President's Message - A Call for Vests

Welcome back, I hope that 2004 was good to you and your family, and that 2005 will be even better.

We closed 2004 with our Children's Holiday Party, and it was a huge success for all who attended, thanks to the efforts of Sean, Neil and all the others who volunteered to make it a special day.

On January 4th, Luke Johnson and I with several other Shields organizations attended the New York Shields awards meeting. Thanks to their Executive Director Dan Martinez, for the invitation.

Speaking of organizations: Joe McGarry, President of FOP Lodge, 317 NYC Transit Memorial Lodge informs me that on Thursday, April 7th, they are running a 10th anniversary "Hostile Takeover" Dinner/Dance. Joe will have details and flyers at our next meeting. Tim Moto, VIP FOP Lodge 69, Nassau County Lodge informs us that his Installation Dinner/Dance will be Thursday, March 10th. Good luck to both organizations.

A special Thank You to NYS FOP Executive VIP Charlie Caputo for the information re: HR 218 at the last meeting. Charlie has promised to inform us in any status changes.

We are starting 2 new important programs and we need your help. In conjunction with Tom Nearney, Det. NYPD Ret. we are asking you for any serviceable or unserviceable vests you may have. We will forward them to our troops overseas for use as floor mats, and/or seat cushions lining "Humvees" until these vehicles are reinforced to acceptable standards. Tom will be at the next meeting to accept these vests. A sincere Thank You to Commissioner Ernest Cipullo of the Garden City Police Department for the 25 vests he has given to us.

We are also asking for phone cards for use by our troops' overseas. They also will be forwarded to our troops for their use.

We will have petitions for your signature at the meeting, request­ing the denial of parole to Bruce Lorick, convicted of killing PO Joe Keegan, NYC Transit Police on June 19, 1980. Joe was slain a month prior to vesting his pension, at 41 years of age.

Hope we see you on the 24th, to meet our scholarship winners. Stay safe and watch out for each other.