District Attorney Supports Calling Card Distribution
Armstrong County District Attorney Scott Andreassi received 75 30-minute calling cards from AMVETS Post #13 Commander Victor Stivason February 3 to distribute to service personnel.
by Jonathan Weaver
Armstrong County District Attorney Scott Andreassi is partnering with a local veterans organization to provide service personnel an opportunity to keep-in-touch with their families.
Friday, Andreassi received 75 30-minute calling cards from AMVETS Post #13 Commander Victor Stivason to distribute to soldiers from across the county.
Andreassi knows the hardship Service families go through, as his son, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alex Andreassi, is currently stationed in South Korea.
“I recognize and realize the hardships service families go through,” Andreassi said. “We take these careds and make sure they get in the hands of active-duty personnel so they can keep-in-touch with their families.”
Alex enlisted after his graduation from Karns City High School in 2005.
Andreassi hopes to distribute the cards through the Ford City Armory and the 911thAir Force Reserve Base in Moon Township, Allegheny County.
“They’re distributed pretty quickly,” Andreassi said. “This is very generous, and I’ll make sure they get in the right place.”
Stivason – in his first year as local commander after being the organization’s national president for two years – explained why Andreassi was asked to help distribute the calling cards.
“This phone card was provided by the AMVETS Department of Pennsylvania and passed out to local posts to distribute to veterans. Knowing that the District Attorney has a broader base of outreach, I decided we would take part of our cards and donate them to him to pass out to veterans across the county,” Stivason said.
The current campaign follows a holiday-season card distribution to the VA Hospital.
AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Commander Kim Judge came to support the cause and also knows what it’s like to not hear from a soldier overseas –nephew, U.S. Army Soldier Jeramia Wiles is stationed in Afghanistan.
“I only get contact from him through Facebook, and it’s only every once-in-a-while when he can get on. (When) I see him pop on, I say ‘Thank God it’s another day he’s still alive,’” Judge said
Wiles is also to receive a phone card from AMVETS. Cards will also be distributed to his unit after being told they were received successfully.
Judge – who saw two immediate family members join the service – father, the late-William T. Wonderling of Vandergrift who fought in World War II and the Korean War and a Military Police brother, Chuck Hetrick – now of Lakeland, Ohio who served with the Military Police in Vietnam, – is dedicated to helping veterans and soldiers in any capacity.
“I’m very military-oriented, so I go out-of-my-way to help our veterans,” Judge said. “These guys, everytime they sign up, they sign a blank check, and sometimes the signature of that check is their life.”
Judge also volunteers with the Mechling-Shakley Veterans Center in Cowansville.
“We do a lot to support the veterans in the area and our soldiers, and when (Stivason) found out about (Andreassi’s) program, he was sure to donate these cards,” Judge said.
Stivason said Andreassi’s support is gladly accepted, both in distributing calling cards and helping promote the AMVETS Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse (AADAA) program. Stivason compared AADAA to the local “Drugs Kill Dreams” drug-prevention program.
“If we all work together, we can accomplish great things. AMVETS Post 13 by itself, the American Legion by itself or the D.A.s office by itself can not accomplish near-as-much (as) if we get together and work for a common goal,” Stivason said.
To send a calling card to active-service personnel, or find out more information about a school-wide AADAA contest, contact Andreassi at the Armstrong County Courthouse: 724-548-3209.
Local News | jweaver February 6, 2012
By dutch, February 8, 2012 @ 1:25 PM
To clarify, I was the AMVETS Riders National President, not the Organizations National President.