Volunteers, Donors Wanted for Annual Veterans' Thanksgiving Dinner

The Lou Cardillo Home Selling Team is teaming up with the New York Downstate Chapter of the Purple Heart Homes and Councilwoman Suzi McDonough to host the 5th Annual Veterans Thanksgiving Dinner.

Over the past four years, former State Senator Greg Ball worked with the community to host an annual Thanksgiving dinner for local veterans. The dinner drew over 800 veterans and hundreds of local volunteers.

This year, Cardillo is partnering with Purple Heart Homes to seek donations and volunteers in order to make the free meal possible.

Members of the community are asked to either donate goods, time or make a donation on behalf of the event, directly to the Downstate Chapter of Purple Heart Homes.

In-kind donations include: uncooked turkeys (20 lbs or more), turkey gravy, cans of string beans, cans of whole white potatoes, cans of corn, cans of cranberry sauce, salad dressing, premade bags of stuffing, 48 oz cans of chicken broth, pies and décor.

The event will take place Nov. 21 at the Putnam Golf Course. Seating times will be 11:30AM and 2PM.

“I am excited to get involved in this event to keep this wonderful tradition going. I can’t think of a better way for our community to come together to thank our veterans that have sacrificed so much for us,” said Cardillo. “While we have assembled a wonderful team to help organize this dinner, this is truly a community event and we will heavily rely on the generosity of community members and our small businesses to make this all possible.”

“I always look forward to the Veterans Thanksgiving Dinner each year, as it is truly an incredible event for everyone who attends,” said Vietnam War Veteran and Purple Heart recipient Eugene Parrotta. “It’s great that the community is coming together to host the dinner for a fifth time this year. I know that the hundreds of veterans who attend each year are already excited to be invited back for another great Thanksgiving celebration, and Purple Heart Homes thanks Lou Cardillo and his entire team, for their caring and generosity.”

Carmel Town Councilwoman Suzi McDonough, who also serves on the board of the Downstate Chapter of Purple Heart Homes, will be helping to organize the event.

“Thanksgiving is a time for all of us to be thankful to all of our Veterans and their families that served and are serving this great nation. We will take delight in serving them a delicious meal at the fifth annual Veterans Thanksgiving Dinner,” said McDonough, Board Member of the New York Downstate Chapter of Purple Heart Homes.

To RSVP for the dinner, or if you are interested in volunteering or donating goods, please contact McDonough at suzi5mcdonough@gmail.com or (914) 403-8463.

“This event is not possible without the help of the volunteers and local restaurants. We need the community to step forward once again to share in an event that puts a smile on the faces of the real heroes that made America great,” said Bobby Farese, Purple Heart Homes Construction Manager and event coordinator.

PHOTO/contributed