Barbara Corker, 2013-2014 New York Auxiliary president, presented James Ellison, national headquarters program manager for Operation Comfort Warriors, with a check for $72,199 during The American Legion Auxiliary Department of New York's 94th convention.

New York Auxiliary raises $72,199 for OCW

The American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warriors (OCW) program received a donation of more than $70,000 from the American Legion Auxiliary Department of New York this past weekend.

Barbara Corker, 2013-2014 New York Auxiliary president, said she was inspired to promote OCW as her fundraising program because of all the wounded servicemembers returning from war with needs. “This was a way for us to give our thanks to them,” she said.

One hundred percent of donations to OCW are turned into gifts for wounded servicemembers and those transitioning back to civilian life. Past gifts have included equipment for adaptive sports therapy programs, basic kitchen supplies for soldiers’ rooms at military hospitals, and recreational outings for the veterans and their families.

Corker presented James Ellison, program manager at national headquarters for OCW, with a check for $72,199, which included $1,000 raised by the participants at Empire Girls State.

During the 2014 Empire State Girls State session, the participants scrounged for pennies and other change over three days to donate to the OCW drive.

“I was more than satisfied,” Corker said. “I set a goal of $50,000. I was speechless when the final tally was made. And that’s the dedication of The American Legion Family of New York.”