‘Proud To Be An American’ raises $14K for VA Medical Center

By Pete Fontaine
Posted 7/14/16

Vin Palumbo, a native Johnstonian, sat quietly at a conference table inside the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Providence and said, “Next year, $20,000!”

Palumbo, longtime owner of …

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‘Proud To Be An American’ raises $14K for VA Medical Center

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Vin Palumbo, a native Johnstonian, sat quietly at a conference table inside the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Providence and said, “Next year, $20,000!”

Palumbo, longtime owner of Palumbo’s Garage on Simmonsville Avenue, was speaking of the amount of money he hopes the fifth annual Starzz Entertainment “Proud To Be An American” fundraiser will generate on Saturday, May 16, 2017.

The fourth installment of the event, which was held in May at the West Valley Inn’s Triple Crown and Garden Rooms in West Warwick, raised $14,350. Last month, Palumbo and his wife Elly, along with organizers Steve Quirini and Lisa D’Ambra of Starzz, presented that figure in the form of a check to VA Medical Center Director Susan B. MacKenzie during a ceremony inside her Providence office.

“We can’t thank you enough,” MacKenzie told the Palumbos, Quirini, and D’Ambra. “This will certainly help us in so many different ways. You people have become part of our family.”

“We really, really appreciate everything you people have done,” said Donna Russillo, chief of voluntary services at the VA Medical Center. “Your generous gift is valuable for a number of reasons and your work is certainly of an extraordinary nature.”

D’Ambra, Quirini, and the Palumbos have now raised upwards of $38,000 through “Proud To Be An American.” This year’s event drew roughly 400 people, including dignitaries such as U.S. Rep. James Langevin, Warwick Mayor Scott Advedisian, retired Gen. Reginald Centracchio, and Kasim Yam, the state’s new director of veterans affairs.

Planning for this year’s fourth annual event began back on Jan. 2 and went “full steam ahead until the day of the event,” D’Ambra said. She praised the events many sponsors, and particularly Godiva Chocolates and Erin Darden O’Brien at the company’s corporate offices in New York, for being “extremely supportive of our event each year.”

She also applauded the Cranston High School East and Coventry High School JROTC programs for their part in the ceremonies, and the oldies band Reminisce for providing the national anthem and musical entertainment throughout the evening.

“The band came on board this year to change things up,” D’Ambra said. “They have an outstanding presence in the room and they believe in our cause, and we’re very excite about working together. They delivered a great night of oldies with ‘Good Night Sweetheart’ at midnight – yes, we still had people at midnight.”

D’Ambro also spoke of the “family of friends” that supports the annual event, including Marion Card, David DiLorenzo, Chris Giardina, Phil and Diane Gibree, John and Pam Grynowicki, Maria Manzi, John Gervais, Missy Palumbo, Vin and Elly Palumbo, Marilyn Parrillo, Sara Scardera, Bob Susi, and Zack Ung.

The Voluntary Service Department at the VA Medical Center helps provide for needs and programs that fall outside regular funding.

“We’ve helped veterans enjoy a summer sports clinic, supplied over 600 food gift cards so that our important veterans can feed their families, and purchased monthly bus passes so that veterans can have transportation to and from work, just to name a few ways we’ve helped,” D’Ambra said. “This year we are helping to develop a wellness center right here at the VA.”

So what about 2017?

“Reminisce is coming back for what we all hope will be another record-setting year,” D’Ambra said. “We are extremely grateful to the many financial contributors, raffle donors, and overall supporters who realize the important work the VA does for our veterans.”

The VA is always accepting contributions. To donate, checks payable to PVAMC-135 may be sent to the Providence VA Medical Center, 830 Chalkstone Ave., Providence, RI 02908-4799.

Those interesting in assisting the “Proud To Be An American” team may contact D’Ambra at 401-451-5500 or Palumbo at 401-413-6320.

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