The Catskill Chronicle

Story and photos by Carol Montana

LIBERTY, NY (November 18, 2013) – Back in 2009, the first-ever Home of the Free Because of the Brave Radiothon was held at the Sullivan County International Airport.

In 2010, the venue was the Villa Roma Resort, in 2011 it was held at Anthony’s Pier 9 in New Windsor, and last year, the event was held at Billy Joe’s Ribworks on the Waterfront in Newburgh.

The Radiothon was initiated back in 2009 by Ray McCarthy and the Sullivan County Committee for the Families of Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans, and broadcast by Sullivan County radio station Thunder 102.

This year it was brought back to Sullivan County and once again broadcast on Thunder 102 hosted by Paul Ciliberto and Michelle Semerano. 

The date was November 3, the host venue was Mr. G’s Grille on Sullivan Avenue in Ferndale and included a Wing Fling sponsored by ShopRite. 

Throughout the event, guests were on air speaking about the importance of supporting our veterans and their families.

Dan O’Kane, President of the Committee for the Families of Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans said that hard work of the board enabled the Radiothon to be brought back to Sullivan County.

“It’s one of those things that really tugs at your heart strings,” said O’Kane. “I’m shocked by how these guys and gals go overseas and the income they make doesn’t support the bills they have at home. They come back and sometimes their jobs are gone, their homes are gone. To me that’s just an absolute outrage.”

O’Kane explained that while the committee does not have the kind of funding needed to pay off a mortgage, there are a lot of things they can do to help.

“We’ll get a call from a young lady who’s husband is serving overseas saying ‘I just got evicted, I found a new place, I moving in, but I don’t have beds for my children.’ We’ll get calls from from Veteran’s coordinators who ask for our help with that. They don’t have a place for that in their organization.

“To me there’s nothing more horrible than getting a call from a guy or a gal saying ‘Listen I’ve been back three months, it’s now January and I have no money, and I have no oil in my tank and it’s 38 degrees inside my home.’”

The organization is made up entirely of volunteers who are able to react quickly when there is a veteran or family member in crisis. “We get the information from them we confirm the need … everything is documented, we see their DD214s, they fill out an application … That’s the beautiful part of our work, there’s no redtape … all the funds are donated.”

O’Kane made special mention of ShopRite, which has been a huge supporter from day one “and they’re still with us. … That’s the stuff that keeps us going, that’s what it’s really all about.”

None of the money goes for offices or fancy furniture, for the board members to have cars, there are no salaried employees, said O’Kane.

“This is a heartfelt mission by everybody who’s on the board; that’s why we’re all here.”

To contribute to the Committee for the Families of Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans, call 914-329-1243.