These elves wear camouflage
These elves wear camouflage
By Dan Gesslein
Who knew Santa wears camouflage? Next week John Laguna and his happy little elves from New Era Veterans will once again hand out toys and coats to needy children in Soundview.
At 11 a.m. on December 23rd. New Era President and Founder Laguna will be seen wearing his Santa cap instead of his usual Marine Corps cap as he, Chief Financial Officer Ruth Shafer, and his fellow vets hand out scores of toys. The vets will also drop off about 100 toys at a battered women’s shelter.
On Friday the vets were given some holiday cheer themselves in the form of 150 turkeys donated by the New York City Central Labor Council. The turkeys were a welcome sight for the vets. The recession has been hitting many charity organizations. Donors have been forced to scale back or not give at all this year.
“The money’s not what it once was,” said Vet Service Director Thomas Mullifield. “The unions have been so good to us. They’ve been our savior.”
Yet Laguna, Schafer and Mullifield have been able to attack donors with all the finese of a tank barreling through a building. They have been able to buy $3,000 worth of toys they hope to hand out right before Christmas.
“Everybody is welcome as long as you bring the kids,” Mullifield said.
One thing the vets do is not just give the kids a present they want but some times what they need. In Soundview which is never short of children in need, warm coats appear to be in short supply. During the toy giveaway Mullifield goes around and finds children who are in desperate need of a winter coat and gives it to them.
The idea came from the Vietnam Vet while standing outside the Commonwealth Avenue SRO smoking a cigarette on a cold day. He saw a young mother wearing a spring jacket and her kids were wearing tattered coats that barely kept them warm. From that moment the center had gone about collecting coats for needy kids.
“Everyone leaves with a smile,” Mullifield said.
For more information call New Era Veterans at (718) 904-7029.
Monday, December 21, 2009