Thursday, October 1, 2026
“Long Beach never turns it’s back on any benefit — Long Beach always steps up,” said James Lynch, an event coordinator for the Long Beach Waterfront Warriors, during the organization’s “Wrap Party” at the Allegria Hotel on Dec. 5. “Giving to these soldiers, there’s nothing better.”
This year, the Waterfront Warriors and the Allegria Hotel teamed up for the second annual Holiday for Heroes Drive, in which care packages are collected and sent to soldiers overseas and delivered to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Nassau V.A. Hospital in Northport.
The effort is aimed at bringing the holidays to the troops, part of a city-wide campaign led by the Waterfront Warriors, with the help of the VFW Lt. John F. O’ Grady Post 1384 and the Allegria.
“It’s all about giving back to the soldiers,” said Laura Vivonetto, the hotel’s marketing manager, who estimated that roughly 400 people attended the event.
Six soldiers, along with their families, came up from Walter Reed for the event and were the evening’s guests of honor. The Allegria provided them with a complimentary room and meal for the weekend. Those soldiers included Corey Unrig, Adam Laman, Asia Allen, Angie Sosa, Albert Castillo and Thomas Garner.
Garner, a U.S. Army Captain with the Fourth Infantry Division, expressed his admiration for the Waterfront Warriors, saying that they “treat you like family.”
“I think it’s absolutely phenomenal what they do,” said Garner. “They take really good care of you.”
At the event, children sported reindeer hats and sipped on hot coco, while gathered around tables writing Christmas cards to soldiers. Volunteers organized the items to be donated to the soldiers, ranging from toiletries, toothpaste and shaving cream to clothing, books and DVDs. Guests also made monetary donations, which will be used toward shipping costs and purchasing pre-paid phone cards for troops.
Last year, with the help of the Long Beach Catholic Regional School and the Long Beach Public Schools, organizers said that more than 240 care packages were shipped overseas.
