House of Heroes Connecticut Partners with Knights of Columbus

Darien –Back in October 2021, Knights of Columbus Bishop Fenwick Assembly 100 (4th Degree) Faithful Navigator George Ribellino invited Carol May from House of Heroes to speak to the 4thDegree Knights at their monthly meeting. Ribellino saw a project that HOH was working on and felt this was something that Assembly 100 should be doing,
“Since the main principle of the 4th Degree in the Knights of Columbus is patriotism, what better way to show our patriotism is by assisting a local veteran in need,” said Assembly 100 Faithful Navigator George Ribellino.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Assembly voted on raising the money to sponsor a project in the local area. This would be the first project for House of Heroes CT in Fairfield County. The Assembly raised the funds with various fundraising projects and support from the local councils.
Ribellino went on to say, “I called Carol to say we raised the money to take on the project in April 2022 and went to try to find a local vet that needed our assistance.”
So on Saturday, August 27th, House of Heroes along with Bishop Fenwick Assembly 100 worked on the project at the 6 Devonshire Drive, Darien home of 95-year-old Patsy Lombardo, a U.S. Navy vet who served a year of active duty aboard the USS Iowa at the tail end of World War II before serving another 28 years in the Naval Reserve and 32 years with the Stamford Fire Department More than 30 Knights and friends did extensive yardwork, deck repairs and staining and other repairs, including making a bathroom safer and more accessible. In addition, Assembly 100 member Jimmy Connors, a plumber installed a new faucet and member AJ Cossuto, owner of AJ’s Landscaping donated the mulch to spruce up the garden beds.
“It is a special privilege to collaborate with the Knights of Columbus to honor and serve these most deserving veterans, who have given so much to our nation and their communities,” said Carol May, House of Heroes’ Executive Director.
Both projects began at 8 a.m. and Flag presentation ceremonies took place at the conclusion of the event. In searching for veterans in need, House of Heroes assisted a veteran in Stamford that day and partnered with Greenwich Hospital. The projects are the first in each community for House of Heroes Connecticut, which with Saturday’s projects have served 177 veterans or surviving spouses in 56 Connecticut communities and seven additional states since the organization’s founding in 2012.
“I want to thank my great crew of Brother Knights and families by following in the footsteps of Jesus by doing great work to help others,” Ribellino said.
Others helping to make the Knights of Columbus Bishop Fenwick Assembly 100 Project Partnership with House of Heroes (and Darien project) possible include Toni Boucher (in memory of Sir Knight Bud Boucher); Msgr. Thomas Finn Council #46; South Norwalk Council #1253; Father Stapleton Council #2287; Church of the Assumption Council #3688; Our Lady of Fatima Council #12698; St. Matthew Council #14360; St. Francis of Assisi Council #17166; Al’s Angels; AJ’s Landscaping; and Sir Knights AJ Cossuto and Jimmy Connors. House of Heroes Connecticut is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that recognizes, honors, and serves military and public safety veterans and/or their surviving spouses in need for their sacrificial service to America. Part of a national organization founded in Columbus, Georgia in 2000, the organization provides one-day, no-cost home improvements with a priority placed on safety and accessibility. For more information, visit www.hohct.org.
Assembly #100 is regularly active in such events as Columbus Day festivities, raising money for Veterans’ organizations including Homes for the Brave, American Legion and Fisher House CT, and paying tribute to those men and women who have and still protect our freedoms in the United States. In addition, the Assembly has been assisting the local community during the pandemic by hosting food drives, sending food to the first responders and medical professionals and donating cribs to Malta House. Malta House is the only home for pregnant women above the age of 18 in Fairfield County, and one of a limited number of programs for young mothers experiencing homelessness and their babies. The Assembly assists the youth in the city of Norwalk by donating to the Norwalk Public Safety Cadets. For more information go to Assembly100.org.