Rock for Our Troops will feature two live bands.
Members of Care for Our Troops gather each month to pack custom care packages for American troops stationed overseas.WESTFIELD – Care for Our Troops was founded in 2010 for the simple purpose of keeping Western Massachusetts military personnel stationed overseas connected with their communities, and for the second year, the group is sponsoring a fund-raiser to continue that mission.
Organizers of Rock for Our Troops, which will be held Feb. 11 at East Mountain Country Club and feature two live bands, say almost 100 percent of funds raised from the event will go to the shipping costs and purchase of care package items that are sent to American troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“It started with one care package and grew from there,” said Eric Dauplaise, one of the organization’s founders.
On the second Wednesday of each month, Dauplaise and co-founders Michelle Cabral, Cassandra Smolkowicz and Karen Paluch, along with volunteers, meet at 6:30 p.m. at the West Springfield Elks Club, located at 429 Morgan Road, to pack items collected for service members put on their list by family.
And, each month, Dauplaise added, the theme changes, and the items in the packages reflect that.
“January was ‘Warm Our Warriors’ and February is “Jerky for Joe,’” he said of the boxes that contained gloves and hats in January and the February ones that will feature beef jerky.
“We are always looking for active military serving overseas who would benefit from our support,” Dauplaise noted. “Feel free to submit names and address to CFOTroops@gmail.com.”
The benefit, being billed as a dinner dance where hot appetizers will be served, will feature the original music of Westfield’s Wolfgang, and the musicianship of the Brass Attack.
Greg F. Garstka, a member of Wolfgang and owner of Performance Music in Westfield, said he became involved in the effort because his son was a soldier in Iraq on the receiving end of the care packages. He added that event organizers expect a good turnout.
“Last year’s benefit was a great success,” he said. “Everyone had a great time, and we expect another sell-out crowd this year.”
Brass Attack founder Carl Sittard said donating the band’s time to the cause is a small act of gratitude it can show to local service people.
“When Brass Attack was approached and asked to perform at this year’s fund-raising event, we didn’t hesitate to support our committed troops,” he said. “It’s such a wonderful project, and we’re proud to be a part of it. We hope our small part in the effort helps to convey our gratitude and admiration for our troops and all they have done to support our country.”
East Mountain Country Club co-owner Ted Perez Jr. says his family’s long tradition of military involvement and support is one reason why donating the hall for the event seemed like a natural thing to do, but mostly, it is because “it’s the right thing to do.”
“Our family has a history of supporting the military,” he said. “It’s the least we could do. Without the military, we wouldn’t have a golf course. We wouldn’t have a lot of things.”