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Croton restaurant owner, Craig Purdy, of Umami, will hold a fundraiser for Blue Star Families and The Wounded Warrior Project to commemorate Flag Day, Tuesday. Fifty cents of each dollar spent in the restaurant will be donated to the two organizations, one of which is headed by Croton local, and former West Point professor Mark Smith.
The community that we support, which is the military family, has been under supported, said Blue Star Families Executive Director Mark Smith. He continued to say that many organizations focus on the servicemen and women themselves, but very few organizations focus on the needs of the military family, which is a critical component of keeping our soldiers in the field, able to do their mission.
The idea for the patriotic evening at Umami came to Purdy around Memorial Day, when people were remembering those lost in combat. I thought remembering isnt enough, said Purdy. After Purdys girlfriend had a nephew return to Afghanistan early for a second tour, to rejoin a group of decimated servicemen, in Purdys words, it made me think about guys getting banged up and coming home.
Blue Star Families provides "morale support," in Smith's words, to families. It is a campaign to inform service members about suicide prevention services, but also through programs like Blue Star Museums, which allows military families to attend over 1,000 museums free of charge. Blue Star Families has also had their research widely cited by notables such as First Lady Michelle Obama.
The Wounded Warriors Project assist wounded veterans to live well-adjusted lives through peer mentoring programs, advocacy and family support measures. Click here for more information on Blue Star Families, or The Wounded Warrior Project.
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