MEDAL OF HONOR SPONSORS

Walk for the Wounded Media, PA
Saturday, May 18th 2019

Registration 8:30am | Run 10:00am | Ceremony 11:00am

Walk Immediately Following Ceremony

Saturday, May 18th 2019
Rose Tree Park | Media, PA

Live performance by The Resilient 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Participants are encouraged to recruit a team of friends, family, or co-workers and register here on the site. Individual registrations as well as donations in lieu of attendance are also welcomed.

SHARE THE WALK INFORMATION

AND HELP US HELP OUR WOUNDED HEROES!

Saturday, May 18th 2019
Rose Tree Park | Media, PA

CAN’T MAKE IT?

Support our Heroes by donating to a Walk for the Wounded Team or make general a donation

Donate Now

Participants are encouraged to recruit a team of friends, family, or co-workers and register here on the site. Individual registrations as well as donations in lieu of attendance are also welcomed.

Thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, and thousands of attendees for raising funds for our heroes!
American Legion Post 507 Family

Guest Speaker

Major General John L. Gronski, a native of Moosic, Pennsylvania, assumed the duties as Deputy Commanding General, US Army Europe (Army National Guard) on May 1, 2016. MG Gronski received his commission in the United States Army in May 1978 through the ROTC program at the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA.

Previous key assignments include duty as the 37th Commanding General of the 28th Infantry Division from September 2012 to April 2016. He also served as Deputy Adjutant General-Army, Pennsylvania National Guard , commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division (Forward), Ramadi, Iraq (2005-06); commander of 55th Brigade, 28th Infantry Division (Forward), Task Force Keystone, Central Region, Europe; Military Liaison Team Chief in the Republic of Lithuania; and command and staff assignments with infantry and armor units. He has served as J2/3, Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard. General Gronski has commanded infantry units at the company, battalion, brigade and division level.

MG Gronski is a graduate of numerous military schools to include the U.S. Army War College, the Command and General Staff Course, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Ranger School, and Airborne School. His military awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Governor’s Unit Citation, Combat Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, and Basic Parachutist Badge.  MG Gronski has also been awarded the National Infantry Association Order of Saint Maurice in the rank of Primicerius and the Republic of Lithuania Medal of Merit.

MG Gronski is a graduate of the University of Scranton where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Penn State University, and a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. MG Gronski has attended Alvernia University as a doctoral student in the corporate leadership program. MG Gronski has been certified as a Project Management Professional and he holds a master certificate as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova University.

MG Gronski is the recipient of the Frank J. O’Hara Award in the Government Service Category, the highest award bestowed jointly by the University of Scranton and the Alumni Society. He is also a recipient of the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award and James E. West Award. The Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars presented the prestigious Eagle Award to MG Gronski in recognition for his combat service and his leadership of the 28th Infantry Division. MG Gronski was awarded the Washington Crossing Foundation Award by the Washington Crossing Foundation for service and dedication to the ideals of our Founding Fathers.  MG Gronski and his wife Berti have two sons. Stephen served in the United States Marine Corps and Timothy served in the 28th Infantry Division and had combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Guest Speaker

Dianna Angstadt widow of SMSgt Gregory Angstadt

A Wife’s Story…

Hear the moving story of Guest Speaker, Dianna Angstadt, the widow of SMSgt Gregory Angstadt, who recently passed away after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 49. He left behind three children, Cody, Cole and Caitlin. He dedicated his life to serving his country and received numerous medals and commendations. But upon his death, his own bravery would soon be matched by Dianna, who faced unexpected and life-altering financial and insurance challenges. Operation First Response was proud to assist the Angstadt family…and we thank her for sharing her story at this year’s WALK – so that you can see hear, first hand, how your dollars support our wounded Heroes, even after death.

   

SMSgt Gregory Angstadt (Deceased)   and His Family

Emcee

UKEE WASHINGTON

Ukee Washington is co-anchor with Jessica Kartalija of CBS 3’s Eyewitness News at 5, 6 and 11 p.m. and Eyewitness News at 10 p.m. on The CW Philly 57. He also appears in CBS 3’s Eyewitness News at 4 p.m. with Natasha Brown and Alexandria Hoff. Additionally, Ukee hosts CBS 3’s popular Brotherly Love segment profiling people who have had a positive impact in their communities.

Ukee (born Ulysses Samuel Washington III) joined the Channel 3 news team as a sports anchor in July 1986.  In 1996, he moved over to the news desk as early morning and noon anchor. In July 2015, he was promoted to anchor of the evening editions of Eyewitness News.

