Friends, neighbors and local elected officials are gearing up for the annual For The Troops Gala on March 5, 2022, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
“I am proud to be chairing for the fifth year in a row, the For The Troops Gala to honor our military veterans. This year will fete those who served our great country in the Gulf War Era. I hope that the readers of this article will join us and see firsthand the good that For The Troops does for our service personnel,” says Rosemary Allison, Estate Director at Coldwell Banker and a featured philanthropist in this issue.
Aiming “to care, to share and make a difference,” Rosemary’s passion for life, for causes, for people and for our country is underscored by a deep commitment to excellence in all that she does, including her support of For The Troops. Founded by Paula Cornell of Santa Rosa Valley in 2005, For The Troops is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing deployed members of U.S. armed forces with ‘We Care’ packages containing necessities, snacks, games and, most of all, a show of support from home.
Thanks to the efforts of a dedicated cadre of volunteers and donors, the organization has distributed over 250,000 care packages to American troops who risk their lives around the world to thank them for their service and to demonstrate that we have not forgotten them.
Among the 2022 Gala’s attendees are Supervisor Kelly Long, Thousand Oaks Councilwoman Claudia De La Pena, Thousand Oaks Mayor Pro Tem Ed Jones, Mayor of Moorpark Janice Parvin, Retired Congressman Elton Gallegly and Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub.
“Our dear retired Sheriff Geoff Dean will be the auctioneer and Jeff Gorell, former State Legislator, former Deputy Mayor for the City of Los Angeles, and currently serving as a Captain in the Naval Reserve, a decorated veteran of the Global War on Terror and two tours in Afghanistan, will speak about what it meant to him to receive a For The Troops care package,” notes Rosemary. “Please help us honor our Gulf War Era Veterans as well as help us send more care packages to our most deserving deployed military service members.” Auction items include exquisite dinners, a Kobe Bryant-signed basketball and wonderful trips, including a Holland America cruise, a timeshare in Kauai, getaways to a home in Paso Robles and a week in a luxury Alpine Lake Tahoe home.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2022 and the 2023 Galas; to donate auction items for this worthwhile cause, contact Rosemary Allison at 805.479.7653 or rosemaryallison@aol.com. Volunteers are always appreciated to help pack boxes at the Simi Valley location.
For more information, visit FortheTroops.org.
