“It has been a little more than a month now since the Vietnam Wall That Heals pulled out of our great city, and I will never forget what that event taught me or how it emotionally touched me. That day as I watched the tail lights of the tractor trailer pulling away to head on to the next stop on the Wall’s schedule, I felt such overwhelming pride to be part of such a great community. The help and outpouring of support to bring the Wall to our city was so wonderful and was such a testament to the greatness, generosity and devotion of so many of our citizens and businesses that I cannot express in mere words how grateful and thankful I am for all their support and help. The volunteers who stepped up month after month, week after week, then day after day and night after night to man their posts and do their part to make the event as wondrous as it was will be appreciated forever. When I say appreciated, please know that I say this not only from myself as Commander of American Legion Post 2 at the time and Event Coordinator for the Vietnam Wall that Heals event, but also by all the Gold Star families and men and women that were touched by this event and Wall as it visited our city. I had a core team of volunteers that I would never trade the experience of working with and would gladly stand beside each and every one of them on future projects if ever they need. That week of the Wall’s visit, all of you that volunteered first and foremost should take pride in knowing that the reason the event was such a success, was because of all of you. Thank you — – I salute each and every one of you! To our Corporate sponsors and individual sponsors that helped us bring this event to life and helped us cover the costs involved in doing so, please know that your contributions helped our event touch the hearts of so many! You are amazing– — each and every one of you, and your generosity will never be forgotten! I humbly ask each and every reader of this article to look over the names of all of our sponsors and if they are someone you know please give them a handshake and a smile and thank them for their thoughtfulness, and if it is a business or restaurant, please stop in and show them support as they did for all of us! Last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to all the family members and friends of those named on the wall for sharing your stories and memories with all of us– — your stories and your loved ones will never be forgotten!
Thank you for putting the icing on the cake for such a wonderful and productive year for me as Commander of Post 2 and God bless you all!”
Russ Trudel
Immediate Past Commander American Legion Post 2
Business and Corporate Sponsors: 2 Brothers Pizza, 99 Restaurant, Barley Vine Restaurant (Mr. and Mrs. Victor Lugo), Barnes Group, Bristol All Heart Marketing, Bristol Memorial Military Museum, Bristol Parks and Recreation Department, Central CT Carpenters Union Local 24(Bruce Lydem and Joseph Morin), Chippanee Golf Club, City True Value Hardware and Just ask Rental with Joe Englert and family, CT Military Museum of Danbury, D’Amato Construction Company, Dance Art Center with Choreographer/Owner Mark Simpson, Exper-tees Embroidery and Print Shop, Funks Funeral Home, Gurbax LLC, Home Depot of Milldale CT, Hubbards Florist, TD Bank, The Main Street Foundation, Minuteman Press of Bristol (Thank you to Joe and Kita), Nutmeg TV, Paradis Electric, Pasquales Italian Deli in Terryville(the Marino Family), Positano Plumbing, Rick Muntean and the Bristol Blues Baseball Team, Riverside Restaurant, Roland Dumont Agency, RSVP of Greater Bristol ( Kathleen Cayer), SignPro, The Bristol Observer, The Bristol Press, The City of Bristol and the Bristol Police and Explorers(Mayor Ken Cockayne and Chief Brian Gould), The Oasis Restaurant, Thomaston Savings Bank, Touch Ups Unlimited, United Site Services, Webster Bank, Winterberry Gardens, Yankee Harley Davidson
Fraternal Organizations Military Organizations and Local Groups: American Freedom Defenders MC, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 60, American Legion Posts– -1, 2, 20, 58, 72, 91, 113, 117, 209, 1771, American Legion Riders Chapters, 2, 20, 101, 209, American Legion Department Color Guard, Bristol Elks Lodge 1010, Bristol Lions Club, Bristol C.E.R.T. Team, Bristol Veterans Council, Dames for Soldiers, Disabled American War Veterans Chapter 5, Franco American War Veterans, The Secret Guerilla Unit Organization (General Sar Phouthasack and his Unit), Korean War Veterans of Bristol, CT, Polish Legion of American Veterans and the Sons of the PLAV, Police Pipe and Drum Corps Waterbury CT, Port 5 Naval Veterans Association, Sea Scouts of American Legion Post 2, Saint Joseph’s Polish Society, The S. G. U. Memorial Committee, Snappy Seniors, Torrington Civil Air Patrol, Troop 20 Scouts, U.A.W. Vetrans Committee, VFW Post 54 Plainville CT, VFW Post 1979 Wolcott CT
Family and Individual Contributors: Al and Melissa Wilder, Anastasia and Cindy St Hilaire, Anthony J. Sileo, Anthony D’Amato, Anthony Schlapa, Bart and Carol Bartucca, Bernette Daigle, Bill Stortz, Bob and Darlene Coffey, Bob and Michelle Renta, Bob Tocionis, Bonnie and John Lodovico, The Bouffard family, Brian Drost, Bryon Rankin, Cara Pavalock, Carol Denehy, The Carrello family, Charles and Winifred Maher, Paul and Sandra Spedaliere, Richard Linnon, Dave and Linda Connelly, Dave Peplau, David Fiorence, Dennis and Jane Blanchard,Don and Gail Smuda, Ethel Zanetti, Floyd and Sandy Ryder, Frank Nicastro, George Castle, Irene and Eugene Kelsey, Jamie Terry, Janice Kowalec, Jason Dufour, Jim and Sheila Bousquet, Joe Laverto, John and Gail Dickau, John Worley, Judith and William Hungerford, Kevin Mc Cauley, Loretta D. Violette, Marcel Guilmette, Michael Barzee and Laura Greene, Mike and Sue Thomas, Mike and Tamblyn Ciquera, Mo Sola, Mona Huggard, Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Nelson, Mr. and Mrs. Rick Fitzimmons, Nick Diaz, Randy Richert and son, Robert and Jane Cummiskey, Ron and Donna Levesque, Sal and Donna Crispo, Sam Alkas, Sam Johnson, Sandra Hoffman, Darlene Sawe and family, Scott Stanton, Shelby Patrice, Steve Ardussi, Steve Dohoney, Shane Gordon and family, The Testa family, Tim Bogiatzis, Tim Gamache, The Wally Mandella memorial, all the contributors to the Go Fund Me page, all the participants to the pasta dinner, all the participants to the Riders bike breakfast and blessing poker run and all those who showed support at the Bristol Home Show.
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