L.B. Waterfront Warriors hosting 5th annual event to support the troops

The Long Beach Waterfront Warriors will host its 5th annual Holiday for Heroes event on Dec. 8, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Long Beach Catholic Regional School, to support the troops during the holidays.

The organization — which honors and assists wounded, ill and injured veterans and their families — is teaming up with Long Beach Catholic Regional School and VFW Lt. John F. O’Grady Post 1384 to prepare care packages for U.S. troops serving overseas.

Over the past four years, The Waterfront Warriors have shipped more than 800 care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan, and at Walter Reed Medical Center and Northport V.A. Medical Center.

At the Dec. 8 event, organizers and volunteers will wrap gifts to ship to members overseas. The event will also feature Santa, a tree-lighting ceremony, face painting for kids and more.

Each year, the organization plays hosts to a number of soldiers and their families who visit Long Beach as the event’s guests of honor. This year, five soldiers from Walter Reed and their families are visiting. On Friday, soldiers will arrive in Long Beach, and they will visit the Long Beach Catholic Regional School, where students will come together outside and form an honor guard for soldiers.

After the event, soldiers will head into New York City, where they will visit Rockefeller Center and take in the sights to celebrate the holidays.

“We go to Rockefeller Center and have lunch in Manhattan,” said Waterfront Warriors co-chair James Lynch. “The soldiers are always very appreciative — they find it hard to believe that people still care. You don’t see the war on the front page of the newspapers anymore and it’s not talked about, but these guys are still getting injured day in and day out. This year, we’re going to be doing Christmas shopping for some of the soldiers who are too physically ill to leave Walter Reed. We have a list, and we’re going to send a caravan there with goodies, and that’s a new addition to what we’re doing now.”

This year, the group is also accepting monetary donations to purchase gifts from “wish lists” made by children of military families who will be celebrating Christmas at Walter Reed. Donations may be brought to LBCRS on Dec. 8 or by calling co-chair Gerry Snell (516) 375-5966.

Those interested in donating items for the Dec. 8 event may drop off unwrapped, travel-sized toiletries or socks and T-shirts at the VFW, located at 675 W. Park Ave., through Saturday, Dec. 7, from 3 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.lbwaterfrontwarriors.org.