Group Makes Sure Warriors Still Have Basic Entertainment

Many of our troops home from the war are unable to easily obtain some of the basic entertainment most civilians take for granted.

Salem-News.com

(HARRISON, New York) - A group of veterans in New York have assembled a program that supplies DVD's and CD's to our wounded veterans of the conflicts overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The program's organizers say the idea to start DVDs4Vets came about on Veteran’s Day, 2006.

The realization of the need happened amid increasing reports of severely wounded soldiers returning home from Iraq, many of them, due to physical hardships were unable to easily obtain some of the basic entertainment most civilians take for granted.

Dr. Richard Landis of Westport, Connecticut says many people began to realize that many of our returning Vets had suffered Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and other serious wounds which required long term rehabilitation, wanted to help any way he could.

Having returned from a two week visit to Afghanistan where along with a group of surgeons, Dr. Landis helped organize a remote hospital and rehabilitation center for wounded civilians.

During a social event over the Christmas Holiday, Dr. Landis met Frank Nicholson of Greenwich, CT who upon hearing of the visit to Afghanistan, suggested putting together another project that would allow our returning Vets to receive donated DVDs while in rehabilitation.

Once having Dr. Landis interested, Frank Nicholson then turned to friends and those he served with during the Korean conflict and in a matter of days, brought together a group of dedicated people interested in participating. One of those contacted was Laurance Baschkin of Rye, NY. Having known Larry during fundraising for Greenwich Hospital, Frank learned of his recent assistance in sending DVDs to active duty personnel serving in Iraq. Larry not only offered to help, but provided office space at his family’s business as well. As a result, Larry agreed to become Executive Director of DVDs4Vets and his tremendous efforts have been graciously appreciated.

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Other long time friends contacted included Robert Bruder, who donated the use of one of his warehouses located in Stamford, CT as a collection point. Before long, more than 20 individuals began pledging time and financial help to launch DVDs4Vets because he has dedicated so much time and resources to the project, he was unanimously appointed Executive Director of DVDs4Vets.

If you would like to donate DVDs to our Veterans, they say there are two ways to participate. You can send your DVDs directly to DVDs4Vets or to the nearest VA facility to you.

Donations received at our office will be forwarded to the VA facility nearest the donor location, or to the facility where the need is greatest, unless otherwise requested by the donor. We will make every effort to accommodate special requests.

In order to be listed on our Honor Roll page, all donations of 100 or more DVDs must be delivered to the DVDs4Vets office.

For more information, visit DVDs4Vets.org
Or you can write to the group:
DVDs4Vets
173 Halstead Avenue
Harrison , NY 10528
(914) 835-3673 or email Laurence Baschkin at dvds4vets@aol.com