Since that time, Ukee has been front and center anchoring some of the region’s most memorable stories including Super Storm Sandy in 2012, the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and Pope Francis’ historic visit to the City in 2015.  In addition, the versatile anchor’s assignments have run the gamut from hosting the 2015 Philadelphia Mayoral Candidates Forum to going behind bars to interview a high school classmate on death row. Ukee has even guest co-hosted on the popular CBS network talk show, THE TALK three times, in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Ukee was raised in West Philadelphia and attended Dover High School in Delaware where he was a celebrated athlete.  As a youngster, his other love was music.  As a member of the Philadelphia Boys Choir’s “elite,” he traveled to Russia, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Denmark and Mexico to perform.  Both experiences proved helpful in his broadcasting career as host of the station’s live telecasts of the Philadelphia Orchestra and his live coverage of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games from Nagano, Japan.

Prior to coming home to the Philadelphia area, Ukee was a sports anchor at WBBH-TV in Fort Myers, Florida and at WSB-TV in Atlanta.  He is a graduate of the University of Richmond.  Today, he makes his home in Wilmington, Delaware.

Among his honors, he was named to both the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2008. In February 2017, Philadelphia’s City Council confirmed what most of us have already known – it named Ukee a “Living Legend” during its special Black History Month observance.

 

Warrior Escort

All Bikers and Classic Car Owners
Join the Warrior Escort on May 18, 2019
Rally Time – 9:00 AM
Location Staybridge Suites 400 Evergreen Dr, Glen Mills, PA 19342

Please contact Ride Organizer – James “Preacher” Callahan
610-587-7554
email – jcallahan@concordtownship.org

Become a sponsor for “The Walk”!

Becoming a sponsor of the Walk For The Wounded will be directly helping American Heroes. Because corporations, small businesses and individual supporters have varied budgets for charitable causes, you or your company can become a sponsor for “The Walk” starting at a very reasonable and manageable level to being the prime sponsor of the event. Each level supports your business or interest appropriately with logo recognition, marketing, and advertising.

The levels are listed below with pricing and full breakdown. All contributions are tax-deductible and in excess of 97% of funds raised will go directly to helping wounded American troops and their families.

Change the Life of a Hero

ADVERTISE IN OUR DEDICATION BOOKLET

The Dedication Booklet is a way to advertise or show appreciation to our wounded troops with a Thank you ad. Whether you are a business, corporation, family, team, group of friends, or individual; you have the opportunity to get into the ad book. Not only will this book be available at the event and have a lot of exposure, but a portion of the books will also be delivered to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and distributed to the wounded soldiers there. This is your chance to advertise with a page or business card, or thank the troops and their families for their sacrifice to our country. Please take the time and “space” to do so.

 

ABOUT THE WALK

On Saturday, May 18th, Operation First Response presents the 12th Annual Walk for the Wounded at Rose Tree Park in Media, PA.  Registration for the Walk & Warriors 5k Run takes place at Rose Tree Park at 8:30 a.m., and the three-mile Walk begins immediately after the ceremony.

The goal of the day is two-fold: 
1. To draw attention to the plight of tens of thousands of returning soldiers who are wounded, and whose families are facing significant financial and emotional challenges as their loved one recovers.
2. To raise funds to help meet the critical needs of these families, many of whom are crisis right now – today, in hometowns all across the country.

QUICK FACTS:
  • Operation First Response (OFR) delivers over 97 cents of every dollar raised to wounded soldiers and their families.
  • OFR is staffed by mostly volunteers; with the exception of three full-time employees.
  • The 3 mile walk & 5k run will take place Rose Tree Park in Media, PA.
  • Walkers register here and are asked to help get donation sponsors for themselves, if possible.
  • Companies are also invited to become Walk or Corporate Sponsors, or to advertise in the WALK PROGRAM being distributed at the event.
  • People are invited to simply make a donation.
OUR CAUSE

It is hard for us to comprehend waking up each day in a hostile country, putting our life on the line to protect people from terrorists who have no fear and no conscience about planning and conducting mass murder. It is harder still to imagine how it feels to be at the heart of a bomb explosion – or to be shot by snipers – or to be the target of a single man or woman whose mission is to be a human bomb. Sadly, many lives are lost. But of equal importance are the lives that are changed forever in the blink of an eye by severe wounds, life changing amputations, and painful surgeries – often followed by mounting bills at home, necessary job retraining, home renovations and more. Just dealing with the emotional scars is difficult – but with your donations OFR ‘has their back’ on the home front.

OUR MISSION

Operation First Response, Inc., supports our nation’s Wounded Heroes and their families with personal and financial needs. Services are provided from the onset of injury, throughout their recovery period and along their journey from military life into the civilian world. Financial aid varies as each case is based on individual needs ranging from rent, utilities, vehicle payments, groceries, clothing, and travel expenses.