Shipping “home” to American soldiers: one box at a time

March 25 dance party to support troops overseas

By Lisa Cutroni

ELDRED, NY — In the cardboard boxes, taped and stamped, is a little piece of the American lifestyle, and to soldiers fighting overseas, a little piece of home.

“It’s a part of home coming to them. I just want those boys and girls to know no one has forgotten them,” said Dolores Delgado, president and co-founder of the Sullivan County Armed Forces Support Group.

“They’re thanking us for a box, when we should be thanking them for their commitment,” she said.

Delgado, whose son, First Armored Sergeant Joseph Hernandez, is currently stationed in Iraq, founded the support group three years ago with the intent of supporting her son and his fellow comrades by any means feasible.

“Any means feasible” includes throwing a huge dance party to raise money for goods needed by the troops.

“I’m very excited about it. I hope a lot of people turn out,” Delgado said.

The dance party will be held from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. at the Eldred Preserve, located on Route 55 in Eldred. Tickets purchased in advance cost $10, while those bought at the door cost $12. There will be dance music provided by DJ Joey C, a cash bar and food available for purchase.

Party organizers invite community members to lend a hand to support the troops.

Lou Monteleone, facilities manager, said, “If people feel they’ve lost their patriotism, they’ll get it back here. I just want to see everyone here to show support for a great cause.”

But the dance party isn’t the first event, which has been held this year.

On March 9, at an event sponsored by Bold Gold Media, which owns Sullivan County radio station Thunder 102.1 FM, promotions director Paul Ciliberto chose function over fashion when he donned a skirt and served drinks and waitered for donations.

Originally, the Thunder Night Out on March 9 was scheduled to be just that: a chance for the new radio station to receive publicity. However, once Ciliberto realized that the upcoming Thunder Bash and the dance party for the support group were on the same night, March 25, he decided to use the earlier date to the support group’s advantage. So, he made a few calls, finagled a few strings and donned a frilly black skirt for a good cause. Ciliberto served over a 100 people that night in a three-hour period and made roughly $150 in tips.

“I had heard about waitresses donating their tips and I thought I could do that as well,” Ciliberto said. The skirt that Ciliberto wore was auctioned off on Ebay for $15.

The Eldred Preserve matched Ciliberto’s tips dollar for dollar, and donated the income gained from selling food and beverages during the evening’s festivities.

“It was great, especially when we announced we were donating all the proceeds to the troops. It was a feel-good feeling. People loved it,” Monteleone said.

Because of events like those held on March 9 and 25, the Armed Forces Support Group is able to outfit soldiers with some of the necessities that they may be unable to get while in Iraq, especially, Delgado said, if they are stationed away from a large, active base.

Over the past three years, the group has sent 50 packages overseas, an expensive venture, with just 24 packages costing $315 in shipping costs. But money is no object to this mother. To her, every soldier in Iraq could be her son.

“There are some boys there who don’t even get letters from home,” Delgado said. The price of books, writing supplies, water bottles, baby wipes and beef jerky—objects the soldiers desperately need—is a small sacrifice compared to what they are sacrificing for the country, Delgado said.

“It’s support, regardless of a person’s opinion of the war. They suffer enough, they volunteered for this. We should be supporting them more. A lot of them feel that we are making a difference,” Delgado said.

The group is getting ready to ship another 15 boxes. Each shipment takes approximately 10 days to get to the soldiers.

“The last group of boxes we packed took four days and two jeeps to mail,” Delgado said.

To purchase tickets, call The River Reporter at 845/252-7414, ext. 21, the Eldred Preserve at 845/557-8316, ext. 323 or Kathleen Brandes, CPA at 845/791-5656. All proceeds will benefit troops overseas. Ten dollars not only buys admission to the dance party but a ticket to the Thunder Bash at the Monticello Raceway, that same night.

Donations of goods or money may be sent to Armed Forces Support Group, 310 Gabriel Road, Cochecton, NY 12726.