OPELF - December 17, 2011
top pic - Mad Mike and CT LT Governor Nancy Wyman
middle pic - Joe and Peg Micca, Long Island, MY
bottm pic - group pic of chili cooks
12-17-11
Today Northeast and NY International Chili Society chili cooks did the ICS proud when they gathered together for OPELF.
OPELF stands for Operation Extending a Lending hand to lonely Families. This is a program sponsored by the State of CT Military Department that provides a party for families of CT deployed troops.
The outpouring of emotional support, chili and cookies from the ICS cooks was incredible. There was a last minute call to all of the cooks for cookies and EVERY one of the cooks responded with more cookies than I have ever seen.
This was an emotional day for the ICS cooks as we met families with a mom or dad, sister or brother, son or daughter that is deployed overseas or has passed away. I personally met one little boy and his mom that were at the party. During the course of our conversation, I learned that she lost her husband earlier in the year. While she too serves in the US Army, she felt that it was important that her son come to the party. I ensured that they left full of chili and they had a full bag of desserts compliments of our friends from the Patriot Guard Riders CT. As they walked out of the CT State Armory, I gave the young man my battery operated chili lights and my reindeer antlers. I stood there with tears in my eyes as he walked out hand in hand with his mom wearing the antlers and lights with a huge smile on his face.
I need to thank the following new and old ICS cooks that selflessly took time out of their holiday schedules to travel from near and far to help with OPELF.
Alison, Aiden and Mario Sacciccio ,Vicki Buma Tankis and Vanessa Tankis, Jerry Buma (USMC), Marc (USAF) and Isaiah Frechette ,Steven Stark ,Richard LaFrance (US Army),Johanna and Nick Loddo, Joe Micca ,Scott Navaroli ,Linda McGrath ,Les Cropley ,Patriot Guard Riders CT and the John Haymond Law Firm.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Northeast.
Michael “Mad Mike” Freedman
