JACKSON — Local nonprofit organizations known collectively as the 501 Association are coming to the aid of a disabled veteran who recently returned home from Iraq.
The identity of the Jackson veteran is being kept confidential at this time.
To better aid the community, the 501 Association coordinates and collaborates on fundraising efforts for various causes by combining the strengths and talents of each volunteer organization.
“There is strength in numbers,” said Vinnie Rubio, a spokesman for the 501 Association.
Rubio said the charter members of the nonprofit 501 Association include the Jackson Kiwanis Club, the Jackson Rotary Club, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, St. Vladimir’s Church, the Jackson Women of Today, the Optimist Club, the Central Jersey Italian American Club, the Fossils Car Club and the Jackson Alumni Hall of Fame.
Other groups such as the Jackson School District’s U.S. Air Force Junior ROTC program will be assisting in the current effort.
Rubio said people have come to realize that these organizations are the social services department for Jackson.
He said he recently learned about a soldier who resides in Jackson who is in need of a companion dog. Since immediate funding was not available, Rubio decided to approach the 501 Association, which launched Operation One of Our Own.
“I spoke to a trainer and was told this is a very expensive proposition. The government pays $25,000 to $30,000 to train the dog and the recipient. The trainer said he would have to be paid about $7,500. None of the organizations have that money, but together we can raise it,” Rubio said.
He said the veteran in this case is 100 percent disabled.
Suzanne Rogalsky, president of the JacksonWomen of Today, said, “Operation One of Our Own, a series of fundraisers over a four-month period, will be focusing on helping a disabled soldier from Jackson who has served in Iraq. He needs a service dog and has asked the community for help in raising the money to obtain and train the dog.”
The first fundraiser associated with Operation One of Our Own will be a spaghetti dinner to be hosted by the Jackson VFW on Jan. 31 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the VFW hall on Magnolia Drive.
The Optimist Club will hold a raffle ($5 per ticket) for a chance to win a choice of a $500 ShopRite gift certificate, a flat-screen HD television, or a $500 landscaping certificate.
The Kiwanis Club will be selling nuts at shopping centers throughout Jackson, including County Line Hardware and Jackson Crossings.
The Rotary Club will hold a concert in March, and the Central Jersey Italian American Club will be sponsoring a dinner, also in March.
The Jackson Women of Today are planning a March pancake breakfast.
“Please join us in our community-wide effort to help ‘One of our Own,’ ” said Rogalsky.
For a complete listing of organizations participating in Operation One of Our Own, visit the Internet website at www.jackson501association. org.
For more information or to obtain tickets to these events, contact Vinnie Rubio at 732-928-1787 or stop by County Line Hardware, County Line Road, for tickets. Donation canisters are also being place in stores throughout Jackson.