Rogerlyn Velez Cipriano, CEO & Founder of Angels For Warriors, was a keynote speaker at the Annual McNamara Charity Golf Outing. She spoke about how she is an attorney who founded Angels For Warriors in 2012 after her brother Sergeant Angel Velez was severely injured during a mission in Afghanistan. It is a resource center, advocacy center and they provide pro-bono legal assistance to veterans.
In 2017 her brother, Sergeant Angel Velez was an honoree of the McNamara Charity Golf Outing and recipient of a beautiful Track chair. At this year’s event they donated the chair back to the organization for another veteran to utilize. Rogerlyn thanked Christopher McNamara, the event coordinator, with deep gratitude for the kindness, support and generosity that he has shown her brother, and for the difference that he has made in her brother’s life and the lives of so many other veterans and first responders. Knowing firsthand how difficult doing this type of work is, she praised Christopher for coming at it with an open heart, the ability, and the biggest smile that she has ever seen.
Christopher McNamara served in Desert Storm for the United States Air Force. His family history is steeped with generations of military service, including his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, uncles, and cousin who were proud to serve. Thankfully, his family members all came home relatively safe and sound. Unfortunately, that is not the case for all our service men and women. Many return home with debilitating injuries that can be costly and PTSD.
As of last year, the McNamara Charity Golf Outing raised over $900,000 for local Veterans, Veteran charities, and 1st responders. This money has helped local families with day-to-day expenses, as well as helping them meet their physical and mental needs. From the service dogs to the equestrian grants for veterans with PTSD to the Track chairs that give our critical wounded the independence of life, to the relief of their family not having a mortgage payment anymore.
This event was held at the Heritage Club at Bethpage to benefit Wounded Warrior Project, Paws of War, The Independence Fund, and Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
