Ahern Family Charitable Foundation to Host 11th Annual Army Navy Football Luncheon Supporting Children of Fallen or Deployed Troops
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Stoneham, MA – November 10, 2014 As the nation prepares to salute our veterans tomorrow, the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation is announcing plans to host its 11th Annual Army-Navy Football Luncheon on Saturday, December 13th, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the Scoreboard Sports Bar & Grill in Woburn, MA. The luncheon will once again raise funds to support Operation Santa-Massachusetts through a partnership with the Military Friends Foundation, a non-profit that provides financial assistance to families associated with the Massachusetts National Guard and Reserve. Proceeds will be used to provide holiday gift cards to more than 100 children of deployed and fallen troops in Afghanistan with the Massachusetts National Guard.
Attendees will watch the 115th Army-Navy football game in a larger than life experience on the Scoreboard’s 42 HDTVs. In addition, the event will feature a live and silent auction as well as a raffle. NECN meteorologist Matt Noyes who serves on the Honorary Host Committee will serve as celebrity auctioneer.
Two Medal of Honor recipients Navy Lieutenant Tom Kelley and Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts will be honored at this year’s luncheon.
During the Vietnam conflict in June, 1969, Kelley was in charge of an 8-boat river convoy which came under attack inflicting a severe head wound. Unable to stand or speak clearly, he continued to relay directions to the convoy until all of the crippled boat were repaired and the group was able to move to safety. Despite losing an eye in the attack, Kelley remained on active duty and eventually retired with the rank of Captain in 1990. He most recently served as the Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2003-2011.
On July 13, 2008 near Afghanistan’s Kunar province Pitts was working as a forward observer when a fierce battle broke out. Even though he was shot in one arm and both legs and near death, he continued to lob dozens of grenades at militants so close he could hear them talking. At one point, he requested his fellow soldiers fire upon his position to prevent the enemy from gaining ground. After successfully, and single-handedly, beating the enemy back, he continued to provide radio communications and ammunition to his comrades as they eventually took back the area.
Joining Kelley and Pitts at the event along with Matt Noyes are the other members of the Host Committee including Dic Donohue, the MBTA officer shot in the Boston Marathon Bombing aftermath and his wife Kim, New England Patriots Hall of Famer Steve Grogan , former Boston Bruin Terry O’Reilly, Radio 92.9’s Amy Brooks, Country 102.5 Morning Team JW and Lori Grande, Magic 106.7’s Tina Gao, WROR’s Hank Morse, and River 92.5’s Matt Phipps as well as Frank Vento, General Manager of the Crown Plaza and The Scoreboard, and Lou Cimaglia, Veteran’s Agent for Wilmington, MA. Michael Petit, who has appeared on Comedy Central, ESPN, NESN and is a regular in Vegas and Mohegan Sun will also be on hand at the event.
To date, the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation has raised more than $500,000 in helping to provide services to veterans and current members of the U.S. military and their families.. In addition to the Army-Navy Football Luncheon, the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation hosts a St. Patrick’s Dinner Gala which also supports local and national veterans’ assistance organizations.
For tickets and additional information about the Army-Navy Football Luncheon and Ahern Family Charitable Foundation, visit www.ahernfoundation.org.
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