Rotary Club of Central Bucks recently presented $33,000 in grants to 13 local veteran-focused nonprofit programs at its annual awards program at the Plumsteadville Inn.
The majority of this year’s recipients are either small, local grassroots organizations or local branches of regional or national initiatives that rely on donations and bare-bones volunteer staffs to deliver their important services.
In order to provide support to these programs, in 2009 the newly established Central Bucks Rotary club launched its Ride for the Heroes motorcycle ride and picnic, which is held annually on the first Sunday in June.
Each year, 75 to 100 volunteers commit many unpaid hours to ensuring the event’s success – over 12,000 hours since its inception to raise $450,000. For information, visit ridefortheheroes.com/beneficiaries.
“What we do as a club pales in comparison to what our beneficiaries do for the vets every day,” said Damon Derstine, event chair and charter member.
The club thanked member Sean Sablosky, CEO of Arrow Real Estate Services, for his sponsorship of the 2019 Ride for the Heroes. He was given a plaque recognizing him as this year’s largest supporter.
Grants were awarded Oct. 15, the Rotary Club said Nov. 18, to these 13 initiatives:
1. Care Packages to Go, Theresa Sablosky, goodtogocareboxes.org/
2. Meghan’s Foundation, Thomas Shortt, meghansfoundation.org/
3. Operation Eternal Gratitude, Frank Woodring, cbsd.org/Page/10949
4. Operation Homefront, Doylestown, operationhomefront.org/contactus
5. Operation Stand Down, Ed Stellar, philastanddown.org/
6. Our Community Salutes, Bucks and Montco, Anita Fleming, community.ocsusa.org/bucks-montgomery-county/
7. Shamrock Reins, Janet Brennan, shamrockreins.org
8. Tails of Valor, Heather Lloyd, tailsofvalor.org/
9. Bucks County Tour of Honor, Christine Ferrara and Joe Szafran Jr., visitbuckscounty.com/listing/bucks-county-tour-of-honor/4248/
10. Bucks County Bucks County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ Veteran Transport, Dan Fraley, buckscounty.org/government/CommunityServices/MilitaryAffairs/VeteransBenefits
11. Vietnam Vets Gift Cards, Dan Fraley, see above
12. Travis Manion Foundation, Hugo Lentz, travismanion.org/
13. Gold Star Mothers, goldstarmoms.com/
