Helping them get home for their holiday
Dec 14th 2006RavenMarine Corps & Pro America & Raven
Looking out for each other. Taking care of their own. That’s the Marine Corps way. At Camp Lejeune one man is on a mission that deserves some attention here. Currently there are almost 60 young injured and recovering Marines living at the Wounded Warrior Barracks (aka Maxwell Barracks). An effort is underway to raise enough money to send these guys home for the holidays.
Retired Marine Capt. Jim Casti thinks it makes simple sense for those who traveled across the globe and were injured fighting for their country to be able to travel home for Christmas.
But holiday travel money isn’t a military perk, and many of the 57 military personnel from Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune at the Wounded Warriors Barracks aboard Camp Lejeune base can’t afford the trip.
A member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart himself, Casti, a Vietnam War veteran from Newport, is heading the national group’s North Carolina effort to raise money to make sure that those injured in the service of their country get home for the holidays.
It isn’t a holiday when you’re holed up in some rehab center. It’s quite depressing to be at one of these places on such an important holiday as Christmas.
Money is coming in quickly from far away and close to home, said Tyson, who started an e-mail campaign for the fund-raising reception.
He said the quick response from people has left him awed.
A $5,000 check from the New York City Police Benevolent Association is among the contributions Casti has received thus far.
Tyson said he received two checks for $1,000 each, several for $500, and a $1,000 pledge for help with the reception, leading him to estimate as much as $20,000 will be raised for the effort.
He said 20 more checks came in Friday, and 135 people have committed so far to attend tonight’s event, which costs $50 per person.
When people know there’s a need they will help when they can. It’s the American way. If you want to help, here’s the info:
Send checks to:
Mr.Tyson or Mr. Casti at
Wounded Warriors Leave Fund
P.O. Box 636,
Newport, N.C. 28570.
2 Comments »
2 Responses to “Helping them get home for their holiday”
Fuzzilicious Thinking on 15 Dec 2006 at Fri 15 December 2006 11:22:55 #
All I Want for Christmas
Where do most people want to be during the holidays? Where do they want to be when they’re sick, hurt, or in pain? Home, of course. Put both of those scenarios together and imagine what it’s like for the wounded warriors during the holidays.
Flight Pundit » Blog Archive » America Loves Their Marines on 19 Dec 2006 at Tue 19 December 2006 19:08:01 #
[...] Last week I posted about the fund raising going on down in Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point- for the Wounded Warriors Barracks…they are reporting how great the response has been. A Craven County fund-raising drive for Wounded Warrior holiday travel raised unexpected amounts, holiday spirit and maybe a roof for a disabled soldier. “I have seen the best of America in the last week,†said Steve Tyson, the Craven County commissioner who helped the Military Order of Purple Heart campaign last week after hearing an appeal from state coordinator Jim Casti of Newport. “I saw Americans with that ‘What can I do to help. Let’s get it done’ attitude,†Tyson said. “It’s been really quite phenomenal. People around here love their Marines.†[…] A hat was passed specifically to help Army Sgt. Eric Edmundson, for whom Homes for Our Troops broke ground for a home in Fairfield Harbor last week. Tyson said he has commitments from area businesses to continue raising money for the Edmundson home. Mailed donations and funds raised through the reception totaled $40,707, which will go toward getting 57 Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune wounded veterans home for Christmas. Tyson said a lot of the donors were local, but checks came from places such as Oklahoma, New York and Boston. [...]