The Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial Fund will host its ninth anniversary gala, “A Toast to Dennis – A Night of Remembrance,” from 7 p.m. to midnight Sept. 8 at the Eagle Oaks Country Club, Howell.
The gala will celebrate the life and memory of Zilinski and honor all veterans and active duty servicemen and servicewomen in attendance, according to a press release.
The $150 cost per person will include a cocktail hour, a sit-down dinner, dancing with music by The Infernos and more.
The event will feature a reverse auction to assist the fund in sponsoring service dogs for veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injuries. Several warriors who have returned from combat are expected to attend the affair, according to the press release.
This year’s distinguished honorees are Tom and Marie Dolan of Avon by the Sea and Ron and Kim Jaeger of Rumson.
“These people are extraordinary Americans who believe in our cause and have been tremendous supporters of the Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial Fund,” said Marion Zilinski, the lieutenant’s mother and co-host of the gala. “They are awesome people and are quiet about their support.”
Donations in 2016 totaled $285,000, of which $180,000 was specifically dedicated to the sponsorship of the service dogs. The organization has sponsored 43 dogs to date. More than 270 people attended last year’s event, according to the press release.
Zilinski, 23, of Middletown, was one of four American soldiers killed by a roadside bomb on Nov. 19, 2005 during combat operations near Bayji, Iraq, 155 miles north of Baghdad. He was a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, and the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
The fund sponsors programs for injured soldiers and scholarships to CBA. The fund also provides support to improve the morale and welfare of members of the United States armed forces and their families, according to the press release.
For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.runwithdennis.org