Red Springs Native Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews Receives VFW Honor

Each Veterans Day, the members of VFW Post 347 in Glen Cove (Long Island, NY), are honored for their bravery and dedication for their years of service fighting for our freedoms. During recent years, Glen Cove Councilman Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, a Red Springs native, has been invited to join the veterans early in the morning for a ceremony at their hall. This year, he arrived at the Post for the ceremony with “I’m Proud to be a Veteran'' lapel pins, which he distributed to each member present. Yet, in a surprise twist, prior to the start of their standard service, it was the Councilman who was celebrated. The VFW members surprised Stevenson-Mathews with a plaque honoring him for his meritorious and distinguished service to their post. “I was truly surprised and humbled to be presented with such an important and distinguished honor,” said Stevenson-Mathews. “To be acknowledged by veterans, who sacrificed so much in their own lifetimes is a true honor and will be something I will always cherish.”

VFW member and trustee Joseph Moores, who presented Gaitley with the award, explained that “Gaitley has been a tremendous help to all veterans, especially our VFW Post 347. He usually attends breakfast each month at St. Rocco’s with American Legion Post 76, he touches base with us before important meetings to ensure our voice will be heard and recently he set up a VFW Facebook page for us, so that we can share important veterans’ announcements with the community. During our recent emergency, when our Post caught on fire in the early morning hours, Gaitley was one of the first to arrive and offer assistance. Our Facebook page, which Gaitley manages with input from a designated member, allowed us to petition vital support and funds to help rebuild our post. Gaitley is a loyal friend and we wanted everyone to know how much we appreciate him.”

Members of Long Island’s VFW Post 347 surprise Red Springs native and Glen Cove City Councilman Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews with a plaque honoring him for his meritorious service to their post.

Stevenson-Mathews grew up in Red Springs with a strong sense of civic duty, faith, and commitment to community. His family also served in the military. His brother, retired Colonel J. Hunter Mathews Sr., served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. His father, James H. Mathews Sr., served in the Navy (WWII) prior to his career in textiles and later serving as dispatcher for the Red Springs Police Department, and his mother, Jean Gaitley Mathews, served in the Cadet Nurse Corps (WWII) before becoming Director of Nursing for the Robeson County Health Department. “I knew Gaitley’s parents,” said former Army Capt. Julia McManus Love, who lives in Fayetteville and is also a Red Springs native. “It is no surprise to me that Gaitley is as committed to his community as he is. He was certainly raised with a strong sense of the importance of serving others.”

Officers of VFW Post 347 with Glen Cove City Councilman Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews. L-R: Trustee Joseph Moores, Former Commander Ben Farnan, Councilman Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, Post Commander Henryk Nowicki.

While far from home, Stevenson-Mathews has not forgotten his Robeson County roots. He recently joined with NY Congressman Tom Suozzi and NY State Senator Jim Gaughran in a neighboring municipality to Glen Cove, to honor a fellow Robeson County native and Koren War Veteran, Layton Hunt. Hunt, a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, was presented with citations on behalf of the state and nation by the senator and congressman, and Stevenson-Mathews was greatly honored to present a citation on behalf of the Lumbee Tribe. “Layton and I have become friends and it warmed my heart to honor such a great leader and businessman in our community” stated the councilman. Hunt was honored for his service to our country and for having run a highly successful barbers shop for more than fifty years.

In October of 2020, Glen Cove City Councilman Stevenson-Mathews was honored to present Long Island barber, Korean War veteran, and Robeson County (NC) native Layton Hunt with a citation on behalf of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. L-R: Glen Cove City Councilman Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, Honoree Layton Hunt, New York State Senator Jim Gaughran.

Gaitley’s appreciation for his hometown roots was also exemplified in 2005 with the founding of the Flora Macdonald Legacy Foundation. In that year, while living in New York City, Stevenson-Mathews frequently traveled to Red Springs to join with local community leaders and alumni to create the non-profit foundation. The foundation still exists and serves Highlander Academy and the Flora Macdonald Campus. “I was so pleased to hear of Gaitley being honored,” said current president of the Flora Macdonald Legacy Foundation Moye Lowe. “He was the force in creating and initially pulling together our foundation and I am sure that same force is at work as he serves the veterans and the people on Long Island.”

Photo from 2009 Robesonian Article titled Changing of Guard at the FM Legacy Foundation. Back Row L-R: T.C. Hall, Legacy Foundation founder Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, Patsy Conoley, former Red Springs Mayor the late George T. Paris. Front Row L-R: Karen Gilchrist Poppele, Barbara Todd Taylor, Eleanor Fields. Not pictured - Flora Macdonald Legacy Foundation president Moye Lowe.

Stevenson-Mathews is the son of the late Jim and Jean Mathews of Red Springs and the grandson of the late Annie C. Gaitley, also of Red Springs.

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