Tolland, CT: Recycling for our Wounded Warriors is pleased to announce their 10 th annual donation ceremony, which will be held on November 11th at Tolland High School in the auditorium at 9:00 AM and 11 AM.
This years donation will be presented by Marine 1st Sgt. Ben Grainger of New Hartford. 1st Sgt.
Ben Grainger who is a 23-year United States Marine Corps veteran, recognized and revered for his
tireless efforts supporting vets and teens. He served in Desert Storm in 1991, the invasion of Iraq
and the Battle of Nasiriyah in 2003, and Fallujah in 2006. “It is important we support our veterans returning from war,” says Ben. “They give everything in service asked by their country.” He continues, “It is also important to help teens to recognize what so many men and woman do for our great country and the freedoms that we all enjoy. Combining these driven teens and wounded veterans, to help each other, is a win in life for everyone.” “I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish and donate,” says Annalee Hughes, a 2017 graduate of Tolland High School. “So many people and organizations support me and this project and I want to thank everyone. Since 2011 when I first started, I have collected and donated over $15,000 to help others and to know that it’s going to help a veteran from CT.” Recycling for our Wounded Warriors.
Mission: Collect bottles and cans to recycle and help clean up the world around us for future
generations. All proceeds are donated to a local wounded warrior.
Background: Annalee Hughes was born with cerebral palsy and has been in a wheelchair most of
her life, but that hasn't stopped her from helping others. She started Recycling for our Wounded Warriors as a summer “job” in 2012, when she wanted to work for the Tolland Senior Center. They asked her to recycle their cans and bottles for them, and they donated that money back to her to give to a charity. She chose the Wounded Warriors, but decided to donate to a local person rather than sending the money to the national foundation in Washington DC. She felt that it would make more of a difference to give all of the money directly to one person.
She has received numerous awards and recognitions over the years that acknowledge her efforts
including:
• WFSB “Pay it Forward” Award, 2012
• Civil Citizenship Award 2013, Knights of Columbus
• Building Homes for Heroes Certificate of Appreciation, 2013
• Official State of CT Recognition Certificates:
• Congressman Joe Courtney, 2014
• Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, 2014
• CT State Legislature General Assembly, 2014
• Hometown Heroes 2015, Hartford Courant
• Citizen of the Year 2015, Tolland Lion’s Club
Join her on Facebook to track our progress: @RecyclingForOurWoundedWarriors
