One does not need to be an actual veteran to join the group,
but they do need to be passionate about helping them. Paul "Pappy"
Day, the chapter's Commander and an Army veteran of including Desert Storm,
said that a member named Toby Stanley was largely responsible for making the
donation happen. Stanley is notably not a veteran himself, but he wanted to
help the cause after seeing information about the event in a newspaper.
Members of Chapter 1 of the Indiana AVMRA (Paul Day, Gina
Seitz, Earnest Rico and Linda Mendez) present a check to Veterans Office
Assistant Pat Donnelly on Monday. Photo: Nick Fiala
"We've done donations for the traveling wall
before," Day said.
The check was delivered through Pat Donnelly, an assistant
and former officer for the local Veterans Service Office. Donnelly said AVMRA
member Gina Seitz had contacted him via email about making a donation.
"At the time,
she said 'I know we'll have at least $220," Donnelly recalled, "which
would have been a nice donation."
The group ultimately handed Donnelly a check for $1,220. He
had only learned how high the amount was after the group arrived at the library
and later joked about nearly fainting when he first heard the total.
SOURCE: Rensselaer Republican