“The most worthwhile charity I’ve ever been involved in.” That’s what Paul Galanti called Families of the Wounded Fund, Inc. as he addressed the Goochland Rotary Club last Friday.

Retired naval officer, Vietnam POW and Virginia Commissioner of Veterans Services, Galanti was the guest speaker at the club’s monthly meeting. He is a director of the fund.

“The worst of the wounded come to McGuire Hospital,” Galanti told the group in his address. He told the members of a wounded soldier who suffered head injuries in a helicopter crash he visited with at McGuire. Once unresponsive, the Army aviator called Galanti a week ago to tell him he was getting married.

Rotary member Tom Winfree, President and CEO of Village Bank in Midlothian, which administers the fund, explained that McGuire Medical Center is one of only a few veteran’s hospitals in the nation equipped to deal with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.

“The Department of Defense contracts with them for treatment,” said Winfree after the meeting.

What does the fund do?

It makes it possible for members of the wounded service members’ families to stay by their side during what can be an extended rehabilitation period.

“The support of a loved one is vital,” explained Winfree. “We help the soldier by helping the families.”

The Families of the Wounded Fund directs 100 percent of donations and net proceeds from its events to help families come to the Richmond area to be near their loved ones while they are healing.

One such family was that of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Brian Pearce, who suffered a traumatic brain injury when his Humvee hit an IED (improvised explosive device) in Iraq.

The fund was able to help Pearce’s wife bring their family from Alaska to Richmond, and to assist them in relocating to Mechanicsville.

The fund was started six years ago. It has no connection with other organizations, such as Wounded Warriors, said the fund’s treasurer Deborah Golding, Assistant Vice President at Village Bank.

“We give each family a grant of $6,000,” said Golding. “It gives them the opportunity to be at the bedside of their loved ones.”

“One mother broke down in tears when we gave her the check,” said Golding. She had been praying that something would happen that would let her stay with her son a little bit longer, explained Golding.

No administrative expenses are paid out of the donated funds. All banking and accounting services are provided to FOTWF at no charge by Board Members.

To find out more about the organization or to make a contribution, contact them at their Web site, www.fotwf.org or by mail at:

Families of the Wounded Fund, Inc.
c/o Village Bank
P.O. Box 330
Midlothian, Virginia 23113