Celebrating Veterans Through Canine Companions For Independence

Garden City NY

02 November, 2020

10:31 AM

Description

The Whitmore Agency's James C. Metzger honored close friend and fellow Hofstra University alumnus Colonel E. David Woycik, Jr. (Ret.), United States Army, during October with significant financial contributions to five Long Island charities. Woycik, a senior trial partner concentrating on personal injury, construction, highway design and toxic torts at Sanders, Sanders Block, Woycik, Viener & Grossman, P.C., of Mineola, is involved with many community organizations across Long Island. He selected the nonprofits that received Metzger's assistance. One of the organizations supported with the Whitmore Agency donation is Canine Companions for Independence. The northeast region training center is at the Miller Family Campus at 286 Middle Island Road in Medford (631-561-0200). Canine Companions has facilitated matches since 1975. Woycik joined the region’s board of directors during 2010. Since then, he actively has championed the organization as a donor, a volunteer and with fundraising. Nine years ago, Woycik helped Canine Companions organize an annual Veterans Day event -- “Saluting Independence” -- that recognizes service men and women from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and the War Against Terrorism. Since 2011, Canine Companions’ Veterans Day salute has raised more than $500,000 to support the puppies/dogs programs for deserving veterans. Additional emphasis has been placed on fundraising this year to support expansion of the program for veterans to include men and women with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 2020 Honorees The program began as an awareness event with the dedication of a dorm room that David named in honor of veterans. A year later, the Outstanding Service Award, named for Woycik and Lance Corporal Matias Ferriera, was created to annually honor one person or corporation for outstanding service in military service and/or volunteering to assist veterans. Ferreira was injured in Afghanistan and today serves as a Suffolk County police officer. This year’s virtual “Saluting Independence” event on Veterans Day / November 11 salutes Captain Victor Prato of East Marion and his service dog Barbossa. Severely wounded in Afghanistan during 2017 when his vehicle was targeted by a suicide bomber, Captain Prato was presented with the Purple Heart by President Donald Trump at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.  Captain Prato was wounded when he served under 4-Star General John “Mick” Nicholson, the recipient of Canine Companions’ 2020 Outstanding Service Award. At the time, General Nicholson was commander of Resolute Support and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. Presently, he is president of the PenFed Foundation that empowers military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. The general also is a Canine Companions volunteer puppy raiser. He now is raising WestPoint, a future veteran companion. Photo: Suffolk County Police Officer Matias Ferriera, left, and E. David Woycik are dedicated to Canine Companions for Independence. Courtesy E. David Woycik