What Makes Wilmington Special? iPods for Wounded Veterans Project!

(Each entry in this blog will highlight a person, place, or thing that makes Wilmington special.)

What do 3 visits to Washington hospitals, including the Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Army Medical Center; 2 iPads and 220 iPods; and 1 Rod Stewart impersonator have in common?  The iPods for Wounded Veterans Project, a new Wilmington-based non-profit!  This organization, which shows their appreciation to wounded warriors through personal visits and donations of iPods and magazines, certainly MAKES WILMINGTON SPECIAL.

Paul Cardello (Chairman) and Ed Williams (Secretary/Treasurer) discussed the group’s success at this week’s Board of Selectmen Meeting.  I’m no reporter (I’m barely a blogger!), but I’ll do my best to give a recap!

“This is going to be a national program within two years,” said Paul Cardello.  “It all began right here [in Wilmington]…  We’re the pace-setter.  We’re the model when this goes national.”  He revealed that the iPods for Wounded Veterans Project will be traveling to Chicago this June to help establish a chapter there.

Cardello, who refers to the non-profit as a “working man’s charity,” likens its sudden success to “a snowball that has turned into avalanche” and “a train that is picking up speed by the hour.”  “We’ve made a name for ourselves in less than 9 months!,” he says.  The national higher-ups are taking notice of the group’s success, garnering support from U.S. Senator Scott Brown’s office.    

Cardello read a letter to the Board of Selectmen from the Department of the Navy.  The letter read, in part: “Thank you for the donations to our wounded warriors.  Your generous gifts contributed immensely to the morale and entertainment of our wounded warriors and their families.  Your generosity helped change lives.”

The Board of Selectmen was unanimous in their praise.

Selectman Newhouse spoke to volunteerism in Wilmington: “One of the things that seem to be an infinite resource in Wilmington is the willingness of people to get involve and volunteer their time and contribute money as well… I’m not surprised that something like this is taking off in Wilmington.”

Selectman Cimaglia, who was instrumental in launching the project, summed up the mood in the room: “Wilmington is a great place to live and this is one of the reasons why.”

Recently back from Washington (where they coincidentally met a wounded veteran who happened to be from Wilmington), the group is turning their attention to Massachusetts wounded warriors, planning to bring 40 iPods to troops in Bedford, Brockton, and Jamaica Plain in the near future.

Cardello and Williams went on to single out many for thanks, including Wilmington’s Textron (for $3,000 in donations), Hudson News (for a large donation of magazines), the VFW, Teamsters, numerous local media outlets for helping spreading the word across the Merrimack Valley, and – most importantly – the residents of Wilmington and nearby towns for their donations of money and iPods.

Special recognition was given to a first grade class at the Woburn Street School, which piloted a program called “Dear Solider.”  The students wrote letters to soldiers, thanking them for protecting the country and keeping them safe.  Students also wrote personal comments and drew flags on the letters.  These letters were then delivered with the iPods to the wounded warriors.  To add the cherry on top of the sundae, this “Dear Solider” program is also going to serve as the model school program for the rest of the nation.

Mr. Cardello was absolutely correct when he proudly exclaimed: “It’s a great day to live in Wilmington.”  In fact, it’s always a great day to live in Wilmington thanks, in part, to groups like the iPods for Wounded Veterans Project.

I’m definitely sending my check in!  I hope you will too!  To donate:

- Mail to: VFW Post 2458 c/o Paul Cardello; 4 Heather Drive; Wilmington, MA 01887.

- Call: Chairman Paul Cardello at 978-658-8743

- Drop Off: Directly drop off donated iPods at Rocco’s (193 Main Street, Wilmington)

 For more information, visit the iPods for Wounded Veterans Project Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ipods-for-Wounded-Veterans/168881346482568.

 Additional media coverage can be found here:

- Wilmington Patch:

- Teamsters: http://www.teamster.org/content/teamsters-support-ipods-wounds-veterans-project

- Wilmington Advocate: http://www.wickedlocal.com/wilmington/newsnow/x1700908149/Wimlington-group-gives-the-gift-of-iPods#axzz1LQBgG3qP

- Lowell Sun: http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_17973935 (link will eventually break)  

- YouTube Slideshow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUtVmglPpfs                                 

- WCTV is currently producing a special video of the group’s most recent trip.