque Isle, John Ouellette of St. Francis, Ryan Chapman of Caribou and Kyle Allen of Presque Isle. The funds were granted by The Coalition to Salute American’s Heroes.
The funds were from a $500,000 check from The Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes to the national headquarter of the American Legion. Three County post commanders made the check presentation during a ceremony on Feb. 3 at the American Legion Post in Caribou.
Receiving the grants were Ryan Chapman of Caribou, Terry Gilmer and Kyle Allen of Presque Isle and John Ouellette of St. Francis. Making the presentations were Jack Parisi, commander of the Caribou post, Stanley Pelletier, commander in St. Francis and Bill Sewall, the Presque Isle commander.
“These grants are just a small token of appreciation for the sacrifices made by so many of American’s men and women in uniform,” said Thomas J. Palma, coalition general manager, in a prepared statement. “Our coalition was able to raise a lot of money from caring people but we do not have the distribution network of the American Legion. The legion is a well-respected organization with a presence in communities across America The American Legion will do any excellent job in getting those grant to deserving veterans.”
In a prepared statement, the local post commanders said that coalition partnership with the Legion’s “Heroes to Hometowns” program was “perfect.”
“Our members stand ready to assist with veterans their families along with community members of our local H2H team in providing a vast array of assistance to ease their return to productive civilian life,” the commanders’ statement said.
The fund were divided into individual grants and awarded to veterans who are rated with disability of 30 percent or more. The American Legion assumed all distribution administrative costs, meaning that the 1,000 grants are to be awarded.
