OCW plans Albuquerque donation

The American Legion will present $30,000 worth of gifts from its Operation Comfort Warriors program this weekend to the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, N.M.

OCW provides items to assist the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded military veterans in VA centers, military hospitals and similar facilities.

The American Legion delegation - including members of the Legion Riders and Auxiliary – will donate aquatic therapy equipment, several television and DVDs, video game consoles and more. The group will also deliver donations for a “clothes closet” at Henderson House, a shelter for homeless women veterans and their children.

During the presentation, which takes place on Pearl Harbor Day, a member of the Department of New Mexico is expected to speak about the Day of Infamy.

During Past National Commander Jim Koutz’s fundraising drive, more than $1.1 million was donated to the OCW program, which has been used to procure items to assist in troops’ physical recovery as well as recreational activities such as a family day at an amusement park. Koutz originally set a goal of raising $500,000 for OCW during his tenure as national commander from 2012-2013. That goal was easily met and doubled by the time his year as commander ended.