Huntington Station VFW Blasts Cow Harbor Warriors

This article was posted by Pam Robinson and written by Leah Bush.

The Huntington Station VFW Nathan Hale Post sent a letter to the Northport Village Board Monday urging them to deny permits for a second Wounded Warriors Weekend in September.

Earlier this month, the veterans charity organization was denied a request for permits on the grounds that they are not registered with Suffolk County to raise money as a veterans organization. 

The last village board meeting became an "airing out" of grievances between the CHW and the Northport American Legion, who have been at odds since January. Read the full account here.

Trustee Tom Kehoe read the letter at the Tuesday board meeting. A copy is attached below. Rocco Donnino, head of the CHW, responded with the following statement, published on Facebook and in the Northport Observer:

"The VFW’s letter, upon which CHW was not even copied, is the first attempt that the VFW has made to speak with CHW about their event last year. It would have been nice if they had tried to speak with CHW to learn the facts before blindly adopting the position of others. The Observer’s readers should know that the American Legion knew the VFW had prepared a letter before it became public. If the VFW thought it was appropriate to make the American Legion aware of their letter, days before it was disclosed, shouldn’t CHW, the organization being accused, have been given the courtesy of at least a phone call. Similarly, how hard would it have been for someone at the Village to alert CHW that the letter had been received, so that someone from CHW could be present at the meeting to respond. Even a half hour of notice would have been enough! If the Village itself had no notice the letter should have been tabled until the next meeting. Instead, just as at the April 2 Village Hall meeting, a new document surfaces without any notice, and to which CHW has no opportunity to react or reply. If CHW had been told about the letter at least they could have had someone at the Village Hall meeting to respond to the attack. Your readers should be getting tired of these sneak attacks, and your Editorial Board should take a stand for the community and ask that they stop. Free and open discourse can only occur if both sides are given a real opportunity to speak. 

"If the VFW had taken the path of trying to speak with someone at CHW before attacking they could have learned many things. They would have learned that CHW has already filed everything needed to comply with Suffolk County law. This was done last week, just 10 days after CHW learned for the first time that it had to file for this additional registration. Even though CHW had coordinated for nearly a year with multiple Village and Town officials over the event last fall, no official ever mentioned the additional Suffolk County registration. We assume, like, CHW, the Village and Town officials simply did not know about this additional requirement when they issued all the permits, and approved, attended and fully supported the warrior weekend and everything else CHW did. In any event, within 10 days of being told it existed CHW complied. 

VFW would also have learned that CHW’s filing with Suffolk County includes the financial disclosure statement required by the County. A copy is attached. It shows what has been told to the American Legion and the Town for months – CHW used nearly all of the funds brought in to hold the events for the wounded OIF and OEF veterans and to support and donate to The Wounded Warrior project and other organizations that directly help these veterans advance past their injuries. For a first year organization that is a remarkable achievement, and we challenge anyone to identify other organizations raising money for wounded veterans who have had such an incredible ratio of administrative expense to donations. So in response to Mr. Brenner’s point – CHW has now fully complied with Suffolk County law. VFW could have learned this with a simple phone call. The American Legion knew this on Monday April 15.

If the VFW had picked up the phone and called the multiple people they know at CHW they would also have been told what the American Legion has been told. CHW would welcome an opportunity to sit down with one or more of their members to go over all of the financial information already provided to Suffolk County and to answer any questions they have. This was offered to the American Legion on April 15 and CHW is just waiting for a date from the American Legion to meet. CHW will also reach out to the VFW to find a date. VFW just has to be willing to meet -- instead of sending letters upon which CHW is not even copied."