CAMPAIGN RALLY IN SUPPORT OF OUR CANDIDATES
The June 2nd Queens Village Republican Club General Club Meeting was a campaign rally which started off with Scott Berry leading everyone in the signing of “You’re a Grand Old Flag!” This was followed by vigorous chanting of “Make America great again, Trump, Trump, Trump!”
There was a floor vote on a resolution for a club endorsement of Donald J. Trump for our Republican candidate for President, which passed unanimously. Our congressional candidates, Senator Jack Martins and Mike O’Reilly spoke as well as Frank Denatali, a representative from Donald Trump for President Campaign, Trump Tower Call Center in Manhattan.
Captain James Van Thach (Ret.) U.S. Army, received the Rabbi Morton Pomerantz Veteran of the Year Award at the 141st Anniversary Licnoln Dinner. The presenter was Commander Bernadette Semple, a highly decorated wounded warrior herself. Captain Thach, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, who was given the honorary title of Brigadier General by the Iraqi government as an advisor to the New Iraqi Army, spoke passionately, as a Veteran’s Advocate with Wounded Veteran Initiative of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) with his beloved service dog Liz by his side. He spoke about finding one’s passion in life and in one’s community, and to “never give up” the fight. He said to “find a pal” to help you through any difficulty. The passion that gives him strength and purpose in his life, as a Suicide Prevention Counselor and a pal to the numerous veterans and fellow wounded warriors he has met traveling throughout the nation and the world, is to share healing and encouragement with each and every one of them, because of the tragedy of approximately 22 American veterans committing suicide every day.
Fred Brown, the venerated Chairman of the National Black Republican Council and President of the New York State Black Republican Council, received the Harvey Moder Lifetime Achievement award, which was presented by Queens Republican Party Chairman Bob Turner. This award is presented annually to real-life American heroes, memorialized eternally in the name of the highly acclaimed past president of the Queens Village Republican Club, and World War II Veteran honored by Congress for his lifetime quest to fully account for our POW/MIAs.