Community joins veterans for Wounded Warriors trip

On Friday, July 29, community members joined the American Legion Post 178 for a trip to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. Click here for full story. Below are some stories of those who made the trip.

MILLERTON —The volunteers of Operation Thank You Wounded Warrior II ran the gamut, from young children to active seniors, men and women, girls and boys who all took time out of their lives to make the trip.

They made arrangements to have work, pets, babies, be covered or cared for by others in their absence, while checking on them faithfully  during the trip.

These were sacrifices the volunteers were very willing to make to help with the Legion’s mission of supporting wounded soldiers.

One young volunteer on the trip, Stone Scasso, 10, took on the task of writing up some facts and impressions for the newspaper, acting as a spokesperson after interviewing those in charge.

“This is Operation Thank You Wounded Warrior II,” he wrote. “There are 56 people from Millerton, Pine Plains, northwest Connecticut and other towns in northeast Dutchess County helping put on the barbecue, which will include steak, hot dogs, hamburgers, baked potatoes, baked beans, macaroni salad, soft drinks, fixings and cookies that were baked all over Dutchess County.”

Stone wanted the readers of the newspaper to know why he wanted to be a part of the trip, and here he was truly expressing not only his own feelings, but those of everyone on the bus: “I am here to help and to thank the wounded warrior.”

He and fellow volunteer Emma Jenks, 11, of Millerton, planned to work together on a project about the trip. It will be a slide show of the journey set to music. They will present it at school and the Legion Hall.

Stone is the son of Joanne and Jay Scasso of Millerton; his mother accompanied him on the trip.

Emma is the daughter of Molly and Robert Jenks of Millerton.

Luke Nelson of Millerton, 22, has just completed four years in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Oklahoma. Though he’s leaving to do a pre-med course of study in college in two weeks, he took the time out to help with the barbecue.

Cindy Shea of Pine Plains, who had served in Washington, D.C., in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1990, and took an early retirement after 18 years of Army service, said she was very glad to be able to help out and support the troops.

Gladys Archambault, a Dover Plains senior citizen who is a member of the American Legion Post there, was happy to be able to be there, staying active while helping others.

Many members of the Klay family of the town of North East were on board, including mother Annegret and five grown children: Sean, Pamela, Scott, Tyson and Paul. Sean Klay is an Army captain who returned from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan two weeks ago.

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